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ASUS has launched new Vivobook laptops in India, including Intel, AMD and Snapdragon models with OLED displays, AI features and up to 38 hours of claimed battery life.

ASUS Vivobook New Laptops Launched in India: Price, Specs and Features

ASUS expands its Vivobook lineup with new S14, S16, 14 Flip, S14 Flip and Vivobook 16 laptops powered by Intel, AMD and Snapdragon chips.

ASUS Launches New Vivobook Laptops in India With Up to 38 Hours Battery Life

ASUS has launched five new Vivobook laptops in India with Intel, AMD and Snapdragon processors, OLED displays, AI features and up to 38 hours of claimed battery life.

ASUS has expanded its Vivobook portfolio in India with a fresh lineup of everyday laptops that lean heavily on design, AI-focused performance and long battery-life claims. The new range, launched under the company&rsquo;s &ldquo;Your Vibe. Your Colour.&rdquo; campaign, includes the Vivobook S14, Vivobook S16, Vivobook 14 Flip, Vivobook S14 Flip and Vivobook 16.
The portfolio covers conventional clamshell laptops as well as 360-degree convertibles, with Intel, AMD and Qualcomm Snapdragon-powered options. ASUS is clearly targeting students, young professionals and users who want one machine for work, streaming and day-to-day creative tasks.
<h2>ASUS Vivobook S14 and S16 bring all-metal designs and AI performance</h2>
The Intel-powered <a title="Asus Zenbook S14 Review: Stunning OLED Display Meets All-Day Battery Life" href="https://www.editorji.com/tech-news/gadget-review/asus-zenbook-s14-review-stunning-oled-display-meets-all-day-battery-life-1780910387790" target="_blank">ASUS</a> Vivobook S14 (S5452MA) and Vivobook S16 (S5652MA) sit towards the premium end of the new range. Both feature lightweight all-metal builds, MIL-STD-810H military-grade durability and up to Intel Core 7 Series 3 processors with a claimed 17 TOPS of AI performance.
ASUS claims the S14 can deliver over 20 hours of battery life, while the larger S16 is rated for more than 15 hours. Both get 16:10 FHD+ IPS displays with 100 per cent sRGB colour coverage, USB Type-C ports and HDMI 2.1 connectivity.
The company is also preparing Snapdragon X-powered versions of the Vivobook S14 and S16. These models are equipped with a 45 TOPS NPU and are claimed to offer up to 30 hours of battery life. The S16 gets an FHD+ OLED panel, while the S14 comes with a taller 16:10 FHD+ IPS display.
<h2>Vivobook 14 Flip and S14 Flip focus on versatility</h2>
For users who prefer a more flexible setup, ASUS has introduced the Vivobook 14 Flip (TP3407AA) and Vivobook S14 Flip (TP5408QA). Both feature a 360-degree all-metal hinge, an FHD+ ASUS OLED touchscreen and stylus support, allowing them to be used as regular laptops, tablets or in tent mode for streaming.
The Vivobook 14 Flip is powered by up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 3 355 processor with a 49 TOPS NPU. ASUS claims up to 38 hours of battery life, while the laptop also gets Thunderbolt 4, a microSD card reader, an AI camera, a webcam shield and TPM 2.0 security.
The Snapdragon X-powered Vivobook S14 Flip, meanwhile, offers a 45 TOPS NPU and up to 30 hours of claimed battery life. It gets an AI FHD IR camera, TPM 2.0, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports and HDMI 2.1.
<h2>ASUS Vivobook 16 offers a larger-screen AMD option</h2>
The Vivobook 16 (X1652XA) is the more straightforward large-screen option in the lineup. It comes with an AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS processor and ASUS&rsquo;s claimed 10 TOPS AI capability for everyday AI-powered features and multitasking.
It features a 16-inch FHD+ 16:10 IPS display with an 89 per cent screen-to-body ratio, giving users more room for documents, browser windows and entertainment. The laptop also includes an FHD AI camera with facial-recognition and privacy features.
Like the rest of the range, it comes with Microsoft Office Home 2024 and a year of <a title="Accenture rolls out microsoft 365 copilot to 7.4 lakh employees, reports major productivity gains" href="https://www.editorji.com/business-news/accentures-microsoft-365-copilot-deployment-1777360323155" target="_blank">Microsoft 365</a> Basic with 100GB cloud storage.
<h2>Pricing and availability</h2>
The Intel-powered Vivobook S14 and S16 start at ₹1,18,990. The Vivobook 14 Flip starts at ₹1,79,990, while the Snapdragon-powered Vivobook S14 Flip starts at ₹1,09,990. The Vivobook 16 starts at ₹89,990.
These models will be available from September 17 through ASUS Exclusive Stores, the ASUS e-shop, authorised retailers, leading retail partners and e-commerce platforms. The Snapdragon-powered Vivobook S14 and S16 will arrive by the end of October, with their pricing set to be announced closer to availability.
ASUS is also offering a launch bundle comprising two years of extended warranty and three years of accidental damage protection, worth ₹5,599, for ₹99 for a limited period. The new Wireless Silent Mouse MW103, available in Green, Pink and Blue, starts at ₹649.

Poco X8 Power review: We test its 10,000mAh battery, 1.5K 120Hz AMOLED display, Snapdragon 6 Gen 5, cameras, 100W charging and overall performance.

Poco X8 Power Review: 10,000mAh Battery Phone Done Right?

The Poco X8 Power packs a massive 10,000mAh battery, 100W charging, a 1.5K AMOLED display and IP69K protection. Here’s how it performs in the real world.

Poco X8 Power Review: An Endurance Champion With a 10,000mAh Battery

Mehul Reuben Das

Poco

Poco X8 Power

The Poco X8 Power delivers exceptional three-day battery life, a sharp 1.5K AMOLED display and rugged protection, but its performance and cameras lag behind some similarly priced rivals.

A few years ago, putting a 10,000mAh battery in a smartphone would have sounded absurd. In 2026, it feels far less unusual. Even 8,000mAh cells are becoming common, so the Poco X8 Power needs more than sheer capacity to stand out.
Its biggest talking point is still that 10,000mAh silicon-carbon battery. More impressive, however, is how Poco has fitted it inside an 8.65mm chassis that weighs 229g. The rest of the package is fairly ambitious too. There is a 1.5K 120Hz AMOLED display, Gorilla Glass Victus 2, IP69K protection and 100W charging, along with LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.1 storage.
The Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 is where things become less straightforward. It feels like an unusual choice for a phone starting at ₹35,999, particularly when everything else sounds so competitive. So, is the Poco X8 Power genuinely a well-rounded smartphone, or is that enormous battery doing most of the selling?
<h2>Poco X8 Power Review: Design</h2>
The yellow <a title="POCO X8, X8 Power Launched in India With Up to 10,000mAh Battery, 100W Charging" href="https://www.editorji.com/tech-news/poco-x8-x8-power-launched-in-india-with-up-to-10-000mah-battery-100w-charging-1788512739591" target="_blank">Poco </a>X8 Power is anything but discreet. Its bright vegan-leather rear sits against a black frame and matching camera module, giving the phone a bold, slightly playful look. I quite like the contrast, but the finish is useful too. The textured back offers a secure grip and keeps fingerprints far less visible than glossy plastic or glass.
Of course, there is no disguising the size. At 229g and 8.65mm thick, the X8 Power feels substantial from the moment you pick it up. Still, once you remember that Poco has packed a 10,000mAh battery inside, those figures feel surprisingly reasonable. It is a large phone, but not the awkward brick I had expected.
Poco has also taken durability seriously. Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protects the display, while IP66, IP68, IP69 and IP69K ratings provide extensive resistance against dust and water. That is a stronger set of protections than you typically find in this price segment.
Elsewhere, the phone includes an optical fingerprint scanner beneath the display, stereo speakers and an IR blaster. Wireless connectivity covers Bluetooth 6.0 and dual-band Wi-Fi 5, with support for 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac.
There are compromises, though. The USB-C port only supports USB 2.0 speeds, while NFC and eSIM are both missing. With no NFC, tap-to-pay services are unavailable, and these omissions feel particularly noticeable on a phone priced at ₹35,999. Neither issue ruins the overall experience, but buyers who rely on either feature will need to look elsewhere. That remains rather difficult to overlook here.
<h2>Poco X8 Power Review: Display</h2>
If you watch plenty of OTT shows or YouTube videos on your phone, the Poco X8 Power makes a strong case for itself. Its 6.83-inch flat LTPS AMOLED panel has a 2772 &times; 1280 resolution, so this is a proper 1.5K display rather than a standard FHD+ one. It also supports 12-bit colour, the DCI-P3 gamut and a 120Hz refresh rate.
The screen looks excellent in everyday use. Images are crisp, contrast is strong and colours have plenty of punch without appearing excessively saturated. Poco claims a peak brightness of 3,500 nits, and outdoor visibility is impressive. I had little difficulty reading the display even under bright sunlight.
However, the phone may run at 60Hz by default, so you will need to select 120Hz manually. The difference is immediately apparent in scrolling and system animations. That small change makes the phone feel much quicker and ensures you are actually getting the experience this panel was built to deliver.
Streaming is another highlight. Both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision are supported, with Dolby Vision working on compatible Netflix content. Wet Touch 2.0 and TUV triple eye protection are included as well. Touch sampling can reach 3,200Hz instantaneously, although that maximum is only available through Game Turbo.
The stereo speakers are equally difficult to ignore. They support Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res Audio, while Poco advertises a 400% volume-boost mode. Honestly, that sounds more like an elaborate name for a very loud pair of speakers.
And loud they certainly are. At around 70 to 80% volume, there is already enough output for videos and films without headphones. At 400%, things become properly loud. Crucially, the speakers offer more than volume alone. Combined with the large, sharp Dolby Vision display, they turn the X8 Power into a genuinely enjoyable phone for entertainment.
<h2>Poco X8 Power Review: Cameras</h2>
Photography is not the reason to buy the Poco X8 Power, but its cameras are dependable enough for everyday use. Rather than crowding the rear with unnecessary sensors, Poco provides a 50MP primary camera with OIS and an 8MP ultrawide.
Most of my better shots came from the main camera. Its wide f/1.5 aperture helps capture a healthy amount of detail in daylight, while skin tones generally remain accurate. The processing sometimes pushes colours further than I would prefer, though the results are usually ready to share without demanding much editing before they go online. That large aperture also creates pleasing background separation naturally, so Portrait mode is not always necessary. A 2x in-sensor zoom is available when you need a closer view.
The ultrawide is mainly useful for fitting more into the frame. Its 8MP resolution leaves it short on fine detail, and the quality drops further when the lighting becomes weaker.
Video capabilities are surprisingly flexible. The primary camera records at 4K30 or 1080p60, whereas the ultrawide tops out at 1080p30. Shooting modes include Portrait, Pro, Ultra HD, Panorama, Dual Video and Live Moments.
Selfies come from a 32MP f/2.2 front camera. It produces reasonably detailed pictures, although the beautification can sometimes smooth skin too aggressively. The selfie camera also supports 4K30 and 1080p60 recording, which is a welcome inclusion.
Ultimately, this is a capable camera system rather than a standout one. The main camera handles the essentials well, but buyers prioritising photography will find stronger options elsewhere.
<h2>Poco X8 Power Review: Performance</h2>
This X8 Power is the first smartphone in the country that is powered by the all-new Snapdragon 6 Gen 5. This basically means raw speed is not the X8 Power&rsquo;s strongest suit.&nbsp;
What it does offer, however, is remarkable consistency, and that matters once you start playing games for longer stretches.
The clearest evidence comes from 3DMark&rsquo;s Wild Life Extreme Stress Test. Its best loop score was 1,190, while the lowest stood at 1,179. That works out to 99.1% stability, which is exceptional. BGMI supports 60fps, and my experience reflected those results initially. Gameplay stayed smooth for roughly 30 minutes, with no major temperature concerns. After around 45 minutes, occasional frame drops and some sluggishness started creeping in. It is not a gaming phone, but longer BGMI sessions remain perfectly enjoyable.
Regular use is even less demanding. Apps launch quickly, scrolling is fluid and multitasking generally happens without fuss. The limitations only become obvious in benchmark results. The phone scored around 980,000 in AnTuTu v11, while Geekbench 7 produced 962 in the single-core test and 3,007 in multi-core. For a phone starting at ₹35,999, those figures are difficult to celebrate.
That distinction is important. The phone rarely feels slow when handling ordinary tasks, yet it does not have the extra headroom you might expect at this price. Buyers chasing high benchmark scores or demanding gaming performance should set their expectations accordingly before buying one.
Poco pairs the chipset with LPDDR5X RAM, but storage needs closer attention. UFS 4.1 is reserved for the top 256GB version. The cheaper 128GB model misses out on that. We reckon it may be using UFS 2.2 instead. That difference makes the 256GB variant my clear recommendation. Overall, the X8 Power prioritises dependable sustained performance over outright pace.
<h2>Poco X8 Power Review: Software</h2>
The Poco X8 Power runs HyperOS 3 on top of Android 16. If you have used a recent <a title="Redmi Note 17 Review: Still Worth the Note Name?" href="https://www.editorji.com/tech-news/gadget-review/redmi-note-17-review-still-worth-the-note-name-1786700453605" target="_blank">Xiaomi </a>or Poco phone, everything will feel familiar, from the general layout to the customisation options. I particularly like how much freedom HyperOS gives you to change the lock screen and the wider look of the interface.
The more obvious annoyance appears during setup. Poco preloads several apps and games, including the Indus Appstore. Thankfully, most of them can be uninstalled, so cleaning up the phone does not take particularly long. Glance is not enabled on the lock screen by default either, which is a welcome decision.
For the most part, the software feels smooth in daily use. Apps behave as expected and navigating the interface rarely causes trouble. I did, however, notice occasional jitters while switching between apps. Notifications were also delayed a couple of times when the phone was locked, possibly because HyperOS was managing background activity too aggressively. These issues were infrequent, but they were still noticeable.
There are some useful additions beneath that clutter. Circle to Search is available, while Xiaomi Offline Communication lets compatible nearby Xiaomi and Poco phones communicate over Bluetooth without cellular connectivity.
Poco also promises four years of Android OS upgrades and six years of security updates. That should take it to Android 20.
<h2>Poco X8 Power Review: Battery</h2>
The 10,000mAh silicon-carbon battery is the reason the Poco X8 Power exists, and its endurance is every bit as impressive as the capacity suggests.
This is comfortably a three-day phone. With calls, browsing, social media and streaming in the mix, I regularly ended a full workday with around 60-65% charge left. Lighter users may be able to stretch it beyond three days. Even synthetic benchmarks reduced the battery by just 3%, which is something I have never seen from another phone.
Charging such a large battery still takes time, despite the 100W HyperCharge support. Using the included 100W adapter, a complete charge took around 50-55 minutes during testing. The X8 Power also supports 27W wired reverse charging, letting it charge your other devices when required.
<h2>Poco X8 Power Verdict: An Endurance Champion</h2>
At ₹35,999, the Poco X8 Power is not the choice for every buyer. Its Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 handles daily tasks without trouble and can run BGMI reasonably well, but faster phones are available for similar money. The cameras are serviceable, although they are unlikely to satisfy anyone placing photography near the top of their list.
What sets this phone apart is endurance. The 10,000mAh battery can deliver three days of use, while 100W charging prevents refilling it from becoming a painfully long affair. Its 27W reverse-charging support is genuinely practical as well.
The supporting hardware makes the proposition stronger. You get an excellent 1.5K AMOLED screen, extremely loud stereo speakers, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and IP69K protection. Together, those features make it well suited to watching content and surviving demanding days away from home.
Ultimately, your priorities decide whether the X8 Power makes sense. Look elsewhere if performance or cameras matter most. But for frequent travellers, heavy content consumers or anyone tired of watching the battery percentage, few phones offer this level of reassurance.

Samsung Galaxy S26 FE launched in India at Rs 79,999 with Exynos 2500, 6.7-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, 4,900mAh battery, triple cameras and One UI 9.

Samsung Galaxy S26 FE Launched in India at Rs 79,999: Specs, Features, Offers

Samsung Galaxy S26 FE brings Exynos 2500, a 120Hz AMOLED display, triple cameras, One UI 9 and seven years of software support to India at Rs 79,999.

Samsung Galaxy S26 FE Launched in India at Rs 79,999

Samsung Galaxy S26 FE launches in India at Rs 79,999 with Exynos 2500, 120Hz AMOLED display, triple cameras, 4,900mAh battery, One UI 9 and seven years of software support.

Samsung has launched the Galaxy S26 FE in India, expanding its flagship Galaxy S26 family with a more affordable Fan Edition model. The smartphone is priced at Rs 79,999 and will be available in a single 8GB RAM and 256GB storage configuration, with Pistachio, Blueberry and Graphite colour options.
The Galaxy S26 FE is also the first phone in the S26 series to ship with Android 17-based One UI 9. Its other highlights include a 6.7-inch AMOLED display, the Exynos 2500 chipset, a 4,900mAh battery and seven years of software support.
<h2>Galaxy S26 FE Brings New Camera and AI Features</h2>
<a title="Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 Review: Samsung&rsquo;s Small Foldable Makes a Big Impression" href="https://www.editorji.com/tech-news/gadget-review/samsung-galaxy-z-flip8-review-samsung-s-small-foldable-makes-a-big-impression-1787741847511" target="_blank">Samsung </a>has equipped the Galaxy S26 FE with a triple rear camera system comprising a 50MP main camera with optical image stabilisation, a 12MP ultrawide camera and an 8MP telephoto camera offering 3x optical zoom. A 12MP camera handles selfies and video calls.
My FanCam, previously seen on Samsung&rsquo;s foldables, is making its way to the FE series. The feature can identify a selected person and automatically keep them centred while recording. Super Steady with Horizontal Lock is designed to produce smoother and more level footage, while Nightography targets clearer low-light photos.
Photo Assist lets users edit images through natural-language prompts. Gemini Omni can also create and edit video clips using photos and videos stored in the Gallery. Eligible buyers will receive a six-month Google AI Pro trial with 5TB of cloud storage.
One UI 9 adds an updated Now Brief with customisable cards, weather information, wellness insights and contextual suggestions. Circle to Search can now identify multiple objects in a single search.
<h2>Exynos 2500, 120Hz AMOLED Display and 45W Charging</h2>
The Galaxy S26 FE is powered by Samsung&rsquo;s 3nm Exynos 2500 processor. It features a 6.7-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with 60Hz and 120Hz modes, along with a claimed peak brightness of 1,900 nits.
Its 4,900mAh battery supports 45W wired charging, with Samsung claiming a 69 per cent charge in around 30 minutes using a compatible adapter. The phone also supports 15W wireless charging and Wireless PowerShare.
The handset measures 7.4mm thick and weighs 193g. Connectivity options include 5G, Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.4, while an IP68 rating provides protection against dust and water.
<h2>Galaxy S26 FE Price and Launch Offers in India</h2>
The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE costs Rs 79,999 for its sole 8GB and 256GB variant. Buyers can choose between an upgrade bonus of up to Rs 8,000, Rs 7,000 cashback on eligible bank cards, or selected no-cost EMI offers. Samsung says these offers are mutually exclusive.
The phone will receive seven generations of Android OS upgrades and seven years of security updates from its global launch date. Samsung has also upgraded Smart Switch, allowing Android and <a title="Apple iPhone Duo Price In India: What Do You Get For ₹2,99,900?" href="https://www.editorji.com/tech-news/mobiles/apple-iphone-duo-price-in-india-what-do-you-get-for-2-99-900-1789041876818" target="_blank">iOS </a>users to transfer data including passwords, passkeys, call history, accessibility settings and compatible eSIM information by scanning a QR code.

vivo Buds review: We test the ₹1,999 wireless earbuds for sound quality, battery life, comfort, calls, gaming, and features to see if they are worth buying.

vivo Buds Review: Best Budget Earbuds Under ₹2,000?

