Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge Review: Looking beyond the 120W hype

Back in 2015, Xiaomi launched the Mi 4i — a phone specially tailored for the Indian market as denoted by the letter ‘i’ in the moniker. However, the brand went silent soon after with no new launches in this series. Fast forward to 2021, Xiaomi resurrected the series with the Mi 10i, this time with a slightly different approach. The ‘i’ now stood for innovation which made sense given that the Mi 10i was one of the first phones in its segment to come with a 108MP camera. Building on those innovations, Xiaomi has now launched its first phone of 2022 — the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge with the key innovation now being the 120W charging.

The Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge is the first phone in India to come with the super-fast 120W charging tech. While that’s certainly impressive, there are several other pillars that contribute towards making a smartphone a worthy purchase. Does the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge deliver on those fronts? Let’s go beyond the 120W hype train to find out!

About this review: Xiaomi India sent us the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge and the device was used for a period of one week before writing this review. Xiaomi did not have any input into the contents of this review.

Xiaomi 11i and Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge: Specifications

Specification	Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge	Xiaomi 11i
Build	Polycarbonate frame with flat edges Glass back IP53	Polycarbonate frame Glass back IP53
Dimensions & Weight	163.65 x 76.19 x 8.34mm 204g	163.65 x 76.19 x 8.34mm 207g
Display	6.67-inch Full HD+ AMOLED 120Hz refresh rate 360Hz touch sampling rate HDR10 1200 nits peak brightness Corning Gorilla Glass 5	6.67-inch Full HD+ AMOLED 120Hz refresh rate 360Hz touch sampling rate HDR10 1200 nits peak brightness Corning Gorilla Glass 5
SoC	MediaTek Dimensity 920 Mali G68 MC4 GPU	MediaTek Dimensity 920 Mali G68 MC4 GPU
RAM & Storage	6/8GB RAM 128GB storage Expandable via microSD	6/8GB RAM 128GB storage Expandable via microSD
Battery & Charging	4,500mAh battery 120W fast charging	5,160mAh battery 67W fast charging
Security	Side-mounted fingerprint scanner Face unlock	Side-mounted fingerprint scanner Face unlock
Rear Camera(s)	Primary: 108MP Samsung HM2, f/1.89 Secondary: 8MP ultra-wide, f/2.2 Tertiary: 2MP macro	Primary: 108MP Samsung HM2, f/1.89 Secondary: 8MP ultra-wide, f/2.2 Tertiary: 2MP macro
Front Camera(s)	16MP, f/2.45	16MP, f/2.45
Port(s)	USB-C 3.5mm headphone jack IR Blaster	USB-C 3.5mm headphone jack IR Blaster
Audio	Stereo speakers Dolby Atmos Hi-res certified audio	Stereo speakers Dolby Atmos Hi-res certified audio
Connectivity	Hybrid SIM slot Wi-Fi 6 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax Bluetooth 5.2 5G bands: n40, n77, n78, n1, n3, n5, n8, n28	Hybrid SIM slot Wi-Fi 6 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax Bluetooth 5.2 5G bands: n40, n77, n78, n1, n3, n5, n8, n28
Software	MIUI 12.5 Android 11	MIUI 12.5 Android 11
Colors	Pacific Pearl, Stealth Black, Camo Green, Purple Mist	Pacific Pearl, Stealth Black, Camo Green, Purple Mist

Note: The only differences between the Xiaomi 11i and the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge are in terms of battery capacity and charging speed. So, apart from those sections, this review is applicable to the standard Xiaomi 11i as well.

Battery and Charging: Full Charge in 15 minutes?

Let’s first address the elephant in the room. The Xiaomi 11i ships with a 120W charger in the box that claims to charge the phone completely from 0-100% in 15 minutes. I’m not sure what conditions Xiaomi tested this in, but I wasn’t able to achieve this feat. I charged the phone from 2-100% a total of 6 times during my usage and found that the average time taken to completely charge the phone was about 20 minutes.

The average time taken to completely charge the phone was about 20 minutes

Now, while this is also insanely fast, the 15-minute claim had my hopes higher. This is because some phones with 65W charging capabilities and a similar battery capacity can fully charge in about 28 minutes. So, an 8-minute reduction with double the wattage doesn’t feel all that impressive. Not taking away from what Xiaomi has achieved here, though. If you told me a few years back that I could charge a phone entirely in just 20 minutes, I wouldn’t have believed it. But of course, it’s a reality now.

When your phone is charging this quick, 2-3 minutes here and there don’t really make a difference but I wish the reality was closer to marketing. Even just 10 minutes with the charger gets you close to 70% charge, which is rather insane — just not as much as Xiaomi is claiming it to be.

Note that these charging speeds are with what Xiaomi calls Boost Mode turned on. Boost Mode allows the phone to charge at the highest wattage while not worrying too much about thermals. The phone does tend to get warm when charging but it doesn’t get unusually hot. What I found to be a little weird is that Xiaomi disables the Boost Mode setting by default when you buy the phone. It’s buried under Settings > Battery & Performance > Battery > Boost Charging Speed. If you want your phone to charge as fast as possible, you will have to manually turn this setting on.

Fast-charging is the main highlight of the device and disabling a setting that allows you to charge the phone at the fastest possible speed seems a little odd. In fact, you even get a prompt to turn off Boost Mode while charging which beats the entire purpose of giving users the option to enable it in the first place.

Xiaomi says this was done to keep the thermals under check which is understandable. However, the option to pick between faster charging or less heat generated should be given to the user at the time of setup. An average user wouldn’t even know there’s a Boost Mode somewhere that unlocks the full charging potential of the device, something that they paid extra for.

There's a gap between what Xiaomi is advertising and what an end-user will experience

With Boost Mode turned off, the phone took about 25 minutes to charge which is also fast but is a good 10 minutes higher than the claimed time of 15 minutes. Someone who doesn’t know about Boost Mode might feel disappointed seeing their phone take 10 minutes longer to charge than what was advertised. While 10 minutes may not seem like much, the point here is that there’s a gap between what Xiaomi is advertising and what an end-user will experience.

