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lundi 13 juin 2022

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S22: Which one’s the better purchase?

Samsung’s Galaxy A53 5G is one of those devices that offers a lot of bang for your buck. As we mentioned in our A53 5G hands-on piece, it’s one of the best mid-rangers to buy in the US right now. There’s a lot to like about this phone including its design, display, and its massive 5,000 mAh battery. The Galaxy A53 5G borrows a lot of tricks from the company’s flagship Galaxy S lineup but it makes a few compromises to hit the sweet spot of $450. We’ve already compared the Galaxy A53 5G to a lot of other phones out there including the Galaxy S21 from last year. Now, it’s time to see how the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S22 plays out to see which one’s better to buy in 2022 and why?

The Galaxy S22 belongs to Samsung’s current crop of flagship phones. In our Galaxy S22 review, we explained how it’s a safe choice for most people in the Android space. It’s a reliable phone which you can hold on to for the next few years. That being said, it costs significantly more than the Galaxy A53 5G. So is it worth splurging on the new Galaxy S22? If yes, then what are the additional features that you get? Let’s find out.

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Specifications

Before we take a detailed look at the comparison, let’s jump into the specifications table to how they stack up against each other on paper:

Specification Samsung Galaxy A53 5G Samsung Galaxy S22
Build
  • Plastic body
  • Gorilla Glass 5 front panel
  • IP67 water/dust resistance
  • Aluminum mid-frame
  • Gorilla Glass Victus+ front and back
  • IP68 water resistance
Dimensions & Weight
  • 159.6 x 74.8 x 8.1mm
  • 189 g
  • 146 x 70.6 x 7.6mm
  • 167g for non-mmWave model
  • 168g for mmWave model
Display
  • 6.5-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED
  • 120Hz refresh rate
  • Infinity-O display
  • 6.1-inch AMOLED 2X
  • 2340 x 1080, 425 ppi
  • HDR10+ certified
  • 120Hz refresh rate
SoC
  • Samsung Exynos 1280
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (US, select other regions)
  • Samsung Exynos 2200 (most other countries)
RAM & Storage
  • 6GB/8GB RAM
  • 128GB/256GB internal storage
  • microSD card slot (up to 1TB)
  • 128/256GB internal storage
  • 8GB LPDDR5 RAM
Battery & Charging
  • 5,000mAh battery
  • 25W Super Fast Charging
  •  No charger in box
  • 3,700mAh battery
  • 25W USB PD 3.0 PPS wired charging
  • Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 (only available with Samsung Super Fast Wireless Charger and Super Fast Wireless Charger Duo)
  • Wireless PowerShare (reverse wireless charging)
Security Fingerprint sensor Ultrasonic Fingerprint sensor
Rear Camera(s)
  • 64MP f/1.8 Main (with OIS)
  • 12MP f/2.2 Ultra-wide
  • 5MP f/2.4 Depth sensor
  • 5MP f/2.4 Macro
  • 50MP main (F/1.8, 1.0μm, 85˚ FOV), binned
  • 12MP ultra-wide (F/2.2/1.4μm/120˚ FOV)
  • 10MP telephoto (F2.4/1.0μm/36˚ FOV)
Front Camera(s) 32MP f/2.2 10MP (F2.2/1.22μm/80˚ FOV)
Port(s)
  • USB Type-C
  • No headphone jack
  • USB Type-C
  • No headphone jack
  • No microSD card slot
Audio
  • Stereo speakers
  • Stereo speakers
  • Bluetooth Dual Audio
Connectivity
  • 5G
  • LTE
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4G+5GHz)
  • Bluetooth 5.1
  • 5G: Non-Standalone (NSA), Standalone (SA), Sub6 / mmWave
  • LTE: Enhanced 4×4 MIMO, Up to 7CA, LTE Cat.20
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (2.4/5/6GHz)
  • Bluetooth v5.2
  • NFC
  • GPS, Galileo, Glonass, BeiDou
Software One UI 4.1 (Android 12) Android 12 with One UI 4.1
Other Features
  • Four years of major OS upgrades
  • Five years of security updates
  • Four major Android OS updates promised
  • Five years of security patches

Design and build quality

The Galaxy S22, being the current flagship offering from Samsung, gets premium build materials for a more sophisticated build. The glass panel has returned after the Galaxy S21’s “glasstic” rear panel appearance, and the whole thing feels more solid now. Samsung is using Gorilla Glass Victus Plus for the back panel while the frame is made out of aluminum. For those of you who are wondering, the camera bump no longer blends into the rails seamlessly. Despite the use of glass for the back panel, the Galaxy S22 is still lighter than the Galaxy A53 5G.

Galaxy A53 cameras.

The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G, on the other hand, is made out of plastic for the most part. The phone uses plastic for the back panel as well as the frame. Samsung is using Gorilla Glass 5 on the front to protect the display. Design and build quality is usually an afterthought in the case of phones that costs as much as the Galaxy A53 5G does, but that’s thankfully not the case here. The Galaxy A53 5G looks and feels great in hand for the most part. It’s understated and a little less fancy with its toned-down approach, but there’s still a lot to like about its design and build quality. The camera modules at the back melt into the body of the phone, which looks different from many other devices out there.

If you are leaning towards buying a thinner and a lighter phone, though, then you’ve got to go with the Galaxy S22. It measures 7.6mm in thickness and weighs 168g. The Galaxy A53 5G, on the other hand, measures 8.1mm in thickness and weighs 189g. Notably, the Galaxy S22 also has a smaller footprint overall. In fact, it’s one of the few “compact” Android phones out there on the market right now.

The Galaxy S22 comes with an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance while the Galaxy A53 5G comes with an IP67 rating. It’s slightly more durable on paper thanks to the better IP rating, but it’s using glass panels for both the front and the back which means it’s more likely to break. We recommend using a high-quality Galaxy S22 case to save yourself a visit to the service center in case you drop it. The A53 5G features a plastic back panel but you might want to consider using a case for it too, so pick one up from our collection of the best Galaxy A53 5G cases.

Samsung Galaxy S22 in black leather case

Leather Case

Both phones in this comparison feature a USB Type-C port at the bottom along with the speaker grille. Neither of the two has a headphone jack, so keep that in mind while making a purchase decision. This means you will have to rely on either a USB Type-C to 3.5mm adapter or wireless earbuds for audio. The Galaxy S22 also lacks the microSD card slot, but at least you get to keep that with the Galaxy A53 5G.

