RedMagic 8 Pro review: The most powerful gaming phone held back by software
The RedMagic 8 Pro is a fantastic smartphone with amazing hardware, but there's one huge problem.
There are very few smartphone brands that are known solely for gaming phones. The first is probably Asus with its stellar ROG Phone series (though it has an equally great Zenfone series), and the second is probably RedMagic. Gaming on a smartphone isn't exactly a new concept, and with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Qualcomm has been doubling down on some of what makes a gaming phone great.
Moto G Play (2023) review: A former budget king struggles to remain relevant
The new Moto G Play is here to battle it out in the budget Android category, but there may have been too many compromises to stand a chance.
Admittedly it has been quite a while since I have spent a significant amount of time with a budget smartphone, and the last time I used a Motorola device was the Moto Z Play from 2016. Going into my review of the new Moto G Play (2023), I knew I'd have to temper my expectations for how the device would perform as my daily driver after using high-end flagships like the Pixel 7 Pro and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. So, how did the budget-minded Moto G Play (2023) fare? About as expected.
Gabb Phone Plus software review: Almost too simple
Not all smartphones are safe for kids, mainly because of software and internet access. The Gabb Phone Plus aims to resolve those issues.
Kids and teens want smartphones. While teens might have a better idea of why they want a phone and what they would use it for, the dangers are still there regardless of age. That's why it's important to use a smartphone designed for kids from a trustworthy source. Gabb Wireless is a U.S.-based brand that provides both devices and custom software to help parents feel more confident handing over smartphones to their kids.
Vivo X90 Pro Plus review: This kitchen sink phone sets a high bar for 2023 flagships
The Vivo X90 Pro+ packs some of the newest and best mobile tech in one big, slightly garish package.
The Vivo X90 Pro+ is an overkill phone in every sense of the word. From the unnecessarily long name to the tacky over-branding on its backside; the gigantic camera bump to the cutting-edge components used, it's the so-called "kitchen sink" phone because Vivo seemingly threw every mobile tech possible at it. In all my years of reviewing smartphones, only a few devices have hit the scene with this much "new" hardware: the Huawei Mate 20 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra. The Vivo X90 Pro+ joins the list.
Huawei Mate 50 Pro review: Doing everything right, but is that enough?
The Huawei Mate 50 Pro is the best phone that Huawei has ever made, but that might not matter to a lot of people.
One of my favorite Android OEMs of all time is Huawei. It's always been a hardware king, packing incredible specifications into devices that were ahead of their time and giving us a window into what Android could be.
Oppo Find N2 hands-on: The lightest foldable deserves a release outside China
The Oppo Find N2 is an excellent smaller-sized alternative to the Galaxy Z Fold 4. Oppo really should consider launching this outside China.
The foldable scene is so competitive inside China that it seems like each new release has to set a new foldable hardware benchmark so there can be a marketing angle. This summer's Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 was "the thinnest foldable phone ever". The recently launched Honor Magic Vs has "the largest battery in a foldable phone". And now comes the Oppo Find N2, whose 233g weight makes it the "lightest horizontal foldable" yet (clamshells are excluded).
Google Pixel 7 display review: Tempering expectations
At its price point, can the OLED of Google's base offering compete with those of other companies?
Launching at $599, the Pixel 7 is Google's base offering that's seated between the company's flagship and budget phones. It's still one of the most bang-for-your-buck phones in 2022 thanks to having the same excellent main camera sensor and processing as the Pro model. If you want a competitive point-and-shoot camera with Google's software experience, the Pixel 7 is a great choice.
OnePlus Nord N300 5G review: A basic phone you can get for free
The Nord N300 5G is an entry-level phone that does what it's supposed to do — just don't expect anything more
When OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei launched the Nord series two years ago, he said he wanted to strip away superfluous smartphone features and "get back to basics."
The Asus ROG Phone 6 Diablo Immortal Edition will send you to Sanctuary
The Asus ROG Phone 6 Diablo Immortal Edition is the ultimate smartphone for the ultimate Diablo Immortal (or just Diablo) fan.
Asus has been making some pretty incredible video game-centric phones, especially for mobile gaming. From the Asus ROG Phone 6D Ultimate that launched with the Dimensity 9000+ to the Asus ROG Phone 6 with the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1, both are stellar options for a mobile gamer.
Google Pixel 7 Pro review: Google finally delivers a true Android flagship that just works
The Pixel 7 Pro arrives with a new custom processor, improved cameras, and more to lead Google's smartphone efforts.
If you remember the mayhem caused by the Google Pixel 6 Pro from last year, then you'll also recall how simply divisive it was. Many Pixel fans will attempt to rewrite history and state that it was the best thing since sliced bread, but it was anything but. It was a good smartphone with a lot of problems, and in the case of the Google Pixel 7 Pro, Google has attempted to right a lot of those wrongs by approaching the same recipe with alternative ingredients.
