Sony’s foray into the open-style earbud market continues with the Sony LinkBuds Open, a follow-up to the original LinkBuds. While their predecessor introduced an unconventional design, the new iteration refines the concept further. The result is an intriguing product aimed at listeners who prioritise environmental awareness over isolation. But how does this approach fare in terms of practicality, sound quality, and overall value? Let’s find out!

Sony LinkBuds Open Review: Build and Design

Sony is no stranger to pushing boundaries in design, and the LinkBuds Open is a testament to this. These earbuds deviate from the conventional “in-ear” or “over-ear” styles, opting instead for a circular open-ring design that rests just outside the ear canal. This unique build ensures that users remain aware of their surroundings, a feature ideal for outdoor activities like jogging or commuting.

Despite their unorthodox appearance, the build quality feels premium. The earbuds are lightweight yet sturdy, with an IPX4 rating for water and sweat resistance – a must-have for folks who are planning to rock these during their workouts. However, the fit can be a mixed bag. While some may find the ergonomic shape comfortable, others might struggle with stability during vigorous movements. Sony provides multiple ear wing sizes, but the universal fit still leans heavily on personal preference.

The charging case is compact and sleek, though it lacks wireless charging—a curious omission at this price point. The magnetic latch is secure, ensuring that the earbuds stay in place, but the lack of a proper indicator for battery levels on the case itself feels like a missed opportunity.

Sony LinkBuds Open Review: Features and Connectivity

On the feature front, the LinkBuds Open offers a mix of hits and misses. Sony’s focus on transparency and environmental awareness comes through with the Adaptive Ambient Sound mode, which dynamically adjusts based on your surroundings. This feature works seamlessly and is one of the earbuds’ strongest selling points.

The earbuds support Bluetooth 5.3, ensuring a stable and efficient connection. Pairing is a breeze, thanks to Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair integration. However, codec support is limited to SBC and AAC, leaving out high-resolution options like LDAC. For a product aimed at audiophiles and casual listeners alike, this limitation could be a deal-breaker.

Touch controls are intuitive – even with the Wide Area Tap – and customisable via the Sony Headphones Connect app. Functions such as playback control, volume adjustment, and access to voice assistants can be assigned based on user preference. Additionally, the Speak-to-Chat feature – a carryover from Sony’s premium models – pauses playback when you start speaking, enhancing convenience for quick interactions.

Sony LinkBuds Open Review: Performance

The sound profile of the LinkBuds Open is where opinions may diverge. These earbuds are tailored for users who prioritise ambient awareness, which means bass response and noise isolation take a backseat. The soundstage is wide and airy, delivering excellent clarity in the mid and high frequencies. Vocals and instruments come through with precision, making them well-suited for genres like classical, jazz, and podcasts.

However, bass heads may find the performance underwhelming. The open design naturally limits low-end extension, and even with EQ tweaks via the app, the sub-bass remains subdued. This isn’t necessarily a flaw but rather a consequence of the earbuds’ design philosophy.

Call quality is impressive, with dual noise-sensing microphones effectively isolating your voice in noisy environments. Whether you’re in a bustling cafe or on a busy street, the LinkBuds Open ensures that your voice remains clear to the person on the other end.

The LinkBuds Open excels in scenarios where environmental awareness is crucial. For cyclists, joggers, or commuters, the open-ring design provides a perfect blend of audio enjoyment and situational awareness. The lightweight build ensures long-lasting comfort during extended use, though stability issues may arise during high-intensity activities. In quieter environments, the lack of noise isolation can be distracting, especially when competing with ambient noises like office chatter or household appliances. These earbuds clearly cater to a niche audience and may not appeal to those seeking immersive listening experiences.

Sony LinkBuds Open Review: Battery Life

Battery life on the LinkBuds Open is adequate but not groundbreaking. Sony claims up to eight hours of playback on a single charge, with additional charge cycles from the case totalling up to 13 hours. In real-world usage, these numbers hold up, provided you’re not using power-hungry features like Speak-to-Chat excessively. In our testing, we found that on a single charge, these earbuds held up for 6.5 hours of continuous charge.

Fast charging is a welcome addition, offering up to 90 minutes of playback with just 10 minutes of charging. However, the omission of wireless charging feels like a glaring drawback, especially when competitors in this price range include it as standard.

Sony LinkBuds Open Review: Verdict

At a retail price of ₹19,990 (at the time of writing), the LinkBuds Open positions itself in a very competitive market. Alternatives like the Bose Sport Open Earbuds offer similar transparency-focused designs but come with a more secure fit. Meanwhile, traditional in-ear models like the Jabra Elite 7 Pro provide better sound isolation and bass response at a comparable price point. Sony’s decision to forgo high-resolution codec support and wireless charging raises questions about the overall value proposition. While the LinkBuds Open shines in specific use cases, its appeal remains limited to those who prioritise open-air listening above all else.

The Sony LinkBuds Open is an ambitious product that delivers on its promise of environmental awareness and transparency. Its unique design and feature set make it a standout choice for users who value situational awareness over immersive sound. However, the limited codec support, lack of wireless charging, and inconsistent fit may deter potential buyers.

For outdoor use and casual listeners who appreciate a wide soundstage and natural ambient integration, the LinkBuds Open is a worthy consideration. However, audiophiles and bass lovers may find better options elsewhere. In the end, this is a niche product that excels within its defined parameters but struggles to justify its premium price tag for a broader audience.

The Vivo X200 Pro enters the market as a bold statement for smartphone photography enthusiasts, building upon the strong foundation laid by its predecessor, the Vivo X100 Pro (review). With a relentless focus on camera innovation, Vivo aims to cement its place as a leader in mobile photography. The X200 Pro takes a leap forward with a revamped telephoto lens, upgraded image processing, and versatile video recording features, all under the continued collaboration with Zeiss.

While its predecessor was somewhat underrated, the X200 Pro sets out to win more hearts by not only focusing on photography but also refining the overall smartphone experience. Competing against heavyweights like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (review), iPhone 16 Pro Max (review), iQOO 13 (review), and OPPO Find X8 Pro (review), the Vivo X200 Pro hopes to deliver a well-rounded flagship experience to stand out amongst the pack.

With its striking design, powerful MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chipset, and massive 6,000 mAh battery, the X200 Pro is more than just a camera phone. But is this enough to make it a must-buy for flagship seekers? Let’s dive into the details and see how it compares to its competitors and its predecessor, the Vivo X100 Pro.

Vivo X200 Pro Review: Build and Design

The Vivo X200 Pro embraces a bold design that prioritises function over form. The oversized camera module instantly catches the eye, clearly stating the phone’s focus on photography. However, this design choice leads to noticeable table wobble, which might frustrate some users. It also makes the phone uncomfortably top-heavy. The massive camera module is also a hindrance when gaming as it juts out quite a bit.

Still, compared to the Vivo X100 Pro, the X200 Pro refines its design with subtle yet significant updates. The aluminium frame is now thicker and flatter, contributing to better grip and durability. Vivo also introduces an IP69 rating—an upgrade from the typical IP68 protection—offering resistance to high-pressure water jets, a rarity in smartphones.

The front is adorned with Vivo’s Armor Glass, while the back features premium matte-finish glass that resists fingerprints. However, we don’t know how durable Vivo’s Armor Glass is in comparison to Corning’s latest offering. The ergonomic tweaks, such as slightly rounded edges on the flattened display glass, improve the in-hand feel. The phone comes in Cosmos Black and Titanium Gray, and I got the latter for review. It has minimal frills and keeps things quite classy and subtle.

The ultrasonic fingerprint sensor is another welcome addition, offering faster and more reliable authentication even in challenging conditions like damp or dusty environments. While the phone is on the heavier side, its premium build and enhanced durability somewhat make up for it.

Vivo X200 Pro Review: Display

The Vivo X200 Pro features a stunning 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a 1.5K resolution, delivering sharp visuals at 452 pixels per inch. Its LTPO panel offers an adaptive refresh rate from 120Hz to as low as 0.1Hz. Android’s native refresh rate tool showed that the display went down to 1Hz and not 0.1Hz, however, I don’t think this tool is coded to go below 1Hz. So, the phone is possibly going all the way down to 0.1Hz, which would definitely improve battery life longevity.

With support for HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, the X200 Pro provides a rich viewing experience for HDR content. Vivo claims a peak brightness of 4500 nits when viewing HDR content. In our tests, we recorded an impressive 1992 nits on Auto-Brightness Mode. So, visibility under direct sunlight is top-notch!

While some might expect a 1440p resolution at this price, the 1.5K panel balances sharpness and power efficiency effectively. Uniform bezels and vibrant colours round out one of the best displays in the flagship segment. Vivo’s focus on usability, combined with cutting-edge technology like Ultra HDR, ensures the X200 Pro delivers an outstanding display experience, making it a solid choice for anyone who consumes a lot of content on their smartphone.

How does it perform?

The Vivo X200 Pro is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chipset, paired with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage. This hardware combination is powerful and it ensures that the phone handles everyday tasks, multitasking, and gaming with ease.

In benchmarks, the X200 Pro outperforms competitors like the OPPO Find X8 Pro, showcasing its prowess in raw performance. However, it falls behind gaming-focused phones like the iQOO 13 in most CPU and GPU benchmarks, sustained performance and storage read/write speeds. While casual gamers will undoubtedly find the performance smooth, heavy gamers might experience occasional throttling and heating during extended sessions of graphically intense games like Genshin Impact.

For non-gaming tasks, the phone excels. Apps open quickly, multitasking is seamless, and the phone rarely shows signs of lag. Vivo’s performance mode enables gaming at 120 FPS in supported titles like Call of Duty: Mobile, although the phone heats up slightly after prolonged sessions.

The X200 Pro’s thermal management could use some improvement, as sustained workloads lead to throttling. While it’s not the ultimate gaming powerhouse, it provides a balanced performance for most users, with enough power to handle demanding tasks without breaking a sweat.

Vivo X200 Pro Review: Software and AI

The X200 Pro runs on FunTouch OS 15, based on Android 15. Vivo has refined its software experience significantly, with smoother animations, cleaner visuals, and reduced clutter compared to earlier iterations. However, the presence of bloatware apps continues to detract from an otherwise polished interface.

Vivo promises four years of software updates and five years of security patches, which is slightly below the standard set by competitors like Samsung and Google. AI features, including the AI Eraser and AI Glare Reduction, are hit-or-miss. While the phone scores well in AI benchmarks, real-world performance isn’t always consistent. It scored 83/100 on our Digit AI-Q test.

Look, FunTouch OS has come a long way, offering a modern and smooth interface, but there’s still room for improvement in terms of bloatware reduction and update longevity.

Have the cameras improved?

Cameras are the star of the show for the Vivo X200 Pro. While the primary sensor has a smaller size compared to the X100 Pro’s 1-inch sensor, the upgraded telephoto lens and improved ISP ensure a versatile and impressive imaging experience.

The X200 Pro features a 200 MP periscope telephoto camera with a larger sensor, delivering exceptional dynamic range and sharpness. Indoor close-ups are brighter and sharper on the X200 Pro, while portraits benefit from better edge detection and natural skin tones. Both 35mm and 50mm portrait modes offer a warm, lifelike rendering compared to the cooler tones of the X100 Pro. Check the camera samples below but do note these have been resized for the web.

Daylight photography is a mixed bag; while the X200 Pro produces more natural colours, the X100 Pro’s larger sensor offers slightly better detail. Ultrawide shots are more natural on the X200 Pro, thanks to a better ISP and the new V3+ Imaging chip. Macro shots also show improved colours and detail, making the X200 Pro a versatile tool for photographers.

In low light, the X100 Pro edges out in detail retention, but the X200 Pro compensates with better colours and slightly improved dynamic range. The phone excels in video capabilities, supporting 8K recording, 4K at 120 FPS, and LOG video for professional-grade editing.

Selfies are another highlight, with the X200 Pro delivering more true-to-life skin tones and better low-light performance. Overall, the X200 Pro provides a polished and versatile imaging experience, making it an excellent choice for photography enthusiasts.

Vivo X200 Pro Review: Battery Life

The Vivo X200 Pro packs a massive 6,000 mAh Silicon Carbon battery, offering exceptional endurance. It lasted nearly 20 hours in the PCMark Battery Test, outperforming competitors like the OPPO Find X8 Pro and Realme GT 7 Pro.

In real-world usage, the X200 Pro easily delivers 9-10 hours of screen-on time with medium to heavy use. The 90W wired charging fills the battery from 0 to 100% in just 45 minutes, while 30W wireless charging provides added convenience.

This stellar battery performance ensures that the X200 Pro is a reliable companion for power users who value all-day endurance without frequent charging. Vivo’s efficient display and optimised software contribute to one of the best battery experiences in the flagship segment.

Should you buy it?

The Vivo X200 Pro is a testament to Vivo’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of smartphone photography. Its revamped telephoto lens, improved video capabilities, and versatile camera features make it a standout choice for photography enthusiasts.

While it doesn’t dominate in raw performance or gaming, the X200 Pro delivers a well-rounded flagship experience with excellent battery life, a stunning display, and a premium build. The refined FunTouch OS enhances usability, but the bloatware remains a drawback.

For users upgrading from older smartphones or looking for a photography-first flagship, the X200 Pro offers compelling value. However, those with the X100 Pro should carefully evaluate whether the improved telephoto lens and design tweaks justify the upgrade.

iQOO as a brand is known for its heavy-performance smartphones that come to the market at a very justified price. I still remember, the iQOO 11 launched as India’s fastest smartphone because it was the first smartphone in India with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. Now, 2 years later, we have the iQOO 13 that is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, a processor that can even beat laptops when it comes to performance. 

However, iQOO has been focusing beyond performance for the last two years. For example, the iQOO 12 had quite an impressive camera. Now, with the iQOO 13, what are you getting? More importantly, whatever you are getting, how well is it working? That’s why you and I, both are here to find out whether the iQOO 13 is worth the price or not. So, let’s begin! 

Snapdragon 8 Elite is fine, but how stable is it in iQOO 13?

It’s a performance-centric smartphone, so let’s start with its performance. Now, we all know that the Snapdragon 8 Elite is a powerful chipset. But there is one major factor that matters a lot - “how stable is the processor inside a smartphone?” There are many optimisations included while powering a smartphone with a processor, if you don’t do that right, the processor will not deliver the power properly. 

To start with, I ran the AnTuTu benchmark test on the iQOO 13 to test how powerful the Snapdragon 8 Elite is. According to this benchmark, AnTuTu showed that the chip scored around 2.7 million, which is quite similar to what the Realme GT 7 Pro has achieved. For more context, the Realme GT 7 Pro is the true competitor of the iQOO 13. But, if we look at the numbers more closely, the iQOO 13 was slightly more powerful than the Realme GT 7 Pro. 

The GT 7 Pro scored 2736448 on AnTuTu, and on the other hand, the iQOO 13 scored 2764967. Now this isn’t a very big difference but still, the numbers are in front of you. 

Next, I ran the Geekbench benchmark, where the iQOO 13 scored slightly better than the Realme GT 7 Pro. Geekbench evaluates processor performance for daily tasks such as calls, social media, and videos, as well as heavy tasks like gaming and editing. Here are the scores of both smartphones: 

iQOO 13

• Single-Core (daily tasks) - 3065
• Multi-Core (heavy tasks) - 9705

Realme GT 7 Pro

• Single-Core (daily tasks) - 2748
• Multi-Core (heavy tasks) - 8388

Now, coming to the main test: CPU throttling. This revealed something very interesting about the iQOO 13. If you put it under moderate load, it won’t reach its peak performance. But if you push it to the extreme like opening 30-40 apps simultaneously, that’s when it truly shows its power. However, it does heat up significantly under such aggressive loads. But that’s okay because if it doesn’t heat up at all, that would be a concern. Besides, it cools down within just 20-25 minutes.  

After running CPU Throttling, one thing I know for sure is that the iQOO 13 is a heavy-performance smartphone. I ran three 30 minutes of these tests on 40 threads, that’s also why it heated up, but apart from that, the iQOO 13 was as smooth as ice. 

That said, most of you might never push it to such limits. At most, you would probably engage in some high-graphics gaming. So, I fired up a BGMI match as well. There was no lag, no glitch, no frame drop, nothing. The game ran very smoothly on high-graphics settings, and the phone didn’t even heat up much.

Along with good performance, we need other things also on a smartphone, right? Like the camera, which iQOO has focused on a lot this year as well.

Is iQOO 13 a camera upgrade over iQOO 12? 

The iQOO 13 is equipped with a triple camera setup, consisting of a 50-megapixel Sony IMX921 main camera, a 50-megapixel Sony telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom, and a 50-megapixel ISOCELL JN1 ultrawide lens. Now, the catch here is that iQOO has removed the 64-megapixel periscope telephoto sensor that had up to 3x optical zoom from the iQOO 13. The iQOO 12’s camera did rounds and the major reason behind it is its periscope telephoto sensor. 

Would you call this a downgrade? Wait, till you see iQOO 13’s camera samples. 

I think iQOO 13’s camera is not as good as its predecessor. Starting with the portraits, as you can see the edge detection on these pictures is just satisfactory. For example, in the cycle rickshaw picture, the main subject is out of focus, while the areas that should be blurred remain in focus. 

After this, light management is one thing this smartphone struggles with. It’s quite visible in low-light photos like these pictures with lit up buildings where you can see light bleeding, and the sky looks very hazy in every picture. In daylight also, you can see a proper halo behind my head.

Apart from this, the wide-angle camera isn’t that great, and in low light, its performance drops even more.

But despite all this, after the iQOO 12, the iQOO 13 is the second-best camera phone from this brand.

Because even though the periscope lens is gone, the 50MP telephoto sensor does an amazing job. Whether in daylight or low light, it captures stunning pictures. And here’s a pro tip: if you’re getting this phone, use the portrait mode at 100mm, the shots will look very cinematic.

The shutter speed is very impressive, which helps capture moving objects nicely, especially in city lights kind of settings.

And even though the portrait mode’s edge detection isn’t perfect but with the right frame and some patience, you can take portraits like these as well with the iQOO 13.

Nothing new in Design, except this ‘not so useful’ feature 

Let’s talk about its design now. After using the iQOO 12, I can confidently say that the in-hand feel of the iQOO 13 is exactly the same. In fact, one time, I woke up half-asleep and started using this phone thinking it was the iQOO 12 for a while. 

It has a flat display like last year and a glass back. I have the Legend colour with BMW stripes, there’s one more colour - Nardo Grey. Apart from colour, there is one more difference between these variants. The back of Legend has a matte finish, whereas Nardo Grey features a glossy back. Personally, I found the in-hand feel of Legend better. Now don’t think that I am using Legend that’s why I am saying it. I used the Nardo Grey for my video review which you can find below.

From the back, it looks quite similar too, with the same camera module, but there are some fancy tweaks. Speaking of which, the most unique feature of the iQOO 13 is also, in my opinion, the most useless one. I am talking about the “Monster Halo” light that surrounds the camera module. These are RGB LED lights that you can find as ‘Dynamic Light’ in the iQOO 13.

They don’t serve much purpose except for showing alerts and notifications. But if I’m honest, here’s my real experience: alerts and notifications are typically obvious from the tone itself. Even in a rare scenario—let’s say your phone is face-down, on silent, and it’s dark in the room—you can still know about notifications thanks to vibrations. Vibrations are so strong nowadays that I hardly need my phone to ring. So, this is a very fancy but practically useless feature.

The lights are placed near the camera, but they have nothing to do with it. Many people try to find this feature in the camera app, but iQOO has tucked it away in the Settings. Just search for "Dynamic Light," and you’ll find it easily.

For protection, the phone has two things going for it. One good thing is that it comes with IP68 and IP69 ratings, so it’s built for rough use. However, when it comes to glass protection, there’s nothing, unfortunately. So yeah, feel free to expose it to dust and water, but don’t drop it.

Other than that, the in-hand feel and overall design are fine. The grip is a little less grippy, but it’s not a big issue for someone with big hands like me. But if you have tiny hands, it might feel a little bulky. 

iQOO 13’s display is a luxury

Its display may not be the brightest, but it is a pure luxury. The word "luxury" connects with comfort, and this display is genuinely comfortable for your eyes. iQOO calls it an Ultra Eye Care Display because it’s built with a polarized sheet. This makes the display appear slightly warm, and warm colors are gentler on your eyes. That's a luxury for you!

However, this feature does have an impact on display performance. While it works great indoors, under sunlight, it feels a bit dim compared to other flagship devices. While testing its brightness with Luxmeter (a device to measure brightness), we got 1483 nits of recorded peak brightness. I think this could be better. 

Other than that, everything is top-notch. It features a 6.82-inch 144Hz 2K LTPO AMOLED display with exceptional responsiveness and sharpness.

Moreover, the software on the iQOO 13 feels fresh, vibrant, and unmistakably Chinese. By ‘Chinese,’ I mean that, despite being marketed as a flagship, the iQOO 13 is cluttered with unnecessary apps (bloatware). iQOO, if you’re reading this, we really don’t need games like Rolling Twins and Block Blast.

No complaints with the battery

A high-quality display like this naturally demands a solid battery to match, and iQOO has delivered a 6000mAh battery. But what’s even more impressive is that it charges from 0 to 100% in just 40 minutes, and this is legit lightning-fast for a battery this big, thanks to the 120-watt fast charging. 

As for battery consumption, here’s an example: a 30-minute BGMI chicken dinner match uses only about 4-5% battery, which is an excellent figure. However, one thing could be better, which is the standby battery. I feel it has a good amount of overnight battery consumption. 

iQOO 13: What’s our take?

So, how is the iQOO 13 as a phone? Should you go for it or not? With the GT 7 Pro in competition, should you prefer that instead? 

As a smartphone, I really liked the iQOO 13. It’s a true performance phone, no doubt, with some additional features that you won’t mind having.

Ultimately, it all comes down to one thing: money. The iQOO 13 has arrived in India for Rs 54,999. This pricing is less than we expected, and it also makes iQOO 13 the most affordable smartphone with the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. This also means that if you are considering the Realme GT 7 Pro, keep in mind that the iQOO 13 is cheaper.

So, my friends, the iQOO 13 might not be the best camera smartphone but it is surely the best performance or gaming phone under Rs 60,000. Period.

The Realme GT 7 Pro has stormed into the Indian market with a blazing reputation, being the first phone in India to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and an array of features that promise top-tier performance. With claims of being the “fastest phone money can buy,” it enters a fiercely competitive segment with lofty claims. However, speed alone isn’t enough to make a smartphone great. Questions about design, thermal management, camera performance, and battery life remain crucial. 

The spec sheet of the Realme GT 7 Pro immediately grabs attention. From the powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset built on a cutting-edge 3nm process to an LTPO AMOLED display and IP69 rating, it looks like a formidable contender. However, a closer inspection reveals some compromises, particularly in the camera department and the smaller battery capacity in the Indian variant. This in-depth review will explore whether the Realme GT 7 Pro truly lives up to its moniker as the flagship killer of 2024. We will also dive into how it compares against the fastest phones from 2024 like the iQOO 12 (review); and the OPPO Find X8 Pro (review) with the latest Dimensity 9400 chipset.

Realme GT 7 Pro Review: Build and Design

The Realme GT 7 Pro attempts to strike a balance between durability and aesthetics, but the results are somewhat underwhelming. The Mars Orange review unit I tested had a bulky square camera module paired with wave-like patterns on the back panel. 

While some might find this design adventurous, it felt garish to me, more suited to a mid-range device than a premium flagship killer. The Galaxy Grey colour option fares better but leans towards a plain and uninspired look.

On the brighter side, the build quality is impressive. The aluminium frame combined with micro-curved glass on both the front and back feels premium in hand. The device also boasts an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor that is not only fast but can even work underwater. 

However, in my testing, I found that the ultrasonic sensor didn’t always work flawlessly underwater. The phone also comes with IP68 and IP69 ratings. The latter ensures protection against high-pressure jets of water, making it one of the most rugged phones in its class. 

Other practical features include support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, but the lack of eSIM support is disappointing. Overall, while the Realme GT 7 Pro’s design may not turn heads, its build quality ensures it will withstand daily rigours with ease.

Realme GT 7 Pro Review: Display

The Realme GT 7 Pro’s 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display is undoubtedly one of its standout features. Offering a 1.5K resolution, the panel delivers a pixel density of 450 PPI, ensuring sharp visuals. While a 2K resolution would have been a welcome addition, the display doesn’t leave much to be desired in terms of brightness and colour reproduction.

In our tests, the screen peaked at a staggering 1,992 nits in high brightness mode, making it one of the brightest panels available on any smartphone. Whether under direct sunlight or in dimly lit environments, the display remains vivid and legible.

The inclusion of HDR10+ and Dolby Vision ensures that streaming content looks stunning, with deep blacks, vibrant colours, and impressive dynamic range. Gaming and multimedia enthusiasts will find much to appreciate here. However, the LTPO panel, designed to switch refresh rates dynamically between 1 Hz and 120 Hz, struggled to do so efficiently in our tests. 

The refresh rate often stayed at higher levels than necessary, potentially affecting battery life. Hopefully, a future OTA update will address this issue, but as it stands, this small hiccup mars an otherwise stellar display experience.

Is this the fastest phone of 2024?

At the heart of the Realme GT 7 Pro lies the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, a 3nm powerhouse that sets new benchmarks for Android performance. During synthetic benchmark tests, the phone delivered jaw-dropping scores, including 2.7 million on AnTuTu, comfortably surpassing competitors like the Dimensity 9400-equipped OPPO Find X8 Pro. It even managed to outperform the iPhone 16 Pro Max in several tests, cementing its position as one of the fastest smartphones in the market.

The device also excelled in GPU benchmarks, showcasing excellent performance in GFXBench and 3DMark tests. Gaming on the Realme GT 7 Pro was a delight, with titles like Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail running smoothly at high settings. The phone’s AI-enhanced gaming features, such as Frame Plus for frame interpolation and AI Super Resolution for boosted graphics worked well during my time testing the phone. 

However, pushing the hardware to its limits revealed a tendency to heat up significantly during intensive tasks, with temperatures reaching 45-49 degrees Celsius during 3D Mark Wild Life stress tests. Thankfully, real-world gaming scenarios were far less taxing, with the phone only getting mildly warm after extended sessions.

The GT 7 Pro’s thermal management system, while not flawless, does a commendable job of balancing performance and heat during everyday use. The inclusion of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage ensures lightning-fast app launches and seamless multitasking. However, the choice of a USB 2.0 port feels like a glaring oversight in a device that otherwise screams cutting-edge in terms of performance.

Realme GT 7 Pro Review: Software and AI Features

Running on Android 15 with Realme UI 6.0, the Realme GT 7 Pro offers a polished software experience. The UI is fluid and packed with features, and it closely resembles ColorOS in both appearance and functionality. 

The company promises three years of OS updates and four years of security patches, which feels underwhelming when compared to competitors offering more extended software support.

Realme has also leaned heavily into AI with this device. Features like AI Ultra Clarity, Sketch to Image, and the upcoming AI Motion Deblur don’t necessarily revolutionise how we use our phones, but they’re a good bit of fun. 

In our AI benchmark tests, the phone achieved a respectable Digit AI-Q score of 65/100, indicating its capability to handle advanced AI workloads. However, while these features are impressive on paper, their real-world utility remains somewhat niche.

How do the cameras perform?

The Realme GT 7 Pro’s camera setup is a mixed bag. While the 50 MP primary and 3x telephoto lenses deliver commendable results in good lighting, the 8 MP ultrawide camera falls short of expectations for a phone in this price range. 

Daylight shots from the primary camera exhibit vibrant colours and decent dynamic range, while the telephoto lens provides sharp and detailed zoom shots up to 6x.

Portrait photography is solid, with good subject separation, but edge detection could be more accurate. Low-light performance, however, leaves much to be desired, with noticeable noise and a decline in sharpness. 

The ultrawide lens performs poorly in indoor and low-light conditions, producing lacklustre images that fail to justify its inclusion.

The 16 MP selfie camera performs adequately in well-lit environments but struggles with noise in dim lighting. 

Video capabilities extend up to 8K at 24 fps, though the footage is jittery and lacks stability. Switching to 4K at 60 fps yields better results, with smoother footage and more balanced dynamic range. Overall, while the Realme GT 7 Pro’s cameras are competent, they don’t quite measure up to the standards set by its performance and display.

Realme GT 7 Pro Review: Battery Life

One of the most significant controversies surrounding the Realme GT 7 Pro’s release is its battery capacity. The Indian variant features a 5,800 mAh cell, a noticeable downgrade from the 6,500 mAh battery in the Chinese model. 

Our review unit, frustratingly equipped with the 6,500 mAh battery, provided impressive endurance, lasting a day and a half of moderate usage. However, with the smaller capacity in the Indian version, users can realistically expect just about a day of usage.

Charging speeds are stellar, with the 120 W charger included in the box taking the larger 6,500 mAh battery from 0 to 100% in just 36 minutes. Unfortunately, the absence of wireless charging feels like a missed opportunity in a flagship-class device. Despite its fast-charging prowess, the reduced battery size in the Indian variant could be a dealbreaker for heavy users.

Should you buy the Realme GT 7 Pro?

The Realme GT 7 Pro sets a high bar for performance, offering unparalleled speed and fluidity in its segment. With its cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, stunning display, and impressive gaming capabilities, it lives up to its reputation as a flagship killer. However, the compromises in design, thermal management, and camera quality prevent it from being a flawless offering. The reduced battery capacity in the Indian variant further adds to the list of concerns.

At an expected price of ₹60,000–₹65,000, the Realme GT 7 Pro offers incredible value for power users and gamers who prioritise performance above all else. If Realme can address some of the issues through software updates and by aggressively pricing the GT 7 Pro, this phone could very well dominate the flagship-killer segment in 2024. For now, it stands as a speed demon that delivers exceptional performance but leaves room for improvement in other areas.

Pollution in India has consistently reached alarming levels at the onset of the winter season, particularly in urban centres like Delhi and Mumbai, where smog blankets the skyline and air quality indices regularly soar into hazardous territory. If you reside in one of these cities, you know the consequences on health are dire and are probably looking for a solution.

The Sharp FX-J80M-H is a premium air purifier that employs high-grade filter and IoT capabilities. But does it live up to its promises? Let’s dive into the review.

Sharp FX-J80M-H Air Purifier Review: Specifications

• Coverage Area: 680 sq ft
• CADR: 480 / 288 / 60 (Max/Medium/Low)
• Modes: Haze, Auto, Pollen, Max, Med, Low, Sleep
• Dimensions (mm): 416 x 720 x 292 (W x H x D)
• Weight: 10.6 Kg
• Noise level - 15 - 47 dB
• Claimed filter life: Upto 2 Years
• Replacement HEPA Filter: FZ-J80HFE
• Replacement Deodorizing Filter: FZ-J80DFE

Sharp FX-J80M-H Air Purifier Review: Design and Build 

The Sharp FXJ80M-H has a simple yet functional tower design that has remained consistent for generations. The control panel is at the top and it will be hard to miss the broad LED indicator denoting the air quality right below it. Underneath the LED light, there are different indicators including a PM2.5 LED monitor that displays the current PM2.5 values in three digits (reads from 10 to 500 μg/m3). You can also check current power wattage, temperature and humidity on this monitor

There are two airflow vents, one on the rear and one on the front. The Plasmacluster ions are emitted from the front. The PM10 pre-filter mesh is integrated with the removable back cover. Underneath are the deodorising carbon filter and the HEPA 14 filter for trapping fine PM2.5 pollutants as small as 0.3 microns. There are two indents on the back that can be used to conveniently lift and move the purifier around the house when needed. The purifier does not ship with 

Sharp FX-J80M-H Air Purifier Review: Features

This is a smart purifier, allowing you to connect it to a Wi-Fi network and conveniently monitor and operate it via a smartphone app. The app is available for both iOS and Android. However, the iOS version required us to jump through several hoops before successfully connecting, making the process less seamless. Additionally, the app feels a bit jittery.

You can easily switch between different performance modes using the Mode button with a Fan icon. Each mode has its own indicator light which makes it easy to operate. There is a dedicated Haze mode which makes the purifier operate at Max speed for 10 minutes, High fan speed for 60 minutes and then alternates between Low and High levels for 20 minutes each. This proved quite effective in quickly clearing the room in critical conditions. 

The auto mode adjusts the fan speed dynamically based on dust, odour and ambient light. The display monitors automatically turn off in the dark to avoid any disturbance during your sleep time. 

The purifier supports high-density Plasmacluster technology that emits positive and negative ios for natural air treatment. The arrow key is to initiate Plasmacluster Ions Spot Mode and is accompanied by a Plasmacluster indicator which is a cluster of grapes. 

Sharp FX-J80M-H Air Purifier Review: Performance

We tested the Sharp FX-J80M-H using the Kitera Sensedge air quality monitor. The smog was heavy and AQI outdoors was beyond 500. In just one hour the Sharp FX-J80M could reduce the severe 379 AQI indoors to just 9. The PM2.5  value also drastically reduced from 230 μg/m3 to 5 μg/m3. The purifier runs quietly in auto mode at night. 

In regular use, we noticed that Sharp FX-J80M-H had no trouble maintaining clean air quality, even in situations where the door was frequently opened and closed. This is not something we can say for most of the affordable air purifiers we have tested. 

The CADR or Clean Air Delivery Rate of 480 m3/hr is standard in this price segment. The air purifier is not designed to remove VOCs or harmful gasses like carbon monoxide. 

It was difficult to discern the impact of the Plasmacluster technology in action. In theory, it reduces static electricity, which can help prevent dust from settling on walls and other surfaces. According to Sharp, this feature also aids in eliminating odours and germs that cling to sofas and curtains. Once initiated, the Plasmacluster cannot be turned off. 

Sharp claims that the air filters will last for up to 2 years. The purifier has indicator lights for filter replacement (FZ-J80HFE, FZ-J80DFE) and Plasmacluster unit replacement (IZ-C90ME). The replacement costs can add up to a substantial amount which is something to keep in mind while making your purchase decision. 

Sharp FX-J80M-H Air Purifier Review: Should you buy it?

The Sharp FX-J80M-H air purifier proved pretty effective at purifying the air in our room.  It efficiently delivers clean and breathable air, staying true to its primary promise. Sharp uses quality filters and the design is simple yet functional, complemented by a decent range of features.

However, setting up Wi-Fi connectivity and the companion app was not a seamless experience, and the lack of a remote control might be inconvenient for some users. Despite these drawbacks, at an asking price of nearly ₹30,000, it remains a solid recommendation for anyone seeking an effective air purifier capable of handling severe pollution conditions. You can also consider other options in the Sharp FP series which should offer similar performance for a slightly lower price.

The Oppo Find X8 makes bold promises: exceptional performance with MediaTek’s cutting-edge Dimensity 9400 chipset, a display boasting breathtaking brightness and immersive visuals, and a Hasselblad-tuned triple-camera system tailored for photography enthusiasts. Oppo has also introduced enhancements in durability, with military-grade certifications and a thoughtfully slim design that complements its elegant aesthetics. Add to this the convenience of ultra-fast charging and a heavily feature-packed ColorOS 15, and the device starts sounding like a serious contender.

But with the flagship smartphone segment teeming with formidable competitors like Samsung’s Galaxy S series, Apple’s iPhone lineup, and OnePlus’ polished offerings, does the Find X8 truly manage to stand out, or is it another flashy addition to the crowd?

Flagship phones are no longer judged by specs alone. In an era where user experience reigns supreme, the Find X8 must excel in areas that matter most to users: build quality, camera performance, battery efficiency, gaming, and everyday usability. Can it deliver on its lofty claims? And does it offer a balance of features and performance that justifies its price?

In this review, we’ll dive deep into every aspect of the Oppo Find X8, from its design philosophy and performance metrics to its camera capabilities and software features, to determine if it’s the right choice for discerning buyers. Let’s find out if Oppo’s latest flagship is a true contender or just another face in the crowd.

The OPPO Find X8 is priced at ₹69,999 for the 12 + 256 GB variant, and at ₹79,999 for the 16 + 512 GB unit.

Oppo Find X8 Review – Build and Design

The Oppo Find X8 is a great example of thoughtful craftsmanship. Weighing 193g and measuring a slim 7.85 mm, for me, this phone strikes a great balance between sleek aesthetics and comfortable ergonomics. The flat edges and the minimally contoured corners ensure a natural grip, even during prolonged use. Oppo’s design philosophy, evident in what they are calling the “Cosmos Ring”, which is present around the camera, is as visually appealing as it is functional, reducing the camera bump by 40 per cent compared to its predecessor, as claimed by the brand.

Durability is another area where Oppo shines. The IP68 and IP69 certifications provide top-notch water and dust resistance, with the phone capable of enduring both submersion in 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes and jet sprays of up to 80°C. The Oppo Armour Shield further protects the device with reinforced glass and aluminium alloy, adding peace of mind for clumsy users. There’s also a transparent silicon cover in the box; a rarity in the ever-skimpier smartphone packages these days, but definitely a welcome addition. You also get a charger in the box, which is not seen in most flagships. Samsung and Apple, I am looking at you.

The addition of an Alert Slider is a welcome touch, making it easy to toggle between silent, vibrate, and ring modes, especially handy in meetings or while commuting.

Oppo Find X8 Review – Features, AI, and UI

Oppo has managed to complement the hardware of this phone with ample features that will not leave you wondering how you can make full use of what is under the hood. The UI which is governed by their in-house version of Android 15, Color OS 15, definitely borrows design cues from Apple’s iOS mobile operating system. And, as an iPhone user, I did not feel away from home once I started daily driving this phone. There’s also the Share with iPhone feature, which works on the same basic principle as ShareIt and other apps from back in the day. I did run into some hiccups during my time of using this app/feature, but I guess, that has more to do with Apple’s ecosystem than Oppo’s attempt to bridge the gap between Android and Apple’s file-sharing system.

Coming to daily use, Color OS 15 offers a refined, feature-packed user experience. The new Luminous Rendering Engine ensures silky-smooth animations and transitions, with up to 18 per cent faster touch response, claims the brand. And in my time of use, getting hold of this 18 per cent increase was not possible to perceive, but I did notice the slight improvement in the snappiness of the phone here and there. But, the UI can feel cluttered due to the significant amount of pre-installed bloatware. From redundant apps to third-party promotions, these add-ons detract from the otherwise smooth and refined software experience. Removing or disabling these apps can be tedious, making it a point of frustration for users who prefer minimalistic setups.

Coming to the AI side of things, the Oppo Find X8’s AI-powered camera features are a real standout. The HyperTone Image Engine does the heavy lifting behind the scenes, turning multiple raw frames into detailed, vibrant photos with minimal effort on your part, is what the brand claims. I will talk more about this in the cameras section later. Tools like AI Unblur and Reflection Remover in the AI Photo Remaster suite are great for cleaning up tricky shots – they were useful, but like all AI-powered applications these days, there is still a long way to go for these to be flawless. Just to give you an idea, the phone did introduce some artefacts into the images when working the AI magic, over-smoothening the edges of the subjects in the pictures, giving it the tell-tale AI look. 

On the productivity side, the AI Toolbox is packed with handy features. AI Summary can pull out key points from long articles, while AI Writer makes editing documents a breeze. These tools take full advantage of the phone’s Dimensity 9400 chipset, keeping everything snappy and responsive. Gamers aren’t left out either; with features like AI LinkBoost to cut down on lag and Triple-Antenna Wi-Fi, the phone promises to keep your connection stable, no matter how you hold the phone. Now this is something I would like to test out in the long term and update this review if I come across something significant.

Oppo Find X8 Review – Display

The 6.59-inch AMOLED display on the Oppo Find X8 is definitely one of its better features. With a resolution of 2760x1256 and a 460 PPI pixel density, the screen looks sharp and detailed, whether you're scrolling through Instagram, playing games, or jumping between apps. The 120Hz adaptive refresh rate keeps things smooth, making everyday use feel snappy.

When it comes to brightness, Oppo claims a peak of 1600 nits, which is plenty bright for outdoor use, even in direct sunlight. In my tests, the phone’s peak brightness came to be 1546 nits, coming fairly close to the claimed numbers. The 3840Hz PWM dimming helps reduce flicker, so your eyes don’t get strained during late-night Netflix binges. Watching HDR content is also a good experience here, with support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HLG standards, and a peak local HDR brightness of 4500 nits. Although you’ll need compatible videos to fully appreciate it.

The bezels are really thin at just 1.45mm, making the screen feel immersive without being flashy about it. Whether you're gaming, watching videos, or editing photos, the display gets the job done without any complaints.

Oppo Find X8 Review – Performance

The MediaTek Dimensity 9400 processor, built on a cutting-edge 3nm process, powers the Find X8. This chipset delivers remarkable speed, efficiency, and thermal management, ensuring the phone doesn’t overheat even during extended gaming or multitasking sessions. In some cases, the 9400 chipset on this phone even outperformed its Pro cousin.

Synthetic benchmarks show the phone is no slouch:

• AnTuTu 8.0: 2,364,740
• Geekbench 5 Single Core: 2,797
• Geekbench 5 Multi-Core: 8,433
• 3DMark Wildlife Extreme: 6,500

These scores comfortably place it among the top-performing smartphones in its segment. The PCMark Work 2.0 score of 12,579 further doubles down on how capable this phone is when stressed to its max.

Real-world performance mirrors these numbers. Multitasking with multiple heavy apps, editing photos, and running graphically intensive games like Genshin Impact and Call of Duty: Mobile posed no issues. The Trinity Engine, optimised in collaboration with MediaTek, reduces power consumption and enhances sustained peak performance during demanding tasks. The 80 per cent stability in the CPU throttling test over 15 minutes indicates consistent performance without overheating. Job well done, Oppo.

Oppo Find X8 Review – Cameras

The Find X8’s camera system, co-developed with Hasselblad, which lent its colour science expertise to the brand, is one of its headline features. It comprises three 50MP cameras, each engineered for versatility and precision:

• Primary Camera: 50MP Sony LYT700 sensor (1/1.56”, f/1.8, OIS)
• Telephoto Lens: 50MP Sony LYT600 sensor (1/1.95”, f/2.6, OIS) with 3x optical zoom and AI Telescope Zoom up to 60x.
• Ultra-Wide Lens: 50MP Samsung JN5 sensor (f/2.0, autofocus).

Images captured on the Find X8 are rich in detail and colour accuracy. The Stage Mode is perfect for concerts, allowing users to capture clear, vibrant shots even at extreme zoom levels. Low-light photography is a strong suit, but the flaws are shown here.

Let me break down each of the three camera’s performance for you in two simple sections –

Daylight photography

The telephoto camera is the star of the show here. It captures great details, retains colours well, and the overall look and feel of the pictures are fairly true to life. The pictures do take a moment to get refined after you are done shooting, and that is the case with all three cameras here. However, once the phone is done working its processing magic, the images do come out looking fairly detailed, and crisp. You can see the camera samples below, and you can be the judge for yourself. But, I would like to highlight one qualm that I had with the phone’s photo processing – It tends to overexpose images when left untouched. 

Smartphone cameras are meant to be a one-click tool for most folks. The professionals already carry their fancy ICL cameras to take great pictures after dialling in each setting. The regular consumer needs a great picture at the click of a button. Not to bring down the overall capability of the camera setup, which clicked great shots once I dialled in the exposure, but the single-click performance of the phone’s cameras was honestly a letdown, which I hope Oppo will fix soon as from what I gather, it has more to do with the software than anything else.

Nighttime photography

This is another key area, where the phone does really well for the most part. Once the exposure is dialled in, you are looking at some stunning shots with great colour retention, overall crispness, and edge detection. However, ss the day got darker, the AI-assisted photography did start to show its flaws. If you pixel peep into the camera samples I have attached here, in extremely challenging shots, with a lot of complexity in the subjects, you will see edge smoothening and artefacting, which is not ideal. As soon as there was enough light for the sensor to capture, the pictures came out looking great, but when the sun went down, there were a few misses, which I am sure the brand would keenly look to fix. I won’t dive much into my observations about the camera. It is you the consumer who has to take call on how you like the pictures and whether you like them coming from this phone or not. So, please be the judge –

Selfies

The selfies on this phone came out looking great no matter the lighting conditions. Be it after dark at a party, or on a bright sunny beach, you will get great pictures on this phone. Have a look –

Video capabilities are equally impressive, with 4K 60fps Dolby Vision HDR recording supported across all cameras, including the selfie shooter. The Ultra Steady mode ensures smooth videos. I did shoot quite a few clips on the streets of Bali, and was impressed with the phone’s video capabilities. Complimenting the great video setup is the microphone array, which also ensures that your piece to the cameras or the ambient sounds which would add a significant amount of character to the videos, are captured well on this device. 

Oppo Find X8 Review – Battery

The 5630mAh silicon-carbon battery offers above-average endurance. In our tests, it achieved a respectable 20 hours and 13 minutes on PCMark, aligning or even surpassing the expectations for a flagship in this category. However, real-world usage paints a mixed picture:

• 1 hour of GPS navigation: 5% battery drop.
• 30 minutes of Netflix streaming: 4%.
• 15 minutes of gaming (Call of Duty: Mobile): 7%

While sufficient for a day and a half’s use, power users might need to recharge sooner. Thankfully, Oppo’s 80W SUPERVOOC charging fills the battery from 0 to 100 per cent in just about an hour in my tests, while 50W AIRVOOC wireless charging adds convenience for users on the go.

