Now that the Pro moniker has gone mainstream, it’s Ultra that has come to represent the cream of the crop, and the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra can wear that badge proudly. Limited to its home market last year, the ultimate Mi has gone global this time around, and we’re happy to have it for review today.
We’re torn whether it’s the camera system’s physical appearance that is more striking or the hardware inside. A simply massive raised area on the back looks bolted on, almost after the fact, it’s hard to miss, and it’s a great conversation starter even if it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.
But its size is warranted – the main camera packs the largest sensor used on a modern-day smartphone, and next to it – two more modules unmatched in their own fields, in one way or another. Oh, and yes, there’s also a display here – because why not, but also because it can be useful.
There’s a lot more than 1.1 inches of OLED on the front. The 6.81-inch Super AMOLED is all kinds of great – high resolution, high refresh rate, high brightness, HDR, a billion colors, you name it. Meanwhile, the Snapdragon 888 underneath is second to none as chipsets go this year and with 256GB of base storage, should we even mention the lack of expansion capability as a con?
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra specs at a glance:
Body: 164.3×74.6×8.4mm, 234g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), ceramic back, aluminum frame; IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins).
Display: 6.81″ AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 900 nits, 1700 nits (peak), 1440x3200px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 515ppi.
Chipset: Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm): Octa-core (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 680 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 680 & 4×1.80 GHz Kryo 680); Adreno 660.
Memory: 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM; UFS 3.1.
OS/Software: Android 11, MIUI 12.5.
Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/2.0, 24mm, 1/1.12″, 1.4µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, Laser AF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 48 MP, f/2.2, 12mm, 128˚, 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF; Telephoto: 48 MP, f/4.1, 120mm, 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom.
Front camera: 20 MP, f/2.2, 27mm (wide), 1/3.4″, 0.8µm.
Video capture: Rear camera: 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10+ rec; Front camera: 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@120fps, gyro-EIS.
Battery: 5000mAh; Fast charging 67W, 100% in 36 min (advertised), Fast wireless charging 67W, 100% in 39 min (advertised), Reverse wireless charging 10W, Quick Charge 4+, Power Delivery 3.0.
Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); NFC; Infrared port.Xiaomis don’t normally have dust and water protection, but that’s changed this year with the Mi 11s – both the Pro and the Ultra have an IP68 rating, and that’s a most welcome development. Conversely, a staple of the brand’s handsets, both affordable and expensive, the IR emitter remains. Stereo speakers have been making their way to the Xiaomi midrange, so it’s only natural that the high-end models have them, and these have been tuned by Harman/Kardon, that couldn’t hurt.
An increase in battery capacity compared to last year’s model is another upgrade we can appreciate. On the other hand, they did downgrade the charging – instead of the Mi 10 Ultra’s 120W, you only get 67W here. Tsk-tsk.
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra unboxing
The packaging has lost the flair of the Mi 10 Ultra’s presentation, and the Mi 11 Ultra showed up in a standard black box with copper lettering (or is it rose gold?). What’s inside that?
Our EU-bound retail bundle includes the 67W charger – that’s not the case in all markets with chargers coming as a free-of-charge option in some places (China, maybe other parts of Asia). It’s a proprietary adapter with a USB-A output, so it won’t please USB PowerDelivery die-hards. There is a USB cable included too.
A headset may be missing, but there is a USB-C-to-3.5mm dongle included so you can use your own. Also inside the box is a transparent soft silicone back cover. While the (free) protection is appreciated, the look and feel of the thing is no match for the phone itself.
Oppo A95 5G popped up on China Telecom’s website earlier this month and today, the phone maker made the device official. The Oppo A95 5G has the same chipset and screen as the Oppo Reno 5Z, but one fewer cameras on the back.
Oppo A95 5G
The panel on the front is a 6.43” AMOLED with a punch hole in the upper left corner. The resolution is Full HD+ and the panel has a standard 60Hz refresh rate. The A95 5G is powered by Dimensity 800U chipset by Mediatek and has 8GB RAM to keep it company. The storage is either 128GB or 256GB, with micro SD for up to 2TB more.
The camera setup on the back includes 48MP main, 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro modules. The front-facing shooter is 16MP. Oppo did not put anything spectacular where the depth cam was – just a mere “48MP” sign.
The battery has 4,310mAh capacity with 30W fast charging through the USB-C port. The connector is on the bottom, right next to the 3.5mm audio jack. Other highlights include ColorOS 11.1, based on Android 11, Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 5.1 support.
The Oppo A95 5G is offered in Black, White and Dawn Blue on the company website. It is up for pre-order and costs CNY1,999 ($310/€255) or CNY2,299 ($355/€295), depending on the storage choice.
AMD’s Threadripper consumer HEDT processors continue to be praised strongly for their excellent compute performance and connectivity options. But what if you want more than 256GB of memory? What if you want your RAM to run in 8-channel mode? What if you want more than 64 PCIe Gen 4 lanes? Well… that’s where Threadripper Pro comes in.
Watch via our Vimeo Channel (Below) or over on YouTube at 2160p HERE
Video Timestamps:
00:00 Start
00:15 Some details/pricing
01:15 Star of the show – Threadripper Pro 3975WX
03:20 The CPU cooler
03:46 Memory setup / weird plastic shrouds with fans
05:27 AMD Radeon Pro W5700 GPU
07:00 Motherboard
08:55 Storage options
09:41 1000W PSU (Platinum) and custom setup
10:32 Luke’s thoughts and I/O panels
11:22 The Chassis
11:40 Cooling and tool less design
12:35 Summary so far
14:02 Performance tests
16:49 System temperatures, power and noise testing
19:05 System under idle conditions – ‘rumbling’ noise we experienced
19:22 Pros and Cons / Closing thoughts
Primary Specifications:
32-core AMD Threadripper Pro 3975WX processor
128GB of 3200MHz ECC DDR4 memory in 8-channel mode
AMD Radeon Pro W5700 graphics card with 8GB GDDR6 VRAM
WD SN730 256GB NVMe SSD
1kW 80Plus Platinum PSU
We are examining the Lenovo ThinkStation P620 workstation that is built around Threadripper Pro and its 8-channel memory support. There are a few options for the base processor on Lenovo’s website including 12, 16, 32, and 64 core options. Specifically, we are looking at the 32-core Threadripper Pro 3975WX chip and we are hoping that Lenovo can keep it running at the rated 3.5-4.2GHz speeds beneath that modestly sized CPU cooler.
Partnering this 280W TDP monster with its 128 PCIe Gen 4 lanes is 128GB of 8-channel DDR4 3200MHz ECC memory. While a 128GB installation is merely small-fry for Threadripper Pro, the 3200MHz modules running in 8-channel mode should allow for some excellent results in bandwidth-intensive tasks. Plus, you get a 1600MHz Infinity Fabric link for the Zen 2 cores.
I will, however, emphasise my dislike for Lenovo decision to deploy a 40mm fan and shroud to cool each DIMM bank. This seems unnecessary for a 128GB installation and merely adds additional noise and points of failure. Metal heatspreaders on the DIMMs would have been better, if enhanced cooling is deemed necessary.