It’s safe to say that both the Galaxy A53 5G and the Galaxy S22 look modern and have a good build quality overall. But if we were to pick one, then we’d go with the Galaxy S22 for its more premium build quality. It’s also more appealing to a lot of people due to its compact form factor, but your opinion might differ on this as many prefer using bigger phones with plastic backs. So we’ll leave this up to you to figure out which one you like the best based on the points that we’ve mentioned above.

Display

As for the display, both phones rock what Samsung calls an “Infinity-O” display. The entire front of the phone is occupied by the display with slim bezels and a punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera in the center towards the top. The bezels are noticeably bigger on the Galaxy A53 5G since it also has a slightly bigger chin at the bottom. This, however, isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker as long as you don’t compare the two devices side-by-side. The Galaxy A53 5G sports a 6.5-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED panel while the Galaxy S22 features a 6.1-inch AMOLED 2X display with an FHD+ resolution. The Galaxy S22’s display, being the smaller one out of the two with the same resolution, has a higher pixel-per-inch (PPI) count on paper. That being said, they should be virtually identical in terms of sharpness.

Galaxy A53 display.

Samsung is using an AMOLED 2X on the Galaxy S22 which means it covers the 48-120 Hz refresh rate range. The Galaxy A53 5G, however, doesn’t support a variable refresh rate and is hence fixed at 120Hz. The variable refresh rate feature adjusts the screen refresh rate based on the content that’s being viewed. It helps with the battery life, and we’ll talk a bit more about it in detail in the following sections. Both are AMOLED panels with support for HDR10+, so you can expect them to be on par with each other. Samsung is known for using high-quality displays for its smartphones and we expect nothing less for these devices too. Both phones in this comparison also have a flat display and a fairly reliable in-display fingerprint scanner, so keep that in mind too.

Internal hardware

The Galaxy S22 is superior when it comes to the internal hardware, although that shouldn’t come as a surprise since it’s a flagship phone. It’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, or the Exynos 2200, depending on the region. There’s not a lot of difference between the two but we recommend checking out our Galaxy S22 Ultra Snapdragon vs Exynos variant comparison to learn more. If you care about the benchmark numbers then the Galaxy A53 5G is probably not the one for you. That’s because it’s powered by the Exynos 1280 which is Samsung’s in-house mid-range chipset.

The Exynos 1280 may not be the fastest chipset around but it’ll definitely do enough to offer a smooth experience for your day-to-day usage. The Galaxy A53 5G also has a 120Hz display which means the user experience is going to be just as smooth and responsive as the Galaxy S22, provided you’re not pushing it to its limits. But if you’re leaning towards a no-compromise experience in terms of the performance, then we think you should stick with the expensive flagship.

The base variant of the Galaxy A53 5G comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage whereas the Galaxy S22 will get you 8GB of RAM on all the models. You can also pick up the 8GB + 256GB variant of each phone but only the Galaxy A53 5G supports expandable storage via a microSD card slot. You can add up to 1TB of additional storage to your Galaxy A53 5G, but that’s sadly not an option on the Galaxy S22. This could be a deal-breaker for many, especially for those who tend to use a lot of apps and games, capture lots of photos and record 4K videos on their phone. Being able to add a microSD card to the A53 5G, even if it comes at the cost of not being able to use the secondary SIM makes it a better option in the storage department.

Moving on to the battery, the Galaxy A53 5G is packed with a 5,000 mAh battery with support for up to 25W fast charging. The Galaxy S22’s 3,700 mAh battery feels downright petite in comparison, but it also gets fast charging as well as wireless charging support. Sure, the S22 has a relatively smaller display with support for variable refresh rates, but it’s still not going to last long as the Galaxy A53 5G’s battery will. Depending on your usage, there’s a good chance that you might be running for a charger before the end of the day with the Galaxy S22. The Galaxy A53 5G is a clear winner in this department, even though it might take longer to fully charge that phone. Since we’re on the topic of charging, we think this is a good time to remind you that neither of these phones comes bundled with a charger inside the box. You will have to buy a separate charger if you don’t have a spare.

Cameras

The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G comes with a quad rear camera setup, which includes a 64MP f/1.8 main camera, 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera, 5MP f/2.4 depth camera, and a 5MP f/2.4 macro camera. In comparison, the Galaxy S22 features a triple camera setup that includes a 50MP primary sensor (binned), and two 12MP sensors for ultra-wide and telephoto. The telephoto camera here is capable of doing 3x optical zoom. So the Galaxy A53 5G essentially trades the telephoto lens for the depth and macro sensors.

Galaxy A53

We haven’t had a chance to test the cameras of the Galaxy A53 5G and the Galaxy S22 side-by-side, but we’ll leave a few camera samples towards the end of this section for you to check out. The camera samples from both phones turn out sharp and detailed in well-lit conditions. The Galaxy A53 5G, however, struggles a little bit in low-light. The S22, on the other hand, is up to the task in all conditions, be it indoor, outdoor, low-light, etc. As we mentioned in our review of the Galaxy S22, its low-light camera performance is comparable to that of the Galaxy S22 Ultra. The 3x optical zoom on S22’s telephoto lens isn’t as good as what you get with the S22 Ultra, but at least it’s there as an option to use. The A53 5G has no telephoto camera, so you’re entirely missing out on those shots.

Overall, we think both phones have a pretty versatile set of cameras, but the S22 has what we’d call a slightly more advanced system. The telephoto camera is also practically more useful for day-to-day usage compared to the macro and the depth sensors. As for the selfies, you get a 32MP front camera on the Galaxy A53 5G and a 10MP shooter on the S22. On the video front, the Galaxy S22’s main camera can record videos at both 8K@24fps and 4K@60fps. The Galaxy A53 5G is limited to just 4K@30fps video recording, so keep that in mind.

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G camera samples

Galaxy A53, main camera Galaxy A53, main camera Galaxy A53, ultra-wide Galaxy A53, ultra-wide Galaxy A53, selfie

Samsung Galaxy S22 camera samples

Photo of US and North Carolina flags Photo of my dog with no blur effect Selfie photo holding up a Raspberry Pi

Which one should you buy?

The answer to this question is frankly quite simple. Both phones offer a very good experience in their respective segments. The Galaxy A53 5G may not beat the Galaxy S22 in all areas but we think it still offers an excellent value for money in the mid-range space. You get a good-looking phone with an IP67 rating and Gorilla Glass 5 on the front. It also has a fantastic display, a massive 5,000 mAh battery, decent internals for reliable performance, and a versatile set of cameras for the price too. There’s not a lot to complain about the Galaxy A53 5G but it lacks the finesse of the Galaxy S22 and misses out on a few key areas.