Oppo Find X8 Review – Verdict

The Oppo Find X8 ticks a lot of the right boxes for a flagship: a premium design, a bright and vibrant display, reliable performance, and a versatile camera setup. Features like AI-enhanced photography, super-fast charging, and smooth multitasking make it a compelling choice for everyday users and tech enthusiasts alike.

That said, it’s not without its flaws. The pre-installed bloatware in ColorOS 15 can feel unnecessary and clutter the otherwise polished experience. The low light camera perfromance, while excellent when dialled in with the perfect settings, doesn’t set any new standards, and while the rest of the capabilities are versatile, they don’t leapfrog the competition in this segment. If you’re after a phone that balances strong hardware with useful AI-driven features—and can look past a few quirks—the Find X8 is a solid pick. It’s not the flashiest flagship out there, but it delivers where it counts for most users.

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It’s been a hot minute since OPPO dropped its flagship Find X series phones in India, but like we’re seeing with multiple other smartphone OEMS – 2024 is the year that changes. OPPO’s latest flagship, the OPPO Find X8 Pro, enters the premium smartphone market in India, giving Indian users a taste of OPPO’s latest and greatest smartphone innovations. The company has leveraged its expertise in imaging, battery innovation, and build quality to create a device that aims to set benchmarks.

From a groundbreaking quad-camera system with a dual periscope camera setup to a massive silicone-carbon battery and a sleek, durable design, the Find X8 Pro packs features that appeal to both tech enthusiasts and everyday users. While it offers plenty to admire, no device is without its flaws. So, let’s see if the OPPO Find X8 Pro can manage to dethrone its Snapdragon 8 Elite counterparts and the fastest phones from last year like the iQOO 12 (review), and if you should spend your hard-earned money on it.

Update: The OPPO Find X8 Pro is priced at ₹99,999 for the sole 16 + 512 GB variant.

OPPO Find X8 Pro Review: Build and Design

The OPPO Find X8 Pro strikes a perfect balance between elegance and functionality. At just 8.2 mm thick, this flagship is among the sleekest on the market, offering a premium feel that is complemented by its refined design language. The quad-curved glass on both the front and back ensures a seamless ergonomic experience, making it comfortable to hold for extended periods. The curves blend into the aluminium frame, adding an aesthetic flair while maintaining a sturdy structure.

One of the most noticeable design changes compared to its predecessor is the camera module. OPPO has opted for a smaller, more compact camera island that minimises the wobble when the device is placed on flat surfaces.

Additionally, OPPO has introduced practical features like an alert slider and a Quick Button. The alert slider, reminiscent of the ones on old OnePlus devices, allows users to toggle between sound profiles quickly, while the Quick Button serves as a shortcut to the camera. However, this rather blatant Apple rip-off lacks customisation options, making it feel somewhat limited compared to its Apple counterpart.

Durability is another area where the Find X8 Pro shines. With IP68 and IP69 certifications, the device offers some of the best protection against dust and water available in a smartphone. The front panel is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which ensures scratch resistance and added durability. That said, the optical fingerprint sensor is slightly slower than ultrasonic alternatives, a minor drawback in an otherwise robust build.

OPPO Find X8 Pro Review: Display

The OPPO Find X8 Pro features a stunning 6.78-inch quad-curved LTPO AMOLED display with symmetrical slim bezels surrounding the screen, giving it a close-to-bezel-less appearance. With a peak brightness of 1568 nits as per our tests in High Brightness Mode, the display performs exceptionally well, even under direct sunlight.

OPPO’s ProXDR technology enhances the viewing experience by boosting highlights and delivering a more vibrant image, making HDR content look immersive. The panel supports 2160 Hz PWM dimming, which reduces flickering and eye strain during prolonged usage. This makes the phone an excellent choice for binge-watchers or those who use their phones extensively at night.

However, the 1.5K resolution, while impressive, falls short of the 2K displays found in some competing flagship smartphones. While the difference is subtle and won't bother most users, those with a keen eye for detail might notice the slightly lower sharpness when reading text or inspecting intricate visuals. Nevertheless, the adaptive 120 Hz refresh rate ensures smooth scrolling and fluid animations, solidifying the Find X8 Pro’s position as one of the best in the market for multimedia consumption.

How good are the cameras?

When it comes to cameras, the OPPO Find X8 Pro doesn’t hold back. OPPO has pushed the envelope with its quad-camera system, which includes four 50 MP sensors, each meticulously calibrated to deliver professional-grade results. The lineup includes a 50 MP Sony LYT808 primary sensor, a 50 MP Sony LYT600 periscope telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, a 50 MP Sony IMX858 sensor offering 6x optical zoom and 120x digital zoom, and a 50 MP Samsung ultrawide shooter. The phone also features the HyperTone Image Engine that uses its AI chops to merge nine RAW frames to boost clarity and dynamic range.

This robust setup positions the Find X8 Pro as one of the most versatile and capable smartphones for photography. On the front, there’s a 32 MP Sony sensor for selfies, which performs decently but doesn’t quite match the innovation seen on the rear cameras.

One of the standout features of the Find X8 Pro is its dual periscope telephoto lenses. This is a globally unique implementation, made possible by OPPO’s advanced component-stacking technology. The 6x periscope lens, in particular, sets a new benchmark for smartphone photography. At extreme zoom levels, the phone’s AI algorithms work wonders, preserving clarity and detail even at 30x zoom. And while many smartphones start to falter at higher zoom levels, the Find X8 Pro remains impressive all the way up to its maximum 120x zoom.

Portrait photography is another area where the Find X8 Pro shines, thanks to its collaboration with Hasselblad. The partnership brings a level of refinement to the camera system, delivering portraits with excellent dynamic range and vibrant yet natural colour reproduction. Highlights and shadows are balanced beautifully, and skin tones look lifelike. However, there’s a slight drawback when it comes to edge detection. While the phone generally excels at separating subjects from backgrounds, it can sometimes struggle with complex edges, resulting in minor inconsistencies.

In low-light scenarios, the primary sensor is a star performer. Images captured in night mode display excellent detail retention and minimal noise, even in challenging lighting conditions. The ultrawide camera also holds its own in low light, though the edges of the frame can sometimes lose a bit of sharpness. Indoor photography under artificial lighting produces vibrant images with accurate colour reproduction, making it a reliable performer across a range of environments.

Master Mode, a feature designed for professional-level photography, adds another layer of versatility to the camera system. This mode enhances images to make them look polished and ready for social media or professional use. However, it’s not without its flaws. In low-light conditions, shadows can occasionally appear crushed, detracting from the overall quality of the image. To get the best results, it’s advisable to use Master Mode in well-lit environments.

On the video front, the Find X8 Pro impresses with its ability to shoot 4K footage at 60 fps using both the rear and front cameras. Video quality is excellent, with sharp details, accurate colours, and smooth stabilization. The phone also includes a range of creative tools for videographers, allowing for advanced adjustments and effects.

Overall, the OPPO Find X8 Pro’s camera system is one of the most comprehensive and high-performing setups on the market. With innovative hardware, clever AI enhancements, and a partnership with Hasselblad, this phone is a dream for anyone serious about mobile photography.

OPPO Find X8 Pro Review: Performance, AI and Software

The OPPO Find X8 Pro is the first phone in India to feature MediaTek’s Dimensity 9400 chipset, a processor that made waves with its rumoured 3 million+ AnTuTu score claim before launch. However, real-world benchmarks told a slightly different story. In our tests, the Find X8 Pro achieved a score of 2.2 million on AnTuTu, a modest 6.32% improvement over last year’s iQOO 12 with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. However, it significantly trailed the Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered phone we tested alongside it, with a gap of 20.77% in raw performance metrics.

Geekbench scores further highlighted the Dimensity 9400’s limitations in peak performance. The Find X8 Pro’s single-core score lagged behind even last year’s flagships, such as the Xiaomi 14 and iQOO 12, while the multi-core performance offered only incremental improvements. However, where the Dimensity 9400 truly shines is in sustained performance. In our CPU throttling test, the Find X8 Pro demonstrated significantly less throttling than the Snapdragon 8 Elite phone. Not only did it maintain a higher average score, but it also achieved a better maximum score, indicating that this chipset is built for consistent performance during prolonged tasks.

This makes the Find X8 Pro a compelling option for users who prioritise consistent performance over peak numbers, especially for tasks like gaming and multitasking. That said, the phone did experience some heating during extended gaming sessions and while capturing photos or videos, despite its vapour chamber cooling system.

On the software side, ColorOS 15 based on Android 15 offers a smooth and polished experience. OPPO has introduced a new feature called Touch to Share, enabling seamless file transfers between the Find X8 Pro and Apple devices like iPhones and iPads. The updated user interface is visually appealing, and the AI features integrated into the software add convenience without feeling intrusive. In our Digit AI-Q Score evaluation, the phone scored a respectable 81/100, indicating its strong AI and software capabilities.

OPPO also promises a robust long-term update policy, with five years of OS updates and six years of security patches. In day-to-day usage, the OPPO Find X8 Pro is buttery smooth, offering a lag-free experience. While it doesn’t quite match the sheer performance metrics of Snapdragon 8 Elite phones, it strikes a balance between stability and efficiency, making it a reliable flagship performer.

OPPO Find X8 Pro Review: Battery Life

Battery technology is another area where the Find X8 Pro leads the pack. The phone is equipped with a 5910 mAh silicone-carbon battery, which offers significantly better longevity compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries while also having a smaller footprint. In testing, the Find X8 Pro managed an impressive 16 hours and 7 minutes in the PCMark battery benchmark, making it one of the most long-lasting flagships available.

The fast-charging capabilities are equally impressive. The 80W SuperVOOC charging can take the battery from 0 to 100% in just 49 minutes, while the 50W wireless charging option provides added convenience for users who prefer a cable-free experience. However, the phone’s power-hungry features, such as the high refresh rate display and intensive camera usage, can drain the battery faster during heavy use.

Should you buy it?

The OPPO Find X8 Pro is a testament to the company’s ability to innovate and refine. From its exceptional camera system to its enduring battery life and sleek design, the phone checks most of the boxes that flagship buyers look for. While it isn’t without its flaws—such as the slightly underwhelming fingerprint sensor and lower resolution display—it more than makes up for these shortcomings with its strengths.

For those seeking a smartphone that excels in photography, offers great battery performance, and provides a premium user experience, the Find X8 Pro is an excellent choice. However, if you’re looking for a phone that leads the pack in benchmark numbers, it would be best to wait for upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite phones like the Realme GT 7 Pro and iQOO 13.

The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G recently debuted in India, priced at ₹18,999. Samsung has long catered to budget-conscious buyers with its Galaxy A series, and the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G is no exception. Positioned as an affordable entry into the 5G world, this phone emphasises practicality over innovation. While it doesn't have cutting-edge performance, it promises to offer a dependable experience for everyday users.

With modest upgrades over its predecessor and a focus on essentials like battery and cameras, the Galaxy A16 5G competes in the crowded mid-range segment. But does it strike the right balance of features and value? Additionally, how does it fare compared to the likes of the popular Motorola G85 (review), iQOO Z9 (review), and OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite (review)? Let's find out.

Samsung Galaxy A16 5G Review: Build and Design

The Galaxy A16 5G is quintessentially Samsung, flaunting a modern, minimalist design with gentle curves and a compact frame. Its glossy plastic back is a magnet for fingerprints, but it feels surprisingly robust in hand, lacking any hollowness or flex. The plastic frame and back, while less premium than metal or glass, ensure a lightweight build and signal-friendly design. The back also houses the typical vertical array of triple cameras you get to see across Samsung’s diverse portfolio of phones.

At just 7.9 mm thick, the A16 5G feels comfortable to hold, with subtle slopes along the right edge of the phone, enhancing the grip. Available in three colour options – Gold, Blue Black, and Light Green – the phone caters to diverse tastes. Our review unit in Light Green offers an understated elegance, though the glossy finish might not appeal to everyone.

One standout feature is its IP54 rating, which provides basic protection against dust and water splashes. While it won’t survive a swim, the device can handle occasional spills. The front is made of an unspecified glass, and it lacks a factory-fitted screen protector, so investing in one is advisable. The bezels are thinner than its predecessor, but the teardrop notch remains a relic in a world moving towards punch-hole cameras.

The phone, given its price, skips on an in-display fingerprint scanner, instead going for a simple capacitive one housed on the power button. I have no complaints here, as it’s exceedingly accurate and easy to use. One major gripe I have is the lack of stereo speakers; instead, you get a single loudspeaker on the A16, which is a huge disadvantage as competing Motorola and OnePlus phones house excellent dual stereo speakers.

Is the display any good?

Samsung is known for its superior display technology, however, the Galaxy A16 5G disappoints within its price bracket. While the 6.7-inch Super AMOLED panel delivers vibrant colours and deep blacks, its 90 Hz display feels dated compared to similarly-priced 120 Hz budget phones. Discerning users will be able to feel the drop in smoothness compared to 120 Hz displays.

Brightness levels are decent, with the screen performing well indoors and under shade. However, direct sunlight can pose challenges, where competitors like the Redmi Note 13 Pro, Motorola G85, and OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite fare better. The lack of HDR support also limits its appeal for streaming enthusiasts, however, you do get Widevine L1 support for HD viewing. 

The Always-On Display feature, inherited from pricier Samsung models, is a pleasant surprise though. It adds convenience allowing users to quickly glance at notifications without unlocking their device. However, the lack of Corning Gorilla Glass or similar protection raises durability concerns. 

All in all, I’d consider the Samsung Galaxy A16 to be one of the weaker displays in the budget smartphone market given its missing key features like 120 Hz refresh rate and high brightness levels. The phone also lacks adaptive refresh rate switching, which is present in several competitors.

Samsung Galaxy A16 5G Review: Performance and Software

Under the hood, the Galaxy A16 5G comes in two chipset variants: Samsung's Exynos 1330 for the global market and MediaTek’s Dimensity 6300 in select regions. In India, you get the variant with the Dimensity 6300 chipset. It is built on a 6 nm process, emphasising power efficiency over raw performance. The phone is equipped with up to 8 GB RAM and up to 256 GB internal storage, expandable via microSD.

In day-to-day tasks like browsing, social media, and light gaming, the phone holds its own, delivering smooth performance with minimal hiccups. However, heavier workloads, such as multitasking with resource-intensive apps, reveal its limitations. Benchmark tests place it behind rivals like the iQOO Z9 and OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite, but it's adequate for basic users.

The phone scored a respectable 409592 points in AnTuTu, and it scored 730 in GeekBench Single Core, and 1922 in GeekBench multicore. In PCMark Work and GPU benchmarks, the score was particularly low compared to the competition. 

Naturally, gaming enthusiasts might face some disappointment. Titles like Call of Duty: Mobile run acceptably at medium settings but tend to heat the device during extended sessions. On the software front, Samsung's One UI 6.1 on top of Android 14 offers a clean and intuitive experience. Bloatware is minimal as well, especially compared to similarly priced iQOO, realme, and OnePlus offerings. Samsung also promises a whopping 6 years of OS updates, which is excellent for device longevity.

How do the cameras perform?

The Galaxy A16 5G features a triple-camera setup at the back, comprising a 50 MP primary sensor, a 5 MP ultrawide shooter, and a 2 MP macro sensor. On paper, it’s a modest setup, and in practice, the results are mixed.

In well-lit conditions, the primary camera captures 12.5 MP binned photos with good detail and natural colours. Dynamic range is respectable, though highlights occasionally appear blown out. The processing is quite aggressive in some shots as well. Portrait photos benefit from accurate edge detection and warm skin tones. The 5 MP ultrawide camera is basic, and allows for decent shots only in well-lit conditions.

Low-light photography is where the A16 5G struggles. Noise creeps in, and images often lack satisfactory dynamic range. Night Mode helps marginally, but it’s not a game-changer. The 13 MP front camera is satisfactory for selfies and video calls but struggles with detail in dim lighting. Video recording is capped at 1080p at 30 fps, which feels limiting when competitors offer 4K options at similar price points.

Samsung Galaxy A16 5G Review: Battery Life

Battery life should have been one of the key strengths of the Galaxy A16 5G. However, its 5,000 mAh battery, while competent, is nothing extraordinary. It consistently delivers a day’s worth of juice with moderate use, but given the power-efficient chipset and the battery size, we expected a 2-day runtime, which didn’t happen, unfortunately.

In our standardised video loop test, the phone lasted 15 hours and 27 minutes, which isn’t the best result at this price. Charging isn’t remarkable too. The 25 W wired charging feels slow in 2024, with the device taking approximately 1 hour and 31 minutes to reach full capacity. Wireless charging is absent, but it isn’t expected at this price point.

Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy A16?

The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G is a capable yet unambitious addition to the brand's lineup, catering to users seeking essential functionality rather than standout features. Its understated design, lightweight build, and IP54 rating ensure a practical daily companion, while the Dimensity 6300 chipset delivers smooth performance for basic tasks. However, the display’s 90 Hz refresh rate and moderate brightness levels feel underwhelming in a competitive market.

While its 50 MP camera impresses in daylight, low-light struggles and limited video capabilities reveal its budget nature. Battery performance is adequate but falls short of expectations, given the efficient hardware. At ₹18,999, it faces stiff competition from better-rounded options like the Motorola G85 and OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite.

For brand loyalists or those prioritising Samsung’s reliability and software support, the Galaxy A16 5G is worth considering. However, discerning buyers should explore alternatives offering more bang for their buck.

With the phoenix of gaming spreading its wings to engulf the globe, we are seeing more and more purist audio brands launching products that are geared towards the mouse and keyboard warriors glued to their screens. Yes, I know console gamers are also gamers. You get the point. Brands like JBL, Sennheiser, and Audio-Technica, which are traditionally famous for their consumer audio products, are increasingly focussing on developing product lines that cater to gamers. Joining this newly formed tradition is Audeze with their Audeze Maxwell Wireless Headphones.

Launched earlier this year, these headphones stray away from the traditional gaming headphone, both in their design and sound signature, leaning towards the mainstream audio category, but bring a ton of creature comforts that enable them to be one of the best in the business. You know what is coming :-)

Having used audiophile headphones for gaming, I was excited to have these headphones at the Test Labs, as they come from a brand that is popular amongst the audiophile elites. When I got them, the intrigue grew even more, and these planar-magnetic headphones, which are a rare breed in mainstream audio, piqued my interest. I used them as my primary gaming headphones for a good couple of weeks before penning down this review. 

Priced at around ₹30,000 in the Indian market, they are a premium offering, one of the most expensive pairs of gaming headphones that have shown up at the Digit Test Centre, and for those who can appreciate their quality, they are a great buy. Now, I won’t spoil a lot, so let’s dive in and have a look at how my experience was and how these headphones fared in our testing –

Audeze Maxwell Wireless Headphones Review: Build and design

The Audeze Maxwell Wireless headphones do not have the traditional gaming headphones look that we have come to expect. The colour scheme or the form factor does not indicate that these are a pair of gaming headphones, and that is something that I really appreciated about them.

Starting off with the colour scheme, there’s nothing fancy. You get a dark grey monotone finish on the headphones, with subtle branding on the end of the yoke where it connects to the swivel mechanism of the cans. The memory foam earpads have a leatherette finish, and the ski-band design headband also uses leather. Both these have a darker finish than the rest of the headset and add a nice touch to the overall look of the headphones.

The build quality of these headphones speaks volumes of the performance that they pack. Despite the cans being made of plastic, they instilled enough confidence to hold their own against the gamer rage that came their way. The headband also has a plastic casing but is reinforced with a metal inlay. Even the detachable microphone has a metal sheath covering it, allowing for easy and sturdy adjustments.

When it comes to the fit of the headphones, the ski-band adjustment band doesn't seem like the best choice at first, but when you come to use them, you realise that what is there has been put there after a lot of thought. The scope for adjustment is low, but when you nail the fit, you won’t have to adjust the band again. The earpads are deep and squishy enough to make wearing these rather heavy headphones a breeze.

Audeze Maxwell Wireless Headphones Review: Features and compatibility

The Audeze Maxwell Wireless headphones are equipped with all the trinkets gamers need. At every level, they are packed to the brim, and they aid not only the users in their gaming sessions but also in music listening and production. Here’s a quick rundown of the features and how their real-world impact was –

There’s also the companion app, the AudezeHQ app, available on MacOS, Windows, iOS, and Android. Here, you get all the customisation options you need. There are EQ presets for you to pick and choose from and other features which you would definitely want to check out before diving into your first game with these headphones. 

Audeze Maxwell Wireless Headphones Review: Performance and battery life

This part is the meat of every headphone review here at Digit. The Audeze Maxwell Wireless Gaming headphones held up to the expectations they built, carrying the Audeze name with them.

Sound quality

The planar magnetic drivers are tuned really well on these headphones. For gaming, the ideal headphones would have a great balance of thumpy bass, prominent mids, and brilliant highs to give you the best experience possible. Now, coming from the house of Audeze, they provide exactly that. The bass is outstanding, and it registers its presence prominently without impeding the other frequency ranges. The mids, which primarily house the vocals, are also accurate, thus ensuring that the riveting dialogue exchanges between game characters are well represented. When it comes to treble, controlled by the highs, you again get a consistent and accurate response like the mids and the lows. I did not find anything to complain about the sound quality of these headphones.

Staging and Imaging

Given that these are closed-back headphones, the sound stage is not as vast as some other open-back offerings in the market; however, when compared to similarly priced headphones like the Steel Series Arctis Nova Pro, which were crowned the winners of last year’s Zero1 Awards in the Gaming Headphones category, these headphones sound more open. All this magic is produced thanks to the planar magnetic drivers on these headphones. As for the imaging, these headphones fall slightly short of what I expected them to be, with my unit having a little bit of perceivable disparity between the left and right channels, which was especially highlighted when male vocals took centre stage.

Microphone

During my product briefing session with the founder of the brand, the microphone was one of the main highlights of these headphones. The Audeze Maxwell Wireless Headphones come with a dual microphone setup – an integrated mic and a detachable boom mic. Both microphones make great use of AI-powered software processing and ensure that the folks you are talking to hear your voice clearly at all times, across all conditions. Background noise, like the chatter of other people in the room and constant sounds like the drone of an AC unit, is cancelled very effectively by the microphones added to the headset.

Noise Isolation

When you are gaming, you want to be in an acoustic cocoon, away from the worries and distractions of the outside world, and these headphones handle that task really well. The soft padding on the earcups creates a nice seal around the ears and ensures that when the game audio is on, there’s no external disturbance coming in. Loud noises will still make their way through, but just with their isolation, they do the job well of keeping the noise away. If you want to be aware of your surroundings, you can turn up the sidetone.

Audeze Maxwell Wireless Headphones Review: Battery Life

Audeze claims that these headphones last over 80 hours on a single charge. And in my testing, I found that the battery of these headphones lasted around 76 hours with volume set to 50 per cent and the connection being over the 2.4Ghz dongle. Not gonna lie, I used the headphones for gaming after the test, and the battery is yet to drain out completely on these headphones after a week of moderate use. And, when you are out of juice, the brand claims that you can get a day’s worth of battery life in just 15 minutes of charge.

Audeze Maxwell Wireless Headphones Review: Verdict

The Audeze Maxwell Gaming Headphones are a complete package. You get a great build, solid performance, expansive compatibility, comfortable fit, and long-lasting battery life in a pair of headphones that would not let the audiophiles down. They are fairly heavy on the pocket, though. At ₹30,000 they will burn a hole in your pocket no doubt.

If you were to ask who are these for? I’d say for the audiophile who likes to game. People who can appreciate the magic of the planar magnetic drivers on these headphones, and want a single pair of headphones that can pull double duty in their gaming and music consumption/production needs, then these are the perfect pair of headphones.

A similar offering that you might want to look at before buying the Audeze Maxwell Wireless headphones would be the Audio-Technica ATH-M50XSTS headphones, which at the time of writing were retailing at ₹21,000. They come with a sound signature very close to the M50X headphones, which they draw their DNA from, and are a nice hybrid between a gaming headset and audiophile/production headphones.

After refreshing their premium and mid-range offerings in the TWS in-ear earphones last year, Sony has launched the Sony WF-C510, which comes in as the successor to their WF-C500, at almost exactly the same price.

The earphones are a curious case of performance vs features, where Sony leans to the performance side, favouring the raw sound signature of the earphones over including features, that some might consider gimmicky. The choice for the consumers is tough. And, so was reviewing these earphones and passing a verdict. So, read on and find out how they fared in our tests and how they position themselves in the Indian market.

Sony WF-C510 Review: Build and Design

With the Sony WF C-510, Sony has gone with a sleek-looking case, which has nice pocketability and a heft to it. These in-ear earphones are a much-welcome departure from what the WF C series of TWS in-ear earphones we have seen over the years. You get a subtle design that fits well with all aesthetic choices. The branding is subtle on both the case and the buds, and you get what you’d expect from Sony, which has pushed boundaries in terms of keeping their designs subtle yet distinctive.

Coming to the choice of materials, Sony is pushing for sustainability in their earbud packaging and material, and the best part is that it does not compromise on the build quality. As I mentioned earlier, the case has a nice heft to it, with the hinge also having a satisfying snap. These in-ear earphones also have an IPX4 rating, meaning that you can get through light showers of rain or workouts easily.

As for the fit, you get a set of ear tips, which, in my experience, sufficed for a variety of different ear shapes and sizes. The general fit and design of the WF C series was one of the biggest reasons it was on my list of recommendations, despite not having all the bells and whistles. And that trend of having an accessible fit for a wide variety of people, to my extreme delight, continues with these in-ear earphones. They are also lightweight, and you won’t have any issues wearing them for long periods of time.

Sony WF-C510 Review: Features

When looking at the features of the Sony WF-C510, you do not get the bells and whistles that you get on the more expensive in-ear earphones from Sony. There is no ANC, but transparency mode, which is a rather uncommon appearance on non-ANC earphones, is present on these in-ear earphones. More on this in the performance section. Let’s focus on what we get on these earphones.

In the Sony Headphones Connect app, you do not get a lot to play with when connected with the Sony WF-C510. In the app, there is an option to play around with Sony’s 360 Reality Audio, and there’s a 5-band EQ, which is about it. 360 Reality Audio adds a touch of immersion, and the EQ gives you some room to tinker with the audio; the presets are rather okay, but don’t provide enough of a boost to the experience to write home about.

There are TWS options in the market, which will come in with a lot more features, including ANC, and as you will read later in the review, will race ahead of the Sony WF-C510 when it comes to its raw value for money.

Sony WF-C510 Review: Performance

This is where the Sony WF-C510 reclaims all the lost ground. These in-ear earphones are tuned with a consumer-friendly, balanced sound signature that avoids overpowering bass. The sound signature on these in-ear earphones leans towards neutrality, with a slight boost in the bass to keep things engaging without overwhelming the overall balance. This is a great choice for listeners who prefer an audio profile that’s more versatile than the bass-heavy “fun” sound often found in budget in-ear earphones.

Bass: The low end on the WF-C510 is present but controlled, avoiding the overpowering or muddy bass that can sometimes dominate entry-level models. Bass is punchy enough to add a sense of rhythm and drive to tracks, especially in genres like pop and hip-hop, without bleeding into the midrange frequencies. For those who enjoy bass but don't want it to overshadow vocals and instruments, the WF-C510’s approach is refreshing. However, listeners who are all about that deep, vibrating bass might find it slightly restrained.

Midrange: This is arguably the strength of the WF-C510, as Sony has clearly tuned these in-ear earphones to let vocals and instrumentation shine through. The midrange is well-defined, with a level of clarity that is particularly noticeable on vocal-heavy tracks. Singers' voices, whether in pop, rock, or even acoustic genres, feel forward and lifelike, giving the listener a more intimate experience with the music. This also benefits instruments such as guitars, strings, and pianos, which come across with satisfying texture and detail. It’s not a studio-level reproduction, but for casual listening, the WF-C510 handles mids with surprising competence.

Treble/Highs: The high frequencies on the WF-C510 are smooth and slightly rolled off, providing a warm, comfortable listening experience without harshness or sibilance. However, this tuning approach does mean that some fine details in the upper frequencies may be less pronounced. For instance, the “sparkle” often found in cymbals, hi-hats, and certain string instruments is more subdued here, which might not satisfy audiophiles looking for an extremely detailed treble. On the positive side, the relaxed highs make the WF-C510 a solid option for extended listening, as there’s very little risk of ear fatigue.

Soundstage and Imaging: While the WF-C510 doesn’t create the expansive soundstage found in over-ear headphones, it does a decent job for in-ear buds. There’s a sense of space that allows instruments and vocals to be somewhat distinct, though the overall imaging is more compressed, as expected at this price point. The stereo separation is decent enough for most listeners to enjoy spatial nuances, but for those seeking a truly immersive experience with layered depth, higher-end options will be more fulfilling.

Noise isolation: The passive isolation on these in-ear earphones, thanks to the great fit that I got with these in-ear earphones, ensured that a lot of ambient sound during my time of use was eliminated. However, I am talking about my experience in a rather silent office space. If you are looking to step in noisier environments, you will miss ANC on these in-ear earphones. 

Microphone: The microphone on the Sony WF-C510 offers a functional performance for casual calls but may not be ideal for demanding scenarios like professional video calls or noisy environments. Sony has equipped the WF-C510 with a basic microphone setup that captures voice clearly in quiet settings, so for quick calls or voice notes, it does a fine job. The microphone maintains a natural tone, avoiding the overly processed or tinny sound that can sometimes affect budget earbuds. However, in busier environments, the microphone does struggle to isolate the user’s voice from background noise. If call quality is a top priority, especially in noisy environments, users might need to consider options with dedicated noise reduction technology.

Sony WF-C510 Review: Battery life

The battery life on the Sony WF-C510 is exceptional as was the case with the WF C-500. In my test, with the volume set to 50 per cent,  the earbuds lasted exactly 10 hours and 15 minutes, which is more than most other earphones that have hit the Test Labs since I have started working on audio reviews. The claimed battery life on these earphones is 11 hours, so the expectation vs reality is not much of a letdown. The charging time, however, as per the brand, is 1.5 hours to go from 0 to 100, which means you will have to wait for some time. But, what you get in return makes up for this.

Verdict

The bottom line with the Sony WF-C510 is, buy these in-ear earphones only for the audio experience. At this price, such sound is hard to come by. And, when coupled with the battery life, the Sony WF-C510 makes for a great purchase. However, if you are looking for a more feature-rich offering, especially with ANC, you will need to look elsewhere. Your options would include the realme Buds Air6 Pro, which is priced in a similar price range as these earphones, and if you are looking for an even more pocket-friendly offering, then the CMF Buds Pro 2 are your best bet. 

Making things small is always a challenge, and making small things powerful is downright one of the most difficult tasks on the planet. Take any sports car with a super-high power-to-weight ratio, for example; getting its design and materials right is a painstaking process. But the joy of driving one is simply priceless.

Similarly, small and powerful computers will always be more expensive than big and powerful ones, simply because it takes an immaculate use of available space in the most efficient way possible to create something that’s tightly packed and delivers an equally tight punch.

Along the same lines, we find the ASUS ProArt PX 13. As its name suggests, it is a 13-inch creator laptop belonging to ASUS’s ProArt lineup. It is 17.7mm thick, it has a 360-degree hinge and a quite beautiful touchscreen OLED display. For the uninitiated, the ProArt lineup offers high-performance tools for creative professionals, tailored for tasks like design, editing, and 3D rendering. The lineup includes products like Motherboards and Graphics cards, displays, desktop computers, and of course laptops.

The ASUS ProArt PX13’s I/O setup is solid for a creator laptop. You get two USB 4.0 Type-C ports with display and power delivery, a USB 3.2 Type-A for legacy devices, and HDMI 2.1 for connecting high-res monitors, which covers a lot of creative needs. The MicroSD 4.0 card reader makes transferring media quick and easy, while the 3.5mm audio jack is great for wired audio. With Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, you’re set for fast, future-ready wireless connectivity. Overall, it’s got what you need without going overboard on ports.

ASUS ProArt PX 13 Review: Specifications

Processor: AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 365 Processor with 10 cores, 20-threads, 24MB cache, and upto 5 GHz turbo boost frequency along with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU): AMD XDNA with up to 50 TOPS

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU with Memory: 6 GB GDDR6 and Integrated AMD Radeon 890M Graphics

Memory: 24 GB LPDDR5X onboard RAM

Storage: 1 TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD

Display: 13.3-inch 16:10 60Hz OLED touchscreen with 2880 x 1800 (3K) peak resolution and 0.2ms response time

Ports and Connectivity:

• 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
• 2 x USB 4.0 Gen 3 Type-C (supports display and power delivery)
• 1 x HDMI 2.1 FRL
• 1 x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
• 1 x MicroSD 4.0 card reader
• Wireless: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4

Battery:

• Capacity: 73 Wh
• Charging: Fast charging supported via USB Power Delivery

Dimensions and Weight:

• Dimensions: 298.2 x 209.9 x 15.8-17.7 mm
• Weight: 1.38 kg (3.04 lbs)

ASUS ProArt PX 13 Review: Design, Build Quality, Keyboard And I/O

The laptop looks like a small, thin, black box. Its rounded edges and the metallic top lid do their best to make the laptop easy to grab onto and keep the design very simple. The laptop gets a decently big enough lip, enough to put all the four fingers, to lift the lid. The base is also just heavy enough to allow you to keep the laptop stable and in its position while you lift the lid with just one hand. 

Moreover, the 360-degree is smooth and it doesn’t lift up the laptop from the back side even if you place the lid at a steeper angle. You do get the stylus with the laptop and you will find it in the charger box in a separate box of its own. Underneath the laptop, you also get two horizontal strips instead of four separate rubberized feet. They aren’t high at all and you will feel that the laptop sits mostly flat on any surface. 

The ASUS ProArt PX13 is equipped with versatile I/O ports tailored for creators. It features one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, two USB 4.0 Type-C ports (supporting display output and power delivery), and an HDMI 2.1 for high-res external displays. A 3.5mm audio jack and Micro SD card reader cover audio and data transfer needs, while a DC-in port provides charging.

The keyboard is a 75% layout and includes arrow keys. As an AI-PC, it also has a Windows Co-pilot key. The key travel is around 1.7mm, which is surprisingly high for a 13-inch thin and light laptop. The keyboard is backlit, with three levels of brightness and a function row shared with features like volume and brightness controls, as well as camera and microphone controls.

On the other hand, the touchpad is also decently sized. It distinguishes itself with the integrated ASUS DialPad, a virtual control wheel designed to aid creative workflows. This feature allows users to intuitively adjust settings such as screen brightness, volume, and various parameters within compatible applications like Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Pro. I have to say that if you already are accustomed to using a mouse to tackle all your creative workflows then chances are that you may not find yourself the ASUS DialPad as much. 

In my opinion, it’s best offered as an optional extra. 

ASUS ProArt PX 13 Review: Screen And Speakers

The 13-inch OLED display has its ups and downs. It only reaches around 380 nits of peak SDR brightness, which, while good enough for indoor use, isn’t nearly sufficient for using outdoors. However, its brilliant contrast ratio, 0.2ms response time, and 2880 X 1800 resolution (255 ppi) make it simply gorgeous to look at. The image it shows is sharp, colour-accurate, and punchy. It goes without saying, but whenever you use this for consuming content, you’ll realize you’re getting your money’s worth every time.

The beautiful display also has a 60Hz panel. On one hand, 60Hz isn't the best choice for gaming in 2024, but considering that the ASUS ProArt PX13 also serves as a creator laptop, the 60Hz refresh rate begins to make sense. The laptop is also equipped with an RTX 4050 laptop GPU with a 95W TGP and 6GB of GDDR6 VRAM. With this setup, a 60Hz refresh rate is sufficient, as few games running at high resolution will reach 60 FPS or beyond. Simply put it is a great machine for content creation, and consumption but not so good for high-intensity gaming. 

Moving on to the speakers, I’d say that they are loud but have a small sound stage and the base is also a bit low. The speakers are bottom-firing, so the sound gets muffled if you place the laptop on a soft surface. The audio quality is fine for everyday tasks, but it might fall short for audiophiles or professionals who expect high-fidelity sound.

ASUS ProArt PX 13 Review: Performance, Benchmarks, Thermals And Battery Life

The ASUS ProArt PX13 comes with a CPU which I haven’t tested yet. I have tested its bigger cousin the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370. I am of course talking about the Ryzen AI 9 HX 365. Instead of featuring 12 cores, it gets 10 cores and instead of 24 Threads, it gets 20. The boost clock between these chips is 5.0GHz and 5.1GHz for the HX 370 and HX 365, respectively. However, both chips have the same power draw range between 15-54W. 

Also, the HX 370 I tested was in a 16-inch ASUS Zephyrus G16 but the HX 365 in the ASUS ProArt PX 13 has relatively smaller breathing room in a 13-inch chassis. Also the former gets 3-fans inside the chassis but the PX 13 has only two. Now, first up in Cinebench R23, I clearly see a good difference between the two CPUs, with HX 370 scoring 23134 in multicore and 2026 in single-core tests. Meanwhile, the HX 365 scored 20078 and 1938 in single and multicore tests. 

A similar trend appears in the Cinebench R20 test, where the HX 370 scores 8739 in multicore and 796 in single-core tests, while the HX 365 achieves 7884 and 759 in multi-core and single-core tests, respectively.

In the Cinebench R15 OpenGL graphics test, the HX 370 scored 250 while the HX 365 scored 251, indicating that despite differences in core counts, number of threads, and core clock, the iGPU performance is similar in both chips. 

Speaking of graphics performance, as I mentioned, the ProArt PX 13 comes with Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 Studio version. But despite that, it is a much more powerful 95W TGP variant. However, it is still not as powerful as an RTX 4050 in a full-fledged gaming laptop like the Gigabyte G6X. But it is still more powerful than the RTX 4050 something like an MSI Cyborg. In 3DMark TimeSpy and FireStrike, the PX 13 with the RTX 4050 scored 7789 and 19606, while the G6X with the same GPU achieved 8813 and 20933. The RTX 4050 in the MSI Cyborg scored around 6874 and 15692 in these tests, respectively. 

In terms of thermal performance, the 13-inch chassis performs well. Under normal use cases, the maximum CPU temperature reaches only around 48 degrees. While gaming, the CPU core temperature reaches close to 78 degrees, and under CPU-specific load, the temperature can soar up to 95 degrees. 

The highest surface temperature reaches 41.2°C, located above the function row at the top edge of the keyboard, while the W, A, S, D key area, the middle, and the right side of the keyboard remain relatively cooler. Specifically, the left side stays at 29.1°C, the middle section reaches 37.0°C, and the right end remains the coolest at 27.9°C. In terms of fan noise, the fans peak at 34.5 dB, drop as low as 27.7 dB, and average around 31.1 dB, balancing both light and heavy workloads. 

The 1TB SSD in the ProArt PX 13 is a PCIe Gen 4 unit that performs solidly compared to SSDs in other creator laptops, placing it right in the middle. It outpaces the Zephyrus G16 in both read and write speeds, with the PX 13 achieving a sequential read of 5278.03 MB/s and a write speed of 3754.56 MB/s, compared to the Zephyrus G16’s 5069.44 MB/s read and 2314.6 MB/s write speeds. However, it falls short of the Dell XPS 16, which reaches 7079.26 MB/s in read speeds but lags in write speed with 1554.83 MB/s.

The ASUS ProArt PX 13, equipped with a 73Wh battery, offers a range of battery life depending on usage. For general tasks like web browsing and document editing, it typically lasts around 5 hours and 9 minutes. When streaming 1080p content at full brightness, the battery holds up for approximately 6 hours and 40 minutes, but this drops to just over 3 hours and 15 minutes for 4K streaming. During continuous web browsing, the laptop manages about 9 hours and 20 minutes. Overall, while the ProArt PX 13 provides reasonable battery life for everyday tasks, high-resolution streaming or intensive creative work significantly reduces its endurance.

ASUS ProArt PX 13 Review: Conclusion

The ASUS ProArt PX 13 is a compact powerhouse tailored for creative professionals who need a balance of portability and performance. Its standout features include a vibrant 13.3-inch OLED display, precise colour accuracy, and a sturdy build with a 360-degree hinge, making it versatile for various work settings. The laptop packs an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 365 CPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Studio GPU, which perform admirably for content creation tasks but fall short for high-intensity gaming, especially with its 60Hz display. Its 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD offers fast read and write speeds, placing it between competing models like the Zephyrus G16 and Dell XPS 16.

However, the laptop’s limitations are noticeable. The 380-nit display brightness, while stunning indoors, struggles in outdoor lighting. The 13-inch chassis keeps thermals under control but can get warm under heavy loads, peaking at 41.2°C above the function row. Additionally, the speakers are decent but may disappoint users seeking high-fidelity sound due to their limited sound stage and bass.

At ₹179,990, the ProArt PX 13 is ideal for creative professionals who need a portable, colour-accurate laptop for design and editing. It’s a great option for those seeking a powerful yet compact device for on-the-go work. However, gamers or users needing extended battery life for high-resolution video playback or intensive workloads may not find suitable alternatives in this form factor. If you're open to a slightly larger option, the Zephyrus G16 2024 offers excellent performance for both gaming and creative tasks.

AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is a much more exciting launch than the initial Ryzen 9000 series “Granite Ridge” desktop processors for a very simple reason - 3D V-Cache. Not only do the X3D chips bring all the goodness of the new core microarchitecture but the additional cache memory slapped on (or should we say, Slapped under) the chip. Workloads benefitting from the added cache tend to perform really well with the X3D chips and one of the major workloads that gets a massive boost are video games. Moreover, there’s the added power-efficiency of having switched to a more efficient TSMC 4nm process node. So how well does the new AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D fare in benchmarks? Let’s find out.

3D V-Cache, now down-under

No, AMD is not making its chips in Australia. The 3D V-Cache is now placed underneath the CPU dies. With the first implementation of TSMC’s CoWoS technology, the additional cache layer was placed on top of the CPU dies. While cache memory does run hot, it’s nothing as compared to heat generated by the CPU cores themselves. So flipping the little silicon pancakes makes a lot of sense. Why AMD chose to go with the cache on top or why TSMC might have advised them to do so or why … it doesn’t matter. They flipped the pancake, and it’s supposedly running much better. The hotter cores are now close to the heatsink, and therefore, the CPU cooler as well. AMD states that the move has resulted in a massive benefit when looking at the thermal. Also, the 3D V-Cache has up to 46 per cent better thermal resistance. And since the cores are running a little cooler, they can be pushed to run at higher clock speeds. AMD has managed to run the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D at a 500 MHz higher base clock and 200 MHz higher boost clock compared to the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. They also state that multi-core residency has improved a lot and the multi-threaded performance is much closer to the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X which runs at 105W. This is purely because the 9800X3D can better use the power that’s provisioned for it.

AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Specifications

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D has some specs similar to the Ryzen 7 9700X with the same 8 Cores and 16 Threads, L1 and L2 Caches. The base clock speed goes up by 900 MHz and the boost clock drops by 300 MHz. 3D V-Cache adds 64 MB of L3 Cache on top of the existing 32 MB to give 96 MB of L3 Cache. That’s the same amount as the 7800X3D. The TDP has gone up because there are more components running in the same space and there’s also the higher base clock speed leading to more heat on average.

The DRAM speeds are still at 5600 MT/s so not much has changed on the memory front. Intel’s recent Core Ultra 200S processors raised the non-OC memory speeds to 6400 MT/s and also added support for CUDIMMs / CSODIMMs. We feel that this seems to have been an easy addition with 6400 MT/s being the memory sweet spot for AMD Zen 5 chips. Aside from these things, the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D has nothing different from the recently launched Ryzen 9000 chips. 

On the platform front, we’ve got the X870E motherboards for enthusiasts available right now. The X870, B850, B840 chipset based motherboards will be launched later on.

AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Test Rig

We received a full kit with new 9800X3D processor, SSD, and memory sticks. We didn't use the provided SSD and stuck to our own storage drives. Here’s the full specs:

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
• Motherboard: X870E AORUS MASTER
• RAM: 2x G.Skill Trident Z5 16 GB 
• SSD: Kingston Renegade PCIe Gen 4.0 SSD
• Cooler: ASUS ROG RYUJIN III 360 ARGB
• PSU: Cooler Master MWE Gold 850 V2

AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Performance

Cinebench 2024

Cinebench 2024 is based on Maxon's Cinema 4D software, designed to evaluate a processor's performance in rendering complex 3D scenes. It tests both single-core and multi-core capabilities, highlighting how efficiently a CPU handles multi-threaded tasks common in professional rendering workflows. The benchmark utilizes modern instruction sets and large datasets, providing an up-to-date assessment of CPU performance in contemporary applications.

Cinebench R23

Cinebench R23 is the older version based on the same Cinema 4D engine and it too measures a processor's ability to render photorealistic 3D scenes. Though replaced by Cinebench 2024, we retain it to compare against processors launched a few years prior. It also focuses on both single-threaded and multi-threaded performance, simulating real-world tasks relevant to content creators and professionals in 3D rendering.

Blender

The Blender Benchmark assesses a processor's performance by rendering scenes using Blender, a popular open-source 3D creation suite. It evaluates both CPU and GPU capabilities in handling complex rendering tasks. This benchmark provides insights into how well a processor performs in real-world 3D modeling, animation, and rendering scenarios. An interesting aspect is that it highlights the efficiency of different CPU architectures in multi-threaded workloads, as Blender can effectively utilize multiple cores. It's particularly useful for professionals and enthusiasts relying on Blender, indicating how hardware upgrades might impact workflow efficiency and rendering times.

