Category: https://www.fotosklad.ru/expert/reviews/

Source: theverge.com

A little over a year ago, DJI introduced the first-generation Mavic Mini drone. It weighed less than 250 grams, so it did not need to be registered in the US, USA, or other countries with similar restrictions. In the new Mini 2, the Chinese company has corrected the main flaws of the first model, while maintaining a weight of 249 grams. Should current Mini users buy the new product? What about newbies? Let’s try to figure it out together.

What’s new

The Mavic brand disappeared from the name, and now the miniature quadcopter is simply called the DJI Mini 2. The first generation Mini was packed to capacity with various functions and was very easy to control. Together with him, the company presented the DJI Fly application with a somewhat truncated (compared to DJI GO4), but at the same time convenient and intuitive interface. At the same time, the drone had a number of drawbacks, including a not very reliable connection and photography exclusively in JPEG.

The Mini 2 fixes these issues and adds a host of new features that will delight pilots of all skill levels. The drone has become a little more expensive, but at the same time it has received an improved camera that allows you to shoot video in 4K / 30p and shoot RAW + JPEG photos. Importantly, Mini 2 uses a more reliable proprietary data transfer system OcuSync 2.0 instead of Wi-Fi.

Characteristics

Let’s start by comparing the main characteristics of the two generations. Although much has remained unchanged, the Mini 2 is superior to the old model in a number of ways.

table { border-collapse: collapse; }

	Mavic Mini	Mini 2
The weight	249 g
Flight time	30 minutes	31 minutes
Dimensions (folded)	140x81x57 mm	131x81x58 mm
Matrix	1/2.3″ 12MP CMOS
Maximum Resolution	2.7K/30p at 40Mbps	4K/30p at 100Mbps
Lens	f/2.8, FOV 83º, 24mm equiv.
Photo Format	JPEG	JPEG+RAW
Video Format	.MP4
Zoom	Not	2x 4K, 2x 2.7K, 4x 1080p
Return home	Yes	Yes
Communication technology	WiFi	OcuSync 2.0
Maximum distance	4 km	10 km
Shooting modes	Timed Shots (timelapse)	AEB Triple Shot (photo with increased dynamic range), Timed Shots (time lapse)

Of the notable external innovations – only the inscriptions “Mini 2” and “4K” on the camera. Source: DJI/techradar.com

Design

Very little has changed in the design of the Mini 2. The body of the quadcopter is still very compact, the propellers screw on and off and the legs fold down. The battery and microSD card slots are located at the back, while the position sensors remain at the bottom of the case. All in all, without the Mini 2 logo and “4K” branding on the new camera, the two generations are almost impossible to tell apart.

As in the previous generation, the drone lacks obstacle avoidance sensors – this feature appears in older models of the DJI lineup, starting with the Mavic Air.

Camera

The Mini 2’s camera is equipped with a 12-megapixel 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor, similar to the first Mini and Mavic Pro. However, despite the similar matrix, the novelty offers a more advanced photo and video. Above is 24mm equiv. f/2.8 fixed aperture lens with 83º field of view. The ISO range of the device is 100-3200. Many aerial photographers will appreciate the ability to shoot in RAW format in addition to JPEG, which allows more flexibility in editing the resulting shots and “pulling out” details in dark and highlight areas.

The camera in Mini 2 remains the same compact, but the quality of shooting has improved significantly. Source: DJI/techradar.com

Users unfamiliar with the first Mavic Mini will be impressed with how the Chinese company managed to fit a 3-axis mechanical gimbal onto such a tiny quadcopter (the drone fits easily in the palm of your hand).

Not many drones of this size can boast a mechanical gimbal, which significantly improves the quality of shooting. As before, the gimbal allows you to get a very smooth and stable picture. However, the stability of the picture is also affected by the overall stability of the drone. And then there was an improvement: according to DJI, thanks to the updated motors, the second Mini can withstand wind speeds up to 11 m / s.

Experienced photographers will appreciate the new AEB Triple Shot shooting mode: the drone takes three shots in a row at different exposures, from which you can get one photo with a wide dynamic range.

While the first Mavic Mini was limited to video quality up to 2.7K/30p at 40Mbps, the Mini 2 allows you to shoot up to 4K/30p, 2.7K/30p and 1080p/60p at 100Mbps. With. In addition, you can now zoom video while shooting: 2x in 4K and 2.7K, 4x in 1080p. However, only 2x zoom is available without loss of quality.

Control

DJI decided to completely change the remote control. The new device replicates the design and functionality of the controller from Mavic Air 2. The upgrade is justified for several reasons: the new remote feels better in the hand, and it’s easier to look at the smartphone’s screen because it is now above the remote instead of below it.

The drone has got a new remote control. Source: www.pcmag.com

A Return to Home button has appeared on the remote so that the drone can automatically return to home – this is especially convenient for novice pilots. In the center there is a flight mode switch – a mode for video shooting (speed up to 21 km / h), normal (up to 35 km / h) and sports (up to 58 km / h). On the right is the power button. In general, this is a very simple and convenient layout with instant access to the necessary functions.

The Fn button in the upper left corner turns on the additional light, which is useful when landing in poorly lit areas. In the upper right corner there is a button to switch between photo and video modes. The gimbal wheel lets you tilt the camera up and down, while the top right corner houses the shutter button for taking photos and recording videos. Joysticks can be unscrewed and stored in a special compartment at the bottom of the console.

DJI Fly App

The Fly app for Mini 2 and Mavic Air 2 has a simpler interface than the GO 4 app for more advanced models like the Mavic Pro series, Inspire and more.

DJI Fly app interface. Source: Kara Murphy/dpreview.com

On the top right side of the screen, you can see the battery life. There is also a button to access the control panel. Above the large, round shutter button, there is a shooting options icon that lets you select different modes – photo, video, panorama, and QuickShot.

Shooting modes

In photo mode, you can choose between standard shooting, AEB Triple Shot, which we talked about above, and Timed Shots for shooting time-lapses. In the menu item dedicated to video, you can select the resolution and frame rate.

Mini 2 received five different QuickShot modes versus four in the first model. The new mode – Boomerang – is when the drone flies away from the object and returns back along an ellipsoidal trajectory. Unlike more advanced models like the Mavic 2 Pro, there are no “smart” flight modes like points of interest and ActiveTrack tracking.

But there are three panorama modes: Sphere, in which the drone takes 26 shots, creating a picture in the style of a “little planet”, “180º” – seven shots in landscape orientation, and Wide – a classic 3×3 panorama of nine shots. There is no vertical panorama unlike the Mavic Air 2.

Other updates

In addition to the improvements already mentioned, the latest Mini has two more important updates: improved motors and DJI OcuSync 2.0 technology.

As for the motors, according to colleagues from the resource dpreview.com, who have already been able to fly the new quadcopter, the Mini 2 is much quieter. Professional drone pilot Cara Murphy reports that the new motors make the drone accelerate significantly faster both during takeoff and during flight, especially in windy conditions.

Drone got new motors. Source: DJI/theverge.com

One of the problems for which the first generation Mini was criticized was the unreliable communication with the remote control. This is not surprising, because the drone used Wi-Fi for communication and data transmission, the stability and range of which leaves much to be desired. The new proprietary OcuSync 2.0 system, which was borrowed from older models, operates at two frequencies and automatically switches channels to prevent signal interference between the remote control and the drone. According to DJI, the connection range is now 10 km. In any case, you must always keep the drone within sight, regardless of the maximum capabilities of the device.

Results

Pros of Mini 2:

• 4K zoom camera.
• RAW photo.
• Data transfer via OccuSync 2.0.
• Quieter motors.

Minuses:

• Lack of obstacle avoidance sensors.
• Lack of .MOV format.

Among the accessories for the new quadcopter are propeller guards, a charging hub and a compact bag. Source: DJI/theverge.com

DJI has taken a great drone for beginners as a basis and, having listened to the wishes of users, has made a number of significant improvements. Overall, the Mini 2 looks like a versatile compact drone that comes with a lot of advanced features. In terms of feature set and shooting quality in the mini-drones category, the DJI Mini 2 has essentially no competitors.

If you have an old Mavic Mini, then buying a new version looks like a worthwhile move given the improvements in all key parameters – image quality, flight performance and connectivity.

If you’re just about to get your first drone and you’re choosing between the first and second generation, in our opinion, the $100 surcharge (the novelty’s starting price is $499, while the first Mini was $399 at launch) for the new Mavic 2 looks completely justified.

* when preparing the article, materials from the resource dpreview.com were used (Kara Murphy).

Source: gsmarena.com

OnePlus Nord was launched with great fanfare back in August. The company returned to aggressive and ruthless marketing. It seemed that OnePlus was about to release a cure for COVID-19. The hype died down almost immediately after the launch, when people realized that it was just another mid-range smartphone.

