Mobile Reviews
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Google Pixel 8 Pro display deep dive: Brain finally meets brawn
What happens when Google uses premium components?
The Pixel lineup has developed a mixed reputation over its lifetime. On the one hand, Google often pushes the needle for what smartphones can do, creating unique solutions to complex problems a lot of people might have. These include things like Call Screening to combat spam calls, Now Playing to identify songs around you, or the new Best Take camera feature, which can swap out faces in a photo with a more appealing one. Google also leverages its software talent to try to make the most out of the components used in its phones, often punching above its weight against competitors, which might use similar parts.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds review: An S upgrade more than an Ultra one
Bose' new Ultra earbuds are great, but other than the addition spatial audio, improvements over the last generation model are non-existent.
I have reviewed almost all the major wireless earbuds released in the last couple of years, and if you ask me for the best one that money can buy, I'd give you a three-way tie between Apple's AirPods Pro 2 (best transparency mode and seamless connection with the most used phone in the world), Sony's XM5 (tremendous acoustics in a sleek, stemless design), and the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 (absolute best-in-class active noise cancelation).
Samsung Galaxy Buds FE review: Mid-range earbuds finally worthy of the fan label
This is the first Samsung Fan Edition product that doesn’t feel severely watered down
Confession time: I haven't been a fan of Samsung's "Fan Edition" (FE) lineup of mid-range products. I've always been a flagship guy, so these products aren't really for me, but even when I detach my personal preferences and evaluate products objectively, Samsung's FE mobile offerings just seem to cut too many obvious corners, like the Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ I recently reviewed that had sluggish animations out of the box.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ review: Good looks, useful software, sluggish performance
The Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ is a good looking large-screen tablet for those on a tighter budget, but be ready for compromises.
Samsung's flagship Galaxy Tab S9 tablets are easily among the best Android tablets, with the alpha dog Tab S9 Ultra able to go toe-to-toe against even the best iPad for overall supremacy. But they're quite pricey, with the base model starting at $800 and the Ultra model reaching $1,200.
Google Pixel 8 Pro performance test: A good step forward for Tensor
It still falls behind this current generation, however
Google's Tensor chipsets have been the subject of controversy in the past. The first Tensor was power-hungry, thermally inefficient, and overall just a sub-par chip that immediately felt dated to many when it launched. Tensor G2 was a minor improvement, all things considered, but it did go a long way to fix some of those problems. Now, Tensor G3 is here, along with the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, and it's more than just an iterative change.
I don't consider the Apple Watch Ultra 2 to objectively be the best Apple Watch, but it is my new favorite. I don't think anyone would disagree that the Apple Watch is the best smartwatch for iPhones; there are several tiers, from the entry-level Apple Watch SE and up. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is for fitness lovers, who will make use of the larger, more rugged design.
OnePlus Open review: The best foldable phone in America
The OnePlus Open brings awesome Chinese foldable hardware and adds software that's optimized for a Western crowd.
The OnePlus Open is being marketed as the debut foldable phone by the Chinese brand, but anybody who follows the smartphone scene closely knows this is not a first-generation device. The Open is actually a rebranded Oppo Find N3, the third-generation foldable by one of Asia's top phone brands. This is great news for foldable fans in America because the first two Find N phones were excellent and offered arguably best-in-class foldable hardware at the time of release. The OnePlus Open is no exception. In terms of hardware, it's clearly superior to the Google Pixel Fold and arguably better than Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5.
Motorola Razr (2023) review: The price doesn't make sense
The Motorola Razr is the most affordable foldable phone in North America. The problem is it's not cheap enough.
The Motorola Razr 2023 sounds like a great idea, at least if you hear it in passing, like an elevator pitch: a foldable phone that compromises on some hardware components to reach an affordable price point that, in the North American market, is considered mid-range. And that's exactly what Motorola has achieved here: the Razr 2023 is going on sale today at $599, in what is supposed to be a "limited time $100 off offer."
