Mini Reviews

XDA reviews the latest and greatest mobile devices.

Razer Kishi v2 Review: An easy recommendation for cloud gaming and emulation on your phone

Razer Kishi v2 Review: An easy recommendation for cloud gaming and emulation on your phone

June 25, 2022
Gaming on smartphones is hard, and there's not a whole lot that you can really do about it either. Most smartphones have evolved to become computing powerhouses, but finicky touch controls make it so that your phone may not necessarily be the most comfortable to play games on. There are controllers you can get for...
Apple MacBook Pro 13 (M2, 2022) Review: For a small niche group

Apple MacBook Pro 13 (M2, 2022) Review: For a small niche group

June 22, 2022
The new 2022 13-inch MacBook Pro is in a really weird spot. Launched at this year's WWDC almost as an afterthought -- it got exactly 1 minute and 32 second of stage time (yes I timed it) -- it brings back the same design and exterior hardware as its last two predecessors, which would be...
Ambient Music Mod v2 Hands-on: Google Pixel’s Now Playing feature ported to other Android devices without root

Ambient Music Mod v2 Hands-on: Google Pixel’s Now Playing feature ported to other Android devices without root

June 21, 2022
Most people will agree that the software on Pixel smartphones showcase what Google believes Android should be, and as such, the software is often well-received by enthusiasts. Nonetheless, thanks to the dedicated modding community, you don’t necessarily have to own a Pixel device to take advantage of its software features. The "Now Playing" functionality, for...
OnePlus 10R Review: Barely latching on to the OnePlus spirit

OnePlus 10R Review: Barely latching on to the OnePlus spirit

June 20, 2022
The OnePlus 10R is a very easy phone to forget. In its flesh, it's simply a rebranded Oppo phone with a weak set of cameras, a dissatisfying build quality, and an inconsistent software experience. But on the positive, the MediaTek chip delivers sustained performance, but the real showstopper is its blazing-fast charging speeds which is...
Lenovo Yoga 6 Gen 7 Review: A major improvement in almost every way

Lenovo Yoga 6 Gen 7 Review: A major improvement in almost every way

June 19, 2022
Late last year, I got to review the Lenovo Yoga 6, one of the company's most budget-oriented convertibles, and I admittedly liked a lot about it. It was powered by fast AMD processors, it looked and felt great with its fabric-covered lid, and it otherwise nailed all the basics. It wasn't without its problems, but...
macOS Ventura Hands-on: A sprinkle of iPadOS that streamlines the Mac

macOS Ventura Hands-on: A sprinkle of iPadOS that streamlines the Mac

June 15, 2022
Apple revealed macOS Ventura along with iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and watchOS 9 during WWDC22. Perhaps one of the biggest highlights of the event was the redesigned iPhone Lock Screen. Apple really caught us off guard with this one, as it further borrows features Android OS has had for years. But hey -- better late than...
Lenovo Legion 5i Pro (2022) Review: A solid mainstream gaming laptop

Lenovo Legion 5i Pro (2022) Review: A solid mainstream gaming laptop

June 12, 2022
If you're looking for mainstream gaming, the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro definitely seems to cover all of the bases. Not only does it have powerful internals, but it's got a 16:10 165-240Hz variable refresh rate display. That makes it great for gaming, but with the aspect ratio and the QHD+ resolution, it's also great for...
iOS 16 Developer Beta 1 Hands-on: Meaningful improvements across the board

iOS 16 Developer Beta 1 Hands-on: Meaningful improvements across the board

June 9, 2022
I have a lot of problems with iOS as an operating system, but I'm also a pretty big fan of my iPhone 13 Pro. While the software isn't perfect, I like it overall, and Apple has been rolling out improvements to it over the years. There are a lot of features I really wish it...
watchOS 9 Developer Beta 1 Hands-On: Iterative improvements focusing on exercises and sleep

watchOS 9 Developer Beta 1 Hands-On: Iterative improvements focusing on exercises and sleep

June 8, 2022
Compared to all the other software updates announced at this year's WWDC (Worldwide Developer Conference) including and especially the game-changing iPadOS 16, the new software for the Apple Watch -- watchOS 9 -- is a mostly iterative update with subtle improvements. But with so many people wearing the Apple Watch (reportedly over 100 million) and with...
iPadOS 16 Developer Beta 1 Hands-On: Real multitasking makes iPad Pro a more realistic computer replacement

iPadOS 16 Developer Beta 1 Hands-On: Real multitasking makes iPad Pro a more realistic computer replacement

June 7, 2022
Apple's been calling the iPad Pro a "computer replacement" since the line first made its debut in 2015, and at the time, that claim was way too far-fetched. The iPad Pro at the time could only run one app at a time, and it didn't have a filing system. What kind of computer can't multi-task...
OnePlus Nord 2T Review: Nailing the fundamentals, the same as it did before

OnePlus Nord 2T Review: Nailing the fundamentals, the same as it did before

June 4, 2022
Remember the OnePlus Nord 2? It was a phone that I crowned as one of my favorite phones ever released by OnePlus at the time, and with good reason. It packed excellent performance, a decent camera, and a good software experience into one affordable package. To me, that's the entire essence of what OnePlus is...
Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro Review: The most luxurious smartwatch hardware, but software is still limited

Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro Review: The most luxurious smartwatch hardware, but software is still limited

May 31, 2022
I have been reviewing Huawei consumer products for half a decade and there's a clear leitmotif that runs through all my reviews: impeccable hardware that is usually the best looking and well-built in its product category, but the software experience doesn't quite keep up if compared to top rivals. And even though Huawei's new smartwatch...