Google Pixel 7 review: Pixel hardware finally gets great enough to match best-in-class software
The Google Pixel 7 finishes what the Pixel 6 started. It's a refined, intelligent smartphone that shows off Google's vision. Read our review!
Ever since its birth in 2016, the Google Pixel series has offered excellent software performance but subpar hardware. The original Pixel had a hilariously thick chin bezel that served no purpose (it didn't house any buttons or sensors); the second Pixel had display quality issues; the third Pixel had that hideous notch on the XL; the fourth Pixel replaced that notch with a bulky bezel housing a 3D facial scanning system that didn't always work; and the Pixel 5 neither used a flagship processor nor premium build materials. Winds of changes arrived with the Pixel 6, the first Pixel phone to offer beautiful hardware to match the industry-best software. But even then, there were still hardware quirks, including a display that didn't get bright enough and an in-display fingerprint scanner that was frustratingly slow.
Xiaomi 12T Pro review: A mid-year upgrade to 200MP
The Xiaomi 12T Pro packs a 200MP main camera and a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1, priced at just $750. Read our review to know what we think!
After starting 2022 with a good but unexciting flagship -- that would be the standard Xiaomi 12 Pro -- Xiaomi hit its strides in the summer, launching a pair of tremendous devices with hardware that clearly trumped rivals -- these would be the Xiaomi 12S Ultra with a 1-inch camera sensor and the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 with an unbelievably thin design.
Google Pixel 7 Pro camera review: Top-tier camera flagship that improves upon the Pixel 6 series
The Google Pixel 7 Pro has a stellar camera system, though everyone knew that it would. Just how good is it, though? Check out our review.
Google's Pixel 7 series arrived to much fanfare. With promises of improvements in the form of Tensor G2 and more software features than ever, the company has very likely released its best flagship smartphone yet. While we haven't had a lot of time with the Google Pixel 7 Pro just yet (and so, our full review will be coming at a later date), we've prioritized using the camera to get a feel for how things may (or may not) have improved.
Motorola Razr (2022) review: Sleek hardware but broken camera software
The Motorola Razr 2022 is a China-only foldable for now, but it brings enticing hardware that improves on the clamshell form factor
The foldable smartphone scene is in such an odd place right now. Samsung has a virtual monopoly on the global foldable scene, except for one important, but somewhat insular country: China. Within China, there are a half dozen foldable alternatives to Samsung's foldables, and they all have sleeker and better-looking hardware.
iPhone 14 Pro review: More of the same with just enough change
The iPhone 14 Pro feels pretty familiar, but it packs just enough changes to the design to help it stand on its own.
Whether you're a first-time iPhone buyer or a seasoned iOS veteran, the Apple iPhone 14 Pro is a smartphone that you can count on for practically all situations. It is the best iOS smartphone you can purchase, but it isn't the one that offers the most value, so the recommendation leans on you being a power user.
iPhone 14 review: The most iterative update ever to a great smartphone
The iPhone 14 is the most iterative upgrade ever with little new. Is it worth buying over last year's iPhone 13? We find out in this review.
The iPhone 14 is such an incredibly minor update that no iPhone 13 owner with a sane mind should consider upgrading to it. The fact that iPhone 14 doesn't even do the bare minimum to justify an upgrade from its predecessor is a reminder of Apple's incredible grip over the smartphone market and how it can afford to get away with controversial moves that others simply can't. Can you imagine any Android brand releasing a flagship with the same chipset as its predecessor, and getting away with it?
iPhone 14 Pro Max review: As good as a Pro iPhone can get for another year
The iPhone 14 Pro Max brings new cameras, a new chip, and a new user interaction that promises to change the future of screen cutouts.
Apple has been launching "Pro" iPhones since 2019's iPhone 11 series, but it wasn't until this year's iPhone 14 Pro phones did it really put meaningful separation between the Pro and non-Pro iPhones. Some of this separation is due to true innovation: the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max introduce a whole new user interface that has generated discourse through the tech industry over the past couple of weeks, and will very likely inspire sweeping changes to Android phones' UI in the near future. The Pro iPhones also introduce the most pixel-dense camera ever to an iPhone, one that opens up a new optical zoom length and raises the ceiling for what professionals can do in terms of photo editing.
Asus has been leading the charge with chipsets in recent months. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 first arrived in the west via the Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro, a true powerhouse that has everything and the kitchen sink. Following that saw the advent of the Zenfone 9, a dinky little device with a lot of might. Now we're getting the Asus ROG Phone 6D Ultimate, and it's yet another first -- this time, it's the first time the MediaTek Dimensity 9000 Plus is coming to the west.