(Pocket-lint) – With the pace of smartphone evolution moving so fast, there’s always something waiting in the wings. No sooner have you spied the latest handset, that there’s anticipation for the next big thing.
Here we look at those phones that haven’t yet launched, the upcoming phones for 2020. We’ll be updating this list on a regular basis, with those device rumours we think are credible and exciting.
As for already-launched handsets, we’ve rounded up the best smartphones for 2020 elsewhere – those we consider to be the best across all platforms. If your budget is a little smaller, there is also our budget smartphones for under £200 feature – and there’s a mid-range roundup up to £400 as well.
The upcoming generation of phones
Before we dive into the detail, here are some of the anticipated handsets for 2020 and 2021:
Huawei Mate 40 and Mate 40 Pro
Nokia 7.3 5G
Nokia 9.3 PureView
Huawei Mate X2
OnePlus Nord N10
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy Fold E
Apple iPhone SE 2 Plus
Xiaomi flip phone
OnLeaks / Pricebaba
Huawei Mate 40 and Mate 40 Pro
Huawei is going to update its Mate devices on 22 October 2020 with the Mate 40 and Mate 40 Pro. We’ve seen plenty of leaks for these phones, with a big camera roundel suggested for the rear, the Mate 40 Pro getting a periscope lens on top of the Mate 40’s offering. Dual front cameras sit in a punch hole in the curved display.
Everything you need to know about the Huawei Mate 40
Pocket-lint
Nokia 7.3 5G
Nokia is looking to add another affordable 5G phone to its selection and it’s rumoured that this phone will use with the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 690 5G hardware or MediaTek Dimensity. Nokia has confirmed it’s working on more affordable 5G device and that there will be devices on this new Qualcomm hardware in the future. We’re expecting Nokia updates in November 2020.
Nokia’s new phone might use Snapdragon 690
Pocket-lint
Nokia 9.3 PureView
Rumours of a new flagship have been circulating for well over a year, with no sign of the elusive handset. There’s the suggestion that Nokia might be holding an event in November to launch new devices however, and the Nokia 9.3 PureView might be on the list.
All the Nokia 9.3 PureView rumours
Pocket-lint
Huawei Mate X2
Huawei’s next-gen folding phone reportedly has the codename Teton and will shift from the design of the original Mate X with the display on the exterior to one with the display on the interior. Not a lot else has been said about this phone, but we might see it showcased in October 2020.
Pocket-lint
OnePlus Nord N10
Clover, Billie, Kebab, Lemonade and Bengal. There’s been a range of codenames leak for future OnePlus devices, all said to be more affordable. We don’t know if all these devices will come to pass, but it looks like OnePlus is about to dive into budget devices in a big way. The first could be the N10, a Nord device for North America, codenamed Kebab.
Pocket-lint
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Samsung’s next-gen of smartphones are already seeing numerous leaks. At the moment we don’t know if they will be called S21 or S30 – but we’re sure there will be a full family of devices just as there was in 2020. We’re expecting a February 2021 launch, we’re expecting the Ultra to keep the big battery and big megapixel cameras and we’re expecting next-gen 5nm processors from Exynos.
Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Ultra: All the rumours
Pocket-lint
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold E
There have been several threads of a rumour that suggest Samsung is looking at more affordable folding phones – and the Galaxy Z Fold E is what we might get. There’s talk of a Fold model with a smaller external display like the Z Flip, designed to sell much cheaper – with $1100 suggested. We might not see this cheaper Galaxy Fold until 2021.
All the leaks suggesting a cheaper folding phone from Samsung
Pocket-lint
Apple iPhone SE Plus
As soon as the 2020 iPhone SE was announced, rumours started circulating about a larger model. With the iPhone SE essentially taking the iPhone 8 body, there’s those wondering if a Plus model will be launched to slot into the iPhone 8 Plus space. While many say that this phone is unlikely to appear (4 year old design and priced higher than the SE makes it close to the XR) there’s some saying that it will appear in early 2021.
Windows United
Xiaomi flip phone
Xiaomi has shown off a number of folding prototypes in the past, but now there’s talk that the company is looking to source components from Samsung Display. It’s believed that Xiaomi is interested in producing a folding phone similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. That would potentially provide a cheaper entry-point to folding phones and add variety to this growing market.
(Pocket-lint) – The Acer Predator Triton 500 has been upgraded with some subtle yet awesome enhancements – including a 300Hz screen and serious specs – to help it reach its lofty gaming goals.
When we tried 2019’s Triton 500 we had a lot of good things to say about it. We were fairly sure that if Acer had taken that foundation and built upon it with even better features and specs then the new Triton would be a winner. Sure enough, that’s exactly what the 2020 Triton achieves.
Power and punch in a compact chassis
Intel Core i7-10875H processor, up to 32GB of DDR4-2933 memory
Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super GPU with Max-Q design
Killer 2.5G E3100G Gigabit Ethernet, Killer DoubleShot Pro networking
Killer AX1650i Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
1x USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 (Thunderbolt 3)
3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports
DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0
DisplayPort over USB-C
Thickness: 17.9mm / Weight: 2.1kg
On the surface, the Acer Predator Triton 500 looks much like the previous version. With a nicely crafted chassis, comfortable backlit keyboard, a mass of ports, and stylish cooling vents.
Pocket-lint
Most of the upgrades come under the hood and out of sight. With the latest 10th generation Intel processors and options that include as much as 32GB of RAM and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super GPU with Max-Q design.
The 1080p screen has been upgraded too, where last year’s model offered 144Hz refresh rate, this version now boasts a 300Hz panel. But there’s much more going on under the hood too.
The cooling system now includes Acer’s fourth-generation AeroBlade 3D fan technology, five heat pipes, CoolBoost tech and Vortex Flow too. All this means an apparent 33 per cent improvement in thermal performance compared to the previous model. In practice, that means it runs cooler and more efficiently.
We’re happy to report that it certainly ran cooler and quieter than other gaming laptops we’ve tested recently (we’re looking at you Asus) even when gaming on the lap. That’s great considering the extra powerful specs under the hood.
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Of course, you need that power to make the most of the new screen. When we first heard Acer was adding a 300Hz display to the Triton 500 we wondered whether there was any point. Would any games even run at a frame rate to justify it?
The answer is yes. Even on ultra-high nightmare settings, Doom Eternal topped over 200fps and CS:Go pushed over 300fps in some instances. So the Acer Triton 500 has the power to deliver. Though, obviously, the more visually intense games won’t make the most of this panel unless you lower the graphics settings.
Best PC games to buy: Fantastic games to add to your collection
It’s not just the screen that pleases though. The Triton 500 is lightweight and portable too. It’s packed full of ports and connection options, with HDMI, Thunderbolt, USB-C, DisplayPort and Ethernet all easily accessible. Throw in some KillerNetworking and Wi-Fi 6 comptability and you’ve got a nifty machine.
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We found this compact laptop as pleasing to use for work as it is for gaming. The main downside being the battery life, which manages a fairly paltry (if standard for gaming laptop) three hours of basic use.
The 15.6-inch screen has a much bigger presence than you’d expect for a small device. But if you need more then you can use the combination of DisplayPort, HDMI and Thunderbolt to put out to three other screens and run a total of four from this laptop at once.
Stunning visuals and fast too
15.6-inch IPS 1080p LED-backlit TFT LCD display with Acer ComfyView
Up to 300Hz refresh with 3ms Overdrive and Nvidia G-Sync support
300nit brightness
Ray-tracing capable GPU options
3DMark benchmark scores: Sky Diver, Fire Strike, Time Spy, Timespy Extreme, Port Royal, PC Mark
The display is where the Acer Triton 500 shines. Thin bezels, 300 nits brightness ,and Acer ComfyView technology, all heps makes it easy on the eye for general use. Then in gaming it really gets to come into its own thanks to the 300Hz refresh rate.
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In fast-paced frantic games, like Doom Eternal, the display really shows its value. The already smooth visuals can be enhanced further with Nvidia G-Sync which can be activated in the PredatorSense software to remove screen tearing and make things even more pleasing.
It’s rich and colourful too, with good viewing angles and frankly we found it joyful to play on. It’s easy to forget you’re playing on a laptop screen and just get lost in the game, something that can sometimes be a struggle on smaller gaming laptops.
Of course, the inclusion of the RTX graphics card means you can make the most of ray-tracing if you want. We did just that with Control. Playing with everything maxed out, including the various ray-tracing settings turned on. The result is a gorgeous game that still manages to run smoothly.
Best laptop 2020: Top general and premium notebooks for working from home and more
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Elsewhere on ultra settings Assassin’s Creed Odysessy managed around 60fps and Far Cry: New Dawn registered around 102fps. Performance that shouldn’t be sniffed at.
Software and sound highlights
Predator Sense software
Fan control, monitoring and game sync settings
Turbo and overclocking modes including screen Overdrive and G-Sync
Another area Acer has got right is the software controls. A single press on the keyboard and you can launch the Predator Sense software. From there, you not only have the ability to monitor the performance of your system but also overclock the laptop with a couple of simple clicks. You can adjust fan speed, turn on Cool Boost and more from here too, meaning you can eke out some more performance if you need it.
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We like how user-friendly Predator Sense is. Even for the average user the controls are simple enough to get more power out of it with just a few clicks. There are extra settings you can access via this control panel, including network optimisation with the Killer Control Center or DTS:X Ultra sound.
DTS:X gives the Triton 500 a suprisingly good sound, with convincing positional audio. We enjoyed using the speakers on this laptop, which itself speaks volumes as we usually find ourselves abandoning speakers in favour of headphones or a good gaming headset to block out the inane fan noise. Audio can be tweaked to change between modes too with strategy, RPG and shooter options making nice changes to the sound.
An upgraded keyboard with cool accents
Full-sized keyboard options with 100% anti-ghosting
New design with per key illumination, enlarged spacebar and concave design
Easy access control keys and turbo/Predator Sense keys
See-through WASD and directional keys
We thoroughly enjoyed the keyboard on the previous Triton 500 and now Acer has taken steps to improve it. One upgrade is the addition of per-key RGB illumination. On 2019’s Triton 500 the RGB backlighting could only be controlled in three zones, but now you can change every single key. The lighting modes appear more striking as well, with colourful lights dancing across the keyboard in some of the most satisfying ways we’ve seen.
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Other highlights include see-through WASD and directional keys – which make them stand out at night and generally during the day. This design means it’s easier to keep your hands in the right place while gaming and see with a quick glance where the important buttons are. The Predator Sense button has a similar design logic, making the focus very much gaming centric.
Verdict
The Acer Predator Triton 500 seemingly has it all – if you can stomach the price tag and put up with the average battery life, but of course.
Even so, with its 2020 enhancements we think the Triton 500 is a fantastic gaming machine. Its beefy specs, great connectivity options, snazzy design, and an eye-pleasing screen make it a real winner.
Also consider
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Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15
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The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 has a price tag that’ll make you cry, but it also has a lot going for it. An insane spec, two screens, side slung trackpad and great performance too. It runs a bit hot but it’s a real head-turner.
Read our review
Pocket-lint
Gigabyte Aorus 15G
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The Gigabyte Aorus 15G is uncompromising just like the Triton 500. It’s also interesting for a number of reasons, not least of which is a proper mechanical keyboard – an unusual sight on a gaming laptop.
Intel has finally pulled the veil off of the final specs of its 11th-Generation Tiger Lake processors after slowly trickling out details of the new chips for an entire year. The TIger Lake chips look to slow AMD’s advance with its impressive 7nm Ryzen 4000-series “Renoir” chips that have steadily gained traction over the last several months, but Intel is finally moving on to its 10nm SuperFin process that brings higher clock speeds and a big 20% boost to performance. Intel has also finally shared benchmarks that give us at least some idea of how its chips stack up against the Ryzen competition – Intel claims its quad-core models are faster than AMD’s eight-core Renoir chips, and that its integrated graphics have finally taken the lead.
We recently had the chance to put those claims to the test with a validation platform that Intel provided, giving us a glimpse of what to expect from Tiger Lake in the future. We’ll cover out test results below.
