Razer Viper V2 Pro review: Good, but not the upgrade we expected

The Razer Viper family of gaming mice was always designed with one thing in mind: Performance. From the start, the mouse was developed alongside top professional gamers to provide a product they wanted to use. From the shape to the weight, and the cable (or lack of), everything on the Viper has been designed to be the best of the best. With the Viper Ultimate, the first go at losing the cable, it was hard to imagine how Razer could possibly make it better.

But that is never a thought that crosses the minds of the Razer boffins. And so here we are with the Razer Viper V2 Pro. On the box, you’re reminded of why this thing exists. It’s an “ultra-lightweight wireless esports mouse.” As a follow-up, it’s less of a revolution than the original Viper was. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t as impressive in its own right.

The Viper Ultimate has been my own gaming mouse of choice for some time, though I confess, I am no professional gamer. But the idea of a newer version is certainly exciting, though I’m still waiting for a mouse that actually makes me a better gamer.

Razer Viper V2 Pro

Razer's newest competitive gaming mouse with less weight, more speed and the latest optical switches.

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Pros: Cons:

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Navigate this review:

• Pricing and availability
• Specs
• Design and features
• Performance and battery life
• Who should buy one

Razer Viper V2 Pro: What’s in the box?

Included in the box with the Razer Viper V2 Pro you get:

• The Razer Viper V2 Pro.
• 1 x USB-A to USB-C cable for charging and wired connection.
• 1 x 2.4GHz HyperSpeed Wireless dongle.
• USB dongle adapter.
• Razer mouse grip tape.

This review was conducted using a Razer Viper V2 Pro provided for review by Razer. At no point did Razer have any input into the contents of this review. 

Pricing and availability

The Razer Viper V2 Pro is on sale now from Razer’s own store and authorized resellers such as Amazon and Best Buy. It’s available in two colors, black and white, and both versions cost $150.

If you’re looking to save a little, the Amazon Renewed program has the Viper V2 Pro available in refurbished condition for $25 less.

Razer Viper V2 Pro specs

Category	Razer Viper V2 Pro
Connectivity	Razer HyperSpeed Wireless (2.4GHz) Razer SpeedFlex cable
Battery life	Up to 80 hours (1,000 Hz) Up to 24 hours (4,000 Hz)
Sensor	Focus Pro 30K Optical Sensor 30,000 max DPI
Programmable buttons	5
Switch type	Optical mouse switches Gen-3 Rated for 90 million clicks
RGB lighting	No
Dimensions and weight	Length: 126.7 mm / 4.99 inches Grip Width: 57.6 mm / 2.27 inches Height: 37.8 mm / 1.49 inches 59g

Design and features: No longer truly ambidextrous

• Incredibly lightweight.
• Retains traditional Viper shape but is no longer suitable for left-handed use.
• Only a single onboard profile can be stored.

One of the defining features of the Razer Viper has always been its incredibly lightweight body without the need to have holes drilled into it. The original was already lightweight at 69g, but now we’re at the Viper V2 Pro, Razer has managed to shave another 10g off that. On paper that sounds small, but on a device that already weighed so little, it’s a huge amount. Holding both at the same time you can clearly tell the V2 Pro is a decent amount lighter. And don’t forget, there’s a battery inside this mouse. Even if it feels like it must be powered by fresh air.

The Viper V2 Pro isn't as friendly to left-handed gamers as its predecessors.

One change that’s not quite so impressive is a move from being properly ambidextrous to merely symmetrical. The overall shape of the mouse is unchanged, but the only additional programmable buttons are now on the left-hand side. This means it’s usable, but not really designed for left-handed gamers. Razer has typically been one of the better supporters of mice for left-handers so it’s a little disappointing to see. However, the Viper V2 Pro is extremely comfortable to use, just as its predecessors have been. The shape doesn’t look targeted at ergonomics, but the overall package is superb. The combination of the curved body and the fact it weighs so little make it one of the better mice to use all day, gaming or not.

There are a total of five programmable buttons, but this includes the regular buttons and the scroll wheel. You get two additional buttons positioned over the thumb. As on previous Vipers, these are perfectly placed for activation without the need to relocate your thumb along the side of the mouse. They’re so light to press you can simply twitch your thumb to activate.

Unfortunately, you only have space on the mouse to store a single profile. If you primarily play one game you won’t have a problem, but if you like to have different profiles for different games you’re going to have to use Razer Synapse to switch those as required. Synapse will sync your profiles through the cloud across devices, but to get the most from this mouse you will always need to have it handy. Synapse is still only available on Windows, which is naturally where the majority of gamers play. But if you want to use this with a Mac, you’ll need a Windows PC handy to make any settings changes.

Perhaps surprisingly there's no RGB on this mouse.

Perhaps surprisingly you won’t be setting up profiles for any Chroma RGB lighting, Razer has chosen to omit this from the Viper V2 Pro. It’s hardly a deal-breaker but those who enjoy a little RGB glow will have to make do without it. Razer does include a set of its grip tape, though, and honestly, you’re going to want to use it. The side of the mouse is smooth plastic and the added tactility makes all the difference.

It’s also worth highlighting that Razer continues to keep a dedicated DPI switch on the bottom of the mouse out of harm’s way. We’ve all been there, in the heat of battle, accidentally increasing the DPI at just the wrong moment. On the bottom of the mouse, the power button also doubles up as a way to change your DPI. What seems to be missing from the bottom is anywhere to store the wireless dongle. So if you travel with the Viper V2 Pro, take good care of it.

Performance and battery life

• Incredibly fast and accurate.
• Battery life is decent even if you’re using it at higher polling rates.
• Easy recharging with USB-C cable.

The Razer Viper V2 Pro is built for performance and gamers who demand the most from their mouse. You don’t have to be a pro to use, it though. The Viper V2 Pro is packed with Razer’s latest and greatest, including 3rd-gen optical switches and a 30,000 DPI optical sensor. I’ve been a fan of Razer’s optical mouse switches from the very first generation. They’re incredibly light and being optical versus mechanical means virtually instant actuation. The sound of the click is pretty satisfying, too.

But that theme of speed is what the Viper V2 Pro is all about. The inability to distinguish between wired and wireless performance. Average players, like myself, will always struggle to actually feel the benefit of this speed, but it’s there. But it’s not just the raw, ridiculous numbers that this mouse brings. One of Razer’s best points is the feature set it can provide across the range, features that everyone can enjoy. Asymmetric cut-off will dynamically adjust lift-off and landing distances based on the current surface you’re using. The calibration tools are exceptional, and whatever your ability or your setup, you can tailor the Viper V2 Pro exactly to your requirements.

This is a fast, light, comfortable gaming mouse with the tools to customize it perfectly to your needs.

