The last few Android releases have all been about refinement instead of overhaul. We're well past the point where a new version of Android introduces a boatload of new features; instead, Google is all about tightening the security, making Android easier to use across form factors, and delivering a consistent design.

That's the case with Android 17 as well. There's a decent selection of new stuff this time — including a new multitasking mode that actually makes sense — but the overarching theme is around usability; whether you're on a foldable, tablet, in the car, or a regular phone, Google wants to make Android 17 look and feel the same across all your devices.

The stable Android 17 build is now available on eligible Pixels, and it will be rolling out to other manufacturers' devices over the coming months. That's not all; Google is bringing a slate of Gemini Intelligence features to select Pixels and Samsung devices with a mission to turn Android 17 into an "intelligence system," and these features — including Rambler in Gboard, Create My Widget and AI-assisted task automation will be rolling out in a few months. Oh, and there will be another minor Android release coming later in the year.

I'm a long-time Pixel user (I still have the 2016 Pixel), and installed the stable Android 17 build on my Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro XL and Pixel 10 Pro Fold. While the stable build just became available, I've been using the beta releases for months now, so let's dive in and take a look at what Android 17 is all about.

Bubbles makes multitasking easier than ever before

Google introduced chat bubbles in Android 11, but it never really made much sense to use it — at least on my devices. With Android 17, Google is taking that idea and making it so that bubbles aren't just limited to messaging apps, but can be used throughout the system.

When you launch an app as a bubble, it exists as a floating window, and you can interact with it while using other apps. Most other manufacturer skins had floating windows for a while now, so the feature itself isn't anything new — it's just coming to Pixels with Android 17.

Let's say you're watching a game and want to chat with your friends; you can just launch the messaging app as a bubble, and interact with it as needed while still letting the game run. It is different to split-screen multitasking in that the second app isn't taking up any valuable screen space — you only pull it up when you need it, and I like this implementation a lot.

In my use, I found having Home Assistant or Google Home as a floating window quite convenient, as it allowed me to access smart home controls while browsing in Chrome or watching a video. The floating window is even more useful on foldables, where you see a bubble bar on the bottom right corner, with all active floating windows pinned there.

While the feature is definitely useful, a big limitation is that you can't launch an app as a bubble from the recents menu. That would have made the feature much easier to enable; right now, you'll need to long press an app icon, and select Bubble to launch it as a floating window. The other big limitation is that it may not come to third-party launchers, so its usability will be limited if you're not using the Pixel Launcher.

Foldables get some extra attention in Android 17

Foldables continue to get useful updates, and Android 17 has a new feature I'm very excited about. Google is rolling out a foldable-focused gaming mode with an optimized 50/50 layout — you basically get the game running on one half of the screen, and a gamepad below. Google also says it made high-end games run better on foldables by reducing jitter. The only annoyance is that this feature isn't available at launch; it's due to be roll out over the coming months, so if you're using the Pixel 9 Pro Fold or 10 Pro Fold, you'll need to wait a little longer.

Another welcome addition is native controller remapping, which is coming to all phones. If you use a game controller with your phone or foldable, you'll be able to easily customize the button layout and tweak the configuration to your liking.

Customize your Pixel the way you want

As with every new version, Android 17 brings a set of customization options and minor tweaks to the interface. The feature I like the most is the ability to hide app labels on the home screen; this creates a cleaner look, and makes things look just that little bit tidier (sidebar: this is what Xiaomi should have done instead of hiding labels on quick settings tiles).

Another change is around the Expanded Dark Theme; you now get the ability to disable the mode on an individual per-app basis, so if you're using the expanded dark mode but an app isn't showing content correctly (looking at you, Amazon), you can disable it only for the app, which reverts to the usual dark mode.

Google is also expanding the background blur effect that debuted with Material 3 Expressive to other parts of the interface, like the widgets picker. I like the blur effects, but I get that not everyone is a fan of the new design; thankfully, you can disable it by going to Accessibility -> Color and motion.

There's a minor change to the quick settings page; the Wi-Fi and mobile data toggles are separate, and this time, I'm crossing my fingers that Google doesn't mess with these toggles again. Android 17 also brings granular media control, with a dedicated slider for controlling the digital assistant volume.

Screen recording is getting an update in Android 17 with Screen Reactions. You get the ability to record your screen and add yourself as an overlay by taking a video with the selfie camera, and the idea is to make it easier to record reaction videos. The feature is available in the U.S., and Google notes it will be rolling out to other regions in the coming months.

Android 17 is getting sensible parental controls

Google isn't doing quite as much as Apple when it comes to parental controls, but Android 17 is a step in the right direction. You now get parental controls in the settings, and you can set daily limits for your child, downtime schedules, individual app limits, Google Play filters with age rating, and easier access to Family Link controls. Thankfully, these features are available right now, so if you've got children and need to set up usage limits, you can do so on your Pixel straight away.

Android 17 has meaningful security updates

Google is making Theft Detection Lock and Remote Lock enabled by default when you set up a phone running Android 17. These were opt-in, and considering where they're located in the settings, there's a good chance that most users don't even know they exist, so this is a positive move.

Find Hub’s Mark as lost feature now gets biometric authentication, so if you lose your phone and the thieves have your passcode, they won't be able to turn off device tracking. When you mark your phone as lost, it will prevent access to Quick Settings and disable new Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections.

Android 17 gets a new Contact Picker that lets you only share specific contacts to share instead of your entire address book. Location access is getting better too with a new Location Button; if an app just needs location access once, it will instead need to use a system-rendered button that ensures the access is valid only in that session — once you close the app, it won't have access. Best of all, if a non-system app is using your location, you'll see an indicator in the status bar, similar to how it works with camera and mic access.

We're getting a consistent UX on all devices

Google's software isn't just on phones — it's on wearables, tablets, TVs, automobiles, notebooks, and is coming soon to XR headsets. At The Android Show 2026, Google highlighted how it's bringing a consistent UX to all devices in its ecosystem, and Android 17 provides the foundation for the same.

In Android 17, apps automatically adapt to any screen size, and this allows content to be immersive on any device you're using. The idea is to prevent letterboxing (black bars around the sides) and deliver the same consistent interface on all devices.

There's also unified widgets with better scaling on all screen sizes, and a Picture-in-Picture mode that lets you interact with the pinned windows. This is primarily designed for use on desktops, and we should be seeing just how it works over the comin months.

Google has a new feature called Continue On that brings "cross-device continuity." The idea is that if you're browsing a Chrome tab on your phone, you can easily continue the same tab on a tablet. The feature isn't live yet, and Google notes that it is prioritizing mobile-to-tablet transitions in the beginning. I'm intrigued to see how it works in day-to-day use, but I'll need to wait until I can use it on a tablet that's updated to Android 17.

There's much more to talk about Android 17

As is the case with every new version of Android, a lot of the features in Android 17 aren't available today. So if you've installed the stable build on your Pixel, you won't find any major changes other than the ability to use bubbles with all apps. Things like Pause Point and Create My Widget are the Android 17 features I wanted to try out the most, but they're coming later in the year.

Also, Android 17-based One UI, ColorOS, and OriginOS will look very different to what Google is offering on Pixels, and that's again a good thing; Android is all about choice, and you have the freedom to use which version of the OS you prefer. Of course, there's an interminable delay before you can use the latest Android version on your phone, and I have a post detailing if your phone will get Android 17.

Most manufacturer interfaces have distinct features — some of which (like floating windows) are rolling out to Pixels just now — and a UI that's quite different to what you get on recent Pixels. There's no telling when (or if) these Android 17 features will make their way to the broader ecosystem of devices. I'll have dedicated posts talking about what the Android 17 update has to offer on third-party phones, but for now, if you're using a Pixel, know that the best features in Android 17 (and whatever's going on with Gemini Intelligence) are yet to come.

As a person who reviews dozens upon dozens of different kinds of phones every year, I've long struggled with whether I prefer a foldable or a slab phone. Book-style foldables, like the Galaxy Z Fold or Honor Magic V series, are synonymous with multitasking and productivity, something I find myself using a lot as a remote worker.

But these phones have always come with significant tradeoffs in other areas. From worse battery life and camera quality to poorer heat management and durability issues, it felt like choosing a foldable phone was only good for a specific type of person. That's what makes the Honor Magic V6 different.

It's a foldable phone with a gorgeous, eye-friendly pair of OLEDs, the world's highest-capacity battery in a foldable, a top-end Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, amazing software, and cameras that finally don't make me miss using a standard flagship phone. It's the first time I've felt like a foldable phone came with zero compromises, and it's easily the best foldable experience to date.

By the numbers

The Honor Magic V6 is available across Europe, the Middle East, and throughout Asia. The phone retails for £1,999.99 in the UK, RM 7,699 in Malaysia, and CNY 8,999 in China, with the launch expanding to the remaining locations throughout June 2026. Early orders include lots of freebies from Honor, including headphones, watches, and projectors.

The Magic V6 is available in four colorways — Gold, Red, White, and Black — and just one configuration with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Honor includes a charger and a fancy case in the box, so you're fully set with just the phone purchase.

A tough design and the best displays in the business

The Magic V6 is more of a tweak on the Magic V5's design. I dislike the squarer edges on this versus the Magic V5, but the V6's substantially smaller camera island makes all the difference in the world regarding weight, size, and overall balance when holding it. It also doesn't protrude from my pocket as the V5 did because of the reduced camera island size.

This phone looks as elegant as the Galaxy Z Fold 7's thin design, but with a centered camera island, it doesn't feel off-balance like that phone does. Honor also managed to make this one IP68 and IP69 rated, so you can take it to a sandy beach and then toss it in the dishwasher to get all the grime off at the end of the day. I just wish Honor would move the inner selfie camera into a corner so it doesn't get in the way of some content.

Honor's OLED displays are the best in the business, too, providing not only leading brightness output and 10-bit color reproduction among foldable phones, but also excellent eye care solutions like the myopia-reducing defocus feature, as well as user-selectable dimming options up to 4320Hz PWM dimming for flicker-sensitive people.

For the first time ever on a foldable, both displays feature an anti-glare layer that substantially reduces glare from any light source, making it easier to see outside. It's not quite the same type that Samsung uses on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, but it's a huge leap forward for foldables.

With the release of MagicOS 10, Honor addressed most of my biggest complaints with its Android flavor. The Magic V6 gets all the best foldable Android multitasking tools out of the box, including an optional persistent taskbar on the bottom of the larger display, 3-way 90:10 split-screen multitasking, and even more enhancements to its unique Magic Portal sharing feature.

There's even a new optional "stack" recents UI that apes iOS, which I'm happy with since that UI is substantially better than the awful default Android one. The inner screen still defaults to the 6-app grid, which is perfect for a tablet-like display.

But there are still some weird quirks that bother me daily. Many apps "don't support" split-screen, which makes absolutely no sense. Splitting these apps on the large screen would just make them the same ratio as the smaller outer display. I also still get annoyed with the app drawer, which takes a long time to open if you quickly go home and try to pull up the drawer again.

MagicOS is pure magic

And while those are annoying complaints, I truly enjoy Honor's ecosystem of products and how well they work together. I get message and call notifications on my Honor laptop, can easily run my phone's apps on that same machine, quickly transfer files between them, set up a hotspot (that doesn't use my carrier's hotspot data), and more.

Honor also heavily touts its interoperability with Apple products — something I care very little about — but it will undoubtedly come in handy for plenty of people. From Mac one-tap sharing and screen casting to notification sharing between the Magic V6, Apple Watches, and iPhones, plus native AirPods controls. There's a lot to explore here. And, yes, it supports the new Apple AirDrop/Google Quick Share interoperability for each iPhone to Android file sharing.

Battery life is what you would expect from a phone with a 25% silicon-carbon 6,660mAh battery inside. A full day's heavy use is a walk in the park for this phone, and I often get well into the second day before even considering charging. I don't have a North American-compatible 80W charger for this phone (the one on the box is for European power), but my 65W U.S. chargers were able to give me more than 70% battery in less than 30 minutes.

As with other book-style foldables, sustained performance on the Honor Magic V6 is best when the phone is unfolded. I put a lot of hours into the Monster Hunter Outlanders open beta while reviewing this phone and never ran across performance issues, even at the highest settings.

The best cameras in a foldable phone

The Honor Magic V6 has the best camera on any foldable outside of China. If that's all you needed to hear, you can stop here. I've taken over 1,000 photos using this phone since I received it in March, and am constantly blown away by its quality.

Most foldables up to this point have very obviously worse cameras than their similarly priced non-foldable flagship phones, and while the Magic 8 Pro is still slightly better, this is the first time I haven't felt compelled to have one of those phones in my other pocket just in case I needed to take a better photo.

I put it head-to-head against the Motorola Razr Fold's camera and found that Honor generally won the competition. However, Motorola's processing tends to do a better job of balancing highlights and shadow detail in more extreme scenes.

But Honor's telephoto experience won nine times out of ten, delivering higher-resolution, more detailed photography with gorgeous depth of field, and the Magic V6 beat the Galaxy Z Fold 7's cameras in every scenario I tested.

Verdict

If money were no object and I had to choose any foldable in June 2026, it would be the Honor Magic V6. That, of course, implies that I'd even be able to buy one in North America, which is an obvious problem since there's no official after-market support here, even if you buy one through an import company. That's particularly a shame since it works so perfectly on the T-Mobile U.S. 5G network.

But if you live in Europe, Malaysia, or any of the other markets where Honor sells the Magic V6, this is absolutely the best foldable money can buy. It's gorgeous, has the most durable build of any foldable, sports the best displays (without sacrificing eye health features), has the best camera of any foldable outside of China, uses the highest-capacity battery, and has tons of fun software features you're going to love.

It's hard to imagine foldables getting much better than this.

To say that the DiskStation DS225+ had a troubled launch would be an understatement. Synology controversially chose to limit the use of HDDs to its own branded drives, and that didn't go down well with its userbase. The decision made long-time DiskStation users switch to rival brands, and it contributed to UGREEN's meteoric rise in this category.

There's no doubt that NAS servers like the DXP4800 Pro and the DXP2800 have better hardware than just about any of their rivals, and Synology's short-sighted strategy lost the brand a lot of the goodwill it gained over the last 15 years. Thankfully though, the brand reversed its HDD decision, and with the DSM 7.3 software update, you can use any Seagate, WD, or Toshiba HDD with the DS225+ and not run into any issues.

With that out of the way, let's talk about the NAS itself. The DiskStation DS225+ is a minor refresh of the best-selling DiskStation DS224+, and at the outset, it doesn't really have many changes. It has the same design, features the same Intel Celeron J4125 platform, has the same 2GB soldered memory, and you still don't get M.2 slots.

The DiskStation DS225+ comes with a key upgrade ...

The key difference with the DS225+ — and all DiskStation 2025 models — is the introduction of 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity. While its predecessor was limited to Gigabit, the DS225+ gets a 2.5GbE port, giving it much better headroom when it comes to data transfers. The DiskStation DS225+ is available for $339 on Amazon, and it costs the same at Best Buy, B&H as well as Newegg. To put that into context, the DS225+ retails for $40 more than the $299 launch price of its predecessor. UGREEN's 2-bay DXP2800 now costs $369, or $30 more than the DS225+.

Besides the name change at the front, the design of the DiskStation DS225+ is identical to its predecessor — which was in turn indistinguishable to the DS220+. Synology isn't really in the habit of changing its design language, but to the brand's credit, this is a proven design with good airflow and easy installation. I had no trouble slotting in two 8TB HAT3300 drives into the NAS, and the shroud at the front attaches without any issues.

You get LED status lights on the right, and there's a USB-A connector at the front if you need to transfer data from an external drive. The power button is located at the bottom, and the rear has the rest of the ports. The 2.5GbE port is new this time, but other than that, you get a standard Gigabit Ethernet port, another USB-A port, and a barrel connector for the power. It would've been good to see USB-C on the NAS, but other than that, there isn't a lot wrong with the design or selection of ports on the DS225+.

Coming to the internals, the DS225+ is powered by the Intel Celeron J4125 platform. If that sounds familiar, it's because it has been around for close to a decade now, and it's not quite as capable as newer N series models, or what AMD is doing in this category. That said, it's still decent in everyday use, and I didn't see any problems while using the DS225+.

... but there are a few features missing

Even though the hardware is the same, you miss out on a key feature: hardware transcoding in Plex and Jellyfin. The J4125 has an integrated GPU, but Synology didn't enable Quick Sync transcoding, so while the hardware is able to transcode, you can't actually use it on the DS225+. This is annoying to say the least, but thankfully, there's an unofficial workaround to enable the drivers needed for hardware-assisted transcoding.

Another bugbear is the limited RAM; most NAS models now come with 8GB of memory pre-installed — like the DXP2800 — but the DS225+ still gets 2GB of soldered memory. This isn't anywhere close to being enough, particularly when you consider that around 30% of the memory is utilized by the system cache. There is a SO-DIMM slot where you can add 4GB of additional RAM, and I suggest doing so if you're eyeing this NAS. However, it would have been much better to just get 8GB of RAM as standard, instead of again having to pay to increase memory.

The software is the main reason to buy the DiskStation DS225+

Are there any positives, you ask? The switch to 2.5GbE networking gives the DS225+ a sizeable boost over its predecessor, and it makes a noticeable difference — it does a better job utilizing the full bandwidth of the mechanical HDDs. There's no link aggregation — so you can't bridge both Ethernet ports — but 2.5GbE by itself is a decent enough addition in this area.

The biggest reason to consider the DS225+ is the software. Even though the hardware choices are annoying, the DSM software is the most refined you'll get on any NAS server today. You get an extensive suite of features to manage data, back up photos from phones, and consolidate your media library. You can also use Docker, but the limited memory makes this annoying; you'll have to install a memory module to run containers on the DS225+. I used a 4GB module to bring the total memory to 6GB, and I set up Pi-hole, Tailscale, Home Assistant, and other utilities without any problems.

If you've used a DiskStation NAS in the past and are looking to upgrade, the DS225+ is a good choice. You get the same great software features, and 2.5GbE networking makes a difference. It doesn't cost too much more than its predecessor, and the fundamentals are reliable. I like using Synology NAS servers solely due to the software, and the brand continues to be dominant in this area. Even though there are limitations around pre-installed memory and missing drivers for hardware transcodes, the DS225+ does enough to warrant a recommendation as a home NAS server, and it's a solid 2-bay option in 2026. If you want a 4-bay model instead, the DiskStation DS925+ continues to be a reliable workhorse.

When I received the Motorola Edge 2026, I wasn't expecting much. These mid-range offerings are usually forgettable — and I said as much in my Edge 2024 and Edge 2025 reviews. Boring design, middle-of-the-road specs, and nearly zero exciting features are the hallmarks of this price segment. But something is different about the Motorola Edge 2026.

I already had a good feeling about it from looks alone, based on Motorola's initial announcement, and I knew my intuition was right the moment I unboxed the phone. It's not just the superb design and build quality that make this phone special, though. Motorola seems to have improved every complaint I had about the Edge series over the past few years with this release, and that's definitely more than surface-deep changes.

This year has proven to be an incredible boon for the mid-range market, and that couldn't have come at a better time, too. Now, even Motorola is delivering a superb entry into a price range they've historically struggled with.

The difficulty isn't deciding if the $500-600 price range is the right segment for you to buy this year, but which company's excellent mid-range phone to choose from, and the Motorola Edge 2026 offers some very compelling reasons to say hello, Moto.

The Motorola Edge 2024 and 2025 both retailed for $549.99 at their respective launches, and neither phone felt worth that price. Despite a $50 price increase to $599.99, the Motorola Edge 2026 feels like a phone far worthier of that price tag.

The Edge 2026 is available unlocked at Best Buy and Motorola.com, while AT&T, Verizon, Cricket Wireless, Spectrum Wireless, and Xfinity Mobile will also carry the phone almost certainly at a lower price than the unlocked version.

The phone ships in a single Pantone Martini Olive colorway, which features a lovely textile-like texture on the back, complete with wonderful complementary metal accents on the camera island and around the frame.

The leading edge

Motorola's design team has grown leaps and bounds over the past three years. The Edge 2024 ushered in smoother curves for the camera hump plus improved vegan leather materials, while the Edge 2025 further improved things with an IP69 rating and better overall build quality. But those phones both suffered from poor performance, mediocre cameras, and a lack of long-term software updates. Plus, some people hated the curved glass on the front.

All but one of those problems has been fixed on the Motorola Edge 2026. Paramount to this experience is a processor and camera upgrade that made me actually enjoy using the phone, which are two things I specifically disliked about the last two years' models.

Not only that, but the Edge 2026 is substantially shorter and smaller than the Edge 2025, and it makes all the difference in the world. At nearly 10mm shorter and 2mm narrower, plus with widely curved corners and semi-curved sides that melt elegantly into the back, this phone feels incredible to hold. Motorola has officially figured out the thing nearly every other phone manufacturer seems to miss, and it makes me never want to put down this phone.

You'll also never notice its weight in your pocket, which isn't something I can say about many phones these days. A 160g phone feels like unearthing a lost treasure from a forgotten past, and it, along with the fantastic overall design, makes this the best-designed slab phone in 2026. Yes, that means even over those extremely expensive flagship models from any other company.

Despite a diminutive size and weight, this phone's battery is the same capacity as the giant Galaxy S26 Ultra, although it easily lasts about two days per charge, and it charges even faster, too. It's not quite OnePlus charging speeds, but it beats most other companies in this price range — especially Samsung. You'll easily get a day and a half with heavy usage on this, and lighter usage will certainly yield 2-days of use per charge. Just make sure to enable Charge Boost in the battery settings.

It's also got a fantastic OLED display that's completely flat (so you can find a good tempered glass screen protector), features Motorola's excellent flicker-prevention setting to disable PWM dimming, and sports true 10-bit colors (which means no temporal dithering). The biggest difference between this and a flagship display is brightness. Motorola advertises this as a 5200-nit display, but I measured actual peak brightness at just 700 nits, even with sunlight mode enabled.

A clean, bloatware-free software experience

The Motorola Edge 2026 launches with Android 16 and doesn't include the level of bloatware we saw on last year's phone. I dislike the 1Weather service that the stock weather widget uses, as it's full of ads and annoying notifications about things that are strictly not weather-related, but that's easy enough to swap out for something else.

Even some of the would-be bloat options, like the Glance lockscreen, aren't enabled by default, making this phone feel fresh and fast from the outset. Motorola's software has always been one of my preferred flavors of Android due to its excellent gesture capabilities and clean interface, and it makes this phone feel like a great middle ground between the featureless entry-level phones and the almost too feature-rich flagship models.

For example, lots of other vendors ship their phones with duplicate types of apps. Google Photos and a local Gallery app, several different AI assistant apps, more than one Files app, etc. Motorola doesn't do this, and it makes the experience better (and less confusing for a lot of people).

Even Moto AI and the Moto AI key made their way to this phone, which also supports using other AI agents besides Motorola's own, such as Perplexity and Copilot.

The only Moto AI feature I regularly used was "Pay attention," which I assigned to a double-click of the Moto AI key. This instantly starts recording and transcribing, which is something I use regularly in my line of work, but can also be incredibly handy for people who regularly attend meetings.

Solid camera performance

If I compare its camera to the Nothing Phone 4a Pro — my current favorite in this price segment — the Motorola Edge 2026 regularly pulls out better dynamic range, and I like its color science a bit better than Nothing's. The best examples of this are in the picture of the orange trampoline park, where Motorola pulls in the proper color of the LED strips on top of the trampoline netting, and in the table hockey shot, where Motorola's shot really grabs the highlight details in the table's design.

I also love the shallow depth of field on the 3x telephoto camera, which lets me get great shots of food, flowers, and distant fog-covered mountains. But I've found that Motorola's processing tends to oversharpen things when compared to Nothing, and a comparison of the details in each image proves that Nothing has a distinct advantage here.

The built-in auto macro mode is also a bit broken on this release and will automatically switch to the ultrawide macro camera, even if I disable the option. I genuinely hate using the ultrawide camera for macro shots on any phone, as it's almost always the worst-looking version of a shot. I'd much rather use the telephoto camera and step away just a bit, but I can't do that on this phone until the auto macro feature gets fixed.

Finally, a mid-range Moto phone I can recommend

Overall, though, this is Motorola's strongest mid-range offering in as long as I can remember. Maybe even their strongest yet, and its design, great performance, good camera, and lasting battery life create a genuinely good phone that you're going to love to use. That's particularly true if you're on a carrier like Verizon, which has very limited phone options.

I haven't been able to recommend a mid-range Motorola phone in years, and I'm happy to say (for Motorola's sake) that this year is different from the rest. The Edge 2026 is an excellent buy, even at full price, and some good carrier deals (and maybe even Prime Day-style sales) will make this an even better buy.

Tecno is known for creating low-cost smartphones for emerging markets, and its latest offering, the Tecno Spark 50 5G, borrows design cues from recent flagships while remaining easy on your wallet. I've been testing it for a couple of weeks now, and while I didn't expect much from a smartphone priced under $300, the Tecno Spark 50 5G managed to surprise me in a few ways.

That said, a larger battery and some useful AI features are compelling in a smartphone at this price point, but they unfortunately can't make up for its many other shortcomings. And while budget phones like this are known to make a number of compromises, the Tecno Spark 50 5G doesn't really make a strong case for itself.

A better-looking budget phone

One of the first things I noticed about the Tecno Spark 50 5G is that it's a very good-looking phone. The design is very similar to recent Pixel phones, such as the Pixel 10 series, thanks to the long, metal camera bar. It actually does a good job of hiding the fact that there's only one rear camera, which is a pretty good fakeout if you ask me.

The matte finish all around is a nice touch as well, helping it avoid picking up a ton of fingerprints.

The only sore spot of the design for me is the display, which is a very reflective 6.78-inch LCD panel. The bezels are very large, particularly the chin under the display, which is indicative of its budget pricing, while the panel itself is only 720p. At such a large size, the minimal resolution is very obvious, even with the help of the 120Hz panel.

It's also not a particularly bright display, so outdoor visibility isn't great, and its high reflectivity doesn't help.

On the plus side, the phone is surprisingly light, weighing just more than a Pixel 10, which is quite a bit smaller by comparison. It's also thinner than the Pixel 10 at just 8.2mm. That isn't exactly paper thin, but considering it's powered by a 6,500mAh battery, it's still impressive.

There are also some really nice color options, including the vibrant Fantasy Purple and Mint Green. The Champagne Gold color of my review unit is rather subtle and looks more like silver.

Mostly a struggle, with a few highlights

The Tecno Spark 50 5G may have the looks of a flagship phone, but it definitely doesn't perform like one. The MediaTek Dimensity 6400 seems to struggle with even the simplest of tasks, even when paired with 8GB of RAM. My daily use is fraught with constant stuttering and delays, and doing literally anything takes longer than it should to register with the device.

You might see a performance boost with additional virtual RAM, but don't expect a miracle. That goes for gaming, which somehow isn't as bad as everything else, but you won't be playing games like Honkai: Star Rail on the highest settings. You can probably get away with medium settings at 60 fps, but even then it feels like the phone is reaching its limits, though it only gets noticeably warm around the camera bar.

Speaking of the camera, performance issues extend to the single rear camera, which lags quite a bit when the viewfinder turns on. And don't expect the Tecno Spark 50 5G to capture particularly impressive images; you can get decent shots in good daylight, but photos generally lack detail and are often very noisy or overexposed. It doesn't get any better with low-light photos either.

The bright side is that the camera comes with a neat Vlog feature that lets you create stylized videos via a series of clips. The camera will guide you on which type of clip you should capture for each scene and then stitch them together into a nice video ready for social media.

Fortunately, battery life on the Tecno Spark 50 5G is one area where the phone performs well. I easily manage well over a day with a single charge, and the phone also supports 45W charging and comes with a charger in the box. With it, you can go from 0-100% in roughly an hour, which isn't too bad given the battery's size.

AI for less

Since the Dimensity 6400 isn't a particularly powerful chip, you won't find much in the way of AI on the Tecno Spark 50 5G. That's not necessarily a bad thing, and Tecno manages to squeeze some useful and interesting features into the phone. For instance, the Gallery app still features the AI studio, which houses several AI-based editing features, including a shadow remover, reflection remover, AI eraser, and AI extender.

You shouldn't rely on on-device AI for any of these, so the quality of the features will depend on your network connection. AI eraser is decent, although reflection remover can never seem to find clearly defined reflections in images. Overall, they're pretty hit or miss, but you can always fall back on Google Photos AI editing features if need be.

The camera also has an AIGC Portrait feature that turns photos of people into AI creations, although the results are hardly ever flattering or particularly good.

Aside from the Gallery app, the Ella assistant is the main AI presence on the phone. You can access Ella pretty much the same way you'd trigger Gemini, and you can swap between the assistants if you prefer. In fact, Tecno makes it easy to switch AI models directly in the Ella overlay, including ChatGPT, Copilot, and Meta AI.

It's a useful feature at a time when consumers are using multiple AI models for different reasons, and switching between models even reveals how they respond differently to the same question. Even so, I still prefer Gemini and mainly use that as my default assistant app.

Ella also includes other useful features, like MindHub, which can save screenshots in a special folder alongside an AI summary of the content features in the image, allowing you to recall it later. It's similar to what we've seen in other devices, like recent Nothing Phone models, although the lack of a dedicated AI button means you have to tell Ella to remember the contents of your screen, which feels admittedly awkward.

You can also tell Ella to control aspects of the device. You can say something like "boost the performance" or "raise the brightness of the screen," and it will execute them almost instantly. It even responded with "Brightness goes up!" after increasing the screen brightness, which I found kind of amusing.

And of course, Circle to Search is built-in, so no matter which AI assistant you choose, you can access Gemini with a quick long-press of the home button/bar.

Verdict

Tecno hasn't specified pricing or which markets the Tecno Spark 50 5G is available in, so I recommend checking your local retailers and Tecno's website for more details. In India, for example, the phone is available for roughly under $300, depending on the configuration.

That said, the Tecno Spark 50 5G is a phone for everyone, even if it isn't the phone for everyone. Performance and camera quality leave a lot to be desired, but battery life, capable AI features, and a strong design almost make up for it, so long as you can navigate through some bloatware. However, if you can splurge for something much better, you might wanna consider the Tecno Camon 50 Ultra instead.

I just tested the DXP4800 Pro, and my key takeaway of that 4-bay NAS is that it has everything you need if you need to buy a home server in 2026. So when UGREEN said that it's coming out with a new 4-bay model, I was intrigued. The DXP4800 GT just made its debut, and I've been using the NAS alongside the DXP4800 Pro and the ZimaCube 2, and after two weeks of testing, it's easy to say that this particular NAS server is unique in several ways.

Think of the DXP4800 GT as the creator-focused model in the DXP4800 series. The DXP4800 Plus is powered by the Intel Pentium Gold 8505 platform and costs $619 on Amazon, the DXP4800 Pro gets the Intel Core i3-1315U and retails at $679, and the DXP4800 GT uses AMD's Ryzen Embedded R2514 and is making its debut at $659. As is always the case with UGREEN products, there's a decent $70 discount at launch, bringing the price down to $589 — you get the same deal when buying the NAS on UGREEN's site. If you don't need four drive bays, there's also a DXP2800 GT that's being introduced alongside the DXP4800 GT, and that model costs $509.

Regardless of what model you're considering, you get 10 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity as standard, along with 8GB of pre-installed memory, and the ability to slot in a total of 144TB of storage — each of the four drive bays holds a maximum of 32TB, and the two M.2 slots can take in 8TB SSDs. You also get an SD card reader, HDMI out, USB-C with 10Gbps bandwidth, and USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports.

The DXP4800 GT is being positioned at creators, and it has a few key differences from the DXP4800 Plus and DXP4800 Pro. The biggest change is the inclusion of two 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports, which make the DXP4800 future-proof. While the other two models get Intel, the GT is powered by the AMD R2514, and unlike other AMD models, this has an integrated Vega 8 GPU, enabling hardware-assisted transcoding. The R2514 platform is fabricated on a 12nm node, and includes four cores and a max turbo of 3.7GHz with base clocks of 2.1GHz.

Another change on the DXP4800 GT is ECC memory and U.2 NVMe SSD integration. While it's good to see UGREEN offer these features, the installed 8GB memory in the NAS isn't ECC-compatible, so you'll need to switch it out with an ECC memory module if you want to use the feature. The NAS uses DDR4 memory instead of DDR5 like the Plus and Pro, and you can install a total of 64GB. And as for U.2 NVMe integration, the SATA1 and SATA2 drive bays can slot in these 2.5-inch SSDs if you want to go that route instead of traditional HDDs.

Lastly, the DXP4800 GT gets pre-installed storage that houses the UGOS Pro software, but unlike the DXP4800 Plus and Pro models — which have 128GB SSDs — you get a 64GB eMMC instead. Similarly, the M.2 SSD slots use PCIe Gen 3x2, so you can't slot in faster Gen4 SSDs in the NAS. I get that Gen3 drives are good enough, but as this is being targeted at enthusiasts, Gen4 connectivity would have been much better.

Oddly enough, for a NAS positioned as a creator-focused product, there's no Thunderbolt 4 connectivity. This is where a NAS like the ZimaCube 2 wins out with its two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and I would've liked UGREEN to include at least one port.

What does all of this translate to in everyday use? The DXP4800 GT has proven to be just as capable as its siblings, and I didn't see any problems with the NAS. The software has identical features, and I was able to use Docker containerization to install utilities I wanted — including Plex and Jellyfin. The AMD platform is more than adequate for a NAS server, but I'd suggest adding another 8GB of RAM if you want to use it as a homelab.

Traditionally, AMD-based NAS models missed out on hardware transcoding, but that thankfully isn't the case on the DXP4800 GT. The NAS handles 4K transcoding in Plex without any issues, and even if you have several client devices, there won't be a bottleneck — I got 4K HDR streams playing simultaneously on four devices at once.