V-Ray

V-Ray is another benchmark that measures a processor's performance in rendering but it uses the V-Ray engine, widely used in visual effects, architecture, and design industries. It tests both CPU and GPU rendering capabilities, focusing on multi-threaded performance and handling complex calculations involved in ray tracing. CPUs with higher core counts and multi-threading technology tend to excel here as V-Ray efficiently utilises available threads.

WinRAR

WinRAR Benchmark evaluates a processor's performance in data compression and decompression tasks, common in file archiving and management. It tests single-threaded performance, memory bandwidth, and latency, as these factors influence compression speed. While WinRAR isn't fully optimized for multi-core CPUs, processors with higher Instructions Per Cycle (IPC) and clock speeds perform better. For more modern algorithms, we use 7-Zip.

AIDA64

AIDA64 Memory Benchmark measures the memory bandwidth and latency of a system, highlighting how quickly data transfers between the CPU and RAM. It tests read, write, and copy speeds, providing insights into the efficiency of the memory subsystem, including RAM speed, timings, and memory controller performance. AIDA64 also has benchmarks to evaluate how well a processor can handle AES, ZLib and SHA3 encryption and decryption tasks.

y-cruncher

The y-cruncher benchmark computes mathematical constants like Pi to a high number of digits—in this case, 2.5 billion—testing a processor's multi-threaded performance and memory subsystem under heavy computational load. It stresses the CPU's integer and floating-point units, cache hierarchy, and memory bandwidth. It's particularly useful for evaluating system stability under sustained heavy workloads, making it valuable for users who are overclocking their systems.

Procyon Office

The Procyon Office Benchmark measures a processor's performance in real-world office applications like the Microsoft Office suite, testing tasks such as document editing, spreadsheet calculations, and presentation creation. It focuses on both single-threaded and multi-threaded performance, providing insights into how a CPU handles everyday productivity tasks.

Mozilla Kraken & Google Octane

Mozilla Kraken and Google Octane are JavaScript benchmarks evaluating a processor's performance in executing complex web-based scripts, reflecting real-world web application usage. It tests single-threaded performance and the efficiency of a CPU's instruction pipelines in handling dynamic scripting languages.

Procyon AI Computer Vision

The UL Procyon AI Computer Vision benchmark measures the performance of AI inference engines to understand how well processors can handle machine-vision tasks using popular neural networks.

3DMark Time Spy (iGPU)

3DMark Time Spy is a DirectX 12 benchmark evaluating graphics performance. We use it primarily to test the relative performance of the iGPU to discrete GPUs and where iGPUs stand amongst their peers. With both companies improving their integrated graphics stack, it allows us to measure how well the iGPU performs and if it can handle popular eSports titles.

7 Game Average

While 3DMark is an excellent synthetic benchmark, it's not really indicative of real-world gaming performance and that's why we have to rely on popular AAA video games to assess how well the processor deals with contemporary video game engines. We revise the video games once every two years based on what's most popular as per Steam and we also maintain a mix between different game engines.

Core to Core Latency - AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Core-to-Core Latency measures the time it takes for data to transfer between different cores within a CPU. It highlights the efficiency of the processor's inter-core communication pathways and cache coherency mechanisms. An interesting insight is that lower core-to-core latency can improve performance in multi-threaded applications where threads need to synchronize or share data frequently. It can reveal architectural differences between CPUs, such as the impact of chiplet designs versus monolithic die layouts, affecting inter-core communication efficiency.

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D only has 8 Cores so it's easier to keep the median core-to-core latency low and that's definitely beneficial for a lot of computing tasks. Also, it seems like there's only one CCD so there's no added penalty of switching to another CCD. Again, this is also beneficial for quite a lot of workloads.

Power and Thermals

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D peaked at 150 Watts over a 10-minute throttling run. And the average wattage was a little lesser than that. Compared to the 9700X, this is a bit higher but at no time did we ever see any throttling. Even when we swapped out the cooler for a single-fan air cooler, the CPU ran just fine. Average temperatures were at 93 degrees Celsius and peak was at 95 degrees.

Verdict

AMD has added another successful X3D processor in its kitty with the addition of the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D. It's a great performer for everyday productivity, content creation and when it comes to gaming, it knocks it out of the park yet again. The only place where the 9800X3D takes a hit is in the value for money aspect because the price is a little too much to justify the added gains with gaming performance. We'd have preferred it to be a tad above the Ryzen 7 9700X and not this far apart. In India, the USD 120 difference works out to more than INR 12,000 which can be quite discouraging for gamers.

The HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 feels familiar in some ways and distinctly different in others. It features the new Intel Core Ultra Series 2 chip, specifically the Core Ultra Series 7 238V, with an 8-core, 8-thread design and a boost clock of up to 4.7GHz. A significant change this time is that the RAM modules are integrated directly onto the CPU die—a design choice seemingly inspired by the latest ARM-based Snapdragon X Elite chips. While the X Elite chips offer a snappy experience and impressive battery life, can we expect the same from the new Intel Core Ultra Series 2? Here’s my HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 review.

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 Review: Specifications

Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 258V processor with (4-Performance + 4-Efficiency) 8-cores, 8-threads and a boost clock up to 4.8 GHz

Memory: 32 GB LPDDR5X RAM.

Storage: 1 TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD.

Display: 14-inch diagonal, 2.8K (2880 x 1800) 120Hz OLED touchscreen and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection.

Graphics: Intel Arc Graphics

Battery: 6-cell, 64 WHr Li-Ion battery.

Camera: 9 MP IR AI camera with temporal noise reduction and integrated dual array digital microphones.

Audio: Quad speakers with Poly Studio integration.

Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5.4.

Ports: 2 Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) ports.
1 USB Type-C 10 Gbps signaling rate (USB Power Delivery).
1 headphone/microphone combo. 

Dimensions: 313.7 x 216.2 x 14.9 mm.

Weight: 1.34 kg. 

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 Review: Design, Build Quality, Keyboard And I/O

The HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 is a versatile 2-in-1 laptop that combines portability with a robust build. Crafted from durable aluminum, the chassis offers a premium feel while maintaining sturdiness, with a thickness of 14.9 mm and a lightweight profile at just 1.34 kg, making it easily portable. The build quality is impressive, as the HP OmniBook Ultra’s chassis is very sturdy, with no flex on the keyboard, top lid, or any other area. Aesthetically, it adopts a sleek, minimalist design with wide appeal.

The keyboard on the OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 is a full-size, backlit setup, which ensures comfortable and efficient typing even in low-light environments. The keys provide a satisfying travel distance and tactile feedback, enhancing the typing experience, especially during long typing sessions.

For connectivity, the laptop is equipped with two Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) ports, allowing high-speed data transfer, power delivery, and DisplayPort 2.1 compatibility. Additionally, it features a USB Type-C 10 Gbps port that supports USB Power Delivery and DisplayPort 1.4a, along with a headphone/microphone combo jack, offering a comprehensive I/O setup to suit both professional and everyday needs.

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 Review: Display And Speakers

The HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 comes with a 14-inch 2.8K OLED touchscreen built for vibrant visuals and precision. With a sharp resolution of 2880 x 1800, colors pop, and the OLED panel provides true blacks, making every image look rich and immersive. The 120Hz refresh rate keeps things smooth, whether you’re scrolling or doing light gaming, and with a tested SDR brightness level of 381 nits, it holds up well even in bright environments. The display also covers 100% of both the DCI-P3 and sRGB color spaces, ensuring excellent color reproduction. In terms of color accuracy, this display is top-notch, with a Delta E value of just 1.1. Additionally, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 adds extra protection against scratches.

Moreover, the viewing angles are excellent, though the glossy nature of the display can be an issue when viewed from the side. The display is also quite punchy. The addition of the 360-degree hinge is a clear advantage, allowing you to use the laptop as a tablet or in tent mode, and to draw using the included stylus. The 120Hz high refresh rate enhances responsiveness, making it especially helpful while drawing.

Audio quality is another highlight here. The OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 features a quad-speaker system with Poly Studio integration, delivering clear, balanced sound that works well for anything from video calls to streaming. The speakers provide solid depth, with vocals that are sharp and bass that feels punchy without overpowering. 

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 Review: Battery Life

The battery life on the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 is seriously impressive. With 920 minutes (15 hours and 20 minutes) of screen time, it outlasts the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370-powered ASUS ZenBook S16, which achieved 682 minutes (11 hours and 22 minutes) of backup, but is slightly edged out by the Snapdragon X Elite-powered HP OmniBook X14, which scored 960 minutes (16 hours) of battery life.

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 Review: Performance, Thermals And Benchmarks

The first thing I noticed about the Intel Core Ultra 7 238V powering the HP OmniBook Ultra is its high efficiency. According to recent tests on the ASUS Zenbook S14, which also features the Intel Core Ultra 7, this chip excels in single-core performance and efficiency but lags in multi-core performance.

It’s confirmed in Cinebench R23, as the Intel Core Ultra 7 238V powering the HP OmniBook Ultra scores 9871 in the multicore benchmark, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (previous gen) scored only marginally less at around 9443. The interesting part is that the Intel Core Ultra 7 238V scores higher in the multicore test despite having two fewer physical performance cores compared to the Core Ultra 7 155H. The single-core performance remains almost identical, with the OmniBook Ultra scoring 1674 and the Spectre x360 14 scoring 1661 in single-core benchmarks.

Similarly, in PCMark 10 Extended, which tests a PC’s overall performance, the HP OmniBook Ultra again takes the lead over its previous-gen counterpart by scoring 6554 compared to 6249, even edging out the HP OmniBook X14, the Snapdragon X Elite variant, which scored 6524.

Similarly, in PCMark 10’s photo editing test, the HP OmniBook Ultra scores 16,487, outperforming the Snapdragon X Elite-powered HP OmniBook X14, which scored 12,746, and even the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370-powered ZenBook S16, which scored 15,089. However, the HP OmniBook Ultra falls slightly behind in Rendering/Visualization and Video Editing tests, scoring 7869 and 6363, respectively. In comparison, the HP OmniBook X14 scores 8058 and 6675, while the ZenBook S16 scores 9225 and 6795.

The above tests indicate that the HP OmniBook Ultra is a solid productivity laptop, excelling in photo editing but falling slightly behind its peers in video editing and rendering. While none of the laptops on this list are designed as ultimate productivity devices—primarily due to their thin, light chassis and focus on battery life and efficiency—they are still capable enough to run applications like Lightroom, Canva, Filmora, Capcut, and many more.

Lastly, synthetic GPU benchmarks reveal some impressive results, as the laptop scored among the highest figures for iGPU performance, with around 4347 in TimeSpy and 8826 in FireStrike. It easily outperformed the AMD-powered ZenBook S16 which scored 3, HP’s own Snapdragon X Elite-powered OmniBook X14, and even the higher-end X Elite X1E-80-100 variant found in the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7.

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 Review: Conclusion

The HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 offers solid versatility and efficiency, checking many boxes for a productivity laptop with some trade-offs. Equipped with the Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processor, it handles single-core tasks smoothly, making it ideal for quick, responsive work. The integrated RAM modules are a thoughtful addition for efficiency but limit future upgradability. The 2.8K OLED display truly shines, delivering vibrant colors with excellent brightness and accuracy. However, the glossy finish can be a bit reflective at certain angles, which may be a drawback for some users.

The 360-degree hinge, high refresh rate, and included stylus make this laptop a solid choice for creative tasks too, letting you flip it into tablet mode for sketching or note-taking with smooth response times. Though it’s a strong performer in synthetic GPU benchmarks, with some of the highest iGPU scores, it falls a bit short in video editing and rendering when stacked against a few other options. But on the battery front, it impresses—lasting over 15 hours—easily outpacing many of its rivals.

With a premium build, good I/O selection, and standout audio quality, the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 has what it takes for a flexible, multi-functional experience. It might not replace a dedicated workstation for power users, but for anyone looking for a portable yet capable device for everyday productivity, creative work, and media, it’s a strong option.

Sonos has entered the high-end headphone market with the new Sonos Ace headphones, a bold debut that sets its sights on heavyweights like the Sony WH-1000XM5 (review) and Apple’s AirPods Max. Responding to overwhelming demand from Sonos enthusiasts, the company has carefully crafted the Ace headphones to embody the iconic Sonos design philosophy, delivering elegance in every detail.

As one would expect from Sonos products, the Sonos Ace headphones prioritise audio excellence, capturing the premium sound Sonos is known for, while seamlessly integrating with other Sonos devices for a unified listening experience. Yet, in a market already rich with premium choices, how do the Sonos Ace headphones truly measure up? Let’s explore their design, audio quality, noise cancellation, battery performance, and standout features that distinguish them in this competitive landscape.

Sonos Ace Review: Design and Comfort

The Sonos Ace is undoubtedly a premium product, and its price reflects that. While it’s priced slightly higher than competitors like Bose, Sony, and Sennheiser, it remains more affordable than Apple’s AirPods Max in India. The premium cost feels justified given the Ace's superior build quality. From the mirror-finish metal under the headband to the high-grade plastic earcups, every material used exudes quality and elegance. The headband and earcups feature memory foam padding wrapped in high-end faux leather, adding to the luxurious feel.

The Ace has a solid heft, weighing 312 g, that suggests durability, capable of withstanding regular travel without compromising comfort. Despite the weight, it doesn’t feel heavy on the head, maintaining a comfortable fit during extended wear.

True to Sonos’ ethos of minimalistic, modern design, the Ace sports a sleek, streamlined look. The rounded earcups have no unnecessary trimmings, with just a single button on the left and two buttons on the right. Sonos has implemented magnetically attached, removable earcup paddings, which is a clever touch that makes pad replacements easy. The padding has a two-tone mesh in light and dark grey, however, the R and L indicators on the earbuds are too subtle and not easy to notice.

The Ace fits securely and exerts just enough pressure through the headband and earcups to stay in place. While it may not be the type of headphone that “disappears” on your head, it remains comfortable for prolonged use. However, I did notice my ears getting slightly toasty when wearing these in Mumbai’s sweltering October heat.

One standout feature of the Sonos Ace is its physical buttons, which are more intuitive than touch controls often found on other premium headphones. The left cup houses the power and pairing button, which requires a brief press-and-hold. The right cup has two buttons: one toggles between noise-cancellation and transparency mode, and the second is a versatile slider that adjusts volume and doubles as a play/pause button. These controls are slick, precise, and functional; something many users will appreciate.

The Ace comes with a well-designed case that complements its premium feel. Inside, a magnetically attached pouch holds both the charging and analogue cables, giving users the option for wired or wireless listening.

How does it sound?

True to Sonos' preferred audio signature, the Ace headphones are tuned for precision and clarity. The Sonos Ace headphones feature custom-designed 40 mm dynamic drivers. Rather than heavily boosting bass, Sonos has taken a more balanced approach, albeit it leans a bit towards the warmer side. You get a detailed sound profile that shines across genres. From complex classical compositions to vocal-heavy tracks, these headphones deliver a rich, dynamic sound.

They’re neither as neutral as the AirPods Max nor as bass-biased as the Sony WH-1000XM5. You get a warm, full-bodied sound signature that has enough punch without veiling the intricate details in the mid-range or the highs. Speaking of the highs, they’re high on detail and have a pleasant sparkle. Instrument separation is fantastic and the soundstage is pretty decent too.

For bass enthusiasts though, the more conservative low-end might feel a bit underwhelming, especially compared to competitors that cater to bass-driven genres like EDM and hip-hop. Yet, Sonos’s approach will appeal to those who appreciate a more natural sound that highlights mid-range details and subtle nuances.

The Sonos Ace delivers a consistent frequency response across Bluetooth, analogue, and USB connections, so you won’t notice any changes in sound quality regardless of how it’s connected. However, activating or deactivating ANC does introduce a slight variation. With ANC off, the bass is a bit more prominent, adding extra thump, rumble, and warmth to the audio.

If you're planning to use the Sonos Ace for movie nights with TV Audio Swap, you're in for a treat – these headphones bring sound effects, like explosions, to life but you need to have a Sonos soundbar to use this feature. Dialogue is pristine and clear. Unlike other high-end headphones that pack in tons of sound customisation options though, the Sonos Ace just allows you to tweak the bass and treble sliders, which is slightly disappointing.

As for the call quality, the Sonos Ace houses eight beam-forming microphones for calling and noise cancellation. During my testing period, the headphones did a good job reducing background chatter on a call when I was loitering around the noisy streets of Mumbai. It isn’t the best microphone I’ve tested on wireless headphones but it’s close. If you’re looking for a pair of headphones with fantastic microphones, it would be a toss-up between the Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bose QC Ultra.

Sonos Ace Review: Active Noise Cancellation, TV Audio Swap, and more features

The Sonos Ace headphones come packed with features, offering premium noise-cancelling performance and a transparency mode that feels surprisingly natural – nearly on par with the Sony WH-1000XM5.

When it comes to noise-cancelling, I tested the Ace walking around Mumbai and even riding the public train. The Ace blocks out around 60 to 70% of background noise, especially when it comes to lower frequencies. Even with music playing, I barely noticed the train arriving at my stop. Although higher-pitched sounds, like voices, still come through. So naturally, it still doesn’t match up to the sheer brilliance of the Sony Mark 5’s ANC performance, but it’s pretty competent and worthy of being mentioned in the big leagues.

The Ace also features automatic wear-detection sensors that pause your music when you remove the headphones and resume playback when you put them back on, however, this feature was a bit buggy and it didn’t work flawlessly during my testing. The Sonos app offers a basic equalizer for fine-tuning, though adjustments are limited to bass and treble.

The Ace has Bluetooth 5.4 and supports AAC and Qualcomm’s AptX Adaptive, along with AptX Lossless for compatible Android devices. However, I would have preferred LDAC for more widespread compatibility. For those who prefer wired listening, Sonos includes a USB-C cable for a digital lossless connection and a USB-C-to-3.5mm cable for connecting to devices like a computer or music player, so you’re covered whether you’re streaming or plugged in.

Sonos has even introduced spatial audio on the Ace, complete with Dolby Atmos and head-tracking. I tried it out with an iPhone 16 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, and it creates an immersive, 3D audio experience that’s easy to toggle on and off in the app.

For Sonos enthusiasts, the TV Audio Swap feature will be a major selling point. Initially compatible with the Sonos Arc soundbar, and soon expanding to the Beam and Ray, this feature is ideal for late-night TV sessions where you’d rather not disturb anyone. With a tap in the app or a press on the headphone button, the audio switches from your soundbar to the Ace headphones, allowing for a cinematic Dolby Atmos experience right in your ears. Dialogue stays centred on the screen, no matter where you turn your head. However, you need a Sonos soundbar for this and the setup for this feature was a bit tricky.

Sonos Ace Review: Battery Life and Connectivity

Battery life is impressive, with the Sonos Ace offering up to 30 hours on a single charge with noise cancelling turned on. This long battery life makes them ideal for extended use, like long flights or binge-watching sessions. However, when in "home theatre mode" with the Sonos Arc soundbar, battery life decreases to around 10 hours due to the power demands of head tracking and spatial audio processing.

As for connectivity, the Ace doesn’t have a 3.5mm audio jack, which may be missed by users who prefer traditional wired connections. It does support multipoint Bluetooth, which is nifty. This allows them to connect to multiple devices simultaneously and deliver high-quality audio, even over Bluetooth. This feature is especially useful for people who frequently switch between devices, like a phone and a laptop.

Should you buy it?

The Sonos Ace headphones make a stellar debut in the high-end market, blending style and substance effortlessly. They boast a sleek, minimalist design and top-notch build quality that screams premium. The sound profile is balanced and detailed, making every genre shine, though bass heads might find the low end a bit tame. The noise cancellation is solid, though not quite on par with the best in the biz like Sony’s WH-1000XM5.

What really sets the Ace apart are the thoughtful features like physical buttons, spatial audio, and the nifty TV Audio Swap for Sonos soundbar owners. Battery life is impressive, clocking in at up to 30 hours with ANC on, perfect for long hauls or binge sessions. In a nutshell, if you’re a Sonos fan or just someone who appreciates high-quality audio and comfort, the Sonos Ace headphones are definitely worth considering. They might not be the absolute best in every category, but they offer a well-rounded, premium experience that’s hard to beat.

The landscape of 14-inch gaming laptops has changed significantly over the past few years, with more options emerging. One of the latest entrants is the Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401WV, equipped with AMD’s Zen 5 CPUs. Unlike the flagship ROG Zephyrus G14, the TUF Gaming A14 is aimed at budget-conscious gamers, offering a balanced mix of performance without the high-end GPU or display options that drive up prices. Of course, priced at Rs 1,69,990, it’s “tough” to consider the TUF Gaming A14 as a budget gaming laptop (see what we did there?). But when you take into account what high-end 14-inch gaming laptops usually go for, the price seems a lot more palatable. 

As the first 14-inch addition to the TUF Gaming lineup, it complements its larger siblings—the 15.6-inch A15, the 16-inch A16, and the 17.3-inch A17. Our review unit comes with a Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU, a 100 W GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, and a 14-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600p), 165 Hz IPS display. A lower-tier Ryzen 7 8845HS configuration is also available, but the GPU, display, and 16 GB of soldered RAM remain consistent across all models.

ASUS TUF Gaming A14 Build and Design

The TUF Gaming A14 features a hybrid chassis, combining plastic for the keyboard deck and palm rests with an aluminium bottom plate and lid. While this design may not exude the same luxury as the more premium Zephyrus G14, the build quality remains commendable, with no noticeable creaking and only minor flexing. However, the hinges could be sturdier; they exhibit some creaking during adjustments, raising concerns about long-term durability. Unlike the Zephyrus, the ASUS TUF Gaming A14 is able to be opened up to 180-degrees, a feature that is missed on the new Zephyrus laptops.

Notably, Asus has relocated the four LED indicators to the rear of the laptop, which is less intuitive as they are only visible from behind. Despite being slightly thicker than the pricier ROG Zephyrus G14, the TUF Gaming A14 maintains a comparable weight, making it one of the lighter 14-inch gaming laptops available at just 1.46 kg. Its MIL-STD-810H certification and CNC machined corners add to its rugged appeal, although it is a fingerprint magnet.

The keyboard on the A14 offers a comfortable typing experience, with 1.7 mm key travel and satisfying feedback, especially from the Space and Enter keys. The single-zone white backlighting is a basic feature, lacking the per-key RGB customisation which we usually see in gaming laptops. A non-issue for us, but at this price they might as well have thrown it in.

The glass clickpad, while slightly smaller than that of the ROG Zephyrus G14, provides smooth tracking and satisfying click feedback. We didn’t use it for too long however, before swapping out to a mouse.

I/O Ports

The port selection on the device closely follows the layout of the 2024 Zephyrus G14, offering a well-rounded mix of connectivity options. It includes a useful MicroSD card reader, which is a thoughtful addition for content creators who often need to transfer media quickly. On the right, you get a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port (10 Gbps) with DisplayPort support and a USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port. On the left, the laptop comes equipped with an AC adapter port, HDMI 2.1, a high-speed USB-C 4 port (40 Gbps) with Power Delivery, another USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port, and a 3.5 mm audio jack. This selection ensures that users have ample options for both high-speed data transfer and media output, making it a solid choice for power users.

ASUS TUF Gaming A14 Display

The 14-inch BOE NE140QDM-NX7 IPS panel delivers a solid gaming experience with its 165 Hz refresh rate. During our testing, we got a peak average brightness of 455 nits. sRGB and DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage tested 95.6 and 66.4 percent respectively. While there is a lack of HDR support, the display will still more than suffice for gaming and even entry-level editing needs. G-Sync is available, but Windows Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) isn’t supported, limiting power-saving options.

ASUS TUF Gaming A14 Performance

Our review unit came equipped with AMD's latest Zen5 CPU, the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 which is paired with a 100 W GeForce RTX 4060 GPU. This already puts the A14 a cut above the rest in the 14-inch gaming arena which usually feature lower GPUs with lower TGPs.

The TUF Gaming A14 genuinely impressed us with its performance. The Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 consistently outperforms many competitors, especially in sustained tasks. We were surprised at how little the machine throttled even after hours of use. This is especially impressive if you consider the laptop's smaller form factor which is usually a reason for laptops to throttle in the first place. The Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 performs just as well as if not better than the Intel Core Ultra 9. 

Gaming performance on the A14 is also surprisingly good. Easily better than most other 14-inch gaming laptops in the market right now.

Of course, the 100 W RTX 4060 does not compare to full sized gaming laptops with 140 W RTX 4060s in them, but you can still game pretty comfortably on the TUF Gaming A14. You could hit over 60 FPS in most modern AAA titles even at 1440p and comfortably game at over 100 FPS at 1080p. You most likely won’t hit that 165 FPS mark on most intensive games unless you bump the settings further down, however.

Thermals

A natural consequence of a smaller form factor is increased heat. This holds true for the ASUS TUF Gaming A14 as well with hot spots hitting close to 45 degrees Celsius during intensive use. The rest of the laptop's surface averaged at around 34 degrees Celsius. During our CPU and GPU stress tests, they hit 86 and 76 degrees Celsius respectively, which are well within a comfortable range.

Verdict

Priced at around Rs 1,70,000, we could actually say that the TUF Gaming A14 is a great alternative to pricier 14-inch gaming laptop options on the market. As weird as that sounds, it's true. While it may lack some premium features like a metal deck and RGB lighting, it compensates with a solid port selection, comfortable keyboard, lightweight design, and good performance. If you’re looking for a compact yet capable machine, the ASUS TUF Gaming A14 is certainly worth checking out.

The professional headphones market in India has been brewing with offerings in the recent years with brands like Sony, Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic and Neumann locking horns to gain a spot in the studio setups of artists across the country. After their well-recieved Sony MDR-MV1 headphones, which were launched last year, Sony has thrown another hat in the ring, with the Sony MDR-M1 headphones.

Touted by the audio community as the spiritual successors to the ever-popular Sony MDR-7506, the MDr-M1 headphones bring quality build and performance to the table, without any unnecessary bells and whistles. With a fairly steep price tag of ₹39,990, these headphones might not be the go to choice for everyone in a price-sensitive market like India. However, considering the competition they are jumping into, they have a great value proposition attached to them. To know more about what makes these headphones a great value for your money, read my review of the Sony MDR-M1 –

A timeless design that will hold well in long term

In terms of the build and design, the Sony MDR-M1 headphones borrow their base aesthetic from their predecessors, the Sony MDR-7506, improving on key areas like comfort and long-term usability. These headphones come with thick memory foam earcups and a well-padded headband that ensures that you do not have any issues wearing them for longer periods of time. The headband has a metallic inlay, which ensures that these headphones will last you a long time.

As for the fit, the clamping force, which I had no complaints about, combined with the swivel on the earcups, ensures that no matter what your head shape or size is, you won’t have to worry about it. I have prescription glasses, and my head is slightly on the larger side, but I have no complaints or worries about the fit of these headphones.  

These headphones have a primarily plastic construction, with the cans and the yoke being made of plastic, and as stated earlier, the headband, having a metallic inlay. If the longevity of Sony’s other professional headphones is anything to go by, then in long-term use, I am talking over a decade or longer. All you will need to replace will be the earpads, but the headphones will not give you anything to complain about.

The cable(s) also have nice rubberised outlet layer shielding, terminating in durable metallic connectors, ensuring that you won’t have to worry about their longevity as well. These headphones scream quality, and you are getting what you pay for. 

If you are a frequent traveller, I would recommend you get a case for these headphones and free up some space in your backpack, as they do not come with a case, and are not the most compact pair to carry around. But that is the case with most studio monitors, and this is something that is expected. So, I won’t dock any points here. Rather, these headphones would earn a couple of extra points, because of their extremely lightweight design.

Sony MDR-M1 Headphones – Performance

In our headphone reviews, the features section usually follows the build and design section, but the Sony MDR-M1 headphones are studio monitors, and hence lack the bells and whistles of mainstream headphones. So, I will dive directly into their performance.

As is the case with Sony’s studio headphones, the Sony MDR-M1 headphones come with a fairly neutral sound profile. The mids and the lows come fairly close to our baseline reading of the pink noise that we use as our reference. The highs get a slight boost, which adds a nice touch of brilliance to the sound of these headphones and gives the vocals a much-needed presence for studio applications. To set things better in the context of real-world use, here’s a quick glance at how these headphones performed in our various test parameters –

Should you buy the Sony MDR-M1 headphones?

The bottom line with the Sony MDR-M1 headphones is – You will not be disappointed with what you get for your money. These headphones carry a steep price tag, which might seem daunting for a lot of consumers in a price-sensitive market like India. However, if you take into account the use case of these headphones and the pricing of other similarly capable offerings from other brands, you will not be disappointed with the value-for-money proposition of these headphones.

They have a great, neutral sound signature that is suitable for studio applications and a design and build that will not let you down in any which way. If you are looking for alternatives, though, and want something slightly more versatile than these headphones, then you can look at the Sennheiser HD 490 Pro headphones. They come with two pairs of earpads in the box, have an open-back design, and a similarly neutral sound signature.

Skullcandy Ecobuds stand out in the competitive world of true wireless earbuds, mainly for their environmental angle. Using 100 per cent recycled plastics in both the earbuds and case, Skullcandy positions the Ecobuds as a sustainable choice for users. But do they live up to the performance standards of the best in their class, or is the eco-friendly appeal just a cover for lacklustre quality? Let’s dive into their design, performance, sound quality, and value proposition to see if they deserve a spot in your audio lineup.

Skullcandy EcoBuds carry a unique, environment-friendly design

Right from the first look, the Skullcandy Ecobuds emphasise their commitment to sustainability. Crafted from recycled materials, they don’t exactly pop with bold visuals or cutting-edge aesthetics, but their understated matte finish and compact design do have a subtle charm. The build feels solid enough, though there’s a noticeable lightness to them, likely due to the use of lightweight materials. They’re comfortable to wear, sitting securely in the ear without putting much pressure. However, unlike some sportier options in this range, they lack ear wings, which can make them feel less stable during vigorous activity.

The Ecobuds carry an IPX4 rating, meaning they’re somewhat resistant to dust and water but far from indestructible. They’ll withstand light rain or sweaty gym sessions, but they might not be the best choice for extreme outdoor conditions. For most users who are environmentally conscious and don’t expect heavy-duty performance, this durability level should be sufficient.

Features: They are a few, but well-implemented

Skullcandy has taken a no-nonsense approach to features here, offering what most users need without any frills. The Ecobuds notably lack active noise cancellation, which has become almost a given at this price point. While the lack of ANC is a bit disappointing, the snug fit does create a reasonable level of passive noise isolation that will suffice for moderate ambient noise. Those looking to block out loud environments, however, might want to consider other options.

A unique selling point here is the Tile integration, allowing users to track their earbuds using the Tile app if they go missing. It’s a genuinely helpful feature, especially for those who tend to misplace small items frequently. The touch controls on the Ecobuds are straightforward and responsive for basic operations like play/pause, volume adjustment, and answering calls, though there are no customisation options for users seeking a tailored experience.

Another one of the biggest highlights of these earbuds is that you can charge them directly from your phone. The built-in USB-C cable is a nifty addition for those who are running out of charge on the go or forgetting their cables back home all the time.  The Ecobuds come with Bluetooth 5.2, which provides a stable connection and fast pairing. Within a typical 10-meter range, the connection holds well, with minimal dropouts. They support mono mode, so you can use one earbud independently, which is helpful for calls or ambient listening.

That said, the Ecobuds only support the standard SBC codec, which is a limitation compared to competitors offering aptX or AAC. Most casual listeners won’t notice much difference, but for those who prioritise higher sound quality, particularly when streaming high-res music, this codec limitation might be noticeable.

Skullcandy EcoBuds have a bass-forward sound

Skullcandy is known for its bass-forward sound signature, and the Ecobuds follow this tradition.

These earbuds deliver a warm sound profile that puts emphasis on low frequencies while keeping the mids and highs reasonably clear. Let’s break down each frequency range:

1. Low Frequencies (Bass): The bass here is punchy and well-defined, with a strong sub-bass presence (from around 60 Hz to 100 Hz). For bass-heavy genres like hip-hop or EDM, this tuning offers an engaging, full-bodied listening experience. The bass is elevated, but it doesn’t completely overpower other frequencies, which is a delicate balance that Skullcandy has managed well here. Overall, it’s a satisfying bass performance for casual listeners, although purists might find it a bit too forward.
2. Mid Frequencies (Mids): The midrange is clear but slightly recessed, making vocals and instruments sound a bit laid-back in the overall mix. Frequencies from around 1 kHz to 3 kHz receive a noticeable boost, allowing vocals to cut through without sounding sharp or fatiguing. This works well for genres like pop and rock, where vocals take centre stage. While the mids don’t offer studio-grade detail, they are pleasant and smooth, catering well to general listeners.
3. High Frequencies (Treble): The treble response, unfortunately, is where the Ecobuds fall short. Starting around 6 kHz, there’s a dip that leads to a slightly rolled-off top end. While this prevents harshness and sibilance, it also means the high frequencies lack sparkle and airiness. Complex instrumentals and higher-pitched details are softened, which can be disappointing for those who enjoy intricate highs. Audiophiles may find this treble tuning too relaxed, but it’s unlikely to bother the average listener.

To sum it up, the Ecobuds are designed with a warm, accessible sound profile. They’re ideal for bass lovers who want a full-bodied sound without excessive sharpness in the upper frequencies. They lack the precision that audiophiles might seek, but for everyday listeners, the sound quality is enjoyable. The microphone quality is passable, performing well in quiet environments, but struggles in noisy settings, especially when compared to earbuds with better noise-cancelling mics.

Battery Life

Skullcandy promises up to 8 hours of battery life on a single charge, with around four more charges left in the case. In my testing, this came up to around 7.5 hours of batter with volume set to 50 per cent. While this is adequate for casual use, it’s not groundbreaking. If you need a quick top-up, you can use the USB-C cable to charge them up with your phone. Unfortunately, the Ecobuds lack wireless charging, a feature that’s increasingly common in mid-range models. For many, this might not be a deal-breaker, but it’s something to note if wireless convenience is a priority.

Should you buy the Skullcandy EcoBuds?

Skullcandy’s Ecobuds offer a blend of sustainability and sound quality that’s been a rising trend in the true wireless space. We have brands like Sony, Apple, and the like, joining the race towards making their products more and more sustainable. These earbuds strike a fine balance between environmental responsibility and audio performance. While they might not be “best-in-class” in terms of raw audio quality or feature set, they offer a commendable alternative for users who care about sustainability without entirely compromising sound and functionality. For most, they’ll be a satisfying, eco-friendly choice in the wireless audio market.

The sound quality, while bass-heavy, is enjoyable for most music genres and well-suited for casual listening. However, audiophiles or those seeking highly detailed, crisp audio might find these earbuds a bit lacking, especially in the treble range. Battery life, durability, and essential features like Tile integration make them a practical choice for everyday use, even if they’re missing some modern conveniences like wireless charging and ANC.

When it comes to picking a premium TV, buyers are often torn between the allure of OLED and the dependability of Mini LED TVs. While white OLEDs and QD-OLEDs are known for their deep blacks and excellent contrast, their high price point makes them a stretch for many, especially when you are considering a 65-inch or larger size. That’s where the Sony Bravia 7 Mini LED TV steps in, offering a more accessible, high-quality alternative. Sony is betting big on Mini LED TVs as its flagship technology for the future. The combination of the mini LED display with quantum dots enhancements and Sony’s image processing is a very alluring option for those seeking a flagship-level experience in larger screen sizes. Does it deliver? Let’s answer all your questions related to the Sony Bravia 7 Mini LED TV in this review, starting with the specifications. 

Sony Bravia 7 65-Inch Mini LED TV Review: Specifications 

• Model: K-65XR70
• Display: 65-inch Mini LED backlight, XR Triluminous Pro (Quantum Dots), Local Dimming   
• Panel Type: VA LCD
• Display Resolution: 3840 x 2160 – 4K UHD
• Panel Refresh Rate: 120Hz
• Supported HDR Formats: HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision
• Speakers: 40W, Acoustic Multi-audio, Sound positioning tweeter
• Audio formats: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Audio, DTS Digital Surround, DTS Express, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, DTS:X
• Software: Google TV with Sony customizations (Android TV 12)
• Screen Mirroring: Chromecast built-in, Apple AirPlay 
• HDMI Ports: 4 HDMI ports (2 HDMI 2.1)
• Processor: XR Processor
• Storage: 32GB 
• Other connectivity options: 2x USB ports (500mA, 900mA), Dual-band Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, AV, RF, Ethernet, headphone
• Price: Rs. 1,69,990 (Buy Now)

Sony Bravia 7 Video Review

Sony Bravia 7 65-Inch Mini LED TV Review: Design and Build

The Sony Bravia 7 K-65XR70 has a very premium design and feels quite substantial. There are no distractions on the front - the bezels are extremely narrow on three sides and the thicker brushed metal bottom bezel has Sony branding towards the right corner. The back of the TV also has a clean look, with Sony’s signature checkerboard pattern. The TV doesn’t ship with a stand in the box. After purchase, you can request a table-top installation for Rs. 2500 or a wall-mount installation for Rs. 1000. The metallic tabletop stand that we opted for feels very premium and is also height-adjustable. The power chord has a tie for power cable management. 

Ports are side-facing and easily accessible. Out of 4 HDMI ports, you can access full HDMI 2.1 bandwidth on two ports due to the limitations of the MediaTek chipset. One of these two can be used for eARC output to external sound systems. While LG and Samsung offer four HDMI 2.1 ports in comparable models, two should meet the needs of most users. Personally, I've never found a need for more than two HDMI 2.1 ports.

Also Read: QNED vs QLED vs OLED TVs - What’s the difference?

Sony’s eco remote is made of flame retardant and recycled Sorplas plastic. It’s an ergonomic remote that is comfortable to hold and operate and has all the necessary buttons.  

Sony Bravia 7 65-Inch Mini LED TV Review: Display Quality

Our review sample employs a good-quality VA LCD panel with a mini LED backlight. On a 10% Window, the Bravia 7 can get almost 2000 nits bright, even in the Professional mode with an accurate white point! This enables the TV to deliver impactful HDR.

Gamut's coverage is also impressive. The panel can reproduce almost 100% of Rec. 709 colour space used for SDR content. As for HDR, the Bravia 7 supports 97% DCI-P3 coverage and 79% of BT2020 coverage in UV terms. 

One of the most impressive features is how Sony handles the mini LED backlight and the local dimming to enhance contrast while minimising dimming-related artefacts like halos and blooming. Even with subtitles enabled in dark scenes, the blooming was minimal.

The LED LCD panel is reflective, which helps create a sense of depth if you are watching in a relatively dark ambience (as is recommended for HDR).  

The colour volume measures the range of colours a TV can produce at different brightness levels. The colour volume we measured exceeded our expectations for an LED LCD panel. The TV can reproduce 100% of Rec. 709 and nearly 90% of the DCI-P3 color volume.

Also Read: What are wide colour gamuts like DCI-P3 and why they can be misleading

We did notice a loss of luminance and shifting of colours off-axis. While this is common for affordable VA panels, wider viewing angles are expected in the premium segment. 

Sony Bravia 7 65-Inch Mini LED TV Review: SDR and HDR

We tested the colour accuracy of the display using Spectracal C6 HDR2000 Colourimeter, Videoforge Pro pattern generator, and Calman Ultimate software. All measurements are taken in the Professional mode which is meant for purists. 

The great thing is that the colour temperature in both the Professional mode and Cinema mode is close to standard D65. The Cinema mode is tuned for viewing in a causal viewing environment and the professional mode is most accurate and meant for dark environments.

The colour accuracy in both the SDR and HDR mode is excellent on Bravia 7. Since the TV supports auto-cal, enthusiasts can calibrate it further for a tighter response. 

In SDR, we recorded an average delta error of just 1.8 and a maximum delta error of 4.3 out of the box, which is indeed impressive. By default, the maximum brightness is limited to 105 nits in Professional mode for SDR, but you can increase it to approximately 600 nits. This is because SDR content is mastered at 100 nits and it won’t make any sense to go any brighter. 

Skin tones are accurate and the TV can render dark and mixed SDR scenes rather well. Critical memory colours like skin tones, colours of the sky and foliage are rendered accurately. 

Also Read: 8 Different Types of OLED Display Technologies You Should Know About

The TV supports Dolby Vision and HDR10. Dark scenes in HDR are rendered beautifully. The TV also handled high dynamic range scenes with both bright highlights and shadows like the above scene from Crimilar Records nicely. 

In HDR10 we recorded an average Delta Error of just 2.2, which is again excellent. Peak brightness can go close to 2000 nits in HDR on a 10% window and the full field brightness goes up to 800 nits. 

Sony Bravia 7 has a Prime Calibrated Mode that is enabled by default. The mode may appear dim at the start but is actually quite accurate. There is also a Netflix Calibrated Mode which isn’t enabled by default. Motion clarity felt really impressive while watching content and also while gaming. Sony also does a great job when it comes to upscaling legacy content.

Overall, if you are looking for reliable colour accuracy out of the box, the Bravia 7 Mini LED TV certainly won’t disappoint. 

Sony Bravia 7 65-Inch Mini LED TV Review: Performance and Software 

Sony Bravia 7 is a snappy TV as you’d expect at this price point. The content we played almost instantly switched to high-resolution settings and playback controls worked smoothly. We did not notice any unexpected jitters while switching between apps. The XR processor is backed by 32GB of storage, which gives some assurance that the performance shall remain snappy after a period of use even for demanding users. 

Casting and screen mirroring work seamlessly across Android and iOS devices since the TV supports Apple Airplay, Apple Homekit and Chromecast Built-in. The far-field microphones work well and the Bravia 7 could consistently respond to our voice prompts. You can enable the microphone from the Privacy option under settings.

The software is based on Google TV and is perhaps the best version of Google TV that we have experienced. Sony has invested considerable effort in offering a wide range of customization options on the Bravia 7, with default settings optimized to provide the best experience for everyday users who may prefer not to risk toggling the wrong options. So, both casual viewers and tech enthusiasts can enjoy a tailored experience, with the flexibility to tweak further if desired. 

There are several preloaded Sony apps, which are well-designed. The Sony Bravia Core app offers a vast selection of titless from Sony Pictures. For 24 months, you will receive 10 free credits to stream movies in 4K Blu-ray quality with IMAX Enhanced visuals. Additionally, you can register your Bravia TV to enjoy a three-month free subscription to Sony Liv.

Also Read: MicroLED vs Mini LED vs OLED Displays - What’s the difference?

Sony Bravia 7 65-Inch Mini LED TV Review: Gaming and Audio 

We tested the gaming prowess of the Sony Bravia 7 with Sony PS5 and games like Ghost of Tsushima, Witcher 3 and Spiderman 2. The TV has a low latency game mode and supports HDMI 2.1 gaming features like ALLM and VRR (HDMI 3 and 4). The gameplay was perfectly smooth. In dark sequences HDR impact fell a tad short of what you’d get on an OLED TV, but it was still pretty awesome for an LED LCD TV. The TV can render bright HDR games beautifully.

Sony has always done well with audio quality on its premium TVs. The audio from the Bravia 7 is well-balanced, rich and vibrant. The soundstage is wide and dialogues were crystal clear on both low and high volumes. Sony’s Acoustic Audio Tuning feature offers the option to calibrate audio specifically for your room setup, tailoring the sound to your unique space. In our testing, however, the difference was subtle, though it may provide a more noticeable enhancement in certain settings.

Sony Bravia 7 65-Inch Mini LED TV Review: should you buy it?

The Sony Bravia 7 Mini LED TV strikes a compelling balance between performance and pricing for those looking for a 65-inch or larger TV in the premium segment. With its refined mini LED backlighting and Sony’s XR image processing, this TV offers high peak brightness for an impactful HDR experience along with excellent colour accuracy. You also get rich and clear audio, along with well-designed software. Solid build quality and a gaming experience that hits the mark, are other perks that make Bravia 7 very appealing.

The closest competitors to the Bravia 7 are LG QNED 90T and Samsung Neo QNED 85D, both of which we have had some experience with but haven't tested thoroughly to give a final verdict.

The Lava Agni 3 has taken the mid-range smartphone market in India by storm with its slew of premium features; some original and innovative, and some copied, or well… inspired by more expensive phones. This device comes with not one, but two AMOLED displays – a primary 6.78-inch screen on the front and a unique 1.74-inch display on the back, which enhances functionality by offering quick access to notifications and controls. Adding to its flagship-like appeal, the Agni 3 introduces an Action Control, which is very much like the Action Control on the iPhone 16 series, allowing users to customise shortcuts for different actions.

Priced competitively at ₹20,999 (for the no charger variant), the Lava Agni 3 also delivers on other notable fronts, featuring a 1.5K resolution display, IP64 dust and water resistance, and a clean Android 14 experience with Lava’s commitment to a bloatware-free, ad-free OS. Furthermore, Lava promises three major Android updates and four years of security patches, making it an attractive choice for those seeking a dependable, homegrown alternative to international brands.

However, with stiff competition from rivals like the Motorola Edge 50 Neo (review), OnePlus Nord CE4 (review), and Nothing Phone (2a) (review), which offer advantages in certain specifications, does the Lava Agni 3 have enough to stand out? In this review, we’ll explore the phone’s strengths and weaknesses to see if it truly delivers on its promises.