Design

Source: gsmarena.com

The OnePlus Nord is an attractive smartphone, especially in blue. It looks like a smaller version of its larger brothers. The company has made sure that the design remains: an elongated camera array on the back, characteristic curves on the sides, and a knurled head switch.

The Nord doesn’t have premium materials like its flagship brethren. The metal frame has been replaced with a polycarbonate frame with a polished chrome finish. However, the back is made of Corning Gorilla Glass 5, which also protects the display. The Nord’s glass back looks better than the plastic backs that adorn most other phones in this price range (and one very expensive Samsung Galaxy Note20).

Source: gsmarena.com

As for the front, OnePlus decided to cut out an elongated oval on the display. It’s a bit annoying and intrudes a lot on the status bar. We are constantly thinking about the pop-up cameras of 2019 and cannot understand why they were abandoned in favor of such a solution.

Nord’s design flair is compactness in a sea of ​​ever-expanding smartphones. However, Nord is not a small phone; It is quite tall due to the elongated 20:9 display. However, it is significantly narrower than many large gathers, making it much easier to work with. The device is slightly lighter than most major flagship devices, including the OnePlus 8 Pro.

Source: gsmarena.com

Nord is more comfortable, especially for people with small hands. It is much easier to work with one hand. The only problem is the location of the power and volume buttons; they are located exactly opposite each other, and it is very difficult to press one without putting pressure on the other and without accidentally taking a screenshot.

Display

Source: gsmarena.com

OnePlus Nord has a 6.44-inch AMOLED display with 2400×1080 resolution. The refresh rate is 90 Hz, but it does not always work in this mode.

The image quality on the display is impressive for a phone at this price point. The display isn’t as well calibrated as on the more expensive OnePlus 8 series devices, but this can only be seen in a side-by-side comparison.

The best thing about the display, perhaps, is that it is not curved. Yes, flat screen displays are now as rare as having a headphone jack. The screen on the Nord is more comfortable to use than the curved display on the OnePlus 8 Pro as it results in fewer accidental clicks.

Source: gsmarena.com

OnePlus has not announced HDR support in this smartphone, however Nord supports HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG content. This means that apps that offer HDR content, such as YouTube and Netflix, will play content in HDR when available. Amazon Prime Video, however, ignored the HDR tag in the software and only played the SDR version.

The OnePlus Nord does indeed have a 90Hz screen refresh rate. However, it varies, as it often does. The phone normally runs at 90Hz, but some apps such as YouTube, WhatsApp, Skype, Google Maps and the camera run at a fixed 60Hz.

By far the worst thing about refresh rates is the complete lack of support for overclocking in games. This applies not only to Nord, but to all OnePlus smartphones with high-hertz displays. This seems like a criminal waste of hardware, as gaming is an area where high refresh rates are not only easier to accept, but also the most beneficial.

Source: gsmarena.com

Overall, the Nord’s display is still pretty good. At least the panel itself is quite competitive in this price range.

Battery

The OnePlus Nord performed very well in the battery life test. The battery capacity is 4115 mAh and it’s not the biggest battery in its category, but thanks to the low power consumption of the Snapdragon 765G chipset, the phone delivers a satisfying battery life.

When it comes to charging, one can definitely say that the standard OnePlus Warp 30T is one of the fastest. It will take about an hour to fully replenish the energy, which is still impressive, although there have been faster solutions for a long time.

Software and Performance

The OnePlus Nord runs the OxygenOS 10 skin on top of Android 10. At the time of publication, the phone has just received the OxygenOS 10.5.8 update with the September 1st security patch.

Source: gsmarena.com

While super-fast updates may not be OnePlus’ forte, the company has made a name for itself with a fast and clean user interface. OnePlus has made a lot of changes to OxygenOS over the years, but the focus has always been on keeping it clean and running smoothly, so you never feel like you’re wading through years of accumulated junk you get when using some of the other Android implementations.

Although the smartphone does not have a standard user interface, it carefully mimics the design of that of Google. This gives the user the impression of using an almost standard shell, but at the same time much more customizable. This customization ability works at every level, from the launcher to the default OnePlus apps to the OS itself.

Besides cleanliness, OnePlus also prioritizes speed. This includes faster animations and transitions, as well as identifying stress points to eliminate any dropped frames. The result is a consistent and fluid interface that is a pleasure to use, especially on these high refresh rate displays.

Source: gsmarena.com

Nord also ships with Google’s version of the Phone and Messages apps instead of the OxygenOS versions. Both apps are inferior to what OnePlus does, so naturally users were upset when they first discovered them on their new smartphones. For example, the Google Phone app didn’t have a voice recording feature like the OnePlus app. Google Messages also doesn’t have a way to sort incoming messages into notifications and chats like the OnePlus app does. Eventually, Google rolled out the voice recording feature for the Phone app, but the Messages app is still quite limited.

Nord works exceptionally well. This was especially surprising to us because the phone does not feature the latest flagship chipset. Instead, it has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, which isn’t bad on paper, as well as one of Qualcomm’s faster chips.

However, OnePlus is taking full advantage of this chip because, in practice, the OnePlus Nord feels as fast and responsive as any 2020 flagship. We often have to switch between devices as we test them, and often find ourselves moving between the Nord and the much more expensive OnePlus 8 Pro. To say that we have always noticed a performance difference between the two would be an overstatement. The OnePlus 8 Pro does feel smoother and more responsive, but that could be due to the 120Hz refresh rate display. When it comes to devices in this price range, the OnePlus Nord puts the competition to shame with its combination of a 90Hz display and excellent software optimization.

Gaming performance is acceptable. While the GPU in the Snapdragon 765G can run games at 90Hz, it would still be nice to be able to run games at an unlocked frame rate so they can run as smoothly as possible. In particular, simpler 2D games would have no problem running at maximum frequency. It is not clear what OnePlus is more afraid of: increased power consumption or more heat from the processor. In any case, it’s a pity that the company decided to leave it locked at 60Hz.

Camera

Source: gsmarena.com

The OnePlus Nord has more cameras than any other OnePlus smartphone, with four on the back and two on the front. Let’s focus on the cameras on the back.

The Nord has the same 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 sensor as the OnePlus 8, as well as all of last year’s OnePlus smartphones. This sensor has been in use for a couple of years now and is starting to lose ground.

Source: gsmarena.com

The image quality of the main camera on the Nord is quite consistent with a smartphone in its price category. In good light, detail, dynamic range and color accuracy can be quite decent. There’s even a fake 2x digital zoom mode that also produces decent results as the image is just cropped in the middle.

Unfortunately, the Nord doesn’t have an objectively good camera, and there are a few problems here. Despite the claimed resolution of 48 MP, the final images have a resolution of 12 MP. This in itself isn’t a major downside, but these 12MP shots often come out softer and lack detail compared to some of the 12MP photos on more expensive phones.

In addition, there is a common OnePlus color problem. The colors from the OnePlus cameras are neither particularly accurate nor pleasing. There will always be some weird color cast that doesn’t match or enhance the original scene. Primary colors such as red and green are rarely displayed accurately.

Nord also has a problem with dynamic range in some scenes. OnePlus uses a very aggressive contrast curve for some reason, which often results in the phone crushing detail in the shadows and highlights. This happens more often in less than ideal lighting.

Source: gsmarena.com

The Nord is also equipped with a new 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera. She disappoints even in her middle class. The images are very bland and should only be used if you don’t expect to be zooming in on the image. If you just want a wider perspective, this camera is great, especially if you’re shooting in good light. But otherwise, this sensor is a serious downgrade compared to what is found on OnePlus flagships.

Source: gsmarena.com

Continuing this downward trajectory of quality is the macro camera, the worst of the three cameras used on the back. The meager 2MP resolution means you won’t get any extra detail.

On the 8 Pro and 7T series, OnePlus included macro photography using the ultra wide angle lens. Since the camera behind this lens was of reasonably good quality, macro photography was also quite good and usable. Switching to a dedicated low-quality macro camera on the Nord increases the number of cameras, severely reducing image quality.

Overall, the Nord has a mediocre camera system. The main 48-megapixel camera can produce usable images most of the time, but the other cameras are seriously disappointing in terms of quality, and it feels like the focus was only on having a lot of cameras.

conclusions

Source: gsmarena.com

OnePlus Nord is a great mid-range smartphone. For the price, you get a very well made and well designed smartphone with a great display, great performance and mostly clean software. Battery life is pretty good too, and OnePlus DASH charging is still incredibly fast.

Combining all of this in a relatively compact flat-panel body makes the Nord more attractive than OnePlus’ own flagship phones. Nord especially makes the standard OnePlus 8 an underdog. The OnePlus 8 Pro still has a lot going for it, but the vanilla version is marginally better than the Nord despite the significant price difference.