Intel also recently confirmed that we’ll soon see eight-core Tiger Lake models come to market, though the series will be confined to dual- and quad-core models for some time. We’ve also seen the first sign of Tiger Lake desktop PC systems emerge in the preliminary listings for a new line of ASRock NUCs, but we’ll see those systems in more flavors as other vendors release their products.
Intel’s Tiger Lake brings a dizzying array of improvements over the company’s previous-gen Ice Lake with higher clock speeds, a doubling of graphics performance, the first PCIe 4.0 support for laptops, and support for LPDDR4x memory serving as the headline advances. Intel also unveiled its new Evo platform, which is the second-gen of its Project Athena initiative. After Intel shared the technical details of its architecture, the new 10nm SuperFin process, and even more low-level details, we now have all the info condensed down into this article. Let’s start with the chips, then take a look at some of the first Tiger Lake laptops to hit the market.
Intel 11th-Gen Core Tiger Lake At A Glance
Willow Cove cores – quad-core and dual-core models
Intel Iris Xe LP graphics for 2x faster 1080p gaming
10nm SuperFin process gives up to 20% increase in clock frequency
Support for LPDDR5 – LPDDR4x for first models
Industry first PCIe 4.0 for laptops
New media and display engine
WifI 6 and Thunderbolt 4
Release Date: 50+ designs shipping this holiday season (starts in October)
150+ models in total
New Intel Evo (second-gen Project Athena) options
Price: Varies based on laptop
Intel 11th-Gen Core Tiger Lake UP3 Specifications
Intel announced a total of nine new chips. We have the nitty-gritty specs below, but first we’ll break down the meaning behind the confusing mish-mash of product identifiers.
Intel’s Tiger Lake comes with the Willow Cove processing cores and Xe LP graphics on one larger 10nm SuperFin die, and a separate smaller 14nm PCH (platform controller hub) chipset that handles extra I/O and connectivity duties.
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Intel has two basic packages: The larger package on the left is for the high-performance UP3 models (formerly U-Series) that operate within a 12 to 28W TDP, and the UP4 package (formerly Y-Series) on the right for devices that operate at 7 to 15W. These packages are then integrated onto incredibly small motherboards (second picture in the album) that find their way into the new Tiger Lake laptops and thin-and-lights.
The Tiger Lake chips span the Core i7, i5 and i3 families and come with varying levels of graphics performance. Intel splits its Xe LP graphics up into G7 and G4 families. Tiger Lake models with “G7” at the end of the product name come with either 96 or 80 execution units (EUs), with the full-fledged 90 EU models coming with Intel Iris Xe branding. Chips with “G4” at the end of the product name come with 48 EUs. Naturally, the Iris Xe models with more EUs offer the high end of performance, which we’ll see in the benchmarks shortly.
Intel Tiger Lake UP3 Processors
PROCESSOR
CORES/THREADS
GRAPHICS (EUs)
OPERATING RANGE (W)
BASE CLOCK (GHZ)
SINGLE CORE TURBO FREQ (GHZ)
MAXIMUM ALL CORE FREQ (GHZ)
Cache (MB)
GRAPHICS MAX FREQ (GHZ)
MEMORY
Core i7-1185G7
4C / 8T
96
12 – 28W
3.0
4.8
4.3
12
1.35
DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4266
Core i7-1165G7
4C / 8T
96
12 – 28W
2.8
4.7
4.1
12
1.30
DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4266
Core i5-1135G7
4C / 8T
80
12 – 28W
2.4
4.2
3.8
8
1.30
DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4266
Core i3-1125G4*
4C / 8T
48
12 – 28W
2.0
3.7
3.3
8
1.25
DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-3733
Core i3-1115G4
2C / 4T
48
12 – 28W
3.0
4.1
4.1
6
1.25
DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-3733
You’ll notice that Intel has discarded its practice of listing a single TDP value. Instead the company now defines a full dynamic range of performance that spans 12 to 28W with the UP3 models. This allows laptop makers to tailor the chips for the thermal capabilities of their products, with high-end models having sufficient cooling to enable full performance, while lower-end models with less-capable cooling can be tuned to a lower TDP setting. The TDP can even change while in use based upon device temperature, power delivery, and orientation. Intel doesn’t require laptop makers to list their TDP ratings, though, so you’ll have to turn to third-party reviews for the full skinny on performance.
The flagship Core i7-1185G7 leads the UP3 lineup. This chip boosts to 4.8 GHz and has a 3.0 GHz base frequency, both of which are a big increase of 700 MHz over the previous-gen model. Intel has also made a big step forward with a 4.2 GHz all-core boost clock that will help chew through demanding productivity apps. To put that in perspective – the maximum single-core boost from AMD’s fastest Ryzen 4000 processor weighs in at 4.2 GHz. Intel can pull that off on all cores at once, which helps explain some of its performance advantages we’ll see in the benchmarks below.
The 1185G7 also comes with the Xe LP graphics engine with the full complement of 96 EUs, so Intel brands it as Iris Xe. The graphics unit runs at 1.35GHz, an increase of 250 MHz over the previous-gen graphics on the Core i7-1068NG7. The chip comes armed with 12MB of L3 cache and supports LPDDR4X-4266.
The Core i3-1115G4 slots in as the low-end model of this line up. This dual-core quad-thread chip comes with a 3.0 GHz base, 4.1 GHz boost, and impressive 4.1 GHz maximum all-core frequency. The chip’s Xe LP graphics engine comes with 48 EUs and boosts to 1.25 GHz, which is pretty agile for a low-end chip. However, these chips step back from LPDDR4x-4266 support to LPDDR4x-3733, which will hamper performance in some tasks. Notably, the Core i5 and i3 models come with 8MB and 6MB of L3 cache, respectively, which is less than the full 12MB found on the Core i7 models.
Intel 11th-Gen Core Tiger Lake UP4 Specifications
Intel Tiger Lake UP4 Processors
PROCESSOR
CORES/THREADS
GRAPHICS (EUs)
OPERATING RANGE (W)
BASE CLOCK (GHZ)
SINGLE CORE TURBO FREQ (GHZ)
MAXIMUM ALL CORE TURBO (GHZ)
Cache (MB)
GRAPHICS MAX FREQ (GHZ)
MEMORY
Core i7-1160G7
4C / 8T
96
7 – 15W
1.2
4.4
3.6
12
1.10
LPDDR4x-4266
Core i5-1130G7
4C / 8T
80
7 – 15W
1.1
4.0
3.4
8
1.10
LPDDR4x-4266
Core i3-1120G4*
4C / 8T
48
7 – 15W
1.1
3.5
3.0
8
1.10
LPDDR4x-4266
Core i3-1110G4
2C / 4T
48
7 – 15W
1.8
3.9
3.9
6
1.10
LPDDR4x-4266
The UP4 models slot into a 7 to 15W performance range for premium ultra-thin devices, including fanless models. Here we have Tiger Lake Core i7, Core i5, and Core i3 models, just like with the UP3 family, but with pared back frequencies to enable the lower level of operation.
The Core i7-1160G7 comes with four cores and eight threads paired with Iris Xe graphics that operate at a 1.1GHz boost clock, while the low-end dual-core Core i3-1110G4 comes with a 48 EUs that boost up to 1.1 GHz. All of the UP4 models support LPDDR4x-4266.
Intel Tiger Lake Pentium Gold and Celeron
Intel Tiger Lake and Celeron
Cores / Threads
Base / Boost (GHz)
TDP
L3 Cache
Memory
Graphics
Graphics EU / Clocks
Pentium Gold 7505
2C / 4T
2.0 / 3.5 GHz
15W
4MB
DDR4-3200 / LPDDR4x-3733
UHD Graphics – Xe LP
48 / 1.25 GHz
Celeron 6305
2C / 2T
1.8 / –
15W
4MB
DDR4-3200 / LPDDR4x-3733
UHD Graphics – Xe LP
48 / 1.25 GHz
Celeron 6305E
2C / 2T
1.8 / –
15W
4MB
DDR4-3200 / LPDDR4x-3733
UHD Graphics – Xe LP
48 / 1.25 GHz
Intel recently stealth-launched its Tiger Lake Pentium Gold and Celeron processors, and they come with the unanticipated addition of AVX2 instructions, the Intel Deep Learning Boost technology (using the AVX512-VNNI instruction), and the Intel Gaussian and Neural Accelerator 2.0, matching the more expensive Tiger Lake models. In the past, Intel has removed support for the aforementioned features in its lesser Pentium Gold and Celeron families, so this marks a big step forward on the performance front. Intel also added Turbo Boost support for the Pentium Gold 7505, a first for the mobile Pentium lineup.
The rest of the features are somewhat expected, though we also see the debut of the power UHD Graphics Xe LP graphics engine with 48 EUs and a 1.25 GHz peak clock rate. The processors support cTDP (Configurable TDP), so OEMs can adjust the clocks up to 1.8 GHz and 2.0 GHz for the Celeron models, and 3.9 GHz for the Pentium Gold. We also see that Intel dialed back memory support to LPDDR4-3733 from the 4367 MHz we see with the more expensive models, and also stepped back to PCIe 3.0 for the Pentium and Celeron chips.
Intel Tiger Lake Iris Xe Graphics Gaming Performance
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We’ll cover the details of the Xe LP graphics engine below, but for now, let’s see the new Iris Xe integrated graphics in action in our own testing. However, we have to note that these results came in an Intel-provided reference system, so they might not be representative of the full performance we’ll see in laptops that come to market. Be sure to check out our preview for the full breakdown of the test environment.
Meanwhile, these results do give us a taste of the theoretical heights of Tiger Lake’s gaming performance. Here we can see that if you’re willing to compromise greatly on fidelity, you can run many games at 1080p on a laptop with Iris Xe graphics. It won’t be one of the best gaming laptops, we can only expect so much from integrated graphics, after all. Leading-edge AAA games may create some challenges, but the Xe LP engine is plenty powerful when you run it at an unconstrained 28W setting.
The reference system gave us to 1080p at 30 fps in low settings on most tests, but we’ll see have to wait to see what comes with shipping systems. However, we are undoubtedly getting closer to being able to have short 1080p gaming stints, albeit at reduced fidelity, on Ultrabooks.
Intel Tiger Lake Performance in Desktop Applications
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Here we can see the results of our preliminary application testing on the Tiger Lake reference system, but be aware that all of the caveats of the reference system apply.
Intel’s Tiger Lake pulls off pretty impressive performance in lightly-threaded applications, especially when you consider its four core models square up against AMD’s potent eight-core Ryzen 4000-series chips. As expected, though, AMD’s Ryzen takes the lead when we flip over to applications, like HandBrake, that can use its eight cores and 16 threads more effectively.
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We’re also including some of Intel’s projections here, due to the wider range of benchmarks, but be sure to take those with the same grain of salt as any other vendor-provided benchmarks. Intel shared benchmarks of its chips beating the Ryzen 7 4800U in a whole range of applications, including office and productivity/creativity software. As always, we’ll need to wait for more comprehensive third-party benchmarks of shipping laptops to make a final determination.
A lot of Intel’s claimed advantages stem from its big push into AI capabilities as the company works with a slew of software vendors to enable support for its newest capabilities. These new software packages yield massive improvements, up to 5X, in performance due to support for AI-boosting DL Boost instructions that leverage AVX-512 to boost performance.
Leveraging the AVX instruction set for AI workloads could evolve into a significant advantage over AMD’s Ryzen 4000 processors as Intel’s software support broadens. Intel’s chips have long dropped into lower frequencies as densely-packed AVX instructions work their way through the processor, but Intel has reduced the impact with a new SuperMIM capacitor that keeps voltages steady. That allow the processor to remain in higher frequency ranges during heavy AVX workloads.
Intel doesn’t just focus on AI workloads that run on the Willow Cove cores, though. The Gaussian and Neural Accelerator (GNA) returns, but this time with a new 2.0 revision. This SoC-integrated AI accelerator block is used for processing all sorts of low-power voice-based applications, like translation and transcription, using low-power inferencing. Intel claims that this offload engine can reduce CPU utilization by 20% during these types of operations, but at much lower power consumption. This unit can be also be used for impressive noise cancelation capabilities without taxing the Willow Cove cores.
