Sennheiser Momentum series has a loyal following among personal audio enthusiasts. But the company takes its sweet time releasing new wireless headphones. About four years after the Momentum 4, the 5th edition recently arrived in India, bringing a new eight-microphone system, updated audio hardware, spatial audio support, and improvements to the companion app. In my first impressions, I was particularly interested in testing these familiar yet more repairable flagship headphones, thanks to their user-replaceable battery.

After spending considerably more time with the headphones, I have a better understanding of their sound signature, battery life, and everyday usability. The design has also grown on me. So, in this Sennheiser Momentum 5 review, I have useful insights to share and tell you if it's worth the asking price of Rs 39,990.

Good, recognisable design

I have already covered the design and build in my first impressions of the Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless. Rather than repeat those details, I want to focus on how I have liked the headphones' design more with regular use.

I received the blue Denim finish, which gives the headphones a distinctive fabric-like appearance. The matching carrying case carries the same design language, while the cream-coloured details on the headband, ear cushions and bundled cables provide contrast. It is a more characterful look than the usual black or silver headphones, without appearing excessively flashy.

And it is not just me; people around me also commented positively on both the headphones and the carrying case. That shows that Sennheiser has created a good, recognisable product.

The headphones weigh 290 grams and use a largely polycarbonate construction. The padded ear cushions sit closely around the ears and provide passive isolation. The case is also relatively compact for travel, although the headphones themselves do not fold into a smaller shape.

The Momentum 5 has no official IP rating for dust or water resistance, so it is not a pair I would recommend for use in rain or during workouts where sweat exposure is a concern. But for commuting, office use and listening at home, the design makes sense.

And a very sensible decision by Sennheiser, albeit because of regulatory pressures, is the allowance of a replaceable battery. You have to remove the left ear cushion and unfasten four Phillips-head screws for this. This could elongate its life by several years, provided other parts also stay functional. At present, the brand has no plans to extend the repairability support to other components like ports. But a repairable battery is a good start. I love that brands are focusing on improving the core experience, like in this case, replaceable batteries.

Lively, engaging sound with room for customisation

Sennheiser has equipped these headphones with a 42mm dynamic driver. The company says it draws on the principles behind its audiophile headphones and is designed to deliver a detailed, natural presentation.

In our testing, we found that even with the Neutral EQ preset, the Momentum 5 does not have a perfectly neutral sound signature. There is a slight boost in the bass, which adds weight to low-frequency sounds, such as basslines and kick drums.

That said, the frequency response stays relatively close to the reference level through much of the midrange, while the rise in the 4kHz to 6kHz region helps vocals and lead instruments sound clear and prominent. In my listening, snare drums, brass instruments and more aggressive vocal notes did not sound particularly piercing, though.

Then there is a drop in the upper treble region, which may mean less sparkle and air in cymbals and other high-frequency sounds. If you find certain vocals or treble elements too sharp, you can fine-tune the sound using the eight-band EQ in the Smart Control Plus app.

You can also enable Bass Boost in the app for a more pronounced low-end response. It gives the bass a more physical, almost resonant quality, with the sensation extending towards the back of the head and neck.

The headphones also support Dolby Atmos-based Immersive Audio with head tracking. The head-tracking part works, but the soundstage isn't that wide or open. Overall, I didn't feel like keeping the spatial audio feature on.

Ample noise reduction and transparency

The Momentum 5 uses hybrid adaptive active noise cancellation with eight microphones, four on each earcup. Sennheiser claims that its noise cancellation suppresses midrange noise up to three times more effectively than the Momentum 4.

In real-world situations like office, home, and cabs, the Momentum 5 offered good noise cancellation. Surroundings don't become dead silent but could effectively reduce constant background noises. The wind noise reduction was also working well, which is a must-have if you don't like wind interference.

The headphones also include a transparency mode, which uses their external microphones to let surrounding sounds through. This does a fair job, but it doesn't enhance sounds like some of its competitors do. Also, there is no conversation awareness feature here.

Well-equipped for calls and connectivity

Momentum 5 offers comprehensive connectivity support. The headphones feature Bluetooth 5.4 and work with AAC, SBC, aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless. They also support multipoint connectivity, allowing them to remain connected to two devices at once.

I paired the headphones with a MacBook Air, iPhone Air and Nothing Phone 4a. The initial pairing process was straightforward, and I did not encounter connection problems during my use.

Wired listening is also supported. I tried USB-C audio and the bundled 2.5mm-to-3.5mm analogue cable with the MacBook Air, and both worked. Sennheiser specifies support for USB-C digital audio at up to 24-bit/96kHz, making the wired connection a useful option for compatible high-resolution sources.

You can also connect the Momentum 5 to Sennheiser's BTD 700 dongle to enable aptX Lossless and aptX Adaptive on compatible computers and other devices, allowing for high-resolution wireless audio. The dongle also offers a low-latency audio for gaming and video playback.

Call quality-wise, I had no issues. The other party could also hear me properly. The Momentum 5 uses beamforming microphones and includes voice-related processing features.

Also Read: JBL Live Beam 4 review: Punchy sound with smart features

Smart Control Plus app is fine but I want more

In Sennheiser's Smart Control Plus app, you can adjust the equaliser, Dolby Atmos-based spatial sound, switch between ANC and transparency modes, learn about touch controls, find headphones, change audio quality, etc.

The eight-band equaliser is useful for those who want more control over the sound than a simple bass or treble adjustment. Similarly, the Sound Personalisation feature lets you create a sound profile based on your preferences.

The app also supports Sound Zones, which can automatically apply selected sound and noise-control settings at configured locations. But I wish this geolocation setting could be set for a smaller radius. For instance, this could have enabled different sound profiles for office meetings.

I love the various touch controls, but I wish the app allowed me to change or configure some of these gestures.

So on one hand, the Smart Control Plus app provides plenty of scope to adjust its sound and behaviour, but one could wish for more controls.

Substantially long endurance

Sennheiser claims up to 57 hours of playback with ANC enabled. In my test, the Momentum 5 lasted 48 hours with ANC switched on. It is shorter than claimed but should be enough for several days of regular listening before you need to charge them.

The company also claims that a 10-minute charge can deliver up to seven hours of playback. The headphones charge through USB-C, and a full charge takes approximately two hours as per the company.

And since the battery is replaceable, you can extend the overall life of the headphones.

Should you buy the Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless?

Right off the bat, I appreciate the design and, especially, the thought Sennheiser has put into battery replacement. It is a sensible step towards making premium headphones last longer, and I would like to see more brands take the same approach.

But there is more to the Momentum 5 than its replaceable battery. The sound is lively, with added weight in the bass and clear, prominent vocals. The battery lasted 48 hours with ANC enabled in my test, and I had no complaints about call quality. Noise cancellation also works well for everyday use, although it doesn't block out everything around you.

There are a few areas where I would have liked more. Immersive Audio didn't convince me to keep it enabled; the transparency mode could do a better job of making outside sounds clear, and the Smart Control Plus app could offer greater flexibility with touch controls and location-based settings. These are areas Sennheiser could improve in future iterations. Speaking of which, I also look forward to the company extending its repairability support to other components.

Overall, the Momentum 5 gets the fundamentals right, with no major shortcomings in my experience. If your priority is the strongest possible noise cancellation, a more neutral sound, or a more convincing spatial audio experience, it is worth comparing it with competing flagship headphones before buying. But the Momentum 5 makes a good case for itself, and it is good to see Sennheiser introduce a meaningful feature like a replaceable battery rather than focus only on incremental audio upgrades.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar reviews.

Also Read: Sony 1000X The Collexion review: A familiar friend, now luxurious

Foldable smartphones have come a very long way, offering a lot more than the novelty of a screen that folds in half. They have evolved into premium devices that aim to combine the convenience of a regular smartphone with the versatility of a larger display. However, with rising smartphone prices, primarily due to surging memory chip costs, expectations are higher than ever. The Vivo X Fold 6 enters this competitive market, where the recently launched Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold are also trying to get buyers' attention.

Priced at Rs 2,19,999, the Vivo X Fold 6 has a lot to prove. At this price, buyers expect much more than a premium design, reliable everyday performance, capable cameras, or battery life that can keep up with their daily routines. 

So, does the Vivo X Fold 6 deliver on expectations, and can it stand out against its premium rivals? I spent time with the phone to evaluate its design, displays, performance, cameras, and battery life to find out whether it is worth considering. Here’s my full review.

Vivo X Fold 6: Design

The Vivo X Fold 6 follows a book-style foldable design and comes in two colour options: Nebula Teal and Prism Black. I received the Prism Black colour variant for this review. Instead of a plain back panel seen on the X Fold 5, it features finely arranged vertical lines that give it a distinctive look. I also found the phone comfortable to hold, which is important for a foldable that you might use for extended periods.

The X Fold 6 features a large circular camera module on the back, which has become a familiar design element on Vivo’s flagship smartphones. The camera island protrudes noticeably from the back panel.

When folded, the phone measures 9.4mm in thickness and weighs 228 grams. When unfolded, it is just 4.4mm thick, giving you a large screen without making the device feel too bulky. For comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra measures 8.9mm when folded, 4.1mm when unfolded, and weighs only 215 grams, while the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold measures 10.1mm when folded and weighs 239 grams. This puts the Vivo X Fold 6 between the two in terms of thickness and weight. It is thicker and heavier than Samsung’s device, but slimmer and lighter than Google’s foldable.

The crease on the inner display is visible, particularly when viewed from certain angles. While this is common with foldable smartphones, it is still something you will notice when using the larger screen.

For durability, the Vivo X Fold 6 comes with IP58, IP59, IPX8, and IPX9 ratings for dust and water resistance. It also features a side-mounted fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button, along with a dedicated shortcut button for quick access to selected functions.

Vivo X Fold 6: Performance and software

The Vivo X Fold 6 is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 Super Edition chipset, paired with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. To test its performance, I ran a few benchmark tests. The X Fold 6 scored 28,06,922 on AnTuTu. In Geekbench, it scored 1,571 points in the single-core test and 5,292 points in the multi-core test.

For comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra scored 30,45,858 on AnTuTu, with Geekbench single-core and multi-core scores of 2,625 and 6,946, respectively. Meanwhile, the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold scored 10,47,605 on AnTuTu, along with 2,272 points in the Geekbench single-core test and 5,593 points in the multi-core test. These results put the Vivo X Fold 6 behind the Samsung foldable in all three tests. Compared to the Google foldable, it scores significantly higher on AnTuTu but falls behind in both Geekbench tests.

However, looking past the benchmarks, in everyday use, the Vivo X Fold 6 handles regular tasks such as browsing, social media, streaming, and switching between apps without any major issues. The large inner display also makes multitasking more convenient.

To test its gaming capabilities, I played BGMI on the phone. With the graphics set to the 'Better Frame Rate' option, the game can run at up to 90fps, delivering a smooth experience. However, if you switch to higher graphics settings, you may notice frame drops and lag during gameplay. 

Moving to software, the Vivo X Fold 6 runs OriginOS 7 based on Android 17. It offers several features designed specifically for the foldable form factor, making better use of the large inner display. One of the key features that I liked the most is Origin Workbench, which lets you keep a primary task open alongside up to four supporting tasks. There is also a Multi-Split Screen mode that lets you run up to four apps side by side, making it easier to switch between tasks without constantly moving between applications.

These features can be useful for work and productivity. For instance, you can keep a document open while checking emails, browsing the web, or referring to other information on the same screen.

Vivo X Fold 6: Camera

Vivo's X-series smartphones have built a reputation for their camera capabilities, and the Vivo X Fold 6 aims to bring that same imaging experience to a foldable form factor. The phone features a triple rear camera setup co-engineered with ZEISS, comprising a 200-megapixel primary camera with OIS, a 50-megapixel telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and a 50-megapixel ultrawide lens. For selfies and video calls, there are two 20-megapixel front-facing cameras, one on each display.

Starting with the primary camera, the Vivo X Fold 6 captures impressive photos in daylight. Images look great, with plenty of detail, pleasing colours, and good contrast. The camera does a good job of capturing subjects without making the photos look overly processed. 

Speaking of the portrait shots, the edge detection is impressive, even around fine details such as hair, helping the phone separate the subject from the background and create a natural-looking blur.

The 50-megapixel telephoto camera is useful when you want to capture subjects from a distance without physically moving closer. With 3x optical zoom, it offers more flexibility for portraits and close-up shots. Meanwhile, the 50-megapixel ultrawide camera lets you fit more of a scene into the frame, making it useful for landscapes, architecture, and group photos.

I was impressed with the low-light photography. In night shots, the primary camera captures images with good detail while keeping the lighting balanced. Bright areas do not overpower the rest of the scene, and the camera retains a good amount of information in darker areas. This helps the images look clear and usable without making the night scene appear unnaturally bright.

The selfie cameras on the inner and cover displays make it convenient to take self-portraits regardless of whether the phone is folded or unfolded. You can also use the rear cameras for selfies by taking advantage of the cover display as a viewfinder.

So, the Vivo X Fold 6 makes a strong case for users who do not want to compromise on photography when choosing a foldable phone.

Vivo X Fold 6: Display

The Vivo X Fold 6 features an 8.02-inch AMOLED inner display. The outer display is a 6.51-inch AMOLED cover display. Both displays come with a 120Hz refresh rate. They also support HDR10+, HDR Vivid, and Dolby Vision, making them well-equipped for watching content. The AMOLED panels deliver vibrant colours and deep blacks, while scrolling through apps and webpages feels smooth.

Obviously, the inner display is the main attraction here. The large screen makes watching videos, reading articles, and working with multiple apps more enjoyable than on a conventional smartphone. The AMOLED panel delivers vibrant colours and good contrast, making videos and other content look appealing. 

The cover display is equally important because it is the screen you will use for most everyday tasks without unfolding the phone. At 6.51 inches, it is comparable in size to the display on a conventional smartphone, making it practical for messaging, browsing social media, replying to emails, and using apps. 

Vivo claims that both displays can reach a peak brightness of 5,000 nits. While the 5,000-nit peak brightness is a claimed figure, both displays are bright enough for comfortable viewing in everyday use, even under sunlight. You can read text, browse apps, and view content outdoors without difficulty.

Though there is one compromise. As I mentioned in the design section, the crease on the inner display is visible, particularly when viewed from certain angles. However, it does not take away from the benefits of having a large foldable screen.

Vivo X Fold 6: Battery

The Vivo X Fold 6 packs a 6,900mAh battery with support for 80W fast charging. To test its endurance, I ran the PCMark battery test, in which the phone lasted for 23 hours and 31 minutes. This is an impressive result and suggests that the Vivo X Fold 6 can handle extended usage without requiring to frequently charge the phone. With normal usage, the X Fold 6 should last for more than a day on a single charge.

In everyday use, the Vivo X Fold 6 also managed power consumption well during my testing. Using Google Maps for an hour consumed around 4 per cent of the battery, while playing BGMI for 15 minutes drained 3 per cent. These results suggest that navigation and short gaming sessions do not put a significant strain on the battery.

Coming to charging, the Vivo X Fold 6 took around 1 hour and 10 minutes to charge from 0 to 100 per cent. This is acceptable given the battery size.

Vivo X Fold 6: Verdict

As mentioned at the beginning, with smartphone prices climbing amid rising memory chip costs, the Vivo X Fold 6 has a lot to justify at Rs 2,19,999. And it does get several things right, including a premium design, vibrant displays, capable everyday performance, impressive cameras, and excellent battery life. Features such as Origin Workbench and Multi-Split Screen also make good use of the large inner display, giving the phone a practical edge for productivity.

However, it is not without compromises. The visible crease on the inner display remains noticeable, and its benchmark results fall behind the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra in our tests. While the camera system and battery endurance put the Vivo X Fold 6 in a strong light, these are areas where buyers should weigh its overall package against competing foldables.

Ultimately, the Vivo X Fold 6 delivers on many of the expectations that come with a premium foldable, particularly in photography, battery life, and multitasking. But at this price, it needs to offer more than a well-rounded experience to truly stand out. It is worth considering if these strengths match your priorities, though buyers should compare it with its premium rivals before making a final decision.

Urban Company has traditionally been known as a home services platform. But its experience repairing and servicing appliances has also given it an opportunity to build products of its own. Its Native range of water purifiers is built around a problem familiar to most RO owners: frequent filter replacements, recurring service costs, and little visibility into the health of the machine. The company's new water purifier, named Native M3 Pro, is aimed at addressing these concerns. It is priced at Rs 24,999 and promises up to three years of operation without routine filter changes or servicing. It also comes with a stainless steel storage tank, a dot-matrix display, real-time water quality monitoring, and app-based diagnostics.

I have been using the Native M3 Pro to see how well it performs in everyday use, and whether its connected features make a meaningful difference.

Design and build

The Native M3 Pro looks more like a modern smart-home appliance than a conventional RO purifier. The black exterior combines matte and glossy surfaces, with a very clean front fascia. There is no large logo or cluttered control panel. I like that it only has three small touch-sensitive buttons with lit icons. More on this in the next section.

We got it mounted on the kitchen wall next to the sink. The cabinet measures 326 x 294 x 555mm and weighs around 8.5kg without water. You can also use it on a countertop. The additional external pre-filter (black in colour and cylindrical in shape) also takes up some space. Also, the black surface would require frequent cleaning.

The use of a food-grade storage tank is one of the bigger upgrades here. The tank holds around 6 litres and also houses a UV LED for keeping stored water protected. Urban Company gives the tank a separate 10-year warranty, which adds some reassurance to what is otherwise a fairly expensive appliance.

The 6-litre capacity is also one of the M3 Pro's weaknesses. At this price, I would have preferred a larger tank. That volume is enough for a small family, but it can feel restrictive when you have a gathering or party at your place, and you are using the purified water for cooking also.

Overall, I find the design more appealing than traditional water purifiers.

On-device controls and display

The M3 Pro's front panel is much cleaner yet more interesting than what you normally get on an RO purifier. There are only three touch controls for different dispensing modes, viz., Glass, Bottle, and Free-Flow. Even if you tap on the Glass or Bottle option, tapping them again stops the flow whenever you want.

There is a dot-matrix display next to these controls, which lights up when you are dispensing water and shows details such as the amount of water being dispensed, TDS, today's temperature, tank water level, and your daily water usage. I like the fact that the Native purifier is being transparent with key information like this in such a neat way. I would have liked this display more if it gave me an option to keep it on always with the aforementioned details.

Companion app and smart features

The purifier works with Urban Company app. Through it, you can monitor incoming and purified TDS, remaining tank water, daily and weekly consumption, flow rate, and filter health. You can also check warranty information and run a machine health check. Urban Company says the purifier can report performance information in real time and identify potential issues before they turn into a service problem.

You can also change the preset water quantities for the Glass and Bottle modes. That is important as different homes use different glasses and bottles. so having the flexibility to set the exact quantity makes more sense than forcing everyone to use the same preset.

My only issue with this is the Native purifier interface is wrapped inside the larger Urban Company app and some people can find it difficult navigating this UI. But this also gives access to customer support backed by Urban Company's core business ie., service booking.

Also Read: Boon Tap review: Industrial-grade purification, kitchen-grade design

Native M3 Pro: Purification technology and performance

The Native M3 Pro uses a 10-stage purification system combining RO, UV, copper, alkaline treatment and the DualFlow Mineraliser. Urban Company says the M3 series uses 100% RO processing, along with larger filters, Smart Rinse and the RO Life Booster system.

Urban Company says the system can purify input water up to 2,000 ppm TDS, which means it can handle difficult water conditions.

In my testing, the purifier reduced municipal water from around 900 ppm TDS to roughly 100 ppm. The resulting water tasted clean and neutral.

The storage tank filled from empty to full in about 30 minutes in my setup. At 10:18am, the purifier was switched on with an empty tank. By 10:48am, it had reached full capacity.

I also collected around 3.5 litres of reject water during that cycle. Against roughly 6 litres of purified water, that works out to about 63% recovery. That is even slightly above Urban Company's stated up to 60% recovery figure.

There is a built-in battery as well, so the purifier can continue dispensing stored water during a power cut. That is useful in India, particularly in areas where short power interruptions are common.

Should you buy the Native M3 Pro?

Yes, the Urban Company Native M3 Pro is worth buying if your home needs RO purification and you want to avoid the recurring hassle of filter replacements and servicing. For the asking price of Rs 24,999, it is expensive, but the three-year warranty, stainless steel tank and useful water quality monitoring make a strong case for the price.

I had a different water purifier installed at my place before this. The Native M3 Pro is far better to live with, and my family prefers it, too. Being able to check input and output TDS, track water consumption and monitor filter health gives you more control over an appliance that runs every day. The water tasted clean in my testing, and the companion app offers a practical and informative interface.

The three-year unconditional warranty is another reason to consider it. Urban Company promises to cover the filters, membrane and other components during this period. Afterwards, you'll have to pay Rs 7,000 to extend coverage for another three years. This appears to be an attractive option for anyone looking to keep long-term maintenance costs predictable.

There are no major drawbacks. Compared to some of its competitors, even lower priced ones, the Native purifier's 6-litre tank is small. Also, the Urban Company app can seem overwhelming to some.

Still, for households that genuinely need RO, the M3 Pro is a strong choice for its combination of purification, monitoring and predictable maintenance.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar reviews.

Also Read: Havells Aquas Pro 3X review: Does a water purifier really need no filter change for 3 years?

The wireless earbuds market is crowded, and standing out takes more than good sound alone. JBL has been competing in this space for years, but the company has also been experimenting with ways to make its earbuds more than just a pair of audio accessories. Adding a touchscreen to the charging case is one such innovation, giving users greater control over their listening experience without having to reach for their phones. The all-new JBL Live Beam 4 is a prime example of this innovation from the company.

I spent time using the JBL Live Beam 4 to see how well its features translate into real-world performance. From sound quality and call performance to comfort, connectivity, and battery life, there is plenty to explore beyond the specifications sheet. The earbuds offer several useful personalisation options, although the companion app can occasionally feel cumbersome. So, does the JBL Live Beam 4 justify its premium positioning, or are there any everyday compromises that hold it back? Here is my experience with JBL Live Beam 4 companies' latest feature-packed wireless earbuds.

JBL Live Beam 4 design and build: Funky, light, and a bit plastic

If you’ve used the JBL Live Beam 3, the new JBL Live Beam 4 may feel familiar. The earbuds and charging case look almost identical to the previous generation. The numbers back this up, too. Each Live Beam 4 earbud weighs 4.85 g, compared to 5 g for the Live Beam 3. The case weighs 73 g, just 1 g more than the previous model’s 72 g. Both models also have an IP55 rating. JBL calls the new case ‘redesigned’, but in terms of looks and weight, it feels much the same as the old one.

One area where I feel there is room for improvement is the build quality. Although the device is lightweight, the plastic build, unchanged from the Live Beam 3, could have been a bit more premium. The quality of the eartips, especially the rubber material used, could also be improved for better comfort and durability.

The case is another area that could be improved, as at 73 g, it is considerably heavier than its competitors, which usually weigh around 50 to 55 g. Moreover, it also feels a little bulky, making it less convenient to carry in a pocket. While the touchscreen is a unique and useful feature, reducing the size and weight of the case could make the overall experience even better.

However, one thing that makes it different from the competition and its predecessors is its funky colour variants. While most rivals come in black, white or grey, the company offers the device in seven different finishes, notably black, blue, green, silver, orange, purple and sand. The device comes with an IP55 certification, ensuring that the earbuds are splash-resistant and can be used during workouts.

Fit and comfort: Great fit, as long as you pick the right size

The overall experience of a wearable depends largely on how well it fits your ears and how comfortable it feels during use. JBL addresses this with a ‘Check My Best Fit’ section in its Headphones app, which guides you through quick tests during setup to determine how well each ear tip seals and which size suits you best. This is particularly useful since ear sizes vary, and the default tips may not work for everyone. In my case, I had to switch to a different size. While most brands include extra tips, choosing the right one is often a matter of trial and error. JBL’s fit test takes the guesswork out of the process, making it a genuinely useful feature.

The earbuds felt a little loose in my ears initially. During ordinary listening, this was not always a problem, but more noticeable movements made me question how securely they were sitting. Even washing my face could cause them to fall out. That is not exactly reassuring when I want to move around without constantly checking my earbuds. But once I switched to the recommended tip, the comfort was immediately noticeable.

Touchscreen case: Advantage or drawback

The touchscreen charging case is easily the most interesting thing about the JBL Live Beam 4. Most charging cases are just a small box that holds your earbuds and tops them up. This one does a little more. From the case itself, you can control playback, volume, noise cancellation modes and EQ.

It’s a nice touch, and I enjoyed having it around, as it allows me to quickly change songs or modes or nudge the volume up without taking my phone out, but the controls on the earpieces can do the same job, and I often find myself reaching out to them anyway.

It does offer some useful features, such as displaying battery levels and notifications. You can also make use of the built-in timer, flashlight, and Find My Buds feature. However, these features aren’t valuable enough for me to trade off my convenience and portability. On top of that, the screen makes the case bulkier and less pocket-friendly.

If you like having controls and information right at your fingertips, this design could win you over. In simple words, I don’t dislike the screen case at all, but I hope that the future version of the buds doesn't compromise on the size and weight just to fit in an accessory.

JBL Live Beam 4 sound quality: Bass first, details later

As soon as I put on the buds, the JBL Live Beam 4 makes me want to sit back and let the playlist run. The sound is warm and bass-forward, giving music a rich, full-bodied character without completely overshadowing other elements. Whether it’s the weight of the low end or the presence of the vocals, there’s an enjoyable balance that makes everyday listening feel effortless.

When I play something with a solid low end, like Aahatein by Agnee, the bass adds depth and weight to the track, giving it a fuller, more immersive feel. The same goes for Ramta Jogi from Taal, where the driving rhythm and punchy percussion benefit from the extra emphasis on lower frequencies. The bass feels like an integral part of the listening experience rather than just an added effect.

What surprised me, though, is that the vocals and guitars don’t get buried. The mids hold their ground, and there’s a nice lift in the upper mids that keeps voices present. On an acoustic track like Ed Sheeran’s Thinking Out Loud, the guitar and vocals still sound natural, even while the bass does most of the heavy lifting. For everyday listening, whether I’m commuting or working, it’s an easy sound to enjoy, especially if I like my music with some body to it.

Our testing confirms the same overall sound signature. The frequency response graph shows a gradual decline through much of the midrange, followed by a noticeable rise in the upper mids and lower treble before the response rolls off towards the highest frequencies.

One of the things I liked most about the Live Beam 4 is how much control JBL gives you. The app has a 10-band equaliser, so instead of being limited to a few preset sound profiles, I could shape the sound band by band, adding a little treble here or easing back on the mids there.

EQ and personalisation are subjective and ultimately come down to personal preference. If you find the buds too bass-heavy or prefer brighter vocals, I’d suggest trying a more balanced profile, such as Jazz. Personally, though, I prefer my bass with a little extra punch. While the default sound profile is decent, tracks from the golden era of Punjabi pop, such as Mundian To Bach Ke by Panjabi MC, sound more exciting to me with the bass turned up, as sometimes I just want that extra thump.

Moreover, JBL includes Personi-Fi 3.0, which uses an interactive hearing test to personalise the audio to your hearing. It’s a useful extra that offers another way to fine-tune the sound to suit your ears.

Active Noise Cancellation and Ambient Modes: Useful, but not perfect

The Live Beam 4’s Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is effective enough to soften everyday indoor sounds, such as air conditioners, keyboard typing and nearby conversations, helping me focus without increasing the volume. However, louder traffic and voices remain noticeable outdoors, so the ANC isn’t ideal for those expecting exceptional noise isolation. It's also important to note that enabling the feature also reduces the claimed battery life of the earbuds significantly.

While testing the ambient modes on the device, I found that Ambient Aware was less natural when compared to the TalkThru mode, which worked much better, allowing me to converse without removing the earbuds. I tested the TalkThru mode in heavy traffic, and to my surprise, it distinguished my voice from others remarkably well. One caveat I noticed is that the ambient sound control is a little buggy, as sometimes the app won't let you switch between modes.

Call performance: Good for everyday conversations

With a six-microphone system, when I tested the earbud in quieter surroundings, I found that the call quality was decent, as the other person was able to hear my voice clearly and vice versa. However, when in heavy traffic, wind or other noisy outdoor conditions, you may feel that you need to pitch up a bit so that your voice can go through. I’d describe the device’s call quality as satisfactory rather than position it as a key selling point.

JBL Live Beam 4 connectivity: Multipoint is handy

I tested the earbuds with a Dell laptop, an iPhone and an Android phone. Bluetooth 6.0 and multipoint let them stay connected to two devices at once, which is convenient for a laptop-plus-phone setup without repeated re-pairing.

However, one thing to note is that the JBL Live Beam 4 doesn't switch instantly between the devices. Rather, you need to pause playback on one device, which is followed by a slight delay before audio starts on the other. This is not a deal breaker, as I’ve seen the same on other earbuds as well.

Battery life and charging: Built for long listening days

Battery life is one of the highlights of the JBL Live Beam 4. In my testing, the earbuds lasted around 19 hours on a single charge, delivering impressive endurance for extended listening sessions. Do note that we tested the battery life with the ANC turned off, but as the feature was toggled on, the battery life decreased significantly. Moreover, the charging case took approximately 91 minutes to go from 0 to 100 per cent using a 33W charger.

Should you buy JBL Live Beam 4?

The JBL Live Beam 4 gets several important things right. I like its energetic, bass-forward sound, extensive EQ options, useful touchscreen case, wireless charging, and long claimed battery life. The ability to personalise the listening experience is a genuine advantage, and the earbuds offer enough features to satisfy someone who enjoys having control over their audio.

I would consider the Live Beam 4 if I wanted feature-rich earbuds with an engaging sound and plenty of customisation. But I would make sure the fit worked for me before committing to them, especially if I planned to use them while travelling or exercising.

Ultimately, the Live Beam 4 feels like a product with plenty of good ideas, some of which are more useful than others. I enjoyed its sound and appreciated its flexibility, but I wanted a more compact case and a smoother everyday experience especially with a better ANC.

The JBL Live Beam 4 is highly recommended for users who want feature-rich earbuds for everyday listening, especially in offices, indoor spaces, and relatively quiet environments. Its punchy bass, customisable sound, multipoint connectivity, and long battery life make it a good choice for work and entertainment. However, users who prioritise a compact charging case, strong noise cancellation, or reliable fit during workouts may want to explore other options.

There was a time when buying a smartphone in the Rs 60,000 to Rs 80,000 range was mostly about getting the fastest chip or the most premium design. That has changed. Cameras have become one of the biggest reasons people spend this much on a phone, and almost every brand now has a camera-focused offering in this segment. People want punchy colours, crisp details that look good on social media, and enough processing options to make their photos stand out without having to edit them for hours. Add decent performance, a good-looking design, and a quality display to that mix, and you have a combination that is difficult to ignore.

But there is a bigger issue creeping into the smartphone market right now, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore: prices are going up, and they are going up by a lot. Vivo's V-series has traditionally sat in the upper mid-range segment, with the last-gen Vivo V70 starting at around Rs 45,000. The Vivo V80, however, starts at Rs 62,999 and goes all the way up to Rs 79,999 for the top-end variant. That is almost X-series pricing for what has historically been one of Vivo's more accessible premium smartphone line-ups.

Of course, this is not a problem specific to Vivo. Smartphone makers are dealing with rising component costs, and if things continue this way, higher prices could become the norm through 2027. We have seen phone prices creep up before, but the Vivo V80 feels like one of the first mainstream launches in this upper mid-range category where the increase is difficult to overlook. And that makes the phone interesting for another reason beyond what it actually offers.

For all these years, Vivo has built a reputation around cameras, and the V80 continues that approach with a new design and a Zeiss-tuned camera setup. On paper, it looks like the kind of phone that understands what buyers in this segment are looking for. But are the new design and improved camera experience enough to justify paying more, or is the V80 simply another phone with a bigger price tag?

I have been using the Vivo V80 to find out whether it can deliver the camera-focused experience Vivo promises while getting the rest of the smartphone experience right. Here is my take.

Design: Slim, comfortable and built to take a beating

Vivo has clearly put a lot of thought into making the V80 feel premium without making it unnecessarily bulky. The phone uses a metal frame and a one-piece glass design, which gives it a more refined feel in the hand. The aerospace-grade aluminium frame also adds some much-needed structural strength, while Vivo says the construction has been designed to improve drop resistance and protect the camera module.

At 7.69mm thick and weighing under 210 grams, the Vivo V80 is reasonably slim and light for a phone with a 6.59-inch display. The size also strikes a good balance between having enough screen for watching content and keeping the phone comfortable to hold. The rounded edges and large-radius corners make a noticeable difference here, as they allow the frame to transition more naturally into your palm rather than feeling completely flat and boxy. The bezels are also quite slim at 1.25mm, which helps the display occupy more of the front without making the phone feel unnecessarily large. In everyday use, the combination of the relatively compact body, rounded corners, and 6.59-inch screen makes the V80 comfortable to grip for longer periods.

The camera module is the highlight of the design, at least I think so. Vivo has moved away from a conventional square camera island and opted for what it calls a floating camera module on the V80. It may remind you of the iPhone 17 Pro, but the rounded shape makes it look less bulky, while the transparent finish adds some visual depth. More importantly, the module does not make the rear of the phone look overly busy.

Vivo is offering the V80 in three finishes: Sunrise Anthem, Horizon Blue and Stellar Black. Each has a different design character, ranging from the brighter Sunrise Anthem to the more understated Stellar Black, while Horizon Blue (which I got) sits somewhere in between.

Durability is another area where the Vivo V80 goes beyond just looking premium. The phone carries IP68 and IP69 ratings for dust and water resistance and comes with SGS-certified all-round and whole-device drop resistance. These ratings do not make a smartphone indestructible, but they should provide some reassurance for everyday accidents.

Camera: ZEISS tuning meets punchy colours and strong low-light performance

The camera setup is clearly one of the biggest reasons to consider the Vivo V80. The phone is equipped with a 50MP ZEISS OIS main camera using Sony's LYTIA 700V sensor, a 50MP ZEISS Night Telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom and OIS, and a ZEISS ultrawide camera. There is also a 50MP ZEISS selfie camera with autofocus and a 92-degree field of view. On paper, this is a fairly serious camera setup for a phone in this segment, but the more important question is how consistently these cameras perform in real-world conditions.

Starting with the main camera, the Vivo V80 has a noticeably warm and punchy colour profile. It does boost saturation slightly, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Photos have the kind of vibrant look that works particularly well for social media without making colours completely unnatural. Vivo's ZEISS tuning seems to be aimed at making images look attractive straight out of the camera rather than chasing absolute colour accuracy.

Dynamic range is another strong point. The camera does a good job balancing bright skies with darker areas in mixed lighting, while backlit subjects generally retain usable detail. I also found highlight handling impressive on reflective and metallic surfaces. Bright reflections are controlled well enough that details, textures, and even branding remain visible instead of simply turning into blown-out patches.

Close-up photography is particularly good. The main sensor resolves fine textures well, with crisp edges and naturally soft background separation. This gives macro-style shots a pleasing amount of depth without making the background blur look excessively artificial.

The 50MP telephoto lens comes with 3x optical zoom; useful for portraits and distant subjects, while the higher resolution gives you room to push towards 10x without immediately losing all the detail. At longer digital zoom ranges, however, some softness inevitably creeps in.

The ultrawide camera is decent, although it does not quite match the main camera for detail and rendering. There is some softness towards the corners and the overall image looks flatter, but distortion around straight lines and subjects is controlled reasonably well.

Low-light photography is where the Vivo V80 surprised me. Noise remains well controlled at moderate ISOs, and instead of producing the blotchy look that some phones get when aggressively processing night shots, the V80 retains a relatively clean and natural appearance.

I also like how Vivo handles shadows at night. The V80 does not aggressively lift every dark area just to make the image look brighter. Shadows retain their natural depth, while wet surfaces, reflections, and artificial lights maintain good colour separation. The result is a low-light image that looks closer to the scene I actually saw rather than an overly processed night-mode photograph.

Portrait photography follows the same philosophy. Background blur is smooth, while edge detection around hair and other fine details is generally accurate. Skin tones have a warm, flattering character, but the processing does not completely remove natural skin texture. That is important because excessive beautification can quickly make portraits look artificial. Even saturated clothing and fabrics retain their folds and texture without losing detail to aggressive exposure or colour processing.

Vivo has also loaded the V80 with plenty of software features for users who like to experiment. The ZEISS Multifocal Portrait mode offers different looks at 23mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm and 100mm, with each focal length recreating a different ZEISS-inspired bokeh style. These are not simply different zoom levels; the idea is to give portraits a different visual character depending on the focal length and processing style you choose.

Then there is the AI Creative Camera, which offers more than 30 AI-powered styles covering categories such as Travel, Landscape, Fantasy and Stage. The phone can recommend a style based on the scene, while options such as Glow, Sunlight, Haze and Back Lighting can be applied with a tap. This is clearly aimed at users who want their photographs to look more stylised without spending time editing them manually.

The editing tools go further with AI Retouch, which can remove unwanted objects, expand a composition, reposition subjects, and enhance resolution. Color Palette gives you more traditional controls over saturation, tone, grain, warmth, highlights, shadows, sharpness, and other parameters. There is also Live Sticker Collage, which lets you cut out people, pets or objects from Live Photos and use them in another image.

The Vivo V80 also supports 4K video recording at 60fps and offers three cinematic colour styles: Modern Movie for a more natural look, Vibrant for stronger colours and Pastel for a softer, lower-saturation appearance. These modes are useful if you want your videos to have a particular visual character without having to edit the footage afterwards.

Display: Bright, smooth and easy on the eyes

The Vivo V80 gets a 6.59-inch 1.5K OLED display that is sharp, bright, and noticeably punchy, making everything from scrolling through social media to watching videos look vibrant without feeling overly artificial. The 1260 x 2750 pixel resolution with a 459 ppi is a good middle ground between sharpness and power consumption. Text looks crisp, images have plenty of detail, and you don't really feel like you are missing out by not having a higher-resolution panel.

Another thing to talk about here is the 144Hz refresh rate. In everyday use, this makes animations, scrolling, and transitions feel particularly fluid. It is not something you constantly think about once you get used to it, but switching back to a lower-refresh-rate display does make the difference noticeable.

Brightness is another strong point. Vivo claims a local peak brightness of 5,000 nits, and in our testing, the phone managed to hit around 2,850 nits in High Brightness Mode using a lux meter. That is plenty bright for outdoor use, and I had no major trouble viewing the screen under bright sunlight.

The panel supports HDR10+ playback and a claimed 1.07 billion colours, which helps compatible content look more vibrant, particularly in scenes with bright highlights and deeper shadows. The colours are generally punchy, which also fits well with the V80's camera tuning. Vivo has clearly prioritised a display that looks immediately impressive rather than one that feels overly restrained.

The flat panel and slim 1.25mm bezels also help with the overall experience. There is plenty of screen real estate without the phone becoming unnecessarily large, and the narrow borders give the front a more immersive appearance.

Vivo also calls this a ‘paper-like’ display and has included SGS certification for its eye-protection features. However, I would not treat that as a guarantee that the screen will never cause eye strain.