Apart from the charging speed, there are two more aspects that need to be discussed when talking about fast-charging at such high wattages — safety and battery health. Xiaomi has covered both of those bases. There are 34 protection features along with TUV Rheinland certification for safe fast charging on the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge. Double Overcharge protection and a Real-time temperature monitoring system are some other features that ensure safety when charging the phone even at 120W. As for battery health, Xiaomi claims to retain up to 80% battery health after 800 charge and discharge cycles (~2 years) which seems good. How well it translates is real life is not something we can answer right now.

This combo of great battery life and extremely fast charging is rare

Along with the ability to charge extremely fast, the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge also lasts pretty long thanks to the 4,500mAh battery. I was constantly able to get upwards of 6 hours of screen-on time with moderate usage while ending the day with 20% in the bank. You can certainly rely on this phone to last you a long day, which means you can leave your power bank behind. This combo of great battery life and extremely fast charging is rare, as often phones use one to justify the lack of the other. Xiaomi has packed in both at quite an affordable price point which is commendable.

Build and Design

The Xiaomi 11i adopts flat edges similar to what we saw on the iPhone 12 last year. I’m personally a fan of the flat-edge design, but only on small-ish phones. Having a 6.7-inch display means that the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge is a big phone and when you pair that large form factor with flat edges, it gets slightly uncomfortable to grip. The phone feels quite heavy and since there are no curves to wrap your palm around, this is a two-handed device at all times. This gets further emphasized when using a case.

Since there are no curves to wrap your palm around, this is a two-handed device at all times

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing since a lot of people seem to like big phones. Holding the phone actually gives you a solid feel in the hand and that’s something I liked. It does feel like a premium smartphone despite the fact that the side rails are plastic. The back is glass though, which adds to the overall look and feel of the device. Speaking of looks, we have the phone in the Pacific Pearl colorway that looks fantastic. It’s a subtle hue of white, blue, silver, and some shiny elements that reflects light in multiple ways.

Just like most phones from the brand recently, the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge also gets a side-mounted fingerprint scanner that’s blazing fast and accurate. The SIM tray on the bottom can take in either two SIMs or a SIM and an SD card. Both SIM slots have support for 5G. There’s an IR blaster up top along with the beloved 3.5mm headphone jack and a secondary speaker that supports Dolby audio. You also get an IP53 rating for splash resistance so the occasional outing in the rain shouldn’t cause any issues.

The haptics on the Xiaomi 11i is easily the best in the segment

An aspect of the Xiaomi 11i that I absolutely loved and even spoke about in the Redmi Note 11T 5G review is the haptics. Xiaomi has been doing a fantastic job with regard to haptics on all its new devices. The haptics on the Xiaomi 11i is easily the best in the segment. This is something you need to experience to get an idea of what I’m talking about. I found myself randomly unlocking and locking the device repeatedly at times just because the haptics were so satisfying!

Display

Apart from haptics, another department where Xiaomi has impressed us on its recent phones is the display. It started with the Redmi Note 10 series that came with AMOLED displays and has since continued. The Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge also gets a Full HD+ AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 120Hz. The panel is HDR 10+ certified and produces some beautiful colors. It’s a huge display at almost 6.7-inches which means watching content is an awesome experience.

The 6.7-inch display means watching content is an awesome experience

The phone is Widevine L1 certified so you can watch Full HD content on Amazon Prime and Netflix. In fact, you can also enjoy HDR shows and movies on Netflix via this device. Even when you’re just scrolling through your homescreen or doing something mundane on your phone, you would realize how nice the display is and how the colors absolutely pop. Something else I noticed is that the punch hole cutout for the selfie camera is one of the smallest I’ve seen on any phone. It’s little things like this that make you appreciate the thought put in while designing the phone.

You will be very content with the display on the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge regardless of what you’re going to do on the phone. Be it gaming or binging your favorite sitcoms, you’re going to enjoy the experience.

Performance and Software

There’s not much to talk about here other than the fact that MediaTek has been doing a great job with all its chipsets of late and the Dimensity 920 on the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge is no different. I’m not going to delve deep into benchmark numbers since real-world performance is what matters the most. If I have to give you a gist of my experience using this phone, I’ll just say that this is by far the smoothest Xiaomi phone I’ve used around the ₹25,000 (~$340) price point. This isn’t only to do with the chipset, but also with how well MIUI works on this device.

This is by far the smoothest Xiaomi phone I've used around the ₹25,000 price point

The Dimensity 920 is a powerful chipset that does not break a sweat while performing any day-to-day activities. Scrolling on social media feeds is smooth as ever and switching between apps is also a breeze. On some older Xiaomi devices, I’d experienced some lags or jitters when scrolling at 120Hz but this phone does not have any of those problems. Even playing games on the phone was a nice experience. BGMI runs at Smooth + Extreme graphics so you can get a nice 60fps gameplay on the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge.

I can confidently recommend a phone with MIUI now without worrying about ads or promoted content

MIUI 12.5 based on Android 11 is what you get out of the box and while it would’ve been great to see Android 12, the software on the Xiaomi 11i is optimized very well. Like I said before, this is one of the smoothest experiences I’ve had with MIUI. Apps open up quickly, animations are smooth And there’s not a lot of unwanted bloatware when you first boot into the device. Yes, there are some pre-installed apps but the experience has improved considerably from what it used to be before.

Some quirks like an emoji keyboard being the default input method instead of Gboard and unwanted notifications from GetApps are still irritating, but those can be disabled easily and don’t really affect the end-user experience a lot. I can confidently recommend a phone with MIUI now without worrying about ads or promoted content.