Of course, it is also incredibly fast and accurate. The tech inside is part of that, but when wrapped up in a body this light, the mouse truly becomes an extension of your hand. It feels like you’re floating across the desk while lining up some crispy headshots. I’m not much of a PvP player these days, but using a Viper mouse is about the only way I can even tolerate the Crucible in Destiny 2.

Battery life is good without being outstanding. Naturally, turning up the polling rate will help it drain faster, but the fact there’s no RGB on this mouse does help. Razer’s claims feel about right, I’ve been charging it once every couple of weeks having used it for a mixture of work and gaming. Though it should be said the 1,000 Hz polling rate has been just fine for me.

It’s worth highlighting as well that Razer has done away with the first-party USB cables of old. Likewise with the wireless charging dock that the Viper Ultimate had. This is a simple, standard USB-C cable. Huzzah!

Who should buy the Razer Viper V2 Pro?

• The Viper V2 Pro is still a great choice for competitive gamers.
• Those who play primarily one title will find it easiest to use.
• The older Viper is still a good alternative for a lot of players.

I won’t lie, I’m a little conflicted with the Razer Viper V2 Pro. There are obviously areas in that Razer has improved things. It’s got the latest and greatest of everything and somehow it’s even lighter. But I expected a sequel to the old Viper Ultimate and I just don’t think this is it. If you already use the Viper Ultimate or even the original wired Viper, I’m not sure this is the one to upgrade to.

A good gaming mouse but there are compromises.

The price is comparable to the Viper Ultimate, but there are compromises. And sadly, I expected more from Razer. Many recent products have touted the onboard profile storage so that reliance on its Synapse application could be reduced. But this does away with that. And yet has “Pro” in its name. I guess for single-game professionals it’s still fine, it has onboard storage for a single profile. But I play different games on my laptop to my desktop, and even I find this change really frustrating.

That’s not to say the Razer Viper V2 Pro isn’t a good mouse. Because it is. The form factor and lightweight nature of the beast continue to make it one of the most comfortable competitive gaming mice around. And the performance continues to be class-leading. The Viper V2 Pro is an excellent mouse.

But I can’t get away from the compromises over its own predecessors, let alone competing products from other manufacturers. If you can find a cheap Viper Ultimate, I’d still personally go for that one, especially if you’re a left-handed gamer. There’s so much to love about this mouse but on the whole, it does feel like a rare miss.

Razer Viper V2 Pro

Razer's latest gaming mouse for competitive players is lighter and faster than ever before while retaining the classic Viper feel.

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Lenovo Yoga 7i (2022) review: A stylish mainstream laptop with a ton of value

On its own, this year’s Lenovo Yoga 7i is an excellent laptop. What I mean by that if that if no one told you that this is a mainstream device, you wouldn’t think less of it. It’s just that good. It’s got a great keyboard that feels awesome to type on, a new design that feels premium, and excellent Dolby Atmos speakers.

The one thing that I don’t care for is the screen. The 300-nit 2.2K LCD doesn’t feel bright enough. Luckily, there’s an OLED option, which you should totally opt for if you can.

But while this is a great laptop overall at $1,199, it’s actually $300 off at Best Buy at the time of this writing. For $899, it’s an absolute steal, offering more value than any other laptop in the game. There’s also a base model that’s on sale for $699. You can’t beat it.

Lenovo Yoga 7i

The Lenovo Yoga 7i is a great overall laptop, packing Intel's 12th-gen processors, an all-new design, and more.

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Pros: Cons:

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Navigate this review:

• Lenovo Yoga 7i pricing and availability
• Lenovo Yoga 7i specs
• Design: It comes in a pretty new Stone Blue color
• Display: The good model comes with 2.8K OLED
• Keyboard and touchpad: Excellent for a mainstream laptop
• Performance: It uses Intel’s 12th-gen U-series processors
• Should you buy the Lenovo Yoga 7i (2022)?

Lenovo Yoga 7i (2022) pricing and availability

• The Lenovo Yoga 7i comes in Stone Blue and Storm Gray, and starts at $999

Available now, the Lenovo Yoga 9i starts at $999.99, and you can get it from retailers like Lenovo.com and Best Buy. That price will get you a Core i5-1235U processor, 8GB LPDDR5 RAM, a 512GB SSD, and 2.2K LCD. At the time of this writing though, it’s actually $300 off at Best Buy.

The unit that Lenovo sent me for review includes a Core i7-1255U, 16GB RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a 2.2K LCD, and that one will run you $1,199.99 at Best Buy. It’s also $300 off right now. It also comes in the new Stone Blue color, with the other option being the more traditional Stone Grey.

Lenovo Yoga 7i (2022) specs

Processor	Intel Core i7-1255U
Graphics	Intel Iris Xe
Body	12.47″ x 8.67″ x 0.68″ (326.66mm x 220.25 mm x 17.35mm), 3.3lbs (1.5kg)
Display	14”, 2.2K LCD (2240 x 1400) IPS, 300 nits, 100% sRGB, 60 Hz, 16:10 (WUXGA), Touchscreen
Memory	16GB LPDDR5
Storage	512GB PCIe NVMe
Ports	2 x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4.0 / PD / DisplayPort / USB 4.0) 1 x HDMI 2.0 1 x microSD Card Reader (UHS-1(104) PCIe Gen 1) 1 x USB-A (USB 3.2 Gen 1) 1 x Audio Combo Jack 1 x Power Button
Connectivity	Intel Wi-Fi 6E + Bluetooth 5.2
Audio	2 x 2W user-facing tweeters and 2 x 2W woofers Dolby Atmos Speaker System
Keyboard	6-row, multimedia Fn keys, LED backlight Precision Touchpad
Battery	71Wh
Material	Aluminum
Color	Stone Blue
OS	Windows 11 Home
Price	$1,199.99

There’s also an option for a 2.8K OLED display, and not only does it have a better screen, but that model is 0.2 pounds lighter.

Design: It comes in a pretty new Stone Blue color

• It has two Thunderbolt 4 ports, one USB Type-A port, HDMI, and a microSD card slot
• It features Lenovo’s Comfort Edge design

There are two key things to know about the look and feel of the Lenovo Yoga 7i. One is that there’s a new color. You can get it in Storm Grey, which is the normal gunmetal gray color that Lenovo has been putting in consumer laptops for ages, or you can get it in the all-new Stone Blue. Personally, I love the new color.

I also hate Storm Grey. It’s boring, and nothing about it feels inspired at all. Stone Blue is a nice change. It’s a subtle shade of blue that could be mistaken for gray in the wrong lighting, but it’s not a light color like Microsoft’s Ice Blue or Apple’s Sierra Blue. This is a darker color, and it gives it a stylish and personalized look that doesn’t come off at too flashy.

Stone Blue feels stylish and personal without being too flashy.

The other thing that you need to know is that it has Lenovo’s new Comfort Edge design, which ddebuted with the Yoga 9i. Comfort Edge is coming to most of Lenovo’s consumer laptops, and I’m here for it. It offers soft, curved edges instead of the flat edges and sharp corners that we’re used to. Not only is it more stylish, but it’s more functional, making it easier to life the lid.