The main drawback is the cameras, most of which are practically useless. Even if there are six of them, they are all of varying degrees of mediocrity. The main camera can take decent images, but still not as good as the Pixel 4a. Here, the focus is clearly on including as many cameras as possible rather than their quality, and this shows in image quality.

Many manufacturers have tried to make their flagship models a little simpler this year. The Pixel 5 is a prime example of this. But OnePlus, having announced the budget model Nord, did not stop and introduced a real flagship – OnePlus 8 Pro.

At the same time, you can remember the predecessors of this smartphone, which really cut corners in order to make the price tag a little lower. But 8 Pro was the first device on which they did not save. So now it can compete with the latest Galaxy and iPhone.

In addition, since the 8T smartphone does not have a Pro version, the OnePlus 8 Pro will be the most advanced version in the lineup. This means top specifications, a powerful processor and, for many countries, support for 5G networks.

But, rather than comparing the OnePlus 8 Pro to its possible competitors, it’s better to take a look at what the smartphone is all about and discuss its specs.

Source: CNET

Release date and price

OnePlus 8 Pro was announced back on April 14, 2020, and now it’s finally on sale. It’s currently the most expensive OnePlus device, and that shouldn’t come as a surprise, especially when you look at OnePlus’ systematic, albeit gradual, increase in flagship prices. This means that the brand is losing its budget and affordable status and, perhaps, is now counting on a completely new audience.

The price tag of the new OnePlus 8 Pro is closer to the iPhone 11 and Galaxy 20. But it is worth considering the presence of additional models, in addition to the base one, which also led to a price increase.

Display

Perhaps the most attractive aspect of the OnePlus 8 Pro is the so-called “Liquid Display”. The company has applied new technologies to its development, and is so proud of it that they boldly call it the best screen you will see in 2020. Of course, it is still difficult to believe this, because we still do not know what awaits us with the rest of the smartphones, but after evaluating it in practice, we definitely understand why OnePlus makes such statements.

The screen diagonal is 6.78 inches and the resolution is 1440 x 3168 QHD. The aspect ratio is 19.8:9 and the image depth is 513 pixels per inch. All this is very standard for modern flagships, but the features of the OnePlus 8 Pro do not end there.

Of course, the next characteristic to pay attention to is the screen refresh rate. Almost all flagships are getting 120Hz now, with rare exceptions like Huawei P40 Pro and Google Pixel 4XL. But the OnePlus 8 Pro offers 120Hz, which is enabled by default. True, initially it only works on Full HD +, for QHD it needs to be enabled additionally in the settings. Similar settings are possible on the Oppo Find X2 Pro.

According to the company, a lot of work has been done in order to strike a balance between high smartphone performance and battery life. If you look at what happened in the end, it becomes clear that all this was not done in vain. Power consumption is a bit faster when using QHD+ and 120Hz, but the difference is minimal compared to the consumption caused by gaming or watching videos.

But on this screen, everything looks impressive.

Source: YouTube

Appearance and design

OnePlus 8 Pro looks like the rest of the top-class smartphones. The front panel is occupied by a display with a diagonal of 6.78 inches, its borders go to the side panel, so that the screen has curved edges. The back of the case is also covered with glass, but matte, if we talk about green and ultramarine models. Between the two glass sides is metal. The smartphone feels expensive, but it is very pleasant to the touch and not even too slippery. However, it comes with a transparent silicone case, which doesn’t add much to the premium look, but is comfortable and protects the camera that sticks out of the case.

By the way, the camera is located in the center on an oblong die, next to which there is a flash and another additional camera.

The format of the smartphone is very large, you have to hold it with two hands. It’s also longer and wider than the Galaxy, Huawei, and iPhone.

The only port is the input for charging – USB-C. There is no headphone input. But two SIM cards are supported. Dynamics is also two. On the right is the power button, which also activates the camera and Google Assistant, and on the left are the volume buttons.

OnePlus has ditched the pop-up selfie camera as well, in favor of a punch-hole in the top left corner of the screen. Thanks to this, the smartphone has become lighter, and the mechanism does not take up extra space.

Among OnePlus smartphones, the 8 Pro was the first to receive an official IP rating, namely IP68. It is protected from dust and immersion in water up to a meter deep for up to 30 minutes.

In addition to the colors listed above, there is also a black model, but it is not available everywhere.

Source: CNET

Camera

The smartphone received 4 main cameras: 48 MP ultra-wide-angle, 48 MP main, telephoto and a camera with a color filter. This is also the first such set-up for a OnePlus smartphone. The cameras are also not simple, both 48 megapixel modules were created by Sony. The standard one received an f / 1.78 aperture, optical stabilization and additionally electronic. All this is at least because the camera shoots video in 4K.

The ultra-wide module is also 48MP and offers f/2.2 aperture and a 119-degree field of view. It may not be the widest angle we’ve seen on smartphones, but it does the job well.

At the bottom is a new lens, a color filter, it has a resolution of 5 megapixels and f / 2.4 aperture. Its task is solely to create the ability to apply a filter directly in the camera application.

Another, fourth camera is located to the right of the main plate and acts as a telephoto, it provides a triple optical zoom and 30x digital.

In terms of digital zoom, many smartphones offer more, for example, the Galaxy S20 Ultra can give you a hundred times. But it must be taken into account that its quality is most often either tied to resolution, or lower than satisfactory. And OnePlus says that users are not interested in high values, and 30x zoom will be more than enough.

The cameras are much better than the previous 7 Pro and 7T Pro models. Color reproduction is much more realistic, without excessive saturation and brightness.

The default mode uses a 48 MP main camera but with a 12 MP resolution. As in most cases, a higher mode must be set manually.

The 12MP mode offers excellent dynamic range and colors. 48 megapixels work best in good outdoor lighting.

The high resolution detail is impressive, but not on par with the Pixel or Huawei.

The night mode works quickly and gives mediocre results. It only slightly brightens the image, and the photo may appear blurry.

The wide-angle camera also suffers from color realism. If we compare the result with the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus, the quality will be about the same, but Samsung will give a more saturated color. The same, by the way, applies to the OnePlus 7T.

Source: CNET

Battery

OnePlus 8 Pro received a very high-quality 4510 mAh battery. It’s the longest-lasting battery of any OnePlus model, and can easily get through a day’s work. The capacity, by the way, is greater than that of all three competitors – Galaxy, iPhone and Huawei.

As we noted above, with standard use during the day, that is, running games, videos, chatting in social networks and instant messengers, calls and taking pictures, the battery can withstand a day of work. Sometimes even more than 10 percent of the charge may remain.

In 90 minutes of Full HD video playback at maximum brightness with Wi-Fi on, the OnePlus 8 Pro loses only 10% of its charge. If you change the resolution to QHD +, the value does not change.

Since there are two more video quality enhancement modes in the settings, namely the effect of more saturated colors and graphics smoothing, they make the load on the battery higher. Therefore, even when watching a video, it is worth remembering the settings, depending on the possibility of recharging.

OnePlus 8 Pro is equipped with Warp Charge 30T technology and it allows you to charge the battery from 0% to 50% in 23 minutes. This, of course, applies to wired charging and the device that is included in the kit. But the OnePlus 8 Pro, like a real flagship, can be charged without a wire, Warp Charge 30 Wireless is responsible for this, and it allows you to charge up to 50% in 30 minutes. But for this you need to separately purchase wireless charging.

Last but not least, like other flagships, OnePlus 8 Pro can also charge other devices.

Source: CNET

Performance

OnePlus 8 Pro is not inferior in power to many. It runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor. Depending on the modification, you can get either 8 GB / 128 GB or 12 GB / 256 GB of memory.

The OnePlus 8 Pro handles games effortlessly, whether it’s demanding titles like Fortnite or PUBG.

LPDDR5 RAM is 30% faster and 20% more power efficient than the memory used in the OnePlus 7T Pro.

The average Geekbench 5.1 score was 3305, compared to the One Plus 7T Pro’s 2564. But more impressively, the OnePlus 8 Pro outperformed the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus, which can be considered a success.

The smartphone supports 2 SIM cards, but they can only use 5G in turn.

The system on the OnePlus 8 Pro is remarkably fast, even with the Oxygen OS user interface, which doesn’t change much from classic Android, by the way.

Instead, the system adds customization options.

OnePlus 8 Pro received two speakers for stereo sound, one at the bottom, the second at the top above the display. The speakers are also equipped with Dolby Atmos technology.

Outcome

The OnePlus 8 Pro is the first true flagship from OnePlus, and it shows in everything from the specs to the design. Almost everything that is on modern top smartphones can be found on this device, plus it is absolutely not inferior to the most popular models.