Intel Tiger Lake Battery Life
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We’ll have to wait until Tiger Lake laptops hit our labs for the full rundown on battery life, but Intel claims to have made significant gains in power consumption. It also says that laptops could provide nearly the same amount of performance on battery as when they are plugged into the wall.
Our testing confirmed that performance remains high while on battery, but that will undoubtedly have an impact on battery life. We weren’t allowed to test battery life on the reference system we were given for testing, but stay tuned for more as shipping systems hit our labs.
(Image credit: Intel)
The chart above highlights some Intel’s claims about the performance and efficiency improvements that come from the company’s new focus on providing higher performance while the laptop is under battery power.
As you can see on the right, Intel claims that performance on the Ryzen 4000-series 4800U drops precipitously when you remove the power plug and the laptop operates on battery power alone. In contrast, Intel claims its Tiger Lake chips offer the same amount of performance, even boosting up to the full 50W of power, while on battery power. If that pans out in our testing, that means you’ll still get the full Tiger Lake performance while on battery power, but at the expense of battery life.
Intel Evo – The Second-Gen of Project Athena
Tiger Lake also marks the arrival of Intel’s second generation of Project Athena, but it now comes with Intel Evo branding. The Intel Evo program certifies that a laptop is designed with premium components for the fastest performance, and that the software shipped on the laptops doesn’t hinder performance. Laptops that pass Intel’s criteria earn a custom Intel Evo badge.
Intel has a dizzying number of requirements on both the hardware and software side of the Evo equation, but the goals include battery life projections of nine or more hours for 1080p laptops, eight hours for QHD models, and seven hours for UHD models. Intel also stipulates the system must wake from sleep in less than one second, that performance remains consistent on battery power (as outlined in the previous section), and that the system supports fast charging that gives four hours of battery life on a 30-minute charging session (1080p models).
Intel has an impressive list of the first Evo laptops, with the Acer Swift 5, Asus Zenbook Flip S, Lenovo Yoga 9i and Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 5G being the first models to come to market. Those will be followed by designs from all the usual suspects, like Acer, Asus, Dell, Dynabook, Razer, Samsung, HP, Lenovo, LG and MSI. You can learn more about the program here.
Intel Tiger Lake Laptops
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With over 150 designs eventually coming to market, there will be plenty of Intel Tiger Lake laptops to choose from. However, we do have a list of some of the first devices, which we’ll add to when other notable devices come to market.
Lenovo’s Yoga and IdeaPad 9i series are on the premium side and even have options for lids with a genuine leather covering. The Yoga 9i comes in 14- and 15-inch options that weigh in at up to $1,799 for a fully-equipped 15-inch model. The 14-inch models retail for $1,399 for metal models, and $1,699 for the leather-clad option.
MSI bills the Stealth 15M as the ‘thinnest 15-inch laptop,’ but it still comes armed with a 15.6-inch “IPS-level” panel with a 144Hz refresh rate, Thunderbolt 4 support, Killer Wi-Fi AX1650, and options for PCIe 4.0 x4 storage. MSI hasn’t released pricing yet.
MSI also has its new Summit series on offer for professional users. The new models come in several different configurations, which you can see here, but MSI hasn’t shared pricing yet.
Intel Tiger Lake Thunderbolt 4, PCIe 4.0 Interface, WiFi 6
After losing the glory of being the first to PCIe 4.0 on the desktop (AMD holds that distinction), Intel is the first to bring PCIe 4.0 support to laptops. The faster interface enables speedier SSD options that provide more performance and efficiency than their PCIe 3.0 counterparts.
That marks the beginning of a new era for PCIe 4.0 SSDs, and while some may opine that the speedy interface draws more power, that isn’t the full story. While the PCIe 4.0 interface does draw more power than 3.0, it can transfer data at up to twice the speed per lane. That helps reduce the amount of time the interface is active, which allows the chip to drop into lower power states more quickly. Intel added the ability to shut off or dynamically adjust Tiger Lake’s PCIe interface when it isn’t fully active, and the faster interface could be used to employ fewer lanes during some workloads, both of which will allow you to enjoy the speed of PCIe 4.0 SSDs without making huge sacrifices on battery life.
Intel touts its support for integrated Thunderbolt 4 and USB 4, but these aren’t really ‘new’ protocols. In short, with speeds up to 40Gb/s, Thunderbolt 4 maintains the same maximum speed rating as its predecessor (TB3) and doesn’t enable new features. Instead, vendors are required to enable all of the high-end features that used to be optional, like the ability to hit the 40Gb/s data throughput requirements and support two 4K displays or one 8K display. This approach does simplify the confusing branding surrounding Thunderbolt 3, but from a hardware standpoint, the speeds and feeds remain the same.
Intel Tiger Lake Willow Cove Architecture and 10nm SuperFin Process
Intel also made some finer-grained improvements to its microarchitecture, and the resulting Willow Cove cores feature a rebalanced cache hierarchy to improve performance, dual ring bus fabric, SuperMIM capacitors, and new security enhancements, among many other improvements. We’ve covered the low-level details of the Willow Cove architecture here.
Intel pairs the new Willow Cove cores with its 10nm SuperFin process. The process offers much higher clock speeds at any given voltage, and it can also operate at a lower voltage at any given frequency, too. As a result, the chip has a greater dynamic frequency range from the minimum to maximum voltage, which provides better performance at every power level. That equates to faster mid-range performance in thin-and-light devices, not to mention peak performance in high-performance designs. We have the full details of Intel’s 10nm SuperFin technology here.
Intel Tiger Lake Iris Xe LP Graphics Engine
Intel’s Xe LP (Low Power) architecture powers the Tiger Lake chips, but don’t be fooled by the “Low Power” in the Xe graphics branding, though. The Xe LP graphics engine promises up to twice the performance of the previous-gen Gen11, addressing a key sore point in Intel’s lineup compared to AMD’s capable 7nm “Renoir” Ryzen Mobile processors with Vega graphics.
Intel’s Xe LP comes with a significantly revamped architecture that we covered in our Intel Drops XE LP Graphics Specs deep dive. The net-net is that the engine comes with up to 96 execution units (EU) and ‘significant’ performance-per-watt efficiency improvements over the previous Gen11 graphics, which implies twice the performance at lower power compared to Intel’s Ice Lake.
Intel revamped its display engine, too. Tiger Lake supports hardware acceleration for AV1 decode, up to four display pipelines, 8K UHD and Ultra Wide, 12-bit BT2020 color, and 360Hz and Adaptive Sync, among others listed in the album above. Tiger Lake also supports up to six 4K90 sensors (support starts at 4K30) and can process still images up to 42 megapixels, an increase over the prior 27MP limitation with Ice Lake.
Intel Tiger Lake Pricing and Availability
Intel says that over 50 new designs based on Tiger Lake chips will land in time for the holidays, and there will be over 150 models released in total. The first devices arrive in October. Unfortunately we don’t have an official price list for the chips, as they are only delivered to OEMs. That means our only measure is the pricing on the devices that come to market.
For a deeper look at the state of the desktop PC chips, head over to our Intel vs AMD CPU article.
Innosilicon, a contract designer of ASICs from China, has taped out the world’s first chip using Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp.’s N+1 process technology, a 7 nm-class node for inexpensive chips. The tape out is a major breakthrough for Chinese domestic semiconductor industry in general as well as SMIC in particular as the company is trying to catch up with much bigger rivals like GlobalFoundries, Samsung Foundry, and market leader Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. But will SMIC’s N+1 ever be used for mass production now that the company is in the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List?
(Via cnTechPost, China Renaissance Securities, DigiTimes, EE Times, Innosilicon, IC Insights)
The Tape Out
Being a contract designer of ASICs and a provider of advanced IP, Innosilicon does not disclose whether the chip taped out using SMIC’s N+1 node was a test chip carrying various IP, or an actual commercial product ordered by one of Innosilicon’s clients.
(Image credit: SMIC)
What the company does say is that the chip underwent ‘multiple rounds of test iterations in the past few month’ to help SMIC to achieve viable yields and that the chip has passed ‘all the function tests passed in one stroke.’ Innosilicon also claims that it has invested ‘tens of millions of yuan in design optimization’ (¥10 million is about $1.49 million) since 2019 before the N+1 process was even announced.
Innosilicon and SMIC collaborated for years and the contract chip designer says that it has helped dozens of SMIC’s customers to develop chips using both mature (e.g., 55 nm, 40 nm, 28 nm) and FinFET-based process technologies (14 nm, 12 nm, 7 nm), so it is not particularly surprising that Innosilicon is the first company to try SMIC’s N+1.
Even if SMIC and Innosilicon have taped out the first commercial N+1 chip, it might take a year before that ASIC will be mass produced. In any case, the tape out means that at least some IP for N+1 is now available and Innosilicon knows how to use the technology.
SMIC’s N+1
SMIC’s N+1 fabrication technology is the company’s next major node that will follow the foundry’s 14 nm and 12 nm manufacturing processes.
(Image credit: SMIC)
According to SMIC, when compared to its 14 nm node, its N+1 technology can improve performance by up to 20% (at the same clocks and complexity) or reduce power by 57% (at the same power and complexity). In addition, the technology can potentially increase transistor density by up to 2.7 times (though not for all transistor structures).
While scalability and power consumption improvements of SMIC’s N+1 are significant (over its 14 nm node) and therefore the process can be compared with GlobalFoundries’s 12LP+, Samsung Foundry’s 8LPP, and even TSMC’s N7 (7 nm, non-EUV), its performance enhancements are modest at best. Therefore, SMIC itself positions N+1 primarily for low-power and low-cost devices.
Back in August, SMIC said that its N+1 had ‘finished customer product verification.’
Since SMIC has not received its TwinScan NXE extreme ultraviolet (EUV) scanner that it purchased from ASML back in 2018, its N+1 and N+2 technologies do not use EUV, unlike leading-edge processes from Samsung and TSMC. Relying purely on DUV lithography, significantly reduces SMIC’s ability to advance its nodes in terms of performance and scalability, so it will not be able to compete against market leaders in the leading-edge space any time soon.
For now, this is not a significant problem for SMIC as mature technologies (40/45 nm and thicker) accounted for 90.9% of its wafer revenue in Q2 2020. Meanwhile, 28 nm and 14 nm accounted for only 9.1% of the company’s wafer revenue in the second quarter with the former being considering more popular than the latter. But Chinese companies need advanced FinFET-based process technologies and many of them would prefer to work with a local supplier.
Rising Demand
There are a number of looming megatrends — 5G, AI, edge computing, and HPC — that will increase global demand for chips in the coming years. But in China there is an ongoing semiconductor boom. The number of local chip designers increased from 736 in 2015 to 1,780 in 2017, according to China Renaissance Securities.
(Image credit: SMIC)
All of these Chinese companies need to make their chips somewhere. In fact, Chinese fabless developers are expected to account for 22% of the global foundry sales in 2020, IC Insights believes. It remains to be seen how cease of shipments to HiSilicon affects foundry sales to China in the short and long-term future, but it is evident that the country is the second biggest consumer of foundry services after the USA.
(Image credit: IC Insights)
Today, 67% of Chinese orders for logic chip production are served by TSMC, UMC, and GlobalFoundries in Taiwan, Singapore, and the USA. SMIC is China’s biggest and most advanced foundry that produces 19% of the chips the country needs, so it is logical for the company to keep developing leading-edge process technologies rather than refocusing on specialized nodes as it has a massive room for growth.
(Image credit: IC Insights)
But there is a huge catch for SMIC.
The Entity List
Earlier this year the U.S. Department of Commerce included SMIC into its Entity List as it believes that the company serves needs of China’s People’s Liberation Army, something that SMIC denies it does.
(Image credit: SMIC)
As a result, if a U.S.-based company (or a company that develops or makes something in the USA) wants to sell production tools, parts, materials, software or something else to SMIC, it has to obtain a license from DoC, which is expected to review such license applications under a presumption of denial (at least before the Presidential election in November).