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 review: Stellar hardware, mediocre software
Poor software navigation and gestures make the Galaxy Watch 6 a lot less useful than it should be
Samsung's new Galaxy Watch 6 is positioned as the everyday smartwatch, slotting in under the more expensive Galaxy Watch 6 Classic. The standard model is available in smaller sizes, has a simple and refined design language, and is intended to just work with the Samsung ecosystem. After testing the Galaxy Watch 6 for over two weeks, I've found it's anything but your everyday smartwatch. It feels light on the wrist, looks great, and has fitness and health technology that might be the best from any company not named Garmin.
Viture One review: The most capable AR glasses so far
The Viture One is just another option in the long list of AR glasses, but this one has the most capable hardware and software yet
Even before Apple announced it was entering the space early next year, augmented reality eyewear has been a growing segment in the consumer tech space, with brands like XReal, Rokid, TCL, Lenovo, and Razer all launching versions in recent years. Now that Apple is officially on board with the Vision Pro, many consumer tech brands will pivot even harder into this space — with the XR (extended reality) acronym instead of AR. No matter which phrasing you prefer to use, these glasses all do a similar thing: project a virtual screen onto the real world.
Google Pixel 8 review: The best base model flagship of them all
The Pixel 8 brings a new chip with some very capable AI prowess, but the rest of the package is also polished and near Pro level
Of the big three flagship phone series, the Google Pixel line enjoys the most parity, meaning the gap between the base model and Pro Pixels isn't too drastic. That's not the case with Apple, which gives Pro iPhones newer silicon and more premium build material. Samsung, too, gives the Ultra better main and zoom cameras as well as a stylus. But the Pixels? There really hasn't been much that separates the Pixel Pro from the standard version other than screen size and a zoom lens. This is great news for Pixel fans who want to save a bit of money because they don't have to feel like they're getting a significantly inferior device.
Google Pixel Watch 2 review: Second time's the charm
The Google Pixel Watch 2 fixes the glaring flaws of the first watch and keeps what worked. The price is still perhaps too high, though
The original Google Pixel Watch was an ambitious wearable that aimed to fix Google's previously broken Wear OS ecosystem while also being Android's answer to the Apple Watch. For a first attempt, the watch was a hit-and-miss affair. It had a sleek design, unique shape, and the ability to receive and respond to text messages directly, the latter of which many third-party Android smartwatches fail at. But battery life was objectively terrible, the Exynos chip was slow, and Fitbit integration got in the way more than it helped.
Google Pixel 8 Pro review: A giant leap for smartphone AI
The Google Pixel 8 Pro's generative AI capabilities are legit, and I can't put the phone down
It is beyond cliché at this point to say the appeal of a Google Pixel phone, and what separates it from other best phones on the market, is its software. But it's true more than ever this year. I don't think any single hardware component of the Google Pixel 8 Pro can be called the best or even top three in its category. The iPhone 15 Pro phones have thinner display bezels; Chinese Android flagship phones bring higher-tier camera hardware; Samsung's speakers and haptics are superior; and the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is likely going to beat the Tensor G3 in every conventional benchmark. I don't even think the Pixel 8 Pro produces noticeably better images than the Pixel 7 Pro cameras.
Google Pixel 8 & 8 Pro hands-on: All about Generative AI
The new Pixel phones are here with brighter screens, better cameras, and much smarter brain
After months of leaks, Google finally officially launched the Google Pixel 8 series today at an event in New York. While the phones look similar to the last generation of Pixels, and camera hardware improvements are modest, there is a new Tensor G3 chip that promises to do big things. Essentially, Google is marketing the Pixel 8 phones as the first mobile handsets to run generative AI on device. These new phones, especially the more capable Pixel 8 Pro, are no doubt going to be among the best smartphones of the year.
iPhone 15 review: A major yet sneaky upgrade from its predecessor
Apple's iPhone 15 might look like last year's iPhone 14, and the iPhone 13 before that. But it's an upgrade that impresses nonetheless.
