In November last year, MediaTek debuted its first 4nm flagship chipset, the Dimensity 9000. The octa-core chipset featured an Arm Cortex-X2 prime core paired with three Cortex-A710 performance cores, four Cortex-A510 efficiency cores, and a Mali-G710 GPU. It also packed MediaTek’s 5th-gen AI processing unit (APU) and an 18-bit Image Signal Processor (ISP). The Dimensity 9000 offered significant performance improvements over MediaTek’s previous flagship chipset, but its successor, the new Dimensity 9000 Plus, seems to be a minor upgrade.
Following in Qualcomm’s footsteps, MediaTek today announced a mid-cycle refresh for its latest flagship chipset. But while the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 came with several noteworthy changes, the new Dimensity 9000 Plus is essentially the same chip with a higher clocked prime core. Check out the table below for a side-by-side comparison.
MediaTek Dimensity 9000 Plus: Specifications
Specification
MediaTek Dimensity 9000 Plus
MediaTek Dimensity 9000
Manufacturing process
TSMC’s 4nm-class process
TSMC’s 4nm-class process
CPU
1x Arm Cortex-X2 @ 3.2GHz
3x Arm Cortex-A710 @ 2.85GHz
4x Arm Cortex-A510 (clock speed not specified)
1x Arm Cortex-X2 @ 3GHz
3x Arm Cortex-A710 @ 2.85GHz
4x Arm Cortex-A510 @ 1.8GHz
GPU
Arm Mali Mali-G710 MC10 GPU
Arm Mali Mali-G710 MC10 GPU
Display
Maximum On-Device Display support:
FHD+ @ 180Hz
WQHD+ @144Hz
MediaTek Intelligent Display Sync 2.0
Maximum On-Device Display support:
FHD+ @ 180Hz
WQHD+ @144Hz
MediaTek Intelligent Display Sync 2.0
AI
5th Gen APU 590
4x power efficiency over the previous generation
5th Gen APU 590
4x power efficiency over the previous generation
Memory
LPDDR5X (up to 7500Mbps)
LPDDR5X (up to 7500Mbps)
ISP
18-bit HDR ISP
4K HDR video on 3 cameras simultaneously
Super Night Video Recording
320MP camera support
18-bit HDR ISP
4K HDR video on 3 cameras simultaneously
Super Night Video Recording
320MP camera support
Modem
Integrated multimode 5G/4G modem
Sub-6GHz
Downlink: 7Gbps
3CC Carrier Aggregation (300MHz)
MediaTek 5G UltraSave 2.0
Integrated multimode 5G/4G modem
Sub-6GHz
Downlink: 7Gbps
3CC Carrier Aggregation (300MHz)
MediaTek 5G UltraSave 2.0
Connectivity
Bluetooth 5.3 (BLE Audio-ready)
Wi-Fi 6E 2×2 (BW160)
Wireless Stereo Audio
Beidou III-B1C GNSS support
Bluetooth 5.3 (BLE Audio-ready)
Wi-Fi 6E 2×2 (BW160)
Wireless Stereo Audio
Beidou III-B1C GNSS support
As you can see, MediaTek hasn’t introduced any noteworthy changes with the new Dimensity 9000 Plus. But that doesn’t necessarily mean the new chip won’t offer any real-world performance benefits. MediaTek claims that the new chip provides a 5% boost in CPU performance and 10% improvement in GPU performance compared to the Dimensity 9000, which should result in some real-world performance gains. But the difference may not be as noteworthy as it was between the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1. We’ll make sure to put this to the test as soon as new phones featuring the Dimensity 9000 Plus hit the market.
Speaking of which, MediaTek says that devices featuring its latest flagship chipset will hit the market sometime in Q3 2022. The company is yet to share the names of the OEMs that will use the chips on their upcoming flagships. We don’t expect the list to be too long since the Dimensity 9000 hasn’t made an appearance on many devices either. So far, only OPPO and Vivo have launched phones featuring MediaTek’s previous flagship chipset, likely because most buyers still prefer Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipsets in the premium smartphone segment.
What do you think of the new MediaTek Dimensity 9000 Plus? Do you think it’s a welcome upgrade or do you feel that it’s just a marketing ploy to keep up with Qualcomm’s flagship offerings? Let us know in the comments section below.
Despite the smartphone market being saturated with dozens of brands, there are still two brands that consistently dominate every year – Apple and Samsung. While both are recognized around the world, they each cater to a different audience. Whether it’s an iOS or Android smartphone you’re after, the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G and Apple iPhone 11 are perfect choices, especially when you consider their prices and features. So which phone is right for you? We can help you make a decision, breaking down the overall details of each phone, which should give you a better idea of which you might be interested in. So strap in, this is the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G versus the Apple iPhone 11.