Consequently, it is close to impossible for SMIC to get advanced equipment, spare parts for existing tools, materials, and software it needs not only to keep developing new process technologies, but to maintain and expand current capacities.
Uncertain Prospects for N+1?
SMIC has been gradually increasing its CapEx for several quarters now as it has been investing in new facilities and equipment. Some analysts believe that SMIC’s N+1 and N+2 nodes rely on the same (or nearly the same) set of production tools that is used for the company’s 14 nm and 12 nm technologies.
(Image credit: SMIC)
Therefore, assuming that SMIC has stockpiled enough modern DUV scanners and other tools (as well as spare parts) to build sufficient capacity to compete against its bigger rivals, its N+1 and N+2 processes might have good chances to become relatively popular in the coming years. Meanwhile, neither N+1 nor N+2 nodes are going to be competitive with leading-edge nodes from other companies when they enter mass production in 2021 ~ 2023 timeframe.
Furthermore, even though SMIC has several R&D teams working on new fabrication processes, its roadmap looks increasingly uncertain as the company will be unable to adopt EUV lithography and GAAFET structures — the key enablers for next-generation nodes — for years to come.
Or Uncertain Future for SMIC?
But while EUV and GAAFETs are important for SMIC’s long-term future, the inclusion of the company into the Entity List brings a host of challenges that may force the company to change its plans dramatically, some analysts believe.
(Image credit: SMIC)
SMIC can get DUV scanners from ASML without any restrictions. Lithography tools are very important for production of semiconductors, but they are not the only tools used at a fab. There is equipment used for high-precision metrology, deposition, etching, photoresist stripping, and wafer cleaning that is made primarily by companies from the USA. There are alternative from Europe and Japan, but an insertion of a new tool always means a change of the whole flow, a lengthy and risky process. If the company fails to get one advanced tool or spare parts for it on time, this ruins its whole production flow. In the worst case scenario the company might need to halt production using its FinFET process technologies and retrofit its capacity for legacy nodes.
“We believe the build-up of spare parts/materials should keep SMIC’s operations afloat for 3-6 months, even if its US suppliers now need to get licenses before shipping, and the chance of a positive response is deemed low,” wrote Szeho Ng, an analyst with China Renaissance Securities, in a note to clients. “Our base case now assumes that its FinFET businesses will largely halt (given the high reliance on U.S. tech supply, and the strategic importance of the tech for making core chips in sensitive markets), with the installed capacity retrofitted for lower-ASP legacy 300-mm (28-90 nm nodes) manufacturing. 200-mm (130nm-and-above nodes) fabs will stay as business as usual, in our opinion.”
At present SMIC’s FinFET business probably accounts for 2% ~ 3% of the company’s revenue, so even if the company has to halt production using 14nm and cancel 12nm and N+1 plans, it is not going to suffer a significant sales drop. But advanced nodes tend to be profitable and attractive for big clients. Furthermore, retrofitting new fabs for older technologies will automatically bring net profits down (tools to be replaced have not depreciated yet, which means losses).
Overall, the analysts believe that SMIC’s future largely depends on the U.S. government’s attitude towards the company rather than on its own R&D expertise or manufacturing prowess.
“We see the U.S. government’s attitude towards SMIC as remaining the key to its destiny, as an imminent full decoupling of the company from the U.S. tech reliance (even for legacy 300-mm) may not be as easy as some industry watchers expect,” wrote Ng. “The U.S. tech influence goes beyond the equipment/materials areas, and goes further upstream to the EDA markets where the U.S.’s global dominance is even higher. Furthermore, it remains to be seen what the attitude of Japan may be, as it also plays a fairly important role in global equipment/materials supplies.”
You can now pre-order an iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro. Pre-orders for both phones opened at 1pm, with deliveries starting a week today, on 23rd October.
But if you want the iPhone 12 mini or iPhone 12 Pro Max, you’ll have to wait a little longer. Pre-orders for those new iPhones don’t open until 1pm on 6th November, with orders being fulfilled a week later, on 13th November.
All four handsets in the range have 5G for a super speedy internet connection. They all have OLED screens and HDR support for Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG. Apple claims the screen is stronger on the iPhone 12, and will be more resistant to bumps and knocks.
The iPhone 12 Pro has the same 6.1in screen as the iPhone 12, has better waterproofing, and three rear cameras to the iPhone 12’s two. A LIDAR scanner allows for more augmented reality shenanigans, and it comes in different colours compared to the iPhone 12, too.
The iPhone 12 starts at £799 ($799, AU$1349), while the 12 Pro starts at £999 ($999, AU$1699).
Apple also announced a new small smart speaker at the same event. Pre-orders for HomePod mini start on 6th November, with deliveries starting on 16th November.
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The Huawei Mate X2 will likely be a foldable smartphone with an inward flexible display and a large cover screen with a dual hole-punch selfie camera.
Huawei will soon announce two new smartphones within its high-end Mate series: the Huawei Mate 40 and Mate 40 Pro – as counterparts to the recently launched Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra. The question remains whether we can also expect a folding phone from Huawei this year. Samsung recently launched the Galaxy Z Fold 2, as the third foldable phone of the Koreans. Although Huawei is also working on a completely redesigned foldable smartphone, the trade sanctions from the US seems to have caused a serious delay in the development.
Huawei is going through very turbulent times. The US trade ban continues and has disastrous consequences for the Chinese manufacturer and its suppliers. In addition, COVID-19 has also done little good for the technology sector.
Huawei Mate X2 looks like Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2
All in all, it is still unclear when Huawei will present its next foldable smartphone. Nevertheless, over time, a lot of information has become known about the Huawei Mate X2 (code name “Teton”).
Unlike Huawei’s two previous foldable models – the Mate X and Mate Xs – the new model appears to fold inward – similar to the Galaxy Fold and Z Fold 2. Huawei’s current folding phones certainly look imposing, however, it outwardly folding flexible screen makes the device significantly more vulnerable than its Samsung counterparts. The Mate X2 seems to change that.
Last month, LetsGoDigital managed to uncover a patent for a Huawei Mate foldable smartphone that shows a lot of similarities with the Galaxy Z Fold 2. The flexible screen folds inwards and an extra cover display is placed on the outside – which comes in handy when you want to use the phone in a folded situation.
In terms of design, this device seems to be the perfect mix between the current flagship devices from Huawei and the Galaxy Z Fold 2. In that respect, it is certainly not inconceivable that this is indeed the model that Huawei is currently working on.
To better visualize this foldable smartphone, the Dutch 3D graphic designer Jermaine Smit, aka Concept Creator, made a series of product renders based on the patent. Naturally, Jermaine has also made a high-profile video animation in which the alleged Huawei Mate X2 can be seen from all sides
Huawei smartphone with advanced camera setup
The cover screen is new, this display is functional when you use the phone in folded position. Some believe that the Mate X2’s cover screen only measures 4.5 inches. However, the Galaxy Fold’s 4.6″ cover display was perceived as too small by many users. Therefore there is a good chance that Huawei will follow the same path as Samsung did with the Z Fold 2 by applying a larger cover screen – as can also be seen on the patent images.
The cover screen is equipped with a dual selfie camera. A similar dual hole-punch camera can be found in the Huawei P40 series launched earlier this year and will most likely also be applied to the Mate 40 series expected later this month. The fingerprint sensor is implemented on the side, similar to the Z Fold 2.
The rear camera setup is very similar to that of the P40 Pro Plus – although the telephoto camera has been moved up. The thickness of the device is also noticeable. At the top – where the camera system is located – the smartphone is designed significantly thicker than at the bottom. The question is what this will do to the hand position – after all, the center of gravity will be at the top.
Remarkably, no camera is visible when you use the smartphone in a completely open state. Where Samsung has opted to implement a punch-hole camera in the right part of the flexible screen of the Z Fold 2, Huawei does not seem to add a separate camera on the inside.
This is also not very necessary, after all, a front camera is available and there are also more than enough cameras built in at the rear. However, if you want to make video calls, you have to rely on the smaller cover display. As a result, it is not possible, as with Samsung’s Flex mode, to make a video call and to run another applications at the same time – such as your email or the web browser.
Huawei Mate folding phone with 120Hz flexible display
As for the size of the flexible display, if we are to believe the rumors, the new Huawei Mate foldable smartphone will get an 8.03-inch inward-folding screen with a 2480 x 2220 resolution. This means that the Huawei device will be slightly larger than the 7.6-inch flexible screen of the Z Fold 2. A nice detail; the bendable display of the Huawei Mate X2 is manufactured by Samsung and BOE. This makes it the first folding phone with Samsung display technology, which will not be released by Samsung themselves.
Just like the Galaxy Z Fold 2, the Mate X2 will also be equipped with a 120Hz flexible display. This high refresh rate contributes to a better scrolling experience. It also comes in handy while gaming or watching a movie. We also expect to see this function in the Mate 40. The top models launched earlier this year, the P40 Pro and P40 Pro Plus, do not have a 120Hz screen, instead Huawei opted for a 90Hz display. At the time, the explanation for this was given that 120Hz costs too much energy consumption.
Unlike Samsung, Huawei will not use UTG (Ultra Thin Glass), instead opting for the less scratch-resistant CPI (colorless polyimide) – according to display market analyst Ross Young. This means Huawei will use a plastic flexible screen, instead of ultra-thin bendable glass – as Samsung has used for the Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold 2.
5G foldable smartphone with Kirin 9000 chip
Last month, an unknown Huawei smartphone with model number TET-NX9 passed the WiFi 6 inspection, after which the corresponding certificate was issued. There is speculation online that this model number belongs to the expected Mate X2. It also became clear from the certification document that this smartphone will run on the EMUI 11 OS, which is based on Android 10. In addition, the device will be equipped with a HiSilicon Hi1105 chipset with support for 8 × 8 MIMO technology. This modem can also be found in the P40 series.
Normally, such a certification indicates that the launch is imminent, but whether we can count on it this time remains unclear. It does tie in with earlier news, which stated that the display production of the Mate X2 would start in the third quarter of 2020. Type number TET-NX9 also received the Bluetooth 5.1 certificate earlier this year.
Furthermore, many assume that the new Mate foldable smartphone will be powered by a Kirin 9000 series processor. However, due to th
Samsung seems to be planning to equip the next Galaxy Z Fold smartphone with a useful light indicator, which will be placed on the hideaway hinge.
In August, Samsung introduced a range of new high-end smartphones, including the Galaxy Note 20 (Ultra) and the Galaxy Z Flip 5G. At the same time, the successor to the Galaxy Fold was also announced; the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Samsung has made numerous improvements, not only is the Z Fold2 more powerful and faster than its predecessor, the hideaway hinge has also been improved. The cover screen is also significantly enlarged and a better camera setup is integrated.
What can we expect from Samsung in the future? A possible new feature for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will be a light indicator, which will be incorporated onto the hideaway hinge – according to a new patent.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold with indicator in hideaway hinge
In March 2019, Samsung Electronics filed a utility patent application for an “Electronic device including indicator”. The 44-page documentation was published by the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) on October 1, 2020.
Samsung has used the Galaxy Fold as the basis for the patent images. It is common for manufacturers to use existing models for this purpose, for clarification in order to better explain the differences between the existing and the newly patented technology.
An indicator is mounted on the hideaway hinge which contains multiple light-emitting elements. It is a strip with LED lighting, which is finished with a partially translucent cover. This way, the light modules remain protected against external influences and the light can shine through the hinge cover. It concerns red, blue, green and white light. By combining these with visual and decorative effects, several light colors can be combined – according to the patent description.
The light indicator is used to notify the user of new notifications or incoming calls and messages. When the sound of the smartphone is deactivated and/or vibration is turned off, it is difficult to signal such happenings. But with the help of the LED indicator the user will still receive a signal.
In addition, there are situations in which you cannot view the cover screen. For example, if you have the folded smartphone upside down on the table or stored in your bag. In such cases, the indicator can still provide information in order to inform the user directly when new information comes in.
Samsung foldable phones
Whether Samsung will actually integrate this indicator in the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 3 remains unknown. It is clear that Samsung is continuing to explore new possibilities to further improve the foldable smartphone and thus take the user experience to an even higher level.