With the Galaxy S22, you get Samsung’s flagship experience with best-in-class design and build quality, an excellent display, a fantastic set of cameras, and more. It’s also both thinner and lighter compared to the A53 5G, and it gets the flagship-grade performance with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/Exynos 2200 chipset. Both phones, however, have an equal footing on the software side as Samsung is promising four major Android OS updates and up to five years of security updates for them.

So it all boils down to the pricing and availability of these phones. Both the Galaxy A53 5G and the Galaxy S22 are readily available to purchase in the US and a lot of other regions. But the Galaxy S22 is obviously more expensive, being the flagship device. If you don’t mind splurging $800 on a smartphone right now then we think you should definitely go with the Galaxy S22. Keep in mind that it has a smaller form factor, so you should be comfortable using one or at least be willing to adjust to all the challenges that this brings. If not, then consider checking out the Galaxy S22 Plus.

But if you’re looking to fetch more value for money and don’t mind trading some features for an affordable price tag, then you won’t be disappointed with the Galaxy A53 5G. You may have some other mid-range options to consider over the Galaxy A53 5G in markets outside the US. But if you’re shopping for a phone in the States, then the Galaxy A53 5G offers a really good value for money.

Regardless of the one you buy, be sure to stop by our collection of the best Galaxy S22 deals and the best Galaxy A53 5G deals page to see if you can save some money on your purchase. You can use those savings to pick up a screen protector for the S22 or one of these accessories for the Galaxy A53 5G.

    Samsung Galaxy S22
    The Samsung Galaxy S22 is the entry flagship for 2022, bringing over top of the line performance and camera capabilities in a form that fits many pockets and budgets.
    Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
    The Galaxy A53 offers a modern design, large screen and battery at an affordable price

The post Samsung Galaxy A53 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S22: Which one’s the better purchase? appeared first on XDA.



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dimanche 12 juin 2022

Riot Games joining Xbox Game Pass on mobile and PC

In an announcement few could ever have predicted, Riot Games is adding its catalog to Xbox Game Pass. The partnership was announced at Microsoft’s big Xbox/Bethesda showcase at not-E3, and for the first time for Game Pass extends specifically to mobile games.

Riot Games titles are free to play and some of the most popular titles on the planet right now, but Game Pass subscribers will get access to paid content as part of their subscriptions. On PC, this includes League of Legends and Valorant. On mobile, players will enjoy bonus content in League of Legends: Wild Rift, while players on both benefit in Legends of Runeterra and Teamfight Tactics.

Here’s a quick overview of what mobile players can expect:

  • League of Legends: Wild Rift (Mobile): All Champions Unlocked
  • Legends of Runeterra (PC & Mobile): Foundations Set Unlocked
  • Teamfight Tactics (PC & Mobile): Select Little Legends Unlocked

On the PC, all champions are unlocked in League of Legends and all agents unlocked in Valorant. What isn’t a part of the deal is a console port of any of the games or, as a result, cloud access to any of the titles either.

It isn’t clear yet exactly when the new partnership will come into effect, but we do have some vague clues to go on. Xbox stated that everything from the combined showcase with Bethesda will be available to play within the next 12 months. Admittedly, nobody will want to wait a year for this, but in a post on the Xbox Wire, Riot Games says that they’ll be explaining more about it soon.

For Xbox this is a real next step for Game Pass. Xbox Cloud Gaming already provides access to some of the hottest AAA titles on a mobile device, but that relies on being able to stream games. With this partnership, truly mobile players are the beneficiary. The implications for the future of Game Pass just keep getting bigger.

Source: Xbox

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

If you’re looking for mainstream gaming, the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro definitely seems to cover all of the bases. Not only does it have powerful internals, but it’s got a 16:10 165-240Hz variable refresh rate display. That makes it great for gaming, but with the aspect ratio and the QHD+ resolution, it’s also great for work.

It comes with Lenovo’s TrueStrike keyboard, which is fast, and also feels soft to touch. If you’re looking for something that you can play games on at home and also bring to work, this is a great option.

Of course, if you’re playing in tournaments, this isn’t exactly designed for you, and you probably already know that.

    Lenovo Legion 5i Pro
    Lenovo's Legion 5i Pro has a 16:10 165Hz VRR display, powerful internals, and more for an excellent mainstream gaming experience.

      Features:

      Pros:

      Cons:

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Lenovo Legion 5i Pro (2022): Price and availability

  • The Lenovo Legion 5i Pro starts at $1,569, and was supposed to go on sale in February.
  • It still hasn’t went on sale, but you can buy the AMD Ryzen 6000 model.

The Lenovo Legion 5i Pro, along with the AMD-powered Legion 5 Pro, was announced back in January at CES. It was supposed to start shipping a month later, but here we are and there are no listings to be found. Lenovo tells me that we should be seeing it any day now, but if you want an Intel-powered model, you’ll have to go 11th-gen for now.

The AMD-powered one uses Ryzen 6000, while the Intel-powered model uses 12th-gen ‘Alder Lake’, so whichever one you choose, it’s the latest generation. For graphics, you can get it with up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti.

While the Intel model isn’t available just yet, you can pick up the AMD Ryzen model at Best Buy. The Intel model starts at $1,569, while the AMD model starts at $1,429.

Lenovo Legion 5i Pro (2022) specs

Processor Intel Core i7-12700H (2.3GHz, 24MB Cache)
Graphics NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti (8GB GDDR6), 150 Watt
Memory 16GB DDR5-4800
Display 16.0″ 16:10 WQXGA (2560×1600), IPS, 500 nits, Dolby Vision 165-240Hz VRR
Storage Up to two drives, 2x M.2 SSD
M.2 2242 SSD up to 512GB, M.2 2280 SSD up to 1TB
Connectivity Up to Wi-Fi® 6E, 802.11ax 2×2 Wi-Fi + Bluetooth 5.1, M.2 Card
Ports 3x USB-A 3.2 (one Always-On)
2x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (One 135W power delivery)
1x Thunderbolt 4, USB4 40Gbps
1x HDMI 2.1
1x Ethernet (RJ-45)
1x headphone / microphone combo jack (3.5mm)
1x Power Connector
Audio Stereo speakers, 2W x2, Nahimic Audio
Dual array microphone
Camera 720p, fixed focus, w/ E-camera Shutter
Keyboard 6-row, multimedia Fn keys, numeric keypad, black keycap
Optional: White, Blue, or 4-Zone RGB LED backlight
Battery 80Wh, Super Rapid Charge (80% in 30min)
Dimensions and weight 359.9 x 264-264.2 x 19.9-26.6 mm (14.17 x 10.41 x 0.78-1.05”)
2.49 kg (5.49 lbs)
Color Storm grey (top), black (bottom)
Material Aluminum
Price Starts at $1,569

Design: It’s functional and stylish

  • The Legion 5i Pro looks a bit more ‘gamery’ than its predecessors
  • There are a total of six USB ports, HDMI, Ethernet, and more

The design of Lenovo’s Legion laptops really hasn’t changed too much since the products second generation; however, this one is a bit different. Lenovo called this design “aggressive” in its reviewer’s guide. I don’t feel that way, but it is more aggress than what we’ve been seeing from Lenovo’s Legion line over the past few years.