A key difference between the Yoga 7i and the Yoga 9i is that the more premium Yoga 9i has mirrored edges, where the Yoga 7i is all matte. It’s a bit more subtle, which is probably better for many people.

The port selection is about what you’d expect from one of Lenovo’s consumer laptops these days, meaning that there are two USB Type-C ports and one USB Type-A port. The left side actually has the two Thunderbolt 4 ports, microSD, and an HDMI port. Dual Thunderbolt ports are nice to see at this price point, since so many companies have cheaped out and included only one.

On the right side, you’ll find the USB Type-A port, a headphone jack, and the power button.

The port selection is fine. Like I said, you’ll find that combo of two USB Type-C ports and one USB Type-A port on tons of Lenovo consumer laptops; the same goes for HP too, in fact. HDMI is great if you need it, as is microSD.

I’m personally just a big fan of the design of Lenovo’s newest laptops. They’re not wedge-shaped like many devices are; they’re a uniform thickness throughout. It makes it feel good to use, and it makes it feel like the weight is evenly distributed.

Display: The good model comes with 2.8K OLED

• The two display options are 2.2K LCD and 2.8K OLED

As usual, the Yoga 7i comes with a 14-inch display, and this one is 16:10. The aspect ratio is pretty common now, and frankly, it’s just better than the 16:9 displays that we’ve seen in previous years. There are two options: 2.2K LCD and 2.8K OLED. Obviously, OLED is better, but it’s actually a lot better.

For one thing, the OLED model can go up to 90Hz, while the LCD one is capped at 60Hz. The OLED screen is also brighter at 400 nits instead of 300 nits. Frankly, the 2.2K screen on the variant that Lenovo sent me – while offering sufficient resolution – isn’t very good.

As you can see, it supports 99% sRGB, 76% NTSC, 80% Adobe RGB, and 81% P3. You can bet that the OLED screen would be in the 90s across the board. On the 2.8K OLED screen on the Yoga 9i (presumably, it’s the same panel), it supported 100% sRGB, 92% NTSC, 94% Adobe RGB, and 100% P3.

Brightness came in at 299.5 nits, right around the 300 nits that were promised. The Contrast ratio maxed out at 1,280:1, which is fine, but again, it’s nowhere near what you’d see with OLED.

On the LCD panel that this model has, it’s just fine. After all, the Yoga 7i is all about value. With some of the deals that are offered, you can get this unit that has the 2.2K LCD, a Core i7-1255U, 16GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD all for under $900. And despite all of that, it’s a really good laptop. But if you want that kind of value for the price, OLED simply won’t come standard.

One thing that’s nice is that it has a 1080p webcam, which is pretty good. It’s not as good as the 5MP sensor that HP is using these days, but it’s much better than we’ve seen on the 720p cameras that were on previous years’ laptops. It also has a privacy guard that you can use in case you’re worried about that.

The one issue with the privacy guard, of course, is that it will also block Windows Hello facial recognition, which this laptop does include. I’ve started keeping Windows Hello off by default, given that Microsoft has done virtually nothing to improve the experience since it was introduced with Windows 10 in 2015. If you’re OK with typing a PIN, then turning on the privacy guard won’t be an issue.

Keyboard and touchpad: Excellent for a mainstream laptop

• As usual, Lenovo offers one of the best keyboards
• It has Dolby Atmos speakers on the keyboard deck

The keyboard really hasn’t changed generation over generation. Probably the biggest difference is just the feel since it’s not a wedge-shaped design anymore. I really do like this design for Lenovo’s laptops a lot.

The keyboard is both comffortable and accurate. When you type on it, it feels premium. The keys don’t seem to wobble, it’s fairly quiet, and the amount of force required to press a key feels just right. Naturally, it’s backlit as well. Considering how premium it feels, it’s really nice to see at the price point.

The touchpad is great too. It’s a Precision touchpad, as you’d expect, and it takes up most of the available real estate. You can see to the right that there’s also a fingerprint sensor, in case you’re not a fan of facial recognition.

The speakers are located right on the keyboard deck, and they’re pretty great. The two speakers that flank the keyboard are 2W tweeters, while there are two 2W woofers on the bottom of the laptop. They’re both loud and clear, and they sound fantastic whether you’re using the laptop in laptop mode, tent mode, or anything in-between.

Performance: It uses Intel’s 12th-gen U-series processors

• Intel’s 12th-gen U-series processors are the right choice
• Battery life is pretty great thanks to a 71WHr battery

The Lenovo Yoga 7i packs Intel’s 12th-gen U-series processors, and I love it. There are lots of choices for laptops at this point. Intel has three of its own, but in my experience, when you try to pack a 28W P-series processor or a 45W H-series processor into an ultrabook chassis, you end up with issues with sustained performance, and it eats up battery life. AMD has some great new Ryzen 6000 U-series processors, but those, like their predecessors, struggle with performance when not connected to power.

Intel’s 15W 12th-gen U-series processors just feel like the sweet spot for me. This is a productivity-focused machine, and the performance is great for that. It’s also good for photo editing. Intel didn’t really offer any improvements to Iris Xe graphics with this generation, but it’s still pretty good.

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

	Lenovo Yoga 7i (2022) Core i7-1255U	Lenovo Yoga 9i Core i7-1260P	Huawei MateBook 16S Core i7-12700H
PCMark 10	5,453	5,616	5,501
3DMark: Time Spy	1,774	1,678	1,957
Geekbench 5 (single / multi)	1,694 / 8,370	1,736 / 9,525	1,779 / 9,789
Cinebench R23 (single / multi)	1,763 / 7,315	1,638 / 7,757	1,815 / 10,615
CrossMark (overall / prodictivity / creativity / respnose time)	1,492 / 1,420 / 1,661 / 1,251	1,454 / 1,353 / 1,650 / 1,235	1,720 / 1,576 / 1,917 / 1,619

If you want battery life, you came to the right place.

As you can see, there isn’t that much of a performance difference between the three tiers of Intel processors that are showing up in ultrabooks. The Yoga 9i does better with the P-series processor, but it’s also using a similar chassis. I have other test results, like the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360, that use a 28W processor and actually gets a lower PCMark 10 score.

Battery life is pretty great too. The worst I got was five hours and 18 minutes, and the best I got was six hours and 50 minutes. As usual, this was with the power slider set to balanced. Screen brightness was set to 75%, since that’s the lowest that was comfortable with this 300-nit screen. If you can average six hours of battery life on an x86 laptop, and you can with this one, that’s pretty great.

Should you buy the Lenovo Yoga 7i (2022)?

The Lenovo Yoga 7i is an excellent convertible laptop. Here’s who should buy it.