Samsung also seems to be investigating the possibility of making upcoming folding phones compatible with the S Pen. With this stylus pen, the Galaxy Note series has been able to distinguish itself from other smartphone models for years. Especially with a large display device such as the Z Fold 2 the S Pen can deliver an important added value. In October last year, LetsGoDigital already reported on a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold with S Pen.
The Korean manufacturer has managed to create a considerable lead over other smartphone manufacturers when it comes to mobile phones with a flexible display. Samsung is the only producer that has now released 3 foldable phones, with 2 completely different designs. And if we are to believe the rumors, there are still several foldable models in the pipeline.
Samsung will probably host a new Galaxy Unpacked event in February 2021. During the event, the Galaxy S21 series is expected. At the same time Samsung will most
Oppo is developing a foldable phone with an inward folding flexible display. This flip phone has an ingenious hinge that can be fixed at 4 points.
Oppo releases new smartphones on a regular base. Like the Reno4 5G Series that was unveiled last week – consisting of three interesting 5G phones. Although the Chinese smartphone manufacturer is known for innovation and progressiveness, no Oppo foldable phone has been released to date. Nevertheless, the company already showed a prototype of an Oppo foldable smartphone at the beginning of 2019. However, this model offered too little added value for the user, as stated by the president of Oppo at the time.
In the months that followed, Oppo patented several foldable phone designs. For example, LetsGoDigital reported on a foldable phone from Oppo that unfolds into a tablet and has a pop-up camera. More recently, the company also filed a patent for a foldable phone with a clamshell design.
All mentioned models featured a flexible display that folds outwards. This makes the screen less protected when you take the phone with you when folded. In the meantime, however, Oppo also seems to be working on an inward folding phone.
Oppo foldable phone with clamshell design
In February this year, Guangdong Oppo Mobile Telecommunications filed a patent with the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) for a ‘Foldable terminal’. The documentation was approved and published on September 3, 2020.
The 41-page documentation mainly describes the hinge in detail. It is a rotating hinge with gears. A pair of cover plates are rotatably coupled to the support plate and allow the housing to slide out relative to the cover plates. This way, the difference in length between the screen and the housing can be compensated for during folding and unfolding. This benefits the overall durability.
The hinge is slightly wider than the phone itself. This system makes it possible to secure the phone at various points. Think of the Flex mode on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. The hinge of the foldable Oppo phone also shows a striking number of similarities with the HTC foldable smartphone discussed by us last week. Oppo, however, now seems to opt for an inward flexible screen, while HTC patented an outward folding device.
Hinge with 4 fixed positions
A properly functioning hinge will significantly improve the user experience. For example, you don’t want to hear strange creaking noises during folding and the hinge should not work too stiffly. But too flexible is not good either, because then the device can unfold too easily in your pocket. In addition, it must be prevented that dust and dirt can get into the mechanism, which can adversely affect the operation of the folding process.
In short, a properly functioning hinge is not that easy to develop, but it is very important. It is therefore not surprising that smartphone manufacturers make this an important focal point. For example, the hinge of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 has also been improved, you can now fix it at an angle of 75 or 115 degrees. With the patented Oppo phone it should be possible to fix the phone at 4 points: at an angle of 30 degrees, 60 degrees, 90 degrees and 120 degrees.
The design of the hinge must also ensure that this Oppo phone has an extremely slim design. The Chinese manufacturer is more often committed to ultra-smart designs, the Oppo Find X2 Neo was the world’s thinnest 5G phone and the new Reno4 Pro is also very slim, especially when you consider that this phone incorporates 65W SuperVooC 2.0 Flash Charge technology.
Oppo Reno Flip 5G smartphone visualized in 3D product images
To better visualize Oppo’s patented foldable phone, the LetsGoDigital design team has designed a series of 3D renders. The product renders are based on the patent images and are for illustrative purposes only. Since it is a utility patent, and not a design patent, certain design aspects remain underexposed.
For example, it is unclear what Oppo’s plans are regarding a cover display. Such a second display is useful when you use the phone folded. Notifications, but also incoming messages and calls can be displayed on this screen. Current flip phones, such as the Motorola Razr 5G and the Z Flip 5G, both have a cover display. Oppo will probably also decide to integrate such a second screen when it actually decides to release a clamshell phone.
Unfortunately, it also remains unclear what kind of camera system Oppo wants to use. For the renders we opted for a triple camera, as we also see with the latest top models of the brand – think of the Oppo Find X2 Pro and the Reno4 Pro. Oppo may also see a chance to incorporate a 5x Hybrid Zoom lens, after all, no other manufacturer has released so many smartphones with a 5x or even 10x Hybrid Zoom function.
Last year Oppo released several phone models with a pop-up camera, however, this is no longer the case with the 2020 models. Instead, a hole-punch camera was chosen – a small hole is made in the screen for the selfie camera. We have continued this trend in our renders.
Oppo is increasingly focusing on video quality. For example, the new Reno4 and Reno4 Pro are both equipped with an Ultra Night mode. An Ultra Steady Video 3.0 is also built-in, this advanced optical image stabilization makes it possible to make very smooth video recordings, even when you move a lot during the recording. It goes without saying that these kinds of new technologies will also be incorporated into Oppo’s folding phone.
The vast majority of all Oppo 2020 smartphone models support the super-fast 5G mobile network. Where other manufacturers often offer a choice of 4G and 5G models, all mid-range and high-end Oppo smartphones are now equipped with 5G support. Oppo was also the very first manufacturer to introduce a 5G smartphone in Europe, the Reno 5G. You can therefore assume that Oppo’s foldable smartphone will also become a 5G phone.
Oppo SuperVooC 2.0 Flash Charge for mobile devices
Another point in which Oppo is able to excel is fast charging. For example, the Find X2 (Pro) and Reno4 (Pro) are all supplied with a 65 Watt fast charger, so you can fully recharge an empty battery within 35 minutes. This technology is called SuperVooC 2.0 Flash Charge by Oppo.
Oppo is constantly looking for new methods to achieve even better and faster charging performance. In July this year, the company even introduced a 125W charger, as well as a 65W AirVooC fast charger. Perhaps this technology will also be incorporated in Oppo’s folding phone. In any case, it is almost certain that the device can be charged very quickly.
We also expect to see impressive numbers in the field of memory. For example, budget models such as the Reno4 Z are already equipped with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage memory as standard.
The first 5G phone from HTC is already a fact. In addition, the Taiwanese manufacturer has now started the development of a foldable smartphone.
For a long time it remained very quiet around HTC. The Taiwanese manufacturer decided to focus entirely on the VR market. However, after HTC appointed a new CEO, in September 2019, there seems to be some more movement in the matter. 5G will offer new opportunities, especially in the high mid-range segment. This has led to the unveiling of the HTC U20, the brand’s first 5G phone, in June this year. At the same time, a cheap HTC phone was also introduced, the Desire 20 Pro.
In an interview, HTC’s new CEO, Mr. Yves Maitre, expressed the expectation to run a profitable smartphone division by 2025. Probably even faster, but this will also depend on the carrier deployment speed, he added.
However, 5G is not the only major development in the smartphone field. The flexible display also provides completely new types of smartphones and control options. Think of foldable smartphones, expandable smartphones and even roll-up smartphones. Several manufacturers have already introduced a foldable phone, including Samsung,Motorola and Huawei.
But what about HTC… if the company wants to innovate again, it will not be easy to skip the trend of foldable displays. A new patent indicates that HTC is indeed developing a folding smartphone.
HTC foldable smartphone with outward folding display
On New Year’s Eve 2019 – three months after the appointment of the new CEO – HTC Corporation filed a patent in the USA for a “Foldable display device”. The documentation was released on August 20, 2020 and published in the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Office) database directly after.
The description refers to a foldable display device, in the form of a smartphone or tablet. It’s an outward folding device. The documentation goes especially in-depth about the hinge. The hinge will also make it possible to use the device both in a completely open and a half-open state.
On both sides of the foldable HTC phone the hinge comes with a support module in which various gears will be incorporated. This system must ensure that the flexible display panel can’t be over-stretched during folding. It will also reduce the chance of wrinkles in the screen, as stated in the documentation.
Due to this mechanism, the hinge protrudes from the housing. The question remains how this will function in practice; will you be still be able to easily store the device in your pocket? And what about dust and dirt? Unfortunately, these aspects remain unanswered.
The flexible screen of this HTC foldable smartphone is located on the outside when you fold the device. The Huawei Mate X and Mate Xs have a somewhat similar design – although these devices fold out in width (tablet), instead of length (clamshell). Another clear difference, HTC seems to opt for a complete full screen design. As a result, it remains unclear what HTC’s plans are regarding the camera system.
Placing the display on the outside eliminates the need for a separate cover display, thus savings can be made on the production costs. However, there is also a clear disadvantage; the flexible screen can be damaged much easier when you carry it with you. Yet HTC seems to see the most potential here for the time being.
The patent documentation shows that the development of this HTC foldable smartphone is still in the early stages. The focus is still on the hinge and not so much on the mobile device itself. As a result, associated functions remain undiscussed – think of the design, but also the cameras, buttons and connections, etc. Nevertheless, it is interesting to see that HTC is also working on the implementation of a flexible display in a smartphone.
The design team of LetsGoDigital has made a series of 3D renders based on this patent to better visualize the patented technology. We have reserved ourselves the freedom to fill in certain missing design elements. For example, we opted for a clamshell model, all the more because the documentation mentions the possibility of using the foldable smartphone both half-open and fully open. A half-open position seems to offer added more value when you fold the phone horizontally – think of the Flex mode on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip.
Yet HTC could also apply this technology for a folding phone that unfolds into a tablet format – where a kind of laptop screen can be created when you use the device in half-open position – like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2. HTC, however, seems to focus on creating a cost-efficient device; a clamshell model is significantly cheaper and easier to manufacture than a vertically folding device. Regardless of whether HTC will choose for a horizontal or vertical folding line, the patented hinge is only suitable for HTC phones with an outward foldable display.
Optionally, a hole-punch camera can be integrated, like with the recently introduced HTC U20 5G phone. In addition, a camera system can be placed on the rear, for the renders we designed a triple camera. However, HTC could also choose to only implement a selfie camera. You will then still have sufficient photography options – if you fold the device a dual display phone is created. Users can then use the screen on the back as a viewfinder. Moreover, a separate camera system on the back will only function when you use the phone completely open. And by omitting this camera system entirely, costs can be saved again.
HTC and the smartphone industry
HTC was already active in the mobile industry at the time of the feature phones. The company was founded in 1997 by Mrs. Cher Wang and Mr. Peter Chou. The former remained as CEO of the company until September 2019 and is still active as chairman of the HTC board.
The Taiwanese manufacturer has released many different types of devices over the years, such as the HTC Touch folding phone. But also the HTC P4350 slider phone, for example. In addition, the company released compact pocket computers with a keyboard, such as the HTC Touch Pro2 and the HTC TyTN II. Due to the large differences in form factor, these phones also required a completely different way of operation and control. Therefore HTC has already gained the necessary experience in that area.
It is almost impossible to imagine now, but HTC was also the very first smartphone manufacturer to introduce an Android phone. At the time, HTC was one of the largest phone manufacturers. The first Android smartphone was the HTC Dream, also known as the T-Mobile G1 – this phone model was announced in mid-2008. It’s an slider smartphone with Azerty keyboard that was praised for its solid and robust design with excellent hardware. At the time though, there were still doubts about the Android OS due to a lack of functionality and third-party software.
Afterwards, HTC also stood at the cradle of the Google Nexus and Google Pixel smartphones. For example, the Google Nexus One was released in collaboration with HTC at the beginning of 2010. In 2016, the very first Google Pixel smartphone was also manufactured by HTC. The same goes for the Pixel XL and Pixel 2. Since the Pixel 3 however, Google has taken full responsibility for development. In the meantime, Google has also released several phones in collaboration with LG and Samsung.
