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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.

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra’s camera bump is no moon; it’s a space station

We were warned. But as is so often the case, our feeble minds couldn’t fully grasp it until it was staring us in the face. We saw the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra’s camera bump in a pre-announcement unboxing video, so we knew what was likely in store: an absolutely massive bump with three rear-facing cameras next to a 1-inch screen. But now that the phone has officially launched and we’ve seen it from more angles, we can confirm that it is actually the Death Star of camera bumps.

What’s most striking is the bump’s unapologetic thickness. This isn’t a design that tries to minimize its appearance or meld it into other elements of the phone, a la the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Instead, it’s a major contributor to the device’s overall 8.38mm thickness. It’s practically halfway to a 2008 Sony Cybershot point-and-shoot glued to the back of your phone.

Top and bottom views of the Mi 11 Ultra’s camera bump and the phone attached to it.

Image: Xiaomi

The bump’s standout feature — that little 1-inch OLED — no doubt requires a thicker design than your average display-less array. And let’s not forget the cameras themselves, starting with a 50-megapixel wide angle with a very large 1/1.2-inch sensor that’s just a shade smaller than the 1-inch sensor you’ll find in dedicated cameras like the Sony RX100 VII. That big sensor potentially offers better light-gathering capabilities than a more conventionally sized one, especially considering it’s combined with a relatively fast f/1.95 lens.

The bump is big, but so is the main camera sensor.

Image: Xiaomi

There’s also a 48-megapixel f/2.2 ultrawide and a 48-megapixel f/4.1 periscope-style 5x optical zoom. That’s not on quite the same level as the S21 Ultra’s four rear-facing cameras (plus an autofocus sensor), but it’s still plenty of hardware to house.

The camera bump is, without question, enormous. But it’s not just big for the sake of being big, though. Its screen and uncommonly large main camera are potentially really useful. Will we ever see a more mainstream device with a camera bump this, for lack of a better term, chonky? Probably not. This 6.8-inch device is probably the best venue to debut these features since users already know they’re getting a big device. The rest of us can just marvel at what an astonishing technological feat it is. Truly more machine than man.

Adafruit Demos Tiny RP2040 Board Ahead of Release

(Image credit: Adafruit)

Adafruit’s smallest RP2040 board is still coming soon, but in a recent video, Adafruit founder Limor “Ladyada” Fried demonstrated the QT Py 2040, a tiny board powered by the same chip as a Raspberry Pi Pico, using a community Arduino core that enables any RP2040 board to be used with the Arduino IDE.

In the video, we get a first look at Adafruit’s upcoming QT Py RP2040, which Fried mentions is being readied for sale. The QT Py RP2040 is shown running a simple temperature sensor project, with the board connected to an I2C OLED and temperature sensor via the Stemma QT connector. The QT Py 2040 is compatible with CircuitPython and the Arduino IDE via a community project, Arduino-Pico from Earle F. Philhower, III. Official Arduino support for the RP2040 is still a work in progress, possibly timed to coincide with Arduino’s own RP2040 board.

Adafruit has three RP2040 boards in their range. From their largest board, the Feather RP2040 which has already been released, to the IstyBitsy RP2040, to the QT Py RP2040, Adafruit has a board for all projects and wallets. Measuring just 22 x 18 mm, the QT Py RP2040 isn’t the smallest RP2040 board, that honor goes to Pimoroni’s Tiny 2040. But the QT Py packs plenty of features into a diminutive form factor.

USB Type C connector
RP2040 32-bit Cortex M0+ dual-core running at ~125 MHz @ 3.3V logic and power
264 KB RAM
4 MB SPI FLASH chip for storing files and CircuitPython/MicroPython code storage. No EEPROM
Native USB supported by every OS (USB HID)
Can be used with Arduino IDE or CircuitPython
Built-in RGB NeoPixel LED
13 GPIO pins (11 breakout pads and two QT pads):
Four 12 bit ADCs (one more than Pico)
Two I2C ports (STEMMA QT and GPIO)
SPI and UART peripherals
PWM outputs on every IO pin
There are 6 GPIO in consecutive order for PIO compatibility
3.3V regulator with 600mA peak output
Reset button and Bootloader buttons

The pricing and release date for the QT Py RP2040 is still largely unknown, with stock being prepared for their store we can expect an imminent release. At a guess, the price could be between that of a Raspberry Pi Pico ($4) and the Feather RP2040 ($12).

EVGA X17 Review – 8K Polling Rate FTW

Introduction

Founded in 1999, EVGA is a US-based computer hardware company. After a longer hiatus, EVGA returns to the gaming mouse world with the X15, X17, and X20. The X17 is a right-handed ergonomic mouse with two main draws: Actual 8000 Hz polling and ultra-low lift-off distance owing to two additional, independent LOD sensors. PixArt’s PMW3389 sensor capable of 16,000 CPI is used, along with pre-tensioned main buttons. The default weight of 106 g can be further adjusted with five 5 g weights. In total, ten buttons are available, all of which can be rebound within EVGA’s Unleash software, which also has the usual options for RGB lighting, among others.