Who should buy the Lenovo Yoga 7i (2022):

• People who want a lot of value for their money
• People that work from home
• Anyone that takes their laptop on the go and needs battery life

Who should not buy the Lenovo Yoga 7i (2022):

• Customers that need a lot of power for editing video
• Those that want the best of the best

Using the Yoga 7i, I’m kind of in love with it. It’s such a great convertible. But still, I’m even more in love with the Yoga 9i. After all, that’s why it tops our best laptops list. So if you do want the best of the best, you should totally go for the Yoga 9i. For a bit more value, the Yoga 7i is a fantastic choice.

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Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook review: A sequel with much more to offer

The original Lenovo Chromebook Duet was an interesting device. I bought one, and I loved it. The portable tablet-based form factor paired with an OS designed for laptop use was a big draw. As was being able to use the few Android apps I actually wanted to use on a tablet. The hardware was excellent, the display was really nice and the keyboard, while small, was good to type on. It had only one problem: It was really slow. ChromeOS performs well enough on basic hardware, but the MediaTek CPU inside the Duet just wasn’t really up to snuff.

But Lenovo didn’t give up, in fact, it doubled down. For the follow-up, there are actually two Duet Chromebook tablets to choose from. We’re already huge fans of the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook, but now it’s time to look at the smaller of the two and the direct successor to the original. The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook is, besides being a mouthful, an 11-inch tablet running ChromeOS that stays true to the idea of the original.

To look at, the changes might be hard to spot. And that’s a fair statement to make. The most important upgrade Lenovo has made comes inside, with a move to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7c. The Duet is slow no more. This one is much easier to recommend without also adding a caveat and is one of the best Chromebooks you can buy right now.

Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook

Lenovo's latest small ChromeOS tablet keeps much the same but makes some significant improvements.

Features:

Pros: Cons:

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Navigate this review:

• Pricing and availability
• Specs
• Design and features
• Performance and battery life
• Who should buy one

Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook: What’s in the box?

Included in the box when you buy a Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook is:

• The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook.
• Snap-on rear cover with a kickstand.
• Detachable keyboard.
• 30W USB-C power adapter.

This review was conducted using a Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook sample provided by Lenovo. At no time has Lenovo had any input on the content of this article. 

Pricing and availability

In the U.S. the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook is available to order now from Best Buy for $379. This is for the 128GB/4GB version (the same as our review sample). International availability, for example, the UK, still seems to be yet to begin.

Lenovo’s own store also isn’t shipping the device at the time of writing as it went out of stock, but it will be available again there in the future.

The Lenovo USI Pen 2 that works with the IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook costs $34 from Lenovo direct, though is still listed as coming soon at the time of this review.

Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 specs

Specification	Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3
Display	10.95-inch 2K LCD touchscreen 5:3 aspect ratio
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 Compute Platform
RAM	Up to 8GB LPDDR4 (4GB model tested)
Storage	Up to 128GB eMMC
Battery	Up to 12 hours Supports 45W charging (30W charger included) Rapid charge
Camera	5MP front-facing webcam 8MP rear camera
Ports	2 x USB-C 3.0 Gen 1 with power delivery Pogo pins
Connectivity	802.11ac wireless Bluetooth 5.1
Audio	2 x 1W stereo speakers
Dimensions and weight	258.04mm x 164.55mm x 7.90mm / 10.16 x 6.48 x 0.31 inches From 516g
Other features	USI 2.0 pen support (not included) Included kickstand and detachable keyboard

Design and features: If it ain’t broke don’t fix it

• 11-inch tablet with a detachable kickstand.
• A detachable keyboard is included.
• Supports USI 2.0 digital pen input.

The basic concept behind the IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook is the same as its predecessor. It’s about the same size, it still has a kickstand (if you want it) and a detachable keyboard. But the original design has certainly been refined. The bezels are narrower and as such the Duet 3 boasts 15.8% more screen than its predecessor. The kickstand is also improved, with a stronger connection to the back of the tablet. It also now boasts a cutout, which is where you’ll magnetically clamp your pen if you should choose to buy one.

The bezels are narrower now so there's more screen without making the tablet larger.

While the kickstand feels a little better this time around, the keyboard hasn’t really changed. The connection is incredibly strong using the pogo pins, but the fact it has a thin fabric hinge is still less than ideal. For one, you can’t raise the angle of the keyboard as you can with something like Microsoft’s Surface Type cover. It’s flat or flat, those are your choices. It doesn’t completely ruin the experience, but given the opportunity, I’d take an angle any time.

The other, perhaps bigger issue, with the fabric hinge is that on this review sample at least, the tablet portion never felt like it was properly aligned with the keyboard. It’s been driving me insane. The display always seems like it’s at a slight angle along the horizontal. It’s so frustrating. It frustrated me on the original and it frustrates me still, now.

It’s fine to type on though, which is still more important. The ChromeOS search button is quite small, which I like, because it’s harder to accidentally hit, and the trackpad is surprisingly good for something of this type. Despite the confines of the small form factor, it carries a full ChromeOS keyboard layout with cursor keys.

You can only use Lenovo's USI 2.0 pen right now with the Duet 3.

The display is a hair under 11-inches, but not far enough that we can’t refer to it as that. The bezels trimming it are nice and slim for folks who are into that, and while 5:3 isn’t the most common aspect ratio, it doesn’t feel strange. It’s a shade under 16:9, but media fills it nicely and the 2K resolution means text is sharp and everything generally looks lovely. As with most touch displays though it’s really glossy and while it is bright enough to use outdoors on a sunny day, you’re still going to see more of your own face. The kickstand can be adjusted with precision though so you can at least get it at the best angle to mitigate ambient light interference.

The display also supports a digital pen but with a caveat. It only seems to support Lenovo’s own USI 2.0 digital pen, there hasn’t been any kind of backward compatibility with the panel. The team at Chrome Unboxed did a deep dive into this (our sample didn’t come with a pen) so if you’re interested in the Duet 3 for doodling on it’s worth checking out. You would probably want Lenovo’s pen anyway since it’ll attach neatly to the little cutout on the back of the kickstand.

Other things of note include connectivity. There’s an upgrade here from the original Duet with now a pair of USB-C ports, both with power delivery. There’s one on each side which makes charging nice and convenient. Fans of headphone jacks will be disappointed though as there isn’t one. There’s no dongle in the box either so if you want to use wired headphones you’ll have to supply your own.

The speakers are pretty good, though. Nothing groundbreaking and they are pretty small, but you get a pair and proper stereo sound. It makes impromptu Stranger Things viewings perfectly enjoyable.

Using the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook as a tablet

The obvious reason you would buy one of these is as a capable, portable Chromebook. But ChromeOS also supports Android apps from the Play Store, which means you can very easily use this as a part-time Android tablet.

The Duet 3 is a compelling alternative to an Android tablet.