Where manufacturers such as Google, Samsung and Apple have never stopped innovating, this has been the case for HTC. Not innovating means standing still, which automatically results in regression. In addition, HTC entered the VR market too early. This premature market is still hardly profitable. Still, HTC expects to be on the winning side. The new CEO sees a promising future for both the VR department and HTC’s smartphone division.
Time will tell whether HTC is actually able to set up a profitable business in this overcrow
Next month the OnePlus 8T will be introduced. This 5G phone gets a flat screen, an improved camera system and supports faster charging technology.
On Wednesday, October 14 OnePlus will unveil its new flagship; the OnePlus 8T. This new 5G smartphone will be offered alongside the existing OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro. As an 8T Pro model seems to be lacking this year, OnePlus is likely to also pay attention to the recently introduced OnePlus Nord during the online event. Perhaps an additional model may be released in the form of a Nord Lite.
Over time, quite a few details of the OnePlus 8T 5G have already made their way to the web. Unlike the OnePlus 8, the new model seems to sport a flat display – instead of an edge display. OnePlus may have been inspired by Samsung, which has also provided the regular Galaxy Note 20 with a flat screen and the Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition, which is expected later today, will also feature a flat display.
The display size and resolution of 6.55-inch 1080p Full HD+ remains the same as on the OnePlus 8. The refresh rate will be increased to 120 Hertz, instead of 90Hz. This higher refresh rate ensures smoother operation while scrolling and it also comes in handy when watching movies or playing a mobile game. Last year, OnePlus was the first manufacturer to implement a 90Hz display, in the 7 Pro.
The new OnePlus smartphone comes with a hole-punch camera that is placed in the top left corner. Presumably it is a 32 megapixel image sensor. The camera system at the rear will also undergo the necessary changes, there is talk of a quad camera system. The main camera is a 48-megapixel wide-angle camera, in addition, a 16-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, a 5-megapixel macro camera and a 2-megapixel depth camera are integrated. Unfortunately, a telephoto camera seems to be missing.
The quad camera is placed in the top left corner, as we have seen with many top models in recent times. Personally, I prefer to see the camera system placed in the center of the housing – much less risk of accidentally holding your finger in front of the lens while photographing and/or videographing. Of course the camera system is also accompanied by an LED flash. Unlike the front, the back of the housing is beautifully rounded. A glass housing is chosen.
The first product photo of the front of the OnePlus 8T already appeared online in August. Dutch designer Jermaine Smit, aka Concept Creator, has made a concept video in collaboration with LetsGoDigital to visualize this new device. The wallpaper shown has been designed by Max J. The video animation and associated product renders shown in this publication are based on all available information.
Supposedly, the OnePlus 8T 5G will be powered by the extremely powerful Snapdragon 865+. Several memory variants will be made available, probably 8GB RAM / 128GB ROM and 12GB RAM / 256GB ROM. Immediately upon launch, the new smartphone will run on the new Android 11 operating system combined with the OxygenOS 11 interface.
The battery capacity will also be increased. OnePlus seems to equip its new T model with a 4,500 mAh battery – that’s 200mAh more than the OnePlus 8. In addition, the 8T will support extra fast charging technology. Wired charging is most likely supported up to a maximum charging power of no less than 65 Watt – comparable to the Oppo Find X2 (Pro). That is a significant upgrade compared to the 30W fast charging technology that can be found in the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro. Wireless charging and reverse wireless charging are most likely not possible, for this you will have to opt for the 8 Pro.
The bottom of the device provides access to the USB-C port. The SIM card compartment and a speaker can also be found here. The microphone is placed at the top. Furthermore, one elongated button is processed on the left side and two buttons can be found on the right.
Price & availability
The official introduction will take place on October 14, 2020. The launch event will take place digitally and can be followed via a live stream. Most likely, pre-order sales will start immediately after the reveal.
Earlier this year the OnePlus 8 had a suggested retail price of € 700 (8GB / 128GB) during launch, while the Pro variant introduced at the same time was marketed for € 900 (8GB / 128GB). The OnePlus 8T will probably get a starting price of around € 740 (8GB/128GB). The version with 12GB/256GB memory will cost an additional €100.
It seems a OnePlus 8T Pro will be lacking this year. Last year, OnePlus launched a T-model of both models, the 7T and 7T Pro were both introduced in October 2019.
However, there has been talk for some time about two cheap variants of the mid-range OnePlus Nord. These new models will likely also launch in the US, where the Nord is not yet available. These new models could make their presence during the same launch event. Be patient for just a few more weeks, then all details will undoubtedly be covered.
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More than any other smartphone I’ve used this year, the Sony Xperia 5 II feels like a tool. It’s not just that it has a very understated design (though this definitely plays a part), it’s that Sony’s whole approach is to give you as much control over the phone as possible. Control over how it looks, and sounds, and takes photos and video.
Like any tool, though, you get more out of the Xperia 5 II when you’re prepared to put more in. A good workman never blames their tools, after all. But I’d wager that most people who are paying $949 (£799 / €899) for a phone are probably looking for a device that’s prepared to meet them halfway, and can handle most jobs on default or automatic settings. That’s what I want to see if the Xperia 5 II can accomplish.
The Xperia 5 II goes on sale on December 4th in the US, and is available in Europe from this week.
I cannot overstate how much I like the Xperia 5 II’s design. The combination of Sony’s trademark 21:9 aspect ratio with a slightly smaller 6.1-inch display compared to the larger Xperia 1, makes for a pleasantly narrow phone that fits in the hand nicely without feeling cramped to use. This screen is only 1080p this time around, but at this size I don’t think you’re left wanting extra resolution.
At the top and bottom of the display you’ll find bezels a little bigger than many other flagships opt for these days, and that means there are no notches or hole-punch cutouts to speak of. You get a stereo pair of capable front-facing speakers which sound less echoey than their downward-firing competitors.
Up top you’ll find a headphone jack, which is a great inclusion and almost unheard of in a premium-priced smartphone these days, and around back there’s an understated camera bump housing the phone’s main, ultrawide, and telephoto lenses. If you want a phone that’s guaranteed to not turn heads then this is probably it. Like I said, it’s a tool.
Plus a headphone jack up top.
As well as volume controls and a side-mounted power and fingerprint sensor combo button, there are both dedicated camera shutter and Google Assistant buttons on the side of the phone. Given Sony’s photography ambitions for the 5 II, I’ll allow it the physical shutter control, but the Google Assistant button feels unnecessary — especially in a position that’s too low to be convenient to press.
The Xperia 5 II’s screen’s aspect ratio makes it hard to reach the top of the screen when using it one-handed, but you get a lot more useful screen real estate across many apps like Twitter or Gmail. Personally, I like that it gives me enough space to split-screen my Aeropress recipe generator app with a stopwatch app for making coffee, but I’m probably the only one doing that. Beyond its aspect ratio, the HDR-compatible OLED screen is bright, colorful, and a pleasure to watch videos on, and its 120Hz refresh rate means it feels smooth and responsive to use.
Internally, aside from the increasingly-rare microSD storage expansion, you’ll find a typical array of specs for the price, including a Snapdragon 865 processor, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage (there’s also a 256GB version, but it’s exclusive to Asia), and a 4,000mAh battery. There’s no support for wireless charging, an annoying omission at this price, and if you’re buying the phone in the US then there’s also no support for 5G (in Europe you get sub-6GHz support, but no millimeter wave).
Given the state of 5G coverage at the moment, our advice tends to be that it’s not worth paying extra for 5G if a less expensive phone otherwise fits your needs. But on the flip side, if you’re paying $949 for a phone at this point in 2020, then it seems a little ridiculous for it to not to support 5G. The phone has the specs to handle most of the jobs you’re going to need it for right now, but no 5G in the US means it could soon fall behind.
I didn’t encounter any battery problems with the Xperia 5 II. The phone easily got me through a day of working from home featuring plenty of Twitter, Slack, Gmail, and YouTube use, with around 40 to 50 percent of charge left when I plugged it in at night.
Sony’s take on Android 10 is restrained, and mainly consists of giving you extra settings to tweak. (The company was unable to confirm when an update to Android 11 might arrive.) Sony gives you a wild amount of control over the phone display’s white balance settings, for example, and there’s a Dolby Atmos EQ menu in the settings if you want to tune how the phone’s audio sounds. There’s a lot you can customize to make the Xperia 5 II the right tool for your needs.
I wasn’t a fan of the number of apps that come preinstalled on the phone, however. That includes apps like LinkedIn which can be disabled but not easily uninstalled. It’s especially annoying when so much of the Xperia 5 II is designed to put control into your hands.
Sony’s approach to smartphone photography is twofold. First, when left to its own devices, it tends to prioritize accuracy over vivid, colorful photographs. That often results in a less punchy looking image than you get from most phones, but you can always tweak the image in editing after the fact.
If you want to fully do things your own way, Sony is also prepared to let you. Its pro photography mode gives you huge amounts of control over how you take photos, giving you an experience modeled after its standalone mirrorless Alpha cameras. There are a lot of controls to dig into if you want them, but they might feel too involved for someone who just wants to point their phone at a group of friends and get a nice photograph.
First, though, let’s talk about hardware. The Xperia 5 II includes three rear cameras; a main camera with a large 1/1.7-inch sensor, an ultrawide camera with a 124-degree field of view, and a telephoto with 3x optical zoom. What’s nice here is that they all have the same resolution, 12 megapixels, which means you don’t see a marked change in detail when you switch between them.
Main camera, taken with burst mode.
Main camera.
Ultrawide camera.
Telephoto camera.
Main camera.
Main camera.
Main camera.
Main camera.
Main camera.
Telephoto camera.
Ultrawide camera.
Main camera.
Main camera.
Main camera.
Main camera.
Selfie camera.
Main camera.
Main camera.
Main camera.
In daylight you get detailed photographs, but these can sometimes look a little flat. It’s accuracy over excitement. Weirdly, the exception to this seems to be people, where Sony’s handset seems to want to brighten your skin and smooth it out, even with the camera’s “Soft Skin Effect” option turned off. Even if you’re using the standard camera app, you still get a responsive eye auto-focus system, and burst shooting of up to 10fps. I found the combination of fast eye-tracked autofocus and burst photography great for photographing pets in particular.
Low light photography is where Sony’s approach to photography is most obvious. By default, the camera app won’t brighten your night shots so much that they look like they were taken in daylight. Instead, you get accurate photos that the camera takes a moment to process each time. It’s a very different experience from a phone like the Pixel 4, where you can tap the shutter button and immediately get a clear, bright photo, even at night.
The pro photography mode gives you a wealth of controls.
Swap over to the advanced photography mode and a whole wealth of options opens up. There are white balance, auto-focus, exposure, burst shooting, flash, and HDR settings aplenty, letting you control almost every aspect of your photography. It’s enough that you can get just about any look for your photos if you’re prepared to put the work in, including making night shots look clear as day. But the whole process can be a little involved, and it’s frustrating if you’re someone who just wants to whip out their phone and reliably get a crisp, clear shot every time.
You get a similar level of control when it comes to filming video, where you have the option of recording at up to 120fps slow-motion in 4K. I was particularly impressed with the focus pulling settings, which are fun to play around with. For the most part, though, I think most people will be happy with recording video in the regular camera app.
You can get good photographs out of the Sony Xperia 5 II, but you sometimes have to work to get them to look the way you want. Its cameras are powerful tools, but they’re not going to do the work for you.
Sony has a very particular idea about the kind of phone it wants the Xperia 5 II to be. Although it matches many of its flagship competitors in terms of specs, its most interesting features surround the amount of control it gives you. There are advanced camera features and audio visual modes to really tailor the experience to your needs.
But I think you have to want these advanced settings to justify the Xperia 5 II’s relatively high $949 price tag in the US. At that price it should really include 5G support as well as wireless charging. These trade-offs might be more worthwhile at a lower price, but not with a near-thousand-dollar price tag. In Europe I think the €899 / £799 price makes a lot more sense given you get 5G support, but the lack of wireless charging remains.
Sony’s Xperia 5 II feels like a very capable tool, but it’s expensive and sometimes makes you work to get the most out of it. That makes it the right tool for plenty of jobs, but not necessarily the right tool for a smartphone’s job.