Specifications

EVGA X17
Size:	122.71 mm x 70.27 mm x 44.52 mm
Size (inches):	4.83″ x 2.77″ x 1.75″
Ambidextrous:	No
Weight:	106–131 g
Number of Buttons:	10 (including wheel click)
Main Switches:	Omron D2FC-F-K (50M) (China)
Wheel Encoder:	Mechanical
Sensor:	PixArt PMW3389
Resolution:	50–16,000 CPI
Polling Rate:	125/250/500/1000/2000/4000/8000 Hz
Cable:	2 m, braided
Software:	Yes
Price:	$79.99
Warranty:	3 years

Xiaomi’s new flagship has a giant camera bump with its own OLED screen

Xiaomi has announced its latest flagship, the Mi 11 Ultra. It’s based on the excellent new Mi 11, but has a more advanced camera system — including a second screen housed inside the camera bump.

The Mi 11 Ultra has three cameras on the back: a 1/1.12-inch 50-megapixel main sensor, a 48-megapixel ultrawide, and a 48-megapixel 5x periscope telephoto. Those sensors should be upgrades across the board when compared to the regular Mi 11, which had a smaller 108-megapixel main sensor, a 13-megapixel ultrawide, and a 5-megapixel macro camera.

The camera bump dominates the top portion of the Mi 11 Ultra, and its secondary screen is the reason why. It’s a 1.1-inch 126 x 294 OLED display with a peak brightness of 450 nits and a power-saving mode. Xiaomi says it can be used as a selfie viewfinder, an always-on display, or a way to check notification alerts when the phone is face-down.

Rear display demonstrated for selfies.

Image: Xiaomi

The specs are otherwise similar to the regular Mi 11. There’s a 6.8-inch 120Hz 1440p OLED display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. The battery has been boosted to 5,000mAh and is now capable of being fast-charged at 67W both wirelessly and with a cable.

Xiaomi is also launching a cut-down version of the Mi 11 called the Mi 11 Lite 5G. It looks similar to the regular Mi 11 but it’s more of a mid-range device. It’s the first phone to launch with the new Snapdragon 780 processor that Qualcomm announced last week, for example. The emphasis is on its slim and light design — it’s just 6.81mm thick.

Elsewhere you’ll find a 6.55-inch 1080p 90Hz OLED display, which is smaller, slower, and lower-resolution than that of the Mi 11. The triple-camera system includes a 64-megapixel primary sensor, an 8-megapixel ultrawide, and a 5-megapixel macro. The battery is also a little smaller at 4,250mAh, though you do at least get a headphone jack with the Mi 11 Lite, unlike the Mi 11.

Xiaomi hasn’t provided pricing or release details for the Mi 11 Ultra and the Mi 11 Lite just yet — stay tuned.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 review: a ThinkPad with a twist

The ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 is a ThinkPad through and through. It’s got the keyboard nub, the discrete mouse buttons, and the all-black chassis with scattered dots of red. (If you’ve seen its predecessor, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2, you’ll know what you’re getting — the models are identical, with different chips.)

But this ThinkPad has a unique feature you don’t see every day: an OLED screen. That, combined with its discrete GPU, puts the X1 Extreme Gen 3 out of the business laptop space that ThinkPads traditionally dominate and into the crowded market for ultraportable content-creation machines. Among those competitors, the X1 Extreme has some significant drawbacks that keep it from reaching the top of the pack. But it still includes the features that have made ThinkPads so dominant across the board, and that means there’s certainly an audience for it.

Like other ThinkPads, the X1 Extreme is customizable for a variety of price points. All configurations have an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Max-Q. The base model is $2,734 (currently discounted to a much more reasonable $1,640) and includes a Core i5-10400H, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, a 1920 x 1080 non-touch display, and a standard 720p HD webcam. Among prebuilt models, you can go all the way up to a system with a Core i9-10885H, 64GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, a 3840 x 2160 OLED touchscreen, and an IR camera, all for — wait for it — $4,959 (currently listed at $2,974.40). My test configuration is in the middle; it includes a Core i7-10850H, 1TB of storage, 32GB of RAM, and the OLED touchscreen. It has an MSRP of $4,111 but is currently listed at $2,466. You can tweak most of the specs to your liking, though some are dependent on others; for example, all models that don’t have the base display come with the IR camera.

This model has two absolutely standout features. The first is the keyboard. ThinkPads usually have great keyboards, and this one is no exception. It’s one of my favorite keyboards that I’ve tried on a workstation laptop this year, with the possible exception of the Dell XPS 15. The keys have a comfortable texture and a heck of a lot of travel, without being too loud. The typing experience feels closer to that of a mechanical keyboard than to that of flatter laptop keys. I actually found myself eschewing my personal laptop during my testing period in favor of the ThinkPad because of how much I love typing on it.