The vivo Buds offer impressive battery life, a lightweight fit, punchy sound, spatial audio and dual-device pairing at ₹1,999. Here’s how they perform in real-world use.

vivo Buds Review: Excellent Battery Life at ₹1,999

Editorji News Desk

Vivo

Vivo Buds

The ₹1,999 vivo Buds deliver excellent battery life, a lightweight fit, punchy sound and reliable dual-device pairing, making them a strong budget pick despite average calls and no ANC.

Buying a pair of earbuds under two grand usually feels like a gamble that you are destined to lose. Most brands love throwing fancy spec buzzwords onto the retail box, but the moment you pop them into your ears, you get tinny audio, cheap, creaky plastics, or a Bluetooth connection that stutters the second you drop your phone into your pocket.
Vivo is trying something different with the new vivo Buds. At ₹1,999, there is zero overpromising here. The pitch stays dead simple: give buyers huge battery endurance, a super-light fit, seamless two-device pairing, spatial audio, and audio that actually packs some punch.
I carried the Nilgiri Green pair around everywhere for a full week, using them across daily office work, chaotic bus commutes, and late-night gaming sessions. Here is my take on how they hold up.
<h2>Design and Comfort</h2>
Right out of the box, the vivo Buds look very impressive and very polished, with a full glossy finish on both the case and the earbuds. You get a Type-C port at the bottom and no pairing button anywhere in sight. Pop the lid open, and you see the buds sitting inside in a full monochromatic look. The design surely feels like it's punching above its price tag.
I got my hands on the Nilgiri Green unit, which has this calm, minty green tone that I ended up really liking because it is not loud. While it kept my oily fingerprints out of sight, it was an absolute magnet for dust and pocket scuffs. Just three or four days of sliding it in and out of my jeans pocket, I started spotting fine scratches all over, which showed up easily against the pale green plastic.
Another thing I noticed was the lid hinge. At first, it gave me this super-crisp, loud click whenever I snapped it shut, which felt great. But after a week of fidgeting with it, the hinge definitely developed a bit of loose play.
The earbuds carry that same glossy plastic that we see on the case, and they weigh just 3.8 grams each. The moment I put them on, that featherweight build paid off. The tips sealed into my ears effortlessly without making me feel that stuffy, inner-ear pressure. I even shook my head around vigorously to see if they would slip, but they stayed firmly in place.
I kept them on for several multi-hour editing shifts and felt no earache. Plus, with their IP54 rating, I did not have to stress when I got sweaty during quick evening runs or was caught in a light drizzle.
<h2>Audio Quality</h2>
At this price point, nobody should go in expecting god-level sound, and the <a title="Vivo S2 Review: Massive Battery, Premium Design, Minimal Compromises" href="https://www.editorji.com/tech-news/gadget-review/vivo-s2-review-massive-battery-premium-design-minimal-compromises-1786105671836" target="_blank">vivo</a> Buds certainly are not pulling off audio miracles. Still, packing a 10mm high-resolution moving-coil driver inside, they hold their ground surprisingly well.
Whenever I test any audio gear, I queue up tracks across different genres to get a genuine feel for what the drivers can do. I kicked off my testing with vocal-heavy acoustic tracks and subtle piano arrangements, such as Raabta by Arijit Singh, All of Me by John Legend, and Imagine by John Lennon.
The overall delivery was decent for what you pay, but I did notice that the background instrumentation got a bit muddy during busier passages. Even with that slight muddiness, if you want my honest opinion, the sound comes across as much more vibrant and lively than I anticipated from a budget pair.
In fact, these buds handle bass-heavy tracks far better than pure acoustic melodies. It is not mind-blowing sub-bass, but it packs enough punch to keep things energetic. I cycled through my usual rotation of hip-hop, Punjabi beats, and rap to test the low-end thump, and the results were seriously impressive for the price tag.
The rhythm feels punchy and fun, though in that chase for bass energy, the buds do end up losing some of the finer instrumental details that audiophiles would crave.
On the codec front, you get standard AAC and SBC support. That is pretty much what every brand offers in this segment, so no surprises there. There is also no active noise cancellation here. Expecting ANC at this price point would honestly be an unfair ask, but I will admit that missing out on it made my daily metro commutes and walks through crowded markets a bit chaotic, since you can still hear the outside chatter cutting right through your music.
<h2>Call Quality</h2>
When it comes to taking calls, my experience with the vivo Buds has been pretty decent, but with clear boundaries. If you are sitting in a quiet office cabin, your bedroom, or anywhere without too much commotion around, the dual-mic setup works completely fine.
My voice came through loud, crisp, and natural on the other end, and I had no issues breezing through long catch-ups and routine work meetings.
The trouble begins once you step outside into genuine chaos. The moment I took calls along packed streets, near blaring traffic horns, or in crowded transit areas, such as during my metro commutes, the experience quickly turned unpleasant for both me and the person on the other end and me.
While the onboard AI noise cancellation and cross-flow wind duct try their best to suppress ambient racket, sharp street noises and chatter still managed to leak right into the conversation. My voice would sometimes sound slightly distant or compressed as the algorithm aggressively tried to fight the background noise.
If you mostly take calls indoors or in relatively controlled spaces, these buds get the job done reliably. But I definitely would not recommend relying on them for important calls while standing in the middle of a noisy market.
<h2>Software Support</h2>
Over the years, the software experience for the Vivo TWSs has gotten just better. If you use a Vivo or iQOO phone, you get a few extra ecosystem perks, but I did a chunk of my testing paired with my <a title="Vivo X300 FE Review: Flagship Performance in a Pocket-Friendly Body" href="https://www.editorji.com/tech-news/gadget-review/vivo-x300-fe-review-flagship-performance-in-a-pocket-friendly-body-1778065708933" target="_blank">Vivo X300 FE</a>.
On third-party phones, you have to download the vEarphones app, but honestly, the overall difference in day-to-day use felt fairly negligible.
The app covers all the essentials well, including control remapping and dual-device pairing. Spatial audio is part of the package too, though right now it only works if you are paired with the Vivo X300 FE or the Vivo X300 Ultra. Vivo claims updates are on the way to fix that.
Naturally, you miss out on wear detection, so tracks will not pause when you pull a bud out, but at this price, that did not bother me at all.
What genuinely stood out was the low-latency mode. I do not have the lab tools to measure whether it actually hit the claimed 42ms mark, but during my gaming sessions, the sync was flawless. Gunshots fired on time, and footsteps came through right when they happened on screen.
The app interface is far from the prettiest software I have ever used, but it gets the job done without crashing or lagging.
<h2>Battery and charging</h2>
If there is one area where the vivo Buds completely won me over, it has to be the battery endurance. Vivo packs a 51mAh battery into each earbud and a 513mAh cell inside the charging case. On paper, they promise up to 12 hours on a single charge and a massive 50 hours with the case.
In my real-world routine, keeping the volume around 65 to 70 per cent, I easily pulled around 9&ndash;10 hours of continuous music and video playback. That is phenomenal endurance value, especially for the price.
I used these buds through an entire workweek of editing, work calls, and daily listening without having to hunt down a charging brick once. When I finally ran them down, the charging was dependable too.
Dropping the buds into the case for just 10 minutes gave me roughly four full hours of playback, which was more than enough to cover my evening commute. Juicing the whole case back up over Type-C took about two hours, just as claimed. For anyone tired of constant battery anxiety, this setup feels practically bulletproof.
<h2>Final verdict: Should you buy it?</h2>
For two thousand rupees, the vivo Buds do not try to pull off any miracles, which honestly works in their favour. Rather than slapping on weak, gimmick-grade ANC just for marketing, Vivo got the daily stuff right.
You get crazy-good battery backup that easily beats most rivals around this price, a super-light fit you can wear all day, spatial audio, and two-device pairing that actually works without fuss.
Are there compromises? Absolutely. That shiny case picks up scratches way too fast, outdoor calls get messy in traffic, and I really missed having auto-pause when pulling an earbud out.
Still, if your week looks like mine, with hours of continuous music, quick gaming rounds, and jumping between a phone and a laptop without Bluetooth headaches, these give you serious value. If you have two grand in your pocket, buying these is practically a no-brainer.

Infinix HOT 70 Pro 5G review: We test its 6000mAh battery, 144Hz display, Dimensity 7100 5G chip, 50MP camera and IP68 rating to see if it’s worth ₹22,999.

Infinix HOT 70 Pro 5G Review: Big Battery, 144Hz Display & IP68

The Infinix HOT 70 Pro 5G packs a 6000mAh battery, 144Hz display, IP68 protection and a unique Active Matrix Cube. Here’s how it performs in everyday use.

Infinix HOT 70 Pro 5G Review: Is It Worth ₹22,999?

Infinix

Infinix HOT 70 Pro 5G

The Infinix HOT 70 Pro 5G combines a 6000mAh battery, 144Hz display, IP68 protection and a unique pixel screen with capable performance, making it a compelling ₹22,999 option.

It is 2026, and the price brackets for smartphone categories are becoming almost impossible to define. Brands have blurred the lines between budget, mid-range, and entry-level flagships, and if you have walked into a retail store recently, you will know that most options end up looking like dull clones of one another.
Infinix is clearly trying to break that monotony with the HOT 70 Pro 5G. Starting at ₹22,999 for the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage variant, this handset comes out swinging with features you rarely find grouped together in this segment. You get a customisable pixel-matrix display embedded into the camera island, genuine IP68 dust and water resistance, and a massive 6000mAh battery tucked into an unexpectedly slim chassis.
It looks exciting on paper, but quirky design tricks mean nothing if the everyday basics stumble. I popped my primary SIM into the phone for a full week of routine testing to see how it actually holds up in daily life.
<h2>Design</h2>
I will admit, the second I took the Infinix HOT 70 Pro 5G out of the box, it surprised me. Recently, brands have been cutting corners at this price point, but Infinix has treated the back to a soft matte finish that feels surprisingly great in the hand. Yes, the frame and back are plastic, but the phone never comes across as cheap or fragile. Across the lower right side, there is a wavy iridescent pattern that catches the light as you tilt it, giving the surface a shifting two-tone effect.
I have been daily-driving the Silk Glow Purple edition, and I really like that the purple tone is grounded and muted, rather than obnoxiously loud. Better yet, even after carrying it through hot afternoons and typing away with sweaty palms, the back panel stayed completely free of oily grease and fingerprint smudges.
Around the back, the camera module remains similar to its predecessor, the HOT 60, sticking to squarish lenses with rounded borders that look a bit like Samsung&rsquo;s designs. But the standout element here is the third circle down, which Infinix calls the Active Matrix Cube. My first thought was that it looked like a direct take on <a title="CMF Headphone Pro review: Big style, bigger battery, bold sound all for ₹7,999" href="https://www.editorji.com/tech-news/gadget-review/cmf-headphone-pro-review-big-style-bigger-battery-bold-sound-all-for-7-999-1768394697254" target="_blank">Nothing</a>&rsquo;s Glyph lights, but playing around with it changed my mind. It lets you treat that tiny pixel screen like a digital sketchpad. I spent time doodling tiny figures and custom letters, and watching them animate on the back of the phone was a genuinely fun touch that felt far less gimmicky than I expected.
Moving around the sides, everything is right where your thumb wants it. The right rail gives you clicky volume keys and a power button with an embedded fingerprint scanner that unlocked the phone without stuttering. Just underneath is a bright orange OneTap button. It has a rough, knurled surface, so your fingers never mix it up with the power key. Holding it down lets you pull up quick shortcuts, and I ended up mapping it straight to the flashlight and voice assistant for quick access on the move. Along the bottom edge, you get the Type-C port, primary microphone, and a single speaker opening, while the left side carries a full tray for two nano SIMs alongside a microSD card.
At 7.85mm, the chassis is remarkably slim given what is packed inside, though you will definitely notice its 204g weight and wide footprint if you try typing one-handed for too long. The biggest win for me, though, has to be the IP68 rating. I was walking back from work when an unexpected monsoon shower drenched my commute, and the phone took direct water splashes without missing a beat. Having that level of protection at this price point gives you real peace of mind when using it day in and day out.
<h2>Display</h2>
When I flipped the phone over to set it up, the first thing that caught my eye was the flat 6.76-inch screen. It uses an LTPS LCD panel running at 1080 x 2344 pixels, and I have to give credit to Infinix here. With phone prices going up like crazy these days, brands have started doing weird things to save cash, like pushing a 720p HD+ panel onto people. Getting a real Full HD+ resolution on this phone felt like a breath of fresh air. It is not an AMOLED panel, so you can forget about deep, ink-like blacks. But sitting in bed at night and catching up on my favourite web series, the picture looked clean. Skin tones looked realistic, colours did not bleed, and everything was sharp enough to keep my eyes happy.
Now, do not expect a bezel-less miracle. Even though the spec sheet brags about a 91.86% screen-to-body ratio, the black borders around the glass stand out right away. The bottom chin especially is pretty chunky, and my eyes kept landing on it every time I typed out a quick WhatsApp reply.
Then there is that headline 144Hz refresh rate, and in real-world use, it actually delivers on the promise. The panel dynamically scales depending on what you are doing, and scrolling through supported parts of the interface feels remarkably slick. Pulling down the quick settings shade and navigating between home screens stayed buttery smooth under my fingers, making the entire daily UI experience feel light and responsive. However, it is limited to a select few system apps.
For video playback, Widevine L1 is there, and YouTube played my HDR clips fine, but Netflix refused to kick into HDR mode. As for brightness, it reaches 760 nits normally and hits around 910 nits in high brightness mode, which is fine for an LCD panel at this budget, but not exactly astounding. Inside the house or in my office, it is bright enough to use comfortably. Step out onto the street during a blazing afternoon, though, and you will notice the struggle. When the sun was right overhead, I found myself shading the screen with my hand just to read who was calling me.
<h2>Camera</h2>
The rear camera module relies on a 50MP <a title="Sony India Introduces ILCE-7V" href="https://www.editorji.com/business-news/sony-unveils-alpha-ilce7v-camera-with-ai-features-1768884831730" target="_blank">Sony</a> IMX882 main sensor, while the front punch-hole carries an 8MP shooter.
Walking around during the day, the primary camera gave me genuinely good shots. Colours looked punchy and vibrant, dynamic range was well managed against harsh skies, and I noticed plenty of resolved detail in every frame. You do not get an ultrawide or tele lens here, which limits your shooting versatility. Still, given the chaotic market pricing lately, I have stopped expecting multiple usable sensors at this price. The phone leans heavily on background AI processing, but I appreciate that pictures never come across as aggressively sharpened or fake. Portraits turned out clean enough for direct social posts, even if edge detection around tricky flyaway hair felt like a hit or miss.
In low light, the main sensor continued to pull usable shots, though light bleeds around streetlamps were easy to spot. When I took it into extremely dark alleys, it struggled, showing obvious noise and grain.&nbsp;
The 8MP selfie camera is pretty basic, just as the spec sheet suggests. It handles quick video calls and meetings fine, but do not expect gallery-worthy portraits. For video, both ends can capture 2K footage at 30fps with room for stabilisation, but sticking to 1080p at 60fps on the rear delivered my smoothest clips.
<h2>Performance</h2>
For performance, the phone runs on a 6nm MediaTek Dimensity 7100 5G processor, paired with LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.2 internal storage. You get options for 6GB or 8GB of RAM.
Right after setting it up, I pushed it through the usual benchmark grind to see the performance. On AnTuTu, my review unit clocked a score of 748,430. Over on Geekbench 7, it returned 854 points in single-core and 2,926 points in multi-core. Are these numbers blowing anyone away? Not really. But given what this chipset is built for, the results make total sense. It was never meant to be a cut-throat speed champion.
Gaming was where I wanted to see its real limits, so I loaded up BGMI. It stayed locked at 90 FPS, but it delivered a steady, playable output with zero erratic stuttering during my first half hour of matches. After around 45 minutes of non-stop action, the back panel definitely started warming up. Still, a lot of phones in this bracket can feel even hotter after a short match, so the heat here stayed manageable. It was only when I pushed past the full hour mark that I spotted occasional frame drops and tiny jitters.
For everyday use, it did not let me down. Apps popped open without delay, split-screen multitasking behaved, and I never ran into sudden app crashes during my testing.
<h2>Software, UI/UX &amp; AI Features</h2>
Right after setup, the phone boots XOS 16 running on Android 16, and honestly, the iOS vibes are impossible to miss. Between the translucent liquid-glass design and the smooth transitions, Infinix clearly took heavy notes from Apple. They even threw in their own take on the Dynamic Island around the front camera punch hole for quick background activities.
Sure, it does feel derived, but I have to give credit where it is due: in my day-to-day use, it looks clean and runs without any frustrating stutters. What caught me off guard was the update commitment. Infinix is offering three full Android OS upgrades and five years of security patches, which beats out a lot of rivals in this segment.
Messing with the Active Matrix Cube settings was a highlight for me, giving routine incoming alerts a playful pixel-art touch. The built-in Infinix AI tools turned out to be surprisingly handy, too. The Document Assistant and Writing Assistant felt tailor-made for college students who need to digest long PDFs or rephrase rough essays before submission. Throw in reliable split-screen view and quick floating windows, and the everyday software flow felt solid.
<h2>Battery and charging</h2>
Having a 6000mAh battery in my pocket gave me solid peace of mind, but your real-world mileage will depend on how hard you push it. On days when I used the phone normally, just checking chats, listening to songs, and casual browsing, I easily sailed past a day and a half without hunting for a wall socket. But on days when I hammered it with BGMI matches, camera tests, and benchmark apps, reality caught up. I had to plug it in before sleeping, not because the phone was dead, but because I wanted enough juice to get through the next morning safely.
Filling up this massive tank felt reliable with the in-box 45W charger. Starting from a flat zero per cent, it took me around 63 to 65 minutes to see a full charge. For a 6000mAh cell, waiting a little over an hour is pretty reasonable in my book. The 10W wired reverse charging is another neat trick that came in handy, letting me rescue my dead TWS earbuds straight from the phone while I was out travelling.
<h2>Final Verdict: Should you buy it?</h2>
After living with the Infinix HOT 70 Pro 5G for seven full days, I came away genuinely liking what it brings to my pocket. No doubt it has its flaws. That bottom chin stares right back at you, the 8MP selfie shooter is strictly average, and if your heart is set on deep AMOLED contrast, an LCD screen will not blow you away.
But at ₹22,999, looking at the whole picture, the compromises make sense for what you get back. Having proper IP68 water protection in your corner, an enormous 6000mAh battery that takes the stress out of travel days, and that playful pixel screen on the back gives the device genuine character. If you want a dependable, sturdy phone that will not die on you by dinner and has a bit of fun baked into the shell, it easily earns my thumbs up.

Apple iPhone Duo starts at ₹2,99,900 in India. We break down its 7.6-inch foldable display, A20 Pro chip, cameras, battery, iOS 27 features and more.