Graphics comes in the form of an 8GB Radeon Pro W5700 blower-style card which we have already reviewed on KitGuru. That makes this an all-AMD system as far as the key components go. Another key benefit is ISV certification for the Lenovo P620. That point will be music to the ears of system buyers in a business environment with users who run software on the guaranteed support list.
Another point that will garner particular attention from prospective buyers is the display output connectivity. On its ‘pro-grade’ card, AMD deploys five Mini-DisplayPort 1.4 connections and one USB-C port. That gives you convenient access to six total display outputs which is super. As highlighted in our review of the Radeon Pro W5700, you can power five 4K monitors or three 5K alternatives, making this an excellent workstation proposition.
Lenovo uses its own WRX80 motherboard to house the sWRX8 Threadripper Pro CPU. The power delivery solution looks competent and Lenovo’s use of proper finned VRM heatsinks with passive cooling is to be commended. Six total PCIe Gen 4 slots are provided by the motherboard – four x16 bandwidth and two x8. However, only two x16 slots remain usable due to the slot spacing, and the top one will likely interfere with the RAM fan’s header.
It is actually disappointing to see Lenovo offering up sub-par expansion slot capability. There is no clear way to use the 128 lane capability from Threadripper Pro. That is especially disappointing to users who will want multiple graphics card alongside high-bandwidth networking and storage devices. However, the limited expandability is a clear compromise from Lenovo’s use of a compact chassis with just a couple of 80mm fans for intake and exhaust airflow.
At least you do get dual, cooled M.2 slots on the motherboard. One of those is occupied by a 256GB WD SN730 SSD in our install. Clearly, most users will want to adjust the storage configuration. But this is clearly a very subjective requirement, so I respect Lenovo for offering a basic, cheap drive for the baseline configuration.
Power is delivered by a 1kW 80Plus Platinum unit. Lenovo highlights 92% efficiency on the configurator page, but this is likely a mistake for 230/240V UK customers given the more stringent 80Plus Platinum requirements for those operating voltages. The PSU’s tool-less design is absolutely superb and works very well; a single connector port feeds power from the unit through the motherboard where it is then distributed accordingly, including via break-out cables for PCIe and SATA connectors.
Connectivity for the system is just ‘OK‘. You get 10GbE Aquantia AQC107 networking onboard, but a secondary network adapter is disappointingly omitted. I would have liked to see a few more USB ports on the rear IO, including some in Type-C form and preferably 20Gbps high-speed rated. However, the front IO is excellent with four 10Gbps USB connections, two of which are Type-C. I also appreciated the system’s included audio speaker when using the unit without a proper set of speakers.
The chassis build quality is good and feels very well-built given its compact form. Man-handling the hefty system is easy thanks to the front handle. And the internal tool-less design is excellent. Lenovo’s configurator gives an option to upgrade to a side panel with key locking to prevent unauthorised access, which is good to see.
With that said, cooling certainly looks to be limited with just two 80mm intake fans on the chassis. The graphics card, CPU, PSU, and (annoyingly) RAM also have fans to take care of their own cooling. If you are thinking of adding a second high power GPU, though, the internals are likely to get very toasty.
Priced at around £5.5-6K inc. VAT in the UK (depending on the graphics card situation given current shortages), we are keen to see how Threadripper Pro performs in this reasonably compact workstation.
Detailed Specifications
Processor: AMD Threadripper Pro 3975WX (32 cores/64 threads, 3.5/4.2GHz, 280W TDP, 144MB L2+L3 cache, 128 PCIe Gen 4 lanes, up to 2TB 8-channel DDR4-3200 ECC memory support)
Motherboard: Lenovo WRX80 Threadripper Pro Motherboard
Memory: 128GB (8x16GB) SK Hynix 3200MHz C24 ECC DDR4, Octa-channel
Graphics Card: 8GB AMD Radeon Pro W5700 (RDNA/Navi GPU, 36 compute units, 2304 stream processors, 205W TDP, 1183MHz base clock, 1750MHz GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus for 448GBps bandwidth)
System Drive: 256GB WD SN730 PCIe NVMe SSD
CPU Cooler: Lenovo dual-tower heatsink with 2x 80mm fans
For years, it’s been customary for video streaming services to come built into TVs, but this is the first time we’ve seen a music streaming service built into a pair of headphones.
The Mobee-K Smart Earphones side load Deezer onto compatible Samsung Galaxy smartphones like the S21, Note 20 Ultra or Z Flip when connected via USB-C. They also grant the listener three months of free Deezer HiFi or Deezer Premium.
Plug them in, and the headphones unlock a customised Deezer theme with exclusive content, including wallpapers, exclusive playlists, and shortcuts to Deezer, which can be accessed via the phone’s lock screen and home screen menus.
You can still use the headphones with other USB-C devices, but you won’t get the extras without a Samsung Galaxy device. You’ll also have to download Deezer the normal way, via the Google Play Store.
The Mobee-K Smart Earphones only cost $22 and are available exclusively on Amazon. Not convinced by this budget offering? Perhaps consider a pair from our list of the best earbuds you can buy.
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As part of a new partnership, Deezer will be available “pre-installed” on a new pair of USB-C earbuds from Mobee-K when they’re used with select Samsung Galaxy devices. Plugging the headphones into phones like the Galaxy S21, Note 20, or Z Flip effectively side-loads the music streaming service, without you having to visit the Google Play Store. It’s an interesting marketing tactic that could encourage listeners to give Deezer a try over bigger competitors like Spotify and Apple Music.
As well as offering access to the streaming service itself, Deezer advertises that syncing the earbuds with Samsung’s devices gives access to a “customized Deezer theme” which includes “wallpapers, exclusive playlists, and shortcuts to Deezer” via the phone’s lock and home screens. Galaxy devices going back to 2019’s S10 and Note 10 are supported.
If you’re not interested in giving a new streaming service a try, then the $22.70 headphones should still work with all of your other music sources. Mobee-K’s product listing advertises that they’re compatible with “most” USB-C devices, including smartphones, tablets, and laptops.
(Pocket-lint) – Flick your eyes over the Skoda Enyaq fast enough and, shocker, you might kind-of mistake it for a Tesla Model X from certain angles. No, there’s no crazy gullwing doors here. No, there’s not quite as much real-world range either (it’s not far off, on paper, at least). But, heck, the Skoda doesn’t half offer a whole lot for a lot less cash.
That’s where the Enyaq is going to really appeal. On top of that, despite being built upon the same platform as the Volkswagen ID.4 – VW Group owns Skoda, so that’s a given – the Skoda brings a little extra room for a little less money. It flips Audi Q5 grade costs on its head.
Even so, the Enyaq doesn’t really scrimp on its feature set, with a large infotainment screen included as standard, decent real-world range, and enough of the current must-have high-ride SUV appeal to be seen as a sensible option to a wide audience.
In many respects this could be the most sensible electric car option. But is being too sensible simply off-putting, or does Skoda have the appeal balanced just right?
