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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3

Samsung’s new clamshell will have many new features, including a larger cover display and a sturdy frame. Read all about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 here!

As the introduction of Samsung’s new foldable smartphones gets closer, more and more is becoming known about the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the Galaxy Z Fold 3. Earlier this week, official promotional material from Samsung leaked, unveiling the design of both devices. The new Fold will be the world’s first foldable phone with an under-screen camera. In this publication, however, we will limit ourselves to the new Flip which gets a new two-tone design.

Like its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 will be a clamshell phone with a horizontal folding line. The dual camera and cover screen is covered in black, the rest of the housing is given a different color. This time Samsung seems to make a whole range of colors available.

The leaked photos show that at least a gray, beige, green and purple model will be released. In addition, there is talk about a black, white, blue and pink model. The available color variants will differ per region. Samsung will probably also offer some exclusive colors via their site.

Based on all the new information, graphic designer Giuseppe Spinelli has created a series of highly realistic product renders for LetsGoDigital, in which the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is shown in all expected colors.

What is expected of the Samsung Z Flip 3?

The dual camera setup seems to remain unchanged in terms of resolution, it contains a 12 megapixel wide angle and a 12 megapixel ultra wide angle camera. The cover screen will be larger, the original Z Flip was equipped with a 1.1” display, the new model will likely feature a 1.83” cover display meaning some more content can be displayed – handy for incoming messages or when taking a selfie.

The 6.7” flexible screen will probably remain the same in size. What is new, the Samsung Z Flip 3 will support the 120Hz refresh rate. The centrally placed punch-hole camera will stay, presumably the same 10 megapixel image sensor will also be retained. As far as the camera is concerned, only software improvements are expected, the sensors and lenses of all cameras seem to remain unchanged – just as with the Galaxy S21.

For the first time Samsung will provide both the front and back of the clamshell with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, to make the foldable extra scratch and drop resistant. In addition, the frame also seems to be adjusted, the new “Armor Frame” will be stronger than before. The screen will also be extra reinforced by “Pro-Shield” technology – presumably a kind of counterpart to Apple’s Ceramic Shield.

This time Samsung seems to invest extra in the sturdiness and durability of its foldables. Not only does this result in a stronger frame and a more scratch-resistant display, the South Korean manufacturer also seems to provide the Galaxy Z Flip 3 with an IP rating for the first time. The folding phone is not expected to be completely dust and waterproof, but it will be splash-proof – which would of course be a step in the right direction.

Naturally, the hardware and software will also be renewed. Supposedly, the Samsung Z Flip 3 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, which will guarantee extremely fast and stable performance. This 5nm chipset comes with an integrated 5G modem. In addition to a 256GB model, a 128GB model is also expected this time. This enables Samsung to lower the starting price. The device will run on the Android 11 OS, in combination with the One UI 3.3 user interface. It is a renewed interface compared to the UI that can be found on the Galaxy S21 models.

Will the Galaxy Z Flip 3 offer S Pen support?

Samsung seems to be working on S Pen support for its foldable devices. It’s almost certain that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will be compatible with Samsung’s famous stylus pen. Some believe that this will also apply to the Galaxy Z Flip 3. Samsung recently registered a trademark for “Z Flip“, which made mention of a stylus pen. Nevertheless, that is no guarantee that the Z Flip 3 will actually offer S Pen support. I personally do not expect that the upcoming clamshell from Samsung will be made compatible with the S Pen. For this we will probably have to be patient until the Galaxy Z Flip 4. But who knows…

Regarding the battery and fast charging options, unfortunately no changes seem to be made. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G, like its predecessor, will be equipped with a dual battery with a total capacity of 3,300 mAh. A recent 3C quality certification has shown that the 15W fast charging function will also remain the same.

This seems to become the weakest part of Samsung’s new clamshell. After all, the battery life of the Z Flip was rated as “poor” in many expert reviews, the new model does not seem to change that. The maximum charging power of 15 Watt is of course also very minimal for a high-end device in the year 2021. It was expected that the fast charging functionality would be increased to a minimum of 25 Watt, some even hoped for 65 Watt. However, this does not seem to be the case; the Galaxy Z Flip 3 will only support 15 Watt wired / wireless charging.

Then the question remains: which accessories will be available for the new Flip? Last year a Leather Cover was released, which consisted of two parts. Samsung may have found a solution to also manufacture covers from one piece, so that the hinge is optimally protected. The South Korean manufacturer was recently awarded a patent for such a protective cover.