There’s a row of useful hotkeys on the top of the deck. New to the X1 Extreme are three buttons tailored to remote work: F9 brings up the notification center, F10 answers calls, and F11 ends calls. There are also keys to cut the volume and microphone, toggle airplane mode, and adjust volume and brightness.

Ports include two USB 3.2 Gen 1, two Thunderbolt 3, one HDMI 2.0, one SD slot, one combo audio jack, and an optional Nano-SIM card slot.

One quick thing about the keyboard: the Fn and Ctrl keys are swapped from the locations where you’ll find them on most keyboards. This is how ThinkPad keyboards have been laid out since forever, and you can remap the keys through the BIOS or with Lenovo’s utility app if you prefer. But if you’re not a regular ThinkPad user, or you’ll be swapping between this machine and a personal laptop, it’s worth noting that it’ll take time to adjust (or you’ll be using mislabeled keys). I’ve been using the X1 Extreme for almost a week, and I’m still accidentally hitting Fn all the time.

The second standout feature is the 15.6-inch 4K OLED panel. It covers 100 percent of the sRGB spectrum, 100 percent of Adobe RGB, and 100 percent of P3. (Basically, it maxed out our colorimeter.) The panel is sharp and vibrant with great contrast. You can watch streaming content that supports HDR and swap between various color profiles with Lenovo’s Display Optimizer.

Build quality is another strength. Like most of its ThinkPad siblings, the X1 Extreme feels quite durable. There’s no flex in the keyboard or lid, and Lenovo says it’s been tested against “12 military-grade certification methods and over 20 procedures” for resistance to vibrations, shocks, extreme temperatures, humidity, and the like. The laptop achieves this without sacrificing much portability. It’s on the thick side at 0.74 inches — but at four pounds, it’s lighter than many competitors including the Dell XPS 15 and the MacBook Pro 16.

Lenovo says the multi-layered carbon fiber top cover “provides durability and weight advantages.”

The chassis has a black finish with a nice texture. The ThinkPad logo on the right palm rest and the X1 logo on the top cover add splashes of red. The lid has a unique carbon-fiber weave pattern, which looks and feels similar to the carbon-fiber palm rests on the Dell XPS 15. (This is only available on UHD models). Lenovo says this material is lighter and more durable than aluminum and other common chassis materials. It’s also likely part of the reason for the X1 Extreme’s lofty price tag.

There are dual far-field microphones that work alongside Cortana.

One note on the build: the lid and chassis aren’t the worst fingerprint magnets I’ve ever seen, but they do pick them up. After a few days of use, the keyboard deck was pretty smudgy.

Finally, the X1 Extreme comes with some helpful features for remote meetings. You can optimize the dual microphones for various settings (including voice recognition, solo calls, and conference calls) in Lenovo’s Vantage software. They didn’t have any trouble picking up my voice. And the stereo speakers are fine, delivering distortion-free audio with percussion and bass that are audible but not exceptional. You can create custom equalizer profiles in the preloaded Dolby Access software, and you can also toggle presets for scenarios like voice, music, movies, and games.

The infrared webcam was also a pleasant surprise — while a bit grainy, it was fairly color-accurate and delivered a decent picture in low-light environments. There’s a physical privacy shutter that’s easy to click back and forth. You can sign into the X1 Extreme with Windows Hello facial recognition, as well as a match-on-sensor fingerprint reader on the side of the keyboard deck, which was quick to set up and didn’t usually have trouble recognizing me.

All of this stuff is similar to the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2 — there’s not much noticeable change. The Gen 3’s upgrades are on the inside. It has a six-core 10th Gen Intel processor and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Max-Q, where its predecessor had a 9th Gen Intel processor and a GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q.

The Core i7-10850H isn’t the most monstrous processor around, especially compared to AMD’s recent H-series chips. But it does bring the business-specific benefits of Intel’s vPro platform, and it did a fine job with my piles of spreadsheets, emails, Slacking, and other general office work.

Similarly, the GTX 1650 Ti Max-Q is a midrange graphics card — it’s not what you’d want to use for serious gaming or high-throughput professional video editing. But for amateur creators and other artists, it can certainly lend a hand.

My test model scored a 386 on PugetBench for Premiere Pro, which tests its proficiency in real-world Premiere Pro tasks. That’s not a shameful score among top competitors, but it’s not great either. The system comes in under scores we’ve seen from the Dell XPS 15 with the same GPU, and the six-core MacBook Pro, which has AMD Radeon Pro 5300M. And, of course, it loses out to creator machines with more powerful Nvidia chips, such as the lower-priced Gigabyte Aero 15 with an RTX 3060.