But it’s the fact this is a compact tablet that makes it worth using like one. And because the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 (more on that below) is so much better than the MediaTek CPU Lenovo has used previously, you actually can. Performance is pretty good across the board. Some of the credit belongs to Google as well, because ChromeOS keeps getting more comfortable to use on a touchscreen like this.

On the previous generation Duet just swiping to home was a jittery mess, but on this one, it’s smooth, fluid, exactly the sort of experience you would want. The size of the device is perfect for mobile games and especially reading. And because it’s so compact you can take it and use it anywhere. Gaming is a bit of a mixed bag, but for reading, watching videos, browsing and the like it’s pretty fantastic.

Performance and battery life

• The Latest Qualcomm CPU is a huge improvement on the original Duet.
• Decent but not outstanding battery life.
• 4GB of RAM still trips up ChromeOS at times.

To say Lenovo upgraded the CPU in the Duet 3 versus the original is an understatement. The Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 is a huge improvement. It’s actually even a fairly big step up from the first-gen 7c, so to have it in a compact device like the Duet 3 is impressive. There are no fans, so it’s always quiet, and since the keyboard isn’t part of this Chromebook you never feel any warmth even under load. The metal back of the tablet can warm up, but nothing more than you’d experience from a Snapdragon-powered smartphone.

To the benchmarks, then. We’ve subjected the IdeaPad Duet 3 to a range of ChromeOS-friendly benchmarks. For some comparison, we’ve included a couple of comparable figures from the Acer Chromebook Spin 513 running the first-gen 7c, and the current best-performer, the HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook.

Benchmark	Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3	Acer Chromebook Spin 513	HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook
Kraken Javascript (lower is better)	1,865	2,342	524
Jetstream 2 (higher is better)	Didn’t complete	Didn’t complete	201
Octane 2.0 (higher is better)	20,970	18,101	79,782
WebGL Aquarium (10,000 fish)	29 FPS	N/A	60 FPS
WebGL Aquarium (15,000 fish)	20 FPS	N/A	60 FPS
WebGL Aquarium (20,000 fish)	16 FPS	N/A	34 FPS

In terms of outright sheer speed, the IdeaPad Duet 3 cannot compete with the big hitters, but it’s also not supposed to. What it does do is make a significant improvement on its predecessor and the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 actually feels like an ARM CPU that belongs in a Chromebook.

Performance is surprisingly good even when using Linux, but 4GB of RAM is still not enough.

Away from synthetic tests, the Duet 3 has been a joy to use, even handling that most daunting of tests, opening a heap of Chrome tabs. Where it falls down a little is having 4GB of RAM as this review sample does. On one hand, it helps keep the price down, and in plenty of scenarios, it’s ample. But more is always better and ChromeOS is getting to that point that 8GB should be the minimum. This isn’t necessarily Lenovo’s fault, but as the company putting the hardware together, it’s Lenovo who will bear the disgruntlement. If you can get the version with 8GB of RAM, definitely do. That applies to all Chromebooks. Especially if you plan to use Android apps and Linux.

Linux performance on the Duet 3 is also decent for a device of this nature. You do have to ensure you’re using ARM versions of software, for example, Microsoft VS Code, but this little Chromebook tablet does alright. It doesn’t feel like it struggles compared to my own Chromebook, and I’ve been editing photos in GIMP the whole time I’ve been compiling this review.

Gaming is a bit less impressive, though. When using Android games from the Play Store there still seem to be compatibility issues. And performance isn’t quite what I was hoping for. Even simple games like Alto’s Adventure just aren’t particularly smooth. You can visibly see the game jerking about in front of you. For an ARM Chromebook, this is disappointing, though it might point toward some issues with the 7c platform that remains unresolved. I had a similarly mixed time in the past with a first-gen 7c-powered Chromebook. Cloud gaming, however, is perfect, and the Duet 3 has been a particularly good Google Stadia companion throughout my time with it.

Battery life is where you’d perhaps be expecting more than you actually get. The original Duet had a fairly frugal CPU inside. This one doesn’t. However, it’s easily capable of making it through a full day away from the charger. Standby time is excellent, and I’ve never once left the house with the Duet 3 and needed the charger. In real-world terms, you can probably get up to 10 hours of mixed-use, though for me it’s been more like 8 or 9. But you can also top it up with the same charger as your phone if you need to.

Who should buy the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3?

• The IdeaPad Duet 3 is a great alternative to an Android tablet.
• The compact size and affordable price make it perfect for students.
• Not currently the best choice for fans of digital pens until Lenovo’s is easier to get hold of.

There have been a number of attempts at ChromeOS tablets but it finally feels like we’re actually there. It’s actually a product you can recommend at last, and Lenovo has both the Duet 3 and the Duet 5 if you’re looking for a larger display. There are still areas that can be improved upon, and some of those need to come from Google. But on the whole the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 is a Chromebook worth recommending.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 is the best Chromebook tablet you can buy.

For one it’s an ideal alternative to an Android tablet. Small enough to be portable and to use comfortably with your favorite Android apps, but ChromeOS is more tailored to actual computer use. The versatility of having both a laptop and a tablet in one device is never to be ignored. That’s what also makes it a great choice for students. If a pen is one of your key requirements, then it’s perhaps not the best choice right now, but when Lenovo’s is easier to get hold of it’s tailored for this device and quite affordable.

As a follow-up to a much-loved Chromebook though this is certainly a worthy sequel. All the charm of the original Duet remains with the biggest drawbacks significantly improved upon. If you’re in the market for a Chromebook that is also a small tablet, the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 is the one to get. It’s arguably also the better choice between itself and the Duet 5, with very similar hardware on offer. Unless OLED or the larger display really appeals, this is now the best Chromebook tablet you can get.

Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3

Lenovo's second attempt at a compact ChromeOS tablet is a hit and the best option right now if you want a Chromebook that's also a tablet.

See at Best Buy

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HP Spectre x360 13.5 review: A less exciting design, but still one of the best convertibles

Reviewing an HP Spectre x360 is easy, because no matter what, it’s always one of the best around. The new Spectre x360 13.5 is no different. It comes with a redesigned chassis that I’m not in love with, but it still stands for quality. This thing has a beautiful 3:2 OLED display, one of the best keyboards, and frankly, the best webcam in a laptop.

There are things that I don’t love, such as the more subtle design. Also, while HP finally has a way of attaching the pen via a magnet, the magnet simply isn’t strong enough. The pen will fall off in your bag.

But still, we can talk about things being best-in-class. HP is going above and beyond what competitors are doing with webcams, so if you care about webcam quality in a laptop, look no further. This thing also has some of the best battery life I’ve seen. When we combine webcam quality, keyboard quality, screen quality, and battery life, there’s little else that we can ask for.

HP Spectre x360 13.5

The HP Spectre x360 13.5 has been redesigned, comes with Intel's 12th-gen processors, and more.

