Month: June 2022

With a unique design, super-fast charging and enviable performance for gaming and everyday, it’s a shame that the iQoo 9 Pro isn’t available in the West

Vivo has launched the iQoo 9 series in India – phones designed with gaming in mind. The flagship model in the series is the Vivo iQoo 9 Pro, which comes with a sleek design and some serious performance via the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor.

I have been testing out the Legend Edition of the phone, which is made in partnership with BMW M Motorsport. If you would like to see how this phone performs in day-to-day life, then keep on reading.

Design & Build
Unique BMW design
No IP rating
No headphone jack
Vivo produces some of the sleekest looking phones on the market right now and the iQoo 9 Pro Legend Edition continues with this trend.

The most striking thing about the Legend Edition of the 9 Pro is the design inspired by BMW M Motorsport. It comes in a white carbon fibre finish that catches the light and overall, looks sleek and high-end.

The rear features a tri-colour stripe on the right-hand side – though the paintwork on this does feel like it may be susceptible to scratches.

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The Red Magic 7 is arguably the most powerful mid-range phone you can buy, but that still won’t convince anyone who isn’t a keen mobile gamer

Smartphones designed specifically for gaming still feel like a relatively new concept, but Nubia has been extremely prolific during that time. In the four years since the first Red Magic handset, the Chinese company has unveiled no fewer than 13 gaming phones.

Not all of these have been released outside China, but that doesn’t apply to the Red Magic 7 Series. Both the regular and Pro models are getting a global launch, although the Pro won’t arrive until later in the year.

As a result, it’s the standard Red Magic 7 that’s my focus here. On paper, there are only minor upgrades compared to 2021’s 6S Pro.

But almost no-one will be upgrading every six months, so the bigger question is how it stacks up to the best gaming phones you can buy. After spending a couple of weeks with the Red Magic 7, here’s my full review.

Design & Build
Same 6.8in display with no notch
Premium design and built
Still bulky and heavy
Despite all the changes between generations, Red Magic phones have maintained a relatively consistent design throughout. It remains the case here as the Red Magic 7 is a large, bulky device with a bold aesthetic that’s sure to turn heads – but in the right way?

That’s especially true on the Cyborg model I tested, where transparent glass on the back allows you to see some internal screws and the built-in fan. This kicks into life when charging and running demanding apps, doing a good job of preventing any overheating.

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The OnePlus Nord CE 2 flips the script: good hardware holds its own against rivals, but the company’s once strength in software is now its weak point

OnePlus has been on a roll recently with its affordable mid-range options, which have consistently delivered solid specs for the price even as the lustre of its flagships has arguably begun to wane.

I’m pleased to report that the Nord CE 2 is no exception. Yes, eagle-eyed industry watchers may note that this is probably just a re-packaged and re-branded spin on the Reno 7 5G from parent company Oppo (comparing the spec sheets is an especially challenging game of spot-the-difference), but for anyone actually considering buying the phone this simply doesn’t matter.

At the end of the day, the Nord CE 2 offers strong specs and a potent camera at a price that’s hard to beat – and looks the part too.

Design and build
Plastic body
Curved camera module design
Slim, light, and splash-proof
If you’ve seen any of the recent Nord phones, the Nord CE 2 will look… familiar. The company has settled into a rhythm here when it comes to rough size and shape, which is no bad thing, though the design is a clear step up from the original Nord CE.

With a 6.43in display the CE 2 is almost exactly the same size as its predecessors, and bang on the average for a modern Android device. The company has however worked to keep the phone thin at 7.8mm, and light at 173g, which keep it comfortable in the hand.

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The Redmi Note 11S is a strong budget all-rounder with a capable 108Mp camera and 90Hz AMOLED screen but misses out on 5G

Redmi has fast become a go-to name for anyone looking for value in their next smartphone. The Xiaomi-owned marque’s phones tend to retail for around the £200 mark and often punch above their weight.

The Redmi Note 11S effectively bridges the gap between the Redmi Note 11 and the Redmi Note 11 Pro. It’s got the basic design and display of the former, but the more advanced camera set-up and processor of the latter.

It’s priced accordingly, though its global presence will be limited compared to its brothers. There are no plans to launch it in the UK, though importing phones is a lot easier than it used to be.

The real question is, does the Redmi Note 11S represent the sweet spot in this compelling budget phone range? Let’s find out.

Design & Build
Essentially the same as the Note 11
IP53
Unusual IR blaster
The Redmi Note 11S really does look and feel an awful lot like the Redmi Note 11. Held side by side, they’re practically indistinguishable, with the same plain-but-classy design language and the same layout of all of its buttons and components.

There’s the same matte plastic back and the same flat metal-effect frame. It also sports the exact same basic dimensions of 159.9 x 73.9 x 8.1mm, the same weight of 179g, and the same IP53 dust and water resistance rating.

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The Samsung Galaxy S22+ pairs a refined design with top-notch internals, a reworked camera system and market-leading software support

On the surface, Samsung’s latest S22+ simply looks like another incremental upgrade with a familiar face, but is there more to this middle-child of a Galaxy S phone than the expected annual hardware updates and design revisions?

While the ‘S’ branding within Samsung’s Galaxy naming convention has always been tied to the company’s flagship Android phones, the ‘+’ suffix is a relatively recent addition to the lineage whose function continues to change over time.

The most obvious difference between the S22 and the S22+ – as is true of previous generations – is the larger size that the Plus model sports; not to mention the extra benefits that its additional volume brings. Moving from the standard to the Plus not only means a bigger screen but a larger battery too.

With the extension of an Ultra-branded entry within each year’s Galaxy S line, the Plus model also serves as something of a melting pot; melding the more modest hardware of the base S phone with touches of the more premium and advanced features that would otherwise be exclusive to the Ultra.

As such, while the Galaxy S22+ may not look like the most exciting entry in this year’s flagship Samsung line-up, it’s arguably the phone with the broadest appeal, in terms of size, features and performance.

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