If you’re going to be doing intense content work, prepare to hear the fans. Even when I was just bouncing around in Chrome, they were audible quite often. On the plus side, they did their job: the laptop’s bottom, keyboard, touchpad, palm rests, and hinge all remained cold.

Lenovo says the ThinkPad can charge up to 80 percent in 60 minutes with its “Rapid Charge” feature.

Another compromise you’re making here is battery life. I only averaged four hours and 59 minutes on our battery test, which involved using the ThinkPad for continuous office multitasking on the Battery Saver profile, with the screen around 200 nits of brightness. I ran a trial without using Chrome to see if that would make a difference; it didn’t. And this result actually seems to be a bit on the high side — Tom’s Hardware got an even pithier two hours and 19 minutes on a synthetic streaming benchmark.

It’s not unexpected that a machine with a 4K screen and a discrete GPU wouldn’t last all day. But I got more juice out of the Gigabyte Aero 15, which has both an OLED display and a heftier graphics card. And if you don’t need the high-resolution screen (which many people won’t), the Dell XPS 15 (which still has an exceptional display) lasted an hour longer with my workflow, while my colleague Dieter Bohn got up to eight hours out of the MacBook Pro. Folks who are interested in the X1 Extreme who would prefer not to have it plugged in all the time should consider an FHD (1080p) model.

It’s a ThinkPad through and through.

Ultimately, the decision between the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 and other 15-inch thin-and-light workstations really boils down to: do you want a ThinkPad?

This is to say that the X1 Extreme shares many of the strengths and weaknesses of Windows machines like the XPS 15. Both have dazzling displays, decent chips, sturdy build, boisterous fans, and mediocre battery life. Both have best-in-class keyboards and touchpads, with average webcams and speakers.

But a ThinkPad and an XPS are still very different machines — and if you’ve used any member of either lineup before, you probably know which one you prefer. They have different looks and different feels. The ThinkPad is slightly lighter and slightly thicker, with more ports and larger bezels. The XPS is a bit more powerful, but the ThinkPad has extra business features.

The XPS, due to its lower price, is a more accessible model for most consumers. And the X1 Extreme’s weaker chips and poor battery life, in particular, are tough pills to swallow at such a high price. But there’s still a market for the X1 Extreme — and if you’re willing to sacrifice a bit of power, a bit of money, and a bit of battery life for the unique advantages of a ThinkPad, you probably fall into it.

Photography by Monica Chin / The Verge

Razer Viper 8K Review

Introduction

Founded in 1998, Razer is a US-based peripherals and gaming-equipment company. With the Viper 8K, Razer updates and phases out their original Viper. The main upgrades concern the sensor, which is now Razer’s Focus+ capable of 20,000 CPI and a polling rate of up to 8000 Hz. Other than that, the Viper 8K is still a fully ambidextrous (symmetrical) shape with side buttons on both sides, a 69 g lightweight construction, and injection-molded rubber side grips for improved durability. Razer optical switches are used for the main buttons, ensuring low latency along with no double-clicking. The feet are made out of pure PTFE, while the usual customization options are provided through Razer Synapse, including for the RGB lighting settings, all of which can be saved to the on-board memory.

Specifications

Razer Viper 8K
Size:	126.73 mm x 57.6 mm x 37.81 mm
Size (inches):	4.99″ x 2.27″ x 1.49″
Ambidextrous:	Yes
Weight:	69 g
Number of Buttons:	7 (including wheel click)
Main Switches:	Razer Optical
Wheel Encoder:	Mechanical
Sensor:	Razer Focus+ (PAW3399)
Resolution:	100–20,000 CPI
Polling Rate:	125/500/1000/2000/4000/8000 Hz
Cable:	1.80 m, braided
Software:	Yes
Price:	$79.99
Warranty:	2 years

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.

OnePlus 9 Pro vs Oppo Find X3 Pro: Battle of the super flagships

(Pocket-lint) – The line between Oppo and OnePlus may be blurring at the management level, and when it comes to launching smartphones in their homeland in China, but when it comes to delivering flagships in western markets, they still take different approaches to things.

For the start of 2021, Oppo delivered the Find X3 Pro as its standout performer while OnePlus has launched the OnePlus 9 Pro. The two phones both offer top notch specs and performance, but with the prices driving higher this year, how do you choose between them? Should you spend more on the Oppo or is the 9 Pro good enough?

Design

Oppo: 163.6 x 74 x 8.3mm – 193g
OnePlus: 163.2 x 73.6 x 8.7 mm – 197g
Oppo: Gloss Black, Blue and White colours
OnePlus: Morning Mist (silver), Forest Green and Stellar Black colours
Both: Aluminium and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 construction – IP68 water/dust resistant

There was a time when Oppo and OnePlus flagships looked very similar to each other, but with the latest range, that’s no longer true. Of course, from the front they both look almost identical, given they have the same sized skinny-bezeled display and a hole-punch camera in the left corner. Turn them over however, and there’s no way anyone’s confusing these two.