Price & Release date of the Galaxy Z Flip 3

Samsung will host a Galaxy Unpacked event around July, where both the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 3 will be presented. A month later, another event is expected to be set up for the Galaxy S21 FE, this will be the cheapest model in the S21 line-up.

Last year, both the Galaxy Z Flip and the Galaxy Z Flip 5G -the latter was introduced five months later- carried a suggested retail price of € 1,500. If we are to believe the rumors, Samsung is doing everything it can to market the new model cheaper. This may also be the reason why the battery, fast charging functionality and the cameras will not be upgraded.

On the other hand, the South Korean manufacturer seems to be extra committed to the sturdiness and durability of its new foldable device. The larger cover screen and the many color variants should also make the Z Flip 3 extra attractive to buy. Moreover, Samsung seems to add an extra cheap 128GB model. This may result in a starting price of approx € 1,350 – € 1,400.

It will probably be possible to place a preorder order immediately after the official introduction. The actual release will then take place about two weeks later. Customers who purchase the Galaxy Z Flip 3 are expected to receive a set of Galaxy Buds 2 earbuds during the pre-order period. The new earbuds will probably be introduced simultaneously.

In terms of design, the Buds 2 are expected to be very similar to the Buds+, which was introduced at the beginning of 2020. It will a cheaper model than the Buds Pro, which was released at the beginning of this year at the time of the S21.

By the way, if you’re wondering what happened to the Galaxy Z Flip 2, don’t worry, you haven’t missed anything. Samsung will introduce their next Z Fold and Z Flip devices simultaneously, therefore the company seems to have decided to align the model names this year. Meaning there will be no Z Flip 2, instead there will be a Z Flip 3.

Note to editors : The 8K and 4K renders in this publication are created by in-house graphic designer Giuseppe Spinelli (aka Snoreyn).  The images are copyright protected. Feel free to use our pictures on your own website, but please be so respectful to include a source link into your publication.

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

(Pocket-lint) – Samsung is expected to be working on the Galaxy S21 FE, which is due to be released in this summer. The device should succeed the Galaxy S20 FE and sit below the Galaxy S21 in terms of price, whilst offering many of the same features. 

We’ve compared how the Galaxy S21 FE and the Galaxy S20 FE are expected to differ in a separate feature, but here we are focusing on how the Galaxy S21 FE could stack up against the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+, based on the speculation so far.

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Design

  • S21 FE: 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9mm
  • S21: 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9mm, 172g
  • S21+:161.5 x 75.6 x 7.8mm, 202g

Based on the leaked renders, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE will feature a similar design to the Galaxy S21 and S21+. It’s expected to sit in between the Galaxy S21 and S21+ in terms of size, and it is expected to feature a plastic back, like the S21 and S21+.

It looks like the Galaxy S21 FE’s camera housing on the rear will be the same colour as the chassis, while the Galaxy S21 and S21+ both have different colour camera housings – apart from in the black models. 

The S21 FE is expected to have a flat display and a centralised punch hole camera like the S21 and S21+ and it is also expected to be IP68 water and dust resistant. 

Display

  • S21 FE: 6.4-inch, Full HD+, 120Hz
  • S21: 6.2-inch, Full HD+, 48-120Hz
  • S21+: 6.7-inch, Full HD+, 48-120Hz

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is said to be coming with a 6.4-inch display. Rumours haven’t detailed specifics as yet, but it is likely the S21 FE will have a Full HD+ resolution and a Super AMOLED panel, like its predecessor.

The Galaxy S21 has a 6.2-inch display, while the Galaxy S21+ has a 6.7-inch display, which would mean the S21 FE will sit in the middle of the two devices if the rumours are accurate. 

Both the S21 and S21+ have a Full HD+ resolution at 2400 x 1080 pixels, and they both have Super AMOLED panels. The two devices also have a variable refresh rate between 48-120Hz. It is not yet clear if the S21 FE will also offer this, but it is expected to have a 120Hz refresh rate, even if not variable.

Hardware and specs

  • S21 FE: Qualcomm SD888/Exynos 2100, 6GB RAM, 128/256GB, 4500mAh?
  • S21: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100, 8GB, 128/256GB, 4000mAh
  • S21+: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100, 8GB, 128/256GB, 4800mAh

Rumours have yet to detail what processor will be running the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, but it is likely to be the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 or the Exynos 2100, depending on the region. This is the same as the Galaxy S21 and S21+.