Features:

Pros: Cons:

See at HP

Navigate this review:

• HP Spectre x360 13.5 pricing and availability
• HP Spectre x360 specs
• Design: It’s not as sexy as it used to be
• Display: It has a beautiful OLED screen
• Keyboard: Still one of the best around
• Performance: Intel’s 12th-gen U-series processors are a nice step up
• Should you buy the HP Spectre x360 13.5?

HP Spectre x360 13.5 pricing and availability

• The HP Spectre x360 13.5 starts at $1,249.99

The HP Spectre x360 13.5 is available to buy now, and while it starts at $1,249.99, it’s currently on sale for $1,099.99. This base model includes a Core i5-1235U, 8GB RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a 1,920×1,280 display. The unit that HP sent for review is normally $1,749.99, and it includes a Core i7-1255U, 16GB RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a 3,000×2,000 OLED display.

It comes in three colors: Natural Silver, Nightfall Black, and Nocturne Blue. They all have silver accents around the touchpad and hinges.

HP Spectre x360 specs

Processor	Intel Core i7-1255U (up to 4.7 GHz, 12 MB L3 cache, 10 cores, 12 threads) + Intel Iris Xe Graphics + 16 GB(OB)
Graphics	Intel Iris Xe
Display	13.5″ diagonal, 3K2K (3000 x 2000), OLED, multitouch-enabled, UWVA, Low Blue Light, SDR 400 nits
Body	11.73×8.68×0.67in, 3.01lbs
Storage	1 TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD (4×4 SSD)
RAM	16GB LPDDR4X
Webcam	HP True Vision 5MP IR camera with camera shutter, temporal noise reduction and integrated dual array digital microphones
Keyboard	Full-size island-style backlit nightfall black keyboard Precision Touchpad Support
Battery	4-cell, 66 Wh Li-ion polymer
Ports	(2) Thunderbolt 4 ports (1) USB Type-A (1) 3.5mm audio
Connectivity	Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 (2×2) and Bluetooth 5.2 combo
Material	Aluminum
Color	Nightfall Black
OS	Windows 11 Pro
Price	$1,749.99

Design: It’s not as sexy as it used to be

• The HP Spectre x360 13.5 ditches the gem-cut edges and replaces them with softer curves
• It has one USB Type-A port, and two Thunderbolt 4 ports

For years, I’ve been saying that the HP Spectre x360 is the sexiest laptop on the market. There’s always been something about that two-tone design with gem-cut edges that made it stand out from the crowd. We’ve seen so many wedge-shaped silver MacBook Air clones, and then came the Spectre x360, with colors like Nightfall Black and Copper Luxe accents. While there are a lot of premium laptops, this one made you feel like you were using something from a tier above the rest.

That has changed. It still looks and feels premium, but it’s just not as sexy anymore. In fact, it feels pedestrian in comparison to its predecessors. That would be fine, given that it’s still a beautiful laptop, but given the increased subtlety, I’d expect this under the Envy brand. Spectre is the flagship, the one where HP pulls out all of the stops.

The sharp, gem-cut edges have been replaced by soft, rounded sides. The strong accents that surrounded the border are replaced by a thin metallic line, and instead of copper, it’s silver. It still has accents around the touchpad and the hinges, which are a nice touch.

We first saw this new design on the HP Spectre x360 16, so it’s no surprise that it made its way to the 13.5-inch model. The laptop definitely looks pretty, coming in Nightfall Black, Nocturne Blue, and Natural Silver, but I wouldn’t call it the sexiest laptop on the market anymore. It’s just more subtle, so if you want a design that doesn’t stand out as much as previous Spectres, this year’s is for you.

The Spectre x360 13.5 has a total of three USB ports, the same as it’s been for years now. Two of them are Thunderbolt 4, and one is USB Type-A, using a drop-jaw hinge. Both Thunderbolt ports are on the right side, but one is diagonally facing the back. The angled back corners are the only things left from the old design, and it allows you to plug in your laptop without the power cable getting in your way.

On the back-left corner, there’s a 3.5mm audio jack, which seems like an impractical place for it. Back when HP first started doing this, it actually had the power button on that side. And of course, the USB Type-A port is on the left side.

I really want to say that I do like the design. It’s just that I loved the old HP Spectre x360 design. I thought that in a market of laptops that mostly looked the same, it stood out from the pack. The new design is still nice; it’s just not quite on that level.

Display: It has a beautiful OLED screen

• The 13.5-inch screen has a 3:2 aspect ratio, with an OLED webcams
• The webcam is best-in-class

With the previous generation of HP Spectre x360 laptops, the company actually had two 13-inch models. There was the Spectre x360 13, which had the same 13.3-inch 16:9 option as previous generations, and then there was the Spectre x360 14, which had an all-new 13.5-inch 3:2 screen. It was branded the ’14’ because frankly, ’13’ was already taken.

The new aspect ratio means that the display is taller and larger. It was made popular by Microsoft’s Surface devices, and has been showing up more across the PC industry, along with 16:10 screens. The display isn’t as wide as a 13.3-inch 16:9 display, but like I said, it’s made up for in height.

The OLED display is beautiful.

There are three options for the display. You can get 1,920×1,280, 1,920×1,280 with Sure View, and 3,000×2,000 OLED. HP sent me the OLED one, and while battery life has definitely been solid, you’d do even better with the 1,920×1,280 ones. Of course, you get the prettier display with high-resolution OLED.

And then there’s the Sure View privacy display. The idea here is that you can toggle it on in a public setting, and people won’t be able to look over your shoulder and see what you’re working on. It’s pretty neat.

From my testing, it supports 100% sRGB, 96% NTSC, 98% Adobe RGB, and 100% P3. As you can probably tell, it doesn’t get much better than that. Of course, that’s for the OLED model, and you shouldn’t expect the same results from one of the other configurations.

Brightness maxed out at 405.7 nits, slightly exceeding the promised 400 nits, and contrast ratio maxed out at 13,570:1. Note that despite brightness increasing, the black level doesn’t change, because OLED displays offer true black. Overall, the OLED display is as good as it gets.

No, I’m not including selfies of myself just for fun. HP includes a 5MP webcam in the Spectre x360 13.5, and it’s including this same webcam (or a similar one) in a lot of its newest products. It’s a big deal, and here’s why. As we all know, there’s been a boom in working from home over the last couple of years. Before that, no one cared about webcams, but now they suddenly matter. Across the board, we’re finally starting to see laptops come with FHD webcams, rather than 720p cameras, which weren’t even good for their resolution.

HP's new webcams are the best you can get in a laptop.

But here’s what makes HP’s laptops special. While Lenovo and Dell have moved to FHD webcams (Dell hasn’t even done that in XPS laptops), and Intel even baked it into the newest Evo spec, HP went above and beyond. An FHD webcam is under 2.1 million pixels. HP is using a sensor with five million pixels. While you’ll still be on videos in FHD quality, this gives the camera room for a bit of digital cropping, and that’s where features like Auto Frame come in. The camera can zoom in on you and follow you around, and you don’t lose quality because of it.