Design & Interior
Trim levels (80 model): Loft, Lodge, Lounge, Suite, Ecosuite, Sportline
It’s all angles and elevated lines with the Enyaq – not quite to Tesla Cybertruck levels, mind – giving a distinctive look that’s still identifiably Skoda, as the various badges attached to the car will assert.
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If you’re looking for an EV with decent real-world range, though, its comparable competition – such as the Kia e-Niro – go with overall gentler stylings. By comparison the Enyaq doesn’t blend into the background, while not being so obscure that it’s a head-turner for the wrong reasons – well, unless you add the optional light-up LED grille, perhaps, which’ll probably make it look like a birthday cake on wheels.
In many respects we prefer the Enyaq’s exterior aesthetic to the Volkswagen ID.4, as the Skoda just has more poise and less warbly roundedness about it. There are LED lights as standard, further adding to the visual prowess, while 19-inch alloys as the entry level (20- and 21-inch upgrades are available) add to the overall package.
Inside, it’s generally a treat too. There’s plenty of space, both front and back, with the driver and front passenger in particular getting access to most of the goodies. The seats are comfortable, the materials and plastics soft to the touch, and there’s ample space to store your various kit – from cubby holes to centre bins and cup-holders.
In terms of space the 585 litre boot is large, especially for an electric vehicle where batteries have to be hidden away (in the floor on this platform). Not that you get secondary space in the front under the bonnet – you might expect it, given the lack of an engine – but there’s still a good amount of family room in here. Enough even for a dog crate in the back, should you have a canine companion to cart around.
Comfort acquired, it’s less the sensation of the seats that’ll catch your eye, though, and more the 13-inch touch display that sits proudly off the centre of the dash. That’s a big screen to get as standard (there’s no larger option, not that one’s needed), which is great for seeing navigation and infotainment – whether you’re running with what Skoda offers or linking up Android Auto or Apple CarPlay to take care of things (side note: our Android phone took multiple attempts to function via MirrorLink, so it seems a tad glitchy right now).
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TECH IN ABUNDANCE
Good as the large screen is, it’s positioned a bit of a reach away – especially for a high-riding SUV seating position such as this. And you’ll need to reach numerous times because Skoda, just like VW, is super-keen on touchscreen controls. We had issues with that in the VW ID.3, and while the Enyaq has some remnants of that experience it’s otherwise a bit more polished and has some more sensible physical shortcut keys on the dash and rotational shortcut dials on the steering wheel – which is all for the better.
Realistically, we suspect it’s more a case of getting used to the fact that volume is controlled by a slider mechanism to the bottom of the screen, or that climate control – which can be quick-selected by a physical button – will require a quick tap of your desired mode, or an up/down adjustment of the always-on-display temperature. It’s not totally taxing, but still a whisker off the mark as to where this system could get to.
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The second notable screen is the driver’s Virtual Cockpit. This is far smaller scale, but therefore not distracting, and displays all the relevant at-a-glance information that you’ll want to see. Far more distracting, however, is the HUD (head-up display) with its optional augmented reality navigation system – which throws directional curves and arrows onto the panel to try and tell you where you’re turning. It’s a bit too videogame-overlay-like and we can’t really see why it’s useful – it’s more just distracting (just like it is in the original Mercedes implementation).
Additional safety and convenience features can be built into the Enyaq, too, with lane-keep, adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection, and rear parking sensors all available – you’ll just have to pay extra for these add-on features. The more you opt for, the more complete the experience, which can be rather helpful for cruise driving over those longer motorway distances.
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So the interior is comfortable, packed with screens and useful information that you’ll learn to live with in little time. All we’d like is better integration with touchscreen options and a more driver-oriented screen to cut back on the arm-extended reach a little. Otherwise, as standard interiors go, this one is accomplished and kitted out.
Drive & Range
60 model: 58kWh battery, 256 mile range quoted
80 model: 77kWh battery, 333 mile range quoted
Regenerative braking paddle adjustment
Selectable drive modes
Rear-wheel drive only
So onto the big one: electric range, recharging and, well, battery anxiety. It’s all too common – especially given the UK’s lack of not only well-maintained, but fast-charging infrastructure – that the prospect of buying an EV can cause a bit of a lump in the throat. “Will it get me there and back no troubles?”
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Fortunately, the Skoda Enyaq is well equipped with potential range and the way in which that translates to real-world driving. We drove the ’80’ model, which has a 77kWh battery capacity; there’s also the ’60’ model, which is more affordable and has a smaller 58kWh battery capacity.
We can’t speak of the 60, having not driven it, but the 80 is claimed to deliver up to 333 miles (that’s 535km) according to WLTP standards. As ever, those figures are a bit of a reach – upon getting into our fully-charged Enyaq it told us 210 miles were at our disposal (admittedly in 10C temperatures, which always affects these things). That’s quite the discrepancy though.
Really, we think, WLTP standards should be changed to better reflect real-world conditions. Because, actually, we’ve been impressed by the Enyaq’s range – and, in particular, consistency in delivering feedback on that available range.
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Having driven away with 210 miles ‘on the clock’, some 16 miles in and the car was telling us we had 206 miles remaining, its regenerative braking clearly being top-drawer at clawing back the miles. Those figures continued to fluctuate a little – but, at the end of our three hours of driving, the distance travelled reflected the change in available range very accurately.
All in all, the car was telling us we’d get about 3.4 miles per kW, so a 250 mile range (420km) is genuinely achievable by our assessment – across all kinds of driving styles and speeds.
You’re not going to buy an Enyaq for thrills and spills, as that’s not the point of such a car, but with instant torque from that rear-wheel drive electric motor there’s immediacy to pulling away, while overtakes won’t be a problem with 0-60mph speeds of around 8 seconds. Given this car is over 2.3 tonnes, that’s not bad going for a mid-size SUV.
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Behind the wheel, irrelevant of drive mode selected (there’s marginal differences between whether you’re in eco or sport), everything feels rather serene and quiet. The Enyaq presses on, not quite as spritely as some EVs we’ve driven, but in a refined manner. It’s a real smooth operator in all kinds of driving conditions.
So not only is the real-world range admirable, the interior comfortable, the standard tech kit commendable, but this EV is a total breeze to drive too. It hits a whole lot of sweetspots, that’s for sure.
Verdict
That’s the sum of it: the Skoda Enyaq, as the marque’s first dedicated all-electric vehicle, is a sound and sensible investment. It undercuts the VW ID.4 in most regards, without really compromising on what you get. It’s got the Tesla Model X appeal – but for those who could never afford such a car.
Sure, there’s some foibles – the infotainment screen has its VW-owed irks, a lot is excessively touch-based, and it’s a bit of a reach to get to physically – but for a spacious, comfortable, decent real-world ranged EV, the Enyaq hits a lot of those (not virtual) buttons.
It’s a breeze to drive, is sensible without erring towards being too boring and, crucially, its asking price is enough to make you ponder the near competition. As mid-size electric SUVs go, the Skoda Enyaq is one smooth operator.