Apple has faced a litany of criticism over the past few years for failing to considerably improve its base-model iPhones, and for good reason. Last year's iPhone 14 was the worst example of this, which was so similar to the previous iPhone 13 that the two phones shared the same system-on-a-chip. For perspective, that was the first time a flagship iPhone was released without a chip upgrade, notably excluding budget-oriented releases like the iPhone SE. At first glance, you might think that Apple's new iPhone 15 — just released Sept. 22 in most regions — follows this same disappointing trend. From the outside, it looks the same as the past few generations of iPhone. But fear not, the iPhone 15 isn't just an upgrade over last year's iPhone 14; it represents the biggest upgrade of any iPhone model released this year.
Apple Watch Series 9 review: More of the same, but it'll be enough
The Apple Watch Series 9 doesn't look that exciting, but the upgrades it packs make it one of the best smartwatches — again.
When I reviewed the Apple Watch Ultra last year, I concluded that even though it was designed for people who are far more active and adventurous than I am, I wanted one anyway because of the larger screen, more premium build, and longer battery life. In the year since I realized there are apparently many others like me, because I have seen a lot of Apple Watch Ultras out in the wild, on the arms of people who are clearly not mountaineers, extreme sports athletes or deep sea divers. I concede the cities I frequent — Los Angeles, San Francisco and Hong Kong — are privileged wealthy cities that can't be used as a reflection of the world, but I've heard enough anecdotes from colleagues and industry peers from other states that I think it's safe to say the Apple Watch Ultra has wide appeal in the states, and that with Apple products, consumers always gravitate towards the priciest/best model.
iPhone 15 Pro Max review: Apple is slowly winning over this Android diehard
The iPhone 15 Pro Max may not look much different from the iPhone 14 Pro Max, but it brings much improved cameras and ergonomics
The iPhone 15 Pro Max could to some eyes seem like yet another iterative update out of Cupertino. My "black titanium" model, in particular, looks almost identical to my "space black" iPhone 14 Pro Max at first glance. But after using the phone nonstop across three countries for the past week, I can say this is the most impressed I've been with an iPhone since the iPhone X; I like it significantly more than I did the last few Pro Max iPhones; and while I can never be a "full time" iPhone user because I test so many Android phones, I may finally do what most of my media peers do and make the iPhone my default phone when I'm not reviewing a new phone. This is coming from someone who's been very vocally and publicly criticized the iPhone and championed Android over the years. But Apple is slowly winning this Android diehard over.
iOS 17 review: The bubble is now greener on the other side
Apple is embracing its tight ecosystem with this release, further alienating Android users in the process.
Along with macOS Sonoma, iPadOS 17, and watchOS 10, Apple previewed iOS 17 during WWDC23. Since then, we've thoroughly tested every beta build of this release and observed it as it matured. And now that the stable version is available on the latest iPhones, it's time to share our experience.
iPadOS 17 review: Playing catch-up with iOS
iPadOS 17 doesn't contribute much to the operating system's unique direction.
Since iPadOS 13, the iPad's operating system has diverted away from iOS, offering more exclusive features, tools, and changes. That's partially due to Apple trying to market its excellent tablets as laptop replacements. Now that I've been using iPadOS 17 for over three months, however, it has become evident that the Cupertino firm may just be running out of ideas. iPadOS 17 focuses on porting features introduced with iOS 17 and 16 rather than evolving the iPad's so-called unique identity.
Apple Watch Series 9 & Ultra 2 hands-on: all about the double tap
These two watches are minor upgrades, but the new double tap gesture seems genuinely clever and useful.
Yesterday at Apple's September launch event the tech giant introduced four new iPhones and a pair of Apple Watches. Unlike the iPhones, which gained new cameras, charging ports and slightly redesigned bodies, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 look practically identical to the previous generations, and there aren't really major outer hardware updates, other than a screen that can get a bit brighter and dimmer.