Samsung Galaxy A53 5G vs Apple iPhone 11: specifications
Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
Apple iPhone 11
Build
Plastic body
Gorilla Glass 5 front panel
IP67 water/dust resistance
Metal / Glass body
Gorilla Glass front panel
IP67 water/dust resistance
Dimensions and Weight
159.6 x 74.8 x 8.1mm
189 g
150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3mm
194 g
Display
6.5-inch Super AMOLED
120Hz refresh rate
1080 x 2400 pixels
6.1-inch LCD
60Hz refresh rate
828 x 1792 pixels resolution
SoC
Samsung Exynos 1280
A13 Bionic chip
RAM and Storage
6GB/8GB RAM
128GB/256GB internal storage
microSD card slot (up to 1TB)
4GB RAM
64GB/128GB internal storage
no microSD card slot
Battery and Charging
5,000mAh battery
25W Super Fast Charging
No charger in the box
No wireless charging
3,110 mAh battery
18W Fast charging
No charger in the box
Qi wireless charging
Security
Fingerprint sensor
Face ID
Rear Camera(s)
64MP ƒ/1.8 Main (with OIS)
12MP ƒ/2.2 Ultra-wide
5MP ƒ/2.4 Depth sensor
5MP ƒ/2.4 Macro
12MP ƒ/1.8 Main (with OIS)
12MP ƒ/2.4 Ultra-Wide
Front Camera(s)
32MP ƒ/2.2
12MP camera ƒ/2.2
Ports
USB Type-C
No headphone jack
Lightning
No headphone jack
Connectivity
5G
LTE
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4G+5GHz)
Bluetooth 5.1
5G
LTE
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6
(2.4G+5GHz)
Bluetooth 5.0
Software
One UI 4.1 (Android 12)
iOS 15
Price
$349.99
$499
Build and Design
The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G and Apple iPhone 11 are completely different when it comes to their build and design. The Galaxy A53 5G offers a sleek look that is mostly made of plastic. The sides are faux metal and the rear offers a satisfying grippy texture. The Apple iPhone 11 is built on an aluminum metal frame and has a glass rear panel. The result is a phone that feels quite premium. As you might expect, both phones have a glass display. For the iPhone 11, this brings things full circle. As you get a glass front and back, sandwiching an aluminum frame. With the Galaxy A53 5G, you get more of a contrast. A glass front, faux metal sides with a matte plastic back.
The matte plastic back of the Samsung A53 5G
The back of the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G has a flush and flat look that is created using a matte plastic back. While it doesn’t exude a premium look, it does offer the functional benefit of being more resistant to scratches, and fingerprints, and also offering more gripe when in use. The iPhone 11 has a smooth glass back panel, which looks elegant and can also have the physical benefit of being more resistant to scratches. But the notable drawback with a glass back panel is its durability, especially when dealing with drops. There is also the claim that glass back can be a bit harder to hold thanks to its slick surface.
When it comes to design, both phones have a hump that accommodates the multiple cameras found on the rear. The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is a rectangular design that houses four cameras and a flash. The Apple iPhone 11 is a square shape that houses two cameras and a flash. While both humps are present, the Galaxy A53 5G is a bit more refined thanks to a seamless transition from the hump to the rear plate. The rear of the iPhone 11 is quite pronounced as if Apple is embracing the look. Of course, neither is bad, but this will be something to contemplate subjectively at the individual level.
Display
The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G has a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. Since this is an AMOLED display, you can expect deep blacks and colors that pop. On top of that, it has an in-display fingerprint reader and it offers a 120Hz refresh rate, something that used to be reserved for higher-end smartphones. As for looks, you get thinnish bezels surrounding the display which makes it look modern.
The Apple iPhone 11 makes use of an IPS LCD display, one that Apple calls a “Liquid Retina HD” display. The 6.1-inch display is backlit by LEDs and offers a resolution of 1792 x 828. Since this is an LCD from Apple, you can expect colors to be quite balanced. As for its refresh rate, you’re looking at 60Hz, which isn’t great when compared to the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G. But the 60Hz refresh rate was standard across all Apple iPhones until the release of the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max in 2021.
As far as looks go, the Galaxy A53 5G offers something a bit sleeker and modern with its punch-hole design. Apple has maintained the same design for most of its phones since the release of the iPhone X in 2017. This is mainly due to Apple’s facial recognition system, Face ID, which offers industry-leading security technology, but requires numerous sensors to work. These sensors are housed in what has famously been dubbed the “notch”. While it was quite jarring when it first made its debut, it has been five years since, and with plenty of copycat designs from Android manufacturers, the notch in 2022 isn’t really that big of a deal.
With that said, looks are subjective, but the options are clear, the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G has a higher resolution display with a small punch hole in the middle of the display, versus the iPhone 11 with a lower resolution display and large notch.
Performance
There are a lot of different aspects to consider when looking at the performance of a smartphone. Despite the iPhone 11 making its debut two years ago, at the time, it had a top-tier processor with its A13 Bionic. In contrast, the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is powered by an Exynos 1280 SoC produced in 2022. While you might be thinking to yourself that the newer processor is obviously better, you might want to think again.
The Samsung Exynos 1280 does offer some benefits due to its new 5nm architecture, but as far as performance goes, in a majority of the benchmarking categories, the Apple A13 Bionic is the clear winner. The A13 Bionic outperforms the Exynos 1280 in both single more and multicore tests. The Apple SoC also has better GPU performance.
But as stated before, there are benefits with the Samsung Exynos 1280. While it isn’t as strong a performer as Apple’s A13 Bionic, it can still perform quite well for most everyday tasks. It isn’t going to be the fastest since it is a mid-tier SoC, but it should perform more efficiently thanks to its 5nm chipset. To be fair, if you’re looking for more power, the Apple A13 Bionic is the clear winner, but the Samsung Exynos 1280 is no slouch either.
Cameras
Apart from looks, the camera is probably the next most important thing for a majority of people when considering a new smartphone. To be fair, Samsung is packing quite an arsenal with the Galaxy A53 5G, with the main camera sensor coming in at 64MP, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 5MP macro. The trio of lenses gives you the most versatility when it comes to shooting modes and provides the best overall experience when taking photos. Samsung has been known for its post-processing effects and things are no different here. While the images are sharp and the colors are punchy, they can look a bit overprocessed at times. Of course, this is a preference, but some might find a more natural look to be more pleasing.
