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oppo-find-x3-neo-review:-can-it-compete?

Oppo Find X3 Neo review: Can it compete?

(Pocket-lint) – There will always be those who clamour for the latest specs, studying all the latest flagships to ensure that when they eventually part with their hard-earned cash it goes on the device that has the top numbers. Those phones will come with the highest resolution screens, the latest processor, and the most cameras on the back. 

But here’s the thing: you don’t necessarily need all of those things. Which, if you’re looking to save a bit of cash, is where the likes of Oppo’s Find X3 Neo comes in. Unlike its predecessor, the Find X2 Neo, Oppo’s second-in-command phone from its Find X series has a previous flagship chip instead of a current mid-range processor. Does that make it the perfect balance of power to price?

Design & Build

  • Dimensions: 159.9 x 72.5 x 7.99mm / Weight: 184 grams
  • Finish options: Galactic Silver / Starlight Black 

In a market filled with big-scale devices, it’s always a relief – specifically for the hands – when a smartphone comes along that’s noticeably more nimble. That’s the Neo through and through.

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The Find X3 Pro was noticeably more comfortable to hold than most of its competitors, and the Neo is smaller and therefore feels even more compact in the palm. 

It’s about 8mm thick, which is technically thicker than an iPhone 12, but its curved edges on the front and the back make it feel sleek and slim when you actually hold it. The camera protrusion on the back is fairly minimal too. Despite featuring four cameras, it retains that compact rectangular design of the phones that came before it, not the more heavily protruding set – like you’ll see in, say, Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra.

Captured in the right kind of light, the Find X3 Neo’s shape and overall design has a minimalist quality about it. The dark blue/black model we were sent for review – that’s where the Starlight Black name comes from – has an unmistakeable glittery quality to it. It also has a soft almost-grippy texture to the glass on the back, but a visual sparkle whenever it catches the light. We have a feeling you’ll either love or hate this. 

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Still, that texture on the back means it’s refreshingly non-slippery. It won’t fall from your hand, it doesn’t randomly slide off flat surfaces and – more crucially – struggles to pick up fingerprints. It’s a great finish, whether or not you’re a fan of the twinkly quality.

Display & Software

  • 6.55-inch FHD+ (1440 x 1080 resolution) AMOLED display
  • 90Hz refresh rate, 120Hz touch sampling rate
  • 1100 nits peak brightness

We’ve seen more than one manufacturer opt to put a Full HD display into its phones in 2021. In fact, where QHD+ resolution used to be the norm for flagships, it now seems having that 1440p panel is reserved for only the ultimate, top tier devices.

That’s the same for Oppo. The Find X3 Pro is the one with the higher resolution, 120Hz high frame-rate display. That means the Neo has the lower Full HD+ resolution and mid-level 90Hz with this one. 

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We find the 90Hz refresh is more than adequate for pretty much everything. In our testing we’ve not seen too much to suggest that 120Hz is an absolute must from any phone. In fact, even those that can push 120 frames every second have recently opted to use adaptive rates as to not waste battery life.

In reality, 90hz means that all your animations – whether they be general interface or during gaming – will be smooth and respond quickly to your gestures on screen. 

As for the display’s visual properties, those a decent too. Granted, you don’t get the same eye-popping brightness and colours as you might from the Pro, but it’s certainly not a dim screen. The Neo’s smaller panel is bright and vivid, with deep blacks lending a hand to make visuals pop. 

If there’s any criticism it’s that it seems to suffer a little with excessive contrast, most notable when the brightness is low. Some colours at these times seem a bit too dark and unnatural. Once you have your favourite show on, or you’re smashing the latest levels of your favourite game, you don’t particularly notice any real issues though.

Software-wise, it’s practically identical to what we saw on the Pro model. Here you’ll find Oppo’s ColorOS 11, based on Google’s Android 11, which means lots of useful and fun features. We like the customisation interface that lets you see your changes in real-time on the home screen as you pick the wallpaper or adjust the shape and design of the icons. 

Other highlights include the completely customisable always-on display. There’s also the Relax app that plays soothing sounds to help you get rest or fall to sleep at night – this includes nature sounds and relaxing music as well as sounds recorded in cities around the world. 

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As well as the same software benefits as per the Pro, the Neo experience similar quirky issues. There’s some inconsistency in the way it handles notifications, in that visual alerts don’t appear everywhere you’d expect. For instance, you might have icons on the always-on display and in the status bar, but not on the lock screen. It made it impossible for us to see what a notification was without opening the app and checking. It’s little irks like this that hold ColorOS back a mite.



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Performance & Battery

  • Snapdragon 865 processor, 12GB RAM
  • 256GB storage, no microSD
  • 4500mAh battery capacity
  • 65W Super VOOC 2.0 flash charging

As we alluded to at the beginning of this review, this phone isn’t equipped with 2021’s top-tier Qualcomm Snapdragon 888. It’s not got a step-down Snapdragon 700 series chipset either. Instead, Oppo opted for the last-gen top-tier option, the Snapdragon 865.

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By going down this route, Oppo has effectively skipped the ‘almost-flagship’ range and gone with a proper flagship one instead – albeit from 2020. And when you consider the Neo’s screen refresh rate tops out at 90Hz and it’s a Full HD+ resolution, that processor choice is more than enough to make it feel like a properly fast phone. 

As you’d expect, the resulting experience is one that’s quick and responsive. Because, after all, a processor which was the fastest and most powerful just a few months prior to launch hasn’t suddenly just become slow and sluggish over night. 

Settle into your daily routine and there’s just no trouble from the Oppo phone. It loads games and apps without a care in the world. Loading screens transition quickly, graphics start sharp and remain that way while the high refresh touch sampling rate ensures that your gestures on screen result in quick animations from the display. 

It’s a similar situation with battery life. Having a Full HD+ display and a relatively large 4500mAh battery capacity means you can easily get through a full day with the Neo, even on really busy days. Oppo’s battery optimisation is famously quite aggressive – and that means for some moderate/light users that two days on a full charge isn’t out of the question. We’d often get to the end of a day with more than 40 per cent left over. 

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The other plus side to this battery is that it features Super VOOC 2.0 charging, which makes it possible to refill it really quickly. It uses the 65W wired flash charging tech that can completely fill the battery in around 35 minutes. It’s not quite as speedy as the updated OnePlus 9 Warp Charge, but it’s still fast enough to make battery anxiety a thing of the past. 

Cameras

  • Quad rear cameras:
    • Main: 50-megapixel, f/1.8 aperture, optical image stabilisation (OIS)
    • 2x optical zoom: 13MP, f/2.4
    • Wide-angle: 16MP, f/2.2
    • Macro: 2MP
  • 32MP front-facing selfie camera
  • Video: 4K up to 60fps

Like its internals, the camera makeup is of a flagship level too. Or, at least, the primary camera is. It uses the same 50-megapixel sensor as its more expensive sibling, the Find X3 Pro. 

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: Primary lensPrimary lens

That means when you’re taking photos in the ‘1x’ mode you’re going to get great-looking pictures, especially when there’s good light. Shooting outside will get you sharp images with great colour and a lovely natural depth – more pronounced when shooting objects that are close to the camera. 

However, the supporting act cameras just aren’t quite as strong. The ultra-wide camera sometimes left us with pictures that looked a little flatter in terms of colour and depth, and it’s not as strong at focussing on nearby subjects. Similarly, the overall look of those pictures was just a tad rough compared to the main camera. 

As for that 2x optical zoom camera, that’s similar to the ultra-wide – in that it can capture decent enough pictures, but again they lack some of that crispy vibrance you see from pictures from the primary sensor. 

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: 1x Primary1x Primary

Still, while they’re far from perfect, those additional focal lengths do at least mean the camera system is versatile. They add an extra dimension to the photography experience and will let you capture those wide landscapes or zoom in on something a little further away to good effect. 

The one camera that really isn’t up to scratch is the macro sensor. It’s baffling that instead of equipping the system with an ultra-wide camera that can also be used for macro, Oppo utilised a 2-megapixel macro sensor – the kind we’d expect to see in a much cheaper phone. 

Shots from camera’s dedicated macro mode are really quite harsh. Details are lacking, there’s a real lack of decent colour, and the background blur is awful looking.

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: Macro Macro 

In our testing we found it was better just to switch to the main camera in regular photo and get close up to a subject. If you want a tighter shot, simply crop the photo afterwards – as that way you get far better detail, colour and depth. 

Verdict

It’s easy to see the appeal of the Find X3 Neo. It’s a slim and nimble phone with great battery life, flagship speeds, and a very good main camera. The Snapdragon 865 processor inside means it’s not just an over-priced mid-range device.

However, the Oppo’s biggest challenge will likely be competing with other similarly priced phones. The OnePlus 9 is technically more powerful and costs less, while the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is a phone powered by the same chipset but for less money.

For many, we suspect it might come down to the battle of the cameras. And with the Neo’s primary camera sensor delivering great results – not that can be said about its other cameras – it’s in with a shot.

On the whole, the Oppo Find X3 Neo is a refined experience – one that offers an appealing alternative to the much bigger and much more expensive premium devices on the market. 

Also consider

Pocket-lint

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE

It may have a plastic back, but the ‘Fan Edition’ was one of the surprise hits of 2020 – and is still a great buy. It has a fluid and smooth display, IP68 water- and dust-resistance and similar internal hardware to the Oppo. Crucially, it’s also cheaper. 

  • Read our review

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Pocket-lint

OnePlus 9

If your main aim is getting the top-tier processor for as little money as possible, the OnePlus 9 is a great shout. It’s not quite as nimble and thin as the Oppo, but it’s got a Snapdragon 888 processor, fast charging, and great software. Also at a lower price. 

  • Read our review

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Writing by Cam Bunton. Editing by Mike Lowe.

xiaomi-mi-11-lite-5g-review:-chic-and-unique

Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G review: Chic and unique

(Pocket-lint) – The Xiaomi Mi 11 range spans a significant spectrum from top-tier flagship, in the Mi 11 Ultra, to the standard Mi 11, down to the more entry level – which is where this, the Mi 11 Lite 5G, finds itself.

Despite plonking ‘Lite’ into its name, however, the Mi 11 Lite 5G really is not a low-power phone by any means. It’s just not as crazy-powerful as the upper echelons in the range. The second clue to that regard is the ‘5G’ aspect of the name – because, yes, there’s also speedy connectivity.

So if you’re not looking to spend a fortune on a phone, want 5G connectivity, and having a slimmer and easier-to-manage handset is high up your list of appeals, the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G ticks a lot of boxes. But then so do a bunch of competitors. So can this entry-level 5Ger deliver?

Design & Display

  • Display: 6.55-inch AMOLED panel, 90Hz refresh, 1080 x 2400 resolution
  • Finish options: Truffle Black, Mint Green, Citrus Yellow
  • Dimensions: 160.5 x 75.7 x 6.8mm / Weight: 157g
  • Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
  • No 3.5mm jack

Upon pulling the Mi 11 Lite 5G from its box we let out a rare gasp. Because, shown here in its apparent ‘Mint Green’ finish – it looks more ‘Bubblegum’ to us, which is the name for the non-5G variant – this handset looks really fresh and standout. Very dapper indeed.

That’s partly because Xiaomi has redesigned the range, so the Mi 11 Lite looks way more evolved than the previous 10T Lite version. Look at those side-by-side and the older model looks rather dated – it’s quite a stark difference. Yet there’s mere months between them in terms of release cycle.

That said, the Mi 11 Lite 5G is only a little like other Mi 11 handsets in terms of design. The cameras are far different to the Ultra’s “megabump”, arranged in a really neat format that, although similar to the Mi 11, doesn’t protrude to the same degree from the rear.

The rear finish is good at resisting fingerprints too, which is a breath of fresh air (minty fresh, eh!), while the branding is subtle and nicely integrated.



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But above all else, it’s the Mi 11 Lite 5G’s thickness that’s its biggest take-away point. By which we mean thinness: because this handset is far slimmer than, well, pretty much anything we’ve used for months and months. We can’t think of a slimmer 5G smartphone. That, for us, has bags of appeal – it’s been really refreshing not carting a brick around in the pocket for the couple of weeks we’ve been using this phone.

Such a svelte design means the 3.5mm headphone jack has been binned, though, so it’s wireless connectivity only in that regard. But we can take that – it makes the design look more enclosed and complete anyway. There’s also no under-display fingerprint scanner here, with a side-mounted one in the power button a perfectly acceptable alternative – that operates speedily and we’ve got very much used to using it.

The display, at 6.55-inches, is still large despite the phone’s overall trim frame. It’s flat, with the phone body curving gently at the edges to make it really comfortable to hold. And there’s no teardrop notch to cry about this time around either – it’s a single punch-hole one to the upper corner, which is fairly inconspicuous.

That screen, an AMOLED panel, delivers on colour, brightness and verve, while a 90Hz refresh rate can deliver a little added smoothness to proceedings. There’s not a 120Hz option here – kind-of odd, as the 10T Lite did have that – but, really, most eyes aren’t going to tell the difference. We’d take the battery life gains every time instead, thanks.

Performance & Battery

  • Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 780G, 8GB RAM
  • Software: MIUI 12 over Google Android 11 OS
  • Battery: 4250mAh, 33W fast-charging
  • Storage: 128GB/256GB, microSD

Speaking of battery, that’s the first thing we assumed would be poor in the Mi 11 Lite 5G – because of how slim it is. But how wrong we were. For starters the 4,250mAh capacity cell is pretty capacious – and in our hands was easily able to deliver 16 hours a day with around 25 per cent battery or more remaining.

That’s been irrelevant of what we’ve asked the phone to do in a given day. Strava tracking for an hour and an hour of gaming in the evening, in addition to hours of screen time, calls and so forth. It’s no problem for this device. Note, however, that we’ve been unable to locate a 5G signal area during testing – lockdown and all that – so whether that would adversely affect battery life is for debate. What we do see in the settings, however, is a 5G option to toggle the connectivity off when it’s not needed, to further extend battery life.