The UGOS Pro software is decent enough, but it doesn't quite have the same feature-set as other NAS models in this category. The plus point is that you can install TrueNAS or any of its derivatives without too much of a hassle.

The design of the DXP4800 GT itself is similar to the DXP4800 Pro and Plus, and the only difference is the gold accents at the front. I do like how the accents contrast the gunmetal chassis, but other than that, it has the same dimensions, and the same weight. The metal chassis is built to last, and you get the same magnetic dust filter at the rear.

To sum up, I think the DXP4800 GT is a good choice if you need two 10GbE ports. The AMD platform holds its own against the Intel-based NAS servers in this category, and the ability to add ECC memory or U.2 SSDs is a decent enough differentiator. However, if you don't need those niche features, the DXP4800 Pro is the better choice — it has faster M.2 storage slots, faster RAM, and you still get 10GbE connectivity.

I’ve reviewed a lot of “mainstream” consumer headphones and some boutique offerings over the years, but Sennheiser’s wired headphones continue to be one of my “go-tos” for reference sound. Recently, I had the opportunity to bask in the sound of their HDB 630 “wireless audiophile-grade” headphones and was impressed by the new parametric EQ in the Sennheiser Smart Control Plus app.

Out of the box, they sounded better than the Momentum 4, so when I heard that, after four years, Sennheiser was updating the Momentum line with a new pair of wireless headphones, I was definitely intrigued!

Did my excitement wane once I got my hands on them? Not at all, but there are some things you’ll need to consider if you’re looking to buy. Let’s talk about my week with the new Sennheiser Momentum 5 wireless headphones.

Unboxing: What’s new?

When I unboxed them, I was quite taken aback. At first glance, the case looked significantly smaller than the last pair of over-ear Sennheiser headphones I spent time with, the HDB 630. The case is, in fact, much smaller than the 630’s case and is definitely an improvement over the previous-generation Momentum 4. I’ve included some comparison shots between all three in the gallery below.

You open the case, and inside, the Momentum 5 looks pretty much like the previous generation, except for some microphone placement and a grille redesign. They do, however, have visibly smaller earcups than the HDB 630 headphones. I’ve seen some complaints on the interwebs about alleged “creaking” from the Momentum 4’s earcup yokes, but in my time, I have yet to experience that with the Momentum 5.

Like the previous generation Momentum 4, the included hard case contains a 3.5mm aux cable and a USB-C cable that supports charging and audio. You get the mesh pocket to store small accessories like a BTD 700 dongle for your sources that don’t support aptX Adaptive and Lossless codecs. An accessory you should definitely consider!

A week with the Momentum 5

Compared to the size of the previous-generation Momentum 4 and the gargantuan HDB 630, the Momentum 5’s case feels svelte in my backpack, taking up much less space and allowing me to place it comfortably stacked vertically behind my accessories kit. This is something not even the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen can do, both of which have released updates with smaller cases.

Easy carry means regular use, and I certainly have that. I used the Momentum 5 with a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, a FiiO M21 DAP, and an iPhone 16 Pro Max, both on its own and with Sennheiser’s BTD 700 dongle.

I’ve been enjoying the look of the Momentum 5, with its cloth, twill-like headband, though I have the black colorway and would’ve been more partial to one of the more flamboyant colors offered, as it is also available in a gorgeous denim and in white.

Compared to the Momentum 4, HDB 630, and the Sony WH-1000XM6, the Momentum 5 is more comfortable. It has the perfect amount of clamping force on my head, making it easy to wear for long stretches. Around 45 minutes into a listening session on one day, my ears did get warm, but not uncomfortably so.

The Smart Control Plus app makes daily use easy by letting you control much of the sound experience. You can use Adaptive or Custom ANC. You can customize how phone calls will sound. And new for 2026 and the Momentum line: you have greater control over your sonic preferences with an eight-band EQ, compared to the previous generation's five-band EQ.

I have to admit I’m disappointed that the Momentum 5 doesn’t have the parametric EQ the HDB 630 has, but I enjoy the out-of-the-box sound so much that an eight-band graphic EQ has been enough to meet my needs so far.

While the audio from phone callers sounds excellent and the microphones are great indoors in controlled environments, they may have some issues with clarity in noisy urban soundscapes. This is due to the headphones' processing of background noise; the louder the background noise, the more obvious the processing becomes.

While we’re on the subject of processing, the ANC is better this time around, thanks to the addition of four more mics, bringing the total to eight. You get more hushing of sounds in the mid-range frequencies; voice chatter in a cafe, for example. Having tested market-leading ANC headphones from Sony and Bose, Sennheiser’s offering is more of a dampening of background sound than a cancellation of it altogether.

With your music at volume, though, the ANC you get will ease the drone of sounds that may break your immersion. As an avid gym-goer, I can say that, while voices were hushed, I could clearly hear the clanking of metal plates in the background. Even with my music playing.

When I was out and about on the streets, the Transparency mode was very natural-sounding and easily accessible via one of the best companion apps on the market or the capable touch controls. Whether controlling playback or phone calls, the touch controls on the Momentum 5 are responsive, and the earcups have ample surface area for easy use.

As the name implies, Momentum 5 is about being highly mobile without sacrificing a good, enlightening listen. In my time, I could easily stay on the move because the 57-hour estimate, with ANC on, stands up to scrutiny.

Connected to the FiiO M21 (it runs Android 13), streaming audio via aptX HD at 70% of max volume with a bass-forward playlist, I averaged around 18% battery drain over 10 hours of playback with ANC enabled and on-head detection deactivated. That’s roughly 55 hours of playback, using settings and music genres that are heavy battery drains. This places Sennheiser ahead of many wireless ANC headphones on the market!

And if you do, by chance, discharge that battery through too many cycles, you can replace the 700mAh cell with relative ease by removing the left earpad and using a Phillips-head screwdriver to access the speaker assembly, then removing it to get at that battery. That makes the $400 price tag much more palatable since that feature will greatly extend the life of the Momentum 5 headphones. For comparison, Sony’s WH-1000XM6 is $450 unless you catch a sale.

When the beat drops!

For many, headphones tuned to the “Harman Curve” are considered the “one size fits all” sound signature. While the HDB 630 may match that more closely out of the box, the same can’t be said for the Momentum 5, and that is very far from a bad thing. To me. We’ll come back to that comparison in a moment.

I did some A/B testing with Sony, which are my current favorite all-around headphones, and the differences in a few key areas were immediately apparent. Only two areas where Sony is stronger than Sennheiser will come as no surprise: active noise canceling and “smart” features. That strength, though, is the result of a conscious choice on Sennheiser’s part. Sound quality is prioritized over noise-canceling strength.

First things first, I’d characterize the Sennheiser Momentum 5 as warm and detail-revealing, with smooth treble and sub-bass that’s a bit hyped, but not at the expense of mid-range frequencies.

“Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes” by Paul Simon had a bigger soundstage and was more immersive, with richer, more impactful mids. The Roots' “Do You Want More?!!!?” is where you’ll really feel a more haptic sub-bass extension than Sony delivers, and Charles Mingus’ “Moanin’” is probably the de facto differentiator between the two!

The Momentum flat-out handles the dynamics of that frenetic Jazz romp much better! In its most sonically dense sections, the Momentum 5 maintains a distinct sense of instrument separation where the WH-1000XM6 jumbles the busy mix, losing fidelity.

Using the Sennheiser BTD 700 or connecting via 3.5mm aux or USB-C audio, the sound only gets better. Better detail retrieval. Soundstage expanded. All my notes about the sound, literally amplified.

Coming back to the HDB 630, it has a more neutral tuning, with slightly less sub-bass hype than the Momentum 5. The HDB 630 also feels noticeably heavier on the head, though not uncomfortable.

My biggest gripe with the Momentum 5 is that the parametric EQ (PEQ) wasn’t carried over from the HDB 630. I like the Momentum’s out-of-the-box tuning more, but with the parametric EQ, one can really get in there and shape the sound. At $100 less, I’d say the Momentum 5 is for listeners who are more casual than full-fledged audiophiles, or for frequent travelers who want a smaller footprint.

Final Thoughts

The Momentum 5 has a lot of competition in 2026. There’s Sony, Bose, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3, Dali IO-8, and the Sennheiser HDB 630, but the Momentum 5 undercuts most of those in price, while sounding better than some and competitive with others. The sound is a delight, and for those who find the sub-bass too much, the new eight-band EQ handily resolves that.

If you prize sound quality over ANC, the Sennheiser Momentum 5 is an easy option to recommend over the ANC leaders, but it gets a bit more complicated when going head-to-head with the Px7 S3 and Dali IO-8. They all have different strengths, but all sound great, and only your ears can decide which is the better option.

The Circular Ring 2 is one of the latest smart rings available, having launched in the latter half of 2025. It's a bit of a departure from Circular's previous models, offering a streamlined design and experience, although at the cost of some of its predecessor's more unique features.

I've been testing the Circular Ring 2 for a month, and it delivers a lot of what anyone would want in a smart ring. However, in the shadow of Oura, especially after launching the new Oura Ring 5, it feels like the Circular Ring 2 doesn't really have much room to shine, even with some rather rare smart ring features.

Questionable design choices

The Circular Ring 2 features a pretty standard smart ring design, which is mostly symmetrical, aside from two protrusions on the inner side of the ring where the sensors are. The ring is relatively thick at 2.55mm, but that isn't the problem; those two protrusions dig into my finger, and it can make wearing the ring somewhat uncomfortable.

Frankly, I'm not sure what compelled Circular to design its sensors this way, but it doesn't promote prolonged wear on something meant to be worn comfortably, especially at bedtime.

Unfortunately, things aren't much better on the exterior side of the ring. Circular Ring 2 is available in four colorways, and my silver option started off nice, but it quickly took a turn for the worse. The finish on the ring gets scratched and scuffed so easily; it looks like I've been wearing my unit for at least a year when it's only been a month. Granted, I do work out with it, so some of that is definitely my fault, but I often put a rubber cover on it. Even so, just doing regular things such as holding objects can add to wear and tear, which isn't a good look.

The top of the ring is clearly marked with the Circular logo, making it easy to know how to properly wear it. It's a nice touch, but I find myself cleaning it often as dirt can easily get trapped here.

Circular's coolest features aren't here

Unfortunately, the logo at the top of the ring doesn't serve as a "button" as it does on the Circular Ring Slim, which launched in 2023. It's a shame, but there's an even more disappointing reason as to why: there's no vibration motor in this ring.

Previous Circular Ring models would vibrate to alert you to notifications or alarms, and, in the case of the Circular Ring Slim, you could tap the top of the ring to stop the vibration.

This would have been a very cool feature to include on the Circular Ring 2, especially if the company could figure out how to implement it with the more streamlined design. Not many health-tracking smart rings feature vibration motors, and it would help the Circular Ring 2 stand out against heavyweights like Samsung and Oura.

When I asked why these features were removed, it seemed they were complicated to implement on such a small device, and the company wanted to focus this model on other areas, such as ECG. That said, it's up to you to decide if these features are worth it.

But here's the thing... some of the new features announced for the Circular Ring 2 aren't even available. The company teased blood pressure and blood glucose trend estimates, features not found in many smart rings. However, despite a planned "early 2026" launch, these features remain unavailable, while other companies like Oura hone in on blood pressure estimates.

The basics

Design may be a bit off, and some features may be missing, but the Circular Ring 2 has pretty much all the features you could need. As a health and fitness tracker, it does a decent job, especially with regard to sleep tracking. It manages to match my other wearables pretty well, including heart rate and changes in body temperature.

I also like that the Circular Ring 2 evaluates how well you wake up, something a lot of people don't pay much attention to. How you feel when you wake up can be based on how long you slept, but also on the sleep stage you're in when you wake up.

To help, the Circular app features a built-in alarm with a smart alarm that wakes you at an ideal time, usually during your lightest sleep stage. Some features, like vibration and smart snooze, aren't available even though they're clearly present in the app. It feels somewhat like an unfair tease.

On the plus side, ECG measurements and Afib detection are also available, and you can set rhythm monitoring to run daily, weekly, or monthly. It also comes with medication reminders, and you can set up multiple alarms if you need to take multiple medications at different times.

You can track activities with the Circular Ring 2, but this isn't its specialty. There are a number of activities you can track in the app, and it does a decent job, with real-time heart rate monitoring that you can view directly on the app. It also uses the phone's GPS for certain activities like walking and running, and you can even view the map of your pathway while exercising.

That said, I find that for workout tracking, the Circular Ring isn't too reliable and even omits some useful information. I've tracked several workouts with the ring, comparing them with other wearables, including the Oura Ring 4, Garmin Venu 4, and Fitbit Air. The Circular Ring 2 often overestimates or underestimates heart rate during these activities, though at times it can be in the ballpark.

Unfortunately, I couldn't perform a step test because while the Circular Ring 2 features an overall daily step count, it doesn't appear to count steps during individual workouts. The ring also doesn't feature any automatic activity tracking, so you'll have to manually track each workout, which is kind of a bummer.

An imperfect app

The Circular Ring offers a very robust app experience, which I find a bit overwhelming. There's a lot of information crammed into the main home page, though fortunately it's mostly visual.

At the top is a row of "circles," which can be customized to display your most important metrics. You can find your sleep and energy scores here, or tap each metric to dive into them.

That said, you might be waiting a bit to get the most up-to-date information; the app is incredibly slow to sync data with the ring. You can view this process in real time in the app, but it only highlights how slow it is, which is kind of a bummer, since the app is your main point of interaction with the ring and its data.

Fortunately, there are five widgets you can add to your phone: the battery, energy score, sleep score, steps tracker, and an overall wellness summary that includes all of the above and a calendar. In fact, it has more widgets than I find available on many apps I have downloaded, and they're well designed.

The app also features Kira+, an AI health coach that provides a summary of your metrics and recommendations for your day. Its implementation is pretty clunky, and I often have to manually generate daily recommendations, which isn't as useful as automatically surfacing each morning.

As for the summaries themselves, Kira+ doesn't do the best job of displaying them. It's all squeezed together in a rather dense set of bullet points, where it mostly throws a bunch of numbers at me that don't mean much, while not doing much to really explain them. Fortunately, the recommendations are a bit easier to take in, but it would be much better if summaries and recommendations were accessible throughout the app and not within a separate tab on the home page.

Still, it's a decent offering as AI health coaches go, but not close to what you'd find with the likes of Oura's Advisor or Google's Personal Health Coach, since you can't really interact with Kira+.

Battery life and modes

One thing that the Circular Ring features that I don't find on other rings is its power modes. By default, the Circular Ring 2 is in Performance mode, meaning you'll get the most accurate data from the ring. Unfortunately, this hurts battery life, so you should only expect about 4 days of use, which is pretty accurate in my testing.

On the other hand, there's Power mode, which gives you up to eight days of battery life but at the expense of data accuracy. Still, it's pretty impressive and is on the higher end of battery life offered by smartwatches. You can also easily switch between the two modes in the app, and I recommend using Power mode most of the time and switching to Performance during workouts and sleep, which provides a good middle ground for battery life.

The inclusion of a charging case, rather than a cradle, is a nice addition, so you can carry it with you in case you need a top-up. It's a decently sized case, no bigger than most wireless earbud cases, but simply setting the ring on the charger won't do anything; you have to press the button on the back to begin charging. It's somewhat unintuitive, and I have found I've forgotten to press the button a few times, leaving me with a dead ring when I thought it was charging.

Verdict

The smart ring market isn't quite as robust as I thought it would be, with Oura still dominating and stomping all over the competition. However, smaller companies like Circular are still kicking and proving they can offer compelling alternatives for anyone who doesn't want to add another subscription on top of the ring's price.

Unfortunately, the Circular Ring 2 gave up some of its most distinctive features to become a run-of-the-mill smart ring that does just the bare minimum. And even when more compelling features like blood pressure and blood glucose estimations arrive, they'll be paywalled, meaning you'll need to be willing to fork over more money, ruining one of Circular's biggest advantages over Oura.

For $349, the Circular Ring 2 might be priced out of its league. It's not a bad smart ring, but I think Circular might need to rethink some of its design, app, and feature set to truly compete with the big boys. It may cost $50 less than the Oura Ring 5 if you don't account for the Oura membership, but I can't help but think the splurge on Oura might be worth it, especially if you'll end up paying more for extra Circular features anyway.

The Xiaomi 17T Pro has the same problem as the Vivo X300 FE — it costs too much at launch. The phone debuted at €899 ($1,046), or £799 ($1,075) in the U.K. for the 12GB/256GB model. That's €100 ($116) more than the launch price of last year's 15T Pro, and it's clear that this is something Xiaomi is doing across its entire range in 2026. To put that into context, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra was introduced at €1,499 and is now available for €1,399 ($1,627) in the region.

Having said that, the 17T Pro fills a valuable niche; it goes up against devices like the X300 FE and the Find X9. Unless you need the absolute-best cameras these brands have to offer, I think these devices are a better choice than the X300 Ultra and the Find X9 Ultra flagships.

I've always liked using Xiaomi's T models, and with the 17T and 17T Pro launching just eight months after their predecessors, it's understandable that both devices share the same foundation. The 17T Pro retains the same 6.83-inch panel, the same IP68 ingress protection, 5x optical zoom camera, 32MP front camera, and the same connectivity — including a USB-C port that's still based on USB 2.0. Hey Xiaomi, how about not shortchanging customers for once? While this may not have been an issue in the past, with XR glasses gaining momentum, the lack of USB 3.2 connectivity is going to be a real issue — I wasn't able to connect the 17T Pro to my Rokid Max 2.

With that nit picked, let's get to the new features. Although the 17T Pro inevitably has a lot of similarities to its predecessors, there's a decent amount of new stuff on the device. The all-new 7,000mAh silicon battery is the biggest Xiaomi put into a phone, MediaTek's latest Dimensity 9500 platform is under the hood, the cameras have a few new tricks, and I like the color variants this year.

The 17T Pro looks a lot like its predecessor

Visually, the 17T Pro looks a lot like last year's 15T Pro, and the in-hand feel is nearly the same. The bigger battery means the phone is a little heavier at 219g (the 15T Pro is 210g), but this isn't noticeable in everyday use. Xiaomi once again used a square design around the camera island, but unlike last year, this feels unfinished — it doesn't have the chamfered edges that smoothly blended the camera housing into the body. I feel like Xiaomi should have paid attention to the design a little bit more, because the 17T Pro doesn't stand out all that much against OPPO and Vivo's offerings.

That said, I like the blue model I'm using. The glass rear has a matte texture, and it accentuates the hue, and the color extends to the mid-frame, which is once again made out of aluminum. The flat sides have beveled edges to ensure the phone doesn't dig into your palm, and the mid-frame has a matte finish as well. Xiaomi didn't go overboard with the buttons, and you get the usual power and volume buttons on the right.

The rest of the design is pretty standard; the USB-C port is located at the bottom, the SIM tray sits next to it, and the fingerprint sensor is located a little too low on the panel — yet again. I don't get why some brands do this, and it just makes accessing the sensor needlessly awkward. Thankfully, Xiaomi retained IP68 dust and water resistance, and with Gorilla Glass 7i covering the panes of glass, the phone has a decent amount of resilience against tumbles (you'll still need to invest in a good case, though).

The 6.83-inch AMOLED panel is unchanged from last year, so you get the same 2772 x 1280 resolution and 120Hz refresh. The phone does a good job with HDR content in general, and it gets bright — I tested this quite extensively in India's blistering heat, and I had no problems using the 17T Pro outdoors. The phone retains 3840Hz PWM dimming, and it now covers the entire brightness range, which is good to see. Xiaomi also touted better eye protection this year, with the phone getting hardware-level blue light control.

Need a huge battery? This is the phone to get

Coming to the hardware, the biggest change is the 7,000mAh silicon battery, so let's start there. The 17T Pro manages to last two days with medium use, and with heavy use involving navigation and taking hundreds of photos, I still got a day's worth of charge comfortably. The bigger battery along with the switch to a silicon-carbon anode makes the 17T Pro a much better choice than its predecessor, and I like that the phone has USB PD charging. Xiaomi's bundled charger goes up to 100W, and takes just under 45 minutes to charge phone fully; there really isn't a need to charge this phone overnight.

But if you want to go that route, you'll get the usual battery protection modes. The phone also gets 50W wireless charging as standard, alongside reverse charging. On the whole, the 17T Pro is one of the best phones around if you need a big battery and fast charging tech.

The rest of the hardware isn't anything to scoff at either. The model I'm using has 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.1 storage, and it comes with global 5G bands, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, NFC, and dual-band GPS. The vibration motor is pretty good in its own right, and it has good feedback while using the keyboard and navigating the interface.

Xiaomi went with MediaTek's latest 3nm Dimensity 9500 platform, and it has Arm's new C1-Ultra, C1-Premium, and C1-Pro cores alongside a 12-core Mali-G1 Ultra GPU, which does a better job than the Immortalis-G925 in the Dimensity 9400+. The higher frequencies allows the 17T Pro to tout noticeable gains over the 15T Pro, and while this isn't particularly noticeable in day-to-day use, it handles demanding tasks without any issues whatsoever. What I like the most is that it doesn't overheat anywhere as much as its Qualcomm-based rivals in sustained gaming scenarios.

The main camera is truly incredible

Xiaomi is reusing the same cameras as last year, but the main sensor is now called Light Fusion 950 (instead of Light Fusion 900). The 50MP main camera uses an OmniVision OVX9500 sensor, and it's joined by the 50MP Samsung JN5 tele module with 5x optical zoom, and a 12MP OmniVision OV13B wide-angle lens. Xiaomi is making a big deal out of motion photos; the feature has been around for a while, and if you like it, you can now use it with Xiaomi phones.

Like last year, the main camera does an excellent job in daylight as well as challenging lighting situations. You get great dynamic range, good white balance, and vibrant colors. The tele lens is similarly great, and it delivers excellent shots at 5x, and doubles as a reliable portrait shooter. That said, the 115mm focal length (5x) isn't ideal when it comes to portraits, and Xiaomi should have offered an 85mm option like most other phones in this category.

There is a 2x mode as well, and while it's great in its own right, I got used to the quality of the portraits I get from OPPO and Vivo phones, and I feel like Xiaomi lags a little behind in this area. On that note, the selfie lens isn't that great, and this phone deserves a better wide-angle camera — particularly when you consider how good the other lenses are.

Should you buy the Xiaomi 17T Pro?

I'm not going to talk about the software too much; the 17T Pro comes with Android 16 out of the box, and it is optimized to run fluidly on the phone. I didn't see any lag or slowdowns, but the software itself is in need of a visual overhaul, and it doesn't feel quite as modern to use as OriginOS and ColorOS.

It wasn't all that long ago that you could get a Xiaomi T series phone for around $500. But the industry as a whole is trending upwards in this area, and it isn't just Xiaomi that's selling its value flagships at what would've been flagships prices three years ago (the Xiaomi 13 debuted at €999 in 2023). So, where does that leave the 17T Pro? You're not getting huge gains from the 15T Pro, so if you're able to get last year's phone at a discounted price, that would be my recommendation — it has 90% of the same features.

But if you aren't able to get the 15T Pro at a decent deal and need a bigger battery, the 17T Pro is a viable alternative. I still think it's better to wait a little while before buying the phone — Xiaomi will inevitably lower prices over the coming weeks, like it does with all devices in its portfolio. If you'd rather not wait, POCO's F8 Ultra is a solid choice as well — it has a better design, amazing cameras, the latest internals, and a 6,500mAh battery — and it costs a much more reasonable €659 right now.

When I tested the DXP4800 Plus two years ago, I called it an unmatched value. It's still a great choice in 2026, but if you're looking to get a new 4-bay NAS, UGREEN has a new variant dubbed the DXP4800 Pro. It has the same design, similar features as the DXP4800 Plus, and you get the same connectivity: 10 Gigabit Ethernet alongside a 2.5 Gigabit port.

The key difference is that the DXP4800 Pro is powered by the 6-core Intel Core i3-1315U. This platform handles multi-core workloads better, has AV1 hardware decode, and does a better job with hardware transcodes. Other than that, the NAS has two M.2 slots, accommodates up to 96GB of DDR5 RAM (it comes with 8GB installed), and you get the usual assortment of USB ports.

The DXP4800 Pro doesn't cost much more than other 4-bay NAS models

Basically, the DXP4800 Pro is a mid-cycle refresh of the DXP4800 Plus. You're not getting generational gains in any area, and the pricing reflects that. UGREEN is still selling the DXP4800 Plus at $656, and the DXP4800 Pro costs $719 as of writing, a $63 increase.

To put things into context, the DiskStation DS925+ is available for $629, but you don't get 10GbE connectivity. Having used the DS925+ extensively, I can state with some confidence that the DXP4800 Pro is a better choice if you want the best hardware in this category, and while the software isn't quite as good, you can always roll your own — UGREEN lets you install TrueNAS or any other platform without any issues.

The DXP4800 Pro has a durable design and all the features you need

The DXP4800 Pro looks identical to the Plus model; UGREEN didn't change the design at all, and that's a good thing. You get a metal unibody chassis that's built to last, four drive bays, SD card reader, USB-C, and USB-A connectivity at the front. It's easy to install 3.5-inch HDDs into the NAS thanks to the toolless design, and the hardware looks elegant. It has good ventilation as well thanks to the rear-mounted fan, and there's a dust filter.

The rear of the NAS houses all the connectivity options. You get a 10 Gigabit Ethernet port alongside a 2.5GbE port, and there's HDMI 2.0 out, USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 and USB-A 2.0 ports. Basically, you get all the ports you'll need, and the inclusion of 10GbE connectivity — just like the DXP4800 Plus — makes it future-proof.

You'll find the M.2 slots on the bottom of the unit, and it's easy to install SSDs if you want to augment mechanical drives with faster storage. The SO-DIMM slots are next to the storage, and you get an 8GB DDR5 module installed out of the box. What's interesting about the DXP4800 Pro is that you can install a total of 96GB of memory, and you get slightly higher memory bandwidth (5600MT/s) out of the box. While 96GB will be overkill, I'd suggest installing another 8GB module in there if you need additional memory headroom.

On that note, the NAS consumes a little more power than the Plus model. I noticed idle power draw of 26W, going up to 60W when drives are active. Most NAS models in this category usually come with a 120W power brick, but the DXP4800 Pro has 150W, and it's clear that it has a higher power threshold. It isn't a big deal, but as a device that's meant to run 24/7, I wanted to highlight it.

This is the best 4-bay NAS you can buy in 2026

Coming to everyday use, the DXP4800 Pro is without a doubt one of the best 4-bay Plex NAS servers around. It handles hardware transcodes without any issues, and where I noticed a difference against the Plus model is that it has a higher headroom with transcodes in general. If you have an extensive 4K media library and need a 4-bay model that excels at hardware transcoding and includes AV1 decode, the DXP4800 Pro is the one to get.

While UGREEN's software efforts are getting better, you still don't get the same number of pre-installed utilities as other major NAS models. Don't get me wrong; the web interface is clean and fluid, and you get the essentials — file management, data storage and organization, sync with public cloud storage platforms, and native music/video utilities. There's no built-in Plex client (Jellyfin is available), but as you have Docker, you can easily install Plex or any other media utility you need.

I slotted in four 6TB IronWolf drives and two 1TB Gen 4 SSDs into the DXP4800 Pro, and after a month of use, I didn't notice any problems. I used a half-dozen UGREEN NAS models in the last three years and didn't see any hardware issues in that time, so long-term reliability isn't something you need to worry about. The NAS handled transfers just as admirably as other 10GbE models I have on hand, saturating the limits of the mechanical drives and maxing out the SSDs while transferring data over a 10GbE switch to another NAS.

Ultimately, the DXP4800 Pro gives you a little better headroom. It is identical to the Plus model in many ways, but it's slightly faster, and you get a few extras, including AV1. Considering the minor increase in cost over the DXP4800 Plus, I'd suggest getting the Pro model if you need a new 4-bay NAS in 2026. The advantages may not seem like a lot right now, but they will add up over time.

At a time when everything demands our attention, more companies are leaning into the idea that consumers might want something that we can mostly ignore. The Fitbit Air fits into a growing category of devices like the Oura Ring 4 and Whoop bands that aim to minimize their presence while monitoring everything in the background.

I've been testing the Fitbit Air for just over a week, and it's easily becoming one of my favorite new wearables. It does all the health and fitness tracking that I want, but without the distraction of a display. And while some users may prefer the functionality of a device like the Pixel Watch 4, the Fitbit Air is perfect for anyone who doesn't want a smartwatch weighing them down.

As light as air

The Fitbit Air is the first Fitbit product since 2023, excluding the kid-focused Fitbit Ace LTE from a couple of years ago. Previously, the Fitbit Charge 6 was launched as a minimalist fitness tracker, sporting a small display and Google services, making it a decent alternative to a smartwatch. The Air takes that philosophy to the next level as a lightweight and affordable tracker.

As soon as I put the Fitbit Air on my wrist, I was surprised by just how light it is. I'm used to wearing smartwatches like the Pixel Watch 4 and Garmin Venu 4, so this is practically nothing compared to them. The woven Performance Loop band that comes with it is thin and comfortable, and I often forget I'm even wearing it, which feels appropriate and a bit refreshing.

That said, the band is a little awkward to put on, as it secures above the wrist rather than below. I also notice that the vibrant Berry color option gets a bit dirty somewhat easily, and I haven't been brave enough to wear it during workouts.

Before a workout, I normally pop out the actual tracker, which is a relatively small puck, and snap it into the Active band. Google makes it easy by placing a small marker on both the tracker and the band.

The Active band's silicone design makes it ideal for heavy workouts, especially since many of my workouts are heated and I sweat a lot, although it's a bit thicker than the Performance band. I also really like that it secures more like a transitional smartwatch band below the wrist.

Sleep like a baby, wake up refreshed

A benefit of the lightweight design is that the Fitbit Air is the perfect wearable to wear while sleeping. I, along with many others, find smartwatches uncomfortable to wear while sleeping, and it can be enough to wake me up in the middle of the night just to force one off my wrist. With the Fitbit Air, I've not had that problem, as it remains just as inconspicuous at night as it is during the day.

Sleep tracking on the Fitbit Air is as good as you'd expect, and as good as on devices like a Pixel Watch or even a Garmin smartwatch. It records sleep stages, sleep quality, and even restlessness or how much you moved while asleep. You get a sleep score, although Fitbit's sleep animals aren't supported with the new Google Health app, which is kind of a bummer.

Smart Wake is one of the Fitbit Air's best features. I set up a few alarms, and the Air would wake me at an optimal time up to 30 minutes before my actual alarm time. And by "optimal time," the band would determine if you're in a lighter stage of sleep, which is generally better to wake you up without feeling groggy.

I use a low-level vibration that is subtle enough to wake me up without being startling, though a higher intensity is available. So far, I've had no problem waking up while wearing the Fitbit Air, and the lack of an alarm sound is the best part, as that can be the most jarring part of a smartwatch or smart display. To dismiss the vibration, simply double-tap the top of the sensor; otherwise, it will repeat after nine minutes.

Your phone is the only screen you interact with

Of course, without a display, you'll need a way to view the Fitbit Air's data. The new Google Health app, which arose from the ashes of the Fitbit app, is the main point of interaction for the Air, unlike a Pixel Watch, which requires its own separate app.

Setup is actually pretty easy; as soon as I put the Air on its charger for the first time (and yes, it's yet another charger from Google), my phone was prompted to pair with it, and it was ready to go in no time.

There aren't many differences between the new Google Health app and my experience testing the revamped Fitbit UI. It's still filled with all the Gemini AI you could want (or not want), especially if you're subscribed to Google Health Premium, although it's fairly easy to ignore if you want to just focus on the data. However, there are some helpful changes that expanded and refined its health and fitness monitoring.

For example, the Fitness tab breaks up your various workout or cardio load goals so they're easier to track. Furthermore, as part of the training "plan," the tab now offers workout "suggestions" that you can follow and easily track throughout your week.

To begin a workout, I usually start directly from one of my workout suggestions. However, for exercises outside the regimen, I can start a workout of my choice from the Today tab, such as pilates or high-intensity interval training (HIIT). My phone displays live heart rate, cardio load, and calories burned. For suggested workouts with multiple exercises, large buttons are available to move to the next set of exercises or to finish and log the workout.

The Fitbit Air also has one of my favorite Pixel Watch features: the ability to display my live heart rate on a Peloton. And if you forget to manually track a workout, the Fitbit Air is smart enough to detect certain exercises automatically, though you'll still need to confirm them in the app.

I've done a few step tests with the Fitbit and other wearable devices, and the Air is surprisingly accurate, only off by a few steps each time. You can also use the Air alongside a Pixel Watch and display data from either source. And while it may seem odd or redundant to use both, there are some things that the Fitbit Air can't monitor that the Pixel Watch can, such as ECG and a Continuous Electrodermal Activity (cEDA) for stress and body response.

Though, to be honest, I can live without these data points, so I don't actually mind leaving the Pixel Watch 4 behind for the Fitbit Air. That said, the heart rate sensor isn't as advanced as the one on the Pixel Watch 4, though it seemed to keep up well with my Garmin Venu 4 during various workouts.

Still, therein lies the benefit of using both of Google's wearables simultaneously or swapping them, say, if you just want to use the Fitbit Air while you sleep and the Pixel Watch during the day for more accurate fitness tracking.

The Fitbit Air is a great tracker for most people

There's very little not to like about the Fitbit Air. As someone who uses smart rings like the Oura Ring 4 daily, I love having a comfortable wrist-based wearable that lasts up to a week per charge.

The Air might not be the best wearable for runners, as it lacks built-in GPS and other features runners may find useful (like a display). However, I have plenty of friends who I exercise with who don't care to wear smartwatches, and I can see something as lightweight and lowkey as the Air being a great fit.