OnePlus 8 Pro will remain relevant for at least a few more years, moreover, it is definitely not in danger of slowing down and dropping performance in the near future, even despite the growing demands of applications.

Particularly impressive is the battery life, which should not be overlooked either.

OnePlus 8 Pro is a great smartphone for those who are looking for an original and powerful flagship. It’s a pity that the company’s pricing policy has changed, but otherwise, you can see only pluses in this new product.

Source: techradar.com

The Moto G Pro (also known as the Moto G Stylus) looks like a regular mid-range smartphone, except for a couple of “buts”. It has two features that cannot be found in any of the more or less well-known competitors. The first is the presence of a stylus hidden in a frame. The second is an action camcorder that shoots wide-angle video when the smartphone is rotated vertically.

Need neither one nor the other? You can spend a little less money on the Moto G8 Plus or Moto G8 Power, or a little more on the more attractive Xiaomi Mi 10 or Mi Note 10.

If you need a stylus, then there are almost no options. There is, of course, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20, but not everyone can afford it. The Moto G Pro’s stylus isn’t as good as the Galaxy Note 20’s, but it still lets you take notes and recognize handwriting.

In Europe, the smartphone is called Moto G Pro, in the US – Moto G Stylus. In our review, we will focus on the first name.

The Moto G Pro has a very capacious battery. Some smartphones can hold longer, but the hero of our review is doing well with this. Moto G Pro will easily last a day in almost any scenario, and there will be little left for the night.

The performance of the device will not be enough only if you want to drive Fortnite at maximum graphics settings. Moto G Pro has a special mode for taking pictures in low light conditions. It can drastically improve the dynamic range of images.

There are many competitors in the category that can be both better and cheaper: Xiaomi Redmi Note 9, Realme X50, Samsung Galaxy M31 and Moto G8 Plus. However, only the Moto G Pro has a stylus. It is not given for free, this must be understood.

Prices

Source: techradar.com

The smartphone was announced back in May. In USA, it is not yet available for purchase. In Europe, you will have to pay about 300 euros for it. It’s a little more expensive than other similar devices in its class, but it has 128GB of storage and a stylus that simply wouldn’t fit in a traditional form factor.

Design

Source: techradar.com

The Moto G Pro looks very similar to the G8 Power. This is a mid-sized smartphone; not very thin (9.2 mm), but it has rounded edges that smooth out its dimensions.

Both the back cover and the frame are made of plastic. There are no metal inserts, only the display and camera lenses are made of glass. In general, this is normal for a smartphone of this level.

The Moto G Pro stylus is a hardware feature of the smartphone. It’s nice to hold it in your hands. The main part of the body is made of metal, the tip is made of plastic. It is inserted into the smartphone, so you don’t have to look for where to attach it after use.

Source: techradar.com

But it’s worth noting that it’s no match for the styluses that come with the Galaxy Note family or tablets. This is an ordinary condenser stylus and it does not know how to determine the degree of pressure. Using it in the Autodesk Sketchbook application will not be as comfortable. For example, in more advanced models, you can usually make the line a little thicker with a stronger pressure. Here, this can also be done due to the fact that the area of ​​​​contact with the screen becomes a little larger, but it does not work as efficiently.

The rest of the hardware works well. The fingerprint scanner reads quickly and accurately. It is worth noting the excellent stereo sound for its class. Even, perhaps, the best among competitors, including Moto G8 power, Redmi Note 9, Samsung Galaxy M31 and Oppo A52.

Display

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The Moto G Pro has a 6.4-inch IPS display. In the upper left part there is a hole for the front camera. It may seem huge, but thanks to a different aspect ratio, the dimensions of the device are among the smallest in its class.

The screen is quite good for a budget model. With it, you don’t have to go into the shade on a bright sunny day to see the picture on the screen, but you don’t have to wait for the gamut that is in OLED displays.

The image refresh rate is standard – 60 Hz. Moto G Pro supports HDR. The display resolution is 1080×2300 pixels.

Source: techradar.com

Three color profiles are available: natural, enhanced and saturated. The difference between them is not so great.

The smartphone runs on Android One, which sets it apart from the rest of the Moto G series devices. This is one of the most pleasant innovations along with a dark system theme.

The Moto Active Display feature allows you to display notifications on the screen even when the smartphone is in sleep mode, thanks to motion detection.

Camera

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Many mid-range smartphones already have quad-camera setups. Usually one of them is good, the second is average, and the rest are more for the image. Motorola is taking a more pragmatic approach.

For example, on the Moto G8 Power, the third camera works like a 2x zoom telephoto. The Moto G Pro has three cameras, including a 16-megapixel GoPro-style ultra-wide-angle sensor. It is quite distinctive, since the recording is carried out horizontally when the smartphone is standing vertically. This 90-degree-rotated sensor and electronic stabilization to boot make it easy to record video in a traditional format while holding your smartphone with one hand. However, the question arises when it should be used. Most social networks use portrait orientation, and the Moto G Pro can’t take photos. A similar solution has already been seen in Motorola One Action and Moto G8 Plus.

The main camera has a 48-megapixel sensor. But the appendage in the form of a 2-megapixel macro camera is not even worth discussing: with a strong approximation, this “under-camera” cuts detail, dynamic range and contrast. Macro shots look pale.

Source: techradar.com

Since there is no depth sensor, you can only take portrait shots of people. Algorithms used in the device, as a rule, work well, but sometimes artifacts appear on the border of the background and hair or clothing.

Luckily, the main camera handles most tasks. With good lighting, the color palette of the pictures is transmitted very accurately. Automatic HDR in the vast majority of cases only improves the photo.

There is also a night mode. It takes 2-3 seconds to shoot. Detailing and contrast, of course, are no longer the same as in daytime photography, but the dynamic range is greatly increased. Although it is far from the night mode in the Google Pixel 4a.

Source: techradar.com

I would like the smartphone to have an excellent Sony IMX586 sensor instead of Samsung GM1, which is not such an unrealistic Wishlist even in this budget. This matrix is ​​much better both in terms of dynamic range and overall performance.

Source: techradar.com

The limitations of the Samsung GM1 can be seen in the dark areas of the shots, which become very grainy. The tendency of the smartphone to overexpose the picture in highly contrasting scenes is noticeable.

Smartphones from Motorola have been suffering from this for a long time. The issue is solved quite simply – a simple manual adjustment of the exposure. However, it should be understood that not all people will want to do this.

Source: techradar.com

When it comes to shooting with an action camera, there are some pitfalls. Sometimes it becomes noticeable vibration around the edges, the cause of which is electronic stabilization. Also, the camera has a lower resolution, which leads to worse detail in the resulting video. Shooting resolution is 1080p. So it’s likely that you’ll want to use the main camera to shoot video, unless of course you need to hold your smartphone while riding a skateboard.

The quality of the front camera is average. In good lighting, the detail of the face is quite good. When there is not enough light, the smartphone uses pixel linking to brighten the shots.

Hardware stuffing

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The Moto G Pro is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor. It is quite productive, but not the most powerful in this category of smartphones. Recall that the same is in the much cheaper Xiaomi Redmi Note 8T.

Overall system performance isn’t the super-smooth Snapdragon 765G-powered smartphone, but most will find the Moto G Pro quite comfortable to use. This is facilitated by a very comfortable amount of memory: 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of permanent memory.

Almost all games can be played safely, but in the case of Fortnite, you will have to sacrifice settings. However, competitors with chipsets from MediaTek and Exynos perform no better.

In the Geekbench test, Moto G Pro scored 1372 points (312 points per core), which is generally in line with the average temperature in the hospital.

Don’t forget the speakers. It’s much more enjoyable to play with stereo sound.

Battery

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Moto G Pro is equipped with a 4000 mAh battery. The package includes an 18W TurboPower charger. This is an entry-level device among fast chargers.

It will take 45 minutes to replenish energy from zero to 50 percent, and not 30 minutes, as on many flagship devices. You can fully charge your smartphone in a couple of hours. Not fast, but not slow either.

The Moto G Pro can easily survive a whole day of moderate use, and even 30 percent will remain.

In this segment, there are many devices with a much more capacious battery, the number of milliamp hours in which can reach 5000 mAh, as is the case with Redmi Note 9 or Moto G8 Power, or even as much as 6000 mAh, like the Galaxy M31 (which, by the way, is thinner than the hero of our review).

In general, this smartphone is not for lovers of great autonomy. Which, however, allows it to be very comfortable for the average user.

In what cases is it worth looking at it?

• You need an interesting budget smartphone. A stylus and an action camera are two key factors in buying this machine.
• You enjoy listening and watching movies, including your smartphone’s built-in speakers. They are definitely good here.
• You need pure Android. The Android One label has long been a sign of quality and the absence of unnecessary applications in the system.

When should you stop buying?