It’s been claimed the S21 FE will come in 128GB and 256GB storage options, but so far, there is no word on whether microSD support will be included. The Galaxy S21 and S21+ both come in the same storage options as what is reported for the S21 FE, but neither have microSD support.

RAM and battery capacity haven’t been mentioned in leaks for the S21 FE yet. The Galaxy S21 and S21+ both come with 8GB of RAM and the S21 has a 4000mAh battery, while the S21+ has a 4800mAh battery. We’d expect the S21 FE to offer at least 6GB of RAM and likely a battery capacity somewhere between the S21 and S21+.

Cameras

  • S21 FE: Triple rear expected
  • S21: Triple rear (12MP + 12MP + 64MP), 10MP front camera
  • S21+: Triple rear (12MP + 12MP + 64MP), 10MP front camera

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is expected to have a triple rear camera and we’d expect the same main camera as the Galaxy S21 and S21+, though rumours are a little thin on the ground in terms of camera specifications at the moment.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21+ both come with a triple rear camera made up of a 12-megapixel main sensor with 1.8µm pixel size, f/1.8 aperture and optical stabilisation (OIS), a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor with 1.4µm and f/2.2, and a 64-megapixel telephoto sensor with 0.8µm, f/2.0 and OIS. 

There’s a 10-megapixel, 1.22µm, f/2.2 front camera on both the S21 and S21+. It wouldn’t be too surprising to see the S21 FE up the front camera resolution, but drop the resolution of the telephoto sensor, like the S20 FE did.

Price

It’s likely the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE will be cheaper than the Galaxy S21 and therefore the S21+. The Galaxy S20 FE starts at £599 in the UK for the 5G model and $699 in the US, so we would expect similar for the S21 FE.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 starts at £769 in the UK and $799 in the US, while the S21+ starts at £949 in the UK and $999 in the US.

Conclusion

Based on the rumours, it looks like the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE could be another great device like the S20 FE, hitting the sweet spot between price and features. 

It is likely to offer a slightly downgraded camera system compared to the S21 and S21+, and it might not have a variable refresh rate, whilst also probably having a little less RAM.

It will no doubt be cheaper than the Galaxy S21 though, and with what looks like many of the same features at the moment, it’s certainly one to keep an eye on. You can read all the rumours in full in our separate S21 FE feature.

Writing by Britta O’Boyle.

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Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra review: Ultimate flagship or ultra disappointment?

(Pocket-lint) – When the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra touched down at Pocket-lint HQ it made for a moment of genuine excitement. This flagship, which has more features than, well, any other handset we’ve seen in recent times, is one of those rare moments of a company trying to be different; to standout for the right reasons.

Not only does the Mi 11 Ultra have one of the boldest screens on the market, it has a second screen on its rear too. It’s one of those unusual double-screen devices – we’ve seen other different implementations before, from the Vivo NEX Dual Display to the Meizu Pro 7 and beyond – with the Xiaomi’s smaller touchscreen integrated into the camera unit to act as a notification and control centre. You can see why the tech nerd in us got all excited, right?

Except, having used the Mi 11 Ultra for two full weeks as our own device, it’s stood out for too many of the wrong reasons. The camera bump is huge, the second screen adds nothing of genuine use (and sometimes actively gets in the way), the screen’s touch-responsiveness is unacceptably bad, and the MIUI software continues to deliver irks that, at this high-end level, simply don’t add up to the ‘Ultra’ experience we were expecting.

Design

  • Dimensions: 164.3 x 74.6 x 8.4mm / Weight: 234g
  • IP68 dust- and water-resistant (1.5m for 30 mins)
  • Finish options: Cosmic White, Cosmic Black
  • Build: Ceramic back in aluminium frame
  • Under-display fingerprint scanner

Upon pulling the Mi 11 Ultra from its box, it was impossible to not continually stare at the rear camera unit. That protruding bump is huge – the biggest we can ever recall seeing on a phone. At least it’s wide enough that the device doesn’t rock around when laid flat (well, flat-ish) on a desk.

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The build quality is second to none, though, especially standout if you’re seeking high-end details such as a ceramic rear, aluminium frame, water-protection, and curved screen edges. It’s every bit the flagship in such regards.

