Mobile Reviews
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Google Pixel 7a review: The best midrange phone with flagship-level features
The $499 Pixel 7a looks, feels, and performs just like the Pixel 7, which just six months ago was a highly-rated flagship phone.
There used to be a clear line separating the flagship Pixel series from the mid-range A phones. The former would be powered by the best Qualcomm Snapdragon chip, while the latter would settle for a lower-tier Snapdragon silicon. But that line blurred with the Pixel 6 series when Google began using its own silicon and gave the subsequent 6a series access to the same chip.
Poco F5 Pro review: Another superb value proposition, but not for Americans
The Poco F5 Pro offers a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and WQHD+ 120Hz OLED screen at an attractive price. But marketing availability questions remain
Xiaomi's sub-brand Poco is back with another phone that, if you squint, could almost pass for a flagship phone, but at a price that's less than half of what actual flagships command. The Poco F5 Pro, starting at US$449, packs a WQHD+ 120Hz OLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, a solid 64MP main camera, wireless charging, flagship-level haptics, and speakers. There's even an official IP rating, which most Chinese mid-rangers omit.
Motorola Moto G Stylus 2023 review: A task-specific device that gets the job done
The new Moto G Stylus 2023 won't win awards for photography or raw power. But it's a handy note-taking device that does other basic tasks quite well.
Motorola has been making some of the best cheap Android phones for years now, and the Moto G Stylus 2023 aims to continue that trend. As one of the few smartphones in the budget category that offers a built-in stylus, Motorola has a chance to expand the reach of its devices to not only those who are short on cash but also want the ability to write on their phone. While it doesn't have the same prowess as something like the $1,200 Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, which also includes a stylus, it does have a place in the smartphone market.
Motorola Moto G Power 5G (2023) review: Lots of power, but not where you need it most
If you just need a phone that can easily go days on a single charge, you can't go wrong here.
Motorola's Moto G Power line has always been about providing smartphones with excellent battery life. The trend continues with the latest version but adds marked improvements over its predecessor, like a 1080p display, 120Hz refresh rate, 5G connectivity, a better processor, and more. The previous Moto G Power was one of the best cheap Android phones available, so our expectations were high.
Xiaomi 13 Ultra review: Refinement more than revolution
The Xiaomi 13 Ultra doesn't quite drop jaws the way last year's 12S Ultra did, but it's still easily one of the most premium hardware packages around.
Last year's Xiaomi 12S Ultra was in my (and many reviewers') opinion the best smartphone camera of 2022 due largely to its new 1-inch type sensor developed by Sony. However, it was only sold in China. This year's Xiaomi 13 Ultra finally goes "global" (or, at least, to Southeast Asia and parts of Europe along with China), but is now in a much heavier market since that sensor can now be found in several other phones. So for the 13, Xiaomi made refinements around that star sensor, such as adding a variable aperture, improving peripheral cameras, and even adding a camera grip accessory that turns the device into more camera than phone. But are these enough to keep the lead it built over rivals last year?
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review: Refined to near perfection
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is a more refined Galaxy S22 Ultra, and while it might have features you don't need, it's one of the best.
Samsung is back with a brand-new batch of flagship smartphones in the Galaxy S23 series, with the Galaxy S23 Ultra leading the pack. This is the first non-folding Samsung phone I’ve used since the Galaxy S10, but ever since the first Galaxy Ultra phone came out with its crazy Space Zoom camera feature, I’ve been itching to try one out for myself. The wait has been totally worth it.
OnePlus Pad review: A great tablet, in spite of Android
The OnePlus Pad brings excellent build quality, useful software features, and a price that puts it squarely in the best Android tablet conversation.
Android tablets aren't new, but in terms of the great Android tablets, there has really only been the Samsung Galaxy Tab S line. There are plenty of low-cost options, but many get little to no long-term software support and generally have poor performance. But that has never been the ethos for OnePlus phones, and that extends to the new OnePlus Pad.
ThinkPhone by Motorola review: Finally, a phone for ThinkPad stans
Can it live up to the Think brand?
The Lenovo ThinkPhone by Motorola, despite being a really strange branding decision, is a really good phone with some really smart features. It's designed for ThinkPad users, and the Lenovo-owned Motorola is finally starting to find ways to make its devices work with each other.
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G review: There's value, but there are also better options
OnePlus' latest budget-friendly Nord device seems great on paper, but it's tough to recommend.
The OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite was among the best budget-friendly 5G phones last year. It offered users a couple of premium features, like a 120Hz display, a 64MP primary camera, and a large battery with 33W wired fast charging, at a rather attractive price. Its successor, the recently-released OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite, ups the ante with an even better camera system, faster charging, and a fresh design at a slight markup.
Amazfit T-Rex Ultra review: Extremely durable outside, highly intelligent inside
The Amazfit T-Rex Ultra is a super durable smartwatch that probably could've survived an actual T-Rex and is way smarter too.
There are general smartwatches that can perform a variety of tasks and keep you connected to your smartphone. Then, there are purpose-driven watches that are designed to excel in specific areas. The new Amazfit T-Rex Ultra is one of the latter.