LONDON (Pocket-lint) – In a world of super flagship phones – where the same hardware is used across multiple brands and so many share similar designs – there’s always a place for the Samsung Galaxy Note range. It’s done things a little different for years, hiding the S Pen stylus up its sleeve as the one feature it’ll always have a monopoly over.
It’s this stylus that sets it apart from the competition, but is that now enough to distract from the fact that it’s a phone that’s missing a few things you’d come to expect from an ultra-premium phone in 2020? We were sent a Note 20 5G unit by Vodafone UK to test so that we could bring you our full thoughts and decide whether or not it’s worth the money.
Design
Dimensions: 161.6 x 75.2 x 8.3 mm / Weight: 192g
Polycarbonate back, AKA ‘Glasstic’
IP68 water- and dust-resistant
There’s been some reaction to Samsung’s decision to use polycarbonate – i.e. plastic, or ‘Glasstic’ as Samsung likes to call it – on the back of a phone with a four-figure asking price.
When you stump up good money for a smartphone, you expect to get premium materials, and a perceived premium finish. For instance, when iPhone X was among the first to break that four-figure barrier, which was almost justifiable because its frame was made of stainless steel. And it was all-glass front and back.
So it’s safe to say Samsung has some big courage in offering up a plastic-backed device for so much money. But here’s the thing: look at it, and it looks just as good as a frosted glass-backed phone. Hold it in your hand and there’s nothing hollow, bendy or plasticky about it. Yes, you can tell it’s not glass because it doesn’t feel cold, ever. And if you press it hard, it bends a little. But it has the appearance and the feel of a premium phone and, really, that’s all that matters.
In the hand the Note 20 feels like a sturdy phone, the soft-touch finish on the back is a really nice texture beneath the fingers, making it a pleasure to hold. The thing that surprised us was how much we liked the texture and the look – it almost reminded us of another phone we had a soft spot for a few years back: the Nokia Lumia 925, which combined a sturdy metal frame with polycarbonate and glass to great effect.
If there’s anything going against the Note 20, it’s the fact that it’s a large and blocky phone. But in the context of the Note series, that’s a good thing. Note devices are supposed to be big, and the fact that the standard model is a large, flat, rectangular devices – and not just a subtle tweak on the Galaxy S20 series – makes it stand out.
We really like the squarer corners on the Note series, and the fact that the bezels around the display are so slim means that panel is what takes up pretty much all of the space on the front. The pink-ish shiny edges contrast really nicely with those slim black bezels.
The’s nothing particularly unique about the button and port layout. It features everything you’d expect a phone to, in the places where they typically should be. Whether that’s the power and volume buttons on the right, or the Type-C port and speaker grille on the bottom
What does make the phone unique is the S Pen stylus, which has its very own built-in silo on the bottom edge. It’s on the left this year, so if you have one of the older models with the pen on the right, it’ll take a short while to get used to that.
S Pen shenanigans
Screen off memo
Pen Up for drawing
AR doodle, screen writing, much more
As with any Note series, regardless of year, the benefit of buying one is you get the S Pen stylus. Which each new year, Samsung adds more features and makes it even more useful. With the Note 20 there’s so much you can do with it, we could almost write an entire review on just the S Pen features, but we’ll try and keep this short.
One of the immediate benefits – and one of the features we used the most – is the screenwriting feature. It lets you snap a screenshot and then immediately scribble on it, marking it up with annotations. It’s useful when you’re sharing an article with someone and just want to highlight a key sentence. Or, as we’ve been doing, snapping a screenshot of a map and highlighting important landmarks or directions.
So, for instance, if there’s a pub you want to meet at and the map doesn’t make it clear where the car park entrance is, you can just scribble a little arrow and send the grab to your friend. Or, if you live on a new-build estate and want to show where your house is on the plot – because Google Maps doesn’t have it yet – you can scribble on maps to show where it is. It’s a really useful tool.
Another of our most-used features is the screen off memos. Simply remove the stylus from its silo while the screen is off and the phone, so the phone is in standby, yet you can still write a note on the screen and save it. It’s handy if you just want to whip up a quick shopping list or make a note of something you don’t want to forget.
Of course, there are other uses. For instance, artists can use Pen Up to draw sketches and even have the ability to load up photos and ‘trace’ over them to practice using the different digital pens and paintbrushes. There’s also an AR doodle feature that lets you draw on your own face as you’re recording a video through the front-facing camera.
The list goes on really. Some apps let you automatically scroll up and down pages just by hovering the S Pen tip near the top or the bottom, and sometimes it’s just nice to use the pen to navigate the phone instead of using a thumb or a finger. With a big phone like this, that’s actually more comfortable, but it does mean both hands are taken up with phone-related activities.
There’s also Air Gestures, which enable you to use the stylus like a little wand, waving it around to bring about actions. It’s all gimmicky in our view though, with inconsistent results, so we’d stick with the actually useful actions we’ve highlighted above – there’s plenty of good to be had from the S Pen.
Display
6.7-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, 20:9 aspect ratio
1080 x 1400 resolution (393ppi)
In-display fingerprint scanner
The second area to cause reaction from tech aficionados is the Note 20’s display. On the spec sheet it appears one compromise too many to build in just a Full HD resolution panel on an expensive Galaxy-branded smartphone. In the Android market, if you’re paying four figures for a phone then it better not only have a Quad HD panel – but really high refresh rate. After all, OnePlus does it for much less money.
Truth is, during our testing of the phone, we’ve not had a single complaint about the screen. It’s flat, for starters, which means there’s no real risk of accidental touches making things happen (or not happen) on the screen. There’s also no risk of video distorting or looking weird as it rolls around a curve – because there isn’t one.
Put the Note 20 next to the Quad HD+ screen on the Galaxy S20 and you’ll notice it’s a little less sharp. It’s not that you can see individual pixels, more that the really fine details and curves are a tad less smooth. There’s not much in it though. And once you’re in a Netflix binge session or spending your lunch break smashing the back of other racers with red shells in Mario Kart Tour, you’ll not be thinking about it.
The colour reproduction is great too. You get that vivid, eye-popping experience you’d expect from a Samsung AMOLED screen. It’s not overly saturated, but still lively and generally well balanced. It’s bright too.
Performance and battery
Exynos 990 or Snapdragon 865+ processor
8GB RAM, 128GB / 256GB storage
4300mAh battery, 25W charging
Wireless charging
The last spec on the sheet to cause a double-take: battery capacity. It’s a 4,300mAh cell, which in the context of big 2020 flagships with 5G support, doesn’t seem all that capacious. In a regular, smaller flagship it’s fine. In a big, powerful Note-series phone it should be greater. If any phone range should give you two days battery it should be a Note.
Still, it’s not as though it’s a puny amount. In most use cases it does a great job of getting through a full workday. That’s probably down to the fact that it only has a Full HD resolution display without that eye-watering frame rates offered by the Ultra (which, as we noted, has so-so battery). There wasn’t a single day we struggled to get from morning until night after taking it off charge when we woke up and got out of bed.
On busy days we’d have perhaps 30 per cent left over, sometimes less if we put some serious time into photography and playing games. If you want to push it to two days, you really have to be stringent with how much time you spend with the screen on.
Once empty you have a couple of different ways to refill it. You can either use the Type-C charger port, or slap it on a wireless charger. Either way, you won’t get mind-bending charging speeds like you’d get from Oppo or OnePlus, but it’s quick enough. Samsung’s power adapter can go up to 25W, which will give the phone a decent amount of charge within 30 minutes in an emergency. If you’re a night-time charger, which you likely will be with this phone, that’s not really a concern anyway.
As for overall speeds and snappiness, you might just find a difference comparing the US model with the European one. We had the latter, which features the much-maligned Exynos processor. With that said, possibly again due to the screen refresh and resolution specs, it didn’t seem to struggle at all under gaming load.
While you might not get the super-smooth frame-rates in general interface transitions like loading up the app drawer, or dropping down the notification shade, the fact it’s only 60Hz makes no difference when you load up your favourite game, because so few games feature anything higher than 60fps on the Play Store.
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We had the 5G variant in testing, however, the phone was being used in 4G only areas so we weren’t able to test Vodafone’s latest data network. Saying that, when in areas of good signal the network was generally very reliable for web browsing and social media.
Software
One UI 2.5 based on Android 10
Samsung has always done things its own way when it comes to software, using Google’s Android as a platform for its own services and interface and – while there’s nothing especially wrong with how it looks visually – it can be frustrating to use if you’re accustomed to some of Google’s own services.
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For instance, you could want to use Google’s autofill service in Chrome or to log into your apps when you first set it up, but Samsung’s UI prefers that you use Samsung Pass, and so you’re forced to go through the rigmarole of changing your autofill service provider. Or, when you click on a web link in an email, it’ll launch Samsung’s browser rather than Chrome.
Still, having Samsung-made software touches isn’t all bad. In fact, due to the S Pen, it’s essential. Without the additional stylus support within the apps or dedicated functions like the various markup tools and highlighting options, it wouldn’t be possible to have the S Pen as useful a tool.
The Note 20 has a versatile triple-camera setup, made up of three actually useful cameras. There’s no room for a useless low-resolution macro or depth sensor here. Instead, you get a primary lens with support from an ultra-wide and a telephoto camera. They vary in resolution, but you get good variety.
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In automatic mode, the cameras do a good job of balancing out highlights and shadows. What’s rather impressive is how all three cameras seem to produce really consistent colours – there’s no sense that the second and third cameras are washed out or lacking in detail, despite the different sensor makeup.
Zoomed in really far – up the maximum 30x – unsurprisingly yielded smushy results that lacked in colour and detail, but that’s to be expected when maxing out the digital zoom on any phone. Our advice: just don’t. Close-ups are a bit tricky too, as we sometimes had to try multiple times to focus on subjects that were near to the lens, such as plants or bugs.
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The camera also has a tendency to go a little bit over the top in processing colours – blues in the sky look a bit too vivid, for example.
Overall, shots taken in good daylight are eye-catching. We think pretty much anyone picking up the Note 20 to take photos will be very happy with the sharpness and appearance of the shots.
Verdict
If you’re looking for a phone with an integrated stylus then there’s little better than the Samsung Galaxy Note 20. Its note-taking potental is superb.
Sure, the ‘Glasstic’ rear and lack of higher refresh-rate screen are little red marks against its specification, but in isolation and in everyday use we suspect that’s not going to be a major bother for most people.
Plus, if you want more, spend more and opt for the Ultra model instead. However, we actually prefer the standard Note 20’s more subdued camera design and overall scale.
The Galaxy Note 20 might not bring any true killer new feature to the fold, but as a device that’s long been top of its game, it continues to show considerable strengths.
Also consider
Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus
If you like the big size of the Note 20 but don’t want plastic and do want a higher resolution, higher refresh rate display, there’s always the S20 Plus. It’s a good balance of ergonomic design and top tier features.
Read our review
Moto G Pro
Dirt 5 on next-gen, Nest Audio review and more – Pocket-lint Podcast 74
If you do want a stylus but don’t want to spend the big bucks, Motorola added a pen-equipped phone to its G-series this year. It doesn’t have a tonne of additional stylus-optimised features, but you might just forgive that for the cheaper price point.
Samsung develops a Galaxy phone with a dual foldable display. A handy kickstand and a laptop mode make this smartphone extra versatile.
In a short time, Samsung has managed to profile itself as the market leader within the new market segment of foldable smartphones. Samsung is the only manufacturer that managed to release two completely different types of folding phones: the Galaxy Z Flip has a clamshell design, while the Galaxy Z Fold 2 folds out into a tablet. In the background, the Korean manufacturer has been experimenting with numerous different types of foldable designs for some time now.
So far, Samsung has only released foldable smartphones with an inward foldable display. Nevertheless, the Korean manufacturer is also investigating the possibilities for an outward folding display – such as the Huawei Mate X. Or maybe I should say, such as the Xiaomi foldable smartphone that was shown at the beginning of 2019, because this time we are talking about a dual folding smartphone. That is why we dubbed this device the “Samsung Galaxy Z Dual Fold”.