• You need a full stylus. No need to flatter yourself that when you buy the Moto G Pro, you will get the same experience as with the Galaxy Note 20. The stylus of the former does not have a pressure sensor. And while the Moto team got around this limitation, it only works in Motorola’s own apps.
• You want maximum performance for your money. The Redmi Note 9 Pro costs about the same, offering better performance and a better camera. However, it is no longer surprising that the American brand is losing the company to Chinese companies.
• You need good autonomy. The Moto G Pro manages to get through a day’s work, but a number of rivals are capable of more. Samsung Galaxy M31, Moto G8 Power and Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 have much more capacious batteries.

Verdict

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Moto G Pro is one of the most interesting mid-range smartphones. He has a stylus and a camera sharpened specifically for video. You will have to pay a little more for the device than for competitors, but this is a price for a fresh wind in the mass of the same and good Android devices available.

Source: techradar.com

The Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite entered a very saturated mid-range smartphone market with the Galaxy Note 10 Lite. This allowed the Korean giant to close the niche of flagships with slightly reduced characteristics. If the S20 is too expensive for you, the S10 Lite can be a viable alternative.

Source: techradar.com

If you can live without options like 5G, higher refresh rates, water resistance, wireless charging, optical zoom, then you can save a lot of money. This is what Samsung engineers were guided by when creating the S10 Lite.

The build quality remains the same. You get a great AMOLED display, a very good camera, a big battery, and headroom (the fastest mobile processor in 2019).

Design

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Samsung has been releasing premium smartphones for years, so there are no surprises from the S10 Lite – it’s a nice looking smartphone, but falls short of the flagships of 2020.

The display has become flat, but still impressive. This is a large screen with a diagonal of 6.7 inches with a resolution of 1080×2400 pixels and an aspect ratio of 20:9. It supports HDR10+. In fact, many people prefer flat displays that don’t fold around the edges. The diagonal could be called large if the trend towards huge diagonals did not persist everywhere.

Despite its affordability, the price tag has not been reflected in the materials: it still feels premium and well-built. We especially liked the prism effect on the back. By the way, it is made of plastic.

The smartphone has not been certified for IP68, so there is no need to wait for protection against water and dust.

The power button is on the right and duplicates the Bixby launch button. The volume buttons are a little higher. Below is a USB-C port and a single speaker. The fingerprint scanner is built into the screen.

Display

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We have already mentioned that the display diagonal on the Galaxy S10 Lite is 6.7 inches and the resolution is 1080×2400 pixels. This gives a density of 394 pixels per inch, which is much less than on the Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus. However, you can see individual pixels only by bringing the smartphone close to your eyes.

There are no major flaws in the display. For all activities, it fits equally well: from surfing on youtube to viewing photos and navigating. Deep blacks and high brightness are obvious benefits of an OLED display that you can see right away.

In the settings, you can choose a natural display mode and more saturated, as well as manually adjust the temperature through the slider.

Samsung hasn’t specified a refresh rate for the display, so it’s most likely the default 60Hz. On the current flagships, higher rates are held in high esteem: 90 and 120 Hz. As with pixel density, you won’t feel the difference unless you’re moving from a smartphone with a high refresh rate.

Camera

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At this stage in the evolution of smartphones, we can safely talk about the small difference between the best mid-range and flagship cameras: everything that is not in the low price range will shoot relatively well, and the Galaxy S10 Lite is no exception.

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The Galaxy S10 Lite comes with a 48-megapixel main sensor, 12-megapixel ultra wide-angle camera, and a 5-megapixel macro camera. The front camera is a single 32-megapixel camera. The only thing missing is the optical zoom. Ultra-wide does not distort angles and colors. In general, his work can be assessed as a solid five.

Source: techradar.com

In general, the composition of the cameras is very good. The corners are sharp, the colors are bright, HDR works correctly, the detail is not lame. Perhaps the colors are slightly oversaturated compared to the best camera phones, but again, you need to make allowances for the price.

Source: techradar.com

In other words, the Galaxy S10 Lite is capable of good shots. They are done quickly, autofocus does not slow down. All types of photos come out decently. The resulting pictures are more than enough for posting on the social network.

Source: techradar.com

Low-light shots also lack detail. However, the less light, the more dirt and smearing will be. There is a night mode in which you need a little more time to take pictures. With it, you can achieve lightening of particularly dark areas, but the noise in places comes out very strong.

Sure, the S10 Lite doesn’t have the best camera on the market, but it gets the job done.

Hardware stuffing

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Under the hood, the Galaxy S10 Lite has a Snapdragon 855 processor (the best processor for Android smartphones last year), 8 GB of RAM, 128 GB of internal memory. The latter can be increased thanks to the microSD card slot. Not the top specs in 2020, but not the weakest either. The power is definitely enough for most people.

There is no 5G on this smartphone, but this is unlikely to be a big problem given the uncertainty in the timing of the launch of these networks in USA. And almost everyone should have enough modern LTE.

Keep in mind that the components in the Galaxy S10 Lite were flagship in 2019, so you really get good performance for a reasonable price. This is also confirmed by tests. In Geekbench, the smartphone scored 717 points in the single-core test and 2521 points in the multi-core test. In the OpenCL test, he got 2411 points. This puts the device on par with the Galaxy S10 and Note10.

Performance is, of course, not only about tests. Even a whole bunch of open tabs and heavy applications will not make this smartphone slow down. Games load quickly and run smoothly.

Battery

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Battery life is difficult to estimate reliably, since all people have different scenarios for using a smartphone. Our S10 Lite was dropping at 60% every day, which is pretty good.

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Undoubtedly, a lot of factors affect the duration of work from a single charge. The battery capacity is 4500 mAh. The Galaxy S20 Plus has the same capacity. In our two-hour video playback test, the smartphone went from 100 percent to 86, which is a very good result. When averaged, this gives approximately 14 hours of continuous video viewing.

When using navigation or in games, of course, you will not get such autonomy, but even for one day of intensive use it will definitely be enough.

In what cases is it worth taking?

• If you value money and do not buy flagships, but at the same time you need a smartphone with good characteristics
• You need a large and clear display
• Battery life is critical

When should you stop buying?

• You need 5G support. It is unlikely that 5G networks will appear everywhere in USA in the near future, but anything can happen
• You need the best camera. The camera on the S10 Lite is not bad, but clearly not the best among smartphones. If you need optical zoom, then it is better to look at the flagships
• You need a clean version of Android. OneUI isn’t bad, but it comes with some of Samsung’s apps.

Verdict

Source: techradar.com

The Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite is a well-balanced smartphone with all the features you need at an attractive price. It will be a great alternative to flagships for fans of the brand and for those who do not like and do not want to buy devices from Chinese manufacturers for any reason.

Last year, Zhiyun impressed us with the beautiful Smooth Q2 gimbal, so we were looking forward to a new iteration in 2020. Finally, their latest stabilizer – Zhiyun Smooth X – hit the market and got our review. Its design is so special that it’s hard for us to say for sure whether it’s a gimbal or a selfie stick. It looks like Zhiyun has created a new category of devices. Probably one of the reasons why the company’s products are attracting more and more people around the world – the design of devices is often unique in its segment. But what about the functionality itself? Let’s figure it out.

Source: www.gizmochina.com

The stabilizer is available in two colors: white and grey. By the way, there are not so many white suspensions on the market, so this can already be attributed to the pluses.

Unlike the Smooth Q2’s metal body, the Smooth X is made of plastic. Most likely, this was resorted to to save weight and convenience. Although it lacks the Smooth Q2’s nice metal grip, the lighter weight of the device will be one of the key points for many people.

Source: www.gizmochina.com

The physical control of the “X” is carried out using the mode button, the shutter button and the joystick. These controls are on the front. On the side are the zoom lever and the power button.

Using the front buttons, you can control other actions: for example, double-clicking on the shutter button switches the photo / video mode, triple-clicking switches the smartphone between the front and main cameras; double-clicking the mode button changes the orientation of the smartphone. If you have a smartphone with a telescopic camera, then you don’t even have to go into the camera app settings – everything can be done using a gimbal.

Source: www.gizmochina.com

The back surface has an anti-slip texture, which allows you to securely fix the stabilizer on the surface. Thanks to its foldable design and swivel mechanism, this pocket gimbal is highly portable and does not take up much space. At the same time, it complicates its deployment. Just follow the instructions and remember the correct direction of rotation so as not to accidentally damage the device.

Source: www.gizmochina.com

Compared to many mobile stabilizers on the market, it is quite easy to operate the device. Before using Smooth X for the first time, you need to establish a connection with a smartphone to activate the gyroscope through the official application – ZY Cami. It contains many tutorials. If you are not good at mobile videography, many of them can be useful and will help you improve your skills in a very short time.