However, while battery life ticks along just fine, part of the reason is down to the rather hardcore software approach. Xiaomi’s MIUI 12 – skinned over the top of Google’s Android 11 operating system – by default has a lot of “off” switches selected. Seriously, MIUI is hell-bent on ensuring battery lasts and lasts – sometimes to the detriment of the experience and use of apps.

As such, you’ll need to investigate individual apps within the settings and permit them to self wake as and when they need, removing any automated battery restrictions from the important ones that you have and would, say, expect push notifications from. In the past we’ve had MIUI cause delays with notifications in other Xiaomi phones. In the Mi 11 Lite 5G, however, that’s been no problem whatsoever – perhaps because we’re so used to it and in setting the software in how we want to conduct our business; or, perhaps, because Xiaomi has sorted that issue out in an incremental update!

Otherwise the software is pretty robust. There are some oddities, such as an additional Xiaomi store as an addition to Google Play, but the two hardly interfere too much. And having copied over a bumper crop of apps, it’s clear to see that there are Xiaomi pre-install favourites and various not-needed staples – browsers, calendars, that kind of stuff – that just clogs up the home screen to start with, but is easily replaced with Chrome and your other favourites.

Regarding the phone’s innards, there’s a Qualcomm Snapdragon 780G platform handling proceedings, putting the Mi 11 Lite 5G one step down from the top-tier 800 series platform. Does that really matter? We’ve not found it to at all. From general user interface use, to app opening time, fluidity has been high throughout.

Besides, a 700 series chipset is more than good enough to run your more demanding favourites too. We’ve been plugging away at South Park: Phone Destroyer and PUBG: Mobile without hindrance, showing just how good the balance of power and battery life can be in devices such as this.

Cameras

  • Triple rear cameras:
    • Main: 64-megapixel, f/1.8 aperture, 0.7µm pixel size, phase detection autofocus (PDAF)
    • Wide-angle (0.5x):  8MP, f/2.2, 1.12µm, 119-degree angle of view
    • Macro: 5MP, f/2.4
  • Single front-facing punch-hole selfie camera: 20MP, f/2.2

Buy a ‘Lite’ phone and you’re never going to expect too much from the cameras, right? However, Xiaomi has done a reasonable job here of balancing things out. For starters all three lenses are actually useful – there’s not a lens here for the sake of number count, like with so much of the competition.

The main 64-megapixel sensor uses four-in-one processing to output 16-megapixel shots as standard, which hold enough colour and detail. Even in low-light conditions we’ve found the quality to hold up fairly well, too, so this sensor delivers the goods.

It’s a shame that there’s no optical stabilisation on the main lens, because holding it steady – especially when shooting Night Mode shots – is tricky and can result in a little softeness in dim conditions if you’re not careful.

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: Wide-angle – full shotWide-angle – full shot

The wide-angle, however, is a weaker sensor. It’s just 8-megapixels in resolution, can’t deliver the fidelity of the main one by any means, and displays some blur to the edges. That’s pretty common for wide-angle cameras, sure, but there are better iterations around. Still, there’s practical use from a sensor such as this, so it’s a positive to have it rather than not.

Last up out of the trio is a macro sensor. Now, typically, these are throwaway afterthoughts. But, actually, the one on this Mi handset is acceptable – probably because it’s a 5-megapixel sensor, not the 2-megapixel type that too many other budget handsets opt for. That means images are of a usable scale, and you’ll get a little extra something out of super close-up shots from this sensor. We doubt you’ll use it a lot, though, as it’s hardly a practical everydayer, plus its activation is tucked away in settings – but there’s fun to be had from it nonetheless.

What we like about the Mi 11 Lite 5G’s camera setup is that it’s not trying to oversell you a bunch of pointless lenses. It doesn’t protrude five miles from the back of the phone, either, delivering a neat-looking handset that, while hardly reaching for the stars in what it can do, is perfectly capable. And, compared to the likes of the Moto G100, for example, the Xiaomi actually has the upper hand in its image quality delivery.

Verdict

Although the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G looks and feels different to the rest of the Mi 11 family, there’s something refreshing about its design. It’s really slim, light, and that colour finish looks super. We can’t think of a slimmer, tidier-looking 5G handset – which makes this something of a unique proposition.

Despite being called a ‘Lite’ phone, it shouldn’t be seen entirely in that regard either. With the Qualcomm Snapdragon 780G handling everything, there’s ample power to keep that 90Hz AMOLED screen ticking along, for battery life to last surprisingly long – we didn’t expect it, given the trim design – and software that, if you tend to it with a bit of pruning from the off, has been more robust here than many other Xiaomi handsets we’ve seen in the recent past.

However, forego the 5G need, and there are lots of cheaper competitors that might also appeal, such as the Redmi Note 10 Pro. Similar grade handsets, such as the Moto G100, may also appeal – but, as far as we understand it, the Xiaomi undercuts that device’s price point, asserting its position as one of the top dogs in the affordable 5G market.

Also consider

Moto G100

A near-ish comparison in that there’s 5G and gaming-capable power for less than a flagship price. We prefer the Moto’s software, but the Xiaomi’s design has the upper hand in our view.

  • Read our review

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Writing by Mike Lowe.

Pixel 5A camera sample leaks, hints at similar specs to the Pixel 5

Google seems to have accidentally shared a photo sample from its upcoming Pixel 5A, giving us some hints about what to expect from the barely announced device. The photo appeared in an album posted alongside a blog post about Google’s HDR+ Bracketing technology, which aims to reduce noise in HDR photos (via Android Police). The EXIF data for most of the photos said they were captured by existing Pixel phones including the Pixel 5, Pixel 4A 5G, Pixel 4, and Pixel 4 XL, but in among them was one image apparently taken with a Pixel 5A.

Google recently confirmed the existence of the Pixel 5A 5G in response to rumors that the device had been cancelled. However, beyond confirming that the device will be available later this year in the US and Japan, it didn’t offer any more details about the phone’s specs or cameras.

The image labeled as coming from a Pixel 5A has since been removed from the album, but offered several details about the camera performance of the upcoming device while it was up. First is that it appears to have been taken with an ultrawide camera, which corroborates previous reports that the 5A will have two rear cameras — a main camera and an ultrawide. That’s similar to the Pixel 4A 5G, while the Pixel 4A had just the one rear camera.

A screenshot of the photo’s EXIF data before it was removed.
Screenshot: Google Photos

Its resolution is also listed as 12.2 megapixels, which is similar to the photos we saw from the Pixel 5. Although the sensor in the Pixel 5’s ultrawide camera is technically 16 megapixels, it produces 12.2-megapixel shots by default. The 5A’s EXIF data also shows it has the same f/2.2 aperture as the 5. Given that the photo was attached to a blog post about HDR+ Bracketing, it seems likely that the 5A will also offer support for the technology.

Combined with previous rumors, it looks like the Pixel 5A could be a very similar device to last year’s Pixel 5. Reports suggest it’ll use the same Snapdragon 765G processor, and have a similar design with a 6.2-inch OLED display with a hole-punch selfie camera. Like Google’s previous A-series devices, however, the rear panel is expected to be made of plastic rather than glass, and the phone will also reportedly feature a 3.5mm headphone jack.

According to the leaked photo’s EXIF data, the photo itself was taken last October just before the Pixel 5 was released. Without official confirmation from Google there’s no guarantee it’s representative of the 5A’s final camera hardware, but the fact that the photo has now been removed suggests it wasn’t a simple labeling mistake.

apple-ipad-11-pro-(2021)-vs-ipad-pro-12.9-(2021)-vs-ipad-air-(2020):-what’s-the-difference?

Apple iPad 11 Pro (2021) vs iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) vs iPad Air (2020): What’s the difference?

(Pocket-lint) – Apple revealed the fifth generation iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) and third generation iPad Pro 11 (2021) at an event in April. The two devices sit above the fourth generation iPad Air (2020), the eighth generation iPad (2020) and the iPad mini.

You can read how all Apple’s iPad’s compare in our separate feature, but here we are looking at how the new iPad Pros compare to the iPad Air to help you work out which is right for you.

Here is how the iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) stacks up against the iPad Pro 11 (2021) and iPad Air (2020).

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Design

  • iPad Pro 12.9 (2021): 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4mm, 682g
  • iPad Pro 11 (2021): 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9mm, 466g
  • iPad Air (2020): 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1mm, 458g

The Apple iPad Pro 12.9 and Apple iPad Pro 11 share identical designs, though their measurements differ. The iPad Air meanwhile, borrows some of the iPad Pro’s design features, like very narrow bezels around the screen and an aluminium body with square edges but there are some differences elsewhere.

The iPad Pro models have a large square camera housing in the top left corner – like the iPhone 12 models – and they have two camera lenses within that housing. The iPad Air has a singular camera lens in the top left corner so there’s a slight step down in the camera department.

The iPad Pro models feature Face ID at the top of their displays, while the iPad Air has Touch ID built into the power button at the top – both allow for as much screen as possible in the body available though.

All models have a Smart Connector on the back and all are compatible with the second generation Apple Pencil and Magic Folio Keyboard.

The iPad Pro models have Thunderbolt/USB 4 for charging and data transfer, while the iPad Air has USB-C. The iPad Pro models come in Silver and Space Grey colours, but the iPad Air comes in Rose Gold, Green and Sky Blue on top of Silver and Space Grey, making for some more exciting finish options.

In terms of overall size and weight, the iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) is the largest and heaviest, while the iPad Pro 11 (2021) and iPad Air are almost identical in size and weight, with the iPad Pro 11 slightly slimmer and the iPad Air slightly lighter.

Display

  • iPad Pro 12.9 (2021): 12.9-inch, Liquid XDR, 2732 x 2048 resolution (264ppi), 1600nits, ProMotion, True Tone
  • iPad Pro 11 (2021): 11-inch, Liquid Retina, 2388 x 1668 resolution (264ppi), 600nits, ProMotion, True Tone
  • iPad Air (2020): 10.9-inch, Liquid Retina, 2360 x 1640 resolution (264ppi), 500nits, True Tone

The Apple iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) has a 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display, which is the largest and brightest of the three iPads being compared here with a 1600nits peak brightness (HDR). The iPad Pro 11 (2021) and iPad Air have a Liquid Retina display, with the iPad Pro featuring an 11-inch screen and a max brightness of 600nits and the Air offering a 10.9-inch display with a max brightness of 500nits.

All three models have a pixel density of 264ppi and they all have an anti-reflective coating, P3 wide colour display, True Tone technology and a fully laminated display.

The iPad Pro models come with Apple’s ProMotion technology though, offering a 120Hz variable refresh rate, while the iPad Air doesn’t have this on board, marking the biggest distinction between the iPad Pro 11 and iPad Air in terms of display. 

Hardware and specs 

  • iPad Pro 12.9 (2021): Apple M1 chip, 8GB/16GB RAM, up to 2TB storage, 10-hour battery, 5G
  • iPad Pro 11 (2021): Apple M1 chip, 8GB/16GB RAM, up to 2TB storage, 10-hour battery, 5G
  • iPad Air (2020): A14 Bionic, up to 1TB storage, 10-hour battery, 4G

The Apple iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) and the iPad Pro 11 (2021) both run on Apple’s M1 chip – which is the same chip that can be found in the new iMac and the latest MacBook Pros so you’re talking about quite a bit of power here. They also both have come with a choice of 8GB or 16GB of RAM and storage options start at 128GB and go up to 2TB. 

The 2021 iPad Pro models come in Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi and Cellular options, with the latter offering 5G connectivity.

The iPad Air (2020) meanwhile, runs on the A14 Bionic chip which although still more than capable and a very powerful processor, isn’t quite as advanced as the M1. There are also no RAM options to choose between and storage only goes up to 1TB.

The iPad Air comes in Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi and Cellular models too but the Wi-Fi and Cellular models are 4G rather than 5G.

All three models have a 10-hour battery life. As mentioned though, the iPad Pro models have Thunderbolt/USB 4, while the iPad Air has USB-C. The iPad Pro models also have four-speaker audio, while the iPad Air has two-speaker audio.

Cameras

  • iPad Pro 12.9 (2021): 12MP (f/1.8) +10MP (f/2.4) rear, 12MP front
  • iPad Pro 11 (2021): 12MP (f/1.8) +10MP (f/2.4) rear, 12MP front
  • iPad Air (2020): 12MP (f/1.8), 7MP front

Both the iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) and the iPad Pro 11 (2021) come with a 12-megapixel wide (f/1.8) and 10-megapixel ultra wide (f/2.4) camera on their rear. They also have 2x optical zoom out, 5x digital zoom and a brighter True Tone flash, as well as Smart HDR 3 for photos.

The iPad Air has a single 12-megapixel wide camera on the rear with an f/1.8 aperture. It offers 5x digital zoom and smart HDR 3 for photos.

On the front, the iPad Pro 12.9 and the iPad Pro 11 come with a 12-megapixel TrueDepth camera with ultra wide camera. It offers an f/2.4 aperture with 2x optical zoom out and a number of features including Centre Stage, portrait mode, Portrait Lighting, Animoji and Memoji and extended dynamic range for video up to 30fps. 

The iPad Air meanwhile, has a 7-megapixel FaceTime HD camera with an f/2.2 aperture. It has a Retina Flash, Smart HDR 3 for photos and cinematic video stabilisation like the iPad Pro models, but it doesn’t have the other features mentioned above.

Price

  • iPad Pro 12.9 (2021): From £999
  • iPad Pro 11 (2021): From £749
  • iPad Air (2020): From £579

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There’s quite a big difference in price between the iPad Pro models and the iPad Air. 

The iPad Pro 12.9 starts at £999 in the UK for the Wi-Fi only model, and £1149 for the Wi-Fi and Cellular model. Opt for the top specs and you’re looking at quite a significant amount of money.

The iPad Pro 11 starts at £749 in the UK for the Wi-Fi only model and £899 for the Wi-Fi and Cellular model. Again, if you opt for the 2TB of storage and 16GB of RAM, you’re looking at serious bucks.

The iPad Air starts at £579 in the UK for the Wi-Fi only model, and £709 for the Wi-Fi and Cellular. You of course pay more for the larger storage models, but it is still significantly cheaper than the iPad Pro models.