That’s where Apple’s iPhone 11 excels, deriving color-accurate photos and videos with its 12MP main shooter and matching 12MP ultra-wide camera. Despite the lower resolution when compared to Samsung, the iPhone has always captured reliable and accurate colors. Of course, in order to accomplish this, you’ll need light and that is when things look great. But in darkly lit scenarios, the Galaxy A53 5G easily takes the cake, providing excellent night images with its advanced algorithm. Where the iPhone does pull slightly ahead is its video capabilities. The iPhone edges out the Samsung by just a bit as it can offer stabilized video even when shooting in its highest resolution of 4K. The Galaxy A53 cannot do this and can only provide video stabilization in 1080p.
Battery Life and Charging
The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G packs a monstrous 5,000mAh battery. This battery, paired with a mid-tier and efficient SoC can go on to provide all-day battery life with ease. Samsung states that the phone should last two days, with up to 18 hours of video playback and up to 60 hours of audio playback. Ultimately, it will depend on how you use your phone, but for most, this should definitely be enough. What might come as a surprise is that the phone does not offer wireless charging, and you will instead have to rely on the 25W fast charging via USB-C.
The iPhone comes with a much smaller 3,110mAh battery and slower charging speeds at 18W. But it offers wireless charging capabilities. Apple states that the phone can provide up to 17 hours of video playback, up to 10 hours of streaming video, or up to 65 hours of music playback on a single charge. The phone can charge up to 50 percent with a 20W charger. Unfortunately, Apple only includes a 5W charger in the box. With that said, the iPhone should also provide all-day battery life for most. The results of both phones are pretty close, but if you are looking for a battery monster, I think the Samsung would be a safer bet.
Samsung Galaxy A53 5G vs Apple iPhone 11: Which one should you buy?
The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G versus the Apple iPhone 11. Both of these phones are widely available around the world and can still be purchased brand new from carriers and retailers. Although this is a case of apples and oranges, there are clear differences when pitting each device against the other. Of course, what device is good for you depends entirely on how you use your phone. If you want a good all-around phone that has impressive battery life, you might want to consider the Galaxy A53 5G. If you want a good all-around phone that will be supported for much longer through software, choose the iPhone 11. Furthermore, if you’ve used a smartphone before, you might want to stick with what you know in the Android vs iOS camp. If this is your first smartphone ever, you might want to consider going to your local store to test each one out. The iPhone 11 starts at $499, while Galaxy A53 5G can be had for much lower at $349. If price is a concern, the answer is clear.
OxygenOS A.13 for the OnePlus Nord CE 2 is currently rolling out to users in India. According to screenshots shared by users over on the OnePlus Community Forums, the update is based on the OxygenOS 11 release like the one that rolled out to the OnePlus Nord 2 last week.
OnePlus is yet to announce the rollout on its forums, so it might be a while before the OTA notification pops up on your device. If you don’t wish to wait, you can download the incremental update package from the link provided below and flash the update manually. Note that OnePlus typically releases software updates in a phased manner in order to catch any bugs in the release ahead of the wider rollout. Therefore, we don’t recommend installing the update manually if you’re using your OnePlus Nord CE 2 as your daily driver.
As mentioned above, we currently have access to the incremental update package from OxygenOS A.12 for the India region only. We’ll update this post with links to the full OTA package as soon as it becomes available.
The next generation of foldable phones are just around the corner and it would be an understatement to say that the anticipation is high. It’s been about six months since we first heard about the Motorola Razr 3, and over the course of several months, we have heard and even seen more details about the phone. Now, we are getting one of the last unknowns about the handset, and what’s being shared, might not be all that uplifting for those coveting the Motorola Razr 3.
Renowned leaker Digital Chat Station has now revealed that the upcoming Motorola Razr 3 will arrive with the exact same battery specification as the previous Motorola Razr. That means that the new handset will come with a 2,800mAh battery. This might not be a huge deal in isolation, but there are things to consider.
We have heard numerous times that the Motorola Razr 3 will arrive with Qualcomm’s latest, Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor. It is the top-of-the-line SoC this summer and it packs a lot of power. The handset is also rumored to arrive with a 6.7-inch display, which is larger than the previous 6.2-inch found on the previous Motorola Razr 5G. If a larger display wasn’t enough, Motorola could be upping the ante by bumping the refresh rate for the Motorola Razr 3 to 120Hz.
Will a 2,800mah battery be enough?
With all of these specifications, there might be some concerns about whether an average user can get a full day’s battery life out of the Motorola Razr 3. Of course, the other side of the coin is that Qualcomm has stated that its new Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is 30 percent more efficient when it comes to power usage. This could be the reason that Motorola has left the battery as is, feeling confident with what it brings to the table. Of course, it’s too early to tell just how power efficient the Motorola Razr 3 will be. Unfortunately, we will have to wait until it’s officially announced.
The Motorola Razr 3 will face quite a bit of competition. From leaks, it appears that Samsung is also preparing its own follow-up for the Galaxy Z Flip 3. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 could also pack Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, a larger external display size, and most importantly, a larger battery. If the leaks are to be believed, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 will arrive with a 3,300mAh or 3,400mAh battery. This is quite a difference when compared to Motorola’s Razr 3. Again, while all of the leaks and rumors seem reliable, we will just have to be patient and wait for an official announcement.
The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) has announced that it has successfully completed a concept trial that will see Dublin, a tech hub of Europe, receive free and fast Wi-Fi across the city. The WBA has board representatives from the likes of AT&T, Intel, Google, Comcast, and Deutsche Telekom. Users who were in Barnardo Square on Dame Street or Dublin City Council’s amphitheater on Wood Quay were able to avail of free Wi-Fi that once logged in, would stay logged in. It was possible to move between the two areas and maintain connectivity.