Apple iPhone Duo Price In India, Specifications, Features, Cameras & A20 Pro

<h3>Apple&rsquo;s first foldable iPhone starts at ₹2,99,900 in India. Here&rsquo;s what the iPhone Duo offers for nearly ₹3 lakh.</h3>

After years of watching Samsung, Google, Oppo and others experiment with foldable smartphones, Apple has finally entered the category with the iPhone Duo.
And naturally, Apple hasn&rsquo;t exactly dipped its toes into the affordable end of the pool.
The iPhone Duo starts at ₹2,99,900 in India for 256GB of storage. The 512GB model climbs to ₹3,24,900, while the 1TB version costs ₹3,74,900. Go all the way to 2TB and you&rsquo;re looking at an almost comical ₹4,49,900.
That&rsquo;s used-car money. It&rsquo;s also enough for a rather nice international holiday or a substantial home renovation.
Making matters worse, the Duo starts at $1,999 in the US, roughly ₹1.90 lakh at current exchange rates before applicable sales taxes. That leaves an enormous gap between the American and Indian sticker prices.
Still, there&rsquo;s more to the Duo than an outrageous price tag. Apple&rsquo;s first foldable packs some genuinely interesting hardware, and it looks like the company has spent its late arrival trying to iron out several traditional foldable compromises.
<h2>iPhone Duo Gets Apple&rsquo;s Biggest iPhone Display Yet</h2>
Apple has effectively given the Duo two different personalities.
Keep it folded and there&rsquo;s a 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR outer display, which Apple says provides around 90% of the usable screen area of the iPhone 18 Pro. Unfold the device and a much larger 7.6-inch panel takes over.
Both displays support ProMotion, Always-On functionality and peak outdoor brightness of up to 3,000 nits.
The folding display is where Apple&rsquo;s engineering flex becomes more apparent. There&rsquo;s a nano-texture treatment designed to tackle reflections and make the crease less noticeable, while the display stack combines high-strength glass, custom adhesives, multiple layers and a titanium plate.
Then there&rsquo;s the hinge, which alone comprises more than 100 individual components.
Apple has wrapped everything inside a Grade 5 titanium frame and somehow managed an IP68 rating, something particularly notable for a device with this many moving parts.
The Duo is also eSIM-only globally. Removing the physical SIM hardware gives Apple some precious extra room inside an already cramped foldable chassis.
<h2>iPhone Duo Doesn&rsquo;t Compromise On Performance</h2>
Foldable or not, Apple isn&rsquo;t treating the Duo as a performance downgrade.
It uses the same 2nm A20 Pro found inside the iPhone 18 Pro family, complete with a six-core CPU, seven-core GPU and Dual 16-core Neural Engine.
Apple has also fitted a custom vapour chamber for cooling and divided the battery between the two halves of the phone.
The company claims 24 hours of mixed use, while video playback is rated at 31 hours on the larger inner display and 44 hours when using the outer screen. Wired charging can apparently take the battery to 50% in around 20 minutes, with MagSafe and Qi2 doing it in approximately 30.
Cameras, however, are where the Duo differs considerably from Apple&rsquo;s Pro flagships.
There&rsquo;s a 48MP Fusion Main camera and a 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide, with the former providing a 2x optical-quality crop. There&rsquo;s no elaborate Pro-style triple-camera arrangement here, which feels rather strange considering the Duo costs substantially more than an iPhone 18 Pro Max.
The fold itself does unlock some neat tricks, though. Duo Preview turns the outer display into a preview screen for your subject, while you can use the main cameras for higher-quality selfies. Smart Take can even recognise when everyone is posing and automatically capture the photograph.
<h2>iOS 27 Is Where The Duo Starts Making Sense</h2>
Perhaps the biggest challenge Apple faced wasn&rsquo;t building a folding iPhone. It was making iOS work properly on one.
iOS 27 has consequently been reworked specifically for the Duo.
Unfold it and two apps can finally run side by side on an iPhone. Users can create saved app pairs, launch multiple windows of the same application and seamlessly shift between the outer and inner displays.
Apple has even reconsidered familiar interface elements such as the Dock, Dynamic Island and status indicators for the larger canvas.
That software work might ultimately prove more important than the complicated hinge or titanium construction. Apple has had years to watch where other foldables work and where they become awkward.
At ₹2,99,900, none of this suddenly makes the iPhone Duo affordable. It remains an extraordinarily expensive smartphone, particularly in India.
But Apple clearly isn&rsquo;t selling this as merely another iPhone with a folding screen. Between its display engineering, A20 Pro hardware and heavily redesigned software, the Duo represents Apple&rsquo;s attempt to rethink the iPhone around an entirely different form factor.
Whether that rethink is worth ₹3 lakh is another matter.

iPhone Duo starts at ₹2.99 lakh in India, far above prices in the US, UAE and Japan. Even iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max cost considerably more in India.

iPhone Duo India Price vs US, UAE & Japan: Why Does It Cost ₹2.99 Lakh?

<h3>iPhone Duo starts at ₹2.99 lakh in India, around ₹1.09 lakh above its converted US price. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max also carry a sizeable India premium.</h3>

Apple&rsquo;s first foldable iPhone is finally here, and there&rsquo;s plenty to talk about.
There&rsquo;s the folding 7.6-inch display, the titanium construction, the ridiculously complicated hinge and the A20 Pro powering everything underneath.
But if you&rsquo;re buying one in India, there&rsquo;s another specification that immediately grabs your attention: ₹2,99,900.
Yep. Apple&rsquo;s iPhone Duo starts at essentially ₹3 lakh for the 256GB variant in India. Move up the storage ladder and things get even crazier, with the 2TB version topping out at ₹4,49,900.
The Duo was never going to be cheap. This is Apple&rsquo;s first foldable, after all, and it sits right at the top of the iPhone hierarchy.
But then you look at what the same phone costs elsewhere.
And suddenly, ₹2,99,900 becomes much harder to ignore.
<h2>iPhone Duo Costs ₹1.09 Lakh More In India Than Its Converted US Price</h2>
In the US, Apple has priced the base iPhone Duo at $1,999. At current exchange rates, that works out to roughly ₹1.90 lakh.
India? ₹2,99,900.
That&rsquo;s a difference of roughly ₹1.09 lakh between the two sticker prices.
Forget Apple Intelligence, someone needs to explain Apple Mathematics to us.
Now, simply converting the US price into rupees doesn&rsquo;t tell the complete story. US prices are generally quoted before state and local sales taxes, which vary depending on where you buy the phone. India&rsquo;s retail price, meanwhile, includes GST.
But even when you move away from the US, India continues to look expensive.
The iPhone Duo starts at AED 8,499 in the UAE, while Japan gets it for &yen;364,800. At current exchange rates, those prices work out to roughly ₹2.20 lakh and ₹2.25 lakh respectively. Comparisons with other Asian markets including Thailand and Vietnam also put the Duo comfortably below its ₹2.99 lakh Indian sticker price.
The differences are large enough that the inevitable joke about flying abroad to buy your iPhone doesn&rsquo;t sound quite as ridiculous this year.
Depending on where you travel, you could theoretically buy the phone overseas, turn the trip into a short holiday and still have quite a bit of that ₹1 lakh-plus gap to play with.
Of course, actually doing that is more complicated once flights, hotels, taxes, foreign-exchange charges and warranty considerations enter the equation.
But that&rsquo;s not really the point.
The striking part is just how far apart the sticker prices have become.
<h2>It Isn&rsquo;t Just The iPhone Duo</h2>
You might be tempted to write the Duo off as an unusual first-generation product. Except Apple&rsquo;s regular Pro iPhones tell a similar story.
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at ₹1,64,900 in India. In the US, the same model starts at $1,199, which converts to roughly ₹1.14 lakh.
The UAE price works out to around ₹1.32 lakh, while Japan is around ₹1.35 lakh.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max makes the difference equally obvious. It starts at ₹1,79,900 in India, compared with $1,299 in the US, or roughly ₹1.23 lakh at current exchange rates.
So this isn&rsquo;t exclusively a foldable-iPhone problem.
Across Apple&rsquo;s new premium lineup, Indian buyers are staring at considerably higher sticker prices than customers in several major international markets.
<h2>So Why Are iPhones More Expensive In India?</h2>
There isn&rsquo;t one convenient villain here.
Taxes, duties, currency movements, logistics and Apple&rsquo;s regional pricing strategy all affect what an iPhone eventually costs in different markets. The US comparison in particular needs context because Apple&rsquo;s advertised American prices exclude local sales taxes.
That makes directly converting dollars into rupees imperfect.
But it doesn&rsquo;t make the gap disappear.
The iPhone 18 Pro is roughly ₹50,000 more expensive in India than its converted US sticker price. With the iPhone Duo, that gap balloons to around ₹1.09 lakh.
And that&rsquo;s what makes the Duo particularly difficult to swallow.
At $1,999, it is already an exceptionally expensive smartphone. At ₹2,99,900, it enters an entirely different universe.
Apple has finally folded the iPhone. At these prices, your bank balance might be next.

The Pixel 11 Pro XL promises better cameras, smarter AI and improved Tensor G6 performance. After a week of use, here’s where Google’s flagship excels and falls short.

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL Review: Is Google’s ₹1.35 Lakh Flagship Worth It?

Google Pixel

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL

The Pixel 11 Pro XL doubles down on cameras, AI and software polish, while Tensor G6 and slow charging remain its biggest compromises.

There&rsquo;s a certain comfort that comes with picking up a new Pixel. You pretty much know the kind of experience Google is going for, and after spending more than a week with the Pixel 11 Pro XL as my primary phone, I don&rsquo;t think that predictability works against it at all.
Yes, the new colours immediately caught my eye when the phone arrived in August, but the more interesting changes reveal themselves once you actually start using it. Tensor G6 sits at the heart of the experience, Android 17 feels wonderfully polished, Google has stuffed the phone with new AI features, and there are some important camera improvements to explore as well.
None of this transforms what a Pixel is supposed to be. Instead, Google seems increasingly comfortable refining the things that already make its phones distinctive.
Then there&rsquo;s the price. The 12GB/256GB Pixel 11 Pro XL costs ₹1,34,999, which is undeniably premium. Yet, with flagship prices climbing steadily higher, it ends up looking surprisingly competitive. More importantly, it delivers the kind of well-rounded, polished experience I expect when spending this much on a phone.
<h2>Google Pixel 11 Pro XL Review: Design</h2>
Google&rsquo;s horizontal camera bar has become such a recognisable part of the Pixel that I&rsquo;m happy to see it return. This time, glass covers the entire camera housing from one edge to the other, which gives the Pixel 11 Pro XL a cleaner finish from the back.
India gets Canyon, Olive, Fog and Obsidian. Canyon is certainly the showstopper, but my Obsidian review unit has grown on me considerably. Every colour gets matte glass, although Obsidian is the only one that carries that treatment over to the aluminium frame. The others use polished aluminium. Personally, I prefer the all-matte approach, especially since fingerprints were barely noticeable despite my sweaty hands.
This is still a pretty big phone. It weighs 226g and measures 8.5mm thick, so reaching across that large body with one hand isn&rsquo;t always effortless. What helps is the excellent weight distribution. There&rsquo;s also virtually no rocking when you use it on a table because the camera bar stretches across the phone.
HiLight is the most interesting new design flourish. Built into the camera housing alongside the cameras, flash, microphone and laser hardware, this RGB light can alert you to calls from favourite contacts and animate while Gemini listens, thinks or responds. It&rsquo;s a fun addition, and more control over its colours and behaviour would make it even better.
For protection, there&rsquo;s Gorilla Glass Victus 2, IP68 certification and Google&rsquo;s anti-scratch shield, claimed to more than double scratch resistance.
Finally, you get an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, USB-C 3.2, nano-SIM and eSIM support, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, NFC and compatibility with PixelSnap accessories.
<h2>Google Pixel 11 Pro XL Review: Display and Speakers</h2>
The sheer size of the Pixel 11 Pro XL makes it a natural fit for watching content, but thankfully, Google has also given it a display good enough to make the most of all that real estate.
We&rsquo;re looking at a 6.8-inch Super Actua LTPO OLED panel with a 2K (1344 x 2992) resolution, HDR10+ support and an adaptive refresh rate ranging from 1Hz to 120Hz. Google quotes 2,400 nits of HDR brightness and a peak of 3,600 nits, and I never had to squint at the screen while using it outdoors.
What impressed me more was how good everything looked indoors. OLED gives you wonderfully deep blacks, contrast is excellent, and colours have just the right amount of punch. Fire up a movie or a YouTube video and the large canvas really comes into its own. It&rsquo;s the closest this phone gets to feeling like a miniature tablet.
The 120Hz refresh rate also makes a difference outside entertainment. Scrolling through webpages feels slick, animations are fluid and the entire interface responds beautifully. Thin, uniform bezels help with immersion, while Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and Google&rsquo;s anti-scratch shield protect the panel.
Google hasn&rsquo;t neglected audio either. The stereo speakers can get seriously loud while maintaining clear dialogue and a nicely balanced sound. There&rsquo;s good stereo separation in landscape, and music has enough body that I regularly ended up using the phone itself instead of reaching for a speaker.
Spatial Audio is supported with compatible content, apps and headphones too. Taken together, the screen and speakers make the Pixel 11 Pro XL an excellent little entertainment machine.
<h2>Google Pixel 11 Pro XL Review: Cameras</h2>
What I enjoy most about photographing with the Pixel 11 Pro XL is the consistency. Whether I&rsquo;m quickly capturing something during the day, zooming into a distant subject or shooting after sunset, I rarely have to think too much about getting the shot right.
Google has some serious hardware backing that experience. The main camera uses a new 50MP f/1.68, 1/1.3-inch sensor, joined by a 48MP f/1.7 autofocus ultrawide with Macro Focus. The 48MP f/2.8 5x telephoto gets a larger 1/1.95-inch sensor with OIS, which Google says gathers 32% more light. There&rsquo;s also a 42MP ultrawide autofocus selfie camera.
Results across the three rear cameras are excellent. Images retain plenty of detail, dynamic range is superb and colours generally stay nicely balanced. Google&rsquo;s characteristic processing is still visible, particularly the sharpening and brighter shadows, giving photos that recognisable Pixel flavour.
Zoom is another highlight. The 5x camera produces some lovely results, while 10x remains surprisingly capable. Pro Zoom can reach a rather bonkers 120x when you want to experiment.
Instant Night Sight is far more practical. Google claims captures can be up to 4.5 times faster, meaning considerably less time spent trying to keep your hands perfectly still.
Camera Looks lets you customise the character of your photos, while Magic Capture can extract high-quality stills from recorded video.
Video options are extensive too, including Pro Stable Video, Video Boost, Night Sight Video, 10-bit HDR, Macro Focus Video, Audio Magic Eraser and boosted recording up to 8K.
The specifications are impressive, but Google&rsquo;s computational photography is ultimately what makes the entire camera experience click.
<h2>Google Pixel 11 Pro XL Review: Performance</h2>
Benchmarks tell one story about the Pixel 11 Pro XL. Actually using it tells another, and that distinction is important when talking about Google&rsquo;s new Tensor G6.
Google claims the new chip delivers 25% faster web browsing and 15% quicker app launches compared to the Tensor G5. The TPU also gets 50% more compute for AI workloads, while the Pro XL uses a vapour chamber to keep temperatures in check.
In my day-to-day use, the phone rarely gave me anything to complain about. I routinely had Chrome, Gmail, WhatsApp, Slack, YouTube, Google Photos and plenty of other apps running, with constant switching between them. Everything remained fluid, apps opened quickly and RAM management was particularly good. Even with around 30 apps sitting in memory, most returned exactly where I had left them.
Synthetic benchmarks are less flattering. The Pixel scored 1.79 million in AnTuTu, while Geekbench returned 2,091 and 5,095 in the single and multi-core tests respectively. Those are modest figures when you consider what other flagship processors are capable of.
The GPU shows the biggest gap. In the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test, the best loop came in at 2,995, dropping to 2,061 at its lowest. Interestingly, stability was a decent 68.8%, so the Tensor G6 can sustain a reasonable proportion of the performance it starts with. Its GPU simply starts from a lower ceiling than its flagship rivals.
That doesn&rsquo;t make the Pixel a poor gaming phone. BGMI and Call of Duty Mobile both ran nicely during my casual gaming sessions, and I&rsquo;d happily play either on it.
It&rsquo;s only if mobile gaming is a major priority that the Tensor G6 becomes harder to recommend. For everything else I actually do with my phone, the Pixel 11 Pro XL feels fast, responsive and thoroughly flagship-grade.
<h2>Google Pixel 11 Pro XL Review: Software</h2>
What separates Google&rsquo;s latest AI features from many of the ones I&rsquo;ve tried recently is that I didn&rsquo;t have to remind myself they existed. Several naturally worked their way into how I used the Pixel 11 Pro XL.
Rambler is the best example. I dictate messages and notes fairly regularly, and it does much more than convert speech into text. It removes filler, sorts out punctuation and can turn a messy stream of thoughts into coherent sentences. I was particularly impressed by how well it coped with background noise and switching between languages.
Pixel Search became another regular shortcut. Instead of hunting through different menus, it provides one place to search for apps, settings and information stored across the phone and supported Google services.
Then there are Gemini&rsquo;s Proactive Suggestions. Gemini can recognise relevant information within supported apps and recommend what to do next. When a location appeared in a conversation, for example, it correctly offered to take me straight to Maps. It wasn&rsquo;t flawless, though, and struggled when I asked it to find an address buried in an email.
Live Translate proved more dependable. Once you download the appropriate language pack, translated captions can appear over supported videos, podcasts and voice messages.
All of this sits on top of Android 17, seven years of OS, security and Pixel Drop updates, and a clean interface without unnecessary duplicate apps. Pixel staples including Call Screen, Now Playing and Pixel Screenshots return as well.
There&rsquo;s a lot of AI here, but crucially, much of it feels designed to save me time rather than simply show me what AI can do.
<h2>Google Pixel 11 Pro XL Review: Battery</h2>
The 5,115mAh battery inside the Pixel 11 Pro XL is actually smaller than the 5,200mAh unit Google used in its predecessor, but that hasn&rsquo;t stopped it from delivering impressive endurance.
With my usual combination of WhatsApp, Chrome, social media, photography, YouTube and time split between Wi-Fi and 5G, I managed around seven hours of screen-on time after disabling the Always-On Display. Keeping it enabled reduced that figure to about four hours and 45 minutes. Google claims the phone can last beyond 30 hours.
I only wish charging matched that performance. Google advertises up to 75% in roughly 30 minutes with a compatible 45W PPS adapter, but a full charge took my unit close to two hours.
Wireless charging fares well, with Qi2.2-certified PixelSnap support delivering up to 25W. There&rsquo;s an Extreme Charging Mode available as well. Ultimately, battery capacity may have gone backwards on paper, but the actual endurance certainly hasn&rsquo;t.
<h2>Verdict: A Flagship I&rsquo;d Happily Keep Using</h2>
The best compliment I can give the Pixel 11 Pro XL is that after using it as my primary phone, there&rsquo;s very little about the overall experience I&rsquo;d want to change.
Its 6.8-inch display is superb, the speakers make watching content genuinely enjoyable, battery life comfortably handled my routine and the cameras remain a major reason to choose a Pixel. Tensor G6 also delivers excellent everyday performance, while Google&rsquo;s software and increasingly useful AI tools give the phone an identity that goes beyond specifications.
There are areas Google can improve. Charging was slower than I expected, HiLight could be far more versatile and Tensor G6 isn&rsquo;t going to satisfy someone buying primarily for hardcore gaming. None of those, however, stopped me from thoroughly enjoying the phone.
At ₹1,34,999, it faces plenty of excellent competition. Pixel 10 Pro XL users don&rsquo;t need to rush out and upgrade, but anyone considering a premium Android flagship should absolutely have the Pixel 11 Pro XL on their shortlist.

Logitech MX Keypad launches in India at ₹15,999 with customisable controls for AI coding tools, GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, VS Code and more.

Logitech MX Keypad Launched in India at ₹15,999 for AI Coding Workflows

Logitech’s new MX Keypad brings customisable physical controls to AI coding workflows, with support for GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, VS Code and more.