Lava Agni 3 Review: Build and Design

The Lava Agni 3 brings a premium feel with its glass back panel, giving it a distinct edge in terms of aesthetics. However, it lacks any form of display protection, which is a notable drawback, especially compared to competitors like the Motorola Edge 50 Neo and the Nothing Phone (2a), which come with Gorilla Glass 3 and Gorilla Glass 5, respectively. Additionally, while the Agni 3 has an IP64 rating for dust and water resistance, it falls short of the Motorola Edge 50 Neo’s IP68 rating, making it less robust against the elements.

Weighing in at a hefty 212 g, the Agni 3 feels solid and sturdy, though its bulk may be a deterrent for users who prefer slimmer, lightweight devices. Holding it for extended periods can feel a bit cumbersome, especially when using the phone in landscape mode for gaming, as the rear display combined with the camera bump can create an uncomfortable grip.

Speaking of the rear display, it is one of the most exciting elements here. You get a 1.74-inch AMOLED display on the back with a 336 x 480 resolution. This mini display is perfect for checking notifications or quickly accessing the camera, though it does lack seamless continuity with the main display. More on that later.

Lava has also introduced an Action Button, a welcome addition for a mid-range smartphone that adds a layer of functionality typically found in higher-end devices. Positioned on the right side, the Action Button allows users to customise shortcuts for various functions, from toggling the flashlight to launching apps or activating silent mode with a single press.

Functionally, it’s similar to the Action Button on the iPhone 16 series; you can even call it a rip-off. But it’s a welcome addition as it gives users the ability to experience the premium feature without spending a fortune.

However, the button’s placement can lead to some confusion. It’s easy to mistake it for the power button, resulting in unintended actions like accidentally taking a screenshot instead of locking the screen. Despite this minor issue, it’s an innovative feature to have at this price.

In summary, the Lava Agni 3’s design combines unique elements with some practical drawbacks. While the glass back and secondary display add premium touches, the thicker, heavier build and lack of display protection may be off-putting for some users. For those prioritising distinctive design and functionality, however, the Agni 3 has some compelling aspects to offer.

Lava Agni 3 Review: Display

The Lava Agni 3 is equipped with not just one, but two AMOLED displays, making it a one-of-a-kind phone in the mid-range market. The main screen is a 6.78-inch 1.5K resolution AMOLED display with 120 Hz refresh rate support, which offers sharp visuals with deep blacks and vibrant colours. It is great for content consumption, especially in HDR. However, the display's peak brightness falls short of Lava’s advertised 1200 nits, maxing out at only 898 nits during testing. This lower brightness makes it challenging to view the screen in direct sunlight, a notable drawback in comparison to the Motorola Edge 50 Neo, which provides superior brightness levels.

Another area where the display falls behind is in its technology. The Motorola Edge 50 Neo boasts an LTPO panel, which not only improves power efficiency but also offers a more dynamic refresh rate experience. Despite these limitations, the display on the Agni 3 still performs well indoors, delivering crisp visuals and rich colour reproduction.

The secondary 1.78-inch AMOLED display also looks great. It offers users a quick-glance panel that’s perfect for checking notifications, controlling music playback, viewing the time, or accessing basic functions without flipping the phone over. This display also brings a dash of style and added utility, especially for those who want to stay updated or control apps with a single look.

It’s especially useful when using the rear camera, as it can act as a viewfinder for selfies, though this feature comes with limitations. While you can use the rear camera’s high-quality sensors for selfies with the secondary display, it lacks a seamless app continuity – switching from the rear display to the main screen doesn’t resume from where you left off, and users need to unlock the phone and reopen the camera app on the front. This breaks the flow a bit and could be improved with smoother transitions between the two displays.

Additionally, while the display handles notifications and basic widgets well, it lacks the finesse of flagship foldables with similar features. For example, the display doesn’t offer a real-time preview when taking photos of other people, so it misses out on a potential interactive function. Overall, while the secondary display is innovative and visually appealing, its practical benefits feel a bit limited, and it could become even more useful with updates to software functionality and seamless continuity.

Nevertheless, the combination of a primary high-resolution screen with the secondary rear display is innovative, but the mediocre display brightness is a real pain point.

Lava Agni 3 Review: Performance and Software

Under the hood, the Lava Agni 3 is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300X processor which is capable of competing with mid-range heavyweights, handling most day-to-day tasks and moderate gaming with relative ease. It supports 14 5G bands, putting it on par with other devices in its category and ensuring smooth connectivity for users who want to leverage 5G networks. It even puts up a decent fight in CPU benchmarks such as AnTuTu and GeekBench.

However, when it comes to graphics performance, the Agni 3 lags behind competitors like the Nothing Phone (2a) and OnePlus Nord CE4, particularly in GPU benchmarks where the difference is noticeable in graphically demanding apps or games.

On the software front, the Lava Agni 3 shines with its clean, bloatware-free experience running Android 14. Lava has committed to providing three major Android updates and four years of security patches, which is a promising offering in this price range.

Users who prioritise a clean software experience without intrusive ads will find this device to be a breath of fresh air. The OS itself is intuitive and smooth, with little to no lag in general navigation.

Overall, the Lava Agni 3 provides a reliable experience for standard tasks, although it may not satisfy users looking for high performance in gaming or intensive multitasking. It’s a device better suited for users who value a clean software environment and are willing to compromise slightly on graphics-heavy performance.

How do the cameras perform?

The Lava Agni 3 offers a versatile camera setup. On paper. It has a 50 MP primary sensor, an 8 MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and an 8 MP ultrawide sensor, along with a 16 MP front camera for selfies.

In bright lighting conditions, the primary camera captures images with accurate colours and good dynamic range, though the quality noticeably drops as lighting decreases, even by a bit.

In moderately low light, images show signs of noise, especially on the ultrawide and telephoto cameras. The main camera also exhibits shutter lag in low light, which can lead to blurry images, making it a less reliable option for night photography.

Portrait mode photos are decent, maintaining a good colour profile, but the noise issue persists when light levels are less than ideal. Additionally, video recording is limited, with only the rear camera supporting 4K resolution, while the front camera maxes out at 1080p.

While the Agni 3’s camera setup looks impressive on paper, its performance is inconsistent, particularly in challenging lighting. Those who want superior camera performance would be better off opting for the Motorola Edge 50 Neo.

Lava Agni 3 Review: Battery Life

The Lava Agni 3’s battery life is adequate but falls short when compared to its peers. In the PCMark Battery Test, the phone lasted 12 hours and 8 minutes, a respectable result but still outperformed by competitors like the OnePlus Nord CE4, which offers superior battery endurance. This difference is noticeable in real-world usage, with the Agni 3’s battery draining faster during heavy tasks like gaming or prolonged use of 5G.

However, the phone compensates somewhat with its 66W fast charging support, which can take the device from 0 to 100% in around 47-48 minutes. Unfortunately, the base model of the Lava Agni 3 does not include a charger in the box, requiring users to pay an additional ₹2,000 to get one. This feels like a drawback, especially given the phone’s positioning in the mid-range category where most phones include a charger in the box.

Should you buy it?

I’d like to start by giving props to Lava and their intention behind the Lava Agni 3. They intended to make a device that doesn’t stick to the status quo and ventures more premium and innovative features like the secondary AMOLED display. The phone also brings an Apple-like Action Button to the masses. Add to that clean software and decent performance for everyday tasks, and the Lava Agni 3 seems very enticing. However, it falls short in crucial areas such as camera quality, outdoor display brightness, and battery life, making it hard to recommend over similarly priced competitors like the Motorola Edge 50 Neo, Nothing Phone (2a) or OnePlus Nord CE4.

While the innovative design and bloatware-free OS will appeal to certain users, the compromises in durability, camera output, and battery endurance make this device a less compelling choice unless design and software are your top priorities.

Intel Arrow Lake processors mark a significant step forward for the major chip manufacturer which has been in the news quite often of late. The new Intel Core Ultra 200S series processors are the first to include silicon made from TSMC on the package, however, this is isn’t the first time that Intel is using TSMC made silicon. TSMC has been making chipsets for Intel motherboards for ages and with the Arrow Lake launch, that relationship has only gotten stronger. So what does that mean for the consumer? Better performance? More power-efficiency? Let’s find out in today's review of the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and Ultra 5 245K.

Intel Core Ultra 200S Processors a.k.a. Arrow Lake-S

Intel recently unveiled their latest mobile processors in the form of Core Ultra Series 2 a.k.a. Lunar Lake boasting of several new improvements especially on the AI acceleration front along with all new CPU cores and several efficiency gains with regards to power consumption and thermals. Arrow Lake borrows a lot of things from Lunar Lake including the two new core architectures – Lion Cove for the P-Core (Performance Cores) and Skymont for the E-Core (Efficiency Cores). The P-Cores also get a larger L2 Cache and the E-Cores get access to the L3 Cache. The NPU (Neural Processing Unit) isn’t as powerful as Lunar Lake with just 13 TOPS compared to the 48 TOPS that Lunar Lake’s NPU4 is capable of. This is the first ever NPU on an Intel Desktop processor and there are plenty of other avenues for AI acceleration on desktop systems so more of the real estate on the CPU package can be dedicated to CPU compute rather than AI acceleration. In Intel’s terms, this would be 2x Gen3 NPU cores. The mobile chips get the newer Gen4 NPU Cores. The iGPU (Integrated Graphics Processing Unit) is also new with about 320 Execution Units. Aside from these improvements, there’s integrated Thunderbolt 4 and Wi-Fi 6E support. Though it must be pointed out that most top-tier motherboards have already integrated the newer Wi-Fi 7 standard onto their motherboards.

The new Intel Core Ultra 200S processors are expected to reduce power consumption across a wide assortment of workloads and even provide higher multi-threaded performance over Raptor Lake-R processors in some workloads. One of the major changes to the physical design is that the Arrow Lake processors are the first to have a disaggregated design which is a different way of saying that they use a chiplet design much like what AMD does with their Ryzen processors. However, the interconnect technologies that AMD and Intel use are quite different so it’s not exactly the same. That being said, a disaggregated structure allows Intel to pick tiles with different performance metrics across different SKUs. There’s a lot more to dig through on the architecture front but we’ll stick to the review for the Core Ultra 9 285K for today.

Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and Ultra 5 245K Specifications

We’ve already reported on the launch of the Intel Core Ultra 200S series with this first wave of processors having just five SKUs but they’re all heavy hitters. At the top of the stack is the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K which has 8 P-Cores and 16 E-Cores for a total of 24 Threads. Notice something? There’s no multi-threading! Intel has done away with HyperThreading and has introduced cores that just do one thread each. What this entails for heavily-threaded applications will be seen shortly. The flagship 285K is followed by the Ultra 7 265K and 265KF and then we have the Ultra 5 245K and 245KF. The Ultra 5 245K comes with 6 P-Cores and 8 E-Cores.

The Intel Xe-LPG iGPU on these processors sport 4 GPU Cores and the NPU can do 13 TOPS as we’d mentioned previously. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K has 36 MB of L3 Cache on the compute tile which can be accessed by all the cores. Moreover, unlike previous designs where the E-Cores would be on one side of the silicon and P-Cores would be on the other, the Arrow Lake-S processors now have them placed in a sandwiched manner. So the P-Cores and E-Core clusters are interleaved. 

The E-Cores come with a base clock of 3.2 GHz and go up to 4.6 GHz whereas the P-Cores start off at 3.7 GHz and have a Turbo boost of 5.5 GHz, a Turbo Boost Max of 5.6 GHz and a Thermal Velocity Boost going up to 5.7 GHz. If you’ve gone through the 14900K marketing then you’d have the 6 GHz number mentioned several times across their literature. That has now dropped with this new generation of processors. The iGPU with its 4 Xe Cores totals up to 64 Execution Units and they start off at 300 MHz and go all the way to 2 GHz on the 285K and 265K while the 245K gets about 1.9 GHz of boost.

As for memory support, the Arrow Lake processors can handle CUDIMM (Clocked Unbuffered DIMM) as well as CSODIMM (Clocked SODIMM). These are the new memory technologies that have a clock signal source on the memory sticks themselves compared to previous memory technology which relied on the CPU for the clock signal. Officially, the Intel Core Ultra 200S processors can handle up to DDR5-6400 CUDIMM and up to DDR5-5600 UDIMM.

As for the platform, we get a new 800 series chipset based motherboard with the first wave only featuring the Z890 chipset with other variants coming later in the launch cycle.

Intel Core Ultra 200S Test Rig

We received a fully decked out kit with the new CUDIMMs in the form of Kingston Renegade DDR5 memory modules that can go up to 8400 MT/s, an ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z890 HERO motherboard and the new ASUS ROG RYUJIN III 360 ARGB all-in-one liquid coolers. Here’s the full specs:

• CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and Ultra 5 245K
• Motherboard: ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z890 HERO
• RAM: 2x Kingston Renegade KF582C40 24 GB 
• SSD: Kingston Renegade PCIe Gen 4.0 SSD
• Cooler: ASUS ROG RYUJIN III 360 ARGB
• PSU: Cooler Master MWE Gold 850 V2

ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z890 HERO

The ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z890 HERO motherboard offers a comprehensive feature set designed for high-performance computing and gaming. At its core, this motherboard combines extensive connectivity, advanced cooling options, and robust power management, making it ideal for enthusiasts seeking a versatile, reliable platform. Equipped with six M.2 slots, four of which feature thermal pads for improved cooling, the primary slot includes an adjustable bracket called the ROG Variable NVMe Turbo Bracing Device.

Connectivity is another strong point of the ROG MAXIMUS Z890 HERO. The rear I/O panel features dual LAN ports (2.5 and 5 Gbps), Wi-Fi 7 support, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and four 10G USB ports, ensuring ample options for high-speed connections. While it doesn’t hold the highest count of USB ports among Z890 motherboards, it offers sufficient connectivity for most users' needs. Additionally, the motherboard aligns with modern case designs, featuring dual front-panel USB Type-C ports and multiple front-panel I/O options, including two USB 2.0 connectors and a USB 3 Type-A port.

Storage-wise, it supports four SATA ports, preserving traditional storage connectivity options. Uniquely, it also includes a SlimSAS connector, similar to those in ASUS X870E chipset models, without reducing available M.2 or SATA slots.

The VRM section is designed to handle demanding applications, featuring large heatsinks connected by a heat pipe, with an estimated capacity of at least 110A, providing strong power delivery and stability. Although specific VRM details aren’t available, the thermal design points to a robust setup.

Priced at around $700–800 or INR 70,000 to 80,000, the ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z890 HERO is well-suited for enthusiasts who prioritise quality and feature depth, and it remains a compelling choice if planning an Arrow-Lake Core Ultra 200S update.

Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and Ultra 5 245K Performance

Cinebench 2024

Cinebench 2024 is based on Maxon's Cinema 4D software, designed to evaluate a processor's performance in rendering complex 3D scenes. It tests both single-core and multi-core capabilities, highlighting how efficiently a CPU handles multi-threaded tasks common in professional rendering workflows. The benchmark utilizes modern instruction sets and large datasets, providing an up-to-date assessment of CPU performance in contemporary applications.

Cinebench R23

Cinebench R23 is the older version based on the same Cinema 4D engine and it too measures a processor's ability to render photorealistic 3D scenes. Though replaced by Cinebench 2024, we retain it to compare against processors launched a few years prior. It also focuses on both single-threaded and multi-threaded performance, simulating real-world tasks relevant to content creators and professionals in 3D rendering.

Blender

The Blender Benchmark assesses a processor's performance by rendering scenes using Blender, a popular open-source 3D creation suite. It evaluates both CPU and GPU capabilities in handling complex rendering tasks. This benchmark provides insights into how well a processor performs in real-world 3D modeling, animation, and rendering scenarios. An interesting aspect is that it highlights the efficiency of different CPU architectures in multi-threaded workloads, as Blender can effectively utilize multiple cores. It's particularly useful for professionals and enthusiasts relying on Blender, indicating how hardware upgrades might impact workflow efficiency and rendering times.

V-Ray

V-Ray is another benchmark that measures a processor's performance in rendering but it uses the V-Ray engine, widely used in visual effects, architecture, and design industries. It tests both CPU and GPU rendering capabilities, focusing on multi-threaded performance and handling complex calculations involved in ray tracing. CPUs with higher core counts and multi-threading technology tend to excel here as V-Ray efficiently utilises available threads.

WinRAR

WinRAR Benchmark evaluates a processor's performance in data compression and decompression tasks, common in file archiving and management. It tests single-threaded performance, memory bandwidth, and latency, as these factors influence compression speed. While WinRAR isn't fully optimized for multi-core CPUs, processors with higher Instructions Per Cycle (IPC) and clock speeds perform better. For more modern algorithms, we use 7-Zip.

AIDA64

AIDA64 Memory Benchmark measures the memory bandwidth and latency of a system, highlighting how quickly data transfers between the CPU and RAM. It tests read, write, and copy speeds, providing insights into the efficiency of the memory subsystem, including RAM speed, timings, and memory controller performance. AIDA64 also has benchmarks to evaluate how well a processor can handle AES, ZLib and SHA3 encryption and decryption tasks.

y-cruncher

The y-cruncher benchmark computes mathematical constants like Pi to a high number of digits—in this case, 2.5 billion—testing a processor's multi-threaded performance and memory subsystem under heavy computational load. It stresses the CPU's integer and floating-point units, cache hierarchy, and memory bandwidth. It's particularly useful for evaluating system stability under sustained heavy workloads, making it valuable for users who are overclocking their systems.

Procyon Office

The Procyon Office Benchmark measures a processor's performance in real-world office applications like the Microsoft Office suite, testing tasks such as document editing, spreadsheet calculations, and presentation creation. It focuses on both single-threaded and multi-threaded performance, providing insights into how a CPU handles everyday productivity tasks.

Mozilla Kraken & Google Octane

Mozilla Kraken and Google Octane are JavaScript benchmarks evaluating a processor's performance in executing complex web-based scripts, reflecting real-world web application usage. It tests single-threaded performance and the efficiency of a CPU's instruction pipelines in handling dynamic scripting languages.

Procyon AI Computer Vision

The UL Procyon AI Computer Vision benchmark measures the performance of AI inference engines to understand how well processors can handle machine-vision tasks using popular neural networks.

3DMark Time Spy (iGPU)

3DMark Time Spy is a DirectX 12 benchmark evaluating graphics performance. We use it primarily to test the relative performance of the iGPU to discrete GPUs and where iGPUs stand amongst their peers. With both companies improving their integrated graphics stack, it allows us to measure how well the iGPU performs and if it can handle popular eSports titles.

3DMark Time Spy Using Discrete GPU

We also run 3DMark Time Spy using the same discrete GPU to see how well the CPU interacts with discrete graphics cards. It can highlight potential bottlenecks where the CPU limits the GPU's performance.

7 Game Average

While 3DMark is an excellent synthetic benchmark, it's not really indicative of real-world gaming performance and that's why we have to rely on popular AAA video games to assess how well the processor deals with contemporary video game engines. We revise the video games once every two years based on what's most popular as per Steam and we also maintain a mix between different game engines.

Core to Core Latency - Ultra 9 285K and Ultra 5 245K

Core-to-Core Latency measures the time it takes for data to transfer between different cores within a CPU. It highlights the efficiency of the processor's inter-core communication pathways and cache coherency mechanisms. An interesting insight is that lower core-to-core latency can improve performance in multi-threaded applications where threads need to synchronize or share data frequently. It can reveal architectural differences between CPUs, such as the impact of chiplet designs versus monolithic die layouts, affecting inter-core communication efficiency.

The Intel Core Ultra 200S processor with their new interleaved CPU cores aren't getting a significant latency penalty. For P-Cores to talk to each other or with the E-Cores looks fairly consistent. And the E-Core clusters enjoy low intra-core latency as we can see from the little purple blocks in the sea of green.

Power and Thermals

The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K averaged at about 206 Watts during a 10 minute throttling run. This is indicative of a sustained load and is a little lesser than what we had seen on the Intel Core i9-14900K. However, the peak power consumption has dropped by a huge amount from 317 watts to about 222 watts. Temperatures were also very consistent at about 65 degrees Celsius throughout the run, very few spikes were seen and the maximum we'd recorded was 68 degrees. That's quite a massive improvement over the 14900K.

Verdict

With the Intel Core Ultra 200S series, Intel has managed to bag a few wins over its predecessor, the Intel Core 14th Gen Processors. However, there are a few losses as well. With productivity tasks, Intel has managed to retain its crown and we even saw some anomalous spikes in some benchmarks putting the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and the Ultra 5 245K way ahead of everyone else. The support for much faster memory has certainly helped the performance especially considering that the power consumption isn't as high as the 14th Gen processors. In Blender, Adobe Photoshop and V-Ray, we saw the 285K going toe-to-toe with the 9950X from the competition and it even beat the 9950X in video editing workloads. However, when it comes to gaming, the Ultra 9 285K did end up taking a few hits. This is the first generation of processors from Intel with quite a few new technologies and as a result there will always be some teething issues that we might, hopefully, see resolved in the coming months. Overall, the new Intel Core Ultra 200S processors look like they're here to stay and we're certainly excited to see what Intel follows this up with.

65-inch QLED TVs typically come at a premium, but this festive season, consumers have a variety of options in the mid-range and affordable segments. The Blaupunkt QLED TV (QD7030) is an affordable option with a lot to look forward to for its aggressive price including support for Dolby Vision and HDR10, 60W audio with Dolby Atmos and more. Do these features converge to deliver a meaningful viewing experience? Let’s answer that and more in our review!

Blaupunkt 65-inch QLED 4K Google TV review: Specifications

• Model number: 65QD7030
• Display Panel Size: 65-inch 
• Display Panel Type: LED LCD (IPS - level)
• Display Panel Resolution: 3840 x 2160 – 4K UHD
• Display Refresh Rate: 60Hz
• Supported HDR Formats: Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10
• Speakers: 60W 
• Audio formats: Supports Dolby Atmos, Dolby Audio
• Software: Google TV ( Android TV 11)
• HDMI Ports: 3x HDMI 
• Other connectivity options: 2 USB 2.0 ports, Dual Band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, AV Input, Digital Audio, Antenna
• Built-in RAM and storage: 2GB + 16GB
• Price: Rs. 46,999

Blaupunkt 65-inch QLED 4K Google TV review: Design and Build 

This Blaupunkt TV features a fairly standard design and is similar to the other TVs manufactured by SPPL. The stand is made of metal and can effectively support the TV on a table. All frequently used ports are side-facing, making them easily accessible. The metal chassis on the rear is solid and durable, while the narrow bezels on the front are non-distracting. Overall, the design is quite appropriate for the price.

The remote control is again the standard TV remote that we get from SPPL brands like Blaupunkt, Thomson and Kodak. It can connect to the TV via IR or Bluetooth. The build quality of the remote feels a bit flimsy but it is quite comfortable to use. There are dedicated keys to summon Google Assitant, to change user profiles and to switch inputs. The white colour of the D-PAD and Home button further makes the remote easier to use in the dark. The best part is that you get a customizable ‘Daily Key’ as the fourth App hotkey that you can map to any app of your choice or set two button combinations targeting different apps and functions. 

Also Read: Choosing the right TV for your budget - go beyond specs and navigate your TV purchase

Blaupunkt 65-inch QLED 4K Google TV review: How good is the display panel quality?

Our review sample features a decent-quality IPS-level panel for the price. We recorded a native contrast ratio of 1234:1, and the panel is tuned for typical indoor viewing environments. Like most affordable LED LCD TVs, the black floor is elevated, and the panel closely follows the BT.1886 gamma curve. While you can find TVs with VA LCD panels offering better contrast in this budget, they come at the expense of viewing angles. The display on our review unit, however, has wide viewing angles, making it suitable for installation in a spacious area where multiple family members can watch from different angles.

The panel can reproduce almost 100% of Rec. 709 colour space used for SDR content. HDR capabilities are also better than what we usually see in this price segment. The display panel supports 95.7% DCI-P3 coverage and 75% of BT2020 coverage in UV terms. 

We recorded a peak brightness of roughly 450 nits in standard mode and around 350 nits in relatively colour-accurate movie mode, which is fairly standard in this budget. 

The Gamut rings give a better indication of the colour volume a TV panel can support. We recorded 100% sRGB, 80% Display P3 and roughly 56% of BT2020 colour volume on this TV, which again points the use of a good quality LCD panel for the price. Overall, the display panel quality is better than we usually see in this budget

Also Read: What are wide colour gamuts like DCI-P3 and why they can be misleading

Blaupunkt 65-inch QLED 4K Google TV review: SDR and HDR Picture Quality

We tested the colour accuracy of the display using Spectracal C6 HDR2000 Colourimeter, Videoforge Pro pattern generator, and Calman Ultimate software. All measurements are taken in Movie mode which is the most colour-accurate preset on the TV for SDR and HDR10 content. 

Starting with SDR, we recorded an average delta error of 4, which is slightly above the perceptible threshold of 3. Skin tones appear natural, but the white point is cooler than the standard D65. While most general consumers are accustomed to cooler whites, this should not be an inconvenience; however, it does affect the overall score negatively. There is a 20-point white balance correction toggle under advanced picture settings, but it didn’t prove effective in fixing the white point. The TV can render dark and mixed SDR scenes quite nicely. 

The TV supports Dolby Vision and other popular HDR formats. Once again, the colour temperature in the Movie present is cooler than standard. We recorded an average Delta Error of 4 and a maximum error of 10.2. 

Colours in HDR content are great, but due to limited contrast and peak brightness, the overall HDR impact is mediocre. The TV also struggled to render scenes with both bright highlights and shadows effectively. The performance in bright Dolby Vision scenes is decent and the dark scenes are rendered brighter than expected due to raised black level. 

Blaupunkt 65-inch QLED 4K Google TV review: Performance and software

This Blaupunkt TV offers decent performance configuration for the price which includes quad-core processor, 2GB RAM and 16GB storage of which 11GB is free for users. It is not however a snappy TV and feels sluggish while multitasking – say when you are playing content and are trying to switch picture modes simultaneously. Or when you are trying to fast-forward a movie.    

Blaupunkt uses the familiar Google TV interface with minimal customisations. The software is based on Android 11 and standard Google TV perks like Google Assistant, Integration with the Google Home app, Chromecast Built-in, and others work well. There are several preloaded apps on the TV and some of them like the File Manager are useful. 

We didn’t face any issues casting from popular apps on Android phones and iPhones. Apple Airplay is not supported on the TV, so screen mirroring from Apple devices will not be as seamless. Voice commands via remote control worked well.  

Blaupunkt 65-inch QLED 4K Google TV review: Gaming and Audio

The TV lacks gamer-centric features like VRR and ALLM but delivers a decent casual gaming experience. In our testing with the PS5, gameplay was generally smooth. The HDR experience, however, was not very impactful.

The audio quality from the TV is decent, especially considering its price point. The balanced sound profile adequately works for a range of content including movies, TV shows and casual music listening. Dialogue clarity is average and sometimes it was hard to understand the content in scenes with complex soundscapes. While the audio is decent for the price, you will need to invest in an external sound system if you are particular about audio nuances. 

Also Check: Hisense E6N QLED TV Review

Blaupunkt 65-inch QLED 4K Google TV review: Verdict 

The Blaupunkt QLED QD7030 TV features a large 65-inch display at a very reasonable price, though it does come with a few trade-offs. These flaws, however, seem excusable for the price. The display performs well for SDR content, offering good colour accuracy and wide viewing angles. HDR performance is somewhat underwhelming due to limited brightness and contrast, which is common among affordable TVs. The design is appealing, and the build quality feels quite reassuring.

You get 2GB of RAM and a sufficient 16GB of storage, but the performance can feel sluggish, especially when switching between apps. The TV is responsive in casual gaming, and the experience with consoles is decent, despite lacking gaming features like ALLM and VRR. Overall, this TV offers a balanced feature set that caters well to everyday users, but it may not meet the expectations of more demanding users. If a large 65-inch screen is your priority and you're constrained by a budget of under Rs. 50K, it’s worth considering.

If you’d prefer a VA LCD panel, you can consider the Acer Super Series QLED TV in the same budget. Or, if you’d rather prefer a matte finish affordable QLED display, you may also consider the Coocaa 65-inch Y73 Pro QLED TV. 

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is Samsung’s latest flagship tablet, designed to push the boundaries of what a tablet can do. With a massive 14.6-inch AMOLED display, top-tier performance hardware, and productivity-focused features, this tablet is aimed at power users, creatives, and professionals who need a laptop-like experience in a more portable form factor.

Competing directly with Apple's iPad Pro, the Tab S10 Ultra seeks to establish itself as the ultimate productivity tool, media consumption device, and gaming powerhouse. But, at a premium price, starting at ₹1,08,999 for the Wi-Fi variant and ₹1,22,999 for the 5G variant, does it truly justify the cost? In this comprehensive review, we’ll dive deep into the build, design, display quality, performance, AI features, cameras, and battery life to see if the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra lives up to the hype and can hold its own against its competition.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra Review: Sleek and premium build and design

The first thing that stands out about the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is its sleek, premium design. At just 5.4 mm thick, this tablet is one of the thinnest devices in its class, which is even more impressive considering its powerful hardware. The colour options are limited to Moonstorm Gray and Platinum Silver, both of which look premium but I’d have liked a few more colourful options. The Tab has a Wi-Fi variant and a 5G variant – the 5G variant, which I got for review, houses one physical nano-SIM and a microSD card.

Samsung has done an excellent job of balancing form and function. The aluminium frame and rear panel provide a solid, durable build that feels reassuringly sturdy in hand. However, the matte finish on the back picks up a considerable amount of fingerprint smudges and scratches, which detract from its premium look. The tablet comes with IP68 dust and water resistance, which adds to overall durability.

One of the standout design elements is the S Pen, which attaches magnetically to the back of the tablet for wireless charging. This is a particularly thoughtful touch for creatives and professionals who often need to use the stylus, and it’s great that Samsung has included this in the retail box, unlike the iPad Pro where you need to shell out extra money to purchase the Apple Pencil.

The S Pen is lightweight, responsive, and includes a variety of features for note-taking, drawing, and even remote control via Bluetooth. However, the magnetic storage for the S Pen feels flimsy; it’s easy to knock off and lose when moving the tablet.

The large 14.6-inch display makes the tablet feel bulky. Weighing 723 grams, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is not a device you’ll want to carry around casually, especially if you hold it for extended periods. The 11” and 13” M4 iPad Pros are much lighter and easier to carry around. While the Tab S10 Ultra is ideal for desk use or propped up with the keyboard cover, it can feel unwieldy for users seeking a more portable option.

There are a few drawbacks too. The slim bezels look great and add to the immersive experience, but they also lead to accidental touches when you’re holding the tablet. And then there’s the front camera – it’s housed in an awkward notch, which some people might find a bit of an eyesore. Plus, the bottom navigation buttons require more pressure than you’d expect, which could be frustrating if you’re not using gesture navigation.

Samsung has also included support for its Keyboard Cover, which essentially turns the tablet into a makeshift laptop. The keyboard cover is sold separately, adding to the overall cost.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra Review: Gorgeous display

If there’s one area where the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra truly excels, it’s the display. The 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED panel, with its 2960 x 1848 resolution, delivers stunning visuals, showcasing vivid colours, deep blacks, and excellent contrast. Whether you’re streaming Netflix, gaming, or editing photos, the display's clarity and brightness are top-notch. Its 120Hz refresh rate makes scrolling smooth and fluid, while HDR10+ support enhances the dynamic range for a richer viewing experience on OTT platforms.

For creatives, the large screen offers plenty of room for drawing, sketching, or juggling multiple windows at once. Samsung’s split-screen functionality is a productivity gem, allowing you to run apps side by side effortlessly.

However, the massive display can be a bit of a double-edged sword. While it’s great for entertainment and professional work, it can feel cumbersome in portrait mode or when holding it for extended periods. Plus, the large screen demands extra care. Dropping this device could easily lead to damage, despite its solid build. Samsung hasn’t officially mentioned what kind of display protection they’re using, but I’d guess it’s Corning Gorilla Armor, similar to what’s on the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

One nice touch is the anti-reflective coating, which helps keep the screen visible even in bright conditions and keeps screen glare at bay. If you’re used to a generic display, you’ll notice the difference immediately. It holds up well outdoors, and with its high brightness levels, the screen stays sharp and vibrant without washing out.

There’s also an optical fingerprint sensor embedded in the display, but its placement is pretty awkward. It’s hard to reach, and honestly, it would’ve made more sense on the power button, though that might be tricky given how slim the device is.

As for the sound quality, the tablet houses a side-firing quad-speaker setup, tuned by AKG. The sound is full-bodied and loud. It sounds excellent ensuring that the multimedia experience is bolstered even further.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra Review: Fast performance with long-term software support

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ processor, one of the most powerful chipsets currently available for mobile devices. It boasts an impressive configuration with one Cortex-X4 core clocked at 3.25 GHz, three Cortex-X4 cores at 2.85 GHz, and four Cortex-A720 cores running at 2 GHz. Paired with 12 GB of LPDDR5X RAM and up to 512 GB of UFS 4.0 storage, this tablet ensures lightning-fast performance across the board, whether you’re gaming, multitasking, or editing videos.

In everyday usage, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra excels at handling demanding tasks with ease. Apps load swiftly, and switching between them is seamless, even when multiple programs are running simultaneously. For those needing extra storage, the tablet also supports microSD expansion of up to 1 TB, providing ample room for all your files and media.

Benchmark results show just how powerful the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is. It scored nearly 2 million points in AnTuTu v10, along with 2162 and 7091 points in GeekBench Single-Core and Multi-Core tests, respectively, easily beating out tablets like the OnePlus Pad 2 (review). The GPU benchmarks are equally impressive. However, it still falls short when compared to Apple’s iPad Pro M4, which achieved a stunning 3650 in GeekBench Single-Core and 13137 in Multi-Core tests. So, for users seeking the ultimate in pro-level performance, particularly for intensive tasks like video rendering, the iPad Pro remains a step ahead.

As for gaming, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra doesn’t disappoint. It delivers smooth, lag-free performance even in graphically demanding titles like Genshin Impact, Call of Duty: Mobile, and Asphalt 9. Despite Samsung’s shift from a Snapdragon processor to MediaTek, there’s little to worry about. The Dimensity 9300+ chipset is on par with its Snapdragon counterparts, making it one of the best processors on the Android side of things.

On the software front, the tablet runs Samsung’s One UI 6.1 on top of Android 14, delivering a smooth and intuitive user experience. One standout feature is Samsung DeX, which transforms the tablet into a desktop-like interface with multi-window functionality and a taskbar, making it an excellent choice for those looking to use the tablet as a laptop replacement. When connected to an external keyboard and monitor, DeX mode offers a full PC-like experience, enhancing productivity.

For users already invested in Samsung’s ecosystem, the Tab S10 Ultra offers seamless integration with other Samsung devices. It can function as a second screen for a Samsung laptop, or share files effortlessly with a Galaxy smartphone. This interconnected experience adds tremendous value, allowing all your Samsung devices to work harmoniously together. However, for creatives and pro users, the Android ecosystem simply doesn’t have support for as many quality pro-level apps as iPadOS does.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra does stand out for its long-term software support. Samsung guarantees seven years of updates, meaning the tablet will receive upgrades from Android 14 all the way to Android 21, with security patches extending until October 2031.

Packed with Galaxy AI Features

One of the new additions to the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is a robust set of Galaxy AI features designed to enhance productivity and communication. The AI-powered Chat Assist tool, integrated directly into the Samsung keyboard, offers chat translation, grammar corrections, and composing suggestions across various apps. It adapts based on context, whether you’re drafting a formal email or sending a quick message, making it a valuable tool for professionals and casual users alike.

Another key feature is Interpreter mode, which offers real-time translations during conversations, making the device an excellent companion for travellers or people working in multilingual environments. It also integrates with Galaxy Buds for hands-free use, allowing for real-time communication in different languages.

Notes Assist is another productivity-focused AI tool that automatically formats and summarises notes, while also offering spelling corrections. Creatives will appreciate the Sketch to Image feature, which converts rough sketches into polished images in different styles, but I think this one can be improved; the AI drawing is not dramatically better than the original.

Transcript Assist also makes life easier for professionals, as it transcribes audio recordings in real-time, providing summaries and keyword highlights. This feature is particularly useful for meetings, interviews, or lectures.

Finally, Browsing Assist offers a quick way to summarise lengthy articles, saving users time by condensing long-form content into digestible snippets. Overall, these AI features significantly enhance the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra’s appeal for productivity and communication and they work flawlessly.

Are the cameras any good?

Tablets are not typically known for their camera capabilities, so it’s no surprise that you get a pretty basic setup here. On the rear, there’s a 13 MP main camera paired with an 8 MP ultra-wide sensor, while the front houses dual 12MP wide and ultra-wide lenses.

The rear camera setup is functional for quick snaps, document scanning, or capturing occasional moments. However, it’s the front-facing camera that does most of the heavy lifting. The dual-camera system is great for video calls, allowing for wider shots, which is especially useful if you need to fit more than one person in the frame on video calls. Auto-framing is another helpful feature, automatically adjusting the camera’s focus to keep the subject in the centre during video calls.

While the cameras are not on par with those found on high-end smartphones, they are more than adequate for a tablet. The inclusion of 4K video recording at 30fps is a nice touch.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra Review: Long-lasting battery life

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is powered by an 11,200 mAh battery, which is more than enough to get through a full day of moderate use. With regular tasks like browsing, streaming video, and working on documents, the tablet can easily provide 10-12 hours of screen-on time on a single charge. For more intensive tasks, such as gaming or video editing, the battery life is still respectable, holding up for around 7-8 hours of continuous use.

Samsung has also included support for 45W fast charging, which allows the tablet to charge from 0 to 100% in 1 hour and 48 minutes, which is slightly slow by 2024 standards. Sadly, there’s no charger in the box, just a Type-C to Type-C cable. Additionally, the tablet supports reverse wireless charging, meaning you can use it to charge other devices, like your Galaxy Buds or Galaxy Watch, by placing them on the back of the tablet.

Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra?

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is undoubtedly a powerhouse, offering a premium experience with its massive 14.6-inch AMOLED display, top-tier performance, and a host of productivity-focused features. Its stunning screen and rich array of AI-powered functionalities make it an excellent choice for creatives and professionals.

For those deeply integrated into the Samsung ecosystem, features like seamless device integration and DeX mode offer substantial value. However, if your primary focus is performance-heavy tasks like video editing or 3D rendering, the iPad Pro M4 may still be a better option due to its superior benchmarks. Additionally, iPadOS supports a wider variety of creator-centric apps compared to Android. That said, for general productivity, media consumption, and entertainment, the Tab S10 Ultra is a solid contender—especially with its bundled S Pen and promise of long-term software support.

On the downside, the starting price of ₹1,08,999 makes it a significant investment. If you require 5G support, you’ll need to spend even more, with the base 256 GB variant costing ₹1,22,999. Furthermore, the upgrades over its predecessor, the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, are limited mainly to additional AI features and 5G capability. For existing S9 Ultra users, the reasons to upgrade may be less compelling.

In an increasingly crowded TWS market, budget earbuds like the Noise Buds N1 Pro face stiff competition. These earbuds follow in the footsteps of their popular and more affordable sibling, the Noise Buds N1, which garnered significant attention from the Indian masses. However, with more brands such as Realme, boAt, and Xiaomi making waves in the budget space, the Noise Buds N1 Pro needs to deliver more than just the basics to stand out. Enter a compelling feature set: Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), Dual Pairing, and an IPX5 rating, all packed into an affordable price of just ₹1,599.

At first glance, these features give the N1 Pro an edge over many competitors in its price bracket. But does the real-world performance live up to these promising specs? I’ve put the Noise Buds N1 Pro through rigorous testing to see if it truly stands out as a worthy competitor.

Noise Buds N1 Pro Build and Design: Sleek, Compact, and Comfortable

One of the standout features of the Noise Buds N1 Pro is its design. Upon unboxing, the earbuds present a sleek and minimalist aesthetic, with a matte finish that gives them a premium look despite their budget price tag. The compact case adds to the portability factor, easily fitting into pockets without creating any noticeable bulk.

The earbuds themselves are designed to fit comfortably in the ear, with silicone tips that offer a snug and secure fit. The design is sharp and angular, giving it a futuristic aura. The lightweight build also ensures prolonged use without causing discomfort.

The Noise Buds N1 Pro features IPX5 water resistance, which adds a level of durability that many budget earbuds lack. However, while the overall build quality is pretty solid, the case hinge feels slightly fragile. It’s a trade-off that might concern users looking for long-term durability, but for the price, it's an understandable compromise.

Noise Buds N1 Pro Features: Active Noise Cancellation, Dual Pairing, and much more

One of the key highlights of the Noise Buds N1 Pro is the inclusion of Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), a standout feature at this price point. Noise claims ANC can reduce sound by up to 32 dB, and while it doesn’t rival premium earbuds, it performs well for its class. The ANC efficiently blocks out low-frequency background noise like air conditioners, traffic hum, and distant conversations, making a noticeable difference in everyday settings such as offices or cafés. The buds also offer a Transparency Mode, but its execution feels somewhat artificial, lacking the clarity seen in more expensive options.

The Noise Buds N1 Pro supports Bluetooth 5.3, ensuring fast, stable connectivity with minimal drops or lag. Despite this, the initial pairing process is a bit cumbersome. The earbuds also feature dual pairing, allowing you to connect to two devices simultaneously and easily switch between them—ideal for multitaskers switching between phone calls and laptop audio.

Touch controls on each earbud let you manage playback, adjust volume, answer calls, and toggle between ANC and Transparency Mode. A dedicated Game Mode further enhances the experience by reducing latency to 40 ms, and it performs admirably. However, the lack of a companion app means there are no customisation options for the controls, which is disappointing.

Sound Quality: High on bass, low on clarity

The sound quality of the Noise Buds N1 Pro is where things get a bit dicey. Equipped with 11 mm drivers, these earbuds aim to deliver an overwhelmingly bass-forward sound signature, a hallmark of most budget-friendly TWS options. The result? The bass often overshadows the nuances and details in the mids and highs. While bass lovers may prefer this sound profile, audiophiles and purists will be turned off.

Vocals lack clarity and the highs, while crisp, are often drowned out by the overwhelming sub-bass. You can see the extension of the bass response in the frequency graph below.

Audiophiles or those expecting pristine clarity and instrument separation will find the N1 Pro lacking. The soundstage is narrow, and there’s a lack of depth and detail compared to premium earbuds, but considering the price, the overall sound performance is acceptable for bass lovers.

When it comes to call quality, the Noise Buds N1 Pro performs reliably but doesn’t particularly stand out. In quiet environments, the call clarity is solid, with voices coming through clearly on both ends. However, in noisier environments, the microphones struggle to fully isolate the user’s voice from background noise, which can lead to some disruption during calls.

Noise Buds N1 Pro Battery Life: Excellent Longevity with Quick Charge

The Noise Buds N1 Pro boasts an impressive battery life. The earbuds offer around 10 hours of playback on a single charge (without ANC), which extends to a total of 60 hours with the charging case when ANC is turned off. With ANC turned on, the buds manage about 5 to 6 hours of use, which is decent given the battery-hungry nature of active noise cancellation technology. With the charging case, you’re looking at about 40 hours of runtime with ANC turned on.

Additionally, the quick charge feature allows for 200 minutes of playback with just a 10-minute charge. The case charged from empty to full in 1 hour and 48 minutes, in our tests.

Verdict: No-brainer for bass lovers

Despite our nitpicks about the overwhelming bass-forward sound of the earbuds, the Noise Buds N1 Pro remains a solid pick at ₹1,599. These earbuds pack a range of features often seen in higher-end models, including Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), Transparency Mode, Dual Pairing, and IPX5 water resistance, making it a competitive option in its price bracket.

While the call quality could be improved, and audiophiles may find the sound lacking in detail, the Buds N1 Pro perform well for the average user. For those seeking affordable TWS earbuds with modern features, good battery life, and decent overall performance, these earbuds are a strong contender. However, audiophiles might want to consider spending a bit more on alternatives like the OPPO Enco Air3 Pro. If you're on a strict budget, wired options such as the Truthear GATE or Tangzu Wan'er S.G. may offer better audio fidelity.

n recent years, the TV market has undergone a shift similar to the smartphone industry in the early 2010s. Brands like Acer, Blaupunkt, and Hisense are offering QLED panels, Dolby Vision, and high refresh rates at competitive prices, giving consumers feature-rich TVs without the premium price tags. While tier-1 brands like Sony, Samsung, and LG still command higher prices, especially for larger screens, these new entrants provide viable alternatives—much like the rise of affordable smartphones from Indian and Chinese brands that once challenged Apple and Samsung, making premium features more accessible.

One such contender is the Acer Super Series 55-inch QLED, which boasts a 4K display, Dolby Vision, 80W audio, and a high refresh rate—all at a competitive price. But how does it perform in real-world use? Can it deliver a premium experience at a fraction of the cost? Let’s find out in this review.