For context, the WBA’s OpenRoaming initiative is already rolled out to one million hotspots globally, but this would see the first major city powered by the OpenRoaming initiative. It’s expected that over 150 access points will be rolled out across the city, employing Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E technology to ensure a “carrier-grade experience” that residents and tourists can effortlessly avail of. The trial was initiated by Dublin City Council’s “Smart Dublin” program and was supported by both the WBA and Virgin Media.
Tiago Rodrigues, CEO of the Wireless Broadband Alliance, said that “Wi-Fi is the foundation for smart cities. This successful proof-of-concept trial shows that that the City of Dublin and its residents, businesses and visitors all can depend on the WBA OpenRoaming standard to ensure that they always have convenient access to seamless, secure, carrier-grade Wi-Fi connectivity.” While it’s not confirmed, this seemingly paves the way for the WBA to look to bring this initiative to other cities at the same scale across the globe.
WBA’s OpenRoaming is now in release 3 and was launched in May 2020. It’s aimed at allowing businesses, device OEMs, service providers, and others to offer business users and consumers friction-free access to Wi-Fi. It was developed as a global solution based on a common set of standards to bridge gaps between cellular and Wi-Fi.
Recent reports from Samsung Pay users reveal that the app no longer works on non-Samsung devices. The disgruntled users claim that the app used to work well on their non-Samsung devices up until a few weeks ago, but it now displays an “ID not valid” error when signing in on a non-Samsung device.
Although Samsung has a history of limiting certain features to its devices, Samsung Pay was one of the few exceptions. The payments app supported non-Samsung devices, and it even let Galaxy Watch 4 users make payments when connected to a non-Samsung phone. Sadly, though, that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore.
According to recent reports on Reddit and the Samsung Community forums (via SamMobile), Samsung Pay users who do not have access to a Galaxy smartphone can no longer log into the app. Affected users say the app now returns the aforementioned “ID not valid” error. In response to queries, Samsung’s customer support has reportedly noted that Samsung Pay will no longer work on non-Samsung devices. But that seems unlikely, as Samsung would’ve made a public announcement before making such a huge change.
It’s interesting to note that even though affected users are no longer able to sign into Samsung Pay, they can still log into their Samsung accounts using the same ID. This leads us to believe that the change could be a result of a bug, but we don’t have any evidence to support this claim. We expect Samsung to make an announcement regarding the issue in the coming days, and we’ll make sure to let you know as soon as that happens.
The change could be a result of the recent introduction of Samsung Wallet — a comprehensive digital wallet app that gives Galaxy users access to Samsung Pay and Samsung Pass features in one place. Unlike Samsung Pay, the Samsung Wallet app is exclusive to Galaxy smartphones.
Are you able to log into your Samsung Pay account on a non-Samsung smartphone? Does the app let you make payments using a connected Galaxy Watch 4? Let us know in the comments section below.
Xiaomi’s sub-brand POCO is gearing up to launch two new devices in international markets. The company recently announced that it would host a launch event on June 23 to unveil the POCO X4 GT and the POCO F4. Now, in a recent string of tweets, the company has revealed some details about the upcoming devices.
According to the tweets, the upcoming POCO X4 GT will feature MediaTek’s Dimensity 8100 SoC, while the POCO F4 will pack Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 870 chipset. The company has also confirmed that both will offer 67W wired fast charging support. Furthermore, POCO suggests that the X4 GT will pack a 144Hz LCD panel, and the F4 will sport a 120Hz AMOLED display.
These specifications align with previous leaks claiming that the POCO X4 GT will be a rebranded Redmi Note 11T Pro (Chinese variant). As such, we expect the device to pack a 6.6-inch FHD+ 144Hz IPS panel, a 16MP selfie shooter, a 64MP triple camera setup, up to 8GB LPDDR5 RAM, and 512GB UFS 3.1 storage.
The phone will likely pack a 5,080mAh dual-cell battery with 67W fast charging support, and it will run a customized version of MIUI 13 for POCO devices based on Android 12 out of the box. The device should make its way to the Indian market as the Redmi K50i.
The POCO F4, on the other hand, looks to be a rebranded Redmi K40S. Redmi unveiled the K40S in China alongside the Redmi K50 series earlier this year. The device features a 6.67-inch E4 AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 120Hz, 67W fast charging support, and the Snapdragon 870 chip. These specifications fall in line with POCO’s recent teasers.
Reminding is caring show your eyes some love as never before with the first-in-class display offered by #POCOX4GT & #POCOF4.
If the POCO F4 is, indeed, the Redmi K40S with a fresh coat of paint, it should offer up to 12GB RAM, up to 256GB UFS 3.1 storage, a 4,500mAh battery, and a 48MP triple camera setup.
POCO will unveil the POCO X4 GT and POCO F4 during an online launch event on June 23. We’ll confirm whether the phones are actually rebranded versions of existing Redmi phones or not as soon as they’re unveiled.
Over the last few weeks, OnePlus has released the May 2022 security patches for several devices. Sadly, the OTA update for some of these devices has introduced some unwanted bugs. To address the known issues, OnePlus is now rolling out fresh updates for the OnePlus 8 series, OnePlus 8T, and the OnePlus 9R.
According to recent posts on the OnePlus Community Forums, OxygenOS C.21 is now rolling out to the OnePlus 8, OnePlus 8 Pro, OnePlus 8T, and OnePlus 9R. As mentioned previously, the update includes bug fixes and some system stability improvements. While you would expect OnePlus to take this opportunity to update the devices to the June 2022 security patches, that’s sadly not the case. The latest firmware release is still on the May 2022 patch level. Check out the section below for the full changelog.