Samsung Galaxy Z Dual Fold
Samsung Display applied for a patent that was published by the KIPO (Korean Intellectual Property Office) on October 6, 2020. The application dates from September 2018 – even before Xiaomi showed their dual foldable smartphone.
The patented Samsung smartphone has an outward folding display. You can fold both the left and right side of the screen to the back. When folded, you keep a relatively short, wide device at your disposal. As soon as you unfold the smartphone completely, an extra wide display is created, whereby the screen surface is increased by approximately 85%.
To better visualize this unique Samsung foldable smartphone, in-house 3D graphic designer Giuseppe Spinelli, aka Snoreyn, made a set of product renders based on the patent images from Samsung Display. The 3D renders are for illustrative purposes only. Earlier this year, Giuseppe also presented an impressive concept video of the Galaxy Z Flip and for the PlayStation 5, the Italian designer has also created several high-profile video animations.
The patent was filed by Samsung Display, not Samsung Electronics. As a result, certain parts remain underexposed. For example, no cameras, speakers and control buttons are visible on the patent images. Therefore we have incorporated these missing components based on the current foldable smartphones from Samsung. For example, the phone has a hole-punch selfie camera and we also added a volume button, an on / off button and a SIM compartment. For the audio enthusiast, a 3.5mm connection has also been incorporated into the design, as well as stereo speakers and a USB-C connection.
Samsung foldable phone with kickstand
The idea of a dual foldable smartphone is not new of course. A working Xiaomi foldable smartphone with a similar design was already demonstrated at the beginning of 2019. Nevertheless, there are a number of notable differences.
To start with the hinge, this Samsung phone has a completely different hinge, which also protrudes slightly from the housing. This makes the smartphone look less futuristic than the one from Xiaomi, but it does bring new operating options. Samsung seems to see an opportunity to use the double hinge to fix the device at a certain angle.
Once fixed the bottom screen part can be used as a keyboard or for displaying operating elements, while the top, and also the largest screen part, is used for displaying the content. Of course, Samsung has already rolled out such a concept with the Flex mode on the Galaxy Z Fold 2. However, as this device can be folded twice, an even larger display surface is created, which will make the advantages of this be more noticeable.
Samsung is thus cleverly responding to increasing productivity. After all, the phone becomes significantly more versatile if it can be used effectively for quick typing – without having to sacrifice too much on the user experience compared to a laptop. To support laptop mode, Samsung has also built-in a handy kickstand, which looks robust and solid. This allows you to place the device for a longer period of time and use it as a laptop screen without any problems.
The flexible display also seems to work different from the one from Xiaomi. The dual foldable phone from Xiaomi has a foldable screen. Samsung, on the other hand, seems to provide this Galaxy Z Dual Fold with a kind of extendable mechanism. If we look at the back of the phone, folded, you can see that the screen on the right side does not extend all the way to the housing. Unfolded, however, the flexible screen does close exactly up to the housing.
It seems the flexible screen can move within the housing. Unfortunately, details about this are lacking in this design patent. Presumably, Samsung designed this to facilitate the folding process. This mechanism might be help to compensate for the difference in length that occurs during folding and unfolding. Over time we have come across numerous patents focusing on eliminating this length difference – which is closely related to the durability of the device.
Obviously, a lot has changed in the field of foldable smartphones in recent years. Since the patent was already applied for in 2018, you may assume Samsung has taken great steps in the development of new foldable devices since then, both in terms of design and functionality.
I therefore do not expect Samsung to actually release this foldable smartphone. Nevertheless, it is certainly not inconceivable that Samsung will present a dual folding smartphone in the future.
This patent also makes it clear once again that Samsung is seeking for ways to increase productivity with a foldable phone. By being able to use your phone as a tablet and even as a compact laptop, it becomes an even more versatile device. Of course you will still miss a mouse and the keyboard will also be smaller than you are used to from a physical keyboard, as a result a foldable phone will never be able to function as a laptop replacement.
Nevertheless, these types of foldable models can certainly provide added value to the business user. Being able to quickly respond on a colleague’s presentation or reply to an email, it’s all just a little easier on a big screen with keyboard. Moreover, the device is still compact enough to carry with you all day long.
Samsung market leader in the field of foldable smartphones
At the beginning of last year, there was still some uncertainty as to which manufacturer(s) would take the lead within the new market segment of foldable smartphones. For example, the Chinese Royole was surprisingly the very first to present a foldable phone, the FlexPai. Not much later, Samsung followed with the Galaxy Fold and almost simultaneously Huawei presented the Mate X 5G. That same week, Xiaomi and Oppo also showed a prototype of a folding smartphone.
A lot has changed in the meantime. After the problematic launch of the Galaxy Fold, Samsung managed to recover quickly. The Galaxy
(Pocket-lint) – Apple announced its iPhone 12 series during an event in October, with four devices to choose from: the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max.
You can read about how all four iPhone 12 models compare to each other in our separate feature, but here we are looking at how the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max compare to their predecessors, the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max.
Design
iPhone 12 Pro: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4mm, 185g
iPhone 11 Pro: 144 x 71.4 x 8.1mm, 188g
iPhone 12 Pro Max: 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.4mm, 228g
iPhone 11 Pro Max: 158 x 77.8 x 8.1, 226g
The Apple iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max both have the same design, offering a glass rear with three camera lenses housed in the top left corner. Both devices have a polished stainless steel frame and the frame is squarer – similar to the iPhone 5 – rather than the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max.
The Apple iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max also have a glass rear and polished stainless steel frame but the edges are much rounder than the newer models. Last year’s devices also have three camera lenses in the top left corner though, and all four devices have a notch at the top of their displays with Face ID.
The 12 Pro models and the 11 Pro models are all charged via Lightning – though the 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max do not come with a charger in the box. All models are IP68 water and dust resistant.
Display
iPhone 12 Pro: 6.1-inch, 2532 x 1170, 460ppi, 1200nits
iPhone 11 Pro: 5.8-inch, 2436 x 1125, 458ppi, 1200nits
iPhone 12 Pro Max: 6.7-inch, 2778 x 1284, 458ppi, 1200nits
iPhone 11 Pro Max: 6.5-inch, 2688 x 1242, 458ppi, 1200nits
The Apple iPhone 12 Pro has a 6.1-inch Super XDR Retina display with a 2532 x 1170 pixel resolution, offering a pixel density of 460ppi. The iPhone 12 Pro Max has a 6.7-inch Super XDR Retina display with a 2778 x 1284 pixel resolution for a pixel density of 458ppi. Both are larger than their equivalents from last year.
The iPhone 11 Pro has a 5.8-inch Super XDR Retina display with a 2436 x 1125 pixel resolution for a pixel density of 458ppi, while the iPhone 11 Pro Max has a 6.5-inch Super XDR Retina display with a 2688 x 1242 pixel resolution, also offering a pixel density of 458ppi.
All four models have HDR support, True Tone technology, a maximum brightness of 1200nits and Haptic Touch. It’s only the size that has changed and the bezels surrounding the display have become thinner, allowing for more display in a similar footprint.
iPhone 12 Pro Max: A14 chip, 5G, 128/256/512GB, wireless charging and MagSafe
iPhone 11 Pro Max: A13, 4G, 128/256/512GB, wireless charging
The Apple iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max both run on the A14 chip with the next generation Neural Engine. They are both available in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB storage options and they both offer wireless charging and MagSafe charging.
The iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max have the A13 chip under their hoods with the third-generation Neural Engine. They too are available in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB storage options and they both offer wireless charging, but they don’t have the MagSafe feature.
The iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max are both 5G compatible, while the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are 4G. All four models are Dual SIM.
Cameras
iPhone 12 Pro: Triple rear, 4x optical zoom, Night Mode on front and rear cameras
iPhone 11 Pro: Triple rear, 4x optical zoom, Night Mode on rear cameras
iPhone 12 Pro Max: Triple rear, 5x optical zoom, Night Mode on front and rear cameras
iPhone 11 Pro Max: Triple rear, 4x optical zoom, Night Mode on rear cameras
There are three camera lenses on the back of all four of the iPhone Pro models being compared in this feature, but while all models have a 12-megapixel main wide sensor, 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor and a 12-megapixel telephoto sensor, their specifications differ.
The Apple iPhone 12 Pro’s main sensor has a f/1.6 aperture, the ultra-wide sensor has a f/2.4 aperture and the telephoto lens has a f/2.0 aperture. It is capable of 4x optical zoom and there is dual optical image stabilisation and Night Mode on board, as well as Night Mode for portraits.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max meanwhile, has a new telephoto lens that has a f/2.2 aperture and is capable of 5x optical zoom, while its main wide angle lens has an aperture of f/1.6 too, like the iPhone 12 Pro, but it has larger 1.7µm pixels. It also offers sensor-shift optical image stabilisation.
The Apple iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max both have a similar make up to the iPhone 12 Pro, but they have a slightly narrower aperture on their wide angle lens at f/1.8. Night mode is on board, but not for portrait shots and they aren’t capable of HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 60 fps, which both the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max are.
All four models have a 12-megapixel TrueDepth camera on the front, but the
(Pocket-lint) – OnePlus has announced the OnePlus 8T, succeeding the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro that launched earlier this year.
There is only one model – with no 8T Pro – so how does the OnePlus 8T compare to the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro?
Design
8T: 160.7 x 74.1 x 8.4mm, 188g
8: 160 x 72.9 x 8mm, 180g
8 Pro: 165.3mm x 74.35mm x 8.5mm, 199g
The OnePlus 8T features a slightly different design to the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro.
There is a prominent camera housing in the top left corner of the rear of the device – similar to Samsung’s S20 range. There’s a singular punch hole camera in the top left corner of the display and the display is flat rather than curved.
The OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro both have a slim vertical camera housing in the middle of the rear but they too have a single punch hole camera in the top left of their displays. Both also have curved displays.
The OnePlus 8 is water resistant, while the 8 Pro has an official IP68 rating. It is not currently known if the 8T offers an official rating or just water resistance.
Display
8T: 6.55-inch, Full HD+, AMOLED, 120Hz
8: 6.55-inch, Full HD+, AMOLED, 90Hz
8 Pro: 6.7-inch, Quad HD+, AMOLED, 120Hz
The OnePlus 8T comes with a 6.55-inch AMOLED display with a Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The panel has a maximum brightness of 1100nits and supports HDR10+.
The 8T has a flat display as mentioned above, rather than curved. The bezels around the display are slimmer than the OnePlus 8 though.
The OnePlus 8 has a 6.55-inch AMOLED display with a Full HD+ resolution too, but it only offers a refresh rate of 90Hz. It is a curved display though.
The OnePlus 8 Pro meanwhile, has a slightly larger display than the 8T comes with at 6.7-inches. It has the same refresh rate at 120Hz, but it has a higher resolution. It is also curved.
The OnePlus 8T comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset, which is the same as the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro. It is 5G too, like the 8 and 8 Pro.
The 8T comes in a 128GB model and a 256GB model with the former offering 8GB of RAM and the latter 12GB. Both the 8 and 8 Pro come in the same two options.
There is a 4500mAh battery capacity under the hood of the 8T, and it offers faster charging with the Warp Charge 65 adapter. There is no wireless charging on board.
The OnePlus 8 has a 4300mAh battery while the OnePlus 8 Pro has a 4510mAh battery. Both use Warp Charge 30T but only the 8 Pro model has wireless charging on board.
Cameras
8T: Quad rear
8: Triple rear
8 Pro: Quad rear
The OnePlus 8T comes with a quad rear camera, comprised of a 48-megapixel main camera, 16-megapixel ultra-wide camera, 5-megapixel macro camera and a 2-megapixel monochrome lens.
The OnePlus 8 has a triple rear camera made up of a 48-megapixel main, 16-megapixel 116-degree ultra-wide sensor and a 2-megapixel macro sensor.
The OnePlus 8 Pro has a quad camera, consisting of a 48-megapixel main, 48-megapixel ultra-wide, 8-megapixel telephoto and 5-megapixel photochromatic sensor.
Conc
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