The price also makes it a bit of a no-brainer. At $99, it's much cheaper than a Pixel Watch 4 or an Oura Ring 4 while still offering many of the same features. Of course, that doesn't account for the optional $10-per-month charge for Google Health Premium, which you'll need to use the coaching features. However, you get three months free when you purchase the device, and even with that optional cost, I think the Fitbit Air is quite an attractive offering.

Over the past two weeks, I had the Motorola Razr Plus 2026 folded up in my pocket. Its diminutive form factor felt comfortable and reassuring, but also like déjà vu. I've used this phone before — twice, in fact — and while I love using it, there was nothing fundamentally different from my previous experience with the 2024 and 2025 Razr Plus.

So I performed a little experiment. During my review, I swapped my wife's Razr Plus 2024 for the 2026 model to see what she thinks. While I use dozens of different phones all year long, she's been faithfully using the Razr Plus 2024 for nearly two years now, and used two Samsung Z Flip models before that. She's an avid flip phone fan, and the seemingly minuscule upgrades on this year's Razr Plus were exactly what she was looking for.

Looking at Motorola's marketing and the even more anemic spec sheet, you might wonder why. This year's phone has identical dimensions and weight to the previous two years of Razrs, and it even shares the same processor as the Razr Plus 2024 that I upgraded her from. For $100 more, it doesn't seem like you're exactly getting much from this model, but usage has proven that feeling wrong.

While I used it to snap pictures of the annual Bonsai festival in town over the weekend, or went on a local version of a Spartan race the next day, I never ran into battery life problems, something that can't be said of some previous Razr models. That part was my wife's favorite upgrade on the phone as well, and we both noticed the camera upgrades right off the bat.

And the phone wasn't done surprising me. While "the same look at last year's phone" is often a negative point, it's not just because of a lack of excitement; it's because you also have to buy new cases and other accessories to work with your phone. The Pixel 10a is a perfect example of this annoying design tweaking. With the Razr Plus 2026, you don't have to get new cases. They all fit perfectly, and that's exactly how it should be in these iterative upgrade years.

The Motorola Razr Plus 2026 is available in a single color — Pantone Mountain View, a soft-textured green vegan leather — as of May 21. You can get it at Best Buy, Amazon, and Motorola's website, as well as AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile for $1,099.

Most Razr 2026 deals will get you the phone for a lot less, and some even include freebies like a case or something else. Motorola is selling the phone with a free pair of Moto Buds Loop, for instance, and some carriers may even have lower-priced phone configurations with more or less storage.

There's something strangely cathartic about flipping a phone open and closed. It's a feeling that disappeared during the decade and a half that candybar phones took over the scene, but Motorola resurrected the Razr form factor in 2019 and has been improving it ever since.

Sure, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor inside doesn't exactly feel like it belongs in an $1,100 phone, but it's still plenty capable and has better thermal management than the "true" flagship processors. In daily use, you simply will not notice a difference between this processor and the more powerful one found on the Razr Ultra, and I'd be willing to bet the crowd that prefers the Razr's style doesn't care about hardcore 3D gaming, the only real place a more powerful processor might make a difference.

Instead of spending money upgrading that, Motorola chose the real pain points: battery life, camera quality, and durability. RAM and storage issues this year mean basically all phones are getting a price increase, and the only ones that don't are even more recycled versions of last year's phones than this one.

The 500mAh battery increase for this phone compared to the 2024 and 2025 models doesn't sound like much, but in practice, it means a few more hours of use. That's just enough to properly get through a full day on a single charge. That's even the case if you play a lot of mobile games, something both my wife and I find ourselves doing in our downtime.

I do need to applaud Motorola for its engineering excellence on this phone, too. The aluminum hinge was swapped out for a titanium one, which not only increases durability quite a bit, but it's also lighter than aluminum.

That means the 500mAh silicon-carbon battery magically adds no weight to the phone since the hinge is lighter. I noticed that my wife's 2024 model, which has shiny sides all around, has some very obvious scuffing on the hinge, which is the only place often uncovered with flip phone cases. Hopefully, the titanium keeps this from happening with the 2026 model.

And again, I need to stress the importance of Motorola not changing the design at all. While it would have been nice to get an AI key like the Razr Ultra Fold has, it would have been the only change in the design and would have been an annoyance. I wish more companies would follow this act during the iterative years between big design changes, as my wife simply took the case she loved off her 2024 model, slid it onto the 2026 model, and moved on with her life.

I'm also blown away by Motorola's complete lack of marketing on the camera upgrades here. When Android Central was briefed on the Razr family ahead of the launch, camera changes or upgrades were basically unmentioned. Even the spec sheets look nearly identical, except that Motorola swapped the useless 2x telephoto camera for an ultrawide this year.

The ultrawide camera isn't just a great addition for practical purposes; it also adds Horizon Lock capability to the phone, which is a massive upgrade to video recording stability when you need it.

Given the removal of the telephoto camera, you might think this phone has worse zoom capability. I'm happy to say that you and I were both wrong in that regard, and I'm quite frankly puzzled by it. Again, based on the specs, this year's phone should have worse zoom detail at any zoom level, but it doesn't. In fact, even at 4x and beyond, the 2026 model — that's the one with no telephoto camera — sports far superior zoom detail. A genuine WTF moment, for sure.

Of course, you might be wondering how this phone compares to the Z Flip 7, or even the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 8. Samsung packs a faster processor in that phone (though it's not much faster), and its software is more feature-rich in some ways, but it falls behind Motorola in several key areas.

First and foremost is the cover screen, an area that Motorola has consistently beaten Samsung in since the big redesign of the Razr line in 2023. Samsung somehow made the Z Flip 7's cover screen less functional than previous models, too, which left us scratching our heads in our Z Flip 7 review.

The displays and cameras are also notably worse than Motorola's efforts, and that's even more true this year than ever. Samsung's foldables have often had worse cameras than the competition, and the company doesn't seem to be changing that with this year's releases, if rumors are true. Plus, Samsung's AMOLED displays are unusable for anyone sensitive to PWM dimming, while Motorola offers a way to swap out PWM dimming for something more comfortable.

And while the Razr Plus 2026's battery is only 200mAh bigger than the Z Flip 7, Motorola offers nearly double the charging speed as Samsung, so you can quickly top up in a pinch before heading out the door.

All this to say that while the Razr Plus 2026 isn't the most impressive year-over-year upgrade by any means — a fact made worse by the $100 price increase — Motorola clearly focused on fixing the real problems its users had.

Realistically, Razr Plus 2024 and 2025 users shouldn't bother unless they get a killer deal, but if you're coming from a standard Razr (Razr Minus?), this will be a substantial upgrade in every way. It's also a terrific buy if you're looking to get a flip phone for the first time, especially with this year's enhanced durability and the improved five-year software update promise.

With the RAM crisis still in effect, 2026 has not been kind to smartphone OEMs. Motorola is one such victim of the shortage, with prices of its popular midrange and flagship products surging. The Razr Ultra 2026 is among these products, and the situation soils a pretty solid smartphone.

In my time with the Razr Ultra 2026, I can't help but feel that Motorola made a number of concessions to keep the smartphone's price from skyrocketing. However, given the $200 price increase over its predecessor, the Razr Ultra 2026 still feels overpriced for what we get, and therein lies my biggest problem with this phone.

If you read my Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 review, then this one might sound very familiar. That's because Motorola didn't change much about this phone; in fact, the Razr Ultra 2026 has the exact same dimensions as its predecessor. The only noticeable changes are the new colors, which are limited to Indigo Alcantara and darker wood finishes, and the cameras, which protrude slightly more than before.

My unit is the wood variant, and, comparing it side by side with its predecessor, I admittedly prefer the darker wood, which pairs nicely with the brushed aluminum frame. I've noticed that the cameras tend to gather more dust and lint around them, which gets annoying, but otherwise, it's a well-designed phone, as was last year's.

The downside of having the exact same design as last year's phone is that it's no thinner. After Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Flip 7 with a thinner chassis, I was hoping Motorola would go the same route. Flip phones are compact to a point, but folding them in half doubles their thickness. Unfortunately, the Razr Ultra 2026 is still plenty thick when folded, which isn't a huge problem, but when you know what else is out there, it almost seems like a compromise.

That said, Motorola was able to retain the same thickness while increasing the battery capacity by 300mAh. That's no small feat, and the 5,000mAh battery now matches the Galaxy S26 Ultra, allowing for all-day battery life. That's not bad for a flip phone, and it's all thanks to Motorola's use of silicon-carbon batteries, making it the first major OEM to bring the tech to a mainstream phone in the U.S.

Charging remains incredibly fast at 68W. You won't, however, find Qi2 compatibility, although the 30W wireless charging is plenty quick, assuming you have a fast-enough wireless charger.

The upside to Motorola using the same design as last year's model is the fact that I can use the same cases. I often hate when companies make the smallest changes to their phones (ever-so-slightly shifting the cameras, mics, SIM trays, etc.) so that you have to buy whole new accessories a mere generation later. With the Razr Ultra 2026, I can still use my Clicks Keyboard, which fits perfectly.

Of course, Motorola introduced new Razr Ultra 2026 cases, but the company still doesn't have many offerings, and you won't find cases from major accessory brands, which remains a huge problem for the company. However, if you decide to go caseless, know that the cover screen is protected by the new Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3, which should prove tougher than the previous generation.

The displays are more or less the same, at least regarding size and resolution. The Super HD resolution keeps things sharp, offering a nice bump over full HD displays, and the new "Extreme AMOLED" panel is brighter than that on the Razr Ultra 2025, so it's noticeably easier to view the screens outdoors, which is particularly nice given how the built-in screen protector tends to obscure the main display a bit.

The cover screen also remains my favorite way to use the Razr Ultra 2026, allowing me to use nearly any app without opening the phone. Android 16 introduced some wonkiness with text input on the cover screen, but that seems to have been mostly fixed here, which is great for Clicks Keyboard users.

Another thing that has changed a bit is Motorola's software. This latest version of Android 16 on the Razr Ultra 2026 brings some welcome features that haven't yet arrived on the Razr Ultra 2025. This includes newer Android features like Live Updates, which let you track progress in certain apps, such as a rideshare's arrival, and quick access to media via a pill at the top of the screen.

Live Updates are also supported on the cover screen, making the 4-inch display much more useful for keeping track of notifications without opening the phone.

Speaking of the cover screen, Motorola gave it some much-needed love by adding video wallpapers on the lock screen, a feature users have been asking for. I normally don't use them, but their addition is welcome for those who want to bring a little more life to their cover screen experience.

Motorola has also adopted the new Quick Settings menu, which brings resizable tiles. This was one of my favorite additions to Android 16 on the Pixel, since I hated the unnecessarily large tiles before. I previously opted to use Motorola's "Modern" dual-pane Quick Settings/Notification UI, but I ended up leaving the default split UI on the Razr Ultra 2026 and generally preferring it.

Other smaller goodies include a new Depth Effect for the lock screen, which dynamically hides parts of the clock behind specific areas of the lock screen image. There's also a new Battery Protection feature, which revamps the Optimized Charging feature, letting you optimize battery health by setting a charging schedule or using AI to learn your battery's charging pattern.

I was, however, bummed to see that Audio Sharing isn't available in the Connectivity menu, despite its presence on the Razr Fold.

One area that may or may not disappoint, depending on how you look at it, is the chipset. Motorola paired the Razr Ultra 2026 with a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, opting for the previous-gen flagship chipset (also used in the Razr Ultra 2025) over the newer Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. The only difference here is that the main Oryon cores are clocked slightly higher at 4.47 GHz, though I doubt you'll notice.

Overall, the chip performs very well, and you likely won't have any performance issues. The phone tends to get a little warm on the top half when charging or playing graphically intensive games, but it hasn't been anything concerning.

As far as day-to-day performance, I doubt you'd even notice a difference if the Razr Ultra 2026 used the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. However, I do wonder if Motorola is missing out on newer features and capabilities by opting for the older hardware. The company's name was missing from phones receiving AirDrop support, and it's unclear if Gemini screen automation will be available, given the newer chip's focus on agentic AI.

When I asked Motorola bout its decision to use the older chip, it seemed confident that it offered everything the Razr Ultra 2026 would need, so I guess we'll have to see just how true that is. That said, it doesn't instill much confidence.

Moto AI is still present here, along with the very limited Moto AI key on the left side of the phone. Given the inability to remap the key, I've largely left it alone during my testing, but I'm holding out hope that Motorola will let us invoke Gemini instead of its own AI chatbot.

I still find Moto AI largely superfluous, given the existence of Gemini, but Motorola has some useful features here, such as Catch Me Up, which sits at the top of the notification panel and summarizes your conversations. Copilot Vision is integrated into the experience, so with a tap, you can have a Gemini Live-like experience where you can ask Copilot about what you're looking at.

And if you like generating images, Motorola's Image Studio is actually pretty decent.

That said, many of these functions can be achieved with Gemini, and Motorola's solutions just feel a bit undercooked by comparison, if not a little disjointed. It's a relatively solid AI suite, but it's not as baked in as Samsung's Galaxy AI, which integrates alongside Google's AI throughout the system. Motorola has already teased an upgraded Qira AI experience that we expect to arrive this year, but we've heard nothing of it since CES.

The camera is one of the few areas where Motorola actually brought in some new hardware. All the sensors are 50MP, but the primary camera uses a new LOFIC sensor, which promises better dynamic range. In my experience, this is largely true, even when comparing it to last year's model.

Image quality is largely on par, but the Razr Ultra 2026 handles tricky lighting conditions better. Images look great, and I'm largely pleased with the photos and video quality, although it won't win any blind camera comparisons. Even zoom quality has improved over the Razr Ultra 2025, with AI seemingly doing a lot more work to retain detail at 10x zoom.

Motorola retains its Action Shot feature, which increases the shutter speed to capture fast-moving subjects, and it works well, although you still can't use zoom while it's enabled, unlike the telephoto-touting Razr Fold. The new Frame Match feature is present, however, which can help you get better vacation photos by creating a scene overlay for others to follow when taking your photo.

Unfortunately, the Razr misses out on the Razr Fold's Video Enhancement engine, which I would love to see here, as it made capturing great concert videos a breeze. Dolby Vision is present for video recording, but I don't like how punchy it makes videos, and I tend to prefer the natural mode.

The Razr Ultra 2026 does, however, feature an upgraded Camcorder Mode. It lets you tilt the photo left and right to zoom in and out of a video, which is pretty handy, although it makes it a little difficult to properly control the speed or level of zoom. Fortunately, the option to use your thumb to zoom is still present.

However, a new camera sensor and a couple of new camera features aren't enough to justify the bloated $1,500 price tag. The Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 was already hard to recommend at its $1,300 retail price, but fortunately, there were plenty of deals throughout the year that made it worth buying.

That said, it's pretty telling that the Razr Ultra 2026 won't be available from any carriers, at least as far as we know.

The Razr Ultra 2026 is a good phone, but it's not $1,500 good. I like it just as much as the Razr Ultra 2025, but that's the problem; I should like it more than its predecessor. At this point, I would suggest getting last year's model or splurging on the Razr Fold. Or if you really want a flip phone, you could spring for the base Razr 2026 or Galaxy Z Flip 7. Otherwise, you may want to wait for the Galaxy Z Flip 8 or simply hold out for any Razr Ultra 2026 sales, which we'll obviously be on the lookout for.

Flip phones are the practical kind of foldable, and they deserve a practical price. For years, Motorola provided that. Component shortages threatened to change everything, but the base-model Razr 2026 came out almost scot-free.

It's $100 more expensive than the Razr 2025, but the latest model has a fresh processor, a bigger battery, and an upgraded ultrawide lens to justify the extra cost. Of the three Razr 2026 series phones, this one is still the only model under $1,000 — and it somehow received the most attention.

That's not to say the Razr 2026 is perfect. The newfound $800 price point makes you seriously crave more power, the device could be thinner, and the cover screen size is starting to feel cramped.

I've been testing the Razr 2026 alongside the outgoing Razr 2025, and despite the price hike, it's clear that this is a more complete foldable than the one I used a year ago.

The Motorola Razr 2026 became generally available on May 21, 2026, at a retail price of $799.99. That is for the 256GB storage variant, which you can buy on Motorola's website. There will also be a 128GB model available, but we don't know how much it will cost. You can find the Razr 2026 at Best Buy and Amazon, as well as carriers like Verizon and Google Fi. The phone will make its way to T-Mobile in the coming months, and notably, AT&T is absent from the carrier availability list.

For a limited time, you can get free Moto Buds 2 Plus when you buy the Razr 2026 from Motorola. You can also save $200 with an eligible trade-in device.

• Razr 2026 at Motorola for $799.99 (256GB)

The design of the Motorola Razr 2026 should feel familiar — it matches the Razr 2025's dimensions exactly. At 15.85mm when closed, this is the thickest flip phone in the entire Razr 2026 series. Still, it doesn't feel unwieldy when closed and feels even better opened, measuring 7.25mm. One thing the Razr 2026 has going for it is its weight, because this 188-gram handset is also the lightest phone in the lineup.

The biggest change compared to the Razr 2025 is the rear camera lens housings. The ones on the last-generation flip are smaller and smoother to run your fingers over, while the Razr 2026 has larger lens covers with sharp edges. It's a small tweak, but the new rear cameras look better, and the design might prevent you from accidentally smudging the lenses while using the cover screen.

Speaking of the cover screen, it's quite small. At only 3.6 inches, the external display doesn't fully cover the top half of the phone. It has larger black display bezels and an additional bezel above the color screen that matches the back finish. There are things I can't do on the Razr 2026 cover screen that I could on the Plus and Ultra models, so there's surely a case for needing a larger one.

It's good enough for shooting off a quick text message without needing to open up the phone, though. If the bezel is going to be large, I love Motorola's choice to continue color-matching the bezel with the PANTONE colorways on the back. I used the Hematite finish, and it's a textured material that feels incredibly satisfying and adds grip.

The titanium hinge assembly is sturdy, even if it does make a bit of noise when you fold and unfold it. The folding display crease is more visible than on more premium foldables, but you quickly forget about it while using the device. The cover screen is made out of Gorilla Glass Victus. However, if it's anything like my Razr 2025, you should consider using a screen protector or case. The rounded, curved cover display glass will inevitably pick up scratches over time.

Like last year's model, the Razr 2026 sports IP48 dust- and water-resistance. It's not completely dustproof, although I took it to the beach and didn't have any issues with sand getting into the hinge.

As for the displays, they're cut and pasted from the Razr 2025. The cover screen is a pOLED panel with 1,700 nits of peak brightness and a 90Hz refresh rate. I have no issues with the cover display's responsiveness, but that low peak brightness rating will make you squint in direct sunlight. Although I would've taken a larger or brighter cover screen, this one will do just fine.

The main display is unchanged, too, and it doesn't feel like a compromise. It's a 6.9-inch AMOLED that feels just like a traditional slab phone, complete with a 120Hz refresh rate and 3,000-nit peak brightness rating. I have no qualms with the folding display here — it's a superb panel for the price.

The Android 16 software is a joy to use on the Razr 2026. Motorola's Hello UX skin shares a lot with stock Android, so it's easy to switch from a phone like a Google Pixel to the Razr 2026 without missing a beat. Motorola makes thoughtful additions where they're needed. This year, features like Android 16's Live Updates are making their way to the flip phone and its cover screen for the first time. You can now follow notifications in real time, such as the status of a delivery order or a rideshare request.

Regardless of the cover screen's size, Motorola's software experience is excellent. You can run any app on the cover screen without the hassle — it just works. As I alluded to earlier, apps like Chrome are tricky to use on the compact display. The things you'll actually want to use the cover screen for, like checking the weather, changing the song, or replying to a notification, all work great.

The Razr 2026 has always been at the low end of the Motorola flip phone totem pole, and naturally, it doesn't have the most power. That's starting to become a concern, considering the phone's $100 higher starting price, but the new MediaTek Dimensity 7450X is passable for now.

It doesn't represent a significant performance leap over the Dimensity 7400X in the Razr 2025. In fact, it only scored marginally better in benchmarks, and in one case, performed worse.

The big MediaTek Dimensity 7450X upgrade is not performance — this chip uses the same 4nm process node and core architecture as its predecessor. Instead, the advantage here is an upgraded Release 17 5G modem, which is said to offer improved power efficiency and more reliable connectivity.

In daily use, the Razr 2026 still slows down at times. It gets overwhelmed with quick actions, especially in direct sunlight when the phone gets hot. For instance, if I want to snap a photo, I need to quickly unlock my Razr 2026, open the camera app, and hit the shutter button. This should take a second or two, but on the Razr 2026, it can take upwards of five seconds for the camera viewfinder to appear. That could mean missing a moment, so there are situations where the Razr 2026's weak processor could bite you.

Overall, if you exercise a bit of patience — and understand some actions will take a few seconds longer on the Razr 2026 compared to a flagship — the phone will serve your needs.

Fans of wide shots will be happy to know that the Razr 2026's ultrawide camera is now 50MP, joining the 50MP primary shooter. There's no telephoto lens, but you can take optical-quality shots at 2x zoom using sensor crop. The camera system has a Macro Vision feature that lets you take close-up shots, too. On the inside is a 32MP selfie camera, although I prefer using the rear cameras and the cover screen for selfies.

Motorola puts a lot of emphasis on color, with PANTONE-validated colors and Dolby Vision for video. This can be hit-or-miss in practice, because the high dynamic range occasionally over-highlights certain parts of images, leaving others oddly dark. You can see this effect in some of the camera samples below, where the blue sky is incredibly bright in some parts and dim in others.

Overall, the dual 50MP rear camera provides good quality and detail for the price point.

For a small flip phone, the Razr 2026 also has a big battery. It's 4,800mAh, so Motorola fit an extra 300mAh of capacity compared to the Razr 2025 without making the phone thicker. It's impressive, and the 30W wired charging speeds and 15W wireless speeds make the Razr 2026 a battery and charging champion.

All told, the Razr 2026 is sitting pretty in this year's lineup. It's the only model I'd feel comfortable recommending at full price — the Razr Plus 2026 and Razr Ultra 2026 are overpriced and share too much in common with their predecessor. The last-gen Razr 2025 isn't much of a threat here because it's only $200 cheaper and only has two Android OS upgrades remaining. Once again, this is the phone to buy if you want a foldable without spending a fortune.

After years of a successful foldable strategy focused solely on flip phones, the Razr Fold represents an exciting evolution of Motorola's strategy. I've been a fan of flip phones since Motorola launched the Razr Plus 2023 and have used them as my primary phones ever since. However, with the new Razr Fold joining Motorola's flagship family, my allegiance to flip phones may be coming to an end.

As the company's first book-style foldable phone, Motorola waited months after its announcement to make it available. This was seemingly to give it the fanfare it deserved, particularly as more companies focus on this form factor amid growing foldable sales. Motorola has proven it can still have a successful foldable strategy with just flip phones, but adding a book-style foldable gives it a greater opportunity to compete with Samsung and Google in the U.S., where foldable options are scarce.

After spending a couple of weeks with the Razr Fold, I think Motorola has pulled it off. The company has clearly utilized its foldable prowess to produce a solid smartphone, while still doing what Motorola often does best: offer plenty of value while undercutting Samsung.

The Razr Fold takes everything Motorola is known for and puts it into an attractive package. The phone may not be as thin as the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but it makes up for it in other ways. The back eschews the typical glass panel in favor of Motorola's signature alternative materials. My unit is the Blackened Blue colorway, which features a diamond piqué-inspired finish and looks great and feels really nice. The only downside is that scratches and scuffs can sort of linger and are a little hard to remove.

When closed, the phone is just 10mm thin, and despite being slightly thicker than a normal smartphone (the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is 9.4mm), it surprisingly doesn't feel particularly thick or heavy. The 21:9 display aspect ratio also helps make it feel like a traditional smartphone, unlike the taller 22:9 Razr flip phones. Even the camera housing protrudes seamlessly from the back, taking design cues from the rest of Motorola's lineup.

When open, the phone is just 4.7mm thin, with the squarish folding display spanning 8.1 inches. The weight feels better distributed than you'd expect, especially given the cameras housed on one side. The extra bit of thickness compared to Samsung's phone also allowed Motorola to squeeze in a larger 6,000mAh battery.

This makes it one of the first U.S.-bound smartphones to feature a denser silicon-carbon battery, and the phone is much better for it. The Razr Fold easily lasts a day or more on a single charge, and the 80W charging comes in very handy, assuming you have a charger that supports such speeds.

Whether you're using the Razr Fold open or closed, the displays are gorgeous and bright. The outer screen has a faster 165Hz refresh rate, which is great for gaming, but the inner display's 120Hz refresh rate doesn't feel any slower.

The phone also runs smoothly thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. It may not be the Elite version of the chip, but performance doesn't appear to suffer much from it. Apps open quickly, and I can play games like Honkai: Star Rail and Where Winds Meet at the highest settings without issue.

I haven't noticed the phone get particularly warm, even when playing graphically intensive games. In fact, the only time it gets noticeably warm is when it's charging, likely due to the fast charging speed.

Multitasking also works well, and Motorola uses the foldable form factor effectively in this regard. With the expansive inner display, I can use up to three apps at a time in split-screen mode, plus a fourth app in floating freeform mode, a fifth messaging app as a floating bubble, and a sixth app as a minimized YouTube video. With all this happening at once, the Razr Fold doesn't falter, although this type of scenario isn't typical for my use.

There are also some other clever ways Motorola takes advantage of the foldable form factor, such as intelligently suggesting split-screen apps when it notices a pattern of opening certain apps in succession. So, if I'm known to open Google Messages and Photos, a pop-up will suggest opening them together. Having these apps side by side also makes it easy to select images, then drag and drop them into Messages.

Motorola also has two different foldable "modes" for the Razr Fold, depending on its position. When tented with the lock screen enabled, the phone will enter a Desk mode, which displays certain info, such as a clock and your schedule. It's a simple, yet surprisingly effective feature, and the Razr Fold looks like a legitimate, albeit fancy desk clock.

The other mode is even cooler. Laptop Mode activates when you fold the phone in a laptop-like fashion, enabling a giant touchpad on the bottom half that lets you control apps displayed in the top half with a cursor. When you enter a text field, the touchpad will transform into a full keyboard, and there's a row of shortcuts for access to features like the Quick Settings menu, volume and brightness sliders, the screenshot function, and more.

It's a pretty cool feature, and while it may not exactly emulate the full laptop experience (the keyboard is still a bit cramped), it's a neat way to make use of the foldable form factor. Hinge also holds up well, despite the larger camera bump being housed in the upper half of the display, a testament to how well-balanced the weight is.

Of course, because it's a foldable, it still has features like a customizable taskbar that displays recently used apps. I like to use this in tandem with Motorola's sidebar, providing two ways to access frequently used apps.

The Razr Fold is running a newer version of Android 16 with the Hello UX, so UI elements feel more consistent and are more closely aligned with Android 16 on the Pixel. For instance, the new Quick Settings menu lets me resize tiles to my liking, and the larger inner screen makes it possible to use the classic control center style with a dual-pane view.

My colleague, Nick Sutrich, noticed some bugs in his unit, such as apps not resizing correctly (or at all) and multitasking not working properly. I haven't noticed any of these in my use, but it's worth mentioning that many of them went away after rebooting the phone.

I will say, the biggest miss is probably Motorola's Moto AI suite. There are some good things here, such as image generation and access to Copilot and Perplexity if you use them, but overall, Moto AI still feels behind the pack in terms of capabilities and ease of use. The AI Key, for instance, is still very limited and can't be remapped, which is a missed opportunity.

Motorola has previously shown off the evolution of its AI suite with Qira, a revamped system that looks like a huge improvement over what we have now, but so far, that's nowhere to be found.

Fortunately, there are plenty of Google AI features you can default to, such as Gemini and Google Photos. The cool Wardrobe feature that was shown off last month still isn't available, unfortunately.

Another area where the Razr Fold edges out the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is support for an active stylus pen. The Moto Pen Ultra is a separate $99 purchase, but it adds a very S Pen-like experience to the Razr Fold, with support for pressure sensitivity and tilt detection.

I will say, it's a little strange carrying a stylus pen around in an admittedly well-upholstered sleeve, and I wish there were a way to just attach the pen to the phone, perhaps with a magnet or a case. However, for some reason, the Razr Fold is sorely lacking in case options. But I digress.

Text recognition makes it possible to type in any text field while the system inputs whatever you write, and it works pretty well, despite my barely legible handwriting. A floating pen menu provides a quick menu to open a new note, make annotations, and more.

The Notes app lets you draw and even generate images from your drawings using Moto AI, if you're into that sort of thing. Basically, I have a bigger canvas to draw abominations and turn them into polished abominations.

The Moto Pen Ultra's customizable button also makes it easy to use features like Circle to Search; I just press and hold the button and highlight whatever I want to search for. The Bluetooth connection makes this easier than using the pen on the Moto G Stylus 2026, which doesn't have Bluetooth and will only work when the pen is within range of the display.

That Bluetooth connection also lets me remotely control the camera, something I used to love on older Samsung phones I've owned, like the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.

Speaking of the camera, that's easily the best part about this phone. Motorola went all out with the camera system, sporting three 50MP rear sensors, and I can easily say this is the company's best effort. Images are bright, crisp, and vibrant, and while I wish it had better dynamic range, I think the Razr Fold cameras perform well in most scenarios, even managing decent low-light shots.

However, the Razr Fold shines most when it's zooming. Motorola isn't known for having strong zoom capabilities. Still, the combination of the 3x telephoto lens and Motorola's improved AI zoom makes for some impressive shots, including 6x, 10x, and 50x zoom. Even 100x zoom shots aren't half bad.

I took the Razr Fold to a concert and was more than pleased with the images and video I captured, most of which I took at 6x or 10x.

The two selfie cameras on the displays aren't as impressive, but they're mostly relegated to video calls anyway. It's also worth noting that the images I took were captured using the Natural camera mode, though you can switch to Vivid for more saturated colors or Signature, which learns over time from your editing preferences.

Rest assured, we'll go deeper into the Razr Fold's camera in a separate camera review.

Overall, I am happy to say that Motorola largely stuck the landing on its first book-style foldable. The design and hardware are solid, the software is decently polished, and the image quality is a step above what I've come to expect from Motorola.

It may not be as thin as the Galaxy Z Fold 7, and the AI experience may be lacking, but the Motorola Razr Fold makes up for it with better battery life and stylus support, something it also has over the slightly cheaper Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Motorola also has the upper hand with more RAM and storage for the price, and the company is known for frequent sales on its phones, which is something to look forward to.

The Razr Fold is available for preorder and retails for $1,900, with some nice bundles available. If you can deal with Motorola's lack of accessories and less reliable software upgrade policy, the Razr Fold is definitely worth checking out if you're in the U.S. and interested in buying a foldable.

I used Vivo's X300 Pro and the brand-new X300 Ultra, and there's no doubting that these are two of the best camera phones available today. The X300 Pro by itself is a fantastic phone, and if you want the best all-round cameras and intend to take a lot of videos, the X300 Ultra gives you the ultimate cameras of 2026 — with the associated price tag.

The regular X300 is quite good in its own right, and while it doesn't get quite as much attention, I enjoyed using the smaller phone. Vivo now has a new model dubbed the X300 FE, and while it shares a lot of similarities to the X300, there are a few key differences: it has better global bands, a bigger battery, and you don't get the same cameras.

There's just one problem: the X300 FE starts at a hefty €999 ($1,171) in countries like Austria, and that makes it a non-starter considering the regular X300 is now selling for €849 ($995) in the region. The X300 started out at €1,049 ($1,230), but as it has been on sale for close to half a year now, the phone is seeing discounts, making it more affordable than the FE model that just debuted.

It's a similar situation in India, where the X300 costs ₹75,999 ($800), and the X300 FE launched at ₹79,999 ($842). Clearly, Vivo will need to correct the pricing after launch, because it doesn't really make sense to pay more than the X300 to get the X300 FE.

Regardless, I used the X300 FE alongside the standard X300 and the X300 Ultra, and I have to admit that I like the phone quite a bit. Vivo changed a few things with the device to make it stand out from the regular X300, but the underlying foundations are broadly the same on both phones, and that's evident when using the devices next to one another.

The X300 FE has a design you'll love

If there's one thing that stands out with all the X300 phones, it's massive camera islands. There really isn't any other way to accommodate a trio or quartet of high-resolution cameras, and that's why the design of the X300 FE feels refreshing.

The phone has the same small 6.31-inch panel as the X300, but the redesigned camera housing makes it that much more comfortable to hold, and there's no wobble when using it on a table. The camera bar design is reminiscent of the Huawei Nexus 6P, but the metal housing allows it to be distinctive in its own right. While recent Pixels also have a camera bar, the design is differentiated enough that the X300 FE feels unique.

The in-hand feel is among the best of any Vivo phone, and I used all of the brand's phones released over the last four years. The boxy sides have beveled edges, and the smaller size means you can easily use the X300 FE one-handed. Vivo didn't shortchange buyers, and the X300 FE gets IP68 and IP69 ingress protection, an aluminum mid-frame, a glass rear with matte texture, and metal encasing the cameras.

I'm using the Purple variant, and it looks good while not being too flashy. I like the choice of colors this time, and if anything, I would've preferred to see this variant on the X300 Ultra instead. The 6.31-inch OLED panel is just as good as other X300 devices; you get excellent color vibrancy and contrast levels, decent customizability, and eye protection features you'll actually use.

You get a bigger battery than the Galaxy S26 Ultra

Coming in at 190g, the X300 FE weighs the same as the X300, but it has a much bigger 6,500mAh battery. By contrast, the Austrian model of the X300 that I'm using has a 5,360mAh battery instead. The bigger battery makes a huge difference in daily use, and it easily lasts a day and a half even with heavy use.