Logitech MX Keypad Launched in India: Price, Features and AI Coding Support

Logitech&rsquo;s MX Keypad launches in India at ₹15,999, offering customisable physical controls for AI coding tools, GitHub Copilot, Claude Code and developer workflows.
<h3 data-section-id="l7gnad" data-start="2003" data-end="2025">&nbsp;</h3>

As AI tools become a bigger part of software development, developers are increasingly jumping between coding assistants, IDEs, terminals and agents. Logitech thinks there is room for a dedicated piece of hardware to make that juggling act a little easier.
The company has launched the <a title="Logitech MX Master 4 Review: A masterclass on improving perfection" href="https://www.editorji.com/tech-news/gadget-review/logitech-mx-master-4-review-a-masterclass-on-improving-perfection-1768571809508" target="_blank">Logitech </a>MX Keypad, a customisable physical control centre designed specifically for developers working across multiple AI coding tools and applications. It supports platforms including GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, VS Code and IntelliJ IDEA, allowing developers to trigger commands, execute prompt macros and perform actions without constantly navigating between different tools.
More importantly, Logitech isn't positioning the MX Keypad as a collection of fixed shortcuts. Individual keys can be configured to control one or multiple applications and AI agents, essentially allowing developers to build a physical control panel around their own workflow.
<h2>Logitech MX Keypad Wants to Put AI Tools at Your Fingertips</h2>
The basic idea behind the MX Keypad is fairly straightforward. Developers can assign frequently used actions, prompts and commands to physical keys, reducing the amount of switching required while working across an increasingly complicated development stack.
Logitech says the keypad offers cross-app compatibility and can bring AI workflows, complex prompts and development tools together. It also ships with developer-created plugins for GitHub Copilot and Claude Code.
The device was shaped with feedback from Logitech's MX Collective and GitHub communities, according to the company.
There is also a fairly significant GitHub connection here. Logitech developed the MX Keypad in collaboration with GitHub, and the device launches with native GitHub integration, including support for VS Code and the GitHub Copilot app. Logitech says it plans to expand functionality to additional tools over time.
Every MX Keypad also comes with three months of GitHub Copilot Pro+, which can be redeemed through Logi Options+ by both new and existing users.
<h2>Developers Can Build Their Own MX Keypad Integrations</h2>
Where things get more interesting is customisation. Logitech is opening the keypad up through its Logi Actions SDK, allowing developers to create their own tools and integrations rather than relying solely on whatever Logitech provides out of the box.
The company says its documentation has been designed to work well with AI coding agents, meaning those agents can generate custom integrations using the SDK.
Community-developed plugins for Claude Code and <a title="Florida sues OpenAI and Altman over ChatGPT safety concerns" href="https://www.editorji.com/business-news/florida-sues-openai-over-chatgpt-safety-1780371950435" target="_blank">OpenAI </a>Codex have already been published on the Logi Marketplace. These can provide functionality such as real-time agent status tracking and CLI controls directly through the keypad's physical keys. Logitech says the underlying platform reaches more than 100 million compatible Logitech devices.
That could ultimately be the MX Keypad's biggest selling point. Rather than trying to predict exactly how developers will use AI tools, Logitech is effectively giving them a programmable hardware layer that they can adapt as their workflows change.
<h2>Logitech MX Keypad Price in India</h2>
The Logitech MX Keypad is priced at ₹15,999 in India and will be available in a Graphite colour option.
Logitech has also incorporated some sustainability measures into the hardware. The Graphite model uses 64 percent certified post-consumer recycled plastic, while its paper packaging comes from FSC-certified forests and other controlled sources.
At ₹15,999, this is clearly a specialised accessory rather than something every developer is going to need. But as coding workflows increasingly involve several AI assistants, agents and development environments running alongside one another, Logitech is betting that some developers will find value in moving their most-used software controls off the screen and onto a dedicated piece of hardware.

A Techarc study shows smartphone habits are changing laptop expectations in India, pushing battery life, responsiveness, design and AI higher up the agenda.

How Smartphone Habits Are Reshaping Laptops and the Future of AI PCs

<h3>A Techarc analysis of 5,412 laptop reviews shows how smartphone experiences are reshaping what Indian consumers expect from laptops, from battery life to AI.</h3>

For years, buying a laptop meant comparing processors, RAM, storage and perhaps display specifications before deciding how much performance you could get for your money. But a generation raised on smartphones is beginning to judge PCs rather differently.
A Techarc analysis of 5,412 verified laptop reviews from Amazon India and Flipkart suggests that smartphone experiences are increasingly setting the benchmark for laptops. According to the report, 88% of laptop users agree that their expectations from laptops have been defined by their smartphone experiences.
That means all-day battery life, instant responsiveness, premium construction and increasingly, built-in AI capabilities are moving from nice-to-have features to fundamental parts of the computing experience.
And as the PC industry races towards its next generation of AI-powered machines, that shift could prove just as important as the processors powering them.
<h2>Smartphones Have Changed What a &lsquo;Good Laptop&rsquo; Means</h2>
Sumit Sonal, Head of Marketing at Qualcomm India, believes years of smartphone use have fundamentally changed the baseline consumers bring to PCs.
&ldquo;Today's users have grown up with devices that are intuitive, responsive, and always ready, and they now expect the same from their PCs,&rdquo; Sonal said.
Techarc's findings support that shift. Consumers accustomed to phones lasting through the day increasingly expect similar endurance from laptops, while the near-instant responsiveness of modern smartphones makes slow boot-ups and sluggish wake times more noticeable.
Traditional priorities haven't disappeared either. Value for money remains the strongest satisfaction driver, with 84% positive sentiment, followed by performance at 82% and build and design quality at 78%.
The differences between PC platforms are also visible. Snapdragon-powered laptops score 4.4 out of five for battery satisfaction, compared with 3.9 for Intel and 3.8 for AMD. Snapdragon also scores 4.3 for thermal management and build/design.
Connectivity, however, remains an industry weak spot, recording just 53% positive sentiment and the lowest satisfaction in the study.
<h2>AI PCs Have an Expectation Problem to Solve</h2>
AI represents perhaps the clearest example of smartphone expectations spilling over into PCs.
Consumers have already grown accustomed to voice assistants and increasingly sophisticated on-device AI features on their phones. Techarc identifies AI features as the fastest-growing trigger category for laptops. Yet satisfaction currently averages only 3.7 out of five, with 64% positive sentiment.
That gap presents both a challenge and an opportunity for AI PCs. Simply advertising an NPU or attaching an &ldquo;AI&rdquo; label to a laptop may not be enough. The technology increasingly needs to translate into useful everyday experiences that consumers can actually recognise.
In other words, the AI PC race isn't only about how many TOPS a processor can deliver. The more important question may be whether AI can become as accessible and useful on a laptop as the features consumers already take for granted on their phones.
<h2>The Next PC Battle Could Be About Experience, Not Specs</h2>
That changing benchmark could ultimately reshape how PC makers compete.
Techarc's analysis identifies battery life and AI features as two attributes with particularly high cross-platform variance, giving processor makers and laptop manufacturers room to differentiate themselves beyond conventional performance metrics.
&ldquo;As AI becomes more integrated into everyday computing, consumers are looking beyond specifications and evaluating how a laptop fits into the way they work, learn, create, and collaborate,&rdquo; Sonal said.
That is perhaps the bigger transition taking place. Performance and value still matter enormously, but the definition of a good laptop is expanding.
The smartphone did not replace the PC. Instead, it may be doing something far more consequential: teaching an entire generation what their next PC should feel like.

POCO India’s Ken Sekhar explains why Indians are buying fewer smartphones but spending more, and how longer ownership cycles are redefining value.

POCO’s Ken Sekhar on Why Indians Are Spending More on Smartphones

<h3 class="PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer" data-start="761" data-end="925">POCO India&rsquo;s Ken Sekhar explains why Indian buyers are spending more, upgrading less often and expecting their smartphones to last longer.</h3>

India's smartphone market is going through an unusual transition. Consumers are buying fewer phones, holding onto them longer and increasingly moving towards more expensive devices. For smartphone brands, that means the old playbook of packing the biggest specifications into the lowest possible price is beginning to lose some of its power.
According to IDC, India shipped 33.2 million smartphones in Q2 2026, down 11.1% year-on-year. Yet the average selling price climbed 14.4% to a record $315, helping the overall value of the market grow 1.7%.
For Ken Sekhar, Marketing Head at POCO India, these seemingly contradictory numbers point towards a fundamental change in how Indians think about smartphones.
"The biggest change isn't that consumers have become more price-sensitive. It's that they've become significantly more value-conscious," Sekhar told Editorji.
"A few years ago, value for money largely meant getting the highest specifications at the lowest possible price. Today, consumers evaluate value across the entire ownership journey rather than just the purchase price."
<h2>Indians Are Spending More, But Keeping Their Phones Longer</h2>
The shift is particularly significant for a company like POCO, which built much of its identity around aggressive specifications and performance-per-rupee.
Sekhar believes consumers are now willing to pay more upfront because smartphones themselves have increasingly become longer-term purchases.
"We're seeing people consciously invest more in smartphones because they plan to use them much longer. The replacement cycle has steadily extended from around two years to nearly four years for many users," he said.
"Once someone decides to keep a device for that long, they're naturally willing to spend more upfront, provided the experience remains consistently fast and reliable over the years."
Market data supports the broader premiumisation trend. While affordable smartphones below ₹15,000 saw shipments decline sharply in Q2, the $400&ndash;600 segment grew 60.3% year-on-year. CMR's data also points towards premium smartphones growing 54%, while the ₹50,000&ndash;₹1 lakh super-premium category surged 72%.
Financing has helped make that transition possible. More than half of mainline smartphone sales in Q2 involved financing, according to the research, with zero-cost EMIs and trade-ins increasingly replacing straightforward discounts as the mechanism allowing consumers to stretch their budgets.
<h2>Performance Is No Longer Just About the Processor</h2>
This changing definition of value is also reshaping what "performance" means.
"Performance today is the result of an entire ecosystem rather than a single specification," Sekhar said.
"A powerful processor remains important, but consumers increasingly understand that great real-world performance depends on how well the chipset, RAM, storage, thermal management and software work together."
He argues that buyers are consequently looking beyond processor names and benchmark scores towards storage speeds, sustained gaming performance, heat management and software optimisation.
"Ultimately, nobody buys a phone simply to post benchmark scores," Sekhar said. "They buy it expecting the device to remain smooth after hundreds of charging cycles, multiple software updates and years of everyday use. That's increasingly becoming the true definition of performance."
POCO is also seeing its consumers gravitate towards higher RAM and storage configurations, which Sekhar describes as buyers "future-proofing their purchase" for heavier apps, AI features, gaming and high-resolution content.
<h2>Battery, Software and Durability Are Becoming Part of &lsquo;Value&rsquo;</h2>
The same logic increasingly applies to other parts of the smartphone.
"Battery capacity itself has become a hygiene factor," Sekhar said. "Consumers now expect every smartphone to comfortably last an entire day. What increasingly differentiates devices is battery longevity and consistency."
As ownership periods stretch, buyers are increasingly concerned with how batteries age, charging speeds, thermal behaviour and battery management rather than capacity alone.
Software support and durability are following a similar trajectory.
"Software longevity and build quality have moved from being value additions to becoming core purchase considerations," Sekhar said.
"Consumers today don't simply want feature-rich smartphones. They want devices that can keep pace with their lives for years. Long-term ownership experience has become one of the strongest indicators of value."
<h2>Rising Component Costs Are Rewriting the Smartphone Equation</h2>
All of this is happening while manufacturers face enormous cost pressure.
The memory shortage has hit affordable devices particularly hard. The report estimates that DRAM and NAND inflation has pushed memory's contribution to the bill of materials in some mass-market phones from below 20% to more than 45%.
"The smartphone industry is undoubtedly operating under increased cost pressures today," Sekhar acknowledged, pointing to component prices, memory costs, currency fluctuations and investment in newer technologies.
POCO's response, he says, is to prioritise where that money is spent.
"Rather than chasing every specification, we prioritise the features that matter most to our users, whether that's sustained performance, efficient cooling, battery life, software optimisation or durability."
That may ultimately describe the broader transition taking place in India's smartphone market.
"The conversation has therefore moved from 'How much performance can I buy today?' to 'How well will this phone perform throughout its life?'" Sekhar said.
And with consumers spending more while upgrading less frequently, India's next smartphone battle may not simply be about who offers the most hardware for the money.
As Sekhar puts it, consumers are now "spending more, upgrading less frequently and expecting significantly more from every device they buy."

The Asus Zenbook Duo (2026) turns two gorgeous 3K OLED displays into a genuinely useful portable workstation, but its ₹2,78,990 price keeps it firmly in enthusiast territory.

Asus Zenbook Duo (2026) Review: The Dual-Screen Laptop That Makes Multitasking Better

Asus

Asus Zenbook Duo (2026)

<h3>Two 3K OLED screens, strong performance and a 99Wh battery make the Asus Zenbook Duo unlike most laptops.</h3>

Reviewing tech for a living means it takes something genuinely different for a laptop to get me excited. I&rsquo;ve used countless thin-and-lights, ridiculously powerful gaming machines and plenty of experimental form factors, so the novelty wears off pretty quickly. Somehow, though, the Asus Zenbook Duo still scratches that itch.
Now in its second generation, it remains one of those rare laptops that makes me want to experiment with how I use it, especially with that dual-screen setup.
Asus has also given it some meaningful upgrades this year. You get two 14-inch 3K OLED touchscreens, Intel&rsquo;s Core Ultra 7 355, 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM, a 1TB SSD and a huge 99Wh battery.
Our configuration costs ₹2,78,990, which makes this a seriously expensive machine. So, does the Zenbook Duo actually do enough to justify that price?
<h2>Asus Zenbook Duo (2026) Review: Design</h2>
With the keyboard attached, the Zenbook Duo could almost pass for a slightly chunky 14-inch laptop. Pull it away, though, and you suddenly have a completely different machine, with a second full-sized display underneath.
The keyboard connects magnetically using pogo pins, which also keep it charged. Detach it and the second display automatically switches on, while the keyboard moves over to Bluetooth. From there, you can stack both screens vertically, rotate the Duo for a book-style setup, use the second display flat, or go back to a conventional laptop layout.
I mostly stuck with the vertical setup. The built-in kickstand is reassuringly sturdy, and having two displays stacked wherever I was working became surprisingly addictive. The redesigned hideaway hinge helps too, reducing the gap between the screens by roughly 70 per cent while allowing the laptop to open completely flat to 180 degrees.
Despite all these moving parts, the Duo feels remarkably solid. The Ceraluminum chassis has a premium finish, while the Moher Gray colour keeps things understated. You also get MIL-STD 810H certification.
At 1.65kg, it certainly isn't the lightest 14-inch machine around, but considering you're effectively carrying two displays and a detachable keyboard, I found the weight perfectly manageable.
Connectivity is excellent too, with two Thunderbolt 4 ports, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, HDMI 2.1 FRL and a 3.5mm jack. Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 handle wireless connectivity.
<h2>Asus Zenbook Duo (2026) Review: Display &amp; Speakers</h2>
The two displays were easily among my favourite things about the original Zenbook Duo, and Asus has managed to make an already excellent setup even better this time around.
You get two identical 14-inch ASUS Lumina Pro OLED touchscreens, both with a 2880 x 1800 resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio and refresh rates of up to 144Hz.
And they look absolutely gorgeous. Colours have plenty of punch, blacks are wonderfully deep, and everything from text to high-resolution photos looks incredibly crisp. Crucially, I couldn't spot any meaningful difference in quality between the upper and lower panels, so moving content between them feels completely natural.
For creators, both displays cover 100 per cent of the DCI-P3 colour gamut and are Pantone validated. You also get VESA DisplayHDR True Black 1000 certification, with Asus claiming 500 nits during regular use and up to 1,000 nits for HDR content.
There's an anti-reflective coating that does a decent job of controlling reflections, although harsh outdoor lighting can still make visibility tricky. T&Uuml;V Rheinland and SGS Eye Care certifications are welcome additions too, especially when you're potentially staring at two displays all day.
The 144Hz refresh rate also makes a noticeable difference. Scrolling, animations and simply dragging windows between screens all feel beautifully smooth. Both panels support touch and stylus input as well.
Audio is another pleasant surprise. The six-speaker Harman Kardon-tuned system combines four woofers with two tweeters and supports Dolby Atmos. It gets properly loud without becoming muddy, while vocals remain crisp. There is some bass, although the tuning definitely favours vocals.
For serious multitaskers, though, those displays remain the Duo's killer feature. It's effectively a portable dual-monitor workstation without the hassle of carrying an external display.
<h2>Asus Zenbook Duo (2026) Review: Keyboard, Trackpad &amp; Webcam</h2>
The detachable keyboard is a huge part of the Duo experience. It snaps into place magnetically, charges through pogo pins, and automatically switches to Bluetooth when detached. I had no issues with connectivity during my time with it.
Typing is comfortable too, thanks to well-spaced keys and 1.7mm of travel, although the feedback does feel slightly mushy.
The large precision touchpad is responsive and supports edge gestures for adjusting brightness, volume and media controls. I expected them to be gimmicky, but ended up using them quite often.
You also get an FHD webcam with an IR sensor for quick Windows Hello logins. Microsoft Pluton and firmware TPM add another layer of hardware-level security.
<h2>Asus Zenbook Duo (2026) Review: Performance &amp; Software</h2>
Our Zenbook Duo gets Intel&rsquo;s Core Ultra 7 355 with 8 cores and 8 threads, alongside 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD. There&rsquo;s also an NPU capable of 50 TOPS, with Intel&rsquo;s integrated GPU handling graphics.
For everyday productivity, performance is excellent. I regularly had both displays packed with browser tabs, documents, Slack and other apps, and the Duo barely broke a sweat. Even with both screens in constant use, I never felt like the unusual setup was dragging performance down.
Creative workloads are where the Duo really comes into its own. Photoshop is fantastic on those colour-accurate OLED panels, but Premiere Pro is where the dual-screen setup really shines. I could keep my timeline on one display and move the preview, effects and other panels to the second. It genuinely feels like a portable editing workstation.
Performance holds up well too. Scrubbing through 4K 60fps footage with multiple effects and elements on the timeline was smooth, without any major hiccups. Thermals are equally well controlled, with the laptop staying comfortable during everyday use and heavier workloads.
Gaming, however, isn't its forte. Lighter titles are perfectly manageable, but the lack of discrete graphics rules out serious AAA gaming. GeForce NOW offers a neat workaround if you have a fast enough connection, particularly given those 3K 144Hz OLED displays.
On the software side, you get Windows 11 Home with Copilot+ features such as Recall, Live Captions and Windows Studio Effects. ScreenXpert makes managing apps across both displays much easier, while MyASUS handles updates, diagnostics and performance settings.
My main gripe is the bloatware. McAfee LiveSafe, Adobe offers and other bundled apps simply shouldn't be cluttering up a laptop costing nearly ₹2.8 lakh.
<h2>Asus Zenbook Duo (2026) Review: Battery &amp; Charging</h2>
Two 3K OLED displays running at up to 144Hz sounds like a recipe for terrible battery life. Thankfully, the Zenbook Duo surprised me here.
Asus has squeezed in a huge 99Wh battery, up considerably from the 75Wh unit in the previous generation. With medium to heavy usage and both displays regularly active, I consistently managed around 7 to 8 hours on a single charge.
That was enough for me to comfortably use the Duo as my primary work machine without constantly worrying about finding a power socket. For a laptop built around portable dual-screen productivity, that matters quite a bit.
The bundled 100W USB-C adapter handles charging, with a complete top-up taking around 90 to 95 minutes in my testing.
Given that it is powering two high-resolution OLED panels, the battery life Asus has managed here is genuinely impressive.
<h2>Asus Zenbook Duo (2026) Review: Verdict</h2>
At ₹2,78,990, there&rsquo;s no pretending the Zenbook Duo is affordable. But with laptop prices going slightly bonkers lately, that figure doesn&rsquo;t feel quite as outrageous once you consider what Asus is offering.
You&rsquo;re getting two excellent 14-inch 3K 144Hz OLED displays, strong performance, 32GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, solid build quality and a massive 99Wh battery. More importantly, the second screen actually changes how you work. I quickly got used to spreading research and documents across both displays or turning Premiere Pro into a genuinely useful dual-screen workspace.
There are compromises. At 1.65kg, it isn&rsquo;t particularly light, there&rsquo;s no discrete GPU, and the bundled bloatware feels especially unnecessary at this price.
Still, few laptops make me excited about experimenting with the form factor anymore. The Zenbook Duo does. It&rsquo;s expensive and definitely not for everyone, but for serious multitaskers who work on the move, this is one of the most interesting laptops you can buy.