The original line of Legion laptops – the Legion Y520, Y720, and Y920 (it was the only 9-series Legion, so it gets a mention) – was very flamboyant. If you brought one of those into a room, it was clearly a gaming laptop. The second generation brought a major redesign, with a flat top, fewer bright colors, and in general, it was just more subtle. The whole idea was that you’d be able to play games at home, but still be comfortable bringing it into work in the morning.

Top down view of Lenovo Legion 5i Pro

The Lenovo Legion 5i Pro brings back just a touch of that gamer-focused design. There are diagonal lines along the lid – which make the games faster, obviously – and a centered Legion logo. On the Legion 7 series, that logo sits in the corner.

One big difference, however, is that there’s no external RGB lighting on this unit. Indeed, RGB lighting has long been a way for Lenovo to differentiate between the 5-series and the 7-series. There’s some RGB lighting on the keyboard, but that’s it.

Side view of Lenovo Legion 5i Pro

As for ports, there are lots of those. On the right side, there’s a USB Type-A port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a camera shutter toggle. This USB port is where you’ll plug in peripherals that aren’t used as frequently. Also, the camera guard switch disconnects the camera internally, so there’s no actual physical indicator that it’s on. You’ll see an icon when you flip the switch, but that’s it. At some point, you will undoubtedly go to troubleshoot some issue where Zoom or something can’t find your camera, and you’ll realize that switch has been flipped.

Side view of Lenovo Legion 5i Pro

On the left side, there are two USB Type-C ports, one of which is Thunderbolt 4 and one of which is USB 3.2 Gen 2. As always, I’m not a fan of ports that look the same but provide different functionality, especially since they’re on the same side. I suppose you won’t be plugging in an external graphics card or anything, although you might want dual monitors.

Side view of Lenovo Legion 5i Pro

The rear side of the laptop is where most of the ports are located. They’re located there for cable management purposes, and you can use them for the things you’ll have plugged in all the time, like power, HDMI, and Ethernet. You’ll also find two more USB Type-A ports, and another USB Type-C port. The USB-C port actually supports power delivery, so you can use it to charge the laptop, albeit very slowly.

You’ll notice that the fans are in the corners, so they can blow air out through both the sides and the back. It’s a little design trick to blow out twice as much air. Lenovo also says that its ColdFront 4.0 cooling system is quieter, with fans that have 40% thinner blades. It can also push the CPU and GPU to higher levels using a dual-burn feature. And if that’s not enough, you can hit Fn + Q to toggle between performance, quiet, and balanced modes.

Display: It’s high resolution, high refresh rate, and the correct aspect ratio

  • The Lenovo Legion 5i Pro has a 16-inch 16:10 screen with a 165-240Hz variable refresh rate

One of the cool things that we’re seeing from the gaming laptop market is higher resolution displays with high refresh rates. It used to be that if you wanted more than 60Hz, you had to compromise and get 1080p resolution. Indeed, I often say that competitive gaming is ugly, sacrificing everything in favor of frame rates. But luckily, QHD 165Hz panels are becoming more common, and the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro has a 16-inch 165-240Hz variable refresh rate screen.

Close up of Lenovo Legion 5i screen

Naturally, the higher refresh rate gives you an edge in gaming, thanks to smoother animations. It absolutely gets you a few milliseconds over your opponent.

Lenovo Legion 5i Pro display test

I’m going to guess that you still care about color gamut on a machine like this. Like I said, competitive gaming is ugly, but for a Legion 5-series type device, you probably still care about the screen at least being somewhat pretty. It supports 99% sRGB, 72% NTSC, 77% Adobe RGB, and 77% P3. It’s pretty average for a premium display.

Lenovo Legion 5i Pro display test

It maxed out at 520.9 nits, exceeding the 500 nits that’s promised by Lenovo. The contrast ratio is 1,310:1, which isn’t quite as high as I’d like. With the numbers that we’re seeing here, this is definitely fine for a mainstream gaming laptop. If you’re buying it as a creator laptop, you might want to go with something that has a wider color gamut and a higher contrast ratio.

The webcam is located in the top bezel, using Lenovo’s reverse notch design. Unfortunately, the webcam is still 720p in an age where 1080p is quickly becoming the standard.

Keyboard: Lenovo’s TrueStrike keyboard is legit

I really like the keyboards that Lenovo uses on its Legion laptops, which are called TrueStrike. They’re made for a softer landing, but also with snappy input. To me, that means a lot. With quick input, that makes it great for gaming, but at the same time, the softer landing makes it more comfortable and it even makes it quieter, something I appreciate when I’m writing articles.

Keyboard on Lenovo Legion 5i Pro

As you can see, it also comes with a full number-pad, which is great if that’s what you’re into. There’s also four-zone RGB lighting. Like I mentioned earlier, Lenovo reserves a lot of its RGB lighting for the Legion 7-series, so if you want per-key RGB lighting, that’s where you’ll need to go.

Angled view of laptop touchpad

The touchpad has been enlarged. Lenovo isn’t doing physical buttons anymore, a feature that seems to be going away on laptop. I’d still prefer it to be larger, of course, making use of all of the available real estate.

Performance: It’s everything you can expect from a laptop

  • It has an Intel Core i7-12700H and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti graphics, but that’s the most you can get
  • Battery life is what you’d expect for something like this

As you’d expect, the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro comes with Intel’s 12th-gen H-series processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series GPUs. The ‘i’ stands for Intel, so the Legion 5 Pro is the one that comes with AMD Ryzen 6000 H-series processors.

Front view of Lenovo Legion laptop

This model comes with a Core i7-12700H and a GeForce RTX 3070 Ti. While it’s definitely a solid configuration, it’s still mainstream. If you want to go heavy on being competitive, you’ll want an RTX 3080 or 3080 Ti. But as I’ve mentioned at other points in this review, at that point, you should look toward a higher tier of gaming laptop.

For benchmarks, I used PCMark 10, 3DMark, Geekbench, Cinebench, and VRMark. I compared it to last year’s AMD-powered model, along with a specced out MSI Raider GE76 from this year’s lineup.