Acer Super Series 55-Inch QLED TV Review: Specifications 

• Model: AR55QDXGU2875AT
• Display: 55-inch, QLED  
• Panel Type: VA LCD
• Display Resolution: 3840 x 2160 – 4K UHD
• Panel Refresh Rate: 60 Hz (native), 120Hz with VRR (simulated)
• Supported HDR Formats: HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision
• Speakers: 80W HiFi Pro speaker 
• Audio formats: Dolby Atmos 
• Software: Google TV with Android TV 14
• Screen Mirroring: Chromecast built-in, FastCast 
• HDMI Ports: 3x HDMI 2.1 ( eARC, ALLM, DSC )
• Processor: Dual AI Processor - (2x Cortex-A75 + 2 x Cortex-A55), IMG BXE GPU
• RAM and Storage: 2GB + 16GB 
• Other connectivity options: USB 2.0,  USB 3.0, Dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, AV, RF, Ethernet, headphone
• Price: Rs. 36,999 (Buy Now)

Also Read: 8 Different Types of OLED Display Technologies You Should Know About

Acer Super Series 55-Inch QLED TV Review: Design and Remote

The TV has a premium design for the price. The bezels on the side are narrow and the grey strip on the bottom has Acer branding and doesn’t feel distracting. The good thing is that the feet are metallic which adds to the appeal and is not something that we usually see in this price segment The frequently needed ports are side-facing but are located at a distance from the edges, so they may be a tad difficult to access when the TV is wall-mounted.

The remote Acer bundles with this TV is quite ergonomic and the build quality is at par with what we usually see with affordable TVs. Apart from hotkeys for four popular apps, you get a dedicated button to toggle 'User profile' for different family members. The ‘Smart’ button gives access to some useful Acer add-ons including Music Mode, FastCast, Sleep Timer, Night Mode, and World Clock. Music Mode turns off the display while keeping the audio playing in the background. This is a great option for times when you wish to use your TV audio setup for music. Acer has also added a dedicated menu button for additional controls when you play content via USB drives. 

Acer Super Series 55-Inch QLED TV Review: Display Quality, SDR and HDR  

Our review sample employs a good-quality VA panel for the price. We recorded a native contrast of 4425:1 and for SDR, the panel is tuned for normal indoor viewing environments and closely follows the Gamma 2.2 curve. As with all VA panels, the high contrast comes at an expense. We noticed a shift in colours off-axis or when viewing TV from a wide angle but this is something normal consumers might not notice.

The panel can reproduce almost 100% of Rec. 709 colour space used for SDR content. HDR capabilities are also better than what we usually see in this price segment. The display panel supports 91.68% DCI-P3 coverage and 68.44% of BT2020 coverage in UV terms. We recorded a peak brightness of roughly 450 nits in standard mode and around 350 nits in relatively colour-accurate movie mode with a warm colour temperature. 

The colour volume is at par with what we get with most QLED panels. Overall, the display quality is impressive at this price point.

Also Read: Choosing the right TV for your budget - go beyond specs and navigate your TV purchase

Acer Super Series 55-Inch QLED TV Review: SDR and HDR Picture Quality

We tested the colour accuracy of the display using Spectracal C6 HDR2000 Colourimeter, Videoforge Pro pattern generator, and Calman Ultimate software. All measurements are taken in Movie mode which is the most colour-accurate preset on the TV for SDR and HDR10 content. 

Motion smoothing or MEMC is enabled by default and if you are a purist, we recommend that you disable it from the Advanced Picture mode settings to avoid the soap-opera effect. 

Also Check: Hisense E6N Review

Coming to SDR, we recorded an average delta error of 2.9, which is excellent and below the humanly perceptible value of 3. 

Skin tones are mostly accurate and the TV can render dark and mixed SDR scenes quite nicely. 

In bright SDR and HDR scenes, the whites appear a tad too warm as is also indicated by the average colour temperature of 5895 K which is warmer than standard D65 or 6500K. In standard mode, you can make some adjustments to the colours but we’d recommend that only if you know what you are doing. 

HDR performance turned out better than we expected for the price, especially with Dolby Vision. Dark scenes in Dolby Vision were handled surprisingly well. This is important because a good portion of Dolby Vision content that I run into these days is graded to highlight deep, prominent shadows. 

In HDR10 we recorded an average Delta Error of 3, which is better than what we usually see in this budget. Once again the movie mode is warmer than the standard D65 out of the box. Critical memory colours like the colour of the sky, skin tones and foliage are rendered accurately. 

There is also an AI mode that works for SDR and HDR10. We didn’t notice any immediate difference with the AI mode enabled in our viewing environment, but our test scores did point to subtle adjustments.  

Overall, this Acer Super Series TV punches above its weight when it comes to picture quality and we quite like the overall SDR and HDR performance, especially considering the price. 

Acer Super Series 55-Inch QLED TV Review: Performance and Software 

This TV has a ‘Dual AI Processor’, which is a quad-core processor backed by 2GB RAM and 16GB storage. The performance is not snappy but it is once again decent for the asking price. The Google TV software is based on the latest Android 14 TV software with some customisations on top. 

Acer has added a few useful apps like FastCast, File Manager and more which proved useful. FastCast presents a unified interface to cast or mirror screens from Windows PC, iPhones, Android phones and other devices. 

Also Read: Coocaa 65-inch Y73 Pro QLED TV Review

You can cast from popular apps like YouTube to the TV directly from your Android or iOS phone using Chromecast Built-in. FastCast also presents a convenient way to screen mirror your Windows PC, Android or iOS devices to your TV. You will however need to download separate apps on your devices for this to work. Apple AirPlay but Fastcast serves as a workable alternative which is not as seamless as AirPlay. 

We like that you can zoom out of the picture and sound adjustment settings as an overlay and switch between different modes while observing their effects. The input key lets you access and switch between different inputs with ease. Content in a USB drive can be accessed from the Media Player. 

Acer Super Series 55-Inch QLED TV Review: Gaming and Audio 

The Acer Super Series QLED TV supports useful gaming features like HDMI 2.1 connectivity with ALLM and DSC. The gaming experience with the console and PC exceeded our expectations. The gameplay felt smooth and responsive.

The TV has an 80W Audio System with Dolby Atmos. For a capable Dolby Atmos experience, you will need an external speaker system as it is often hard for native TV speakers to deliver a convincing surround sound experience. Once you disable Dolby Atmos, the audio is quite loud and clear. The dialogue clarity is also decent. 

Acer Super Series 55-Inch QLED TV Review: Should you buy it?

This Acer Super Series QLED TV certainly exceeded our expectations and is an option we can recommend to consumers looking for premium features at a value price. This TV uses a good quality VA QLED panel and punches well above its weight in terms of picture quality with accurate colours and skin tones. We also quite like the Dolby Vision HDR experience on the TV. On the downside, the default Movie mode, which is often a convenient option for purists, feels a little too warm in SDR and HDR10. For gamers, the inclusion of HDMI 2.1 and features like ALLM and DSC are important additions. The TV doesn’t support Apple AirPlay but FastCast serves as an alternative. 

Less than a month after the launch of the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro (review), its more affordable sibling – the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 – has stepped into India's cutthroat TWS market. Priced ₹1,000 lower than its Pro counterpart, the Nord Buds 3 shines with impressive features such as Active Noise Cancellation, multipoint connectivity, and IP55 dust and water resistance. Remarkably, the Nord Buds 3 retains most of the features found in the Pro model, with the primary distinction being the level of noise cancellation (32 dB vs 49 dB). So, is the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 too good to pass up? Does it even make sense to opt for the Pro version anymore? We’ll explore these questions and more in our OnePlus Nord Buds 3 review.

OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Review: Build, Design, and Fit

Following the footsteps of its more expensive sibling, the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 comes with a compact pebble-shaped case with a glossy finish on the Melodic White I got for review. You can also opt for the Harmonic Gray variant, which looks more premium, in my opinion. The White coloured variant’s design is a touch too uninspired for me and the glossy case attracts fingerprints, smudges, and scratches pretty easily.

The case flaunts the OnePlus logo on the front, paired with a discreet LED indicator for pairing and battery status. At the bottom, you’ll find a USB-C charging port alongside a convenient pairing button. Its compact, pocket-friendly design ensures it can be easily handled with just one hand. Inside, the earbuds rest securely, each marked with clear R and L indicators, making them a breeze to differentiate.

The earbuds provide a snug and comfortable fit, which should be suitable for most people. With S, M, and L ear tips included, you can choose the size that delivers the best seal for your ears. Both the earbuds and the charging case have a glossy finish. The stem has a slightly bulbous design at the end, making it easier to grip when removing them from your ears. However, the touch controls could be better, often registering accidental taps. On the bright side, the IP55 rating ensures decent protection against water splashes and dust.

OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Review: Features

The OnePlus Nord Buds 3 offers insane bang for your buck, packed with an array of features at a very affordable price.

The earbuds support Fast Pair for Android devices, making the initial pairing process seamless. If you’re using a OnePlus device, you’ll experience even quicker connectivity, with the earbuds appearing instantly for pairing as soon as you open the case. An additional connectivity feature is dual-device pairing, allowing the earbuds to connect to two devices at once. This means you can listen to music on your laptop while being connected to your phone for calls, and the earbuds will automatically switch between the two devices.

The OnePlus Nord Buds 3 also feature touch-sensitive panels on both earbuds that allow for customisable controls. By default, single-tap handles play/pause, double-tap skips tracks, and triple-tap can launch your preferred voice assistant, such as Google Assistant or Alexa. You also get volume control support, which is a huge bonus. What makes the Nord Buds 3 truly flexible is the ability to modify these actions through the HeyMelody app. Through the app, you can also access EQ settings to customise the sound profile according to your taste. The app comes with preset sound modes like Balanced, Serenade, Bass, and a Custom EQ option where you can manually adjust frequencies.

You can select ANC profiles, take an earbud fit test, check the battery levels, perform firmware updates, and do much more via the HeyMelody app. It is extremely feature-rich and intuitive to use.

Another standout feature is the 32dB of Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) support. Now, while it is a bonus to get ANC support at the low price of ₹2,299, the Active Noise Cancellation only works for low, constant sounds like the hum of an air conditioner or airplane. Throw in human voices in there, and it doesn’t cut out those sounds as well. So, the ANC is good, but of course, it cannot match more expensive earbuds. There’s a Transparency Mode too which sounds a bit artificial.

Lastly, the earbuds are IP55 rated for dust and water resistance, so while you cannot dunk them in water, they should easily survive splashes of water. Overall, the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 stuns with its wide array of features, particularly the handy HeyMelody app support and the customisability it brings. There’s no in-ear detection, which is the only feature I found lacking on these buds.

How's the sound quality?

The OnePlus Nord Buds 3 has been designed with a strong focus on bass, which is evident as soon as you start playing bass-heavy tracks. Powered by 12.4 mm titanium-coated dynamic drivers, the earbuds produce deep lows, especially in genres like hip-hop, EDM, and pop. While some will enjoy this bass-forward sound signature, it is a bit too bloated to give an honest representation of the track it's playing. Furthermore, if you turn on OnePlus’ BassWave algorithm it gets even more boomy.

The mid-range performance is balanced by itself, although it leans slightly towards warmth due to the bass emphasis. They can feel overshadowed by the strong bass response, particularly when listening to tracks where bass and vocals overlap. However, the earbuds still deliver a decent performance for podcasts, audiobooks, and tracks where vocals and instruments play a more prominent role.

The high frequencies, or treble, on the Nord Buds 3 are decent but not the most standout feature. Treble-focused instruments like cymbals, strings, or electronic high-pitched sounds are present but can feel somewhat recessed or less detailed compared to the bass. You can check the sound frequency graph to see the overemphasis of the bass response, which is why it causes quite a bit of auditory masking, particularly in the mids. However, bass lovers will definitely enjoy the sonic response, but it’s not for audiophiles and purists.

The microphone on these earbuds performs decently indoors but they face issues when used in a noisy, outdoor environment as they do not effectively cut out distracting sounds. OnePlus needs to work on the microphone quality of future budget TWS as this is strictly mediocre.

OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Review: Battery Life

Battery life is one of the strongest aspects of the OnePlus Nord Buds 3. The 58mAh battery in each earbud provides up to 12 hours of playback without ANC, or 8 hours with ANC on. Our tests confirmed 7 hours and 15 minutes of usage with ANC turned on, at 60% volume, making the claim nearly accurate.

For phone calls, the battery lasts about 5 hours, primarily due to the energy demands of call noise cancellation. The charging case, with its 440mAh capacity, extends total playback time to 43 hours without ANC, and 28 hours with ANC enabled. Impressively, the TÜV Rheinland Battery Health certification ensures that after 1,000 charging cycles, the battery will retain at least 80% of its capacity.

Additionally, fast charging provides 11 hours of playback with just a 10-minute charge when ANC is off—a major convenience for users on the go.

Should you buy it?

The OnePlus Nord Buds 3 strikes an excellent balance between affordability and features. Priced at ₹2,299, it delivers decent ANC, excellent battery life, and an array of premium features. The addition of volume controls and dual-device connectivity makes it a more refined product than its predecessor, the Nord Buds 2. While the microphone quality is mediocre and some users might find the vocal quality lacking in clarity, the overall performance, especially at this price point, is impressive. If you’re a budget-conscious consumer looking for bass-heavy audio with great battery life, the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 should be at the top of your list.

Motorola has been on a relentless spree of phone launches in 2024, introducing a slew of devices across various price ranges. The latest addition, the Motorola Edge 50 Neo, finds itself positioned close to the Edge 50 Fusion in terms of price. Retailing at ₹23,999, it enters a competitive market, challenging popular mid-range contenders such as the OnePlus Nord CE4 (review) and Nothing Phone (2a) (review). However, it hopes to stand out with several tricks up its sleeve such as an IP68 rating, 15 W wireless charging, a high-resolution LTPO p-OLED display, and more. The big question remains: Is the Edge 50 Neo worth its price? Let's dive deep into its features and performance to find out!

Motorola Edge 50 Neo Review: Build and Design

The Motorola Edge 50 Neo brings a fresh design approach compared to its 2024 siblings, opting for a flat display over the curved edges typically seen on Motorola's devices. While this design choice may feel unfamiliar to users accustomed to Motorola’s sleek, curved designs, some may appreciate the flat boxy build, particularly for gaming as it reduces accidental touches.

The device feels well-constructed for its price range. The soft vegan leather on the back panel offers a premium tactile experience and enhances grip. The phone is also IP68-rated, making it resistant to dust and water, which adds peace of mind for those who are rougher with their phones. The Gorilla Glass 3 front provides decent protection against minor drops and scratches, though the buttons feel slightly mushy, detracting from the overall build quality.

The Edge 50 Neo also includes an in-display fingerprint sensor that works efficiently, offering quick and accurate unlocking. The dual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support deliver good sound quality, making media consumption more immersive, though it’s not the loudest in this price range.

Motorola Edge 50 Neo Review: Display

The 6.4-inch display on the Motorola Edge 50 Neo stands out as one of its strongest features. With a sharp 1.5K resolution and vibrant colour reproduction, the display makes content consumption enjoyable. Its slim bezels further enhance the visual appeal, offering an impressive 471 pixels per inch (PPI) — one of the best in its category.

This LTPO panel can dynamically adjust its refresh rate between 1 Hz and 120 Hz depending on the content displayed, helping conserve battery when needed. There’s also an Always-On Display option that you can unlock in the settings, which is brilliant.

The display supports HDR10+, but unfortunately, Netflix doesn’t take full advantage of this feature, leaving you to experience it mainly on YouTube and Prime Video. Despite this limitation, the Motorola Edge 50 Neo's display still outshines the OnePlus Nord CE4 and Nothing Phone (2a), making it a perfect choice for media lovers who prioritise sharp visuals and an immersive viewing experience.

Motorola Edge 50 Neo Review: Performance, Software, and AI

Under the hood, the Motorola Edge 50 Neo is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 SoC. While it delivers decent performance for everyday tasks, it does lag behind competitors like the OnePlus Nord CE4 and Nothing Phone (2a) in benchmarks. In tests such as AnTuTu and GeekBench Single Core, the Edge 50 Neo trails its competitors, though it fares better in GeekBench Multi-Core scores.

In real-world use, this performance gap isn't always noticeable for basic apps and day-to-day functions. However, the phone struggles in more demanding scenarios, particularly when gaming or using the camera app. Heavy games run fine on low settings but become noticeably sluggish when set to medium or high graphics after extended periods of gameplay. Additionally, the camera app feels laggy, with slow transitions between lenses.

Motorola’s software offering, Hello UI, continues to impress with its clean, bloatware-free interface. Tinkerers will enjoy features such as Moto Gestures, Smart Connect, and Family Space. Moreover, Motorola has committed to five years of software and security updates for the Edge 50 Neo, which is a huge bonus for long-term users.

In terms of AI features, Motorola has a few like Magic Canvas for wallpaper generation and Magic Editor in Google Photos. While these features are basic compared to more advanced AI tools on the market, they add an extra layer of personalisation.

In our Digit AI-Q score, which combines results from tests like AiTuTu, UL Procyon and AI Benchmark, the Motorola Edge 50 Neo scored 68/100 — a decent but not standout result. Overall, the software experience is smooth, though the phone's performance isn’t built for power users.

How do the cameras perform?

The camera setup on the Motorola Edge 50 Neo is undoubtedly one of its major highlights, delivering a strong performance at this price point. The device features a 50 MP primary camera with Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), a 13 MP ultrawide lens with Auto Focus that doubles as a macro shooter, and a 10 MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. On the front, there’s a 32 MP selfie camera capable of 4K video recording.

In good lighting, the primary camera captures detailed and vivid photos with decent dynamic range, though the colours tend to be slightly oversaturated. Portrait mode does well in maintaining accurate edge detection, though skin tones can occasionally appear too saturated.

The ultrawide camera performs admirably, but chromatic aberrations are present in some images, reducing overall sharpness. Macro shots benefit from the autofocus capability, delivering crisp images with impressive details.

The telephoto lens performs well, especially when zoomed in at 3x, retaining sharpness up to 10x before images start to deteriorate. Night mode enhances low-light photography, reducing noise and adding clarity, though it still doesn’t match the capabilities of higher-end devices.

For selfies, the 32 MP front camera is more than capable, producing clear and well-balanced images in various lighting conditions. The video recording is decent across the board, with good detail retention in 4K, although the dynamic range could be improved.

Is the battery life any good?

One of the more disappointing aspects of the Motorola Edge 50 Neo is its battery life. The 4,310 mAh battery, while decent, falls short compared to competitors like the OnePlus Nord CE4, particularly given the phone’s power-hungry display. In our tests, the Edge 50 Neo managed 4-5 hours of screen-on time with moderate to heavy usage, which includes social media browsing, video playback, and occasional gaming.

The phone lasted 13 hours and 23 minutes in our 4K video loop test, which is mediocre at best. However, the 68 W fast charger included in the box is a redeeming factor, charging the phone from 0-100% in just 39 minutes. The device also supports 15 W wireless charging, a feature that is rare in this price segment and adds significant convenience for users.

Should you buy the Motorola Edge 50 Neo?

So, is the Motorola Edge 50 Neo worth ₹23,999? If you prioritise a stellar display and a well-rounded camera system, the Edge 50 Neo offers fantastic value. Its performance won’t impress power users though, especially those looking for a gaming phone. The battery life is another area of concern, particularly when compared to competitors. However, if you're willing to overlook those shortcomings, the Motorola Edge 50 Neo offers premium features at a reasonable price.

For those on the search for a more powerful phone, the OnePlus Nord CE4 and Nothing Phone (2a) are good alternatives. But for those seeking a sharp display, solid cameras, and a clean software experience with 5 years of updates, the Motorola Edge 50 Neo makes a strong case in the crowded mid-range market.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max is Apple’s latest flagship, and after 10 days of testing, it’s clear that Apple is pushing the boundaries of hardware while refining its software experience. It boasts a larger 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, enhanced performance from the A18 Pro chip, and an improved battery with faster charging options. The camera system shines with a new 48MP ultrawide lens, alongside the 48MP main and 12MP telephoto sensors, offering impressive features like 4K 120 fps video capture and advanced audio mixing. Running on iOS 18, the iPhone 16 Pro Max sets the stage for Apple Intelligence, but it feels somewhat unfinished since this feature is not available out of the box. So, does the iPhone 16 Pro Max truly live up to its Pro moniker, or does the absence of AI features diminish its appeal? Let’s find out in our detailed review where we pit it against competitors like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (review), Pixel 9 Pro XL, iQOO 12 (review), and others.

iPhone 16 Pro Max Build and Design: Refined, not redefined

Apple continues its legacy of premium design with the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The aerospace-grade titanium frame is lightweight, yet the device feels durable and substantial. While the flat-edged design retains the signature iPhone look, slightly rounded corners enhance comfort for extended use.

Apple’s meticulous attention to detail shines through every aspect of the phone’s build. The back features frosted glass that resists fingerprints more effectively than the glossy finishes of previous models. Additionally, the phone boasts an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, offering users peace of mind regarding its durability.

Equipped with the 2024 version of Ceramic Shield protection, Apple claims this is the toughest glass on the market. However, in my experience, it scratches more easily than Gorilla Glass Victus 2 or Armor. On the audio front, the iPhone 16 Pro Max now features studio-grade microphones that deliver sublime sound. They are loud and powerful enough to enhance phone calls and media playback.

One minor drawback is the sheer size of the device. The 6.9-inch display makes the iPhone 16 Pro Max a two-handed phone for many users. While the lighter titanium frame helps, it remains bulky, which may be cumbersome for some. The available colour options—Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, and the new Desert Titanium—also feel somewhat bland compared to the vibrant array offered by the Pixel 9 Pro XL.

This year, Apple has introduced an additional button: Camera Control, located on the right side of the frame. However, this feature didn’t impress me. It’s too fiddly, especially in portrait mode, and the force required to press it can lead to shaky, blurry images. Surprisingly, this feels more like a gimmick than a functional enhancement from Apple.

iPhone 16 Pro Max Display: Impressive visuals

The 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display on the iPhone 16 Pro Max is nothing short of stunning. Apple has further trimmed the bezels this year, resulting in an immersive viewing experience that is truly impressive. My only hope is that Apple can reduce the pill-shaped Dynamic Island cutout even more next year to enhance that immersion even further.

With a ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 2,000 nits, the iPhone 16 Pro Max boasts one of the brightest and most fluid displays on the market. Whether you’re scrolling through apps, watching HDR or Dolby Vision content, or playing games, everything appears incredibly smooth and vibrant. Apple has refined its OLED panels to perfection; colours pop with remarkable accuracy, while blacks are deep and inky, providing excellent contrast.

While the brightness levels are outstanding, the Pixel 9 Pro XL does have the edge when it comes to brightness under direct sunlight. I measured a maximum brightness of 1,662 nits on a sunny day—though not the highest reading we’ve encountered, it still ranks among the best.

A standout feature of the display is the Always-On Display, which now integrates more seamlessly with widgets and notifications. However, I did notice some battery drain with the Always-On Display activated, particularly when on standby. Thankfully, the display can dial back its refresh rate to as low as 1 Hz, which helps conserve battery life.

Performance: Power meets practicality

After hours of testing, it’s clear that the A18 Pro chip in the iPhone 16 Pro Max is a powerhouse. Performance is silky smooth across the board, with tasks handled effortlessly. Whether it’s gaming, multitasking, or demanding applications like on-the-go video editing, this chip excels. The 6-core CPU, paired with a 6-core GPU, delivers a significant leap in graphical performance, making the phone ideal for gamers and users seeking powerful mobile computing. Built on TSMC’s 3 nm process, the A18 Pro also features a new 16-core Neural Engine, designed to support the much-anticipated Apple Intelligence features—though those aren’t available just yet.

With 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM, the iPhone 16 Pro Max tackles multitasking with ease. App-switching is fluid, and apps open in an instant, making it a joy to use, especially for power users who demand seamless performance.

In the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test, the phone scored a solid 74.40% in the stability test, which is commendable. However, while the first loop was impressive, the second loop saw some performance throttling, after which things levelled off. The phone’s surface temperature hit 39.1°C during this test, which is quite high. I also noticed some heating during simple tasks like taking photos, and it was more noticeable compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

That said, everyday gaming is still smooth. BGMI ran with minimal frame drops, and even demanding AAA titles like Resident Evil Village and Assassin's Creed Mirage performed well, with only occasional stutters. While the iPhone 16 Pro Max doesn’t quite match the buttery smooth gaming experience of the iQOO 12, it does support AAA games, which the iQOO 12 lacks.

In synthetic benchmarks, the iPhone 16 Pro Max topped the charts in Geekbench scores but fell behind in GPU-intensive tests like AnTuTu. Rivals such as the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, iQOO 12, and OnePlus 12 outperformed it in these tests. The iPhone also fell behind all its competitors in GFXBench tests, as you can see above. However, these benchmark scores are just numbers. For the average user, the differences are hardly noticeable in day-to-day use.

Software and Apple Intelligence: iOS 18 and Apple Intelligence Awaiting Full Rollout

During Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro Max launch event, they spent a lot of time highlighting the new Apple Intelligence features. But here’s the catch—the phone doesn’t actually come with these features out of the box. It ships with iOS 18, but Apple Intelligence will only arrive with the iOS 18.1 update, and even then, it’s available only in U.S. English.

For users in India, this means you’ll have to change your region and Siri language to U.S. English if you want early access. However, this workaround may disrupt features like App Store payments, so it’s not an ideal solution. Support for Indian English is expected sometime next year, though there’s no exact timeline yet.

I went through the process of switching regions and languages to test these features using the iOS 18.1 beta. While some features are already available, many won’t roll out until later in the year. "Clean Up," for instance, feels a bit behind compared to similar features on Android phones, making occasional mistakes in categorizing files.

However, the new Siri has shown significant improvements, and features like notification summary and email/article summary are proving quite handy. Unfortunately, Visual Intelligence is still missing from the beta.

In terms of overall software, iOS 18 remains smooth and responsive, with fluid animations and a highly intuitive interface. You now have the freedom to move app icons anywhere on the home screen—a feature Android users have enjoyed for years.

iPhone 16 Pro Max Cameras: Picture perfect?

The iPhone 16 Pro Max introduces some exciting upgrades to its already excellent camera system, particularly with the addition of a new 48 MP ultrawide sensor and support for 4K video recording at 120 FPS. The 16 Pro Max is perhaps one of the most consistent and reliable camera systems on a mobile phone in the current market. In ideal lighting conditions, the camera delivers stunning results, offering remarkable detail and outstanding colour accuracy, maintaining Apple’s reputation for top-notch image quality.

However, in challenging lighting, the phone tends to crush shadows, resulting in a loss of detail in darker areas. While this can be a downside for some users, the overall image quality remains strong. Portrait mode is especially impressive, with 5x zoom shots showcasing crisp detail and striking depth of field.

In low light, the iPhone 16 Pro Max excels at reducing noise and managing highlights, though this sometimes gives images an artificial appearance. Apple has also expanded the camera experience with a variety of Photographic Styles this year. These come in two categories: Mood and Undertones. Each style lets you tweak three key parameters—Tone (contrast), Colour (saturation), and Palette (like a colour filter). While experimenting with these styles can be fun, they may not become a daily tool for most users.

When it comes to video, the iPhone 16 Pro Max continues to dominate, solidifying its place as the best smartphone for video recording. The ability to capture 4K at 120 FPS makes for impressive slow-motion footage with excellent clarity.

The new Audio Mix feature, though intriguing, didn’t fully meet expectations, but it adds another layer of flexibility to video creation. Overall, the iPhone’s video performance remains unmatched, offering smooth, high-quality footage, vibrant colours, and superb dynamic range.

iPhone 16 Pro Max Battery Life: Sets the bar high

The iPhone 16 Pro Max is equipped with a 4,685mAh battery, which is a slight boost of 240mAh compared to the previous iPhone 15 Pro Max. This extra capacity has led to an impressive Screen-On Time of 7-8 hours. While video streaming and gaming performance remain similar to what was seen on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the new model shines in areas like call and web browsing, contributing to the overall improved battery life.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max supports fast wired charging, though Apple doesn’t disclose exact power ratings.

The company claims that the device can charge up to 50% in 30 minutes when using a 20W charger. The phone charged from 0-100% in 102 minutes or 1 hour and 42 minutes, according to our tests. As indicated by Apple, it reached 48% in 30 minutes, but charging the phone post that, especially the last 20%, is laboriously slow.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max also supports fast wireless charging up to 25W using the latest MagSafe charger when paired with a 30W or higher power adapter. For those using a Qi2-compatible charger, the maximum wireless charging speed is limited to 15W.

iPhone 16 Pro Max Verdict: An incremental upgrade, once again

The iPhone 16 Pro Max is a true powerhouse, offering premium build quality, stellar performance, and top-tier cameras. Its battery life has also seen significant improvements, making it a dependable option for power users. However, the absence of Apple's AI features, especially in markets like India, gives the phone a somewhat unfinished feel. It feels like a work in progress in some areas. And the new camera control button, far from being revolutionary, actually feels more like a gimmick. You have to press it hard enough that it often causes unnecessary shake and blur in your images, detracting from its intended convenience.

Despite these drawbacks, the iPhone 16 Pro Max remains the best iPhone ever made. The level of polish in both hardware and software is undeniable, even though some elements feel incomplete. If you're upgrading from an iPhone 13 Pro Max or older, the improvements will genuinely impress you. However, if you already own an iPhone 14 Pro Max or 15 Pro Max, the upgrades are too incremental to justify the switch. Moreover, if AI capabilities are a priority for you, alternatives from Pixel and Samsung offer a more complete and advanced experience in this regard.

Apple's techtember is over, and they have released their "latest and greatest" iPhones, the Apple Watch, and AirPods. Now, the devices are hitting the shelves and have been at our test labs for us to evaluate. And what do you do when you get a phone that is being lauded as the best ever by the brand? Well, you put it through the churner to find out whether the phone, in this case, the Apple iPhone 16, is worth spending 80K on or whether you should hold back and buy it later.

Apple has added quite a few new features to the iPhone 16, with the main highlight for creators being the Camera Control button and for the regular folk, Apple Intelligence. The latter hasn’t made its way to iPhones yet, and we are expecting it to fully roll out next year. Until then, the marketing materials and clips of the iPhone 16 launch are all that you have.

Now, given that Apple marketed their iPhone 16 lineup to be the first iPhone designed for Apple Intelligence, its absence was duly missed and noted when I  put the iPhone 16 through our rigorous test process. Join in as we find out whether you should take the plunge right now, or wait till the price drops and Apple Intelligence is here in its full glory.

Apple iPhone 16 retains the legacy iPhone look 

In terms of the design, at the front, the iPhone 16 isn't much of a departure from its predecessor, the iPhone 15 series of phones. The display hasn't changed much since the iPhone 15, other than the fact that the 16 has a 0.4 per cent higher screen-to-body ratio. Good luck noticing that. Just like the last generation, you get a 60 Hz display, which is way behind its time now. Apple, please fix.

The biggest change that we get here is on the sides and the back of the phone. On the side, there is the much talked about Camera Control button, which works really well, only if you can reach it comfortably though. In my time of use, I often found it difficult to reach with my hands, so keep an eye out for that.

On the back, you get the new camera housing with the two cameras of the phone arranged vertically on a much smaller island, which has exiled the flash to the side. The microphone retains its residency, though.  When rested flat on the table without a cover, the phone wobbles quite a bit. And if I were you, I would either keep it screen-side down, or put it in a case. That's because the bottom camera housing makes direct contact with the table. And I am pretty sure, with time, it will pick up some scuffs.

The in-hand feel of the iPhone 16 is amazing, with the rounded edges of the phone giving it a nice grip and feel. The aluminium housing is cold to touch and provides enough structural integrity to the phone, despite the new camera button adding a potential point of failure. And if you are one for carrying your phone as a style statement, then you are in luck, as the iPhone 16 comes in 5 different colours to choose from. The one with me is the Ultramarine colour, and honestly, I like it quite a bit.

Enough about the build and design. Let's talk about the features of the iPhone 16.

Features – A hit and a miss

Right off the bat, the biggest highlight of the iPhone 16 series is Apple Intelligence. But, it won't be making an appearance on iPhones until next year, with support for Indian English, coming even later. Why even talk about it when you are not shipping it at the time of release?

Apple could have easily held back and announced its arrival at WWDC, much closer to the actual date of it showing up on iPhones. With that out of the way, iPhone 16 ships out of the box with iOS 18, which comes with its own trinkets and features that Apple fans had been waiting for years.

You can hide apps, lock them behind FaceID, and customise your home screen with much more control in your hands. Look at that, I can change the colour of my icons! WHAT A FEATURE?! Eh, Whatever. I will let Boo-Man spell it out for me. Wait for his rant on the iPhones. I have been seeing him linger around my desk quite a bit and he has something cooking, I am sure. 

The action button is the same from last year, and apart from that, there's not much to say. The compatibility of the iPhone with the rest of the devices in the ecosystem is as good as ever, and there's not much to complain about on the software side of things in daily use. iOS 18 is a much-needed step up, but it is not enough of a reason to upgrade to the 16. Now, on to the display.

Apple iPhone 16 – One of the best in terms of display

The display of the iPhone 16 is same as that of the base 15 from last year. The 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED panel has great colour representation, and you get what you would expect from an iPhone – Vivid colours that are pleasing to the eye and deep blacks, making content consumption a fairly immersive experience when viewing high-fidelity content on platforms like Netflix.

In terms of the brightness, the iPhone peaked at 1568 nits of brightness in bright daylight and dipped to just 1 nit in dark environments.

When fiddling around with the settings, I found an always-on display option, but no toggle in the menu. What's up there, no one knows. 

The 60Hz display, rather, the lack of ProMotion is again a pain point that Apple has not addressed and if you are coming from a higher refresh rate screen, you will definitely notice the difference.

Performance champion!

When it comes to the performance, Apple has aced it yet again. In the price range, the Apple iPhone 16 is one of the best-performing phones of all time! If you are one for the numbers, then here are the benchmark scores of the iPhone 16.

In AnTuTu, the phone scored - 16,31,715. In other benchmarks like 3D Mark, GFX bench, and Geekbench, again, the scores were impressive, and as you can see, the delta between the competing Samsung and Google flagships is almost always in favour of the iPhone 16. The storage is also snappy and even trumped its beefier cousin, the 16 Pro Max in our PC Mark sequential write test

Now, with the numbers out of the way, let's talk about the real-world performance. Be it opening and closing apps, running fairly heavy applications or even gaming, the Apple iPhone 16 does the job really well. CoD mobile with Max settings works really well. There were a few frame drops once the phone heated up, but nothing major. 

Given that Apple is positioning its new iPhones as the All-in-one creator-centric device, I used Adobe Premier Rush to render a quick 4K video, and the phone handled it with ease. I even hooked it up to a monitor using a USB C Cable for live preview when using the App, and even that task was a breeze for the iPhone 16. Staying on the topic of content creation with the iPhone 16, let's talk about its camera performance.

Apple iPhone 16 Camera – One for the creators in the market

The Apple iPhone 16 comes with a dual camera setup in the back, with a 12MP ultrawide shooter complimenting the 48 MP main shooter, both of which are pretty much the same as the iPhone 15. The iPhone 16's camera shined bright in well-lit environments, be it selfies, portraits or scenery shots taken on the phone. 

As you can see in the camera samples, the edge detection in natural light portraits is fairly on point, and the details and the dynamic range in complex scenarios are pretty well presented. In night-time photography, though, the Apple iPhone 16 struggled a bit.

When shooting complex scenes, the phone retained details and the dynamic range pretty well, but as you can see in this picture of my Jordans, there was pretty bad artifacting taking place when I switched to the ultra-wide camera. The phone tried to detail the shoe but failed spectacularly. I switched on the flash in favour of the 3-second shutter speed, and the results improved immediately.

As for the videos, the iPhone 16 pretty much does the job really well when it comes to recording videos. The videos are sharp, have detail in well-lit conditions, and a little bit of noise that creeps in at night or in poorly lit environments, but all in all, it is manageable. All in all, the iPhone’s prowess as a camera-centric phone, which has the potential to be a one-stop destination for creators, is shining through on the Apple iPhone 16.

The camera app itself has gotten a fair bit of customisations for the power users out there, bagging a few brownie points for Apple here. 

Battery life

The Apple iPhone 16 packs a 3561 mAh battery capable of fast charging which will top up the battery to 50 per cent in just half an hour. In real-world applications, using a 45W PD charger, I was able to charge the phone from zero to 100 in 98 minutes. If you are a fan of wireless charging, then you will get 25W of fast charging using the MagSafe puck, and 15W with a Qi2 certified charger.

Again, for the fan of the stats, the Apple iPhone 16 in our test, lasted around 18 hours in our 4K video loop test and reported fairly minimal drops in battery in our gaming and GPS navigation tests.

In real world, this translates to about one and a half days of power if you are a light user, mostly texting on your phone and in a good cellular and WiFi reception area. If you are a power user, shooting, editing and gaming on your iPhone 16, then you might be able to squeeze out about 7-8 hours of battery with some power management.

Verdict

So, should you buy the Apple iPhone 16?

The answer is YES, and NO. 

Yes, for the folks who are looking for the latest and greatest iPhones in their pocket, which perform better than what they would need in the real world, and it is also a capable camera and content creation tool. The camera app has a set of new features that will let you move back to the native app if you are someone who likes granular control over your videos and photos. The microphone's also fairly well-tuned to capture audio to compliment your videos well.

But, if Apple Intelligence was a selling point for you, I would say wait. Until Apple releases the full version of Apple Intelligence globally, you should not bother getting the Apple iPhone 16. By the time it rolls around, you will see a couple of online sales pass by and the price will drop. Then it would make sense to invest your hard-earned money towards the "latest and greatest" iPhone.

At their Glowtime Event in September, Apple unveiled their latest lineup of iPhones, their new Apple Watch Series 10 and the refreshed Apple AirPods 4, which now come with ANC. The launch event had a mixed bag of reactions coming from the fans. 

Even the Apple fanboys were in split minds about the new launches, especially the AirPods 4 with ANC. Given that they have a half-in-ear design, the efficacy of the ANC and the sound reproduction were things that everyone wanted to evaluate and see how they performed. They are packing the new H2 headphone chip and a price tag of ₹17,900, which pits them against some of the best offerings from competitors outside the Apple ecosystem.

While the other two devices, the iPhones and the Watch Series 10, are being put through the churner at the Digit Test Labs, I finalised my review of the Apple AirPods 4 with ANC and here’s what I found out –

Apple AirPods 4 follow the Apple design book to the T

The design of the Apple AirPods 4 is not much of a departure from that of the other earbuds in Apple’s lineup. The case has a familiar feel to it, though much narrower now, and the quality of materials is in line with that of the Apple AirPods Pro Gen 2, Apple’s flagship TWS and my daily drivers. Having used the AirPods Pro Gen 2 for a couple of years, the number of scratches that the case has picked up, brings the glossy finish of the new Apple AirPods 4 into the radar of my scrutiny. So be careful when using these in-ear earphones. Either plop them in a case or use them with utmost care.

Out of the box, the case looks beautiful and is a treat to the eyes with its monochrome white finish and a nice metal accent on the hinge at the back. Apple has also done away with the paring button on these in-ear earphones, which eliminates a place where, over time, there was scope for dust and gunk to get caught in.

The case has a nice heft to it and, in typical AirPods fashion, is fairly easy to open. Kudos to Apple.

Now, coming to my second gripe with the design of the Apple AirPods 4. The design of the earbuds. Apple has retained the overall form factor of the earbuds, but instead of going with an in-ear design, they opted for a half-in-ear design, eliminating the driver duct. This means that the fit of the TWS will not be as comfortable or universally adaptable for many consumers. 

This kind of earbud design is a pure gamble from brands in the modern age. Many manufacturers who use this design language tend to skip out on ANC because this kind of design is a hit and a miss for many, meaning that users who do not get a good fit will have to settle with sub-par ANC.

That was the case with me. Neither I nor the folks whom I passed these TWS to got a great seal, meaning the ANC performance of the AirPods 4 suffered. More on that later. Even when I forced these earbuds into my ear, the fit got slightly better, but the seal was not what I would get with a pair of truly in-ear earphones, and my ear started hurting. 

I was also scared of these earbuds falling off most of the time. Here, I would like to quote what I wrote in my review of the Nothing Ear (stick), another half-in-ear design earphones from a prominent brand – “Now we understand that this issue is very subjective, and there would be individuals who find the fit super secure. But when you are looking at a product that has been made for the masses, we believe that a design with a more universal fit would be the better way to go.”

TL;DR

The case is well-built but will pick up scratches in the long term. You should definitely try the Apple AirPods 4 before buying to ensure that the fit is good for your ear shape.

Did they do a good job with the features?

In terms of features, the Apple AirPods 4 are packed with a solid feature set, which might not justify the price, but they do improve the day-to-day user experience of these TWS earphones. All the controls and customisations are tied into the Settings menu, which means that if you are planning to use these TWS earphones with a non-Apple device, then you won’t be able to access any of them. There are workarounds, but the route to attaining access to the features of the AirPods 4 is so convoluted that by the time you get around to getting your AirPods to work with an Android phone or a Windows/Linux PC, you would have sunk in enough time that you would be better off buying a pair of TWS from another brand. 

*insert the Apple Ecosystem rant here*

Moving on. When you are in the ecosystem, you will have access to a ton of well-implemented features. Here’s a quick overview of my thoughts on the features of the Apple AirPods 4 with ANC –

TL;DR

The Apple AirPods 4 fit right into the ecosystem without skipping a beat. You get a well-implemented and flagship-esque feature set. But, these TWS earphones are rendered useless when connected to a non-Apple device.

Performance – And engineering marvel, and the only saving grace

The performance of the Apple AirPods 4 was what I was the most keen to test; mainly because they have a half-in-ear-design. I have said it in almost all my reviews: ensuring a good fit is the key to getting good performance out of your personal audio products, both in terms of sound quality and ANC, if the device comes with this.

Apple added ANC to their base AirPods for the first time with this iteration, so I was keen to see how it fares in our tests.

Let’s start with the sound signature test of the Apple AirPods 4. The bass roll-off was what I expected to be the weak link when it came to the sound signature of the Apple AirPods because of their half-in-ear design. However, as you can see in the sound signature graph below, Apple has worked wonders with the sound signature of the AirPods 4.

They are far better than any other half-in-ear earbuds that I have listened to and definitely outperform one of the few half-in-ear earbuds to have hit the shelves in the last couple of years, the Nothing Ear (stick).

The bass has a fair amount of presence in tracks, and bass-heavy tracks like Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars do not sound hollow. The mids come fairly close to the base-line reading of the Pink Noise, which represents a flat sound signature, and when you get to the highs, you have a fairly significant boost, signalling an overpowering presence of sibilants in the sound coming from the AirPods 4. However, in the real world, the boost manifests itself in increased clarity of the instruments falling in that range. Truly an engineering feat by Apple.

The typical response of these TWS earphones makes them a perfect fit for genres where the vocals shine through, and metal and percussion instruments are also mastered with increased emphasis, including, but not limited to, classical, rock and metal.

In terms of the staging, the lack of the perfect seal, which you would get from a pair of in-ear earphones, means that the sound stage of the Apple AirPods 4 is relatively more open than their in-ear cousins. And, thanks to the inclusion of Spatial Audio, the staging is immaculate if you keep it in fixed mode. If you are switching to head-tracked Spatial Audio, then my friend, you are in for some rather unspectacular surprises.

With that out of the way, let’s look at how the Apple AirPods 4 fared in terms of their ANC.

While I did not get the best possible fit at all times, when I managed to push them into my ears to get me a decent enough seal, my mind was blown away by the ANC capabilities of these earphones. Thanks to the H2 chip, which is under the hood of Apple’s other flagships, you understand why Apple would dare to take the leap and add ANC to these earphones, which have a half-in-ear design. 

On a recent flight, I carried my AirPods Pro 2nd Gen and the AirPods 4 to test, and the difference between the performance of the two, when the AirPods 4 had a good seal, was minimal. So, once you have tried them out and ensured that you are getting a good fit, the Apple AirPods 4 will not let you down with their ANC.

Lastly, the microphone performance of the Apple AirPods 4. I tested these earphones in a variety of different environments, and they held their own most of the time. But, what took me aback was their performance in the noisy office environment. When I was speaking rather quietly, the earphones picked a lot of noise around me, but when I was loud, to the point where I saw a few eyebrows raised around me, the earbuds cancelled noise as well as they did in most other environments. I am rather not doing justice to how stark the difference was, when expressing it in words, so listen for yourself –

TL;DR

If you manage to get a good fit, the Apple AirPods 4 will not disappoint you with their sound signature, which is a good fit for genres like metal, classical and rock music, where the vocals and percussion instruments, along with their sibilant brethren shine through. The ANC will hold its own, given a good fit, and the microphone will need a fairly loud input from you to be able to cancel out the background noise in busy environments.

What about the battery life of the Apple AirPods 4?

In terms of the battery life, there is not much to write home about. I can call it mediocre at best. Apple claims that these earphones will last up to 4 hours on a single charge with ANC on, and it came fairly close to matching what is already a mediocre battery life claim to begin with.

In my tests, where I played a plink noise loop on these earbuds with ANC on and volume set to 50 per cent, the AirPods 4 lasted around 3.5 hours, which is honestly disappointing. Add the other trinkets, like Spatial Audio with head tracking and Adaptive Audio, and you will see barely 2.5 to 3 hours of battery life. At least, that is what my mileage was in my time of use.

TL;DR

The battery life on the AirPods 4 in our standard test came to be about 3.5 hours, which can be considered mediocre at best.

Should you buy the Apple AirPods 4 with ANC?

The bottom line with the Apple AirPods 4 is – Only buy it if you want to stay in the Apple Ecosystem and do not want to spend an arm and a leg for a pair of the Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Generation, which two years after its launch is retailing only a couple of thousand bucks off its launch price. Or you cannot stand TWS with in-ear design and you own an iPhone or a Mac or an iPad.  