OxygenOS C.21 changelog:
System
[Improved] system stability
[Fixed] the issue that screen kept on abnormally in certain scenarios after locking
[Fixed] the issue that some gesture operations worked abnormally after enabling the Quick launch
Camera
[Fixed] the issue of crash when opening Ultra Steady in certain scenarios
OxygenOS C.21 has already started rolling out to users in India, and it should reach all OnePlus 8, OnePlus 8 Pro, OnePlus 8T, and OnePlus 9R users in the coming days. If you haven’t received it already, you can download the firmware files from the links provided below and flash it manually.
Download OxygenOS C.21 for the OnePlus 8 series, OnePlus 8T, and OnePlus 9R
At the moment, we have access to download links for the incremental update packages from OxygenOS C.17. We’ll update this post with download links to the full OTA package as soon as it becomes available.
Apple revealed iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura during the main keynote of WWDC22. These major version bumps come packed with features that further enrich their respective devices and make our lives easier. For example, the new iPhone Lock Screen now allows us to completely personalize it through endless customizations. That’s not to mention the ability to add widgets to it — which spare us the need to unlock our phones to glance at relevant information. One of the useful Continuity features to land on these operating systems is FaceTime Handoff. You know those times when you answer a FaceTime call outdoors and then reach home and feel like switching to your Mac or iPad? Now you no longer need to hang up and start a new call from the other device. You can simply hand off the call between all three device types without interrupting the call.
How to use FaceTime Handoff
Make sure your iPhone/iPad/Mac devices are paired to the same Apple ID account and running the compatible operating systems.
Ensure that Handoff is enabled in the General Settings of your devices (it’s on by default).
Check your Bluetooth and Wi-Fi toggles and confirm that they’re enabled on all of your devices.
Voila! There’s nothing else you need to do. When you answer an audio or video FaceTime call on any of your devices, you will get a notification or banner on all nearby devices. Clicking it will switch the device handling the FaceTime call, thanks to Handoff.
This new FaceTime feature is a painful reminder that Apple Music still doesn’t support Continuity. The convenience of switching calls from one device to another seamlessly only makes me want Music Queue Handoff even more. Fingers crossed we get that in iOS 17.
Do you see yourself using FaceTime Handoff? Let us know in the comments section below.
Late last year, I got to review the Lenovo Yoga 6, one of the company’s most budget-oriented convertibles, and I admittedly liked a lot about it. It was powered by fast AMD processors, it looked and felt great with its fabric-covered lid, and it otherwise nailed all the basics. It wasn’t without its problems, but when I got the chance to review its successor, I was very happy to do so.
I did have some issues with the last-generation model of the Yoga 6 – the lack of an HDMI port, the poor webcam, and some other downsides made it a little hard to truly love it. But for this year, it feels like Lenovo listened to every single one of my pain points and addressed them. The Lenovo Yoga 6 feels almost like the perfect entry-level convertible now. Lenovo didn’t upgrade the processors, but everything else is better in this new model, and if you want a convertible laptop for a reasonable price, this should absolutely be on your radar.
The Lenovo Yoga 6 Gen 7 officially starts at $749.99, though you can already find it cheaper than that
It’s available directly from Lenovo and at Best Buy, but not every configuration is available everywhere
Lenovo announced the Yoga 6 Gen 7 back at CES 2022, and it launched in the second quarter of 2022. Officially, the laptop starts at $749.99, but Lenovo’s website already has the base model going for as low as $599.99, which makes this laptop an even better deal. That price includes an AMD Ryzen 5 5500U, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage, which is a fantastic deal for a convertible laptop like this.
If you don’t want to buy from Lenovo directly, you can also find the laptop at Best Buy, though only a couple of configuration options can be found there right now. More options could become available later on, and they should also start showing up at other retailers over time.
Lenovo Yoga 6 Gen 7: Specs
CPU
AMD Ryzen 5 5500U (6 cores, 12 threads, up to 4.0GHz, 8MB cache)
Graphics
Integrated AMD Radeon Graphics (7-core, 1800MHz)
Display
13.3-inch IPS, WUXGA (1920 x 1200), 170 DPI, 100% sRGB, up to 300 nits, TUV Low Blue Light, Dolby Vision, touch
Body
304 x 218 x 17.45 mm, 1.37kg
Memory
8GB LPDDR4x-4266
Storage
256GB NVMe PCIe SSD
Battery
59Wh battery
Ports
2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C (with Power Delivery and DisplayPort 1.4)
2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (one always on for charging)
1 x HDMI 2.0
1 x microSD card reader
1 x combo audio jack
Audio
Dual 2W stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos
Dual array microphones
Connectivity
Wi-Fi 6
Bluetooth 5.1
Camera
1080p Full HD webcam with IR, privacy shutter
Color
Dark Teal
Material
Aluminum + fabric (top), ABS (bottom)
OS
Windows 11 Home
Price
$749.99
Design: It’s even more beautiful than before
The Lenovo Yoga 6 comes with a lid covered in fabric, which gives it a distinct look and feel
The edges of the base are now fully curved, giving it a more modern look and making it more comfortable to hold
This time, there are plenty of ports for all your peripherals
The design was one of my absolute favorite things about the Lenovo Yoga 6 when I reviewed it last year, but the company still went ahead and improved it. Just like with the previous model, the lid of the laptop is covered in a dark blue fabric, and it makes the Yoga 6 really stand out from the sea of metal laptops out there. But now, Lenovo has also modernized the design, in line with what happened with the Yoga 9i, which we’ve also reviewed (and loved).