Oppo’s latest premium phone is unlike anything else on the market. The glass curving up to the camera housing is all part of the same glass that makes up the rest of the phone’s rear. That means you get an attractive, seamless look and feel. Plus that matte frosted glass on the blue model makes it feel super soft.

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OnePlus has taken a vastly different approach, placing its cameras in a rectangle protrusion which is attractive in its own right. Each lens is surrounded by a metal ring, making them stand out visually, while the camera housing is colour matched to whatever the colour of the phone is.

Despite both being large phones, the Oppo is noticeably slimmer in the hand, and it feels more nimble and lightweight in the palm than the OnePlus does. Technically, there’s not a lot of difference in measurements, but holding the two yields very different feels.

Both have metal and glass construction and both are water and dust resistant up to IP68 rating, so which ever one you go for, it should survive being caught in the rain or dropped in a basin full of water.

Display and software

Both: 120Hz LPTO AMOLED 6.7-inch display
Both: QuadHD (1440 x 3216) resolution
Both: 1300 nits peak brightness + HDR10+ compatible
Oppo: ColorOS 11 based on Android 11
OnePlus: Oxygen OS 11 based on Android 11

The one area these two phones really are identical is in the display used on the front. Both have exactly the same 6.7-inch LTPO AMOLED display capable of reaching refresh rates up to 120Hz and a peak brightness of 1300 nits.

Maximum resolution for the both is set at QuadHD+ or, specifically, 1440 x 3216 pixels which gives it a density of 525 pixels per inch. That means they’re among the brightest, sharpest and smoothest displays currently available on any phone.

Both use an adaptive frame rate technology too, so that means if you’re looking at a still or slow-moving page, they adapt to the frame rate needed for that page. In the process, that means less power is wasted refreshing the display and as a result, it uses less battery.

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Both feature Always On ambient displays too, although Oppo gives you more available style options to choose from. Plus, you get the ability to design and customise your very own.

OnePlus used to be the customisation champion with Oxygen OS, but Oppo has pulled ahead in this department offering more wallpapers that take advantage of the fluid, smooth display and giving you more fingerprint animation options.

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Both sets of software let you enable various display features like a comfort tone that adapts the white balance based on your current ambient lighting, plus the ability to schedule night modes and kill blue light.

We experienced some quirks with Oppo’s notification system during the review however, where the OnePlus didn’t seem to suffer with as much inconsistency here.

Hardware and performance

Both: Snapdragon 888 processor
Oppo: 8GB/256GB or 12GB/256GB RAM/storage
OnePlus: 8GB/128GB or 12GB/256GB RAM/storage
Both: 4500mAh battery (2x 2250mAh)
Oppo: 65W Super VOOC 2.0 wired and 30W Air VOOC wireless charging
OnePlus: 65W Warp Charge wired and 50W Warp Wireless charging

Like its displays there are some clear similarities when looking at the internals of the two phones. Namely: they both have the Snapdragon 888 processor inside keeping everything ticking over smoothly.

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They both even use the same speedy LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage, so that means that not only do your apps and games all run smoothly, but downloads and installations are quick too. Especially if you happen to live in a 5G area and can download over 5G.

What’s interesting here is that while batteries are the same size (4500mAh), we had slightly better battery life with the Oppo. No doubt, this is in part down to its pretty aggressive background task management. Still, sometimes we were able to get through two full days with the Find X3 Pro, where the OnePlus 9 Pro was a couple of hours short of making that mark.

Despite that, both will easily get you through a full day even if you’re someone who’s on the move constantly, listening to music, making calls and catching a few Pokemon on your travels.

With both being part of the same tech family, you often find similar charging technology in the companies’ devices and it’s no different here. Both use a proprietary flash charging system that can reach up to 65W speeds.

What’s different here is the OnePlus’ phone will retain those speeds for longer and can charge a battery from 1-100 per cent in under 30 minutes. The Find X3 Pro will take a few minutes longer to do the same, but in truth, both charge really quickly.

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It’s in wireless charging where the OnePlus 9 Pro has the clear advantage. Its Warp Charge 50 Wireless can give you a full battery in 43 minutes using the bespoke wireless charging stand while Oppo’s 30W charge will take noticeably longer (around an hour).

Cameras

Oppo: quad camera system on the rear
- 50MP f/1.8 wide camera with OIS
- 50MP f/2.2 ultrawide
- 13MP telephoto zoom (2x optical) + 3MP micro lens
OnePlus: quad camera system on the rear
- 48MP f/1.8 wide camera with OIS
- 50MP f/2.2 ultrawide
- 8MP telephoto zoom (3.3x optical) + 2MP monochrome
Oppo: 4K up to 60fps
OnePlus: 8K up to 30fps, 4K up to 120fps

In our experience, it’s in the camera department where you notice the biggest differences between the two phones. Both have high quality wide and ultrawide cameras, but Oppo opted to put the same 50-megapixel sensor on both, giving consistent results between them. Both give colour rich, detailed and warm shots.