The fit is tricky to sit well with a majority of people; the case has a glossy finish, which attracts a lot of scratches, and the battery life is mediocre at best. What you are getting is fairly solid sound and ANC for a pair of half-in-ear earphones. If you are willing to spend ₹17,900 for this, please don’t.

Buy a cheaper pair of TWS earphones with a half-in-ear design like the Nothing Ear (stick), or just go for a much better sounding and widely compatible pair like the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro2 (which is MUCH cheaper than the AirPods or the Sony WF-1000XM5, which are literally the best pair of earphones you can get your hands on under 20K if you manage to get the right offers online, at least at the time of writing. Or just hit us up on our Instagram handle, @digit.in, and we will give you a list of in-ear earphones that are better than the AirPods. And, trust me, you will get used to the design pretty quickly.

Marshall has been synonymous with making some of the best-sounding and looking audio products for some time now. From their guitar amplifiers, which are a staple in the setup of many musicians, to speakers and headphones, which are conversation starters, the brand has cemented a reputation of its own in the audio market. Whenever they launch a new product, the expectations are set pretty high. So, when the Marshall Major V, their latest on-ear headphones, showed up at the Digit Test Centre, the first thing that came to my mind was whether they will uphold the legacy that is built by the brand and also make a space of their own in the already competitive personal audio space. As always, I put them through our tests, and here’s what I found out – 

Build and Design

In terms of the build and design, Marshall has its A game on all the time. The Marshall Major V is a looker. The leather finish on the headband and the earcups give the headphones the traditional Marshall look and feel, and the metallic adjustment mechanism lends them amazing durability. The cans are made out of plastic; however, the quality of the material ensures that you are not left wanting for added durability when using the headphones. Add to that the tactile and responsive buttons, and you will get a fairly solid pair of headphones.

The design, as I mentioned earlier, ensures that the headphones look exactly like a pair of Marshall headphones. They are lightweight, and you will have no issues wearing them for long periods of time. However, for some people, getting the right clamping force might be tricky, so try them out before taking the plunge. The main reason for ensuring that you get the right clamping force is that without that, you will not get the bass response that you would desire from these headphones.

As for the padding on the earcups, it is really well done, and the foam is nice and squishy, ensuring that you get the best seal possible around your ears. The headband might look like it does not have enough foam to prevent it from digging into your skull. However, the overall weight and over-ear design of the headphones means that you don’t need to worry about it at all.

If you are using them as your daily commute companion, then these headphones will not let you down in terms of their portability. They fold into a fairly compact package and will fit in most of the pockets of your backpack.

Nothing to complain about here.

Features

Coming to the features on the Marshall Major V, there is not much to write home about. Traditional brands like Marshall, always prioritise the sound before padding the specs sheets with features and gimmicks that might serve little to no purpose in daily use. The same is the case with the Marshall Major V.

Unlike some of the more mainstream offerings, these headphones lack the bells and whistles, but they make up for that with the fact that whatever features are there, they are really well implemented through the Marshall Bluetooth App. Here’s a quick overview of the features and my thoughts on it –

Performance

The performance of the Marshall Major V was a mixed bag for me.

The sound signature of these headphones has a U-shaped curve, which is ideal for catering to a variety of musical genres. Mind you, the headphones were measured out of the box, and you can change the EQ curve to match your liking. Coming back to the sound representation on these headphones.

With the pre-configured EQ preset, these headphones sounded fairly hollow to me. While there was detail, the bass representation was lacklustre, and the headphones also struggled in representing some instruments in the 125Hz to the 1kHz range. That, coupled with the staging of these headphones, which is fairly intimate, makes you feel there is something left to be desired from the sound. This is especially true when listening to tracks like Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars, where I felt the bass to be lacking a little bit. Even tracks like Rescue Me by OneRepublic threw me off, and I had to go into the EQ to change the preset to Mid-Boost, which brought back the crispy vocals that are present on the track.

However, when it comes to the imaging of the vocals and stereo separation, these headphones hit the ball out of the park. I experienced some of the best stereo separations in this price range on the Marshall Major V. I took them out for a spin in a game of Rise of the Tomb Raider, and these headphones blew me off with the accuracy of their directional audio. Additionally, the imaging of the vocals in movies and that of the meal instruments is something that you definitely will be a fan of if you get to experience these headphones. The arrival of these headphones at the Digit Test Labs coincided with the return of Linkin Park, and I couldn’t stop myself from rocking out to their tracks with these headphones!

The bottom line with these headphones is that if you are a fan of music that has a lot of sibilants and bright vocals, for example, genres like metal, rock, and classical, you will be pretty impressed by what these headphones have to offer right off the bat. For others, you will have to tinker with the EQ to dial in the right settings to ensure that you are getting the best out of them.

Battery Life

The Marshall Major V headphones are one of the longest-lasting headphones that I have ever come across. They claim to have a battery life of over a 100 hours, and during my time of using these headphones and testing them with the volume set to 50 per cent, they lasted about 80 odd hours, which is impressive. A lot of this success in terms of battery life can be attributed to the lack of ANC. However, we have seen headphones without ANC last for a significantly shorter period of time than the Marshalls. So, kudos to the brand!

These headphones also have wireless charging baked into them, which is a plus, and when you are out of charge, you can juice up these headphones, as claimed by Marshall, to get up to 15 hours of battery life in just 15 minutes of charge. And, if you are a purist, and would like to go the wired route, then there’s the included AUX cable as well.

Verdict

The bottom line with the Marshall Major V is that these headphones, while not being the best value-for-money device in this price range, do hold their own. They come with exceptional battery life and a fairly versatile sound signature, which, in daily use, would fit the bill for most people. There is something left to be desired for the purists and the folks who would expect these headphones to hit the mark right off the bat, considering they are from Marshall; however, if you are willing to tinker with the EQ, you can dial in the performance of these headphones to meet all your expectations.

At ₹14,999, they might be slightly heavy on the pocket for some, in which case, you can look at the Sony WH-CH720N. They have an over-ear design, come with ANC, powerful sound, and great battery life in their weight class. 

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The Tecno Pova 6 Neo makes a strong impression as an affordable AI smartphone, packed with some noteworthy features for its price segment. With a sleek design and a large 6.67-inch display, it looks premium. Priced at Rs 12,999, the Pova 6 Neo 5G phone is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset, ensuring good performance for casual tasks and light gaming. One of the standout features is its 108MP AI rear camera, which performs well in good lighting.

In this review, we'll take a closer look at the Tecno Pova 6 Neo to see if it's worth considering. We'll evaluate its performance, battery life, and overall value to help you decide if it's the right choice for you.

Tecno Pova 6 Neo: Build & Design

The Tecno Pova 6 Neo has a design that feels both functional and stylish, balancing between modern aesthetics and user comfort. The phone features a boxy body with rounded corners, ensuring a comfortable grip without any sharp edges. It’s lightweight, making it easy to hold and use for extended periods.

I had the opportunity to review the Aurora Cloud variant, and its matte finish on the plastic back panel stands out—attractive yet practical, as it resists fingerprints well.

The camera module is neatly integrated into the back that adds a touch of elegance to the overall design. Although slightly raised, it blends smoothly with the phone’s minimalist aesthetic. While the Pova 6 Neo may not flaunt premium build material, it still offers a refined look, thanks to the subtle glittery finish on its back panel. 

Tecno Pova 6 Neo: Display

The Tecno Pova 6 Neo comes with a 6.67-inch IPS LCD display, and while it supports a 120Hz refresh rate, its brightness is less impressive. In my testing using a Lux Meter, the display showcased a peak brightness of just 231 nits. This is noticeably lower, and as a result, you might struggle to view the screen under direct sunlight, which can be frustrating for outdoor use. 

While the screen delivers decent clarity for everyday tasks and casual media consumption, the HD+ resolution at 720x1600 pixels feels slightly underwhelming. The colours are also fairly accurate. That said, the high refresh rate ensures smooth scrolling and responsive touch interactions.

Tecno Pova 6 Neo: Performance

The Tecno Pova 6 Neo is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset, which is decent for day-to-day tasks but falls short when compared to other phones in its price range, like the Poco M6 Plus and iQOO Z9x 5G. The latest Tecno phone offers up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of expandable storage.

In my testing, the Pova 6 Neo scored 4,35,258 points on AnTuTu and 733 points in the Geekbench single-core test, with a multi-core score of 1,900. These scores are lower than its competitors, which translates into noticeable performance gaps, especially during demanding tasks like gaming or heavy multitasking. 

It’s important to note that extended gaming sessions also caused the device to heat up, which might be a concern for gamers looking for long hours of play without interruption.

Tecno Pova 6 Neo: Camera

The Tecno Pova 6 Neo offers a modest camera setup, but the inclusion of a 108MP main sensor sets it apart. This 108MP sensor is supported by AI that helps enhance image quality by improving details and colours, especially in well-lit environments. Photos taken with the primary sensor are sharp, with vibrant colours and details, making it a good option for casual photography. In low-light settings, however, the performance is average. The Night Mode helps to some extent, but the images still tend to lose clarity. 

On the front, you get an 8MP selfie shooter which is capable of capturing details in good lighting but struggles a little bit in dim conditions. 

So, overall, the 108MP sensor is a standout feature for a budget phone like the Tecno Pova 6 Neo, but the overall camera experience, particularly in low-light environments, leaves room for improvement.

Tecno Pova 6 Neo: Battery and Charging

The Tecno Pova 6 Neo is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery, offering ample capacity for usage throughout the day. However, it only supports 18W fast charging. During my testing, the phone took around 110 minutes to charge from 0% to 100%, which is a bit on the slower side for modern smartphones.

In terms of battery performance, the Pova 6 Neo holds up fairly well under different usage conditions. After a 15-minute session of Call of Duty: Mobile, the battery dropped by just 4%, indicating good power efficiency for gaming. When using Google Maps for an hour, the battery drained by 6%, which is decent for GPS usage, a typically power-hungry task.

While the slower charging speed may be a drawback for some users, the overall battery performance remains reliable.

Tecno Pova 6 Neo: AI features

The Tecno Pova 6 Neo impresses with its range of AI features, designed to enhance user experience without breaking the bank. Among the standout features are the AIGC Portrait, AI Cutout, AI Eraser, AI Wallpaper 2.0, AI Artboard, and the Ask AI feature. These functionalities enable users to generate animated portraits, create cutouts from photos, and even experiment with dynamic wallpapers.

Below are few portraits generated using AIGC Portrait:

However, while the intention behind these features is commendable, their execution can be hit or miss. For instance, the AIGC Portraits can feel more like animated stickers than true representations, and the AI Eraser sometimes leaves behind traces rather than providing a clean finish. The AI Wallpaper feature adds a fun twist, though it lacks accuracy, making it more of an entertaining novelty than a must-have tool.

So, I think that while the AI features of the Tecno Pova 6 Neo may not be perfect, they showcase Tecno’s ambition to offer AI features at a budget price.

Tecno Pova 6 Neo: Verdict

The Tecno Pova 6 Neo 5G stands out in the budget smartphone segment, offering an appealing mix of design and features for its price of Rs 12,999. With its sleek build, large 6.67-inch display, and the 108MP AI rear camera, it captures the attention of those seeking a capable device for casual use and photography. The MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset provides good performance for everyday tasks, making it a suitable option for users who primarily engage in light gaming and social media browsing.

However, there are notable drawbacks to consider. The display's brightness may leave users wanting more, particularly when using the phone outdoors. Additionally, the slower 18W charging speed could be inconvenient for those on the go. 

In summary, the Tecno Pova 6 Neo offers good value for those looking for a stylish and feature-rich smartphone on a budget. While it has its limitations, it can be a good choice for casual users and those wanting to explore AI features without breaking the bank.

The Asus Zenbook S 14 is the first laptop based on the latest Intel Lunar Lake platform, running on the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V SoC. We reviewed the Asus Zenbook S16 last month, which was based on the latest AMD Ryzen AI 300 platform. At that time, we compared the AMD Ryzen AI 300-based laptop to the last-gen Intel Meteor Lake platform and the Qualcomm Snapdragon X-Elite platform. With Intel's latest offering on our test bench, we now have the opportunity to see how the Intel Lunar Lake platform stacks up against Qualcomm and AMD. Before we delve into the test results, let's look at the specifications and features on offer.

Specifications and Features of the Asus Zenbook S 14 OLED

• Model Name: ASUS Zenbook S 14 OLED (UX5406SA)
• Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 258V Processor (Series 2), 8 cores (4P+4E)
• RAM: 32GB LPDDR5X (Onboard)
• Graphics: Intel Arc 140V (8-core GPU)
• Display: 14.0-inch touch-enabled, 3K (2880 x 1800) OLED, 16:10 aspect ratio, 120Hz refresh rate, 400 nits claimed brightness (500 nits HDR peak), 100% DCI-P3 color gamut
• Storage: 1TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 SSD
• Battery: 72Wh lithium-polymer battery
• Weight: 1.20 kg
• Dimensions: 31.15 x 21.39 x 1.19 ~ 1.29 cm
• Webcam: ASUS AiSense FHD Camera
• Connectivity:
  • 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
  • 2x Thunderbolt 4 Type-C (supports display and power delivery)
  • 1x HDMI 2.1
  • 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
• Wireless Connectivity: Tri-band Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) + Bluetooth® 5.4
• Audio: Quad speakers certified by Harman Kardon with Dolby Atmos support
• Adapter: 65W Type-C® power adapter
• Color: Zumaia Gray
• Pricing: ₹1,49,990

The Intel Core Ultra 7 258V chip in the Asus Zenbook S 14 is not the top-of-the-line variant in the Core Ultra 200 series: it's a mid-tier option. Meanwhile, the other laptops being compared in our review of the Asus Zenbook S 14 run on top-tier variants, if not the absolute highest. This is an important aspect of this review and shapes how we interpret the comparison—the numbers here don't reflect the maximum possible performance one can expect from Intel Lunar Lake-based laptops. During the Intel Lunar Lake performance and benchmarking sessions, we attended earlier this month, Intel claimed to have the fastest single-core performance and integrated graphics performance on Windows. We've seen Intel achieve class-leading single-core performance on Windows before; however, the claim of graphics performance supremacy was certainly a direct challenge to AMD's Ryzen AI 300 series. In our last iGPU tests across Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm, AMD managed to edge out the competition.

Asus made it clear that the Zenbook S 14 is not aimed at casual gaming but is focused on being a premium thin-and-light offering that emphasizes performance and efficiency. However, given that Intel's significant advancements with Lunar Lake revolve around iGPU and AI performance, we were keen to test the iGPU's prowess—and what better way than gaming benchmarks? Besides graphics performance, another major highlight with Lunar Lake is efficiency; Intel is confident that Lunar Lake laptops can deliver 20+ hours of battery life in real-world scenarios. Let's take a look at how the Asus Zenbook S 14, equipped with the latest Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) processor and the new Intel Arc 140V integrated GPU based on Intel's Xe2 architecture, performs against its competition. We ran a suite of CPU, GPU, and AI performance benchmarks to assess the capabilities of the Asus Zenbook S 14.

CPU Performance
With fewer cores and no multithreading support, multicore performance is not the strong suit of the Intel Lunar Lake chip. However, it compensates with very strong single-core performance. Interestingly, the performance remained consistent whether the laptop was on battery or plugged into a power source. This consistency was observed across all benchmarks, including gaming tests. The multicore performance gap is a point of concern, given that the Intel Lunar Lake laptop performs lower than the previous-generation Meteor Lake laptop.

Clearly, when it comes to CPU performance, Intel has prioritized efficiency and power management over raw multicore performance. And we understand why. With Lunar Lake, Intel aims to prove that you can achieve class-leading battery life on x86-based laptops.

GPU Performance
Here's where things get particularly interesting. The Asus Zenbook S 14 topped the charts in synthetic GPU benchmarks, and by a comfortable margin. The Intel Arc 140V is undeniably a fast and capable integrated GPU, redefining expectations for a 28W chip. The performance numbers were identical when tested on battery power. In some cases, we were pleasantly surprised to see the on-battery performance slightly surpassing that when plugged in.

In gaming tests, the narrative remains consistent. The Asus Zenbook S 14, while not designed or marketed for gaming, is one of the fastest laptops we've tested in terms of iGPU performance. Achieving this at a 28W TDP is very impressive.

AI Performance
We installed the Procyon Professional Benchmarking Suite and ran its AI Image Generation Benchmark, which employs the Stable Diffusion 1.5 (FP16) model. This benchmark generates 16 images in batches of four and returns a score based on the time taken to produce them.

Being a GPU-intensive AI task, the Intel Lunar Lake chip leveraged its performance advantage, excelling in the AI image generation tests by a significant margin.

Battery Life
Intel clearly had efficiency in mind, and it shows in our battery test results. We evaluated the Zenbook S 14's battery life using the Procyon Video Playback battery test, which continuously loops video playback until the battery drains to 5%. Impressively, the Zenbook S 14 lasted for 15 hours and 50 minutes. This surpasses our previous best-tested score of 13 hours and 15 minutes on the Qualcomm Snapdragon X-Elite-powered Asus Vivobook S15. It also outperformed the AMD Ryzen AI 300-based Asus Zenbook S16 by an even larger margin. All three laptops have similar battery capacities—the Qualcomm-powered Asus Vivobook S15 and the Zenbook S 14 house 70Wh and 72Wh batteries respectively, while the AMD-powered Zenbook S16 has a slightly larger 78Wh battery.

Even during regular use—testing, benchmarking, and running multiple applications simultaneously—we didn't need to reach for a charger all day. This truly is an all-day battery life laptop without any application limitations, which speaks volumes about its power efficiency. Intel has delivered a competitive platform that goes head-to-head with Qualcomm's ARM-based Windows laptops, offering excellent battery life, especially when considering the app compatibility and performance optimizations inherent to the x86 platform compared to ARM-based Windows laptops in their current state.

Display and Sound
The 14.0-inch, 3K (2880 x 1800) OLED touch-enabled display on the Asus Zenbook S 14 impressed us with its color accuracy and overall performance. Our display tests confirmed that the Zenbook S 14 delivers on its promise of a 100% DCI-P3 color gamut. Asus claims a peak brightness of 400 nits; our measurements revealed a maximum brightness of 364 nits when testing the display across the center and corners. The color accuracy is also noteworthy, with an average Delta E (deviation) of 1.7, which is impressive. The display is bright, color-accurate, and sharp.

The speakers on this super thin and compact laptop sound surprisingly clear with good separation. Sure, they are not the loudest of all the laptops we've tested, but they are loud enough while being very crisp and wholesome. Even at max volumes, there is very little distortion and the sound doesn't just get loud, it also improves on the impact. For its size and profile, the Asus Zenbook S 14 will surprise with its audio fidelity.

Design, Build Quality, and Thermal Management
The Asus Zenbook S 14 essentially sports the same design we saw in the Zenbook S 16, featuring the unique "Ceraluminum" finish that sets it apart. The Zenbook S 14 brings this cutting-edge design to a more compact form factor. The 14-inch variant retains the smooth matte ceramic-like finish on the lid, offering both ruggedness and elegance. Weighing just 1.2 kg with a slim profile of 1.1 cm, this laptop is exceptionally portable without compromising performance, as evidenced by our test results. The geometric grille design inside features 2,715 CNC-machined cooling vents, which are claimed to enhance thermal efficiency. ASUS's ambient cooling system, with dual fans and an ultra-slim vapor chamber, ensures quiet operation while maintaining an optimal 28-watt TDP without throttling. The all-metal body and premium materials make it stand out in the thin-and-light category, combining performance, design, portability, and efficiency in a masterfully crafted package.

During our testing, we never encountered excessive heat or thermal throttling issues. Given the slim and compact profile of the laptop, Asus has done an excellent job with thermal management. Most of the heat was confined to the topmost part of the laptop—the area above the keyboard. The palm rest and keyboard remained comfortable even under heavy loads. The thermal performance of the Asus Zenbook S 14 also highlights Intel's excellent power efficiency and thermal management with the Lunar Lake platform.

In Conclusion
The Asus ZenBook S 14, powered by Intel's Lunar Lake platform, offers exceptional efficiency and performance in a thin-and-light laptop. Its standout feature is the nearly 16-hour battery life in video playback tests. While its mid-tier Intel Core Ultra 7 258V processor doesn't lead in multicore performance, it excels in single-core tasks and everyday computing. The integrated Intel Arc 140V GPU delivers a great show when it comes to gaming as well as GPU-centric AI and creative workloads. Weighing just 1.2 kg with a sleek design and Ceraluminum finish, along with a vibrant 14-inch 3K OLED display, it balances performance, battery life, and design—making it an excellent choice for users seeking portability and efficiency.

After streamlining its primary focus on professional-grade audio products, Sennheiser has launched quite a few headphones that have impressed consumers in India and pushed the boundaries of innovation. The first one that comes to mind is the Sennheiser HD 490 Pro. That pair of headphones still stands as one of the best pairs for daily use that I have come across. With their swappable earpads, the headphones not only appealed to the purists but were also appreciated by everyday users who would want a slightly bass-heavy response from their headphones. The Sennheiser HD 620S comes in right after that launch, with the promise of continuing the same multi-user appeal with them.

In their marketing material for the headphones, Sennheiser pushed the HD 620S as a pair which can emulate the performance of a pair of open-back headphones despite having a closed-back design. Additionally, they also positioned it to be a perfect fit for gamers and audiophiles alike. Floating on these lofty claims, the Sennheiser HD 620S made its way into the Digit Test Centre, and I put it through our test process to see whether or not they lived up to the expectations. Here’s what I found out –

Build and Design

If you have read my review of the last few Sennheiser products, including their consumer-grade products, one thing that you will find me raving about is their build quality. That is the same with the HD 620S. At first glance, they come across as a bulky pair that would cause headaches after a few hours of use. However, when you put it on, it is not the case.

These headphones weigh 670 grams, almost 1.5x more than any other pair that we have tested in the last couple of years. However, thanks to the amazing fit and the quality of the padding that has been used on these headphones, wearing them for extended periods of time is not at all uncomfortable. The earcups create a nice seal, assisting with the isolation of these headphones, and the padding on the headband ensures that they don’t dig into your skull.

When it comes to the build quality, these headphones carry the torch lit by their design team with all the glory. The housing of the earcups and the headband is made of solid plastic, which feels durable. To add to the overall sturdiness of the headphones, we get an aluminium in-lay in the headband. This is where my only gripe with the build of the headphones is – They are a little stiff to adjust. The adjustment mechanism has a fluid flow; however, it takes more force than I expected to make the adjustments.

Apart from that, Sennheiser did a solid job in the build and design department of the HD 620S.

Performance of the Sennheiser HD 620S speaks for itself

Usually, this is where you will find the features section of our reviews. However, with professional-grade headphones, you don’t get all the fancy bells and whistles that we see on consumer products. Hence, I skipped out on that. One thing that I would like to mention, though, before diving into the performance review of the Sennheiser HD 620S, is the cable that is included with these headphones is great for both professional and day-to-day use. Sennheiser has included its signature locking mechanism on the end of the cable that goes into the cans and a threaded connector on the end that goes into the source, which can be adapted from 3.5mm to a quarter-inch jack with the included adapter. 

With that out of the way, let’s dive into the performance.

When it comes to the sound signature, the we get what I call the Sennheiser sound. The lows and the mids come fairly close to our baseline flat response which we recorded using Pink Noise, and the highs are boosted to give the sound a brightness which no manufacturer does better in my opinion. In isolation, this sound is what you would expect from a pair of Sennheiser headphones, and the detailing and the staging is also similar to what I would get from a pair of closed back headphones – intimate and detailed.

The clarity of instruments is what you would expect from a pair that is meant to be carried to a studio and would fit the bill for almos every environment that it is put in. The headphones performance is also consistent and the snug fit of the cans ensures that you are blocking out most of the background noise coming your way.

I would particularly recommend these headphones to the fans of musical genres like classical, older pop, folk, and soul music. The frequency response of the HD 620S out of the box will fit the needs of the fans of these genres. Others might have to play around with the EQ a little.

Overall, in terms of performance, the Sennheiser expertise in building great audio products shines through!

Should you buy the Sennheiser HD 620S?

What the Sennheiser HD 620S bring to the table in terms of raw performance and quality is something I would say is worth spending your money on. At the time of writing, these headphones were retailing at around ₹27,990, and for that price tag, they are one of the best pair of headphones that can pull double duty for your production and music listening needs. They shine bright as their sound signature and live up to the legacy that Sennheiser has built over the years.

However, when you factor in the claims made by Sennheiser, things get a little dodgy. They positioned these headphones to be a perfect fit for gamers and audiophiles alike. However, while the latter group get what they would want from a pair of headphones that they can very well use in a production environment, the gamers are left desiring some much-needed rumble of the bass frequencies. The recessed bass on these headphones means that the action-packed scenes in games like Counter-Strike 2 were paler than I expected. Especially the sound of the AK and the AWP were harsher than I am used to, and the folks who are susceptible to headaches because of sibilance might also experience discomfort here.

Coming to the staging. Again, the claims showered on the fire that was burning bright. If Sennheiser had not said that these headphones with their closed-back design would be able to mimic their open-back counterparts, there would have been nothing to complain about. However, their claims, raised the bar of expectations, which was not met. The sound staging is intimate, which is great for a pair of closed-back headphones, but Sennheiser claimed that they were going for a bigger sound stage, mimicking that of an open-back pair, and they faltered, I must say.

If you can look past the claims and take the headphones for what they are, a great closed-back pair of professional headphones, then the decision of buying the Sennheiser HD 620S is a no-brainer. Read the marketing materials, and you will have to manage your expectations.

Acer ALG is a "new" lineup of pocket-friendly gaming laptops from Acer. We say "new" because the ALG stands for Aspire Lite Gaming, so it's technically a rebranding of Acer's Aspire Gaming lineup of laptops. Priced at just ₹64,999, the Acer ALG is a budget contender in a competitive laptop market, hoping to blend performance with affordability. Of course, we’re going to find out if it successfully manages to do so in this review. So let’s dive in, starting off with the specifications. 

Acer ALG AL15G-52 Specs at a glance

Processor: Intel Core i5-12450H
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU
VRAM: 6 GB GDDR6
TGP: 75 W
Memory: 16 GB DDR4-3200
Storage: 512 GB NVMe SSD (Expandable)
Display: 15.6-inch, FHD (1080p) IPS Display, 144 Hz Refresh Rate
Price: ₹64,999

Acer ALG AL15G-52 Build and Design

At a glance, you wouldn't really think that this was a gaming laptop. The Acer ALG AL15G-52 features a sleek and subtle steel grey finish. The aluminium lid is raised towards the centre and has ridges which causes parts of the lid to reflect light at different angles. While the effect is nice this design does cause the lid to flex a lot. The hinge is fairly sturdy, and doesn’t wobble too much. The laptop is fairly easy to open as well, and can be opened with one hand.

The keyboard on the ALG offers good travel and feedback, and is similar to what Acer offers with the Nitro series. You get a full-sized keyboard, numpad included, and the spacing is decent as well. The overall gaming and typing experience is good.

Connectivity

Coming to input and output options, you’ve got one USB-A 3.2 port, one USB-A 2.0 port, two USB-C 3.2 ports, an HDMI 2.0 port, an ethernet port, a microSD card reader, and two 3.5mm jacks, one for headphones and one for a microphone. We would say this is a pretty good selection of ports at this price.

Acer ALG AL15G-52 Display

Coming to the display, the Acer ALG features a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS panel with a refresh rate of 144 Hz. During our testing, we tested a peak average brightness of 281 nits, which is about standard in this price range. Coming to colour accuracy, we tested 63.4 percent sRGB and 45.3 percent DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage. You won’t usually find colour accurate displays on gaming laptops at this price, and what the ALG does offer will more than suffice for your gaming and media consumption needs.

Acer ALG AL15G-52 Performance

With that we come to the performance. Taking a look at the specs once again, we have a 12th gen Intel Core i5-12450H paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU. The RTX 3050 comes with 6GB of VRAM as opposed to 4GB which is nice. The TGP is 75 W, which isn’t the highest TGP that an RTX 3050 can go to, but the difference in performance between this and a 95 W RTX 3050 isn’t much, at least in terms of real-world performance. It falls slightly behind in synthetic gaming benchmarks, but there are other factors that contribute to this, like the slower 16 GB of DDR4-3200 RAM in the Acer ALG which is much slower than the DDR5 present in some gaming laptops in this price range.

The 12th gen i5-12450H is a solid entry-level processor, and the processor and productivity benchmarks were pretty much middle of the pack across the board.

Like we mentioned earlier, the DDR4 RAM on the Acer ALG is on the slower side, possibly among the slowest we’ve tested in this segment this year. Fortunately that doesn’t seem to have affected the gaming performance too much.

Starting off with synthetic benchmarks, for which we’ve used 3DMark, once again, the Acer ALG scores within expectations, leaning towards higher scores, especially when compared to gaming laptops offering RTX 2050s in the same price range. However, it falls slightly short when compared to other RTX 3050 laptops in the segment.

In real-world gaming however, this gap is much shorter, and in some cases non-existent. As you can see, FPS numbers are solid across the board. Even Cyberpunk 2077 will give you around 30 FPS with RTX on which is nice. You should easily be able to play most modern AAA titles at medium to high settings without much trouble.

Thermals

We recorded an average surface temperature of 34 degrees Celsius during our stress testing of Acer ALG with the hottest spot being the central IJKL cluster at around 45 degrees Celsius. During our CPU stress test, the CPU hit 86 degrees Celsius which is within expectations. During the Unigine Valley stress test, the GPU hit a peak temperature of 78 degrees Celsius.

Acer ALG AL15G-52 Verdict

The Acer ALG AL15G-52 is a solid pick for budget gamers and students, offering great performance and value for just ₹64,999. The Intel Core i5-12450H and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 on this laptop can handle most modern games on medium to high settings without breaking a sweat. However, the slower RAM and slightly lower TGP on the RTX 3050 might hold it back a bit in more demanding games. Overall, it’s a strong choice if you’re looking for a gaming laptop that doesn’t cost a fortune.

Apple-owned Beats recently debuted four new audio products in India to much fanfare. Until now, Beats audio products were available in India only through third-party retailers. However, with these new launches, Apple is now selling Beats products directly to Indian consumers. I recently reviewed the Beats Pill portable speaker (review), and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it.

Naturally, I was excited to try the Beats Solo Buds, but my excitement quickly fizzled out when I learned just how many corners are cut. There’s no Active Noise Cancellation, multipoint connectivity, IP rating, and most shockingly, no battery inside the charging case. Given the state of the TWS market in 2024, it's a perplexing launch, where even budget products have—pardon my French—a sh$t tonne of premium features. So, let’s delve into my full review of the Beats Solo Buds to see if these earbuds have any redeeming qualities.

Beats Solo Buds Review: Build and Design

I think the build is one of the few redeeming qualities of the Beats Solo Buds. Given the case has no battery, it's one of the smallest you can find on the market; so, you can easily carry them wherever you go. The case (with the earbuds tucked in) weighs merely 22 g, so portability is a major positive here. The case is made entirely of plastic and feels well-built. The design is nothing to write home about, but it's functional.

The pill-shaped case features the Beats logo on the top and a USB C charging cable on the back. There’s no LED battery indicator or pairing button, but to be fair, the pairing process is extremely simple. More on that later.

As for the fit, these are one of the most comfortable pairs of TWS earbuds I’ve used in a while. The fit is extremely snug despite the lack of silicone wings. Given the snug fit, the passive isolation is excellent, which somewhat softens the blow of the lacking ANC.

However, the earbuds miss out on any official IP rating, so they’re not safe to wear in the gym or out in the rain. Overall, the Beats Solo Buds score high in portability and fit, but it misses out on a lot of creature comforts like an LED battery indicator and an official IP rating. But that’s not all it's missing…

What features?

There’s not much to say here. The Beats Solo Buds miss out on pretty much every feature you’ve come to expect from a good pair of TWS earphones in 2024. Even ones costing ₹1,000.

Let’s list out everything the Beats Solo Buds lack: Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency Mode, LED indicators, a battery inside the charging case, an IP rating, customisable controls, an equaliser in the app, high-resolution codecs support, on-ear detection, multipoint connectivity, wireless charging, low latency mode… do we need to go on?

The most glaring omission is the lack of a battery inside the charging case. Yes, the earbuds offer an impressive 18-hour battery life, but excluding a case battery, even for just one additional charge, seems unreasonable. Many earbuds with 8-10 hours of playtime offer 3-4 extra charges via their case, providing up to 40 hours of use. In comparison, this feels inadequate.

The Beats app is equally basic. Aside from checking the battery, renaming your earbuds, and choosing between volume control or voice assistant, there’s little else. There’s no sound customisation via equaliser or the ability to tweak controls.

On the plus side, fast pairing is supported on both Android and iOS and features like Find My and Find My Device are handy. But at ₹6,900, the lack of essential features for the price-conscious Indian market is hard to overlook.

Beats Solo Buds Review: Performance

The Beats Solo Buds come with 8.2 mm dynamic drivers and support SBC and AAC codecs, but the sound quality is middling at best. Additionally, the absence of higher-quality codecs like aptX or LDAC further hampers the audio experience on Android devices, which generally struggle with AAC.

The sound quality of the Beats Solo Buds is passable for casual listeners but it has notable limitations. The emphasis on the sub-bass from 20 Hz - 250 Hz, and the upper mids and highs from the 1 kHz - 4 kHz range leads to an imbalance in the overall sound quality. For instance, while vocals are more prominent, instruments like piano are subdued.

The lack of attention to the upper treble and low mids causes certain frequencies to get lost. Drum cymbals and higher-pitched sounds, for example, are much quieter, which can make the music feel less dynamic.

Moreover, the earbuds’ strong focus on upper mid-range and high frequencies makes them less ideal for long listening sessions. If you crank up the volume too high, this emphasis can feel overwhelming or even harsh, especially in songs with heavy vocal or guitar presence.

Ultimately, while the Beats Solo Buds deliver a V-shaped sound that will satisfy many mainstream users, they fall short for those seeking the clarity and balance found in higher-end audiophile earbuds.

As for the microphones, the Beats Solo Buds fall behind here too. I ended up sounding very hollow on calls and even in voice recordings. Additionally, if you take calls outdoors, the earphones don’t do a good job of dampening environmental noise.

Beats Solo Buds Review: Battery Life

As mentioned before, the Beats Solo Buds’ case has no battery, so it solely relies on the batteries inside the earbuds. In my testing, at 70% volume, the earbuds lasted 16 hours and 35 minutes. The lack of a charging case also means you cannot charge the earphones when you’re using them. The move to not include a battery in the case is very odd and it will likely confuse users who are used to getting a few additional recharges from their TWS earbuds’ cases.

The Beats Solo Buds support fast charging. A 5-minute charge provides 1 hour of playback time, which is pretty speedy.

Should you buy it?

The Beats Solo Buds fall short in many areas, making them a perplexing choice in the competitive TWS market of 2024. Despite their excellent fit and portability, they lack essential features like Active Noise Cancellation, multipoint connectivity, and an IP rating. The absence of a battery in the charging case is particularly disappointing. While the sound quality is passable for casual listeners, it doesn’t meet the expectations set by the price tag of ₹6,900. Overall, the Beats Solo Buds offer limited value for money and miss out on many modern conveniences.

Motorola's Razr series has long been synonymous with innovation in the world of foldable phones. The latest addition to this storied line is the Motorola Razr 50, a device that aims to blend cutting-edge technology with classic design elements. Unlike its high-end sibling, the Razr 50 Ultra, this model positions itself as a more accessible option while still offering impressive features, such as a sizable 3.6-inch cover display.

However, it also faces stiff competition from other high-profile foldables like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 (review) and the OPPO Find N3 Flip (review), which set high standards in performance and design. In this review, we will delve into the Motorola Razr 50's build quality, display, performance, software, camera capabilities, and battery life to determine if it lives up to the expectations set by its Ultra counterpart and rivals.

Motorola Razr 50 Review: Build and Design

The Motorola Razr 50’s design is both sleek and functional, building on the aesthetic foundation laid by the Razr 50 Ultra. At first glance, the Razr 50 resembles its more premium counterpart with its elegant lines and modern touches. The phone's aluminium frame and stainless steel hinge contribute to a robust build quality, which is further bolstered by an impressive hinge rating of 400,000 folds.

The Razr 50 sports a vegan leather back, which not only adds a touch of luxury but also provides a comfortable grip. The phone is available in three attractive colours: Spritz Orange, Beach Sand, and Koala Grey, each offering a unique look. An IPX8 rating means that the Razr 50 can handle submersion in up to 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes, adding a layer of protection against the elements.

One notable change from the Razr 50 Ultra is the front display design. While the Ultra model features a continuous screen that spans the entire front, the Razr 50 has a thicker top bezel. Despite this, the Razr 50's 3.6-inch cover display is a significant upgrade from the Razr 40's diminutive 1.5-inch screen. This larger display allows for greater functionality and usability, enabling users to run a wide range of apps directly from the cover.

Motorola Razr 50 Review: Display

The Motorola Razr 50 has a 6.9-inch foldable LTPO AMOLED inner display that excels in brightness and colour accuracy. With a tested peak brightness of 1582 nits (in HBM), the screen remains highly readable even under direct sunlight. The display's 120 Hz refresh rate provides smooth scrolling and transitions, and it intelligently adjusts based on the app in use to optimise performance and battery life.

The outer display, measuring 3.6 inches, is the largest of its kind in the current flip phone market, surpassing even the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6's cover screen. It supports 90 Hz refresh rate, although it defaults to 60 Hz for Always On Display functions, which can impact battery life. Despite having HDR10+ support, Netflix doesn't get HDR playback, which is a shame.

Nonetheless, the outer display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, giving it added durability and resistance to scratches. Its size allows for practical use of apps and notifications, though it may feel a bit cramped for extensive texting.

Overall, the Motorola Razr 50's display delivers impressive performance with its vibrant colours and high brightness, making it a standout feature of the device.

Motorola Razr 50 Review: Performance, Software, and AI

Performance is a mixed bag for the Motorola Razr 50. The device is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300X processor, a chip typically found in mid-range phones. This choice of processor places the Razr 50 in a challenging position, especially when compared to competitors like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 and the OPPO Find N3 Flip, which boast more powerful internals.

In benchmark tests, the Razr 50 falls short of its higher-end rivals, struggling to keep pace with even more affordable candybar phones like the Realme GT 6. This performance gap becomes apparent during daily tasks as well, with the phone showing signs of lag during intensive operations such as photo and video capture. Gaming performance is also affected, with noticeable frame drops during extended play sessions on high settings.

On the software front, the Razr 50 runs on Hello UI, which offers a streamlined and user-friendly experience with minimal bloatware. The interface is smooth and includes useful features such as Moto Gestures and Smart Connect, both of which I personally love. Motorola has committed to providing three years of OS updates and four years of security updates, although timely delivery of these updates remains a concern. However, Motorola did confirm that all the latest Edge and Razr devices will get the Android 15 update before the end of this year. Let’s see if they follow through.

The device also includes several AI-driven features, including Gemini integration and Google Photos' AI functionalities. Moto's Style Sync and Magic Canvas give users a taste of generative AI as well. The Razr 50 scored a respectable 74/100 in Digit's AI-Q tests. Despite its performance limitations, the phone's software optimisations and AI features add considerable value.

How do the cameras perform?

The Motorola Razr 50's camera system represents a step forward from its predecessor, featuring an upgraded 50 MP primary camera with dual pixel PDAF and OIS. In bright conditions, the main camera captures detailed and dynamic photos, though some images may appear slightly artificially sharpened. The camera does exhibit some chromatic aberrations, but close-up shots benefit from impressive natural bokeh.

The 2x in-sensor zoom performs well, maintaining detail although colours can appear dull. The ultrawide camera, while functional, falls short in terms of detail and sharpness, especially in the shadows and corners. However, its autofocus capabilities enable decent macro shots, which stand out for their quality in this price range.

Portrait mode delivers good detail but struggles with colour accuracy and edge detection. You can see that a lot of the portrait shots showcase yellowish or reddish skin tones that look quite unnatural.

Low-light performance is better with the primary camera, producing detailed images with accurate colours. In contrast, the ultrawide camera's low-light shots suffer from noise and lens flare.

Selfies are serviceable, but using the main camera for selfies results in much better quality. Both front and rear cameras support 4K video recording at 30 fps, providing high-resolution video capture for users.

The 4,200 mAh battery is nothing to write home about

The Motorola Razr 50 is equipped with a 4,200 mAh battery, which delivers adequate performance without standing out. Under heavy use, users can expect around 4-5 hours of screen-on time. In PCMark's Battery Life test, the phone achieved a result of 14 hours and 1 minute, reflecting decent but unremarkable endurance.

The device supports 30W fast charging, taking approximately an hour and three minutes to fully charge from 0 to 100%. It also offers 15W wireless charging, which is a welcome addition. However, the reverse wireless charging feature, or PowerShare, proved unreliable during testing, failing to work as intended despite multiple attempts.

Should you buy the Motorola Razr 50?

Priced at ₹64,999, the Motorola Razr 50 brings notable advancements to the foldable phone market, particularly with its impressive 3.6-inch cover display that dwarfs the previous generation's screen. It proves to be a solid option for first-time foldable users who don’t want to spend a fortune on a smartphone, but want to try out the novel form factor. Its design is sleek and stylish, featuring a solid build and a luxurious vegan leather back.

However, the performance is not as strong as one might hope, with the MediaTek Dimensity 7300X processor showing its limitations in both benchmarks and real-world use. While the camera system performs well in most scenarios, it struggles with certain aspects like colour accuracy, especially in portrait pictures. All in all, it's a solid choice for those seeking a stylish and functional foldable phone at a lower price point, but users should temper their expectations regarding performance.

Vivo has been on a roll after celebrating their 10-year anniversary last month when they launched their V40 series phones. After solidifying their position in the upper section of the mid-range, they moved to launch their T3 Ultra to capture the mid-range market. They retained the design of their more expensive phones and tried to make an overall value-for-money device which will give you the experience of owning a pricier phone without breaking the bank. I put the Vivo T3 Ultra through its paces, and here’s what I found out – 

Vivo T3 Ultra carries the same design as the Vivo V40 series

Vivo has adopted the – What ain’t broke, don’t fix it – mantra with the design of the Vivo T3 Ultra. They debuted the design that we see on the T3 Ultra on their more expensive line of V series phones with the Vivo V40 Series. If you are familiar with the in-hand feel of those devices, you will feel right at home with the T3 Ultra.

At the back, you have a fairly prominent circular camera module with the Aura ring flashlight and the Flicker module baked into the pill-shaped module that extends down from the main camera module. We have the fairly simple Vivo branding on the back of the phone, and the “Professional Portrait” text appearing on the top rail of the phone. The in-hand feel of the device is amazing. With the tall aspect ratio, curved display, and rounded edges, it is fairly easy to hold and slide in and out of the pocket. In our testing, the phone came in at 196 grams, which is slightly on the higher side when compared to other offerings in the mid-range segment. However, the phone is fairly balanced overall, and you won’t experience a lot of strain when using it for long periods of time.

The main differentiating factor between the V series and the T series when it comes to the build and design of the phones is evident when it comes to the material used in the phone. On the V40 series devices, we get Gorilla glass protection on the back, while the T3 Ultra gets a plastic back, which has a matte finish to it, and with or without the cover, it is quite a looker. The plastic backing means that there is no wireless charging either. A missing feature, but not a deal breaker given the charging capabilities of the phone with the included power adapter. More on that later.

The side rails of the phone are made of polycarbonate material, which is also common in mid-range phones, and I honestly did not miss the metallic housing, which we see in more expensive devices during my time using the phone. The phone has two colour options – Forest Green and Lunar Grey. We got the Forest Green variant of the phone with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage for review. And the phone is quite a looker in the green colourway. It does not pick up a lot of fingerprints or scuffs when used without the cover. 

All in all, the build and design of the Vivo T3 Ultra has a nice premium feel and finish to it, given its obvious resemblance to the more expensive V40 series. You get the worth of what you are paying for, and maybe a little extra when it comes to the overall feel and finish of the phone.

UI and Performance

In terms of the UI, the Vivo T3 Ultra is fairly decked out its share of modern smartphone essentials with a tiny sprinkling of AI features as well, which is nice to have. AI has been a buzzword floating around the tech world across categories, and Vivo did not miss out on boarding onto that train with the implementation of AI features on their latest phone. There are two prominent AI features that are limited to photography applications. They are – AI erase, and AI photo enhance. They work well for what it’s worth and earn the phone, the AI tag that brands are hunting for these days.

Vivo T3 Ultra comes out of the box with Funtouch OS 14, which is Vivo’s take on Android 14. During the setup process,  you are presented with the option to download some apps that are bundled. You can skip that, and when you are on the phone, it will be relatively bloatware-free. There are two folders titled Hot Games and Hot Apps, which are bundles of recommended software that Vivo is pushing on. However, you can simply remove those two folders to get rid of a lot of clutter from the screen. As for the apps, which are there on the phone from the get-go, they are -

• LinkedIn
• Truecaller
• Snapchat
• Myntra
• Amazon
• Netflix
• PhonePe
• Facebook

I don’t mind having these pre-loaded on the phone. However, giving a cleaner slate for the users to start with makes the experience better overall.

Unlike many other phones in this and lower price brackets, Vivo has decided to keep the user experience free of advertisements, so that is a plus. I am someone who daily drives an iPhone, so switching to the Android side of things took me a day to get used to. But once I was back in the groove, it was smooth sailing throughout. As I mentioned earlier, a cleaner slate to begin with would be nice. Overall, Funtouch OS is nice to use and fairly easy to get used to.