The edges of the base are now fully curved, making for a laptop that just looks more appealing than it did with the old flat edges. If you buy a model of the laptop with the aluminum top cover rather than the fabric-covered one, you’ll also see the curved edges there. In addition to looking great, this also makes it easier to hold the laptop in your hand, because the smooth rounded edges don’t dig into your palms as much.
The chassis has a more balanced design this year.
On the more mechanical side, the latest generation of the Yoga 6 is taller and heavier than its predecessor, albeit by a small margin. This is thanks to the new display and likely because of some other hardware changes we’ll get into. However, this new design is also more even, so there’s a consistent thickness across the chassis, instead of the wedge-like design of the previous model. At 17.45mm, it’s somewhere in between the maximum and minimum thickness of the previous model, but closer to the minimum.
One thing I complained about the previous Lenovo Yoga 6 was a lack of ports, and also some weird limitations revolving around them. For example, there was no HDMI port, and I had to buy a dock to be able to use my external monitor. Also, one of the USB-C ports didn’t support charging, so it was something I had to keep in mind if I wanted to plug in peripherals that used USB-C. This time, Lenovo fixed all of that.
On the left side of the laptop, we have two USB Type-C ports, along with the newly-added HDMI port, and a microSD card reader, which is also a new addition. Both USB Type-C ports support charging this time, which is great, though it also makes me wish each of the ports was on a different side so I could more easily plug in the charger in different scenarios.
On the right, there are two USB Type-A ports, a microSD card reader – yet another new addition – and the power button, with a power indicator light. This makes for a fantastic selection of ports, and enough to connect a good handful of peripherals without needing docks. That was a major pain point for me with last year’s model, and seeing it fixed here is fantastic.
Display: It’s got a 16:10 aspect ratio now
The display comes in a taller 16:10 aspect ratio and WUXGA resolution
The webcam has also been upgraded to a Full HD sensor and supports Windows Hello
The display was another thing I had some complaints about with the previous iteration of the Yoga 6. While it was fine, the 16:9 aspect ratio made it feel very small for my liking. But here, too, Lenovo listened. This year, the display has been stretched up to have a 16:10 aspect ratio, which is thankfully becoming a lot more common in 2022 laptops. It’s actually still a 13.3-inch panel, but having a taller aspect ratio really does make a big difference for productivity. There’s just more on the screen, and I love that.
Aside from adding new pixels to fill the additional vertical space, the resolution on this year’s model is the same as last year’s and that’s not a complaint, personally. I know some like extremely sharp screens, but Full HD is perfect for a display of this size, and everything looks as sharp as I’d want it to. One thing that hasn’t changed is the brightness, which still maxes out at 300 nits. This is fine for working indoors, but it does get very hard to see if you’re outside in broad daylight. While indoors with the window open, I have to use it at about 60% brightness to be comfortable.
Lenovo claims the display also covers 100% of sRGB, and while I don’t have the tools to measure that specifically, colors do look pretty good on this screen. It’s obviously not meant for creative professionals, but for this price range, it’s as good as you could expect it to be.
Windows Hello facial recognition makes it very easy to get up and running.
We’re not done with welcome upgrades yet, though, because above the display, there’s yet another one. The webcam has now been upgraded to a 1080p sensor, and I can’t accurately express how good it is to see this happen. The webcam on the previous model was really not very good, even for a 720p camera. I’ll say this isn’t the best 1080p camera I’ve seen on a laptop, but it’s a huge upgrade, and if you’re making video calls and meetings frequently, this will actually serve you very well now. I have to reiterate – this is a fantastic upgrade that I’m really happy to see.
And that’s not all. While the previous model only included a fingerprint reader for Windows Hello authentication, this new camera also now includes Windows Hello facial recognition. This is the most convenient way to unlock a computer, in my opinion, and I will always appreciate having it. It truly does make it a breeze to start using the laptop when I need to work, and it’s almost never failed to recognize me, even in very dim lighting.
Keyboard and trackpad: They’re as solid as ever
The new Yoga 6 uses Lenovo’s traditional style keyboard with rounded keys
Lenovo has made the trackpad a lot larger, thus more comfortable
Moving down to the keyboard base, this is the area with the least changes from the previous model, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I actually enjoyed typing on the keyboard of the Lenovo Yoga 6, and that stays true with the newest model. The keys have a comfortable travel distance and don’t bottom out too harshly, so they’re really comfortable to type on. They feel very snappy and I’ve never really had an issue where a key failed to actuate when I wanted it to or anything.
The only changes on the keyboard this year are a couple of function keys, which include shortcuts for the Settings, Calculator, and Snipping Tool apps in Windows 11, plus the new Smart Key that opens a quick toolbar to launch apps like Lenovo Vantage and Lenovo Voice.
Below the keyboard, the changes are a bit bigger – which is something I can also say about the touchpad. Because the laptop has a taller screen, the chassis is also taller, which means more space for the touchpad. For a 13-inch laptop, this feels huge, and it makes navigating Windows 11 far easier with gestures like scrolling, but also just clicking and dragging. My only issue with it is that the mouse buttons only actuate in the bottom 30% of the trackpad area, which means sometimes I want to click something and I can’t because my hand is just a little higher than it should be.
Also on the keyboard deck, there’s a fingerprint reader for those that prefer it. Personally, I have no idea why you’d want to use a fingerprint reader instead of the much easier facial recognition, but it’s nice that even in this mainstream device, Lenovo gives you both options.