Source: www.gizmochina.com

Smooth X has pan and pan motors, but no tilt, which means it belongs to a 4-axis gimbal. However, such a selfie stick with a gyroscope is enough for most users. The device will be especially useful for vloggers and travelers who use a smartphone in their work, since it has a telescopic mechanism with a maximum length of 26 cm. Smooth X can be called more like an advanced selfie stick with a stabilization function than a full-fledged mobile stabilizer.

Smooth X has three modes of operation: follow horizontal, fixed mode, and follow horizontal and pan. All of them work quite well. Recall that, unlike 6-axis stabilizers, the device does not have a tilt axis follow mode, so the vertical viewing angle can only be changed by manually changing the angle of the selfie stick.

Source: www.gizmochina.com

The app works better than before, and it’s not just about tutorials. First of all, the excellent optimization specifically for Smooth X impresses. For example, the connection is established very smoothly and quickly. The interface has become intuitive and friendly. The app shows important information which includes battery status, gimbal connection and current mode of operation. Object tracking works much better than on Smooth Q2. Since there is no tilt stabilization, only the panoramic motor functions in tracking mode.

Source: www.gizmochina.com

Another interesting option was gesture control. If you turn them on, the camera automatically activates the tracking mode for the object and starts recording video when it identifies a special gesture.

Source: www.gizmochina.com

The application supports real-time beautifier, but only in 1080p and 720p resolutions. Except for the standard video and photo shooting modes, slow motion, fast motion, panoramic mode and smart mode are supported. The latter uses automatic recognition of the start of shooting according to a certain pattern: research, fashion, life, exciting moments and beautiful shots. It adds fun to the process.

In the application, you can also turn on the scenario mode: running or walking. If you choose to run, then the stabilization really improves when jerking.

Source: www.gizmochina.com

Zhiyun Smooth X gave us a new mobile gimbal experience. Compared to other gimbals that are not flexible enough to find the right shooting angles and capture selfie video, the novelty looks like a real innovation to overcome these cornerstones.

There are also disadvantages: the aforementioned lack of a motor along the tilt axis and the small size of the tripod.

Zhiyun’s reputation continues to grow in our eyes. The company has released another excellent stable gimbal. It is convenient to use, easy to use, it has a telescopic mechanism. But most importantly, the cost of this device is much lower than that of most analogues on the market.

TCL has become known as a TV manufacturer, despite the fact that it has long been engaged in the creation of smartphones under other logos. In the past few years, TCL has jumped into the game by producing new smartphone models. TCL 10 Pro is the newest model, which is designed to carve its own niche in the market.

In addition to the Pro model, TCL also releases a 5G-enabled 10 L smartphone, which is scheduled for release in the summer of 2020.

TCL 10 Pro is the only one among all TCL releases in 2020 with an OLED display and the most stylish design. A smartphone, like most middle-class devices, is not perfect and has both positive and negative sides, but in order to appreciate a smartphone, you need to get to know it better.

Source: XDA Developers

Design

TCL 10 Pro is a mid-range smartphone, which is also the top of the line in the company’s model line. So, in a sense, this is a flagship and the design of the device fully confirms this. There is nothing surprising in this, middle-class devices have long ceased to look cheap and are a slightly less elite alternative to their premium counterparts.

TCL 10 Pro received a metal case with a glass coating, outwardly it can be compared with OnePlus. A bezel-less screen with rounded sides and a drop camera create the effect of a premium smartphone and resemble modern versions of the Samsung Galaxy.

The reverse side of the case also looks concise, with four cameras located on a dark plate. TCL 10 Pro can be safely called a smartphone with one of the best designs in its price category. It looks at least one and a half times more expensive than its current price, and this is undoubtedly a pleasant moment.

If we talk about the shortcomings, then they rather relate to the design – rounded edges can lead to involuntary button presses, in addition, the smartphone has not received IP protection from water and dust. Another drawback that will be noticeable to mobile gamers is the location of the speaker, it is located at the bottom right, so if you hold the smartphone with both hands, the speaker will be covered.

The smartphone has a 3.5mm input, so all lovers of wired headphones will not have to switch to wireless in order to purchase this smartphone.

As for the fingerprint scanner, it is located under the screen. The scanner is optical and not the fastest, besides it does not read prints from wet hands.

But this should not be taken as a significant drawback, since many smartphones of even this level are still equipped with standard scanners.

Source: XDA Developers

Screen

We have already noted that the TCL 10 Pro screen received rounded edges, in addition, its diagonal is 6.47 inches, and Nxtvision AMOLED technology with Full HD resolution puts it on a par with flagships from other manufacturers. A separate plus is support for HDR 10. Nxtvision is not just a beautiful name, these displays are developed by TCL and borrow technology from the company’s TVs. With this feature, the user can customize the display according to their taste. Turning on Nxtvision enhances the contrast and brightness of colors in real time.

The function can be turned on and off through the settings.

Separately, you can switch SDR to HDR, although the difference is not too noticeable. Standard color settings look very presentable, without unnecessary effects, but without noticeable flaws. This profile covers 172.3% of the sRGB range. According to the numbers, the smartphone displays more saturated colors than the iPhone SE, which uses an LCD panel, but the realism of the colors is still higher on the iPhone.

It is worth noting the screen brightness on the TCL 10 Pro. It’s comfortable for everyday use, especially indoors, but the 398 nits promised by the manufacturer won’t always be able to keep up on a bright sunny day. This is the only noticeable drawback of the screen, so the overall impression is rather positive.

In general, the screen looks very dignified, easy to use when watching videos and playing games, and at this price you will rarely see such a display.

Source: XDA Developers

Camera

Like all fashionable smartphones, TCL 10 Pro received several cameras at once, in this case there are only 4 main ones. The set includes a main camera with a resolution of 64 MP, a 16 MP wide-angle camera, a 5 MP macro and a 2 MP sensor with high sensitivity for shooting in low light.

As for the front camera, a 24 megapixel sensor is used here, which is positively impressive – this is much more than not only similar, but also more expensive smartphones offer.

The main sensor shoots using quad-pixel technology in order to let more light through to the matrix. This has an obvious plus, and a minus is that the result is still obtained as from a 12 megapixel camera.

If the TCL 10 Pro camera is significantly inferior to competitors in something, then this is color detailing. The same iPhone SE recognizes shades much more accurately, while the image on the TCL 10 Pro will be slightly more blurry. Moreover, this effect is directly related to the AI ​​scene recognition function. If the function is turned off, the tones will be less saturated and contrasting, but more natural.

The wide-angle lens on the TCL 10 Pro worked out better than the main one, it captures natural tones and reduces contrast to the point that the effect is reminiscent of shooting with a pocket camera. TCL 10 Pro perfectly captures natural lighting and the difference between light and dark areas of the frame. Compared to the Samsung Galaxy A51, the TCL camera also produces less noise in shaded areas.

Macro sensors have become very popular lately, most often found in budget cameras. The design of the TCL 10 Pro also included a macro camera, however, unlike cheap options with a resolution of 2MP, it received 5MP for shooting. Macro shots are pleasing and not overly contrasty. Their quality is also good. The camera also focuses quickly and captures light well.

The last of the four cameras is designed for shooting in low light, it received its own mode called Super Night, by analogy with the night mode presented on most modern flagships. Compared to the similar function on the Google Pixel 4, you can see that the TCL 10 Pro catches less light, although bright elements are still visible. The Pixel does a better job, but the thing to keep in mind here is that we’re comparing a mid-range smartphone to a full-fledged flagship. The presence of this feature and its very successful work is a significant plus in favor of TCL 10 Pro.

The selfie camera is capable of capturing high-quality pictures, although the colors are slightly more washed out, and overexposed areas may appear in bright light. If you are not looking for perfect selfies, then the camera will not be a disappointment for you, it is ideal for calls and video chats.

Source: XDA Developers

Performance

I must say that performance is exactly the point that TCL paid special attention to. The smartphone runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 processor, which is more powerful than the one that is equipped with the Google Pixel 3a. In addition, TCL 10 Pro has 6 GB of RAM. Thanks to this combination of power and memory, the smartphone becomes the owner of perhaps the highest performance in its price range. The only exception is the new iPhone SE with the A13 Bionic processor.

The smartphone does a great job of running Android apps. When running the system and light applications, you will not notice a difference with the Snapdragon 865 at all. According to the Geekbench test, the TCL 10 Pro outperforms the Galaxy A51, Google Pixel 3a and Moto G Power.

If you run demanding games such as Asphalt 9 Legends, the differences will be obvious in the drop in frequency and graphics quality. The good news is that lighter games don’t cause the same problems.

Snapdragon 675 shows much higher performance than the previous model 670, but the Adreno 612 GPU is still weaker than the 615 version. Therefore, in games, TCL 10 Pro does not bypass other smartphones of the same level.