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Conclusion

The only difference between the iPad Pro 12.9 and the iPad Pro 11, apart from their physical sizes, is the display technology. The 12.9-inch model has an XDR display, while the 11-inch doesn’t. Otherwise their specs are the same, but you of course pay more for the larger model.

The iPad Pro 11 and iPad Air are the same size and they have pretty much the same display size too. The iPad Pro offers an extra camera on the rear, an improved front camera with features like Centre Stage, a more powerful processor, a higher storage option of 2TB, 5G capabilities, Thunderbolt over USB-C, RAM options and ProMotion on the display. The Air does have some more exciting colour options though, and it’s a bit lighter.

Which you choose of these models will likely come down to not only your budget but what features are important to you. The iPad Air (2020) is fantastic and will be more than adequate for many, though the iPad Pro models do obviously offer those extra premium features and speed.

Writing by Britta O’Boyle.

fujifilm-x-t3-vs-x-t2:-what’s-the-difference?

Fujifilm X-T3 vs X-T2: What’s the difference?

(Pocket-lint) – When the Fujifilm X-T2 arrived back in 2016, we thought it set a new benchmark for mirrorless cameras. Since then we’ve been spoiled with the likes of the Panasonic Lumix G9 and many other compact system cameras.

In 2018, Fujifilm came back with a bang: the X-T3 brought a new sensor, new autofocus and 4K 60fps video capture that set it apart from its X-T2 cousin. Below we breakdown the key differences between those two. But if you’re looking for the even newer X-T4 then go read our review here.

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Fuji X-T3 vs X-T2: Design & Layout

  • X-T3: A little deeper (58.8mm) than X-T2 (49.2mm) due to eyecup and grip
  • Both cameras: Full manual control dials, Fujifilm X mount lenses
  • Optional battery grip is different for each camera
  • Both cameras: Weather resistant build

At a glance, the X-T3 and X-T2 are one and the same. But they’re a slightly different size, which means if you want to use an accessory battery grip then you’ll need to buy for the specific camera. X-T2 users will be disappointed that an X-T3 will require a new grip.

Otherwise, the layout and operation is similar: there’s full manual control, all the shutter/aperture/ISO/exposure compensation dials you could need, and that old skool design aesthetic.

The X-T3 does shrink the exposure compensation dial to avoid it getting accidental knocks, while the toggles around its dials are larger for easier adjustment. There’s also a dioptre lock on the X-T3 which was lacking previously.

Fuji X-T3 vs X-T2: Viewfinder, Screen, Performance

  • X-T3: 0.5 inch, 3.69m-dot OLED electronic viewfinder
  • X-T2: 0.5 inch, 2.36m-dot OLED electronic viewfinder
  • Both cameras: 3.0 inch, 1040k-dot, tri-adjustable LCD (X-T3 adds touchscreen)
  • X-T3: 1.5x autofocus speed improvement over X-T2 (Fujifilm claims)
  • X-T3: 2.16m phase-detection pixels offer edge-to-edge autofocus (X-T2 has a limited selection area)

Mirrorless cameras have gone from strength to strength in recent times, with electronic viewfinders good enough to rival traditional optical ones. The X-T2’s already decent 0.5in OLED finder remains the same size (magnification) in the X-T3, but the new camera ups the resolution by over 50 per cent. It’s the same finder as found in the Canon EOS R.

Regarding the rear screen, both cameras offer a tri-adjustable fit, meaning the LCD panel can be pulled out for waist-level or overhead work in either portrait or landscape orientation. Most competitors can’t handle this vertical orientation. However, we found this method of control a little fiddly to use, which is a setback. The X-T3, like the X-H1, adds touchscreen – which was lacking from the X-T2.

When it comes to speed, the X-T3 also ups the autofocus ante with a claimed 1.5x speed improvement over the X-T2. The biggest change is the full edge-to-edge autofocus system, though, which offers a mammoth 2.16m phase-detection pixels right across the whole sensor for precision autofocus anywhere within the frame (it offers 425 AF areas, compared to the X-T2’s 325). Even the newer X-T4 doesn’t really elevate its autofocus beyond the X-T3’s capabilities.

Fuji X-T3 vs X-T2: Image Quality, Speed, Video

  • X-T3: X-Trans CMOS IV sensor, 26-megapixel resolution
  • X-T2: X-Trans CMOS III sensor, 24-megapixel resolution
  • X-T3: 11fps burst shooting at full resolution
  • X-T2: 11fps with optional battery grip only
  • X-T3: 4K video at 60fps / XT-2: 4K 30fps

Core to the X-T3 is its X-Processor and X-Trans CMOS sensor, both of which are in their fourth generation guises (compared tot he X-T2’s third-gen). This brings greater processing speed, able to handle the slightly higher resolution of the newer camera.

In terms of burst speed, the X-T2 was never a slouch, capable of up to 11fps at full resolution. However, you had to have the optional battery grip attached to achieve that. With the X-T3 you do not: it’s 11fps capable out of the box (and it’ll even hit 30fps with a 1.25x crop and electronic shutter).

Another big benefit of this X-Processor is the readout speed means the X-T3 can cater for 4K video at 60fps straight to the camera’s internal SD card. At the time of launch no other APS-C sensor camera could do this. Furthermore, the X-T3 offers up to a 400Mbps data rate with H.265 compression and 24-bit stereo sound support.

Fuji X-T3 vs X-T2: Conclusion

  • X-T3: £1,349 body only (at launch)
  • X-T2: £1,399 body only (around £1,249 at time of writing)

The X-T3 is a savvy replacement for the X-T2. It’s faster, more adept at focusing, will deliver similar image quality at a slightly higher resolution, and will appease videographers too. And all for a price that’s actually less than the X-T2 was at launch.

Our suggestion would be to go with the newer model and all the extras that brings (unless the X-T2’s price really plummets). Of course, with the X-T4 being launched since, in 2020, there’s an even newer generation to consider – but, on balance, if you can find the older model in stock then picking it up for a bargain price makes heaps of sense.

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Writing by Mike Lowe.

fujifilm-x-e4-review:-big-quality-in-a-small-package

Fujifilm X-E4 review: Big quality in a small package

(Pocket-lint) – Back at the end of January 2021, Fujifilm announced this, the X-E4, one of the more junior models in its mirrorless camera line-up. It’s not the total baby of the range, though, a title which goes to the X-T200. The X-E4’s main difference to that camera? It brings the coveted X Trans CMOS sensor type into the fray.

When we first heard announcement of the X-E4, we thought it looked a little like the fixed-lens X100V, except with the obvious addition of an interchangeable lens mount. And given how fond we were of the X100V, that set up this interchangeable equivalent in good stead. Except this adds a flip-forward screen to the series for the first time.

So is the Fujifilm X-E4 a real mid-range champ, or does it lack innovation to elevate it above and beyond its X-E3 predecessor and surrounding X series cameras?

Design & Lens Mount

  • Fujifilm X mount (for XF lenses)
  • Dimensions (body): 121 x 73mm x 33mm / Weight: 364g
  • Built-in electronic viewfinder (0.39-inch, 2,360k-dot OLED)
  • Vari-angle mounted screen, with touch controls (3-inch, 1,620k-dot LCD)

If you’ve been thinking about a Fujifilm camera then there’s three current models that sit fairly close to one another: the X-T200, the X-E4 on review here, and the higher-end X-T4. So how do they differ?

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The X-E4 sits in the middle of the trio, with a more advanced sensor technology than you’ll find in the lower-end X-T200 – but other features are otherwise fairly similar. The higher-end X-T4, meanwhile, has the exact same sensor as you’ll find here – so while the ‘T’ model doesn’t mean higher quality images, it has more dedicated control dials and can shoot much faster.

The X-E4 is designed with small-scale in mind, too, so our attachment of a 10-24mm f/4 lens (not included) makes it look a bit bigger. Really Fujifilm intends to sell this camera with the 27mm pancake lens, which is sold as a kit, because that really enhances the small scale – but we’d only suggest doing that if you know you’ll want to buy other lenses later, otherwise you may wish to look to the X100V instead (if you can find it for a good price anyway).

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Prominently the X-E4 adds a flip-forward LCD screen for the first time in the X series, enabling that selfie or vlogging angle for those who need to frame themselves. However, the design of the camera – there’s also a built-in electronic viewfinder (EVF) – means you cannot simply flip the screen up in one swift movement. Although it’s not complex, we find the two-part movement to get the screen forward is rather fiddly. And even then the EVF’s marginal protrusion stops it from being completely vertical.

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The screen quality is otherwise perfectly decent, at 1,640k-dots, and the little nub on the side makes it easy to position by 90 degrees (or similar) in a single motion – which is handy for waist-level work. The touchscreen is highly responsive, which is both great for quick reaction, yet annoying because we took heaps of unwanted pictures while the camera was in low-power mode in-between shooting proper.

A big part of any X series camera is the style, though, with this silver and black finish the epitome of retro cool. The X-E4 is made primarily from magnesium alloy, which gives it a robust feeling in the hand. However, it’s not weather-resistant like the pricier X-T4, so if you’re keen to always run around in the rain then this might not be the choice body for you.

The camera’s dials aren’t just there to look pretty either – you can quickly control the shutter and exposure compensation via their individual dedicated dials (many XF lenses have aperture control rings as the third piece of the puzzle). Sadly, there’s no lock of the exposure compensation dial, which we found was a little too easy to knock out of place (and so we took a number of images at +/-0.7EV).

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Want to point and shoot? No problem. The X-E4 can be set to auto in every regard so you can just snap away. Even applying various filters – Toy camera, Miniature, Pop color, High-key, Low-key, Dynamic tone, Soft focus – if you want to get a bit ‘arty’ with results.

Performance

  • Battery: 2,200mAh (circa 450 shots per charge)
  • Autofocus system: 117 selectable areas
  • Face Detection & Eye Detection AF
  • Low-light focus: to -7EV
  • Adjustable AF point size
  • Up to 8fps burst

The X-E4’s focus system is an echo of the X-T4 too. The camera uses a massive 2.16-million phase-detection pixels embedded across its sensor’s surface, designed to cover the full width from edge to edge. That means you can focus anywhere in the field of view, as far vertically or horizontally as you wish, and still acquire the same focus ability as you would in the centre.

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The autofocus system is pared down to 425 areas maximum – it’s 117 selectable areas though – which can be further reduced to simplify operation as you wish. The AF point can be adjusted between a variety of point sizes, too, by using the front thumbwheel; the miniature joystick to the rear, meanwhile, handles repositioning with speed – if you’re not using the touchscreen.

However, there’s still no Panasonic Lumix S1-style Pinpoint mode, which we always miss when using other brands’ mirrorless cameras. Pinpoint is great for still life work, as it enables really specific focus – not that the X-E4 struggles, but you may find focus is positioned a millimetre forward/back to expectation based on available contrast, for example.

Now we wouldn’t say the autofocus is the very best going for moving subjects, but it’s still highly capable. It’s hard to ignore Sony’s forward motion in this department, really, where it’s excelling in fast-moving subject capture.

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The 8 frames per second (8fps) burst shooting is also capable, although approaching half that of the X-T4 – which is yet another clue of the X-E4’s target audience.

Autofocus is said to be good to -7EV, which means really dim conditions. With the curtains closed and not much light available the camera had little qualms in capturing – even when the sensitivity was forced to be maxxed out to ISO 12,800 as a result.

In terms of longevity the X-E4’s battery is relatively high capacity, capable of delivering 450 shots per charge or thereabouts. This will vary depending on the screen’s on time, how much movie shooting you wish to do, and so forth. There is a low power mode that auto-activates by default, though, so the rear screen will go into a low brightness and super-low refresh rate to retain battery – but mean it’s instant to reactivate when you want it for that next shot.

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Recharging takes place via USB-C, much like an Android phone, but you’ll need to use a 15W charger at the wall for the fastest possible recharge times. It’ll take about three hours to recharge the one cell, which isn’t especially quick, but use a low power USB port and it’ll take three or four times longer than that. In short: don’t think plugging it into the side of your computer will serve the same result, as it won’t.

Image Quality

  • 26.1-megapixel X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor
  • 4K at 30fps, Full HD (1080p) at 60fps
  • Sensitivity: ISO 160 to 12,800

Inside, this lightweight camera houses the same 26.1-megapixel X-Trans CMOS 4 and X-Processor 4 combination as you’ll find in the X-T4 – so quality is, in effect, one and the same. It’s lens dependent, of course, as that’s a major part of what attributes part of the clarity and sharpness of an image.

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: ISO 200ISO 200

This sensor type is backside illuminated, with the copper wiring placement beneath the photo diodes in the sensor, in order to create a cleaner signal path. But the real sell is the X Trans CMOS aspect, which uses Fujifilm’s unique colour array, not the typical Bayer array, to make benefit of a larger sequence to determine colour results.

Fujifilm shots tend to look very natural as a result, sometimes a little cooler in appearance, but there’s a lot of options within the camera to manipulate as you please – including traditional film stock equivalent, if you want to shoot Velvia for added punch, or Provia for softer portrait tones.

We’ve often praised Fujifilm for its image quality prowess, a trend that the X-E4 continues. It’s handled our various snaps well in terms of exposure, colour balance, scale and detail. The real sweet-spot is in the lower to medium ISO sensitivity, as higher up the range things beging to reveal a lot more image noise – not to the point of destruction, as such, but detail drifts away and processing is more apparent, even from ISO 3200.

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That you’re getting Fujifilm’s current best-of-best (well, ignoring its medium format line-up) in a camera that sits in the middle of the range is impressive.

Verdict

Although the X-E4 is the first Fujifilm X series camera to offer a screen that can face forward, we don’t actually think that’ll be the main appeal for its target audience (it’s also a bit fiddly to position as so) – as much as the spec can cater for vloggers wanting to shoot 4K or Full HD video. 

The real appeal of the X-E4 lies in a range of points: from the top-tier image quality from the X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor, to the small-scale body and retro chic design; to the capable autofocus system and variety of filters and film stocks.