Oculus is turning on its Air Link PC streaming feature for the Quest 2 virtual reality headset. Air Link is part of the Oculus v28 software update, which recently started rolling out to Oculus headset owners. Facebook Reality Labs head Andrew Bosworth says you can find the feature if you’re running v28 on your PC and Quest 2 headset; if you haven’t gotten access to the update yet, “it’s coming very soon.”
Air Link lets Quest 2 owners with a strong Wi-Fi connection play PC VR games wirelessly on their headsets. Air Link was initially disabled on v28. But as Upload points out, Quest 2 owners had found a way to unofficially turn it on, and Oculus had warned that the experience was “not representative” of the final result. Bosworth says Oculus is releasing the feature today because “the excitement over Air Link can’t be contained”; the release was originally scheduled for next week, so Bosworth’s tweet moves it up by a few days.
Looks like the excitement over Air Link can’t be contained, so we’re officially making it available today for everyone who has both Quest and PC v28. If you don’t have v28 yet, stay tuned, it’s coming very soon!
— Boz (@boztank) April 23, 2021
Air Link evolved from Oculus Link, which used a USB-C cable to run PC VR games on the otherwise standalone Oculus Quest line of devices. (Oculus says a cable will still give you the best graphical fidelity, and unlike Air Link, it will charge your headset while you’re playing.) A similar wireless feature was already built into Virtual Desktop, a third-party app. Depending on performance, Air Link could make Virtual Desktop’s alternative less appealing to Quest 2 owners. But Oculus isn’t currently bringing the feature to its original Quest headset. Air Link is also classed as an experimental feature. If it’s like the original Link, users can expect some bugs around the launch — but at least that launch is coming a little sooner than expected.
(Pocket-lint) – Audiophile brand Bowers & Wilkins has always taken its sweet time in adopting new technologies. It told Pocket-lint in the past that this is intentional – it likes to wait until the market matures and its own high audio quality standards can be met.
It was relatively late to market with a Bluetooth speaker and wireless heaphones. And, it only adopted active or adaptive noise-cancellation when it was sure its tech wouldn’t hamper audio performance.
That’s why it is also late to the party with true wireles in-ears. And, do you know what, we don’t mind. The flagship Bowers & Wilkins PI7 in-ear true wireless headphones are proof positive that a softly softly approach can reap dividends.
In many ways, these ‘buds remind us of the excellent Sony WF-1000XM3 earphones. Except smaller, more confortable, and with even more musicality. That’s the benefit of hindsight in effect right there.
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What you get in the box
When you open the box, you see a tasty-looking, small-scale case. It’s a bit larger than an Apple AirPods equivalent but a lot smaller than many we’ve also had through the Pocket-lint testing bed.
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The case comes with a USB-C port and a couple of buttons, including a Bluetooth pairing button that allows you to connect it to your device without needing to take out the ‘buds.
A USB-C to USB-C cable is included, but you’ll have to provide your own charging plug. That does mean it is capable of being fast charged, though. It can also be charged wirelessly, if you have a Qi mat handy.
The case has a further neat trick up its sleeve too: it can also act as a Bluetooth transmitter. Using an additional included USB-C to 3.5mm mini jack cable, you can plug the case into any source and transmit audio to your PI7s wirelessly.
This feature could be great for listening to in-flight entertainment – rather than buying something such as the RHA Wireless Flight Adapter – for example, or for using with a Nintendo Switch, which doesn’t currently support Bluetooth headphones. The case will also pair with other Bowers & Wilkins wireless headphones – such as the B&W PX7 released in 2020 – so can simultaneously transmit audio to those too.
Design and fit
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 in-ears are beautifully designed. We are testing the white version – they are also available in charcoal.
They are extremely comfortable and light, with a matte finish to the plastic and neat metallic element on the outer tips. It’s meant to be a gold finish but, depending on the light, can look gunmetal grey at times.
The eartips are silicone, with the medium sized tips on the earbuds as default. You get a couple of extra silicone tips in the box, in small and large.
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In our ears, they fit very well indeed and are extremely comfortable. We wouldn’t imagine getting earache from these over long periods, unlike some competitors (although these first impressions are based on having the PI7s for a few days, so a full, in-depth test is yet to follow).
What we will say though, is that as the larger plastic section needs to fit inside the bowl of your ear, some with smaller ears may struggle to place it successfully.
The ‘buds are water- and dust-proof, which is great for indoor workouts. But, we’re not sure they’re secure enough for running outdoors. Very few non-sport TWS in-ears are, to be honest.
There are touch controls on each of the earphones. You can tap to take a call, pause, play and rewind music, and adjust noise-cancelling and activate your chosen voice assistant. There are also wear sensors on each, so when you remove either, the music stops. It plays automatically when you put them back in.
Set-up and battery life
Setting up the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 in-ears is a doddle. For iPhone users, you just need to head to your Bluetooth settings screen and press the button inside the case for a couple of seconds. The headphones should appear in your list for connection.
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It’s even easier on Android devices with Google Fast Pair enabled. Just place the case nearby and open the case lid. Then follow the instructions on your phone.
You also need to download the Bowers & Wilkins Headphones app to control a couple of the features and/or update the PI7s or their case. Once paired via Bluetooth, you can search for your in-ears through the app – this will bring up a dedicated settings section.
The app will also show you the battery status of each earbud and the case. It gives you control over the adaptive noise-cancellation tech (switching it on or off, or choosing whether to have it automatically adjust depending on your surroundings). You can also change the strength of the noise-cancelling effect via a transparency slider.
Battery life is claimed to be up to 4 hours of playback for each ‘bud, with a further 16 hours from the case. We are yet to test that fully.
Audio performance
We’ve been hugely impressed by the audio performance and signature in our listening tests so far.
The B&W PI7 headphones support Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive lossless wireless tech, although we’re yet to give that a thorough workout. We have, though, streamed plenty of Tidal Masters tracks via an iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Naturally, this isn’t the best we could get but it’s close to what we expect most users will acheive.
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Led Zeppelin’s Bring it on Home (remastered) sounded deep, involving, and with excellent separation. As too did The Kink’s Shangri-La (the stereo mix). While it is weird writing about the imperfections in a recording, they are often what makes a certain version so good, and every squeaky guitar slide is picked out by these headphones.
Bass is impressive too. Each earbud has its own amplifier, supporting a custom 9.2mm drive unit. This works greatly across all fequencies, but bass certainly benefits.
Aside from obvious hip-hop examples, the opening bars of the 2019 remix of Come Together by The Beatles are throaty and tangible. All from tiny in-ears with no cable attached. Amazing.
First Impressions
We want to investigate further before we give our full opinion, but so far, it seems like Bowers & Wilkins is onto a winner with the PI7 wireless in-ears.
These earbuds are extremely high quality and look tasty to match. Their musicality is right up there, but then so is the price, so you would expect as much.
That’s probably our only quibble for now – the B&Ws are almost twice the price of Apple’s AirPods Pro equivalents. Indeed, there are few high-end alternatives priced quite so highly.