Performance: Smooth enough, but the price changes the expectations

For the past two generations, Vivo has been using the same class of chipset in its V-series phones, and with the V80, this feels harder to overlook because the price has moved up quite a bit. The phone is still powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, a 4nm chipset that is capable enough for everyday use, but the V80 now starts at Rs 62,999. At that price, I find myself expecting a little more from the hardware than what this chipset offers.

Don’t get me wrong, in regular use, the Vivo V80 is fast and responsive. Apps open quickly, scrolling is smooth, and switching between multiple applications is generally seamless. The 144Hz display also helps here, making animations and UI transitions feel fluid. The phone comes with 8GB of RAM, and for the kind of everyday use most people will put it through, there is very little to complain about.

Gaming is where the limitations become more apparent. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 and Adreno 722 GPU can comfortably handle casual and moderately demanding games, but demanding titles such as Genshin Impact expose the gap between this and flagship-grade silicon. Push the graphics settings and frame rates higher, and you can see occasional drops as the workload continues. It is capable of gaming, but it is not designed for people who prioritise sustained high performance.

The upside is efficiency. The 4nm chipset remains relatively well-behaved during everyday workloads, thanks to the 4,300mm² cooling system and OriginOS 7 optimisation. Vivo also uses the processor to power its AI features, including its camera and editing tools, and these generally feel responsive in use.

So, the Vivo V80 is by no means a slow phone. Far from it. The problem is that the price has moved into territory where simply being fast enough is no longer enough.

Battery: 7,200mAh battery delivers serious endurance

Battery life is one area where Vivo has made a jump with the V80. The phone packs a 7,200mAh battery, the largest capacity Vivo has used in its V-series so far. It uses fourth-generation silicon-carbon anode technology, allowing Vivo to fit a much larger battery into a relatively slim phone without making it excessively heavy.

In my testing, the battery lived up to its numbers. The Vivo V80 managed 24 hours and 23 minutes in our PCMark Battery Life test, which is an excellent result and makes it clear that endurance is one of this phone's strongest points. With regular usage involving social media, browsing, calls, photography, and video streaming, getting through two full days should not be a concern. The large battery also gives you more breathing room if you are a heavy user.

Vivo pairs the battery with 90W fast charging, and the company claims the phone can reach 50 per cent charge in around 30 minutes with the bundled charger. In our testing, it took close to an hour to go from 0 to 100 per cent. That's not class-leading anymore, but considering the size of the battery, it is still a reasonably quick charging solution.

The Vivo V80 does not support wireless charging, which is a little disappointing at this price. You do, however, get reverse wired charging through USB-C, allowing the phone to act as a power source for accessories or another device when needed.

Vivo V80 Verdict: Should you buy it?

After spending time with the Vivo V80, its priorities become quite clear. This is a phone designed around the things many users interact with most every day: taking photos, watching content, scrolling through apps, and getting through the day without reaching for a charger. It does those things well, but the higher price also makes some of its compromises harder to ignore.

The cameras are the strongest part of the experience. The main sensor delivers punchy colours and good dynamic range, while the telephoto adds useful flexibility for portraits and zoom shots. Low-light performance is another highlight, and Vivo's ZEISS modes and AI tools give you plenty of ways to change the look of your photos without relying on third-party editing apps.

The 6.59-inch 1.5K OLED display is another reason to like the V80. It is bright, smooth, and sharp, while the slim design and relatively low weight make the phone comfortable to use. The 7,200mAh battery is arguably just as important, with our testing showing excellent endurance.

The compromises become more noticeable when you look at where the V80 now sits in the market. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 keeps everyday usage smooth, but it does not feel particularly ambitious at this price, especially for demanding games. The ultrawide camera also trails the main and telephoto cameras, while the absence of wireless charging is another compromise.

But like I mentioned earlier, Vivo’s V-series has traditionally been an upper mid-range option, and the V80's move to Rs 62,999, with the top-end variant reaching Rs 79,999, shows just how quickly smartphone pricing is changing. Once again, this is not something that can be pinned on Vivo alone. Rising component costs are putting pressure on smartphone makers across the industry, and if those pressures continue, higher prices could become a reality for many more phones through 2027.

So, the Vivo V80 is undoubtedly a good phone. It has great cameras, a gorgeous display, an attractive design and excellent battery life. The question, however, is whether buyers are ready for the new prices that phones in this category are now beginning to command. For the V80, it still has plenty going for it. Just that, you cannot really talk about this phone without talking about the price.

After smartwatches and smart rings, I think screenless fitness bands could be the next wearable category to get serious attention in India. A lot of that interest started with people discovering Whoop and its approach to tracking health and recovery without putting another screen on your wrist. Now, several India-based brands are trying to bring a similar idea to a much wider audience. One of them is Ubon with the SW-211 Maxfit.

Maxfit takes the screenless approach quite literally. There is no AMOLED panel, no touchscreen and no temptation to constantly check another notification on your wrist. Instead, it focuses on collecting health and fitness data in the background and pushing it to the companion app. Ubon is also pitching features such as HRV, stress and recovery tracking, more than 100 sports modes, long battery life and, importantly, a zero-subscription approach.

On paper, this sounds like exactly the kind of wearable I would want after spending years surrounded by screens. But I also wanted to see how much I can actually trust the numbers. So, during my time with the Maxfit, I compared several of its readings with those from my Apple Watch Series 12.

The screenless life is surprisingly peaceful

As a technology journalist, I am so used to having a screen on my wrist that wearing the Maxfit felt strange initially. There is no display to glance at, no touchscreen to swipe through and no notification panel demanding attention. At first, I missed having all of that. After a few days, however, the absence of a screen started to feel rather soothing.

The Maxfit itself looks fairly premium at first glance. My review unit had a black band paired with a metallic bronze-coloured panel, which gives it a more expensive appearance than I expected. The overall grip is good, and I never felt that the band was going to slip off during normal use.

The strap quality is decent, although I did run into one annoying problem. After taking a bath, the material tends to remain wet for quite some time. Wearing it immediately afterwards can make the band feel itchy against the skin, which isn't something I particularly enjoyed.

The other issue is the size of the sensor assembly. The Maxfit isn't particularly cumbersome during the day, but the sensors make the underside feel slightly bulky. I didn't have much trouble wearing it while working or going about my day, but sleeping with it was less comfortable.

That is worth mentioning because sleep and recovery are supposed to be among the biggest reasons to buy a wearable like this. If a band becomes uncomfortable at night, it can defeat part of the purpose.

There is also a physical button. A single press lets you check the connection status and battery level through the LED indicator, while a long press can initiate Bluetooth pairing or manually start and stop workout tracking. You can also hold it down for a few seconds to power the device on or off. It is a simple system, and I didn't really miss having a touchscreen once I got used to it.

In fact, the screenless approach ended up being one of my favourite things about Maxfit. Whenever I wanted to check my metrics, I simply opened the Da Halo app instead of looking at my wrist. It removed one more source of distraction from my day.

Sleep tracking is useful, but the numbers need context

Sleep is one of the areas where the Maxfit feels more useful than its relatively simple hardware might suggest. The Da Halo app gives you information such as awake time, sleep latency, sleep efficiency and the timing of your sleep. It then uses these metrics to provide an overall sleep score, which generally sat between 65 and 80 during my testing.

The presentation is easy enough to understand, but there is a limitation: the app mostly tells you what happened rather than why it happened. You get the statistics, but there isn't much explanation about what caused the score or what you should change to improve it.

I also compared the sleep data with my Apple Watch Series 12. The broad picture was often similar, but Apple's tracking felt more precise and detailed. The Apple Watch gave me more context around my sleep, and when the two differed, I found myself trusting the Apple Watch more.

For someone who simply wants a broad picture of their sleep without paying for a subscription, the information is useful. But if you are expecting a detailed recovery platform that can tell you exactly what is affecting your sleep, this isn't quite there yet.

HRV numbers made me pause

HRV is probably the feature that made me think the most about how health data should actually be presented to consumers. During my testing, the Maxfit reported HRV values in the low 20s, ranging from around 21ms to 25ms. When I compared that with my Apple Watch Series 12, the Apple Watch was showing readings around 50ms.

The important thing here is that HRV isn't a universal number that should be compared blindly across different devices. Measurement methods, timing and algorithms can all affect the result. So I wouldn't call the Maxfit's reading inaccurate simply because it was lower.

But there is another problem: context. If I had been wearing only the Maxfit, seeing an HRV value in the low 20s could have been quite concerning. The app does show the HRV pattern, but my readings remained around the 20ms range and there wasn't enough explanation to tell me what that number actually meant for my recovery.

This is where I think Ubon needs to do more. Health wearables are increasingly becoming devices that influence how people think about their bodies. If a device is going to tell me that my recovery is poor or my stress is high, it needs to explain the data rather than simply displaying a number.

Maxfit's HRV tracking is an interesting addition, but I wouldn't use it as the sole basis for making decisions about my health. For a health-focused wearable, the interpretation layer is just as important as the sensor itself.

Heart rate tracking is reassuring, but workouts are less convincing

Heart rate was a different story. For normal day-to-day activity and resting heart rate, the Maxfit was surprisingly close to my Apple Watch Series 12. The two generally went hand in hand, which was reassuring. I did notice more differences during exercise, however. The Maxfit's heart-rate readings weren't always as close to the Apple Watch when I was actively working out.

The same mixed experience extended to the other basic metrics. Blood oxygen readings were broadly similar between the two devices, while step counts and calories were reasonably close but not perfect.

During a roughly 2,000-step walk, the difference between the Maxfit and Apple Watch was around 200 steps. That's not disastrous for a casual fitness tracker, but I expected better considering the Maxfit's entire proposition revolves around collecting fitness data in the background.

Calorie tracking was closer, and I didn't notice a particularly large difference between the two devices there. The Maxfit supports more than 100 sports modes, which sounds impressive on a product page. In practice, however, the workout information I got was fairly basic. The feature is useful if your primary goal is simply to log that you exercised, but serious fitness enthusiasts will probably want more detailed information and better analysis.

The number of sports modes is therefore less important to me than what the band actually tells you after a workout. Having 100-plus modes is useful for categorisation, but it doesn't automatically make the underlying fitness tracking more useful.

The app is the real Maxfit experience

Because there is no screen on the band, almost everything important happens inside the Da Halo app. Thankfully, this is one area where I came away fairly positive. The app is clean and easy to navigate. The first page gives you the activity tracker, and scrolling down takes you through Daily Tag, Sleep, Workout, Heart Rate, Blood Oxygen, HRV and Stress.

There are also dedicated sections for Activity, Sleep, Sensors and Account Details, so you can dig deeper into individual metrics.

I particularly liked the overall Daily Recovery score. Unlike some of the individual metrics, it actually felt useful because it gave me a simple way of understanding the data collected by the band. It doesn't overwhelm you with information and gives you a quick snapshot of how the day is looking.

However, some of the underlying measurements didn't inspire the same confidence. The stress tracking, for example, consistently stayed in the 20s during my testing. I didn't find that particularly believable, especially because the number seemed to remain in roughly the same range regardless of how my day was going. Again, this isn't necessarily proof that the sensor is inaccurate, but it does make the metric less useful to me.

Workout records were fairly basic, and syncing wasn't always instantaneous. There were times when I had to wait for the data to appear in the app, and sometimes it did not appear.

Battery

Ubon claims up to 30 days of active battery life and up to 60 days of standby time. I obviously couldn't validate the full 30-day claim within a review period, but my real-world results were good. I started my testing at 100 per cent, and after roughly a week of use, the battery was down to 48 per cent. I also found charging to be reasonably quick. After plugging the Maxfit into my laptop for around 20 to 25 minutes, the battery increased to 68 per cent.

This is exactly where removing the screen makes sense. You don't have an AMOLED panel constantly consuming power, so the Maxfit can concentrate on collecting data rather than powering a display.

For someone who hates charging their smartwatch every day or two, the difference is good. You could realistically put this band on your wrist and not think about charging for days at a time.

Verdict

At around Rs 6,000, the Ubon SW-211 Maxfit finds itself in an interesting spot. It is not trying to be another budget smartwatch, and that is actually its biggest strength. The screenless design is refreshing, the battery life is genuinely impressive, and the Da Halo app gives you a decent overview of sleep, activity, heart rate, HRV and recovery without forcing you into a subscription. For someone who wants a wearable that quietly tracks their day without becoming another source of notifications, there is something appealing here.

But at this price, I expected the tracking to be more convincing. The HRV readings were consistently much lower than what I saw on my Apple Watch Series 12, the stress score rarely felt believable, sleep tracking lacked useful context and workout data was fairly basic. Even step tracking wasn't as consistent as I would have liked.

The bigger problem is that Maxfit's screenless approach only works when the data underneath is trustworthy and useful enough to make you want to open the app. In my case, it wasn't always.

The Maxfit is a good first step towards making screenless fitness trackers more accessible in India, but at Rs 6,000, it still feels like a product with a great idea that needs another round of refinement. I would wait for a price drop before recommending it.

The mid-range smartphone segment has become quite competitive in 2026. With rising component prices amid the AI push, phone brands are trying to offer a better mix of design, display, performance, cameras, and battery life without moving too far up the price ladder. Redmi has also been a familiar name in this segment with its Note series, and the new Redmi Note 17 Pro tries to continue that approach. Priced at Rs 36,999, the phone comes with a large AMOLED display, a big battery, and a dual-camera setup.

I have been using the Redmi Note 17 Pro as my daily driver for a few weeks now to see how well it handles everyday tasks. From the design and display to the camera and battery life, here is my take on the phone.

Redmi Note 17 Pro: Design

The Redmi Note 17 Pro features a simple design, but it does look different from what we have seen on some of the previous Redmi Note phones. The brand has gone with a square-ish camera island placed towards the top-left corner of the back panel. Inside, a raised pill-shaped section houses the two cameras, while the flash sits separately. The camera design is clean and doesn't make the back panel look too busy.

I have been using the Purple colour variant. It has a matte finish on the back, which gives it a subtle look. It does not attract fingerprints, which is something I personally appreciate on a phone.

When it comes to durability, the Redmi Note 17 Pro comes with IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings for dust and water resistance. It also comes with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection on the front.

There are some trade-offs. At 8.6mm, the Redmi Note 17 Pro is not exactly slim. The phone is also quite large, which makes it feel a little bulky in the hand. This is understandable considering the large battery inside, but it does make one-handed use slightly difficult.

Redmi Note 17 Pro: Display

The Redmi Note 17 Pro comes with a large 6.83-inch AMOLED display with a 1.5K resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The colours on the display are vibrant without looking too saturated, while the deep blacks add good contrast. The 120Hz refresh rate also makes scrolling through apps and webpages feel smooth. I spent quite some time watching videos on the phone, and the large display makes the overall viewing experience enjoyable.

Redmi claims that the display can reach a peak brightness of 3,500 nits. On our Lux meter at Digit Test Labs, the display measured 2,700 nits, which is an excellent result to boast about. And, what this means in short is that the Redmi Note 17 Pro has a display that is easy to like. It is sharp, bright, and smooth, while the AMOLED panel makes videos and other content look vibrant.

Redmi Note 17 Pro: Performance

The Redmi Note 17 Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 chipset, paired with 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage. The chipset is built on a 4nm process. To test the phone’s performance, I ran a few benchmark tests. The Redmi Note 17 Pro scored 8,79,583 on AnTuTu. In Geekbench 7, it scored 868 points in the single-core test and 2,581 points in the multi-core test.

For comparison, the iQOO Z11, which was launched a few months ago at a similar price, uses the MediaTek Dimensity 7500 Turbo chip. In our testing, the iQOO Z11 scored 11,07,516 on AnTuTu, while its Geekbench single-core and multi-core scores stood at 1,194 and 3,271, respectively. This means the iQOO Z11 has a clear advantage in benchmark performance over the Redmi Note 17 Pro.

But as always, benchmarks are synthetic tests. In everyday use, the Redmi Note 17 Pro feels smooth and responsive. Apps open quickly, scrolling through social media is fluid, and switching between multiple apps does not cause any issues. I did not notice any major lag during regular use. For gaming, the phone can handle casual gaming without any major problems. However, during longer gaming sessions, the phone can start to show its limits.

So, the Redmi Note 17 Pro offers reliable performance for everyday tasks such as browsing, social media, streaming, and multitasking. However, if raw performance is your priority, the benchmark results show that there are phones in a similar price range that offer more power.

Redmi Note 17 Pro: Camera

The Redmi Note 17 Pro comes with a dual-camera setup at the back, which includes a 50-megapixel primary camera with OIS and an 8-megapixel ultrawide lens. For selfies and video calls, there is a 16-megapixel front-facing camera. Notably, there is no dedicated telephoto lens for closer shots.

In daylight, the primary camera can capture good-looking photos. There is a good amount of detail, and colours look vibrant. The camera can sometimes boost colours a little, but in a good way. This makes the photos look more lively and social media-ready.

Portrait shots are decent, with good subject separation in most cases. However, the edge detection is not always accurate, especially around fine details such as hair. At times, the camera can slightly blur or cut into the edges of the subject.

The 8-megapixel ultrawide camera is useful when you want to capture more of the scene. However, there is a noticeable drop in detail compared to the primary camera.

Interestingly, in low light, the primary camera takes good photos when there is enough light around. However, in darker scenes, some details are lost, and noise becomes more visible.

Finally, the 16-megapixel selfie camera takes satisfactory photos in good lighting with enough detail. Skin tones look natural, and the images are good enough for social media and video calls.

Redmi Note 17 Pro: Battery

The Redmi Note 17 Pro packs a large 9,000 battery with 67W fast wired charging support, which is one of the phone's key highlights. During my testing, the phone managed to deliver good battery life for everyday use.

In our PCMark battery test, the Redmi Note 17 Pro lasted 20 hours and 18 minutes. This is a strong result and shows that the phone can comfortably handle a full day of regular usage. During my testing, I could use the phone for browsing, social media, watching videos, and other everyday tasks without constantly worrying about the battery.

Using the bundled 67W charger, it took around 1 hour and 35 minutes to go from 0 to 100 per cent. The charging time is reasonable considering the large battery.

Redmi Note 17 Pro: Verdict

The Redmi Note 17 Pro is a well-rounded smartphone that gets most of the basics right. It has a clean design, a bright AMOLED display, reliable everyday performance, capable cameras, and excellent battery life. The 9,000mAh battery is one of its biggest strengths.

However, there are a few compromises. The phone feels a little bulky in the hand and lacks a telephoto lens. Also, while the battery is humongous, the 67W charging takes around 1 hour and 35 minutes to fully charge it.

In a nutshell, the Redmi Note 17 Pro is aimed at users who want a phone with long battery life, reliable everyday performance, and a good display. It may not be the most powerful option in the segment, but it offers a balanced experience for regular users.

Redmi’s number series has always offered a mix of useful features, good battery life, and reliable everyday performance without pushing the price too high. The Redmi 17 5G follows that same approach, with a massive 7,900mAh battery, a large 6.9-inch display and the Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 chipset. However, after using the phone for a while, I realised there’s more to it than what you see on the spec sheet. During my testing, I wasn’t just looking at whether the phone had a big battery, a smooth display, or a capable camera. I wanted to see how it would fit into my everyday routine and whether all these features actually made a difference when using the phone day after day.

I have used plenty of smartphones across different price segments, so I went into the Redmi 17 with fairly straightforward expectations. I never expected it to go head-to-head with premium flagship or gaming smartphones. And after using the Redmi 17 for about two weeks now, here’s what I think of it.

Redmi 17 5G design: Heavy on paper, comfortable in real life

The Redmi 17 5G is 8.8mm thick and weighs 232 grams. The smartphone has a simple design. However, the weight and thickness did not bother me much during regular use. The handset also features a vegan leather finish on the back, giving it a more premium feel. However, the choice of material ultimately comes down to personal preference, as some users may prefer a smoother, glass-like finish, while others may value the added grip.

The large size also makes sense when you look at what Redmi has packed inside. You get a 6.9-inch display on the front and a massive 7,900mAh battery under the hood. Redmi has also added IP64 dust and water resistance, which gives the phone some protection against everyday exposure to dust and water.

One thing that I really liked is that the Redmi 17 comes with a 3.5 mm headphone jack, which is rare, as wired headphones are becoming less common on smartphones. Other than that, the device also comes with stereo speakers, which sound good when watching videos or listening to music without headphones.

Redmi 17 5G display: Smooth but basic

The Redmi 17 gets a large 6.9-inch LCD display with a 1600 x 720 pixel HD+ resolution and a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The 720p resolution means the screen is not as sharp as some higher-resolution panels, but I found it comfortable to use for everyday tasks.

Redmi claims a peak brightness of 675 nits, which goes up to 825 nits with High Brightness Mode. In my usage, the display performed well outdoors. Even in direct sunlight, I had no trouble seeing the content on the screen.

As the device comes with an LCD panel, naturally the viewing experience differs from that of an AMOLED display. However, I spent a lot of time using social media and watching videos, especially when I was outdoors. The wide screen made watching content more enjoyable. The handset supports a 120Hz refresh rate that makes the scrolling smooth.

The Redmi 17’s display also performed reasonably well in our colour accuracy tests. It covered 99.72% of the sRGB colour gamut, which means most everyday content should look close to how it is intended. The ColorChecker test recorded an average DeltaE 2000 of 3.27, with a maximum of 8.54, showing some visible colour differences in certain shades.

The grayscale test showed an average DeltaE 2000 of 5.22, while the RGB balance had a slight blue bias at higher brightness levels. The EOTF curve also stayed fairly close to the target, so brightness transitions looked consistent across most of the range.

Redmi 17 5G performance: Handles the basics well

The Redmi 17 draws its power from Qualcomm's Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 chipset under the hood. The SoC is built on a 4 nm process and is accompanied by up to 8 GB of RAM and up to 128 GB of internal storage options. The makers also ship the device with Xiaomi HyperOS 3, which is an Android 16-based skin.

When talking about everyday tasks like browsing the internet, watching videos, and scrolling through social media, the Snapdragon chipset holds up well. However, one thing I noticed is that there were a few small slowdowns when switching between apps, but they were not frequent or serious. Furthermore, I also did not experience any app crashes during my testing.

To get an idea of the smartphone's raw performance, I also ran several benchmarks. The Redmi 17 5G scored 7,33,057 on Antutu. In Geekbench 7, it scored 835 points in the single-core test and 1,491 points in the multi-core test. For graphics performance, the phone scored 1,544 in 3DMark Wild Life, with an average of 9.25 FPS. In 3DMark Wild Life Extreme, it scored 403, with an average of 2.42 FPS.

The stress tests also showed that the phone was able to maintain fairly consistent performance. It recorded 99.5 per cent stability in Wild Life Extreme and 99.3 per cent in the regular Wild Life test.

Having said that, in real-world use, I found the Redmi 17 5G good enough for the kind of tasks most users will perform every day. HyperOS 3 also feels smooth on the device, although there are occasional minor slowdowns when switching between apps.

If you’re a gaming enthusiast, I’d say the Redmi 17 is better suited for casual gaming rather than heavy games. The Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 can handle regular gaming, but I wouldn’t pick this phone if gaming is your main priority.

I tested BGMI on this phone for a good while, with graphics set to HD and frame rate set to High. I got around 30-40 FPS, which is not as steady as I would like. The game was playable most of the time, but the frame rate dropped during intense team fights, and the lag was easy to notice there. The smartphone was also a bit warm after I played the game for about 45 minutes.

I also tested Subway Surfers, and the experience was smooth with no noticeable lag or slowdown. Hence, I believe that for casual games, the Redmi 17 should be fine, but for demanding and competitive gaming, you may want to look for a more powerful phone.

Redmi 17 5G camera: Captures everyday moments well

The Redmi 17 comes with a dual camera setup at the rear end. It includes a 50MP main sensor accompanied by a secondary lens. It also sports an 8MP camera at the front for selfies and video calls. On paper, this is a fairly straightforward camera setup, but after using it for a good amount of time, I found the camera to be one of the more pleasant surprises of the phone.

In daylight, the main camera takes photos with good colours and decent accuracy. The colours can sometimes look a little warm, but overall, I liked the way the photos turned out. The images have good detail, sharp edges, and good overall clarity.

Portrait mode also works well, with decent separation between the subject and the background, especially in good lighting.

However, when you zoom in on the photos, you can notice some grain and a loss of fine details. This becomes even more noticeable in low-light and night shots, where the images can look softer and less detailed.

Redmi 17 5G battery: Massive battery that easily lasts

The Redmi 17 packs a massive 7,900mAh battery, which is easily one of its biggest strengths. In our PCMark battery test, the Redmi 17 lasted 27 hours and 18 minutes, which is an excellent result. More importantly, this also translated well to my everyday use.

The phone took around 70 minutes to go from 0 to 100 per cent, which I think is a reasonable charging time considering the size of the battery. The combination of a large battery and reasonably fast charging means you do not have to worry about charging the phone too frequently.

The 7,900mAh battery is clearly one of the biggest reasons to consider the Redmi 17. Even with regular daily use, I did not find myself constantly looking for a charger, which is exactly what I would expect from a phone with a battery this large.

Redmi 17 5G: Verdict

After spending about two weeks with the Redmi 17, running it through benchmarks and using it as my daily driver, I feel that Redmi has focused on the things that matter most in this segment. The phone is big and heavy, but I found it comfortable enough to use. The 6.9-inch display is large and smooth. While the HD+ LCD panel isn’t as good as an AMOLED display, it works well for everyday general stuff and is bright enough to remain visible outdoors.

One of the strongest points of the Redmi 17 is its massive 7,900mAh battery, which lasted around 27 hours and 18 minutes in our PCMark battery test. Paired with the LCD display, this makes the Redmi 17 a capable device for entertainment, especially for users who prioritise long battery life.

When it comes to performance, the Redmi 17 does a good job with everyday tasks. Browsing, social media, video streaming, and other regular tasks were handled without any problems. You can also play some light games on it when you want a break.

The camera was also a pleasant surprise. The 50MP main camera takes good photos in daylight, with decent detail and colours. Portrait shots also have good edge detection, especially in good lighting.

So, is the Redmi 17 5G a good choice? The smartphone landed in the Indian market with a starting price of just Rs 23,999, and whether it's a good choice for you or not largely depends on what you expect from your phone. If your priorities are excellent battery life, a large and smooth display, reliable everyday performance, and a decent camera, the Redmi 17 is a solid pick. It also gets useful features such as stereo speakers, IP64 protection, and a 3.5mm headphone jack, which are becoming harder to find on modern smartphones.

Buying a 65-inch TV used to mean spending well into the premium segment, but the category has changed quite a bit. You can now get a large screen with Mini LED backlighting, high refresh rates and gaming-focused features without going too far beyond the Rs 80,000 mark. The Toshiba Z670SP is built around exactly that proposition.

The 65-inch model comes with a 4K Mini LED panel and a native 144Hz refresh rate, along with Dolby Vision, Filmmaker Mode, HDMI 2.1, VRR and ALLM. Toshiba has also equipped it with a 54W four-speaker system, while Vidaa brings features such as Apple AirPlay and hands-free voice controls.

We spent time with the 65-inch Z670SP across movies, sports, streaming content and gaming to see where it stands against what you can expect from TVs around this price. At Rs 79,990, does Toshiba’s Mini LED approach offer enough to make the Z670SP worth considering?

Toshiba Z670SP: Design and build

The Z670SP has a fairly understated design. The bezels are slim enough that most of your attention stays on the picture. The lower section is slightly thicker and houses the Toshiba and Regza branding along with the standby indicator.

Also read: Intex GQ5531 55-inch QLED TV review: Plenty to like, a few things to fix

Build quality is one area where Toshiba has done a good job. The rear uses a metal construction and the supplied table stands are also metal rather than lightweight plastic. They feel sturdy once attached and have rubber sections underneath to prevent the TV from sliding around easily. Toshiba has also integrated a small cable-management section into the stand, which is a useful touch when the TV is placed on a table.

One thing worth keeping in mind is that while the table-top stands themselves feel sturdy and provide a good grip, the TV can still feel a little shaky once mounted on them. Even a light touch can make the screen wobble slightly, so you’ll need to be a bit careful while dusting or adjusting the TV. The stands are also positioned quite far apart, so if you’re planning to table-mount the 65-inch model, make sure your TV unit is wide enough to accommodate them properly. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it is something to consider if you don’t plan to wall-mount the TV.

Toshiba Z670SP: Ports and connectivity

The Z670SP is well equipped for a modern home entertainment setup. There are four HDMI 2.1 ports, USB, Ethernet, optical audio and an antenna connection. The power input is positioned separately on the opposite side, while the main connectivity ports are grouped together.

HDMI 1 and 2 support 4K at 60Hz, while HDMI 3 and 4 are the high-bandwidth ports capable of handling 4K at 144Hz. These are the ones you will want to use for high-refresh-rate gaming. The TV also supports eARC, so a compatible soundbar can be connected without giving up the higher-quality audio formats supported by the TV.

The arrangement is particularly useful if the TV is wall-mounted because the main ports remain accessible from the side.

Toshiba Z670SP: Display performance and picture quality

The 4K Mini LED panel is one of the biggest strengths of the Toshiba Z670SP. Mini LED performance depends heavily on how well the backlight and local dimming are implemented, and in our testing, the TV delivered strong contrast, particularly with HDR content.

Our Calman testing measured 617.1 nits of brightness. The panel gets bright enough to make HDR highlights stand out against darker portions of the frame. A 0.1-nit black level also helps the TV produce deep blacks, which was particularly noticeable during the submarine sequence in Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning. Dark portions of the frame retained good detail without looking washed out, although some limitations of an LCD panel were still visible in particularly challenging scenes.

In our testing, colour coverage reached 71.09% of BT.2020 and 95.08% in DCI-P3, which means colour accuracy isn’t particularly strong. However, I wouldn’t consider that a major surprise at this price point. In actual viewing, colours look punchy without making regular TV content excessively saturated. We did also notice some visible bending in dark-to-light colour gradients in parts of the image, particularly in the background. It isn’t something you’ll notice in every scene, but it can show up in certain content with smooth colour transitions.

For lower-resolution content, the Z670SP performs reasonably well. We tested it with a set-top box, and the upscaling keeps the picture clean and detailed enough from a normal viewing distance. MEMC helps with motion as well, particularly when watching sports. Football and cricket benefited from smoother camera movement and better clarity during fast-moving sequences, making the ball easier to follow.

The Z670SP also delivered better-than-expected viewing angles during our testing, with colours and overall clarity holding up reasonably well from moderate angles. Dolby Vision content on Netflix also looked impressive, with the combination of brightness and local dimming helping highlights stand out while retaining detail in darker areas.

For movies, Filmmaker Mode takes a more restrained approach by reducing some of the punchier processing and offering a more natural presentation.

Toshiba Z670SP: Gaming

Gaming is arguably one of the strongest reasons to consider this TV. The panel has a native 144Hz refresh rate and supports VRR and ALLM, while the higher-bandwidth HDMI ports can handle 4K at up to 144Hz.

I connected my PS5 and spent time playing Spiderman 2, Hogwarts Legacy, and Apex Legends. Since the PS5 tops out at 120Hz, you won’t actually be using the full 144Hz capability of the panel with Sony’s console. Even so, gameplay felt smooth and responsive during testing, with no obvious stuttering or distracting frame drops.

Also read: Acerpure Nitro 55-inch QLED TV review: Feature-rich, but picture quality needs some tuning

Toshiba also provides a dedicated gaming interface with additional gaming controls and information such as the current frame rate. It is a small addition, but one that makes the TV feel more purpose-built for gaming rather than simply having a high-refresh-rate panel on the specification sheet.

For PC gamers, the 144Hz capability is potentially more useful, provided the connected hardware can actually deliver the required frame rates.

Toshiba Z670SP: Audio performance

The Toshiba Z670SP comes with a 54W four-speaker setup, including front-firing speakers that direct sound towards the viewer rather than downwards. This makes the audio feel more direct, with dialogue coming through clearly and the overall output getting loud enough for a reasonably sized room. The front-firing setup also adds to the viewing experience, especially while watching movies, as the sound feels more closely tied to what’s happening on screen.

There is a decent amount of bass as well, giving music, movies and action sequences some weight, although it doesn’t have the depth you would get from a dedicated subwoofer. Still, for regular TV shows, sports and movies, the built-in speakers are capable enough and don’t immediately make you feel the need for a soundbar.

Toshiba Z670SP: Software experience

The Z670SP runs on Vidaa TV OS, and the overall interface is clean, responsive and easy to navigate. The home screen brings recommended content, recently used apps, inputs and installed applications together, while popular streaming platforms such as Netflix, Prime Video, JioHotstar, Apple TV and YouTube are readily available. There is also an app store for additional apps, along with dedicated sections for movies, kids’ content, games and other categories. During my testing, the TV also received a software update, which is a good sign that Toshiba is continuing to keep the software experience updated rather than leaving the TV on its launch firmware.

Apple users get native AirPlay support, allowing content from an iPhone, iPad or Mac to be mirrored on the TV. I found screen mirroring and video playback to be smooth, with no noticeable lag during our usage. The TV also supports hands-free voice controls through the Vidaa assistant, letting you perform tasks such as adjusting the volume, muting the TV, opening apps, toggling Bluetooth and even switching the TV off using voice commands.

Overall, Vidaa may feel different if you’re coming from Google TV, but the interface is straightforward enough to get familiar with quickly, and the combination of app support, AirPlay and voice controls covers most of what you’d expect from a modern smart TV.

Toshiba Z670SP: Remote

The bundled Bluetooth remote takes a more traditional full-size approach, with a large number of keys covering navigation, volume and channel controls, inputs, subtitles and shortcuts for streaming services and other content. Personally, I prefer more compact remotes, so this layout feels a little too busy for my liking. The keys are packed quite closely together, with very little space between them, which makes the remote feel even more cluttered.

With so many buttons packed together, the key markings could also have been simpler. For example, the Settings button is represented by three vertical lines instead of the more familiar gear icon. Using more conventional and easily recognisable markings would have made the remote easier to navigate.

The remote also doesn’t quite live up to the otherwise premium build quality of the TV and its metal stands. It feels relatively flimsy in hand, and a more refined, sturdier design would have complemented the TV better. However, given the price constraints, this is understandable, and it’s not a compromise unique to Toshiba, as most TVs in this segment tend to offer fairly basic remotes.

Should you buy the Toshiba Z670SP?

The Toshiba Z670SP is a strong showcase of what a Mini LED TV can offer in this price segment. Its display delivers the kind of contrast and HDR performance that makes movies more engaging, while the 144Hz refresh rate adds another dimension to sports and gaming. The 54W audio system also complements the large screen well, with the front-firing speakers making the sound feel more direct.

What I liked about the Z670SP is that the experience doesn’t stop at the display. Vidaa keeps things simple, AirPlay works smoothly, and the hands-free voice controls are useful additions for everyday use. With HDMI 2.1, VRR, ALLM, Dolby Vision and Filmmaker Mode, the TV is equally comfortable handling movies, sports and gaming.

At Rs 79,990 for the 65-inch model, the Z670SP brings together a large Mini LED display, high refresh rate, capable audio and a good set of smart features in one package. It feels like a TV designed to be used for a bit of everything, rather than one that asks you to compromise on what you want to watch.

Also read: Haier P7 Pro 75-inch TV review: Big screen, big sound, but is it right for Rs 90900?

Sony released The Collexion headphones to mark the 10th anniversary of its flagship 1000X headphones series. While the 1000X series is known for top-notch noise cancellation and sound quality, this milestone edition brings a more luxurious design. The first thing I noticed about the 1000X The Collexion is that it has a more premium finish than the Sony WH-1000XM6, along with a premium price of Rs 59,990. To put this into perspective, the 1000XM6 is priced at Rs 39,990. So, the obvious question is how good a product the newcomer is and whether the quality upgrade warrants the higher rupee tag. 

Premium and comfortable design

As I said, the headphones' colour, material, and finish were what I first noticed. The Sony 1000X Collexion features metal hinges, and the rest of the body is mostly made of recycled plastic and faux leather. It looks rich and sophisticated. Because of the inclusion of more metal in the build, The Collexion weighs 320g and is considerably heavier than the 254g WH-1000XM6. But the weight isn't something that would bother you while wearing or carrying it around. For context, it is still lighter and more comfortable than the Apple AirPods Max 2.

The headphone's plush and fairly flexible headband and earcups not just add to comfort but also offer solid passive isolation. That said, the leather cushions could get warm with longer use in a non-air-conditioned room or outdoors. This isn’t a build problem, but rather something to know in Indian conditions. 

Speaking of conditions, the Collexion lacks an IP rating. So no dust or water resistance. But the case covers the entire device and offers some protection. It also has a handle to carry around. The overall footprint of the case is larger than the WH-1000XM4 I have. This is because the new headphones’ hinge is not foldable like an XM4 or XM6.

In everyday use, whether you are indoors or out, you would appreciate the simplicity, accessibility, and tactility of the physical buttons on this thing. 

Energetic and forward sound

Sony has given The Collexion a new 30mm driver with a carbon-composite construction and worked with mastering engineers as part of its tuning process.

In our testing, the frequency response curve shows a weighty low end with a strong sense of sub-bass depth. Kick drums have plenty of body, and the drum beats at the beginning of 'Hold On' by Alabama Shakes sound more pronounced than on the AirPods Max 2.

In 'Slow Sipper' by The Dips, the positioning of the instruments and vocals is clear. Similarly, while listening to 'Laiyaan', the texture of Arijit Singh's voice was easier to pick out, with a smoother presentation on the Sony headphones.

'Long Road' by Eddie Vedder was another interesting listen. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's vocals sounded stronger and clearer, with more presence than on the other headphones I compared them with. More importantly, the bass does not overpower vocals or instruments. Vocals sound natural and relaxed, while instruments have enough space around them.

Highs are also well controlled. Cymbals, strings, and other finer details have enough energy to remain audible, but they do not sound sharp or piercing. This gives the Collexion a slightly relaxed treble character that is suited for long listening sessions.

The Sony headphones also present a wider soundstage, and the overall presentation is energetic and forward.

The company has also added 360 Upmix, which converts conventional stereo content into a spatial presentation. There are separate Music, Cinema and Game modes to experiment with. I found the feature more useful for certain types of content than others, and it is worth remembering that more processing does not necessarily mean better sound.

There is also wired audio support through the bundled 3.5mm cable. However, the headphones must be switched on for wired playback to work. I miss the genuine passive mode available on my XM4, which means I can continue listening through the cable even when the headphones are switched off.

The USB-C port is limited to charging and does not support USB-C audio. So, you cannot connect The Collexion to a laptop or phone over USB-C for digital wired playback. For a Rs 59,990 headphone, I find both omissions disappointing, particularly when the headphones are otherwise positioned as a premium listening product.

Excellent ANC and pretty usable Ambient mode

The Sony 1000X series is one of the leading players in noise-cancellation headphones, and The Collexion continues that legacy. It uses a 12-microphone system, the QN3 noise-cancelling processor, and its newer Integrated Processor V3. There is also an Adaptive NC Optimiser that adjusts cancellation based on factors such as fit and atmospheric pressure.                                     