Our Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro review tests its rugged build, 5,200mAh battery, 120Hz display, Helio G81 performance, cameras, AI features and charging.

Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro Review: Rugged Build, Battery Life & Performance

A rugged build, 5,200mAh battery and useful AI features make the Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro an interesting budget phone. Here’s how it performs in daily use.

Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro Review: Rugged Build Meets Everyday Essentials

Tecno

Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro

The Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro offers a rugged build, dependable battery life and useful AI features, but its basic cameras, slow charging and lack of 5G limit its appeal.

Finding a value-for-money, no-nonsense budget phone these days feels like searching for a needle in a haystack. With recent market price hikes, most companies have quietly stripped away basic essentials just to protect their bottom line. So, when the Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro landed on my desk with a starting price of Rs.15,999, I was genuinely curious to see what Tecno had managed to pull off.
Rather than chasing pointless gimmicks or pretending to be a specification beast at its price, this phone focuses on surviving actual, messy daily life. I swapped my primary SIM into this handset for a full week, taking it through crowded commutes and endless calls, to see if it genuinely earns your money. Here is my breakdown of how it actually held up.
<h2>Unboxing &amp; Design</h2>
Opening the box threw me off in the best way possible. Right next to the 10W brick, a Type-C to Type-C cable, and the SIM ejector pin, Tecno has packed in a pair of wired Type-C earphones. They will not blow you away with deep bass or crazy volume, but with the retro trend of people ditching wireless buds and going back to wired earphones, seeing them included in the box earns Tecno some massive brownie points.
Pick the phone up, and it becomes obvious where <a title="Tecno Pova Curve 2 5G Review: The case for bigger batteries in slim phones" href="https://www.editorji.com/tech-news/gadget-review/tecno-pova-curve-2-5g-review-the-case-for-bigger-batteries-in-slim-phones-1771573690938" target="_blank">Tecno</a> is drawing its inspiration from. Still, I think it looks sharp. The all-plastic rear has a neat matte texture that stayed fairly clean on my Eclipse Black unit, though you can also get it in Burgundy Red, Sunrise Orange, or Mist Silver. The real smudge magnet is the large rectangular camera island housing the lens and IR blaster, which has a glossy finish that picks up grease instantly.
The button placement feels natural. On the right, you get the volume keys and the power button, which also doubles as a snappy fingerprint scanner. Both offer good, tactile feedback. The left side houses the SIM tray with a dedicated microSD slot, while the bottom houses the Type-C port, microphone, and main speaker.
Tecno has also thrown in a second speaker on the top edge. Getting a genuine stereo speaker setup in this price tier is rare these days, especially after the recent market price hikes. Honestly, they sounded pretty loud and packed enough bass that I was not even expecting from a phone at this price.
The phone feels huge in hand, but at just 194g, the weight distribution is definitely balanced.
Where the phone truly shines is build toughness. This is the segment&rsquo;s first phone to come with IP69 and IP68 water and dust resistance, along with an SGS drop-resistance certification. With new budget rivals from brands such as Boltt entering the market, this rugged setup gives Tecno a massive edge. I did not toss it into an ocean or smash it onto concrete, but after handling it daily on my desk and during rough commutes, the chassis feels solid, dense, and built to survive accidental abuse.
<h2>Display</h2>
I spent a lot of time testing the 6.79-inch IPS LCD display. Right out of the gate, you cannot miss the chunky bezels. That bottom chin, in particular, stands out quite a bit, so every time I put on a film or a video clip, I was instantly reminded of the entry-level price tag. Still, I was really relieved that Tecno picked a modern centre punch-hole cutout for the front camera instead of sticking us with that tired old waterdrop notch.
Watching content felt fine for what the phone costs. Colours pop well enough on YouTube, and skin tones do not look overly washed out. You do not get HDR on YouTube, so, obviously, Netflix HDR is out of the picture too, but honestly, nobody expects that here. My main gripe came down to overall sharpness. Stretching an HD+ resolution (720 x 1526 pixels) across a huge 6.78-inch frame drops clarity down to about 260 PPI. Whenever I spent time reading long tech write-ups or news threads on Chrome, the edges around text felt noticeably soft and fuzzy.
Tecno claims a 120Hz refresh rate on paper. In my daily use, though, the UI mostly sat locked around 90Hz while jumping through apps and the home menu. Only a handful of screens ever pushed the 120Hz smoothness. That said, I did not run into any weird jitter, so simple feed scrolling still felt fluid enough under the thumb.
Outdoor legibility was where I struggled the most. The screen tops out at 580 nits in high-brightness mode. Sitting in my room or walking around under decent shade, visibility was never an issue. Step out under direct, blazing noon sun, though, and I found myself cupping my palm over the panel just to see directions on Maps or reply to a text. It gets the job done for casual indoor browsing, but you will definitely feel the pinch on bright, sunny days.
<h2>Camera</h2>
Let us be real here: you do not buy a phone at this price expecting extraordinary photo quality. The 13MP rear sensor on the Spark Go 3 Pro performs right in line with expectations. While numbers alone rarely show how a camera actually shoots, here, the 13MP tag tells you most of what you need to know.
During my outdoor daytime walks, it captured perfectly usable photos. Colours looked pleasant enough, and the shots work fine for quick Instagram Stories or snapping bills and documents. That said, if you are looking for crisp sharpness, rich dynamic range, or accurate skin tones, this setup will not wow you. Once the sun set, it really struggled. Streetlights suffered from heavy light bleeding, and darker areas quickly dissolved into soft, noisy patches.
The 8MP front camera gave me clear enough video calls on WhatsApp and decent quick selfies in bright rooms, but it stays strictly basic.
On the video side, both lenses let you record at up to 2K at 30fps. Standing still, it produces clear enough clips, but without proper stabilisation, any step you take turns the footage shaky.
At the end of the day, having wild expectations here would be unfair. It covers the bare essentials, and for the money, that is totally fine.
<h2>Performance</h2>
Tecno went with the MediaTek Helio G81 processor here. My review unit came with 4GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 64GB of internal storage, though there is a 128GB option floating around too. Tecno loves to slap a &ldquo;12GB RAM&rdquo; badge on its marketing, but you should know that 8GB of that is through virtual memory pulled from your storage. At its core, it is a 4GB RAM phone.
I ran both AnTuTu and Geekbench straight away. The scores were fairly basic, around 3 lakhs on Antutu, exactly what I expected from a chip in this bracket. Despite the low score, what actually surprised me was how smooth the phone felt in day-to-day use. Basic apps opened without long, painful loading pauses. I could jump between WhatsApp, my browser tabs, and YouTube without the system randomly choking or killing apps in the background.
Obviously, you are not buying a budget phone to play competitive titles. Casual games runs fine without hiccups. To see how much it could take, I downloaded BGMI and Call of Duty Mobile. Both titles were surprisingly playable for the first 10 or 15 minutes. Once I crossed the 20-minute mark, though, the phone started getting warm around the camera island, and frame drops had an impact on the gaming performance.
For everyday chores, scrolling through feeds, and light use, the overall speed works just fine.
<h2>Software, UI/UX &amp; AI Features</h2>
The phone runs on Tecno&rsquo;s HiOS based on Android 16, and right after setting it up, the heavy iPhone influence is hard to miss. From the lock-screen font styles and wallpapers to the text-selection pop-ups and translucent blur effects, it feels unmistakably<a title="iPhone 17 Review: Why the entry iPhone is now the one to get" href="https://www.editorji.com/tech-news/gadget-review/iphone-17-review-why-the-entry-iphone-is-now-the-one-to-get-1759225187581" target="_blank"> iOS</a>-like. Still, navigating through the menus felt clean.
As you would expect in this price bracket, there are several pre-installed bloatware apps you will have to manually clean up. My bigger concern is software longevity. Tecno offers two years of security patches, but there&rsquo;s no word about any major Android OS upgrades. If you plan on holding on to this phone for three or four years and want fresh Android versions, that is something worth checking out.
What really caught me off guard was the AI toolset. A couple of years ago, most of these tricks were reserved for expensive flagships, so seeing them on a budget device is great. The Tecno AI suite gives you quick writing tools, AI caption generation, and contextual text suggestions. You also get Circle to Search and Google Gemini baked right in, which made looking up on-screen text and images quick and seamless.
Add in the AI noise cancellation that cleans up background traffic noise on regular calls, and the software offers far more practical daily utility than most rivals in this segment. But do not forget: it is a 4G phone.
<h2>Battery &amp; Charging</h2>
Battery life was easily my favourite part of using this phone. Sure, it does not touch the massive 7,000mAh packs we are starting to see floating around, but 5,200mAh is still huge for a phone this affordable.
With my normal mix of scrolling, YouTube streaming, and WhatsApp calls, it easily got me through an entire day without breaking a sweat. On lighter days, I even had enough juice left to carry over into the next morning. Now, if your screen time regularly crosses seven to eight hours, you will definitely be reaching for a plug before hitting the bed, but I never had to worry about it dying on me during my daily commute.
What really tested my patience was the charging speed. Tecno gives you a basic 10W charger in the box, and it is painfully slow. Juicing this big battery all the way from dead flat to 100 per cent took me nearly three hours. You basically have to plug it in overnight because quick daytime top-ups are out of the question.
That said, I am just glad Tecno actually gave us a power adapter in the box instead of making us buy one separately like the bigger brands do now. At this price, you cannot complain too much.
<h2>Final Verdict: Should You Buy It?</h2>
Living with the Spark Go 3 Pro for a week made one thing clear to me: you have to judge it for what it is, not what it is not. No, you will not be running heavy tournament matches on it, and the missing 5G tag might bother spec nerds.
Yet, for anyone pinching pennies, the trade-offs feel totally fair. Having real IP68 and IP69 certification at this price point is wild, and the battery simply refuses to die on a normal workday. I see this fitting right into the hands of college kids managing tight monthly allowances, folks stepping into Android for the first time, or even as a simple, durable gift for elderly parents who just need WhatsApp, YouTube, and loud calls. At Rs.15,999, it does the everyday basics surprisingly well.

Samsung Galaxy S26 FE first impressions: Explore its design, display, Exynos 2500 performance, cameras, battery, and software before the full review.

Samsung Galaxy S26 FE First Impressions: A Worthy Upgrade?

The Galaxy S26 FE brings Exynos 2500 performance, a versatile camera setup, 45W charging, and seven years of updates. Here’s what stands out so far.

Samsung Galaxy S26 FE First Impressions: Promising, But Pricing Matters

Samsung&rsquo;s Galaxy S26 FE brings better performance, premium build, versatile cameras, and longer software support, but familiar hardware and pricing will determine whether it delivers compelling value.

The Galaxy S26 FE has a tough act to follow. Last year&rsquo;s Galaxy S25 FE was a big hit in India, winning over enthusiasts while also delivering strong sales for Samsung.
And that really is the appeal of the FE series. For Samsung fans who want the Galaxy S experience without paying flagship prices, these phones have traditionally offered a pretty compelling middle ground. You get a lot of what makes the premium S series desirable, but at a more accessible price.
The smartphone market, however, looks very different today. Rising RAM and storage costs have pushed prices up, and outside the premium segment, we&rsquo;re increasingly seeing phones that struggle to justify what they cost.
So, can the Galaxy S26 FE still make the FE formula work in this market? I&rsquo;ve spent some time with it, and here are my initial impressions.
<h2>Samsung Galaxy S26 FE First Impressions: Design</h2>
The Galaxy S26 FE doesn&rsquo;t stray too far from Samsung&rsquo;s familiar design language. The overall shape remains largely unchanged, but the rear cameras now sit together on a raised island instead of using three separate camera rings.
My review unit is the Pistachio variant, which I find the most interesting of the three available colours, with Blueberry and Graphite being the other options. Samsung has switched to a glossy finish this year, and while it looks premium, I personally preferred the subtler matte finish on the <a title="Vivo X200 FE vs Oppo Reno 14 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S25 FE: The ultimate camera test" href="https://www.editorji.com/tech-news/mobiles/vivo-x200-fe-vs-reno-14-pro-vs-s25-fe-the-ultimate-camera-test-1759300685064" target="_blank">S25 FE</a>. The glossy back also picks up fingerprints quite easily.
Build quality, however, remains excellent. The phone uses an aluminium alloy frame, gets Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection, and carries an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. Overall, it feels sturdy and appropriately premium in the hand.
<h2>Samsung Galaxy S26 FE First Impressions: Display</h2>
The Galaxy S26 FE gets a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a claimed peak brightness of 1,900 nits.
As you would expect from <a title="Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 Review: Samsung&rsquo;s Small Foldable Makes a Big Impression" href="https://www.editorji.com/tech-news/gadget-review/samsung-galaxy-z-flip8-review-samsung-s-small-foldable-makes-a-big-impression-1787741847511" target="_blank">Samsung</a>, the panel looks great. Colours are vibrant, contrast levels are excellent, and the 120Hz refresh rate makes scrolling and animations feel smooth. It also gets bright enough to remain comfortably visible outdoors.
The problem is that there isn't much here that feels new. It is very similar to the S25 FE's display, right down to the slightly uneven bezels and thicker chin. You also don't get the broader adaptive refresh rate range found on Samsung's LTPO flagship displays, with the S26 FE switching between 60Hz and 120Hz instead.
It's an excellent display overall, but certainly not a meaningful generational upgrade.
<h2>Samsung Galaxy S26 FE First Impressions: Performance</h2>
Performance is one area where the Galaxy S26 FE gets a more substantial upgrade. Samsung has equipped the phone with the Exynos 2500, paired with 8GB of RAM.
So far, the experience has been quite good. The S26 FE feels snappy in everyday use, apps launch quickly, multitasking is smooth, and I haven't noticed any major slowdowns or stutters.
Samsung has also added a fairly large 5,526mm&sup2; vapour chamber, which should help with thermals during longer gaming sessions and other demanding workloads. I'll be testing that more extensively for the full review.
That said, the Exynos 2500 isn't Samsung's most powerful chipset, while 8GB of RAM feels a little modest for a near-flagship phone in 2026. Even so, there's a clear performance improvement over the Galaxy S25 FE, and the initial experience has been promising.
<h2>Samsung Galaxy S26 FE First Impressions: Cameras</h2>
Samsung is putting a lot of emphasis on the Galaxy S26 FE&rsquo;s cameras, with photography taking centre stage, followed by video and portrait capabilities.
The actual camera hardware, however, hasn&rsquo;t changed much. You still get a 50MP primary camera, a 12MP ultrawide and an 8MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom.
Based on my initial testing, the main camera is easily the strongest of the three. It captures plenty of detail, handles dynamic range well and delivers the vibrant colour processing we&rsquo;ve come to expect from Samsung. The ultrawide also performs well in good lighting, while the dedicated 3x telephoto gives you more flexibility than phones that depend entirely on digital zoom.
Samsung is also focusing heavily on low-light photography this year, backed by its computational photography and AI processing.
Still, I would have liked to see some meaningful hardware upgrades. The 8MP telephoto, in particular, is starting to feel dated, especially in low light. I&rsquo;ll be testing all three cameras much more extensively for the full review.
<h2>Samsung Galaxy S26 FE First Impressions: Software, Features and AI</h2>
Software is perhaps where the Galaxy S26 FE comes closest to delivering on Samsung&rsquo;s promise of bringing the flagship Galaxy experience to a more accessible phone.
It ships with Android 17 and One UI 9 out of the box, along with several features that have trickled down from Samsung&rsquo;s more expensive devices.
One of the more interesting additions is My FanCam, which we recently saw on the Galaxy Z Fold 8. You also get AI-powered features such as Audio Eraser, along with productivity tools including DocuSign integration.
There&rsquo;s Digital Car Key support for compatible vehicles from select manufacturers, wireless charging, and access to Samsung&rsquo;s wider suite of Galaxy AI features.
More importantly, Samsung is promising seven years of major OS upgrades. If you tend to hold on to your phones for several years, that level of long-term software support remains a major advantage for the Galaxy S26 FE.
<h2>Samsung Galaxy S26 FE First Impressions: Battery &amp; Charging</h2>
The Galaxy S26 FE comes with a 4,900mAh battery, but the bigger upgrade this year is support for 45W wired charging.
Samsung says the phone can go from empty to around 70 per cent in 30 minutes, which is a welcome improvement over the relatively slow charging speeds we&rsquo;ve seen on several Galaxy phones in the past.
As for endurance, my initial experience has been promising so far. However, I&rsquo;ll need considerably more time with the S26 FE before drawing any conclusions about its real-world battery life.
<h2>Samsung Galaxy S26 FE Early Impressions: Promising, But Pricing Will Be Crucial</h2>
The Galaxy S26 FE sticks closely to the formula that has worked well for Samsung, while making a few meaningful upgrades where they matter.
Performance is better, build quality remains premium, the display is excellent, and the cameras offer plenty of versatility. You also get several flagship-level AI features and Samsung&rsquo;s excellent long-term software support. At the same time, quite a bit of the hardware feels familiar, particularly the display and camera setup.
That makes the price incredibly important.
On paper, the Galaxy S26 FE still looks like a compelling entry point into Samsung&rsquo;s premium ecosystem. But with smartphone prices climbing across the board, simply being a good phone isn&rsquo;t enough anymore. It also needs to offer good value.
Whether the Galaxy S26 FE manages to strike that balance is something I&rsquo;ll explore in the full review.

Realme P4s 5G review: We test its 8,000mAh battery, 144Hz 1.5K AMOLED display, Dimensity 7400 Ultra, HyperVision+ gaming and 80W charging.

Realme P4s 5G Review: 8,000mAh Battery, 144Hz Display and AI Gaming Tested

The Realme P4s 5G packs an 8,000mAh battery, 144Hz AMOLED display, Dimensity 7400 Ultra and HyperVision+ AI gaming. Here’s how it performs in real-world use.

Realme P4s 5G Review: Big Battery, Smooth Gaming and Serious Value

Realme

Realme P4s 5G

The Realme P4s 5G combines an 8,000mAh battery, 144Hz AMOLED display, capable cameras and AI-assisted gaming, making it a well-rounded mid-range phone with only a few compromises.