Bowers & Wilkins does counter that with the less expensive PI5 – released at the same time – but we haven’t heard those yet to give you a decent comparison, and they don’t come with the Hi-Res Audio specifications.
Still, we’d imagine there are plenty willing to pay a premium price for premium performance. We’ll soon follow up with a full review to let you know if it’s justified. So far, so good, however.
(Pocket-lint) – Apple revealed the fifth generation iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) and third generation iPad Pro 11 (2021) at an event in April. The two devices sit above the fourth generation iPad Air (2020), the eighth generation iPad (2020) and the iPad mini.
You can read how all Apple’s iPad’s compare in our separate feature, but here we are looking at how the new iPad Pros compare to the iPad Air to help you work out which is right for you.
Here is how the iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) stacks up against the iPad Pro 11 (2021) and iPad Air (2020).
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Design
iPad Pro 12.9 (2021): 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4mm, 682g
iPad Pro 11 (2021): 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9mm, 466g
iPad Air (2020): 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1mm, 458g
The Apple iPad Pro 12.9 and Apple iPad Pro 11 share identical designs, though their measurements differ. The iPad Air meanwhile, borrows some of the iPad Pro’s design features, like very narrow bezels around the screen and an aluminium body with square edges but there are some differences elsewhere.
The iPad Pro models have a large square camera housing in the top left corner – like the iPhone 12 models – and they have two camera lenses within that housing. The iPad Air has a singular camera lens in the top left corner so there’s a slight step down in the camera department.
The iPad Pro models feature Face ID at the top of their displays, while the iPad Air has Touch ID built into the power button at the top – both allow for as much screen as possible in the body available though.
All models have a Smart Connector on the back and all are compatible with the second generation Apple Pencil and Magic Folio Keyboard.
The iPad Pro models have Thunderbolt/USB 4 for charging and data transfer, while the iPad Air has USB-C. The iPad Pro models come in Silver and Space Grey colours, but the iPad Air comes in Rose Gold, Green and Sky Blue on top of Silver and Space Grey, making for some more exciting finish options.
In terms of overall size and weight, the iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) is the largest and heaviest, while the iPad Pro 11 (2021) and iPad Air are almost identical in size and weight, with the iPad Pro 11 slightly slimmer and the iPad Air slightly lighter.
Display
iPad Pro 12.9 (2021): 12.9-inch, Liquid XDR, 2732 x 2048 resolution (264ppi), 1600nits, ProMotion, True Tone
iPad Pro 11 (2021): 11-inch, Liquid Retina, 2388 x 1668 resolution (264ppi), 600nits, ProMotion, True Tone
iPad Air (2020): 10.9-inch, Liquid Retina, 2360 x 1640 resolution (264ppi), 500nits, True Tone
The Apple iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) has a 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display, which is the largest and brightest of the three iPads being compared here with a 1600nits peak brightness (HDR). The iPad Pro 11 (2021) and iPad Air have a Liquid Retina display, with the iPad Pro featuring an 11-inch screen and a max brightness of 600nits and the Air offering a 10.9-inch display with a max brightness of 500nits.
All three models have a pixel density of 264ppi and they all have an anti-reflective coating, P3 wide colour display, True Tone technology and a fully laminated display.
The iPad Pro models come with Apple’s ProMotion technology though, offering a 120Hz variable refresh rate, while the iPad Air doesn’t have this on board, marking the biggest distinction between the iPad Pro 11 and iPad Air in terms of display.
Hardware and specs
iPad Pro 12.9 (2021): Apple M1 chip, 8GB/16GB RAM, up to 2TB storage, 10-hour battery, 5G
iPad Pro 11 (2021): Apple M1 chip, 8GB/16GB RAM, up to 2TB storage, 10-hour battery, 5G
iPad Air (2020): A14 Bionic, up to 1TB storage, 10-hour battery, 4G
The Apple iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) and the iPad Pro 11 (2021) both run on Apple’s M1 chip – which is the same chip that can be found in the new iMac and the latest MacBook Pros so you’re talking about quite a bit of power here. They also both have come with a choice of 8GB or 16GB of RAM and storage options start at 128GB and go up to 2TB.
The 2021 iPad Pro models come in Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi and Cellular options, with the latter offering 5G connectivity.
The iPad Air (2020) meanwhile, runs on the A14 Bionic chip which although still more than capable and a very powerful processor, isn’t quite as advanced as the M1. There are also no RAM options to choose between and storage only goes up to 1TB.
The iPad Air comes in Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi and Cellular models too but the Wi-Fi and Cellular models are 4G rather than 5G.
All three models have a 10-hour battery life. As mentioned though, the iPad Pro models have Thunderbolt/USB 4, while the iPad Air has USB-C. The iPad Pro models also have four-speaker audio, while the iPad Air has two-speaker audio.
Cameras
iPad Pro 12.9 (2021): 12MP (f/1.8) +10MP (f/2.4) rear, 12MP front
iPad Pro 11 (2021): 12MP (f/1.8) +10MP (f/2.4) rear, 12MP front
iPad Air (2020): 12MP (f/1.8), 7MP front
Both the iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) and the iPad Pro 11 (2021) come with a 12-megapixel wide (f/1.8) and 10-megapixel ultra wide (f/2.4) camera on their rear. They also have 2x optical zoom out, 5x digital zoom and a brighter True Tone flash, as well as Smart HDR 3 for photos.
The iPad Air has a single 12-megapixel wide camera on the rear with an f/1.8 aperture. It offers 5x digital zoom and smart HDR 3 for photos.
On the front, the iPad Pro 12.9 and the iPad Pro 11 come with a 12-megapixel TrueDepth camera with ultra wide camera. It offers an f/2.4 aperture with 2x optical zoom out and a number of features including Centre Stage, portrait mode, Portrait Lighting, Animoji and Memoji and extended dynamic range for video up to 30fps.
The iPad Air meanwhile, has a 7-megapixel FaceTime HD camera with an f/2.2 aperture. It has a Retina Flash, Smart HDR 3 for photos and cinematic video stabilisation like the iPad Pro models, but it doesn’t have the other features mentioned above.
Price
iPad Pro 12.9 (2021): From £999
iPad Pro 11 (2021): From £749
iPad Air (2020): From £579
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There’s quite a big difference in price between the iPad Pro models and the iPad Air.
The iPad Pro 12.9 starts at £999 in the UK for the Wi-Fi only model, and £1149 for the Wi-Fi and Cellular model. Opt for the top specs and you’re looking at quite a significant amount of money.
The iPad Pro 11 starts at £749 in the UK for the Wi-Fi only model and £899 for the Wi-Fi and Cellular model. Again, if you opt for the 2TB of storage and 16GB of RAM, you’re looking at serious bucks.
The iPad Air starts at £579 in the UK for the Wi-Fi only model, and £709 for the Wi-Fi and Cellular. You of course pay more for the larger storage models, but it is still significantly cheaper than the iPad Pro models.