I have used it primarily indoors, on the office floor, in my room, and while travelling in cars. These Sony headphones are very good at reducing the constant hum of air conditioning, office chatter, and road noise. You can still hear some chatter if you don’t play any music. Sometimes I like putting them on without any music to focus on my work. And since there is no pressure feeling, you can wear them for a long time like this. 

When it comes to the ambient sound mode, it is natural enough for conversations and walking around. Voices and nearby sounds come through clearly without making the effect feel excessively processed. The AirPods Max 2 can enhance some ambient noises. This doesn’t do that. 

But it doesn’t completely disappear in the way the AirPods Max 2’s transparency feels. It is good enough that you do not need to remove the headphones every time someone speaks to you.

Clear calls with reduced background noise

Sony uses AI beamforming and its Integrated Processor V3 to isolate the speaker’s voice from background noise. The headphones also have a hardware mute function, which is useful for laptop calls and meetings. 

Call quality is generally clear, particularly in quieter surroundings. Background noise is suppressed well, and the system handles wind reasonably effectively.

Also Read: Sony LinkBuds Clip review: Premium, good-sounding open-ear earbuds

Feature-rich Sound Connect app

The Sony Sound Connect app has gotten simpler to use over time. Now, it provides the frequently used features on the home screen while other settings are tucked away. 

Within the app, you get a 10-band equaliser, custom sound profiles, adaptive sound control, wear detection, Speak-to-Chat, and control over the various listening modes. Sony also supports multipoint connection, so the headphones can stay connected to two devices at the same time.

I used it with iOS, macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android, and it worked well overall. The pairing and subsequent operation were smooth, except for one niggle. Sometimes, when you open the app on Android, it doesn’t recognise the paired headphones. You have to clear the app from the recent apps menu and open it again. 

While it is not locked into a particular ecosystem, Android users get support for advanced codecs like LDAC, while SBC, AAC and LC3 are supported more broadly. 

DSEE Ultimate is another interesting addition. Sony uses the V3 processor to process compressed audio, with the intention of restoring some of the detail lost during compression. This and spatial-audio tricks like 360 Upmix are niceties sprinkled in this feature-rich app. 

Plenty-long battery life

Sony rates The Collexion for up to 24 hours with noise cancellation enabled and up to 32 hours with ANC disabled. Surprisingly enough, in our battery test, we got 62 hours and 43 minutes of continuous playback with ANC enabled, AAC codec, and a FLAC music file playing at 80% volume. That’s significantly longer than the brand’s estimates. 

Charging it fully takes around 3.5 hours. I wish this was shorter. The Collexion offers long endurance, but topping it up can take some patience.

Should you buy the Sony 1000X The Collexion?

After spending time with The Collexion, I can see why Sony made it. The headphones sound excellent, the ANC works very well in everyday situations, they are comfortable for long periods, and the more premium construction makes them feel different from the usual 1000X headphones. The sound, in particular, is a strong reason to consider them. The combination of deep bass, clear vocals, good separation, and a spacious presentation works across the different kinds of music I listen to. 

But at Rs 59,990, The Collexion is not competing only on sound quality. The ANC is excellent for everyday use, the sound has plenty of weight without overwhelming vocals and instruments, and the app gives you enough control to tailor the experience. Even the battery life we got was significantly longer than the company’s estimates. 

The charging speed, however, takes a long time. And its USB-C port doesn't support audio. I also miss having a genuine passive mode when using the 3.5mm connection. And I wish the headphones and case combo was more compact and light. These are not major compromises, but are things I want you to know while making the buying decision.

Ultimately, The Collexion is not trying to win by offering the most features for the money. It is trying to make a familiar Sony headphone feel more luxurious, while giving it a sound that is enjoyable enough for serious listening. And if that combination works for you and you have close to Rs 60,000 to spend, you can check out The Collexion online on Sony’s website and other e-commerce platforms.

Also Read: Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless in Digit Test Labs: Familiar, yet more repairable flagship headphones

The smartphone industry has come a long way in just over a decade. Almost 12 years ago, I was using the Galaxy S4 Mini and was quite impressed by the things a phone could do back then. Fast forward to 2026, and smartphones have evolved into devices that would have seemed almost impossible at the time, specifically foldables. These devices are now commercially available, and what was once an experimental form factor has become far more refined in terms of design, optimisation, innovation, repairability and durability.

That evolution, however, has also left the foldable market with a relatively small group of players. Google, Samsung, Motorola and Vivo are among the brands that have stayed around and continued to push the category forward with regular updates. Google, in particular, is now on its fourth generation of foldable smartphones globally, and it has chosen to stick with the conventional book-style foldable design rather than jumping to the passport-style form factor adopted by some of its rivals.

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold was introduced last month and rivals Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. On paper, the device brings a lighter design, a new Tensor chip and refinements to its display and camera setup. But beyond the key specifications, the bigger question is whether these changes are enough to make Google's foldable a compelling alternative. Of course, there is also the price factor. Like several other flagship and foldable smartphones in 2026, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold comes with a price hike and now costs Rs 1,86,999.

I have been using the Pixel 11 Pro Fold for a few weeks to see how it holds up in everyday use, and whether Google's fourth-generation foldable is actually as refined as it looks on paper. Here is my take.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold design

Google hasn’t completely redesigned the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, but it has worked on the areas that mattered most. The biggest change is the weight. At 239 grams, it is nearly 10 per cent lighter than the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, which weighed 258 grams. That difference is immediately noticeable when you carry or use the phone for longer periods. Don’t get me wrong, it is still a sizable foldable, but it no longer feels quite as heavy as its predecessor.

Compared to the last-gen model, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is also slimmer, measuring 10.1mm when folded and 5mm when unfolded. However, Samsung has taken things much further with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, which measures just 8.9mm when folded and weighs only 215 grams. So, while the Pixel has become slimmer, it is still not the phone to pick if your priority is having the thinnest and lightest foldable possible.

What I like about Google's approach is the shape. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold has a wider 20:9 outer display, making it feel much closer to a regular smartphone when folded. You don't get the narrow, slightly awkward cover-screen experience associated with older foldables. The rounded corners and familiar proportions also make it comfortable to hold and use without unfolding it every time.

Google has also switched to a satin-textured glass-fibre composite rear panel, paired with an aluminium frame. It feels premium while being designed to withstand everyday knocks better than conventional glass. The camera module is smaller than before as well, which makes the rear look cleaner and reduces the amount of wobble when the phone is placed flat on a table.

The hinge has received an upgrade too. The new gearless mechanism allows the phone to close completely flat with a firm snap, while the wider bend radius helps reduce the visibility of the inner display crease. The crease is still there and becomes noticeable under direct light, but the overall hinge feels more refined than what we got on the previous generation.

Durability remains a strong point. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold gets ceramic cover glass on the outer display and retains an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. That's particularly reassuring on a foldable, where durability is arguably more important because of the moving hinge and flexible inner display.

There are also a couple of interesting additions, including built-in magnetic support for Qi2 accessories and Google's new HiLight LEDs integrated into the rear camera module. The latter can glow to indicate certain notifications or Gemini activity. It is a neat touch, although I would not mind if it was not there.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold display

Google has done a lot right with the Pixel 11 Pro Fold's displays. You get an 8-inch LTPO OLED panel on the inside and a 6.5-inch OLED cover display, with both supporting a 120Hz refresh rate.

The outer display is one of the things I particularly like about the Pixel. Its 19.5:9 aspect ratio makes it feel much closer to using a regular smartphone rather than a cramped foldable cover screen. The 6.5-inch panel is large enough for everyday tasks, while unfolding the phone gives you a much larger 8-inch canvas that works well for watching videos, browsing the web, and multitasking.

Google claims up to 3,600 nits of peak brightness on both displays, and our testing with a lux meter recorded around 3,750 nits on the outer screen and 3,220 nits on the inner display. In practical terms, both screens are easy to see outdoors, even under fairly harsh sunlight. The inner display also supports up to 2,000 nits in high-brightness mode, which makes HDR content look punchy and vibrant.

The panels are sharp, colours are generally pleasing, and the 120Hz refresh rate makes animations and scrolling feel fluid. Our Calman testing also showed strong colour accuracy. The saturation sweep recorded an average Delta E 2000 of 1.56, while the ColorChecker averaged 1.64, which is a very good result. Grayscale accuracy was also respectable with an average Delta E 2000 of 2.3.

However, there is a caveat when you move beyond standard content. The display covered 97.74 per cent of the sRGB colour space, which is excellent for everyday content, but DCI-P3 coverage stood at 72.5 per cent. That's considerably lower than what I would expect from a flagship foldable, particularly when you're watching wider-gamut HDR content. The panel can still produce a vibrant image, but it is not reproducing the full range of colours available in such content.

The bigger issue for me, however, is the crease. Google has worked on the hinge and internal display structure to reduce its depth, but the crease is still very obvious. You can clearly see it while watching videos, playing games, or simply scrolling through social media, depending on how the light hits the screen. You can also feel the indentation when running your finger across it. Well, it is not a deal-breaker; after all, this is still a foldable. But if you are paying flagship money, I would recommend the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold performance

Google has taken a rather unusual approach with the Pixel 11 Pro Fold’s performance. Instead of chasing the highest core count or benchmark scores, the company has equipped it with the seven-core Tensor G6, built on a 3nm process. The CPU features one ARM C1-Ultra core clocked at up to 4.1GHz, four C1-Pro cores at 3.4GHz, and two more C1-Pro cores at 2.65GHz. On a flagship phone, a seven-core CPU configuration certainly looks odd on paper, but it also tells you what Google is prioritising.

The Tensor G6 isn't really designed to win the raw performance race. Like previous Tensor chips, it is built around Google's focus on AI, machine learning and software optimisation. The new chip puts considerably more emphasis on its TPU, which is said to deliver a 50 per cent improvement over the previous generation. That extra processing power is intended to handle things such as on-device Gemini features, live translation, voice processing and AI-powered photo editing more efficiently.

In everyday use, the approach works well. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold feels fast and responsive while switching between apps, browsing, streaming content, and using the large inner display for multitasking. The 16GB of RAM also gives it plenty of breathing room, particularly when you're juggling multiple apps or using split-screen and floating windows. I didn't encounter the kind of frequent stutters or app reloads that have occasionally affected older Pixel devices.

But there is an important distinction between optimised performance and class-leading performance. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold falls into the former category. If you're looking purely at CPU and GPU horsepower, the Tensor G6 doesn't compete with the fastest Snapdragon-powered flagships. That difference becomes more obvious in demanding games and graphics-heavy workloads. Casual and moderately demanding games run smoothly, but push newer 3D titles to their highest settings and you can encounter occasional frame drops or thermal adjustments. It is certainly capable of gaming, but this isn't a phone built primarily for people who want the highest possible frame rates.

The same applies to benchmarks. Google clearly isn't trying to make the Pixel 11 Pro Fold a benchmark champion, and the seven-core architecture is further evidence of that strategy. Instead, the company has chosen to put more silicon towards workloads that directly feed into the Pixel experience.

This makes the Pixel 11 Pro Fold's performance story quite straightforward: it is fast, but not the fastest. For everyday use, multitasking, and Google's increasingly AI-heavy software experience, the Tensor G6 has more than enough power. But if you're buying a flagship foldable specifically for raw CPU/GPU performance or serious gaming, there are competing devices that offer considerably more headroom.

And honestly, that isn't necessarily a problem. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold rarely feels underpowered during normal use. It simply doesn't have the same obsession with brute-force performance as some of its rivals. Google's bet here is that a smoother, AI-focused experience matters more than winning the benchmark charts—and for a Pixel, that makes perfect sense.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold battery

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold packs a 4,806mAh dual-cell battery, which is by the way, smaller than the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. However, Google has managed to keep the battery life pretty impressive, and the 3nm Tensor G6 also helps keep power consumption in check.

In our PCMark Battery test, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold lasted 16 hours and 21 minutes, which is a solid result for a foldable. In real-world use, moderate usage involving browsing, social media, calls, messaging, and some streaming should comfortably get you through a full day. Heavy use of the large inner display will naturally bring that number down.

Charging is where I expected a little more. The phone supports 30W, and in our testing, it took around 101 minutes to get fully charged. That's not particularly fast by today's flagship standards, especially when the competitors are offering better packages.

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold also supports 25W magnetic wireless charging with Qi2.2, giving it faster and more convenient wireless charging than previous Pixel foldables. The magnetic alignment is particularly useful if you regularly charge your phone on a desk or bedside stand.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold camera

The Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold gets a 48MP primary camera with OIS, a 10.8MP periscope telephoto with 5x optical zoom and OIS, and a 10.5MP ultrawide camera with a 127-degree field of view and Macro Focus. There are also 10MP cameras on both the outer and inner displays. The main sensor is also claimed to have improved low-light sensitivity over the previous generation.

In daylight, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold produces the kind of images I have come to expect from Google's camera processing: natural colours, controlled highlights and plenty of contrast without making everything look artificially vivid. If you ask for some examples, I took a shot of a curved building against an overcast sky, and the camera retained detail in the pale sky while keeping the white arches and red elements properly exposed.

This is the same for close-up shots as well. A shot of a Maybach's bonnet retains the smooth metallic finish without making the highlights look harsh, while the chrome grille remains well defined. A close-up of a BMW logo also captures fine surface details such as tiny scratches and dust without any excessive sharpness. Even the brushed metal on a Ducati emblem looks natural, with the background falling away into a pleasing blur.

Even though it looks natural, the colours are another strength. Red flowers are notoriously difficult for smartphone cameras because aggressive processing can easily clip the colour, but the Pixel manages to retain individual petal details and subtle variations in the red. Similarly, bright yellow paint on an Audi remains controlled rather than turning unnaturally neon, while darker areas around the wheel and tyre still retain usable detail.

In terms of portraits, you get decent results. Google's processing does a good job separating people from busy backgrounds, even around tricky areas such as hair, glasses and ears. Skin tones remain natural, and I didn't notice the obvious artificial outlines that some phones can produce when trying to separate the subject from the background.

The low-light photography is where the Pixel’s computational photography becomes specifically useful. While driving on a random road, I took a shot of an ice cream cart with bright overhead lights and neon signage. Surprisingly, the camera kept all the highlights under control without completely crushing the darker areas of the frame. A flower stall under warm lighting also retains the individual colours of the flowers but loses detail in the process.

One interesting advantage over Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is that Pixel has a native 5x optical telephoto, while Samsung uses a 3x telephoto. That makes the Pixel more useful when shooting distant subjects without immediately relying on digital zoom. Samsung, however, has considerably more aggressive camera hardware, including a 200MP main sensor and a 50MP ultrawide, so it has an advantage when it comes to raw resolution and the amount of detail available for heavy crops.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold verdict

After using the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold for a few weeks, I think Google has finally reached a point where its foldable feels less experimental and more like a phone you can comfortably use every day. The fourth-generation model is lighter and slimmer than its predecessor, the wider outer display feels much closer to a regular smartphone, and the improved hinge, IP68 rating, and built-in magnetic support add to the overall practicality.

The display is one of the stronger parts of the phone. Both panels are bright, smooth and responsive, and our testing showed good colour accuracy for everyday content. The 8-inch inner screen is particularly useful for watching videos, browsing and multitasking. However, the crease remains a noticeable weakness. You can clearly see it while watching content or playing games, and Samsung has done a better job of making the crease less distracting on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

Performance follows Google's familiar Pixel philosophy. The Tensor G6 makes the phone feel fast and responsive during everyday use, multitasking, and AI-powered features, but it isn't chasing the same level of raw CPU and GPU performance as the latest Snapdragon-powered flagships. That isn't necessarily a problem unless gaming or benchmark numbers are high on your priority list.

The camera system is another area where Google's software does much of the heavy lifting. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold produces natural colours, controlled highlights, good portraits and capable low-light images. The 5x optical telephoto is also useful for distant subjects. Battery life is good enough to get through a day of moderate use, although 30W wired charging feels slow for a phone in this segment and takes away some of the convenience of an otherwise practical foldable smartphone.

Since we already have a microwave oven at home, my family was not sure whether we really needed an air fryer. We kept hearing from friends and seeing people online talk about air frying as a way to cook with less oil and make everyday food healthier. But there was also a simple question: what would an air fryer actually add to a kitchen, especially one that already has a microwave? Well, I can tell you my experience. I have been using the Philips 1000 series 7.1L Digital Airfryer (model NA154/00) for about a month. During that time, we used it for a variety of foods and cooking tasks, from snacks and vegetables to reheating and larger portions. It has been interesting to see where it genuinely makes cooking easier, where it falls short, and how often we actually reached for it. Here's our full review.

Design: The double drawer idea is interesting

The Philips 1000 series air fryer has a rectangular cuboid shape with a sober yet neat-looking black colour. The touch-based control panel is present on the top, with two golden-accent handles on the front. There are sufficient controls, and the touch response is fine. The separate controls for the left and right sides are also intuitive, as they let you assign each side its own temperature and cooking time rather than compromising with one setting for everything.

Now, while buying it, note that at 367 mm, the Philips Airfryer does take up a fair amount of counter space. It weighs 3.26 kg. Philips lists a 0.8-metre power cord and a 2450W power rating. So placement needs some thought in a typical kitchen. You can't just place it anywhere or plug it into an extension board.

Moving to the internals, the Philips Airfryer has a double drawer. When you hear the 'double drawer' branding, don't think it is simply two completely separate baskets sitting next to each other. Rather, Philips has used one large 7.1-litre cooking space that can be divided into two 3.55-litre sections using a removable divider. Take the divider out, and you get one large cooking area again.

On some days, we used the two sides independently. That meant putting one type of food in one section and something completely different in the other. There is no need to mix the two foods or make space for separate cooking cycles. For example, one day I air-fried papad on one side and potato fried on the other side.

On other days, having the full cooking area made more sense to make Pulao for our family of five. This implementation, I feel, is better as it gives more flexibility and choice to the user than a fixed dual-basket design.

Performance: Great for healthy cooking

Overall, the 7.1L size was enough for our family's use. As per Philips, the 1000 series air fryer can handle up to 900g of fries, 1.2kg of vegetables, or two 1kg whole chickens when used as a single larger basket. But I didn't want to eat air-fried chicken. The taste doesn't match.

You can't go about making every meal in it. But if you care about health over taste, it would make sense. You can make crispy snacks and food items that don't require large quantities of oil. I would apply a light coating to some and none to others. Philips' RapidAir technology circulates hot air around the food, which gives the surface a dry heat environment rather than submerging the food in oil. The air fryer also employs its starfish-shaped base design to circulate the hot air.

Also Read: Havells Aquas Pro 3X review: Does a water purifier really need no filter change for 3 years?

The results were also quite consistent once I understood how the air fryer behaves. With the latter, I mean you shouldn't overfill or disorderly arrange the food items. And over time, you'd also learn how to set the right temperature for different dishes. You should also shake, turn, or take out and put in the tray. You shouldn't just place the item inside and walk away expecting perfect results always.

My family and I did go through a few attempts to learn how to use it. But eventually it does become easier to use. There are six preset programmes for common food types and cooking requirements. Well, that's a good place to start; you can make a lot of things. And you can use the HomeID app to get recipes and guidance on using this device to cook different dishes.

In my experience, for food that is meant to have a crispy exterior, an air fryer came out better than the microwave. This made it particularly useful for leftover fried snacks and similar foods. The microwave, on the other hand, is better suited for soft exteriors.

You can use the Philips air fryer for frying (of course), baking, grilling, roasting, and reheating. The two sides can have different cooking times, but the timing is synchronised. So you can prepare different parts of a meal and have them finish together.

But if you cook two completely different food types, that removable divider won't just cut it. I'd suggest using it once, cleaning it, and then trying the other item. And while cleaning it is easier than a kadhai, you have to take apart different components and clean them separately. The removable parts are dishwasher-safe, and the appliance has a non-stick coating. So, don't use abrasive scrubbers. I'd suggest using air-fryer compatible trays and paper liners. 

Should you buy Philips 1000 Series Airfryer Double Drawer 7.1L?

Even with a microwave, we found the Philips 7.1L air fryer useful, especially for cooking or heating crispy food items. Based on your health consciousness and taste preference, you can add little to no oil. For what it's meant to do, it worked well for snacks, papad, potatoes, and roasted food, and the 7.1-litre capacity was sufficient for a family of five in our experience.

But for the taste-conscious people, the food cooked in an air fryer does not taste exactly like food deep-fried in oil. But it is by design. Speaking of which, the removable basket divider gives you the flexibility to use the full space for a larger quantity of food or slide it in to cook different foods or different parts of the same food.

At Rs 14,648, it is not an affordable product. It doesn't look, feel, or function as one either. If you know you'd use an air fryer regularly, the flexible basket design and the overall offering may appeal to you. I think the Philips air fryer makes the most sense for families that want to reduce their dependence on deep frying and regularly cook foods that benefit from hot-air circulation. It is also a useful companion to a microwave because the two appliances serve different purposes.

So, would I buy it for our kitchen? Yes, I found it useful, and if you are buying an air fryer, it is a good place to start buying from the pioneer of air frying: Philips. Its 7.1L Digital Airfryer does provide a practical way to cook everyday food with less oil and less mess. And buying it would make sense if you expect to use it regularly.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar reviews.

Also Read: I used the Beyond Appliances Quantum Pro Gas Saver Stove for a month and these are my takeaways

Google Pixel phones have always stood apart from the usual flagship race. Instead of chasing the fastest chip or the biggest camera sensor, Google built the Pixel around computational photography, clean Android, and AI-powered features like Night Sight and Magic Eraser. Over the years, each generation has refined that formula rather than reinventing it. The Pixel 11 continues that approach, but this time Gemini takes centre stage, becoming a much deeper part of the everyday experience. The big question is whether those smarter AI features are enough to justify the Rs 89,999 price tag. After using it for nearly three weeks, here’s what I found.

Google Pixel 11 Design

Google has not exactly reinvented the Pixel 11’s design, and that’s probably the point. If you’re coming from a Pixel 10, you will have to look twice to spot what’s changed. The formula remains largely the same: glass on the front and back, a flat aluminium frame and that familiar pill-shaped camera bar that has now become a Pixel signature.

There are a few subtle changes: the Pixel 11's camera bar is 40 pct thinner this time around, and Google has ditched the metallic camera frame for an all-glass finish over the camera lenses. It makes the module look a little cleaner. From a distance, it still very much looks like a Pixel.

At 197 grams, the Pixel 11 is lighter than its predecessor, and that difference is noticeable when you use it for hours at a stretch. The compact form factor also makes it comfortable to hold. Personally, this is the kind of size I prefer, and the Pixel 11 gets the ergonomics right.

Durability also looks solid. Google has used Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on both the front and rear, while the phone carries an IP68 rating for protection against dust and water. So, at least on paper, the Pixel 11 should have no trouble dealing with the usual knocks and accidental splashes that come with everyday use.

The glossy rear panel, however, is a different story. It looks sleek when it's clean, but it quickly turns into a fingerprint magnet. It can also get quite slippery without a case, so I’d recommend using one unless you’re particularly confident about your grip. The camera module has another minor annoyance: dust tends to collect around it, and getting into those little gaps for cleaning is not always as easy as it should be.

Google Pixel 11 Display

The Pixel 11 comes with a 6.3-inch OLED display, what Google calls its Actua display. It’s an FHD+ resolution panel with an adaptive refresh rate at 120Hz. Google claims a peak brightness of up to 3,000 nits, and our own lux meter at Digit Test Labs measured higher, 3220 nits of peak brightness. Outdoor visibility is excellent. I never found myself squinting my eyes to read the screen in direct sunlight during testing.

We ran the display tests through Calman and Colour Gamut at our Digit Test Labs. In the Calman test, the panel returned an average Delta E of 1.97, which basically means the colours look almost exactly as they should. In fact, anything below 2 is so accurate that most people won’t notice any difference from real-life colours. In simple terms, the Pixel 11 focuses on showing natural and true-to-life colours instead of making everything look overly bright or saturated.

In the Colour Gamut test, the panel measured 98.7%, which is also great. In simple terms, the screen can show almost all the colours used in everyday content like photos, social media, YouTube videos, and most streaming apps. And the good part? The Pixel 11 supports HDR playback and comes with Widevine L1 certification, so you can stream Netflix and other supported apps in Full HD with HDR.

In daily use, I mostly watched content on Netflix and YouTube. I watched a couple of podcasts and live streams of gaming events on YouTube while going back from the office, and that’s where I really appreciated the Pixel 11’s compact size. If you would ask me, the colours are vibrant and details are crisp.

However, the bezels are there and will bother you in almost everything you do on your phone. Anyway, stereo speakers are good, haptics are cool and the overall experience is premium. 

Google Pixel 11 Performance

Under the hood, the Google Pixel 11 comes with Google’s new Tensor G6, built on a 3nm process. Interestingly, it comes with an unusual seven cores compared to the eight core architecture of the Tensor G5 chipset. However, each core is claimed to run at a higher clock speed, up to 4.11Ghz. It looks like Google is leaning towards more AI-specific gains rather than raw performance.

In day-to-day use, this phone glides through everything. Apps open quickly, animations stay smooth, and switching between multiple apps never feels jittery. Camera processing is also faster, especially when capturing multiple shots in a row.

The benchmark results gave us a pretty clear picture of the Pixel 11’s performance. It scored 12,58,961 on Antutu, while Geekbench returned 1,101 in single-core and 4867 in multi-core. These are decent numbers, but they’re still behind flagship chips like the latest Snapdragon 8 series and Dimensity 9500 series processors.

In the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme test, the Pixel 11 scored 3,430, which shows it has enough graphics power for everyday gaming and heavy tasks. Our CPU throttling test showed the chip dropped right after the test started, the graph stayed mostly orange, and the CPU throttled to 60 percent of its peak.

Gaming-wise, it’s good enough for casual players. BGMI and Call of Duty: Mobile run comfortably at 90 FPS. However, if you play for a long time, you’ll start seeing frame drops up to 10-12 FPS and stutters, and the phone also gets noticeably warm during extended gaming sessions.

Google Pixel 11 Cameras

The Pixel 11 has a triple camera setup with a 48MP main camera at f/1.7 with OIS, a 13MP ultrawide sensor at f/2.2, and a 10.8MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom, with Google’s Super Zoom pushing that up to 30x digitally for photos. On the front, there’s a 10.5MP selfie camera with autofocus.

My colleague Vasan took this device on his trip to Kerala, where he took a bunch of camera samples. Looking at them, I can say that the main camera is easily the highlight here. In daylight, photos come out with great contrast, balanced exposure and impressive dynamic range, so bright skies and darker areas are both captured well. Colours look vibrant without feeling overly edited, and there’s plenty of detail in the shadows.

In this sunset picture, you can see how well it handled the sun and the exposure. The bigger main sensor also makes a difference at night. In low light, photos come cleaner, brighter and more detailed, even in situations where many other phones in this price range start showing noise or losing detail.

The ultrawide camera is another strong point, however, it is the same as last year. It’s one of the better ultrawide cameras you’ll find at this price, and colour consistency stays with the main camera. So if you switch between the two lenses while shooting, you will not notice much of a difference.

The telephoto camera is the same as last year, a 10.8MP sensor with 5x dedicated zoom. This 5x optical zoom gives the Pixel 11 a real advantage over phones like the iPhone 17, which doesn’t have any telephoto lens.

Images from the telephoto lens come out sharp and good-looking, with a natural-looking bokeh effect. Most images come out social-media-ready. The edge detection is also great, skin tones lean towards a softer look and it adds a very slight reddish tint to the face.

Video recording goes up to 4K at 60fps on both the main and selfie cameras. The output from both the lenses is great, and videos come out stabilised. While recording, you can zoom up to 20x, unlike 30x while taking stills.

Camera Looks is the new feature they added this year. You get three default looks: Natural, Vanilla and Shadows, along with six more creative styles, including Digi, Black Tie, Minimal, Editorial, Classic, and Velvet. Each Camera Look is fully customisable.

The feature I kept using the most was Magic Capture. Instead of forcing you to choose between taking a photo or recording a video, you can simply hold the shutter button and the phone does both. It records the video while automatically pulling out the best still frames.

Creator Suite is also one of the useful features for those who make content regularly. It automatically organises your clips into a dedicated folder. It also includes a built-in teleprompter for talking to the camera, and it even has speech enhancement to reduce background noise in your recordings.

Google Pixel 11 Software and AI

The Google Pixel 11 comes with Android 17 out of the box, and Google is promising updates all the way till August 2033, i.e., 7 years of Android updates and 7 years of Security patches.

Another thing that is worth talking about is Gemini Integration. Instead of feeling like a separate app, it’s built right into the phone. It can do things like show you flight details when you need them, suggest a restaurant from Google Maps, or remind you about something from a recent message.

Rambler, Google’s upgraded voice typing tool built into the keyboard. You can speak normally, with pauses and ‘uh, ah’, and it’ll clean everything up into a proper sentence. The only catch is that you won’t see the words appear while you’re talking. The full text only shows up once you stop speaking.

Google Pixel 11 Battery

Google packs a 4,985mAh battery into the Pixel 11, almost similar to what you get with the Pixel 10. In our PCMark Work 3.1 Battery Test at Digit Test Labs, the Pixel 11 returned 14 hours and 43 minutes of screen-on time. That’s a solid result for a battery this size. It is comfortably enough for a full day of moderate to heavy use, including streaming, messaging, social media, calls, and casual gaming. That said, it doesn’t match the level of rival phones with bigger batteries that can stretch into a second day without any hiccups.

In terms of charging, the Pixel 11 supports 30W wired charging, and it takes around 83 minutes to charge from 0 to 100%. Wireless charging got a bigger upgrade this year. The phone now supports 25W Qi2 wireless charging, along with Google’s new PixelSnap magnetic system.

Verdict

The Pixel 11 is less about a dramatic hardware upgrade and more about refining Google's idea of what a modern smartphone should be. The familiar design, compact 197-gram body and excellent 6.3-inch display make it comfortable to use, while the main camera remains the phone's biggest strength. Images have plenty of detail, strong dynamic range and natural-looking colours, and the 5x telephoto adds useful versatility.

The bigger change is happening in software. Gemini is deeply integrated into the Pixel 11, with features such as proactive suggestions, Magic Capture, Creator Suite and Rambler showing where Google sees the future of smartphones. Some of these tools can genuinely save time, but their usefulness depends heavily on how often you actually use AI features.

But, there are compromises. The Tensor G6 delivers smooth everyday performance, but benchmark results and throttling show that it isn't competing with the fastest flagship processors. Gaming is decent for shorter sessions but becomes less consistent during prolonged workloads. Charging is another weak spot, with 30W wired charging taking more than 80 minutes for a full charge.

At Rs 89,999, the Pixel 11 isn't trying to win the specification race. It offers a strong camera system, excellent display, compact design, long-term software support and an increasingly AI-focused experience. Whether that combination justifies the price ultimately depends on what your requirements are and if you prefer Google's software and AI features over raw performance and faster charging.

Water purifiers have become much better over the years, but there is one problem that still annoys almost every RO owner: maintenance. You buy a purifier, install it at home, and then, sooner or later, you have to replace filters, call a technician, and spend more money. Havells is trying to fix exactly this problem with the Aquas Pro 3X.

The big headline is its 3X filter-life claim. Havells says the purifier's core cartridges are designed to provide safe drinking water for 3 years or 15,000 litres, whichever comes first. But there is quite a bit of fine print behind that claim, so let's look at what you actually get.

Design and usability

The Havells Aquas Pro 3X has a compact, wall-mounted design with a dual-tone finish and a functional display panel. The manual specifies wall-mount installation, with the purifier secured using mounting screws and wall inserts. Water is dispensed through a manual push-pull lever tap on the front, while the purifier uses a 7-litre storage tank. Havells also provides a tank cover designed to protect the stored water from external dust and insects.

Also Read: Boon Tap review: Industrial-grade purification, kitchen-grade design

Multi-step purification

The Aquas Pro 3X uses 100% RO + UV purification and has a seven-stage purification system. It uses a thin-film composite RO membrane and a 4W UV chamber. The purifier also uses a Bacteriostatic Taste Enhancer cartridge that combines copper and zinc with a taste-enhancement function.

The purifier has a 7-litre storage tank. Its published specifications list a purification flow rate of up to approximately 25 litres per hour. To see how this holds up in the real world, I tested the output at my home. In exactly one hour, the system took in 50 litres of input water, successfully purifying 24 litres while rejecting 26 litres. This real-world result of 24 litres per hour is incredibly close to the brand's official claim and represents a solid 48% water recovery rate.

The RO system is designed to reduce dissolved solids while the UV stage provides additional disinfection. Havells specifies a TDS reduction of at least 90% and a system disinfection efficiency of 6, 4 and 3 log reduction for bacteria, viruses and cysts, respectively.

Testing water quality conditions

This is probably the most important section if you're considering the Aquas Pro 3X. Havells' three-year filter-life claim was tested under specific standard conditions, including water with up to 1,000 ppm TDS, an operating pressure of 1.0 kg/cm2, maximum turbidity of 1 NTU, temperature of 25°C, chlorine below 0.2 mg/L, iron below 0.1 mg/L, and a membrane pressure of 80 psi.

Havells explicitly states that results may differ depending on input-water quality and product operating conditions. The purifier's recommended feed-water specifications allow TDS up to 1,500 ppm. I put this to the test with my local tap water, which measured a very high input TDS of 1445 ppm. The Aquas Pro 3X performed exceptionally well, bringing the water down to a highly drinkable 54 ppm. This massive drop easily clears the manual's promise of at least a 90% TDS reduction.

However, that 1,500 ppm maximum allowance should not be confused with the conditions under which the three-year filter-life claim was validated. The 3X filter-life warranty specifically states that it is only valid for input TDS of up to 1,000 ppm.

This is particularly relevant if you use borewell water or have poor-quality incoming water. In those situations, filter life can vary. Havells also specifies an input pressure range of 6 to 30 psi. If pressure is below 6 psi, a booster pump may be required; if it exceeds 30 psi, a pressure-reducing valve may be required. Additional charges can apply for these requirements.

Decoding Havells' filter claim

This is the biggest reason to consider the Aquas Pro 3X. According to Havells' official manual, the Inner Sediment Filter, Activated Carbon Filter and RO membrane are covered for three years, with a one-time replacement in case of filter failure. The coverage is applicable for input water up to 1,000 ppm TDS.

However, there is an important distinction. The purifier's core cartridges are designed to provide safe drinking water for three years or 15,000 litres, whichever comes first. So this is not an unlimited three-year guarantee irrespective of how much water you purify. However, 15,000 litres of water is a substantial capacity. To put this in context, a family of four drinks around 10 to 13 litres of water every day. Over three years, this amounts to roughly 14,500 litres. With this consumption pattern, the three-year claim holds up perfectly.

There are other consumables that do not have the same three-year life. The pre-filter needs replacement after one year or 6,000 litres, whichever comes first. The Bacteriostatic Taste Enhancer cartridge also has a replacement interval of one year or 6,000 litres. The 4W UV lamp has a stated life of 5,000 burning hours under standard conditions.

So, the accurate way to describe the product is not by putting on a sticker that says 'No service needed for 3 years*'. A better description is that Havells claims a three-year or 15,000-litre life for the core sediment, activated-carbon, and RO components, while some other consumables have shorter replacement intervals. That distinction matters. But I suppose that is just too long to print on a sticker.

Understanding warranty details

This is another area where marketing can easily be misunderstood. The Aquas Pro 3X does not have a blanket three-year warranty covering the entire purifier.

Havells' standard warranty covers the purifier's electrical and functional parts for one year from the date of purchase. Consumables such as the pre-filter and Bacteriostatic Taste Enhancer are not covered under that standard warranty. The special 3X filter-life coverage applies specifically to the Inner Sediment Filter, Activated Carbon Filter and RO membrane, for three years, with one-time replacement in case of filter failure.

Havells also says it provides two preventive-maintenance checkups during the first year, while service visits during the second and third years are provided on a need basis at no cost, provided the customer registers a service request with Havells. So while the purifier is marketed around "no service for three years," that shouldn't be interpreted as meaning that absolutely nothing can require attention during those three years.

Should you buy Havells Aquas Pro 3X?

The Havells Aquas Pro 3X is an interesting approach to one of the biggest problems with RO purifiers: recurring maintenance. Its 3-year or 15,000-litre core-filter-life claim is genuine and is backed by specific warranty terms. But it is not the same thing as saying that every filter and consumable inside the purifier will last three years.

The Inner Sediment Filter, Activated Carbon Filter and RO membrane get the three-year or 15,000-litre treatment, while the pre-filter and Bacteriostatic Taste Enhancer are one-year or 6,000-litre consumables.

So, should you buy it? If your priority is reducing the frequency and hassle of replacing the main RO filtration components, the Aquas Pro 3X makes a strong case. But don't buy it because the box says '3 years' and assume you're completely done with maintenance for three years. The reality is more nuanced, and honestly, that's what makes this purifier interesting enough to review.

Also Read: Native M2 Pro review: A smarter take on water purification

(Note: This review was written by Abhishek Bajpai, who is part of our Times Now team)

When I got the Google Pixel 5, I was already reviewing a different watch, so I gave it to my wife. She has been wearing it for a month or so now, and during this time, she also accompanied me on a trip to Kerala. She donned it with different dresses during the trip and after. And this 41mm timepiece was her closest companion (pun intended) for most of the journey. Once the trip was over, I suggested that she use the new Google Health Coach feature to track her workouts at the gym, sleep and everyday health. And here you get a collaborative review, if you will, that covers the full experience of using that domed glass display, Pixel Watch UI features, and how useful the Gemini-based health advisor is. And by the end, you'll know if it is worth paying Rs 42,990 for this Google watch.

Stylish and comfortable design

The Pixel Watch 5 comes in 41mm and 45mm sizes. Both are 12.3mm thick. Ours is the 41mm variant that weighs 31g without the strap. That's too light, and along with the smooth Active Band 2, it's comfortable to wear for a long time. This is important as the core of Google Health and fitness tracking relies on you wearing it consistently throughout the day.

The watch is rated IP68 for dust and water resistance and 5 ATM for water resistance, so rain and surface swimming are within its intended use. The Active Band also works well for sweaty workouts.

The rounded pebble-like case with a curved display and the rubbery strap looks cute. Despite the Gorilla Glass 5 build, I am concerned about the long-term durability of the exposed edges. The curves also don't look particularly masculine in the traditional sense, and the whole design has a very 'Googley' character. My wife adores this look, while I don't mind the whole playful vibe it has. It is just that I can't accessorise it with anything I wear. Still, I appreciate that it is distinct and simple.

The strapping mechanism shares that distinct yet simple design language. It is easy to buckle in and stay put. There are enough holes on the strap to adjust it till you get a snug fit. The bands can be attached and detached using a sliding mechanism. I referred to a YouTube video to learn how it's to be done. While I would've preferred a conventional pogo-pin-based strap, I don't mind this bundled strap finish, and if you want more options, you can shop on the Google Store.

Bright domed display and loaded software

The 1.2-inch coloured AMOLED LTPO screen is plenty bright, smooth, and responsive. It can go up to a 60Hz refresh rate and drop to 1 nit for the AoD mode. Text elements were legible indoors and out under the sun.

The combination of the above panel, Wear OS 7 (with Pixel Watch UI), Qualcomm's Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 Accelerated processor, and 64GB of eMMC storage resulted in a lag- and hiccup-free experience.