The OnePlus 9 Pro we found quite inconsistent at times, offering photos that looked cool and blue from the primary and warmer shots like the Oppo from its ultrawide.

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Both phones have a telephoto zoom lens and although the Oppo only goes up to 2x optical, we found it delivered higher quality results than the OnePlus’ 3.3x optical zoom lens. It was sharper and delivered relatively decent images up to 5x where the OnePlus lost a lot of detail and went quite mushy at times even at its lowest zoom.

Add to that the fact that the Oppo also delivered sharper, better looking images in its night mode vs. OnePlus Nightscape mode and it’s clear that the Find X3 Pro is the much better camera experience overal.

That’s without mentioning the gimmicky Micro lens which lets you get really close into objects and see right into their contruction at an almost microscope-like level. It’s fun to play with, but hard to get sharp in-focus shots from.

Pricing and availability

Oppo: From £1099
OnePlus: From £829

It’s no surprise to see OnePlus’ latest premium model cheaper than the Oppo alternative, however, to see the company’s phones getting so expensive in recent years must be difficult for some of its early fans. With prices starting at £829 in the UK, it’s as expensive as some big-name flagship phones, but still comes in cheaper than phones that are similar in terms of specs and features.

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Oppo’s phone is a flagship device at a flagship price, and creeps over the £1000 barrier just as Samsung and Apple have done in recent years. It sees itself as a true flagship that doesn’t need a discounted price to persuade people to see value in its offering.

Conclusion

Ultimately there are likely only a couple of things that will sway you one way or the other on these two phones. A major factor will likely be the price. Oppo’s top tier phone is more expensive than OnePlus’, and looking at the spec sheet there may not be enough difference between them to warrant that extra money.

With that said, given the more consistent and excellent performance of the cameras on the Oppo, and the more refined design – particularly on the matte blue model – we think that’s extra money worth spending if you’re happy to pony up the extra cash.

Writing by Cam Bunton.

Competitively priced Motorola G100 and G50 offer 90Hz screens and 5,000mAh batteries

Motorola has unveiled the G100 and G50, two midrange phones headed first for European and Latin American markets. Both offer displays with fast 90Hz refresh rates for smooth scrolling and animations, 5G connectivity, and they embrace Motorola’s ethos of “more battery, more better” with huge 5,000mAh cells.

The higher-end G100 is poised to compete with the likes of the Google Pixel 4A 5G with a Snapdragon 870 5G processor, 8GB of RAM, and a dual wide / ultrawide selfie camera for €499.99 (~$587). The G50, on the other hand, looks like a respectable, budget-friendlier device — its faster refresh rate, 6.5-inch screen is still a bit rare at its €229.99 (~$269) price.

The Motorola G100 offers a large 6.7-inch 1080p LCD. Its 8GB of RAM is accompanied by 128GB of storage, which is expandable thanks to a MicroSD card slot. Support for sub-6GHz 5G frequencies is included, as is Wi-Fi 6. The G100 features a main 64-megapixel camera (lacking optical stabilization, sadly) complemented by a 16-megapixel ultrawide that doubles as a macro camera, complete with a built-in ring flash.

Two selfie cameras are offered — an approach Google took with the Pixel 3 and subsequently abandoned — with a 16-megapixel wide and 8-megapixel ultrawide. Up to 6K / 30p video recording is possible with the main rear camera, and the rear ultrawide can capture 4K / 30p clips — something found on many flagships but isn’t too common in this upper midrange class.

The Motorola G50 uses a slightly smaller (but still, you know, large) 6.5-inch 720p screen. It includes a slower Snapdragon 480 chipset with 4GB of RAM and 64 or 128GB of storage (thankfully, there’s a microSD slot here, too). The rear triple-camera array is mostly just a 48-megapixel standard wide camera; the accompanying 5-megapixel macro and 2-megapixel depth sensor don’t offer a whole lot of practical use. If none of that sounds too compelling, consider that the European pricing equates to well under $300. If the device were to make it to the US, it would be well-equipped to compete at that price.

There’s no confirmation just now if and when these phones will be sold in the US, but we’ll be keeping an eye out for them. In the meantime, the G100 goes on sale in European and Latin American markets today, while the G50 will arrive in “selected European markets” in the coming weeks.

Vivo X60 flagship series announced with Zeiss-branded camera system

Vivo has announced its latest international flagship phones, the X60 series. The highest-end model is the X60 Pro Plus, which is coming first to India, while the X60 and X60 Pro are also launching in the UK and several other markets. Vivo previously launched the X60 series in China but with substantially different specs to these new global models.