Odd, then, that the included transparent case does an assured job of undoing much of that high-end look. It’s an essential for protection, though, so we’ve had it wrapped around the phone’s body the majority of the time. But it’s just a budget translucent bit of plastic.

The reason it’s ultra-light plastic is likely to avoid adding too much additional weight to the Mi 11 Ultra’s already hefty frame. We thought the Poco X3 Pro, at 215g, was one chunky monkey. The Xiaomi tops that, at 234g. It’s not as though it’s going to hurt your wrist during use or anything, but it’s an undoubtedly heavy phone to be carting around and using day to day.

In addition to offering face unlock sign-in, the Mi 11 Ultra also has an under-display fingerprint scanner – which we’ve found generally ok, but occasionally to falter. We actually prefer the Mi 11 Lite 5G’s side-positioned one.

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Thinking about it, we actually prefer the Lite model for its overall lightweight design and eye-catching colour finish. Which really isn’t the position this Ultra should be in – being somewhat usurped by the baby in the Mi 11 range.

Displays

  • Main: 6.81-inch AMOLED, 1440 x 3200 resolution, 20:9 ratio, 120Hz refresh
  • Rear (within camera unit): 1.1-inch AMOLED, 126 x 294 resolution

The Mi 11 Ultra’s 6.81-inch AMOLED display has some truly flagship specifications. It’s got a WQHD+ resolution, for starters, which means more pixels are packed onto its surface than you’ll find in many competitors these days. There’s also a 120Hz refresh rate to up the smoothness, which is particularly noticeable when scrolling or in some faster moving games.

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There are other headline features here, too, such as Dolby Vision for HDR (high dynamic range) playback and a peak 1700 nits brightness – meaning the maximum punch this screen can output is really, very bright. But you’re not likely to have it cranked up to the max much of the time and, actually, when it’s in lower-light conditions and the brightness falls it begins to crush black levels – a problem others, such as the Oppo Find X3, can also suffer. It’s subtle, but it’s there, and can affect those Netflix sessions. 

The screen is also curved, which might look nice to the eyes, because it helps diminish the appearance of edge bezel, but in the case of the Mi 11 Ultra is an often fatal flaw. Why? Because the screen’s touch responsiveness is terrible. By this we don’t mean touch sampling rate, rather the simple fact that the software will often think the screen in being accidentally touched and ignore your input. Even really prominent input, such as when scrolling through pages, often stutters or ignores input.

There’s a software section to choose between the degree of accidental edge touch that’s permissible, or even custom adjust it, but whatever we’ve done it’s been an ongoing issue. Furthermore the screen seems to time-out – such as when watching an advert in a game, for example – and isn’t actively ready for input immediately afterwards. It can take two, three or more taps to get the device to re-engage. And that’s nothing to do with the standard 15/30/60-second auto-timeout. No, this is different. And it goes a good way in breaking the Mi 11 Ultra’s potential.

Accidental touch is something that also affects that rear display. So often we’ll have Spotify running and pick the phone up, only to accidentally skip back to the beginning of the current track. We get that having such controls available for a quick tap could be useful, but most of the time it’s just been a hindrance. And quite often the notifications, owed to poor servicing from the MIUI software, will say things like “checking for messages” from WhatsApp, for example, without delivering anything of actual use.

We’ve already said the tech nerd in us was excited about the prospect of this small second screen to the rear, as it seemed like a smart way of getting quick notifications that you could then pay further attention to. In reality, however, that’s what a full-size always-on display can do already – which the Mi 11 Ultra offers.

Plus, as we’ve come to learn when trying to watch shows in near black-out darkness, having this second screen means you don’t get to “hide” your phone from alerting you and lighting the room in one way or another – unless, of course, you turn the feature off entirely.

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Oh, but what about selfies, surely that’s where this screen comes into its own? Well, you’d think so. But to use the main cameras to shoot you’ll need to select the ‘Rear display preview’ from within the camera app, which will show you all selfie ready in that small display, but then there’s no logical way to shoot the shot. Fumble too much and you’ll likely end up clicking out of the main camera app with your fingers touching around the phone anyway. So, no, it just adds layers of confusion that needn’t be there.

Overall, then, this second screen has served as little more than a because-it-can gimmick.