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Conclusion
The only difference between the iPad Pro 12.9 and the iPad Pro 11, apart from their physical sizes, is the display technology. The 12.9-inch model has an XDR display, while the 11-inch doesn’t. Otherwise their specs are the same, but you of course pay more for the larger model.
The iPad Pro 11 and iPad Air are the same size and they have pretty much the same display size too. The iPad Pro offers an extra camera on the rear, an improved front camera with features like Centre Stage, a more powerful processor, a higher storage option of 2TB, 5G capabilities, Thunderbolt over USB-C, RAM options and ProMotion on the display. The Air does have some more exciting colour options though, and it’s a bit lighter.
Which you choose of these models will likely come down to not only your budget but what features are important to you. The iPad Air (2020) is fantastic and will be more than adequate for many, though the iPad Pro models do obviously offer those extra premium features and speed.
It looks like Oppo will be the next company to throw its hat in the Bluetooth tracking tag game, with a leak of the company’s new Smart Tag appearing over on XDA(via Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station).
Oppo’s tracker looks to distinguish itself in at least one key way from other major tracking tags by offering a USB-C port for recharging the tags, instead of requiring replaceable coin cell batteries (or even worse, nonremovable batteries, as is the case on some Tile trackers). That should make the new Oppo tags a bit more environmentally friendly, although it’s unclear what the impact on battery life will be compared to a more traditional battery system.
And while details are slim on the Oppo Smart Tag, the leak does confirm that the tracker will support ultra-wideband radio for more precise tracking, similar to Apple’s recently revealed AirTag tracker and Samsung’s SmartTag Plus (which was released earlier in April).
Of course, a Bluetooth tracker is only as good as the network of devices that can support it. Tile, the longtime leader in the tracking tag space, has spent almost a decade building up its network of tags, and Apple’s Find My network is able to leverage the hundreds of millions of iPhones and iPads in the world to track down AirTags.
With 9 percent of the global market share at the end of 2020 (according to Counterpoint Research’s data), Oppo can likely make a good case that it has the market saturation to make its tags effective, too, but it’ll likely heavily depend on where users are in the world and how popular Oppo’s phones are in that area.
Flagship features and a big, clear screen make this mid-priced mobile a good option for your pocket
For
Good for gaming
Detailed picture performance
Decent built-in speakers
Against
Screen could be subtler
Flat audio performance
Alec Baldwin may be the best known, and arguably most talented, of his siblings but as Trey Parker and Matt Stone once wrote: you know what sucks about being a Baldwin? Nothing! Thankfully for Billy, Daniel, Stephen and the OnePlus 9 smartphone, life always has room for a little brother.
With only two members of the OnePlus 9 family, finding a niche as the more affordable smaller sibling should be no problem at all. The OnePlus 9 is still a big phone and its 6.55-inch display means it can bring some serious scale to your portable viewing.
Not only does the OnePlus 9 have an HDR10+-supporting, 120Hz AMOLED screen, it also has a Hasselblad camera set-up on board too. And it charges so quickly that by the time you remember that you plugged it in, it’s probably full and ready to go.
Granted, there are a few nips and tucks to the specs compared with the OnePlus 9 Pro but, with around a quarter off the Pro’s price tag, this Android handset has the tempting promise of a flagship phone at a mid-range price.
Pricing
The OnePlus 9 is priced at £629 for the Astral Black and Arctic Sky versions, which come with 128GB of storage space and 8GB of RAM in the UK and Europe. The Winter Mist OnePlus 9 is £729 and comes with 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM.
In the US, only the Astral Black and Winter Mist finishes are available, but both come with 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage. The US OnePlus 9 is priced at $729.
Features
(Image credit: OnePlus)
A phone with a 6.55-inch screen is just about small enough to carry out most of your operations one-handed without fear of dropping it, although swiping from the top and bottom without adjusting your grip makes for some pretty intensive thumb yoga. Laid next to the OnePlus 9 Pro, the standard OnePlus 9 is just 4mm shorter at 160mm long and a little thinner at 8.7mm rather than 9mm, but has the same 74mm width.
Despite its fibreglass polymer frame, the finish still feels premium for a non-metal phone. The three-way sliding switch for the silent, vibrate and ring profiles is a particularly nice touch. Underneath that, there is the power button, on the opposite side is the volume rocker with the USB-C port and SIM tray on the bottom edge. Sadly, there’s no 3.5mm headphone socket.
OnePlus 9 tech specs
(Image credit: OnePlus)
Screen 6.55in AMOLED
Resolution 2400 x 1080 (402ppi)
Rear camera 48MP, 50MP, 2MP
Front camera 16MP
Dolby Atmos Yes
Finishes x3
Dimensions (hwd) 16 x 7.4 x 0.9cm
Weight 192g
For wireless audio, there’s Bluetooth 5.2 with aptX and aptX HD included as well as LDAC technology, which allows hi-res audio streaming over Bluetooth at up to 24-bit/96 kHz.
As for that screen, it’s a 2400 x 1080 AMOLED panel with a fixed 120Hz refresh rate and a pixel density of 402ppi. Compared with the 9 Pro (525ppi), it’s a little less sharp and slightly dimmer too, with a peak brightness of 1100nits rather than the 1300nit display on the Pro. On top is a flat piece of Gorilla Glass, under which is a hidden fingerprint reader, though you can also unlock the phone using face recognition.
Those looking to dive into some on-the-go TV and film watching will appreciate the HDR10+ and HDR10 support with plenty of HDR compatibility to be found on Netflix and others. You can play locally stored MKV, MOV, MP4, H.265 (HEVC), AVI and other video file formats. The display proportions offer a maximum possible 20:9 aspect ratio, but while most content is edged by a pair of black bars, premium gaming titles use the whole screen width.
Game Mode Pro is a handy feature of Oxygen OS – an otherwise light skin on top of Android 11. It shuts off notifications from popping up on your screen, restricts background app use to divert as much processing power to your gaming as possible and prioritises your network use for game data. We also like the way it brings quick access to options such as WhatsApp messaging, Instagram and screen recording with a small, pull-down menu at your thumb.
(Image credit: OnePlus)
The gameplay itself is well handled. The fast refresh rate of the display helps your gaming feel lag-free, both on and off-line. OnePlus has installed its Cool Play vapour cooling system, but even after one round of PUBG Mobile, the handset still feels pretty warm.
Despite that, and the fixed 120Hz rate, the 4500mAh battery takes us well beyond a day of heavy use. Should you need to recharge more regularly, you’ll be pleased to note that the Warp 65T charger included in the box takes just under 30 minutes to fill your phone.
As with the OnePlus 9 Pro, owners of this handset benefit from a Hasselblad-calibrated camera array. Here, it is a three-lens set-up, with a main 48MP camera, a 50MP ultrawide and a monochrome shooter, but no telephoto. There is 12-bit colour depth stills imaging available in Pro Mode for RAW files and you can capture 8K video at 30fps and 4K video at 60fps.
Telephoto aside, the performance of the camera is right up there with that of the 9 Pro’s. The optical image stabilisation works a treat for the handheld tracking shots around our test facilities. The results look almost as if they were shot using a camera dolly and there’s the odd jump only with fast pans. The colours are bright and rich, if not quite as real-world accurate as the best smartphones.