If you don’t want the super-fast shooting of the X-T4, don’t need the weather-sealing either, then the X-E4 wraps much of its higher-spec cousin’s features into a smaller, tidier body with a smaller price tag.

Also consider

Pocket-lint

Sony A6400

Not the most up-to-date Sony – that goes to the over-four-figures A6600 – but the A6400 is a great example of small scale with big capabilities. And it did the whole facing-forward screen feature first too.

  • Read our full review

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Pocket-lint

Fujifilm X-T4

Want that water resistance and almost double-speed burst mode? That’s where the X-T4 comes into play. It’s far pricier, and it’s larger too, but it’s all-round more accomplished – and will feel better balanced with larger lenses, too, if that’s your future thinking.

  • Read our full review

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Writing by Mike Lowe.

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Samsung Galaxy S21 FE vs Galaxy S20 FE: What’s the rumoured difference?

(Pocket-lint) – Samsung is rumoured to announce the ‘Fan Edition’ – also known as FE – of its Galaxy S21 later this year, succeeding the Galaxy S20 FE.

The Galaxy S20 FE is a fantastic device, offering many of the great features of the Galaxy S20 but for a lower price thanks to a couple of compromises, and there have been several rumours suggesting the S21 FE will follow in those footsteps.

How is the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE expected to compare to the Galaxy S20 FE though? We’ve put the rumoured specifications for the S21 FE up against the S20 FE so you can see.

Design

  • S21 FE: 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9mm, TBC
  • S20 FE:  159.8 x 74.5 x 8.4mm, 190g

Rumours suggest the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE will look similar to the Galaxy S21, with a centralised punch hole camera at the top of its flat display, a plastic back and an IP65/68 water and dust resistance. 

Leaked renders show a triple rear camera with the housing positioned in the top left corner, and flowing into the frame of the device. It’s said to measure 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9mm. 

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE meanwhile, takes its design cues from the Galaxy S20. It too offers a centralised punch hole camera at the top of the flat display though, as well as a plastic back and waterproofing.

There’s a triple rear camera on the back, within a housing in the top left corner, but the housing is more of an island, differentiating it from what is expected from the Galaxy S21 FE. It measures 159.8 x 74.5 x 8.4mm and weighs 190g, which means the S21 FE could be shorter and slimmer if the rumours are accurate. 

The S21 FE is said to be coming in gray/silver, pink, violet, and white colours. The Galaxy S20 FE comes in blue, red, lavender, mint, white and orange.

Display

  • Galaxy S21 FE: 6.4-inch, Full HD+, 120Hz, HDR
  • Galaxy S20 FE: 6.5-inch, Full HD+, 120Hz, HDR

According to reports, the Samsung Galayxy S21 FE will have a 6.4-inch display with a Full HD+ resolution. It’s also expected to have a 120Hz refresh rate, though it is not currently clear if it will offer a variable refresh rate, like the Galaxy S21 range.

As mentioned, the display is expected to be flat and it will no doubt be a Super AMOLED panel with support for HDR, like the S20 FE offers.

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE has a slightly larger 6.5-inch display than what is reported for the S21 FE, though it has the same Full HD+ resolution and it also has a 120Hz refresh rate. The refresh rate is not variable on the S20 FE though so if the Galaxy S21 FE offer variable, then this will be one of the differences aside from size.

Hardware and specs

  • Galaxy S21 FE: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888/Exynos 2100, 5G, 128/256GB
  • Galaxy S20 FE: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865/Exynos 990, 4G/5G, 6/8GB RAM, 128GB storage, microSD, 4500mAh

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is expected to run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset, or the Exynos 2100, though no rumours have suggested this as yet. Instead, the rumours have claimed the S21 FE will be a 5G device, run on Android 11 and come in 128GB and 256GB storage options. 

There’s no word on whether microSD will be supported, but given the S21 range doesn’t offer microSD, it is possible the S21 FE won’t either. Currently, no rumours have detailed RAM or battery capacity for the S21 FE.

The Galaxy S20 FE 5G handset runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, while the 4G model runs on Exynos 990. There is a choice of 6GB or 8GB of RAM on board, both of which have 128GB of storage, as well as support for microSD.

In terms of battery, the Galaxy S20 FE has a 4500mAh capacity so we would expect similar from the Galaxy S21 FE.

Camera

  • Galaxy S21 FE: Triple rear
  • Galaxy S20 FE: Triple rear
    • Main: 12MP, f/1.8, 1.8µm, OIS
    • Tele: 8MP, f/2.4, 1.0µm, OIS, 3x optical
    • Ultra-wide: 12MP, f/2.2, 1.12µm
    • Front: 32MP, f/2.2, 0.8µm, FF

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is rumoured to come with a triple rear camera, though there are currently no specifics on what sensors might be on board. It’s likely we will see the same main camera as the Galaxy S21, along with a telephoto and ultra wide angle lens, but the resolution and pixels could be different on the latter two lenses, like the S20 FE did compared to the S20+.

The Galaxy S20 FE has a triple rear camera, made up of a 12-megapixel main sesnor with an f/1.8 aperture, 1.8µm pixels and optical image stabilisation, which is the same as the S20+ offers. It also has an 8-megapixel telephoto lens that has an f/2.4 aperture, 1.0µm pixels, OIS and 3x optical and there is a 12-megapixel ultra wide sensor with f/2.2 aperture and 1.12µm pixels.

The front camera on the Galaxy S20 FE is a 32-megapixel, f/2.2 aperture, sensor. We’d expect similar on the S21 FE.

Price

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Pricing for the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE hasn’t been rumoured as yet, though we’d expect it to fall around the same ballpark as the S20 FE and certainly cheaper than the Galaxy S21 range.

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE starts at £599 in the UK for the 4G model and £699 for the 5G model. The 4G model isn’t available in the US, but the 5G model starts at $699.99 in the US, with the 8GB of RAM model costing $769.99.

Conclusion

Based on the rumours so far, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE will feature a slightly different design to the S20 FE from the rear, keeping in tune with the lastest Galaxy S21 series, though it will look similar from the front. 

Speculation suggests the S21 FE will be shorter and slimmer than the S20 FE, pack a slightly smaller display and come with an upgraded processor and possibly some camera upgrades too, even if only in terms of features.

We will update this feature as more rumours appear surrounding the S21 FE, but for now, you can keep track of all the latest in our separate Galaxy S21 FE feature.

Writing by Britta O’Boyle.

huawei-p40-vs-p40-pro-vs-p40-pro-plus:-what’s-the-difference?

Huawei P40 vs P40 Pro vs P40 Pro Plus: What’s the difference?

(Pocket-lint) – Not content with bringing its usual two-model flagship series release programme, for 2020 Huawei stepped things up by bringing not just one, not two, but three different P series handsets: the P40, the P40 Pro, and the P40 Pro+.

It’s a move that came as no surprise, in a world where many competitors have gone down a similar route – check out Samsung’s S20 series, for example – but with now three P40 series models to choose from, just how do they differ?

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Design: Colours & Finishes

  • P40 Pro only: Silver Frost, Blush Gold with matte-touch finish
  • P40 Pro+ only: Black ceramic, White ceramic
  • All models: Ice White, Black, DeepSea Blue

The standard P40 is smaller than the P40 Pro and Pro+, the latter two are the very same size.

But the colour options and finishes is where things differ. At the entry point there’s white, black and blue glass-backed finishes. The P40 Pro also options a silver and pink-gold finish, both of which have a matte-touch finish which is said to be fingerprint repellent – despite still being made of glass.

Lastly there’s a ceramic finish, in either black or white, for the P40 Pro+ only. Huawei tells us this “nanotech ceramic back” is comprised of ceramic beads, which are compressed at higher pressure, then kilned at 1500C for five days, creating a sapphire-strength rear with a reflective index “similar to diamond”.

Screen: Size & Resolution

  • P40 Pro & Pro+: Edge-to-edge ‘Overflow Display’ with curved edges / P40: Flat display
  • P40 Pro & Pro+: 6.58-inch OLED, 2640 x 1200 resolution
  • P40: 6.1-inch OLED, 2340 x 1080 resolution
  • P40 Pro & Pro+: 90Hz / P40: 60Hz

As we said, the P40 is the smaller handset, on account of its 6.1-inch screen. This display is also flat, not curved, with slightly larger bezels than its bigger models.

The P40 Pro and Pro+ have a 6.58-inch screen, so aren’t as ultra-massive as some current handsets, such as the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. We think that’s a sensible decision, to make for greater ease of use with one hand.

Whichever of the Pro and Pro+ models you choose you’ll be getting a so-called ‘Overflow Display’. That’s Huawei’s way of saying Waterfall Display, really, meaning the edges spill over, much like a waterfall, so the edge bezel is barely visible. This applies to all edges – both sides and the top and the bottom – for a real screen-dominant design.

There’s no notch as a result, instead a dual punch-hole is present on all three handsets. More info about the (extensive!) cameras is further down the page.

While the P40 offers a standard 60Hz display, the Pro and Pro+ offer a 90Hz refresh rate – which is 50 per cent greater than the typical 60Hz panels. That’s all well and good, but with OnePlus running 120Hz panels and others offering up to 165Hz panels in gaming phones (the Red Magic 6 the first example of that), you might wonder why Huawei hasn’t reached to the stars here. The answer, we suspect, is cost, battery performance, and, frankly, that this extra rate won’t make a huge difference in the way most people see apps and content perform anyway.

Performance

  • All models: Kirin 990 processor, 8GB RAM
  • P40 Pro & Pro+: 4,200mAh battery
  • P40: 3,800mAh battery
  • P40 Pro+: 40W fast-charging (incl. 40W wireless)
  • P40 Pro: 40W fast-charging (incl. 27W wireless)
  • P40: 22.5W fast-charging (no wireless charging)

All three P40 models will deliver a similar experience, given their Kirin 990 processor, 8GB RAM, and 5G connectivity across the board.

None of the three will come with Google Services, though, which means no access to Google Play Store (instead there’s Huawei’s App Gallery, which lacks some of the majors at present, such WhatsApp (you can download it as an APK using a browser though – but no Google Drive will mean no backup), and more. That’s despite the P40 launching on Google’s Android 10 operating system, with Huawei’s EMUI 10.1 user interface.

  • What apps can you actually get on Huawei’s App Gallery?

It’s in the battery department where the three models differ a little more. The P40 has a 3,800mAh cell, which is fairly small by today’s standards, while the Pro and Pro+ up that to 4,200mAh – which is about on par with what current competitors offers.

The recharging of those batteries is speedy too. The P40 sticks to the well-established 22.5W fast-charging, while the P40 Pro and Pro+ up this to 40W – which is quick, but not the very fastest available (that goes to OnePlus with its 65W Warp Charge 65T for the OnePlus 9 Pro).

However, Huawei is introducing 40W wireless charging to the Pro+. It means wire-free charging of the handset in little more than an hour – which is impressive. The standard P40, however, has no wireless charging capability.

Cameras

  • P40: Leica triple camera system
  • P40 Pro: Leica quad camera system
  • P40 Pro+: Leica penta camera system
  • Main camera:
    • All models: 50MP SuperSensing (RYYB) sensor, 1/1.28in size
    • f/1.9 aperture, optical stabilisation (OIS)
    • Focal length (approx): P40 at 27mm, Pro at 25mm, Pro+ at 24mm
  • Ultra-wide camera:
    • P40: 16MP, f/2.2, 17mm equiv.
    • P40 Pro & Pro+: 40MP cine lens, f/1.8, 18mm equiv.
  • Zoom lens #1:
    • P40 & Pro+: 3x optical (80mm equiv.), 8MP, f/2.4, OIS
    • P40 Pro: 5x optical (125mm equiv.) RYYB sensor, 12MP, f/3.4, OIS
  • Zoom lens #2:

    • P40 Pro+: 10x optical (240mm equiv.) periscope zoom, 8MP, f/4.4, OIS
  • P40 Pro & Pro+: Time-of-Flight (ToF) depth sensor
  • All models: Dual selfie camera, 32MP

Always the P series’ big-hitting feature is its camera setup. We thought the P30 Pro set a new bar when it launched in 2019 – something that the P40 series bettered.

It’s a little complicated, though, as the camera setup for each device is rather different. The P40 has a triple camera rear, the P40 Pro a quad setup, the Pro+ a penta system.

However, all three offer one consistent thing: the same main camera. This is a 50-megapixel SuperSensing sensor – the same red, yellow, blue (RYYB) technology as in the P30 Pro – and, at 1/1.28in size, it’s a lot larger than a typical camera sensor.

That make-up and physical size work to its benefit in delivering a clean signal for better image quality overall. Not to mention the use of four pixels into one on-screen pixel means oversampling for even better quality (12.5MP output) – a method used by many others already. And there’s 100 per cent on-sensor phase-detection pixels for autofocus too.

There’s a wide-angle camera on each P40 model, too, but it’s one of two variants: the P40 has a 16-megapixel sensor at a 17mm focal length, while the Pro and Pro+ offer 40MP at 18mm (so it’s slightly less wide, likely for the sake of edge/corner quality). The higher-resolution offering is described as a ‘cine lens’ as it’s also used to cater for video, at up to 4K.

Then there’s the zoom element. All three P40 models have an optical zoom lens: the P40 a 3x zoom, the P40 Pro a 5x zoom, the P40 Pro+ a 10x zoom. That 3x is the same as we’ve seen in the P30, with just 8-megapixels of resolution for the P40 and P40 Pro+. The 5x is different to the one found in the P30 Pro, as Huawei is also utilising the RYYB SuperSensing technology here for the P40 Pro’s zoom. The 10x was the first time we’d seen such a periscope zoom, as reserved for the P40 Pro+ only (and used in tandem with the 3x zoom optic to offer the ability to step through zoom levels to deliver the most appropriate tools for each job).

The P40 Pro and Pro+ also come with a Time-of-Flight depth sensor, which derives distance information, which the software can utilise in layers to help create background blur (bokeh) in portrait mode.