Cameras

While most things about the Xiaomi 11i have been positive so far, this is the area where it loses some points. It’s not the first time Xiaomi is using a 108MP sensor on its phones. In fact, it has been almost two years since Xiaomi introduced its first phone with a 108MP camera. Even after having so much time to work on their image processing, it doesn’t seem like the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge is making full use of the sensor. Dynamic range is good but images lack details when you zoom in. The camera also tends to oversharpen images resulting in pictures that are not very pleasing to look at, especially when you zoom in. The colors look slightly dull too, which I’m assuming is due to the phone under saturating the images.

What’s surprising is that the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max from last year seemed to produce better images overall when you compare it with the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge. This could be due to the fact that the ISPs on Qualcomm and MediaTek chips are different so the imaging pipeline is different. It could also be that since the Dimensity 920 is a relatively new chip, Xiaomi hasn’t had enough time to optimize the image output. Low light performance seems pretty good in terms of the amount of light captured, but the lack of details can be observed here as well.

The cameras are not at the level that you expect on a phone costing upwards of ₹25,000

What I’m trying to say is that while the image output isn’t really bad and the phone still clicks some good pictures, it’s not at the level that you expect a phone costing upwards of ₹25,000 to perform. Hopefully, with software updates, the image processing algorithms can be improved since the sensor itself is more than capable from what we’ve seen in the past from Xiaomi’s own smartphones.

The 8MP ultra-wide shooter is also fairly decent but lacks details. A higher resolution sensor would have surely helped here but it’s understandable that these are the areas where Xiaomi has cut corners to accommodate the charging tech while maintaining a reasonable price. The 2MP macro camera is also a downgrade from the 5MP telemacro shooter on some Xiaomi phones. Selfies look great in terms of colors and dynamic range but the skin tones are a hit or a miss most of the time. It also tends to oversharpen the face making the images look slightly grainy at times. Edge detection in portrait mode looks good, though.

Verdict: Should you buy the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge?

For bragging rights, yes! Otherwise? Still yes if you want a big phone with a nice display, solid performance, good media consumption experience, and reliable battery life. Of course, the 120W charging is an added bonus then. The standard Xiaomi 11i is ₹2,000 cheaper and comes with a larger 5,160mAh battery but “slower” 67W charging. If you don’t mind charging your phone for an extra 10-15 minutes, that phone makes more sense since I would pick a larger battery over faster charging any day.

That’s subjective though, so if you want the fastest charging phone in India right now and don’t mind compromising a little in the camera department, the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge is the phone to go for. If you’re looking for a more well-rounded phone, I would say the Xiaomi 11 Lite NE 5G is arguably a better pick for a similar price. It’s got a beautiful design, better cameras, a similar display, and solid performance. Yes, you lose out on the ultra-fast 120W charging but that’s the trade-off you’re making for better cameras and usability. Pick your poison accordingly.

Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge

The Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge is India's first smartphone to have support for 120W fast charging.

Features:

Pros: Cons:

View at Flipkart

There's definitely more to the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge than just the 120W hype

There’s definitely more to the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge than just the 120W hype. While some may argue that the phone is priced on the higher side, it’s important to know that new technology and innovations like the 120W charging on the device require lots of R&D and are hence expensive. As the tech gets democratized and more brands and products start using it, it will get cheaper. You’re essentially paying for a feature that’s very new at this point and that exclusivity comes at a price.

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How to set up daily App Usage limits on Android and iOS

Over the past few years, smartphone usage has skyrocketed across the world. Screen sizes have increased, battery capacities have increased, and along with it, the time spent by a user staring at their phone screen has also gone up. Especially with the onset of the pandemic leading to lockdowns, people have spent more time in front of screens than ever before. While it’s inevitable since most classes and meetings now happen online, taking a break from screens is equally vital. If you find yourself addicted to scrolling endlessly on your Instagram feed or you lose track of time while playing COD Mobile, it’s time to set up daily app usage limits.

It’s pretty easy to infer what daily app limits are. If you think you’re using an app on your phone for too long and whittling away time while also harming your eyes, you can set a timer for the app. The app will work only till the timer lasts. Once the timer elapses, you won’t be able to open the app again till the next day. It’s a good way to curb your social media addiction or at least a way to start your journey towards spending less time in front of a screen.

You can set app usage limits on Android as well as on iOS. The steps to do this are different on both operating systems, so we will go over them individually. The steps for Android can be used on both an Android phone as well as an Android tablet. Similarly, the steps for iOS can be used on an iPhone and an iPad. In fact, Apple’s integration is so good that performing the steps on one device will activate the timer for the app/service on all your Apple devices. For example, if you set an app timer for Facebook on your iPhone, you won’t be able to access it even on your Mac if the time has elapsed.

That being said, let’s get to the procedure and tell you how to set up daily app usage limits or app timers on your smartphone via Digital Wellbeing on Android and Screen Time on iOS.

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How to set up Daily App Usage Limits on Android via Digital Wellbeing

Setting up daily app usage limits on Android is quite straightforward. We’re going to be using Digital Wellbeing for this. Here’s the procedure.

• Head over to the Settings app on your Android device and scroll down till you find Digital Wellbeing.
• Tap on it and you will be able to see your app usage stats here. This includes how much time you’ve used an app for and the number of notifications you’ve received from each app.

• Using these metrics, you can determine which app you use for a long period of time and set a limit for that particular app.
• Under the Ways to Disconnect section, select Dashboard.
• You will now see a list of all the installed apps on the device. Select the hourglass icon next to the app you want to set a usage limit for.

• Set the timer for the desired duration. If you wish to use an app only for 10 minutes a day, you can do so. Once done, hit OK.

• You can repeat this step for any number of apps you want.

• Once the timer is set, you can continue using the apps normally. If you launch an app after you’ve already used it for the stipulated time, you will get a prompt saying the app has been paused and you’ve run out of time.