Figuring out India's mid-range smartphone space in 2026 feels more complicated than ever. With prices shifting constantly and recent devices pushing entry-level specs under mid-tier price tags, pinning down genuine value is tough.
The Realme P4s 5G looks to break away from that frustrating pattern, offering a compelling set of internals starting at ₹34,999 for the base model. Instead of just offering minor tweaks over the previous P3 lineup, Realme loaded this handset with a colossal 8,000mAh Titan battery, a sharp 144Hz 1.5K Samsung AMOLED screen, and a custom Hyper Vision+ AI display processor running alongside the MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Ultra.
I daily-drove the Titanium Grey edition for a full seven days before launch to see how it actually holds up in real life.
<h2>Realme P4s 5G Review: Unboxing and Design</h2>
Unboxing the Realme P4s brought an immediate sense of relief when I saw the complete 80W charging brick tucked inside the package. Given how soaring hardware prices have pushed companies to trim retail contents, getting a full-speed adapter is no longer guaranteed. Brands like iQOO dropped the <a title="iQOO Z11 Review: A Balanced Mid-Range Powerhouse" href="https://www.editorji.com/tech-news/gadget-review/iqoo-z11-review-a-balanced-mid-range-powerhouse-1787209803814" target="_blank">Z11</a> down to 44W after shipping a 90W charger on the older model, so I appreciate that Realme did not cut corners. Alongside the phone and 80W brick, the packaging includes an 8A Type-C cord, a standard transparent TPU sleeve, and a SIM ejector.
Holding the Titanium Grey variant, the styling heavily mirrors the <a title="Realme P4 Power 5G Review:29 Hours later, it still wouldn&rsquo;t die" href="https://www.editorji.com/tech-news/gadget-review/realme-p4-power-5g-review-29-hours-later-it-still-wouldn-t-die-1769672775457" target="_blank">Realme P4 Power</a>. What sets it apart visually are the orange highlights on the power button and a matching orange plate bearing "VOOC" right beside the rear camera module. That square camera deck features two working sensors, a flash, an IR blaster, and an extra cosmetic lens added purely for visual balance. It looks great initially, but the glossy rear surface attracts oily fingerprints the second you pick it up. Keeping the provided cover on is virtually mandatory if you dislike constant smudging.
Button and port placement remains familiar. The right spine houses a tactile power switch and volume rocker. The base contains the dual-SIM slot, USB Type-C port, main mic, and speaker vents, while the top edge holds the second speaker and another mic. The left frame is bare. Media playback through the stereo pair delivers solid volume, even if low-end bass feels somewhat lean.
An 8.6mm thickness is fairly typical now that phone makers know how to pack massive cells tightly. What surprised me was the overall feel in hand. The spec sheet quotes 208g, yet the balance makes it feel way lighter than most 8,000mAh devices. When evaluating rivals like the Redmi Note 17 and Poco M8 Power with identical 8,000mAh capacities, both pushed past 225g. Realme definitely got the weight balance right.
Full IP66, IP68, and IP69 ratings round out the chassis, giving you solid protection against heavy downpours and unexpected water dips.
<h2>Realme P4s 5G Review: Display</h2>
Dominating the front is a flat 6.78-inch Samsung 1.5K AMOLED screen shielded by AGC DT-Star D+ glass. Ditching curved glass in favor of a flat surface made typing with one hand and gaming free of accidental palm triggers far more practical. While the surrounding borders might not break industry records, they are noticeably slimmer than on most competitors in this price tier, letting you watch videos or scroll through long reads without visual distractions.
Realme opted for an LTPS panel here. General swiping and system animations stay smooth, with menus and popular apps hovering between 90Hz and 120Hz. The top-tier 144Hz refresh rate is not for the everyday interface; it is aimed directly at supported gaming titles like BGMI.
Video streaming on this display is genuinely enjoyable. The factory color profile avoids the cheap, oversaturated look, keeping tones realistic and natural. Streaming HDR content on Netflix and YouTube worked without hiccups, delivering deep shadows and crisp contrast during dark movie scenes.
Visibility outdoors never gave me trouble. While the screen lowers its output nicely for comfortable late-night reading, stepping out under bright afternoon sun showed off its real punch. With high brightness mode hitting 1,400 nits and local HDR highlights reaching up to 6,500 nits, reading maps and browsing text remained sharp with zero washed-out gray cast.
The in-screen optical fingerprint scanner proved snappy and dependable throughout my testing. Thanks to the phone's dimensions and thoughtful scanner placement slightly above the bottom chin, unlocking the screen felt completely natural without any awkward thumb gymnastics.
<h2>Realme P4s 5G Review: Camera</h2>
On the photography side, the Realme P4s 5G brings a 50MP primary sensor with OIS, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, and a 16MP front camera for selfies. Seeing a genuine ultra-wide shooter included here felt like a breath of fresh air. With several phone makers removing secondary lenses to save money and leaving buyers with a single usable camera, Realme deserves credit. The brand built its early reputation around delivering capable camera hardware on a sensible budget. I still rely on my <a title="Realme 14 Pro+ Review ft. Comparison with Poco X7 Pro!" href="https://www.editorji.com/tech-news/mobiles/realme-14-pro-review-ft-comparison-with-poco-x7-pro-1737041107332" target="_blank">Realme 14 Pro Plus</a> as a daily phone, and even after nearly eighteen months, it continues to take impressive photos for what it costs. After feeling let down by some recent launches, taking the P4s out for testing was a pleasant surprise.
The 50MP main sensor delivers great results in standard daylight shooting. Photos look sharp with plenty of resolved detail, well-controlled highlights, and wide dynamic range. The color processing leans slightly punchy and saturated, which works well if you prefer photos that look vibrant right away. The 8MP ultra-wide lens handles the essentials. It serves its purpose when you need to capture a broad scenery shot, though fine details soften up significantly in lower light.
Having a 16MP selfie shooter is another welcome inclusion over the disappointing 5MP or 8MP sensors rivals throw into budget phones. In daily use, however, my impressions were mixed. The front camera tends to smooth out facial textures aggressively, even with all beauty enhancements turned off. Selfies and portrait shots reproduce pleasant skin tones, but background separation proved inconsistent, sometimes smudging stray hair strands and collar lines. You do get portrait selfie support as well.
Video capture reaches up to 4K at 30fps on the rear camera and 1080p at 30fps on the front. Rear video looks detailed with punchy colors, though walking introduces minor jitters. The front camera shows even more movement while recording on the go, so keeping your hands steady is important.
<h2>Realme P4s 5G Review: Performance</h2>
Under the hood, the Realme P4s relies on the MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Ultra, a familiar 4nm processor seen across several devices lately. While it is not cutting-edge flagship silicon, Realme backed it with a custom HyperVision+ AI chip that leverages frame interpolation and software optimizations to lift the gaming experience.
My test device packed 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage, with support for virtual memory expansion using the internal drive.
Synthetic tests reflect dependable mid-tier power. The phone hit 988,338 points in AnTuTu, alongside Geekbench results of 905 in single-core and 2,995 in multi-core. Thermal stability stood out during the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test, where it scored 99.7 percent consistency with high and low loops of 1,031 and 1,028.
Daily workloads run without hiccups. Flicking through social feeds, video conferencing, media streaming, and juggling multiple apps felt snappy from start to finish.
Mobile gaming is where the P4s shows its real value. In BGMI, which is natively locked to 90FPS, the phone held an average of 71 to 72FPS over a 30-minute run. Toggling the HyperVision+ chip activates frame interpolation, lifting visual delivery on screen to around 143 to 144FPS.
That boost translates to real visual fluidness you can immediately feel, especially when compared directly against competitors like the Vivo S2, iQOO Z11, or Infinix Note 60 Pro. It also lets you finally take advantage of the 144Hz panel during matches.
Heat control holds up admirably as well. The device gets slightly warm under load, but noticeable warmth only built up during back-to-back benchmark runs and after around 55 minutes of non-stop gaming, helped by the 7,000 sq. mm AirFlow VC cooling setup.
It might not break synthetic record boards, but mobile gamers will find a lot to like here.
<h2>Realme P4s 5G Review: Software and UI/UX &amp; AI Features</h2>
Setting up the Realme P4s 5G puts you on Realme UI 7.0 running atop Android 16, with Realme noting that phones will shift toward ColorOS as the year winds down. Let's be real, custom Android skins feel increasingly interchangeable these days since nearly every brand is borrowing from Apple's glossy, translucent style.
Even so, navigating this interface offers that familiar Realme touch: responsive, quick, and easy to figure out. App launches glide along nicely without attempting to reinvent anything drastic.
You will still spot pre-loaded apps, but the clutter is way better managed here. Rather than packing trashy arcade games that drag down the handset's vibe, the bundled apps are mostly mainstream social platforms or practical utilities, all easily removed in seconds. For pure daily stability and polish, Realme UI remains an easy recommendation, backed further by their 72-Month Smoothness promise.
The integrated AI features also proved genuinely practical instead of gimmicky. For drafting quick text, summarizing articles, and sorting daily notes, the productivity suite turned out to be a solid time-saver. Whether you are studying, working an office gig, or writing daily like I do, these tools deliver genuine convenience alongside steady security updates.
<h2>Realme P4s 5G Review: Battery and Charging</h2>
Fitting a massive 8,000mAh cell inside the Realme P4s 5G easily turns battery life into its most impressive feature. With my typical daily use, coasting through two straight days without plugging in was completely hassle-free. Light users who stick to quick messaging and casual web scrolling could easily stretch that runtime into a third morning.
To test its limits, I topped the battery up to 100 percent and subjected the device to a solid three-hour drain test, which included half an hour of gaming. Even after that sustained workload, the battery gauge stayed at 83 percent, proving just how power-efficient this setup is.
Replenishing the phone was just as dependable. Realme advertises a zero-to-full charge time of around 75 minutes, and my real-world testing with the included 80W brick landed right near that estimate. Having bypass charging built in was another great touch.
If you are sick of lugging power banks around, this phone solves that problem entirely
<h2>Final Verdict: Should You Buy It?</h2>
Instead of attempting drastic gimmicks, the Realme P4s 5G zeros in on solving daily annoyances that matter most to users. Packing an enormous 8,000mAh battery that avoids feeling heavy in hand, paired with a bright flat 1.5K screen and a dedicated AI gaming chip that truly leverages high frame rates, it delivers serious value for money.
It is not without small compromises: the glossy rear finish is a magnet for oily fingerprints, the front camera softens facial details too much, and there is no expandable microSD storage. Even so, if you care primarily about trouble-free two-day battery endurance, dependable daily software response, and sustained gaming without uncomfortable heating, the Realme P4s 5G is easy to stand behind.
In a confusing segment filled with underwhelming options, this is a sensible, well-rounded phone that delivers real substance.

The iQOO Buds offer up to 50 hours of battery life, 42ms low latency, 10mm drivers and a lightweight design for ₹1,899. Read our full review.

iQOO Buds Review: 50-Hour Battery, 42ms Gaming Latency and More for ₹1,899

With 50 hours of battery life, 42ms ultra-low latency, a lightweight 3.8g design and dual-device connectivity, the iQOO Buds pack plenty into a ₹1,899 price tag. But are they worth buying?

iQOO Buds Review: Are These the Best Gaming TWS Under ₹2,000?

iQOO

iQOO Buds

The iQOO Buds deliver excellent battery life, low-latency gaming and impressive comfort for ₹1,899, though the lack of ANC, wear detection and weaker calls in noisy places hold them back.

Alongside the launch of the <a title="iQOO Z11 Review: A Balanced Mid-Range Powerhouse" href="https://www.editorji.com/tech-news/gadget-review/iqoo-z11-review-a-balanced-mid-range-powerhouse-1787209803814" target="_blank">iQOO Z11</a>, iQOO also brought out an affordable set of wireless earbuds dubbed simply the iQOO Buds. Available for ₹1,899, iQOO&rsquo;s first pair of TWS earbuds clearly caters to mobile gamers, students, and daily commuters who just want dependable sound and endless battery life on a strict budget. You do not get a bunch of standard shade choices with this one. iQOO stuck strictly to a single Flame Yellow finish.
The sub-two-thousand-rupee audio category in India is packed with options that make tall promises on paper but quickly fall short in your hands. On paper, the iQOO Buds try to nail the basics: an ultra-light 3.8 gram build per earbud, dedicated gaming audio modes, modern Bluetooth 6.1 with low latency, and a headline fifty-hour total backup figure.&nbsp;
Over the past week, I kept these in my ears for just about everything, from quick BGMI sessions with friends to packed Delhi Metro rides and routine work calls. Here is my honest take on how they hold up and whether they deserve your cash.
<h2>Design &amp; Comfort</h2>
The charging case comes with a clean matte finish across the exterior, featuring a USB Type-C charging port along the bottom edge and skipping any physical pairing button entirely. Flipping open the lid reveals iQOO's signature bright yellow accent, giving the Flame Yellow variant a punchy, premium contrast that punches well above its price tag.&nbsp;
However, living with the case daily revealed a major downside: the matte exterior acts as a pure fingerprint magnet, picking up dust and visible scuffs almost immediately. Within just a few days of stowing it away regularly in my pocket, my unit had already accumulated noticeable scratches. The hinge initially offered a pleasantly loud, satisfying snap when shutting, but after repeatedly opening and closing it over my test week, the mechanism is starting to feel a a bit loose.
As for the earbuds themselves, they adopt a contrasting glossy finish along their stems and housings. At just 3.8 grams each, they feel remarkably featherlight the moment you pop them in. The ergonomic fit turned out to be genuinely impressive during my testing. The buds locked securely inside my ear canals, and even when I was aggressively swinging my head around to test the grip, they never loosened or threatened to fall out. Because of how light they are, I did not run into any ear fatigue or any pressure points, even through continuous four-hour listening stretches.&nbsp;
The buds also carry an IP54 rating for dust and water resistance, which gave me complete peace of mind when sweating it out during workouts or whenever I got caught in sudden drizzles. Of course, you shouldn&rsquo;t be jumping into a swimming pool with them in your ears.
<h2>Audio Quality</h2>
The iQOO Buds pack a custom 10mm moving coil driver inside. But let us be real here: at this budget, nobody is expecting reference-grade audiophile tuning. The iQOO Buds do not reinvent the wheel, but they do hold their own pretty well. Whenever I review any audio gear, my testing routine kicks-off with a mixed playlist across different genres to get a genuine feel for the drivers.&nbsp;
I threw plenty of vocal-forward tracks with acoustic strings and subtle keys at them, like Gehra Hua by Arijit Singh, Photograph by Ed Sheeran, and Phir Mohabbat by Mithoon. The overall output was more than passable for the price, but the mids and background instruments definitely felt a little muddy. As a bit of an audio nerd who enjoys hunting down hidden guitar riffs and subtle backing layers, I found myself missing those finer nuances that give acoustic songs their warmth and space.
That said, the buds really come alive the moment you switch over to bass-driven music. They punch way harder with low-end beats than they do with soft acoustics. I always queue up I'm an Albatraoz by AronChupa and Little Sis Nora to test bass rumble, and the thumping energy on these surprised me in a good way. Hip-hop and rap tracks had plenty of drive, even if the aggressive low-end occasionally swallowed up some high-frequency sparkle.&nbsp;
For binge-watching my favourite shows and movie marathons, they worked like a charm. I ended up streaming Avengers: Endgame on them, and the experience was solid. And yes, before you ask, I still rewatch that Avengers, Assemble! sequence over and over because it never gets old.
On the technical front, you are limited to basic AAC and SBC codecs. That is typical for this price category, considering premium codecs like LHDC rarely show up below the ₹3500-mark. There is no active noise cancellation here either. I cannot hold that against iQOO at this pricing, but navigating the noisy Delhi Metro definitely got chaotic when station announcements and tracks kept bleeding past the ear tips.
Where these buds truly caught me off guard was their ultra-low 42ms latency. Competing options like the <a title="CMF Buds Neo Review: 35dB ANC, 52-Hour Battery and Incredible Value" href="https://www.editorji.com/tech-news/gadget-review/cmf-buds-neo-review-35db-anc-52-hour-battery-and-incredible-value-1787212160583" target="_blank">CMF Buds Neo</a> feel visibly slower in comparison, whereas the iQOO Buds kept footsteps and fast gunfights perfectly synced without missing a beat.
<h2>Call Quality</h2>
The iQOO Buds come equipped with a dual-microphone setup on each earbud, backed by environmental noise-cancelling algorithms. In my daily use, the voice clarity held up really well in relatively calm spots like a quiet office corner or a park with moderate foot traffic.&nbsp;
If you have ever read any of my previous reviews, you would know my go-to testing method is dialling a friend who is very finicky about how I sound on the receiver end. During calls from my office and evening walks in the park, he told me my voice came through crystal clear, with ambient rustle barely noticeable.
But when I took them into a noisy Delhi Metro coach, things changed quickly. My friend got pretty annoyed, bluntly mentioning that the mics were picking up the train clatter and crowd chatter louder than my actual voice. On my end, however, I could still hear him without straining. Given the entry-level pricing, this kind of environmental bleed in chaotic spaces is hardly unexpected.&nbsp;
On the upside, in-game voice chat during squad matches was flawless. My teammates heard callouts cleanly without any distracting background noise, making the overall call performance perfectly decent for the price.
<h2>Software Support</h2>
Setting up the iQOO Buds on my phone was smooth and hassle-free. The fast pairing pop-up card showed up right when I opened the lid, complete with an animated pet theme showing real-time battery levels for each bud and the case.&nbsp;
For non-Vivo iQOO users, you&rsquo;ll have to get the vEarphones app on your phone. Honestly though, the setup is just as simple. I tested it on the Realme 14 Pro+.&nbsp;
Just keep in mind that using an iQOO phone gives you an edge within the ecosystem. You do miss out on a few extra features if you pair the buds with any other device, but that is standard practice across most brands today.&nbsp;
The capacitive touch controls along the stems felt genuinely responsive in my daily use, easily picking up double-taps and triple-taps for skipping tracks, adjusting volume, or handling incoming calls without phantom touches.
What I found super convenient was the Bluetooth 6.1 dual-device connection. I kept the buds connected to my laptop and smartphone simultaneously, and taking calls while watching videos on my computer worked seamlessly without any manual reconnecting.&nbsp;
The remote camera shutter shortcut came in surprisingly handy for group photos, and the Find My feature gave me quick peace of mind whenever I misplaced a bud around my desk. My only real gripe here is the missing in-ear detection. Taking a bud out will not auto-pause your music, which feels a little inconvenient during quick daily conversations. Still, for the price, the overall software package is practical and snappy.
<h2>Battery &amp; Charging</h2>
If there is one area where the iQOO Buds completely won me over, it is battery endurance. With a 53mAh cell inside each earbud and a 525mAh battery in the charging case, the numbers translate directly into massive real-world stamina. During my testing week with volume set around 50 to 60 per cent, I easily pulled close to 11 hours of continuous music and video playback before the buds gave up, which is fairly close to the promised twelve-hour mark.
Combined with the charging case, you get up to fifty hours of total playback, meaning I only had to plug it into the wall once over my entire testing period. For my daily routine of podcast listening, commuting, and evening gaming, battery anxiety was practically non-existent.&nbsp;
When I did run the buds down, popping them into the case for just ten minutes gave me enough juice that lasted nearly over three and a half hours, which proved to be a lifesaver before heading out the door. A full recharge of both the case and the buds via the USB Type-C port took around two hours, which is quite reasonable given the marathon longevity you get in return.
<h2>Final Verdict: Should you buy it?</h2>
The iQOO Buds are built around a very specific set of priorities, and they do not try to fool you about it. You are not getting ANC here. You don&rsquo;t get wear-detection, and that matte black case will definitely pick up scuffs the moment it shares a pocket with your keys. On top of that, if you take a phone call in a crowded Delhi Metro coach, the person on the other end is bound to complain about the noise.
But, you should still buy them, if you&rsquo;re looking for a pair under ₹2000. Why? Because what they do well, they do really well. At just 3.8 grams, I could keep them plugged into my ears for hours on end without any discomfort or ear pain. If you play a lot of BGMI or Call of Duty, that 42ms low latency is legit and keeps every shot in sync. And honestly, not having to worry about charging them for almost two weeks of regular use is just super convenient. For ₹1,899, if battery life, gaming, and pure comfort matter most to you, these are easily worth picking up, especially if you&rsquo;re on a tight budget.

The CMF Buds Neo offer 35dB ANC, 52-hour battery life, 12.4mm drivers and multipoint connectivity under ₹2,000. Read our full review.

CMF Buds Neo Review: Best Budget TWS Earbuds Under ₹2,000?

With punchy sound, effective ANC, 52-hour battery life and a feature-packed companion app, the CMF Buds Neo deliver serious value in the sub-₹2,000 TWS segment.

CMF Buds Neo Review: 35dB ANC, 52-Hour Battery and Incredible Value

Cmf by Nothing

CMF Buds Neo Review

The CMF Buds Neo deliver punchy sound, effective 35dB ANC, 52-hour battery life and multipoint connectivity under ₹2,000, making them one of the strongest value-for-money TWS options.