You can customise the watch's fascia with the default watch faces or download/purchase ones you like from the Play Store. One gripe I have to share about the built-in watch faces is that they have a lot of black space. The software bezel is also thick, so the display could appear smaller or less visually engaging, especially compared to the UI and watch faces you get on the Galaxy and Apple watches.

That said, Google has armed the Pixel Watch UI with a lot of ease-of-use features and functionalities. This includes Gemini, which can work without the internet to trigger alarms, timers, open apps, change settings and control workouts. Music Controls can automatically appear on the watch. Calls can be answered on the watch. Notifications can be answered with quick replies, and the company's apps like Google Maps are practical additions to the daily experience.

With the above features and the fact that the Pixel Watch can operate independently with LTE, you don't need to carry the phone along. While in Kerala, my wife used to wear the watch while going to the beach or poolside near our hotel room. Talk about convenience!

Google has also added some gestures, which you can toggle on/off from the Settings or Pixel Watch app. When they work, they are interesting. The double pinch to control music playback or notifications didn't work as intended in my test, and I didn't use it much.

But there's more to it than this software experience.

Also Read: Sony LinkBuds Clip review: Premium, good-sounding open-ear earbuds

Extensive tracking and AI Coach

Google Health is now the centre of the experience if you are into health and fitness tracking. The app has four tabs: Today, Fitness, Sleep and Health. You can guess what each of them holds, but the amount of information and number of metrics is really a lot. That is a compliment if you haven't gotten the whiff. The interface is Gemini-like, as that's the underlying engine/brain.

If you are a premium subscriber to this service, you can get personalised plans, summaries, insights, trends, and you can chat with this so-called Google Health Coach as you'd with Gemini or any other chatbot.

The Health Coach can be helpful, but it needs patience. You have to use it for some weeks to learn your goals and build personalised guidance. It can connect to different parts of your routine like activities, sleep, and other health information, and alert/ inform you accordingly.

There is also the risk of factual hallucinations that an AI can make. So, don't entirely rely on the estimates the Google Coach gives you. Needless to say, I would treat the workout and health tracking data from this, or any other watch, with some caution.

The Pixel Watch 5 supports an exhaustive list of over 50 exercises, like running, walking, cycling, swimming, weightlifting, tennis, HIIT, hiking, elliptical, and rowing. Automatic activity detection works for activities such as walking, running, cycling, sports, elliptical, and rowing, generally after a few minutes of continuous activity.

Similarly, this Pixel Watch can measure the main health metrics expected from a premium smartwatch, such as heart rate, resting heart rate, HRV, SpO2, breathing rate, skin-temperature variation, ECG, stress/body-response tracking, and sleep. You also get Cardio Load, Target Cardio Load, and Daily Readiness, which can be helpful in recovery.

Speaking of recovery, the sleep tracking was also rich in information and useful in knowing what happens when I am not in sense. There are, of course, discrepancies, like the wake-up time getting mistaken for when I checked the watch.

All these results were fairly consistent and detailed, and I was learning more about my body and routines thanks to the watch and coach. Even my wife was logging her periods and symptoms, and it helped her better estimate her next cycle.

Ample battery life

The 41mm has a 332mAh battery and is rated for up to 30 hours with the Always-On Display enabled. Google also claims up to 48 hours in Battery Saver mode. Personally, I got 33 hours 45 minutes, or close to 1 day and 10 hours in one test, and in another test, I got 2 days 6 hours of runtime.

In regular mixed use, the 41mm is easily a one-day watch with a sensible charging habit. I could get through a normal day and sleep tracking, but I still had to think about when to charge it. And if you are conservative, you can easily wear it for 2 days before looking for the charger.

The charging speed is good. Google says the 41mm can reach 50% in around 15 minutes and 100% in about 45 minutes. Although I didn't time it, I didn't feel like it was slow.

Should you buy the Google Pixel Watch 5?

The Pixel Watch 5 is one of those watches where your reason for buying matters more than the specification sheet. At Rs 42,900, I would not buy it simply to have a smartwatch on my wrist. For notifications, calls, music controls and the occasional workout, there are cheaper options that can do enough.

What makes the Pixel Watch 5 more interesting is the way Google has combined its hardware and software. The watch looks distinct, feels simple and is comfortable to wear, while the software has enough depth to appeal to someone buying their first premium smartwatch, particularly if they are already part of the Android ecosystem.

Much like Android and the Pixel UI, the experience brings together a lot of UI choices and features. These are neatly put together. It also brings the metrics, recommendations, and estimates you'd expect from a modern smartwatch. The workout tracking is capable, and the amount of health data and guidance you get from the new Google Health Coach service is extensive.

For the full experience, you'd have to wear the watch throughout the day, letting its sensors quietly collect data about your health and activity, and feed it into the Google Health app. The Health Coach uses Gemini to make sense of this information and accordingly offers personalised insights, suggestions and plans. You can also chat with it much like you would with any other generative AI chatbot.

There is clearly a lot going on here, which can feel overwhelming when you first start using it. But use it consistently for some time, and you begin to understand what matters to you. It is similar to using Gemini or any other chatbot for the first time. There is a learning curve before the experience starts feeling natural.

Ultimately, the Pixel Watch 5 is as much about Google's health platform as it is about the watch itself. You are paying for the hardware, the tracking capabilities, and the software intelligence built around your data. Whether that combination makes sense depends on how deeply you intend to use it. Think of it as a smartwatch that is smart enough to help you make sense of the features it has and, to some extent, make sense of you.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar reviews.

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 review: Big main character energy

After cameras, batteries seem to be the next big battleground in smartphones. Bigger battery cells are no longer limited to expensive phones, with even mid-range devices now offering massive capacities, faster charging and the kind of backup that was once unheard of. Xiaomi is taking this trend to another level with its fan favourite Redmi Note series.

The Redmi Note 17 gets an 8,000mAh battery, the Note 17 Pro packs a 9,000mAh cell, while the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max goes all the way to a whopping 10,000mAh battery. That is a number we are more used to seeing on a power bank than a smartphone. The brand also promises improved durability, a refreshed design, a bright display and decent performance, which obviously feels like a change.

But the conversation is also about the price. The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max costs Rs 13,000 more than the Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus. There are also some camera downgrades and changes in the performance section. So, does that massive battery and refreshed package justify the premium? After spending time with the phone and putting it through our tests, here’s what the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max gets right and where it falls short.

Redmi Note 17 Pro Max Battery Life

This has to be the starter since we do not get to see a 10,000 mAh battery pack in many smartphones. On paper, the 10,000 mAh and 100W fast charging looks like a premium upgrade and our benchmarks also support this claim. 

Our PCMark Work 3.1 battery test gave 27 hours and 41 minutes of screen-on time, probably the highest I have seen in my career. In real-world use, the 10,000mAh cell backs that up comfortably. After a full day of heavy use, streaming, social media, calls, browsing, and gaming, it still had plenty of battery left. And if you would ask me, you can easily get around 3 days of backup on single charge on moderate usage.

In terms of charging, it supports 100W, and the adapter is included in the box. Despite the battery’s size, a full charge from 0 to 100% took 1 hour and 36 minutes, which is fair. There’s also 27W reverse wired charging, useful for topping up earbuds or you can also charge your other phone when you need to.

Redmi Note 17 Pro Max Design

At 8.57mm, the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max is surprisingly slim for a phone packing a massive 10,000mAh battery. Despite the battery capacity, it doesn’t feel anywhere near as bulky as you might expect from the numbers on paper. That said, it is still a big phone. For my hands, one-handed use can get a little uncomfortable, especially when reaching for the top corners.

The back panel is made of plastic, and this is one of the few places where I expected a little more. Overall, the back panel looks interesting- the squarish camera module and the camera sensors do add value to the look and the colour also steals the show. However, the in-hand feel could have been better.

Coming to durability, the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max is among the strongest contenders in the segment. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and the phone comes with IP68 and even IP69K ratings for dust and water resistance. At the launch event, the company had dedicated demo zones where we saw the phone take bumps from a football, stay submerged in a glass of water for over half an hour, and go through more durability tests. You also get an optical in-display fingerprint scanner, stereo speakers and an IR Blaster, making it a complete package. 

Redmi Note 17 Pro Max Display

The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max features a 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED display running at 120Hz, and on the whole it’s a vibrant display to use, colours look rich and scrolling feels smooth. Redmi claims 3,500 nits of peak brightness and somewhere the number justifies it. On our Lux meter at Digit Test Labs, the display measures 2,700 nits. In daily usage the panel is still bright enough that I never struggled to read the screen under direct sunlight during testing.

Colour accuracy is also reasonable. In our Calman Colour Test, the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max returned an average Delta E of 3.17, a reasonable if not exceptional result. And in the Colour Gamut test, it measured 99.61%, which is a strong number.

The display also supports Dolby Vision+ and HDR 10+ so the HDR content on Netflix and YouTube looks sharp, contrast remains strong and the overall viewing experience feels consistent. I binge watched a few movies and YouTube videos and it would not be wrong to say that I enjoyed it. 

Redmi Note 17 Pro Max Performance and Software

The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max comes powered with the 4nm fabricated Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 chipset. The device also comes in two variants- 8 GB + 256 GB and 12 GB + 256 GB, and both come with LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.1 storage. While this is a newly launched processor and can easily handle your daily tasks- scrolling, multi-tasking, streaming and much more, I expected better here. Competitors like the OnePlus Nord 6, Oppo K13 Turbo are offering a Snapdragon 8 series chipset that is actually way better at the similar price point. 

Speaking of the numbers, Antutu returned a score of 995983. Geekbench recorded 960 in the single-core and 3002 in the multi-core. The 3DMark Wildlife Extreme test gave an overall score of 1165. 

However, in an exclusive interview with Digit, Xiaomi said it is not chasing benchmark numbers or specifications for the sake of it. Instead, the company says its focus is on delivering a better overall user experience, particularly at a challenging time for the smartphone industry. And to be honest, that shows. The device held 76% of its peak performance under sustained load.

And if you are a gamer, the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max will offer decent experience. Both BGMI and Call of Duty Mobile ran up to 90fps without any major frame drops and the thermals did not become a problem even during the extended sessions. 

Coming to the software, it runs on HyperOS 3 based on Android 16, and if you’ve used a recent Xiaomi, Redmi or Poco device, the interface will feel familiar. There’s a good amount of customisation on offer, especially around the lock screen. At the same time, you get bloatware in the UI but that can be uninstalled. Also, Redmi is promising four years of OS updates and six years of security patches, and that’s a strong commitment.

Redmi Note 17 Pro Max Cameras

On the camera front, the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max keeps things fairly straightforward with a dual-camera setup, featuring a 50MP primary sensor with OIS and an f/1.5 aperture, paired with an 8MP ultrawide camera, while selfies are handled by a 32MP front camera. But I really missed the 200MP primary sensor from the Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus, and the lack of a telephoto camera also felt like a compromise, especially when competitors such as the Phone 4a Pro offer one at a similar price.

Anyway, the 50MP primary camera handles most of the work, and the wide aperture gives you natural background separation even when it is not in Portrait mode. Daylight photography is where the phone performs best. Photos come out detailed, colours look balanced, and dynamic range remains good enough for everyday use.

Portraits also come out good. If you have found a good lighting spot, portraits come out looking clean with good subject separation and balanced colours. The phone generally does a decent job of identifying the edges around the subject.

The 8MP ultrawide is more ordinary but useful when you need the extra field of view for landscapes, building or group shots. Colours stay close to the main camera. However it lacks details.

Coming to the selfies, the 32MP selfie camera is good for everyday use. Daylight selfies come out detailed enough for social meda and video calls, while colours remain mostly natural. Portrait selfies are usable as well, although the bokeh effect isn’t as clean as what you’ll find on other phones.

Redmi Note 17 Pro Max Verdict

The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max is a phone that gets the basics right, but it is also clear that Xiaomi has picked its priorities. The 10,000mAh battery is the biggest highlight here, and the excellent battery life, fast charging, bright display and strong durability make it a compelling everyday phone. Performance is capable for regular use and casual gaming, although the chipset feels less impressive when you consider what some competitors offer at a similar price. The camera setup is another area where I expected more, especially after the 200MP sensor on the previous generation and the absence of a telephoto camera.

At the same time, Xiaomi’s approach is understandable. The company has focused on delivering a phone that can last for days, survive more heavy loads and offer a consistent everyday experience rather than simply chasing specifications. The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max is therefore an interesting proposition for someone who prioritises battery life, durability and a good display, but those looking for the strongest cameras or performance hardware at this price will have some reasons to look elsewhere.

The Insta360 X6 landed on my desk almost immediately after the launch even, and I had it out of the box before I'd even read the spec sheet entirely. I'd spent years scrolling past mini planet shots and gravity-defying follow-cams online, always from the outside looking in, and this was the first time one of these cameras was actually in my hand. So I did the obvious thing: went straight out into the rain with friends, hopped a local train, and generally treated a review unit like a toy I'd waited too long to unwrap. Round two came a few days later on a bike ride through the hills near a dam outside Pune. A few hundred clips and one very confused editing app afterward, I have a solid read on what this little camera can actually do.

Also read: Vivo S2 review: A stylish comeback with a massive battery 

Design and handling

It is notably smaller and even slightly lighter compared to its predecessor. In terms of design, Insta360 has included a pressure-sensitive touch feature, which allows to press any place on the screen for starting or stopping recording, which has become the reason for making it compact. Of course, if you are used to pressing the button rather than the screen, then you will find the record button right under the power button on the right side.

Moreover, battery life was increased to 2,600 mAh (compared to 2,400 mAh), which provides up to 140 minutes of recording at 8K30 format in the Endurance mode. X6 also comes with the 64 GB internal storage (usable 47 GB) along with the microSD card, which means that not having a memory card at hand will no longer be a problem. It should be noted that lenses are replaceable just like on the X5, which can become quite important when one lens gets scratched accidentally. I did not have the invisible selfie stick provided by Insta360, but my old tripod served its purpose well. This is one of the benefits of the camera – it does not require a lot of equipment.

The one thing that can be a problem is how much it heats up and how rapidly. It can get really hot really quickly that if you are using it handheld, you will feel the heat and it will be uncomfortable. However, it isn’t exactly a camera that is meant to be used handheld, you will always have it attached to a selfie stick or a mount so that should not be too big of an issue. 

Image Quality and Shooting Modes

The bigger sensors are the headline upgrade here, and they show up most obviously in the 120-megapixel 360 stills, which is a big jump for a camera this size. Video tops out at 8K50, with the option to drop to 6K or 4K, the latter hitting 100fps in standard 360 mode. Colour-wise, you get regular SDR, Dolby Vision, and a 10-bit I-Log profile, so if you're the sort who wants full grading control, the I-Log is there for you.

Also read: Intex GQ5531 55-inch QLED TV review: Plenty to like, a few things to fix

With the camera turned into Flat mode, the X6 functions as a wide-angle point-and-shoot, recording 16:9, 1:1 or 9:16 videos and taking photos using the same ratio. It does limit the performance a bit (5K60 video and 24MP stills due to the fact that you use only half the camera), but it is still noticeably larger than the sensors found in phones. Finally, the InstaFrame 2.0 feature follows the subject in the picture and creates an automatically edited 16:9 or 9:16 video while retaining the full 360 version just in case.

How 360 footage actually gets edited

This is worth explaining, since it tends to confuse people. Post processing 360 content has always been the most annoying thing about owning such a camera in the first place, and this is why so much footage has never made its way out of SD cards. Insta360 solves that problem through two different methods.

The first is connected to the footage you extract from the X6. In case you haven't exported a video using a fixed aspect ratio, you will get two files - the 360 video itself, and the low-resolution version of it. The LRV is the low-resolution video file that can be used for scrubbing and previewing without causing your editing software to freeze all the time.

Second, once you're in the Insta360 Studio app, reframing happens through what's essentially a virtual camera you steer inside the sphere. With this camera, you are able to move closer or pan, tilt or create keyframes for transition between different viewpoints after the shoot since the 360 sensor had already recorded all the surrounding environment. In this program, there are five viewing modes available, Mega, Ultra, Dewarp, Linear and the Mini planet view, with the ability to zoom within the selected viewpoint. The mini planet mode is quite unique, and something that I enjoyed a lot. This mode takes the 360 sphere and transforms it into a small globe containing both yourself and the surrounding environment, and it is actually quite fun to observe besides its functionality.

The AI Director

And if there is one thing that makes a difference in how you will be using this camera on a daily basis, it would be the AI Director, and it certainly needs some attention. The manual refocusing of 360 videos takes so much time that it becomes impossible to do, which is why so many 360 videos end up on an SD card never to see the light of the day again. And that is what the AI Director of Insta360 is all about; all you have to do is launch the app, press a button and let the software do its magic on your video. You need to have your camera on charge at the time when you do it and if you want to do it with footage that you have on your cloud and not the one on your camera, you have the Moments/Moments Pro available as well.

I tested it using videos from both my trips to Mumbai and Pune, and it really does what it's supposed to. It selected the clips that were worth saving, added pans and reveals that I would not have imagined keyframing myself, and did it all faster than it takes to brew a cup of coffee. The problem, atleast for me, is its pacing. By default, it is very aggressive, full of quick edits, designed for reels more than for the shot itself. During the Pune trip, when the dam and the hills provided much of the visuals anyway, I actually wished that it gave each frame a chance to breathe and kept it on screen a bit longer without cutting to another clip. It's more of a matter of taste than a bug, and if you want reels, this tool does exactly what it should be done.

Audio

And this is where I was surprised. You won’t have to lug along your own external microphone for the X6, and while riding a bike or out on trails, you’ll only realize how convenient this is when it works. During my trip in Pune, the internal microphone recorded sounds from the engine of the bike, the noise of the wind, Kendrick Lamar song playing from my phone, and my voice singing along to it – all at once. All of it was heard and nothing seemed to be overpowering anything else. This is quite a feat of technology for a microphone hidden within a tiny camera like this one.

Using it

I tested out the X6 in two different outdoor settings. The first one was a day out in Mumbai, taking public transport and moving around the city in the rain with some friends. The second one was a bike ride through the hills near Pune, simply because it seemed like a good idea at the time. In both cases, video performance has been decent, and the 360-degree videos bring up a lot of unplanned moments when you catch yourself narrating the views and even humming along to Kendrick Lamar on Spotify while biking by an old army base. The closest competitor that it has is the DJI Osmo 360 II and here’s how that spec comparison looks. 

Verdict

The Insta360 X6 was the first 360 camera that got me excited about capturing more content. Bigger sensors, 120MP stills, native Dolby Vision, and 140 minutes of battery time in 8K30 make it the best camera overall in the category. It solves the main problem with any 360 footage that prevents the videos from ever being edited with its AI Director. Audio worked well during biking, rainy and windy conditions, which saves us the effort to carry an extra microphone.

There are downsides as well. It is hot in use, which makes it difficult to hold in your hand. AI Director sometimes reacts weirdly to long shots but it's just personal preference, which means you should slow it down yourself.

Let's talk about price now. It costs ₹81,999, which is more than the DJI Osmo 360 II for ₹75,000. The latter supports 8K60 and has greater storage capacity but I don't have one to compare with. But still, I recommend you to buy this camera if you capture rides, treks, and city life.

Also read: Bambu Lab A2L 3D printer review: Once you start printing, you will not stop

The smartphone market, over the years, has become quite an interesting business to talk about. We have seen the demand for the entry level smartphones and of course, the intent of moving to the mid-range segment for better camera, performance, design and a better display. Seeing these points, brands have smartly entered the segment and refresh it every single year. 

Brands like Vivo have already stood out in the segment for offering better value for money options. And now, the brand has revived its 7-year old S series to cater the audience and introduced the Vivo S2. The smartphone sits between Vivo’s Y and V lineups and focuses on your everyday usage. And to check how refined the device is, I have been using the Vivo S2 as my daily driver. From the design first approach to everyday features, here is my take on it. 

Vivo S2: Design 

I have been a fan of curved edged phones all along and for that, full points to Vivo S2. Right after you pick up the phone, it feels sleek and premium. The phone measures 8.1mm at its thickest point and weighs 199 grams. 

Vivo sent us the Silk White colour variant, and it looks elegant. The back panel uses a plastic composite sheet and has a wave-like pattern, which gives the phone a unique look when light falls on it at different angles. The finish also gives the phone a slightly pearlescent appearance, which makes it look more expensive than the material would suggest.

The rear camera module is another noticeable part of the design. It is a horizontal pill-shaped module that sits on the top of the back panel. It houses two cameras along with an Aura Light, giving the rear panel a clean look.

It also comes with IP68 and IP69 ratings for dust and water resistance, and military-grade durability. This adds useful protection for everyday situations such as accidental splashes, drops, rain and exposure to water.

Vivo S2: Display

Vivo has gone with a large 6.83-inch curved AMOLED panel, which gives the phone a more premium look from the front. It has a 1.5K resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. With 449ppi pixel density, text and images look sharp, whether you are reading an article, scrolling through social media or watching videos.

The AMOLED panel offers a pleasing visual experience, with vibrant colours that don’t look overly saturated and deep blacks that give the siaplay plenty of contrast. I spent quite a bit of time watching videos and browsing photos on the phone, and the large curved screen makes the overall experience enjoyable. 

The 120Hz refresh rate makes scrolling and animations feel smooth. Apps, menus and social media feeds all felt responsive. The display also supports HDR10+ playback, which makes compatible videos look better, especially in scenes with bright highlights and deep shadows. 

Vivo claims that the display can reach a local peak brightness of 3,000 nits. In my experience, the screen is bright enough for outdoor use, and I did not have any trouble reading text under direct sunlight. 

So, the Vivo S2 has a display that is easy to like. It is large, sharp, bright and smooth, while the curved edges add to the premium feel. 

Vivo S2: Performance

The Vivo S2 is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7360 Turbo chipset, which is built on a 4nm process. It is paired with 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage. On the software side, the phone runs OriginOS 6 based on Android 16 out of the box. On paper, this is a capable mid-range setup.

To test the phone's raw performance, I ran the benchmarks. The Vivo S2 scored 9,50,357 on AnTuTu. In Geekbench 6, it scored 975 points in the single-core test and 2,973 points in the multi-core test. For some context, the Vivo S2 performs noticeably better than similarly priced phones such as the Realme 16 and Oppo F33 Pro in tested benchmarks. The Realme 16 scored 5,70,064 on AnTuTu, with Geekbench single-core and multi-core scores of 752 and 2,027, respectively. The Oppo F33 Pro scored 6,47,777 on AnTuTu, while its Geekbench scores stood at 771 and 1,980. So, at least on paper, the Vivo S2 has a clear advantage in raw performance.

But as always, benchmark numbers do not tell the entire story. In everyday use, the Vivo S2 feels smooth and responsive. Apps open quickly, scrolling through social media is fluid, and switching between multiple apps does not cause any major issues. 

For gaming, we tested the phone with BGMI, playing both a Classic match and a Team Deathmatch at Smooth graphics with the frame rate set to Extreme. The game reached a maximum of 91 FPS, while the average FPS was 80.6. The phone does get warm during longer gaming sessions. Well, this is not a phone aimed at competitive gamers who want the highest possible frame rates, but if you play a few matches of BGMI after work or college, the Vivo S2 handles it well. For casual gaming, the performance is more than adequate.

So, the Vivo S2 offers reliable performance for everyday use. The Dimensity 7360 Turbo is more than capable for browsing, streaming, multitasking and casual gaming. For most users, the performance should be good enough, as long as you are not buying the phone primarily for heavy gaming. And that is fair, considering Vivo itself is not positioning the S2 as a performance-focused smartphone.

Vivo S2: Camera

The Vivo S2 has a simple camera setup. There is a dual rear camera setup, which includes a 50-megapixel primary camera and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. For selfies and video calls, there is a 32-megapixel front-facing camera. The biggest thing missing here is an ultrawide camera, which is something I would have liked to see on a phone in this price range.

In daylight, the primary camera can capture satisfactory photos. Colours are generally vibrant, and the camera does a decent job of retaining details in well-lit scenes. However, the results can sometimes look a little soft. Colour reproduction can also be inconsistent in some scenes.

There is no dedicated telephoto lens, so the phone relies on digital zoom for closer shots. At lower zoom levels, the results are usable, but once you go beyond around 2x, details start to become softer and the images lose sharpness.

Portrait mode is decent. The camera does a good job of separating the subject from the background in most situations, although the results can sometimes look a little soft.

In low light, Night Mode does help with exposure and brings more light into the frame. Images look brighter and retain a fair amount of detail when there is some ambient light around. However, as the lighting gets darker, noise becomes more visible, especially in shadow areas, while finer details start to look softer.

Now, let's talk about the front camera. Selfies have good skin tones and decent detail. However, Vivo's processing can make faces look slightly smoother than they actually are. The overall output is still good enough for social media and video calls, but users who prefer a more natural look may find the processing a little aggressive.

Vivo S2: Battery

The Vivo S2 packs a massive 7,050 mAh battery, which is one of its biggest strengths. Despite the large capacity, Vivo has managed to keep the phone comfortable to hold, and it does not feel heavy in everyday use.

In our PCMark battery test, the Vivo S2 lasted 24 hours and 22 minutes, which is an excellent result. This also translated well to everyday use. During my testing, streaming content for 30 minutes used just 4 per cent of the battery. Using Google Maps for one hour consumed just 5 per cent of the battery, which further shows how well the phone manages its battery.

So, if you mainly use the phone for browsing, social media, watching videos and other regular tasks, getting through a full day should not be a problem. In fact, lighter users can get more than a day of use from a single charge.

The phone supports 44W wired fast charging, which is not the fastest charging solution in this segment. Using the bundled 44W adapter, the Vivo S2 took a little over an hour to go from 0 to 100 per cent. Considering the size of the battery, this charging time is fair but not the best.

Verdict

The Vivo S2 is a phone that gets the basics right. It has a premium-looking design, a sharp and vibrant display, reliable everyday performance and excellent battery life. However, there are some compromises. I expected a better camera given the segment it is positioned in. 

At Rs 39,999, the Vivo S2 makes sense for someone looking for a well-rounded smartphone with a strong focus on design, display and battery life. It is not trying to be the most powerful camera phone or the best gaming device in the segment. Instead, it offers a balanced experience, and for everyday users, that balance works quite well.

For people who don't want silicone tips in their ears, Open-ear earbuds are becoming more mature offerings. Take the Sony LinkBuds Clip, for example, which is trying to be more ambitious with sound, more premium build materials, and a feature-rich experience. So, you are not only getting ambient awareness; the new Sony clip-style open-ear earbuds come with a 10mm driver, up to nine hours of music playback claim, Bluetooth multipoint connectivity, and IPX4 water resistance at an asking price of Rs 16,990.

I have worn these Sony buds for a long time now, and as a person who isn't a fan of the open-earbuds design, here's why I find it to be an interesting product.

A stylish design that is very easy to wear

Sony offers the LinkBuds Clip in Greige (Gray+ Beige), Black, and Green colours. My review unit's matte beige finish looks more like a piece of contemporary jewellery. This unique look does turn heads, and you would want to wear it as a style statement.

Wearing them is easy. The clip-style design of the LinkBuds Clip has two modules connected by a flexible section that keeps the unit in place: one facing the ear canal and the other outside the ear. This sits firmly and doesn't fall off with strong head movement. Also, thanks to the IPX4 ingress rating, it can withstand sweat and splashes following a workout session.

In case the clip grip is loose, you can use the bundled fitting cushions in the box. They attach to the flexible clip and can be positioned to make the earbuds feel more secure and comfortable.

The Clip is also very light, and mostly you wouldn't feel any heaviness while you're wearing it. Very rarely, though, after wearing it for a long stretch, I felt the grip causing slight pressure on the outer ear. This didn't mean I wanted to take them off immediately, but I would start adjusting them to reduce the discomfort. This could, of course, vary with different ear shapes but is something to note.

When you are not wearing them, drop them in the bundled case, and this squircle box with cute rounded edges feels premium. It would have been nicer if it were a bit smaller. At present, it is fairly visible in trouser pockets.

Detailed sound quality with restrained sub-bass

The sound is where the LinkBuds Clip makes the strongest argument for its price. Even without a seal around the ear canal, the Clip produces clear, detailed, and spacious sound. Because the driver is positioned towards the ear canal, more of the sound reaches your ears directly. It is just that you need to adjust the position for the best experience.

Still, due to an absent sealed chamber, deep bass reproduction is much more difficult by design. There is enough upper bass and mid-bass sensation, but deep bass is restrained here. You can enjoy fairly precise drops, beats, and the body of male vocals, lower piano and guitar notes.

An example to state the limitation is 'Limit to Your Love' by James Blake, wherein deep low-end rumble simply does not come through on the LinkBuds Clip in the way it does on a sealed pair of good TWS earbuds. You can hear the bass notes, but you do not get that deep, almost physical movement of air.

What you get is a more natural sense of space in the LinkBuds Clip. The 10mm driver reproduces clear vocals; instruments are easier to discern, and compared with lower-end open-ear earbuds, there is more detail in both these elements, and high notes have better definition. Songs also sound wider rather than being concentrated around the centre of your head.

The presentation is suitable for acoustic music, podcasts, YouTube videos and tracks where vocals and upper-frequency detail matter more than sub-bass.

Ambient awareness and different listening modes

Sony offers different listening modes in the Sound Connect app. I was listening mostly in the Voice Boost mode, in which the vocals and midrange sounds are louder and thus easier to hear. Especially in a car, office, or other indoor spaces, with this mode, background noise doesn't reach your ears.

Outside, however, busy Indian roads are a different story. Horns, traffic and other sharp, loud sounds will still reach your ears regardless of the mode you choose. That can be distracting, but it is also part of the design. The LinkBuds Clip is meant to keep you aware of your surroundings, and that awareness is one of the main reasons to choose an open-ear pair in the first place.

The other one could be for people who can't or don't want to insert an eartip in the ear canal. The direct push of loud sounds can be harmful or, worse, hurtful. Even the heightened vocals in Voice Boost mode can be harsh at times. You can use the Standard listening mode in such cases. It is the general-purpose mode and does a better job at ambient awareness than the Voice Boost mode.

And in situations when you don't want others to hear what you are listening to, you can use the Sound Leakage Reduction mode. While it helps in keeping what you are listening to personal, the music quality takes a hit, so I wasn't using it that often.

Also Read: JBL Bar 1300 MK2 review: This is what Dolby Atmos from a soundbar actually sounds like

Sound Connect, controls and calls

The pairing experience was smooth, and the connection remained stable when the phone was nearby. It did drop when I moved further away or in areas with patchy connectivity, but within a normal range, I did not face any significant connection issues.

Sony Sound Connect app gives you EQ controls, listening modes, multipoint connectivity and access to the company's proprietary features like DSEE upscaling technology and 360 Reality Audio (Spatial sound). The latter is compatible with select services only.

What anybody can and will use are the tap operation functions. You can configure it to some extent. You can choose Playback Control, Digital Assistant, Listening Mode/Quick Access to Spotify/Amazon Music/Endel as the tap operation for each side. The tap recognition was accurate and very reliable, even when the fingers were moist.

Sony puts considerable emphasis on voice pickup and AI-powered call processing. The company says the LinkBuds Clip combines microphones with a bone-conduction sensor and voice processing to improve speech pickup in noisy environments. The resulting call experience was respectable.

Fine battery life

Sony claims up to nine hours of continuous music playback from the earbuds, with up to 37 hours of total battery life when the charging case is included. The case charges through USB Type-C.

In my own battery test with the AAC codec, volume set at 80%, and continuous playback of a FLAC music file, the left earbud lasted 7 hours and 15 minutes, while the right lasted 7 hours. That should be enough for a working day or long travel.

Sony claims 1 hour worth of runtime with 3 minutes of wired charging. There is wireless charging at this price, though.

Should you buy the Sony LinkBuds Clip?

The Sony LinkBuds Clip is not an earbud I would recommend simply because it is open-ear. There are cheaper options that offer the same basic benefit of hearing your surroundings with decent sound quality. Sony's offering here feels like a more refined version of the concept, with better sound, a premium design, reliable controls, useful software features, and enough battery life for a full working day.

The biggest reason to consider it is sound quality. The LinkBuds Clip sounds more detailed than the lower-end open-ear earbuds I have used, with clearer vocals, better high-frequency detail and a wider presentation. It also manages to retain enough mid-bass punch to make beats and drops enjoyable. The compromise is deep bass. If you listen to music where sub-bass and low-end rumble are important, a good sealed TWS earbud will still sound more satisfying.

The design is another reason to buy it, but also one of my reservations. It is easy on the eyes, simple to put on, and light on the ears. But after prolonged use, the grip can become slightly uncomfortable. And because of the open design, you cannot expect the LinkBuds Clip to deal with traffic noise the way ANC earbuds do. That is the trade-off for keeping you aware of your surroundings.

So, if you specifically want this type of design, care about sound quality, and have the budget for it, the LinkBuds Clip is worth considering at Rs 16,990. It is a premium open-ear earbud rather than an alternative to conventional TWS earbuds. If you want the best open-ear experience without compromising too much on sound quality, Sony has made a compelling product here.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar reviews.

Also Read: Sony Bravia 7 II review: The best LCD TV I’ve tested this year

Samsung's Fan Edition series has always been about offering a more affordable way to get a taste of its flagship phones. The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE is no different, as the company relied on its tried-and-tested method. However, coming from years of using an iPhone as my primary phone, I went into the Galaxy S26 FE with a very different perspective than the users who usually have been Samsung fanboys or have been in that ecosystem before. During my testing, I wasn't just looking at whether the phone had a good display, a fast processor or capable cameras. Rather, I wanted to see how it would feel after becoming part of my everyday routine and why my every convo with a Samsung user ends with one cliché line: 'You will not get it.'

Me using an iPhone as my primary device doesn’t mean that I’ve never used Android, but I’ll admit that I’ve spent considerably more time with iOS over the years. So, when I switched to the Galaxy S26 FE, I went into it with an open mind, curious to see how Samsung’s take on Android would feel as a daily driver. And here is my take. 

Samsung Galaxy S26 FE design: Familiar, but I like the new look

Samsung has not made major changes in the design of its latest Galaxy S26 FE device when compared with the previous generation, which isn't a bad thing. But there are a few minor changes that make the phone feel fresh, like the introduction of three new colour variants, notably the Pistachio, Blueberry and Graphite variants. We received the Pistachio variant for the review, and the colour is one of the best shades I've come across.

Samsung offers a glass back with the Galaxy S26 FE, which gives you a premium feel but attracts fingerprints. Talking about the in-hand feel of the handset, the S26 FE is quite comfortable to hold, thanks to its 7.4mm thickness and 193-gram weight. While it weighs 3 grams more on paper than last year’s Galaxy S25 FE, the device still felt comfortable in hand.

Another thing that is worth mentioning- the device gets a Galaxy S26 series like camera island. While it does give you the flagship look, there is a small problem. When you put it on a solid, flat surface with the display facing upwards, the camera island makes the phone wobble. However, it can be fixed by putting the phone in a case.

Samsung has also retained IP68 protection, so the phone gets the same level of dust and water resistance that you used to get with its predecessor and its assuring. 

Samsung Galaxy S26 FE display: Accurate colours and good outdoor visibility

The Galaxy S26 FE gets a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate, and after using it for a good amount of time, I have almost nothing to complain about. The screen feels smooth while scrolling, videos look good, and I found it comfortable enough for long periods of browsing and watching content. Samsung also claims a peak brightness of 1,900 nits, and in my usage, the display held up well outdoors.

What I particularly liked was the colour accuracy, as during our Calman and ColorChecker testing, the display recorded an average DeltaE 2000 of just 0.6, with a maximum of 1.37. This is an excellent result and means the colours on the screen are very close to what they are supposed to look like.

In terms of colour coverage, the panel covered around 99 per cent of the sRGB/BT.709 gamut, while DCI-P3 coverage was measured at around 73.6 to 79.8 per cent and BT.2020 coverage at around 52.8 to 58.2 per cent. In simpler terms, this is among the most colour accurate displays that Samsung has made. 

While I don't think that many users will care about these numbers, at the first look, the phone looks bright and impressive.

Samsung Galaxy S26 FE performance: Fast enough

The Galaxy S26 FE is powered by the Exynos 2500 chipset and comes with 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage. In day-to-day use, the device handled most of what I threw at it without any major problems. Multitasking was smooth; apps opened and closed without any major hiccups, and I did not feel the phone was struggling.

I also spent some time playing BGMI to see how the Galaxy S26 FE performs in a real-world gaming scenario. During my sessions, the frame rate stayed between 55 and 60 FPS for most of the gameplay. I did notice occasional dips, but they were not frequent or severe enough to affect my gameplay. 

One thing to keep in mind is that the Galaxy S26 FE gets warm fairly quickly during gaming, although the heat remained manageable and did not make the phone uncomfortable to use. 

The benchmark results were also fairly strong. Here’s how the Galaxy S26 FE performed in our tests:

Moreover, I’d also like to draw your attention to the fact that this year’s Galaxy S26 FE comes with USB 2.0, which is a downgrade from last year’s Galaxy S25 FE, which came with USB 3.2 Gen 1. While you may not notice the difference during normal charging or everyday use, if you regularly transfer large files through a cable, the newer phone is actually taking a step backwards.

Coming to the software part, the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE is one of those devices that natively comes with One UI 9 (Android 17-based skin). With that you get newer Galaxy AI features such as an updated Now Brief, Now Nudge and improved Circle to Search.

Coming from years of using iOS, I found One UI 9 quite easy to get used to. The interface feels smooth, the animations are generally good and there is plenty of customisation for people who like changing the way their phone looks and works.

Samsung is also promising seven years of software and security updates. That should give the Galaxy S26 FE a longer usable life if you plan to keep the phone for several years.

Samsung Galaxy S26 FE camera: Sharp photos with good portrait shots

The camera setup on the Galaxy S26 FE is not very different from last year’s Galaxy S25 FE. You get a 50MP primary camera, a 12MP ultrawide, an 8MP 3x telephoto and a 12MP front camera. However, after using the cameras for some time, I feel the sensors still do a good job.

Daylight photography is where I was most impressed, as images captured with the main camera are sharp and have plenty of detail. Colours also look fairly natural, which I personally prefer over photos that are heavily processed and made to look good only on social media. Samsung does provide an option that automatically processes your images and makes them social media-ready in the Settings.

Talking about Portrait mode, I think Samsung has done a good job here, as the edge detection is quite good, especially around people. I didn't notice many of those strange cuts around the hair or body that you sometimes get with portrait photography.

The main camera performs well at night and captures photos with good detail. The ultrawide camera is fine in daylight, but its quality drops in low-light conditions. I feel there is also a slight difference in colour between the main and ultrawide cameras when shooting in low light but does not create much of a difference. But, zooming in at night is also a problem, as photos taken at 2x, 3x, or higher zoom levels show visible grain, although there is little noise and the text remains readable.

Samsung Galaxy S26 FE battery: I expected more

Samsung has retained the 4,900mAh battery from the last-generation Galaxy S25 FE, along with support for 45W wired and 15W wireless charging. While the battery backup was good, I expected a little more after looking at the competition in the segment. 