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How to set up Daily App Usage Limits on iOS via Screen Time

Screen Time is a feature Apple introduced with iOS 12 to keep track of your screen usage as you use your phone throughout the day. Just like Digital Wellbeing on Android, you can use Screen Time to set app limits on your iPhone or iPad. Here’s how you can do it.

• Open the Settings app on your iPhone and scroll down till you find Screen Time. Tap on it.

• Here, you can see the amount of time for which you’ve used your phone. You can tap on the See All Activity option to get detailed info about per-app usage.

• To set usage limits for apps, tap on the App Limits option and then select Add Limit.

• You will now see all your apps categorized based on the utility. Select the relevant category and the app you want to set a limit for. You can also set limits for websites.

• Choose the duration for which you want to set the timer. You can also select the app limit to recur on certain days of the week, like over the weekend.

• You can repeat this step for any number of apps you want.

• Once the timer is set, you can continue using the apps normally. If you launch an app after you’ve already used it for the stipulated time, you will get a prompt saying you’ve reached your limit on the app. You can then tap on OK or snooze the timer by choosing the Ignore Limit option. Don’t do this though, as it beats the entire purpose of setting the limit.

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Congrats on taking the first step towards curbing your smartphone addiction! Setting up daily app usage limits can go a long way in helping you stay away from your smartphone, or just from any screen in general. The only challenge is to not snooze the timer!

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Intel Core i5-12600 vs AMD Ryzen 5 5600G: The best CPU for entry-level gaming

Intel’s 12th Gen Alder Lake CPU family has new members now joining the likes of Core i5-12600K, Core i7-12700K, and the Core i9-12900K. There are 22 new SKUs including both 65W and 35W CPUs. Some of them are even bundled with Intel’s new Laminar Coolers to keep the thermals in check. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at how the new Intel Core i5-12600 compares against the AMD Ryzen 5 5600G to find out which one’s the best mainstream consumer CPU for entry-level gaming PCs.

Navigate this article:

• Specifications
• Performance
• Platform and Compatibility
• Pricing & Availability
• Final Thoughts

Intel Core i5-12600 vs AMD Ryzen 5 5600G: Specifications

Here’s a quick look at the specifications of each processor before we dive deep into the comparison:

Specification	Intel Core i5-12600	AMD Ryzen 5 5600G
CPU Socket	LGA 1700	AMD AM4
Cores	6 (6P + 0E)	6
Threads	12	12
Lithography	Intel 7 (10nm)	TSMC 7nm FinFET
Base Frequency	3.3GHz	3.9GHz
Boost Frequency	4.8GHz	4.4GHz
Unlocked for overclocking?	No	Yes
L3 Cache	18MB	16MB
Default TDP	65W	65W
Max. Operating Temperature (Tjmax)	100°C	95°C
Memory Support	DDR4 3200MT/s | DDR5-4800MT/s Up to 128GB	DDR4 up to 3200MHz Up to 128GB
Integrated Graphics	Intel UHD 770	Radeon RX Vega 7 Graphics

The new Intel Core i5-12600, as you can see, is a lot different from the unlocked version that came out last year. The most important thing to note about the non-K version of the CPU is the fact that it carries no efficiency cores (E-cores). We’re looking at a total core count of 6 and all of them are performance cores. This means the CPU should technically behave as if it has the standard cores that favor performance over power efficiency. That puts it more in line with the Ryzen 5 5600G which also happens to have 6 cores and 12 threads. Both CPUs also have an integrated graphics processor, making them a good entry point for gamers. The Intel Core i5-12600 comes with Intel UHD 770 graphics while the Ryzen 5 5600G uses RX Vega 7 graphics.

Intel Core i5-12600 vs AMD Ryzen 5 5600G: Performance

The Intel Core i5-12600 brings 6 cores and 12 threads to the table. All six cores are said to be P-cores, which means they’ll work together to do the heavy lifting of all the tasks. The missing E-cores mean the core configuration acts more like the standard cores found on other mainstream CPUs including the Ryzen 5 5600G. Both of these chips have a lot in common. We’re looking at the same 6 cores and 12 threads configuration, with the default TDP set to 65W.

While the Core i5-12600 starts off slow with a base clock of 3.3GHz, it’s capable of boosting all the way up to 4.8GHz. The Ryzen 5 5600G, on the other hand, has a base clock of 3.9GHz, which further boosts to 4.4GHz depending on the workload. The Intel Core i5-12600 chip also lacks the Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 Frequency support as it’s only reserved for the higher-end chips in the portfolio.

Despite the missing E-cores and a couple of other features, Intel is claiming some big numbers when it comes to the overall performance of the Core i5-12600 CPU. In fact, the company is going as far as to say that the Core i5-12600 is more comparable to the Ryzen 7 5700G, leaving the Ryzen 5 5600G completely out of the equation. According to Intel, the Core i5-12600 is up to 30% faster in some day-to-day productivity workloads and up to 31% faster than the Ryzen 7 5700G when it comes to photo and video editing applications.

The higher performance uptick could be because of a higher boost clock and support for faster DDR5 memory. The Intel chip is also able to stretch its wings further to increase the performance threshold with higher power consumption. We’ll wait to get our hands on the CPU before putting out a final verdict for performance, but Intel appears to have a good lead over the Ryzen APUs here.

One key aspect in which the Ryzen 5 5600G appears to remain undefeated is power efficiency. The Intel Core i5-12600 is rated to have a max turbo power of up to 117W. While it’s an impressive figure given how much power the unlocked 12600K draws, it’s still way more than what the Ryzen 5 5600G is known to hit. Again, we’ll have to test the CPU ourselves to plot a clear winner, but we have our doubts about Intel stealing the torch from AMD when it comes to power efficiency.

Platform & Compatibility

One thing that’s new about the Intel Core i5-12600 is the fact that it comes with its own CPU cooler inside the box. That’s right, Intel has announced the launch of its new Laminar CPU coolers. One of these will be bundled with the Core i5-12600. The new CPU cooler has a fresh design, and it’s compatible with the LGA 1700 mainstream CPU socket for the 12600. Intel has also announced the launch of the new Intel 600 series chipset SKUs, including the H670, B660, and H610. You’re still looking at a relatively high platform entry cost but we expect these new motherboards based on the updated 600 series chipsets to be more affordable than the Z690, LGA 1700 motherboards we have on the market right now.

