Month: May 2022

The Poco X4 Pro 5G is a big improvement compared to its predecessor, not only in terms of design but features too.

Our Verdict
The Poco X4 Pro is a comfortably mid-range smartphone with a premium design and high-end features, including a 6.67in 120Hz AMOLED display and 67W fast charging, to boot. MIUI 13 can take a bit of adjustment, and the lack of OS commitments is a bit of a disappointment compared to key rivals, but it remains a strong contender based on hardware.

Xiaomi-owned Poco revealed the Poco X4 Pro 5G at MWC 2022, describing the phone as the ‘industry standard’ for the mid-range price point, sporting flagship features like a 6.67in 120Hz AMOLED display, 67W fast charging and more, all for a budget-friendly starting price of €299 (around £250/US$340).

The problem is that the mid-range market is much more competitive than it once was, so has Poco got what it takes to tempt brands from beloved mid-rangers like the OnePlus Nord 2 CE 5G? Well…

>>>>>> Laptop Battery >>>>>>Hot Products

As one of Samsung’s cheapest phones, the Galaxy A13 will tempt those on a tight budget, but poor performance mean it may not be the best choice

Should I buy the Samsung Galaxy A13?
Expert’s Rating:
****/2
Pros
Decent main camera
Cheap
Headphone jack
Cons
Dismal performance
No charger included
No 5G
Our Verdict
If you want a Samsung phone on a budget, the A13 is certainly affordable, but you’ll need to live with sluggish performance.

Price when reviewed
Unavailable in the US

For 2022, Samsung has updated its ‘A’ range with several new models. Alongside the A33 and A53 is the entry-level A13.

While it’s just an opinion, I think it’s a good-looking phone with its neat triple-camera stack on the rear (which doesn’t stick out) and a glossy plastic finish that’s available in black, white and blue. It might be too plain for some tastes, but the minimalist design will appeal to others.

It has a large, good quality screen, a big-capacity battery and expandable storage – all for a tempting price. But is it worth buying? Let’s dig in and find out.

One quick note: in the US and some other markets Samsung also sells the A13 5G. Note that this phone varies by more than its networking though, with a different display, chipset, camera, and more. This review is specifically for the 4G version, officially simply called the Galaxy A13.

>>>>>> Laptop Battery >>>>>>Hot Products

That performance is reflected in the benchmarks, which show that the 12 Pro is clearly on a par with its rivals – though as we’ve seen with other phones this year, on the CPU-focussed Geekbench 5 test it’s actually slipped behind last year’s Mi 11, while showing clear year-on-year improvement in the graphics-based GFXBench tests.

Performance is almost identical to the similar Oppo Find X5 Pro, and while the likes of the Realme GT 2 Pro and Exynos-powered Galaxy S22+ outpace the Xiaomi on graphical benchmarks, this is only because their chips are driving lower resolution displays.

Naturally, the 12 Pro also offers 5G connectivity, with dual-SIM support, and this is joined by Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, and Wi-Fi 6 or 6E – though Xiaomi warns that the exact Wi-Fi version varies by region.

Battery life & charging
Just about one-day battery life
Extreme 120W wired charging
50W wireless charging
When it comes to power management, the 12 Pro is the definition of a mixed bag.

>>>>>> Laptop Battery >>>>>>Hot Products

The Xiaomi 12 Pro is perfectly positioned as a Galaxy S22+ rival thanks to top hardware and a gorgeous display, but it’s not without its flaws

Xiaomi 12 Pro full review
Forget the name: the Xiaomi 12 Pro is really the direct successor to last year’s Xiaomi Mi 11.

A re-shuffle in Xiaomi’s flagship line-up has introduced the smaller Xiaomi 12, now giving the Chinese company a pair of high-end phones in different sizes to directly rival Samsung’s Galaxy S22 and S22+ – with a 12 Ultra rumoured to arrive later this year to take on Samsung’s own Ultra handset.

Being pitted directly against the S22+ (not to mention the likes of the Oppo Find X5 Pro and OnePlus 10 Pro) gives the Xiaomi 12 Pro a lot to live up to. For the most part the hardware here is clearly up to the task, matching its rivals in most of the places it counts, though the battery life lets the side down.

Software issues hinder the experience further, with both bugs and awkward interfaces, and the result is a phone that impresses a lot but still feels like it’s lagging behind the pack.

Design & build
Sleek, simple design
Large screen
No IP rating
If there’s a design philosophy to the Xiaomi 12 Pro, it seems to be ‘attractive but conservative’.

>>>>>> Laptop Battery >>>>>>Hot Products

Disappointingly, there’s still no option for microSD expandable storage. Considering the size of some game files, 256GB may not be enough space. 512GB is your only alternative on the global version – it would’ve been nice to see the 1TB model released outside China.

Of course, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip means you also get 5G support. That’s been a feature of Red Magic phones since early 2020, and is backed up by Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, and NFC support.

Cameras
Triple rear cameras
64Mp main lens is great, ultrawide and macro underwhelming
Poor selfies from under-display camera
Even though cameras aren’t a priority on gaming phones, Nubia has continued working on improving them. The Red Magic 7 Pro, like its regular sibling, has a set of triple rear cameras: 64Mp main, 8Mp ultrawide, and 2Mp macro.

Aside from a slightly longer focal length on the ultrawide, both phones have identical camera hardware. What’s more, the quality of shots on offer here means photography can no longer be considered a weakness on Red Magic phones. They can’t compete with the best camera phones around, but it’s a big step forward.

Provided the lighting is good, that main lens will serve you well. It’s particularly adept at landscape shots, which are vibrant, well-exposed and offer a decent amount of dynamic range. I was often tempted to switch to the ultrawide lens, but a noticeable drop in quality made me reluctant.

>>>>>> Laptop Battery >>>>>>Hot Products