CMF Buds Neo Review: 35dB ANC, 52-Hour Battery and Incredible Value&nbsp; Love it or hate it, Nothing has consistently proven it can build genuinely solid earbuds. Its sub-brand, CMF, played an even bigger part in making that quality accessible to budget buyers. The CMF Buds 2a became an instant crowd-pleaser precisely because they delivered impressive sound and everyday features without forcing anyone to stretch their wallet.
Now, the brand is pushing prices even lower.
Positioned below ₹2,000, the new CMF Buds Neo mark the most affordable way to enter the CMF catalog. Yet, being the cheapest pair does not mean they cut every corner. The spec sheet remains surprisingly packed, featuring 12.4mm dynamic drivers, Active Noise Cancellation, spatial audio support, customizable EQ profiles, dual-device pairing, and up to 52 hours of total battery life.
On paper, that is undeniable value. But with budget wireless earbuds flooding the market, impressive numbers on a box only go so far. The true test is whether the Buds Neo can capture the same practical magic that made the Buds 2a a runaway success.
<h2>CMF Buds Neo Review: Design and Comfort</h2>
Right out of the box, the <a title="CMF Neckband Pro &amp; CMF Buds by Nothing: First Impression, Active Noise Cancellation at affordable price" href="https://www.editorji.com/tech-news/cmf-neckband-pro-cmf-buds-by-nothing-first-impression-active-noise-cancellation-at-affordable-price-1709641693516" target="_blank">CMF Buds</a> Neo stay true to the distinct CMF visual identity. The charging case retains the signature squared footprint with smooth, curved edges, elevated by a smart two-tone finish that gives it plenty of character.
You can pick them up in Black, White, or Blue. The White edition is easily the most striking of the trio. Its shell sports a clean white exterior, which opens up to reveal a soft light-grey inner tray. CMF then injects bright orange touches throughout, including the Buds Neo branding, lending the case an energetic, fun vibe.
A circular dial sits on one corner to accentuate the contrast, paired with an integrated lanyard loop for attaching a wrist strap.
One notable hardware tweak is the omission of a physical pairing button on the cradle. Entering pairing mode now requires pressing and holding the stems of both earbuds together for five seconds. In another layout shift, the USB-C charging slot does not sit at the base. Instead, the bottom panel hosts the LED indicator light, while the charging port has been shifted to the right edge.
Because the case is slightly bulky and squarish, jamming it into a tiny coin pocket will feel tight, though it still slides into standard jeans pockets without issue.
The earpieces themselves stick to a classic extended-stem layout. On the White model, vivid orange silicone tips add an eye-catching contrast to the otherwise plain buds. Alternative tip sizes are supplied in the retail box, with the medium pair pre-installed.
Even if the earbuds themselves feel a bit plasticky compared to the solid case, they remain remarkably light and sit comfortably in the ear canal. The seal is secure enough that they stay firmly put even when you head out for a jog.
Flip the buds over, and you will see dual metallic contact points that meet the internal charging pins inside the case. While it is not my favorite charging arrangement, it remains standard practice across ring-box style cases. For everyday durability, the earbuds carry an IP54 rating against dust and splashes, while the charging case gets basic IPX2 water protection.
<h2>CMF Buds Neo Review: Connectivity and Controls</h2>
Setting up the CMF Buds Neo is painless. Powered by Bluetooth 6.0 alongside built-in support for Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair, linking them to an Android handset or a Windows machine takes just a couple of seconds. Multipoint pairing is also on board, letting you keep the earbuds hooked up to two different source devices simultaneously.
With no physical pairing switch on the case, manual setup requires a slightly different method. You have to seat both buds in the cradle and rest your fingers on their touch zones for five seconds. It is definitely less intuitive than a single click on an external button, which might trip up some buyers at first, but it operates smoothly once you get the hang of it.
Media management relies fully on touch inputs. Double-tapping advances your playlist, while a triple-tap jumps back to the previous track. A standard touch-and-hold toggles between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode, whereas a longer hold tweaks volume levels. You can reassign most of these actions within the companion app.
My main gripe with the control scheme is the complete omission of single-tap triggers. Even picking up an incoming phone call forces you to double-tap. Leaving that input out feels like an odd limitation given the available touch area. Automatic in-ear wear detection is missing here as well.
Diving into the <a title="CMF Headphone Pro review: Big style, bigger battery, bold sound all for ₹7,999" href="https://www.editorji.com/tech-news/gadget-review/cmf-headphone-pro-review-big-style-bigger-battery-bold-sound-all-for-7-999-1768394697254" target="_blank">Nothing</a> X companion app unlocks the rest of the feature suite. It lets you tweak noise cancellation intensity, dial in custom audio curves, remap your gestures, and configure multipoint connections. There is a low-lag gaming toggle too, though its 120ms latency makes it better suited for casual play rather than intense competitive matches.
Crucially, the Nothing X app runs on both iOS and Android, so you get the full customization toolkit no matter your mobile platform.
<h2>CMF Buds Neo Review: Sound and Performance</h2>
Equipped with a single 12.4mm dynamic driver, the CMF Buds Neo deliver an audio profile that will instantly feel familiar to anyone who has tried CMF audio gear before. Audiophile-grade neutrality is clearly not the goal here. The sound signature leans warm and punchy, pushing a healthy dose of low-end rumble while leaving adequate headroom for vocals and higher frequencies to breathe without becoming muffled.
Putting on Ghost&rsquo;s &ldquo;Mary On A Cross,&rdquo; the buds handle electric guitars and vocals quite well, even though the low frequencies clearly take center stage. The highs stay crisp enough without getting uncomfortably sharp when cranking up the volume.
The tuning shines brightest if your listening habits lean toward upbeat Bollywood numbers or Punjabi club tracks. Spinning the Dhurandhar and Manmarziyaan albums proved thoroughly enjoyable, with plenty of low-end kick that complements energetic, beat-driven arrangements.
Switching gears to acoustic tracks like Passenger&rsquo;s &ldquo;Let Her Go&rdquo; or Keane&rsquo;s &ldquo;Somewhere Only We Know&rdquo; reveals where budget hardware meets its limits. Complex instrument separation feels somewhat constrained, though vocal clarity remains intact and there is still sufficient mid-to-high frequency detail for a satisfying listen.
Sound personalization is fairly flexible via the Nothing X companion app, which includes six preset curves alongside a custom equalizer. You also get a Bass Enhancement toggle with Off, Level 1, and Level 2 stages, though the stock profile already packs enough punch without needing extra amplification.
A static spatial audio mode is included to expand the perceived soundstage. Bluetooth codec support tops out at SBC and AAC, which remains completely reasonable for an entry-level pair.
Gamers get an optional Low Latency Mode that brings audio response times down to 120ms when enabled in the app. While that will not cut it for high-stakes competitive play, it keeps casual gaming and video playback properly in sync with the screen.
Ultimately, these earbuds prioritize fun and impact over clinical precision, making them well-suited for everyday, mainstream music listening.
<h2>CMF Buds Neo Review: ANC and Call Quality</h2>
Finding usable noise cancellation under ₹2,000 is usually wishful thinking, yet the Buds Neo pull it off surprisingly well. The hardware tops out at 35dB of ANC. You get three static strength levels to toggle between, plus an Adaptive mode that dials the intensity up or down on the fly as your environment gets louder or quieter.
In regular everyday use, the cancellation targets steady low-end drone quite well. The persistent hum of split ACs, ceiling fan spin, and muted traffic rumble all take a back seat. Obviously, people talking nearby and higher-pitched clatter will still bleed through, but that comes with the territory at this price point.
If you want to keep an ear out for what is happening around you, Transparency mode lets ambient sound filter back in without forcing you to pull a bud out. Switching modes happens straight from the touch sensors on the stems, while the Nothing X app lets you dig deeper into specific cancellation preferences.
The call setup holds its ground too. CMF squeezed in four HD mics (two on each earbud) alongside its Clear Voice noise-reduction algorithm to isolate spoken words from surrounding clutter.
Using them inside a quiet bedroom or home office gives you clean, natural-sounding audio with zero strain for the person on the other end. Step outside onto a busy road, and the mics still tame most regular street commotion, though sudden gusts of breeze and sharp traffic honks will occasionally poke their way into your call.
For basic phone chats, quick WhatsApp voice notes, and everyday Google Meet check-ins, these do the job just fine.
<h2>CMF Buds Neo Review: Battery Life</h2>
Battery performance is easily one of the strongest suits on these sub-₹2,000 earbuds. CMF put a 45mAh battery in each earbud, backed by a 460mAh unit in the charging case.
On paper, the company promises up to 11 hours of non-stop playback on a single run if you keep ANC turned off. Flick noise cancellation on, and that figure comes down to about 8 hours. Once you add the extra recharges sitting in the case, overall playback reaches 52 hours and 30 hours respectively.
You get fast charging support as well. A quick 10-minute top-up gives you roughly 5.5 hours of listening with ANC disabled, while juicing up the case and buds completely takes about 70 minutes over USB-C.
The one frustrating cut is inside the retail box: CMF skipped including a charging cable altogether. You have to hunt down your own Type-C wire, which feels like an annoying compromise even for a budget pick.
<h2>CMF Buds Neo Review: Verdict</h2>
If you have less than ₹2,000 to spend on a pair of TWS buds, the CMF Buds Neo check every box that actually matters. They look sharp in person, fit snugly without creating ear fatigue, and work seamlessly with the Nothing X app for a level of control you rarely find in this price range. Sound-wise, the warm, punchy low end is tailor-made for commercial pop, Bollywood hits, and Punjabi tracks.
The feature list is surprisingly generous too. Getting 35dB ANC with an Adaptive toggle, spatial audio support, custom equalizer control, multipoint pairing, and a 120ms gaming mode at this price is solid value.
Naturally, CMF had to cut some corners. You are stuck with standard SBC and AAC audio codecs, the 120ms gaming latency will not satisfy competitive players, pairing takes an extra step without a dedicated case button, and there is no Type-C charging wire in the box.
Still, none of these compromises take away from what the earbuds do best. CMF disrupted the budget tier with the Buds 2a, and the Buds Neo successfully bring that same high-value formula below the ₹2,000 mark. They are an effortless recommendation.

The iQOO Z11 packs a Dimensity 7500 Turbo chip, 7,050mAh battery, 144Hz 1.5K AMOLED display and 50MP camera. Here’s our detailed review.

iQOO Z11 Review: Powerful Dimensity 7500 Turbo, 7,050mAh Battery and 1.5K AMOLED Display

With a huge 7,050mAh battery, Dimensity 7500 Turbo, 1.5K AMOLED display, capable cameras and impressive thermals, the iQOO Z11 makes a strong case in the mid-range segment.

iQOO Z11 Review: A Balanced Mid-Range Powerhouse

iQOO Z11

The iQOO Z11 delivers excellent battery life, cool and stable performance, a vibrant 1.5K AMOLED display and capable cameras, though slower charging, bloatware and limited 60 FPS gaming hold it back.

When the iQOO Z10 landed last year, it quickly became an easy phone to recommend to anyone on a tight budget. It focused on raw speed, offered ridiculously long battery life, and cost very little. But the market has moved relentlessly fast, and with the new Z11, iQOO is actively stepping out of that entry-level tier and into the proper mid-range ring.
Priced at ₹31,499 for the base 6 GB + 128 GB variant, that shift changes the game completely. Once you cross into this price bracket, buyers stop forgiving cheap plastics, washed-out displays, or sub-par cameras just because a device promises performance.
The Z11 arrives with a fresh chipset, a noticeably slimmer build, and huge battery numbers on paper, but stepping up in price means facing much stiffer competition. I spent the last week using it as my daily phone to see if it actually justifies the upgrade.
<h2>Unboxing &amp; Design</h2>
Unboxing the iQOO Z11 brings an immediate reality check: nestled inside is a 44W FlashCharge adapter. That is a noticeable step down from the snappy 90W brick shipped with last year&rsquo;s Z10. The rest of the retail package is standard fare, including a USB Type-C cable, a SIM eject tool, and a clear TPU case. It looks like faster charging was sacrificed to keep the internal hardware affordable.
Pick the device up, though, and it immediately wins you back with its ergonomics. While massive batteries are practically becoming the standard across the segment, the Z11 actually dips slightly to a 7,050mAh cell compared to the massive 7,300mAh capacity inside its predecessor, the Z10. While that is a compromise of sorts, at least on paper, I am genuinely impressed by how slim and light it feels despite that hardware.&nbsp;
Measuring just 7.99mm thick and tipping the scales at 199g, the weight distribution is spot-on; it never feels like a bottom-heavy brick during extended gaming sessions or single-handed scrolling.
The Aurora Green unit that I have for review looks remarkably understated, swapping aggressive gamer accents for a clean, minimalist matte aesthetic. Indoors, it pulls off a calm sage-green tone, catching vibrant blue undertones under direct sunlight. The only downside is that the smooth back panel attracts smudges easily, so popping on the bundled case is practically a must. Also, if green isn&rsquo;t your vibe, iQOO also offers the device in sleeker Phantom Black and Lunar Silver colourways.
Around the back, the camera module gets a major structural redesign. The old circular dial of the Z10 is gone, replaced by a horizontal pill-shaped island clearly inspired by the Vivo X300 FE or the recently launched <a title="Vivo S2 Review: Massive Battery, Premium Design, Minimal Compromises" href="https://www.editorji.com/tech-news/gadget-review/vivo-s2-review-massive-battery-premium-design-minimal-compromises-1786105671836" target="_blank">Vivo S2</a>. Alongside the dual lenses sits the flash, which also doubles as a mini dynamic light. It works fine as a soft fill light, though it lacks colour options, which makes it less exciting.
Rounding out the hardware is an IR blaster on top and genuinely balanced dual stereo speaker grilles at either end. As for durability, it gets IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance ratings, and honestly, that is more than enough for most people.
<h2>Display</h2>
The very first time I turned the Z11 over, the curved glass threw me off a bit. Pretty much every handset landing on my desk these days rocks a flat slab, so seeing the curved panel on a 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED panel felt slightly retro. I am usually the first person to complain about curved edges because of issues with false touches, but the taper here is subtle enough that I never dealt with annoying phantom touches while gaming or typing. The bezels are trim too, meaning the screen easily blends into the background whenever I fire up a movie.
iQOO talks up a 144Hz refresh rate on the spec sheet, but in real life, you will not see that figure running constantly. Since this is an LTPS screen rather than an LTPO unit, I noticed the system hopping mostly between 60Hz, 90Hz, and 120Hz depending on what I opened, saving the full 144Hz for just a few supported apps. Still, browsing my feeds, reading long documents, and navigating around the UI felt plenty responsive.
Streaming on this screen was easily one of my favourite parts of testing it. Out of the box, the colours look clean and grounded, avoiding that neon, oversaturated look you often get in this price bracket. Thanks to the 449 PPI density, text in PDFs stayed sharp, and HDR playback kicked in right away on Netflix, YouTube, and Prime Video, with solid shadow detail.
Outdoor visibility genuinely impressed me. Walking around under the brutal afternoon sun of Delhi&rsquo;s summers, the 2,000-nit High Brightness Mode and 3,000-nit local peak brightness meant I never had to squint or shield the glass with my hand just to read a text or pull up directions. Indoors, the auto-brightness handled dark rooms without blinding me.
I also liked the in-display optical fingerprint scanner. Instead of placing it right against the bottom edge, iQOO positioned it slightly higher, so I never had to stretch my thumb awkwardly to unlock the phone.
<h2>Camera</h2>
The <a title="iQOO Z11 Shows What Useful Smartphone AI Should Look Like" href="https://www.editorji.com/tech-news/mobiles/iqoo-z11-shows-what-useful-smartphone-ai-should-look-like-1786614402824" target="_blank">iQOO Z11</a> packs a dual-rear camera setup featuring a 50MP Sony main sensor with OIS paired with an 8MP ultra-wide lens on the back. I usually associate iQOO with raw performance rather than photography, so the Z11 surprised me. Most brands in this budget have practically given up on multi-camera setups, ditching everything in favour of a single usable sensor. Seeing a functional ultra-wide lens alongside the main shooter here was a very welcome change.
Shooting outdoors during the day, the primary camera captures plenty of sharp detail. The colours lean slightly saturated at times, but I personally prefer that vibrant look straight out of the phone without needing extra edits. Highlights are handled well, and the dynamic range holds up nicely in bright sunlight.
The front camera is another solid win. Instead of tossing in a cheap 5MP or 8MP unit meant only for video calls, iQOO packed in a 32MP selfie shooter that actually delivers crisp, usable shots. You can also take portrait selfies with it. Speaking of portraits in general, the rear camera does a decent job with subject separation, though edge detection remains hit-or-miss. I noticed odd smoothing around stray hairs and clothing borders, which clearly needs some software tuning.
For video, having 4K recording at 30fps on both the front and rear cameras is a massive perk at this price point. The rear footage stays steady enough for casual clips, but the front camera lacks decent stabilisation, resulting in noticeable jitter if you try vlogging while walking.
Overall, while it is not a dedicated camera flagship, iQOO has clearly put genuine effort into the optics this time instead of treating them as an afterthought.
<h2>Performance</h2>
The iQOO Z11 runs on the new MediaTek Dimensity 7500 Turbo. It is also one of the first phones in India to launch with this chipset. Day to day, it never felt sluggish or choked up. Opening apps was practically instantaneous, while UI transitions and jumping between half a dozen background tasks never triggered random app closures or stutters.
To see what the silicon could really do, I put it through a heavy run of benchmarks. On AnTuTu, my unit scored 1,103,367 points. Geekbench 6 posted 1,094 in single-core and 3,188 in multi-core, which comfortably edges out a good chunk of rival phones around this price. Over on 3DMark Wild Life Extreme, it logged a best loop score of 1,165 with 84.8% stability, while the CPU Throttling test held up at an impressive 94% of maximum performance.
Where the device genuinely surprised me was heat control. I fired up two back-to-back AnTuTu rounds, jumped straight into a pair of Geekbench runs without letting it rest, and then, after just ten minutes of downtime, pushed it through 3DMark before immediately loading the CPU throttling test. Even with that kind of abuse, the surface temperature never climbed past 38&deg;C. It warmed up gently, but I never felt an uncomfortable hot patch under my fingers.
Gaming told a very similar story. I threw both BGMI and Call of Duty: Mobile at it. In BGMI, the frame rate hovered at a rock-steady 58.9 FPS on average, with 99.8% stability and roughly 3.24W of power consumption. Both games are stuck at 60 FPS for now, which honestly is a bit of a letdown since the chipset clearly has the muscle to push 90 FPS. Hopefully, iQOO pushes an update soon to unlock that headroom. Until then, you get smooth, locked-in 60 FPS gameplay paired with superb thermals.
<h2>Software, UI/UX &amp; AI Experience</h2>
Out of the box, the Z11 boots OriginOS 6.0 on top of Android 16. Swiping around the interface gave me that immediate, snappy responsiveness that you associate with iQOO phones. App launch animations are clean, moving between tasks feels light, and the UI never felt bogged down during my daily grind.
What really tested my patience, though, was the sheer pile of bloatware. I found myself staring at multiple random bubble-shooter games and redundant utility apps that nobody asked for. You can delete most of them manually, of course, but having to spend my first ten minutes unpicking spam from a brand-new handset always chips away at that new-phone excitement.
Once I stripped the junk away, the onboard AI tools ended up being surprisingly useful. iQOO skipped the usual marketing gimmicks and focused on features that actually help you get work done. The real-time webpage translation, quick voice-note summaries, and drafting aids inside the Notes app slotted right into my daily writing and editing routine. In fact, with great accuracy, you can also get a word-for-word transcription of a live, ongoing meeting. If you are balancing coursework or managing articles and drafts throughout the day, these shortcuts save genuine effort.
On the longevity front, iQOO promises three years of Android version updates alongside five years of security patches, backed by a 60-month smoothness guarantee. As long as you do not mind that initial clean-up chore, the software delivers a genuinely fast and dependable day-to-day experience.
<h2>Battery and Charging</h2>
The battery is easily my favourite part of using the Z11. That 7,050mAh cell inside is no joke; with regular use, I rarely had to think about plugging it in before the second night.
To see how far I could push it, I took it off the charger at 100% and put it through over three hours of non-stop torture, including multiple benchmark loops and a 30-minute gaming session. When I finally put it down, the battery was still sitting at 77%. Getting through that kind of punishment with three-quarters of the charge left tells you everything about its efficiency.
Topping it back up is just as drama-free. Plugging the bundled brick into a completely dead phone got me back to 100% in a little over an hour and ten minutes. Sure, it is not the fastest out there compared with some of the crazy high-wattage technologies available, but I never felt stuck waiting on it. Considering the battery is built for long-term health, taking roughly seventy minutes to deliver what can amount to two full days of usage feels like a totally fair trade.
<h2>Final Verdict: Should You Buy It?</h2>
At ₹31,499, the iQOO Z11 steps out of the budget zone and into cut-throat territory, and mostly pulls it off. You lose the blazing 90W fast charging of its predecessor, and having to purge bloatware on day one remains annoying. Plus, mobile gamers will rightly gripe until iQOO unlocks 90 FPS support.
Yet, what you get in return makes a compelling case. The battery endurance is ridiculously good, the Dimensity 7500 Turbo runs remarkably cool under heavy loads, and the curved 1.5K display makes media consumption a treat. Add in dependable cameras, capable 4K front video, and solid IP68/IP69 protection, and the Z11 stops being just another spec-sheet brawler.
If you want a reliable daily driver that prioritises two-day battery life, snappy productivity tools, and balanced sustained performance, the Z11 is easy to recommend.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 review covering its design, bright AMOLED display, performance, health tracking, battery life and key features.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 Review: Performance, Health Tracking & Battery Life

The Galaxy Watch 9 combines a comfortable design, bright display, fast performance, advanced health tracking and dependable battery life.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 Review: A Refined Premium Smartwatch

Ishan Fazili

Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Watch 9

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 delivers a polished smartwatch experience with fast performance, a bright AMOLED display, useful health tracking, comfortable design and dependable all-day battery life.