As for the Ryzen 5 5600G, this one drops in one of the existing AM4 platforms. There are plenty of compatible AMD motherboards on the market including a lot of affordable ones too. The Ryzen 5 5600G is also bundled with the classic Wraith Stealth CPU cooler, so there’s no need to spend more on a new CPU cooler too. You will, however, miss out on support for DDR5 and PCIe 5.0, both of which are available on the new Alder Lake CPUs. This isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker, but you might want to consider buying a future-proof CPU if you’re building a new PC from the scratch.

Pricing & Availability

The Intel Core i5-12600 is priced at $223, which is on par with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600G’s $230 price tag. You may have to shell out slightly more depending on the availability but it’s safe to say that both CPUs are priced very competitively against each other. An Intel Alder Lake-based build may cost you slightly more than an AMD build mainly because of the high platform entry cost associated with buying a new motherboard, DDR5 modules, and more. Performance-wise, the Core i5-12600 appears to be a step above the Ryzen 5 5600G across the board. You may not witness a dominating performance, but there’s no denying that the new Intel chips are giving the existing AMD CPUs a run for their money. The only real advantage of the AMD Ryzen 5600G is perhaps in the power consumption department. This is where the AMD chips are expected to shine. We think it’ll be more obvious in this comparison due to the lack of E-cores on the 12600.

Intel Core i5-12600 vs AMD Ryzen 5 5600G: Final Thoughts

The Intel Core i5-12600 is a solid entry in the Alder Lake family, one that we think is going to be among the most popular CPUs in 2022. It offers a significant gen-on-gen performance improvement over the last-gen 11600, trading blows with the Ryzen 7 5700G. We’ll update this piece in the future after we test the Core i5-12600 ourselves, but it seems like a no-brainer over the Ryzen 5 5600G if you don’t mind spending a little more on your build. In the meantime, you can check out our Intel Core i5-12600K vs the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X comparison to see which powerful mainstream CPU is better in 2022. Alternatively, you can also check out our collection of the best CPUs to buy for your next build.

Intel Core i5-12600

The Intel Core i5-12600 marks a solid entry point for those who're looking to build a new Alder Lake-based PC.

Buy from Best Buy

AMD Ryzen 5 5600G

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600G is a beast of an APU that’s well-equipped to go against some of the even best CPUs on the market right now.

Buy from Best Buy

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Intel Pentium Gold G7400T vs AMD Athlon Gold 3150GE: The best 35W CPU

Intel finally put an end to all the leaks and speculation by revealing the entire lineup of 12th Gen Alder Lake desktop processors. The existing Alder Lake chips on the market have already made it our collection of the best CPUs, so it’ll be interesting to see what the remaining chips bring to the table. Intel has added a bunch of 65W and 35W low-powered chips to the mix, adding as many as 22 different SKUs to the Alder Lake family. These low-powered CPUs are fairly popular in the market as these chips tend to pay huge dividends in favor of power efficiency over the short bursts of boosted clock speeds.

In addition to a handful of non-K variants of the existing Alder Lake chips, Intel has also revealed its new Alder Lake-T lineup bearing 35W chips. In this article, we’ll be stacking the Intel Pentium Gold G7400T against the AMD Athlon Gold 3150GE CPU. This matchup will allow us to find out the better chip for entry-level builds for productivity and entertainment.

Navigate this article:

• Specifications
• Performance
• Final Thoughts

Intel Pentium Gold G7400T vs AMD Athlon Gold 3150GE: Specifications

Here’s a quick look at the specifications of each CPU to see how they stack up against each other on paper:

Specification	Intel Pentium Gold G7400T	AMD Athlon Gold 3150GE
CPU Socket	LGA 1700	AMD AM4
Cores	2	4
Threads	4	4
Lithography	Intel 7 (10nm)	12nm
Base Frequency	3.1GHz	3.3GHz
Boost Frequency	NA	3.8GHz
Unlocked for overclocking?	No	Yes
L3 Cache	6MB	4MB
Default TDP	35W	35W
Max. Operating Temperature (Tjmax)	100°C	95°C
Memory Support	DDR4 3200MT/s | DDR5-4800MT/s	DDR4 up to 2933MHz
Integrated Graphics	Intel UHD 710	Radeon RX Vega 3 Graphics

Intel Pentium Gold G7400T vs AMD Athlon Gold 3150GE: Performance

The Intel Pentium Gold G7400T is one of the many 35W Alder Lake CPUs that are making their way to market in 2022. This low-end chip may not be as powerful as some of the other Intel Core processors in the family, but it’s still a step above the Celeron G6900T. Intel has also revealed a non-T version of the Pentium Gold G7400T with a slightly higher base frequency and a higher base power value.

The AMD Athlon Gold 3150GE, in case you don’t know, is a low-powered version of the Athlon Gold 3150G chip running at 35W. The Athlon Gold 3150GE is similar to the Athlon 3150G in more ways than one. The 3150G variant consumes as much as 86% more power for 6% and 2.6% higher base and boost clock, respectively. But it goes without saying that it’ll be able to maintain the boost frequencies for a lot longer in comparison to the low-powered chip. The AMD Athlon Gold 3150GE exists mainly because people tend to lean towards a low-powered CPU for power efficiency.

It’s worth pointing out that Pentium Gold G7400T and the Athlon Gold 3150GE are both entry-level, low-end CPUs with limited performance. These CPUs are often deployed by enterprises for their system dealing with day-to-day productivity workloads, or by casual users for home entertainment systems. While the Intel chip may not look very powerful in comparison to the Athlon 31590GE on paper, we think the general performance will be more or less the same. If anything we expect the Intel chip to outperform the Athlon 3150GE in many workloads when paired with the right components including the new DDR5 memory modules.