Vivo’s main focus with the X60 series is the cameras. The company has started a new partnership with Zeiss that it says includes the use of T* optical coating and swirly bokeh simulation based on the lens maker’s classic Biotar design. These kinds of collaborations tend to be more marketing hype than genuine selling points, but the X60 Pro Plus’ formidable camera bump at least looks the part.

Whether Zeiss had anything to do with it or not, the X60 Pro Plus has some impressively versatile camera hardware. Its quad-camera setup consists of a 50-megapixel Samsung GN1 primary sensor, a 48-megapixel ultrawide with Vivo’s gimbal-style stabilization, a 32-megapixel 2x telephoto, and an 8-megapixel 5x periscope telephoto, as well as a 32-megapixel selfie camera. We’ll have to see how the system performs in practice.

The rest of the X60 Pro Plus’ spec sheet is suitably flagship-level. It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor and comes in a single blue vegan leather model with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The display is a 6.56-inch 1080p OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. The battery is 4,200mAh and fast-charges at up to 55W, though unfortunately (as is universally the case for Vivo) there’s no wireless charging.

The X60 and X60 Pro step down to a triple-camera system with a 48-megapixel main sensor, a 13-megapixel ultrawide, and a 13-megapixel 2x telephoto. They both use a Snapdragon 870 processor, which is paired with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage on the X60 Pro and 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage on the X60.

The X60 Pro Plus will cost Rs. 69,990 (~$960) in India, while the X60 Pro is Rs. 49,990 (~$690) and the X60 is Rs. 41,990 (~$580). Preorders begin today and the phones will be available on April 2nd. Details on the release in Europe and other markets will be announced later.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

How to Program Raspberry Pi Pico With the Arduino IDE

Wiring code for your Raspberry Pi Pico can fall into two categories. The easy way for new users is to use a version of Python such as MicroPython or CircuitPython. A more advanced way is to write code in C / C++ which is for more confident users.

There is now a third way that we can write code for our Raspberry Pi Pico, and that is via the Arduino IDE, which uses “Arduino Language,” a derivative of C++. Because Arduino has been around for so many years, there’s a ton of pre-existing “sketches” (the Arduino term for programs) and tutorials for it. If you’ve worked with Arduino boards before, you may be very familiar with this powerful IDE and language.

We’ve gone through many different setup processes and found two community created projects that streamline the installation process to just a handful of steps. The first is pico-setup-windows which is a Windows port of the official Pico setup script. The second is Arduino-Pico which adds support for the Raspberry Pi Pico to the Arduino IDE. In this tutorial we show you how to set up your Windows or Ubuntu machine to write Arduino code on your Raspberry Pi Pico

How to Program Raspberry Pi Pico in Arduino IDE for Windows

1. Download the pico-setup-windows installer. This is a fairly large download.

2. Launch the installer.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

3. Ensure that all of the components are selected. This will install approximately 360MB of files and applications to your machine. Including the files necessary for building C/C++ files, Visual Studio Code, and Git version control.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

4. Click Install to install all of the applications. This can take some time, and at times it may appear stuck, but be patient.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

5. Download the Arduino IDE and install it to your machine. We chose v 1.8.13, but the beta of v 2.0 also works.

6. Open the Arduino application and navigate to File >> Preferences.

7. In the additional boards manager, add this line and click OK.

https://github.com/earlephilhower/arduino-pico/releases/download/global/package_rp2040_index.json

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

8. Go to Tools >> Board >> Boards Manager.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

9. Type “pico” in the search box and then install the Raspberry Pi Pico / RP2040 board. This will trigger another large download, approximately 300MB in size.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

10. Go to Tools >> Board >> Raspberry Pi RP2040 Boards and select Raspberry Pi Pico.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

11. Connect your Raspberry Pi Pico and using Device Manager locate the COM port that it is connected to.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

12. Under Tools >> Port, set the COM port for the Raspberry Pi Pico.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

13. Open Files >> Examples >> Basics >> Blink to test that we can write code to the Arduino.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

14. Click on Upload to write the code to the Raspberry Pi Pico. The default Blink sketch will flash the green LED next to the micro USB port on the Raspberry Pi Pico.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

The output window will tell us when the upload is complete. Look at your Raspberry Pi Pico and you will see the green LED flashing once per second.

How to Program Raspberry Pi Pico in Arduino IDE for Linux

We used Ubuntu for this tutorial, but the same instructions should work for other Debian based distributions such as Raspberry Pi OS.