Legion 5i Pro
Core i7-12700H, RTX 3070 Ti
Legion 5 Pro (2021)
Ryzen 7 5800H, RTX 3070
MSI Raider GE76
Core i9-12900HK, RTX 3080 Ti
PCMark 10 7,076 6,800 7,820
3DMark: Time Spy 10,391 9,963 12,287
Geekbench 1,787 / 9,209 1,475 / 7,377 1,774 / 12,630
Cinebench 1,714 / 9,549 1,423 / 11,729 1,833 / 14,675
VRMark (Orange/Cyan/Blue) 13,593 / 9,480 / 3,176 12,249 / 9,093 / 3,027 11,472 / 11,542 / 3,815

I only tested the AMD model for last year’s, and for a comparable configuration, I’m surprised that the difference between the two is as narrow as it is. Of course, AMD processors are notorious for dropping performance when not connected to power. And of course, if you look to go super premium, the MSI Raider is about as specced out as it gets.

Based on the 3DMark tests, this PC should be able to achieve the following frame rates.

Game 1080p Ultra 1440p Ultra
Battlefield 125fps 100fps
Apex Legends 115fps 140fps
GTA V 95fps 60fps
Fortnite 125fps 85fps
RDR2 50fps 40fps

Battery life was about what you’d expect. I set the power slider to balanced and set the refresh rate to 60Hz, but still, the best I could do was three hours and 52 minutes. At worst, I got exactly two hours. This wasn’t while gaming or anything like that. It was just working. Naturally, I’d expect that you’d be plugged into power for gaming.

Should you buy the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro (2022)?

Obviously, the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro isn’t for everyone. If it was, it would be the only product that Lenovo makes.

You should buy the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro if:

  • You’re looking for a lot of value in a mainstream gaming laptop
  • You want a gaming laptop that’s also great for other tasks

You should not buy the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro if:

  • You need an enthusiast-level gaming laptop
  • You’re looking for this kind of power for creative work

If you’re looking for a creator laptop, there are much better options. I’d say to go with something that has an OLED display, and then has similar internals to the Legion 5i Pro. And if you’re looking for enthusiast-level gaming, check out the Legion 7i.

The post Lenovo Legion 5i Pro (2022) review: A solid mainstream gaming laptop appeared first on XDA.



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Just when Samsung had closed the Android tablet gap, Apple widens it again with iPadOS 16

It is very debatable whether iPhones are actually the best smartphones, or if Macs are better than Windows machines. But when it comes to tablets, even the biggest Apple haters (or Windows/Android fans) have conceded that the iPad is indeed the best tablet.

This has as much to do with the competition failing as Apple being good at what they do. Windows is so absolutely terrible as a tablet that it’s not even worth talking about, really — let’s just focus on Android tablets instead. Why have Android tablets been inferior to the iPad? It’s certainly not hardware, because companies like Samsung, Xiaomi, and Huawei have proven they can make premium hardware every bit as good as Apple.

The biggest problem with Android tablets is that they run Android

The issue instead lies with software: Android itself isn’t well optimized for large screens in landscape orientation, but the problem is even worse with Android apps. Most of them are simply not designed to run on widescreens. Twitter is the best example — if you open Twitter on an iPad, you get a two-pane layout that takes advantage of the larger and wider screen. Open the same app on an Android and it looks ridiculous — you will often see one tweet stretched across the entire digital canvas.

Twitter on iPadOS. Twitter on Xiaomi Pad 5

Twitter on iPad (left) and on an Android tablet (right)

This is a perfect example of the “chicken or the egg” problem: app developers don’t care to design just for Android tablets because Android tablets are not held in high regard. But until Android tablets get better app optimization, the tablets will always be held back.

iPad Pro and Tab S8 Ultra

The 2021 iPad Pro (left) and Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra (right)

Samsung fixing Android for its tablets

Samsung is the exception to the rule, and it got there by realizing the Android tablet app problem and just working to resolve it by itself. For the company’s last two tablet series (Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S8), Samsung offers “DeX Mode,” a sandbox UI that turns Android into a space resembling a Windows homescreen. And when you open apps, they open in smaller upright rectangular windows that can be resized. This way, Android apps that look stupid on widescreen, like Twitter, can be “forced” by DeX to display in a form closely resembling a slab phone screen.

DeX Mode didn’t just alleviate the Android app scaling issue, but it also made Samsung tablets a superior multi-tasking machine. Instead of just opening apps in a locked split-screen grid like in iPads or other Android tablets, DeX Mode allows a Samsung tablet to run three, four, or more windows at once. This, coupled with the awesome hardware of the Galaxy Tab S8 series, means Samsung tablets were actually good. In fact, I enjoyed using the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra so much that I concluded in my review it was more versatile than the 2021 M1-powered iPad Pro because I could run more than two apps at a time.

Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra being able to run three apps simultaneously like this when the iPad could not made it my choice for on-the-go work machine.

Now, if I had to pick a winner, I’d still say the iPad Pro was a better overall tablet because the M1 chip is more capable, and because DeX Mode is ultimately just a band-aid, not a cure for the wound. Until app developers put the same effort into Android apps as they do with iPad apps, the iPad will always operate a bit smoother, with more capable apps. But still, Samsung had at least closed the gap between its tablets and the iPad, which had reigned supreme, untouched for over a decade. And who knows, maybe with more DeX refinement, the next Galaxy Tab Ultra could finally match or surpass the iPad.

The WWDC aftermath

But that doesn’t look likely now. Because at this week’s WWDC Apple announced major upgrades to iPadOS 16 (the software that will run in virtually all iPads beginning this fall), and the biggest improvement is Apple has essentially built a DeX Mode of its own — but better.

Called “Stage Manager,” this feature allows an M1-powered iPad (right now, that would be the 2021 iPad Pro and 2022 iPad Air) to open apps in resizable windows too. This is something no previous iOS device has been able to do, and it’s an immediate gamechanger. Remember: part of the reason DeX Mode exists is to fix a software flaw. Stage Manager doesn’t have that burden, it isn’t working with badly optimized apps. This will surely allow Stage Manager to operate more smoothly and efficiently than DeX Mode. Heck, even right now in the first developer beta of iPadOS 16 not meant for general public use, Stage Manager is already working arguably better than DeX Mode. Google Docs, for example, has always behaved oddly on DeX, opening documents in entirely new windows. This problem doesn’t exist on Google Docs for iPadOS whether in Stage Manager or not.

iPad Pro with iPadOS 16 beta software running three apps at the same time.