The fact that you get such a big battery in a relatively small phone is the biggest differentiator with the X300 FE. Vivo is once again using silicon-carbon tech to good effect, and the X300 FE outshines the X300, Xiaomi 17, and Galaxy S26 in this regard. This is the biggest battery on a 6.3-inch phone, and if that's something you're after, the X300 FE is a good choice.

Vivo's 90W charging means the X300 FE takes under 50 minutes to charge the battery, and you get USB PD charging as well, up to 50W. On the whole, battery longevity is one of the main reasons why I like the X300 FE, and Vivo did a great job in this area.

The X300 FE has reliable cameras and internals

Switching over to the internals, the X300 FE is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, and while it isn't using the best that Qualcomm has to offer, I didn't see any issues. I used the 12GB/512GB model of the device, and while I would've liked 16GB, that's about the only quibble I have on the hardware configuration.

The cameras aren't quite as good as the X300; instead of a 200MP main camera, you get a 50MP Sony Lytia 702 sensor, and it's joined by a 50MP Lytia 600 telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and an 8MP wide-angle lens. I get that the X300 FE is positioned below the X300, but that's no excuse to not have the same wide-angle lens on the device. The main camera and tele lenses do a great job, but the wide-angle lens is average, and I would've liked a better module on the phone.

What is interesting is that the 200mm telephoto extender can be used with the X200 FE as well. I didn't get to put that to the test as I didn't have the requisite case on me, but I'll write a dedicated post around the lens down the line.

The X300 FE is a good overall choice — if the price is right

Whether you want to buy the X300 FE is entirely down to your priorities. If you want a bigger battery and better in-hand feel, I'd suggest getting it over the regular X300. But if you need better cameras, the X300 is the better choice — there's no doubt.

Also, Vivo needs to sort out the X300 FE pricing to make it an attractive option against the X300 and the X300 Pro, because as it stands, it doesn't make much sense to get the FE unless you need a bigger battery.

Vivo is doing all the right things in India, and with the X300 Ultra also available in the country now, the brand is consolidating its position at both ends of the flagship category. However, the X300 FE needs to cost a lot less than the X300 to be a viable choice.

Compared to a decade ago, today's smartphones tend to look a lot alike. Most of them have eerily similar designs, use the same chipsets, cost the same obnoxious prices (and that's only getting worse), and most of them use displays that are obscenely bright, vibrant, and generally not great for your eyes.

That's where TCL's NXTPAPER line of phones comes in. Last year, I was impressed with the NXTPAPER 60 Ultra, but North American users never got a chance to try it, and that phone was the size of a tablet. Thankfully, TCL is bringing the same excellent NXTPAPAPER 4.0 technology to North America in a phone that's also a little bit smaller, and it's a real treat for anyone looking for something different to try.

The TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro is officially available at T-Mobile for a record-setting $199, a price that feels too good to be true (but it's real). It's the easiest recommendation I've been able to make all year, thanks to its solid performance, excellent battery life, and incredible display. I don't ever see an affordable phone getting better than this, and it's hard to believe TCL has pulled off such an impressive release, especially at this price.

NXTPAPER makes the difference

TCL puts NXTPAPER in the name for a reason. It's one of the most unique types of displays you can find on any phone, and it's absolutely worth buying a phone for if you fall into a few categories of people. If you enjoy reading, are looking for a display with less flicker than an OLED, want something that's anti-reflective and textured, or just enjoy the soft glow of an LCD (vs the harshness of OLED), this is a display you're going to love.

If you've never used an NXTPAPER display, know that it's not an E Ink replacement, but it is more eye-friendly in general than standard LCD or OLED. Part of this is the addition of several layers between the pixels and the glass, including light diffusion, a circular polarizer, a textured matte layer, and a special set of software algorithms.

The result is a unique look that's neither E Ink nor LCD, but it often embodies some of the best qualities of both. It's my favorite type of display to use inside, on a plane or train, or anywhere that's not explicitly in direct sunlight. You're going to be blown away by how good things look, and that's a direct result of the engineering that went into making this a non-reflective display.

There are two main differences between NXTPAPER and E Ink: refresh rate and reflectivity. Both NXTPAPER and E Ink use matte layers to eliminate reflections, but E Ink actually reflects light off the "ink" pigments, giving it superior sunlight visibility versus any other type of display. NXTPAPER still needs a traditional backlight to shine through its LCD pixels, and since it can't reflect light like E Ink (and doesn't have a very bright backlight), sunlight visibility isn't great.

But NXTPAPER has a 120Hz refresh rate, something E Ink will likely never have. Companies like Bigme have pushed E Ink to the next level with 42Hz displays (and soon, 52Hz), but because E Ink relies on magnetism to refresh the screen, this technology will eventually hit a ceiling. NXTPAPER is smoother than any E Ink display is today, and that makes it better for videos and games, plus generally more pleasant to use for scrolling and anything with motion.

The lone problem with this display is its use of temporal dithering, a display technique that increases color output but can cause problems for some flicker-sensitive users. I'm sensitive to PWM dimming but not dithering, so I had no problems here, but lots of people online have complained about NXTPAPER's use of dithering in the past. This one uses it less than the technology historically has, especially if you turn NXTVISION settings off, but it's still there on some colors and modes.

Nailing the basics

One of my chief complaints with the TCL NXTPAPER 60 Ultra was that it was just too dang big. The phone is gargantuan, with a 7.2-inch screen, but the NXTPAPER 70 Pro fixes this by reducing the size down to a more normal 6.9 inches. That doesn't sound like a big difference on paper, but the experience is a lot less awkward because of the change.

The plastic build is nothing particularly special, but TCL coated the entire phone in a wonderful oleophobic layer that resists fingerprints and smudges in a way almost no other phone does. Gone are the days of wiping smudges off your phone or the screen! It's also IP68 water and dust resistant, so you don't have to worry about it getting ruined, even if you drop it in the sink.

Since this is an official North American release, it fully works on T-Mobile and Metro's 5 G networks. It's even compatible with T-Mobile's T-Satellite technology, so you'll not only get 5G speeds, but also satellite connectivity for messaging.

Performance is as good as I had hoped for, and I didn't notice any obvious hitching or longer loading times than I expect from a modern phone. It helps a lot that TCL doesn't skimp on RAM, as most $200 phones only have 4GB of RAM (which isn't enough), while the TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro has 8GB.

The Mediatek Dimensity 7300 is also plenty powerful for nearly everything, and I even found that most games ran just fine. Some of the more graphically intensive mobile games will need to run on low settings, but games like Minecraft were able to run fine, even with the more taxing Vibrant Visuals setting enabled. It's also a great battery sipper, with all-day battery life and reasonably fast 33W charging.

Surprisingly, given the price and all the other great features here, the camera is quite good. It's much, much better than anything else I've tested at this price and typically produces great-looking shots, even in low light. There's no telephoto camera, but it's got an ultrawide one in addition to the main camera, and TCL didn't waste money or space on a useless macro camera like so many phones in this price range do.

If you're picking one up from T-Mobile, just be aware that it's loaded with tons of preinstalled apps, and T-Mobile tries to serve you new ones all the time. Thankfully, this can be easily turned off and the apps removed with the help of a short guide I wrote.

Other than that downside, don't expect world-class haptics from a phone in this price range. They're not as bad as some other phones I've used lately, but they're not as punchy or quality-feeling as something from Pixel or OnePlus (which are twice the price, anyway).

A little wiggle room for your budget

TCL did what I thought was impossible in 2026: it delivered an affordable phone that doesn't feel like a piece of junk. The TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro delivers an excellent all-around experience, and it does so without forcing customers to pay exhorbitant amounts of money.

I don't know how TCL managed to pull it off, but the debut of NXTPAPER 4.0 in a North American phone couldn't have been better. This is the perfect way for the company to get its technology into the hands of lots of people, and I hope to see TCL roll it out to more models in the future.

In short, if you want a great phone that doesn't cost much money, the NXTPAPER 70 Pro is the right choice.

I love smartphones, and amongst them, recent Honor phones like the Honor Magic 8 Pro and Honor Magic 8 Pro Air have both left me smitten for different reasons. Yet, despite this, I went into my review of the Honor 600 Pro with lower expectations than those of the company's flagships.

For many reasons, this proved to be a blessing, as the Honor 600 Pro consistently surpassed my expectations, even though I was judging it by the same standards as Honor's Magic flagships.

The Honor 600 Pro takes the best of the Magic 8 Pro and makes it more accessible. There's a giant 7,000 mAh battery with 80W charging and 50W wireless charging, a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor with 12GB of RAM, and a nifty new AI feature that sets this apart from all other phones.

Of course, the camera plays a huge role as well, and the triple camera is excellent, as it shouldn't come as a surprise. The 200MP primary camera is paired with a 12MP Ultrawide and a 50MP telephoto, offering up to 3x optical zoom and up to 120x total zoom. In short, it appears to be a flagship camera system on paper, and it mostly delivers on that promise in real-world performance.

It doesn't have 'Magic' in its name, but the Honor 600 Pro oozes magic in its delivery. Here's why it is a strong contender for your next phone.

Every Android phone needs to copy Honor's Image to Video

If there's one reason you buy the Honor 600 Pro, it's Honor's new Image to Video 2.0 feature. Simply put, it's magical, and it left my 4-year-old niece in love with the phone. Like last year, this feature is exclusive to Honor, as they built it in conjunction with Google Gemini, but unlike last year, it’s had a sizable upgrade that makes it infinitely more useful.

Now, you can combine up to three images and ask the Honor 600 Pro to create a video in either portrait or landscape mode (at 9:16 or 16:9 aspect ratio, respectively). Unfortunately, it’s still limited to eight seconds, and there are limits on how many you can generate for free each day or month, but the results are spectacular.

Like the current trend of vibe coding and prompting, you can use simple text to describe what you want to be created, and the phone does the rest. It’s also worth noting that it can generate audio, and whether it’s names or words — such as a Happy Birthday greeting — the generated audio sounds extremely good.

Although this is based on Gemini’s upgraded multimodal model, an industry first, this feature remains exclusive to Honor phones. It’s a significant step up over last year, and is among the best and most unique AI features on any Android phone to date.

This is my new favorite phone size

The Honor Magic 8 Pro features a 6.71-inch display, whilst my other favorite Honor phone, the Magic 8 Pro Air, has a 6.31-inch screen. The Honor 600 Pro sits firmly between these at 6.52-inches and this is my new favorite size for a phone, especially when I want to use it one-handed.

Like most flagships, the display is AMOLED with a 120Hz Dynamic Refresh Rate, but it also has a few features that stand out. First, there’s a peak brightness of 8,000 nits, and it’s insanely bright, especially under the harsh afternoon sun here in Kuala Lumpur. Then there’s the 3,840 Hz PWM Dimming Rate, along with other eye-comforting features such as Motion Sickness Relief and Low Blue Light.

All of these features continue Honor’s trend of focusing on providing relief for those with eye conditions, and I have found that the Honor 600 Pro's display is particularly pleasant to use at night or in low light compared to other phones. It’s hard to make a bad smartphone screen, but the Honor 600 Pro ranks above average overall, especially with its flat sides that make for a more pleasant in-hand and one-handed experience.

The Honor 600 Pro has outstanding hardware in all the right places

Look beyond AI, and you’ll find a phone that has outstanding flagship hardware in all the right places. There’s IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance, as with many flagships, but there’s also IP69K, like the Honor Magic 8 Pro and Honor Magic 8 Lite.

In practice, IP69 and IP69K refer to the same level of protection against high-pressure jets, and, as I discovered, a phone with IP69 — such as the Honor Magic V6 — can survive a full trip through a washing machine. The Honor 600 Pro is also certified by SGS for drop and crush resistance, although I haven’t tested this.

Then there are the cameras, and Honor has chosen to equip the Honor 600 Pro with the same primary and telephoto cameras as the Honor Magic 8 Pro. The 200MP primary camera takes great photos in all lighting conditions, while the 50MP telephoto camera is as capable as I remember the Magic 8 Pro to be.

The 12MP ultrawide camera leaves a little to be desired, but that’s a small blip on an otherwise great all-around camera. Like many phones, there’s some AI processing and artifacting, but it’s not overly egregious and helps ensure that photos captured at longer focal lengths have clean edges and lines.

Then there’s MagicOS, and for the most part, this also delivers a flagship experience. The Honor 600 Pro runs on Android 16 out of the box, with Honor’s MagicOS experience on top, and like the best Honor phones, it delivers a polished software experience. Honor’s theming makes it relatively easy to customize the phone, and I particularly like the level of control that you have over the font theme, size, and weight.

The Honor 600 Pro has outstanding performance and battery life

The Honor 600 Pro is powered by the previous-generation Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, rather than the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in the Honor Magic 8 Pro and many of the best Android phones, but it still delivers flagship performance in all the right ways. This is paired with 12GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of storage, or 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

The battery life is particularly impressive, regularly delivering 6 hours of screen time with plenty of battery to spare. Even under heavy use — such as during camera testing or a long Google Maps navigation session — the Honor 600 still delivered a very respectable four hours of screen time with battery life to spare. When the battery does need a recharge, this is where the 80W wired charging comes in handy, charging the phone to full in around an hour.

Like most smartphones, the large battery makes the Honor 600 Pro a great emergency power bank, but unlike the best Samsung phones, Honor has equipped the reverse charging feature with a maximum speed of 27W. That’s extremely rapid, and significantly better than most phones, although it’s worth noting that both Honor and Xiaomi have other phones that offer this reverse charging speed.

The Honor 600 Pro is a great purchase at the right price

I’ve been very impressed with the Honor 600 Pro, and at the right price, this is an excellent choice for your next smartphone. However, the key factor is the right price tag, and while we don’t know what the UK or EU pricing is, the Malaysian pricing does give us some indication.

The Honor 600 Pro starts at RM3,099 (approximately $785 or £580), with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, while the 512GB version costs $50 more. However, it’s worth noting that the UK and EU pricing is likely to be much higher once import fees, taxes, and customs rates are taken into account. At the right price, this is an excellent purchase, and I’d also expect Honor to have many pre-order deals that either reduce the price or include free accessories.

The Honor 600 Pro comes in three colors, and while I’ve got the white one here, I’ve seen the Black and Orange. Although the black variant is perfectly decent, the white version is my preferred choice. Why those two colors? Honor confirmed that the Orange version won’t be coming to the UK, and it’s unclear which global markets it will be sold in, if any.

Overall, I’ve been impressed by the Honor 600 Pro, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants core flagship features at a more affordable price. It offers the best of the Honor Magic 8 Pro at a lower price, and has a unique AI feature that sets it apart from many of the best Android phones. It’s not perfect, but the Honor 600 Pro is still an excellent smartphone.

Honor's mid-range stars are changing things up a bit this year, and while the company is still offering two versions of its latest Honor 600 series, it seems the company is focused more on the base model this year than the Pro version. As such, no matter where you live, it's more likely you'll be able to find an Honor 600 instead of the more expensive Honor 600 Pro.

But given my experience with the Honor 600 over the past week, there are a few reasons you'd probably want to spend more, anyway. Despite a lower cost, the Honor 600 uses the same near-bezelless 8,000 nit OLED display as the Pro model, the same giant battery, and a near-identical design and build (complete with IP69K resistance).

So this year, I'm focusing on the most affordable model, especially in light of the ludicrous price increases on electronics. Many people might hold on to their current phones for a bit longer because of these prices, but if you're in the market for a new mid-range option, Honor offers something compelling that might just sway you.

The Honor 600 debuted in Europe and the UK at €649.99 / £549.99 for the 256GB model, and €699.99 / £599.99 for the 512GB model. Honor is running a launch promotion across Europe (excluding the UK) that brings the price of each model down to €499.99 and even includes 12 months of screen insurance.

Honor is outclassing not only every mid-range phone with this build quality and design highlights, but the company has somehow eclipsed every flagship phone in certain areas, as well. As has become expected from the company these days, the Honor 600 sports an IP69K build that's drop and crush-resistant, so this phone should last you a good long time and still look good.

An AI button can be found on the right side under the power button, and its functions are not only customizable, but it also acts as a camera shutter button. The overall look is decidedly iPhone 17, without a doubt, but Honor trades out Apple's industrial look for something far more elegant, and I really appreciate that, despite enjoying Apple's design this time around.

The raised camera housing is made of a different composite material than the back and features a transparent, pearlescent sheen that complements the matte back. I dislike the flat sides of the phone, but the brushed aluminum feeling is at least great. Lastly, this is a smaller phone than I'm used to using, which, quite frankly, was weird at first but, ultimately, a breath of fresh air.

And while all of that is nice, the real star of the design is the near-bezelless display, which sports the world's first bezel sub-1mm. It's weird to think a mid-range phone would be the first to achieve this, and it's even a uniform 0.98mm bezel the entire way around the phone, too!

That display is simply gorgeous, sporting a true 10-bit panel with no temporal dithering and wonderful eye-friendly features like DC dimming and 3840Hz PWM dimming, plus most of Honor's Eye Comfort Display system, including motion sickness relief, defocus eyecare, and a personalized contrast test. Honor also offers a full suite of color adjustment options, though, including saturation, contrast, and many other properties that most smartphone companies omit.

Honor says the peak brightness output of this display is 8,000 nits, but that's usually in a small portion of the display. I measured the actual normal brightness output to peak around 3,000 nits during HDR playback, which is phenomenal for any class of phone, particularly a mid-range one. Even Samsung's best flagship phones peak at 2,600 nits.

The Honor 600 also offers far more competitive performance than last year's Honor 400, delivering 40% better performance than that phone in Geekbench and 3DMark tests.

Despite the phone's small size and meager 190g weight, it packs a massive 6,800mAh (7,000mAh in China) battery that lasts for days and days on a single charge. I don't think I've ever had a phone with battery life like this, and it's also nice that it supports 60W charging, too.

Now, not everything about the build is rosy. As is unfortunately the case with most Honor phones, the haptics in this one are pure junk. It's honestly better to just turn them off since they're so bad. Thankfully, that's the worst part of the experience, which is pretty minimal.

As is the case these days, Honor is playing up its new AI features as a big selling point of the phone. The company's AI key on the right side is well-designed and great to use, with quick on-screen AI context buttons that appear when long-pressing the key. This surfaces the most common AI features for what's on screen, including saving a screenshot to the AI memories automatic note-taking software.

This time around, most of the new AI features are found in Honor's Gallery app. The AI Photo to Video feature Honor launched last year got a big upgrade on this phone with the launch of V2.0, including the ability to add up to 3 pictures and a prompt to create a 3-8 second video clip of a moment that never happened. The video below was created by the Honor 600 using three pictures of my cat.

And that brings me to question the point of these types of features. Sure, it's fun to try it out and make a fake video from pictures you actually took, but I don't forsee any situation where I actually want to make a video from a photo and use it. I prefer authenticity in my image and video capturing, and this doesn't follow that. It's very cool and works well, though, so if this concept is appealing, this is the way to do it.

Now, the other two new AI features are far more useful, in my estimation. Moving Photo Eraser upgrades the magic eraser tool to preserve moving photos while still removing people or objects from them. It works as well as any other magic eraser-style tool, but the addition of motion photo capabilities is astounding.

Moving Photo Breakout Collage is another amazing feature that creates a collage of a bunch of photos and even includes motion photos in the collage. This way, you can have still images and motion photos side by side in a very social media-friendly photo collage, and it works simply brilliantly.

The camera itself is pretty darn good, too. The main 200MP sensor captures crisp photos with great dynamic range and accurate colors. Zooming in leaves quite a bit to be desired, but Honor's AI enhancement for photos taken beyond 6x zoom works impressively well and legitimately helps replace a physical 2x telephoto camera in many situations.

My biggest problem with this mode is that it's not always available, and there's no way to force it on, either. Thankfully, if you hate the look, you can disable the feature entirely.

Overall photo quality is among the best in this segment, including very good motion capture quality. Flagship Honor phones still do a better job of capturing moving objects, but the Honor 600 will do it better than the vast majority of phones in its price range.

The Honor 600 is an excellent follow-up to the Honor 400 series and, so long as there's not a massive price increase after launch, it remains one of the best values in the segment. Honor offers better displays, build quality, and battery size than other phones in this price range. Google, Nothing, and Samsung are the company's biggest competitors, but I find that I would choose Honor over these other options because Honor nails the basics best.

Samsung and Google offer more lifetime software upgrades than Honor by a year, but I don't think that genuinely adds more value at this price point. This is a solid phone with great support and plenty of reasons to choose it over the competition, especially if battery life, charging speed, build quality, and display quality (and comfort) are your top reasons for choosing a phone.

I attend a lot of briefings, and most of these are mundane; I listen to a product guy talk about whatever device is launching, ask a few questions, and be on my way. But when OPPO showed off the Find X9 Ultra, there was a palpable sense of excitement; that particular meeting had over 50 journalists, and we could feel that this phone was different.

That's why I was excited to get my hands on the Find X9 Ultra; I used the phone as my daily driver for close to two weeks now, and it's just as good as the Vivo X300 Ultra — something I didn't think I would say this year. In fact, I prefer the design of the Find X9 Ultra, it somehow has an even bigger 7,050mAh battery, and the software has meaningful features and great customizability.

But those are all secondary considerations. If you're eyeing this phone, it's because of the cameras, and to say that OPPO took things to a whole new level would be an understatement. The Find X9 Ultra has two 200MP cameras, but it's the size of the sensors that's notable: the 200MP 3x tele lens has a huge 1/1.28-inch sensor, making it the biggest telephoto module yet. The main 200MP camera is a 1/1.2-inch sensor, and it's clear that OPPO is positioning the Find X9 Ultra as the best flagship camera of 2026. Coming in at £1,499 ($2,023) for the 12GB/512GB edition, it costs the same as the Galaxy S26 Ultra, but you're getting so much more, as you'll see in this review.

Having switched to the phone from the Vivo X300 Ultra, I'll admit that both devices excel when it comes to the cameras, but the Find X9 Ultra just has that little bit of an edge, and that ultimately makes it a better overall choice. Just like Vivo, OPPO is launching the Find X9 Ultra globally, and the phone will make its way to most countries in Asia, as well as the U.K. and other regions in the west.

There's so much to talk about with the cameras, with OPPO touting dozens of new features. The Find X9 Ultra comes with a new generation of Hasselblad Master Camera System, and the brand notes that all five cameras on the device are class-leading in their own right.

This camera system is on another level entirely

The 200MP main camera uses an f/1.5 Sony Lytia LYT-901 1/1.12-inch sensor with a 23mm focal length and OIS. Vivo uses the same sensor in the X300 Ultra, but it has a default focal length of 35mm. Having used the two, I prefer the 23mm focal length on the Find X9 Ultra, as it's a little easier to use. The main camera has better HDR and dynamic range across the board, and that's evident when using the phone against the Find X8 Ultra and the Find X9 Pro. OPPO's Lumo imaging engine is now able to take full advantage of the 200MP sensor, and it doubles as a native 2x lens, delivering shots at 50MP.

It's the 200MP f/2.2 OmniVision OV52A 3x telephoto lens that gives the phone a definite edge. The 1/1.28-inch sensor is the biggest tele lens on a phone yet, and if anything, it's bigger than the 1/1.3-inch main camera of the Galaxy S26 Ultra — and this is the secondary lens. The lens has a 70mm focal length, and it gets OIS as well. OPPO says that the lens takes in 8.9 times the amount of light as the S26 Ultra, and that's clearly evident when using it to shoot 3x photos at night. The telephoto lens produces clean shots at 6x as well, and you get 50MP shots at optical quality. And it doubles as a macro shooter, taking photos of objects just 15cm away.

Now, the Find X9 Ultra has another tele lens, and it uses the 50MP f/3.5 Samsung JNL sensor. This is a native 10x tele shooter, and it has a 1/2.75-inch sensor and 230mm focal length. It has a unique prism system to accommodate the sensor in the phone, and it delivers lossless photos at up to 20x. Now, taking photos at 10x handheld is challenging enough as it is, and as such the lens has a unique sensor-shift stabilization system designed to help in this regard. Oh, and it takes portrait shots too.

Finally, there's the wide-angle lens, which is a 50MP f/2.0 Sony LYT-600 1/1.95-inch sensor with 14mm focal length. This lens is at least a known quantity, and it gets autofocus. Up front is a 50MP Samsung JN5 sensor, and it also has autofocus.

OPPO lavished just as much attention on the image tuning as the physical cameras, and the Find X9 Ultra gets a new Hasselblad Master Mode that's even better. It uses an entirely different architecture to the standard Auto mode, and OPPO says it produces shots with no use of AI whatsoever — you have full control over the entire imaging chain. There are other custom modes, and the phone is the only one to come with Hasselblad's Natural Color Solution with HDR. You can shoot 50MP RAW as well, and it has additional extras when shooting video.

All five lenses can shoot 4K60 in Dolby Vision, and you can easily switch between the lenses and get the same color rendition. This is a big point of contention on most flagships, as while the main camera is usually good, the auxiliary lenses don't quite measure up — that isn't an issue on the Find X9 Ultra, and it makes shooting videos on the phone an absolute joy. The dual 200MP cameras can shoot 4K120 video, and there's 8K30, a new addition this year.

Okay, that covers the technical side, and let's talk about how the cameras hold up. I used the Find X9 Ultra to take hundreds of photos, and I didn't see any issues with any of the quartet of rear lenses. The main camera does an incredible job in daylight and challenging situations, producing natural tones with excellent white balance and color rendition. There's no denying that this is the best main camera of any phone, and OPPO did a fabulous job tuning it.

Similarly, the 3x and 10x lenses are among the best you'll find, and they deliver photos of the same caliber as the main camera — which is an achievement in its own right. The wide-angle lens does a good job in this area too, and honestly, there isn't a negative when it comes to the cameras.

That's not all either; just like Vivo, OPPO has camera accessories that let you make the most out of the Find X9 Ultra, and these include a teleconverter kit. The 300mm 13x Hasselblad external lens is about the biggest I've used yet, and it is an absolute unit. There's a custom case that lets you attach the lens to the phone, and the entire kit is sold as an accessory bundle.

Even if you don't buy the dedicated teleconverter kit, the Find X9 Ultra by itself does enough to stand above every other 2026 phone. The quality of the camera sensors combined with the tuning makes it the most versatile camera phone, and I don't see how any other brand can come close to this.

The Find X9 Ultra is a battery powerhouse

The Find X9 Ultra has truly amazing cameras, and thankfully, the rest of the phone is just as good. Battery life is excellent, thanks to a 7,050mAh silicon-carbon battery that's designed to last two days between charges. I got a day and a half even with heavy use, and most of the time, there just wasn't a need to charge the phone overnight.

Talking about charging tech, the phone uses OPPO's 100W charging, and the best part is that you get 55W over any USB PD charger. This makes it highly convenient to charge the Find X9 Ultra with just about any charger, and there's a dedicated battery management platform with a lot of features designed to prolong battery longevity.

On that note, the Find X9 Ultra will get the same 7,050mAh battery in all global regions, which is good to see. This was an issue last year on several Chinese phones, with the global models touting significantly smaller batteries, so I'm glad to see that not being the case in 2026.

It's designed to stand out

The design of the Find X9 Ultra stands out from every other phone, with OPPO leaning into the camera side of things. The Tundra Umber variant I'm using is styled to look like a high-end Hasselblad camera, and it has a vegan leather finish that's great to hold and use.

The styling means the Find X9 Ultra is guaranteed to turn heads; I used it at a mall last week, and it got more attention than just about any other phone — only the tri-fold Huawei Mate XT stood out more. The leather finish contrasts really well with the aluminum mid-frame, and the bevels around the side ensure the phone is comfortable to hold.

Although it has a massive battery, that isn't evident when using the phone; I had to confirm that my review unit has a 7,050mAh battery, because at 9.1mm and weighing 237g, it is only 11g heavier than its predecessor. That said, it doesn't feel uncomfortable or unwieldy in the least, and that's down to the weight distribution.

The camera island takes center stage (quite literally), and like the X300 Ultra, the Find X9 Ultra has a massive housing with a ring encircling it. Thankfully, there's no wobble when using the phone on a table. You can also get the phone in a Canyon Orange hue, but that isn't made out of leather, and as much as I like my orange iPhone 17 Pro, Tundra Umber is the better choice for this phone.

The power and volume buttons are on the right, and there's a dedicated camera control button this time as well; I like that it has an orange accent, but honestly, I don't see the point of this button. It comes in the way of shooting photos, and I accidentally switched zoom levels when trying to take photos, or triggered the camera without meaning to. Thankfully, the button can be disabled, and I did just that after a few days of use.

You don't miss out on any essentials; the Find X9 Ultra gets IP66, IP68, and IP69 dust and water resistance, and the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor is among the best around. There's eSIM, NFC, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, USB 3.2 Gen 1, and a vibration motor that delivers excellent feedback.

You get the best internals of any flagship

Coming to the display, the 6.82-inch 144Hz LTPO AMOLED panel is identical to that of the X300 Ultra, and the 3168 × 1440 resolution is among the best in this category. You get ultra-thin 1.4mm bezels on all sides, and the panel is protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus 2, a decent addition. It has 2,160Hz PWM dimming when the panel goes below 70 nits, and DC dimming above that brightness.

Colors are detailed, and the phone handles HDR content without any issues. There's decent customizability when it comes to changing the color balance or adjusting the font scaling, and the 144Hz refresh makes a slight difference over the usual 120Hz panels. What I like is that the phone goes down to 1nit, and this makes using it at night just that little bit more comfortable.

On the whole, there are no issues with the panel on the device, and it has good colors, great vibrancy, and holds up incredibly well while gaming.

Switching over to the internals, the phone gets the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 mobile platform with advanced thermal management. Although OPPO utilized MediaTek with the other Find X9 models, there's no noticeable difference with the move to Qualcomm; I didn't see any slowdowns, gaming was just as enjoyable, and crucially, there's no overheating — which was an issue on other Qualcomm-based phones I tested this year.

My unit came with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of storage, and there's a 16GB/1TB model that's debuting globally. The 512GB model should be adequate, but I used up 170GB of storage in just two weeks, and if you're able to swing it, I'd suggest getting the 1TB variant.

The software has plenty to like

The only issue I have with the software on the Find X9 Ultra is that it won't get as many software updates as Google and Samsung phones. OPPO is obstinate about delivering just four Android OS updates, and while that's good enough on most devices, the Find X9 Ultra deserves better.

I tested the global model of the Find X9 Ultra with the Android 16-based ColorOS 16.0.7, and as it was a preview build, the phone didn't get Google Play certification. That meant I couldn't use Google Pay, and wasn't able to install a few banking utilities. Don't get me wrong; the phone comes with the Play Store and other Google services pre-installed, and it's just as easy to use as any other phone sold globally, including the Galaxy S26 Ultra and Pixel 10 Pro XL. The only issue is that as OPPO hasn't certified the device, I wasn't able to use Google Pay. OPPO says the final software will be rolled out as the device goes on sale, and these issues should be resolved then.

Other than that, ColorOS 16 is great to use; it has a modern design, plenty of useful features, and a lot of customizability. You can now easily minimize notifications on the lock screen into a capsule that sits at the bottom, live alerts do a good job with food delivery updates, and there's plenty of AI-assisted features, including a new bill manager.

On the whole, ColorOS is one of the best Android interfaces around, and alongside OriginOS, it's among my favorites. I like the design, the feature-set, and it's optimized to take advantage of the internals, and is overall a joy to use.

The Find X9 Ultra is the camera upgrade you want

In fact, the overarching takeaway with the Find X9 Ultra is that it doesn't have many negatives; other than a few software quibbles, there isn't anything to point out. The cameras aren't among the best — they are the best you'll find on any phone in 2026.

The battery life is also the best of any phone I used until now, the AMOLED panel is one of the brightest, and you get the latest internals. There really isn't an area where the device falls short, and if you need a versatile camera phone, there's no question that the Find X9 Ultra is the one to beat right now.

I tested a lot of NAS servers over the years, and while I prefer using the powerful 8-bay DiskStation DS1823xs+ as my main server, I'm increasingly switching to UGREEN's products in this category. There's a good reason for that, as the brand is consistently rolling out class-leading NAS servers.

This is particularly true in the budget category; the introduction of the 2-bay DH2300 and the 4-bay DH4300 Plus allowed UGREEN to meaningfully counter just about every other brand in the sub-$400 category. Even after six months of availability, the DH4300 is the best overall NAS you can buy if you're just getting started, and with the server now available for $399, it is the best time to get your hands on it.

I set up the DH4300 Plus at the end of 2025, and I like that UGREEN went with a vertical design; it makes the NAS stand out a little bit, and it's much more convenient to install the HDDs. Build quality is quite good, and you get good ventilation — the vertical design makes that a little more effective than traditional NAS servers. I like the look of the DH4300 Plus, and I haven't had any issues with the NAS as such in the six months I used it. I like that there's NFC on the NAS that lets you download the mobile app, and it just makes setting it up that much easier.

The internals are just as enticing, with the DH4300 Plus coming with an Arm-based platform with Cortex A76 and A55 cores clocked at 2.0GHz. It has 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM, which by itself is good to see, and while it's soldered, it isn't a big deal — the onboard memory is more than adequate to handle anything you throw at it.

There's a 32GB eMMC drive that houses the software, and the solitary 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port is a welcome addition. You also get USB-A and USB-C connectivity alongside HDMI, and the basics are handled well.

The 4-bay NAS accommodates 128TB of data in total, with each bay holding a 32TB drive. It's another matter entirely that a single 32TB Exos drive costs a lot more than the NAS itself at $1,099, but as I had a few 30TB IronWolf drives on hand, I tested the NAS with those. There's no M.2 storage, and while that's annoying, it isn't a dealbreaker — the DH4300 Plus is aimed at buyers just getting started with local storage servers.