Much like a lot of other low-end Alder Lake chips, the Pentium Gold G7400T also lacks the Gracemont E-cores. We’re looking at a dual-core unit with 4 threads trading blows with a similarly specced Athon 3150GE. The Pentium chip is bound to have slightly better performance in certain workloads thanks to the support for DDR5-4800MT/s in addition to DDR4-3200MT/s modules. The AMD Athlon 3150GE, in comparison, only brings support for DDR4 modules with up to 2933MHz memory speeds. Both CPUs also carry integrated graphics to deploy entry-level systems without a discrete GPU.

Intel Pentium Gold G7400T vs AMD Athlon Gold 3150GE: Final Thoughts

Intel’s Alder Lake lineup represents a significant upgrade over the previous-generation Intel chips in many ways. We haven’t had a chance to test all the Alder Lake chips but initial impressions point towards a significant gen-on-gen improvement. The general performance of the Alder Lake chips has been better than many comparing chips with lower power consumption. The new Intel chips have shown a huge improvement in power consumption, but it’s trailing behind the AMD CPUs in this aspect.

The Intel Pentium Gold G7400T is available to purchase for $64, making it one of the most affordable CPUs in the Alder Lake-S series. The AMD Athlon Gold 3150GE, on the other hand, can’t be purchased separately since it’s limited to partner OEMs. It’ll be interesting to see how this particular chip performs in the entry-level space. Intel has also announced the new Laminar RS1 CPU cooler for the new Pentium Gold and Celeron CPUs, so we’re expecting to see a decent cooling performance too. We’ll update this comparison with more benchmark numbers once we’ve had the chance to test the new CPUs.

Intel - Pentium Gold G7400T Processor

Intel's new Pentium Gold G7400T may not be the most powerful CPU in the Alder Lake family but it's known to be more powerful than many of the competing chips in the same price point.

Buy from Best Buy

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OnePlus 10 and OnePlus 10 Pro: Everything we know about the latest flagship smartphones

OnePlus as a brand has undergone quite a lot of changes lately. What started off as OPPO’s spin-off went on to become an independent brand hugely popular among enthusiasts. And now, it’s back to where it all began. OnePlus merged into OPPO recently and the two brands are now sharing the same R&D team. OxygenOS has also been merged with ColorOS — a move that not a lot of OnePlus users are appreciating. While there are a lot of changes taking place, the core philosophy of OnePlus over the past few years has remained the same. The brand focuses on speed and that can be seen on almost all OnePlus phones. The OnePlus 9 series combined that with major camera improvements making the OnePlus 9 Pro one of the best Android phones to buy. Now, it’s time for the OnePlus 10 Pro to carry on this same legacy.

The OnePlus 10 Pro has been officially launched in China with the global release set to take place a few months later. Unlike previous years, though, we only have the upper-tier OnePlus 10 Pro this time with no mention of the vanilla OnePlus 10. That being said, here’s everything you need to know about the OnePlus 10 Pro if you plan to buy the smartphone whenever it launches globally.

Navigate this article:

• Where is the OnePlus 10?
• Price and Availability
• Colors
• Specifications
• Design
• Display
• SoC, RAM, and Storage
• Cameras and Camera Features
• Battery and Charging
• Software
• Security and Extras

Where is the OnePlus 10?

That’s a tricky question to answer. Generally, OnePlus launches two phones as a part of its flagship series every year. Last year, we had the standard OnePlus 9 and the OnePlus 9 Pro catering to two different price points. Both were flagship devices, but the Pro variant included some additional features to justify the moniker. This year, though, OnePlus only announced the OnePlus 10 Pro with no mention of the standard OnePlus 10.

It could be that OnePlus is reserving the announcement for the global launch of the OnePlus 10 Pro in a couple of months. The decision could also be due to the worldwide chip shortage leading to not enough parts to manufacture and sell two different phones simultaneously. Whatever it is, we should know pretty soon. Instead of the regular OnePlus 10, the Indian market is getting the OnePlus 9RT as of now which was also initially launched only in China.

The OnePlus 9RT features the Snapdragon 888 chip with triple cameras, a 120Hz display, and the same 65W fast charging as the other OnePlus 9 series of phones. While it doesn’t have the latest chipset and Hasselblad cameras, it can still be a decent flagship option at a price that’s not too high. We will update this section if we get any further info regarding the standard OnePlus 10.

OnePlus 10 Pro: Price and Availability

As of now, the OnePlus 10 has been launched only in China with no official word about global availability. The phone should, however, make its way to international shores in the coming months. In China, the phone goes on sale on 13 January 2022 in three different variants.

Variant	Price
OnePlus 10 Pro (8GB + 128GB)	CNY 4,699 (~$740/₹54,500)
OnePlus 10 Pro (8GB + 256GB)	CNY 4,999 (~$785/₹58,000)
OnePlus 10 Pro (12GB + 256GB)	CNY 5,299 (~$830/₹61,500)

Note that the prices in USD and INR are approximate and are not official prices. We will update this section with the official pricing and availability info for North America, Europe, and India as and when the phone is launched in those regions.

OnePlus 10 Pro

The OnePlus 10 Pro is this year's flagship offering that comes with Hasselblad cameras and Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC.

View at OnePlus

OnePlus 10 Pro: Colors

At launch, we have two color variants of the OnePlus 10 Pro in China — Volcanic Black and Emerald Forest. However, OnePlus is known to launch several new colors after the initial launch so we can expect more colors later on, including a rumored white variant. Maybe it’s reserved for the global launch?

Emerald Forest

This is a subtle green colorway that looks similar to the Midnight green color of the iPhone 11 Pro series.

View at OnePlus

Volcanic Black

This is the standard matte black colorway. Looks sleek and steakthy.