Now, we come to the main part, the performance. The phone comes with Dimensity 9200+ SoC and has up to 12GB RAM and 256GB of storage onboard. To give you a quick and easy walkthrough the performance of the Vivo T3 Ultra when it comes to synthetic benchmark, I have prepped a table –

As you can see, in synthetic benchmarks, the Vivo T3 Ultra trumped the realme 13 Pro+ comprehensively in terms of the CPU and GPU performance. In storage benchmarks, the realme 13 Pro+ raced ahead or matched the T3 Ultra expect in the PCMark Sequential Write Speed test. When compared to the OnePlus Nord 4, the Vivo T3 Ultra again showed its stronghold in GPU performance, but the competition was tight in CPU benchmarks. From what we can see in the numbers, the phone has slower storage than the Nord 4.

However, the real-life implications of these performance numbers are not as significant as they would seem to be. The phone works well, and in all the subjective criteria like ease of use, snappiness, and daily tasks, it scored really well. The phone is responsive and will handle whatever daily workload you send its way with ease. When I was gaming on the phone, it did heat up quite a bit when in a room with the AC set to 21 degrees Celsius without the cover on. However, when the ambient temperatures were lower, around 16 to 18 degrees Celsius, the phone’s heating was more manageable. In our CPU throttling test, the phone throttled down to 87 per cent of its peak performance, and I could see that being replicated when gaming and recording high-res footage.

Now, being an audio nerd primarily, I put the speakers and the microphone of this phone through its paces as well. The stereo speakers on the phone delivered ample loudness for content consumption in a quiet space, and the separation of audio between the two speakers was also on point for the most part. However, due to the positioning of the bottom speaker next to the charging port, the directions of the footsteps in games do go out of whack. But that is just a nitpick. The microphone performance of the phone in quiet environments is on point. In noisy environments, it holds its own.

Display is crisp and does well in most scenarios

The display on the Vivo T3 Ultra is fairly colour-accurate and will fare well for most people when it comes to content consumption. The phone comes with a 6.78" 1.5K 120Hz curved AMOLED screen with 4,500 nits peak brightness and HDR10+ support. When put to the test, the phone recorded a peak brightness of 983 nits of peak brightness and 9 nits of dims. It is fairly bright for day-to-day use, and in bright sunlight, it is fairly legible. The text is crisp and the visuals also look great for the most part. It did struggle a bit in darker scenes, but in ideally lit ones, it was great!

For colour accuracy, here’s a quick look at how the phone fared in our testing –

Cameras – Vivo’s prowess shining through with the Vivo T3 Ultra

Coming to the cameras, the Vivo T3 Ultra packs a 50MP primary (Sony IMX921, OIS), 8MP ultrawide, and 50MP selfie (4K video recording) camera. The camera fared well for the most part in well-lit conditions but failed to capture the details that I would want it to in dimly lit conditions. Here’s how the phone fared across different conditions –

Ultrawide Camera, ultra-low light

The details are lost and there is a lot of smudging in areas where there should have been creases.

2x zoom, Primary Camera, ultra-low light

The details are retained well and the shimmer on the steps is actually indicative of what I could see with my naked eye. The colour reproduction, represented by the green backdrop under the stairs, is also on point for the most part.

1x zoom, Primary Camera, ultra-low light

The colour reproduction is on point, details are well retained and the overall lighting is also decent. A slightly lower shutter speed could do more justice to the actual lighting condition of the space.

Ultrawide Camera, low light

The detail retention is great as you can see in that of the leaves. The lines on the body of the cars and the reflections on their glasses are handled well.

1x zoom, Primary Camera, low light

The light shining through the leaves was challenging to handle but the phone compensated well. Quite a bit of details retained in the leaves and the cars.

2x zoom, Primary Camera, low light

The detail retention is similar to that of the 1x zoom shot, great! There was a bit of lens flare which I had to mitigate and it took a couple of attempts for the phone to get the shutter speed and ISO dialled in. 

1x zoom, Primary Camera, well lit

The colours and details are very well captured by the phone. The bokeh is also nice with the edge detection able to handle the stay hair strands well.

2x zoom, Primary Camera, well lit

Details are well retained, but when you zoom in and look at some of the more intricate textures on the saris, the phone struggles to replicate them as one would want.

Ultrawide Camera, well lit

No fish-eye effect on the fringes of the image which is good. The colours and details are well retained by the phone but when you zoom in, you can see it struggling with some textures.

Portraits

The edge detection is not what I was expecting, but the details on subject’s face are well retained and it does well overall.

Selfie, low light

Detail retention is nice and the extra light added by the phone’s screen helps with the shot a lot. The skin tones are also well reproduced.

Selfie, well lit

There is not a lot of smoothening, the colours are well reproduced, and the overall image looks crisp and sharp.

When it comes to video, the stabilisation surprised me. In terms of colour and detail, you can expect similar performance to that of the phone's primary camera in well-lit conditions.

Battery life

The Vivo T3 Ultra comes with a 5,500 mAh battery with 80W wired charging support. In our battery tests, here’s how the phone fared –

The phone should suffice you for a day with ease with medium usage, with some charge left before you plug it in when you are sleeping for the night. There’s no wireless charging, which is something I would have really appreciated on the phone.

Vivo T3 Ultra Price and Availability

The T3 Ultra 5G will be available in two colours - Frost Green and Lunar Gray and will be priced at INR 31999 (inclusive of all taxes) for the 8GB + 128GB variant, Rs. 33,999 (inclusive of all taxes) for the 8GB + 256GB variant, and Rs. 35,999 (inclusive of all taxes) for the 12GB + 256GB variant. The sale of the phone will go live on September 19, 7PM.

Should you buy the Vivo T3 Ultra?

The Vivo T3 Ultra makes for a great device overall, providing value for the money that you spend on it. The design is premium, and the phone has a great in-hand feel. It performs better than other similarly priced devices in synthetic benchmarks and holds its own in the camera department as well. The night photography of the phone could have been better, and the ultrawide camera pales when tasked with capturing complex textures. The battery life of the phone is also decent and it makes for a great device overall for what it's worth. If you are willing to take the plunge right at launch, you will not be disappointed to have the phone as your daily driver. 

There’s never been a more opportune time to grab a budget 5G smartphone; with capable options available at under ₹10,000 from several smartphone OEMs in India. Having already reviewed the Realme C65 5G (review) and the Lava Blaze 2 5G (review), I was cautiously optimistic when Motorola sent me their latest budget 5G contender – the Motorola G45 5G. Clad in vegan leather with Motorola x Pantone hues, the phone looks stellar. However, given the competitive ₹10,999 (₹9,999 after discount) price tag, there are bound to be some compromises. My job is to tell you if these compromises are potential deal breakers. So, let’s delve into my detailed review of the Motorola G45 to know more.

Motorola G45 5G Review: Build and Design

The Motorola G45 5G borrows design cues from its diverse portfolio of (more expensive) smartphones save for the flat plastic frame; a majority of Motorola’s portfolio features a curved frame. The soft touch vegan leather on the back and the seamless camera bump are inspired by Motorola’s Edge series of smartphones, giving it a distinctly premium look – something that’s pretty rare at this price.

The vegan leather rear panel doesn’t just enhance aesthetics, but it also makes the device more comfortable and grippy. The side-mounted fingerprint sensor is accurate and fast, and the buttons have decent tactility too. The phone houses stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support that sound crisp and loud, especially when compared to the mono speaker setups on the Realme C65 5G and Lava Blaze 2 5G.

There is some ingress protection; you get an IP52 rating but compared to the Realme C65’s IP54 rating, this feels a tad lacklustre. It also means you are going to have to be wary of using your phone during rains. A few positives in the build section include a handy 3.5 mm audio jack and expandable memory up to 1 TB via microSD card.

Display could be brighter

For your viewing pleasure, Motorola has incorporated a 6.5-inch IPS LCD display with HD+ resolution and 120 Hz refresh rate, which is pretty standard fare. You get 120 Hz support, which is a step up in comparison to another great option in this segment – the Lava Blaze 2. However, the bezels, particularly the chin, are quite thick. As for display protection, you get Gorilla Glass 3 on the Motorola G45 5G.

Now, the display doesn’t support HDR but you do get Widevine L1 support, so while HDR content is out of reach, you can view your shows in HD on OTT platforms. The display looks good with decent viewing angles and vibrant colours. However, the contrast levels are not comparable to an AMOLED display.

The brightness levels are also a bit too low for my liking. In our tests, the display managed to hit 482 nits under direct sunlight with Auto Brightness turned on, and indoors, the maximum brightness levels hover at around 220 nits. So, naturally, on bright days, the display legibility takes a hit. I had to cover the display to view messages on sunny days, so you may face some issues here. So, the display is a bit of a hit-or-miss on the G45, but that’s the case with most 5G phones at this price; it’s nothing out of the ordinary.

Motorola G45 5G Review: Performance and Software

Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 processor, the Motorola G45 5G fares well when handling basic day-to-day tasks. It is equipped with 4 or 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. However, the read and write speeds are considerably slower than the Lava Blaze 2 which impacts data transfer speeds and app opening times.

In benchmarks, the Motorola G45 5G performs admirably with good scores in tests like AnTuTu, GeekBench, and PCMark. Its GPU benchmark scores are excellent as well. Additionally, even after 15 minutes of running the demanding CPU Throttling Test, the phone showed no signs of throttling, which is excellent.

This phone is not for gamers, but if you decide to run some basic games like Candy Crush, it's going to handle them well. However, with games like BGMI and Call of Duty: Mobile, there are frame drops throughout the game. This is consistent with the performance of phones like the Lava Blaze 2 and Realme C65 5G.

As for software, the budget G45 5G impresses with Motorola’s Hello UI, which is known for its fluidity and lack of bloatware. It comes with ]Android 14 and a guaranteed upgrade to Android 15, along with three years of security updates. There’s barely any bloatware, but I did find three unremovable folders – GamesHub, Entertainment, and Shopping – that “suggest” apps to download. It’s basically an ad, but compared to phones like the Realme C65, this is definitely the lesser of the evils.

Adding to the relatively clean software is support for nifty Motorola features like Smart Connect and Family Space. Smart Connect is only available on the 8 GB variant, the 4 GB variant gets the older ‘Ready For’ application. Regardless, the option of having this useful feature at a very affordable price is a huge point in its favour.

Are the cameras any good?

The Motorola G45 5G features a humble 50 MP + 2 MP dual camera setup with one primary camera without OIS and one nominal macro shooter. For selfies, you get a 16 MP shooter. The phone supports 1080p videos at 30 fps on both front and rear cameras.

In daylight, the Motorola G45 outputs aesthetically-appealing photos with saturated colours and good detail. The detail in the shadows, however, misses the mark at times. As for portraits, the phone does a good job for the price, with warm human skin tones and a decent portrait cutout. Close-up photos have a good natural bokeh effect but the detail is a bit soft, especially if your subject is moving since the phone doesn’t have OIS support.

Selfies look decent in both daylight and low-light but the skin’s textures can get a bit too smoothed out in some scenarios. As for low light photos from the primary camera, there’s quite a bit of noise but that’s expected at this price range.

Motorola G45 5G Review: Battery Life

The Motorola G45 is equipped with a 5,000 mAh cell with support for 18 W fast charging. However, you get a 20 W TurboPower charger out of the box. Now, the phone doesn’t have class-leading battery life. You get about one full day of usage at medium usage, while some other budget phones go up to the two-day mark.

The phone lasted 13 hours and 42 minutes in the PCMark Battery test, which is decent. I got about 5 hours of screen-on time with heavy usage which included benchmarking, clicking photos, watching shows on OTT platforms, and more. So, overall, the battery life is good, but it’s not close to being the best. As for charging, with the slow 18 W charging, the phone takes a lengthy 1 hour and 36 minutes to charge from 0 to 100 percent.

Should you buy the Motorola G45 5G?

The Motorola G45 stands out with a design that feels far more premium than its price suggests, making it one of the best-looking phones not only under ₹15K but also under ₹20K. It offers a clean software experience, smooth performance for everyday tasks, 5G support, and decent cameras for its price range. While it does have some drawbacks, such as low display brightness and slower storage speeds, these issues are minor and unlikely to be deal breakers for potential buyers. Overall, the Motorola G45 is a well-rounded budget phone that provides excellent value for money and poses strong competition in its price segment.

Beats by Dre audio products have officially arrived in India. Starting September 4, Apple is making the Beats Solo 4, Beats Solo Buds, Beats Studio Pro, and the Beats Pill available through their website and retail stores, targeting the burgeoning Indian audio market. I got my hands on these devices and immediately kicked off my tests, starting with the Beats Pill portable speaker.

The Beats Pill claims to be “Seriously Loud”, and it packs a host of premium features like IP67 dust and water resistance, lossless audio via a USB-C cable, Find My (Apple) and Find My Device (Android) support, Beats app support, and much more, in a portable and compact package. Priced at ₹16,900, it competes against formidable competitors like the JBL Flip 6 and Bose SoundLink Flex. Will it make its mark in the cutthroat Indian audio market? Here’s what I think:

Beats Pill Review: Build and Design

Aptly named the Beats Pill, the speaker’s oblong pill-like design is eye-catching. Available in Champagne Gold, Statement Red, and Matte Black colours, even the most basic of the colours – the Matte Black variant – looks striking. It features a metallic grille on the front and a matte silicone material wraps the rest of the speaker. The diminutive Beats logo sits in the centre of the metallic grille and looks discreet yet classy.

The speaker also comes with a removable lanyard on the right side; extremely convenient for outdoor use. Plus, the lanyard is colour-matched which is a nice little touch. The bottom of the speaker houses four small anti-slip feet, which provide excellent grip on most surfaces where the speaker is propped.

At the top, you’ll find the control panel, which includes the power button on the left and a status LED indicator beside it. There’s also a pinhole microphone for speakerphone calls. Next, you have the multifunction button, followed by dedicated volume buttons. Pressing the power button twice activates your phone’s voice assistant.

The controls are generally intuitive, although the power button was initially a bit confusing. You need to press and hold it for 2-5 seconds to turn the speaker on or off; holding it for longer doesn’t do anything, which is what I mistakenly did when I first used the speaker. The buttons have indents, making them easy to locate in most situations, except in low-light conditions, where a backlight would have been a helpful addition.

The Beats Pill also impresses with an IP67 build, meaning it's dustproof, and has water resistance of up to 1 meter for 30 minutes. The speaker isn’t buoyant though, so keep that in mind when you take it to your pool parties. At 680 g, the Pill is easily portable and is a great choice even when you’re doing outdoor activities or treks.

What features do you get?

Priced at ₹16,900, the Beats Pill packs a fair number of features – it’s on par with similarly-priced portable speakers like the popular JBL Flip 6 and even the Sony SRS-XE300. One of my favourite features is the ability to play high-resolution, lossless audio by connecting the Beats Pill to your source device directly using a USB-C cable. It’s one of the few speakers on the market that supports USB playback. I also found that the low-end got a bit richer when playing music via USB-C. The Pill lacks auxiliary input though, which is a shame.

You can also use the USB-C port to charge other devices, like a pair of TWS earbuds or your phone! To reverse the charging direction, you will need to press the power button three times in quick succession.

The Beats Pill, being part of the Apple family, offers fast pairing with iOS devices and even includes 'Find My' support, which is a lifesaver if you ever misplace the speaker. Moreover, it integrates smoothly with the Android ecosystem, featuring Google Fast Pair and Find My Device support, allowing you to easily pair and locate the speaker across both platforms.

The Beats Pill gets its own dedicated section in iOS Settings, similar to AirPods, where you can adjust audio options, update firmware, and more. On Android, you can download the Beats app to access these same settings. However, I was disappointed with the app's lack of essential features, such as EQ customisation.

While the Beats Pill is a mono speaker, you can elevate the experience to stereo sound by pairing two Pills in Stereo Mode. Although this requires purchasing a second speaker, it’s a nice option to have. For louder playback, you can use Amplify Mode to connect two Beats Pill speakers and boost the volume. One notable omission is multipoint connectivity, a feature that is becoming increasingly essential for users with multiple devices.

Beats Pill Review: Sound quality and performance

The Beats Pill stands out from other portable speakers by forgoing passive bass radiators and instead relying on its internal drivers to deliver its sound. Despite its compact size, the Pill manages to pack a decent bass punch. While it lacks an adjustable EQ, its out-of-the-box sound quality outshines many competitors in its price range, like the JBL Flip 6, and the sound matches the quality of the Bose SoundLink Flex.

The Beats Pill features a racetrack-style neodymium woofer paired with a single neodymium tweeter. Beats hasn’t provided official frequency range specifications. The drivers are positioned at a 20-degree upward angle. This new arrangement enhances air displacement, contributing to its improved sound performance. The speaker supports Bluetooth 5.3 and is compatible with both AAC and SBC codecs. However, it lacks support for aptX and other Android-optimised codecs, which is a shame.

On tracks with heavy bass, the Pill provides solid low-frequency response but there is slight distortion at maximum volume. It has a punchy mid-bass that enhances the overall listening experience. Its mid-range reproduction is one the best at this price with excellent clarity and detail. The Pill delivers a balanced performance with rich sound, allowing vocals and high-frequency elements to shine, while maintaining a full-bodied sound.

The Pill’s newly engineered woofer system helps boost its bass and overall sound clarity. While it doesn't reach the depths of larger speakers, it does a commendable job for its size, especially in genres like hip-hop and EDM. However, the treble range can sometimes sound too sharp, particularly with cymbals and high-frequency elements. This is where the absence of an EQ is felt the most, as it limits customisation.

Overall, the Beats Pill is a solid option for those seeking a portable speaker with good sound quality, although its mono output and lack of customisation features might leave some audiophiles wanting more.

Beats Pill Review: Battery Life

The Pill boasts a battery life of up to 24 hours, though actual performance may vary depending on the volume at which you listen to music. At 50% volume, the speaker lasted for 21 hours and 45 minutes, which is excellent. Furthermore, there’s fast charging support too, so a quick 10-minute top-up will net you 2 hours' worth of playback time.

The speaker also charges to full from an empty battery in about 2 hours and 30 minutes, but you need to have a 45 W PD charger to get those speeds. Additionally, you can reverse charge smaller devices via the speaker using USB-C.

Should you buy it?

The Beats Pill offers a compact and portable audio experience that packs just the right punch for its size. With its racetrack-style woofer, the Pill delivers solid bass, complemented by crisp mids and decent highs, making it ideal for casual listeners who enjoy a balanced sound signature. While it lacks features like an adjustable EQ and multipoint connectivity, the speaker’s seamless integration with both iOS and Android ecosystems is a major plus, allowing users to locate and manage the device easily. At ₹16,900, the Pill competes well in its segment, though audiophiles might seek more customisation options. For those looking for a sturdy, stylish speaker with decent sound quality and portability, the Beats Pill delivers a satisfying dose of audio.

The Vivo T3 Pro 5G has entered the competitive mid-range smartphone market, battling against formidable competitors like the POCO X6 Pro (review), Nothing Phone (2a) (review), and OnePlus Nord CE4 (review). Priced starting at ₹24,999, the T3 Pro attempts to deliver “pro performance”, appealing to users who seek high performance and longevity in their devices.

With a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset, a large 6.77-inch curved AMOLED display, and a substantial 5,500 mAh battery, the Vivo T3 Pro looks impressive on paper. It’s also important to note that the T3 Pro shares several specifications with the iQOO Z9 Pro, a recently launched phone from its sister company. So, in this review, I will explore the Vivo T3 Pro thoroughly to see if it can capture the masses’ attention and make a mark in the cutthroat mid-range smartphone segment.

Vivo T3 Pro Price and Availability

The Vivo T3 Pro is going on sale starting September 3, at noon. The phone is priced at ₹24,999 for the base 8 GB + 128 GB variant, and it will cost ₹26,999 for the top-end 8 GB + 256 GB storage variant. The phone is available in two colours – Sandstone Orange and Emerald Green. It is available for purchase on Vivo India’s website, Flipkart, and select retail locations. There’s an introductory offer that gives HDFC and ICICI card holders a ₹3,000 discount. You can also avail a ₹3,000 exchange bonus and a no-interest EMI plan for up to six months.

Vivo T3 Pro Review: Build and Design

The Vivo T3 Pro 5G features a sleek design. It boasts a leather back panel with golden accents, and the aesthetics will be appreciated by many, I’m sure, but personally, it looks a bit too garish for me. Particularly, the Sandstone Orange colour variant, which is a bit too vibrant for my liking. The gold border that runs around the camera module is a tad too gaudy, in my opinion, as well; but looks are subjective, so it’s up to you if you enjoy the aesthetics of the Vivo T3 Pro.

At just 7.5 mm thick, Vivo claims the T3 Pro is one of the slimmest curved phones in its segment. Thanks to its slim profile, the T3 Pro’s in-hand feel is fantastic, and the leather back is quite grippy. The Vivo T3 Pro also does not compromise on build quality. The device feels solid and well-constructed, exuding a sense of durability.

However, it is worth noting that the ultra-thin design comes with some trade-offs, particularly in terms of handling. Users may experience accidental touches along the edges, a common issue with curved displays. This can occasionally disrupt the user experience, especially during one-handed use or gaming.

Overall, the Vivo T3 Pro’s design and build are strong selling points, even though I’m personally not a huge fan of the colours and the look. The phone also comes with an IP64 rating, which means there’s some level of water resistance baked in.

Vivo T3 Pro Review: Display

The Vivo T3 Pro is equipped with a 6.77-inch curved AMOLED display that delivers vibrant colours. However, its FHD+ resolution is bested by the POCO X6 Pro which has a 1.5K resolution, making it a tad sharper.

With a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a peak brightness of 4,500 nits, the display provides smooth motion response and excellent visibility, even in bright outdoor conditions. When I tested the display for brightness, I got an impressive reading of 1,466 nits in Auto Brightness mode, making this one of the brightest displays in the mid-range segment.

The display supports HDR10+ and Widevine L1, so you can watch your favourite shows on OTT platforms in HDR. Colours look vibrant; slightly unnatural, but they certainly pop. Moreover, the contrast levels are good and the viewing angles are excellent. So, while the T3 Pro may not have the sharpest display in this price segment, its high brightness levels and good HDR reproduction make up for the lower resolution.

How's the performance and UI?

Under the hood, the Vivo T3 Pro is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset, coupled with 8GB of RAM. The chipset is also found on the OnePlus Nord CE4, so you can expect similar performance. The device is available in two storage variants, 128GB and 256GB, providing good enough space for your apps, photos, and videos.

However, 12 GB RAM would have been a better option as the phone is also targeted towards gamers. Additionally, the phone sports UFS 2.2 storage, so the read and write speeds aren’t nearly as good as the OnePlus Nord CE4’s UFS 3.1 storage. And the POCO X6 Pro’s UFS 4.0 storage blows the Vivo’s read and write speeds out of the water. So, the T3 Pro definitely falls behind by a considerable margin here. In the PCMark Storage test, I got a Sequential Read Speed of merely 666 MB/s and a Sequential Write Speed of 832 MB/s.

Now in terms of performance, the Vivo T3 Pro does pretty well. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset handles intensive tasks with ease, but a smidge more RAM would have improved its multitasking abilities. In synthetic benchmarks, the Vivo T3 Pro outperformed the Nothing Phone 2a and Motorola Edge 50 Fusion (review) in nearly every test, and its scores were very similar to the OnePlus Nord CE4. However, the POCO X6 Pro outperformed the T3 Pro in nearly every CPU benchmark test. GPU benchmarks didn't run on the POCO X6 Pro.

For gamers, the T3 Pro includes a dedicated gaming mode that offers features such as performance monitoring and a picture-in-picture mode for apps like WhatsApp, allowing for seamless multitasking during gameplay. Gameplay in games like BGMI and Call of Duty: Mobile is smooth and lag-free but I faced some frame drops in Genshin Impact after 15 minutes of gameplay, which I didn’t face on the POCO X6 Pro.

As for software, the T3 Pro runs on Funtouch OS, based on Android 14, offering a user-friendly interface with several customisation options. The software experience is generally smooth and responsive, with features like a sidebar for quick access to app shortcuts. However, the UI feels a bit clunky at times and the presence of bloatware is a notable downside. Users who prefer a minimalist setup may find this aspect of the T3 Pro frustrating, although most of the bloatware can be uninstalled or disabled.

Vivo T3 Pro Review: Cameras

The Vivo T3 Pro comes equipped with a dual rear camera setup, featuring a 50-megapixel primary Sony IMX882 camera and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide lens. There are three lenses on the camera module, but one of those is a dummy unit.

In daylight, the primary camera captures vibrant images with good colour, but the sharpness isn’t where I’d like it to be. The low-light photography is satisfactory, but the main shooter’s slow shutter speed becomes more apparent in dim lighting, potentially leading to blurry images if there is any movement.

The ultra-wide lens handles colours well, but it falls short in capturing fine details. Portrait photography, on the other hand, is pretty good. The camera performs admirably in well-lit environments, capturing impressive portraits with decent edge detection and natural background blur, but subjects’ skin can look a bit smoothened. And in tricky lighting, you can see some dynamic range issues.

For selfie enthusiasts, the front camera, featuring a 16-megapixel sensor, is capable of taking good photos in ample lighting. However, it tends to smoothen out skin textures in dimly lit environments, which may not appeal to all users.

Overall, the Vivo T3 Pro’s camera system is competent enough but there’s definitely room for improvement here.

Vivo T3 Pro Review: Battery Life

One of the standout features of the Vivo T3 Pro is its impressive battery life. The device is equipped with a large 5,500 mAh battery that supports 80W fast charging. In practical terms, this means the T3 Pro can easily last more than a day of moderate usage, including activities like scrolling through social media, capturing photos, and casual gaming.

In the PCMark battery test, the Vivo T3 Pro lasted for an impressive 21 hours and 42 minutes, one of the highest scores recorded in its category. This endurance makes it an excellent choice for users who need a reliable device that won’t require frequent charging throughout the day.

Complementing its long battery life, the T3 Pro’s 80W fast charger can fully charge the device from zero to 100% in about 1 hour. However, users may notice the device warming up slightly during the charging process, which is common with high-speed charging technologies.

Overall, the Vivo T3 Pro’s battery performance is exceptional, living up to the “ultra battery life” claim. Whether you are a heavy user or someone who prefers not to charge your phone frequently, the T3 Pro’s battery life is sure to impress.

Should you buy it?

The Vivo T3 Pro 5G is a well-rounded smartphone that delivers a commendable experience at a mid-range price. With a sleek design, vibrant display, strong performance, and impressive battery life, it ticks many of the boxes for what consumers look for in a modern smartphone. It does have some drawbacks though, such as the presence of bloatware and issues in low-light photography, although these are minor inconveniences in an otherwise compelling package.

What bothers me the most is the UFS 2.2 storage, which is sluggish when compared to other performance-focused phones in this price range. Gamers would be better off considering the POCO X6 Pro since gaming on it is smoother and the UFS 4.0 storage speeds are exceptional. For those who want a good balance between display, performance, and battery, the Vivo T3 Pro is definitely worth considering.

One of the early movers in the wearables space, Xiaomi, with its Mi Band and Watch series, has been doing some great work over the years in the wearables space. Their products are well built and perform decently well, and the user experience is also one of the best in their price range with the release of every product. Be it their Mi band series of smart-bands or their Redmi Watch series of smartwatches, the brand has proven time and again that they are capable of being the budget kings. So, when the Redmi Watch 5 Active came to the Digit Test Centre, my expectations were riding high. I set out to answer one of the most pertinent questions – will the Redmi Watch 5 Active dethrone our go-to recommendation in the sub-₹3,000 in the price range, its predecessor, the Redmi Watch 3 Active?

Well, I put the watch through the churner of our test process and here’s what I found out –

Solid build and design

In terms of build and design, Xiaomi has gone with a massy and conservative design language on the Redmi Watch 5 Active. You have a rectangular watch face with rounded corners in a metallic casing, supported by a plastic back, which houses the sensor window and a TPU strap that comes attached out of the box. Nothing that stands out, everything that a regular user would need.

The metal case adds a nice touch of confidence when it comes to the overall quality and feel of the watch. There is no specific mention of certification for the front crystal of the watch protecting the screen, but it is made of glass. And, as you know, glass is glass, and it will scratch and break. Nevertheless, in my time of use, the watch did not pick up any major scratches or scuffs. No complaints here. 

The strap also did not cause any irritation on my skin, and given that it has been made out of the widely adopted TPU (Thermoplastic polyurethane) material, it should be fine for most users, too. However, if you are someone who is susceptible to irritation when exposed to TPU (Thermoplastic polyurethane) , then you can swap the existing one for third-party straps that are plenty on online marketplaces. The only button on the side of the watch is also metallic with a nice polished edge, helping it stand out, and its overall feel and tactility were great in day-to-day use. It was responsive and registered inputs flawlessly. 

In day-to-day use, there are no complaints either. The Redmi Watch 5 Active is lightweight, and given its solid build, you will have no worries rocking it daily. The watch is rated IPX8, which means you can expose it to water for longer than many other options available. However, given that there is no official dust protection, you will need to be careful on your trail runs and in dusty environments.

Redmi Watch 5 Active sports a fairly bright display!

The display of the Redmi Watch 5 Active is a standard LCD display with a 320 x 385 pixel resolution. It is responsive and rarely misses any touches, even when slightly wet, and it does get fairly bright, too. It is one of the few displays that I have tested that reaches the exact claimed number by the brand when it comes to peak brightness.

Xiaomi claims that the display of the Redmi Watch 5 Active can go up to 500 nits, and in my testing, I recorded its peak brightness to be 497 nits, which is amazing! In bright daylight, the text on the display is fairly legible, and the 2-inch size means that it fits enough information from the notifications to be fairly useful. One gripe that I have here, with the display of the watch is the uneven bezel around the main display.

The bezel, to start with, is thick all around. But when you get to the bottom edge of the screen, you get an even thicker bezel, which was a big turn-off for me. From the time I took the watch out of the box, I could see the choker of a display bezel on the watch, and it kept on irking me. You can work around it by choosing a darker watch face, which Xiaomi has defaulted to out of the box, but you will be reminded of its chunkiness whenever you are turning on the flashlight.

Apart from that, solid work here as well!

Features and Usability 

In terms of features and usability, Xiaomi has again hit the ball out of the park for me with the Redmi Watch 5 Active. You get all you can ask for with the Redmi Watch 5 Active. Calling from the device, yes! Auto vitals tracking, yes! Great UI and, hence, a great user experience, yes! Customisability, yes!

I will not go into the depth of what is being claimed here by the brand. Rather, I would like to give you a bottom line here – Whatever is included in the watch works well, with a few exceptions here and there. For example, during my time of use, when I was out for a walk, which is a part of our performance test, the watch kept on alerting me about irregularities in the GPS signal, asking me to move to a more open space. However, I was in one! Apart from that, minor glitches here and there are present in the UI, which can be ironed out with an OTA update, and the fact that there was an update ready for me at the time of setting up the watch, makes me confident that if enough reports come in, Xiaomi will take action.

Performance -- Satisfactory considering the price

To give you an idea of the performance of the Redmi Watch 5 Active, here’s a quick rundown of how it scored in our testing.

As you can see, across the board, there are a few inaccuracies reported by the watch. However, one thing that needs to be taken into account is the price. Under-₹3,000, I have come to expect such errors, simply because the brand does not have enough headroom to pack sensors and processors that are capable of churning out accurate metrics that a more expensive watch would put out. So, you will need to temper your expectations when it comes to the vitals tracking on the Redmi Watch 5 Active. Take all the measurements that are coming from the watch with a grain of salt.

Also Read: Sennheiser Accentum TWS Review – Sound shines bright, but not the features

In terms of the battery life, I started my testing with a nice 69 per cent battery on the watch, and as of writing this review, which is about 12 odd hours after my test, with the watch being on my wrist the entire time, the battery dropped to 45 per cent which is not bad. And, given our experience with the Redmi Watch 3 Active, you should get at least 8-10 days of battery life on a single charge with moderate use. You mileage where would depend on how intensely you use the watch. Keep the flashlight on 5 hours a day, and you will lose out on battery life.

Should you buy the Redmi Watch 5 Active?

The Redmi Watch 5 Active makes for a great value proposition under ₹3,000. You get a fairly well-built watch that will last you a while, and if you are cutting it some slack given its price, it is a watch that performs well, too. It makes for a great daily companion. You will get plenty of options in this price range, competing for the top step of the podium. However, I would recommend going with this steady performer that comes with a promise of lasting you a considerable amount of time, and will not take a massive hit on your wallet.

Realme has been leaning heavily into catering to the mobile gaming market in 2024 with launches like the powerful Realme P1 and, now, the Realme 13+ 5G. Powered by the Dimensity 7300 Energy, this phone looks like a gaming beast on paper equipped with a large 6050mm² Stainless Steel VC cooling system, 90 FPS gaming support on popular titles like BGMI and Call of Duty: Mobile, and GT Mode support.

But it’s important to note that over the last few years, Realme has also been building a portfolio of well-designed phones with stellar cameras at an affordable price; so the question that’s on my mind is: has Realme sacrificed aesthetics and camera quality to make a powerful gaming phone? It has much to prove with competition like the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion (review), iQOO Z9 (review), and OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite (review). So, let’s see how the Realme 13+ 5G fares in our full review.

realme 13+ 5G Review: Build and Design

My first impression of the Realme 13+ 5G was that recent Realme phones seem to have taken a step back in terms of design and aesthetics. The Realme 13+, in particular, appears quite garish, especially in the Victory Gold colour variant I received for review. Of the three available colours, I prefer the Dark Purple variant. The phone has a plastic back with wave-like patterns on the lower half and a simple matte design on the top half.

The top half features a large camera module that includes a 50 MP primary camera, a 2 MP portrait or mono camera, an LED flash, and what appears to be a dummy camera lens. This module is encircled by a slightly oblong outer ring, which has the camera specifications engraved on it.

One aspect of the Realme 13+ 5G’s design that I appreciate is the matte, fingerprint-resistant finish on the rear panel and the frame. The buttons, however, feel quite mushy; I would prefer them to be a bit tighter. On the front, the bezels are slightly thick but nearly uniform all the way around, which I find appealing. The optical in-display fingerprint sensor is also quite speedy. The phone also comes with IP65 dust and water resistance. There’s also a 3.5 mm audio jack, which has become increasingly rarer over the years.

The in-hand feel of the Realme 13+ 5G is decent; the phone isn’t too slippery, and its curved back sits comfortably in my palm. However, this is far from my favourite design on a Realme phone.

realme 13+ 5G Review: Display

The Realme 13+ 5G features a smooth and crisp 6.67-inch OLED display with Full HD+ resolution and a 120 Hz refresh rate. The display supports HDR10+ and is Widevine L1 certified. It also includes ProXDR technology, which enhances the brightness of highlights when viewing HDR photos or videos. Additionally, the display is equipped with Rainwater Smart Touch, ensuring it works seamlessly even when wet.

HDR videos appear crisp with good detail and decent color accuracy. However, the phone encountered an issue where it wouldn't boot up Netflix, even after a fresh installation. Hopefully, Realme will address this problem soon – watch this space for updates on this matter.

The display's brightness levels are impressive as well. With a rated peak brightness of 2,000 nits, the Realme 13+ 5G's display reached 1,128 nits under direct sunlight in Auto Brightness Mode during our tests using a lux meter. Overall, this is a stellar display for the price, but the Netflix issue is concerning and should be resolved promptly.

Performance beast!

The Realme 13+ 5G is in its element when handling strenuous tasks and intensive games. Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Energy, the Realme 13+ 5G outperforms most of its competitors in benchmarks except the more affordable iQOO Z9. It boasts up to 12 GB of LPDDR4X RAM and up to 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage. The phone also houses a massive stainless steel vapour chamber cooling system which keeps temperatures under check.

In synthetic benchmarks, the Realme 13+ impresses with an AnTuTu score of over 7.3 lakh. In GeekBench, the phone scores a respectable 1052 points in the Single Core test and a whopping 2976 points in the Multi-Core test. Its scores are one of the best in PCMark Work too. As for GPU benchmarks, the Realme 13+ beats both the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion and OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite in all tests but the iQOO Z9 skirts ahead with superior GPU power.

The phone also doesn’t throttle extensively under high loads. In the CPU Throttling Test, the phone throttled to merely 81% of its peak performance in 15 minutes, which is pretty good. I also noticed that the heating is very much in check even when you’re gaming for longer periods; with the maximum surface temperature reaching 35.4 degrees Celsius after 30 minutes of gameplay.

In daily usage, the phone feels smooth and jitter-free. Animations look solid and the phone can keep up with pretty much any everyday task you throw at it. You can game at 90 FPS on popular titles like BGMI and Call of Duty: Mobile at stable frame rates. GT Mode is a great gaming tool that lets you get smooth gameplay with support for features like Geek Power Tuning (which allows you to manage clock speeds), Game Focus Mode, Voice Changer, and more.

The phone, however, is riddled with bloatware in the form of third-party apps. The infamous Hot Apps and Hot Games are here, and so are other third-party apps like Reelshort, Spotify, Finshell Pay, Myntra, and a bunch of games. There are also a fair number of ad notifications you get from time to time, which sours the overall experience. The phone should get 2 Android updates and 3 years of security updates.

Realme UI 5.0 based on Android 14 has some notable features like File Dock, Flash Capsule, Smart Sidebar, and Smart Image Matting. The phone has AI Boost 2.0 which optimises app performance based on usage patterns. Other AI features include AI Smart Loop and AI Clear Voice, and I really like how AI Smart Loop is integrated.

realme 13+ 5G Review: Camera

The Realme 13+ 5G has a 50 MP Sony LYT-600 primary with an unspecified 2 MP secondary shooter. The practice of adding nominal 2 MP shooters in place of useful ultrawide cameras is something I hope brands phase out in the near future as the functionality of these cameras is limited. I would have preferred an 8 MP ultrawide here in place of the 2 MP camera.

Now, the primary 50 MP Sony camera clicks solid photos in daylight with good dynamic range and close to accurate colours. However, I did notice some HDR blooming in a couple of shots. Close-up photos have good natural bokeh and portrait photos have great skin tones but average edge detection. 2x in sensor zoom photos are decent detail and dynamic range too.

Low-light photography is decent, with good colours and dynamic range but limited detail retention. As for selfies, the results were disappointing as the camera failed to capture textures and struggled against harsh lighting.

realme 13+ 5G Review: Battery Life

Equipped with a 5,000 mAh battery, the Realme 13+ 5G surprised me with its battery’s endurance. The phone easily gave me 6-7 hours of on-screen time on a daily basis with medium to heavy usage. Even playing intensive games like Call of Duty Mobile for half an hour only dropped the battery percentage by 6 per cent, which is impressive.

The phone supports 80 W fast charging to top up the battery. The charger inside the box juices up the phone from 0-100% in just 47 minutes, which is pretty speedy.

Should you buy it?

The Realme 13+ 5G is a gaming beast on a budget. With the Dimensity 7300 Energy, a sophisticated cooling system, and 90 FPS gaming support, the phone is an obvious choice for mobile gaming enthusiasts. And it’s not a one-trick pony. The 6.67-inch OLED display is bright and crisp, the battery life is impressive, with excellent endurance and fast charging capabilities, and the primary camera produces solid results. The phone’s design, however, feels lacklustre compared to other Realme models, and the lack of an ultrawide camera is disappointing. Additionally, the phone’s bloatware is just excessive; there’s no mild way to put it.

Despite these misses, the Realme 13+ 5G has the makings of a great budget phone, one not just catered to power users and gamers but also those who look for a more holistic experience. However, I do believe, the phone would be infinitely more appealing had it been priced under ₹20,000. At ₹22,999, it gets slightly overshadowed by the iQOO Z9, although I do believe the Realme 13+ is slightly superior thanks to its balanced camera performance.

In a market flooded with AI-ready smartphones, the Google Pixel 9 series made me sit up and take notice of its host of new AI features. The features this year are not just flashy but functional as well. But, a great phone isn't just about impressive AI; it's also about how well the device performs. With the Google Pixel 9, Google is aiming to offer a solid package with its new Tensor G4 processor, sleek new design, vibrant display, and smooth user experience. However, it's up against some serious competition like the iQOO 12 (review) and OnePlus 12 (review), which provide excellent value for money.

While the Pixel 9 looks promising on paper, there are a few things that might give potential buyers pause, like the UFS 3.1 storage and slower charging speeds. In this review, I'll dive into all aspects of the Pixel 9 — from its build and design to its display, performance, software, AI features, cameras, and battery life — to see if it truly measures up to the hype.

Google Pixel 9 Review: Durable build, premium design

The Google Pixel 9 nails it when it comes to looks and feel. It's got this sleek, matte aluminium frame with nicely rounded corners that has quite an iPhone-esque aesthetic. It feels solid in your hand, weighing in at 198 grams, and I think the added heftiness is not a bad thing; it makes the phone feel a tad more premium. The 6.3-inch flat display is just the right size for most folks – not too big, not too small – fitting comfortably without being a bulky pocket monster like some other phones out there.

Google went all out with durability, slapping Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on both the front and back, so it’s pretty resistant to scratches and drops. Plus, with its IP68 rating, you don't have to worry about dust or water damaging your phone. The "Porcelain" White variant, which I got for this review, looks minimalist and classy, standing out in a good way. The redesigned camera module is also sleeker than before, but it still sticks out quite a bit. Thankfully, it’s not wobbly when you lay it flat.

One of the coolest upgrades is the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor – it’s lightning-fast and super responsive. On the downside, there’s a fairly large punch-hole cutout for the front camera, which is a bit of a letdown, especially considering the phone's price. Overall, though, the Pixel 9 looks and feels great, blending practicality with a modern aesthetic.

Google Pixel 9 Review: Display lacks flagship specifications

The Pixel 9's 6.3-inch OLED display is sharp and has good colour accuracy, making it good enough for daily use. But don’t expect all the bells and whistles you get from some of the high-end displays out there. First off, it’s not an LTPO panel and secondly, it only supports 8-bit colour depth, which means it can’t quite match the richer hues of 10 or 12-bit panels and it doesn’t have dynamic refresh rates as well.

That said, it still looks pretty good in most situations. HDR videos pop with vivid colours, and the brightness is solid, even outdoors. It can hit up to 2700 nits at peak brightness, but on Auto-Brightness Mode, it hovered around 1682 nits in our tests, which is still quite impressive.

Just a heads up – the 120Hz refresh rate is turned off by default, so make sure you switch it on for a smoother experience. As for the speakers, they are clear, but they could use a bit more punch in the bass department.

Google Pixel 9 Review: Performance and Software

Performance has always been a bit of a mixed bag for Google’s Pixel phones, and the Pixel 9 is no different. It’s powered by the Tensor G4 processor, which is definitely an improvement over its predecessor, but it still doesn’t quite keep up with some of its rivals. In benchmark tests, it trails behind phones like the iQOO 12 and OnePlus 12 and even scores lower than some mid-range devices like the Realme GT 6T. Sure, it matches up with the OnePlus 12 in some areas, but overall, it’s not leading the pack.

When you really push it, the Pixel 9 shows its limits. During a 15-minute CPU throttling test, it dropped to 58% of its peak performance, similar to the Exynos-powered Samsung Galaxy S24. This means it handles everyday tasks just fine but struggles when things get intense, leading to some throttling and heating. The phone also comes with UFS 3.1 storage instead of UFS 4.0 which makes the read and write speeds slower than the competition.

For gaming, it’s a bit hit or miss. Casual games and short sessions are smooth, but if you’re into long gaming marathons on high-demand games like BGMI or Call of Duty: Mobile, you’ll notice some frame drops and heat buildup, which is a bummer for a high-end phone.

On the software side, the Pixel 9 ships with Android 14, not the latest Android 15, which is a slight disappointment. However, Google promises seven years of Android OS updates, which is pretty great. The software experience is classic Pixel – clean, straightforward, and free of unnecessary bloatware. 

The interface is smooth, especially with the 120Hz refresh rate turned on, making everyday use feel pretty snappy. So, while it might not blow away the competition in raw performance, the Pixel 9’s software optimisations keep things running smoothly for the most part.

All about the AI!

If you’re into AI, the Pixel 9 is where it’s at. This phone is packed with some seriously mindblowing AI features that genuinely enhance the user experience. New additions like the "Add Me" feature make sure you never miss out on group photos, and "Reimagine" lets you tweak entire sections of a photo, which is great for getting creative. "Auto Frame" helps you capture the best shots without much effort.

Other handy AI tools like Pixel Weather’s smart summaries and the Pixel Studio app for making AI-generated images show how Google is all about integrating AI into daily use. "Circle to Search" and the new screenshots app make managing content a breeze, and a free month of Gemini Advanced gives you a taste of conversational AI.

The Pixel 9 scores a solid 85/100 in AI benchmarks, thanks to its strong performance in this area. All in all, it’s a leader in AI capabilities, with features that actually add value and make the phone more fun and functional.

How do the cameras on the Pixel 9 perform?

The Pixel 9 continues to deliver on the camera front, though it doesn’t bring any major upgrades over the Pixel 8. The main camera setup remains unchanged, but there’s a new ultra-wide camera and autofocus for selfies. The lack of a dedicated telephoto lens and the absence of a Pro mode might be a letdown for serious photographers looking for more control.