Obviously, the biggest selling point of the DH4300 Plus is that it acts as a local alternative to Google Drive and other public storage services, and it does a good job in that context. UGREEN's UGOS Pro software was limited when it made its debut, but it has plenty of useful features now. The software has a clean interface, comes with photo and file management essentials, and lets you access your data anywhere.

The software may not have quite the same level of polish as the DiskStation DS925+, but you'll find all the utilities you need, and that's what matters at the end of the day. Installing Plex is about as easy as it gets, and while the DH4300 Plus doesn't have hardware transcoding, it isn't a huge issue — you'll be able to stream content on most modern devices without issues.

Like every other brand, UGREEN is leaning into AI, and while the NAS isn't anywhere as powerful as the iDX6011 Pro that just launched (which I'm testing next), you get a few decent machine learning extras when it comes to photo and album management that make a difference.

Outside of that, there isn't much to talk about. The DH4300 Plus is a great choice if you're just interested in setting up a home server to store your documents and photos, or if you want a dedicated media server. It doesn't have some of the extras like Plex hardware transcoding or M.2 SSD storage, but as a starter NAS, there really isn't anything better right now.

In recent years, Motorola's Moto G Stylus has blurred the line between mid-range and high-end, offering the best of both worlds at a very attainable price. The Moto G Stylus 2026 attempts to continue this legacy by basically taking a popular Galaxy S26 Ultra feature and sticking it on a phone less than half the price.

That said, times are tough right now for the consumer electronics industry, and the ongoing RAM shortage is forcing companies to make certain concessions with their smartphones. We knew that budget and mid-range smartphones might feel the most pressure, and the Moto G Stylus 2026 feels like a clear example of how no one is immune to the effects of rising RAM costs.

As a result, the Stylus 2026 costs $100 more than its predecessor, and while there are some noteworthy upgrades, it may pale in comparison to some of its now closer rivals.

It's clear Motorola was aiming to save on manufacturing costs as the design of the Stylus 2026 is more or less identical to its predecessor. The size, dimensions, buttons, and even the placements of the bottom speaker and mic are the same. The only difference is the slight change in the camera housing design, but even that is very subtle.

The Stylus 2026 differs from the Stylus 2025 in its rear texture. Motorola continues to use vegan leather on its phones, but the Stylus 2026 goes for a twill-inspired texture that both looks and feels quite nice. My unit is the Pantone Lavender Mist colorway, a pinkish-purple tone that really stands out and is the more interesting of the two color options.

The marquee stylus is another change Motorola made, moving from a passive pen to an S Pen-like active one. That means the built-in stylus supports features like tilt detection and pressure sensitivity. There aren't many apps that can take advantage of these features, but I found note-taking quite pleasant, and the pen itself is slightly thicker than previous versions, which makes it nice to hold.

When you take the stylus out of the phone, the screen is off or on the lock screen, it'll automatically open the Notes app so you can start writing or drawing. Taking it out past the lock screen reveals a floating menu where you can start a new note (or add to one), annotate whatever's on the display, start a screen recording, open Sketch to Image, or magnify text. Starting a new note opens the built-in Notes app, which is surprisingly capable and lets you combine various types of content, including text, photos, and transcribed recordings, and add notes to collections for easy management.

Sketch to Image is also supported in the Notes app, which uses AI to convert your drawings into images. You can use it to generate whole pieces of "art," or you can use it to clean up your own drawings, although the results vary, as it seemed hesitant to correctly generate my badly-drawn R2-D2.

Hovering the pen over the display shows a pointer so you know exactly where it is interacting with the display. If you press the stylus button while hovering, you can activate Circle to Search, which seems very fitting for a stylus and is one of my favorite uses of the pen. That said, pressing the button when you're not hovering does nothing, which is kind of an unfortunate limitation.

Like the Galaxy S26 Ultra, the stylus on the Moto G Stylus 2026 doesn't support Bluetooth controls, so you can't, for instance, use the Stylus as a remote shutter button for the camera, which feels like a missed opportunity. Still, for the price, I think this is one of the best stylus pens I've seen for a mid-range smartphone, and it's quite a welcome upgrade from previous iterations.

On that note, there are some other noteworthy upgrades worth mentioning. The display is still a Super HD AMOLED panel, which looks great, and with the brightness bumped to 5,000 nits peak, it's plenty visible outdoors.

The battery capacity has also been increased, though by only a mere 200mAh. The Stylus 2025 already had an all-day battery and then some, so I'm not quite sure the small bump was worth it. I can get through an entire day without any battery anxiety, going from 7 a.m. to midnight with around 15% of battery, and depending on your use, you can probably achieve Motorola's estimated 44 hours of battery life. That said, for a phone that's already quite thick, it would've been nice to see Motorola take after the OnePlus Nord 6, which has a 9,000mAh battery.

Charging is still 68W, which is faster than even the Galaxy S26 Ultra, so that's a major benefit, as is the 15W wireless charging.

Unfortunately, performance is another area with virtually no change. That's not to say the Moto G Stylus 2026 doesn't perform well, but the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 is the same chip used in last year's model, and it would have been nice to see Motorola move to something more capable, like the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4.

On the one hand, I don't have any problems opening or switching between apps, and the overall experience is just fine. However, gaming performance leaves a bit to be desired, and even while playing games like Honkai: Star Rail on medium settings, I noticed quite a few dropped frames. It doesn't ruin my gaming experience, but if you're a big mobile gamer, you likely won't be pleased with the performance.

Another reason a chip upgrade would've been nice is AI. Motorola puts all of its AI eggs in its flagship baskets, so the Edge or Razr series, but given the growing presence of AI on midrange phones like the Nothing Phone 4a Pro, Motorola's offerings here feel a bit lacking. Outside of the features found in the Notes app and Google's Gemini offerings, there's not much to play with here.

Moto AI isn't the strongest AI suite, but I would've liked to see features like Catch Me Up or Remember This.

Fortunately, Motorola brings some of its AI to the camera, such as Action Shot, which adjusts the shutter speed to capture fast-moving objects. The cameras produce pretty good images for the most part; the quality is roughly the same as last year's model, which isn't a bad thing (until you zoom beyond 2x).

This year, Motorola introduced its Signature Style mode to the Stylus, which uses a "unique Moto color style" powered by AI. The outcome is generally photos with punched-up contrast and saturation, and it can be hit-or-miss depending on your preference.

Speaking of preference, you can also customize the Signature Style by uploading and adjusting photos of food, landscapes, and portraits so the AI can learn your tastes. That said, I often find it better to just stick with the normal camera mode, as it seems to get the job done just fine.

But "just fine" is largely how I would describe the overall experience with the Moto G Stylus 2026. It keeps all the good things about its predecessor, but makes little effort to really improve on it. The new active S Pen-like stylus is a nice touch, for sure, but a built-in stylus is ultimately a niche, nice-to-have feature, not a reason to buy the phone.

The Moto G Stylus 2026 is a good phone, but at $499, Motorola is charging a $100 premium over its predecessor, and I'm not sure it's worth it, especially given other phones like the Pixel 10a (or Pixel 9a) and Nothing Phone 4a. For the price, those phones feel more cohesive, with arguably better cameras and more robust AI offerings.

If you have the Moto G Stylus 2025, there's no need to upgrade. The Stylus 2026 is harder to recommend at $499, but if you're looking for an affordable alternative to the Galaxy S26 Ultra, this might hit the mark, especially if you can find a good deal.

If you asked me to build the perfect phone given today's harrowing technology market, I'd start with the price. $499 is an ideal price for good-enough specs without breaking the bank. Flagship phones need not apply this year, as the prices of RAM and everything else are simply too high to be within reach for most people.

Next, I'd focus on specs. An OLED display, a processor that's capable of running the latest games, and a camera system that won't let you down. Plus enough storage to last at least a few years and a battery that'll also charge quickly but won't run out by the end of a single day. This all seems like a unicorn when paired together, but it seems unicorns might finally exist in 2026.

That's because this unicorn is the Nothing Phone 4a Pro. It's not just $499 and matches every spec I just listed, but it's also made of metal, ships with a protective case, and it's even available in countries like the U.S., where choice is almost down to... ahem... nothing at all. This is the right phone at the right price for the right time, and I couldn't have asked for more.

If I googled "the most essential smartphone features in 2026," the Nothing Phone 4a Pro checks nearly every box. In summary, here's that list:

• Battery efficiency: Nothing has this covered with a mid-range processor and a sizable battery, including 2-day battery life in most cases. It could charge faster and have a higher capacity, but it's competitive.
• Practical on-device AI: This is an area where Nothing has led the pack for quite some time. Essential Space and Nothing Playground have leapfrogged every other company's similar designs despite being the first of their kind.
• Display quality over brightness: Here's one area where Nothing has historically led. It's brighter than other phones in this price range and even offers eye-friendly settings like DC dimming and high-frequency PWM dimming, but it lacks an anti-reflective coating, and while it flickers a bit more than I'd like, it's better than the best Pixel or Samsung phones.
• Software longevity: While Nothing falls behind Samsung and Google by a single year, it still offers six years of software updates on the 4a Pro, which is almost certainly longer than anyone will continue using the phone anyway.
• Durable build materials: Nothing is more durable than a metal phone, and Nothing brought back the aluminum unibody chassis for this device, bringing us back to the days when niceties like wireless charging were foregone in order to make better phones.

If I look at the closest competitor, the $499 Google Pixel 10a, it's clear that Nothing makes a better phone in nearly every way. It's got a better display, better battery life, better sustained performance, better build quality, more unique features, and a design that looks better and more unique.

Take the Glyph Matrix on the back as a great example of one of Nothing's most unique features. On its own, it's not very useful, but Nothing has integrated its community with the feature, allowing users to submit their own Glyph concepts for other users to download. It turns a somewhat useless (albeit unique) feature into something that feels more essential.

The Glyph Matrix is infinitely more useful than Nothing's previous LED strip Glyph Interface, mainly because of the community-driven aspect, and it's something that continues to shine in the phone's other unique areas, like Nothing Playground and Essential Apps.

The Nothing Phone 4a Pro falls behind the Pixel 10a in peak performance, but the real story here is that Nothing's choice of Qualcomm's platform ensures the phone exceeds the Pixel 10a's sustained performance with the Tensor G4.

What does this mean? As you use your phone, particularly when gaming or watching high-quality videos, it heats up and often slows down. Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chipset runs cooler for longer than Google's Tensor G4, and Nothing's aluminum chassis helps draw out heat and dissipate it more effectively than the plastic back on the Pixel 10a.

That means while you might see significant slowdown in games or frame drops in videos during long sessions on a Pixel 10a, the Nothing Phone 4a Pro will keep on going with better performance throughout the entire time you use it. That makes a big difference in how you perceive your phone, and it also means you're likely to keep using it for more years.

Google's Phone app, which Nothing Phones use, features excellent built-in spam filtering and protection, negating what might otherwise be an advantage for the Pixel 10a. Google's latest Pixels can all use satellite SOS calling in an emergency to send a message via satellites, but I posit that Nothing's other unique features are more useful than this because you'll almost certainly use them every day, not just when you're stuck hiking on the side of a mountain and can't figure out how to get back home.

One press of the Essential Key on the left side of the Nothing Phone 4a Pro — a much better location than the Phone 3a series, which had it below the power button — will capture a screenshot, then extract the data on it and store it in the Essential Space app. The phone will then deliver actionable information based on what it saw, giving you quick, context-sensitive actions you can take for anything you do on your phone.

I recently attended a marriage conference with my wife and was blown away at how well Essential Space works. One screenshot of the day's event captured all the breakout sessions and keynote speeches, automatically generated alerts and calendar entries for each, and added them to my phone's calendar.

The entire time I was there, I didn't have to wonder what was next. My phone told me everything, and it truly felt like I had an intelligent AI assistant alongside me the whole time instead of a simple screenshots collection or aggregation app, and that's just one of the many Essential features on the Nothing Phone 4a Pro, too!

While Nothing's camera software has evolved into something special and community-driven, the company needs to focus more on overall quality and consistency now that it has this excellent base to work from. While I found the phone's three cameras more than adequate for everyday use, they often lacked the pizzazz and punchiness that come with Pixel cameras.

But it's got a telephoto camera, which several phones in this price range lack. That means you can get some real zoom detail with this camera, while others will be left lacking. Most of the time, though, you'll end up taking pictures that look fine but seldom have a "wow" factor.

Even with this advantage, there's no forgetting the lack of wireless charging, a direct result of using an aluminum unibody instead of a hybrid design like Apple and Google use. Using a small plastic pad on the back could have fixed this problem and even delivered magnetic accessory support. On the bright side, cases will likely include magnets, so this solves one of the missing features.

Still, at $499, there's no other phone I'd pick today than the Nothing Phone 4a Pro. It offers a better display, a more versatile camera system, better battery life, a faster processor, more software features, a higher quality build, and Nothing's unique take on apps. Google offers a more consistent camera experience and one additional year of software updates, but these two advantages pale in comparison to what Nothing offers.

In a year when price increases are becoming the norm across technology, it's impressive to see Nothing push boundaries without raising the price. Google's phone is nearly identical to last year's model, and that's a hard pill to swallow when spending $500. It's not perfect, but the Nothing Phone 4a Pro is the right phone for the right price at the right time, and that tells me everything I need to know when making a decision this year.

A lot has been written about OnePlus in recent months, and it's possible that the manufacturer is exiting most global markets, including North America. That's annoying to say the least, as the OnePlus 15 is a legitimate alternative to the Galaxy S26 Ultra in the U.S.

Thankfully, it doesn't look like OnePlus is changing its strategy in India. That's evident with the introduction of the Nord 6, which has the potential to do really well in India's crowded mid-range category. The Nord 6 is going on sale starting April 9 in India, and the 8GB/256GB model will be available from ₹38,999 ($422), with a 12GB/256GB model retailing for ₹41,999 ($455).

It's telling that the base model of the Nord 6 costs more than the 12GB/512GB edition of the Nord 5, but you at least get a few decent upgrades this year. On that note, OnePlus isn't even offering a 512GB variant of the Nord 6, which is puzzling.

The biggest talking point with the Nord 6 is the battery; the phone comes with a power bank-sized 9,000mAh battery, and that allows it to last two days even with heavy use. You can even get the phone to last three days between charges with light usage, and that just overshadows every other phone in this category.

Thankfully, OnePlus went with a silicon-carbon dual-cell battery, so you'll get better longevity and much better density. It's the latter point that's key here, because in spite of a gargantuan battery, the Nord 6 has a thickness of just 8.5mm.

That's what makes using the Nord 6 so good; at no point do you get the feeling that you're using a phone that can double as a power bank. It's a smidgen heavier than the Nord 5 at 217g, but the dimensions are in line with most other mid-range devices, and while it is a little thicker than most phones, it is in fact thinner than the Pixel 10a, which has a 5,100mAh battery.

There's good news on the charging front as well, and it takes just over 70 minutes to fully charge the 9,000mAh battery. A five-minute charge is good enough to get an hour's worth of gaming, and you get to the 50% mark in just over 30 minutes, which is more than adequate to last a day with ease.

Honestly, the battery life is so good that if that is a key consideration when upgrading a phone, you shouldn't look anywhere else — the Nord 6 is the endurance champion of 2026.

The design of the phone is decent enough, if a little bland. There isn't any flair or uniqueness to the design, and while I like the squarish camera module and the fact that it doesn't protrude from the chassis, the design isn't evocative in the least. The all-metal Nord 4 is still one of the best OnePlus phone designs in recent years, and it's a shame that the Nord 6 didn't take after that.

Still, build quality is pretty good, and the phone gets IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance, so it should weather India's monsoon season without any issues whatsoever. I also like that the weight is balanced well, and the rounded edges ensure the phone doesn't dig into your hand.

The 6.78-inch AMOLED panel has vibrant colors and good contrast, but the 165Hz refresh is a bit of a misnomer as you're not able to use that outside of select games. Still, the regular 120Hz refresh is good enough, and I didn't see any issues in my usage of the device.

On that note, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is a good choice on the Nord 4, as it gives the phone serious power. The chipset handled demanding games with relative ease, and it's safe to say that the Nord 6 is one of the most powerful phones in this category.

The software is quite good too; the phone comes with ColorOS 16 OxygenOS 16 based on Android 16, and you get a clean interface with plenty of customizability. There's some AI thrown in as well, but you don't need to use any of these features if you're like me and ambivalent towards AI in general.

Like most OnePlus phones, the Nord 6 will get four Android OS updates alongside six years of security updates, and that's good enough in this category.

The 50MP Sony Lytia LYT-600 main camera is a known quantity, and it takes good photos most of the times. Recent OnePlus phones struggled with consistency, and that's the case on the Nord 6 as well, but for the most part, you get detailed photos with good color rendition. The 8MP wide-angle lens is average at best, and you miss out on a tele shooter yet again.

Overall, I really enjoyed using the Nord 6, and I think this is a much better phone than the OnePlus 15R. If anything, with the Nord 6 now available, there isn't much of a reason to buy the 15R. The combination of hardware and class-leading battery life makes the Nord 6 a very enticing choice in the mid-range category, and if you're looking to upgrade this year, this may just be the ideal phone for you.

"How is the camera doing this?" was the question I asked myself the most in the last six days. I used the X300 Ultra as my daily driver for just under a week now, and while I usually take longer to test phones, that wasn't necessary with this device. The moment I started taking photos and videos with it, I realized Vivo once again created a monster of a camera phone.

Vivo proved over the last two years that it knows how to deliver the best camera-focused flagship; the X100 Ultra raised the bar in this category, and last year's X200 Ultra was the best camera phone I tested at the time. If anything, the only reason I didn't use it for longer was because the Chinese model had issues with notifications, so I switched out to the excellent X300 Pro instead.

What's particularly interesting this year is that Vivo is launching the X300 Ultra globally. That makes the device all the more exciting as the global model will come with Google's Play Store, Gmail, YouTube, and other Google services installed out of the box. While I'm excited to get my hands on the global X300 Ultra (the phone is launching later in April), I'm currently using the Chinese variant of the device, and the only difference between the two is the software. As such, I'll reserve judgement on the software until I get my hands on the global model.

The X300 Ultra's cameras are in a league of their own

Cameras are the clear highlight here, so let's dive straight in. While brands don't usually change things too much between generations, the X300 Ultra has a new 200MP Sony Lytia LYT-901 main camera that's outstanding, and it's joined by another new 200MP custom Samsung ISOCELL HPB tele lens, and the same 50MP Sony Lytia LYT-818 wide-angle lens as last year. Now, while the main camera has smaller pixels and has an f/1.9 lens (versus f/1.7 last year), the much bigger 1/1.12-inch sensor allows it to take in more light than its predecessor, and the result is a camera that's on another level entirely.

Vivo's collaboration with Zeiss shows its worth once again, and the quality of the lenses and the image tuning is one of the best on Android — if not the best overall. I prefer Vivo's camera tuning, and that's why I like the X300 Pro better than the Find X9 Pro, and with the X300 Ultra, Vivo tweaked its camera algorithms to deliver even greater detail and vibrancy.

The X300 Ultra takes incredible shots in daylight situations, with excellent dynamic range and white balance. Photos aren't overly saturated, but you still get rich colors and good detail. The X300 Ultra does just as well in low-light situations, and it even has an edge over the X300 Pro in this regard, which I previously considered to be the best low-light shooter.

Like last year, the main camera's focal length is 35mm instead of 24mm that's used by most other brands. On that note, video recording is the clear star of the show on the X300 Ultra, with Vivo overhauling just about everything. In this context, the 35mm focal length feels just right.

You now get 4K120 Dolby Vision video recording from all the rear cameras, and even the 50MP front camera can shoot 4K60 video in Dolby Vision. There's 10-bit Log video, and a Pro mode that lets you add your own LUTs to give you a preview of what the video will look like in real-time. The Pro mode lets you tweak just about every other parameter, and honestly, if you intend to take a lot of videos from your phone, the X300 Ultra is the one to get — there's no doubting that.

The 200MP tele lens is arguably the best you'll get in this category, and it delivers usable shots at 10x. The 85mm lens goes up to 3.7x optical zoom, and it excels in low-light situations. I got detailed photos in scenarios with little to no lighting whatsoever, and even going up to 10x, the detail retrieval was better than the S26 Ultra, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and any other phone I tested.

Portrait shots are just as good on the X300 Ultra, and I like the new macro mode. It lets you go incredibly close to a subject, and I got a few interesting shots this way. While the wide-angle lens is unchanged, it continues to deliver the same caliber of photos as the other cameras, and that's great to see.

On the whole, the Vivo X300 Ultra has the best cameras of any phone of 2026, and what I like the most is that all cameras produce consistent colors. This is particularly noticeable when shooting video, and that's what gives the X300 Ultra a definite edge over other flagships.

Vivo outdid itself with the X300 Ultra teleconverter lenses

The other huge differentiator is the accessories; Vivo has two telephoto converter lenses this year, with a new G2 200mm lens that is smaller than the lens accessory from last year, and a brand-new 400mm lens that's just ridiculous.

I got both lenses and the requisite accessories to attach them to the device, and while I'll delve into a bit more detail in a standalone post, what you need to know is that both lenses give the X300 Ultra a sizeable advantage. The best part is that the tele lens attachment that debuted with the X200 Ultra fits just as well on the X300 Ultra, so if you have that, you can use it with this year's phone.

The X300 Ultra has a stylish design — and great battery life

While the X300 Ultra is all about cameras, Vivo didn't miss any details with the rest of the phone. The design is pretty great in its own right, and the huge 6,600mAh battery ensures you can use this phone all day even if you take hundreds of photos and hours-long video. No matter how much I pushed the phone, I was able to get to the end of the day without needing battery saver. And with 100W fast charging tech, it takes just over 42 minutes to fully charge the battery, and it goes up to 50W with USB PD chargers as well.

The X300 Ultra has a two-tone design at the back with an etched pattern of a mountain underneath the camera module, and it looks cool. The bottom third of the phone has a plain texture with Vivo's logo on the side, with Vivo mimicking the feel of traditional cameras; that said, I would've preferred a leather finish. While it's a giant slab of a phone, the beveled edges along the mid-frame make holding the phone much more comfortable, and it doesn't dig into your hand like the Galaxy S26 Ultra or even the Pixel 10 Pro XL.

The mid-frame also has a matte texture, and in a refreshing change of pace, you don't have any additional buttons — there's just the power button and volume buttons on the right side of the phone. The overall build quality is excellent (as you'd imagine), and I didn't see any issues in this area. Like most other Chinese phones, the X300 Ultra gets IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance.

Vivo somehow went with an even bigger camera module this time, but as it is centered, it doesn't cause any wobble when using the device on a table. The rounded module has a metal ring encircling it, and the design contrasts well with the matte texture on the rear. If anything, the size of the module works to its advantage, as I found it to be the ideal place to rest my index finger while holding the phone.

The 6.82-inch AMOLED panel is unchanged from last year, and the only difference I noticed is that it gets a little brighter when used next to the X200 Ultra, and it handles HDR content a little better. The 144Hz refresh rate is nice, and it makes a slight difference against the 120Hz refresh that's been standard for a while now. Outside of that, the panel has great color vibrancy and contrast levels. There are meaningful eye comfort features, you get high PWM dimming across the entire brightness range, and decent customizability when it comes to tweaking the color balance.

You get all the power you need — and then some

Although Vivo uses MediaTek with its other X300 phones, you get the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 on the X300 Ultra, and it is a powerhouse like no other. It handles demanding games with ease, and while other phones I tested ran into overheating issues, that wasn't a case on this device — it could be down to the Chinese version of the software. I'll test the hardware against the global model once I get my hands on it and see if there's any noticeable difference.

Otherwise, I didn't see any issues whatsoever with the hardware, and my unit has 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 1TB of UFS 4.1 storage. It will be interesting to see what storage variants Vivo launches globally, but we should get at least the 12GB/256GB and 16GB/512GB models.

Elsewhere, there are no problems with connectivity. The Chinese model has all the requisite cellular bands to use globally, and I had no issues getting 5G in India. The phone has the usual high-res codecs as well, including AptX Adaptive, and I didn't have issues using Roon. Now, the X300 Ultra gets satellite connectivity, but as I'm using the Chinese model — which is limited to China Mobile — I wasn't able to test it. It will be interesting to see if Vivo retains the feature in the global model.

The software is better than I imagined

I'll briefly talk about the software, as it's relevant if you're interested in getting the Chinese model. The phone runs OriginOS 6 based on Android 16, and honestly, it's great to use. I tested dozens of Android phones with Chinese skins in the past, and it's refreshing to see just how easy it is to move data from an Android phone over to the X300 Ultra — it's faster than Google's built-in data transfer system. Other than that, it's a breeze to install the Play Store and get all your apps installed on the device, and it took me less time to set everything up the way I want on the X300 Ultra than most other phones.

The only problem with using the Chinese version of OriginOS is that there are lingering notification issues. It's easy enough to address by disabling memory management, but you'll need to do with every individual app. With close to a week of use, I get Gmail and Slack messages without any issues, but that wasn't the case when I set up the phone. Other than that, OriginOS has a lot of positives, and I like the design and all the customizability that Vivo has added over the last 15 months.

The X300 Ultra is the camera phone to beat in 2026

If I'm being honest, the X300 Ultra didn't need to do much to dominate its rivals. The X200 Ultra holds up incredibly well in 2026, and with upgraded cameras and improved tuning, the X300 Ultra stands out even more, which is an achievement in and of itself. The new cameras are groundbreaking, and video recording in particular is on another level altogether.

I don't know what the global X300 Ultra will cost, but historically, Chinese variants have been much more affordable — by several hundred dollars — and that's bound to be the case this time as well. That means you have the potential to save quite a bit of cash by getting the Chinese variant, and honestly, if I had to buy the X300 Ultra, that's what I would do. Still, with the phone launching globally, it makes sense to wait and see how much the X300 Ultra retails for outside China before taking the plunge.

Look, I'm privileged in that I get to use all flagships, so there's no shortage of devices I can use on a daily basis. Between the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Pixel 10 Pro XL, Find X9 Pro, Vivo X300 Pro, and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, and there's no doubt that the X300 Ultra has the best all-round package. The cameras alone give the phone a distinct lead, but when you combine the rest of the hardware and the battery, you're looking at the best phone of 2026. OPPO has to do something truly innovative with the Find X9 Ultra to be able to challenge Vivo this year.

For years, base model Samsung Galaxy S phones had two things going for them — they were the smallest flagships on the market and were relatively affordable. With the Samsung Galaxy S26 bumping the price by $100 and growing the screen to 6.3 inches, it's time for a new identity. After using it for two weeks, the Galaxy S26 is as confusing a device as ever.

On one hand, the Galaxy S26 offers a premium design with unparalleled performance powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. I preferred the smaller form factor of the Galaxy S25, but it's clear that most consumers want larger phones. The real concern is the price hike combined with a lack of major upgrades. Sure, we got a new processor, but where are the upgraded cameras, Qi2 magnets, or connectivity boosts? They're nowhere to be found.

The base Galaxy S26 received more upgrades than the Galaxy S26 Plus, but they hardly address the areas that really needed them. It's a very solid phone, but when you consider the room for improvement, it becomes a tough sell.

The Galaxy S26 is available now, starting at $899.99 for the 256GB model, with the optional 512GB upgrade costing a whopping $1,099. This is $100 more expensive than the Galaxy S25 at launch. Although you get more base storage, the Galaxy S26 still costs more than the comparable 256GB model of the Galaxy S25 cost last year.

Keep in mind that the Galaxy S26 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor in North America, China, and Japan. All other global markets will get the Samsung Exynos 2600 version.

The big Galaxy S26 change is one you can see and feel — a new design, complete with a larger 6.3-inch OLED display. It replaces the 6.2-inch screen found on the Galaxy S25, and that difference might not seem like much, but it looms large. The Galaxy S26 isn't big, but the Galaxy S25 was small, and the new Samsung flagship conforms to the standard set by the Pixel 10 and iPhone 17.

The result of this change is that the Galaxy S26 is wider and taller than the Galaxy S25, and it's slightly heavier too, at 167 grams. It's still 7.2mm, which is certainly thin enough. Truthfully, it's tough to notice the Galaxy S26's larger footprint unless you have its predecessor handy for comparison. If you're like me and enjoyed the Galaxy S25 and earlier models for their compact form factor, you might miss it more than most.

The other notable change is the rear camera bump, which is redesigned to place the three individual camera lenses on an oval-shaped pedestal. I like the look of this design much more than the Galaxy S25's camera housing and its DSLR-style reflective lens cover, but there's a flaw: it sticks out more, causing the Galaxy S26 to wobble even worse on a flat surface. It's an odd change, especially since there are no camera hardware upgrades and the smartphone's main body is just as thick as its predecessor's.

You'll also notice Samsung is still going with a boxy chassis, including flat sides and an almost nonexistent chamfer. One thing you won't find, however, is a mmWave antenna window, because while the Galaxy S25 offers mmWave 5G support, it's gone on the Galaxy S26.

It's yet another way the Galaxy S26 features lackluster connectivity standards compared to the Plus and Ultra models. The base model doesn't get mmWave, Bluetooth 6, or UWB.

I reviewed the Cobalt Violet and Black colorways of the Galaxy S26, and there are also Silver Shadow, Pink Gold, Sky Blue, and White color options. While I liked the deep colors, I noticed that they're easy to scratch with drops and scuffs during normal use. This reveals the aluminum under the paint, and it's an eyesore. If you care about your phone looking pristine, you might want to choose a lighter color, like Silver Shadow or White.

Aside from being larger, there's not much new about the Galaxy S26's display. It's still a FullHD+ resolution panel that lags behind the QHD+ screen on the Galaxy S26 Plus and Ultra models in terms of quality. You do get a 120Hz refresh rate and 2,600-nit peak brightness, and I've actually found the base Galaxy S26 screen to be brighter than the Galaxy S26 Ultra's in real-world use, due to the limitations of the Privacy Display technology used on the Ultra.

Speaking of Privacy Display, it's something I wish were on every Galaxy S26 phone. Yes, the data shows the Galaxy S26 Ultra screen isn't as sharp or as bright, but Privacy Display is a feature you don't want to live without once you start using it. If you're even remotely intrigued by it, you need to consider the Galaxy S26 Ultra over the Galaxy S26.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset is the best in its class, and Samsung paired it with 12GB of memory for good measure. Performance, as you'd expect, is stellar. The Galaxy S25 was already a top performer, and the Galaxy S26 is even better. I saw Geekbench 6 single-core and multi-core scores roughly 1,000 points higher on the Galaxy S26 compared to the Galaxy S25.

More importantly, the phone is more stable under load. The Galaxy S26 turned in a stability percentage of 72% in the 3DMark Steel Nomad Light Stress Test, up from 62.4% on the Galaxy S25. In fact, I regularly saw the base Galaxy S26 post benchmark results better than even the Galaxy S26 Ultra. In other words, this phone will last you for years to come and handle just about anything you throw at it.

Unfortunately, the cameras are by far the most disappointing aspect of the Galaxy S26's hardware. Samsung made zero camera upgrades for another year, meaning the Galaxy S26 has the same hardware as the Galaxy S22. You get a triple-camera system with a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultrawide, and a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. On the front, there's a 12MP, f/2.2 selfie camera.

Samsung says it worked with Qualcomm to make the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 "for Galaxy," and that those customizations specifically included image-processing pipeline upgrades. Fortunately, that isn't just marketing, it's the real deal. The Galaxy S26 offers the best color accuracy and dynamic range I've seen from a Samsung phone camera in years.

The more light you give the Galaxy S26 camera system to work with, the better the results. Detail and quality start to fall off in low-light performance, but daytime sharpness is stellar. To be clear, this doesn't excuse the Galaxy S26's lack of hardware upgrades, but I have to give credit where it's due.

The one clear deficiency is the Galaxy S26's telephoto camera. It's not really good at anything — the 10MP resolution isn't sharp, and the 3x optical zoom length isn't impressive either. It's the area where the Google Pixel 10 camera will crush the Galaxy S26 camera thanks to its 5x optical zoom lens.

Samsung gave the Galaxy S26's battery a welcome bump to 4,300mAh, but battery life is still shaky. The runtime is absolutely fine — I got 7.5 hours of screen-on time and used 127% battery capacity on my most intensive day — but the experience falls apart when it's time to charge. The Galaxy S26 only charges at 25W wired and 15W wirelessly. After using the 60W wired charging on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, everything else feels painfully slow.

Oh, and there still aren't any built-in Qi2 magnets on the Galaxy S26. You'll need a case to unlock full functionality. There's not much to say about that, other than it's simply unacceptable after Google added MagSafe to the Pixel 10.

Finally, there's the AI and software features. I've found One UI 8.5 to be reliable and smooth, more so than iOS 26 and on par with Android 16 on Pixel. There are still some things that are frustrating, like duplicate Samsung apps, pre-installed bloatware, and the unreliable Samsung Keyboard. They're all easily fixed, though. I always swap Samsung Keyboard out for Gboard when setting up a new Galaxy, and the Galaxy S26 was no exception.

The new Galaxy AI features didn't land for me, but I'm glad they're here. Now Nudge is Samsung's version of Magic Cue on Pixel, and both features aim to surface and suggest relevant information and actions in real time. Frankly, I've never found it to be useful even once on either the Galaxy S26 or the Pixel 10. Bixby got a few upgrades, but you'll probably use Gemini anyway, and the "Hey Plex" wake word for Perplexity integration was oddly removed with no replacement in sight.

I've used every Samsung Galaxy S26 model briefly, and spent weeks testing the cheapest Galaxy S26 and the most expensive Galaxy S26 Ultra. I have a hard time recommending you spend $1,299 on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, as it's a lot of money for any phone, but it's clearly the better value compared to the $899 Galaxy S26. At least the Galaxy S26 Ultra offers faster charging, new cameras, Privacy Display, and better connectivity.