Performance

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 platform, 12GB RAM
  • 67W fast-charging (wired and Qi wireless)
  • 5,000mAh battery capacity
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e
  • 24-bit/192kHz audio
  • 5G connectivity

Being a true flagship, Xiaomi has gone all-out when it comes to top-tier specification. The Mi 11 Ultra is kitted out with the Snapdragon 888 platform and 12GB RAM, so no current app is going to be a bother to run.

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What is a bother, however, is as we’ve highlighted above: the screen’s response. Load up a game like South Park: Phone Destroyer and because the screen will often not register touch input, you’re left with the frequent possibility of losing during play as a direct result of this hardware/software combination. PUBG Mobile? Forget about it.

So while the Mi 11 Ultra has the capacity to deliver these games at their very best – the smoothest frame-rates and so forth – it’s irrelevant. It’s not a gamers’ phone by any means as a result.

The battery capacity, at 5,000mAh, is relatively large. Depending on how you approach using this phone that can mean decent longevity. However, given all the available features – WQHD+ resolution at 120Hz – there’s greater likelihood that it’ll be a stretch to get through the day. We’ve been just about managing it, but often with 20 per cent left after around 13 hours of use.

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Using the phone in this way will see the software suggest doing a large number of things that dumb the features down. Resolution drop. Refresh rate drop. Dark mode activation. Quicker screen auto-off. Always-on display deactivation. Disallowing apps to auto-start. The kind of things that you would otherwise want to always keep operational for that true flagship feel in use. So, in many ways, it’s as though the Mi 11 Ultra’s software is keen to hamper its performance potential.

We’ve seen Xiaomi’s MIUI software in numerous iterations and it’s often varied in its success – sometimes for no apparent reason. In the Mi 11 Lite 5G, which is our favourite in this series, we had no issues with receiving app notifications. In the Mi 11 Ultra, however, it can be temperamental. As we’ve said in many other Xiaomi/Poco/Redmi reviews (multiple brands under one roof) you’ll need to dig into the software and tinker with whether an app has no restrictions to ‘Battery Saver’ – otherwise it may not always be readily available.

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One clear positive we can highlight about the Mi 11 Ultra is the fast-charging. It’s got a 67W charger, which is among the fastest you’ll find anywhere, and makes for rapid top-ups. It’s the same for wireless charging apparently – although we haven’t been able to test and verify this. Good job, really, as that quick-to-deplete battery has a way to help keep it juiced up in little time.

Cameras

  • Triple rear camera array:

    • Main (24mm): 50-megapixel, f/2.0 aperture, 1.4µm pixel size, optical image stabilisation (OIS)
    • 5x optical zoom (120mm): 48MP, f/4.1, 0.8µm, OIS
    • Wide (12mm): 48MP, f/2.2, 0.8µm
  • Front-facing punch-hole (27mm):
    • 20-megapixel, f/2.2 aperture, 0.8µm pixel size

Given the prominence of place given to the camera unit on the rear of the Mi 11 Ultra, it’s safe to say that it’s the most prominent feature of this flagship. It’s here that the Xiaomi often pulls its (considerable) weight, delivering images that are high quality and frequently outclass the competition.

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As a quick summary, the rear unit houses three cameras: the main wide-angle, a 24mm equivalent wide-angle with 50-megapixel resolution; a 0.5x ultra-wide with 48-megapixel resolution; and a periscope zoom, also 48-megapixel, that delivers 5x optical zoom (so a 120mm equivalent).

There’s no gimmicky lenses, no useless macro or dedicated mono sensor, just the core of what you’re really likely to want. Now, the 5x zoom is quite a ‘steep’ jump from the main sensor, but it is possible to pinch-zoom between the two with results of varying quality. You can even do this when live-recording video, which is pretty impressive in result.

As we’ve seen from pretty much every maker with multi-faceted cameras, there’s a slight disparity between the colour balance and quality from each lens though. There’s also a delay when ‘jumping’ between the available lenses – select between the main optic and 5x, for example, and you’ll first see a digital zoom from that main sensor before it suddenly updates with a different fill from the true optical zoom sensor. Not a major drama, but it’s not 100 per cent immediate when selecting between the lenses. 

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: Main cameraMain camera

The Mi 11 Ultra’s ultra-wide lens is also a bit too wide-angle – we think it should be 0.6x to avoid some of the more considerable barrel distortion really. But, unlike typical 8-megapixel ultra-wide sensors, this one is capable of delivering decent quality at 12-megapixels (using four-in-one processing technology, as the Mi 11 Ultra does on all its shots).