In day-to-day use, the handset can comfortably last a full day but this is subjective to the use case. If you’re someone who is constantly browsing, watching videos on YouTube, using the camera, playing games or scrolling through social media then the device drains quickly.

The PCMark battery test also gave a similar picture, with the phone lasting 11 hours 58 minutes in our controlled test. Of course, real-world battery life can vary depending on how you use the phone, but for regular day-to-day use, getting through a full day was not a problem.

When it comes to charging, the 45W wired charging is useful when you need a quick top-up. In our 0 to 100 battery test, the phone took 98 minutes to fully charge. However, the wireless charging felt relatively slow, so I’d personally stick to using it overnight rather than when I need to quickly add some battery.

Samsung Galaxy S26 FE: Verdict

After spending real time with it, both running it through benchmarks and using it as my daily phone, I feel that Samsung has definitely refined its fan edition formula. The design feels premium and comfortable, the display is excellent, and colour accuracy is particularly impressive. Performance is more than enough for everyday use and gaming, although the phone does get warm sooner than I expected.

The cameras also do a good job in daylight, portrait shots and normal zoom, while the battery easily gets me through a full day. You also get fast wired charging (that you get with the Galaxy S26 Ultra) and seven years of software support. However, the battery and camera should have been part of the upgrade. Also, the downgraded USB port from (USB 3.2 to USB 2.0) also feels like a compromise.

So, is the Galaxy S26 FE a good choice at Rs 79,999? My answer would depend largely on what you expect from your phone. But if your priorities are a flagship-like experience, an excellent display, a polished user interface, premium design and reliable everyday performance, the Galaxy S26 FE makes a compelling case at this price, particularly at a time when smartphone prices are steadily climbing.

India's air quality problem is not seasonal, it is persistent. Urban pollution, vehicular emissions, construction dust and crop burning all make a consistent case for air purification, but the Indian kitchen makes the most important one. Every time you temper spices in a hot pan or deep-fry anything, you are generating PM2.5 particulate matter at concentrations that would concern any air quality monitor. Multiply that across the year and across a household and the case for a capable air purifier becomes less a luxury argument and more a practical one. The Xiaomi Mijia Smart Air Purifier 6 enters India at Rs 19,999 with a 443 m³/h CADR, five-layer filtration and 940 sq ft of coverage. Xiaomi has shipped more than 25 million air purifiers globally since 2014, holds the number one position in the Chinese market, and is now leaning into India as its next major growth opportunity. The Air Purifier 6 is the flagship of that push and having spent time with it across daily home use, it makes a compelling argument for why.

Xiaomi Mijia Smart Air Purifier 6 key specifications

Design: tall, slim and unobtrusive

The Air Purifier 6 has a cylindrical shape, standing 555 mm tall with a 250 mm footprint. In Indian apartments where floor space is rarely spare, this form factor works well as it tucks into a corner without demanding much attention and its clean white finish means it reads as furniture rather than an appliance. The front panel shows a small display that outputs current temperature, humidity, PM1, PM2.5, dust readings and the active operating mode. Two touch buttons handle power and mode cycling.

Air intake happens through vents around the lower body, while the cleaned air exits from the top exhaust. This means the lower portion of the device needs a few centimetres of clearance from walls and furniture which is worth keeping in mind when choosing where to place it. The cylindrical filter inside is large and because every side of the lower body draws air in, the effective filtering surface is significantly larger than the device's visual footprint suggests.

To access the filter, a rear panel slides off and the cylindrical filter pulls out via a loop handle. Installation and removal take under a minute. The device weighs 5.2 kg, which is light enough to move between rooms when needed.

Filtration

The Air Purifier 6 moves air through five stages. The primary filter catches larger particles like dust, pet hair and pollen. The high-efficiency filter handles PM2.5 and finer particles at a 99.98% removal rate for 0.3 µm particles. An activated carbon layer adsorbs formaldehyde, VOCs and cooking odours. A UVC sterilisation array and a negative ion generator complete the purifier’s five-layer system.

The mechanical filtration does the majority of the work and the CADR figures reflect this. UVC and ionisation are supplementary and the device allows you to toggle both off individually through the Xiaomi Home app if you prefer to keep the configuration simple. The activated carbon layer targets gases and odours effectively, though its capacity reduces with use faster than the particulate layers do. In practice, the filter is rated at six to twelve months of use, depending on air quality in your environment.

The device carries ITS Allergen Free and SGS Allergen Removal certifications, which are relevant for households with allergy sufferers.

Performance

At 443 m³/h particle CADR, the Air Purifier 6 is well-specified for spaces up to 940 sq ft at two air changes per hour. To put that in practical terms, the device clears a 108 sq ft room in approximately 3.5 minutes, a 200 sq ft room in six minutes, and a 400 sq ft room in twelve. For a typical 2 BHK apartment, or the combined living area and kitchen of a 3 BHK, this is the right amount of coverage.

The built-in laser sensor monitors PM1, PM2.5 and dust (PM10) in real time, alongside temperature and relative humidity. The sensor tracks trends accurately and reacts quickly to changes; individual point readings at high concentrations can run slightly higher than calibrated reference monitors, but for everyday use the directional information is reliable and actionable. When the display shows conditions worsening, it is because conditions are actually worsening.

Smart features

The Xiaomi Home app is the right way to use this air purifier. Through it, you can view current and historical air quality data, set fan speeds across auto, sleep, manual and three preset levels, toggle the UVC light and ioniser, check filter health, set schedules, enable child lock and share device access with other users. The interface is clear and the data is presented in a way that is easy to read even without a background in air quality.

Auto mode adjusts fan speed based on the sensor readings, which works well in practice. Sleep mode keeps the device running at the lowest fan speed and dims the display, making it appropriate for use in a bedroom overnight.

Alexa and Google Home integration is available, but functional control through voice is limited to basic commands. The Xiaomi Home app is where full control lives, and for anyone already using Xiaomi devices, the ecosystem integration comes in handy. Wi-Fi connectivity is 2.4 GHz only, which is the standard for most home IoT devices and unlikely to present any setup issues.

Noise

The Air Purifier 6 in its quietest mode is below the threshold of what most people would consciously register as a sound in a room. The sleep mode runs at 32 dB(A) and in comparison, a whisper registers at around 35 dB and normal conversation at 45 dB. Even the middle speed setting produces a low hum rather than anything that would disrupt a conversation or disturb sleep. At maximum, it is audible, but not distracting, and the occasions when you would run it at maximum are typically short.

Verdict

At Rs 19,999, the Xiaomi Mijia Smart Air Purifier 6 arrives with the right hardware for the Indian home. A coverage that handles 2 BHK apartments in full, a CADR that over-delivers against its own rating, five-layer filtration with third-party allergen certifications, five-sensor monitoring, and an app that makes the data accessible and the controls meaningful. The sleep mode noise of 32 dB means it can run around the clock without becoming an irritant.

The Xiaomi Home app is essential to get the most from the device; voice assistant integration through Alexa or Google Home handles basic commands but is not a substitute for the app's full control set. For anyone already within the Xiaomi ecosystem, that is a non-issue. For everyone else, it is a minor one-time setup consideration.

For a household in any Indian city dealing with daily pollution, seasonal spikes and an active kitchen, the Mijia Smart Air Purifier 6 is a well-considered purchase at this price.

The sub-Rs 2,000 TWS market has a pattern of promising solid specs on the box but a compromised execution everywhere else. We all have had experiences where call quality turns your voice into a muffle, connectivity that drops the moment you walk a few steps from your phone and sound that has been tuned to impress for 30 seconds in a store, fatigues you within the hour. The Vivo Buds set out to break this pattern and in the most important areas they succeed. At Rs 1,999, this pair of TWS leads with an absurd 50-hour total battery life, Bluetooth 6.1 with rock-solid dual-device connectivity and a 10mm driver tuned for everyday listening. There is no active noise cancellation, no transparency mode, no wear detection. Vivo has actually chosen to do fewer things and do them well, which turns out to be the right call at this price.

Design and build

The case has a rounded, compact form factor that fits easily in a pocket. The glossy finish is attractive but a fingerprint and dust magnet so you will need to keep a microfibre cloth handy. The lid opens cleanly with a one-finger motion and the magnets holding the earbuds in are remarkably strong for the price. There is no dedicated pairing button and to enter pairing mode manually, you hold both earbuds simultaneously for three seconds, which works but takes a moment of adjustment. The USB-C port sits at the base.

The earbuds weigh 3.8 g each, which is light enough that they disappear into your ears. The silicone tips are available in three sizes; the medium pair comes pre-installed but the large tips give a more secure seal. IP54 dust and water resistance covers sweaty gym sessions and unexpected light rain without concern.

Sound quality

The Vivo Buds ship with Mega Bass as the default EQ setting. Switch it off immediately. Mega Bass elevates the sub-bass to a degree that buries the rest of the mix: vocals recede, mids become indistinct and the overall presentation feels bloated. However, switching to Standard EQ transforms the listening experience.

In Standard, the Vivo Buds deliver a U-shaped sound signature that leans warm: bass has presence and reasonable tightness, mids are slightly recessed but not absent, and the treble remains controlled without turning shrill. For pop, hip-hop, and electronic music at everyday volumes, the result is engaging without being fatiguing. The mids do step back more than you would want on vocal-forward tracks, and the soundstage is compact rather than expansive, but neither of these is a surprise at this price point.

The ten-band custom EQ in the vEarphones app gives you meaningful control if the Standard preset needs adjustment. DeepX 4.0 also offers preset modes including Clear Voice, Clear High Pitch and an Immersive Audiobook mode that is well-tuned for spoken content. Four spatial audio modes: Theater, Concert Hall, Studio and Live Concert are available, though spatial audio on in-ear buds is more of a novelty than a daily tool. The supported codec are SBC and AAC, so no high-resolution codec at this price, which is expected.

Call performance

The dual-mic AI noise cancellation surprised me. Tested in outdoor environments with traffic and ambient crowd noise in the background, the person on the other end heard my voice cleanly without the surrounding environment dominating. The cross-flow duct design that redirects airflow away from the microphone inlet does measurable work on wind noise: walking in a breeze did not turn the call into a howl. For the price, the call clarity is a genuine strength.

Features and connectivity

Bluetooth 6.1 at this price is very unusual. The dual-device multipoint connection switches between a laptop and a phone automatically when a call comes in, without hesitation or manual intervention. Having tested pairs at significantly higher price points where this handoff stutters, the Vivo Buds handling it seamlessly is notable.

For gaming, the 42ms low-latency mode engages automatically in Ultra Game Mode on Vivo phones or via a manual toggle in the vEarphones app on other Android devices. The audio-to-visual sync is tight enough that it does not distract during fast-paced games.

Vivo-ecosystem users get additional benefits: instant pairing via case opening, in-settings control without a separate app, customisable pet-themed pop-up interfaces, and a Find My Vivo Buds function. Spatial audio is currently available on select Vivo devices only starting with the Vivo X300 Ultra and the Vivo X300 FE, gradually rolling out to other phones too. The ecosystem tie-in is deep and while it works perfectly on third-party Android phones too, the full experience is reserved for Vivo hardware.

Touch controls are customisable for double-tap and triple-tap gestures and are responsive without accidental triggers.

Battery

Twelve hours of playback from the buds on a single charge, with roughly 38 additional hours in the case, giving 50 hours total. At 100% volume with AAC active, real-world playback came in around 9.5 hours, close enough to the claim that it counts. The case charges fully in about two hours via USB-C and a ten-minute charge inside the case gives approximately four more hours of playback.

Verdict

The Vivo Buds do not try to be everything. They do not offer ANC, transparency mode or wear detection, and those absences are felt if you have grown accustomed to them. What they offer instead is a light, comfortable fit, durable build for the price, Bluetooth 6.1 connectivity that routinely outperforms competitors at twice the cost, call quality that holds up outdoors and battery life that puts much more expensive pairs to shame. Change the default EQ to Standard and the sound is balanced and easy to live with across genres. At Rs 1,999, the Vivo Buds are a straightforward recommendation and if you are a Vivo phone user, they are the obvious first choice.

Most 45W chargers are either fast or compact but getting both in the same package, at under Rs 2,000, is the more difficult part of the equation. That’s where the Stuffcool Numen 45 enters the picture. At 6.0 x 3.85 x 3.18 cm and 110 g, this is a GaN charger that delivers a solid 45W through a single USB-C port while staying small enough to drop into a jeans pocket. The headline claim, however, is not the size or the wattage, it is the protocol support. The Numen 45 is one of India's first chargers to support Apple's AVS or Adaptive Voltage Scaling, the fast charging standard that newer iPhones use to negotiate higher, more precise charging voltages than standard USB PD allows. Pair an AVS-compatible charger with an iPhone 17 Pro and the device charges differently from how it would on a standard 45W PD brick. Whether that difference is meaningful in daily use is a fair question, and it is one the Numen 45 gives you a reason to ask.

Design and build

The charger is built from polycarbonate with a smooth matte finish and prongs that fold flat for travel. It is BIS certified and Made in India, which matters in this category where non-certified third-party chargers are both common and genuinely risky. Three colour options are available.

The size is the selling point but the weight is the noticeable. At 110 g, the Numen 45 is heavier than it looks. Some competing 33–35W GaN bricks at a similar price come in noticeably lighter. For home use this is irrelevant, but for travellers who are counting grams in a carry-on, it is worth keeping in mind before you pick it up. The plastic body will show scratches over time and a hard drop could damage the fold-flat prongs.

GaN technology does its job on thermals. During normal single-device charging the charger runs warm rather than hot. At sustained peak output, around 40–45W, the surface temperature reaches approximately 40°C. That settles back to a gentle warmth once the device crosses 80% and shifts to trickle charging. It does not become uncomfortable to touch and it does not throttle noticeably during a single charge session.

Charging performance

The Numen 45 supports USB PD PPS, Samsung Super Fast Charging 2.0 and Apple AVS. That covers the three most commonly encountered fast-charging devices in the Indian market: Samsung flagships, iPhones and Google Pixels.

On an iPhone 17 Pro using AVS, Stuffcool claims 50% in 20 minutes. In testing across multiple devices, real-world figures fall in the 20–35 minute range depending on starting charge level, ambient temperature and cable quality (more on that below). A non-AVS iPhone 15 or Pixel reaches 50% in approximately 30 minutes, consistent with what standard USB PD PPS delivers at this wattage. A Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, rated to 25W, charges at its maximum rated speed without issue.

The charger is also powerful enough to charge a MacBook Air, which draws up to 30W in low-demand use and benefits from a 45W input for basic productivity tasks. It will not keep up with sustained heavy workloads, but for light laptop use on the road it works just fine.

The standard Numen 45 ships with a 100W 5A USB-C to USB-C cable fitted with an E-marker chip. The E-marker identifies the cable's capability to both the charger and the device, enabling the full 45W output. Without an E-marker cable, the charger negotiates a lower wattage; in testing with a standard 25W cable, output dropped to around 25W. The included cable is therefore is functionally required to unlock what the charger is rated for.

Build quality of the cable is fairly acceptable. The surface texture is soft and pleasant to handle, and a strain-relief spring at the connector end reduces sharp-angle bending. One of the concern is longevity because the outer material is not braided and with repeated flexing, exposure to heat or contact with moisture, the jacket may degrade faster than a braided alternative would. For desk use this is unlikely to be an issue. For frequent outdoor or travel use, replacing it with a braided E-marker cable over time would be sensible.

Numen 45 Pro brings two-device option

The Pro variant adds a second USB-C port for Rs 1,499: Rs 200 less than the standard version. The trade-off is that when a single device is connected you get the full 45W through either port. But when you connect two devices: 25W on port one, 20W on port two, that covers a phone and earbuds or two phones simultaneously.

The Pro does not include a cable. If you already own a quality USB-C cable, the Pro is the better value for anyone regularly charging two devices. If you need the cable, the standard Numen 45 at Rs 1,699 is the more complete purchase.

Verdict

The Stuffcool Numen 45 makes a clear case at Rs 1,699. The AVS support is a practical differentiator for anyone using a recent iPhone and the bundled E-marker cable means the full 45W is accessible from day one without a separate accessory purchase. The compact GaN design handles heat responsibly but the six-month warranty is the shortest in the category and reflects the one area where Stuffcool should raise the standard.

For Android users on Samsung or Pixel flagships, the performance is exactly what the spec sheet suggests. For iPhone users upgrading from a standard 20W adapter, the jump in charging speed is the most tangible difference this charger delivers. At under Rs 2,000 for a 45W GaN charger with AVS and a cable in the box, the value is difficult to argue with.

The water purifier market in India has looked largely the same for two decades: a white plastic box mounted on a wall above the sink, a standard tap on one side and a storage tank below. The engineering inside has improved steadily but the form factor has not. Boon Tap is an under-sink RO purifier with the filtration unit hidden below the counter and a precision-milled stainless steel tap as the only visible element above it. The system is built on UltraOsmosis, Boon's own commercial-grade filtration platform: the same technology currently used across more than 400 hotels and 4,000 organisations in nine countries, including properties from the Oberoi and Aman groups. The core idea is that filtration built to handle the throughput demands of a commercial kitchen, adapted for a single home, is a fundamentally different product from a purifier designed for occasional residential use. In practice, that claim holds up. But it is not the engineering that makes Boon Tap interesting to most buyers but the fact that the engineering is invisible.

Design: what you see and what you don't

Visually, the tap is the product. It comes in three finishes: Gunmetal Grey (the default), Matte Black and Soul Silver, all machined from SS 304 stainless steel and finished without plating. The spout stands 35 cm above the counter, which is taller than most kitchen taps: a full one-litre bottle stands upright under it without tilting. The base is weighted and stays planted. A 360-degree swivel covers the full width of the sink.

Below the counter, the purification unit has a glass-front panel, a slim profile, and a colour-coded LED alert bar with a live TDS digit display. It installs inside a standard sink cabinet or wall-mounts where cabinet space is limited. Once it is in, the only interaction required is with the tap above or, increasingly, with the WaterAI app on your phone.

Filtration: five stages, all proprietary

The RO variant routes water through five filters in sequence: the InletShield pre-filter (grooved surface, 5 microns), the ProFlow sediment filter (ridged casing, holds significantly more sediment before choking than a standard smooth-surface PP filter), the CarbonCorrect carbon stage (chlorine and chemical taste), the CoreRO membrane (handles input TDS up to 2000 ppm), and the UV ProGlow stage (a mirrored chamber that reflects UV wall-to-wall rather than running a bare lamp in a tank). All five are designed and manufactured in-house across seven patents.

After filtration, minerals are re-introduced through natural mineral stones rather than factory-pressed pellets and the dose is adjustable through three Water Profiles: Active (3x minerals), Daily (2x minerals, the default) and Bev (1x minerals, tuned for tea and coffee). Each profile fully RO-filters the water first, then doses minerals after so the blend is never mixed before filtration.

Boon Tap Performance

We ran the Boon Tap RO through our standard water purifier test suite on input water measuring 497 ppm TDS, which is representative of medium-to-hard water conditions common across many Indian cities.

The TDS reduction from 497 to 25 ppm is exactly what the system is supposed to do and it does it cleanly. The more important figure for most buyers is the recovery rate. Standard home ROs typically waste two to three litres for every litre purified, a recovery rate of around 25–33%. The Boon Tap RO delivered a 1:1 ratio in our testing, meaning 50% of input water is purified rather than drained. Boon claims up to 30% lower water wastage than a standard membrane and our test results show the system performing better than that claim. The 26.4 litres of purified water per hour is more than sufficient for a household's combined drinking and cooking needs.

WaterAI: smarter than a purifier needs to be

The WaterAI app for iOS and Android connects to the unit via WiFi or Bluetooth and shows live TDS, temperature, flow rate and filter health. Predictive alerts flag when filters are due before they affect water quality rather than after. Automatic care routines run flush cycles on a schedule (Auto, BabySafe or Away mode when you travel) without manual input. Water profile switching happens in the app. For a product whose defining feature is being invisible, the software gives you more insight into what is happening inside the system than any wall-mounted purifier with an LED counter can.

Variants and installation

The RO variant at Rs 20,990 targets borewell and high-TDS water. The UF variant at Rs 18,500 is designed for municipal water supply, skipping the RO membrane to preserve naturally occurring minerals. Both come with free installation by certified technicians and a two-year warranty. Filter replacements are charged as needed post-warranty, with no mandatory AMC.

Three tap finishes are available at no additional cost. The unit ships with a pre-filter included.

Verdict

The Boon Tap argues that your water purifier does not need to be the most conspicuous object in your kitchen and that commercial-grade filtration rebuilt for residential use produces a meaningfully better product than what the home RO category typically offers. Our testing supports the filtration claim. The 95% TDS reduction and 50% recovery rate are both strong results for an under-sink RO in this price range and the five-stage UltraOsmosis platform is engineering that holds up to scrutiny. The WaterAI app is useful rather than gimmicky and the tap itself is well-made object that earns its place above the counter.

At Rs 20,990 for the RO variant, this is priced above the standard home purifier but below where you would expect to pay for commercial-grade components with this level of software integration and design attention. For a buyer building a kitchen with some care, it is the most complete answer to the water purification question currently available in this category.

There is a specific kind of rabbit hole that 3D printing pulls you into. I started with a controller stand that I found on MakerWorld and woke up two hours later having also queued a Batman bust, a Samurai incense holder and three action figures I did not strictly need. The Bambu Lab A2L is my first 3D printer experience. I did not know what I was doing when it arrived but within a week, I was not sure how I had lived without one.

At Rs 65,999 for the Combo with AMS Lite, the A2L is not a casual purchase, but it is also not a hobbyist's gamble. This is a machine that ships ready to run, paired with an ecosystem that removes most of the friction that historically made 3D printing intimidating. The build volume is 330 x 320 x 325 mm which is a fairly large canvas that can handle helmets, cosplay props, multi-part batches and the smaller models most people spend their time printing daily.

Design and setup

The A2L is an open-frame printer, meaning the print area is exposed rather than enclosed. For the materials it is designed around, primarily PLA and PETG, this works perfectly well. The maximum bed temperature is 80°C which is one concession compared to the previous generation, the A1 could hit 100°C. If engineering-grade filaments are on your agenda, a different machine is the right tool. For everything I have thrown at it including action figures from Printables, comic book characters from MakerWorld, controller stands, wall hooks, an incense holder with latticed walls,PLA is more than adequate.

The setup is the most pleasant surprise. Connect to Wi-Fi, install Bambu Studio on a PC or the Bambu Handy app on a phone and the machine is ready to receive files. Models from MakerWorld, Bambu's own design-sharing platform, load directly into the slicer in a few clicks and the presets are calibrated well enough that first prints come out right without manual adjustment. For someone who had never sliced a model before, this matters considerably.

Performance

The A2L's most significant hardware upgrade is its PMSM closed-loop servo extruder. Unlike the stepper motors in older machines, this servo actively monitors its own output and detects problems like clogs, air printing, filament slipping in real time. In practice, this means the printer can flag a problem before it ruins a multi-hour print rather than after. Running the machine overnight and coming back to find it has paused itself with an alert is a considerably better outcome than finding spaghetti on the build plate.

Adaptive vibration compensation matters more on the A2L than it would on a smaller printer. As a print grows taller, the mass on the bed shifts and bed-slingers of this size have a tendency to transfer that motion into the upper layers of tall prints. The A2L adjusts its motion parameters dynamically to compensate and the output on tall, narrow models is noticeably cleaner for it. The Batman figure I printed showed crisp surface detail from base to crown with no wavering in the upper sections. A detailed Vegeta model retained fine facial features without prompting.

That said, the A2L does shake. On a solid workbench or a table with substantial leg support it is manageable. On anything lighter, the movement of that large bed can be felt. This is physics more than a design flaw, but it is worth knowing before you place this on your home office desk.

Practical quality presets run more conservatively, but even at moderate speeds the machine is fast and the top print speed is rated at 500 mm/s.

Multi-colour and the AMS Lite

The AMS Lite that ships with the Combo handles four filament spools and swaps between them automatically during a print. The A2L can combine the AMS Lite with up to four standard AMS box units, giving you access to up to 19 colours for a single project. I have been running two and three-colour prints regularly, and the colour changes are handled cleanly and reliably if the Prime tower is enabled.

One thing you should know is that multi-colour printing produces purge waste between each colour swap. After a session that generated more purge material than usable output, I learned a trick. When printing objects in multiple colours, setting the mode to 'by object' rather than 'by layer' and enabling auto-arrange in the slicer dramatically reduces the number of filament changes and therefore the amount wasted. The slicer estimates all of this before you start so studying that estimate is worth a few minutes of your time.

What the machine teaches you

A few things nobody told me that cost material before I learned them. First: do not touch the build plate with bare hands. Skin oils transfer to the surface and interfere with adhesion during the first layer. A print that fails at this stage turns into a tangle of loose strands rather than an object. So we recommend to clean the plate before each session.

Second: the A2L's open-frame design means the filament spools in the AMS Lite are exposed to ambient air. Filament absorbs moisture, and damp filament prints poorly, producing brittle layers and surface defects. In humid environments it is recommended to store filament in sealed bags or a dry box between sessions.

The onboard camera is a minor frustration. At 0.5 fps, it produces charming time-lapses of completed prints but is too slow for meaningful real-time monitoring. For a machine otherwise this capable, a better camera would close a practical gap.

Verdict

The Bambu Lab A2L arrived as a machine I had no experience with and became part of my daily creative routine faster than I expected. The build volume is large enough to accommodate ambitions that grow over time. The PMSM servo extruder and adaptive vibration compensation are genuine improvements to print reliability, not spec-sheet additions. The ecosystem consisting of MakerWorld, Bambu Studio and the AMS Lite does the work of making an unfamiliar process accessible without removing the satisfaction of watching something you designed or downloaded materialise layer by layer. The 80°C bed temperature and open-frame construction are some of the limitations and the slow webcam is an ongoing minor irritation.

At Rs 65,999, the A2L is a considered purchase but it is also one that delivers on its promises from the first print. If you have been curious about 3D printing and want a machine that works reliably from day one and scales with whatever you decide to make next, the A2L is where to start.

The LG Xboom Bounce is a wireless bluetooth speaker co-designed with will.i.am and has passive radiators mounted on top of the body physically move with the bass, hence the ‘Bounce’ in the name because it bounces and an LED bar across the front syncs to the music in real time. The AI Sound modes, the Auracast support for linking multiple units and a battery that outlasts the occasion by a margin most competitors cannot match, all make a stronger case than most for why the collaboration matters beyond the marketing. At Rs 9,999, it is designed to compete on substance, and it largely does, but whether the sound underneath the spectacle justifies the price is the question we have set out to answer in this review.

Design

The Xboom Bounce has a rounded body with its two exposed upward-firing passive radiators with red accents, the LED light bar running along the front and the elastic carry strap all communicate a specific aesthetic intention. Whether that aesthetic suits you is a personal call, but it is at least an aesthetic rather than the default cylindrical format most portable speakers default to.

Build quality is solid. The 1.42 kg body has real heft and is certified for IP67 dust and water resistance, backed by military-standard drop testing. The controls sit on top and are easy to locate by feel in use. The passive radiators are slightly recessed but not fully enclosed; handling the speaker with some care in a bag keeps them in good shape over time. The carry strap makes it easy to take along wherever the occasion calls. The controls are not backlit, so physical button use after dark takes a moment of familiarity.

Audio Performance

The Xboom Bounce runs a 2.1-channel configuration with a 93x53mm woofer handling 30W, two 20mm dome tweeters each pushing 5W, and the dual passive radiators assisting low-end response. For a speaker at this size and price, it gets loud enough to fill a backyard or a living room without compression artefacts taking over.

The strengths are in the mids and highs. Vocals are clear, acoustic detail is preserved, and the dome tweeters render highs without harshness. The default Standard EQ setting produces a balanced, well-rounded sound. For listeners who prefer a stronger low-end, the Bass Boost preset in the LG ThinQ app is the more satisfying setting with kick drums and low-frequency synths have noticeably more body with it engaged, without muddying the rest of the mix.

The 6-band custom EQ via the app gives you room to tune to your preference, and the AI Sound mode optimizes output based on what you are playing so you get different results for music, voice content or film. Space calibration adjusts output for room size.

Stereo separation benefits from the 2.1 channel layout. The soundstage is noticeably wider than a mono cylinder of equivalent size. One thing worth noting: if you move to the sides or behind the speaker, the sound signature changes, so front-facing listening is where the Xboom Bounce is designed to be heard.

Features

The LED light strip syncs with music in several modes: Ambient, Party and Voice, among others. At night, with Bass Boost running, it earns its keep as a party-mode feature. During daylight, most users will turn it off to get an increased endurance.

Speaking of which: LG quotes 30 hours at 50% volume with lights off. In real-world testing at a louder 80dB with lighting effects on, the Xboom Bounce ran for over 22 hours before shutting down, which is impressive. Charging from zero to full takes approximately three hours via USB-C.

The built-in power bank function lets you charge a device from the speaker without pausing playback. This is a practical inclusion rather than a headline feature, but it makes the speaker a more complete travel companion.

Bluetooth 5.4 handles multipoint connection for two devices simultaneously. Auracast support allows wireless grouping with other compatible Xboom speakers for multi-room or multi-speaker setups. The 'My Button' on top can be mapped to trigger a playlist or radio station within compatible LG apps and is useful if you live in that ecosystem.

Verdict

The LG Xboom Bounce at Rs 9,999 is a bluetooth speaker with a clear identity and enough performance to back it up. The battery life is the headline number in this segment and the Xboom Bounce earns it. The sound is clear, balanced and loud for its size, with the app's EQ and Bass Boost doing useful work for buyers who want more low-end presence. The LED lighting and design make it a speaker you will leave on the counter rather than in a drawer.

Bass in the default EQ setting is balanced rather than heavy, and switching to Bass Boost is the recommended move for listeners who want more low-end weight. The passive radiators are worth being mindful of when packing the speaker into a bag. And these are minor considerations in the context of what the Xboom Bounce does well.

For a buyer who wants something that sounds good, looks distinctive, lasts all day and into the evening, and charges a phone in a pinch, the Xboom Bounce has all the personality and performance at the price.

Smart displays have always occupied an odd position in India: a category whose utility is obvious to anyone who has used one, yet one that has never quite crossed into mainstream adoption. The reasons are familiar enough: too few devices worth buying, too little awareness of what they actually do and a default assumption that a phone already handles everything they can. The Amazon Echo Show range is largely responsible for whatever foothold the category has here and the Echo Show 11 is Amazon's most serious attempt yet to make the argument for a dedicated smart display in an Indian home. At Rs 26,999, it is not an impulse purchase. It brings a 10.95-inch Full HD panel, the new AZ3 Pro silicon, a redesigned audio architecture and the Omnisense ambient AI sensor platform, the last of which is the most meaningful new addition to the Echo Show formula in years. After putting it through its paces across smart home control, entertainment, daily organisation and casual use, the picture that emerges is of a device that has taken a clear step forward. Whether it has taken a large enough one depends on how much you are already invested in the Alexa ecosystem.

Amazon Echo Show 11 key specifications

Design and build: Built for the living room

The Echo Show 11 carries the kind of finish that earns it a place on a shelf or kitchen counter rather than hiding it away. The edge-to-edge glass display with thin bezels sits against a 3D knit fabric body blends easily into the living room and home offices without demanding attention while also looking polished enough to attract it. At 1.3 kg and 260 x 180 x 130 mm, it is a confident presence without being imposing and the build quality throughout communicates that this is a premium product rather than a functional appliance.

The display dominates the front panel, as it should and the minimal bezel treatment makes the Echo Show 11 look significantly more contemporary than its predecessors.

One thing it does not have is a swivel base. Older Echo Show models could rotate to track you as you moved around a room. That capability is absent here, which means the device's viewing angle is fixed at whatever position you place it. For a stationary desk or kitchen counter setup, this is rarely a problem but in a larger open-plan living space, it can be.

Display: Full HD makes a difference

The step up to a Full HD 1920 x 1200 pixel panel is immediately noticeable. Text is sharper, video content looks more detailed and the overall experience of using the display for extended periods, whether reading, streaming or browsing smart home controls, is more comfortable than on the HD panel of the Echo Show 8. Colour rendering is accurate for the category, brightness handles most indoor environments well and touch response is reliable and natural. For a display that handles a meaningful share of interactions via touch, that last point matters more than it might seem.

Setup and performance: Mostly smooth sailing

Getting the Echo Show 11 running takes under ten minutes. Plug in the device, connect to Wi-Fi through the Alexa app or directly on screen, sign in to your Amazon account and the device manages the rest, including automatic software updates. Wi-Fi 6E ensures the initial setup and ongoing connectivity are stable and fast.

The AZ3 Pro chip keeps the interface responsive throughout. App navigation is fluid, Alexa voice responses are quick and multitasking, such as running automated routines while streaming music, produces no noticeable lag. Alexa's voice recognition is reliable for standard English commands and for most routine tasks, setting reminders, controlling compatible smart devices, checking the weather, the experience is smooth.

For Hindi and regional language music requests, performance can be inconsistent. This is a known limitation of Alexa broadly rather than anything specific to the Echo Show 11's hardware, but it is worth flagging for buyers who use regional language content regularly. One interface note: the home screen can feel more cluttered than it should, with suggestion cards and promotional content competing with the information you actually want. On a device intended to simplify daily life, this is an apparent friction until you get used to it.

Audio: The best Echo Show speaker yet

The front-firing stereo speaker arrangement paired with the custom 2.8-inch woofer delivers sound that consistently over-performs for the device's size and price. Spatial audio support gives music and podcast content genuine room-filling quality and spoken-word audio in particular sounds full and warm. For casual listening while cooking, working or moving around a room, the Echo Show 11 holds up well.

The caveat is at higher volume levels, where bass can occasionally overpower vocals. This becomes noticeable during dialogue-heavy content such as news programmes, podcasts and video calls. At moderate volumes, the balance is much better and for everyday use most listeners will not push the device hard enough to encounter the problem regularly.

Omnisense: The right idea but a steeper learning curve

Omnisense is the Echo Show 11's most distinctive feature and the most significant addition to the Echo Show platform in recent memory. The sensor platform fuses ultrasound and Wi-Fi radar to detect presence and fine motion, pairs this with a built-in thermistor for room temperature sensing and uses these inputs to trigger automated Alexa routines without any manual interaction.

In practice, this means the device can detect whether someone is in a room, whether they are actively moving or sitting still and whether the temperature has crossed a set threshold, then act accordingly. Presence-based routines that adjust lighting, play sleep sounds after a certain hour, or activate smart fans based on room temperature work reliably once configured. The ambient intelligence concept here is greatly useful and meaningfully more capable than what competing smart displays offer.

The configuration process, however, is more complex than it needs to be. Setting up Omnisense routines through the Alexa app requires navigating several layers of settings and the experience can be frustrating for users new to smart home automation. The technology rewards patience, but first-time users should expect a setup period before it delivers on its potential. The temperature-based routines in particular are only as useful as the compatible smart home devices already in place; without an Alexa-compatible AC or fan, that feature has nothing to act on.

Entertainment: capable, with one notable gap

The Echo Show 11 supports Prime Video, Netflix and YouTube and video playback on the Full HD panel is solid. Calling up content via voice commands works reliably for Amazon's own services and the screen handles streaming video well enough for casual viewing in a bedroom or kitchen.

YouTube, however, is available only through Amazon's Silk browser rather than a dedicated native app. The experience is functional but noticeably less fluid: navigation is slower, playback feels less integrated and the overall experience falls short of what a native app would deliver. For buyers who use YouTube frequently, this is a practical daily limitation rather than a minor omission. It is the most significant gap in the Echo Show 11's entertainment credentials.

Privacy: Mostly covered with one gap

Physical controls for the microphone and camera are present and voice recording management is accessible through the Alexa Privacy Hub. The controls are adequate and reasonably easy to access.

What the Echo Show 11 lacks is a physical privacy shutter for its 13 MP camera. On a device with always-on ambient sensing capabilities and a front-facing camera designed for home monitoring and video calls, the absence of a physical cover is a meaningful omission. Software controls and voice commands can disable the camera, but a physical shutter provides a level of reassurance that software cannot replicate. For privacy-conscious buyers, this is a factor worth weighing carefully before purchase.

Amazon has confirmed the Echo Show 11 is designed to support it when it does arrive, which means the platform's ceiling is higher than what the current software delivers. Whether that future upgrade arrives quickly enough to matter is an open question.

Verdict: Amazon's best Echo Show, for the right buyer

The Echo Show 11 is the most complete smart display Amazon has made. The Full HD panel is a great upgrade over its predecessor, the audio system over-delivers for its size and price and Omnisense's ambient intelligence opens up a tier of smart home automation that competing devices in this category cannot currently match. At Rs 26,999, the hardware makes a strong case.

But the limitations are also very real. No physical camera shutter on a device with this level of sensing capability is a notable gap. YouTube via the Silk browser is a step down from native app access. The swivel base is gone and Omnisense's setup complexity undersells what the technology can actually do and Alexa's contextual understanding remains inconsistent in places.

For users already invested in the Alexa ecosystem who want a single, capable smart home hub, the Echo Show 11 is the clear choice in this category. For buyers building a connected home from scratch and willing to invest time in Omnisense configuration, it is the most capable starting point available. For casual buyers who want a smart display primarily for entertainment and information, the limitations are worth thinking through before committing.

The Android tablet market in India has, for a long time, treated OLED displays as a flagship-tier feature. If you wanted a large-format OLED tablet, you were looking at an iPad Pro at Rs 1,00,000 and above, or a Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 at similar or higher prices. The Asus Pad T3201 changes that because at Rs 43,990 for the 128 GB variant, it brings a 12.2-inch dual-layer OLED display to a segment that has otherwise been dominated by LCD panels. The dual-layer design, which stacks two OLED light-emitting layers to achieve higher brightness, better efficiency and a longer panel lifespan than conventional single-layer panels, is a premium technology. Finding it in a tablet at this price is a meaningful development for the segment.

The pitch is straightforward that this is a content consumption device. A large, bright, high-refresh-rate OLED screen, quad speakers with Dolby Atmos, a 9000 mAh battery, a protective case included in the box and storage expandable to 1 TB via microSD. The MediaTek Dimensity 8300 chip handles the performance side while Android 16 runs the software. And then there is the catch: despite being Widevine L1 certified, the Asus Pad has not received DRM certification from Netflix, Prime Video or JioHotstar at launch. For a tablet being positioned as a streaming and entertainment device, this is a significant gap and it is the tension at the centre of every other good thing this tablet does.

Asus Pad T3201M5A key specifications

Design and build: Slim, light, functional

At 6.5 mm thick and 523 g, the Asus Pad is one of the lighter 12.2-inch tablets available. It slides into a bag without demanding attention and holds comfortably in one hand for extended reading or browsing sessions. The fibreglass back is smooth, with a matte finish that resists fingerprints reasonably well.

The front is dominated by the display, which takes up 92% of the face and the bezels are slim and uniform. The USB-C port (USB 3.0 with DisplayPort 1.4 support) is the only physical port: there is no 3.5mm headphone socket, which means you need to get a pair of Bluetooth headphones or a USB-C adapter for wired audio. The protective case in the box supports four stand modes covering viewing, typing and propped-up orientations, which makes the package feel more complete at this price. The Asus Pen 2.0 stylus is supported but sold separately. The tablet is available only in Pure White colour at launch.