The Galaxy S26 looks like it'll be a great value when it receives its first round of discounts in a few months. At full price, it's difficult to recommend. The Ultra model stole the show this year, casting a shadow over the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus. I have to hope that Samsung finally adds new camera sensors and magnetic charging to the next generation of Galaxy phones. If that's the case, why buy a Galaxy S26 now?

I’m a fan of the “Lord of the Rings” films and books. In the movie, an evil force creates several magic “Rings of Power” to be worn by different “heroes” of Middle-earth. Then, unbeknownst to the wearers of those rings, the malevolent force creates one, all-powerful ring that controls the others and those who wear them.

I’m finding that, no matter my activities, Sony’s new WF-1000XM6 are the one ring pair of earbuds to rule them all, and there’s a lot to unpack with that statement.

The new Sony WF-1000XM6 ANC earbuds arrive in minimalist packaging. You get a very small box, and inside you’ll find a manual, a laughably short charging cable, and three additional pairs of ear tips. Though I found a good fit with one preinstalled medium and one small ear tip, I’d like to see more options for a flagship product.

The USB-C and wireless charging-enabled case is pocketable, but it’s on the larger side compared to direct competitors like the Technics EAH-AZ100 and Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. Its charging light sits behind the front face, like some of its competitors, although I had no problem seeing it when charging.

This year, it’s also taller and more angular than the previous gen. It has a very fine-grained texture that resists slipping in the hand, and laughs at your attempts to leave fingerprints on it.

Opening the case, you’ll find kidney bean-shaped buds that look bulky but are deceptively light and have the same matte texture as the case, unlike the XM5's glossy finish.

You get eight microphones for calls and ANC, along with quite a long list of features, so the size is forgivable. Despite that, even during dynamic workouts, they never felt heavy. Likely a result of the earbuds’ ergonomic shape that conforms to your concha.

Normally, I’d get right to the sound quality notes here, but let’s get to that “One Ring to rule them all” analogy. I enjoyed the XM6’s in the gym for high-intensity workouts and slower powerlifting movements. Their excellent ANC filters out more low-frequency sound this year, thanks to the new QN3e processor that Sony says is 3x faster than the QN2 in the XM5.

This allowed me to stay locked in and focused on my mind-muscle connection while also doing an admirable job of mitigating and quieting high-frequency sounds, such as the sudden clank of plates, and nearby conversations. With music on, around 65% of max, I couldn’t hear any ambient gym noise.

That said, living in beach-friendly Southern California, I’d like to see more durability. They’re IPX4-rated, which means no submersion and no dust protection, but you’re good for sweaty workouts, splashes, and occasional light rain. I’ll have to be careful in the sand, though, especially during the many beach trips I take.

The ear tips aren’t as easy to clean as silicone ear tips, but the tradeoff is that the hybrid foam material does a great job of providing passive noise cancellation and great comfort. There are metal mesh screens in the ear tips to prevent wax from passing into the drivers (pictured above).

As usual, I had issues with the “Speak-to-chat” feature during workouts. It’s brilliant, but I often forget I have that feature enabled, start singing, and interrupt my music. I even accidentally triggered the feature during forceful exhales. You can control the sensitivity in the Sound Connect app, which helps, but I turn it off during exercise unless I'm working out with a partner.

For calls, the XM6s have improved over the WF-1000XM5s by adding bone conduction tech to the earbuds, delivering better call quality on windy days. The only part of the calling experience that was a bit jarring for me was activating ANC during a call. Audio dips briefly when you do that, so you’ll miss a few words from whoever you’re talking to until ANC fully kicks in. It’s quick, but in use, you will feel its effects.

My favorite feature, which the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro and some LinkBuds variations had but the WF-1000XM5 didn't, is offline Voice Commands. Sony takes things a step further by offering more commands. Additionally, through the Sound Connect app, you can set up the earbuds to activate your Voice Assistant by simply saying “Assistant,” then giving your command.

All of this worked quite well in my testing, but know that you have to choose between one or the other, and how well the Voice Commands or Assistant feature works will depend on the level of background noise. Not ideal for a concert, but on busy streets with heavy traffic noise, I was able to operate the earbuds by voice just fine.

Voice commands are well complemented by the Head Gesture feature. Just like AirPods, you can simply nod or shake your head to answer/end calls, and more.

Flagship ANC hasn’t always meant flagship sound quality. Not anymore. Bluetooth sound quality has come a long way, decreasing the gap in sonic fidelity between wired and wireless connections, and the Sony WF-1000XM6 exemplifies this growth. With an LDAC or LC3 connection, the XM6 is about as good as it gets for Bluetooth.

Wearing them during the review period, and A/B testing against some of my current favorite earbuds, they truly shine as The One Buds to rule them all. Their clarity has a sparkle that feels live, and the dynamic range provides an insightful listen with hi-res audio formats. The detail retrieval is illuminating, teasing out nuances in music that you may have missed before.

Soundstage is really open and large. The bass extension will delight bass lovers like myself, with transients handled quite well, making it a good fit for those with eclectic tastes who might be listening to bass-heavy Boom Bap one minute and classical analog instrumentation the next.

One of the A/B tests in which the XM6s showed their dominance was a comparison of how they handled the frenetic, multilayered instrumentation of the wild Jazz romp, Charles Mingus’ “Moanin’.” This song is a serious stress test for any headphones or earbuds, and the XM6s handle it with aplomb, in their default settings (EQ off, DSEE off). During the most energetic moments in the song, other wireless earbuds turn the mix into mashed potatoes, losing the character of individual horns. However, these earbuds keep the sound well separated, so you can still pick out individual instruments.

That same track showcases how smooth the treble handling is and how well it retrieves detail, which is further exemplified on the XM6 with the song “Violin Duel” from the Chevalier soundtrack. The attack of bows across violin strings is realistically reproduced when listening to hi-res audio. You feel like you’re right there, sitting with the orchestra and first chair violinist. The presentation is as holographic as I’ve heard from Bluetooth earbuds.

Ambient Sound Control and Scene detection are awesome. They use your location and/or activity to automatically change ANC settings. They work so well that I had to turn off the Walking detection because it would turn on ANC and start my Apple Music playlist when I’d walk out of the house to my car.

I kept running detection activated, as well as the geolocation-based gym scene detection. The only downside is that if you are in a place or doing an activity that activates scene detection and you try to change the ANC setting manually, it will revert to the automatically set ANC settings.

With all of that turned on, I'm seeing a little more than seven of the eight hours Sony says you'll get out of the earbuds with ANC on.

LC3 with Auracast is also very important for future-proofing! We’ve written quite a bit on what Auracast promises to do for consumers and for those with accessibility needs. For the reasons we’ve covered, you’ll want this feature baked in and easily accessible.

For roughly $300, the Sony WF-1000XM6 aren’t an impulse buy, but they are the best premium daily carry earbuds you can buy right now.

In the past, I’ve had to say that something was good, but others may be better in specific areas. This “One Ring” rules them all and delivers a product with not just excellent ANC but also engaging, enlightening sound, well-executed smart features, solid call quality, and competitive battery life.

If you’re in the market for new, flagship earbuds, these are indeed worth making the perilous journey through Mordor to acquire.

Samsung has always had a bit of a challenge with its S-series flagships: How can it differentiate the Plus model enough that people would want to buy it over its cheaper and more expensive siblings? It's a problem that has plagued the Plus model for years, and with the introduction of the Galaxy S25 Edge last year, it seemed like Samsung might have the makings of a compelling Plus offering for 2026.

Unfortunately, what we got was nothing as I hoped for, and Samsung hasn't seemed to learn from its lessons with the Edge, nor does it seem interested in giving the Plus its own edge, so to speak. That's not to say the Galaxy S26 Plus isn't a good phone, because it is, but it's much less compelling a buy given the upgrades its two siblings received, and with a higher $1,099 price tag, it feels like Samsung is pushing users towards the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

At first glance, it's actually hard to tell the Galaxy S26 Plus apart from its predecessor, which isn't too surprising. Samsung has largely stuck to the same design cues for years on its non-Ultra S models, to the point that even the dimensions are identical to the Galaxy S25 Plus.

That's not necessarily a bad thing; the Galaxy S25 Plus was thin enough that I questioned the need for an even thinner Edge model, given all its shortcomings. The same goes for the Galaxy S26 Plus, which feels fine in the hand if yours are big enough.

The only major design change, if you can even call it "major," is the camera housing on the back. Instead of three individual lenses protruding from the glass back, they now each protrude slightly from a single vertical housing. It's a very curious change because it sticks out much more than on the S25 Plus and causes the phone to sit even more unevenly on flat surfaces, with much more wobbling than before.

Also, it's not like Samsung changed any of the camera hardware on the Galaxy S26 Plus, so I can't imagine why Samsung made this change other than to force us to buy new Galaxy S26 Plus cases. Go figure.

On the front, we get the same 6.7-inch QHD+ AMOLED display, which is plenty bright but pales in comparison to the competition's brighter displays. Those with PWM sensitivity may also be sad to learn that Samsung hasn't improved on this front, though it doesn't bother me. What does bother me is the lack of a Privacy Display, because after even a brief time with the S26 Ultra, I can't believe I've been living without it.

Still, content on the display looks crisp and vibrant, even on Natural screen mode. The 120Hz refresh rate is pretty standard at this point, and while I would've liked to see Samsung move the needle in this regard, One UI 8.5 makes it largely unnecessary.

Everything about this UI feels silky and refined, from the way the app drawer seems to flick open just as fast as your finger can swipe upwards, to smoothly flipping through apps in the multitasking view, and the notification shade and quick settings menu materializing with a pleasing translucent gradient against the background. Everything just feels so nicely animated and pleasing.

A big part of the One UI 8.5 experience is the AI features that Samsung has either introduced or upgraded, and they're easily the best part about using this phone. Many of the new features are either directly from Google or a derivative of features we've already seen on the Pixel 10.

For example, Samsung takes Audio Eraser a step further than Google by allowing you to use it in third-party apps for clearer voices, something the Pixel can't do. Call Screening also functions pretty much the same as it does on the Pixel, and the Now Bar and Now Brief feel like two halves of the At a Glance widget.

There's also Now Nudge, which is essentially Samsung's version of Magic Cue and presents relevant on-device information based on the context of a conversation. During my initial hands-on, it was able to suggest and gather photos from Australia when someone asked for them via text. However, after two weeks, Now Nudge has only appeared once or twice.

In one instance, I received a text invite to a graduation, with the details included in the link preview image. Now Nudge recognized the information and "nudged" me to create a calendar event, while also reminding me that I have another calendar event scheduled for the same day and time, which I actually found pretty helpful.

To further showcase how helpful and proactive AI can be, Samsung also launched the new Gemini screen automation with the Galaxy S26 series, which lets Gemini take the reins and work in the background to order food, groceries, or rideshares with minimal user input. I've tried it a few times, and it works surprisingly well. I asked it to order "my usual" from McDonald's, and I watched it search through a few of my recent orders to see which foods I get most often, add them to the cart, and even remove items that were no longer available at my location.

You can stop Gemini screen automation at any point to make changes, or it will pause itself if it needs input from you, such as clarification on a drink size. It'll fully stop before checkout, allowing you to make the final confirmation, which I appreciate.

All in all, I'm quite impressed with Gemini's capabilities, although I wish I could order an Uber with multiple stops (for now, it only lets you go from point A to point B).

Bixby also got an upgrade and can now understand natural language to help you navigate your phone. It's nice to see Samsung give Bixby some love, but it feels like a futile effort as Gemini overshadows it and other assistants.

Unfortunately, Samsung Keyboard is still horrible, and I wish it weren't necessary to use some of Samsung's more useful features, like chat translation. That said, if you can go without this particular feature, I highly suggest just switching to Gboard.

The cameras haven't changed either. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as you can still get some good shots from the Galaxy S26 Plus, especially in good lighting conditions, but I do wish Samsung had given it some resolution bumps or at least wider apertures as it did with the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Regardless, you shouldn't be disappointed by the camera quality, as images appear plenty detailed and vibrant, without overdoing it. I feel like the dynamic range could be better, but I haven't taken a photo I didn't like with the main 50MP sensor. The ultrawide and telephoto sensors also perform well, and images look quite good at up to 10x zoom, although things start to fall apart beyond that. And compared to the Galaxy S25 Plus, it seems Samsung has slightly improved the digital zoom, which is nice to see.

Horizontal lock is a new feature that I find most interesting, allowing you to keep an incredibly steady video no matter how shaky your movements are. In fact, you can flip the S26 Plus completely around, and it will still retain the horizon, which is kind of wild to see.

The Gallery app received some nice improvements, like the upgraded Photo Assist. This is one of my favorite features, as you can use natural language to do things like change your clothing, add or remove items from an image, or even blend in elements from other photos. I can take a photo of a hat I like and tell Photo Assist to add it to a picture of me, and it will intelligently place it on my head. I can also swap out a photo of a donut for a healthier option, like a bowl of yogurt.

It won't make more granular edits like lighting or color changes; for that, you'll need Help Me Edit in the Google Photos app, but it's a fun feature nonetheless.

Powering all of this is the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 "For Galaxy," which performs as well as a flagship chipset should, especially with 12GB of RAM. Apps open quickly, multitasking is a breeze, and graphics-intensive games like Honkai: Star Rail and Endfield run pretty smoothly, even at the highest settings.

Unfortunately, the battery remains at just 4,900mAh. I say "just," but while I do wish Samsung had opted for a larger or even thinner silicon-carbon battery, the S26 Plus still manages to get through a full day without issue, averaging 6-8 hours of screen time in my use. Battery size isn't a problem per se, but more recent flagships like the OnePlus 15 are averaging two days of battery life, which would be nice to see here.

Charging is also largely unchanged, and you'll wait over an hour to fully charge the battery at 45W wired charging. And while wireless charging did see a small bump from 15W to 20W, you'll still need a case to make the most of Qi2.

But the lack of a silicon-carbon battery or built-in magnetic charging really speaks to the Galaxy S26 Plus as a whole and Samsung's unwillingness to change. Sure, there's a new chipset, but the Plus feels like Samsung resting on its laurels and giving us the bare minimum with just a chip upgrade and new software. Many of the changes I wanted to see just aren't here, and Samsung is charging more for it, which sort of doesn't add up.

As a result, the Plus is once again overshadowed by the Ultra, and this genuinely good phone will once again be relegated to the awkward middle child. It deserves more than that, and I really hope Samsung can figure out what to do with future Plus models to help them stand out, because as it stands now, I can maybe recommend the Galaxy S26 Plus, but the Ultra feels like the better buy.

In a recent interview, Samsung's co-CEO, TM Roh, admitted that Samsung was "no longer chasing specs" with its newest phones. This news came as no revelation to anyone who has been paying attention to smartphone technology over the past few years. Still, it may be a surprise to non-techy folks who might expect Samsung to be the one pushing the envelope. This phone is called the "Ultra," after all.

Instead, Samsung is laser-focused on hardware that "supports intelligent software." Despite launching a phone with a very clear hardware trick, One UI is very much the star of the show here.

This framework is important to have as context, as the S26 Ultra doesn't feature many hardware upgrades or cutting-edge features. Still, Samsung's excellent software support and design elevate what is a generally disappointing hardware release. The hardware simply isn't "ultra" enough for the price, but the software might just be good enough to make you forget about that.

To get the basics out of the way, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra went on sale on March 11, 2026, and retails for $1,299 for the model with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Upgrading to 512GB of storage will cost you $1,499, while the highest-end model comes with 16GB of RAM and 1Tb of storage for $1,799. Notably, the base model didn't get a price increase, but those other two models sure did.

Out of the gate, Privacy Display is the most exciting display feature we've seen in a decade, the last of which I would argue was glasses-free 3D displays on products like the Nintendo 3DS. Ironically, Privacy Display works a bit like a 3D display, as it shines light in different directions and can shut off pixels in specific directions to hide on-screen content from shoulder surfers.

Samsung went two steps further by making this a feature you can toggle on or off, as well as one you can customize in several other ways. The entire screen can dim at any angle, can dim for only a handful of apps (like banking apps), or dim only on-screen objects like notifications or sensitive text.

From a purely spec standpoint, the Galaxy S26 Ultra's display isn't even remotely impressive. It doesn't support the brightest nits, doesn't have the highest resolution or refresh rate, has a horrendously low PWM rate and lack of eye care features, and it's years behind in color science with an 8-bit color output. However, it prioritizes privacy over everything else, and that's something people may care more about.

But, as I pointed out in my Galaxy S26 Ultra display review, Samsung continues to lag far behind the competition in eye comfort. It's not just a strongly strobing display with low-frequency PWM dimming at all times, but Privacy Display is also causing discomfort for a new group of people who aren't sensitive to PWM dimming.

The running theory is that the multi-angle pixels are causing focusing problems for these users, resulting in a headache and, ultimately, an unusable display. We'll have to see just how many people this affects.

It's a technology that doesn't come without tradeoffs. You'll lose brightness, viewing angles, and see more glare on this screen than on the S25 Ultra's, but you might not care since other people can't see anything on your screen.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy S Ultra's design has often been a point of contention. Whether you think it's too square or too round, there always seems to be a group of people who are unhappy with it. I've been very happy with Samsung's rounder design, which feels better in my palms when one-handing it. Likewise, my fingers are no longer threatened with being sliced now that Samsung isn't using a razor-sharp edge along the left and right sides of the S26 Ultra.

But the rounded corners now mean the S Pen has a prominent curve at the end, so it's possible (once again) to insert the S Pen the wrong way. The company also opted for a thinner phone instead of packing Qi2 magnets inside, a decision likely made because magnets can interfere with the S Pen.

As it is, the phone is just annoyingly thin enough that the camera sensors now protrude from the body even more than they did before. Even adding a case to the phone doesn't fix the off-balanced design here. Thinner can sometimes be better, but Samsung would have been smarter to opt for a bigger battery.

Samsung didn't push the battery capacity for this release, but it did finally opt for faster charging. Using this 67W charger, I was able to charge the phone from 0-80% in just 30 minutes, a huge improvement over past Samsung phones and something that'll help eliminate battery anxiety so long as you have the right charger (or power pack) with you.

The reality, though, is that Samsung desperately needs to increase battery capacity. This $1300-1800 phone only has a 5,000mAh battery, while the higher-end-specced OnePlus 15 sells for just $900 and has an over-7,000mAh battery, all without being thicker or heavier.

In our lab tests, the Galaxy S26 Ultra took 16 hours and 10 minutes to drain a full charge. That sounds very good until you put it next to the OnePlus 15, which took over 25 hours to drain during the same test. In real-world use, my S26 Ultra barely made it to the end of the day, whereas I would never even think about battery life when using a OnePlus 15.

Now, back to that camera island. The physical size is deeper than last year, but only the telephoto sensors have changed. Strangely enough, the 3x lens got a sensor downgrade and shares the paltry 1/3.94-inch sensor found on the rest of the S26 line. That's the tiniest telephoto sensor on any flagship phone, but it's also really just an intermediary sensor to help with zoom until you reach the 5x level.

The 5x telephoto lens isn't using a new sensor, but it is using a new All Lens on Prism design that ironically is designed to make lenses smaller and reduce distortion. Clearly, the first part didn't come to fruition, but it definitely does a better job of providing cleaner zoomed-in photos than previous generations.

My biggest issue with Samsung's sensors and lenses is that the images lack the depth found in some other high-end Android flagships. The examples of food photos above illustrate what I'm talking about. Without using portrait mode, these photos have natural depth and appeal, while Samsung's images often look flat.

On the positive side, Samsung seems to have improved motion capture a bit this time around, as I found I could pretty easily get clear photos of my son and my pets with this phone.

But if Samsung understands one thing, it's software. One UI is the absolute best OS in the smartphone industry, and it's not even close. You might have a specific feature or UI design preference from another phone, but no other company matches Samsung's overall software excellence.

Part of this is the sheer number of truly useful features packed into One UI. Privacy Display's granular options are just a sampling of what I'm talking about, too. If we dig in a little further, several other new and upgraded options stand out, as well.

Direct Voicemail is a phenomenal new feature that arrived with no fanfare and lets you completely skip the garbage carrier voicemail system for something far better. The camera's new Horizon Lock feature records ultra-stabilized video, even when you turn the phone upside down.

Not to mention new Gemini features that appeared here first, like the impressive screen automation that can order food for you using apps like Uber.

When I use One UI, my critiques about the Galaxy S26 Ultra's hardware not being "ultra" enough mostly melt away. It looks good, feels good to use, and will be actively updated and improved for years to come. You can be sure that, no matter what the hardware may be lacking for the price, the software will almost certainly make up for its shortcomings.

It's also hard to argue with the ecosystem Samsung has built. I'm not just talking about the gajillion electronics products Samsung makes that all work incredibly well together. I also mean the third-party ecosystem that exists because Samsung sells so many phones. If you're a person who loves buying accessories and cases for your phones, there's no other Android phone that'll give you a wider variety of choices, and that's all because Samsung is going to sell a lot of Galaxy S26 Ultras.

Ultimately, the reality is that Samsung is charging too much for a phone that's often behind on a spec sheet. The massive price increase on the 512GB and 1TB SKUs this year makes them impossible to recommend without some kind of deal, and the fact that I'm recommending the base model at all is down to two main advantages.

The first is obvious: Privacy Display. No other phone on the market has this, and no other phone will have this for a long time to come. The second is One UI, and while it's not exclusive to this phone, it's hard to argue with the handful of new or mostly exclusive features in the latest Samsung software update.

If you want the best display specs, you can look elsewhere and actually save money in the process. Samsung isn't keeping up with the Joneses, but is still charging like it is. If it's just about specs or value for your money, this isn't the best flagship phone, but the software and unique support system behind it — cases, accessories, compatibility, and even repair support — might make the high price worth it in the end.

It was when I was playing a round of Balatro that I realized I was using a foldable and not a tablet. With every foldable I used until now, there's a tiny crease that runs down the middle of the inner panel, and while it isn't noticeable in regular use, it is evident while gaming.

But that's not the case with the Find N6; OPPO somehow created a foldable with an entirely-creaseless inner panel, and it's an absolute delight to use. You'll still see a crease if you hold the foldable at a certain angle, but it doesn't inhibit usage of the Find N6 in any way whatsoever, and this gives the device a huge advantage over just about every other foldable available today.

The creaseless design also proves its worth when watching something on the foldable, and most of the time I used the inner panel on the Find N6, it felt like I was using a tablet and not something that folds in half. That is the main differentiator with this foldable; the Find N6 does a better job in this area than the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Vivo X Fold 5, Honor Magic V5, and even the Huawei Mate X7.

The 8.12-inch inner OLED panel is one of the biggest of any foldable, and it gets 2,160Hz PWM dimming, increased brightness levels than its predecessor, and Dolby Vision. The outer 6.62-inch OLED panel also gets the same features, with the only difference being greater brightness levels. I like that both panels go down to 1nit — similar to the Find X9 Pro — and it makes using the foldable a lot easier at night.

Color vibrancy is excellent, and I don't have any problems with the inner or outer panels on the Find N6. The width of the outer panel is just right; it's still big enough that you can view text comfortably, but it is a smidgen shorter than bar phones. The bezels are even thinner than last generation, and they're uniform.

OPPO says it overhauled the hinge design to deliver the Zero-Feel Crease design, and the brand used 3D printing to ensure the thousands of tiny parts that make up the hinge are of a uniform height.

The new hinge architecture combined with a new Auto-Smoothing Flex Glass layer that's designed to prevent deformations allows the Find N6 to have the creaseless panel, and it's guaranteed to last just as long as any other foldable. In fact, OPPO is so confident in the design that it says other brands won't be able to deliver a similar creaseless hinge in 2027, much less this year.

That's why it's annoying to see that the Find N6 won't make its way outside Asia. OPPO is launching the foldable globally, but it is limited to select countries in southeast Asia and the UAE — it isn't coming to the U.K. or any other western country where OPPO has a presence. Look, I'm glad that OPPO is launching it outside China, but it would have been nice to see a broader global rollout considering just how good the foldable is.

Let's talk about the design a little bit, because OPPO is doing things differently this year. The Find N6 is a smidgen thinner and lighter than last year's Find N5, and coming in at 225g, it is one of the lightest foldables. It is just 4.2mm when unfolded and 8.93mm when folded, and the rounded edges along with slight bevels around the sides make it highly comfortable to hold.

The second-gen Titanium Flexion Hinge has excellent articulation, and I didn't see any problems in this area in the two weeks I used the Find N6 as my daily driver. Coming to the materials, the hinge is made out of titanium and stainless steel, with the mid-frame of the foldable built out of an aluminum alloy. Although the Find N6 misses out on IP68 protection, it gets IP58 and IP59 dust and water resistance, giving it a decent amount of resilience.

The camera module is centered, and the design ensures there is no wobble when using the Find N6 on a table — this continues to be a constant source of annoyance with my Galaxy Z Fold 7. You get a side-mounted fingerprint sensor like most devices, and it is fast to authenticate.

What I like the most is the color options this year; the Find N6 is available in a Blossom Orange model, and that's the one I'm using. It isn't a bright orange like the iPhone 17 Pro, with the Find N6 instead featuring a pastel hue that looks gorgeous in its own right. I like that the LED flash module also has a hint of orange, and the mid-frame gets a rose gold design, contrasting the orange very well. The positioning of the power and volume buttons is ideal, but the shortcut key is located a little higher up, and it is awkward to access when using the foldable one-handed.

Also great to see is stylus integration; OPPO has a new case bundle that's launching alongside the Find N6, and it can slot in the new AI Pen stylus. The stylus is on the smaller side, but it's good enough to jot notes, annotate, or just doodle.

Battery life is another area where the Find N6 holds up incredibly well. The 6,000mAh silicon-carbon battery manages to last all day without any issues, and even with heavy use, I didn't have to plug in the foldable before the end of the day. It gets the standard 80W charging, but what I like better is the 50W USB PD integration; I use PD chargers daily, so to be able to charge the foldable at 50W is ideal.

Powering the Find N6 is Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. Like last year, OPPO is using a custom seven-core design, and I didn't see any issues while playing games or regular daily use. There is noticeable overheating during extended gaming sessions, but that is the case with all Qualcomm-based phones I tested this year, so the Find N6 isn't an outlier. Coming to storage, the Find N6 is available in a single configuration globally with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.

The Find N6 is using an all-new AI LinkBoost tech that includes the NetworkBoost Chip S1 to deliver better connectivity, but in real-world use, I didn't see any difference whatsoever. If anything, connectivity wasn't as good as bar phones; I always get a signal in my home office when using the Find X9 Pro or other flagships, but not with the Find N6. I didn't have any issues with my home network, but it was annoying that the cellular modem isn't as effective as what you get on the X9 Pro.

Foldable cameras have gotten much better in the last two years, and the Find N6 has decent upgrades in this area. The foldable gets a new f/1.8 200MPmain camera with a 1/1.56-inch Samsung HP5 imaging sensor and OIS, and it's joined by an f/2.7 50MP Samsung JN5 tele lens with 3x optical zoom and OIS, and another 50MP JN5 sensor that acts as the wide-angle lens.

The Find N6 retains Hasselblad tuning, and it has the same Lumo imaging engine as the Find X9 Pro. The camera in general is noticeably better than the Find N5; it takes standout photos in daylight situations, and manages to take detailed shots in challenging scenarios. The tweaks to the imaging engine are evident, and it's safe to say that the Find N6 has one of the best foldable cameras available today.

What I like this year is that the tele and wide-angle lenses are better than their predecessors; while they're not quite as good as the Find X9, they're a better sight than what you get on most foldables. Video recording is better too, with all rear cameras able to shoot 4K60 footage in Dolby Vision.

OPPO always did a good job with the software features on its foldables, and the Find N6 continues that trend. The foldable runs Android 16 based on ColorOS 16.0.4, and it gets the usual customizability along with new multitasking features. My favorite addition is Free-Flow Window, which basically lets you resize windows anywhere as needed, and it makes a huge difference.

I had to fill out a visa a week ago, and it was effortless to do so with Chrome, Docs, and Keep running simultaneously, and being able to go into each app and copy data. While I regularly use split-screen multitasking, this mode is just much more convenient to use.

The software itself is pretty great, and I have no issues to point out. ColorOS is quickly becoming my favorite Android skin, and that's down to the heavy customizability, modern UI, and the unique extras OPPO continues to add to the interface. The Find N6 will get four years of software updates, and while that's not on the same level as Google and Samsung, it is as high as the brand is willing to go — at least right now.

After using the Find N5 extensively last year, I wasn't really sure what a new model would have to offer, but there are plenty of upgrades this year. The creaseless design alone makes the Find N6 a considerable upgrade, and when you add in the cameras, bigger battery, better design, and the new software features, you get what is possibly the best foldable of 2026.

Tecno remains a relatively small player in the broader Android ecosystem, but the company continues to push the boundaries of technology in emerging markets while keeping prices well below those of its competitors. It's this expertise that has made the company embrace "practical AI" that can be truly useful for its consumers, and much of this can be seen in the rather excellent Tecno Camon 50 Ultra.

The latest entry in the Camon series has a heavy focus on AI, more than I remember seeing from previous Tecno devices, and while it may seem overwhelming to some, I think the phone does a great job pushing its chipset by providing as many AI features as it can in a package that looks great and performs well at an accessible price.

When you first hold the Camon 50 Ultra, it feels thinner than its gigantic 6,500mAh battery would suggest. Part of that is due to the slight curve of the display and the more prominent curve of the back panel. The effect is actually quite nice, and the phone looks and feels surprisingly premium. It's also light at just 178g, weighing not much more than the Galaxy S25 Edge, which is frankly impressive.

In fact, several people have mistaken the Camon 50 Ultra for the Galaxy S26 Ultra because its rear camera design is strikingly similar to Samsung's.

On the front, the 6.78-inch AMOLED display is gorgeous and bright, with a 1.5K resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate that makes everything incredibly fluid. The bezels are fairly minimal as well and appear even smaller due to the slightly curved display. And while curved screens are often pretty troublesome for me, I find I haven't been bothered by any accidental touches.

When you first turn on the Camon 50 Ultra, you're introduced to Ella, Tecno's AI assistant, who guides you through setup, making a usually monotonous task somewhat enjoyable. It's also a precursor to just how AI-focused this phone is, which becomes fairly evident as you go further into the process.

After setting up the phone, I was immediately surprised by how fluid and responsive everything felt. The home screen icons almost float onto the screen, apps stack upwards when sliding up to open the app drawer, and the quick settings menu seems to inflate open.

The UI itself feels like a mix of Samsung's One UI and Apple's iOS. Many UI elements, such as the aforementioned quick settings menu, are visually similar to liquid glass with a very translucent effect. However, the effect isn't quite as in-your-face as Apple's divisive UI, which I quite like. Meanwhile, Tecno's HiOS 16 takes after Samsung's One UI in other ways, such as how notification bubbles stack over each other until tapped to reveal the entire stack.

Even the settings menu resembles Samsung's, with options grouped together, colorful icons, and a persistent search bar at the bottom.

Another way the Camon 50 Ultra reminds me of Samsung is in its approach to making its AI features accessible. When you're typing somewhere, you can easily access AI writing tools by selecting a section of text, which lets you rewrite, proofread, generate text, or summarize. If you press and hold two fingers on the display, you can activate Ella Smart Touch, which is similar to Circle to Search or Samsung's AI Select, and Ella can describe whatever you highlight or extract text from the screen.

The AI Gallery app is also packed with fun AI features. Similar to Samsung's Gallery app, these can be easily accessed by tapping the floating sparkle icon, which will intelligently suggest AI actions based on the image. For instance, if your subject is too far away, it might suggest AI Auto Zoom, or if it notices a glare in the photo, it will surface the AI Flare Remover to make the image clearer.

The full suite of AI editing options is also accessible in the Edit field, including AI Art Studio, a fun way to change the style of your photos to look like Picasso, Van Gogh, or even anime.

The Camon 50 Ultra also integrates many of its AI features into the camera app, and I feel like this is where Tecno takes things a step further than Samsung. Instead of waiting until after I capture an image to add any AI flair, I can enable Auto Zoom directly in the viewfinder or swipe to the AI Art Studio to preview how an image would look in a specific style before I capture it.

FlashSnap is one of the camera features I can see myself using quite often if I had a pet or kids, as it uses a high-speed shutter to capture 15 frames per second and uses AI to select the clearest image of the lot. It's insanely good at capturing fast-moving objects, much better than I've seen from other manufacturers.

But beyond the extra modes and features, the regular camera experience is surprisingly adequate. Photos taken during the day are quite good, and while some AI enhancements occur in the background, it does a good job of cleaning up the images and balancing the lighting. This is also the case at night, where the camera does a decent job reducing noise and retaining quite a bit of detail.

Tecno also highlights the capabilities of the 3x telephoto zoom lens, which supports up to 60x digital zoom. The results aren't too bad at various zoom levels up to 10x, although things can start to look a little muddy at 20x. Still, the AI does a good job of cleaning things up at this level and even makes 60x-zoom images legible, though AI upscaling appears to do quite a bit of heavy lifting, especially when text is involved.

Still, for a phone under $600, I'm quite pleased with the quality of images.

Now, Tecno has squeezed so much AI into this phone that it almost seems overwhelming, but thankfully, there's Zero Screen, a section to the left of the home screen, normally reserved for Google Discover. Here, you get an easily accessible hub of all the AI features you need, from image generation tools to translation and more general tools like problem-solving and document summarization.

This is also where you can talk to Ella, which has received a bit more of a Gemini-like remodel. You can type, talk, and even add files to the conversation. There's also a Gemini Live-like button that lets you start a more seamless conversation with the assistant or practice your English if you're trying to improve.

The Camon 50 Ultra actually takes an interesting approach with its AI, which you'll notice when you start using Ella. Tapping the top of the screen, you're actually able to change which AI model you want to chat with, including ChatGPT, Gemini, Meta AI, and Grok. You can easily switch between them and even compare how they handle queries, choosing whichever you prefer for any particular instance. It's similar to Motorola's approach of stuffing as many AI models into a phone as possible, and I appreciate the choice here.