View at OnePlus

OnePlus 10 Pro: Specifications

Specification	OnePlus 10 Pro
Build	Aluminum mid-frame Glass back
Dimensions & Weight	163 x 73.9 x 8.55 mm 201g
Display	6.7-inch QHD+ Fluid AMOLED Second-gen LTPO calibration: 1Hz to 120Hz Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
RAM & Storage	Up to 12GB LPDDR5 RAM Up to 256GB UFS 3.1 storage
Battery & Charging	5,000 mAh 80W SuperVOOC wired fast charging 50W AirVOOC wireless fast charging Reverse wireless charging support
Security	In-display fingerprint sensor
Rear Camera(s)	Primary: 48MP, Sony IMX789 Secondary: 50MP, Ultra-wide angle, Samsung S5KJN1SQ03, 150° FoV Tertiary: 8MP, OmniVision OV08A19, Telephoto
Front Camera(s)	32MP, Sony IMX615
Port(s)	USB Type-C 3.1
Audio	Dual Stereo Speakers
Connectivity	NFC Bluetooth 5.2
Software	China: ColorOS 12.1 based on Android 12 Global: OxygenOS 12 based on Android 12
Other Features	Alert Slider X-axis Linear Motor

Design

OnePlus has generally played it safe in the design department with all its phones, barring the special edition phones of course, which always have something unique to offer. This time, though, the OnePlus 10 Pro looks quite unique and doesn’t look like anything OnePlus has done in the past. The three camera lenses on the rear are housed in a camera module that protrudes from the side and overlaps onto the back of the phone. This is similar to the camera module on the Galaxy S21 series. Of course, there’s a prominent Hasselblad branding on the module itself stressing the second year of partnership with the camera maker. It’s a pretty bold design compared to previous OnePlus devices and it’s a welcome move.

It’s a pretty large device given the huge 6.7-inch display but so was the OnePlus 9 Pro so no surprises here. Apart from the revamped back, everything else is pretty standard on the OnePlus 10 Pro. There’s a USB-C port at the bottom, a dual-SIM slot, the alert slider is retained, and there’s no headphone jack.

Display

The OnePlus 10 Pro features a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a QHD+ resolution. This is similar to the panel used on the OnePlus 9 Pro, but with some advancements. For instance, the display on the OnePlus 10 Pro uses LTPO 2.0 technology which is quicker at identifying the type of content on the screen to vary the refresh rate from 1Hz up to 120Hz. OnePlus claims that the panel was also color calibrated at the lowest as well as highest brightness levels. Not to forget, the display is curved on the edges and seamlessly integrates with the frame.

Other features like HDR 10+ certification and 10-bit color depth are present. This is a flagship display panel and is easily among the best you can find on modern-day flagships. The punch hole cutout for the selfie camera is retained on the top-right corner just like on the OnePlus 9 Pro.

SoC, RAM, and Storage

Needless to say, the OnePlus 10 Pro resides in the flagship territory when it comes to the internals. Qualcomm’s latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is what you’ll find at the heart of the OnePlus 10 Pro which ensures ultra-fast performance. All OnePlus phones over the years have emphasized speed and this one’s no different. The chipset can handle just about anything from multitasking to heavy gaming.

The powerful SoC is coupled with up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. This combination ensures that even if you’re a hardcore gamer playing heavy titles like PUBG or Genshin Impact, the OnePlus 10 Pro should handle it with ease.

Cameras and Camera Features

OnePlus partnered with Hasselblad last year to tune and optimize the camera performance — a department where OnePlus has been lagging behind for a while now. The cameras on the OnePlus 9 Pro were a step-up from previous generations but still weren’t as good as some other competitors. With the second year of partnership now in progress, we should expect noticeable improvements in the camera department.

As for the hardware, the primary shooter is a 48MP Sony IMX 789 accompanied by a whopping 150° FoV ultra-wide camera with 50MP of resolution. This is much wider than most conventional smartphones with ultra-wide cameras which means you’re going to get a totally new perspective. The third camera on the rear is an 8MP telephoto lens which is a disappointment since a periscope lens is long overdue on the Pro model.

The front has a 32MP selfie shooter which is double the resolution compared to the OnePlus 9 Pro. The OnePlus 9 Pro wasn’t that great in terms of selfies and we can hope that the new sensor will bring in improvements in this regard.

The OnePlus 10 Pro is also the first smartphone from the brand to come with 10-bit color photography, extending across all three rear cameras. This allows for wider gamut coverage and fewer instances of color banding. If you care about RAW photography, the Hasselblad Pro Mode in the camera app allows for 12-bit RAW photography from all three rear cameras. There’s support for RAW+ too, which results in a RAW file and a processed JPEG file at the same time, giving you the flexibility of both formats. Then there is Movie Mode, which lets users adjust ISO, shutter speed, and other settings when video recording. Movie Mode also allows you to film in LOG without a preset picture profile.

Battery and Charging

Battery life was one area where the OnePlus 9 pro fell short. The OnePlus 10 Pro aims to improve it by bumping up the capacity to 5,000mAh, that too with even fast charging speeds. The OnePlus 10 Pro supports up to 80W SuperVOOC fast charging along with 50W AirVOOC fast wireless charging. Of course, it’s still 40W lesser than Xiaomi’s insane 120W charging tech. But, 80W is still crazy high and you can expect the phone to charge completely from a dead state in about half an hour. For those wondering, OnePlus is bundling the 80W charger inside the box.

Software

OnePlus was known for its clean and minimal skin — OxygenOS — which has unfortunately turned into ColorOS now after the codebase merger. The OnePlus 10 Pro runs ColorOS 12 in China based on Android 12. This is normal since OnePlus phones in China have been running ColorOS for a while now. However, the global version of the phone will also more or less run ColorOS itself although OnePlus says that it will come pre-installed with OxygenOS 12. Is there even a difference between the two skins anymore?

While that’s something to debate about, what’s confirmed is that OnePlus will provide three years of platform updates to the OnePlus 10 Pro since it is the brand’s flagship device.