1. Open a terminal and use wget to download the official Pico setup script.

$ wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/raspberrypi/pico-setup/master/pico_setup.sh

2. In the same terminal modify the downloaded file so that it is executable.

$ chmod +x pico_setup.sh

3. Run pico_setup.sh to start the installation process. Enter your sudo password if prompted.

$ ./pico_setup.sh

4. Download the Arduino IDE and install it to your machine. We chose v 1.8.13, but the beta of v 2.0 also works.

5. Open a terminal and add your user to the group “dialout.” This group can communicate with devices such as the Arduino. Using “$USER” will automatically use your username.

$ sudo usermod -a -G dialout “$USER”

6. Log out or reboot your computer for the changes to take effect.

7. Open the Arduino application and go to File >> Preferences.

8. In the additional boards manager add this line and click OK.

https://github.com/earlephilhower/arduino-pico/releases/download/global/package_rp2040_index.json

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

9. Go to Tools >> Board >> Boards Manager.

10. Type “pico” in the search box and then install the Raspberry Pi Pico / RP2040 board. This will trigger another large download, approximately 300MB in size.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

11. Go to Tools >> Board >> Raspberry Pi RP2040 Boards and select Raspberry Pi Pico.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

12. Connect your Raspberry Pi Pico

13. Run a command to locate the USB device which identifies as a Raspberry Pi Pico. In our case it was ttyACM0.

$ dmesg

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

14. Open Files >> Examples >> Basics >> Blink to test that we can write code to the Arduino.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

15. Click on Upload to write the code to the Raspberry Pi Pico. The default Blink sketch will flash the green LED next to the micro USB port on the Raspberry Pi Pico.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

The output window will tell us when the upload is complete. Look at your Raspberry Pi Pico and you will see the green LED flashing once per second.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Raspberry Pi Pico Tutorials:

How to Set Up and Program Raspberry Pi Pico
How To Solder Pins to Your Raspberry Pi Pico
How To Get Wi-Fi, Internet on Raspberry Pi Pico
How to Use an OLED Display with Raspberry Pi Pico
How to Use an Ultrasonic Sensor with Raspberry Pi Pico

Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro Review

Introduction

Founded in 1998, Razer is a US-based peripherals and gaming equipment company. The history of the DeathAdder hearkens all the way back to 2006. Almost 15 years later, Razer finally gives it the wireless treatment with the V2 Pro. Equipped with Razer’s Focus+ sensor capable of up to 20,000 CPI, the DeathAdder V2 Pro has a battery life of up to 70 hours in low-latency 2.4 GHz mode and up to 120 hours in long-endurance Bluetooth mode. Razer’s second generation optical switches ensure no double-clicking while keeping latency low. The rubber side grips are injection-molded for improved longevity, and a lightweight construction of 87 g coupled with 100% PTFE mouse feet promises great handling. Additionally, the DeathAdder V2 Pro is fully compatible with the Razer Chroma charging dock also used for the Viper Ultimate and Basilisk Ultimate. Basic RGB lighting is included, while Razer Synapse has the usual customization options, along with on-board memory support.

Specifications

Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro
Size:	127 mm x 61.7 mm x 42.7 mm
Size (inches):	5″ x 2.43″ x 1.68″
Ambidextrous:	No
Weight:	87 g
Number of Buttons:	7 (including wheel click)
Main Switches:	Razer Optical
Wheel Encoder:	Mechanical
Sensor:	Razer Focus+ (PAW3399)
Resolution:	100–20,000 CPI
Polling Rate:	125/500/1000 Hz
Cable:	1.80 m, braided
Software:	Yes
Price:	$129.99
Warranty:	2 years

Dyson’s new V15 Detect vacuum uses lasers to guilt you into doing a better job of cleaning

Dyson has a new flagship vacuum cleaner, the $699 V15 Detect, which adds a laser dust detection system that’s designed to illuminate the dust on your floors so you can better clean it.

Based on Dyson’s images showing how the laser works, though, it looks like the V15 Detect will primarily help you feel a sense of guilt and / or horror at just how dusty your kitchen floor is. Unlike most vacuums with lights on the cleaning head — which help you see where you’re vacuuming — the new lasers are designed to help you see what you’re vacuuming.

The new model replaces 2019’s V11 at the top of Dyson’s range. Like that model, this one features an LCD display to convey more information to users, with the ability to display different vacuum modes and how much battery life is left.

The other big addition, aside from the dust-illuminating laser, is a new acoustic piezo sensor, which (combined with a new microprocessor) monitors the air intake of the vacuum to determine both the size and quantity of the dust being vacuumed up. That information gets relayed to the built-in LCD (so you can get an idea of what you’re vacuuming, I guess). More importantly, it also gets relayed to the main motor, which can increase power and suction if the vacuum detects a lot of large dust particles or debris.

The new vacuum is part of a refreshed range of Dyson cleaners that are also set to debut starting today, including a new larger Dyson Outsize model and the Dyson Omni-glide, which offers an almost mop-like cleaning head that can be moved freely in any direction.

All three products are available now from Dyson’s website.