Performance: It’s using last-gen processors, and that’s ok
Lenovo is using the same AMD Ryzen 5000 series processors as the last-gen Yoga 6
Performance is still fine for most people, but battery life has gotten worse
Lenovo upgraded almost everything about the external side of the hardware in the Yoga 6, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the inside. Just like last year’s model, the Lenovo Yoga 6 Gen 7 comes with AMD’s Ryzen 5000 series processors, and my unit specifically came with a Ryzen 5 5500U. I was a bit miffed when this was announced, and I still find it odd that Lenovo couldn’t at least opt for the enhanced Ryzen 5 5600U that used an improved architecture.
With that being said, this is far from a bad processor, with 6 cores and 12 threads. I’d say the bigger limitation in the configuration Lenovo sent me is the 8GB of RAM, which make it harder to work with a lot of apps and browser tabs open. It happens almost daily that one of my browser tabs has to reload when I switch to it. Of course, there are models of this laptop with 16GB of RAM, and not everyone has the same workloads I do, so this isn’t a negative on the whole, it’s just not suited to my particular needs. For the price, this is still a solid configuration.
The review unit I tested for the previous model had a Ryzen 7 processor, so it’s not fair to make a direct comparison to see if anything changed in the performance, but there’s no reason why you should expect any major changes. But we can compare it to another budget-oriented laptop, the Surface Laptop Go 2, and see that this is on a similar level, and it’s actually still better in most ways.
Lenovo Yoga 6 Gen 7
AMD Ryzen 5 5500U
Surface Laptop Go 2
Intel Core i5-1135G7
Lenovo Yoga 6 Gen 6
AMD Ryzen 7 5700U
PCMark 10
4,732
4,362
5,024
3DMark: Time Spy
1,144
1,193
1,174
Cinebench
1,123 / 5,471
1,240 / 3,582
1,180 / 6,908
Geekbench
1,078 / 5,226
1,307 / 4,075
1,184 / 6,074
All in all, the laptop performs very well, and despite some browser tabs having to reload sometimes, it has been more than fine for my day-to-day use at work. The only problem I really have is that trying to play media on the web, particularly with multiple apps or tabs open, caused the display to freeze if I had hardware acceleration enabled (which is the default setting in Vivaldi). This seems like it might be an issue with the graphics driver I currently have, so hopefully, an update will address it as soon as possible.
Battery life is surprisingly short compared to the previous generation.
Surprisingly, battery life wasn’t that good on this model, though. Seeing as the processors are similar, I went in expecting battery life on par with the model I reviewed last year, but no. The laptop has always lasted me over five hours, but always less than six. The most I got was 5 hours and 46 minutes, and the minimum was almost exactly 5 hours. That’s generally been with brightness at around 60%, mostly focused on web browsing and writing, often with about 5 to 10 tabs open. Some light photo editing is also involved. If you need a machine to get a lot of work done while you’re away from an outlet, it’s hard to recommend this one wholeheartedly.
Should you buy the Lenovo Yoga 6 Gen 7?
All in all, the Lenovo Yoga 6 nails almost all the basics of being a great convertible in this price range, and it’s easier to recommend than its predecessor.
You should buy a Lenovo Yoga 6 Gen 7 if:
You want a convertible laptop without breaking the bank
You’re looking for a great laptop for school work
You tend to connect a lot of peripherals to your laptop
You shouldn’t buy a Lenovo Yoga 6 Gen 7 if:
You want something that doesn’t need to charge for a whole day
You want the latest and greatest processors
With all the improvements Lenovo has made this year, the Yoga 6 Gen 7 is a fantastic laptop with very little to dislike. The biggest thing to look out for is the battery life, which probably won’t be good enough if you want to spend a whole day away from an outlet and using the laptop actively. If your usage is lighter, though, that shouldn’t be a huge problem.
The OnePlus 10 Pro offers some big improvements in the camera department compared to its predecessors. As we mentioned in our OnePlus 10 Pro camera review, the camera system on this phone can hold its own against the top dogs. It may not outperform some big names like the Pixel 6 Pro or the Vivo X80 Pro, but you can get some good looking photos out of this phone. If you’re using a flagship phone with an advanced camera system like this for the first time, then you may find it a bit overwhelming. So let’s take a look at all the camera modes along with different options that are available in this OnePlus 10 Pro camera walkthrough.
Even though the OnePlus 10 Pro’s camera hardware is largely similar to last year’s OnePlus 9 Pro, there’s now a very unique-looking camera housing at the back that may have caught your attention. There are mixed opinions on the way this new camera module looks, but I personally think it looks good. It adds a bit of personality to the phone and makes it more recognizable in the sea of other flagship devices.
The OnePlus 10 Pro features a triple camera system headlined by a 48MP, f/1.8, 1/1.43-inch main camera; an 8MP, f/2.4 telephoto zoom lens with 3.3x optical zoom; and a 50MP, f/2.2 ultra-wide camera. The main and zoom lens sensors are identical to the one used on the OnePlus 9 Pro, but you do get a new ultra-wide sensor. OnePlus is using a Samsung JN1 sensor with a wide 150-degree field of view.
The camera hardware on the OnePlus 10 Pro is complemented by Hasselblad’s color science optimization. OnePlus’ partnership with the Swedish camera maker also brings some other noteworthy additions which we’ll discuss in the following sections. Casual users will find plenty of what they need in the OnePlus 10 Pro’s camera system, but you might want to take a look at our collection of the best camera phones if you’re an advanced user with specific needs.
OnePlus 10 Pro: Camera app
Now that we know what the OnePlus 10 Pro’s camera system is made of, it’s time to take a look at the camera app that lets you interact with the hardware to capture photos and videos. I am using the Indian variant of the OnePlus 10 Pro running OxygenOS 12.1 software. This is the OS you’ll get with all the OnePlus 10 Pro units sold outside China.