All three P40 cameras will offer familiar modes, from Artificial Intelligence shooting, to Night Mode. However, these have been advanced, with the AI tech now able to shoot multiple frames before during and after pressing the shutter to select the best of a burst and suggest a top three selection.

The front cameras can be found in a dual punch-hole or ‘pill’ cut-out in all three P40 models. The main camera is 32-megapixels, which also uses four-in-one oversampling for 8MP output by default, paired with a depth sensor for background blur software effects and more.

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Price, Release Date & Conclusion

  • P40: €799 (at launch)
  • P40 Pro: €999 (at launch)
  • P40 Pro+: €1399 (at launch)

Once again the P40 series looks to be grappling for camera dominance. And that variety of versatile cameas – especially on the Pro+ model – make for great reading.

That said, the absence of Google Play Store on these devices is a major pain point. Sure, there’s App Gallery, and consumers have choice in what’s important to them. But, right now, it makes the P40 series difficult to recommend.

Writing by Mike Lowe.

nubia-red-magic-6-review:-game-on!

Nubia Red Magic 6 review: Game on!

(Pocket-lint) – The gaming phone market shows no signs of slowing down. Indeed, just 20 hours prior to revealing our verdict on this very device, the Red Magic 6, Lenovo revealed its next-gen Legion Duel gaming monster.

Except, interestingly, the Red Magic 6 has a bit of a headline feature that the Lenovo lacks: there’s a 165Hz screen refresh rate, which, at the time of writing, is the fastest you’ll find in a gaming phone – or, indeed, any phone to date – to make for super smooth visuals.

The Red Magic 6 is all about its gaming focus elsewhere, too, thanks to a top tier processor, stacks of RAM, plus a built-in cooling fan. So does all that make it a case of game on, or should you go game elsewhere?

Design & Display

  • 6.8-inch OLED panel, 1080 x 2400 resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio
  • 165Hz refresh rate, 500Hz touch sampling rate
  • Dimensions: 170 x 77 x 9.7mm / Weight: 220g
  • Finish options: Eclipse Black, Aurora
  • Dedicated switch for Game Space
  • Under-display fingerprint scanner
  • Built-in shoulder triggers
  • 3.5mm headphone jack

Visually speaking the Red Magic 6 looks much like the Red Magic 5G and 5S devices that came before it. Except it’s actually a little bit bigger. Yup, as if those aforementioned slabs weren’t substantial enough, Nubia has gone and installed a yet bigger screen – up from 6.65-inches to 6.8-inches – making for a slightly wider overall package (although, thankfully, it’s a slither thinner than its predecessors).

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In this Eclipse Black finish it’s also approaching subdued for a gaming phone. Perhaps that’s because the 5S we had came in a so-called ‘Pulse’ colourway. Which was loud to say the least. Not that the Red Magic 6 lacks some flashy “look at me” moments – helped along for the most part by rear lighting that can be set to various colours and patterns based on notifications, calls, gameplay and more (or switched off entirely, if you prefer).

The principal attraction of the Red Magic 6, we think, is its screen. This 6.8-inch OLED panel is quite the monster, plus it’s equipped with some headline-grabbing features. First, it’s flat, not curved, which makes it very practical for gaming (and anything, really, which is why we see curved screens on the decline). Second, it’s got a 165Hz refresh rate, meaning it can refresh that many times every second if you want – or select from 60Hz, 90Hz, 120Hz from the settings instead to conserve battery. It’s bright, too, with a 630 nits peak brightness claimed.

We’re always a little on the fence about fast-refresh panels, though, as the Red Magic 6’s sell over the 5S is basically 144Hz vs 165Hz. Will your eyes notice those extra 21 cycles per second? No, it’s not humanly possible. But it’s there, so it’s “one better” on paper nonetheless. You’ll most certainly see a big jump from the base 60Hz, though, so there’s obvious benefit to having a higher refresh rate panel. Plus, with 500Hz sampling rate, it’s super responsive to finger taps.

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Not that you have to just tap the screen. Being a gaming phone, Red Magic continues with its gaming focus, which includes integrated shoulder triggers to one edge, which you can programme for certain games. You can even adjust the screen’s responsiveness in zones using the Game Space application.

Activating Game Space is a simple case of flicking the red switch to the upper left side (facing) of the device. It’s a nice touch, able to transport you into a games carousel, along with the ability to select various key options – such as do not disturb (DND), permitting specific apps to notify (such as Discord in a pop-up overlay), controlling lighting, the cooling fan, and screen refresh rate.

We just wish that switching into Game Space would automatically apply selected presets. For example, we’d (perhaps) activate 165Hz when in the space, but drop that to 90Hz once done and flicking the switch back to ‘normal’ for our everyday activities. But that doesn’t happen – the selected refresh rate remains in play, so you have to manually adjust it.

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Elsewhere in terms of design, the Red Magic 6, rather unusually, features a 3.5mm headphone jack. So you can plug in your wired headphones. That’s an increasing rarity for high-end devices, although we suspect most will just use Bluetooth anyway.

Performance & Battery

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 platform, 12GB LPDDR5 RAM
  • 128GB UFS 3.1 storage, no microSD card slot
  • 5050mAh battery capacity, 66W fast-charge
  • Turbofan and liquid cooling system
    • Dual-Core Cooler accessory
  • Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac)
  • 5G connectivity

So why is the Red Magic 6 so chunky, at almost a full centimetre wide? There’s a number of reasons: the massive battery capacity (5,050mAh), the integrated physical cooling fan, the spatial capacity to ensure airflow won’t overheat the processor inside. And that’s just three reasons.

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There’s no doubting the Red Magic 6 has got the goods when it comes to power. Utilising Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 platform, alongside 12GB RAM, there’s nothing more powerful inside phones right now. Which makes the asking price of this phone all the more phenomenal.



Motorola’s new Moto G9 Plus is a stunner of a phone – find out why, right here


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For most people the difference between a Snapdragon 888 and, say, 870 isn’t going to make much difference for casual use. But the Red Magic 6 is all about gaming – so it has a processor that can put in the extra work to eke out those extra frame-rates and graphical options that you might otherwise not get elsewhere.

That said, only so many games are able to really tuck in. The same goes with the refresh rate debate: which games will genuinely benefit from 165Hz? Not many, perhaps none at all. Running Red Magic’s own FPS checker in real-time showed that many of our favourites – South Park: Phone Destroyer being the main, PUBG Mobile being the other – apparently max out at 31fps. Surely an error on Red Magic’s software? Because PUBG Mobile can run at 90fps.

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That self administered punch to the face aside, however, and the Red Magic 6 does a darn good job when it comes to playing games. There’s no delay, no fuss with fidelity, no issues with graphics textures, and so forth. It’s about as good as it gets.

However, that cooling fan doesn’t half make a lot of noise. It’s whirring sound whistles quite irritatingly. Having it on will undoubtedly use up power, too, so we’ve opted for leaving the standard cooling system minus the additional fans to take care of things. It’s a good job you can manually adjust this from the settings shade – because the fan also activates when fast-charging kicks in, unless you tell it not to.

The reason for that is the fast-charging, at 66W, is really quick. You can fill it from dead in under 40 minutes, assuming you have the correct plug at the wall, which is borderline ridiculous. Pop it on a slower recharge and you’ll be kinder to the battery’s health, but it’ll take a fair lot longer.

As for realistic longevity per charge. With this phone, more than most, that’s going to depend on how much you game. We’ve found the battery life a little unpredictable in general, with a day of ‘normal use’ (at 90Hz, note) and some gaming thrown in delivering close to 15 hours. That’s fine for a single day, except there are some moments when the battery will bomb and that’ll leave you reaching for the charger when you might not usually expect so – and that can render the 165Hz plus cooling fan as limited time options.

It would also be remiss to not speak on software, which here is Red Magic OS (V4.0), built over Google’s Android 11 operating system. It’s fairly harmless, in that it has various obtuse Themes, but there are some fundamentals that are just broken.

Notifications, for one, are scruffy, filling up layers per app in a not-too-useful format. But at least, unlike with the Poco X3 Pro, we get consistent notifications, eh?

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The home screen also can’t accept new apps being dragged from the app drawer and onto it as icons – they just vanish, unless you load multiple apps into a folder and drag them from there. It’s a ridiculous and irksome bug. That, in a sense, is indicative of what to expect when it comes to software experience: a unique yet unpredictable one.

Cameras

  • Triple rear system: 
    • Main (26mm): 64-megapixel, f/1.8 aperture, 0.8µm pixel size
    • Wide (13mm): 8 MP, f/2.0, 1.12µm
    • Macro: 2MP
  • Selfie camera: 8MP, f/2.0

One area where we’ve been critical of previous Red Magic devices is with the cameras. Although the Red Magic 6 doesn’t get away Scot-free by any means, its main camera is fairly decent – outshining the likes of the Moto G100, that’s for sure.

Thankfully the rear of this phone is slightly curved so it slots into the hand pretty elegantly. There’s no giant camera bump in the way. No unwarranted protrusions or oddities. But that’s because the cameras here simply aren’t as high-end as you’ll find in some devices.

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According to the specification, the Red Magic 6 has a 64-megapixel main sensor (a S5KGW3 – which is Samsung’s GW3 sensor) that squeezes images down to 16-megapixels by using one-in-four processing. Then there’s an 8MP wide-angle (a HI846, so a typical Hynix sensor). Lastly there’s a 2MP macro for close-ups (the OV02A10, supplied by OmniVision).

Thing is, the camera app doesn’t offer any wide-angle shooting. It’s not to be found anywhere. So you can already forget about getting any ultra-wides out of this device. Yet another problem of the software, perhaps?

The macro, given that it’s just 2-megapixels, is also of really poor quality – so we doubt you’ll ever want to use it. At least the system does prompt you to use it when very close to a subject, though, and the magnifying glass-style focus symbol on the screen is particularly useful to get in-focus shots. Not that they’ll be all that sharp, given the limit in quality.

So it all falls to the main lens to sell the camera system. Think of the Red Magic 6 as a single camera and it’s reasonably successful. The real-time phase-detection autofocus is snappy at showing what it’s focusing onto. The quality of images is fairly decent in a variety of conditions, too. Oversharpened, sure, but there’s detail here that could easily be negated by a lesser setup.

Just make sure you turn off the watermark feature (as you can see from the gallery above, we didn’t) – because it’s on by default, will plaster your images with unwanted words that you can’t remove, and it’s still beyond perplexing to us that this is an acceptable practice. Kill the watermark default already.

Not that you’ll be taking pictures, right? You’ll be playing games. Because, ultimately, that’s what the Red Magic 6 is all about.

Verdict

If you’re in the market for a gaming phone then the Red Magic 6 has a lot going for it: it’s well priced, it’s seriously powerful, and it has a faster screen refresh rate than you’ll find on any other phone right now.

Thing is, whether you’ll get genuine use from 165Hz is a whole other matter. And with it active the cooling fan’s whining drone sound isn’t delicate on the ears. Plus it rather affects the battery life for the worse.

That there is physical fan-based cooling, however, is testament to how gaming-focused this phone is. With its Game Space dedicated switch, too, there’s quick-access to controls and gaming-specific settings.

Just like its predecessors, the Red Magic 6 does what it sets out to achieve: being an alluring gaming phone. But while it’s “game on” in that regard, it’s “game off” for everyday use – where the software comes up short, the sheer size approaches unwieldy, and the cameras are way off their billing.

Also consider

Pocket-lint

Lenovo Legion Phone Duel

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Ok, so it’s the first-gen model – the second-gen has just been announced – and it’s pricier than the Red Magic. But with the Lenovo’s side-positioned pop-up camera and dual charging facility, it’s a super-powered gaming device unlike anything else on the market.

  • Read our review

Writing by Mike Lowe.

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NVIDIA PCI-Express Resizable BAR Performance Test – 22 Games, 3 Resolutions, RTX 3090, 3080, 3070, 3060 Ti

Introduction

Through its GeForce 465 driver update, NVIDIA formally introduced the PCI-Express Resizable BAR feature to its GeForce RTX 30-series “Ampere” graphics cards. This feature was invented by PCI-SIG, custodians of the PCI-Express bus, but only became relevant for the PC when AMD decided to re-brand it as “AMD Smart Access Memory” (which we separately reviewed here) and introduce it with the Radeon RX 6000 series RDNA2 graphics cards. That’s probably when NVIDIA realized they too could implement the feature to gain additional performance for GeForce.

How Resizable BAR Works

Until now, your CPU could only see your graphics card’s memory through 256 MB apertures (that’s 256 MB at a time). Imagine you’re in a dark room and have a tiny pocket flashlight that can only illuminate a small part of a page from a book to you. You can still read the whole page, but you’ll have to move the flashlight to where you’re looking. Resizable BAR is the equivalent of illuminating the whole room with a lamp.

This becomes even more important if you consider that with modern APIs, multiple CPU-to-GPU memory transfers can be active at the same time. With only a single, small aperture, these transfers have to be executed in sequence—if the whole VRAM is mapped, they can operate in parallel. Going back to our reading in the dark example, we now assume that there are multiple people trying to read a book, but they only have one flashlight. Everyone has to wait their turn, illuminate the book, read a bit of text and then pass the flashlight on to the next person. With Resizable BAR enabled, everybody can read the book at the same time.

The 256 MB size of the aperture is arbitrary and dates back to the 32-bit era when address space was at a premium. Even with the transition to x86-64, the limit stayed as newer 3D graphics APIs such as DirectX 11 relied less on mirroring data between the system memory and the video memory. Perhaps the main reason nobody bothered to implement Resizable BAR until now was that modern GPUs come with such enormous video memory bandwidths that the act of reading memory through apertures had minimal performance impact, and it’s only now that both NVIDIA and AMD feel the number-crunching power of their GPUs has far outpaced their memory bandwidth requirements.