Display: The main ingredient

The 12.2-inch dual-layer OLED panel is the most compelling reason to consider the Asus Pad and our Calman display measurements largely bear out what Asus claims.

The display covers 99.99% of DCI-P3 in both CIE 1931 xy and CIE 1976 uv colour spaces, confirming the 100% DCI-P3 claim. The sRGB gamut coverage measures 153.27%, which means the panel's native colour volume extends well beyond the sRGB standard. In practice, this produces vivid, punchy colours for consumer content; in precise terms, sRGB content will appear more saturated than intended unless the device's colour management mode compensates.

In the D65 P3 profile, the Calman ColourChecker test returned an average DeltaE 2000 of 2.71 against a maximum of 4.81. An average under three is the generally accepted threshold for a well-calibrated consumer display, and the Asus Pad sits within that range. The DeltaE ITP average of 11.69 (maximum 35.18) reflects some colour drift in the most saturated regions of the gamut, which is typical of wide-gamut displays tuned for visual vibrancy rather than clinical accuracy. For content consumption, this is not a problem, but worth knowing for colour-critical creative work.

Our peak brightness test measured 2,710 nits in HDR mode and 805 nits in SDR, both exceeding Asus's stated 2,000 nit peak and 600 nit typical figures respectively. Outdoor visibility under direct sunlight is handled comfortably at these levels. The dual-layer panel's efficiency advantage over conventional OLED also means the display sustains brightness without the aggressive dimming that some single-layer OLED panels apply.

The 144 Hz display is very smooth in use; scrolling through long pages and switching between apps feels more fluid than the 90 Hz or 60 Hz LCD alternatives in this segment.

Now the caveat is that the Asus Pad is Widevine L1 certified, which means the hardware is capable of streaming HD and Full HD content from major OTT platforms. The problem is that Netflix, Prime Video and JioHotstar require individual DRM certification beyond Widevine L1 and the Asus Pad has not received those certifications at launch. The result is that streaming on these platforms is limited to standard definition, which is a significant limitation for a 2.8K OLED display. This can be addressed via an OTA software update, so it is not a permanent hardware limitation, but buyers should verify the certification status before purchasing if streaming quality is the primary motivation.

Performance and software

The MediaTek Dimensity 8300 (4 nm) is a solid mid-range chip that punches above its category in tablet use. Our AnTuTu score came in at 1,585,057, which is competitive for the price. Geekbench returned 1,186 in single-core and 4,077 in multi-core. PCMark Work scored 14,156, and the 3DMark Wildlife Extreme score of 3,034 suggests the Mali G615-MC6 GPU is capable of handling casual and mid-intensity gaming without trouble. CPU throttling held at 88% of peak performance during sustained loads, which means the chip maintains most of its output under pressure rather than dropping significantly.

Day-to-day use is smooth with app launches, multitasking between a browser, streaming app and note-taking app simultaneously, and 144 Hz scrolling all feel responsive. The 8 GB of LPDDR5X RAM keeps things moving without hesitation and Wi-Fi 6E handles fast network connections when on a compatible router.

The software is Android 16, running close to stock. This is functional and clean, but it misses an opportunity. A 12.2-inch display with a 3:2 aspect ratio, well-suited to split-screen multitasking and productivity workflows, would benefit from a tablet-optimised UI layer. Asus's own ZenUI, which ships on its smartphones, offers multitasking conveniences and a more considered panel management system. The stock Android experience works but does not take full advantage of the screen real estate.

What the software does well is Android 16's split-screen multitasking, Google Circle to Search, and ASUS GlideX for cross-device connectivity. GlideX allows the Asus Pad to act as a secondary display for a Windows or macOS laptop, mirror a phone screen, transfer files wirelessly and share a single keyboard and mouse across devices. It works across Asus and non-Asus devices and is available as a free download. For students and multi-device users, it is a welcome addition.

Audio: Loud and spacious

The quad-speaker system with Dolby Atmos 360° is one of the Asus Pad's stronger supporting acts. The four speakers (8Ω/1.0 W each) produce a noticeably wide soundstage for a tablet, with reasonable bass presence and clear dialogue. Positioned in landscape mode for video content, the stereo separation between the left and right pairs is effective. At higher volumes, the sound stays clean without obvious harshness or distortion. For a device in this price range, the audio punches well above expectations and paired with the OLED display it creates a solid environment for films and shows once the OTT certification issue is resolved.

Battery

The 9000 mAh battery is well-sized for a 12.2-inch tablet. Our PCMark battery life test ran from 100% to 20% in 7 hours and 2 minutes at 50% screen brightness, which translates to well over eight hours of real-world screen-on time under mixed usage conditions. Lighter tasks such as reading, casual browsing and music streaming will extend this comfortably.

The included 45 W adapter charges the battery to 50% in 30 minutes and 100% in 60 minutes, which is a useful speed for a tablet of this capacity. The charger is in the box, which at any price is worth noting.

Verdict

The Asus Pad T3201 does something that no other Android tablet at Rs 43,990 currently does. It puts a large, bright, dual-layer OLED display in a category where LCD has been the default. The display measurements are strong, the peak brightness is impressive, the colour coverage is exactly what Asus claims and the 144 Hz panel makes the experience feel premium in daily use. The audio system is above average for the segment, the battery is well-sized, and the hardware performance is capable for the price.

The software could be more tablet-centric, the cameras are basic (acceptable for a tablet, not a selling point), and the stock Android experience leaves some of the screen real estate underused. These are manageable limitations.

The one that is not manageable until resolved is the Widevine certification gap. A tablet being sold primarily on its content consumption credentials, with a 2.8K OLED display and Dolby Atmos speakers, that cannot stream in HD on Netflix, Prime Video or JioHotstar is a practical problem for the majority of buyers this device is targeting. An OTA fix is possible, and if that certification arrives quickly, the Asus Pad becomes a straightforward recommendation at this price. Until it does, check the current certification status before purchasing.

For buyers who stream primarily through YouTube or locally stored content, the limitation is irrelevant and the Asus Pad is the best display you can get at this price in the Android tablet space. For everyone else, wait for the update.

The lines between the home office, the open-plan workspace and the commute have blurred considerably over the past few years, and the headset market has tried to keep up. Most offerings at this tier promise call clarity, noise isolation and enough battery to survive a full working day. The Jabra Evolve2 75 promises a professional-grade wireless headset built around the idea that voice quality on calls is not a secondary feature but the entire point. It has eight microphones, advanced beamforming, a physical boom arm, compatibility with Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Amazon Alexa, and a busy light that signals to nearby colleagues that you are on a call. This headset is designed for people whose work revolves around communication and it has been tuned accordingly. Whether it earns its position as one of the better wireless headsets for professional use is what this review sets out to answer.

Design and build

The Evolve2 75 is an on-ear headset weighing 197 g which is light enough to wear comfortably across a full working day. The ear cups swivel and tilt to adapt to head shape, the headband uses ultra-soft foam covered in leatherette and the dual-foam cushions distribute contact pressure evenly. In extended use, heat build-up on the ears is minimal, which matters more in the long run. You can wear this for four or five hours of back-to-back calls without the discomfort that some over-ear designs introduce.

The build is predominantly plastic with leatherette finishing. It is functional and sturdy rather than premium-feeling. At this price, a more refined material choice would not have been unreasonable and this is the Evolve2 75's clearest aesthetic limitation. That said, the metal slide arm on the headband adjusts smoothly and feels built to last, and the overall construction holds up well to daily bag-and-desk routine.

The boom arm is the standout physical design feature. It folds neatly into the right ear cup when not in use and deploys downward for calls. The folded position is clean enough that wearing the headset without the boom deployed for music or casual listening does not look out of place.

Call quality and microphone performance

Eight microphones, configured as four analogue and four digital MEMS units, work together using beamforming to isolate your voice and suppress background noise. The boom microphone transmits your voice with a clarity and directness that the integrated microphones in the ear cups do not match. In a busy environment, an open-plan office, a co-working space, or a home with family noise in the background, the difference is audible to whoever is on the other end of your call.

The integrated microphones in the ear cups handle everyday use well enough when the boom is stowed, but for any serious call, deploying the boom arm is the right call. The SideTone function, which feeds your own voice back to you at an adjustable level, creates a more natural conversation experience and is configurable through the Jabra Direct software or the Jabra Sound+ app.

Certifications for Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Amazon Alexa and MFi mean the headset integrates deeply with the platforms most professional users actually rely on.

ANC and HearThrough

The active noise cancellation uses four of the eight microphones and handles low-frequency ambient noise well. The hum of an air conditioning unit, traffic noise from outside, the background rumble of a busy environment: these are attenuated meaningfully. Where the ANC is less effective is in the mid and upper frequencies. Voices from nearby colleagues do not disappear and higher-pitched ambient sounds are only partially filtered. For an on-ear headset, this is a physics constraint as much as a tuning one, and the Evolve2 75 performs credibly within that constraint rather than overselling what it can do.

HearThrough mode is the more immediately practical feature in a professional context. It amplifies external sounds so you can hold a face-to-face conversation without removing the headset. The implementation is clear and natural at all amplification levels and switching between ANC, HearThrough and standard mode is a single button press on the left ear cup.

Battery

Up to 36 hours of music playback with ANC off, up to 33 hours with ANC on and up to 25 hours of talk time with ANC off. These are the kind of battery figures that remove battery anxiety from the workday entirely. A full charge takes approximately 160 minutes via USB-C. A 15-minute quick charge provides up to six hours of use, which covers most emergency situations. For professionals who charge overnight and use the headset through a full working day, the battery is essentially a non-issue.

Software and features

The Jabra Direct software for Windows and Mac and the Jabra Sound+ app for iOS and Android give access to a comprehensive set of customisation options. A five-band EQ, adjustable ANC and HearThrough levels, microphone configuration, hearing protection settings and the MySound personalised hearing profile, which adapts audio output based on an in-app hearing test, are all accessible without any technical complexity. The busylight on the ear cup provides a visible signal to anyone in the room that you are on a call. On the Microsoft Teams variant, the Teams button gives direct access to the platform.

Multipoint Bluetooth 5.2 lets you connect to two devices at once, which is the right feature for anyone switching between a laptop and a smartphone throughout the day.

A word on gaming

The Evolve2 75 is not marketed as a gaming headset, but the same microphone engineering that makes it excellent for professional calls translates directly to team communication in multiplayer gaming. I used it for in-game communication with my teammate and the voice isolation and clarity are noticeably better than most gaming-specific headsets at a similar price. If you already own this headset for work, it doubles convincingly for gaming sessions without any adjustment needed.

Verdict

The Jabra Evolve2 75 is a focused piece of professional equipment. The microphone system is its strongest feature and the call quality it produces in demanding acoustic environments sets it apart from most wireless headsets at this price. The battery life is excellent, the software support is thorough and the overall package is built around the needs of someone spending significant portions of their working day on calls. The ANC handles low-frequency noise well but does not suppress voices or high-frequency sound with the same effectiveness. The materials fall slightly short of premium expectations and these are honest limitations of the category and the design not failures of execution.

For professionals who need reliable, high-clarity voice communication across Teams, Zoom or any UC platform, the Evolve2 75 is built for the purpose it serves.

If you ever go out in the market looking to buy a soundbar, you will find the words 'Dolby Atmos' appear on products spanning a wide price range but the actual Atmos experience across that range varies dramatically. At one end sits a single bar with no height drivers and a DSP algorithm doing its best to simulate spatial audio. At the other sits a proper home theatre system with physical up-firing drivers at both the front and the rear, a wireless subwoofer with enough output to be felt rather than just heard and dedicated channels for every position in the room. The JBL Bar 1300 MK2, at Rs 1,50,000 for the complete package without a doubt occupies the second category. It includes the main soundbar, a wireless dual-driver subwoofer and two detachable battery-powered rear speakers. There are 29 drivers distributed across these three components and every channel in the 11.1.4 configuration has at least one physical driver assigned to it.

What the Bar 1300 MK2 delivers in the right room, at the right volume and with the rear speakers correctly positioned is the closest a soundbar system currently gets to what a proper Dolby Atmos speaker installation produces. Getting there requires patience with the calibration process, some time with the EQ to tame the default bass level and positioning the rear speakers where they need to be. For buyers who have that patience and the content to reward it, the experience on the other side is possibly one of the best in this category.

JBL Bar 1300 MK2 key specifications

Design and build

A distinct design choice of the Bar 1300 MK2 has to do with its structure and not aesthetics. The two end sections of the soundbar lift off magnetically from the main bar and transform from passive drivers in a front channel system into battery-powered wireless rear speakers with their own up-firing height drivers. What this does is it shifts the audio experience from a wide front stage into a system with physical rear surround channels and overhead height at both the front and the rear of the room.

The main bar contains upward-firing height drivers for the front height channels. Each detachable rear section carries its own upward-firing driver for rear height channels. The result is height information arriving from both the front and rear of the listening position simultaneously, which is closer to a ceiling-speaker Atmos installation than anything relying on front-stage virtualisation alone. It is the reason this system sounds the way it does.

Build quality is solid throughout and it is a long-term purchase rather than a product you are likely to replace or upgrade quickly. The perforated metal grille and matte black finish are durable and prevent reflections in a darkened room. When the rear speakers are detached, end caps cover the exposed charging contacts on both the bar and the satellites; these covers also double as vertical stands for the rear speakers when they are in position behind the listening area. The docking mechanism is magnetic but it is not strong and hardly has any pull. The rear lock onto the bar is rather flimsy and requires very little effort to remove. Each rear speaker also has a USB-C port for permanent power if you prefer them placed at the rear rather than returning them to the bar between sessions.

The subwoofer is a rounded cylindrical unit housing dual 8-inch drivers mounted in opposition to each other. The opposed configuration reduces cabinet vibration during heavy bass passages and the sealed design targets tighter, more controlled bass rather than the maximum extension that a ported cabinet can produce. It goes down to 33 Hz and draws 1,200 W of dedicated power. Right out of the box, the default level is higher than most rooms will want and that is where the seven-band EQ in the JBL One app came in handy, but it is worth setting expectations for buyers who assume the room calibration handles all of this automatically.

A small LED display on the front of the bar shows input, volume and audio format and dims automatically in a dark room. When Dolby Atmos content arrives, the display scrolls 'DOLBY ATMOS' across its readout. It is a small detail, but useful in confirming that the format is being received correctly through the signal chain, particularly if you are playing an Atmos-capable source.

Setup and the JBL One app: Mostly seamless

Setup is fairly direct and you just need to connect the soundbar to the television's eARC port via the included HDMI cable, plug the subwoofer into a power source and the three components pair automatically. No manual pairing between the bar, subwoofer and rear speakers is required.

The JBL One app handles network connection, room calibration and ongoing adjustments. The calibration process asks you to detach the rear speakers, place them at the primary listening position first and then at the rear listening position. The system plays test tones and adjusts to your room's acoustics. Based on our testing, placing the rear speakers at ear height directly behind the listening position, rather than wide of it, produces a tighter and more cohesive surround field. The calibration adapts to wherever you place them and the difference in placement is perceptible.

The app provides a seven-band EQ, adjustable rear channel level, adjustable height level and sound mode presets including Movie, Music and Standard. PureVoice 2.0, the dialogue enhancement feature, is context-aware rather than a blunt frequency boost. In quiet dialogue scenes its effect is imperceptible. In busy action sequences, it brings vocal clarity forward without making speech sound artificially separated from the soundtrack. This is a significantly more intelligent implementation than most soundbar dialogue enhancement features, which typically introduce sibilance while fixing one problem and creating another.

SmartDetails and AI Sound Boost are both active by default and cannot be switched off individually. SmartDetails prioritises subtle audio detail in complex soundscapes. AI Sound Boost manages subwoofer dynamics at high output levels. Neither introduces audible artefacts in normal use and the inability to disable them is a minor frustration rather than a practical problem.

Audio performance: Films and Dolby Atmos

With the rear speakers detached and positioned correctly, the Bar 1300 MK2 produces a surround field with genuine spatial breadth. Objects arriving from the rear are positioned there by physical drivers reproducing actual rear channel information, not front-stage processing. Above and behind the listening position, the rear speakers' up-firing height drivers contribute to the overhead sound layer. Combined with the front height drivers in the main bar, Dolby Atmos content has both a front-to-rear axis and a vertical axis that most soundbar systems at any price cannot match with physical hardware.

The overhead height effect is most convincing when content is mixed to use it specifically. Sequences with aircraft, falling debris, ambient environmental sound or weather effects overhead produce a three-dimensional sense of space that redefines what a soundbar system can do in a living room. The height does not reach the convincing solidity of a dedicated ceiling-mounted speaker: sequences designed to place a single localised sound directly above the listener reveal the limits of an up-firing driver in a typical room. But across the broader soundfield and particularly in the spatial atmosphere that well-mixed Atmos content creates around and above the listener, the Bar 1300 MK2 is consistently more convincing than competing soundbar systems at similar or higher prices.

Bass in film content is substantial and, once EQ-managed, precise. The subwoofer's output during low-frequency effects is room-filling and physically present without losing definition. With the default level adjusted downward by three to five steps in the app, the integration between the subwoofer and the main bar becomes clean: bass underpins the soundtrack rather than competing with it.

Dialogue clarity is strong throughout, with or without PureVoice active. The centre channel in the main bar reproduces speech naturally and at the right level relative to the rest of the soundtrack. In dense, sonically complex passages, PureVoice 2.0 provides forward presence for voices without processing artefacts. In quiet scenes, it is not doing anything to the sound, which is exactly the right behaviour.

One honest caveat for Atmos viewers is that with the rear speakers docked on the main bar, the system does not virtualise rear Atmos channels. The full Atmos experience requires the rear speakers to be detached and placed behind the listening position. With rears docked, the system produces a wide and powerful front stage with front height from the bar's up-firing drivers, but no rear channel information at all. For casual daily viewing, this is fine and the front stage alone is impressive. For Dolby Atmos films, detaching the rears is not optional but a necessity to experience the wider soundstage.

Audio performance: music

The Bar 1300 MK2's musicality is one of its better qualities and Dolby Atmos music is where the system's architecture becomes most apparent. Atmos music, increasingly available on Apple Music and in physical media, uses the overhead and surround channels for spatial elements and ambience rather than directional sound effects. On a system with physical height and surround channels at both front and rear, this translates into a listening experience where instruments and vocals gain spatial separation that does not exist in conventional stereo. Ambient elements in a mix occupy the room rather than the speakers. At adequate volume, the effect is striking for a soundbar system.

Stereo music is equally capable. The mid-range is clear, the treble is articulate without edging into sharpness and the bass, managed via the EQ, supports well-mastered recordings with real weight. At default settings, the bass level is generous for acoustic and vocal content. A modest EQ adjustment addresses this in minutes and for listeners who prefer prominent bass, the default is unlikely to be a problem at all.

Audio performance: gaming

The directional audio in gaming is among the system's most practically useful qualities. Racing, action and atmospheric horror titles all benefit from having physical rear channel speakers behind the listening position: audio cues from specific directions are reproduced by drivers actually positioned there, which produces a spatial accuracy that contributes to game awareness and atmosphere alike. In racing games, an opponent approaching from the rear left is audible before visible. In atmospheric games, environmental sound surrounds the listener from physical positions rather than being projected from the front.

The HDMI inputs are 2.0b, which means 4K passthrough is limited to 60 Hz. 4K/120 Hz gaming requires either routing consoles through the television's HDMI 2.1 ports with audio returned via eARC, or taming your expectations for the 60 Hz ceiling through the soundbar's inputs. For most gaming scenarios, this is a workable arrangement; for buyers who want 4K/120 Hz through the soundbar directly, it is a genuine gap at this price. Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) is not supported through the HDMI inputs either, adding to the case for routing consoles directly to the television rather than through the bar.

Verdict

At Rs 1,50,000, the JBL Bar 1300 MK2 is asking for a serious commitment. What it offers in return is a Dolby Atmos soundbar experience that does not need the format claim, qualified with caveats about virtualisation or simulated height. The 11.1.4 configuration is physically real: 29 drivers, dedicated channels, up-firing height at both the front and rear of the room. The Atmos performance this produces, with the rear speakers positioned correctly and well-mixed content playing at adequate volume, is the strongest available from a soundbar system at this price.

The subwoofer is authoritative with excellent dialogue clarity. The versatility of the detachable rear speakers which serve as rear surrounds, standalone Bluetooth speakers, a room-extension system or a soft night mode depending on what you need is thought-through rather than gimmicky. The JBL One app provides the right level of control. But the HDMI limitation is the one place where the hardware falls short of what the price implies: a flagship soundbar in 2025 should offer 4K/120 Hz passthrough. This one does not and buyers who plan to run gaming consoles through the soundbar's HDMI inputs will need a workaround.

The Bar 1300 MK2 rewards proper setup, the right room and Dolby Atmos content mixed to take advantage of what 11.1.4 channels can do. For buyers who have all three, the experience it delivers is the best argument the soundbar category has made for the Dolby Atmos format. It is a system that stops asking you to imagine what Atmos sounds like and simply shows you or rather, lets you listen to.

Foldable phones have become more practical over the years, and Samsung has been one of the biggest names in this space. The company has spent years refining its flip phone design, turning a form factor that once felt experimental into something that can genuinely be used every day. With every generation, Samsung has worked on making its flip phone better.

If you have been following Samsung’s journey, the biggest step forward came with the Galaxy Z Flip 5 in 2023. The device felt more complete, practical and polished. It was more stylish, complete and finally a device that can be recommended to someone who wants to step away from a conventional form factor.  

And now, eight generations in, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 arrives with a familiar approach and you will call it even more refined. But over the years, the question has changed from ‘whether a flip phone is practical’ to ‘is it a meaningful upgrade’? To find this out, I used the Galaxy Z Flip 8 as my daily driver for a few weeks. From its design and display to performance, cameras and battery life, here is what I think about it.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 review: Design

At a glance, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 looks almost identical to the Galaxy Z Flip 7. Samsung has not made any major changes to the overall design. However, there are some small refinements. The Galaxy Z Flip 8 is thinner when unfolded and a little lighter than its predecessor. At 180 grams, it is 8 grams lighter than the Galaxy Z Flip 7.

When folded, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 becomes very compact. This is still the biggest reason to buy a flip phone in the first place. The phone easily fits into smaller pockets and bags, and I found myself carrying it around much more comfortably than a regular or large-screen flagship.

The Galaxy Z Flip 8 also feels sturdy in the hand, and the hinge has a solid feel to it. However, there is still one thing I wish Samsung would improve with its flip phones. You cannot easily flip open the Galaxy Z Flip 8 with just one hand. The hinge is tight enough that you generally need both hands to unfold the phone. 

Anyway, I like how Samsung keeps the flip phone's design clean instead of adding unnecessary elements. The two rear cameras sit on the upper half of the phone, next to the cover display, while the rest of the back panel remains minimal, specifically that Pink shade. 

The Galaxy Z Flip 8 comes with an IP48 rating for dust and water resistance. The frame uses Armor Aluminum, while the cover display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. Of course, I would still be careful around water and dust because this is a foldable phone with a hinge. But the added protection does provide some reassurance for everyday use.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 review: Display

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 features a 6.9-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X main display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and Vision Booster support. The cover display measures 4.1 inches. Samsung claims that the main screen can reach a peak brightness of 2,600 nits. In our brightness test using a lux meter, we recorded a peak brightness of 2,400 nits, which is slightly lower than the claimed figure. However, it is still bright enough to offer good visibility even under direct sunlight.

Samsung being Samsung, the AMOLED panel itself delivers a very good viewing experience. Colours look vibrant without being overly saturated, blacks are deep, and text and images look sharp. The 120Hz adaptive refresh rate also makes scrolling and animations feel smooth.

I also tested the display using Calman and the SpectraCal C6 Colorimeter. It recorded an average Delta E of 0.65, which is a very good result. In simple terms, this means the display can reproduce colours quite accurately. The panel also covered almost 100 percent of the sRGB colour gamut, which is also excellent. This gives the screen a wide range of colours, and it is something you can notice while watching videos, browsing photos or simply using the phone.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 review: Performance

Samsung has used its in-house Exynos 2600 chipset for the Galaxy Z Flip 8. The phone comes with 12GB of RAM and is available with up to 512GB of storage. To test its raw performance, I ran the usual benchmarks. The Galaxy Z Flip 8 scored 26,59,552 on AnTuTu. In Geekbench 6, it achieved 2,580 points in the single-core test and 9,147 points in the multi-core test.

There is no doubt that the device can handle demanding tasks, including heavy gaming, but it does get noticeably warm when pushed for longer periods. In our CPU throttling test, the device retained 62 per cent of the performance. This means that short gaming sessions or regular heavy use will not be a major issue. But if you plan to push the phone for longer periods (which most users never do), the heat and performance drop become more noticeable.

But, as always, benchmark numbers do not tell the entire story. In everyday use, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 feels fast and responsive, thanks to One UI 9 and Samsung’s optimisation. Whether I was switching between multiple apps, scrolling through social media, browsing the web or multitasking, the phone handled everything without any noticeable hiccups. Apps opened quickly, animations were smooth, and I rarely found myself waiting for the phone to catch up.

And the good part? The device gets 7 years of Android and security updates. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 review: Camera

The camera setup on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 remains unchanged from its predecessor. You get a 50-megapixel primary camera and a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor at the back, while selfies are handled by a 10-megapixel front-facing camera. So, while the hardware is familiar, the real question is whether the cameras can still hold their own in the premium segment.

In daylight, the primary camera produces images that are pleasing to look at. Colours have a natural tone, and the overall processing does not go overboard with saturation. There is also enough sharpness and detail in the shots for everyday photography. However, if you ask me, I have seen better camera phones in this price segment, if you are not only looking at clamshell foldables.

The camera performs well in low-light situations. It manages exposure well and does not make night scenes look unnaturally bright. However, as the light drops, you may notice some noise and finer details become softer.

While this is not the norm in this segment, I really missed having a telephoto camera. The phone instead relies on digital zoom for closer shots. The results are usable at lower zoom levels in good lighting. However, if you zoom in further, details start to look softer. But anyway, the portrait mode does a good job. Subject separation is good, and the camera manages to keep the focus on the subject without making the background blur look too artificial. Edge detection is also fairly accurate, although it can struggle with finer details such as hair.

For selfies, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 has a 10-megapixel front-facing camera built into the inner display. It is decent for quick selfies and video calls. However, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 offers a useful trick. You can use the primary rear camera to capture selfies by using the cover screen. This gives you much better image quality than the inner front camera. It takes a little practice to get comfortable looking at the small cover display while framing yourself. But once you get used to it, it is a feature you are likely to use often.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 review: Battery

The Galaxy Z Flip 8 packs a 4,300mAh battery, which is the same battery capacity as its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Flip 7. Charging speeds have also remained unchanged, with support for 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging. In our PCMark battery test, the phone lasted 13 hours and 37 minutes, which is a decent result for a battery of this size. In everyday use, the phone should comfortably get you through a full day with moderate usage.

When it comes to charging, the 25W charging support is not particularly fast by today’s standards. Using a 25W Samsung adapter, the phone took around 1 hour and 36 minutes to go from 0 to 100 per cent. So, while the battery life is acceptable, faster charging would have been a welcome upgrade.

Verdict

If you ask me, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 feels like a refinement. It gets the basics right, with a compact and lightweight design, a sharp and vibrant display, decent everyday performance and battery life that can comfortably last a full day with moderate use. 

However, at Rs 1,24,999, there are some compromises. The camera hardware remains unchanged, and while the cameras can take good photos, I expected little more. The 25W charging is also slow, and the phone gets noticeably warm during heavy workloads. 

That said, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 is not a phone you buy purely for specifications or benchmarks. You buy it for the experience of having a full-sized smartphone that folds into a compact device when you are done using it. If portability, design and the foldable experience are your priorities, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 is definitely among the best options available in the market. But if you want the best cameras, faster charging, or strong performance, you can obviously choose a conventional form factor. 

There was a time when vacuum cleaners were largely designed for dry surfaces, but today's models are trying to do much more. The Dreame H12 Dual FlexReach, for instance, can vacuum and mop hard floors, clean under low furniture, and convert into a dry vacuum for jobs such as removing pet hair from sofas and cobwebs from corners. It is essentially trying to replace several cleaning tools with one machine. At Rs 44,999 in India, though, that versatility comes at a premium. So, how well does it all work, and is it worth the price?

Setting it up takes some patience

I was slightly stunned to see the large box of the Dreame vacuum cleaner. The H12 Dual FlexReach has a lot of components, and I got help from the official tutorial video on Dreame's YouTube channel. Still, the setup was complicated as it involved identifying different parts of the puzzle and putting them together. Someone who is not particularly comfortable with gadgets may find this confusing, especially an elderly user.

That said, the modular design is what makes it a Swiss Army knife of vacuum cleaners. Once assembled, there is a main unit, which is the wet-and-dry floor cleaner. The dry vacuum cleaner attaches next to the main unit's charging base, but the attachment feels a little loose, and hence, the dry cleaner sways to the left. And even though the main unit's battery and motor are meant to be attached to the dry cleaner for use, this combined unit feels too unbalanced.

In terms of design, outer build material of the different components and attachments is good-grade plastic, and the black colour gives it a restrained yet suave look. The locking mechanism for attachments is simple and secure. It is just that after attachments, both machines are quite heavy and not the easiest things to carry around.

Effective floor cleaning

The Dreame H12 Dual FlexReach vacuums and mops the floor at the same time. Dreame claims 23,000Pa of suction, while its 180-degree lie-flat design allows it to reach under beds and sofas. The combination of strong suction and a flexible body is something you don't often get with lower-end vacuum cleaners. If you are comfortable bending down, the 180-degree design lets you push the vacuum further under furniture and reach areas that are otherwise difficult to access. If you are not, you may be better off with a 90-degree design available in some of its competitors. The H12 Dual FlexReach's body can go down to around 14cm when reclined, while the brush head needs about 9.6cm of clearance.

The main unit is fairly well balanced for its size, too. Despite weighing 5.4kg, I could manoeuvre it with relatively little effort, and the roller moved easily across uneven sections of the floor. There are also different cleaning modes for different situations, although I mostly used Smart and Turbo modes. Smart mode adjusts the cleaning behaviour based on how dirty the floor is, which is useful when moving between areas with different levels of dirt.

The bigger issue is the size of the water tanks. The H12 Dual FlexReach has separate 780ml fresh-water and 700ml dirty-water containers, and I wish both were larger. I cleaned around 750 sq ft of space and also used the dry-vacuum attachments to pick up pet hair from a sofa and remove spider webs from ceiling corners. During the overall cleaning session, I had to empty the dirty-water tank three times and refill the fresh-water tank three times.

This isn't a deal-breaker, but it does add to the manual work involved in using the vacuum. Someone who isn't used to this type of cleaner may find the repeated refilling and emptying annoying. Considering the machine is already quite heavy, I would still have preferred larger tanks, even if that meant adding a little more weight.

Does more than floor cleaning

The H12 Dual FlexReach is also useful away from the floor. Once the motor and battery module are attached to the dry vacuum cleaner, you can use it to clean dry waste on the floor and carpet. The roller tends to turn in directions I don't want it to, making the vacuum difficult to manoeuvre.

Another attachment is a brush to clean pet and human hair, dander, dust and other particles from upholstery and mattresses. I even cleaned my lab's hair from clothes using this. The company has also added a TangleCut Resilient Scraper to cut through hair and push it towards the suction path, which is useful. Furthermore, the built-in light on top of the brush lets you see what you are cleaning under the bed, sofa and crevices where neither eye nor hand can reach.

There is also a brush/vacuum that lets you remove spider webs from ceiling corners. It can be elongated to reach further distances. Yes, there are lighter manual cleaning brushes for these purposes. But I appreciate Dreame giving it all in one kit.

Routine maintenance is largely manual with some smarts

Cleaning the cleaner is the least appealing aspect of any vacuum cleaner. Everyday maintenance includes emptying tanks, cleaning brushes, filters and rollers.

Also Read: Mova E40 Ultra review: A reliable robot vacuum cleaner under Rs 50000

The H12 Dual FlexReach does ease that process to some extent. It comes with a self-cleaning cycle that uses up to 90°C hot water, followed by heated-air drying. This should help remove the chances of germs building up and any resulting foul smells over time.

Serviceable battery life

Dreame claims up to 60 minutes of runtime in dry vacuuming, while wet floor cleaning can run for up to 50 minutes depending on the mode. This should be enough to clean most homes of moderate size. Larger homes may need charging breaks, but topping that battery up is very time-consuming. It took me about 2 hours to fully charge this thing.

The battery is easily removable, though. If you buy an additional battery pack, then you can extend cleaning time. But yeah, that also adds to the overall cost.

Should you buy the Dreame H12 Dual FlexReach?

The Dreame H12 Dual FlexReach's biggest strength is also its biggest selling point: it tries to do the job of several cleaning tools in one package. The wet-and-dry vacuum is very reliable, not just because of its suction power, but also because of its 180-degree design that lets you clean under furniture. Further, the dry-vacuum attachments add another layer of usefulness, particularly if you have pets, sofas that collect hair or hard-to-reach corners that gather cobwebs.

The design choice to have a separate handheld dry-vacuum module makes it more useful for cleaning sofas, mattresses, etc than some of its competitors.

But there are compromises, like the machine is heavy and not so easy to manoeuvre. The water tanks could feel small when cleaning a larger area. The charging time could seem slow considering the speeds you get from modern gadgets these days. And the attach-and-detach work could seem like a complicated chore to some.

Still and all, if you want one machine that can handle vacuuming, mopping, under-furniture cleaning, and some above-floor cleaning, and know what you are signing up for, then the H12 Dual FlexReach would make sense to you. Despite the added complexity, its versatility is the main reason to consider it. And if you want that, you can find it online for Rs 44,999.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar stories.

Also Read: Dreame L50S Pro Ultra review: A premium vacuum cleaner, pet monitor and home companion in one

A washing machine, especially the fully automatic one, is one of those appliances where the difference between a good experience and an annoying one often comes down to small things. How easy it is to load, whether it handles a mixed load without making a fuss, how much attention it needs during a cycle, and, ultimately, whether you can forget about it once you press Start.

I installed the Intex FA90PGGL 9kg top-load fully automatic washing machine at my parents' place, replacing a semi-automatic model that had been doing the job for years. That gave me a useful way of judging the FA90PGGL, not because a fully automatic machine is some revelation in 2026, but because I can see exactly which parts of the laundry routine it made easier. Check out how it performs in this review.

Intex FA90PGGL: Design, capacity and installation

The FA90PGGL body is made of plastic, while the inner tub is stainless steel. The plastic construction makes it corrosion-free and light enough to move if needed. Intex has given a glass lid on top that lowers with a hydraulic hinge. While both are nice design aspects, there is some looseness in both the glass part and the lid mechanism after a month's use. It does make me wonder how well they will hold up to years of regular use.

The 9kg capacity is fairly large for a family of four that regularly washes bedsheets, towels and larger loads of clothes. Of course, more is better, and you may be able to find a few 10kg models in this range. But it is often suggested to use only 75% of the total capacity for best results. In this case, though, Intex suggests 60% of the rated capacity. This is something to keep in mind, if you didn't know.

Installation is also something to consider if, like my parents, you are replacing a semi-automatic machine. The FA90PGGL needs a proper water inlet connection. Since our faucet wasn't compatible, we called in a plumber, and that's an extra charge out of your pocket.

The manual has fairly specific instructions for fitting the inlet hose to the tap, including checking the connector and ensuring the tap has a suitable flat surface.

On the other hand, the bundled drainpipe was short by a couple of feet. If this happens to you, count that as one more cost.

Once all that's sorted, next, you have to learn how the top control panel works. It has a calculator-like digital display, flanked by some buttons and instructions. Let us understand how to use the panel.

Also Read: Consumers today are not price sensitive; they are more value-centric: Cellecor CMO Jubin Rawal

Intex FA90PGGL: Control panel and wash modes

The FA90PGGL has 10 programmes: Standard, Soft, Quick, Strong, Air Dry, Soak Wash, Wash Only, Spin Only, Clean Bucket and Recovery Water.

Standard is the go-to option, while Quick makes more sense for lightly soiled clothes or when you are in a hurry. Strong is intended for heavier loads, and Soft reduces the intensity of washing. There are also separate Wash Only and Spin Only modes, which are useful when you don't want the machine to run a complete cycle.

The interface also lets you select the water level manually. The manual divides the levels into low, medium and high ranges up to 7L, while the machine can also adjust the water level automatically during its fuzzy-logic operation.

There are a couple of other thoughtful additions. Air Dry is intended to reduce the moisture left in clothes, rather than functioning as a proper heated clothes dryer. Recovery Water, meanwhile, lets you reuse water rather than simply sending it down the drain. The latter is particularly relevant in parts of India, where water availability can be a genuine concern.

There is also a Clean Bucket programme for cleaning the tub, and the manual recommends running it monthly without clothes.

The controls are rather straightforward. But the elderly or someone with poor eyesight might struggle with the text descriptions of the programmes and other controls.

Intex FA90PGGL: Washing performance

The machine cleans well, albeit with some delay between different stages, i.e., spin, rinse, and dry. If you are coming from a semi-automatic machine, you would appreciate that the entire process becomes less demanding, though. So convenience is the keyword. You load the clothes, select the programme and let the Intex machine get on with it.

At times, if the clothes aren't distributed evenly or the water level isn't sufficient, the machine will alert you with an error code on the display and a short alarm. While this is normal, if the operator misses it, when they come back, the machine will seem not to have done its job. A smartphone app alert or any better indication on the machine could have helped, I suppose.

The FA90PGGL does have an imbalance adjustment system. If the clothes aren't distributed properly during spinning, the machine can stop and attempt to redistribute the load automatically. Sometimes the delay in operation because of this looks like the machine has given up.

But the machine operates with manageable noise and vibration. It has a conventional fixed-speed AC induction motor with a 700 RPM maximum spin speed. While they are competitors with newer and more efficient BLDC motors offering 750 or 780 RPM in this range, the given speed is adequate for everyday laundry. It will not extract quite as much water as some faster-spinning machines, but clothes do not come out excessively wet either.

And if required, the Air Dry programme can then be used when you want to remove some additional moisture before putting the clothes out to dry.

Another aspect to consider is detergent. Depending on the load, we would drop in low-foam washing powder in the given slot. The same goes for the conditioner.

Maintenance is fairly basic, too. The lint filters can be easily pulled out for regular cleaning. The water inlet can also be unfastened and cleaned occasionally. So, you get most of the table stake features here.

Should you buy the Intex FA90PGGL washing machine?

The Intex FA90PGGL's 9kg capacity should be sufficient for most families, while the simple controls, automatic water-level adjustment, multiple wash modes, and thoughtful features such as Air Dry and Recovery Water give it enough convenience and flexibility for everyday use. Moreover, the 11-year motor warranty is reassuring from an after-sales perspective.

Intex has focused on core features that are actually relevant to daily use, and the machine is clearly aimed at the utilitarian customer. My main reservation is its long-term build quality. In just a month's use, I have noticed some flimsiness around the lid and hinge.