As with its bigger brother, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chip orchestrates the action with great aplomb. There’s barely a glitch or stutter in our time with the phone and we’d expect it to stay that way with regular updates and fixes to the OS, the UI and third-party apps.
Screen
(Image credit: OnePlus)
If you’re expecting the performance of the OnePlus 9 to match that of the OnePlus 9 Pro, think again – that extra spend goes on more than just an aluminium frame and some curved glass. But there is a lot to like about the OnePlus 9’s picture performance.
It’s easy to lose ourselves in the story of The Witcher in HDR on Netflix. It’s a bright and engaging image with a decent degree of punch and no wanting for detail in light and dark areas of the screen. The opening shots across the shaded interior of a barn reveal lots of detail in the shadows without doing much damage to the black depth. Even when the frame becomes split between that darkness and the bright daylight on the faces of the young lovers outside the barn, the overall exposure levels remain well pitched.
We’re just as pleased with how the OnePlus 9 handles SDR. The Display P3 mode brings a good blend between the natural look of the Missouri countryside and the exciting colours of sci-fi space as we watch Guardians Of The Galaxy 2 in Full HD. If you’d rather not get your hands dirty in the settings, pull the colour temperature towards ‘cold’ or use the Natural preset.
As with the OnePlus 9 Pro, though, there’s room for improvement. The very best handsets maintain a slightly inkier black depth and add a bit more of a dynamic HDR feel, while some displays are a touch more careful with shading. It’s most apparent when looking at faces – the skin complexion of the lovers in The Witcher episode, for example, are fairly uniform in their production, when colour and lighting could be handled a little better.
But these performance compromises are in line with the 9 Pro, which also favours dark detail over black depth. The 9 Pro is sharper, a little brighter and the colours go a touch further before starting to look artificial but, given the difference in price, this is to be expected. The OnePlus 9 still makes for some worthy big-screen viewing at this point in the market.
Sound
(Image credit: OnePlus)
But while the screen can be classed as ‘good’, the audio performance of the OnePlus 9 is firmly in the average category. It plays your favourite tracks faithfully enough but is never going to thrill you. That doesn’t mean that it’s not without its charms, though.
OnePlus’s ‘Dual stereo speaker’ set-up is fine for listening to music or watching a film without headphones. Dialogue is clear and sound effects are identifiable, while music is balanced and not without a sense of presence. We’d recommend listening without the Dolby Atmos music processing, but both ‘Film’ and ‘Music’ modes come across well.
Listening to Biffy Clyro’s Many Of Horror, the OnePlus 9 conveys that powerful sense of emotion. There’s definition and clarity to the vocals and the squeaky slides up the guitar strings of the intro, even if it’s not the most detailed delivery we’ve heard. The volume on the device doesn’t go particularly high but reaches the top with hardly any distortion.
For headphones listening, it’s best to axe the processing and set the OnePlus 9 to ‘None’ under ‘Style Preference’ in the sound settings. It doesn’t do much to make up for this phone’s underwhelming dynamics but keeps music as rhythmic as possible. We play Blue Monday by New Order and the impact of the electro beats and synth sounds is in line with the OnePlus 9 Pro’s performance. The more expensive model has a better stab at organising the sounds but, paired with a decent set of headphones, there’s still plenty to enjoy here.
But with busier tracks, there’s more of a sense of what could have been, sonically. We hit play on Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden, hoping for a taste of moody grunge. But while all the instruments are there and tonally in balance, Chris Cornell’s voice comes across flat and expressionless. Nor is there a change of gear when the drum fills announce the chorus. Ultimately, this phone plugs the music gap while we’re out and about, but not an awful lot more.
Verdict
There aren’t many smartphones that offer so much screen real estate at this price. The fact that it’s such an involving picture performance is a compelling reason to buy the OnePlus 9.
Our doubts are mostly on the audio side, as some rival phones make music on the go a more exciting affair. If you use a dedicated music player or are looking for a mobile phone primarily for its video performance, then don’t let its sonic drawbacks put you off. Between the high-performing chipset, the lag-free gaming, the Hasselblad camera and the scale and quality of the screen, there are plenty of reasons why the OnePlus 9 is a good idea.
(Pocket-lint) – Apple revealed the fifth generation of the iPad Pro 12.9 during an event in April 2021, replacing the iPad Pro 12.9 fourth generation that launched in March 2020.
The iPad Pro 12.9 (5th gen) launched alongside the iPad Pro 11 (3rd generation). You can read all about how all Apple’s iPad’s compare in our separate feature, as well as how the new iPad Pro 11 specifically compares to its predecessor in another feature.
Here we are focusing on how the new iPad Pro 12.9’s specs stack up against the old iPad Pro 12.9’s specs though. Which should you buy or should you upgrade?
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What’s the same?
Design and colour options
Battery and audio
Rear camera
Apple Pencil, Smart Keyboard Folio compatibility
The Apple iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) and iPad feature the same design, with both offering the identical measurements, along with an aluminium frame, square edges and super-slim bezels. They both feature Face ID at the top of the display and both are compatible with the second generation Apple Pencil and the Smart Folio Keyboard. They also both come in Silver and Space Grey colour options.
Both offer the same dual rear camera comprised of 12-megapixel wide and 10-megapixel ultra wide sensors, with 2x optical zoom out and 5x optical zoom and they also have the same four-speaker audio array and 10-hour battery life.
What’s different?
Despite offering multiple similiarities, there are a few differences between the fifth generation iPad Pro 12.9 and the fourth generation iPad Pro 12.9.
Display
The Apple iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) comes with a Liquid Retina XDR display, compared to the iPad Pro 12.9 (2020)’s Liquid Retina display. Both have the same size and resolution, but the newer model offers a 1000nits max full-screen brightness and 1600nits peak brightness (HDR).
The older model, by comparison, has a 600nits max brightness. Other screen technologies like the fully-laminated display, True Tone and ProMotion technology are on both models though.
Front camera
The iPad Pro 12.9 (5th gen) comes with a 12-megapixel TrueDepth camera with ultra wide camera, offering 2x optical zoom out, a feature called Centre Stage that sees the camera follow and track you as you move around a room, and extended dynamic range for video up to 30fps.
The iPad Pro 12.9 (4th gen) has a 7-megapixel TrueDepth camera.
Processor
The fifth generation Apple iPad Pro 12.9 comes with Apple’s M1 chip, which is also found in the new iMac, making this model very powerful. It has an 8-core CPU, 8-core graphics and next-generation Neural Engine. There’s also a choice of 8GB or 16GB of RAM.
The fourth generation model comes with the A12Z Bionic chip with Neural Engine. There are no RAM options and while still powerful, it likely won’t match the fifth gen model.
5G connectivity
The Apple iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) and iPad Pro 12.9 (2020) both come in Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi and Cellular options, but the fifth generation model offers 5G connectivity in the Wi-Fi and Cellular model, while the fourth generation model has 4G LTE.