It has to be said that the Mi 11 Ultra’s 5x optical zoom delivers crisp and clear shots. It’s particularly apparent here, because so many competitors use digital or hybrid zooms and talk them up to such an extent that you almost believe the results will be good – but nothing can beat a true optical zoom as Xiaomi has graced the Mi 11 Ultra with here. 



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By Rik Henderson
·

The main sensor is equipped with on-sensor phase detection autofocus, there’s laser autofocus too, and optical image stabilisation to keep everything smooth and sharp. It’s a well equipped sensor that delivers fine results indeed – whether in daylight, low-light, backlit or really any given set of conditions. 

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: Main cameraMain camera

In short: the Ultra’s forte really is found in its photography prowess. Whether it’s worth having such a giant hunk of a camera unit to the rear for the sake of that, however, is another question.

Verdict

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra does a really good job of shouting “shiny, shiny!” from the rooftops and being undoubtedly alluring for all the bells, whistles, and other embellishments that make it an altogether different and standout device. It wants you to look at it and think “that’s more exciting than the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra” – because, from a pure features and spec point of view, it really is.

But once you brush away what are frankly excess features – some of which, such as the second rear screen, are nothing but gimmicky – you’re left with a device that fails to get many of the basics right. The screen response is unacceptably bad. The camera bump is huge – and not really worth it for the sake of that second rear screen. The MIUI software has various moments of failing to send notifications too.

The Mi 11 Ultra is a rare moment from Xiaomi. One that’s excited us more than any other phone of late. Yet, when it comes to the crunch, it’s the one Mi 11 device that’s left us ultra disappointed. The promise is huge, but it just hasn’t lived up to the potential.

Also consider

Pocket-lint

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

A neater camera integration, better software, and fewer irks make the Samsung the phone that Xiaomi should have beaten – but failed to do so.

  • Read our review

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Pocket-lint

Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G

This, our favourite of the whole Mi 11 range, is everything the Ultra isn’t: it’s lightweight, its colour finish is more eye-catching, its battery lasts longer (despite being less capacious), and, for whatever reason, the software implementation here hasn’t been problematic. You don’t get outstanding cameras by comparison, of course, but you do save two-thirds on the Ultra’s asking price. And you still get 5G connectivity!

  • Read our review

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Writing by Mike Lowe.

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Samsung Galaxy S20+ vs Galaxy S10+: What’s the difference?

(Pocket-lint) – Samsung’s 2020 flagship phones came in the form of the Galaxy S20 Ultra, Galaxy S20+ and the Galaxy S20 – now succeeded by the Galaxy S21, S21+ and S21 Ultra.

The Galaxy S20+ sits in the sweet spot of the three 2020 devices, offering a big display, lovely design and some great specifications but how does it compare to its predecessor?

This is the Samsung Galaxy S20+ against 2019’s Galaxy S10+ to help you work out what the differences are. You can also find out how the Galaxy S21 devices compare to the Galaxy S20 devices in our separate feature.

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Design

  • S20+: 161.9 x 73.7 x 7.8mm, 186g
  • S10+: 157.6 x 74.1 x 7.8mm, 175g

It is clear the Samsung Galaxy S20+ and the Galaxy S10+ are part of the same family, both offering premium, solid finishes made up of a combination of metal and glass. The Galaxy S20+ offers a refreshed design compared to the S10 though, opting for a vertical rectangular camera housing in the top left of its rear over the horizontal rectangular housing found in the centre of the S10+’s rear.

On the front, the punch hole cameras positioned in the top right corner of the S10+’s display have been replaced with a centralised singular punch hole camera on the S20+, resulting in a much neater and more symmetrical design. It takes up less screen space so it’s a nicer effect.

The Galaxy S20+ adjusts the aspect ratio slightly too compared to the S10+, meaning a slightly narrower, taller device. Both are IP68 water and dust resistant and both have an under display fingerprint sensor on board, which is very much the same in terms of performance. 

The S20+ also loses the “Bixby button” on the side.

Display

  • S20+: 6.7-inch, Infinity-O, 120Hz
  • S10+: 6.4-inch, Infinity-O, 60Hz

Despite offering only a slight increase in height, the Samsung Galaxy S20+ has a 0.3-inch larger display than its predecessor – which is a result of the slightly adjusted aspect ratio we mentioned and a further reduction in bezels.