Sure, the market also has higher-capacity and faster-spinning models with more efficient motors from established brands like Haier, Voltas-Beko, etc. The FA90PGGL clearly won't win on specifications against these. It doesn't have the latest motor technology or the fastest spin speed, but it does a fair job of cleaning, and conventional motors are generally simpler to repair and maintain in the long run.

So, you can consider the Intex FA90PGGL primarily for its balance of capacity, straightforward controls, and price. But if you want more, it is worth looking at options from competing brands in this price range before making the final decision.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar reviews

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 review: Big main character energy

Coming from a Galaxy Watch 4 40mm that I have worn for years, the Galaxy Watch 9 44mm initially felt like a big, odd-shaped watch on my wrist. I was not convinced that I would want to wear it all day every day. A few weeks later, I am much less conflicted about it. The 44mm size has grown on me. So has the squircle design. And the Silver finish looks rather striking on my wrist.

I had it on me throughout a recent Kerala trip that involved three days of train travel one way, rain, beaches, harsh sunlight, high humidity, and plenty of walking around. Here I am about to share that experience with you, and by the end, you'll know whether it is worth paying Rs 44,652 for this watch.

Verdict

The Galaxy Watch 9 brings a large, bright display, smooth performance, strong health tracking, and a build that handled my Kerala trip with ease. The design took some getting used to, but it grew on me. At Rs 44,652, it is a polished choice for Android users, although some advanced features require a Galaxy phone. It shows big main character energy until the battery loses steam, but overall, it is a worthwhile upgrade.

The 44mm size took some getting used to

I have already covered the design in detail in my first impressions, so I won't repeat it here. The important thing is how the Watch 9 feels after actually living with it.

The 44mm Watch 9 looked oversized on my lean wrist at first. The circular display inside that squarer outer case also took some getting used to. I did not dislike it, but I wasn't sure how to feel about it.

Gradually, the larger screen became useful when reading notifications and swiping through various screens of information while on the move. The watch is fairly light and manageable for all-day and all-night wear. Sure, not everyone would want to wear a watch, and those won't find the 44mm variant accommodating.

The shape and the Silver finish are visually arresting. I used an analog watch face, and the thing looked like a proper watch.

One annoyance I have with the watch is the number of holes in the supplied strap. Besides a snug fit, this is important for proper health measurements. Thus, for a tighter fit, I ended up manually piercing another hole. And since this is a proprietary strapping mechanism, you can't use any other regular smartwatch strap lying around or cheaply available in the market.

Strong display and design come rain or shine

The Watch 9 was almost always present on my wrist during the Kerala trip. Firstly, on the train journey, I was looking at it to measure the halt time at various stations, the duration between two stations, etc. I wasn't always carrying the Galaxy phone with me. But it was good to have a device that told me the time, notifications, and even allowed me to make calls from its small but not tiny screen.

The 480x480 resolution 3000-nit sAMOLED display was a noticeable upgrade over what I have on my Galaxy Watch 4. In Kerala, it was exposed to bright sunlight, and on-screen elements, including text, were always legible.

This watch also went through rain, sticky coastal humidity, and long stretches outdoors. Samsung has equipped it with 5ATM water resistance and an IP68 ingress rating. I had it on for a brief swim in a pool in one of the hotels we stayed at. It also withstood drizzle once, and I wasn't very worried. You just need to enable Water Lock to avoid accidental interactions with the watch while it is in contact with water.

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 review: The Ultra I want to keep wearing

Speedy performance with plenty of features

Performance is where the Watch 9 feels properly new. The watch feels snappy with the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elite processor and Wear OS 7-based One UI 9 Watch OS combination. The menus open quickly, animations are slick, the app launches quickly, and the experience is feature-rich.

Google Gemini integration makes it feel closer to an Android smartphone. Like an extension, if you will. The voice-based trigger wasn't working for me, and even with the button-based activation, albeit useful, it isn't something I am excited to use. It's a very subjective thing, and your experience may vary.

But that's the thing. Samsung has filled in so many features into this wearable that at some point you'd be surprised to find some or the other feature buried in the settings, Wearable app, Samsung Health, and Health Connect. By the way, for a few of these features, you'd need a compatible Galaxy smartphone.

The list of health-tracking capabilities includes ECG, blood pressure monitoring, sleep tracking, sleep apnoea risk detection, body composition, heart rate monitoring, vascular load, antioxidant index, and newer metrics such as Energy Score and Daily Cardio Load.

But I did not spend my Kerala trip obsessively monitoring any of them. I had to save battery, but even when I turned all tracking on, I appreciated how the monitoring and data collection are quietly done, and you can open the Samsung Health app to check the stats when you need. The results are fairly accurate and consistent, but you should still take these stats for personal reference and not as a substitute for professional medical advice.

One feature I couldn't test is the Blood Pressure feature, as it requires calibration with a traditional cuff, and that calibration needs to be repeated every four weeks.

And one feature I was closely paying attention to was sleep tracking. Since the watch is light enough, I didn't mind wearing it while going to bed. It gives a detailed report including sleep stages and recovery, and I was addressing my sleep routine to fix any inconsistencies.

As for workouts, although I am not a big workout enthusiast, I did some weight training, and again, the amount of granular data given is very informative.

Battery life is reasonable, but leaves you wanting more

The Watch 9 44mm has a 445mAh battery, and Samsung rates it for up to 40 hours with AOD off and up to 30 hours with AOD on.

I was getting about 2 days' worth of juice with very conservative use. This was with AOD off, and most of the tracking also off. And once I turned on all tracking and AOD, the battery lasted close to 36 hours. Overnight, it lost about 20% of its juice with all the sleep tracking features on.

Of course, your mileage may differ if you use GPS regularly, track a lot of workouts, monitor health continuously, or rely on LTE. You should have the charger handy.

And for charging from 0 to 100%, the total time taken is 90 minutes. Not particularly snappy, but serviceable.

Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9?

Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 44mm is one of the most premium smartwatches you can buy. There is a lot on offer here for Rs 44,652. The big, bright display was genuinely legible and usable. The performance was consistently smooth, and the health and workout tracking gave me enough information without constantly demanding my attention. Because of its build and display quality, I could also wear it always, including overnight and while going for a swim, without much worry or fuss.

The proprietary strap and squircle dial are things you may either like right away or take some time to get used to. I was in the latter camp. But after wearing it for a few weeks, I found the design and the overall experience easy to live with. Battery life, meanwhile, is respectable, although it is something you need to keep an eye on.

Sure, that is a trade-off for all the health and workout tracking and other features running. But some of the more advanced health features also require a compatible Galaxy phone, while features such as blood pressure monitoring need additional setup and regular calibration.

All in all, Android users, and especially Samsung phone users, can consider the Galaxy Watch 9 if they want a polished everyday smartwatch and don't mind charging it every day or two. Personally, I found the larger display, smooth performance, strong outdoor visibility and extensive health and fitness features worthwhile upgrades over my old Galaxy Watch 4.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar stories.

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra review: This is what Ultra on a foldable looks like

When Samsung applied the 'Ultra' suffix to its Galaxy S series, it carried a clear promise that you are getting the biggest camera, the most capable chip and the finest materials. Ultra was a statement of excess and Samsung generally kept it. But applying that same label to the Galaxy Z Fold line is a more complicated proposition because foldables operate under tighter constraints than slab phones; every millimetre of thickness and every gram of weight is a trade-off that doesn't exist in the same way for a conventional flagship. Building an 'Ultra' inside something that folds in half is a different kind of engineering problem.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, at Rs 1,99,999 for the base 256 GB variant, is Samsung's attempt to resolve that problem. It is a direct successor to the Fold 7, keeping the same 215 g weight and a nearly identical form factor, but upgrading virtually everything inside. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 replaces the Snapdragon 8 Elite and the performance gap is now generational. The battery grows from 4,400 mAh to 5,000 mAh silicon-carbon and the charger steps from 25 W to 45 W, which is the quality-of-life change Fold owners have been asking for across multiple iterations now. The inner display gains Flex Titanium technology to reduce the crease and an anti-reflective coating to reduce glare. Factory calibration, as our Calman testing confirms, is reference-grade on both panels. And for the first time on a foldable, Android 17 based OneUI 9 ships out of the box.

The Fold 8 Ultra doesn't reinvent what a foldable phone is. What it does is execute the formula at a level that makes the Ultra suffix feel well worth its name.

Design: refined, not reinvented

The Fold 8 Ultra looks immediately familiar to anyone who has held the Fold 7. It has practically the same proportions, the same Advanced Armor Aluminum frame, the same 8.9 mm folded thickness. At 4.1 mm when open, it is a hair thinner than the Fold 7's 4.2 mm and the slightly indented side frame and revised hinge gap make it easier to get a nail under the device to unfold one-handed. These are small changes that make the daily opening ritual feel just slightly more natural.

The two meaningful structural updates are Flex Titanium and the Gorilla Glass Victus Ceramic 3 protection. Flex Titanium is a titanium alloy plate placed under the inner display, stiffening the panel assembly and making the crease noticeably less visible than on the Fold 7. It doesn't disappear entirely and you will still feel it under your fingertip if you drag across the fold, but in normal viewing it has gone from something that registers in the first five minutes to something you largely stop thinking about. The Gorilla Glass Victus Ceramic 3 on the outer display is tougher than its predecessor, adding confidence to a panel that takes most of the daily wear.

The IP48 water resistance returns unchanged from the Fold 7. It covers splashes and brief shallow immersion, but it remains behind the IP68 ratings you find on Samsung's own Galaxy S series. For a phone at Rs 1,99,999, this continues to feel like a compromise that Samsung could afford to address.

The cover screen is 6.5 inches: narrower and taller than the inner canvas, more phone-like than some competing foldables with wider outer displays. For one-handed typing and quick glance use, it works well. For consuming media on the outer screen, the narrower format will immediately send you to the inner panel but it also depends entirely on how you use a foldable.

Display: two panels, universal experience

The Fold 8 Ultra's display story has two parts: the visual experience and the colour accuracy behind it. Our peak brightness test measured 2,810 nits on the main inner screen and 2,750 nits on the cover in HDR mode. For context, the Fold 7 measured 2,400 nits on the main panel and 2,480 nits on the cover in our equivalent tests. These are meaningful gains, particularly for outdoor use as both screens cut through direct sunlight with ease and the anti-reflective coating on the inner display reduces glare in ways that the Fold 7 simply couldn't. Whether you're reviewing photos in the open air or watching video in a bright room, the inner panel no longer fights the environment.

Our Calman testing evaluated both panels in Samsung's Natural colour profile, which maps SDR content to the sRGB colour space. The main inner screen returned an average DeltaE of just 0.61 across the Colour Checker suite. To put that in context, the Fold 7's main screen averaged 1.6 in our equivalent test, which we already considered excellent. The Fold 8 Ultra's 0.61 is reference-monitor territory as any delta under 1.0 is considered near-imperceptible, meaning what you see on this panel is about as close to the source content as consumer display technology currently allows. The maximum deviation across the entire chart was 4.81, and those outliers are in the most saturated colour regions where the human eye is least sensitive to error.

The cover screen posts an average DeltaE of 1.05, still well within the threshold that matters in real-world use. The sRGB coverage is 98.5% on the main panel and 97.2% on the cover. Samsung's colour management properly restricts DCI-P3 coverage to the 73–79% range in Natural mode, which means SDR content is not receiving the unwanted saturation boost that plagues many OLED panels. Grayscale tracking on the main screen averages a DeltaE of 0.75 with a maximum of 1.00, keeping whites and greys neutral and free of tint. The EOTF tracking follows its target curve cleanly on both displays, preserving shadow detail without artificially crushing it.

Both displays support 120 Hz adaptive refresh under LTPO control, HDR10+ for premium streaming content and 10-bit colour depth. The full-flat inner and outer panels from the Fold 7 carry over, making edge gesture navigation and typing on the cover screen feel consistent across the whole surface.

The Fold 8 Ultra has, objectively, two of the most accurately calibrated panels currently shipping in a consumer smartphone. If colour precision matters to you, whether for photography review, video editing or simply wanting what you see on screen to match reality, this is the foldable to buy.

Performance and battery: the biggest upgrade

The Fold 8 Ultra's AnTuTu score of 3,045,858 tells the whole performance story. The Fold 7 scored 1,929,147 and that is a 58% improvement, not year-on-year refinement. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy is a different class of processor: the prime cores now run at 4.74 GHz, the GPU is the Adreno 840 running at 1.3 GHz and the UFS 4.x storage is faster than the Fold 7's UFS 3.1.

Similarly, Geekbench returns 2,625 in single-core and 6,946 in multi-core. PCMark Work hits 21,644 (vs the Fold 7's 18,576), 3DMark Wildlife Extreme scores 5,959, a 20% improvement over last year. These are not incremental gains, they are the kind of performance headroom that will make the Fold 8 Ultra feel fast well into its second and third year of use.

Gaming on the 8-inch inner panel is the showcase for what that power actually means. Frame rates on demanding titles like Genshin Impact and BGMI are consistent, thermal management holds up during long sessions and the sheer scale of the unfolded canvas makes the experience qualitatively different from any slab phone, regardless of raw frame count. Wi-Fi 7 support ensures that cloud gaming and high-bandwidth streaming are handled without bottleneck.

Then there is the battery something that Fold owners have waited generations to hear. The Fold 8 Ultra carries a 5,000 mAh silicon-carbon cell, up from the Fold 7's 4,400 mAh. Our PCMark battery life test ran for 17 hours 38 minutes, up from the Fold 7's 15 hours and 12 minutes. In daily real-world use, that translates to eight hours or more of screen-on time under mixed conditions. The Fold 7 ran out of runway at around six hours; the Fold 8 Ultra gets you through a full day and into the next.

The Fold 7 shipped with 25 W charging and this year the Fold 8 Ultra brings 45 W wired charging, reaching 67% in 30 minutes. A full charge from near empty takes under an hour. Samsung has also upgraded wireless charging to 20 W via Qi2.2 and reverse wireless at 4.5 W remains for topping up earbuds and watches. After years of watching competing flagships pull ahead on charging speed, Samsung has closed the gap in one generation.

Cameras: a credible flagship package

The camera system on the Fold 8 Ultra is the most capable setup Samsung has shipped on a foldable and our testing across outdoor daylight, high-contrast indoor scenes and close-up subjects shows a system that has grown up considerably from its predecessors.

The 200 MP main sensor at f/1.7 and 24mm handles difficult exposures that reflects mature image signal processing. In backlit outdoor scenes, highlight containment is measured in scenes with light fixtures and bright skies retain defined transitions without blown-out halos. Shadow detail in deep foliage or underlit street scenes holds without the over-brightening that makes artificially processed HDR look flat. Auto white balance under mixed LED lighting runs slightly warm but avoids the green or magenta tint shifting that still catches out some competing systems.

The zoom performance across the focal range is where the improvement from the Fold 7 is most consistent. The mid-telephoto range (2x–3x) delivers natural perspective compression with high fidelity on medium-sized subjects. At the 3x optical mark, the 10 MP telephoto handles fine textures, clean edges and minimal chromatic fringing on high-contrast outlines. Push further into the digital zoom range, and fine text and surface detail remain legible without aggressive edge ringing, even at higher crop factors.

When it comes to close-up photography, the depth falloff from the focal plane into soft blur is smooth and gradual rather than the abrupt software-cutout quality that marks lesser systems. The Fold 8 Ultra's colour science has grown more controlled, foliage stays lively without turning neon, saturated primaries like crimson red retain tonal gradients without banding and complex indoor hues maintain accuracy across varying light falloff.

The 50 MP ultrawide at f/1.9 is a significant upgrade over the previous generation. A wider field at a faster aperture means more versatile low-light and landscape shooting, and the colour consistency between the ultrawide and the main sensor is well-managed.

The one limitation that persists is the 10 MP telephoto in low light. This was the Fold 7's weak point in the zoom system and the Fold 8 Ultra carries the same. At 3x optical in poor light, detail drops, noise increases and dynamic range tightens. It remains serviceable, but it is the area where the gap to the best camera phones in the market is most visible.

Software and productivity: the full canvas

The Fold 8 Ultra ships with Android 17 and One UI 9, with Samsung committing to seven major OS updates and correspondingly long security patch support. The software experience continues to be the area where the foldable form factor earns its price beyond the hardware.

Split-screen multitasking, app continuity between the outer and inner displays, Flex Mode for using the phone as a mini laptop, and Samsung DeX for a desktop interface over USB or wirelessly remain the productivity tools that slab phones can only approximate. One UI 9 makes these workflows feel more integrated and less deliberate than in earlier versions: the transitions between modes are smoother, app memory management has improved, and the taskbar in DeX mode handles multi-app sessions with less friction.

UWB support enables precise spatial awareness for Samsung's device ecosystem. Bluetooth 6.0 is the latest version of the standard, and Wi-Fi 7's tri-band support means the Fold 8 Ultra is not going to be the bottleneck in any near-future networking scenario.

Verdict: earns the Ultra badge 

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra raises its starting price by Rs 25,000 over the Fold 7. What that buys you is a device where almost every meaningful limitation of last year's model has been addressed at once. The processor is generationally faster, the battery is larger and charges twice as quickly, the crease is less intrusive, the display calibration is reference-grade, and the ultrawide camera has been properly upgraded. Taking any one of those improvements in isolation might not justify the price step. Taking all of them together, it does.

There are still things the Fold 8 Ultra doesn't do. It still is IP48 certified not IP68 and at this price that remains a concession. The telephoto camera in low light is not best-in-class and won't be until Samsung solves the optical zoom physics that this form factor constrains. There’s still no S Pen support, but this is a known trade-off of the foldable category, not failures specific to this device.

What the Fold 8 Ultra gets right is the thing that matters most for a device at this price: it feels a complete foldable phone. The Fold 7 was the foldable that finally felt like a phone. The Fold 8 Ultra is the foldable that finally feels like a flagship foldable. For buyers coming from the Fold 7, the battery and charging upgrade alone is a compelling reason to consider it. For buyers entering the foldable category for the first time, this is the most polished and capable version of Samsung's unfolded vision to date. The Ultra label took eight generations to attach to a Fold, but it was worth the wait.

Even on a strictly tight budget, you can find good earbuds these days. Also true is the fact that, like with the rest of the market, earbuds are a dime a dozen, and brands have to find a way to position their product apart from others. The recently launched CMF Buds Neo's design stood out in our first impressions piece. And on paper, it has interesting features like 35dB Active Noise Cancellation, a 12.4mm dynamic driver, Bluetooth 6.0, and a long battery life claim. The asking price is Rs 2,199, and after using it for weeks, including a long train journey to Kerala and back, I have more thoughts to share. Read on to know how these features come together in daily use in our CMF Buds Neo review.

Easy fit and fun design suited for long listening

I have already spoken about the CMF Buds Neo's square case, circular dial, and overall design in my first impressions, so I won't repeat that here. However, after spending more time with them, there are a few practical aspects of the design worth talking about.

Because of its light and compact build, the case was easy to carry around in pockets and handbags. It was comfy to hold in my palm, and the mechanical dial was fun to fidget with whenever I was anxious. The earbuds were also easy on the ears, even for extended periods of listening. I had it in my ears for most of my three-day, somewhat jerky train journey, and the thing securely sat there. It offered a good seal from outside commotion.

The touch gestures were thankfully responsive, as if they weren't, that would've irked me more than I was already sitting in crammed train seats.

Having IP54 dust and splash resistance was reassuring during the occasional drizzles in Kerala. It allowed me to continue wearing the earbuds and listening to music. Well, who would want to stop 'I Think I Like When It Rains' by WILLIS while it's raining? Though I was a little apprehensive about taking the IPX2-rated Buds Neo case to the beach, nothing happened. Just know the case offers inferior water resistance and no dust resistance.

Bass first, energetic, and customisable sound

The CMF Buds Neo's 12.4mm dynamic driver produces a warm and energetic sound. You feel the buds' lower-end preference right away. The opening beat of I Think I Like When It Rains is heavier on this one than on our reference device. And this bassiness stays throughout the track. It doesn't feel distasteful to me and is something I come to expect from buds of its ilk. You can turn off the default bass enhancement or choose a different equaliser mode if you prefer less bass.

Even with the default Immersion Boost equaliser and its bassiness, the vocals were reasonably clear. So, you can enjoy Bollywood or pop tracks like C.R.E.A.M POSSE by Baggh-e SMG; the voices of all singers were strong and present.

The bass does not completely overwhelm the rest of the sound, though. Vocals remain reasonably clear, which is important because a bass-heavy tuning can otherwise make singers sound distant or muffled.

Our internal frequency response measurements echo this Buds Neo behaviour: Elevated bass, giving drums and basslines plenty of weight. Vocals have decent emphasis, and the treble portion is rolled off to take some of the crispiness and sparkle from the cymbals in tracks like Kiliye from ARM (2024) and The Little Things Give You Away by Linkin Park.

The sound isn't neutral, but not dull either. The bass-forward treatment is good to hear, with ample presence for vocals and most instruments.

The Spatial Audio mode extends the soundstage. However, the widened presentation isn't something I'll miss if I turn it off or switch to a different pair of earbuds.

Also Read: iQOO Buds review: Best TWS earbuds under Rs 2000?

ANC and Transparency modes are useful

The CMF Buds Neo offer up to 35dB of adaptive ANC, with three levels and an Adaptive mode. I kept it on High mode only. It doesn't make every background noise disappear, but it and the passive isolation from the eartips' seal gave me some peace during an otherwise noisy train travel.

Sometimes, I would use the Transparency mode to be aware of my surroundings. Of course, with the music either off or at a lower volume. In an office environment, this is also pretty useful if you like listening to some focus music but still want to be aware of someone talking to you.

As for calls, the Buds Neo use four microphones, two on each earbud, along with CMF's Clear Voice Technology. Indoor call quality was fine for both parties. When the background noise is loud and close to you, the other person can hear it. But the experience was clear enough for calls and meetings.

Nothing X app is minimal and functional

Changing many of these settings, like ANC level, Spatial Audio, Bass Enhancement level, Equalizer mode, and Tap controls, happens through the Nothing X app. You can also enable Dual Connection, Adaptive ANC mode, Low Lag mode, find misplaced earbuds, update the Buds Neo's firmware, and see the current battery life of the earbuds on the app's home screen.

The Nothing X app shares a minimal yet very functional UI. Besides the EQ presets, the app also lets you fine-tune equaliser profiles. So there are granular customisation options, which is good to get in this price range.

That said, Nothing has omitted a key feature like wear detection. So, you have to manually pause the music by tapping. And for manual pairing as well, you need to touch and hold both earbuds for a few seconds. So, there are some minor inconveniences which you may or may not find annoying. By the way, the initial pairing was smooth, and the connectivity was stable thanks to the Buds Neo supporting Bluetooth 6.0, Google Fast Pair, and Microsoft Swift Pair.

Battery life is one of the strongest aspects

Battery life is solid. In our continuous music run test with the earbuds playing a FLAC file at 80% volume and ANC on, the CMF buds ended up at 1% charge after running for 8 hours. With ANC off, the claimed runtime is 11 hours from the buds and up to 52 hours with the case. So, these can easily last a workday, and the case can manage the longevity for a weekend trip.

Nothing says the earbuds can gain up to 5.5 hours of playback from zero with a 10-minute fast charge. The case has a USB-C port. The company has cut costs by not including a charging cable in the box.

Should you buy the CMF Buds Neo?

For a budget pair costing Rs 2,100, the CMF Buds Neo cover most of the basics, including respectable noise cancellation. I was glad I carried these with me on my Kerala train journey. The comfortable fit, responsive tap-based controls, an energetic and enjoyable audio, good battery life, a functional Nothing X app with useful features like dual-device connectivity, low-lag mode, and a fine share of customisability often came in handy.

Nothing has cut some corners by not including a USB cable in the box and by not including wear detection in the buds. The treble lacks some detail and sparkle; complex tracks can sound a little congested. But the bass emphasis isn't to the detriment of vocals and most instruments. The audio is still, like I said, enjoyable.

Now the bigger question is whether it makes sense to spend a little more. Well, you can expect better audio tuning, stronger ANC, and a lower-latency mode in a largely similar design. If you can stretch the budget, Nothing has the CMF Buds 2a and Buds 2 within the Rs 3,000 ceiling. But if you want the best value, the Buds Neo make sense. It can be a good enough purchase as your primary pair of TWS earbuds or as an affordable secondary pair for work, travel, or commuting.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar reviews.

Also Read: Boat Airdopes ProClip review: An open-ear design that gets the basics right

I have always enjoyed games that throw me into a world and let me figure things out at my own pace. All I ask is an interesting setting (that looks visually stunning), a well-written protagonist and enough freedom to explore. In such a scenario, I happily spend hours wandering around instead of following the main story. But when you have limited time to complete the main quest, things change drastically. That is exactly the case with Rebel Wolves’ very first game, The Blood of Dawnwalker. This isn’t your typical RPG where you follow the same playstyle throughout. It attempts to do things differently and succeeds. 

The Standard Edition of the game is available for Rs 3,999 on the PS5 and PC. But should you go ahead and spend your money on this game? Read on as I answer that in this review. 

Also read: GTA 6 limited edition controllers, Marvel Wolverine new trailer and more: Highlights from State of Play

A beautiful world that feels strangely familiar

The Blood of Dawnwalker takes us to a fictional city that is slowly being taken over by the Varkhiri, a group of vampires. Towering castles, dense forests, muddy roads, and predators around the corner, you see it all when you start walking and taking everything in. The world looks stunning and incredibly detailed. 

But, there was one thought I could not shake while exploring - it looks a lot like The Witcher 3.In fact, there were moments when I thought that if you put Geralt into this setting, it would be difficult to tell the two games apart. That is both a compliment and a slight criticism. The Witcher 3 has set a very high bar for fantasy RPG worlds, and The Blood of Dawnwalker comes super close in some places. But at the same time, I would have liked to see a little more of the world’s own visual identity.

Story and gameplay that are worth sticking with

I have spent over 20 hours in the game and would gladly spend many more. But my first hour with the game was…confusing. There simply was a lot happening as the story took its time explaining itself. To be honest, in the beginning, I wasn’t even sure where everything was heading but I decided to stick with it anyways. And well, I am glad I did because the story becomes much more engaging as you understand the protagonist, Coen, and his world better.

We meet Coen in the very first cutscene. He is a young man who is seen taking care of his family which includes his ill mother, father, and sisters. The city they live in has been taken over by Vrakhiris who show no mercy to anyone. During a mass that goes horribly wrong, Coen loses his family and soon realises that they are being held captive by the vampire lord Brencis. His sole mission then becomes saving his family in time. 

Now Coen isn’t a regular man either. He is a human during the day and a vampire during the night. And this isn't just something that changes how he fights. It also changes how he interacts with the world around him.

During the day, you can approach people as a human and have conversations normally, while being a vampire at night can completely change how certain characters react to you. I liked this because it makes the day and night cycle feel like more than just a visual change. You actually have to think about when you want to do certain things.

There is also another gameplay decision that I really liked, even though I can understand why some players might not. The main storyline gives you 30 days to complete it.

Now for an RPG, that is quite unusual. Most games in this genre encourage you to take your time. You can spend hours completing side quests, exploring random corners of the map or simply ignoring the main story for days.

But The Blood of Dawnwalker puts a clock on that.

Personally, I liked it because knowing that I had only 30 days added a sense of urgency to the world. It made the main storyline feel like something that was actually happening rather than another quest that could sit in my journal indefinitely.

The side characters are also interesting, with several of them having their own quests and stories. You can even interact with almost every NPC you come across. Most of these conversations are super simple and the responses can sometimes feel repetitive, but I still liked having the option. It just makes the world feel a little more alive when you can stop and talk to people rather than simply running past them on your way to the next objective.

In a nutshell, after finishing more than half of the main story, I just can’t keep my controller down even if it is midnight already and I need to wake up early for work the next day. In the recent months, very few games have had that effect on me and I am glad that The Blood of The Dawnwalker is just one of those titles. 

Combat that takes time getting used to

Combat is where my experience with The Blood of Dawnwalker became a little complicated. I found it too slow for my liking. It took me some time to get used to the direction-based attacks and blocking mechanics and after a while, swinging a sword at enemies started to feel more like a chore than something I was looking forward to.

The difficulty also does not always feel justified. I played on Normal difficulty and still died quite a few times. There were enemies that could kill me in barely two hits, while my own attacks seemed to do very little damage. I don't mind difficult games. In fact, I enjoy a good challenge when it feels like the game is testing my skills.

Here, though, there were moments where the difficulty felt like it was there simply to make things harder. When this happens repeatedly across missions, it can become tiring.

But thankfully, the combat gets much better once you start leveling up. The abilities you unlock give you more options and make fights feel less repetitive. I found myself enjoying combat more as I progressed because I was no longer relying almost entirely on sword attacks.

Performance and music

When I first started playing The Blood of Dawnwalker, the game was capped at 40 FPS. While that was playable, it made the experience feel less smooth, especially when moving around the world or getting into fights.

Thankfully, the day-one launch patch changed things. The game now runs at 60 FPS, and the difference is noticeable instantly. The higher frame rate makes movement feel much smoother and improves the overall experience. Considering that I already found the combat somewhat slow, the jump from 40 FPS to 60 FPS made fights feel much better.

But performance wasn't the only thing I enjoyed here. I also really liked the background music in the game. It fits the world incredibly well and does a great job of building the atmosphere without feeling overbearing. Whether I was exploring the world or simply walking around and taking in the surroundings, the music added another layer to the experience.

There were quite a few moments when I found myself paying attention to the music because it fit what was happening on screen so well. It complements the dark and eerie setting perfectly and, for me, became one of the game's quieter strengths.

Verdict

The Blood of Dawnwalker is not a game I would judge based on its opening hour.

At first, you might find the story confusing, the pacing slow and the combat somewhat frustrating. But, do not stop playing.

The story gets better, the characters keep you invested and the world is actually beautiful. The human-by-day and vampire-by-night system gives the game an interesting identity, while the 30-day limit adds urgency to what could otherwise have been another open-world RPG where you can take forever to get anything done.

If you enjoy RPGs and have not been hooked to one for a long time, this might just be it. 

SKOAR! - 8.5/10

Also read: GTA 6 says goodbye to a feature nobody asked for

I’ll be honest: I am probably not the ideal Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 user. I don’t run marathons; I don’t spend my weekends hiking up mountains; I haven't suddenly developed a passion for scuba diving either, and I definitely don’t work out religiously. If you’re wondering where this conversation is headed — well, I am just a usual guy who spends most of his days with a phone, a laptop, some meetings, and a desperate attempt to close my rings. Because, hey, who doesn’t want to close the rings if they are wearing a smartwatch? Yet, after spending a decent amount of time with Samsung's most capable smartwatch, I think that might actually be a useful perspective.

While the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 has been built for people who are extra serious about health and fitness, for me — I just want to know one simple thing: is this smartwatch good enough to make someone like me want to wear it again? And surprisingly, the answer is mostly yes. Here’s my full review of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.

Also read: Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 in Digit Test Labs: The Ultra I wanted all along?

Galaxy Watch Ultra 2: Familiar, but noticeably better

If you have seen the original Galaxy Watch Ultra, you already know what to expect here. Samsung hasn't reinvented the design. The cushion-shaped case is still here, the titanium construction is still here, and it remains a big, unapologetically chunky watch. But look closer, and there are a few changes that make a difference.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is now 10.7mm thick, which Samsung says makes it around 12 per cent slimmer than the previous model. More importantly, the company has somehow managed to make it thinner while fitting in a much larger 800mAh battery, which, on paper, sounds impressive. On the wrist, it is even better.

One of my biggest issues with the original Watch Ultra wasn't that it was uncomfortable. It was that I was always aware that I was wearing it. It had a certain presence on the wrist, and while that is part of the appeal of an Ultra watch, it also made it feel a little too top-heavy, particularly when wearing it to bed. The Ultra 2 fixes a lot of that.

Of course, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is still a large watch. Let's not pretend otherwise. If you have small wrists or prefer something discreet, this is probably not going to change your mind. But it sits better, feels less cumbersome, and has become much easier to wear for long periods. And I have to mention the strap as well.

I said this in my first impressions, and after spending more time with it, I stand by it: this might genuinely be the most comfortable silicone watch strap I have used. It sounds like a minor thing to praise in a smartwatch review, but a smartwatch is something you are supposed to wear almost constantly. If the strap annoys you, the entire experience falls apart. Samsung has absolutely nailed it here.

The titanium body of the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 still feels appropriately premium, and I quite like the numbers printed around the outer bezel. They give the watch a slightly more traditional character, which works surprisingly well with the otherwise futuristic design.

I still wish Samsung had included a physical rotating bezel. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic has already shown why that interaction method remains brilliant. Scrolling through Wear OS using a physical bezel just feels more natural than dragging your finger around a screen. The Ultra 2's digital bezel works, but it isn't quite the same.

Still, this is easily the best implementation of the Ultra design so far. Samsung didn't need to change its identity. They just needed to make it easier to live with, and with a resounding assurance, I can say — they have.

Galaxy Watch Ultra 2: That display is almost ridiculous (in a good way)

The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 has a 1.52-inch Super AMOLED display with a peak brightness of up to 5,000 nits.

Yes, you read that right — Five. Thousand. Nits.

I remember the original Galaxy Watch Ultra having an already excellent display capable of reaching 3,000 nits. I never found myself wishing it were brighter. But the Watch Ultra 2 takes things even further, and the result is a screen that is incredibly easy to view in almost every situation. Step outside in harsh sunlight, glance at a notification, check the time, or look at how many rings you’ve closed, and there is simply no struggle involved.

The screen is also slightly larger in usable area thanks to slimmer bezels. Again, this isn't a dramatic difference when you look at the numbers, but it contributes to making the watch feel a little more refined.

But, apart from the brightness, the display is otherwise quite fantastic. It is sharp, colourful and very smooth. The 120Hz refresh rate makes a tonne of difference. Because a smartwatch screen is tiny, responsiveness matters more than you might think. If animations stutter or apps take too long to open, you immediately notice it because every interaction is happening on such a small canvas. Thankfully, that isn't an issue here. It’s a job well done.

Performance: Fast enough that you stop thinking about it

Now, I know I opened this review by telling you that I don't work out religiously, and that hasn't changed. But that doesn't mean I completely ignore the health and fitness data the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 throws at me. In fact, I probably look at it more than I expected to.

Let's start with GPS, which I think is seriously impressive on the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. The watch comes with dual-frequency GPS, using both L1 and L5 bands, and during my time with it, location tracking has been extremely accurate. With a feature called Track Back, you’ll thank your smartwatch for having an accurate GPS. Basically, the watch can record your route and help guide you back the way you came. You can also load GPX routes and follow them with turn-by-turn navigation directly from your wrist. I know how much I have used this feature almost all the time when I parked my car in DLF Mall of India, Noida. Those who have been to this mall’s parking will know exactly what I am talking about.

Sleep tracking is the other thing I regularly look forward to checking. Every morning, I find myself opening Samsung Health to see how badly — or occasionally, how surprisingly well — I slept. The Sleep Score is useful because it gives you a quick overview without forcing you to go through a barrage of data. But if you do want to dig deeper, there is plenty to look at.

Sleep Vitals and Energy Score are particularly useful too. I like that the watch doesn't just give you random numbers to process; it tries to give you a broader picture of how your sleep and daily activity are affecting your body. Of course, you shouldn't treat any of this as medical advice, but as a way of understanding your own patterns, I have found it quite useful.

The same goes for heart-rate tracking and blood oxygen measurements. I have found the readings to be consistent and trustworthy during my usage.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 also supports ECG and blood pressure monitoring. I didn't test either feature extensively during this review because I didn't have the required equipment for proper blood pressure calibration. Samsung requires the watch to be calibrated against a traditional blood pressure cuff, and these features are also dependent on device and regional compatibility. So rather than pretend I tested something I didn't, I will leave that verdict to someone who has.

What I can talk about, however, is the overall software experience. Obviously, the full experience works best with a Samsung phone. That shouldn't come as a surprise. Pair it with a Galaxy smartphone and everything feels properly interconnected. But I also spent time using the watch with the Google Pixel 11 Pro XL, and the experience was much better than I expected.

Samsung Health works well. The Galaxy Wearable app works well. Notifications, health data, and general smartwatch functionality work exactly as they should. You don't suddenly feel like you're using a crippled version of the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 just because you don't own a Samsung phone. With that said, there are, however, a few small ecosystem quirks.

One that I noticed was Bedtime mode or Sleep mode. When paired with a Samsung phone, Bedtime Mode can sync automatically between your phone and watch. With a non-Samsung Android phone, that automatic sync isn't available, meaning you will have to manually enable or disable Bedtime Mode on the watch. It is a small thing, but it is also the sort of convenience that comes with using products in the same ecosystem.

Still, I don't think this should discourage anyone with a Pixel, OnePlus, or another Android phone from considering the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Samsung has historically been accused of keeping too many of its best features inside its own ecosystem, and while some exclusive features do remain, the basic experience here is thankfully much more open.

And that's why, I would say, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is currently the best all-round Android smartwatch you can buy. It has the health and fitness credentials for people who take those things seriously. It has GPS accuracy and navigation tools for people who go outdoors and need them. But it is also an excellent smartwatch for someone like me, who mostly wants something that looks good, works reliably, tracks a few useful things in the background, and doesn't make me feel like I bought a tiny fitness computer that I now have to constantly manage.

Battery life is the upgrade I cared about most

With the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, Samsung has increased the battery capacity from 590mAh on the original Galaxy Watch Ultra to 800mAh here. That is a huge jump, considering that the new watch is actually slimmer. Samsung claims up to 60 hours with the Always-On Display enabled and up to 80 hours with it switched off. And this is the kind of battery life that smartwatches should boast about in the first place. Because I have never really understood why we collectively accepted that charging a watch every single day was normal. And for this, I am calling out all the previous-gen Galaxy Watches, Apple Watches, and the Pixel Watches.

For a phone that I use constantly, which has a huge display and does a hundred different things, a one-day battery life is somewhat acceptable. But a watch is supposed to be something you put on and forget about. The moment you start taking it off every night because it needs charging, you lose one of the biggest advantages of wearing a smartwatch in the first place: continuous health and sleep tracking. The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 gives you considerably more breathing room.

Your exact battery life will obviously depend on how you use it. GPS tracking, workouts, LTE connectivity, and screen brightness can all affect endurance. But just because I don't work out frequently doesn't mean I went easy on the watch. I had the Always-On Display turned on all the time, GPS enabled, internet connectivity on, notifications constantly coming in, and all the health tracking features running in the background. So, the watch was being used pretty much the way Samsung intended it to be used. And despite all of that, I didn’t have to charge the watch daily.

Samsung has also added faster charging for the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. The company claims the watch can reach around 40 per cent in approximately 30 minutes. I tested it, and it works as advertised. As for the full 0 to 100 per cent charging time, it takes around 100 minutes.

Health and fitness: More capable than I am

Alright, I have to acknowledge something — the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is more capable than I am likely to ever need it to be. It has GPS tracking, multiple satellite positioning systems, advanced heart-rate monitoring, sleep tracking, body composition measurements, and a long list of workout modes. It can automatically detect certain activities and offer a detailed breakdown of health and fitness data through Samsung Health.