Security and Extras

Just like previous OnePlus devices, the OnePlus 10 Pro also gets an in-display fingerprint reader along with the option to use face unlock. The universally loved alert slider has been retained and resides on the right edge of the phone. You get stereo speakers for media consumption so if you prefer listening to audio or watching videos via the loudspeaker instead of using a pair of headphones, you’re going to have a good experience.

---

That’s pretty much all there is to know about the OnePlus 10 Pro so far. It looks like a decent upgrade from the OnePlus 9 Pro but there aren’t any groundbreaking additions per se. The 80W fast charging seems nice and so does the improved camera setup. We’ll have to wait for the device to launch globally to comment on the various aspects of the device though, so stay tuned for our review of the OnePlus 10 Pro.

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HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner is the Ultimate Running Coach

Fitness enthusiasts everywhere have been able to easily track their workout routines and monitor their health, thanks to HUAWEI’s popular WATCH GT line of smartwatches. While these watches have a vast array of support for a number of different sports, the most commonly used features were those related to running. Since running is the most popular way to use a fitness watch, HUAWEI made a solution that targets runners specifically. The new HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner comes with a scientific running program, an AI running coach, and all the latest sensors to monitor your heart rate in real-time.

A Lightweight and Comfortable Design

Weighing in at a comfortable 38.5g, this watch is light enough that you won’t even notice it when you’re out on your run. The polymer-fiber case, offset with a ceramic finish, and aircraft-grade titanium-alloy crown make up the premium build of the device.

• 1.43 inch AMOLED 466 x 466 HD Display
• Grey Durable Polymer Fiber/Black Durable Polymer Fiber Color options
• Grey/Black Silicon Strap
• Accelerometer/Gyroscope/Optical heart rate/Air pressure sensor
• 4 GB Storage
• Magnetic charging thimble
• 5 ATM water-resistant
• GNSS/NFC/Bluetooth
• 5V 0.5A/1A/1.5A/2A Charging
• 14 day Battery Life

HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner

Features that Enhance your Run

While this watch is packed with fitness and health features for a huge amount of sports, running is the primary focus here. New features have been implemented that allow runners to have a more accurate map positioning, improved sensors, and a new AI running coach.

The Dual-Band Five-System GNSS brings support to the HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner for the 5 major navigation

satellite systems, dual-band real-time concurrent calls, faster satellite search speed, and more accurate positioning.

The new and improved antennas are protected by composite fiber material and hidden within the watch lug. This new floating antenna design will result in a better GPS connection and more accurate running routes.

Take advantage of the all-new TruSeen 5.0+ with its ability to provide vastly improved heart monitoring. Even for hard interval training, you can get reliable readings, equalling those of a chest strap, with 97% accuracy within 10 bpm.

The best way to take advantage of all of this new technology is with the HUAWEI TruSport Scientific Running Program. These hardware upgrades produce more accurate data monitoring, which is what makes the HUAWEI TruSport professional Scientific Running Program possible. Your watch can provide entry-level runners with data and suggestions on training intensity, training volume, recovery time, and more, all from a single run. For advanced runners, receive a running ability evaluation, physical fitness/fatigue status updates, plus long-term training performance analysis. For the elite runners out there, you can get monitoring and evaluation of your running technique.

HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner Features

Pricing and Availability

The HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner is available in China for ¥ 2188 and is on sale for purchase now. You can also find it available in Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Russia, and Chile. You can get the HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner using the link below.

Get the HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner

We thank HUAWEI for sponsoring this post. Our sponsors help us pay for the many costs associated with running XDA, including server costs, full time developers, news writers, and much more. While you might see sponsored content (which will always be labeled as such) alongside Portal content, the Portal team is in no way responsible for these posts. Sponsored content, advertising and XDA Depot are managed by a separate team entirely. XDA will never compromise its journalistic integrity by accepting money to write favorably about a company, or alter our opinions or views in any way. Our opinion cannot be bought.

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Fortnite returns to iOS through NVIDIA GeForce Now

You’re probably aware of the Epic Games versus Apple battle by now. For the unfamiliar, the former implemented its own in-app purchase (IAP) system on Fortnite for iOS. The implementation violates Apple’s App Store guidelines and got the game kicked out of the store. Until now, iPhone users had no official way to play the updated version of the game and keep up with its in-app events. However, thanks to NVIDIA GeForce Now, iOS users will yet again be able to play Fortnite on their devices though Safari.

In a blog post, NVIDIA announced that GeForce Now users will be able to sign up for the closed beta starting today, with Fortnite availability to follow next week. The company also highlights that it has worked with Epic Games to make the controls of the game touch-friendly. There’s no guarantee you’ll be admitted to the beta program right away, though, for the company will gradually be letting more players in.

Android users don’t have to depend on a web browser to play Fortnite through NVIDIA’s cloud gaming platform. Instead, they can download the GeForce Now app and play games through it. That’s not the case on iOS because Apple forces game streaming developers to upload all listed titles to the App Store and go through the reviewing process. For this reason, Netflix has to upload its games as separate titles on the App Store, even though they’re part of the main subscription. Microsoft also had to go for NVIDIA’s approach by depending on a web app for its Xbox Cloud Gaming service. Section 4.9 of the App Store guidelines states:

Streaming games are permitted so long as they adhere to all guidelines – for example, each game update must be submitted for review, developers must provide appropriate metadata for search, games must use in-app purchase to unlock features or functionality, etc. Of course, there is always the open Internet and web browser apps to reach all users outside of the App Store.

iOS allows users to add web apps to their Home Screens, but they lack most of the privileges that native apps have. If you plan on playing Fortnite through GeForce Now, expect the experience not to be as smooth as that of the native Fortnite app. It’s still a decent solution for fans of the game who use Apple products nonetheless.

Will you be playing Fortnite through NVIDIA GeForce Now? Let us know in the comments section below.

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