The OnePlus 10 Pro’s camera app is packed with a ton of features and different modes to shoot with. The camera app layout, however, is still designed to make it easier to navigate and find the right settings. It’s very intuitive and you won’t have to dig deep into the settings to find what you need, really. One thing to note about the camera app — it’s also something that I personally dislike — is that it stays in the last shooting mode instead of defaulting back to the photo mode. This happens even when I actively close the camera app from the recent menu and come back after, say, a couple of hours. It’s not necessarily a deal-breaker as I always double-check the shooting mode I am in before hitting the capture button, but I think it’s definitely something to keep in mind.
The app itself is fairly easy to navigate, as I mentioned earlier. Once you are in the main camera app, you can quickly swipe left or right to change the shooting mode from ‘Photo’ to ‘Video’, ‘Portrait’, ‘Night’, and more. In each of these modes, you also get an option to select the lens and switch between ultra-wide, main, or telephoto modes. Tapping and holding the lens button opens up an iPhone-like zoom dial which you can drag left or right to zoom in and out. It’s impressive how the camera viewfinder keeps up with your changes and switches between lenses almost seamlessly without any lag.
Additionally, you’ll also find a bunch of options on the top of the viewfinder that’ll let you set different things. These options differ based on the shooting mode. The main photo mode, for instance, will show you an option to set a timer, enable HDR and AI enhancement, and more. While in the video mode, you’ll see options to set the video output resolution, frame rate, and more. These are self-explanatory options which I am sure you’ll understand what they do as you start exploring. But there’s one thing that I’d like to highlight before moving on to the next section — the 10-bit color mode.
How to enable 10-bit color mode in OnePlus 10 Pro
One of the most important things to highlight about the OnePlus 10 Pro is that it supports a 10-bit color mode. For those that don’t know, the 10-bit color refers to the depth of tone an image or video can contain. Most cameras record in an 8-bit color that is shot and saved in JPEG format. What’s the difference? Well, 8-bit color contains 256 levels of tone or 16.7 million colors. In the case of 10-bit color, the depth of tone increases to 1,024 levels, or 1.07 billion colors.
These additional levels of tone make a significant difference for advanced users who can tweak the colors during post-processing. It is, however, worth pointing out that JPEG doesn’t support 10-bit, so the OnePlus 10 Pro saves still images in High-Efficiency Image File (HEIF) format.
The 10-bit color mode is disabled by default but you can enable it rather easily by heading over to the Settings inside the camera app by tapping the three dots in the top-right corner of the screen. Now, scroll down until you see the 10-bit color mode and activate it. Activating the 10-bit color mode will automatically enable the HEIF option below it too.
Once you return to the viewfinder, you’ll see a message on the screen reminding you the camera is shooting in 10-bit color. It’s worth mentioning that the OnePlus 10 Pro can shoot 10-bit color photos in both the standard Photo mode and in Night mode, that too regardless of the three camera lenses you use. It will, however, not work in the Portrait mode, so keep that in mind.
While we’re here on the camera settings page, let’s take a look at some other settings that may want to tweak for a better experience overall. Here, I personally like to enable the grid lines to help me align my photos better. I also recommend you turn off the location tags unless you want your phone to add the location tags to the metadata. Irrespective of your preference with this option, I highly recommend you strip the EXIF data from each image before sharing it online. You can check out our how to remove the EXIF data guide to learn more about the process. Lastly, I also like to enable the option that tells me when the camera lens is dirty.
OnePlus 10 Pro camera modes
In addition to the modes that are easily accessible through the main camera viewfinder, you can tap on the ‘More’ button and find all the camera modes that are available in the OnePlus 10 Pro’s camera app. A lot of these shooting modes such as the Time-Lapse, Pano, and Dual-View Video are pretty self-explanatory, but there are a couple of interesting and new options too.
The “150-Degree” mode, for instance, is a fun way to use the ultra-wide lens on the OnePlus 10 Pro. It takes advantage of the new ultra-wide sensor’s extremely wide FoV, allowing you to get an interesting shot of your subject or the scene. The “XPAN” mode is a throwback to old Hasselblad cameras as it shoots in a 65:24 aspect ratio. Here’s a quick look at a couple of samples that I was able to capture to show you what these modes can do:
Captured using OnePlus 10 Pro 150-degree mode
Here are a couple of shots captured using the XPAN mode on the OnePlus 10 Pro:
Notably, you also get a “Pro” mode for still photography and a “Movie” mode for recording videos in manual mode with more granular controls. These modes, as you probably already know, just give you more control over things like the ISO, exposure, and shutter speed among other things. You can also choose to ignore this and shoot videos using the normal mode to capture moments without going through the hassle of getting all the settings right. The OnePlus 10 Pro, in case you’re wondering, can record 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, and 1080p@30/60/240fps.
I also like how the camera app has a dedicated button to explain some of the jargon. It makes it that much easier for amateur users to get accustomed to all these new features.
Closing Thoughts
Well, that brings us to the conclusion of this quick camera walkthrough of the OnePlus 10 Pro. I highly recommend you check out my colleague Ben’s OnePlus 10 Pro camera review which I’ve linked earlier in this article to learn more about the camera features on offer here. Ben goes into a lot more detail discussing various camera modes along with some samples too.
The OnePlus 10 Pro features a triple camera setup and comes with a very intuitive app, letting you take advantage of all the features and shooting modes.
I hope you found this particular guide useful and you’re now aware of all the OnePlus 10 Pro camera features. So which is your favorite OnePlus 10 Pro camera feature? Let us know by dropping a line in the comments down below.
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