This theme of choice extends to the One Tap button, which is essentially an AI button on the side that, when pressed, allows Ella to analyze your screen. You can easily view the results of these in MindHub, which stores select AI interactions and dialogue.

The One Tap button can also be customized, which is my favorite part. It defaults to the Ella Assistant, so you can press and hold it to speak to it, or you can change it to something like Gemini, though the integration isn't as seamless, and it will simply open the app rather than start a conversation.

Still, I love it when an OEM gives us an AI key that we can actually change to our liking (looking at you, Motorola).

Powering all of this is a mid-range MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Ultimate, which doesn't sound all that powerful, but I've yet to really find much of a limit to this chip in day-to-day use beyond gaming. You can get away with playing some heavier games like Honkai: Star Rail or Where Winds Meet, but don't expect a smooth experience on the highest settings. Otherwise, the phone performs exceptionally well, including in terms of battery life.

Furthermore, the massive 6,500mAh battery easily lasts all day and then some. I often go to bed without charging the phone after a full day of use, and I've averaged about 6-8 hours of screen-on time or more.

The only downside of such a big battery is that the 45W charging speed can't quite keep up; it takes about an hour and a half to go from empty to 100% (or just 33 minutes to reach 50%).

Fortunately, I couldn't find many downsides to the Camon 50 Ultra. It's a sleek phone with incredible battery life, great performance, and a solid trio of cameras. It's a phone that's all about choice and making AI accessible to the masses. Instead of spending $1,300 on a Galaxy S26 Ultra, for example, you can spend less than half that on this mid-range doppleganger, and you wouldn't miss a beat.

2024’s Galaxy Buds 3 Pro were quite impressive. With their two-driver configuration and the SSC codec, they produced audio with solid clarity and instrumentation, while also offering users some very well-implemented smart features for onboard voice and gesture controls. This year’s Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are, frankly, an iterative upgrade over last year’s, except for three key areas: sound quality, ANC, and durability.

The aesthetic refinements that build on 2024’s design are appreciable. Though I haven't experienced this issue, some users have reported trouble with the charging contacts at the bottom of the Buds 3 Pro’s stems. This year’s new case design has you placing the buds horizontally in their case, with pogo pins on the stems contacting the charging surface, rather than vertically, with a metallic base on the stem that contacts the charging pins at the bottom of the case.

The case still has a transparent cover, but Samsung has slimmed it down a bit, and it still supports wireless and wired charging via USB-C. The way my jeans' coin pockets are set up, I actually prefer the Buds 3 Pro’s case dimensions for carry, but I’m being nitpicky because both fit easily in my coin pockets. RIP, pennies.

Removing the buds from their case reveals shorter stems with metallic spines, sans the last generation’s light bar. I loved the light show and the blades, being a lover of edged weapons, so I’ll miss those two elements. That said, the metallic backs, though not as unique, still look great with their large mesh ports at the top. Very industrial-looking.

I hate the fit of stem-style earbuds in my ears because, no matter whether they're Apple, Soundcore, or others, they never really fit well. Samsung changed that with the Buds 3 Pro, and the Buds 4 Pro fit just as snugly in my ears. When I’ve worn them during exercise, they’ve stayed locked in, even during dynamic movements like burpees.

The more you sweat, you may find yourself reseating them from time to time, a shortcoming of silicone eartips more than the angle of the earbuds. If I find it to be big enough a problem, I’ll pick up some Comply foam ear tips for the Buds 4 Pro (their website currently says “coming soon”).

One issue I found with workouts is that wet hands may interfere with touch functionality. After wiping sweat from my brow during a particularly sweaty HIIT workout, I'd run my finger over the volume slider (shown above), but it would be unresponsive. For folks who sweat profusely in the gym, that could be problematic.

Even so, durability has been upgraded from IP53 to IP57, meaning they now have greater protection against dust ingress and can survive being pushed into a pool up to 3 feet deep.

The other controls should be mostly immune to sweaty hindrances and pool-party pranks, as the stems are pressure-sensitive like the Buds 3 Pro, so squeezing and squeeze-and-hold control all the other functions. You can customize many of them in the buds’ settings.

The biggest upgrades for the Buds 4 Pro are the sound and active noise cancelling. They still have two speakers inside, plus a planar tweeter. You get a new, wider woofer with nearly 20% more speaker area, all in a body that doesn’t look any larger than the Buds 3 Pro. That translates to an audibly superior sound this year.

Contributing to that is Samsung’s SSC UHQ codec, which plays back 24-bit/96kHz audio on compatible Samsung devices. If you don’t have that, you’re relegated to SBC, AAC, or LC3, depending on whether your phone supports it.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Boom Bap bass lovers’ listening experiences with KDot’s “Alright,” The Roots' “Do You Want More?!!!?!?,” and Skrillex’s “Supersonic (My Existence).” Paul Simon’s “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes” has a beautiful soundstage, with all the presence and reverb you’d want to hear with the 360 Audio feature enabled.

Various Rock music genres sound delightful, such as System of a Down’s “Chop Suey!”, which gives you guitars with weight to their sound, and the vocals are rendered beautifully.

Jazz is gloriously rhythmic and is reproduced with solid imaging, although listening to Charles Mingus’ frenetic rendition of the popular Jazz romp, “Moanin’,” is where you get to hear the cracks in the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro’s armor. The imaging is still solid, and while the track will put many headphones and earbuds through their paces, the Buds 4 Pro fares well through most of it, except for the busiest parts. During those moments, some sounds tend to blend rather than hold their space.

Ultimately, with almost any genre, you’re in a good place to customize the sound to your liking, since you have access to a 9-band equalizer in the Settings/Wearables app.

ANC is fairly impressive, too. As I was working my way through my playlists, the active noise cancelling all but muted the gardener with the leaf blower outside my window, but wasn’t able to fully mute the clicks from my mechanical Razer Pro Type keyboard. ANC It won’t beat the Sony WF-1000XM6's, but the Buds 4 Pro are $80 cheaper, and this ANC is much better than the previous Buds Pro. It does an admirable job of softening the sounds of airplanes, restaurants, and traffic.

The auto-switch to ambient mode also works convincingly, just like it did on the Buds 3 Pro. When a siren is detected or when you start speaking, the noise cancelling is temporarily deactivated, then turns back on after five seconds of no siren or speech. You can also squeeze the stems to reinitiate ANC instead of waiting.

The six onboard mics do a very good job of keeping voices audible amid significant ambient urban street (70dB) and cafe noise (50dB). My voice was not only audible but also clear and not muddy, though there were times when I sounded like I wasn’t close to the microphones, a bit distant.

After about a week of testing, battery life is very promising, but I have more tests to run to confirm what I’m seeing so far. It looks like Samsung’s claims of seven hours without ANC and six hours with it may hold if you have advanced audio and enhanced ANC features deactivated. With some competitors getting around that much with ANC activated and others seeing closer to 8 hours, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are at least in the running on battery life.

Some features aren’t new but are worth mentioning, in case you’re new to the Galaxy Buds Pro line. Neck-stretch reminders are great and help you be more mindful of staring down at your phone for long periods, which is bad for your spine/neck.

The on-board and offline voice controls are an exceptional way to interact with basic features like volume up/down, music play/pause, and track skipping. Head gestures are new this time around and work very reliably for calling functions, making them a great, hands-free way to interact with your earbuds and phone by nodding or shaking your head.

Live translation has also been refined since the Buds 3 Pro, allowing you to customize a pinch-and-hold option to activate Interpreter mode. Once the gesture activates the mode, the app opens on the Galaxy S25 Ultra I’m using. It worked perfectly the first time I tried it, playing an educational Spanish-language conversation on YouTube. When I tried a Russian-language video, it didn’t automatically recognize Russian, so I had to set the source language to Russian in the Interpreter app.

While the Spanish translation was solid, the Russian was mediocre. Not the buds' problem, but worth noting. Also, it takes a couple of seconds to provide the audible translation, so I wouldn’t rely on it as a mission-critical translation offering.

Samsung wanted the buds to be compatible with other Android devices, so the Galaxy Wearables app provides many of the features even if you don’t have a Galaxy device, such as voice commands. Music sounds better with the LE codec activated, but the buds will disconnect from the Galaxy Wearables app. Otherwise, you’re using the AAC codec by default, and while it still sounds good, you don’t have the dynamic range that you do with LE, or, even more so, when connected to a Samsung phone using the SSC UHQ codec.

Ultimately, at $250, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are a considerable upgrade over the Buds 3 Pro, but not enough to justify upgrading if you just bought them. Overall, if you use Samsung devices, they’re tough to beat right now — better sound, better ANC, improved durability, and practical on-device controls make them easy to recommend.

After 18 years of reviewing technology, it’s quite rare that smartphones can truly surprise or excite me, but last year marked a big moment. I love small phones and thin phones, which bucks the trend of bigger devices, and the iPhone Air and Galaxy S25 Edge both left me enamored when they were announced.

Yet neither became my main phone for one key reason: compromises. Both phones feature considerable compromises compared to their non-thin counterparts, especially as the latter become increasingly thinner with each generation.

The reason seemed simple: a thin body would naturally lead to several compromises in performance, battery life, charging, and camera performance. At least it seemed to be until a couple of weeks ago when I started using a new thin phone that proved that Samsung and Apple got it wrong.

Meet the best thin phone ever made: the Honor Magic 8 Pro Air. It’s so good, it’s my favorite phone to use right now.

The Honor Magic 8 Pro Air is slightly thicker than the Galaxy S25 Edge and the iPhone Air, but this is a worthwhile trade-off. The Magic 8 Pro Air measures 6.1mm thin, compared to 5.6mm for the iPhone Air and 5.8mm for the Galaxy S25 Edge, but while it's 0.6mm thicker, you’ll be grateful for it.

The reason? Much better cameras, a much larger battery, and considerably faster charging. The result is the only thin phone that feels like it doesn’t really compromise the flagship phone experience, especially compared to the competition.

It’s also worth noting that Honor managed to do all of this in a body that’s smaller than the competition as well, which makes the Magic 8 Pro Air even more enjoyable to use.

The Magic 8 Pro Air features a vibrant 6.31-inch display, complete with Dolby Vision and 6,000 nits peak brightness, and it resonates with me because I love small phones; this is much more comfortable to use in one hand than the 6.5-inch display on the iPhone Air (which is near perfectly sized) and the 6.7-inch display in the Galaxy S25 Edge, which I find a little too large.

If Honor had picked a larger display, it might not have been as enjoyable for me, but there’s a strong chance they could have made it thinner as well. Regardless, this is among the best-designed phones I’ve used in years, and as we’ll see, it finally addresses the key compromises of other thin phones. It also comes in four colors — Black, White, Purple, and Orange — and yes, I’m using the now-very-familiar Orange variant that looks just as stylish as my iPhone 17 Pro.

Battery and charging are key areas in which the Magic 8 Pro Air excels compared to the competition, and simultaneously solves the biggest issue with other thin phones.

The iPhone Air features a 3,149 mAh battery, with Apple also making a separate iPhone Air MagSafe battery pack that close to doubles the capacity. At around 7mm thick, this more than doubles the iPhone Air's overall thickness to ~13mm when used together. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S25 Edge features a larger 3,900 mAh battery with no official Qi2 battery pack.

In comparison, the Magic 8 Pro Air excels considerably, featuring a 5,500 mAh battery with support for 80W wired charging and 50W wireless charging. For context, this is larger than the battery in the iPhone 17 Pro Max, the new Galaxy S26 Ultra, or even folding phones like the Galaxy Z Fold 7. It takes around 50 minutes to charge the Magic 8 Pro Air to full, which is also faster than both the iPhone Air and the Galaxy S25 Edge.

I was shocked by the battery size, and then even more shocked when it delivered the exact all-day battery life I’ve been waiting for from a thin phone. Over the past few weeks, the battery life has averaged around 5-6 hours of screen time per day, which is more than enough, but I’ve also had it go over seven hours when used mostly on Wi-Fi. This is incredible, and simply put, the Magic 8 Pro Air is the first thin phone to offer true flagship battery life.

The camera is another area in which the Magic 8 Pro Air excels. The iPhone Air features a single 48MP camera, while the Galaxy S25 Edge features a 200MP main camera and a 12MP ultrawide camera. Yet both lack the full range of camera features you’d find in either company’s flagship phones, which is another reason some customers may have opted against the thin variants.

The Honor Magic 8 Pro Air doesn’t have such compromises.

The Magic 8 Pro Air shows that thin phones can have great cameras, thanks to a 50MP main camera with f/1.6 aperture, a 50MP ultrawide camera, and a 64MP periscope telephoto camera with 3.2x optical zoom.

This is virtually identical to the camera system found in the new Honor Magic V6 folding phone, but the Magic 8 Pro Air also has a much better 50MP selfie camera.

I’ve been waiting for a thin phone that actually delivers in the camera department, and this is the first phone not to disappoint: the Honor Magic 8 Pro Air is the first thin phone to actually deliver a flagship camera experience, and it’s absolutely wonderful to use in real-world usage.

Thin phones often struggle with cooling under heavy performance, but the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 processor inside the Magic 8 Pro Air stays noticeably cooler than any other thin phone, even when using on-device AI features.

Similarly, Honor’s software is well-optimized for both the form factor and the lack of thermal window, and the phone has yet to struggle, crash, or lag in any way. Yes, it runs a Chinese ROM, so you can’t set a different default launcher, but aside from that small point, Honor’s Magic UI is fantastic and intuitive to use.

There’s also full support for Google Apps, support for eSIMs — which is extremely rare on Chinese phones — and even a SIM tray, which is missing from the iPhone Air. This could easily launch globally with very few tweaks to the UX.

The under-display fingerprint sensor works well, but I do wish Honor had adopted a fingerprint sensor on the power button instead. And just to prove it’s truly a flagship, there’s also IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance, with the latter proving to be a key differentiator that many non-thin phones don’t even offer.

The Magic 8 Pro Air is the best thin phone ever made.

This is a big statement, and the caveat is that there aren’t that many. Having tried every thin phone — including the Tecno, Huawei, and Motorola versions that are limited to China or elsewhere — one thing is clear: the Magic 8 Pro Air is the best thin phone ever made.

I’ll take it a step further: it’s one of the best phones ever made, thin or otherwise. Honor has proven that thin phones can be made without many compromises, and in doing so, it’s set a benchmark for other companies to follow. If a thin phone can be this good, what does it mean for non-thin phones going forward? Regardless, it's already one of my favorite Android phones, and aside from the best folding phones, it's setting a benchmark that I'm not sure the competition will beat.

The only downside to the Magic 8 Pro Air? It’s exclusive to China only, at least right now. It starts at ¥4,999 (~$717) for the 12/256GB version in China, with the top variant costing ¥5,999 for 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. It would be more expensive in global markets, but there’s no doubt in my mind that Honor needs to bring this to global markets. It’s that good that every country deserves to be able to buy this.

Price hikes could prove to be the biggest story of 2026 — memory and storage shortages are adding to rising component prices that could inevitably reach consumers. That context is crucial to understanding the Google Pixel 10a, which I've been using for the past two weeks. The past four generations of A-series Pixel phones came with complete redesigns and performance upgrades, but the Pixel 10a is different. It's using a design that's almost identical to the Pixel 9a, and it is powered by the same Tensor G4 processor.

With that in mind, you might be wondering why you should bother paying for the Google Pixel 10a if it has more similarities than differences with its predecessor. After living with the Pixel 10a and comparing it with the Pixel 9a, the answer is more obvious than it seems. Google made just enough hardware changes while adding Android 16 and a few Pixel 10-exclusive software features to the Pixel 10a without raising the price. That last part is crucial.

I suspect Google had to choose between raising the price of the Pixel 10a and upgrading key components or keeping the status quo. It chose the latter, and that might be for the best. There isn't a single phone in the Pixel 10a's class priced at $500 or less — the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE, OnePlus 15R, and iPhone 17e are all more expensive. In that case, the Pixel 10a still feels like the best $500 Android phone you can buy, even if we all wish there were more hardware changes.

Google announced the Pixel 10a on Feb. 18, 2026 and pre-orders opened that day. The phone officially launches March 5, 2026 starting at $499 for the 128GB model. The upgraded 256GB configuration is available for $599, and there are a handful of promotions and trade-in offers that can help sweeten the deal.

It's hard to notice unless you have the two phones side-by-side, but arguably the most impactful Pixel 10a upgrade is the refreshed camera bump. It looks just like the Pixel 9a's slight "waterdrop" camera housing from afar, but the Pixel 10a version is completely flush. To be specific, the glass covering the rear camera system is actually recessed behind the composite plastic back panel. If you're worried about the plastic back, don't be. The Google Pixel 10a rear casing is comfortable, and one less thing for you to crack.

The smartphone is technically thicker than its predecessor, measuring 9mm thick compared to the Pixel 9a's 8.9mm figure. However, the amazing thing about having a flush camera system is that Google's advertised 9mm thickness is truly 9mm. You can rest the Pixel 10a on a flat surface, like a table or desk, without it rocking around unbalanced. I have noticed that the lack of a raised edge makes the lens cover more prone to collecting fingerprints, but otherwise, the completely flat back is a huge perk of using the Pixel 10a.

There are a few other design changes you might not pick up on. The physical SIM card tray is still here, even for U.S. buyers, but it has been relocated to the top-left side of the device. Taking its place on the bottom left of the smartphone is a matching speaker grill to add symmetry to the Pixel 10a. There's just one thing to note — it's not a working speaker. The stereo speaker system only uses the earpiece and the right bottom speaker, while the left grille is strictly for visual effect (and a microphone).

The top of the Google Pixel 10a has one cellular antenna band instead of two on the Pixel 9a. This could be related to a modem change — the Pixel 10a uses the newer Exynos 5400 modem for connectivity. Crucially, this modem supports satellite connectivity. You get Satellite SOS on the Google Pixel 10a as a result, whereas the Pixel 9a missed out on that feature. These are tiny differences, but this was a tiny annual update from Google.

You also have a USB-C port on the bottom for charging, and speeds are faster this year. A fast charger support 45W speeds and the PPS standard can get the Pixel 10a up to 50% battery in 30 minutes, which is impressive. There's wireless charging, which is also faster at 10W. However, the new phone didn't get Qi2's speed increases or magnetic Pixelsnap compatibility. This is a shame, and I wish Qi2 support became standard on all Android phones, but it appears to be another cost-cutting measure.

Google upgraded the display glass from Gorilla Glass 3 to Gorilla Glass 7i, which is a notable durability improvement. It won't hold up against Corning's best glass, like Ceramic Shield 2 or Gorilla Armor 2, though. In just a few weeks of use, I picked up a few gnarly scratches on my Pixel 10a, so you'll probably want to use a screen protector with yours. In terms of build quality, the Pixel 10a is once again IP68 certified.

The display is another holdover from the Pixel 9a, with one minor tweak: the screen now gets 200 nits brighter in HDR mode and 300 nits brighter in peak conditions. Otherwise, the Pixel 10a has the same 6.3-inch pOLED screen with a 1080x2424 resolution as its predecessor. The bezels are on the larger side, but this is something you forget about within a few minutes of using the device.

Out of the box, the Pixel 10a screen felt a little lackluster. It wasn't very responsive and the colors seemed off, especially with a dim look around the display edges. This is easily fixed by changing two settings, but you'll want to make these changes. You need to manually enable 120Hz refresh rates (60Hz is the out-of-box default) and you might want to change the Adaptive color profile to Natural. To me, switching this setting significantly improved the Pixel 10a's display, evening out the color vibrancy and brightness across the entire screen.

The camera hardware is unchanged compared to the Pixel 9a, but I don't think this is much of an issue. Google revamped the Pixel 9a camera system, and the changes were for the better. Colors weren't oversaturated and photos turned out more lifelike due to new color science and processing differences. I'm seeing the same with photos captured with the Pixel 10a — the 48MP wide-angle lens and 13MP ultrawide camera still take excellent shots for the price.

You can see the results for yourself in the Google Pixel 10a camera samples below:

As is tradition, the Google Pixel 10a received a few new software-based camera features. It now supports Camera Coach, a Pixel 10 series feature that uses specialized Gemini models to give you photography tips. This is great for beginners, or anyone looking to hone in their photography skills. Auto Best Take, which automatically captures multiple photos in group shots and merges them together so that everyone looks their best, is also on the A-series Pixel for the first time.

The Google Pixel 10a doesn't have enough RAM — the 8GB memory paired with the Tensor G4 processor was too little last year, and it's even worse this time around. It can't run mainline Gemini Nano models as a result, and that rules out on-device AI features like notification summaries, Pixel Screenshots, and Call Notes. Google tries to make up for this by supplementing the offerings with cloud-based features, like the aforementioned Camera Coach and others such as Gemini Live. But if you even remotely care about private, on-device AI processing, you shouldn't get the Pixel 10a.

Unsurprisingly, the Google Pixel 10a and Pixel 9a perform about the same in benchmark tests due to having the same processor, memory, and storage configuration. The idea of buying a new phone with an old chip stings, but it's not unprecedented. Apple did the same with prior iPhone models, and at the end of the day, few of us need the latest chip. I switched from pricey flagships to the Pixel 10a and didn't notice a difference in what I could do with my smartphone due to a lack of performance.

In my experience, the low amount of memory compared to the Pixel 10 (12GB) and Pixel 10 Pro/XL (16GB) is a much bigger pitfall than the Tensor G4 chip.

Battery life has been downright impressive on the Pixel 10a. It has a 5,100 mAh capacity that will last you all day and then some. I'm covering MWC 2026, which means long days and a lot of travel, and the Pixel 10a has given me roughly six hours of screen on time in exchange for 50% of battery usage.

The Pixel 10a's biggest competition is the Pixel 9a, which is now cheaper and will see even more discounts as it ages. I'm just not so sure the older model is a better deal. By choosing the Pixel 9a, you're missing out on the minor hardware changes, exclusive features, and longer software support window. It might be worth getting the Pixel 10a just so you start with Android 16 and have the full seven years of Android OS upgrade support.

That said, there's a bigger case to be made for jumping up to the base model Pixel 10 than ever. If you upgrade, the Pixel 10 gives you a new processor, more memory, and a telephoto camera, among many other changes.

There's a lot to like about the Google Pixel 10a, despite it being a mostly recycled version of the Pixel 9a. The identical price point, at just $500, is chief among them. However, it's admittedly hard to justify getting a new phone without a new chip.

Let’s be brutally honest here: $799 is a lot to pay for a pair of headphones in a world that is seeing significant economic shifts that make it difficult for ordinary, everyday people to survive, much less thrive. So, it may come as a surprise that, according to research, when times are tough, people tend to cope by leaning more heavily on live music, in-home entertainment, and other vices.

During times like these, spending on the kind of entertainment that will immerse you in another world and help you calm your nervous system may actually go up.

That’s where the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 comes in. From onboarding via the app, to the built-in physical controls on the earcups, to the five-band EQ, to the well-thought-out case, the experience with the Px8 S2 is top-tier. But, is it worth the cost difference between the equally compelling next step down, Px7 S3?

The Px8 S2 launches at $100 more than the previous generation, likely due to the built-in headphone amplifier/DAC, which enables wired lossless playback. However, we’ll come back to that in a moment. First, let's talk about the onboarding experience.

Many apps require you to connect to them directly first, then exit that app to establish a Bluetooth connection, or vice versa. With the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2, it’s all done without having to leave the app. This refinement foreshadows the experience I had with these headphones. But let’s back up a bit to the unboxing.

The second generation of the Px8 series features, among other things, a smaller case and a more svelte pair of headphones. My review unit is the Warm Sandstone colorway, with the color-matched case. And it is beautiful. I like that it’s a cloth case instead of PU/vegan/faux leather because the latter tends to peel over time.

The inside of the case is lined with a delightfully soft microfiber and includes a much-appreciated storage pocket with a magnetic closure. Inside that pocket, you’ll find USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to 3.5mm soft touch polymer-wrapped cables.

The headphone’s details are immaculate. The Warm Sandstone pair I’m rocking has color-matched Nappa leather earcups and a headband that both breathe well and are delightfully comfortable. The aluminum arms have cutouts that expose the color-matched woven cables running through them.

The clamping force is comfortably “tight,” but I have a huge melon, so your mileage may vary. The arms offer enough vertical adjustment, along with multi-axis swivel, so getting a proper fit shouldn’t be an issue at all.

As I tested, sometimes wearing the headphones for extended periods, I wondered whether folks with large ears might find the Px8 S2 to be a tight fit. The earcups fit me well, but my ears aren’t huge, and I wouldn’t characterize the fit for me as “roomy.” Absolutely comfortable, but with little room to spare.

Meanwhile, the Bowers & Wilkins companion app is intentionally minimalist. Personally, I like as much control as possible, but I wasn’t disappointed with the Px8 S2 because pretty much everything I needed was on the earcups. Playback controls, a power slider switch, volume up and down, and a customizable “Quick Action” button are all mechanical buttons that I found to be intuitively placed and very responsive. The Quick Action button can be used to cycle through noise-control modes or invoke your voice assistant.

Take everything I loved about the Px7 S3 but make it more upscale in ways that reek of luxury in more than just higher quality aesthetic choices, but extend to the internals as well, which makes a difference in sound quality. Instead of the biocellulose drivers found in the Px7 S3, the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 uses carbon cone drivers. With that, you get faster transients, tighter bass, and more nuance in sound reproduction.

No matter which mode you choose to listen through, Bluetooth, USB-C, or 3.5mm, the sound is going to be immaculate. Listening to music via the BTD700 Bluetooth adapter and a Pixel 9, and via 3.5mm with a FiiO M21 DAP, the soundstage is big and airy. I would say there’s a great sense of height and width, with some depth.

You definitely get a strong sense of instrument placement on tracks like Herbie Hancock’s “Watermelon Man,” and Art Blakey’s “Moanin’.” For some listeners, the bottom may feel too warm, but that never comes at the expense of other frequencies. Highs are bright and can get clinical with some tracks like Blakey’s “Moanin’,” while smooth with others. It’s really all about how a song is mixed/mastered.

My favorite music genre to listen to with the Px8 S2 has been Jazz. With a track that is well-mastered, or expertly remastered, the sense of immersion is absolutely chef’s kiss! Thelonius Monk’s “Monk’s Dream (Take 8)” has an intro that beautifully arranges the piano in stereo left and the drum kit in stereo right, but then Monk comes in with the horn. It feels like it’s centered behind them, almost as if it’s playing from the back of your head, while not losing any presence.

Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Cannonball Aderly’s “So What” is a gorgeous arrangement that hits a beautifully layered change around 3 minutes in.

What’s so enjoyable about the tuning for the Px8 S2 is the gravitas that basslines have, whether that’s an upright bass or bass guitar. The weighty basslines never impede the great guitar work, as I thoroughly enjoyed listening to tracks by Sylosis and System of a Down. The attack and decay of guitars, fingers sliding up and down frets, it’s all there, anchored by the weight of the rhythm instruments.

Now, I will say that there were tracks in the speed metal and orchestral genres that I felt could use more sparkle, as I’d characterize the Px8 S2’s overall sound as warm. This was easily resolved by utilizing the serviceable five-band EQ included in the Bowers & Wilkins app. Adjusting the high and low frequencies gave me what I was looking for with mixes and genres where I wanted the treble to shine a bit more.

Aside from audio, the experience of using the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 has been top-tier at every turn! The on-head detection is highly responsive, pausing and restarting songs almost instantly when I remove or put the headphones back on.

The playback control button on the right earcup is knurled (shown in the picture above), so it’s very easy to identify by touch, despite being between the volume up and down buttons. Having the option, in the box, to use either USB-C or 3.5mm is excellent for those using multiple sources for music.

Other than the price, it’s hard to find anything to dislike about the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2, seriously. The main issue I think anyone would have is subjective: warm tuning. As I previously stated, it is mitigated well by utilizing the five-band EQ in the minimalist Bowers & Wilkins app. You can access most features directly from the headphones, so there's little for the app to do. But what is a strength for some may be an issue for others.

Finally, the Px8 S2 prioritizes sound over ANC. If you aren’t aware, more aggressive ANC often has an adverse overall effect on sound quality. This means that there are high-end headphones like the Px7 S3 and Px8 S2 that build ANC hardware and algorithms where the focus is on maintaining audio fidelity, not top-tier active noise cancellation.

To be clear, the noise cancellation is solid, but Sony and Bose have no worries in that specific area.

Given the price, the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 faces competition from the Sony WH-1000XM6 and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen), which offer better active noise cancelling. However, they can’t match the Px8 S2 in build materials and sound quality. They’re both hundreds of dollars cheaper and are great all-around headphones.

They also have solid competition from the Noble FoKus Apollo and Dali IO-8, giving the B&W a run for its money in both sonic performance and price. They both elevate your listening sessions above the Sony and Bose options, though in different ways, such as call quality.

Nothing is “perfect,” but the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 gets pretty darn close! If they had ANC that rivaled Sony’s implementation, they’d get five stars. That said, they are good enough, though, that these may be five-star headphones for you! With their luxurious fit and finish — and price tag — the Px8 S2 are a tough act to follow. In the area of sound quality, they’re among the best Bluetooth over-ear headphones you can buy right now.

It started with Wordle; I enjoy doing the puzzle daily, so I pulled up the NYT Games app on my Xiaomi 17 Ultra only to see that it crashed upon launching. So I went into the settings and cleared storage, and the app worked. But when I launched it the following day, it was the same problem. I ultimately decided to just do the puzzle via the browser.

Thankfully, this was the only problem I noticed on the Xiaomi 17 Ultra in the two weeks I used the phone as my daily driver. Now, I've had dozens of problems with the software on Xiaomi phones over the last decade, but to the brand's credit, it did a good job addressing long-standing issues like memory management and notification problems.

Other than a few errant crashes, the Android 16-based software on the Xiaomi 17 Ultra has been reliable to use, and that's a good thing — it means that Xiaomi is finally learning from past mistakes. On that note, while it isn't an issue as such, Xiaomi needs to overhaul notification pulldown gestures; ColorOS and OriginOS do a better job, and if the brand can just "borrow" how its Chinese rivals handle notifications, I wouldn't have anything to complain about with the software on Xiaomi phones.

Actually, as we're on the subject, Xiaomi needs to do a better job rolling out long-term updates. Okay, that's definitely the last of my quibbles with the phone. Well, Xiaomi could do with a visual refresh of the UI, but other than that, the software on the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is decent.

I began with the software, because that ultimately determines which phone I use as my daily driver. Chinese phone manufacturers have solved the fundamentals; whether it's the Find X9 Pro, Vivo X300 Pro, or the Realme GT 8 Pro, you get the latest internals, huge batteries, vibrant OLED panels with meaningful customizability, fluid software, and standout cameras.

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is no different; I used all the preceding Ultra phones the brand rolled out, and there's no question that the brand is delivering decent upgrades this year. Xiaomi is still using a 1-inch sensor for the 50MP main camera, and there's a new 200MP tele lens, 50MP wide-angle, and a 50MP lens at the front.

Xiaomi is once again leveraging its Leica collaboration to good effect, and you get a decent set of custom modes and shooting styles. Now, there's a dedicated Leica Edition of the Xiaomi 17 Ultra with a mechanical zoom ring, but that's limited to China — the model I'm using is the global Xiaomi 17 Ultra that made its debut at Mobile World Congress at 2026. The phone is going on sale in the U.K., India, and other global markets, where it starts at the equivalent of €1,499 ($1,770) and £1,299 ($1,750) in the U.K. Obviously, that's close to what you'd pay for a foldable, and it's clear that the RAM shortage is driving prices to never-before-seen levels.

The 200MP zoom lens is of particular interest as the module gets continual optical zoom going from 3.2x to 4.3x. The zoom lens is the one I end up using the most as it doubles as a portrait shooter, and Xiaomi made heady gains in this area from previous years. Vivo's X300 Pro still has an edge, but it's a slender lead at this point — the Xiaomi 17 Ultra takes portraits that are technically just as good, but I prefer Vivo's tuning a little better.

That said, the 50MP main camera on the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is nothing short of extraordinary. The phone takes outstanding shots in just about any scenario, and I got detailed photos in challenging low-light conditions. The only quibble I have with the camera is that it doesn't do as good a job with fast-moving subjects — like a toddler running around the house.

Xiaomi's image tuning is better than last year, with the phone delivering photos with true-to-life colors. Xiaomi nailed the technicalities, and there really isn't anything to fault with any of the cameras this time — I enjoyed using the wide-angle lens too. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra did a great job with videos as well; all rear cameras have the ability to shoot 4K60 Dolby Vision video, and there's decent stabilization and good color rendition.

Xiaomi went out of its way to highlight its Leica collaboration; there's a Leica logo on the rear of the phone, and the camera island itself has Leica branding. On that subject, the phone feels better in-hand than last year; it has a flat design, and the rounded edges make a difference when it comes to usability.

I really like what Xiaomi did with the design this year; the green model looks exquisite, and it has a satin texture that feels great to hold — it looks every bit as high-end as the Vivo X300 Pro. The green color extends to the sides as well, and the matte texture on the mid-frame contrasts well with the satin finish at the rear.

The camera island dominates the design, and its positioning means there's no wobble when using the phone on a table. Xiaomi did a good job with weight distribution as well, and I didn't get the feeling that the phone is top-heavy. Instead of a traditional volume rocker, Xiaomi is using dedicated up and down volume buttons, and they're better in my view.

Interestingly, you don't get any extra buttons; there's no camera control button, no shortcut key to launch an AI assistant, or any other extraneous buttons that clutter the device. That's refreshing in a way, and I like what Xiaomi did with the design of the phone. It gets IP68ingress protection, but the global model misses out on IP69. Durability is good — I don't see any damage on the device even after a few tumbles.