Apple has essentially built a DeX Mode of its own -- but better

Stage Manager also has a clever window-grouping setup that I find very useful. For example, I can have all my work windows (Slack, Twitter, Safari) in one group, and leisure windows (Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp) in another, these batch of apps can be minimized into a floating icon stack on the left side of the iPad display, which means I can jump back and forth between two batches of apps with a tap. The animation or speed with which these transitions happen is already buttery smooth on the first beta of iPadOS 16.

Apple just widens its leads again with iPadOS 16, and even more than before

Another huge improvement to iPadOS 16 is it allows M1-powered iPads to expand their homescreen to an external display, which gives me more space to open more windows (you can open up to eight maximum, but realistically, four or five is good enough for me). Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, like literally every other tablet that I know of, can only mirror its screen to another display, not expand.

I work remotely, and at least before Covid, was traveling often for work. Thus I am always on the lookout for the most portable setup that still gives me enough power and screen real estate to work efficiently. I really wanted the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra to be that machine — I purchased one myself after returning the review unit to Samsung — but now that the iPad Pro is offering a superior multi-tasking system with external display support, I have no choice but to jump back to the iPad Pro.

And with the recent news that Apple is working on a larger 14.1-inch iPad Pro, plus the promises to bring more “desktop-class apps” to iPadOS, the iPad Pro (or even the iPad Air) is only going to get better as a real computer replacement. Just as Samsung had closed the gap with a tablet that’s almost as capable as the iPad, Apple comes and widens the lead again.

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samedi 11 juin 2022

The Sony WH-1000XM4 are a great Father’s Day gift in this deal

The Sony WH-1000XM4 are some of the best wireless headphones to date, not only from the brand but also when compared to its competitors. This especially rings true when it comes to headphones with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). The WH-1000XM4 first made its debut back in August 2020, building on the strength of its predecessors, and became one of the best noise-canceling headphones available.

Even two years after its initial debut, the Sony WH-1000XM4 are still top in its class and are now discounted to a price of just $278. The Sony WH-1000XM4 normally retails for $350, which means that right now, you can purchase these headphones are being discounted by $72. Of course, this isn’t the lowest price it has been, but it is still a pretty good price if you are looking for a gift for yourself or others.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 offers up to 30 hours of battery life and support for audio via Bluetooth and a 3.5mm audio jack. As mentioned previously, it has amazing Active Noise Cancellation capabilities and has a USB Type-C port for charging. This can be quite convenient if your other gadgets also use a USB Type-C port for charging, making it one less charger that you have to carry when on the go. Furthermore, the WH-1000XM4’s sound can also be tweaked thanks to audio customization options provided through the Sony Headphones Connect app. Sony has even supported the device by keeping it up to date with new firmware. The last of which improved call quality and Bluetooth stability.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 can be had in three different colors: Black, Midnight Blue, and Silver. There is also Silent White color, but that color doesn’t seem to be included in this current round of sales. If interested, you can head to the purchase links below, with both Best Buy or Amazon offering the Sony WH-1000XM4 for $278.

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How to delete or deactivate your Instagram account

Considering how easy it is to sign up for an Instagram account, you’d think it would be equally easy to delete your Instagram account, but you’d be wrong. In this post, we will cover how to delete your Instagram account permanently and how to deactivate it if you just want to take a break from Instagram for a while. We’ll also show you how to download a copy of your Instagram photos and posts if you don’t want to lose them forever.

Navigate this article:

How to permanently delete your Instagram account

As the heading suggests, this option is for those looking to permanently and irreversibly delete their Instagram account. This includes deleting all your photos, videos, comments, likes, and followers.

You can’t delete your Instagram account from within the Instagram app. And you won’t even be able to Delete it from Instagram on your mobile or desktop browser. The only way to permanently delete your Instagram account is by going to one particular page that Instagram has conveniently embedded deep within their Help Pages.

Delete your instagram account page screenshot

Author screenshot

  1. Go to this specific Delete your account page from a mobile browser or computer.
  2. If you aren’t logged into Instagram on your browser, you will be asked to before you can delete your account.
  3. You’ll be asked to select why you want to delete your Instagram account, and Instagram will give you some alternatives just in case you change your mind.
  4. If you’re ready to go ahead and delete the Instagram account, then select the Delete {your username} button.

It takes 30-days for your account deletion request to be processed. This gives you 30 days to change your mind.

What happens to your Instagram data when you delete your account

During the 30-day deletion process, your account information is still accessible by Instagram but won’t be available to other users of Instagram.

Instagram states that it can take up to 90 days for the deletion process to be fully completed and that copies of your content could remain even after these 90 days. Instagram also states that they may keep your information for legal issues beyond your account deletion. More information about how Meta’s updated privacy policy and how Instagram uses and keeps your data can be found within their Data Policy.


How to download your Instagram pictures before deleting your Instagram account

If you want to delete your Instagram account but don’t want to lose all of your images and videos, then you can download a copy of your information. Your information can be downloaded through the Instagram app or on the Instagram browser.

Downloading your Instagram data on the mobile app:

Your activity in Instagram app settings How to download your Instagram information in the app Add email to download instagram data from app

The steps for downloading your Instagram data in the mobile app are the same for both Android and iOS devices.

  1. Head to your profile and then tap the three lines in the top right-hand corner.
  2. Tap Your Activity and then scroll to the bottom to find the option to Download Your Information.
  3. Enter the email address where you’d like your data to be sent, and then tap Request download.
  4. You’ll then be asked for your password.
  5. Your data will be sent to the email you provided. Follow the instructions in this email to download the data.

Downloading your Instagram data from a computer or mobile browser:

Instagram Privacy settings desktop screenshot Request a data download of your Instagram data screenshot

To download your Instagram data using a computer or mobile browser, follow these steps.

  1. Head to your profile by clicking your profile image in the top right-hand corner.
  2. Next, select Settings and scroll down to select Privacy and security.
  3. Scroll down the page until you find Data download, and click Request download.
  4. Enter an email address to have your data sent to, and choose whether you’d like to receive your data in HTML or JSON format.
  5. Finally, enter your Instagram password, select Request download, and your data will be on its way to your email.

How to take a break from Instagram without deleting your account

If you want to take time away from Instagram but don’t want to delete your Instagram account permanently, then you can deactivate or temporarily disable your Instagram account instead.

While your account is temporarily disabled or deactivated, Instagram will hide your photos, comments, and likes until you log back in. As with deleting your Instagram account, you can only deactivate and reactivate your account from a computer or mobile browser.

Temporarily disable instagram account in desktop screenshot Instagram asks why you want to disable your instagram account

To temporarily deactivate your Instagram account:

  1. Log in to your Instagram account on instagram.com.
  2. Click your profile picture in the top right and then select Settings.
  3. Scroll down to the bottom, and you will see the option to Temporarily deactivate/disable my account.
  4. Next, you’ll need to choose a reason for disabling your account and will then need to enter your password.