To use Resizable BAR, a handful of conditions should be fulfilled. For starters, you need a modern processor that supports it. From the AMD camp, Ryzen 3000 “Zen 2” and Ryzen 5000 “Zen 3” processors support it. On the Intel camp, hardware support technically dates back to the 4th Gen “Haswell,” but most motherboard vendors for whatever reason restricted their Resizable BAR enabling BIOS updates to the 300-series chipset, or 8th Gen “Coffee Lake” (and later) architectures, along with X299, or 7th Gen “Skylake-X” HEDT (and later). You’ll also need a compatible graphics card—NVIDIA RTX 30-series or AMD RX 6000 series. Lastly, your PC must boot in UEFI mode with CSM disabled for UEFI GOP support. With these conditions met, you’ll need to enable Resizable BAR in your motherboard’s UEFI setup program.

There are multiple methods to check if Resizable BAR is enabled. The easiest is to use GPU-Z, which now shows the Resizable BAR status on its main screen. The other options are using NVIDIA’s Control Panel and Windows Device Manager.

In this review, we will be testing four NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30-series Ampere models—RTX 3090, RTX 3080, RTX 3070, and RTX 3060 Ti, all Founders Edition cards. Each of these will have Resizable BAR enabled and disabled, across our entire test-suite of 22 games with a rich diversity of game engines and APIs.

samsung-galaxy-z-fold-2-vs-xiaomi-mi-mix-fold-vs-huawei-mate-x2:-what’s-the-difference?

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 vs Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold vs Huawei Mate X2: What’s the difference?

(Pocket-lint) – Huawei’s second generation of its foldable smartphone comes in the form of the Mate X2, while Xiaomi’s foldable phone is called the Mi Mix Fold.

Both follow a similar design to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold series after Huawei changed the format of the folding device from its predecessor – the Mate X and Xs- moving from a foldable display on the outside, to an inward folding display. 

If you’re in the market for a vertically folding smartphone, here is how the Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold, Huawei Mate X2 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 compare.

Design

  • Mi Mix Fold: 173.3 x 133.4 x 7.6mm unfolded / 173.3 x 69.8mm x 17.2mm folded / 317g (Black) 332g (ceramic)
  • Mate X2: 161.8 x 145.8 x 4.4-8.2mm unfolded / 161.8 x 74.6 x 13.6-14.7mm folded / 295g
  • Z Fold 2: 159.2 x 128.2 x 6.9mm unfolded / 159.2 x 68 x 16.8mm folded / 282g

The Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold has a vertical folding display in a book-style design, like the Huawei Mate X2 and Galaxy Z Fold 2. It comes with a glass or special edition ceramic back and there is a prominent camera housing in the top left corner. There’s a metal frame, large display and a single punch hole camera in the top right corner when folded.

When unfolded, the Mi Mix Fold has an 8.01-inch display and a precision based hinge. There is a small gap when folded though, like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2. It comes in Black or Special Edition Ceramic finishes.

The Huawei Mate X2 meanwhile, also features a vertical folding display. There’s a glass rear with a prominent rectangular camera housing in the top left corner, a metal frame and a full display with dual cut-out cameras on the front when folded. 

When unfolded, the Mate X2 has a large 8-inch screen. The hinge is multi-dimensional, creating a water dropped-shaped cavity for the display when the phone is folded, allowing for no gap at all when shut, resulting in a different design to the Mi Mix Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 2. There’s also a wedge-like design that is just 4.4mm at the slimmest point. It comes in White, Black, Crystal Blue and Crystal Pink colours.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 has a similar form to the Huawei Mate X2 and Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold in that it offers a vertical fold in a book-style design. It too has a glass rear, with a rectangular camera housing in the top left corner, as well as a metal frame. Like the Mi Mix Fold, it has a single, punch hole camera on the front when folded but it is centralised rather than positioned to the right.

When unfolded, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 has a slightly smaller 7.6-inch display than the Huawei Mate X2 and Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold. It’s hinge allows for multiple viewing angles but there is a slight gap at the fold of the device when folded. It comes in Mystic Bronze and Mystic Black colours.

Display

  • Mi Mix Fold: 8.01-inch unfolded, 6.5-inch folded, OLED, 90Hz refresh rate
  • Mate X2: 8-inch unfolded, 6.45-inch folded, 8-inch unfolded, OLED, 90Hz refresh rate
  • Z Fold 2: 7.6-inch unfolded, 6.23-inch folded, OLED, 120Hz refresh rate

The Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold has a 6.5-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2520 x 840 resolution and a pixel density of 409ppi on the front when folded. It has a 27:9 screen ratio and a 90Hz refresh rate. There’s a punch hole camera in the top right, and the bezels are slightly larger than the Huawei and Samsung alternatives. 

When unfolded, the Mi Mix Fold has a 8.01-inch display WQHD+ resolution, 1 billion colours and a 4:3 aspect ratio. It has a 60Hz refresh rate.

The Huawei Mate X2 has a 6.45-inch OLED display with resolution of 2700 x 1160 and a pixel density of 456ppi on the front when folded, making it fractionally smaller than the Mi Mix Fold, though with slimmer bezels. It features a 21:9 aspect ratio and a 90Hz refresh rate. As mentioned above, the X2 has dual punch-hole front cameras in the top left of the display.

When unfolded, the Mate X2 has an 8-inch OLED display with a 2480 x 2200 resolution, which results in a pixel density of 413ppi. The unfolded display has a ratio of 8:7.1. It too has a 90Hz refresh rate.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 has a 6.23-inch external display, making it slightly smaller than the Mate X2 and Mi Mix Fold. It too is an AMOLED panel and it offers a resolution of 2260 x 816 pixels and an aspect ratio of 25:9. 

When unfolded, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 has an internal display of 7.6-inches – which is the smallest of the three devices being compared here. It’s Dynamic AMOLED and it has a 2208 x 1768 pixel resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 372ppi. It also has a 120Hz refresh rate and supports HDR10+.

Cameras

  • Mi Mix Fold: Triple rear camera (108MP + Liquid Lens 8MP + 13MP), 20MP front
  • Mate X2: Quad rear camera (50MP+16MP+12MP+8MP), 16MP front
  • Z Fold 2: Triple rear (12MP+12MP+12MP), 10MP front

The Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold has three lenses on its rear, with a 108-megapixel main sensor with 2.1µm pixels and a 7P lens, along with a 13-megapixel ultra wide angle lens with a 123-degree field of view.

There is also an 8-megapixel liquid lens on the rear that uses the principle of human eye bionics and a special chip created by Xiaomi to change the radius of curvature of the spherical surface. It allows the one lens to cover two functions, enabling 3x optical zoom, up to 30x digital and a minimum focus distance of 3cm. The front camera on the Mix Mix Fold is a 20-megapixel snapper. 

The Huawei Mate X2 has a quad camera on the rear, which features Leica technology, like Huawei’s other flagship smartphones. The camera setup includes a 50-megapixel main sensor, 16-megapixel ultra-wide angle sensor, 12-megapixel telephoto sensor, and an 8-megapixel SuperZoom sensor.

The main sensor has a f/1.9 aperture and OIS, the Ultra-wide sensor has a f/2.2 aperture, the telephoto sensor has a f/2.4 aperture and OIS with 3x optical zoom, while the SuperZoom sensor has a f/4.4 aperture, OIS and 10x optical zoom. The front camera is 16-megapixels wide angle with a f/2.2 aperture.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 has a triple rear camera, comprised of a 12-megapixel main camera, 12-megapixel telephoto sensor and 12-megapixel Ultra-wide sensor.

The main camera has an f/1.6 aperture, dual pixel phase-detection autofocus and OIS, the telephoto lens has an aperture of f/2.4 and OIS and the ultra-wide sensor has an aperture of f/2.2. There is also a 10-megapixel front camera.

Hardware and specs

  • Mi Mix Fold: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, 5G, 12/16GB RAM, 256/512GB storage, 5020mAh
  • Mate X2: Kirin 9000, 5G, 8GB RAM, 256/512GB storage, 4500mAh
  • Z Fold 2: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+, 5G, 12GB RAM, 256/512GB storage, 4500mAh

The Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 chipset. It’s a 5G handset and it comes with 12GB of RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of storage. The Special Edition Ceramic model has 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage though.

There’s a 5020mAh battery under its hood that supports Xiaomi’s 67W fast charging. The software is MIUI 12, based on Android 10 and there features like a one click option to close down things like GPS for security, as well as a Desktop Mode with a three-finger swipe.

The Huawei Mate X2 runs on Huawei’s own 5nm Kirin 9000 platform. It too is a 5G device. It is supported by 8GB of RAM and it comes in 256GB and 512GB storage variants.

It has a 4500mAh battery under the hood that supports Huawei’s 25W SuperCharge. Huawei’s own Harmony OS can be installed over the company’s usual EMUI interface running on top of Android.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 Plus chipset, supported by 12GB of RAM and it comes in 256GB and 512GB storage options.

There’s a 4500mAh battery running the Fold 2, which supports 25W wired charging, 11W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. It runs Android with Samsung’s One UI over the top and there are some great multi-tasking features that make great use of the screen when unfolded. 

Price

  • Mi Mix Fold: Equivalent of £1105/$1550, China
  • Mate X2: Equivalent of £1985/$2785, China
  • Z Fold 2: £1799, $1999

The Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold costs RMB 9999, 10,999 or 12,999, starting at the equivalent of $1550 or £1105. It will be available in China from 15 April.

The Huawei Mate X2 costs RMB 17,999 or 18,999, starting at the equivalent of $2785 or £1985. It is available in China only for now. 

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 costs £1799 in the UK and $1999 in the US. 

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Conclusion

The Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold and Huawei Mate X2 is only available in the Chinese market at the moment but while the Mate X2 is a little more expensive than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2, the M Mix Fold is cheaper.

On a spec-by-spec comparison, these three devices are similar and while the Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold tips the scales in several areas, the other two devices have their fair share of wins too.

The Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold has larger displays both interior and exterior than both the Huawei and Samsung. It also offers the most advanced Qualcomm chipset, the largest battery of the three devices, the fastest wired charging capabilities and it has an interesting camera setup with its liquid lens.

The Mate X2 arguably has a more streamlined design, an extra camera on the rear and a wide-angle front camera. It also has only fractionally smaller displays than the Mi Mix Fold.

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 has more RAM than the Mate X2 but the same as the Mi Mix Fold. It also has a higher refresh rate on the internal display though and it offers a more user-friendly software experience, as well as supporting Google services – the latter of which the Mate X2 does not offer. The Z Fold 2 has less cameras than Huawei but the triple rear camera does offer great results.

The Samsung is more widely available than both the Mate X2 and the Mi Mix Fold so while the Mi Mix 2 and Mate X2 might win on some specification areas, you’ll need to live in China to get your hands on them for now. It’s also worth remembering the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is tipped for a July 2021 launch.

Writing by Britta O’Boyle.

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Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra vs Mi 11 Pro vs Mi 11 vs Mi 11i vs Mi 11 Lite: What’s the difference?

(Pocket-lint) – Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi has five phones within its Mi 11 range. Not all are available in all markets, but with so many options, it’s good to know how they all compare.

Here is how the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra stacks up against the Mi 11 Pro, Mi 11, Mi 11i and Mi 11 Lite 5G. Which is the right Xiaomi Mi 11 device for you? Let us help you figure it out.

Design

  • Mi 11 Lite: 160.5 x 75.7 x 6.8mm, 159g
  • Mi 11i: 163.7 x 76.4 x 7.8 mm, 196g, IP53
  • Mi 11: 164.3 x 74.6 x 8.1mm, 196g
  • Mi 11 Pro: 164.3 x 74.6 x 8.5mm, 208g, IP68
  • Mi 11 Ultra: 164.3 x 74.6 x 8.38mm, 234g, IP68

The Xiaomi Mi 11 devices all share similarities when it comes to design, though the Mi 11 Ultra has a much more prominent camera housing on the rear with a second display, setting it apart from the other four devices. None of them look identical, but you can tell they are from the same family.

All the five Mi 11 devices feature a punch hole camera on the front, all positioned in the top left corner, except the Mi 11i that has the front camera in the centre at the top of its flat display. The Mi 11 Lite also has a flat display, while the Mi 11, Mi 11 Pro and Mi 11 Ultra all have curved displays.

The material finishes and colours differ between all five models. The Mi 11 Ultra has a ceramic back, while the Mi 11 comes in glass and leather options. The Mi 11 Pro, Mi 11i and Mi 11 Lite all have a glass back with aluminium frames. Only the Mi 11 Ultra and Mi 11 Pro are IP68 water and dust resistant, while the Mi 11i is IP53 rated. The other two have no official IP rating.

The Mi 11, Mi 11 Pro and Mi 11 Ultra are all a similar size, sharing the same display with an optical under-display fingerprint reader, while the Mi 11i and Mi 11 Lite are smaller, with the Mi 11 Lite being the smallest and lightest. Both the Mi 11i and Mi 11 Lite have physical fingerprint readers on their side.

Display

  • Mi 11 Lite: 6.55-inch, flat AMOLED, 2400 x 1080 (401ppi), 90Hz, HDR10+, 800nits
  • Mi 11i: 6.67-inch, flat AMOLED, 2400 x 1080 (395ppi), 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300nits
  • Mi 11: 6.81-inches, curved AMOLED, 3200 x 1440 (515ppi), 120Hz, HDR10+, 1500nits
  • Mi 11 Pro: 6.81-inches, curved AMOLED, 3200 x 1440 (515ppi), 120Hz, HDR10+, 1500nits
  • Mi 11 Ultra: 6.81-inch, curved AMOLED, 3200 x 1440 (515ppi), 120Hz, HDR10+, 1700nits / 1.1-inch rear AMOLED display, 124 x 294 

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, Mi 11 Pro and Mi 11 all have a 6.81-inch curved AMOLED display with a 3200 x 1440 pixel resolution for a pixel density of 515ppi. They all offer a 120Hz refresh rate and one billion colours. The Mi 11 and Mi 11 Pro have a maximum brightness of 1500nits, while the Mi 11 Ultra ups this to 1700nits.

The Mi 11 Ultra also has a secondary 1.1-inch display on its rear within the camera housing. This secondary AMOLED display will show notifications, as well as rear camera selfie previews. It has a 294 x 124 pixel resolution and it’s an always on display.