In good lighting, the main camera shines, capturing detailed images with natural sharpening and well-balanced colours, though there’s a slightly cool tone. The dynamic range is solid, ensuring photos have a nice balance between bright and dark areas. Portrait mode could use a bit of work, though; the background blur is sometimes a bit too strong, and edge detection isn’t always perfect.

Without a telephoto lens, the Pixel 9 relies on digital zoom, which is fine up to 2x but gets pretty grainy beyond that, especially in low light. The ultra-wide camera is a nice addition, delivering sharp, vibrant images with good dynamic range, and it also doubles as a macro lens for those close-up shots – just be careful with focus due to the shallow depth of field.

Selfies have definitely improved with the new autofocus feature, resulting in clearer, more vibrant shots with accurate skin tones. In low-light situations, the Pixel 9’s cameras still manage to pull off decent photos with good colour preservation, though there’s some noise in darker areas like night skies. Video recording is stable and clear, but it’s missing the Video Boost feature that’s available on the Pro models, which is a bit of a downer.

Overall, the Pixel 9’s camera system is versatile and dependable, capable of delivering great photos in various conditions, making it a strong competitor among flagship phones.

Google Pixel 9 Review: Impressive battery life

Battery life on the Google Pixel 9 is pretty solid, with noticeable improvements over the previous model. The 4700 mAh battery provides around 6-6.5 hours of screen-on time for heavy users, making it reliable for a full day’s use. It performed exceptionally well in the PCMark Battery Test, clocking in at 14 hours and 45 minutes, which is great for a phone of this size. 

However, charging speeds aren’t its strong suit – it takes about 1 hour and 27 minutes to fully charge. On the plus side, it supports wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, adding some flexibility.

Should you buy it?

The Google Pixel 9 is the best compact AI phone of 2024, so far. It brings an impressive array of AI features that set it apart, making it a standout device for those who value innovative software. But, there are some misses. While the Tensor G4 chip shows improved performance, it still lags behind its competitors and the heating issues, while fewer, still persist. The camera system delivers solid results, especially in daylight, but lacks some pro-level features. And the display, though vibrant, lacks flagship specifications. Overall, the Pixel 9 is a great choice for AI enthusiasts and those seeking a clean Android experience. There's tons of AI goodness and actually useful features here. But Google really needs to improve its performance to make a mark among gamers and power users.

The premium TWS market has expanded significantly in the last couple of years, with the delta between the performance and features of the in-ear earphones at the lower end of this price range being very small compared to the flagships of the world. Brands across the board are trying to be the flagship experience for the lower-end of the mid-range market by launching products that essentially pack the same hardware as their more premium counterparts, which translates to a premium experience for the user. Or, they are bringing the flagship features and performance to their more affordable offerings. The best example of this can be seen in the Sennheiser Accentum TWS in-ear earphones. 

The Accentum line of audio products by Sennheiser started with the introduction of the Sennheiser Accentum Plus headphones in India. Later, we saw the launch of the regular Sennheiser Accentum cans, which were a little more diluted in terms of their features compared to the Accentum Plus. However, both these headphones brought a watered-down experience of the premium Momentum 4 Wireless headphones to the sub-₹15,000 price range. The headphones remain a solid offering in their price bracket and are praised by many but criticised by few, offering the experience of owning Sennheiser’s flagship over-ear wireless headphones on a budget. 

Now, joining the Accentum Plus and Accneum headphones is the Accentum TWS. These in-ear earphones showed up at the Digit Test Centre some time ago, and when I got my hands on them for review, I wanted to see how they fared in their own price range and how the experience was when weighed against the expectations set by its other Accentum brethren. So, I put these in-ear earphones through the grinders of the Digit Testing process, and here’s what I found out –

Sennheiser Accnetum TWS have a basic design and durable build 

Honestly, I am a fan of these in-ear earphones. As someone who isn’t pleased by in-ear earphones that lack a stem, the Sennheiser Accentum TWS really made me reconsider my choices. The fit was on point for me, and in our signature headshake test, devices by colleague Dhriti fared better than any other non-stem earbuds that I have tried in my time here. Of course, as always, your mileage may vary, given the shape of your ears. However, I sampled a small group of people, and all of them were satisfied with the fit of these in-ear earphones, albeit with different ear tips of different sizes. 

A mild word of caution for the folks with small ears. The buds are slightly larger, and you might experience some discomfort when wearing these in-ear earphones for longer periods of time. It is to be noted here that Sennheiser has made sure that no one is left out and has included four different pairs of silicon ear tips in the box. A big thumbs up here!

The case is also nice and pocketable, and given the battery it houses, which I will get to later, the size and the weight are pretty impressive. If you have read my reviews in the past, you would know that I am a sucker for a metallic hinge in the case of any TWS in-ear earphones. However, the plastic hinge on these earphones did not make me worried. I docked some brownie points here, though, but the overall fit of the case, the choice of materials and the heft impressed me.

Talking about the build quality of the case. The earbuds also have the same materials as the case, and the IP54 splash resistance means that they will fare well when exposed to the elements for a short period of time. For gymming, go ahead and sweat it out with these earphones on. In the rain, I would suggest exercising caution. And, in either of the scenarios, keep the case secure, as the IP rating is only for the earbuds.

All in all, the build and design of the Sennheiser Accentum TWS are solid, and whatever ground they lost was in the form of brownie points, which I would have awarded if Sennheiser had included a metallic hinge on the case. 

Features aren't many, but well implemented on the Sennheiser Accentum TWS

When it comes to features, you can expect a similar set here to any other Sennheiser-branded pair of in-ear earphones. You have a solid set of features baked into the Sennheiser Smart Control app. They are limited but robust. Nothing to write home about. What is there, is sufficient for most. Here’s a quick overview of my thoughts about the features of the Sennheiser Accentum TWS –

Performance is where the Sennheiser Accentum TWS shine the brightest, literally!

Coming to the biggest point of focus of this review, is the performance of the Sennheiser Accentum TWS. As you can see in the sound signature graph below, the sound signature of the Sennheiser Accentum TWs is fairly well-rounded. In true Sennheiser fashion, the sound coming from these earbuds is bright, and the bass is also in control, as the mids come fairly close to our baseline reading of the flat response recorded using pink noise. The upper-mids and the highs have a significant boost to them out of the box, which means that you will definitely enjoy listening to genres like rock and classical on these in-ear earphones. 

To see how they would fare in day-to-day use, I played through our playlist, which includes songs from across the genres, and I was pleasantly surprised to see how these in-ear earphones fared when I was listening to tracks like Rescue Me by One Republic and Selkies by BTBAM. The vocal reproduction and the metal instrument density were great on these in-ear earphones. Moving on to the staging and the overall detailing of the sound produced by these in-ear earphones. 

The details are well represented across genres, with songs like Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars packing an ample amount of punchy bass and more vocal forward, and metal instrument-heavy music from bands like Linkin Park also sounds pleasant. Additionally, you can tune these earbuds to your liking, and the mechanism that Sennheiser uses involves you playing your favourite track and then tuning the earbuds, making sure that you get the sound that you will actually love over the period of time. The staging is fairly expansive, and it added to the overall immersion when I was watching movies and content that utilises the grandeur added by sound design.

If you are wondering how is the sound signature of these in-ear earphones against similarly priced TWS in-ear earphones offered by other brands, here’s a quick look at the sound signature graphs that will give you a quick idea of how they fared –

Active Noise Cancellation

As for the ANC, it is definitely serviceable in most conditions. The earbuds do a great job when working with low-pitched sounds and also tackle high-pitched noises well! If you are rocking these on your next flight, then you will definitely be least bothered by a crying child on board if it is 4-5 rows away from you; any closer, and you will have a fair amount of the noise seeping through. The low-pitched drone of the engine will be drowned out completely. In day-to-day use, while commuting, these earbuds will hold their own. 

Microphone Performance

The microphone on these earphones will not blow your mind, but if you are in a noisy office, you will not get any complaints from the receiver of your calls either. Sennheiser’s prowess in making quality audio products shines through here, as the mic on these in-ear earphones left my voice un-altered for the most part while trying to work around the background noise coming in. Here’s a sample that will help you understand their performance in office environment better –

Note: The voice recording sample was recorded at the time of writing, and a different sample was used to evaluate the earbuds. This sample will soon be replaced, and the change will be noted here. The observations made here are based on the test sample, which is different compared to the one embedded here.

Battery Life – Good enough in isolation

The battery life of the Sennheiser Accentum TWS, especially after considering how light the earbuds are and the pocketability of the case, is pretty impressive when you keep them in isolation. The total battery life of the earbuds, including the case, when the volume was set to 50 per cent, and ANC turned on, came out to be 19 hours in total, which equates to about 4.5 hours on the buds themselves. It seems pretty good for a pair of lightweight and pocketable earbuds. However, when compared to the likes of the OnePlus Buds Pro 3, which clocked in 25.5 hours total in our testing, the Sennheiser Accentum TWS leave something to be desired.

You get a USB-C port on the back of these earbuds, which you can use to charge these earbuds, with the brand claiming that the fast-charging tech on these earbuds gives you around 1 hour of playback in just 10 minutes of charge. A quality-of-life feature that I really appreciate on these earbuds is the inclusion of Qi wireless charging, which saved me the brain space of remembering that I needed to charge the earbuds. I would just come home at the end of the day and plonk them onto my wireless charger and breeze through the day.

Should you buy the Sennheiser Accentum TWS?

This was the most tricky part for me when writing with these earbuds. The Sennheiser Accentum TWS in-ear earphones hold the Sennheiser legacy well and also hold their own when you factor in the fact that they are a part of the brand’s more pocket-friendly yet taxing Accentum lineup, whose headphones set the bar really high. These TWS in-ear earphones sound great and come with a robust set of features and great build and design. All these shine like a beacon in the sky of the TWS market only when you are just evaluating them in a vacuum.

Pit them against the likes of the Nothing Ear (2024) and the recently launched OnePlus Buds Pro 3, and the lack of a wider gamut of features and some other QOL inclusions starts to hurt and come to the surface. If you are looking for a pair of TWS in-ear earphones which would last you a lifetime as you maintain a low profile in the public when it comes to the design, and like the Sennheiser sound signature, with the sound being on the brighter side, you will be completely satisfied with Sennheiser Accentum TWS. However, if you want a cooler-looking pair of TWS, the obvious choice would be the Nothing Ear (2024), and if you are looking for a true flagship experience, turn to the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 or the slightly older offering, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro2.

Hisense E6N is an affordable LED TV that runs the Google TV interface and comes with some interesting gaming features like VRR and ALLM. While the affordable TV landscape is quite competitive and dynamic, if you are looking for an option from a familiar brand, the Hisense E6N must have turned up on your list. The Hisense E6N 4K Smart LED TV stands out as a solid option from a well-known brand. But is it truly worth its price? How does it fare in terms of picture quality and overall performance? Let’s answer these questions and more in this detailed review!

Hisense E6N 4K Smart LED TV Review: Specifications 

• Display: 55-inch, 8-Bit, Direct LED 
• Display Type: VA LCD
• Display Resolution: 3840 x 2160 – 4K UHD
• Panel Refresh Rate: 60Hz, VRR (48 - 60 Hz)
• Supported HDR Formats: HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision
• Speakers: 16W 
• Audio formats: DTS Virtual X, Dolby Digital 
• Software: Google TV
• Screen Mirroring: DLNA, Chromecast, Miracast, AirPlay
• HDMI Ports: 3x HDMI, eARC, ALLM 
• Processor: MediaTek Quad-Core processor
• Storage: 8GB 
• Other connectivity options: Two USB ports, Dual-band Wi-Fi, Optical input, Bluetooth Ethernet, Antenna input, AV in, Headphone out
• Price: Rs. 36,999

Hisense E6N 4K Smart LED TV Review: Design and Remote 

The Hisense E6N LED TV has slim bezels on three sides. I noticed that the edges of the display cover glass are bare and not shielded by side bezels, which subtly enhances the design. The metallic chassis extends beyond the glass by a few millimetres to provide a safeguard. The stand at the bottom is made of plastic and offers sturdy support. Frequently used ports are side-facing but are positioned towards the centre. This means they will be a tad difficult to access when the TV is wall-mounted. 

I really like the Hisense remote that comes with the E6N. It’s ergonomic and the white D-pad makes it easy to use in the dark. It includes hotkeys for five popular apps: Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Hotstar, and Sony Liv. There is also a customisable Media key, which you can assign to any app or function of your choice. The Menu button provides quick access to useful settings as an overlay while content is playing - a feature we truly appreciate.

Hisense E6N 4K Smart LED TV Review: Display Quality 

The Hisense E6N has a basic LED LCD Display. Our unit has a VA panel and we recorded a contrast of 3817:1. The peak display brightness reached approximately 300 nits in the Dynamic mode (HDR) and dropped to just 260 nits in the more accurate Cinema mode and Filmmaker mode which has relatively warmer white. This is not enough brightness for an impactful HDR experience, but that’s also the case with most of the affordable HDR options that we have tested. 

Also Read: QNED vs QLED vs OLED TVs: What’s the difference? 

The TV can reproduce roughly 90% of sRGB colour space and roughly 77% of DCI-P3 colour space, which is standard for affordable LED LCD TVs. The viewing angles are not very wide and we noticed loss of luminance and colour when viewing off-axis. 

Hisense E6N 4K Smart LED TV Review: HDR and SDR Picture Quality

We use Spectracal C6 HDR2000 colourimeter, VideoForge Pro pattern generator, and Calman Ultimate software to test TV displays. The Hisense E6N has reasonable colour accuracy for the price but greyscale and luminance errors are considerable and as a result, colours look washed out. 

In SDR we measured an average delta error of 4.6 and a maximum delta error of 8.5 which is decent for affordable TVs. Super-resolution which uses AI to subtly sharpen object edges in real-time is enabled by default. Even after disabling it, the picture felt slightly over-sharpened. 

In HDR 10, the TV tracks the EOTF curve brighter than the reference. The colour accuracy also drops further. We must also mention that if we discard the luminance error, colour accuracy stats improve considerably. Also, we noticed some banding and posterization artefacts in HDR content.

The TV also supports Dolby Vision HDR, but once again the overall Dolby Vision experience is not up to the mark. In dark Dolby Vision sequences, the Dolby Vision Bright overbrightens the shadows and the Dolby Vision Dark completely crushes dark details. We often found ourselves switching modes and settings to get the picture right which is not something a common consumer should need to go through.

The TV has slight motion smoothening enabled by default. We did not notice any major issues with upscaling of legacy content. 

Hisense E6N 4K Smart LED TV Review: Performance and Software 

This Hisense TV is powered by a quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and 8GB of storage (with 5.6GB available for users). We did experience occasional stutters when fast-forwarding content or switching between apps, but this is again common among affordable and midrange TVs. Overall, the performance was reasonably snappy for the price. 

The TV runs on the Google TV platform based on Android 12, with several added customisations. You can access quick settings and shortcuts using the input key. The Google TV interface integrates seamlessly with Google services and apps on smartphones. You can use the virtual remote in the Google TV app, manage your watchlist directly from your PC browser, or even download apps directly to your TV from your phone. Google Assistant and Alexa are both supported on the TV. 

Also Read: 10 Google TV Tips and Tricks That You Must Know!

You can cast videos from your Android phone or Apple iPhone from popular apps like Netflix, YouTube and more. Apple AirPlay and Homekit are also supported so you can seamlessly mirror screen from Apple devices as well. The software does not have much bloatware and Hisense adds useful toggles to let users fine-tune picture quality on the TV.  

Hisense E6N 4K Smart LED TV Review: Gaming and Audio 

To test the gaming capabilities, we played Witcher 3 and Spiderman 2 on the TV. While the TV has several gaming features like VRR and ALLM. With the game mode enabled, the display felt responsive in our testing. Gaming visuals in HDR and SDR lack contrast and look slightly washed out. 

The audio from the 24 Watts speaker is loud but flat. The bass lacks sharpness and diaglogue clarity is also about average. For a proper audio experience, you will have to invest in a soundbar. 

Hisense E6N 4K Smart LED TV Review - Should you buy it?

The Hisense E6N is an affordable yet feature-rich TV that performs well in bright viewing environments and delivers reliable performance for basic needs. It features dependable software, an appealing design, a very ergonomic remote and covers all the essential functions. On the downside, the overall picture quality could have been better. The HDR experience in particular is a little underwhelming, but that is perhaps to be expected at this price. In terms of picture quality affordable options like Coocaa Y73 Pro, TCL T6G and Thompson 4K OP Max LED TV have performed better in our tests.

Pros 

• Ergonomic remote
• Decent design 
• Apple Airplay and Chromecast supported for seamless mirroring
• VRR (48Hz to 60Hz) for gamers

Cons

• HDR experience 
• Only for casual gaming

When it comes to gaming peripherals, Logitech has long been a trusted name, known for pushing the boundaries of technology and design. The Logitech G309 Lightspeed Wireless Mouse is the latest offering in this tradition, promising a blend of precision, lightweight design, and innovative features. In this review, we’ll dive deep into what makes the G309 stand out and evaluate whether it lives up to the hype.

Logitech G309 Lightspeed Build and design

The Logitech G309 Lightspeed Wireless Mouse is designed with a focus on minimalism and functionality. At a mere 68 grams without a battery, it is among the lightest gaming mice available. This weight is a significant advantage for gamers who require swift and precise movements. The mouse features a symmetrical, ambidextrous design, making it suitable for both left- and right-handed users.

The G309 comes in two color options: black and white. The white variant, in particular, stands out with its matte finish and silver accents, lending it a sophisticated and understated look. This is a deliberate design choice by Logitech, moving away from the flashy RGB lighting trends prevalent in many gaming peripherals. Instead, the G309 opts for a more refined aesthetic, which may appeal to users who prefer a cleaner setup.

The mouse's body is designed to be comfortable during prolonged gaming sessions. However, its flat and somewhat generic shape might not provide the same level of ergonomic support as contoured mice. For users who prefer a more sculpted mouse that fits the natural curve of their hand, the G309's design could feel less accommodating. Nonetheless, its lightweight build helps mitigate any discomfort that might arise from the lack of contouring.

Logitech G309 Lightspeed Performance

Performance is where the G309 truly shines. The mouse is equipped with Logitech's Hero 25K sensor, which boasts a maximum DPI of 25,600. This high sensitivity ensures that even the most subtle movements are captured with precision, making it an excellent choice for competitive gaming where accuracy is crucial. The Hero 25K sensor is known for its reliability and performance, and it delivers here without any noticeable lag or tracking issues.

The G309 features hybrid optical-mechanical switches in its primary buttons. These switches are designed to offer a crisp and responsive click. The tactile feedback from the switches is generally positive, providing a satisfying click without being overly loud or harsh. 

In terms of connectivity, the G309 supports both 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth. Surprisingly, no wired option at all since you can’t really charge this mouse conventionally. They’ve done away with the cable entirely, which is a first for us. This dual-connectivity option offers flexibility for various setups. The 2.4GHz wireless connection is preferred for gaming due to its lower latency and higher polling rate, which is set at 1,000Hz. This polling rate is standard for high-performance gaming mice and ensures that the mouse's movements are transmitted to the computer with minimal delay.

The Bluetooth option is a useful feature for those who might want to use the G309 with multiple devices or in situations where the 2.4GHz dongle might not be convenient. While Bluetooth generally has a slightly higher latency compared to 2.4GHz wireless, it still performs admirably for most non-gaming tasks and casual gaming.

Battery Life and Supercapacitor Technology

One of the standout features of the G309, and both its biggest pro and con, is its innovative battery system. The mouse uses a supercapacitor instead of a traditional rechargeable battery, the caveat being that you need to use the mouse with a Logitech PowerPlay mat - pretty much at all times. This design does have some benefits. It allows the G309 to be incredibly lightweight, as it eliminates the need for a bulky rechargeable battery.

When used with the PowerPlay mouse pad, the G309 benefits from virtually unlimited battery life. The PowerPlay system uses proprietary wireless charging technology to continuously power the mouse while it is on the pad. However, the PowerPlay mat is sold separately and is priced higher than the G309 itself in India. A pretty significant investment if you are not already considering purchasing the mat.

Without the PowerPlay mat, the G309 relies on a single AA battery, which is included in the box. This battery provides a solid 300 hours of continuous use when connected via 2.4GHz wireless and up to 600 hours with Bluetooth. The battery life is impressive and should be more than sufficient for most users. However, the mouse’s balance goes out of whack, and it becomes too backside-heavy which can mess around with the overall experience. Unfortunately, for most users in India this is going to be the case all the time unless they make the PowerPlay mat purchase. 

Other than that, the mouse also allows you to store the 2.4GHz wireless USB dongle within the mouse itself, reducing the risk of losing it during transport.

Software and Customisation

The Logitech G309 Lightspeed Mouse works with Logitech’s G Hub software, which provides extensive customisation options. Through G Hub, users can adjust DPI settings, remap buttons, and configure profiles for different games or applications. The software allows you to set up five different DPI presets, which can be cycled through using the DPI switch located between the main buttons.

G Hub’s interface is fairly intuitive and offers a range of customisation options. You can create and save different profiles for various gaming scenarios, such as first-person shooters, strategy games, or productivity tasks. The ability to remap the mouse’s six programmable buttons (including the scroll wheel click) is a valuable feature for gamers who need quick access to in-game commands or macros. Or even out of game for that matter.

Logitech G309 Lightspeed Verdict

The Logitech G309 Lightspeed Wireless Mouse is a well-rounded gaming peripheral that excels in lightweight design, precision performance, and versatile connectivity. Its Hero 25K sensor and hybrid optical-mechanical switches ensure a high level of accuracy and responsiveness, making it suitable for competitive gaming. The innovative use of a supercapacitor and compatibility with Logitech’s PowerPlay system is a unique feature that enhances the mouse’s convenience and usability. IF you can get your hands on the PowerPlay mat that is.

The necessity to invest in the PowerPlay mat for unlimited battery life might be a deterrent for some users, given its high price. Without the mat, the G309’s reliance on an AA battery does provide great battery life, but at the cost of balance. It becomes too backside-heavy, with an increase of up to 22 grams concentrated near the rear of the mouse.

At ₹7,995, the G309 is positioned as a premium offering in the gaming mouse market. For those already invested in Logitech’s ecosystem or who value a lightweight design and high-performance features, it is a compelling choice. However, if you are not considering the additional cost of the PowerPlay mat, there are other options available that might offer similar performance at a lower price point, like the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Wireless for example.

Overall, we’d still say that the Logitech G309 Lightspeed Wireless Mouse is an innovative addition to Logitech’s lineup. It offers a solid combination of lightness, precision, and versatility as long as you have or are planning to pick up a PowerPlay mat. Because if you do have one, unlimited power sounds incredibly convenient and that in itself might make the Logitech G309 Lightspeed worth considering for some.

The mid-range smartphone market is packed with contenders, all vying for the title of the best camera phone. The Vivo V40 emerges as one of the challengers, targeting photography enthusiasts with its Zeiss-tuned camera system. Priced at ₹34,999 for the base variant (8+128 GB), the Vivo V40 packs a punch with premium features such as an IP68/IP69 rating for water and dust resistance, a high-brightness AMOLED display, and a robust build that combines a plastic frame with reinforced aluminium corners.

But does the Vivo V40 have what it takes to stand out in a crowded segment, especially against strong camera-centric competitors like the Honor 200 (review) and the Realme 13 Pro+ (review)? Let's delve deeper into its capabilities in my detailed review of the Vivo V40.

Vivo V40 5G Review: Slender and suave design

The Vivo V40 sports an elegant design with an eye-catching and modern aesthetic. Its glass back panel features a wave-like pattern that looks quite unique. However, the glossy finish means it’s prone to fingerprints, so you might find yourself wiping it down frequently. The Vivo V40 measures 7.6mm in thickness and weighs 190g, making it slightly thicker and heavier than its predecessor, the Vivo V30.

Vivo has reinforced the phone's plastic frame with aluminium alloy at the corners. This design choice significantly enhances the phone’s durability, especially against those pesky corner drops. Vivo has also upped the ante by equipping the V40 with IP68 and IP69 ratings. These, of course, add another layer of protection, ensuring the phone can withstand dust, dirt, and water immersion, making it more resilient than many of its peers.

The Vivo V40 is comfortable to hold and use with one hand. The placement of buttons is ergonomic, with the power and volume buttons easily accessible on the right side. The buttons are tactile while also being quiet. The fingerprint sensor, embedded under the display, is quick and reliable, benefiting from the lack of unlock animations that could otherwise slow it down. Overall, the Vivo V40 impresses with its thoughtful design and solid build quality.

Vivo V40 Review: Bright and crisp AMOLED Display

The Vivo V40 boasts a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a 1.5K resolution, offering a pixel density of 453 PPI. The display is impressive, outputting sharp, vibrant visuals that are a treat for the eyes. Whether you’re watching HDR content or scrolling through social media, the display delivers excellent colour accuracy and contrast. The phone supports HDR10+ too, but there’s no Dolby Vision support.

One of the standout features of the Vivo V40’s display is its peak brightness of 4,500 nits, which is significantly higher than most competitors in this price range. However, note that only certain parts of the phone’s display will hit these numbers when watching HDR content. The screen is also incredibly bright and easy to view under direct sunlight. I got a peak brightness reading of 1,190 nits under sunlight, but I’m sure the phone can push out more nits on brighter days when on Auto Brightness. However, the Honor 200 is generally brighter in regular use.

The display supports 120 Hz refresh rate which provides smooth scrolling and a pretty fluid user experience. The display is also protected by Schott Xensation Alpha glass, which adds durability and resistance to scratches and minor impacts. However, the Realme 13 Pro+ is ahead of the pack here with Gorilla Glass 7i protection.

How's the performance and UI?

Under the hood, the Vivo V40 is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor, a chipset that’s known for delivering pretty reliable mid-range performance. In fact, the HONOR 200, another mid-range camera-centric phone, also features the same SoC. However, it’s disappointing to see that Vivo has chosen to power the V40 with the same SoC as its predecessor, meaning you cannot expect a jump in performance this generation. The company pairs the processor with up to 12 GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 512 GB of UFS 2.2 storage.

Now, the Vivo V40 is well-equipped to handle multitasking, light to medium gaming, and day-to-day activities without breaking a sweat. In benchmark tests, the Vivo V40 performs admirably, though it slightly lags behind the Honor 200 in most categories. However, the phone consistently performs better than the Realme 13 Pro+, which could be chalked up to the fact that it houses a slightly inferior processor.

Apps open quickly, and switching between them is seamless. The phone also handles low to medium graphics settings in games like BGMI and Call of Duty Mobile with ease, maintaining consistent frame rates with minimal drops. The V40 also doesn’t throttle too much. It maintains performance, throttling to only 90% of its peak performance after 15 minutes of running the CPU Throttling Test. Both the Honor 200 and Realme 13 Pro+ throttled more in the same test.

On the software front, the Vivo V40 runs FuntouchOS 14, based on Android 14. The interface comes with its fair share of bloatware. Fortunately, most of these pre-installed apps can be uninstalled or disabled, but I’d prefer it if the device were cleaner out of the box. Vivo promises two major OS updates and three years of security patches, which is decent but not as extensive as the Honor 200’s 3+4 years update policy.

As for AI, the integration in the Vivo V40 is mostly centred around the camera, enhancing features like scene recognition and portrait mode. In Digit’s AI-Q test, the Vivo V40 scored 65/100, slightly edging out the Honor 200.

Zeiss tuned cameras shine!

The camera system is where the Vivo V40 truly sets itself apart. Co-engineered with Zeiss, the V40’s dual-camera setup consists of a 50 MP main sensor and a 50 MP ultrawide lens. The Zeiss collaboration is a massive advantage, and the proof is in the pudding: the photos generally look better than its predecessor’s and Zeiss’ portrait filters and focal lengths make a world of difference. However, the lack of a telephoto camera is a hard pill to swallow since both the Honor 200 and the Realme 13 Pro+ have capable telephoto cameras.

Now, the phone generally captures vibrant photos with good dynamic range, with a particular emphasis on portrait shots. The Zeiss tuning ensures that colours are accurate and the dynamic range is well-managed, although the warmer tones in photos might sometimes appear slightly exaggerated at times. The detail also isn’t as crisp as I would have liked in some instances, but these occurrences were rare.

In daylight conditions, the Vivo V40 excels, delivering good images with solid contrast and minimal noise. Portraits are a strong point for the V40, thanks to the advanced depth-sensing capabilities that produce natural-looking bokeh effects. The ultrawide lens is equally impressive, offering consistent colour reproduction and excellent dynamic range, even in challenging lighting situations.

Low-light photography is another area where the Vivo V40 outperforms its competition. The phone’s main sensor is capable of capturing images with good detail retention, even in dimly lit environments. While the Honor 200 struggles with noise in low-light scenarios, the Vivo V40 manages to keep it under control, producing cleaner and more usable shots.

Selfies are another highlight of the Vivo V40, with its 50 MP front camera delivering highly detailed and colour-accurate images. Whether you’re snapping photos in good lighting or low light, the V40's selfie camera consistently produces excellent results.

Vivo V40 Review: Good battery life

The Vivo V40 is equipped with a 5,500 mAh battery, which provides solid battery life for a device in its category. In real-world usage, the V40 comfortably lasts through a full day of moderate use, including tasks like web browsing, video streaming, and gaming. In the PCMark Battery test, the V40 lasted for 15 hours and 3 minutes, which is commendable but falls short compared to the Honor 200’s impressive 18-hour performance.

Charging the V40 is quick and convenient, thanks to the 80 W fast charging support. The phone can go from 0 to 100% in approximately 46 minutes, making it easy to top up the battery in a short amount of time. Overall, the Vivo V40 offers reliable battery life and fast charging, even if it isn’t the best in its class.

Should you buy the Vivo V40?

The Vivo V40, with its ₹34,999 price tag, is ready to snap up the competition, especially if you’re a photography buff. Its Zeiss-tuned camera system is the real star of the show, capturing moments in sharp, vibrant detail. The phone also impresses with its sturdy build and IP68/IP69 ratings, making it as tough as it is stylish. The AMOLED display is bright enough to dazzle, and the overall performance is smooth, even if the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 isn’t exactly breaking new ground.

While the lack of a telephoto lens and some bloatware might blur the lines of perfection, the Vivo V40 still manages to focus on what matters most: delivering a solid, camera-centric experience that doesn’t fizzle out when it counts – particularly portraits and low light photography. However, if you already have the Vivo V30 from last year, there aren’t enough substantial upgrades to make this a compelling switch, even with the all-new Zeiss experience.

The OnePlus Buds Pro 3 is the latest addition to the brand's growing lineup of true wireless earbuds. Known for offering high-end features at competitive prices, OnePlus has pushed the envelope further with this new offering. The Buds Pro 3 not only flaunts a redesigned aesthetic but also promises significant improvements in sound quality and Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). However, the competition is fierce in a market crowded with formidable contenders like the OPPO Enco X2 (review), Nothing Ear (2024) (review), and Moto Buds+ (review).

The OnePlus Buds Pro 3 are aimed at audiophiles and everyday users alike. They offer a mix of high-fidelity sound, intelligent features, and extended battery life. While OnePlus has always been good at delivering quality hardware, the question remains: have they managed to improve their audio experience alongside the design makeover? In this review, we’ll break down the OnePlus Buds Pro 3's build, features, performance, and more to help you decide if these earbuds are worth your hard-earned money.

OnePlus Buds Pro 3 Review: Elevated faux leather design

The OnePlus Buds Pro 3 takes a new approach with its design, departing from the suitcase-like case of its predecessor in favour of a pebble-shaped case. This change aligns the Buds Pro 3 with its sister company OPPO's TWS earphones, offering a more ergonomic and compact form factor. What really sets the design apart, though, is the faux leather texture that adorns the front and back of the case. This not only enhances the look but also adds a tactile element that makes the Buds Pro 3 feel more premium.

It's important to note that the faux leather is actually plastic and not actual leather or vegan leather. While the material choice might not scream luxury, it's a step in the right direction for those looking for something a little more stylish in their everyday tech.

The case also features a metallic-look circumference with a matte finish, adding to the sleek and minimalist aesthetic OnePlus is known for. Available in two colours—Midnight Opus and Lunar Radiance—the Buds Pro 3 case sports an LED indicator at the bottom for charging status, along with a discreet pairing button on the side.

However, the case is on the heavier side, even more so than the Sony WF-1000XM4, which could be a drawback for those who prefer something lightweight and pocketable. The earbuds themselves follow a matte and glossy finish combination, which exudes a premium vibe. The fit is excellent, providing a secure and comfortable experience, though the pressure controls could offer a bit more tactile feedback.

Features gallore!

OnePlus has packed the Buds Pro 3 with an array of features that cater to both casual listeners and audiophiles. Nearly every modern feature you’d expect from a TWS in 2024 is present, ensuring that the Buds Pro 3 remain competitive in a crowded market. The companion app, HeyMelody, available on both Android and iOS, provides a hub for these features, allowing users to customise their experience to a significant degree.

One of the standout features is the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), which is impressive for the price point. OnePlus has significantly improved the ANC quality over previous iterations, even outperforming competitors like the Nothing Ear (2024) and the OPPO Enco X2. Human voices and ambient sounds are effectively silenced, making these buds ideal for noisy environments. Users can choose between manual ANC settings or engage Adaptive ANC, which automatically adjusts the level of noise cancellation based on the surrounding environment.

Another noteworthy feature is the inclusion of a 6-band equaliser, allowing users to tweak the sound profile to their liking. Additionally, there’s a BassWave slider that enhances the bass response, although cranking it up too high can lead to muddiness in the sound. Spatial Audio is another prominent feature, with OnePlus switching to Google’s Spatial Audio technology. While Spatial Audio with Head Tracking can introduce some distortion, the Fixed setting doesn’t face the same issue, and offers a wide soundstage, making for a more immersive listening experience.

The Buds Pro 3 also comes equipped with other modern features like Multipoint or Dual Connection, which lets you connect the earbuds to two devices simultaneously. There’s also an Earbud Fit Test to ensure the perfect fit for optimal sound quality. Google Fast Pair, wireless charging, and on-ear detection round out the extensive feature set, making the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 one of the most feature-rich TWS earbuds on the market today.

The OnePlus Buds Pro 3's sound quality impresses

The OnePlus Buds Pro 3 doesn’t just boast a design overhaul; the internal hardware has seen a significant upgrade as well. Like its predecessor, the Buds Pro 3 is tuned by Dynaudio and features dual drivers—an 11mm woofer and a 6mm tweeter in each earbud. However, this time around, OnePlus has enhanced the drivers and added two Digital-to-Analog Converters (DACs) per earbud. This dual DAC setup allows for better instrument separation, as one DAC handles the tweeter while the other focuses on the woofer, resulting in a more balanced and dynamic audio experience.

The sound signature of the Buds Pro 3 leans towards a V-shape, with prominent lows and sparkly highs. The bass is full-bodied, delivering a punchy and energetic performance, while the highs remain clear and detailed. However, the mid-range—specifically the 250-500 Hz range—experiences a slight dip, leading to some auditory masking in the mids. This means that male vocals and instruments that fall within this range might sound a bit recessed, especially compared to competitors like the OPPO Enco X2, which offers a more refined mid-range performance.

Despite this minor shortcoming, the overall sound quality is impressive, especially for the price. The bass attack is strong, and the upper mids provide excellent clarity, making the Buds Pro 3 suitable for a wide range of music genres. The soundstage is decent for in-ear headphones but gets a noticeable boost with Spatial Audio enabled. Additionally, the imaging and instrument separation are top-notch, allowing for a detailed and immersive listening experience.

When it comes to call quality, the Buds Pro 3 is no slouch. Equipped with three microphones per earbud, along with a Bone Conducting Voice Pickup Sensor and an AI algorithm, these earbuds deliver clear and crisp call quality even in noisy environments. Whether you're in a bustling cafe or taking a call on the go, your voice comes through loud and clear, making it a great choice for those who need reliable call performance.

OnePlus Buds Pro 3 Review: Long-lasting battery

Battery life is another area where the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 shines. According to OnePlus, the earbuds can deliver up to 10 hours of playtime on a single charge with ANC turned off and AAC codec active. The charging case provides an additional 33 hours of battery life, bringing the total to an impressive 43 hours of playback time. With ANC enabled, the battery life drops to 6 hours for the earbuds and 25.5 hours total with the case.

In real-world testing, the Buds Pro 3 lived up to OnePlus' claims, delivering around 6.2 hours of playtime with ANC on and AAC active. Additionally, the earbuds support fast charging, which gives you 10 hours of playback time with just a 10-minute charge. Wireless charging is also available, which is quite convenient.

Should you buy the OnePlus Buds Pro 3?

OnePlus has a potential hit on its hands with the OnePlus Buds Pro 3. The Buds Pro 3 offers a compelling package of stylish design, excellent sound quality, and a robust feature set and is well worth its price tag. The faux leather texture adds a touch of class, and the redesigned case feels premium. Sonically, the Buds Pro 3 impress with their powerful bass, clear highs, and good instrument separation, though the mid-range could use a bit more refinement.

With effective ANC, extensive app-based customisations, and solid battery life, the Buds Pro 3 proves to be a strong contender in the TWS market. While there are minor quirks, such as the weight of the case and some distortion with Spatial Audio head-tracking, these don’t detract from the overall experience too much. These buds easily secure the Digit seal of approval. So, if you’re in the market for feature-packed earbuds with great sound, the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 should definitely be on your radar.

POCO, known for its value-for-money smartphones, has entered the audio accessory market with the POCO Buds X1, launched in India at a competitive price of ₹1,699. These true wireless earbuds aim to offer an exciting feature set, including Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), without breaking the bank. With highlights such as a modern design, effective noise cancellation, and impressive battery life, the POCO Buds X1 promises a lot for its price. But do they deliver on their promises? Let’s delve into the details to see if these earbuds are worth the investment.

POCO Buds X1 Review: Contemporary design, good fit

The POCO Buds X1 sports a contemporary and stylish design. The charging case features an oval shape with a matte finish, which not only feels good in hand but also resists fingerprints and scratches. The POCO branding is discreetly placed on the back, while a white LED indicator on the front provides clear charging status updates. The case is compact and easy to carry in your pocket.

Opening the case reveals the earbuds nestled securely in their slots. Removing the buds can be a bit tricky, requiring a bit of a tug-of-war, which might be inconvenient for some users. The earbuds themselves have a glossy plastic finish that can attract fingerprints but maintain a sleek appearance. 

Weighing about 4.2 grams each, the earbuds are designed for a secure and comfortable fit. They stay put even during intense physical activities like running or cycling. Additionally, they have an IP54 rating for dust and water resistance, meaning they can handle splashes and light rain but are not submersible.

Excellent ANC for the price, good features

The POCO Buds X1 is packed with features that are impressive for its price. It includes Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), which is effective up to 46dB, and a Transparency mode to let ambient sound through when needed. This feature helps users stay aware of their surroundings, which is useful for safety.

Effortless pairing is a standout feature, facilitated by Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC and AAC audio codecs. The earbuds also support Google Fast Pair for quick and easy connectivity. However, they do not support multipoint connection to multiple devices, but that’s not expected at this price point. The touch controls on the earbuds can be a bit finicky, sometimes requiring precise taps to operate correctly, which can get a bit annoying.

One of the standout features is the Xiaomi Earbuds app, available on both Android and iOS. This app unlocks advanced sound customisation with a 10-band EQ and allows for customisable controls, which adds a level of personalisation to the user experience. In the past, my gripe with Xiaomi earphones has been the lack of an accompanying app, so it’s great to see POCO address that and ship with Xiaomi Earbuds app support. 

POCO Buds X1 Review: Boomin' bass

The POCO Buds X1 delivers a bass-heavy sound profile, thanks to its 12.4mm dynamic drivers with a titanium-plated polymer. This results in a bass-forward sound signature that might appeal to bass enthusiasts but can occasionally overshadow the mids and clarity of vocals and instruments. The bass response is notably bloated and heavy, sometimes making it challenging to appreciate the finer details in the audio. The mids are recessed, so they're pretty soft in the mix.

On the other hand, the ANC is impressively effective for the price, providing significant noise reduction and an immersive listening experience. The Transparency mode is well-implemented, allowing users to hear their surroundings without removing the earbuds. Although there is no dedicated low-latency gaming mode, the reported 60ms latency should be sufficient for most casual gaming needs.

Call quality is another strong point for the POCO Buds X1. With dual microphones and AI noise-reduction technology, the earbuds are decent for making calls indoors, but they do struggle a bit outdoors, especially in the presence of strong winds.

Good battery life

Battery life is a notable feature of the POCO Buds X1. The earbuds offer up to 7 hours of use on a single charge without ANC. With ANC turned on, users can expect slightly over 5 hours of usage at around 50% volume, which is pretty good. The charging case extends the total battery life to approximately 36 hours without ANC, meaning users can comfortably go several days without needing a recharge.

Finally, with a combined battery life of about 20 hours from the earbuds and case with ANC turned on, you shouldn't need to charge these earbuds for at least 3-5 days. The case charges fully in about 2 hours and supports fast charging, providing 2 hours of playback (combined case and earbuds) with just 10 minutes of charging. 

Should you buy the POCO Buds X1?

The POCO Buds X1 offers a compelling package in the budget true wireless earbuds segment, with features such as Active Noise Cancellation at an attractive price of ₹1,699. Despite minor drawbacks like finicky touch controls and a bass-heavy sound profile that may not suit all users, the POCO Buds X1 delivers excellent value. The lightweight design, effective ANC, and impressive battery life make these earbuds a strong contender in their price range. So, the POCO Buds X1 are a steal for the price, though the bass-heavy sound might not be everyone's cup of tea.

Did you know you can get a Snapdragon Gen 3 device for just ₹40,000? Today, we’re diving into the OnePlus Pad 2. With pricing starting at ₹39,999 for the 8 GB + 128 GB variant and ₹42,999 for the 12 GB + 256 GB version, this tablet stands out as the most affordable Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 device available in India. Let’s see if it’s worth your money.

OnePlus Pad 2 Build and Design

The OnePlus Pad 2 boasts a sleek aluminum design, reminiscent of classic OnePlus aesthetics. At 586 grams, it's slightly larger and heavier than its predecessor but still lighter than competitors like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ and Apple iPad Air. The matte aluminum back is fingerprint-resistant, and the integrated camera module with a metallic ring adds a touch of elegance. The OnePlus logo reinforces the tablet’s landscape orientation.

Front and Rear Camera

On the front, the Pad 2 features a selfie camera for facial recognition, which is your sole biometric option. It’s smooth and reliable, though a fingerprint sensor would have been a nice addition. The camera setup includes a 13MP rear camera and an 8MP front camera. The rear camera’s performance is subpar, while the front camera is adequate for selfies. The tablet supports 4K30FPS video, which is decent for occasional use but not a standout feature.

OnePlus Pad 2 Display

The 12.1-inch 3K IPS LCD display with a 7:5 aspect ratio is a highlight of the Pad 2. It supports HDR and offers a variable refresh rate of up to 144Hz, making it one of the smoothest displays in its category. Although the screen can reach up to 900 nits in bright sunlight, we measured a solid 560 nits under cloudy conditions. With brightness set to maximum and auto brightness turned off, it reaches around 600 nits, which is competitive for this segment. The display provides excellent color accuracy and good viewing angles.

OnePlus Pad 2 Performance

Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, the OnePlus Pad 2 delivers top-notch performance.

However, the performance does fall short of other devices featuring Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processors due to throttling, as can be seen in the AnTuTu and PCMark benchmarks.

You can choose between 8GB RAM with 128GB storage or 12GB RAM with 256GB UFS 3.1 storage. While UFS 4.0 would have been ideal, the performance remains strong, handling multitasking and gaming efficiently.

Games like Genshin Impact run smoothly, however, like we mentioned above, the CPU throttles under heavy use.

Battery Life

Equipped with a 9510mAh battery, the Pad 2 offers a full day of use for casual users. Heavy users may need to recharge by midday, with the PCMark battery test showing 7 hours of life. The 67W fast charger is a standout feature, allowing the battery to charge fully in under 80 minutes.

Audio

The OnePlus Pad 2 features a 6-speaker setup with Omni Bearing Audio technology that adjusts sound based on the tablet’s orientation. This delivers a rich stereo experience for movies and music. The absence of a headphone jack is notable, but the USB Gen 3.2 Type-C port supports adapters.

OnePlus Pad 2 Software and Accessories

Running OxygenOS 14.1 based on Android 14, the Pad 2 offers a clean interface with seamless OnePlus phone integration. AI features include Smart Eraser 2.0 and Smart Cutout. Multitasking is efficient with Open Canvas, supporting up to 3 open apps. However, the tablet lacks LTE support and requires manual data sharing from other devices.

Optional accessories include the Smart Keyboard case and the Stylo 2 stylus. The keyboard, which connects via pogo pins or Bluetooth, includes an adjustable stand and makes the tablet heavier at around 1 kg, better suited for desk use. The Stylo 2 offers 16,000 levels of pressure sensitivity and can also function as a laser pointer for presentations.

OnePlus Pad 2 Verdict

The OnePlus Pad 2 combines a premium design, vibrant display, and solid performance. Its audio and multitasking features are impressive, particularly for existing OnePlus users due to seamless integration. However, the lack of a bundled stylus, missing dust and water resistance, absence of a headphone jack, and average camera quality are minor drawbacks.

If you’re in the market for a high-performance tablet and are already a OnePlus fan, the OnePlus Pad 2 is definitely worth considering.