Rokid Max review: Not quite AR, but a wearable 215-inch screen is still awesome
The Rokid Max are AR glasses with undercooked AR capabilities, but as a portable wearable screen, they're the best in their class.
Tech brands have been throwing around the idea of augmented reality (AR) headsets and eyewear for nearly a decade. There are even substantial rumors that say Apple has a mixed-reality headset coming sometime this year. Unfortunately, up until this point, the products have been either exorbitantly priced to the point of being beyond niche or they're affordable and practical to use but don't actually augment any reality.
Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate review: The best gaming phone gets even better
If you want to play games on the go, you can't go wrong with everything the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate has to offer.
When it comes to gaming phones, Asus' ROG series is probably the cream of the crop. They're not the most popular compared to conventional smartphones, but anybody who's serious about mobile gaming has heard of them. Past devices like the Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro went all out on specifications, and the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is no different. There's a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, a headphone jack, dual front-facing speakers, and even a second USB-C port.
OnePlus Nord Buds 2 review: Actually usable ANC in $59 earbuds
The OnePlus Nord Buds 2 are budget earbuds that punch way above their price range. They may offer the best price-to-performance ratio out there.
OnePlus' Nord series of products began with a phone in August 2020. Carl Pei, who was still with the company at the time, told me in an interview he helped create the Nord series because "technology has improved to a point where you can make a good phone without using the highest-end components."
Honor Magic 5 Pro review: On the path to greatness
The Honor Magic 5 Pro packs in some impressive specs and features, but how does it hold up in daily use?
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Honor was known for making midrange phones for years while it was still a part of Huawei. With its separation from Huawei to become a standalone brand in 2021, Honor is pushing further into the flagship space to battle for the best smartphone title — and the newly announced Magic 5 Pro is here for the next step.
Google Pixel 7 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra camera test: The two best camera phones (in North America)
The Google Pixel 7 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra are the two most high-profile Android in North America, and they also have the two best cameras
If you're in the market for a new flagship phone and camera performance is an important factor, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Google Pixel 7 Pro are probably the two best options to consider (unless you live in China, in which case there are other major contenders). While the iPhone 14 Pro is still the video recording king, its still photography lags behind both of these Android flagships. The Pixel 7 Pro and S23 Ultra pack main cameras with larger sensors, more pixels, and zoom lenses with superior periscope technology compared to the iPhone. But which one of these has the better camera? If you're looking for a complete comparison between these two phones, we have one too.
Jabra Elite 4 review: These $99 buds punch above their price range
Jabra's new entry-level earbuds offer good audio quality and solid ANC at a good price.
Danish audio equipment brand Jabra may not have the same household name status as Apple or Sony, the audiophile reputation of Bose or Sennheiser, or even the "cool" image of Nothing, but it's been making some of the better functional earbuds for years. Yes, that is a nicer way of saying they're a bit boring, but if you want earbuds that fit well, pump out good audio, and don't cost too much money, Jabra has been reliable. In fact, it makes some of the best earbuds for working out.
Amazfit GTR Mini review: Big battery life and excellent fitness tracking in a small package
The Amazfit GTR Mini is a battery beast in a slim package with loads of health and fitness monitoring for a great price.
Many of the big-name smartwatch brands release one or two watches per year. If a company does bring more than one device to the market, then it will usually be a standard and a pro/ultra model. Fitness tracker brands are a bit different, often providing multiple devices to offer a range of performance and hardware designs in various price points. Amazfit straddles the line between smartwatch and fitness tracker but leans into the latter when it comes to its portfolio of wearables, including one of its latest, the GTR Mini.
Samsung Galaxy A54 5G review: One of the best mid-range phones gets better
Samsung's Galaxy A54 5G improves upon the already excellent mid-range phone to become the best in its segment.
Samsung set a high bar in the mid-range space a couple of years back with the Galaxy A52, and it's been improving it each year, mostly with minor refinements, to stay ahead of the competition. The new Galaxy A54 5G follows this trend following the Galaxy A53 5G, although it went beyond the usual spec bump this year. It doesn't follow Samsung's cardinal rule of not fixing what wasn't broken, though, since the design, optics, and even the screen are all slightly different.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra display deep dive: Still not the best Samsung Display OLED on the market
The Galaxy S23 Ultra has some improvements to the screen, but is it enough to make it one of the best phones with a Samsung Display?
It's no secret that Samsung Display currently manufactures some of the best screens on any device. Nearly every flagship smartphone today utilizes the company's panel hardware, and that doesn't appear to be changing any time soon. Naturally, Samsung itself equips its own phones with these impeccable screens.
Oppo Find X6 Pro review: The new smartphone zoom king, but only in China
Oppo pioneered the Periscope zoom lens but moved away from it for years. Now it's back with its best one yet.
Here's a random bit of smartphone trivia: The periscope zoom lens, a sensor that is mounted horizontally inside a phone's body, was actually an Oppo-funded innovation despite its frequent association with Samsung. The periscope camera would go on to make its way to virtually all the best Android phones, including some Oppo devices in 2019, but for reasons unknown, was dropped from the brand's products.