The Mi 11i has a 6.67-inch flat display, so slightly smaller than the Mi 11, Mi 11 Pro and Mi 11 Ultra. It drops the resolution to Full HD+, resulting in a pixel density of 395ppi, but it retains the 120Hz refresh rate. It has a maximum brightness of 1300nits.

The Mi 11 Lite has the smallest display of the five devices being compared here, with a 6.55-inch screen, like the OnePlus 9. It has a Full HD+ display like the Mi 11i, though a sharper pixel density at 401ppi thanks to the smaller size. It drops the refresh rate to 90Hz though and the maximum brightness to 800nits.

All five Mi 11 devices support HDR10+.

Hardware and specs

  • Mi 11 Lite: Qualcomm SD780G, 6/8GB RAM, 128/256GB storage
  • Mi 11i: Qualcomm SD888, 8GB RAM, 128/256GB storage
  • Mi 11: Qualcomm SD888, 8GB RAM, 128/256GB storage
  • Mi 11 Pro: Qualcomm SD888, 8/12GB RAM, 128/256GB storage
  • Mi 11 Ultra: Qualcomm SD888, 8/12GB RAM, 256/512GB storage

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, Mi 11 Pro, Mi 11 and Mi 11i all run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset. They all come with 8GB of RAM as a base model, but the Mi 11 Pro and Mi 11 Ultra are both available in 12GB of RAM models too. 

The Mi 11i, Mi 11 and Mi 11 Pro all have 128GB as the base storage too, with a 256GB option, while the Mi 11 Ultra has 256GB as a base and 512GB as the second option. All are 5G devices.

The Mi 11 Lite runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 780G chipset with 6GB or 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage. The model we are comparing in this feature is the 5G handset, though there is also an LTE model of the Mi 11 Lite. 

None of the Mi 11 devices have microSD support for storage expansion, except the China model of the Mi 11 Lite.

The Mi 11 Ultra, Mi 11 Pro, Mi 11 and Mi 11i all have dual stereo speakers, while the Mi 11 Lite has dual speakers. None of the models feature a 3.5mm headphone jack and all support 24-bit audio. The Mi 11 Ultra and Mi 11 Pro’s speakers are tuned by Harmon Kardon.

Battery and charging

  • Mi 11 Lite: 4250mAh, 33W fast charging
  • Mi 11i: 4520mAh, 33W fast charging
  • Mi 11: 4600mAh, 55W fast charging, 50W wireless, 10W reverse
  • Mi 11 Pro: 5000mAh, 67W fast charging, 67W wireless, 10W reverse 
  • Mi 11 Ultra: 5000mAh,  67W fast charging, 67W wireless, 10W reverse 

In terms of battery capacity, the Mi 11 Pro and Mi 11 Ultra both have a 5000mAh call under their hoods. They also both support 67W fast wired and wireless charging, along with 10W reverse wireless charging. 

The Mi 11 has a slightly smaller 4600mAh battery with 55W fast wired charging, 50W wireless charging and 10W reverse wireless charging. 

The Mi 11i has a 4520mAh battery and the Mi 11 Lite has a 4250mAh battery. Both have 33W wired charging, but no support for wireless charging or reverse wireless charging.

Camera

  • Mi 11 Lite: Triple (64MP main + 8MP ultra wide + 5MP macro), 20MP front
  • Mi 11i: Triple (108MP main + 8MP ultra wide + 5MP macro), 20MP front
  • Mi 11: Triple (108MP main + 13MP ultra wide + 5MP macro), 20MP front
  • Mi 11 Pro: Triple (50MP main + 8MP telephoto + 13MP ultra wide), 20MP front
  • Mi 11 Ultra: Triple (50MP main + 48MP ultra wide + 48MP telephoto), 20MP front

All five of the Xiaomi Mi 11 devices being compared in this feature have a triple rear camera, but they are all made up of different sensors. They all have a 20-megapixel front camera though. 

The Mi 11 Ultra has a 50-megapixel main camera sensor with an aperture f/2.0 and optical image stabilisation (OIS), a 48-megapixel ultra wide sensor with a f/2.2 aperture and 128-degree field of view and a 48-megapixel telephoto sensor with an aperture of f/4.1, OIS and 5x optical zoom. 

The Mi 11 Pro has a 50-megapixel main camera sensor with an aperture of f/2.0 and OIS, an 8-megapixel telephoto lens with OIS and 5x optical zoom and a 13-megapixel ultra wide sensor with f/2.4 aperture and a 123-degree field of view. 

The Mi 11 has a 108-megapixel main camera sensor with an f/1.9 aperture and OIS, a 13-megapixel ultra wide sensor with an f/2.4 aperture and a 123-degree field of view, and a 5-megapixel macro sensor with an aperture of f/2.4. 

The Mi 11i has a 108-megapixel main camera sensor with an aperture of f/1.8, an 8-megapixel ultra wide sensor with an aperture of f/2.2 and a 119-degree field of view and a 5-megapixel macro sensor with a f/2.4 aperture.

Finally, the Mi 11 Lite has a 64-megapixel main camera with an aperture of f/1.8, an 8-megapixel ultra wide sensor with an aperture of f/2.2 and a 5-megapixel macro sensor with an aperture of f/2.4. 

Conclusion

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra and Mi 11 Pro are similar in terms of specifications, though the Mi 11 Ultra has that second display on the rear, a more capable camera on paper, brighter main display, ceramic design and more storage as an option. 

The Xiaomi Mi 11 sits just under the 11 Pro, offering the same display, but a smaller battery capacity, slightly slower charging capabilities and different rear camera makeup. It also doesn’t have the 12GB of RAM model option like the Mi 11 Pro and it isn’t waterproof. 

The Xiaomi Mi 11i has a flat and smaller display over the Mi 11, a different camera make up again, a smaller battery and slower charging capablities again, as well as a lack of wireless charging support. It has the same core hardware as the Mi 11 though, as well as an IP53 rating.

The Xiaomi Mi Lite meanwhile is the most affordable in the Mi 11 pack, but it drops its camera capabilities compared to the Mi 11i, offers a smaller battery capacity, but the same charging capabilities as the Mi 11, a lower refresh rate display and a lower RAM model option.

Writing by Britta O’Boyle.

apple-iphone-se-(2020)-vs-iphone-xr-vs-iphone-11:-what’s-the-difference?

Apple iPhone SE (2020) vs iPhone XR vs iPhone 11: What’s the difference?

(Pocket-lint) – The iPhone SE (second generation) is essentially an iPhone 8 externally but with the innards from the iPhone 11. It’s the natural successor to the long-discontinued but very popular iPhone SE from 2016. 

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That means you’re getting some flagship features for a mid-range price. Wireless charging and waterproofing stick around, plus the single-camera from the iPhone 8, but with most of the software smarts from the iPhone 11.

We’ve now got the iPhone 12, of course, and you can see how that stacks up against the iPhone 11 here: Apple iPhone 12 vs 11 vs iPhone XR comparison: What’s the difference?

So should you order the new iPhone SE or opt for the more expensive but more advanced iPhone XR or iPhone 11? Here’s the lowdown.

  • Which is the best iPhone for you?

Design

  • iPhone SE (2020): 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm, 148g
  • iPhone XR: 150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3mm, 194g
  • iPhone 11: 150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3mm, 194g

The iPhone SE (2020) is based on the iPhone 8 shell and that phone is at the bottom end of Apple’s smartphone range. Therefore it’ll slot in underneath the iPhone XR even though it has even more advanced innards. 

iPhone SE is a Touch ID-based handset as opposed to the Face ID used on iPhone 11 and iPhone XR, so the screen doesn’t have a notch.

Surprisingly, it is water-resistant like the other two devices (it’s IP67-rated like the iPhone XR but not like the 11’s and IP68 rating). A glass back means it can also use Qi wireless charging. 

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The iPhone SE comes in a single 4.7-inch size – there isn’t an equivalent of the iPhone 8 Plus in the SE range (that spot has now been taken by the iPhone XR, if you like). 

The iPhone 8 has now been discontinued. It came in gold, silver and space grey and the SE is available in red (ProductRED), black and white. In comparison, the iPhone XR and iPhone 11 have a wider range of colours in their ranges. 

  • iPhone 11 colours
  • iPhone 12 colours

Display

  • iPhone SE (2020): 4.7-inch, LCD, 1,334 x 750 pixel resolution
  • iPhone XR: 6.1-inch, LCD, 1,792 x 828 pixel resolution
  • iPhone 11: 6.1-inch, LCD, 1,792 x 828 pixel resolution

None of these models have OLED displays unlike the iPhone 11/12 Pro, iPhone 12, iPhone XS and iPhone X. Both the iPhone 11 and the iPhone XR have a 6.1-inch, Liquid Retina LCD display that has a 1,792 x 828 pixel resolution, giving a pixel density of 326ppi. 

The iPhone SE (2020) has a 4.7-inch 1,334 x 750 pixel display, again giving 326ppi. It has True Tone tech like the other two models and yes, it’s the same as the iPhone 8 display.

The displays support Dolby Vision and HDR10 playback. 

Cameras

  • iPhone SE (2020): Single rear camera (12MP), 7MP front camera 
  • iPhone XR: Single rear camera (12MP), 7MP TrueDepth front camera
  • iPhone 11: Dual rear camera (12MP wide angle and ultra wide angle), 12MP TrueDepth front camera

The iPhone 11 is by far the better camera phone here, with a dual-camera on the rear and 12-megapixel TrueDepth camera on the front. 

The iPhone 11 has a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle f/2.4 camera and a wide-angle f/1.8 sensor. There’s optical image stabilisation (OIS), a brighter True Tone flash and Portrait Lighting with six effects, as well as second-generation Smart HDR for photos. You also get a new night mode, a major improvement. 

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The iPhone XR has a single 12-megapixel rear camera with f/1.8 aperture, OIS and 5x zoom. It also only offers three effect Portrait Lighting and first-gen Smart HDR for photos. 

The iPhone SE (2020) has the same single camera as the iPhone 8 and iPhone XR but betters the XR by having many of the camera software features from the iPhone 11. So there are all six Portrait Lighting effects and Depth Control in addition to the second-generation Smart HDR. There is no night mode however. The front camera can do portrait mode, just like the iPhone 11, but it can’t do Animoji or Memoji. Like the XR you can’t use Portrait Mode unless you have a human face in the shot. Those portraits of your cat or dog using Portrait Mode are a no-no. 

All three phones are capable of 4K video recording up to 60fps and Slo-mo up to 240fps at 1080p resolution. 

Hardware

  • iPhone SE (2020): A13 Bionic platform, 64/128/256GB storage, single SIM with eSIM
  • iPhone XR: A12 Bionic platform, 64/256/512GB storage, single SIM with eSIM
  • iPhone 11: A13 Bionic platform, 64/256/512GB storage, single SIM with eSIM

The new iPhone SE uses the A13 Bionic chipset like the iPhone 11, bettering the A12 inside the iPhone XR.

The iPhone XR and 11 come in 64GB, 256GB and 512GB storage sizes and there’s the same 64GB entry-level on the iPhone SE, with 128GB and 256GB as the other options. 

As we mentioned, the new SE will use Touch ID and have a Home button unlike the Face ID-toting iPhone XR and iPhone 11. Wi-Fi 6 is also supported, as it is in iPhone 11 although the iPhone 11 wireless antennas are better. All three handsets have support for a second SIM in the form of an eSIM. 

All three phones also support wireless charging via a Qi charger and Apple’s Quick Charging feature although you will have to upgrade from the charger in the box. If you use a fairly new MacBook (one with a USB-C cable) you can use that charger, although you will have to buy A new USB-C to Lightning cable for it to work. But by doing so you’ll be able to get around 50 per cent charge in around 30 minutes. 

All three handsets are 4G only. If you want a 5G iPhone, you need to get an iPhone 12.

Conclusion

There’s little doubt that the iPhone 11 is the best phone here. The main advantage it has over the XR is its second camera, and it’s smaller form factor making it easier to fit in your pocket. Otherwise, the experience will be very similar.

The new iPhone SE will slot in at the bottom of the range, but while it’ll be cheaper the main thing you compromise on compared to the XR will be the Touch ID-based design. The camera on the iPhone SE (2020) in our tests is better, thanks to the additional software improvements. 

Many users upgrading from older iPhones will actually find this design reassuring rather than off-putting and may prefer it as an option, especially if you aren’t ready to move to a buttonless iPhone just yet. Plus, the smaller screen size will cater for those who don’t want a large-display phone. 

Writing by Dan Grabham.

moto-g100-review:-a-new-dawn-for-the-g-series

Moto G100 review: A new dawn for the G series

(Pocket-lint) – Motorola’s Moto G100 marks a big occasion for the brand. Why? Because it’s a G series phone with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor inside. That, on the face of it, contradicts what a G series is supposed to be all about: affordability. Which, in turn, would typically mean entry-level specification – not a high-end processor such as this.

But, no, the G100 is all about change. It’s the phone to say, “hey, you don’t need that big, expensive flagship when you can have this for half the price”. Which might sound like an echo of, say, what OnePlus has been shouting from the rooftops with its Nord model, as one example.

Yet the Moto G100 feels genuinely different. Having recently reviewed a glut of Chinese-borne phones – such as the Poco X3 Pro, the Redmi Note 10 Pro – where sub-flagship affordability is the key selling point, the lighter touch of the Motorola software feels simply refreshing.

So what gives? Well, the G100 can’t pretend to have the biggest, fanciest cameras. Because it doesn’t. It’s not got a Hasselblad partnership like OnePlus. It’s not got a Zeiss partnership like Vivo. But, you know what, we don’t care – because the Moto G100 is a half-price flagship that adds up to oh so much more.

Design & Display

  • 6.7-inch, 21:9 aspect ‘Cinema Vision’ IPS LCD screen
    • Full HD resolution (2520 x 1080 pixels)
    • 90Hz refresh rate
    • HDR10
  • Dimensions: 168.4 x 74 x 9.7mm / Weight: 207g
  • Finishes: ‘Iridescent Sky’, ‘Iridescent Ocean’
  • Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
  • Water repellent (no IP rating)
  • 3.5mm headphone port

Curiously the G100 has already been released elsewhere in the world: it’s called the Edge S in China. Which, um, makes absolutely no sense to us – as we thought the ‘Edge’ series was all about having a curved screen edge.