It’s also just a good camera. If you look at the image above, you can see that it handles the lights in the background well, it’s not noisy, and it’s clear. HP’s laptops have the best webcams right now.

Keyboard: Still one of the best around

• HP offers one of the best keyboards on a consumer laptop
• The keyboard includes keys for a camera shutter, power, and a fingerprint sensor

Over the last few years, HP has put a lot of work into its keyboards, and they’ve gotten quite good. It started with its EliteBooks, but it made its way across the board. Now, Spectre x360 devices have some of the best keyboards on consumer laptops. They’re comfortable to type on, and they’re accurate.

As you can see from the image, it’s also got a big Precision touchpad. HP Spectre was one of the last to move to Precision a couple of years ago, but now, you can rest assured that the touchpad will be fast and responsive, and it will support all of the gestures that you’re used to.

In HP’s newest PCs, it tries to include as much as it can in the keyboard. That includes a fingerprint sensor, the power button, and a privacy guard button for the camera. Whereas some previous-generation Spectre x360 models only disconnected the camera internally, this one has a visual indicator that the camera is actually being covered.

Overall, I just want to reiterate that this is one of the best keyboards that you’ll find on a consumer laptop. If you type a lot, or if you’re a writer like me, the HP Spectre x360 13.5 is a great option.

Performance: Intel’s 12th-gen U-series processors are a nice step up

• HP chose 12th-gen U-series processors for the Spectre x360
• Battery life is better for it

With Intel’s 12th-gen processors, it has a range of CPUs that can go in ultrabooks like this one. While Lenovo chose the 28W P-series for its Yoga 9i and Dell chose a 9W U-series chip for its XPS 13, HP settled between the two with a 15W U-series processor. In this model, that’s the Core i7-1255U. Note that some companies are even using 45W H-series processors in ultrabooks, so there’s a lot to choose from.

I’ve reviewed a bunch of each of them, and by now, I’m pretty comfortable saying that HP made the right choice with 15W processors. Sure, 28W and 45W chips, by nature, are more powerful, but there are drawbacks. For one thing, they get hotter, and performance throttles as a result. Indeed, in benchmarks, I’ve seen many U-series laptops outperform P-series laptops. The other drawback is that higher wattage processors use more battery power.

The other thing to note is that this is a productivity-focused notebook; all ultrabooks are. If you’re video editing or doing something else along those lines, you probably want dedicated graphics. With that in mind, a 15W CPU should be enough for anyone, especially since it has been for years now. With U- and P-series, Iris Xe graphics have barely changed gen-over-gen, and to be fair, Iris Xe is pretty good. But if you’re looking for great integrated graphics, you might want to wait for 13th-gen.

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

	HP Spectre x360 13.5 Core i7-1255U	Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 Core i7-1280P	HP Pavilion Plus Core i7-12700H
PCMark 10	5,533	5,481	5,682
3DMark: Time Spy	1,553	1,992	1,676
Geekbench 5 (single / multi)	1,682 / 7,534	1,700 / 10,293	1,747 / 8,658
Cinebench R23 (single / multi)	1,684 / 6,287	1,629 / 10,121	1,660 / 9,725
CrossMark (overall, productivity, creativity, responsiveness)	1,593 / 1,509 / 1,781 / 1,340	1,729 / 1,575 / 2,022 / 1,433	1,695 / 1,664 / 1,793 / 1,512

You can see that where the P-series laptop beats out this one, it’s not by much. And the Spectre still got a better PCMark 10 score than the P-series Dell XPS 13 Plus.

As far as battery life goes, I can make this simple. If you care about battery life, you buy an HP. I test battery just by using it and seeing when the battery goes dead. I kept the power slider on balanced and screen brightness at a comfortable 60%. The worst battery life I got was five hours and 38 minutes, and if that was the best, that would still be pretty good when compared with the rest of the PC market. The best was six hours and 20 minutes.

If you want the best battery life, you buy an HP.

I also want to be clear that the median score was closer to the best amount of battery life, rather than the worst. While that one was 380 minutes, the second- and third-best intervals were 379 and 377 minutes, respectively.

I should also add that considering that this is the 3,000×2,000 OLED model, the battery life would be even better on the 1,920×1,280 model.

Should you buy the HP Spectre x360 13.5?

The HP Spectre x360 13.5 is one of the best laptops on the market. It’s not for everyone though, or else HP wouldn’t make anything else.

You should buy the HP Spectre x360 13.5 if:

• You’re on a lot of video calls and want the best webcam
• You want a beautiful 3:2 OLED display
• You type a lot and want the best keyboard

You should not buy the HP Spectre x360 13.5 if:

• You need a laptop for video editing that would require dedicated graphics
• You want to use the pen a lot

One thing to note is that while the pen does magnetically attach to the laptop, it falls off pretty easily. If you’re going to be doing a lot of drawing or taking handwritten notes, I’d look toward something with a pen garage. Other than that, it’s one of the best laptops you can get.

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The Google Pixel 6a highlights everything wrong with the U.S. phone market

It’s no secret that the United States has a terrible smartphone market, and you’d be hard pressed to find evidence to the contrary. Between the stranglehold that carriers have on the market, coupled with the lack of options available, consumers in the U.S. get screwed over on both options and pricing in contrast to Europe and Asia. The recently-released Google Pixel 6a‘s value proposition in North America proves exactly that problem.

For context, the Google Pixel 6a is the latest mid-range flagship from Google. It packs the last generation of Pixel cameras and Google Tensor into a more affordable package, promising five years of updates on top of that. You get all of Google’s software smarts too, though some have felt let down by the sub-par specifications and higher price tag when compared to the competition. Some of those downsides include a 60Hz screen, slower charging, and the fact that it’s the last generation’s cameras instead of the current generation, which other “a” series phones had.

To be clear, the Google Pixel 6a is a good phone. I like it a lot, and I think that Google has consistently nailed the basics of a good phone for years at this point. However, time and time again, particularly with its flagships, there has been some kind of compromise. For example, the Google Pixel 5 had the Snapdragon 765G and the Pixel 6 series has Tensor with all of its inefficiencies. Typically, the “a” series has generally made sense in its pricing and its features relative to the rest of the competition, but that changes with the Google Pixel 6a.

The problem with the U.S. phone market

The U.S. phone market’s biggest issue comes down to carriers and their stranglehold. It’s very hard to get a phone that works on a U.S. carrier, and the easiest way to get a phone is through a carrier deal. You can spend more for unlocked variants, but carriers will try to rope you in by offering a deal that you can only get by buying one of their phones. Phones can be made cheaper thanks to trade-in deals and other offers, which makes this the most appealing option for many.