Both the S20+ and the S10+ have Quad HD resolutions, which Samsung has been offering on its flagship devices for some time now. The Infinity-O display on both devices offers virtually bezel-free edges and a punch hole camera cut out. Thanks to the repositioning and switch to one camera on the S20+ though, this cut out is much less intrusive compared to the S10+.

The S20+ and S10+ both have Super AMOLED screens, offering plenty of vibrancy and deep blacks and both support HDR10+. The S20+ offers a 120Hz refresh rate at Full HD+ however – though not variable like the S21 – while the S10+ operates at 60Hz. That means the S20+ will give you smoother animations around the device, although you might not actually notice much difference in practice unless you have the devices side-by-side.

Hardware and specs

  • S20+: Exynos 990/Snapdragon 865, 12GB RAM, 128/512GB storage, 4500mAh
  • S10+: Exynos 9820/Snapdragon 855, 8GB/12GB RAM, 128/512GB/1TB, 4100mAh

The Samsung Galaxy S20+ is a powerful device, offering 2020’s Exynos 990 processor in the UK and Europe, or the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor in the US and elsewhere. Supporting these chipsets is 12GB of RAM as standard, coupled with 128GB or 512GB of storage, both of which offer microSD support for storage expansion. 

The Galaxy S10+ also comes with a powerful processor in 2019’s Exynos 9820 or Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855, depending on the region, but it offers 8GB of RAM as standard. To get the 12GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, you’d have to opt for the ceramic model. The S10+ is also only 4G compatible, while the S20+ is 5G enabled.

Both the Galaxy S20+ and the Galaxy S10+ offer fast charging, wireless charging and reverse wireless charging. The S20+ has a 400mAh larger battery capacity though, which should mean it lasts a little longer than the S10+, although in practise we don’t think there’s much of a difference.

Cameras

  • S20+: 12MP ultra wide, 12MP main, 64MP telephoto, DepthVision; 10MP front 
  • S10+: 16MP ultra wide, 12MP main, 12MP telephoto, 3D Depth; 10MP + 3D Depth front

The Samsung Galaxy S20+ changed things up quite a bit in the camera department compared to its predecessor. Both offer quad rear cameras, but the S20+ has a new 12-megapixel main camera that features larger pixels and a fixed aperture, while the S10+ had Dual Aperture. 

The S20+’s ultra wide camera also gets a 12-megapixel sensor, but with smaller pixels and a narrower aperture, while on the telephoto lens, Samsung goes for resolution in the S20+, with a 64-megapixel sensor compared to the S10+’s 12-megapixel offering. The zoom is a little more complicated on the S20+ than the S10+, with what Samsung calls “Hybrid Optic Zoom” out to 3x optical and Super Resolution Zoom taking you out to 30x. This latter option is basically zoom with AI to try and clean things up.

On the front things change too. The S10+ offers a dual front camera, while the S20+ only has one single camera.

There are several new features with the S20 device though, including Single Take that allows you to capture from all cameras at once, as well as 8K video capture capabilities – which the S20+ uses that 64-megapixel sensor for. The S10+ meanwhile, also has a number of great features, but only 4K video capture. 

Price

  • S20+: From £999 (5G)
  • S10+: From £899 (4G)

The Samsung Galaxy S20+ started at £100 more than the S10+ when it first arrived as it was only available as a 5G handset in the UK.

The Samsung Galaxy S10+ started at £899 when it arrived in March 2019.

Both models should be available cheaper now though given they have been succeeded by the Galaxy S21 series.

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Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy S20+ not only offers a nicer design than the Galaxy S10+, but it offers numerous improvements, including a larger and faster display, more camera capabilities and better hardware, such as more RAM as standard and a larger battery capacity.

The Galaxy S10+ is still a great phone however, and is quite a bit cheaper following the availability of the S20+ and S21+, which might make it a better choice for those on a budget. For those wondering whether to upgrade, the S20+ has some great potential, but it’s still pretty close in experience to the Galaxy S10+ so you might want to consider the S21+ instead.