You can’t call the TCL 10 Pro a smartphone that is not suitable for games, but it is also weak for gaming. So here it just fits exactly into the price category.

Battery

TCL 10 Pro received a 4500 mAh battery. In the mode of continuous use of LTE and the Internet on a smartphone, the battery lasts 10 hours 47 minutes without additional recharging. At the highest scores in a similar test, smartphones typically last 11 hours. At the same time, the main competitors of the smartphone did worse, Galaxy A51 showed only 9 hours and 16 minutes, iPhone SE – 9 hours and 18 minutes. Therefore, we have no special complaints about TCL 10 Pro.

The TCL 10 Pro comes with an 18W fast charger that can get 50% battery capacity in 35 minutes. It will take a little over an hour to fully charge.

Source: XDA Developers

Operating system

TCL 10 Pro, like most of its counterparts, uses Android with its own TCL UI interface. The system does not have a spectacular design, compared to the classic Android or MIUI, it looks somewhat outdated and in some places unfinished. And TCL UI has a lot of different settings and additional modes, many of which do not make much difference. But there are a number of useful additions, for example, if you press the volume button while listening to music, a playback slider appears next to it. A smart button that can be programmed to your liking is also very convenient.

For the rest, while TCL cannot boast of the most polished and user-friendly operating system, but this manufacturer can be forgiven and corrected in updates.

Outcome

The TCL 10 Pro is impressive because, being a mid-range smartphone, it offers the user several features that are typical of flagship devices, plus a design that will definitely impress others. According to some parameters, he manages to bypass direct competitors from Google, Samsung and Apple. True, we must take into account that TCL 10 Pro is an early attempt by the company, while the rest have already managed to prove themselves. It’s safe to say that TCL still has a lot of opportunities ahead of it.

Ever since Apple launched AirPods, users around the world have been expecting an equally impressive Android alternative. Various companies have tried their hand at creating true wireless earbuds, and now it’s Google’s turn.

Source: Engadget

Google Pixel Buds are truly wireless. The earbuds are both a significant step up from their predecessors and a disappointment next to the alternatives. But let’s take a closer look at what Google has offered us.

At first glance, Google Pixel Buds seem like a copy of the headphones from Apple and Samsung, but it’s enough to get to know them better to see that this is not entirely true. Google is bringing a significant new feature, the always-on Google Assistant. That is, a voice assistant that listens to the user all the time, waiting for a command.

This may seem like a minor addition, but here it is worth paying attention to competitors right away. AirPods brought this feature to headphones a long time ago, and until now, Android has not had a worthy alternative. Even if the feature was present, like on the Sony wireless, it wasn’t in perfect sync with the smartphone/tablet.

Google Pixel Buds finally solve this issue. Just open the case with the headphones, and they will already make contact with the Pixel smartphone. And that’s not all, just like AirPods with “Hey Siri”, Pixel Buds respond to the appropriate words for their smartphones and are ready to come to the service at any moment.

Google has gone one step further, and as long as you have an internet connection, the headphones are ready to provide you with real-time translations of languages. And this function should not be underestimated.

But Google Pixel Buds are not only endless pros, but also noticeable disadvantages. One of them is the lack of active noise cancellation. And this will definitely affect the purchase for those who prefer to enjoy the sound from the headphones, rather than the surrounding noise. In addition, the device’s battery lasts only around three hours with constant playback, and the cost of the headphones cannot be called budget at all.

Source: news

Design

If there is one thing that can be called a 100% advantage of the Google Pixel Buds, it is the design. The headphones are completely wireless, and this is their main difference from previous models. This also hints that the company will go further in this direction, over time, replacing the original models with wireless ones.

Case also received a visual update. It fits in your hand and pocket. Its shape resembles an egg, the case opens with a corresponding click, and there is only one USB Type-C port for charging on the case. That’s not all, since the case also supports wireless charging, reporting the status of the process with the help of an LED light.

In addition to the case and headphones, there are additional ear pads in the box. For anyone who doesn’t like or doesn’t like the one-piece option, this solution becomes a good alternative, as it is possible to adjust the size of the headphones, thereby improving their sound during playback. Here, however, Google also slightly missed, and most of the options are large for standard ear sizes. But this is already a matter of size, and it is impossible to say with absolute certainty what will suit the majority.

In general, it can be assumed that a design with a “fin” that secures the earpiece to the ear would be more optimal and versatile.

Without getting hung up on the subjective aspect, the only thing the Google Pixel Buds lack is active noise cancellation. Most earphones in this price range offer this feature, the more noticeable its absence.

True, Google still did not ignore the problem, equipping the headphones with an additional smart function – the sound automatically adjusts to the amount of noise that the microphone picks up. The question is how effective this supplement is. Built-in noise reduction often does a better job and gives a more pleasant result.

When you pull the earbud out, playback is paused, which is especially helpful in keeping the earbuds charged when you’re not using them. Given the limited capacity of the battery, such a feature is simply necessary, so it’s nice that Google has not forgotten about it.

Last but not least, the design of the Google Pixel Buds is the degree of water resistance. Google Pixel Buds received protection according to the IPX4 standard, in other words, they cope with sweat or a small amount of raindrops on the case. However, they are not suitable for visiting beaches or swimming. Therefore, be careful if you still decide to choose this model.

Source: Android Central

Functional

We have already noted a few things that Google Pixel Buds can do, but that’s not all. In general, if the headphone manufacturers have succeeded in something, it is in the number of necessary and useful functions for Android users. Automatic pairing with your Android smartphone or tablet is very convenient as it saves you the lengthy process of syncing and reconnecting every time the situation calls for it.

The Google Assistant has also become a very successful addition. And it’s not just about directions or questions about the weather or the route. For example, with Google Pixel Buds, you can control your smart home no matter where you are. Already in the modern world, this gives headphones an advantage over competitors that cannot offer similar functions.

It is necessary to note in more detail the possibility of simultaneous translation. In this regard, Google Pixel Buds, perhaps, have left most of the alternative models far behind. The headphones work directly with the Google Translate service in order to provide fast text translation. All you have to do is say “Ok Google, translate Spanish for me” and the app will launch on the device. You press the left earpiece, speak your native language, and Google will read the translation through the speakers. By pressing the translate button on your smartphone while the interlocutor is talking, you can get a response.

As soon as you get used to the process and stop getting confused, the function really manifests itself, allowing you to communicate on trips, with relatives and friends from other countries, etc.

The difficulties lie in the fact that you will always have to speak in turn, and for work you need either Wi-Fi or a language pack that can be downloaded, it weighs about 45MB.

Well, another feature of Google Pixel Buds allows you to read notifications directly from your smartphone and respond using voice dialing.

So far, there are difficulties in this that are associated with sound recognition and competent pronunciation, but this is all a matter of practice, and Google is clearly not going to stop there. The only question here is time.

Source: CNET

Performance

The main issue that worries anyone when purchasing headphones is not design or additional functionality. The most important thing is how the headphones sound. Google Pixel Buds don’t sound perfect. Even before you start playing a melody or making a call, a hiss is heard in the headphones, which, in principle, can be ignored.

But this is not the only problem you may encounter. Some tracks sound very muffled in the bass while the focus is on the mids and highs. This will work for some genres of music, no doubt, but if you prefer heavy tracks, then the problem will be very noticeable. At the same time, the headphones perfectly divide the sound into stereo channels, all the more surprising is such an omission on the part of the manufacturer.

All this makes the sound bright, but not too saturated. The tracks sound sharp and loud, but there is no depth in them. The ears get tired of this pretty quickly, because all the sounds seem higher than they really are. So far, Google has not provided equalizers and the ability to customize the sound to your preferences, so you have to deal with the sound that is preinstalled by the manufacturer and this sound is far from ideal.

If you don’t like the sound of music, chances are you won’t like the sound of movies either. The maximum that Google Pixel Buds are suitable for is Youtube videos. If you’re looking for action-packed movies with deep soundtracks and loud explosions, then the Google Pixel Buds aren’t for you.

If you use headphones in calls, then the reception will be good. However, while there are problems with the microphone, which, most likely, can be fixed in a firmware update. We will hope that this will be the case, since the company clearly has work to do.

Source: Gizmodo Australia

Battery

The battery capacity, as we noted above, is small. But Google announced the battery life of the headphones in advance and were very fair in their assessment. You can listen to music non-stop for up to three hours on a single charge, and the case gives you 24 additional hours of use. Charging produces in an extremely short time, 15-20 minutes. The case can be charged without a wire, but the headphones, of course, only through the case. In general, the figures are not the most impressive, but not the lowest either. If you can safely survive the charging time, for example, during a flight, then you have absolutely nothing to worry about.