Not only that, but if you buy into a carrier’s ecosystem, you immediately open yourself to the world of carrier deals and trade-in offers. They offer financing, carrier-specific features like Wi-Fi calling and VoLTE, and even phone-specific features at times if you buy the phone through their stores. Phones that are unlocked for the U.S. region should be compatible with carriers too, but their support can be inconsistent.

The U.S. phone market's biggest issue comes down to carriers and their stranglehold

In contrast to phones that you buy locked, there are a few other problems. For starters, you may lose out on all of those carrier trade-in deals that you could get by buying from a carrier. There are also two “tiers” of unlocked phones: international phones, and those unlocked for the U.S. market. Samsung is the most well-known example of this, where you can buy U.S. versions of the company’s flagship phones that are unlocked for all U.S. carriers. These then switch the CSC (Country Specific Code) which changes what carrier features are enabled depending on the SIM card installed. Internationally unlocked Samsung devices will have the same CSC-switching feature but don’t include the necessary configurations for US carriers

Generally, all phones also have to be approved to work on a specific carrier, and there’s a good reason for this: band support.

In Europe, if you buy an international phone, chances are that phone will just work across the litany of carriers across the continent. That’s not quite the case in the U.S., as fewer international devices support the necessary bands. What’s more, even if your phone is compatible on a technical level, if it isn’t approved for use on the carrier, it may simply not connect. It’s a bit complicated though because roaming might work, but a native SIM might not activate — it depends on how strict the carrier’s activation requirements are. U.S. phones generally work in Europe, but the contrary isn’t always true. This might be part of what adds to the cost of a U.S. phone, as they support a lot of European bands (which may come with a licensing cost) whereas the inverse is not usually true.

Band support is why if you take a recently launched Xiaomi or OPPO phone to America, you might not get a signal at all and almost certainly will only have partial 5G support at best. Your odds of getting one working perfectly as if it was officially launched in the country, is almost zero.

The Google Pixel 6a compared to the competition

The thing about the Google Pixel 6a is that in the U.S. market, it’s a great value phone. There are basically no other offerings in the U.S. that can provide as complete an experience at that price range. Flagship chipset? Check. Great cameras? Check. Long-term software support with timely updates? Check. It’s got all the basic boxes of an excellent phone… but it costs $449. That’s a good price in the U.S, but it being a good price in the U.S. is more indicative of the high costs over there than anything else.

Taking a look at the European and Asian markets, competition is a lot tougher for the Google Pixel 6a. Unless you value excellent photos over everything else, there’s tough competition in this price bracket, and even cheaper. I can buy a OnePlus Nord 2T for less than a Google Pixel 6a. It has what I would call a more practical chipset, a better display, better speakers, longer battery life, and much faster charging. While Tensor is good, any long-term usage will see heavy thermal throttling and reduced performance as a result, which the Dimensity 1300 doesn’t suffer from anywhere near as much. You get better software on the Pixel 6a and a better camera, but it’s tough competition.

If OnePlus isn’t your cup of tea, let’s look at the new kid on the block. The Nothing Phone 1 arrived with much bravado, and again, we’re in a situation where it packs a whole lot of punch that the Google Pixel 6a does not. We’re talking about a better display (with some controversy, mind you…), great battery life, a better chipset (for the same reason that the Dimensity 1300 does a better job than Tensor in my opinion), and just as unique a design. On the software front, Nothing is a bit of a question mark, so it’s completely understandable that you may be wary of stepping into an all-new ecosystem like that.

Well, what about Xiaomi? Xiaomi has a ton of mid-range phones, either through Poco or Redmi. The Poco F4, for example, comes in cheaper and it’s the same story as the above. Better screen, better chipset, worse camera, faster charging… in every case with each of these phones, you’re trading a lot to simply own a Pixel.

Finally, let’s look at an old reliable — Samsung. The Samsung Galaxy A53 is a mid-range offering from Samsung that a lot of people have touted as a better alternative to the Pixel 6a even in the U.S. In some ways, I can see why. It has wireless charging, it has a better display (Samsung is one of the best in the business for that), and for some people, One UI is much better than Google’s Pixel software. However, I would argue that the Pixel 6a is a compelling buy against the Galaxy A53 for its better camera, much better chipset, and better battery life. There’s just one problem though: the phone that is inferior to the Pixel 6a is the only mid-range phone in this list that’s available in the U.S.

If you are in an Asian market, like India, then there are a whole host of other options from Realme, Vivo, Oppo, and more. Each has its own pros and cons, but all of them assemble their phones in India which Google does not. As a consequence, they enjoy cheaper pricing while the Google Pixel 6a deals with import duties, dealing it a rather heavy blow for pricing in a market that is supremely competitive. The Pixel 6a starts encroaching into premium-mid-range or even flagship territory pricing, at which point, one really needs to assess all of their options.

You must really want a Pixel

Look, I get it. The Google Pixel 6a is a good phone, and the software and that camera are both compelling. If those are your prerogative and you value those highly above all else, then sure, go for it.

But I feel like some of the other features are what the non-tech enthusiasts really care about. Most people care if their phone can last a long time, if it can charge fast and if they can use it to do their daily bits and pieces without worrying about it dying on them. A friend of mine recently handed me her Pixel 6 that she got at launch, worried that it was too hot, and was afraid of the damage it was doing as the phone slowed down every time it got hot. She’s essentially considering getting a new phone just because of Tensor. These are the “normal” consumers. The heat of the Google Pixel 6 is the only constant complaint I have heard from multiple “average” consumers that have asked me if it’s normal. Two of them are going to buy a new phone, and one of them is even switching to the Nothing Phone 1 and refuses to go near a Pixel with Tensor after his experience.

I’m sure all of us know people who got annoyed by software updates, especially given how slow they can be on Google Pixel phones too. I have waited for a long time to finish a simple security update on a Pixel, whereas other devices are much quicker. The Google Pixel 6a is good, it takes great photos, and it has great software. Nevertheless, that doesn’t change the fact that it’s missing quite a bit of what other people are looking for. Most people don’t care if their phone has the best camera in whatever class their phone is in, they just want a phone that takes good photos for social media. The OnePlus Nord 2T will manage that, and the Nothing Phone 1 can as well.

No matter what, I think the Google Pixel 6a being such a good option in the U.S. is not indicative of Google making an excellent phone. Instead, I think it points to how little competition there actually is in the region, and how the one phone people are pointing towards being an alternative isn’t really better at all. It solves the wireless charging and the screen “issue” (if you can call it that), but the rest, well, the Pixel 6a simply smokes the Galaxy A53.

Despite all of that, I can’t wait to see Tensor 2. Google is on to such a good concept with the Google Pixel 6 series currently, and if it can solve throttling and heating issues with the Pixel 7 series, then it’s on the road to creating a winner.

Thanks Zachary Wander for his assistance in the writing of this article!

The post The Google Pixel 6a highlights everything wrong with the U.S. phone market appeared first on XDA.

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