Writing by Britta O’Boyle.

asus-zenfone-8-flip-leak-pairs-flipping-cameras-with-snapdragon-888

Asus Zenfone 8 Flip leak pairs flipping cameras with Snapdragon 888

Asus’s successor to last year’s Zenfone 7 has leaked online, pointing to a return for the phones’ flipping camera array on May 12th. Specs and images of two upcoming devices — the Zenfone 8 and Zenfone 8 Flip — have been published by 91Mobiles, based on information provided by leaker Ishan Agarwal. As its name suggests, the 8 Flip has three cameras built into a mechanical flipping mechanism that rotates them over the top edge of the display to take selfies, while the 8 has two rear cameras in a more standard rectangular camera bump.

From the leaks, the Zenfone 8 Flip appears to be a comparatively minor spec bump compared to last year’s Zenfone 7 Pro. It’s got a Snapdragon 888 processor rather than a Snapdragon 865 Plus, but the new model has the same massive 5,000mAH battery, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of internal storage. The 1080p OLED display is still notchless thanks to the flipping cameras, still 6.67-inches in size, and still 90Hz, according to the leak. It also reportedly weighs the same at 230 grams, which could mean another heavy device.

Full Specs & Renders of the ASUS Zenfone 8 & Zenfone 8 Flip, launching on May 12

Zenfone 8 is a compact smartphone with 5.92″ screen size while th 8 Flip has a 6.67″ AMOLED Display.

Both feature Snapdragon 888 & 64MP Main Camera.

Please link & credit: https://t.co/9ZO803tRlk pic.twitter.com/MCc2p5ISaK

— Ishan Agarwal (@ishanagarwal24) May 5, 2021

The cameras also appear similar, with one key difference. While last year’s Zenfone 7 Pro had a 64 megapixel main camera paired with a 8 megapixel telephoto and 12 megapixel ultrawide, the new 8 Flip will apparently swap out the ultrawide for a 12 megapixel macro. We generally find ultrawide cameras much more useful than macro cameras on phones, making this an unfortunate change if accurate.

The Zenfone 8.
Image: 91Mobiles

Meanwhile, the standard Zenfone 8 is a much more traditional device, according to the leak. It’ll apparently have a smaller 5.92-inch 1080p display, but internally there’s the same Snapdragon 888 processor, and 8GB of RAM, albeit with a smaller 4,000 mAh battery and 128GB of internal storage. It’ll also reportedly come with one less rear-facing camera since it lacks the telephoto of the 8 Flip. That said, it should have the same number of cameras overall thanks to its separate hole-punch selfie camera on the front. It’s also fitted with an increasingly rare headphone jack.

No details were given on the phones’ pricing or release dates, but with a launch event reportedly coming next week, we won’t have long to wait for official information.

sony’s-smartphone-with-an-hdmi-input-comes-to-europe

Sony’s smartphone with an HDMI input comes to Europe

(Image credit: Sony)

The world’s first HDMI-equipped smartphone is coming to Europe. The Sony Xperia Pro – which has an HDMI input – launched in the US and Japan in January, and is now available to preorder in the UK, Germany and the Nordic countries.

It’s aimed at creative professionals looking to “streamline their workflow”. In other words, you can hook it up to your pro-grade camera or video camera and use it as an external monitor. And because it has 5G connectivity, you can livestream or upload snaps and vids straight to a website or social network of your choosing, wherever you are (as long as you have signal).

Just keep an eye on your data usage, as big file sizes will eat through it in no time.

(Image credit: Sony)

The dedicated External Monitor mode gives you a screen lock function, screen brightness adjustment, zoom capabilities, adjustable grid lines and more. The 6.5in display is a lot bigger than most camera’s screens, and because it’s a 4K OLED it should be nice and bright and clear, so it should provide lots more detail.

The Xperia Pro has the same cameras as the awesome Xperia 1 II – currently sitting pretty atop our list of best smartphones for movies and music. And you know what they say, the best camera is the one that’s always with you.

Its screen also has the same 21:9 aspect ratio, making it better for watching movies. Fire up its creator mode and you’ll have a specially calibrated D65 white point, referencing the colour reproduction of Sony’s professional colour monitors. So colours should be on point.

And it should last you out in the field, with IP65/68 water- and dust-resistance and Corning Gorilla Glass 6 on the front.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chip will keep things moving nicely, and the 4000mAh battery is equipped for fast charging.

But such power and connectivity doesn’t come cheap. In the UK, the Xperia Pro costs £2299 – that’s over twice the price of the Xperia 1 II. It goes on sale next week

MORE:

These are the best smartphones for movies and music

Here’s what’s new with the Sony Xperia 1 III

Take a look at the best Android phones around right now