Source: TECH SPEAKR – WordPress.com

Outcome

Of course, compared to the original Pixel Buds, the novelty was a significant step forward. Undoubtedly, Google Pixel Buds are rich in functionality, however, it seems that in the pursuit of new bright features, the company has completely forgotten why we buy headphones in the first place. So if the choice is between a regular device with good sound or fancy headphones without bass, many will probably prefer the first option.

However, Google has shown us where they plan to go, and if the next versions of Google Pixel Buds get a better sound and all the related features become an addition, then we can safely talk not only about worthy competition for AirPods, but also about the possibility Google finally leave rivals far behind.

But if you’re itching to try the Google Assistant interaction and real-time translation, then you can count on the additions to fix the existing shortcomings and Google Pixel Buds will be a good choice.

Each smartphone company has already developed its own recognizable product naming policy, and the types of standard models that we expect to see. For some, these are Plus versions, for others – Max, and there are those who create budget versions of the smartphone under the Lite brand. Samsung has never been known for its desire to create alternative models of flagship smartphones, on the contrary, everything has always been clearly divided into specific series, but now we hear more and more often that this may change. There are more than enough reasons for this, smartphones of almost every price category can easily find a buyer in the modern world, which means that supply and demand must be adjusted.

Source: Notebookcheck

Galaxy S10 Lite

Rumors about the budget model of the Samsung Galaxy S10 appeared recently and provoked them, as always, the company’s patent. The patent was filed in the US and was reportedly for a smartphone that looked like a cross between the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus and Galaxy S10 Plus. The combination is quite interesting and, fortunately, this is not all that is known about this device.

The front panel includes two cameras, small and located on an elongated die in the right corner of the screen. And at the back, the camera is double and is also located in the center on a vertical panel. Otherwise, the smartphone will receive a frameless design, so it will definitely be quite modern. An interesting point is the lack of a fingerprint scanner, which means it is most likely built into the display. For Samsung, this invention is not new, and the company is very successful in its implementation.

The smartphone really strongly resembles the devices of the Galaxy S series, so it has already been called the Galaxy S10 Lite by the people. That’s not all, as it looks very much like a device that could get all the specs that the S10 Lite is rumored to be credited with. But it is likely that he will be a representative of some other, perhaps even a new series. And the Galaxy S10 Lite can be a completely different smartphone with a different design.

Source: YouTube

Galaxy S11

The rumors from the world of Samsung do not end there, since quite a lot of time has passed since the release of the 10th Galaxy S series, the 11th generation of the famous flagships is also becoming legendary. So more and more we hear about the possible features and innovations that await those who want to buy the Galaxy S11. Little is known about the design yet, although there are rumors that the screen ratio will be 20:9, that is, the smartphone will receive a wider display, and will itself be quite long. An even more interesting rumor is that the smartphone will have two displays, and this will not be surprising, because Samsung has already announced the Galaxy Fold, and companies are definitely moving in this direction. Plus, this design has already been patented by Samsung before. This smartphone only has one set of cameras as the second display negates the need for a selfie camera.

Otherwise, as always, fans want to see improved performance from the latest flagship. And let’s face it, it’s quite possible. For example, 12GB of RAM is expected from the novelty, which will allow the smartphone to work even faster. And Samsung has already created such a chip, so it becomes a great candidate for a new smartphone. The processor, according to rumors, will be able to give odds to all analogues, and they say that this is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865. However, in many countries Samsung comes with an Exynos processor, so we have yet to find out how true the predictions of the highest power are.

There is also a lot of talk about the camera. The company announced both 64MP and 48MP cameras for smartphones, so it is likely that one of them will become the main one for the new Galaxy S11. True, more fantastic rumors speak of a 108MP camera, and this is also possible, especially considering the fact that Xiaomi has already created a smartphone with such a camera. If Samsung wants to not only keep up with the competition, but also set the tone for the rest, then you will have to hurry up with an even more innovative solution. For example, such a solution could be an image processor or aperture ratio. After all, not only megapixels alone are responsible for the quality of the photo.

In a word, there are more than enough rumors and leaks of information, but there are almost no confirmed data at the moment. We only know that the Galaxy S11 will appear for sure, most likely the Galaxy S-Lite will also be developed, and Samsung is probably preparing a lot of new things for us.

Source: CNET

In the meantime, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus share the crown among the best smartphones from Samsung. Both smartphones impress fans, and make competitors seriously nervous. Galaxy Note 10 offers two modifications – standard and Note Plus. Both are incredibly powerful, with quality cameras, suitable for gaming, video and any other tasks.

And for those who don’t want to spend too much on smartphones, there is always a great alternative series – Samsung Galaxy A smartphones. Every year this series receives an update, which is why the Galaxy A50 is one of the most modern high-performance smartphones. And it is available at a very budget price, which is definitely pleasing.

If you have used Marshall headphones, you know exactly why they are so loved by many users. It’s not only cool retro design that makes you feel like a rock star in the studio, it’s modern functionality and unparalleled sound quality. And now, with the new model, Marshall is adding new essential features to the series. But let’s talk about everything in more detail, taking a look at these headphones.

Source: TechHive

Appearance and design

Why change something that already works perfectly? Armed with such an ideology, the company chose to practically not change the appearance of the headphones. They are still very similar to the predecessor Marshall Major II Bluetooth, repeating the same design – faux vinyl leather and gold or white elements. Of course, as always, the elegant logo is in place and the foldable design does not change. The bowls remained square and are also located directly on the ear. Some users find this uncomfortable, especially with prolonged use. But it all comes down to personal comfort.

On the left earcup there is a control button with which you can play tracks or shuffle their order, sound adjustment buttons and a multifunctional button for answering calls.

On the right, something new awaits us, namely, the Google voice assistant button. This is one of the most interesting features on the Marshall Major III Voice – it allows you to get to the assistant when the headphones are connected to your Android smartphone or tablet.

Even though the headphones themselves are wireless, they come with a wire that is quite durable and with a remote control for controlling music playback. And the wire is connected to only one bowl, this is another difference from the previous model.

Source: 9to5Toys

Functional

The main news is, of course, the Google Assistant, it is he who appears in the entire Marshall Major III Voice promo campaign. The assistant can not only ask questions, but also give commands, control smart devices, etc.

He can also read notifications on a smartphone, so the function is immediately sympathetic. The only negative, and quite noticeable, is the lack of a similar interaction with Siri or Alexa.

The rest of the functions remained unchanged, and this is a definite plus, because these headphones are loved for them.

In addition, the battery life is also impressive. For many wireless headphones, this indicator has become a stumbling block. But Marshall has already laid the foundations for long battery life, as those who have used their wireless speakers know well. There’s no reason the same can’t be extended to headphones. Therefore, Marshall Major III Voice provides up to 60 hours of autonomous wireless music playback from a single battery charge. In other words, you can not recharge them for a whole week if, for example, you listen to music on the way to work or to classes. By this indicator alone, Marshall Major III is far behind numerous competitors, even the most famous of them.

The Bluetooth connection also works perfectly – you can synchronize the headphones with your smartphone quickly and easily, and they do not fall off even when surrounded by a large number of other wireless devices.

Source: Android Central

Sound quality

Perhaps the most significant distinguishing feature of Marshall products is precisely the quality of sound reproduction. And here Major III, as always, is on top. The earphones are equipped with 40mm dynamic drivers, which are able to withstand powerful sound. The range of supported frequencies is from 20 to 20000 Hz. The sensitivity is 97 dB, and the impedance is 32 ohms. The Bluetooth range is standard, 10 meters.

The Marshall Major IIIs are superbly balanced and handle all frequencies perfectly. Perception, in this case, of course, will remain subjective, but it is safe to say that the standard for technical requirements is fully covered. Delicate guitar melodies sound very realistic and voluminous. In more complex multi-instrumental compositions, headphones provide accurate reproduction of all sounds, and if we take heavy works, then they are striking in the clarity and differentiation of all instruments individually. Also, Major III successfully copes with the accurate transmission of voices.

The microphone also works flawlessly. As always, it gives a clear sound, suppresses ambient noise and focuses on the speaker’s voice.

Headphones are available in three colors: white, black and brown.

In a word, there is absolutely nothing to complain about.

Results

Marshall is very talented in retaining all the successful features of the headphones, making them feel familiar, especially if you have already used the previous model. The appearance is repeated in detail, which is also more likely to be a plus.

The headphones are also incredibly comfortable. Despite the fact that this is a rather large device, thanks to the foldable design, it fits easily into a bag and also sits comfortably around the neck. In cold weather, the bowls successfully warm the ears, although it is rather difficult to put them on a hat.

The quality of the Marshall Major III Voice is consistently pleasing, and this is perhaps their main advantage. Headphones are great for music lovers, but will be a good investment for gamers.