Switching over to the front, Xiaomi went with a bigger 6.9-inch panel this time, but because of thinner bezels, the phone isn't noticeably wider or taller than the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, and that's a good thing. If anything, it's better to hold and use than the Galaxy S26 Ultra even though it's a little heavier at 219g.

The 6.9-inch AMOLED has exquisite colors, and it gets brighter this year. I used the phone outdoors on an usually-hot day in Bengaluru, and didn't have any issues. Xiaomi always does a great job calibrating its panels out of the box, and that's no different this year. In addition, you get extensive customizability when it comes to adjusting the color balance on your Xiaomi 17 Ultra, and there are decent eye comfort features.

Viewing Dolby Vision content on the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is an absolute joy, and the phone holds up just as well at gaming. Granted, I just played Balatro on the phone alongside a few runs of Dead Cells, but it did a great job. I tested demanding games as well, and like other 2026 flagships, it handles visually-intensive titles without breaking a sweat.

It tends to get hot, but that is the case with all Qualcomm-powered phones I tested this year, and it doesn't get any warmer than the iQOO 15 or Realme GT 8 Pro during extended gaming sessions. What I like about Xiaomi phones is that you get all the high-res codecs you need; the phone has the full AptX suite — including AptX Adaptive — and you get LHDC 5.0, giving you the ability to stream lossless media to headsets or buds that use these codecs.

Xiaomi doesn't have a telephoto lens attachment — unlike what OPPO and Vivo are doing on their phones — but the brand continues to roll out its Photography Kit accessory that includes a custom case and a grip. This time, you get two variants, and the Kit Pro comes with a detachable grip and is a delight to use. The grip includes camera controls and a shutter button, and it mimics the feel of using a digital camera, even if it adds a little bulk and heft to the phone.

The regular kit is a decent choice if you don't want to add too much bulk to the phone, but you miss out on the versatility of just being able to use the case. Either way, the accessory bundle is polished, and Xiaomi did a good job in this area. I would've liked Xiaomi to deliver a dedicated camera lens attachment, but that looks to be a little while away.

Now, what Xiaomi actually got right is the hardware; the 17 Ultra has the latest available internals, and the phone comes with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.1 storage. It is just as fast as the other flagships I used in recent months, and I have no issues when it comes to the internals.

The only gremlin I noticed is that the phone didn't connect to my home's 6GHz band — it was on the 5GHz channel. Now, the Xiaomi Pad 8 and Find X9 Pro don't have this problem, so I don't really know why the 17 Ultra was limited to the 5GHz band. As these things go, it's a pretty minor inconvenience. I didn't have any issues with Bluetooth, NFC, or making calls with the device. The vibration motor is pretty good too, and it has detailed feedback while using the keyboard and navigating the UI.

Battery life is an area where Chinese phones dominate, and the 17 Ultra has a 6,000mAh battery that lasts over a day without breaking a sweat. Even with heavy use involving local travel and navigation, the 17 Ultra lasted all day without any issues. And when it comes to charging, the phone retains Xiaomi's 90W charging tech, and it takes under 50 minutes to charge fully.

The Chinese model has a bigger 6,800mAh battery, so it is annoying to see the global variant being limited in this area, but even then, I didn't see any issues getting the phone to last all day.

Overall, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is just better to use than its predecessors. The changes to the design make it easier to hold and use, and the upgrades to the cameras along with the new tuning algorithms give the phone a distinct advantage. There's no question that the 17 Ultra is better than the Galaxy S26 Ultra and Pixel 10 Pro XL, and if anything, it is on an equal footing with the Find X9 Pro and Vivo X300 Pro. The differences are all down to what kind of image tuning you prefer, but when it comes to the technical details, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is undoubtedly one of the best camera phones of 2026 — and I'm excited that it is now available globally.

Samsung's Galaxy XR is one of the most interesting VR headsets I've ever used, and I've been testing VR headsets for over 12 years now. It's far from Samsung's first VR headset — that would be the Gear VR, launched in September 2014 — but it's easily the best headset the company has ever made.

That all starts with cutting-edge hardware, excellent design, and an operating system that's made for the modern XR age. But you've probably heard all this at least once in the four months since the headset launched, so how does it hold up over time?

Mostly very well, and that's because this headset's real superpower isn't in the hardware at all. It's held almost entirely in the fact that this headset features seamless Android app compatibility through the Google Play Store. That means every app you already know and love to use is already available, and it works so seamlessly that it almost overpowers the negative aspects of the headset.

I've put a ton of hours into using the Galaxy XR and have made it part of my daily routine. While I may be at my desk part of the day, I also find myself working elsewhere in the house from time to time. When I'm on the couch, looking down at my laptop hurts my neck after a while. Using the Galaxy XR as a monitor is easy as can be, especially with apps like Virtual Desktop, which also make a perfect way to play SteamVR games on the headset.

Running my computer's virtual monitor alongside several Android apps means that I can put down my phone and do everything in-headset. That keeps me in the flow and focused on my work better than constantly being distracted by the phone next to me. It also means I can get everything done without regularly needing to juggle between devices. This headset does it all, and it does it extremely well.

Every single Android app I tried worked flawlessly on the Galaxy XR. Whether it was playing Minecraft or Roblox with my son on a giant virtual screen (using my favorite Bluetooth 8BitDo controller), or using Google's handy Quick Share to send and receive files between my phone, PC, tablets, and family's devices, I was constantly impressed with how well a Samsung device worked with all of my non-Samsung products.

In fact, navigation works so well that I often find myself looking at things in real life and attempting to pinch to select them as if they were part of the XR experience. If you're not aware, the Galaxy XR features eye-tracking capabilities on its lenses, allowing you to look at UI elements and select them with a finger pinch. Just like on Apple Vision Pro, you don't need to raise your hand like a laser pointer. Just leave it in your lap, and the cameras on the underside of the headset can see them just fine.

Samsung is also using built-in eye-tracking to automate lens spacing to accommodate various interpupillary distances (IPD). An incorrect IPD can lead to headaches and dizziness, so it's great to see the system doing this without the need for user intervention. The Galaxy XR also features biometric iris identification (yeah, that one), making it dead simple to log into all your services and pay with full security. This is another area where the Galaxy XR absolutely trumps Meta Quest headsets, especially when it comes to making it easy to log into all your favorite apps and services.

The OLED display behind the lenses is extremely crisp and sports plenty of brightness to make mixed reality content look great. While the PWM dimming on most Samsung Galaxy phones typically gives me a headache, the Galaxy XR only gave me mild discomfort if there wasn't enough ambient light in the room.

It's also incredibly easy to multitask between apps or run them side-by-side, although Android XR has a bit of maturing to do to properly compete with desktop operating systems. Snapping windows isn't as seamless as it is on Windows, Mac OS, or even a Meta Quest headset, and while it's dead simple to move them around and resize them, there are no advanced options for curving windows or anything like that.

This touches on the main area where Galaxy XR needs the most work: polishing. Taking a screenshot is easy, but you have to navigate through several menus to record the screen. Launching apps from the home screen is ridiculously easy, but Google's promise of a Gemini AI that can control everything simply isn't true. I found lots of things Gemini can't help with on the Galaxy XR, and that might have been the most disappointing thing of all, given the hype of this being the first version of Android "built for the Gemini era."

I'm also confused about Samsung's decision not to include controllers in the box. Yes, this headset is primarily designed for productivity or entertainment purposes, where controllers simply aren't necessary, but the lack of controllers means most VR experiences won't work without them. Buying them separately might also be fine if they weren't $250 for a pair, but both of these negative factors weigh heavily on the headset's value.

This one would easily be the best wireless SteamVR headset available if Samsung just included those controllers in the box, and the lack of default controllers has also created an environment where most VR developers won't port their games to the headset. In other words, you should only consider this for gaming if you also plan to buy the controllers.

I hate that this is such a huge downside to the headset, because I genuinely love the design, fit, comfort, and battery design, even if it won't work for everyone. The overall design is strikingly similar to 2022's Meta Quest Pro, offsetting the headset's weight with generous forehead pads and a built-in cradle for the back of your head.

But while Samsung improved the forehead pad design with modular, magnetically attachable pads, it didn't learn from Meta's headstrap design. Both headsets use a rigid plastic strap that is not detachable and cannot be rotated, so there's a specific way to wear them rather than allowing users to adjust them to their level of comfort.

For me, the design is great, but I can also see how some people would like to be able to offset the weight onto some other part of their head. That great design extends to the weight, which is made lighter by offsetting the battery's weight into a detachable pack that you can leave in your pocket.

This also makes it dead easy to plug into a wall for long-term "office work" or connect to another battery to keep playing for longer, a massive improvement on the Quest Pro's built-in, non-removable battery design.

If Samsung could just include controllers in the box, it would be substantially easier to recommend this headset. That's especially true now that Meta no longer has the first-party studio dominance it once had, meaning Android XR and the Galaxy XR could be the de facto alternative to Meta if developers started porting to the OS.

As it stands, the Galaxy XR's primary purpose is to be an "infinite canvas" for all your apps, and while it achieves that goal spectacularly well, it lacks the bespoke VR library that Meta Quest headsets have. Still, the capability to run all Android apps from the Google Play Store is a monumental achievement that ultimately makes this headset something truly special and achieves what Meta or Apple simply were unable to do: give you every app you love in infinitely resizable, movable windows anywhere you are.

Onyx Boox tablets are what Amazon's Kindle e-readers could only dream of being. Equipped with the Google Play Store, native OCR, stylus support, and a wide range of features found in full-fledged Android tablets, Boox's E Ink devices are spectacular. The Boox Note Air 4 C used to be the best E Ink tablet from Onyx Boox, and the best all-around e-paper tablet period. It was succeeded by the Note Air 5 C in October 2025, and I have been testing it for about a month now.

The Onyx Boox Note Air 5 C adds iterative upgrades to the Onyx Boox Note Air 4 C. However, the result is a polished product that performs smoother than ever before, is just as light as ever, and retains all the features that I love about Onyx Boox's Android e-paper tablets.

First, let's take a look at the technical specifications and compare what's different — or unchanged — between the Onyx Boox Note Air 5 C vs. Note Air 4 C.

Onyx Boox Note Air 5 C vs. Onyx Boox Note Air 4 C

The latest Onyx Boox Note Air 5 C costs $30 more than the last-gen Note Air 4 C, and you can buy both tablets from Amazon or Onyx Boox's website. From the 10.3-inch Kaleido 3 display to the processor and memory specs, both tablets have almost exactly the same hardware.

Design-wise, not much has changed either. Everything is in the same place, from the power button with the built-in fingerprint sensor to the USB-C port on the left-hand side of the tablet, so you can use last-gen cases on the new Note Air 5 C.

Onyx Boox has promised three years of software upgrades to both tablets. Once you update the Note Air 4 C, both tablets run the latest version of BOOX Firmware, which is Firmware V4.1. However, the Note Air 5 C runs Android 13, whereas the last-gen Boox still runs Android 13.

This means you can access nearly all the same tools on both devices, including BOOXDrop, BOOXDrop Screen Mirroring, a Smooth refresh mode thanks to BOOX Super Refresh, AI Assistant, FreeMark, Kids Mode, Split Screen, and more.

While the Note Air 4 C was a little glitchy at launch, the Note Air 5 C is incredibly smooth. Despite having the same hardware, it performs better, and even the fingerprint scanner is faster.

There are two new cases for the Boox Note Air 5 C

So why does the Onyx Boox Note Air 5 C weigh 10g more? There's a new pogo pin connector for the Magnetic Keyboard Cover. It snaps on magnetically and connects instantly, without any setup required.

The Note Air 5 C's Magnetic Keyboard Cover transforms the tablet into a portable workstation. Its Split Screen mode is optimized to work really well with the keyboard case. You can choose to switch to the Smooth refresh mode automatically when the keyboard connects for no lag or ghosting.

The Magnetic Keyboard Cover does not need to be charged, and it has a USB-C port for pass-through charging. It has a detachable magnetic flap that holds the stylus.

Unfortunately, the Keyboard Cover costs a whopping $109.99, which is too rich for a lot of people's blood. Meanwhile, the new Note Air 5 C Case costs $50.99.

Just like the Keyboard Cover, the Note Air 5 C Case also has a magnetic flap that detaches completely. This solves the issue with the Note Air 4 C Case, where the stylus would move about and go inside the folio.

The latest Boox tablet case also adds a USB-C cutout into the spine of the tablet, so you can finally charge the Note Air 5 C without having to open the folio.

Onyx Boox upgraded the stylus

The Onyx Boox Note Air 5 C comes with the latest Pen3 instead of the Pen Plus. Both styluses are battery-less EMR pens that work with the WACOM layer on top of Boox tablets.

The Pen3 is slimmer, smoother, and more streamlined, so it's more comfortable to hold, and it has a compartment to store extra nibs. Both pens also support 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity.

Should you buy the Onyx Boox Note Air 5 C?

Onyx Boox's lineup remains the most cohesive e-reader experience in the industry, tapping into the unlimited potential of Android and the Google Play Store. The app support is phenomenal. Native OCR is amazing to the point that even if you have a PDF file that contains scanned pages of a document, you can annotate them, copy them, and recognize them offline using the Boox Notes app.

With the new Magnetic Keyboard Cover and upgraded Pen3, the Onyx Boox Note Air 5 C is a professional and educational tool of the highest caliber. It's non-distractive but not dull. Learning feels fun with the colorful Kaleido 3 E Ink panel. BOOX Firmware's intuitive plethora of tools and features facilitates productivity.

Paying an extra $30 for the Onyx Boox Note Air 5 C over the Note Air 4 C makes perfect sense. You get Android 15 instead of 13, a newer stylus, and support for a magnetic keyboard. Even if you don't buy the keyboard case right away, you always have the option to buy it later.

When I learned that Motorola was making a new smartwatch, I was cautiously optimistic. The Moto Watch isn't running Wear OS, meaning we still don't have a true Moto 360 successor, but the company's partnership with Polar seemed promising, as Polar makes some impressive fitness smartwatches. Surely Motorola would make the best use of this to turn this relatively affordable smartwatch into something worth picking up?

Unfortunately, my time with the Moto Watch proved that Motorola still has a way to go. There are some good ideas, but nothing feels fully baked, and I can't help but feel Motorola would have been better off with Wear OS, even if it means battery life takes a hit.

At first glance, the Moto Watch is actually a pretty solid smartwatch. The design kind of reminds me of something between the Galaxy Watch 7 and the OnePlus Watch 3. The aluminum frame gives it a premium look, and while the watch is fairly thick, it doesn't feel particularly heavy. I don't have the biggest wrists, but I don't mind that it only comes in a 47mm case size. This won't be for everyone, though.

On the plus side, the size gives the large 1.43-inch OLED display more time to shine, and while I don't know how bright it is, I never had much trouble viewing it outside.

Setting up the Moto Watch is fairly simple and just requires downloading the Moto Watch app and pairing the devices. The process walks you through the navigation, which is very reminiscent of Wear OS. A swipe down from the top opens the quick settings menu; swiping up shows notifications; and swiping from either side cycles through the panels, which are similar to Wear OS tiles.

In fact, much of the software experience is pretty smooth and reminds me of Wear OS, which is great because I find that some other smartwatch UIs can be too confusing and convoluted (looking at you, Garmin), or just clunky. Pressing the crown opens the app grid, which is laid out similarly to the one on Galaxy Watches, and the crown rotates to let you easily scroll through menus. Unfortunately, it feels awfully flimsy and cheap, despite being made of stainless steel.

The button below the crown is a shortcut key that you can also customize to open any watch app.

Unfortunately, the similarities to Wear OS mostly end there, and it becomes clear very quickly just how minimal the Moto Watch is. For example, there are only a handful of available apps, which are mostly watch functions like clocks, timers, and weather, or tied to health and wellness features. You can't download anymore.

There are also very few customization options for the Moto Watch, and you won't find too many ways to change how the watch behaves. Fortunately, you can change and customize the watch face, many of which are available on the Moto Watch app. You can also use Moto AI on the companion app to generate your own watch face, which is pretty neat.

Speaking of Moto AI, its main function on the watch is to summarize notifications, which you can access via the Summarize button at the top of the notification view. It's only available on select Motorola phones, likely those that have Moto AI available, and while it's a handy way to catch up on notifications if you're bad at checking your phone, that's where its convenience ends.

In fact, the entire notification experience on the Moto Watch is lacking. Sure, you can view notifications from your phone, but you can't actually interact with them. As someone who primarily uses Wear OS watches, which let you type messages or select from pre-written responses, this is one of my biggest gripes with the Moto Watch. It sort of defeats the purpose of a smartwatch if I still have to pull out my phone to do basic things like respond to a message.

The confusing software decisions don't end there. Without access to streaming apps, you can only transfer music files from your phone via the Moto Watch app. While I don't mind this at all, the process is quite cumbersome, with the watch showing much less storage than it actually has available (merely 512MB, mind you). It only lets me transfer a handful of songs at a time, then forces me to go back through my extensive list of music files to select and transfer more, a process that has crashed on me a few times.

That only highlights a puzzling speaker placement on the watch. It sits at the bottom of the watch, and while it can get decently loud, it is frequently muffled by my wrist. On the plus side, you can still connect wireless earbuds to the watch.

Then there's a remote camera function on the Moto Watch, which sounds more exciting than it actually is. It only serves as a remote shutter button, not as a remote viewfinder; you can only set a timer and capture the photo without a way to see yourself on the watch. On the plus side, the Razr Ultra 2025 I've been using uses the cover screen as a viewfinder, so it's not a huge deal for me, but not everyone will have this functionality on their phones.

I also find it odd that there's no battery save mode. Fortunately, the Moto Watch has great battery life and has lasted me a full week on a charge, with at least one workout tracked each day, sleep monitoring each night, and tilt-to-wake enabled. Charging takes a while, though, and I got from 0-50% in 40 minutes and a full charge in about an hour and a half.

Motorola says you can get up to 13 days on a full charge, which feels about right, though it depends on your settings and how active you are.

When it comes to health and fitness tracking, the Polar partnership sounds more promising than it really is. The Moto Watch comes with all the typical smartwatch health-tracking features, including heart rate, blood oxygen, sleep, and even stress. You can view the details of these metrics on the watch or use the companion app for a better view.

The companion app has three sections, with one dedicated to Health. This shows you the activity ring and seven metrics underneath. While the information is easy enough to follow, there's not much in the way of insights into how these metrics can affect you, which I've come to expect after using other apps from Fitbit and Oura that inject AI insights to help guide users toward better habits.

The closest thing I've found is the Nighly recharge, which takes your "sleep charge" and autonomic nervous system (ANS) charge — a combination of heart rate, HRV, and breathing rate — into account to give you tips, if any, for the day on exercise, sleep, and energy regulation. However, these aren't very detailed, and I find myself looking for a little more guidance than "Go for it!" or "Exercising today will benefit you, as long as you listen to your body."

Unfortunately, workout tracking leaves a lot to be desired. I've tracked several workouts with the Moto Watch, from Pilates and HIIT to strength training, and during each workout, I notice my heart rate is often 10-40 bpm lower than on my Pixel Watch 3 or Garmin Venu 4. There are times when the heart rate would more closely match the other watches, but those moments are few and far between.

I've also had the watch completely stop recording a power yoga session without me noticing. It's hard to tell whether this was due to the crown, which protrudes quite a bit from the watch, or to the auto-pause recording.

Either way, it was rather frustrating, and frustration only grew when I went to track a 2,500-step walk with the watch. The auto-pause feature kept triggering while I was actively moving, so the watch missed quite a few steps when testing it against the Pixel Watch 3. However, after turning it off, it performed well against the Garmin Venu 4, which was actually pretty surprising.

Ultimately, the Moto Watch doesn't feel very reliable, and that extends beyond fitness tracking. Sure, battery life is great, and the Wear OS-like UI makes it very familiar, but I feel like Motorola would've been better just going with actual Wear OS. At least then, the software would feel more mature, giving Motorola a better chance against competitors like Samsung, Google, and even OnePlus, which make great Wear OS smartwatches.

The Moto Watch is available now for $150, which is a good price for a seemingly mid-range smartwatch. That said, the experience leaves a lot to be desired, and you might be better off with something like the Galaxy Watch FE, which you can probably find for even less.

I'm still smarting over how last season ended; Max had all the momentum going into Abu Dhabi, and I thought he'd be able to once again clinch the title with the barest of margins. Nevertheless, Lando deserved the win; McLaren was consistent throughout the season, and if anything, the racing was enjoyable in the latter half of the year.

And just like that, we are in the 2026 cycle, and testing of the new cars suggests this season should be just as interesting. Before that though, it's time to take a look at an interesting collaboration: the Realme GT 8 Pro Dream Edition. The phone retails in India for ₹79,999 ($870), which is just ₹1,000 ($11) more than the regular 16GB/512GB model of the GT 8 Pro. Now, Realme isn't technically partnered with the Aston Martin F1 team, but that doesn't make the phone any less intriguing.

A design Adrian Newey would be proud of

If anything, Realme went above and beyond in designing the phone, and the GT 8 Pro Dream Edition looks quite different to the regular GT 8 Pro. The brand did a great job translating Aston Martin's livery, and the metallic paint conveys a sense of elegance that you just don't get with the standard model. You even get flow lines etched on the rear, and that just looks cool.

Dominating the rear is the Aston Martin emblem in silver, and it contrasts very well with the green hue of the phone. A differentiating design feature on the GT 8 Pro is the interchangeable camera covers, and that's available on this device as well — you get a rounded and square cover, and both are designed to mimic a Kevlar finish that looks pretty great.

The green design has yellow accents, and this again adds a little bit of flair to the phone (not that it needs it). Honestly, the GT 8 Pro Dream Edition is one of the most striking phones around, and even though Aston Martin isn't rivaling Red Bull or McLaren yet, that may change soon thanks to the new regulations and Adrian Newey's wizardry.

As is usually the case with every limited edition phone, the GT 8 Pro Dream Edition comes with a custom packaging that has plenty of cool accessories. You get two cases (to accommodate the two camera cover designs), and unboxing the phone is an occasion — as it should be on a device like this. It's a small thing, but I like that the SIM card ejector is styled after the AMR25, and it may just be the best-looking one I used yet, even though I like the arc reactor that POCO bundled with the X7 Pro Iron Man Edition.

The design makes the GT 8 Pro Dream Edition rather interesting, and it has a good in-hand feel, even though it feels heavier than the likes of the Find X9 Pro, which is in fact 6g heavier. The phone comes with a 6.79-inch AMOLED panel, and it is just as bright and has similar color accuracy to the best phones around — I didn't see any issues in the month I used the phone.

Standout internals — and cameras that will delight you

If anything, Realme is doing a good job with the panel in general, and that is noticeable while gaming. The only quibble in this area is that the device misses out on LTPO tech, so it doesn't go down to 1Hz while idling. Otherwise, you get the standard 120Hz, with the option to go up to 144Hz while playing select games.

Like its Chinese rivals, the GT 8 Pro Dream Edition uses the latest Qualcomm silicon, and I didn't see any issues in regular use. The only downside is that it tends to overheat, and that's the case on the phone as well, with the device exceeding 53 degrees while running synthetic tests. In regular gaming, I saw it get uncomfortably hot, but no so much that I couldn't actually hold it (which was the case during 3DMark testing).

Outside of that, there are no problems with the hardware. The Dream Edition comes with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, and with a 7,000mAh battery, the phone manages to last a day and a half comfortably — even with heavy use. Honestly, all phones I used in the last 12 months have managed to do so, and other than outliers like the iPhone Air, it's a given that you'll get over a day with any phone in 2026.

While it doesn't have the best camera sensors, Realme's collaboration with Ricoh means there are tangible gains in this area with the GT 8 Pro Dream Edition, and that's encouraging to see. The phone gets a 50MP custom Sony LYT-700 main camera, 200MP Samsung HP5 that acts as the tele lens with 3x and 6x modes, and a 50MP OmniVision wide-angle lens.

The phone also gets a dedicated Ricoh GR mode with manual controls, and other than that, you get the same camera interface as the Find X9 Pro. Overall camera tuning is pretty great with this generation, and the Dream Edition takes fabulous photos in any scenario, and you get enough shooting modes and filters to make your shots stand out a little bit.

Switching over to the software, you get plenty of custom tweaks to highlight the Aston Martin collaboration, including icons, backgrounds, and effects. It doesn't look gaudy in the least, and the icons are decent enough that I didn't see the need to switch to the default ColorOS option.

Other than that, the phone runs Android 16 out of the box, and the interface is fluid, with excellent customizability. Realme has all the standard ColorOS 16 features, but it calls the interface Realme UI 7.0, which is similar to what OnePlus does with the OnePlus 15. The only issue is that the phone won't get as many software updates, with Realme guaranteeing just four platform updates.

This phone is a dream

There have been other F1 phones, with OnePlus rolling out the 6T McLaren and 7T Pro McLaren Edition half a decade ago. But with the GT 8 Pro Dream Edition, Realme did a fabulous job with the design, and while I still like my 6T McLaren quite a bit, it wasn't anywhere as good at the camera side of things as the GT 8 Pro.

The best part is that the phone doesn't cost much more than the regular model, so if you're an F1 fan looking to buy a new phone, the GT 8 Pro Dream Edition is a great choice as we head into the 2026 season.

The last six months have been pivotal for Honor, a company that often apes Apple's design but has historically struggled to deliver the same caliber of experiences. But that's all changed with laptops like the Honor MagicBook Art 14 Snapdragon, phones like the Honor 400 Pro and Honor Magic V5, and now the Honor Magic 8 Pro.

Some of this is Honor's close relationship with Google, which now allows the company to sit among the elite few offering seven full years of OS updates for its top-tier phones, Magic 8 Pro included, as well as deeply-nested integration with core services like Gemini.

Plus, Honor is doubling down on what makes its phones great and unique, like a camera that produces near DSLR quality imagery from its 200MP telephoto sensor, or a display that not only pushes class-leading brightness but doesn't forget that humans have to look at its visage during all hours of the day without getting eye strain. The Magic 8 Pro is a phone unlike any Honor has built before, and it makes recommending it a breeze.

Honor Magic 8 Pro: Price, availability, and specs

The Honor Magic 8 Pro is available across Europe as of January 7, 2026, starting at £1,099.99/€1,299 for the model with 12GB RAM and 512GB storage. The Magic 8 Pro ships in Sunrise Gold, Sky Cyan, and Black colorways. Our review unit is Sunrise Gold. This phone is not officially available in North America, but I've been using it on T-Mobile's 5G network without issues for a few months.

Honor Magic 8 Pro: Design and display

• The thinner, slightly curvier design is nicer to hold than the Magic 7 Pro's boxier shape, with a large camera island that makes it easy to pick up off a table.
• The OLED display is top-notch in every regard, including class-leading brightness and color accuracy, but doesn't feature an anti-glare layer.
• Honor has upgraded its Eye Care Display, now including even better eye care features and metrics like true 3840Hz PWM dimming at low brightness.

As with many Honor releases, the Magic 8 Pro closely resembles the latest iPhone's design in several ways. It ditches the overly boxy design for slightly curvier edges that are more ergonomic, features comfortable rounded corners, and even sports a thinner, lighter chassis. In short, it's a joy to hold and use daily.

The front and back glass feature the same curve on all four edges, further helping to ensure this is a very comfortable phone to use. The problem with curved glass is that it makes it difficult to find a good tempered glass screen protector. The phone ships with a pre-applied film protector, but there's nothing quite like the protection offered by tempered glass.

The build itself also received an upgrade from the Magic 7 Pro, now sporting IP69K ingress protection, stronger glass, and haptics that are finally good. Honor's haptics have long lagged behind the competition, and now they're finally at least on par with what Samsung offers, although phones from Oppo, OnePlus, and Google still provide a better haptic experience.

The large camera hump on the back is substantial, but still thinner than the Honor Magic V5's huge island. While it's large, it's still a better design than most of the company's competition, as the island is not only centered (so it doesn't wobble on a table), but it's also totally flat. A large camera island also means the phone is a wedge shape on a table, with an underside that's easily grippable when compared to most flat phones.

The new side key, located below the power button, acts as a multifunction key to call up the new AI assistant, quickly launch the camera, zoom, and take photos or videos in the viewfinder, and more. It's a great new addition that's generally more useful than the side key on phones like the OnePlus 15.

Honor is also setting a new bar for OLED displays with the Magic 8 Pro. I've got a detailed Honor Magic 8 Pro display review if you are interested in the nitty-gritty details, but here's the short of it. The Magic 8 Pro's OLED is as good as LTPO OLEDs get today, with a 1-120Hz refresh rate range and a class-leading measured peak brightness of 3,600 nits.

It offers tons of color customization options, including detailed sliders for contrast, saturation, RGB, and more than most other companies. The company has also outfitted the phone with two dimming options: an eye-friendly DC dimming mode above 20% brightness and comfortable 3840Hz or 4320Hz PWM modes at low brightness.

Honor even shipped the phone with a new flicker detection tool so you can check the flicker rate of nasty LEDs around you, something never before done by a smartphone company. It's a substantial upgrade over anything Samsung, Google, or Apple offers on their phones, and additional eye care options ensure nearly everyone will find this phone's display comfortable, even for PWM-sensitive people.

Honor Magic 8 Pro: Battery life, performance, and software

• MagicOS 10 (based on Android 16) represents a significant step forward in UX and offers 7 years of OS updates.
• Battery life is better than most flagship phones, with a large silicon-carbon cell and ultrafast charging with the included charger.
• Performance is as good as it gets in 2026, although some may scoff at only 12GB RAM in a flagship at this price.

Honor has been leading the charge on silicon-carbon batteries for a few years now, and notable improvements this year led to thinner phones with larger batteries and faster charging. The Magic 8 Pro follows that line of progress, and while the China model has a bigger battery, the 6,270mAh battery in the international model is no slouch.

You'll easily get two days' battery life per charge, and it takes only a few minutes with the included charger to get a full day's use from the phone. It's a spectacular performance that's not quite class-leading, but it's significantly better than what's offered by Samsung, Google, or Apple.

And while MagicOS 10 (based on Android 16) is the company's best work yet, Honor's software still needs a bit of work to match those three companies. At least, this phone's seven-year software update commitment ensures you'll see further improvements as the company continues to hone its development process over the next few years.

MagicOS 10 represents the closest we've seen Honor ever work with Google, including AI features powered by Google's cloud, integration with Gemini features like Circle to Search, and more.

The new sidekey can be long-pressed to launch an agentic AI tool that'll scan the screen and suggest quick actions to be taken. I've found this to be more useful than other "AI keys" on phones because it suggests actions I'll actually use. Phones like the Nothing Phone 3 or the OnePlus 15 often use this kind of key to take screenshots and file them into an AI-powered app for later searching, but I never found myself integrating those tools into my daily routines.

My biggest pet peeve with Honor's MagicOS is that it still unnecessarily copies iOS in far too many ways. The new "stacked" multitasking UI is a direct clone of iOS's UI, but that's an actual improvement over the garbage UI stock Android still uses. But several other areas aren't an improvement, like no option to consolidate notifications and quick toggles into one notification pane, and a basic home screen launcher that lacks the customization of other Android brands.

Honor Magic 8 Pro: Cameras

Honor began seriously focusing on (pun intended) its telephoto camera experience starting with the Magic 6 Pro, which debuted a 180MP camera behind that lens. The Magic 7 Pro upgraded that to a 200MP sensor, and now the Magic 8 Pro camera further upgrades the experience with a better 3.7x lens and CIPA 5.5-grade OIS.

For everyone who has never heard of CIPA, a 5.5 rating basically means you can take impressively long exposure shots even in the dark without putting the phone on a tripod. The same system is used on the main camera and ensures that your low-light photos come out looking more detailed, better exposed, feature more accurate colors, and have much less blurring than most smartphones.

It's also a giant sensor, and I don't just mean the megapixel count. A 1/1.4-inch sensor is physically large, and that size, combined with the f/2.6 lens, means you're getting impressive bokeh on every shot, not just those taken in portrait mode. Those photos look more like something from a DSLR than other smartphones can deliver, and it's the highlight of the camera experience for me.

The rest of the camera experience is also good, but that telephoto camera is easily the best part. I found myself regularly backing up just a bit so I could use the phone's 3.7x zoom more often to achieve the natural bokeh (background separation) created by such a sizable sensor.

Low-light photography is also excellent, and Honor continues to do an excellent job of capturing motion when compared to many other brands. The phone is also capable of recording video at 4K resolution and 120FPS, though I've noticed an apparent clarity drop-off at 60FPS and above when lighting isn't perfect. Check out my full Honor Magic 8 Pro camera review to see the full breakdown.

Honor Magic 8 Pro: Competition

Honor's biggest competition is the iPhone 17 Pro Max, the OnePlus 15, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra (or the upcoming Galaxy 26 Ultra). Honor offers a compelling way to switch from iPhone while still retaining the ecosystem syncing that Apple offers. I use an Honor laptop, Honor phones, and occasionally an Honor tablet, and they all work exceedingly well together. Honor is also the only brand offering secure face unlock with a 3D sensor like Apple.

Samsung also offers quite a bit of added value with their phones, especially if you use a lot of Samsung products in your home. The company's OLED displays are far harsher than Honor's and give some people (like me) headaches, and I don't like Samsung's flat and sharp hardware designs at all; they're just uncomfortable to hold. Plus, you're looking at slower charging and worse battery life, but it's hard to ignore how good One UI is these days.

OnePlus offers the most balanced experience between all these phones, with even better battery life than the Magic 8 Pro. The cameras aren't as good, but Oxygen OS offers more features and a better UI, plus notably better haptics than any other choice on this list, as well as a 165Hz eye-friendly OLED that's great for gaming.

Honor Magic 8 Pro: Should you buy it?

You should buy if...