To reactivate your Instagram account, you need to log back in.


So there you have it. Now you know how to disable your Instagram account and how to delete it permanently. Remember, you will need your log-in details to do this, so if you’ve forgotten your password, you’ll need to recover it or set a new one before starting the deletion process.

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Surface Laptop Go 2 review: A delightful entry-level laptop

XDA Recommended Award Badge
If you’re looking for a super-light Surface PC that won’t break the bank and still feels premium, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is the way to go. Unlike the Surface Go, its tablet sibling, the Laptop Go 2 contains a proper Core i5, and that Core i5 has been upgraded to Intel’s 11th-generation SKU, which includes powerful new Iris Xe graphics.

Indeed, the key word that I’d use to describe the Surface Laptop Go 2 is “delightful”. However, it’s still far from perfect, only fixing some of the shortcomings of the first-gen model. The pixel density is still just 148ppi, with the screen resolution falling short of 1080p. It’s also still got the same HD webcam, with some improvements to the ISP and such.

But if you’re looking for something that has a 12.4-inch display, is easy to take on the go, doesn’t break the bank, and looks pretty while doing it, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is a great choice.

    Surface Laptop Go 2
    Microsoft's new entry-level laptop is super-light, feels premium, and comes in a pretty new color, Sage. It also packs 11th-gen processors, and more.

      Features:

      Pros:

      Cons:

Navigate this review:

Surface Laptop Go 2 pricing and availability

  • The Surface Laptop Go 2 starts at $599.99, and it’s available now
  • It comes in Platinum, Sandstone, Ice Blue, and Sage

Announced at the beginning of June, the Surface Laptop Go 2 was available for pre-orders immediately and began shipping on June 7. You can buy one from the Microsoft Store now, and walk into and Best Buy and grab one.

It comes in four colors: Platinum, Sandstone, Ice Blue, and Sage. Sage is the new color in the lineup, and it’s the new color you’ll see in other Surface devices through 2022.

It starts at $599.99, which is $50 more than its predecessor’s starting point. There’s a reason for that price bump though. The base model no longer comes with 64GB eMMC storage; instead, it has a 128GB SSD, which is a welcome change.

Surface Laptop Go 2: Specs

Processor Quad Core 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 Processor
Graphics Intel Iris Xe
Body 10.95” x 8.12” x 0.62” (278.2mm x 206.2mm x 15.7mm), 2.48 lbs
Display
  • Screen: 12.4” PixelSense Display
  • Resolution: 1536 x 1024 (148 PPI)
  • Aspect ratio: 3:2
  • Touch: 10 point multi-touch
Memory 8GB LPDDR4x RAM
Storage Removable drive (SSD): 256GB
Ports
  • 1 x USB-C
  • 1 x USB-A
  • 3.5 mm headphone jack
  • 1 x Surface Connect port
Cameras, video, and audio
  • 720p HD f2.0 camera (front-facing)
  • Dual far-field Studio Mics
  • Omnisonic Speakers with Dolby Audio Premium
Security
  • Firmware TPM 2.0
  • Enterprise-grade protection with Windows Hello sign-in
  • One Touch sign in with Fingerprint Power Button (excluding i5/4/128)
Connectivity
  • Wi-Fi 6: 802.11ax compatible
  • Bluetooth Wireless 5.1 technology
Battery
  • Battery Capacity Nominal (WH): 41.0
  • Battery Capacity Min (WH): 40.0
What’s in the box
  • Surface Laptop Go 2
  • 39W Power Supply
  • Quick Start Guide
  • Safety and warranty documents
Material
  • Top: Aluminum
  • Base: Aluminum and polycarbonate composite resin system with glass fiber and 30% post-consumer recycled content.
Color Sage
OS Windows 11 Home
Price $799.99

Design: It comes in a new Sage color

  • It’s made out of aluminum with a polycarbonate base for a stylish two-tone design
  • Ports include USB Type-A, USB Type-C, Surface Connect, and a headphone jack

Aside from the new Sage color, the Surface Laptop Go 2 chassis is the same as it was on its predecessor. In fact, the new color is an addition to the lineup, rather than replacing something. I was told that this is the new color for 2022, so while Microsoft won’t officially confirm it, you can expect to see other Sage Surface products, like perhaps the next Surface Laptop and Surface Pro Keyboard Covers. Ice Blue, which is available across the board now, actually debuted with the original Surface Laptop Go.

Top down view of Surface Laptop Go 2

I like Sage a lot. To be honest, while I like Ice Blue, I was disappointed when it debuted because I miss the bold colors of previous years. The original Surface Laptop came in colors like Burgundy and Cobalt Blue (and Graphite Gold, but we don’t talk about that), and those are now long gone in favor of more subtle colors like Ice Blue and Sandstone. Sage is still subtle, but it’s just a bit more bold than Ice Blue.

The Surface Laptop Go 2 is the perfect size and weight for taking on the go.

The product comes in at 2.48 pounds, making it the lightest Surface Laptop (obviously, Surface tablets are lighter). It’s also the smallest Surface Laptop. Personally, I think it’s the perfect size and weight for taking on the go, hence the name. It’s really comfortable to carry in a back, or to just kick back with on the couch.

It also feels premium, which is nice given the $599 starting price point. The lid and palm rest is made out of aluminum, while the base is made out of polycarbonate, something that I personally think we don’t see enough of. It gives it a two-tone look, which is cool. Unfortunately, we really only see the aluminum lid / polycarbonate base combo in mid-tier devices like this, but I’d love to see it more.

Side view of Surface Laptop Go 2

As for ports, you get Surface Connect on the right, and on the left, there’s a USB Type-A port, a USB Type-C port, and a 3.5mm audio jack. I never used Surface Connect for charging; obviously, I just used the USB Type-C port. I know Microsoft loves to keep its proprietary charging and docking solution, but at some point, it’s going to have to come to the realization that it’s the only company that uses one.

Side view of Surface Laptop Go 2

While this is Microsoft’s entry-level Surface Laptop, it doesn’t feel entry-level. This feels like a premium laptop that’s been designed to be small and light.

Display: The pixel density is still the lowest of any Surface

  • The Surface Laptop Go 2 has a 12.4-inch 1536 x 1024 display
  • There is no pen support, unlike other members of the Surface Laptop family
  • The webcam is still 720p

Still rocking the signature 3:2 aspect ratio that Surface is known for, the 12.4-inch screen on the Surface Laptop Go 2 is 1.1 inches smaller diagonally than the smallest Surface Laptop 4. This is an important distinction, because you really shouldn’t think of the Laptop Go series as just a cheaper Surface Laptop. It’s smaller, and it’s 3:2, the implications of which means that the size lends itself to being taller instead of wider. If you plan to have two apps side-by-side frequently, this probably isn’t the laptop for you.