After seven days of wearing the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 almost everywhere, I&rsquo;ve found myself reaching for my phone a little less. Whether I was working at my desk, heading out for an evening walk, or checking my sleep data the next morning, the watch quietly fitted into my routine. For me, that&rsquo;s what makes a smartwatch genuinely good; it should add convenience without constantly making its presence known.
Having tested smartwatches across different generations, I&rsquo;ve seen them move well beyond simply mirroring phone notifications. The Galaxy Watch 9 feels like a natural progression, bringing together familiar styling, smooth performance and a useful mix of health and fitness tools.
The experience starts on a positive note. Samsung hasn&rsquo;t completely reinvented the design, but the refinements make the watch feel more polished. The new Qualcomm Snapdragon processor is also easy to appreciate, especially when switching between apps, checking alerts or starting a workout.
I spent the week with the 44mm LTE model, which was particularly useful when I wanted to leave my phone behind. From workdays and commutes to walks and overnight tracking, I put it through a range of everyday scenarios to see where it shines, and where it falls short.
<h2>Samsung Galaxy Watch 9: Comfortable Enough for All-Day Wear</h2>
A smartwatch is something you&rsquo;re likely to wear for hours at a stretch, so comfort matters just as much as features. The Galaxy Watch 9 gets this balance right. Its rounded, cushion-style profile retains the look of a conventional wristwatch, while the aluminium construction gives it a reassuringly solid feel without making it bulky.
I wore the watch through long workdays, evening walks and overnight sleep tracking, and it rarely felt like something I had to consciously adjust. At just 8.6mm thick, it sits neatly on the wrist and slips under shirt cuffs without getting in the way. The silicone strap is equally practical, with a soft texture that stayed comfortable even through Delhi&rsquo;s hot and humid weather.
The way Samsung has balanced the weight also makes a difference. The Watch 9 sits securely instead of moving around when you&rsquo;re walking or exercising. That steady fit is particularly useful for health tracking, since the sensors underneath need proper skin contact to deliver consistent readings.
Durability is another area where the watch feels reassuring. The Sapphire Crystal glass adds scratch resistance, while the IP68 rating and military-grade durability give it enough protection for everyday bumps, dust and outdoor use. It&rsquo;s polished enough for the office but rugged enough to handle a busy day outside.
<h2>Samsung Galaxy Watch 9: A Bright, Easy-to-Read Display</h2>
The screen is something you&rsquo;ll constantly interact with on a smartwatch, and the Galaxy Watch 9 gets it right. On the 44mm version I tested, the Super AMOLED panel delivers sharp text, vibrant colours and deep blacks, making everything from notifications to workout stats look clean and easy to read. Even a quick glance at the time feels satisfying.
The Always-On Display is another nice touch. Rather than making the watch feel like a miniature smartphone strapped to your wrist, it keeps the experience closer to that of a traditional timepiece.
But the real highlight is how well the display handles bright conditions. Samsung rates it for up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness, and that figure translates into a genuinely useful advantage outdoors. During Delhi&rsquo;s harsh summer afternoons, I could comfortably check messages, health data and other information without constantly turning my wrist or covering the screen with my hand.
The automatic brightness adjustment is quick too, adapting almost immediately when lighting conditions change. Touch responsiveness is equally impressive, with taps and swipes feeling precise and snappy. Combined with the relatively slim bezels, the screen has a spacious look that makes everyday navigation feel effortless.
<h2>Samsung Galaxy Watch 9: Fast Performance Meets Convenient Controls</h2>
The Galaxy Watch 9 doesn&rsquo;t try to reinvent how a smartwatch works. Instead, Samsung has concentrated on making the everyday experience feel quick, intuitive and dependable. At the centre of it is a 3nm Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elite processor, paired with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. It runs Wear OS with Samsung&rsquo;s One UI Watch interface, and after a week of regular use, I came away impressed by how consistently responsive it felt.
Switching between apps, opening notifications and moving through widgets was generally smooth, with no obvious lag or random freezes during my testing. Even when I was bouncing between different parts of the interface, the watch rarely felt like it was struggling. Apps opened quickly, weather information loaded without much waiting, and notifications showed up promptly.
The software layout is also fairly easy to pick up. Swiping across the screen gives you quick access to notifications and widgets, while the physical buttons provide an alternative when touching the display isn&rsquo;t convenient. That came in handy more than once when I had wet hands or was busy with something else.
The voice assistant proved surprisingly useful too. Instead of awkwardly typing on a tiny display, I could use my voice to send replies, set reminders or perform simple tasks. It&rsquo;s one of those features that sounds minor but becomes genuinely useful once you start using it regularly.
Samsung&rsquo;s gesture controls take the hands-free approach a step further. Certain wrist movements can trigger actions without requiring you to touch the screen. I found these particularly useful while exercising, shooting content or carrying equipment. There is a short learning curve, but once the gestures became familiar, they felt fairly natural. They aren&rsquo;t a reason on their own to buy the Watch 9, but they do make certain interactions less cumbersome.
The 32GB internal storage is another practical addition. You can download supported music and listen directly from the watch, which means leaving your phone behind for a walk or run is much easier.
Samsung has also built in enough protection for everyday water exposure. I wore the Watch 9 in the shower without issues, while its 5ATM rating, IP68 protection and MIL-STD-810H certification provide added reassurance. It can handle activities such as swimming in shallow water, although it isn&rsquo;t designed for diving or exposure to high-pressure water. For showers, workouts, sweat and accidental splashes, the Watch 9 feels more than prepared.
<h2>Samsung Galaxy Watch 9: Health Tracking Feels More Personal</h2>
Health tracking is one of the biggest reasons to consider the Galaxy Watch 9, and Samsung has clearly put a lot of effort into making the data more useful. Its updated BioActive Sensor feeds into a wide range of measurements, and after a week of wearing the watch, I found myself checking these insights regularly instead of simply ignoring them.
One feature I particularly liked was the Vitals dashboard. Rather than giving you a single snapshot, it brings together information collected while you sleep, including skin temperature, blood oxygen and breathing patterns. Seeing these metrics together makes it easier to understand changes in your usual routine.
The fitness features also take a more contextual approach. Tools such as Daily Cardio Load and Fitness Index look at your recent activity and recovery to offer a better idea of how much effort makes sense on a particular day. It feels more practical than simply encouraging you to push harder with every workout.
Sleep tracking is another strong area. The Watch 9 breaks down your different sleep stages and can also look for signs of irregular breathing overnight. Alongside that, features such as ECG and blood pressure monitoring give the watch a broader role in everyday wellness tracking. It doesn&rsquo;t replace proper medical advice, but as a day-to-day health companion, it packs plenty of useful information.
<h2>Samsung Galaxy Watch 9: Battery Life You Can Rely On</h2>
Battery anxiety is one of the quickest ways to ruin the smartwatch experience, but that was rarely a concern with the Galaxy Watch 9. The 44mm model I tested comes with a 445mAh battery, and even with several power-hungry features enabled, it comfortably lasted through a full day of regular use.
My testing included the Always-On Display, continuous heart-rate tracking, overnight sleep monitoring and multiple workouts during the day. Despite keeping these features active, I still had enough charge left the following morning, which made it easy to stick to my routine without constantly checking the battery percentage.
Charging is straightforward as well. The magnetic wireless charger makes it easy to top up the watch whenever you have a few spare minutes. I often found that a quick charge while getting ready or having breakfast was enough to keep the battery from becoming a concern.
Of course, your mileage will vary depending on how heavily you use the display, GPS and health features. But considering the bright AMOLED screen, constant sensor activity and generally snappy performance, the Watch 9 offers reassuring endurance. It still needs regular charging, but during my week of testing, I never felt like I had to plan my day around finding a charger.
<h2>Samsung Galaxy Watch 9: A Refined Smartwatch That Gets the Basics Right</h2>
After spending a full week with the Galaxy Watch 9, I don&rsquo;t think Samsung was aiming for a dramatic overhaul this time. Instead, the focus seems to be on polishing the parts that matter most in everyday use, and that approach pays off. The watch feels quick and refined, sits comfortably on the wrist, and has a display that remains highly legible even under bright outdoor conditions.
What stood out most to me was how easily it blended into my routine. From checking notifications during work to tracking walks, workouts and wearing it through long shooting sessions, the Watch 9 rarely felt intrusive. It simply handled what I needed and stayed out of the way. The expanded health and fitness features also feel more practical than gimmicky, giving you information that can actually be useful over time.
At ₹44,999, it sits firmly in the premium smartwatch segment, so the price isn't insignificant. However, the overall package feels well-rounded. If you&rsquo;re upgrading from an older Galaxy Watch, the faster performance, brighter screen, comfortable build and more capable health tracking make a strong case for the switch.
The Galaxy Watch 9 may not redefine the category, but it doesn&rsquo;t need to. By refining the fundamentals, Samsung has created a smartwatch that feels dependable, polished and easy to live with.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 review: A slimmer design, 5,000-nit display, Snapdragon Wear Elite and an 800mAh battery make this Samsung’s best Ultra yet.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 Review: Samsung Finally Nails Its Ultra Smartwatch

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 Review

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 brings a slimmer design, brighter display, bigger battery and stronger fitness features, making it Samsung&rsquo;s most complete smartwatch yet.

Samsung took two years to follow up the original Galaxy Watch Ultra, and that extra breathing room seems to have paid off. The Galaxy Watch Ultra2 isn't a dramatic reinvention, but Samsung has made meaningful upgrades in almost every area that mattered on the original.
The familiar 47mm &lsquo;pizza in a box&rsquo; design, (Samsung calls it a cushion design) remains, but the watch is now thinner, gets a slightly larger and significantly brighter 5,000-nit AMOLED display, and switches from Samsung's Exynos silicon to Qualcomm's new Snapdragon Wear Elite chipset. More importantly, the battery has jumped from 590mAh to a massive 800mAh, addressing one of my biggest complaints with the first Ultra.
Samsung has also leaned harder into the 'Ultra' part of the name. You now get improved Trail Running features, proper diving support, turn-by-turn navigation, new health and recovery insights, and Gemini integration through Wear OS 7 and One UI Watch 9.
On paper, then, this is the Galaxy Watch Ultra Samsung probably wanted to make the first time around. But does it actually feel that way on the wrist after weeks of use?
<h2>Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 Review: Design</h2>
The Galaxy Watch Ultra2 doesn't look dramatically different from its predecessor, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Samsung has retained the same chunky 47mm design, with a circular display sitting inside a squarish titanium frame. It is still a big watch, though, and with no smaller size available, people with slimmer wrists may find it a little overwhelming.
The biggest change is something you notice more on the wrist than in photographs. Samsung has reduced the thickness from 12.1mm to 10.7mm, which makes the Ultra2 feel noticeably less cumbersome. That's particularly impressive considering the battery has grown substantially. There is a very slight increase in weight, but it still is manageable at just a hair under 62 grams.
Build quality continues to be excellent. You get a Grade 4 titanium frame and sapphire crystal over the display, along with IP68, IP69K and 10ATM water resistance. There's MIL-STD-810H certification too, while the new EN13319 certification allows the Ultra2 to function as a dive computer down to 40 metres.
The familiar three-button arrangement returns, with the customisable Quick Button sitting between the Home and Back buttons. I still wish Samsung had given us a physical rotating bezel, especially for outdoor use. The touch bezel works reasonably well, but it simply isn't as precise or satisfying.
Samsung has also redesigned the strap, making it softer and lighter. Combined with the slimmer case, it makes a surprisingly big difference to comfort, especially when wearing the Ultra2 throughout the day and overnight.
<h2>Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 Review: Display</h2>
The display gets one of the more noticeable upgrades this year. The Galaxy Watch Ultra2 uses a slightly larger 1.52-inch Super AMOLED panel with a 498 x 498 resolution, up from the 1.47-inch, 480 x 480 display on the original Ultra. The difference in size and sharpness isn't something you'll immediately notice, but the increase in brightness certainly is.
Peak brightness has jumped from an already impressive 3,000 nits to a massive 5,000 nits. The original Ultra was never particularly difficult to read outdoors, but the Ultra2 takes visibility another step forward. Even under harsh sunlight, text, workout information and notifications remain exceptionally easy to read. That additional brightness should also prove useful underwater, particularly given Samsung's greater emphasis on diving this generation.
As before, the AMOLED panel itself is excellent. Colours are vibrant, blacks are properly deep, animations look crisp, and touch response is excellent. There's also an always-on display, although keeping it enabled naturally has an impact on battery life.
The display continues to be protected by sapphire crystal, while the slightly raised bezel provides some additional protection against accidental knocks and scrapes.
<h2>Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 Review: Performance And Tracking</h2>
The Galaxy Watch Ultra2 gets a major change under the hood, with Samsung ditching its Exynos chipset for Qualcomm's 3nm Snapdragon Wear Elite. Paired with 2GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, performance is excellent. Apps open quickly, animations remain fluid and moving between workouts, notifications and widgets feels consistently responsive. That said, the original Ultra was already pretty smooth, so the difference isn't transformative in everyday use.
Tracking is where the Ultra2 starts earning its name. Samsung's BioActive sensor handles heart rate, SpO2, ECG and body composition, while the watch also tracks HRV, skin temperature, stress and sleep. You also get newer metrics such as Daily Cardio Load, Fitness Index, Heart Health and Vitals, which use your accumulated data to provide a broader picture of recovery and overall fitness.
Workout tracking is equally comprehensive, with support for more than 100 activities and dual-frequency GPS. Heart-rate tracking appears particularly dependable.
Trail Running gets more attention this year. The Ultra2 can provide turn-by-turn route guidance, elevation information, pace suggestions and hydration reminders based on estimated sweat loss. Samsung has also expanded the diving functionality. The watch is certified to 40 metres and can measure depth and water temperature, with more advanced Mares-powered diving features arriving later.
Sleep tracking remains detailed, covering stages, blood oxygen, heart rate, respiratory rate and skin temperature. The sheer size of the Ultra2 still makes sleeping with it something of an acquired taste, but the lighter strap and thinner chassis make overnight tracking noticeably easier than before.
Automatic workout detection is useful for everyday walks and runs, while advanced running metrics provide detail for anyone interested in improving form.
<h2>Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 Review: Software</h2>
The Galaxy Watch Ultra2 runs One UI Watch 9 on top of Wear OS 7, and if you've used a recent Galaxy Watch, you'll feel right at home. Samsung hasn't dramatically changed how you navigate the interface, but everything feels polished, responsive and particularly well suited to the Ultra2's large display.
The bigger changes happen around the watch. Both Samsung Health and Galaxy Wearable have been redesigned, with cleaner layouts that make it easier to find health data, change watch faces and customise settings. Samsung Health remains particularly good at taking the enormous amount of information the Ultra2 collects and presenting it without becoming overwhelming.
Gemini is now integrated more deeply as well. You can use it to answer questions, send messages, set timers, create reminders or interact with supported apps. There's also a new raise-to-talk gesture, letting you lift your wrist and immediately speak to Gemini. It's a great idea, although reports suggest that activation can still be inconsistent.
Gesture controls go beyond Gemini. You can double-pinch to make selections, use a knocking gesture to launch an assigned app, or shake your wrist to dismiss calls and alarms.
The biggest advantage remains Wear OS itself. You get proper third-party apps including Spotify, Strava and Google Maps, alongside calls, messages, NFC payments and LTE connectivity without needing your phone nearby.
Samsung is also promising five years of major OS upgrades, giving the Ultra2 considerably more longevity than most people will realistically need from a smartwatch.
<h2>Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 Review: Battery</h2>
Battery life was one of my biggest complaints with the original Galaxy Watch Ultra, and Samsung has addressed it properly this time. The Ultra2 packs a massive 800mAh battery, up from 590mAh, despite the watch itself becoming thinner.
That translates into noticeably better endurance. With the always-on display enabled, you can realistically expect close to three days of use, even with regular health tracking and a few GPS-enabled workouts thrown in. Turn the always-on display off, and four days of use is entirely achievable depending on how heavily you're using GPS and LTE.
That's a significant improvement over the roughly two-day endurance I experienced with the original Ultra, and it makes the Ultra2 considerably more practical for weekend trips, long treks or endurance activities where charging isn't always convenient.
Charging speed is a more mixed story. The Ultra2 introduces Samsung's first fast-charging support on a Galaxy Watch, with the company claiming up to 40% battery in 30 minutes. In practice, though, that improvement is hard to spot. A full charge from empty still takes around 90 minutes to two hours on the bundled 10W wireless puck.&nbsp;
<h2>Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 Review: Verdict</h2>
The Galaxy Watch Ultra2 feels like the upgrade Samsung's original Ultra deserved. Waiting two years has allowed the company to make improvements that actually matter, rather than simply changing a few specifications and calling it a new generation.
The slimmer design makes it more comfortable, the 5,000-nit display is fantastic outdoors, and the Snapdragon Wear Elite keeps everything running smoothly. More importantly, the move from a 590mAh to an 800mAh battery addresses one of my biggest complaints with the original. Getting close to three days with the always-on display enabled makes a substantial difference to everyday usability.
Samsung has also strengthened the 'Ultra' proposition. Improved Trail Running, hydration guidance, dual-frequency GPS and proper diving support make this a considerably more capable adventure watch, while Samsung Health remains one of the most comprehensive health platforms available on Android.
There are still compromises. It's enormous, charging remains slow, there's still no physical rotating bezel, and some health features work best within Samsung's ecosystem.
But if you want a rugged Android smartwatch with excellent health tracking, proper Wear OS functionality and genuinely good multi-day endurance, the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 is easily Samsung's most complete smartwatch yet.

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