Storage options
Both the iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) and the iPad Pro 12.9 (2020) come in storage options of 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB. The fifth generation model also adds a 2TB option though.
Thunderbolt/USB 4
The iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) model has a Thunderbolt/USB 4 charging and data transfer port, while the iPad Pro 12.9 (2020) has USB-C. It means the newer iPad Pro 12.9 will offer quicker data transfer than its predecessor, though not everyone is likely to need that.
Weight
The fifth generation iPad Pro 12.9 is a little heavier than its predecessor. The Wi-Fi only model weighs 682g, and the Wi-Fi and Cellular model weighs 684g, while the fourth gen Wi-Fi only model weighs 641g and the Wi-Fi and Cellular model weighs 643g.
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Conclusion
While the design of the fifth generation iPad Pro 12.9 and the fourth generation iPad Pro 12.9 are the same, along with the rear camera, battery and audio capabilities and the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard Folio compatibility, there are a few differences.
The new iPad Pro 12.9 comes with a new, more advanced processor, RAM options, a 2TB storage option, new front camera with new features, an improved display and 5G capabities.
For some, the new features will be exactly what you were after – like 5G capabiities and the M1 processor – which will make spending the extra money on the 2021 model over the 2020 model worth it. For others, you might skip the upgrade this time round or opt for the 2020 model to save a few pounds if you’re investing in the iPad Pro 12.9 for the first time.
Bowers and Wilkins’ debut pair of noise cancelling true wireless earbuds, the PI7, fix one of the key annoyances with the form-factor — it’s usable with in-flight entertainment systems because the case doubles as an audio transmitter. Plug the case into an audio source using an included 3.5mm to USB-C cable and it will retransmit the audio wirelessly to the earbuds. Alongside it, Bowers and Wilkins has also announced the cheaper PI5 true wireless headphones, which also offer noise-cancellation.
Bowers and Wilkins claims the PI7’s transmitting case is an industry first, and it’s certainly the first time we’ve heard of such a feature. In contrast, trying to use other popular true wireless earbuds like the AirPods Pro with a plane’s built-in entertainment system requires a third-party dongle. Of course, the PI7’s transmitting case should also work with any other non-Bluetooth devices you own, like an old iPod.
Beyond the PI7’s fancy case, it offers a fairly standard set of features for a pair of true wireless headphones. The earbuds are noise cancelling, and are equipped with six microphones in total for calls or using voice assistants. It uses the AptX Adaptive standard, which should allow it to dynamically compress audio to maintain a stable connection, and its case can be charged wirelessly. The earbuds themselves have a modest battery life of 4 hours (compared to 4.5 for the AirPods Pro), while the case offers 16 hours more. The buds have an IP54 dust and water resistance rating, so they should survive light splashes and limited amounts of dust.
The cheaper PI5 earbuds also offer noise cancellation and come with a case that can be charged wirelessly, but they only have four microphones total. There’s also no mention of AptX Adaptive — just regular AptX — and there’s no sign of the PI7’s audio retransmission case. Battery life for the PI5 appears to be slightly better than the more expensive PI7 however, with the earbuds offering 4.5 hours of playback on a single charge. The case offers 20 hours more. The PI5 also have a dust and water resistance rating of IP54.
Both earbuds are available starting today. The PI7 cost $399 / £349 / €399, while the PI5 cost $249 / £199 / €249.
(Pocket-lint) – Apple revealed the third generation of the iPad Pro 11 during an event in April 2021. The iPad Pro 11 (3rd gen) replaces the second generation model from 2020 and sits alongside the larger iPad Pro 12.9 – now in its fifth generation.
How does the new iPad Pro 11 compare to the old iPad Pro 11 though? We’ve run their specs up against each other to help you decide which is the right one for you, or whether you should upgrade.
What’s the same?
Design and display
Battery and audio
Rear camera
Colour options
There are a number of similarities between the iPad Pro 11 (2021) and the iPad Pro 11 (2020), including the overall design and measurements. Both models are available in the same Silver and Space Grey colour options and they both feature aluminium frames with squared edges and very slim bezels surrounding the display.
The top right corner of the rear in both models features a square camera housing, housing the same 12-megapixel wide and 10-megapixel ultra wide angle sensors across the two devices. Both models also come with an 11-inch Liquid Retina display with a 2388 x 1668 resolution for a pixel density of 264ppi and a max brightness of 600nits.
Other areas that stay the same across the two models include the four-speaker audio arrangement, 10-hour battery life, support for the second generation Apple Pencil, Face ID techonology and the LIDAR sensor.
What’s different?
Despite offering a number of similarities, the iPad Pro 11 (3rd gen) and iPad 11 Pro (2nd gen) do differ in a number of areas too, unsurpisingly.
Processor
As is typically the case with a new model, the iPad Pro 11 (3rd gen) comes with an upgraded chip. In this case, it’s the Apple M1 with 64-bit desktop class architecture. There’s an 8-core CPU, 8-core graphics and next-gen Neural Engine. There’s also a choice of 8GB RAM or 16GB RAM.
The second generation model meanwhile, runs on the A12Z Bionic chip with 64-bit desktop-class architecture and Neural Engine. There are no RAM options.
5G capabilities
The third generation iPad Pro 11 comes with 5G capabilties. Both iPad Pro 11 models are available in Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi and Cellular models, but while the 2020 model offers 4G connectivity, the 2021 model comes with 5G capabilities.
Front camera
The third generation iPad Pro 11 comes with a 12-megapixel front TrueDepth with Ultra Wide camera , while the second generation model offers a 7-megapixel standard TrueDepth camera.
The new front camera on the 2021 iPad Pro 11 allows for extra features, including one called Centre Stage where the camera will track and follow you during a video call, like Facebook Portal offers. There’s also 2x optical zoom out and extended dynamic range for video up to 30fps on the third gen model.
Weight
The third-generation iPad Pro 11 is slightly lighter than its predecessor, weighing 466g compared to 471g in the Wi-Fi only model, and 470g compred to 473g in the Wi-Fi and Cellular model.
Storage options
The iPad Pro 11 (2021) comes in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB storage options across both Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi and Cellular. The iPad Pro 11 (2020) doesn’t come in a 2TB option.
Thunderbolt/USB 4 support
The iPad Pro 11 (3rd gen) is charged via Thunderbolt / USB 4, while the iPad Pro 11 (2nd Gen) is charged via USB-C.
Conclusion
The Apple iPad Pro 11 (2021) and the iPad Pro 11 (2020) feature the same design, along with the same rear camera, battery, audio capabilties, colour options and display, so for some, there will be no need to upgrade and you could save yourself some money opting for the older device if the newer features don’t matter too much to you.
Naturally there are some differences though. These differences come in the form of 5G capabilities on the third generation iPad Pro 11, along with the new M1 chip, RAM options, extra 2TB storage option, new front camera and Thunderbolt charging. If they are all important to you, the third gen model is likely worth upgrading to, or choosing over the 2nd gen model but make sure those upgrades are worth spending the extra cash for you.
Writing by Britta O’Boyle.
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