Close up of Surface Laptop Go 2 display

The 1,536×1,024 resolution means that the screen is less than 1080p, and it also leaves this PC with a 148ppi pixel density, by far its largest shortfall. For comparison, the Surface Laptop 4 and Surface Laptop Studio have 201ppi screens, and the Surface Pro 8 has a 267ppi pixel density. 148ppi is the smallest pixel density of any Surface in history, tied with the Surface RT from a decade ago. In short, you can definitely see pixelation with the display.

Surface Laptop Go 2 display test

For color gamut, it supports 99% sRGB, 70% NTSC, 76% Adobe RGB, and 76% P3, according to my testing. Here’s how it compares to the rest of the lineup.

Surface PC sRGB NTSC Adobe RGB P3
Surface Laptop Go 2 99% 70% 76% 76%
Surface Pro 8 100% 77% 82% 83%
Surface Go 3 100% 71% 77% 78%
Surface Laptop Studio 100% 80% 83% 87%

Surface Laptop Go 2 display test

Brightness maxed out at 368.3 nits with a 1,000:1 contrast ratio. For comparison, the Surface Go 3 maxed out at 421.3 nits, the Surface Pro 8 maxed out at 445.3 nits, and the Surface Laptop Studio maxed out at 500.2 nits.

It has the worst display of the current Surface lineup.

While Microsoft is known for using color-accurate displays on its Surface PCs, I think it’s fair to say that the screen on the Surface Laptop Go 2 is the worst out of the current Surface lineup. Also, Microsoft doesn’t say the viewing angle in its specs, but it’s certainly not a full 178 degrees like you’d get from more premium Surfaces, and not that you should expect it, but it doesn’t have the 120Hz refresh rate found in the Laptop Studio or the Pro 8 either.

Close up of Surface Laptop Studio 2 webcam

The Surface Laptop Go 2 has one of the smallest top bezels of any Surface, and it’s also the only one that doesn’t have an IR camera up there. The webcam that is there is 720p still, using the same sensor as before. Microsoft says it’s improved thanks to a new ISP and some other tweaks, but it’s still not the FHD resolution that you’d want.

Keyboard: One of the best you’ll get at this price point

  • The keyboard is great, but it’s not backlit
  • There’s no fingerprint sensor in the base model

I really like the keyboard on the Surface Laptop Go 2. It feels comfortable, quiet, and accurate, and it even seems like it’s been upgraded over the original model. The plastic key caps match what’s found on the rest of the Surface Laptop family, although there’s one big difference, which is that this keyboard is not backlit.

Top down view of Surface Laptop Go 2 keyboard

The touchpad is pretty sizable too, making use of most of the available real estate. Again, the only real drawback here is that there’s no backlight on the keyboard.

Close up of Surface Laptop Go fingerprint sensor

In the top-right, there’s a fingerprint sensor, so you’re not lacking biometric authentication. When you press the button to power on the PC, it scans your fingerprint, so it automatically logs you in when the PC boots up. You don’t have to touch the sensor again. Unfortunately, the fingerprint sensor is still not included on the base model.

Performance: The Surface Laptop Go 2 is upgraded to Intel 11th-gen

  • The Surface Laptop Go 2 comes with a Core i5-1135G7, up to 8GB RAM, and up to a 256GB SSD
  • There is no more eMMC option

Microsoft is staying a generation behind with the Surface Laptop Go 2 processor, so it’s upgrading to Intel 11th-gen. It comes in any SKU you want, as long as it’s a Core i5-1135G7. That’s notable though. With the Surface Go 3 tablet, it comes with a Pentium Gold processor in the base model, and you have to pay extra for a Core i3. No matter which Surface Laptop Go 2 configuration you get, it comes with a Core i5.

Sage Surface Laptop Go 2 with green lighting

It’s also a notable upgrade from the Core i5-1035G1 that was in the original Surface Laptop Go. With Intel’s 10th-gen ‘Ice Lake’ processors, it had three U-series Core i5 SKUs. They had different levels of graphics power. The ‘G7’ model had Iris Plus Graphics, while the ‘G1’ option had the old UHD Graphics. With 11th-gen ‘Tiger Lake’, there’s only one SKU, and it includes Iris Xe graphics, so if you’re coming from a Core i5-1035G1, you’re going from UHD Graphics to Iris Xe, a big difference.

The Surface Laptop Go 2 offers a massive performance boost over its predecessor.

That means that there’s actual power under the hood here for some light gaming and photo editing. RAM maxes out at 8GB, so there are still limits, but you do get much better graphics power.

Another big change is that the base model comes with a 128GB SSD. Previously, the base model had 64GB eMMC storage, which is much slower.

For benchmarks, I used PCMark 10, 3DMark, Geekbench, and Cinebench.

Surface Laptop Go 2
Core i5-1135G7
Surface Laptop Go
Core i5-1035G1
Lenovo ThinkBook 14 Gen 2
Ryzen 5 4500U
PCMark 10 4,362 3,139 4,177
3DMark: Time Spy 1,193 409
Geekbench 1,307 / 4,075 1,180 / 3,430 969 / 3,142
Cinebench 1,240 / 3,582 1,060 / 2,581 1,121 / 5,782

If nothing else, you should be able to see that there are some really significant performance gains gen-over-gen.

For battery life, it’s about what I’d expect for something of this size. I got around four hours, with a minimum of three hours and 10 minutes, and a maximum of four hours and 30 minutes. It’ll get closer to three hours if you set it to best performance, and close to five hours at recommended power settings.

Microsoft promises 13.5 hours, an increase of the 13 hours promised with the original Surface Laptop Go. This isn’t any less accurate than any other OEM claims; however, it’s the reason that I do my battery testing by doing actual work while not connected to power. There is simply no real-world use case where you’d get 13.5 hours of use out of this.

Should you buy the Surface Laptop Go 2?

While the Surface Laptop Go 2 is delightful, it’s not for everyone.

You should buy a Surface Laptop Go 2 if:

  • You’re looking for something stylish to take on the go
  • You need a laptop for school
  • You’re on a budget

You should not buy a Surface Laptop Go 2 if:

Probably the biggest thing to be aware of when purchasing the Surface Laptop Go 2 is the display size. At 12.4 inches with a 3:2 aspect ratio, it’s small. You should plan on using apps fullscreen. Also, while an 11th-gen Core i5 and 8GB RAM is great, it’s something to be aware of in case you need more than that.

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