Pocket-lint

The G100 does not have a curved screen, it’s flat, so there’s nothing ‘edge’ about it. It’s also an IPS LCD panel, not an AMOLED one, so you might not call it ‘cutting edge’ either.

That said, it sits perfectly well in a device like this a you don’t really lose out on brightness or resolution at this level. Plus the IPS part of the tech means viewing angles are good without causing colours to skew. Speaking of which: the colours – available in natural, boosted and saturated configurations within the settings – hold up really well, delivering realistic rather than ridiculous hues.



Best smartphones 2021 rated: The top mobile phones available to buy today


By Chris Hall
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The only thing that we’re a little less keen about with this panel is the surface’s coating, which is a little more reflective than some. Oh, and the double punch-hole camera is, well, exactly that: two holes burning into the corner of the screen that are more distracting than just the one (but at least it’s not a giant pill-shaped hole).

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Flip the G100 over and, what’s this, a finish that’s actually fun? Hurrah. After the dodgy palette of the Moto G30, it’s good to see that the colour palette people at Motorola have got their mojo back. This model pictured is called ‘Iridescent Sky’, because it looks like one of those pink/blue spring-time sunsets we suppose.

That finish is good at hiding how fingerprints catch on the surface, too, because they are there aplenty – we’ve just been cautious when photographing the handset. It’s easy to wipe clean, though, as the surface is nice and smooth – even the ‘batwing’ Motorola symbol on the rear is holographic-like in appearance, not debossed or textured onto the surface.

That the Moto logo lives on the rear and doesn’t serve a function hints at the fingerprint scanner’s location too: it’s found within the power button on the side of the phone, foregoing the in-display option. Much as we like the display-based sign-in, this fingerprint scanner is a decent operator. And there’s face unlock available too.

Pocket-lint

Keeping with being a G series handset, the G100 also features a 3.5mm headphone jack and microSD card expansion slot. Good to see it’s not forgotten its roots.

Performance & Battery

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 platform, 8GB RAM (LPDDR5)
  • 128GB storage, microSD card expansion slot
  • 5G connectivity (Sub-6GHz), Wi-Fi 6 (ax)
  • 5,000mAh battery, 20W charging
  • ‘Ready For’ dock compatible

While the G100 supports such legacy features as card expansion and wired headphones, in other departments it’s very much all about embracing the future. There’s no sloppy Wi-Fi connection, as you’ll suffer in the lower-down-the-ranks G10. The 128GB storage is reasonably generous, but it’s UFS 3.1 to ensure fast read/write access for best performance.

Pocket-lint

But above all else, the big sell of this phone is the Qualcomm platform at its heart. Here it’s the Snapdragon 870 – which, while part of the 800 series, isn’t the very, very top-end processor, it’s only a whisker away. Which is to say: it’s mighty fast, a step up from many of those using 700 series processors, and if you want to dabble in a bit (or a lot) of gaming then it’s a really good choice.

That’s one of the things about the Moto G100: it’s kind-of like a budget gaming phone. Things will run super smooth thanks to the processor, the fast RAM, but also the smooth 90Hz refresh rate of the display. No, you won’t see that bump in refresh affecting everything all of the time – plus you’ll need to activate it within the settings, as it’s off by default – but it’s a good place for a phone such as this to exist.

Even plugging away at games for hours at a time doesn’t cause too much trouble where battery is concerned. The 5,000mAh cell is a big part of the reason for the G100’s above average weight, but it’s a great capacity to have at your fingertips. We’ve seen its drain be very linear – around 30 per cent every 8 hours – even with an hour of gaming thrown in during such a time-frame.

Given the capability of the processor, the screen refresh rate, and the presence of 5G (we’ve been outside of such networks for this review though), that’s really solid performance.

As we’d alluded to before, the software in the Moto G100 is lovely to use. It’s close to stock Google Android, with a single Moto app to control gestures, themes/styles, display notifications, and gaming controls (such as do not disturb). You don’t have to dabble in the Moto app, indeed you could entirely ignore it. But what’s particularly great about the software is that it doesn’t need lots of tinkering, it just works – and without glitches, such as the notification delays issue with our Xiaomi Mi 11.

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There’s another sideline part of the G100 puzzle too: it’s the first Motorola phone to be compatible with the company’s Ready For system. Which is a bit like ‘Moto DeX’ if you’re familiar with Samsung’s desktop-based DeX system. We’re not going to dig deep into the system for this review as, frankly, we don’t think it’s the core appeal of why people will buy a G100. It’s a niche extension option, complete with a camera dock that may have its uses instead of a Facebook Portal, but that’s as much as we can say right now. 

Cameras

  • Quad rear cameras:
    • Main: 64-megapixel, f/1.7 aperture, 0.7μm pixel size
    • Wide (117-degrees): 16MP, f/2.2, 1μm pixel size
    • Depth sensor: 2MP, f/2.4
    • Time-of-Flight sensor
  • Dual punch-hole front selfie cameras:
    • 16MP main, 8MP ultra-wide

Whereas many flagships make a big song and dance about their camera arrangements, the G100 doesn’t really earn the right to do so. That’s the thing about top-end devices these days – so much of the cost comes from additional lenses, co-engineering partnerships, and so forth. The G100, on the other hand, keeps things fairly simple.

Pocket-lint

: Main cameraMain camera

Well, kind-of simple. The claim of “quad camera” on the rear is nonsense as that apparently includes both a depth sensor and time-of-flight sensor, which would more or less do the same thing – both are there to ultimately make up the numbers as if “quad” is better than “triple”, even if it isn’t due to lack of core, usable lenses.

Anyway, let’s focus on what is here: a usable main camera and less commendable wide-angle one. There’s a gallery above showing how the two compare, and the quality drop-off from the wide-angle option is quite significant.

The main lens is 64-megapixels, using a four-in-one processing method to output at 16-megapixels total – although the processing is often heavy handed, oversharpens and can’t discern detail in all situations (the daylight country scene below being one such example – the trees are all blocky and indistinguishable, if you look at the 100 per cent crop).

Pocket-lint

: Main cameraMain camera

Where subjects are a little closer to camera – but not too close as it struggles to focus and the macro mode is poor (avoid this when prompted) – there’s more ability to resolve detail from a scene. Whether a dim-lit puzzle board or the fur of a toy bear, there’s enough detail to tick the main camera’s “usable” box.

But we touched upon this at the very beginning: if you don’t want the biggest and fanciest of cameras then the G100 does the job. Not the best job, but it gets by. And with features such as HDR (high dynamic range) to balance out shadows and highlights, various shooting modes, and the hardware to capture without delay, there’s enough to keep this camera setup from being the very baseline of entry-level kit for 2021. 

Verdict

The Moto G100 is a shake-up for the G series, bringing performance levels not before seen in this line-up. While that might be a little perplexing on the face of it – especially as it’s not a G series device in China, it’s the Edge S, muddying the naming convention further – it’s a rather refreshing take in a section of the market where there’s not a tonne of great options.

If you’re willing to forego the usual camera hype and pizzazz that top-end flagships tend to promise – as there’s really very little of that here – and having a high-end processor and performance potential is high up your roster, then the Moto G100 is a strong sell. It’s got the software right – which, in our opinion, can’t be said of the Xiaomi MIUI and Oppo ColorOS competition – the visuals tight, and performance is at peak height.

That’s the Moto G100 in a nutshell: a budget gaming-capable phone that foregoes the AMOLED screen hype and camera cost implications to deliver a half-price near-flagship that, in use, adds up to oh so much more.

Also consider

Pocket-lint

OnePlus Nord

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Also 5G capable, with a 90Hz refresh screen, but a little less power and, therefore, a little lower asking price. If every penny counts then it’s a savvy alternative.

  • Read our review

Writing by Mike Lowe.

dji-mavic-air-vs-dji-spark:-worth-the-upgrade?

DJI Mavic Air vs DJI Spark: Worth the upgrade?

(Pocket-lint) – The first generation Mavic Air and the DJI Spark were the two smallest drones in the company’s profuct offering when they first launched. They’ve since been replaced by the Mini and the Air 2, but if you’re looking to get into droning with something small and easy, you could still do worse than picking up one of the older models used. 

With DJI having launched the massively popular and very portable Mavic Pro in the second half of 2016 and the palm-sized smaller Spark followed a year later, it was hard to see where the Chinese drone king was going next. Of course, we’ve now seen the Mavic Mini and Air 2 bring the foldable Mavic design down to Spark size.   

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    DJI Spark vs. DJI Mavic Air: Design

    • Mavic Air is foldable, Spark is not
    • Spark weighs 300 grams
    • Mavic Air weighs 430 grams
    • Spark measures 143 x 143 x 55 mm 
    • Mavic Air measures 168 x 184 x 64 mm unfolded (168 x 83 x 49 mm folded)

    There are a number of differences in design between the Spark and Mavic Air, but the most important is undoubtedly the foldable arms. Like the bigger Mavic Pro, you can collapse all four of the arms on the Air, while the small Spark has completely rigid arms. 

    Due to being foldable, the Mavic Air is far easier to carry around in the side pocket of a rucksack – or stowed away in an inner bag compartment – than the Spark. It’s much narrower and thinner than the Spark when folded, but is bigger when unfolded. That said, at 430 grams, it’s heavier than the 300 gram Spark. 

    Colour choices are less varied with the Mavic Air however, with only Alpine White, Onyx Black and Flame Red available at launch. Spark’s range is more colourful, with Sky Blue, Lava Red, Meadow Green and Sunrise Yellow available alongside the Alpine White. 

    DJI Spark vs. DJI Mavic Air: Performance

    • Mavic Air 21 min flight time
    • Spark 16 min flight time
    • 2km range vs. 4km range

    It may have a more portable design, thanks to those foldable arms, but that doesn’t mean the Mavic Air skimps on performance. In fact, in most measurable ways, the Mavic is superior. 

    DJI’s latest portable drone has an impressive maximum flight time of 21 minutes. That’s a notable upgrade on the 16 minutes you got with the Spark. You can fly it further too. Its 4km remote control transmission range means you can fly it twice as far as the Spark, which has a 2km range. 

    It’s a similar story with maximum altitude. Mavic Air’s maximum ceiling above sea level is 5,000 metres, while the Spark climbs as high as 4,000 metres and then can’t go any further. 

    As for speed, you guessed it, the Mavic Air’s top speed is higher than the Spark’s. Mavic Air can get up to speeds of 42mph in Sport Mode. That’s 11mph more than the Spark’s maximum 31mph. Both devices can fly in winds up to 22mph and stabilise themselves. 

    DJI Spark vs. DJI Mavic Air: Features and Control

    • Enhanced obstacle avoidance on Mavic Air
    • ActiveTrack on both
    • Two new QuickShot modes on Mavic Air

    Both drones feature obstacle avoidance systems to stop you from flying head first into trees, or buildings. DJI Spark can detect obstacles up to five meters away using its front facing sensor system. Yet again here, the Mavic Air outperforms the Spark and offers obstacle detection that can reach up to 20 metres away, using the forward and backward dual camera vision systems. 

    As a bonus, the Mavic Air also has something called an Advanced Pilot Assistant system that helps you avoid or bypass obstacles automatically in more complex environments with more obstacles. Its FlightAutonomy system is upgraded to version 2.0, which means it uses seven onboard cameras and infrared sensors to build a 3D map of its environment. This enables more precise hovering and better performance in flight. 

    Both drones feature QuickShot video modes, offering predefined flight patterns that keep the subject in the frame to offer cinematic video effects. As you’d probably already guessed, the Mavic Air has more of them. Two more in fact: one called Asteroid and another called Boomerang. 

    ActiveTrack is another DJI staple, and is featured on both drones, enabling you to set the drone to automatically track a person or object. On the Mavic Air, DJI says that’s it’s been improved and can now automatically detect multiple subjects, and is better at keeping a track on people moving quickly (running/cycling). 

    DJI Spark vs. DJI Mavic Air: Camera

    • Spark has 1080p video capture
    • Mavic Air shoots 4K at 30fps
    • Spark has 12MP stills and f/2.6 aperture
    • Mavic Air also with 12MP f/2.6, but with HDR
    • 2-axis gimbal vs. 3-axis

    As well as a clear upgrade on design and features, the optics are massively improved on the Mavic Air. In fact, it offers video recording and stills that are up to the same level as some of its much more expensive consumer drones. 

    The Spark maxes out video recording at full HD resolution, while the DJI Mavic Air can record 4K resolution at 30 frames per second, and with a maximum bitrate of 100Mbps. It can also shoot slow motion 1080p video at 120 frames per second. 

    As for still photography, both are similar as far as resolution goes. They both have 1/2.3″ sensors, both capable of shooting up to 12-megapixel stills and both with f/2.6 aperture lenses. The big difference is that the Mavic Air has an advanced HDR mode.

    Improved optics aren’t the only upgrades made to the camera system. The three axis mechanical gimbal system adds an extra axis, for more stable footage too. 

    DJI Spark vs. DJI Mavic Air: Price

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    With them both having launched a few years ago now, neither drone will cost too much if you’re happy to go looking for old stock and scour the internet for used versions in good condition. 

    The Spark is the cheaper of the two usually, but the Air does offer a lot more practicality and shoots better quality video. 

    DJI Spark vs. DJI Mavic Air: Conclusion

    Looking at all the specifications and the features and then comparing prices definitely makes it seem like the Mavic Air is much better value for money than the Spark was when it launched. Considering the Fly More combo with the Spark originally cost £895, while the Mavic Air Fly More combo – despite its much higher performance – was just £949. 

    You might find there’s not a huge amount of difference between the two price-wise anymore and Mavic Air is a vastly better experience for new flyers. 

    • The best drones: Top rated quadcopters to buy, whatever your budget

    Writing by Cam Bunton.