If you want, you can even push the watch into the extreme-use category. The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 carries 10ATM water resistance, IP69K protection and EN13319 certification, allowing it to be used for diving at depths of up to 40 metres.

Now, will I ever use it 40 metres underwater? Most likely, no. But, even if there was a 0.1 per cent chance and I wanted to, I could. And that is really the point of the Ultra branding. Not everyone buying the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 will use every feature. In fact, I suspect most people won't. But if you are spending this kind of money on a smartwatch, there is something reassuring about knowing that it can handle more than your everyday life is likely to throw at it.

Of course, if you are serious about fitness, there is plenty here to explore. Samsung Health is packed with data, there are plenty of workouts to track, and the watch can go into far more detail than I personally ever need it to.

But I will once again point out something worth mentioning for people like me.

You don't need to be a marathon runner to get value from health tracking. I haven't suddenly become an athlete because I wear a Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, but having sleep information, activity tracking, step counts, heart-rate data, and reminders to move does make me more conscious of how inactive I am. Sometimes, that little nudge is enough.

For all the talk about diving, GPS navigation, workout tracking, and everything else the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 can do, I think its biggest strength is that it is still a really good smartwatch. I like being able to glance at notifications without picking up my phone. I like controlling music from my wrist. Being able to quickly reply to messages is handy too, and having access to apps and Google services makes the watch feel like an actual extension of your phone.

There is LTE connectivity as well, so you can leave your phone behind and still make calls or stay connected when you need to. I don't do that very often, but it is nice knowing the option is there.

Galaxy Watch Ultra 2: Who should buy it?

At Rs 64,999, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is not an affordable watch, and that means you should ask yourself whether you actually need an Ultra before buying one. Because if all you want is notification support, general health tracking, and a stylish smartwatch, Samsung's standard Galaxy Watch 9 will probably make more financial sense.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 also remains a large watch, so there is no escaping the fact that it will feel substantial on your wrist. And if you already own the original Galaxy Watch Ultra, this isn't necessarily an urgent upgrade. The design is familiar, the core smartwatch experience is similar, and many of the improvements are refinements rather than completely new features.

But those refinements are good ones. A slimmer body. A dramatically larger battery. Faster charging. A brighter display. A more powerful processor. Better durability. Samsung has essentially taken the things I liked about the original Ultra and addressed some of the things that stopped me from wanting to wear it all the time.

I would say — Samsung has taken a good first-generation Ultra and made it quite easier to live with. The thinner design makes a bigger difference than you might expect; the silicone strap is exceptionally comfortable; the display is ridiculous in the best possible way; and the larger battery gives the watch the sort of endurance an Ultra-branded device deserves.

Also read: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 review: The best book-style foldable money can buy

So, if you want the best all-round smartwatch Samsung currently makes, and arguably one of the most complete Android smartwatches you can buy, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is very easy to recommend. More importantly, it is the Ultra I actually wanted to keep on my wrist.

Somewhere in a HyperX marketing meeting, someone must have pitched "what if the laptop looked like it instalocked Jett" and the room just went with it. And honestly, fair enough. Valorant has one of the most devoted fanbases in competitive gaming right now, the kind that will happily debate Viper lineups at 2am and can identify a map callout from a single blurry screenshot. Slapping a Spike on a laptop was never going to be a hard sell.

Here it is, the HyperX Omen 16 Valorant Edition – a laptop which feels like it went in the Valorant Store and bought all its items at 50% discount. Red colored WASD keys, agents' role badges placed close to the vents, a power button which works as the Valorant's logo and even "VLRNT PRTCL" written under the touchpad for those who know how to look – this laptop fits perfectly to the collection of collectible editions of weapons.

However, when you take off all the stickers, lore-friendly map references, and red colored lines on the body of the laptop, you suddenly have a very legitimate question – is this Valorant laptop, built specially to make you shoot better or just a gaming laptop with Valorant-themed paint job? Here comes the spoiler – it is the second one and after accepting this truth, the rest of this review becomes much more interesting as we can finally discuss whether this laptop can back up the hype.

Design: Fan service, a lot of it

However, in the case of the branding for the Valorant, it is a skin, and a rather reserved one. One can see the game's logo, a red V printed on the top of the lid under the HyperX logo, a small logo on the bottom right corner, and the names of three maps and the countries, where these take place. These maps include Haven, Split and Bind from Bhutan, Japan and Morocco respectively.

Once the lid is opened, one can see another game logo next to the AMD and NVIDIA logos, several red accent stripes, as well as Spike logo hidden in the bottom left corner. A power button features Valorant logo and the WASD keys have red printings, which is nice for the gamers. Finally, one can find a phrase "VLRNT PRTCL" on the touchpad deck; it is something that I missed initially and was pleasantly surprised when I noticed it during my second day of use. Moreover, four agent role icons – Duelist, Initiator, Controller, and Sentinel – are placed on the right side near the ventilation holes.

It is an enjoyable laptop to have for any Valorant lover, but nothing interferes with the laptop itself. The official colour for the laptop is a dark blue but to my eyes, it appears more on the dark gray side. Regardless, the problem with the color is that it attracts fingerprints everywhere, and you will need to have your cleaning cloth with you always if you are particular about the appearance of your laptop in photos.

The only part of the collaboration where Riot Games has anything to do with is the cosmetics and the wallpaper; the laptop does not come installed with Valorant at all. Now, it isn't a traditionally pre-installable game and you do need to have a Riot Account to install it but it would have been nice to see the Riot Client logo on the homescreen.

Display: The Best Thing HyperX Got Right

If there's one component that justifies this laptop's existence for competitive play, it's the screen. You get a 16-inch 2560x1600 IPS screen with a 240Hz refresh rate and a 3ms response time, and when playing the game like Valorant, this is the refresh rate needed. The maximum brightness levels are 500 nits, and throughout the entire gameplay session, I have never once needed to squint or struggle with glare on the screen.

To give credit where it is due, the laptop is equipped with some decent colour accuracy of the screen, considering it is a gaming laptop. There is no OLED screen on it, so if you wish to watch any movies between your gaming sessions on this laptop, it won't blow you away in terms of the colour quality like OLED does. But it is still perfect for gaming, especially for Valorant.

Keyboard: A Highlight With a Learning Curve

Another great feature of the keyboard is the polling rate of 8000Hz that HyperX has included in their package, although I still have it on 1000Hz as there really isn't much difference in the performance. In terms of RGB lighting, you can easily customize them using the Omen Light Studio. Full size and number pad are other features that can be useful if you need to do some spreadsheet work aside from gaming.

However, if you previously had a 75% keyboard, getting used to the smaller spacing will take a few days to do so. Once you get used to it, however, you would find that the travel distance is good enough for a laptop, and actuation force required to press a key is small.

Performance and Gaming

Under the hood, this configuration pairs an AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX with an Nvidia RTX 5070 carrying 8GB of VRAM, backed by 24GB of DDR5-5600 RAM and a 1TB SSD. On paper and in practice, this is a serious step up from budget and mid-range gaming laptops.

In Valorant itself, the numbers are pretty high for a competitive shooter, and the rest of the library held up just as well. None of the games I tested gave the laptop any trouble, and it was a noticeably more enjoyable experience than gaming on my regular daily driver, a modest Intel Core i5-13420H paired with an RTX 4050.

For a game like Valorant, frame rates north of 400fps are less about visible smoothness and more about squeezing out every bit of input responsiveness that a 240Hz panel can actually display, which matters when a fraction of a second decides a duel.

Synthetic benchmarks back up what the in-game numbers suggest, and there's a full spread of them worth going through, since each one is stress-testing a different part of the machine.

Graphics

3DMark's TimeSpy and FireStrike tests simulate DirectX 12 and DirectX 11 gaming workloads respectively, without being tied to any actual game engine, at increasingly demanding resolutions as you move from the base test to Extreme and Ultra variants. The scores reflect raw graphical horsepower, and the gap between the base and Extreme/Ultra runs shows how well performance holds up as the workload gets heavier, which matters if you plan on gaming at higher resolutions or with ray tracing turned on. Port Royal specifically isolates ray tracing performance, and a score of 9,115fps here suggests the RTX 5070 handles ray-traced effects reasonably well for its class, though this is still a mid-tier ray tracing GPU.

CPU and System

Cinebench R23 stress-tests the CPU by rendering a complex 3D scene, once using a single core and once using every core available. The single-core score reflects how snappy the chip feels for tasks that don't spread across multiple cores well, like a lot of everyday apps and lighter creative software, while the multi-core score of 36,239 shows the kind of raw, sustained muscle you get for video exports, batch photo processing, or Blender renders that hammer every core at once. Geekbench 6 tests a similar single-core versus multi-core split, but through short bursts of everyday workloads like PDF rendering, image processing, and light machine learning tasks rather than one long render. It's a better proxy for how responsive the system feels during normal use, things like app launches and multitasking, than for sustained heavy lifting. 

Compression and Encryption

These tests measure how quickly the CPU can compress and decompress files, which sounds niche but is a decent stand-in for how the laptop handles archiving large game installs, extracting downloaded assets, or working with compressed project files. The 7-Zip numbers, measured in GIPS (giga-instructions per second), reflect throughput on a workload that scales well across cores, so a strong result here tracks with the healthy multi-core numbers above.

Memory

AIDA64's memory tests measure how fast data moves in and out of RAM and how long it takes to respond to a request. Faster read and write speeds help with anything memory-hungry, like having dozens of browser tabs open alongside a game or running memory-intensive creative software, while lower latency generally translates to snappier overall responsiveness. These are solid numbers for DDR5-5600 and line up with what you'd expect from this memory configuration.

Storage

CrystalDiskMark's sequential tests measure how fast the SSD can read and write large, continuous chunks of data, which is what determines how quickly big game installs, video files, or project exports move around. The random 4K tests instead measure how the drive handles lots of small, scattered read/write requests at once, closer to what happens when the OS is juggling background processes, so this number tends to matter more for everyday snappiness than sheer file transfer speed.

Compared to other gaming laptops I've reviewed recently, the numbers tell a clearer story than a general impression would. The budget-focused Lenovo LOQ 15IRX10 (RTX 5060) hit 316fps in Valorant at 1080p High. The Asus TUF Gaming F16 (RTX 5070), despite sharing the same GPU as this Omen 16, actually fell behind the LOQ in sustained gaming, managing just 299.5fps in Valorant. The Omen 16 Valorant Edition outpaces both comfortably, with a Port Royal ray tracing score of 9,115 against the TUF's 8,321 and the LOQ's 6,171, and Valorant frame rates well clear of either at 423fps on High.

One pleasant surprise was noise. The Omen 16 runs noticeably quieter under load than my Acer Nitro V 15, which made a real difference in a game like Valorant where hearing footsteps clearly can be the difference between a win and a death.

Thermals and Battery: The Trade-offs you'd expect

It’s an outright gaming laptop, and with that comes the customary pros and cons. For starters, it tips the scales at almost 2.5kg, and this is without considering its rather heavy 280W charging brick, both of which get heated up to a great degree under load. Under the battery test, it could manage only about 80 minutes of use, just enough for a brief session while commuting, but this is basically a plug-and-play computer.

Thermal throttling is a major issue in this device. Under a repeated run of Cinebench R23 test, there was a staggering drop in the score by 1850 points from the initial reading. However, the bright side to this is that despite getting hot internally, the palm rest remains normal with the highest temperature in my testing reaching 40 degrees in the WASD Cluster. The hinge is also pretty sturdy.

Ports and connectivity

Port placement is sensible if a little scattered. HDMI, LAN, the charging port, and one USB port sit on the back, which is great for keeping cables out of your way during a match but mildly annoying if you're plugging and unplugging peripherals often. You get one more USB port on each side, a headphone combo jack on the left, and a USB Type-C port [for data transfer and video output/whatever else you confirm]. Worth noting there's no Thunderbolt here, but that's less of a snub than it sounds: Thunderbolt is an Intel-controlled spec, and while USB4 with Thunderbolt-level compatibility exists on some AMD platforms, it isn't universal, so its absence on this Ryzen-based Omen 16 isn't unusual. Rounding out connectivity, you get Ethernet for when Wi-Fi just won't cut it in a ranked match, along with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi built in for everything else, and a webcam for the odd video call between matches. It's not an exotic port selection, but it covers the essentials competently enough that you're unlikely to go hunting for a dongle.

Verdict: Buy it for the laptop, not the skin

Is this the best gaming laptop for a Valorant player specifically? Not really, and I'd say that's true almost by definition. If you're playing at a competitive level, you're better off with a desktop. If you're a casual player like me, a laptop this powerful is overkill for a game that doesn't demand much GPU muscle to begin with.

The only situation when buying an Omen 16 Valorant Edition might be considered reasonable for a fan of the game is if you do other serious and creative work besides playing. That can be video editing or animations, or working in Blender, Photoshop or Illustrator. With the price of ₹2,35,000, it is compared to Lenovo Legion and Asus ROG Strix and holds its ground among them in terms of performance.

Just don't buy it for the Valorant name. Buy it because it's a genuinely strong gaming laptop that happens to have some tasteful fan service stickered on. The fact that it doesn't even ship with the game pre-installed should tell you exactly how seriously to take the "Valorant Edition" part of its name.

RPGs, action-adventure, horror, choice-based - there are many gaming genres that I have enjoyed over the years. But, fighting games is something I haven’t tried that much. Still, I belong to a generation that grew up playing Tekken in Arcades so I have some experience. And when I heard about Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, I knew I wanted to give it a shot. And yes, this was purely because I am a big-time Marvel fan and the idea of fighting as some of my favourite characters was just too good to ignore. The only problem? My fighting-game skills are nowhere close to what I would call impressive. I can manage the basics, but put me in a match against someone who actually knows what they are doing and things can get chaotic very quickly. And I found that out pretty quickly after picking up the controller against a veteran - my husband.

We played the game on my PS5 Pro connected to an OLED TV and this combination made the game's colourful, anime-inspired presentation look fantastic. The character designs immediately caught my attention, while the combat reminded me a lot of Dragon Ball FighterZ. There is the same kind of fast-paced, flashy action, but with Marvel characters taking center stage.

So should you go ahead and get this game? Read on as I share my experience with it in this review. 

Also read: The Witcher 3 is getting a remaster: Here is who gets it for free

Characters and visuals

For a game like this, it all begins the moment you look at the screen and witness those characters being introduced. For me too, the first thing that caught my attention when I started playing was the characters.

I have seen these Marvel superheroes in movies, shows, comics and games for years. So, I was curious to see what they would look like in a fighting game that clearly takes a lot of inspiration from anime. And I am glad to say that I really liked what I experienced.

The game does not simply take the familiar versions of these characters and put them into a fighting arena. It gives them a completely different look while still making them recognisable.

Iron Man is probably the best example of this. Instead of the familiar Iron Man suit that we have seen countless times, the game gives him an almost Gundam-inspired design. It is very different from the version I am used to seeing and that is exactly what made it so exciting. 

Now let’s talk about the character I played the most - Captain America. His costume design is much more stylised than the version I am used to, but he still looks and feels exactly like Cap.

And this is something I noticed across other characters as well. The developers have taken familiar Marvel characters and given them their own visual identity instead of simply copying what we already know.

The anime influence is also impossible to miss. The characters move with a lot of energy, attacks are flashy and special moves can take over the entire screen. There were moments when I genuinely felt like I was watching an anime fight play out in front of me.

Playing the game on an OLED TV made this even better. The colours really stood out, especially when multiple characters, attacks and effects were filling the screen.

Combat and gameplay

If you have played games like Tekken and Dragon Ball FighterZ, you will probably feel at home in Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls pretty quickly. I certainly did, even though I haven’t tried out those titles as extensively.

The fast movement, flashy attacks, assists and the sheer amount of action happening during a match immediately reminded me of Arc System Works' Dragon Ball fighter. Now, since I had already seen something similar before, getting into Marvel Tokon did not feel as intimidating as I expected it to.

That was important for me because, as I mentioned earlier, fighting games are not exactly my speciality.

I was able to pick Captain America, start experimenting with attacks and eventually figure out a few combinations without spending hours studying the controls. The basic mechanics are easy enough for someone who is new to the genre, although there is clearly plenty more here for players who want to spend time mastering the game.

In other words, it is easy to start playing, but actually mastering it is a completely different story.

My husband proved that to me almost every time we played.

While I was still trying to remember which button did what and wondering why my character was suddenly flying across the screen, he was already chaining attacks together and making my health bar disappear. The gap between us was a pretty good demonstration of the game's depth.

The 4v4 format also changes how you approach a fight. You are not just picking one character and repeatedly attacking your opponent. You have a team, assists and different abilities to think about, which means choosing the right combination of characters can make a difference. Now for new players, this can feel like there is just too much happening at once. 

When you are still learning how to play, trying to keep track of your own character while four characters are fighting and effects are going off everywhere can be confusing. There were several moments when I knew I was pressing buttons, but had no idea whether I was actually doing anything useful. So in my case, it definitely took me some time to get comfortable with the game. But once I did, I started enjoying the chaos a lot more.

Story mode

The story mode is quite different from what you might expect if you are coming into Marvel Tokon purely for the fighting.

Instead of relying heavily on traditional cinematic cutscenes, the game uses a comic-book-style presentation to tell its story. The narrative is split across different characters and teams, so you get to see different sides of the game's world as you progress. And this just works in the game’s favor because it is a reminder of sorts to where it all began. 

The story itself kept me interested enough to continue through the chapters, although there is one thing that some Marvel fans may not love- the main villain is not someone from the MCU.

Personally, I did not have a problem with that. I actually liked the fact that Marvel Tokon is trying to do its own thing instead of simply recreating what we have already seen in the movies.

But if you are expecting to see the MCU translated directly into a fighting game, you may need to adjust those expectations.

Marvel Tokon has its own version of these characters and its own world, and I think the game is better when you treat it that way.

Music and sound 

In any game, music and sound effects matter more than you might initially realise. And in this case, both aspects are actually the highlights. 

The soundtrack has exactly the kind of energy you would expect from a fighting game. It keeps things moving during a match and becomes impossible to ignore when the fight starts getting intense.

There were several moments when I was already caught up in a match and the music would kick in at just the right time. It made the whole fight feel more dramatic and hyped me up while playing. 

The sound effects also do a good job of making attacks feel impactful. When you combine that with the flashy animations, the fights can feel much bigger than what is actually happening.

Verdict

As we’ve established already, I went into Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls knowing that I was probably going to lose a lot of matches. And I was right. But what I did not see coming was to have this much fun even though I was losing.

I could pick up the game, learn the basic controls and start having fun with my family pretty quickly. And after spending several hours playing the game, I do not remember the matches where I lost the most. I remember the ones where someone immediately said, “one more match.

Now as someone who has never been that invested in fighting games, that is probably the biggest compliment I can give Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls. The game costs ₹3,999 for the Standard Edition on the PS5 and it completely justifies its price tag.

Rating: 8/10

Also read: The Blood of Dawnwalker will get a 60 FPS mode on consoles, Rebel Wolves confirms

My entire life revolves around laptops. And this isn’t only because I test them for a living, but because I also find myself using them the entire day. At work, I am busy with Chrome, juggling dozens of tabs, documents, video calls, and much more. Once at home, I spend most of my time gaming. Now, when I sit down to unwind with my favorite titles after a long day, I really don’t want to worry about whether my laptop will be able to handle the load. I actually want the laptop to disappear into the background and let the game take over. So, of course, a good display, design, build, strong performance, and portability matter to me. When I started using the new Alienware 16X Aurora, it felt like it could strike a sweet spot across all of these areas. 

I have spent nearly a month with the device, and by now, it has become a part of my daily routine. But there is one thing that is hard to ignore: the hefty price tag of Rs 3,27,390. So, is the Alienware 16X Aurora worth spending close to Rs 3.3 lakh? Time to find out.

Also read: 3 Windows settings you should change now to declutter your PC

Alienware 16X Aurora: Design and build

The Alienware 16X Aurora does not try to hide what it is. The laptop comes in an Interstellar Indigo colour, which is a really dark shade of blue that looks different than your usual black and white laptops. The Alienware branding on the lid makes it clear that this is built for gaming. The design does not rely on an excessive amount of RGB lighting or sharp angles to make a statement, which is the case with several Alienware laptops out there. In a nutshell, the Aurora 16X still has the Alienware character, but it can also sit on a desk without looking completely out of place when you are using it for work.

As for the build, it feels sturdy and premium, which is what you would expect from a gaming laptop at this price. There was some flex when I put pressure on the lid, but it isn’t so much that it gets you worried.

This is, however, a large machine and not something I would casually hold in one hand and go about my day. But, considering the kind of power this thing holds, it is justified. I still carried the 16X Aurora to work every day in my large tote bag and didn’t feel like the weight of the world was on my shoulders. There is some context to that, though. 

I drive to work. So, my carrying was mostly limited to the short walk between my car and my desk, and then back home. In case you rely on public transport or have a long commute on foot, the size and weight could become a much bigger consideration. As far as my routine is concerned, it was manageable.

Alienware 16X Aurora: Display

I enjoyed using the Alienware 16X Aurora, and a big reason for this is the display. The laptop comes with a 16-inch WQXGA OLED panel with a 2560 x 1600 resolution and 240Hz refresh rate. It is sharp, colourful, and just flawless for all your games. Colours look rich; dark scenes benefit from the OLED panel's ability to produce deep blacks, and everything is just super clear and precise. 

And if there is one thing I absolutely loved about the display, it was the anti-glare coating.

We all know that OLED displays can look fantastic. But reflections can become annoying when you are working (or gaming) under bright office lights. But with the Aurora 16X, I was able to sit in my office and work on Google Docs without constantly seeing reflections on the screen. A really bright tube light is right behind my desk, but in this case, it was much less distracting than what I have seen on several glossy OLED laptops.

Alienware 16X Aurora: Keyboard, ports, and speakers 

I am generally fond of mechanical keyboards and use one in my home setup, so my expectations from gaming laptop keyboards are usually high. And the Alienware 16X Aurora meets those expectations. Well, almost. The keys are responsive and comfortable to press, making it easy to spend long hours typing or gaming. There is also a dedicated Copilot key, along with shortcuts for screen brightness, keyboard backlighting, screenshots, and switching to performance mode. That said, I miss the mechanical feel that is found on other Alienware laptops, but if you prefer quieter keys, you are going to love the experience here. 

The backlighting can be customised through Alienware Command Center and is bright enough to get noticed in a well-lit room. One important thing, though, the backlight here is one-zone. This means that you can only apply one colour to the entire keyboard. 

Coming to the trackpad, it is decent but definitely has scope for improvement. It is not really large, but it supports multi-touch gestures and works well enough for regular navigation. My bigger issue with it was the slightly plasticky feel and the amount of force needed to register a click. Since I anyway use a mouse with all my laptops, this did not bother me much. But if you are someone who relies on a trackpad, things just might get annoying.  

Moving on to the ports, you get quite a decent number of options here. At the back of the laptop, there is a charging port, two USB Type-C ports, an HDMI port, and a USB Type-A port. On the left edge, you get an RJ-45 Ethernet port, a USB Type-A port, and a headphone jack.  I like the fact that the ports are located at the back as well as the left edge. This way, my desk space wasn’t overly cluttered with wires, and I also didn’t have to get up every single time I quickly needed to connect an accessory. 

As for the speakers, they are loud enough for watching videos and casual gaming. I turned the speakers to max and played a song at my office desk, and got side-eyes from my colleagues because they could hear it clearly. But as far as the quality is concerned, I would still strongly recommend external speakers or gaming headphones to get the best experience. That said, for everyday use, the speakers are perfectly fine.

Alienware 16X Aurora: Performance and benchmarks

The Alienware 16X Aurora is equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus chip, 32GB of DDR5 memory, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 laptop GPU with 8GB of GDDR7 VRAM.

Now, for regular office work, this is far more power than I need. I had several applications open at once, and the laptop simply got on with it. The real test, however, was what happened when I started putting it to the test with benchmarks.

In Cinebench R23, the laptop scored 31,703 in the multi-core test and 2,340 in the single-core test. That is a strong result, particularly for multi-core workloads. So if you are using the laptop for rendering, compiling, or other CPU-heavy work, there is plenty of processing power available.

To test the storage performance, I ran the CrystalDiskMark benchmark. It recorded sequential read speeds of 7,043.70MB/s and write speeds of 6,478.33MB/s. This meant large files such as video footage and other project files moved around quickly here, with very little time spent staring at a progress bar.

I also ran several synthetic GPU tests on the device. The laptop scored 30,224 in 3DMark Fire Strike, 15,340 in Fire Strike Extreme, and 7,816 in Fire Strike Ultra. In the Port Royal ray tracing test, it scored 7,964. These are impressive numbers for the RTX 5070 laptop GPU.

Alienware 16X Aurora: Gaming experience

Now, benchmarks are one thing. For a gaming laptop, there is only one true way to understand what it can actually do. Yes, gaming. 

I started playing 007 First Light at 2560 x 1600 resolution, high graphics settings, and no upscaling. The laptop, in this case, managed around 45 FPS. The game looked gorgeous, but the problem was that it did not feel as smooth as I wanted it to. This became quite obvious once I started moving around as Bond rather than simply looking at the environment.

I then enabled Nvidia DLSS Super Resolution, set it to Balanced, and switched frame generation to 4X. The frame rate jumped to around 180 FPS, and the game felt super smooth. Now, there definitely was a small trade-off. Some reflections did not look quite as impressive as they did with native rendering. But when you are running around while fighting a bunch of robots, you probably won’t care how ‘shiny’ a game looks. 

To find a sweet spot, I set Nvidia DLSS to Quality with 2X frame generation enabled. This brought the frame rate down to around 96 FPS, but the image quality was almost as good as native. 

I also played The Witcher 3 on the Alienware 16X Aurora, and it led to a similar experience. With ray tracing enabled, graphics set to high, 2560 x 1600 resolution, and no upscaling or frame generation, I was getting around 30 FPS. The game was still playable, and the world looked absolutely stunning on the OLED display. But it was still just 30 FPS. When I switched the DLSS on and set it to Balanced mode, I started getting around 50-60 FPS, and the gameplay was a lot smoother without any major drop in image quality.

I then tried DLSS at its maximum performance setting, which pushed the frame rate to around 80 FPS. But in this case, the visual quality trade-off was quite visible. The game still looked great, but if you are particular about image quality, you will notice the difference.

I also tested Minecraft with shader packs, and the laptop managed around 60 FPS. That is a good result considering how quickly some shader packs can bring even the most powerful gaming laptops to their knees.

So, the Alienware 16X Aurora is capable enough to play the latest AAA games at 2560 x 1600 resolution, but you should not expect every new title to run at maximum graphics settings and soaring high FPS without using technologies such as Nvidia DLSS.

Alienware 16X Aurora: Thermals and battery 

All this gaming performance comes with a noticeable amount of heat. After playing 007 First Light for around an hour, the CPU package temperature reached 105 degrees Celsius. That is quite high, and it is something I would keep in mind if you plan to run demanding games for several hours at a time.

Even when I was not gaming, temperatures hovered around 80 degrees Celsius during my testing. As for the surface temperatures, it gets quite hot. But never too hot to stop using the keyboard. 

Now, let’s talk about something that gaming laptops are notoriously famous for: battery life. And as you would expect, the Alienware 16X Aurora is not a device that comes with a great battery life when you are gaming. But when you are using it for work, you can still get a decent number of hours in before looking for a charger. 

I started using the Alienware 16X Aurora at  8 AM on a Monday, and my work involved typing on Google Docs, browsing the web, and watching a couple of YouTube videos. By 12 PM, the battery had dropped to 30 per cent, and the Energy Saver automatically kicked in. By 3 PM, the laptop ran out of juice, and I reached for a charger. So, I basically got around 6 hours of battery life while working on this device, which is not bad at all.

PS: The keyboard backlight was turned off, display brightness was set to 30 per cent, and the laptop was running in Balanced mode. Altering any of these settings would also impact how much battery life you get from the device. 

As far as gaming is concerned, the Alienware 16X Aurora will last a little over an hour when you are running a demanding title. 

Alienware 16X Aurora: Who should buy

Coming to the Rs 3 lakh question: who exactly is this laptop for? If you are looking for a laptop with some strong performance and don’t want to go all the way up to the machines that cost over Rs 5 lakh, the Alienware 16X Aurora can be the sweet spot. 

However, this is not a laptop you will want to carry around all day. It weighs over 2.5kg and comes with a large power brick. Battery life also takes a hit while gaming, so the laptop is better suited to those who plan to keep it plugged in and mostly use it at a desk.

Finally, there is the high price tag that puts it out of reach for most people. But if you have the budget and want a powerful gaming machine that can double up as your work laptop while looking the part, the Alienware 16X Aurora is something you can definitely consider. 

Also read: MacBook Ultra coming soon: 5 features to get excited about

Many of us want large-screen TVs for more immersive visuals. And when you look at what is available around the Rs 1 lakh mark, 75-inch TVs are becoming increasingly interesting. The Haier P7 Pro is one such example. At Rs 90,900, it gives you a 75-inch 4K QLED display, Dolby Vision and HDR10+, a 50W 2.1-channel audio system, Google TV with Gemini, four HDMI ports, VRR and a 120Hz gaming mode. On paper, that is a lot of TV for the money. But the P7 Pro also makes some compromises to get there. The panel has a native 60Hz refresh rate; its 400-nit peak brightness is modest by premium-TV standards, and there is no local dimming. 

So, while the specification sheet is clearly designed to grab your attention, the more important question is whether its combination of size, features, and price makes it a sensible alternative to spending more on a better-equipped Mini LED TV. Here's my review of the Haier P7 Pro.

Haier P7 Pro: Display and picture quality

The Haier P7 Pro uses a 75-inch 4K QLED panel with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. Haier claims up to 93% coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut, and we got the same on the Calman Colour Gamut check. The colours look fine for the most part, except for some changes in skin tones and blues. 

Similarly, in the Calman luminance test, the peak brightness reached 390 nits, close to the 400-nit claim. I didn’t find any problem watching it in a bright room. But when you compare it against a FALD Mini LED TV, watching HDR content in the same bright room, the highlights don’t appear strong enough. 

Well, HDR scenes don’t carry depth either because of a lack of detail in shadows. While watching Thanos's last fight scene in Avengers: Endgame, the visuals felt flat without the required depth. And in the new Avengers: Doomsday trailer, there was a lack of details in some portions. Banding, wavy like, instead of smooth gradients. 

Meanwhile, in the Revenant night scene, wherein Leonardo DiCaprio's character is coming out of darkness, the jungle felt darker than it should, and the black levels were crushing. In its defense, let me tell you it managed to present the dark submarine scene in Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning better than a Mini LED TV I tested recently. Also, the close-up shots of characters carry sharp details, giving you a good 4K feel.

For regular streaming, television and sports, the large 75-inch panel still remains a big attraction. Sit at the right distance and the screen gives films and games a much more immersive feel than a 55-inch or 65-inch television. This is where the P7 Pro makes a lot of sense. You are spending the money on screen size first.

The Haier P7 Pro TV also supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+ as well as AIPQ and MEMC. I choose to keep the latter turned off because I don't prefer the over-smoothed look. Similarly, although the panel's native refresh rate is 60Hz, Haier uses DLG technology to offer a 120Hz gaming mode. This offers smoother visuals at the cost of resolution. The TV also supports VRR and ALLM and provides easy access to game-related settings through a Gaming Bar.

Also Read: Lumio Vision 9 (2026) Mini LED TV review: Gets a lot right but still needs tuning

Connectivity and software

You get four HDMI ports and two USB ports, along with eARC, Ethernet, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on this TV. Four HDMI inputs are particularly useful on a 75-inch TV because you can connect a console, streaming device, soundbar and another source without constantly swapping cables. But note that they all support 4K60 only, and the HDMI 1 port supports ARC/eARC as well.

The software is based on Google TV, which makes the P7 Pro familiar to anyone who already uses Google TV devices. Even for someone new, this is fairly easy to start and straightforward to use. You get access to the major streaming apps, content recommendations and Google's wider smart-TV ecosystem.

Haier ships the TV with Android 14 and our review unit was running on the April 1 2026 security update. It is great to see the latest Android version and what's more special is the presence of Gemini voice assistant. You can trigger it hands-free by just saying ‘Hey Google.’ Please ensure you verify the responses, as it is not always accurate.  

And for most users, aspects like UI smoothness and software support will matter more anyway. The 2GB RAM feels a bit limiting in navigation between apps, but the 32GB storage seems fine. 

Design, audio, and remote

A 75-inch TV is going to dominate a room regardless of how thin its bezels are. My colleague and I were joking that many of us don't have a big enough hall in our Delhi NCR flats. The fascia looks clean with slim bezels on all three sides. The chin has a lustrous sheen meant to attract. 

A TV this big is better wall-mounted, as the corner stands mean you need a table or shelf that big. Also, the P7 Pro does wobble despite the stand being properly screwed in by the Haier personnel.

The bigness of the screen is well complemented by a big 50W 2.1-channel system with an integrated subwoofer. The output has ample weight and presence. The TV also supports Dolby Atmos and a Bluetooth Speaker Mode. This latter feature lets you keep the display off and use the TV audio as a Bluetooth speaker. Haier has clearly thought about the audio system on the TV.

Should you buy the Haier P7 Pro?

At Rs 90,900, the Haier P7 Pro's biggest selling pitch is its 75-inch QLED screen. If you want a screen this big, know that the rest of the package is decent to give you a fine immersive experience. 

The 390-nit peak brightness I measured is enough for comfortable everyday viewing, and 93% DCI-P3 coverage means most content looks rightly coloured. But HDR content lacks the punch you get from a good Mini LED TV. There is also no local dimming, and I noticed crushed blacks and a lack of depth in some of the darker scenes I watched. So, if your priority is movies and HDR picture quality above everything else, I would spend more on a better display.

In case of gaming, features like DLG 120Hz, VRR and ALLM are useful additions, but the native panel is 60Hz only. The four HDMI ports also support up to 4K at 60Hz. So, the P7 Pro is not a TV I would recommend to someone looking to get the full benefit of a high-end gaming PC or the highest refresh rates from a current-generation console.

The P7 Pro also faces competition from Xiaomi's QLED TV X Pro, which is a cheaper 75-inch QLED TV. It offers the same basic 75-inch 4K QLED proposition, a 60Hz native panel with DLG 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Google TV, but costs considerably less. Xiaomi also gives you Filmmaker Mode and features such as AirPlay 2. 

For the higher price, the Haier P7 Pro gets you four HDMI ports instead of three on the Xiaomi, a strong 50W 2.1-channel audio system with an integrated subwoofer, easy-to-use Android 14-based Google TV, hands-free Gemini voice control, and a three-year warranty. So, I would look at the P7 Pro as a large-screen all-rounder rather than a picture-quality champion. 

However, if picture quality is your main concern, Haier itself has a 75-inch Mini LED M70 at Rs 1,02,990, which is only Rs 12,000 more than the P7 Pro. That could be a much more interesting upgrade if you care about HDR brightness, contrast, and dark-scene performance.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar TV reviews.

Also Read: Xiaomi S Mini LED 75 2026 review: Big-screen cinematic TV under Rs 1 lakh but with some compromises

There are phones that impress you when you first pick them up, and then there are phones that change the way you think about smartphones. The latter used to happen more often when phone designs were actually exciting. But in 2026, I can safely say the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is firmly in the second category for me. I have been using this phone as my daily driver for over a month now, and after living with this device every day, I have started to question why slab phones have become so tall in the first place. Even something like the iPhone 17 now looks unusually tall to me. The Fold 8, on the other hand, feels comfortable, compact, and incredibly easy to use. In my opinion, with the Fold 8, Samsung has created a foldable that does not feel like a compromise. Not that foldable phones are a compromise; in fact, it’s the opposite. If you want the most ‘phone’ in your phone, you get a foldable.

Of course, there are still a few things I would change, especially the lack of a telephoto camera, and some apps still show letterboxing. But beyond those issues, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 has become the most enjoyable phone I have used this year. Here’s my full review.

Galaxy Z Fold 8: Samsung has got the form factor right

Let me start with the obvious. I still absolutely love the design of the Galaxy Z Fold 8. I have already spoken at length about this in my first impressions and early review, but after using the phone for longer, I can say that my initial excitement has not gone away. If anything, it has become stronger. The Fold 8 has the kind of form factor that makes you realise just how accustomed we have become to tall, narrow slab phones.

Also read: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 early review: Lots to unpack!

When I first picked up the Galaxy Z Fold 8, I described it as feeling like the foldable Samsung should have made in the first place. After using it as my main phone, I stand by that statement.

The 5.5-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X cover display is not simply a smaller version of a normal smartphone screen. It has definitely changed how I interact with the Fold 8. For instance, I can comfortably hold it in one hand, scroll through X, reply to messages, check notifications, browse websites, and do plenty of other things without feeling like I am stretching my fingers across a giant slab. And this is something I did not fully appreciate until I went back to other phones. As I already mentioned above, even the iPhone 17 now looks incredibly tall to me, which I know may sound strange to some because the iPhone 17 is by no means a big phone.

But after using the Galaxy Z Fold 8, I have started appreciating how much easier it is to use a wider, shorter phone with one hand. More importantly, it does not feel tiring after extended use.

Then, of course, you can unfold it. And this is where the Galaxy Z Fold 8 becomes something you have never seen before. The 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X inner display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 4:3 aspect ratio feels much more natural for reading, browsing, gaming, and consuming content. It does not feel like Samsung simply took a regular smartphone and stretched it into a tablet. The entire interface feels intentional and designed around the extra space. I have found myself reading more on the Fold 8 than I expected. Articles, documents, and ebooks are all far more comfortable on this display, and the 4:3 ratio gives you a much more natural canvas.

Samsung has also done a great job with the crease. It is still there, obviously, but it is far less noticeable than on previous generations. The combination of the new hinge mechanism, Flex Titanium, and the anti-reflective coating makes the inner display feel much more refined.

And then there is the weight. At 201g, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is remarkably light for a foldable. At 4.5mm when unfolded, it is also incredibly thin. This makes a massive difference when you carry the phone around all day.

There is one downside, though. The smooth matte finish is quite slippery. I have had moments where I have genuinely worried about the phone sliding out of my pocket. It is one of those situations where the phone looks and feels premium, but you probably want a case for peace of mind. I haven’t got one yet, but I am definitely looking forward to getting a good case or maybe applying a carbon-fiber skin.

The hinge is another part of the design that I really like. The spring-loaded mechanism gives the Fold 8 a satisfying snap when you open it completely. It is a small thing, but it makes using the phone feel more mechanical and deliberate.

Overall, I feel Samsung has finally made a foldable phone that feels like a phone first and a foldable second. Everything about the Galaxy Z Fold 8’s design feels purposeful, and that makes a big difference when you use it every day.

Galaxy Z Fold 8: The displays are fantastic

Samsung has been making some of the best smartphone displays for years, so there was never much doubt that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 would have good screens. The cover display is a 5.5-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a 1-120Hz refresh rate, while the inner display is a 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with the same smooth refresh rate.

Both are excellent. The colours are punchy, viewing angles are great, and the displays get bright enough to remain comfortable in most situations. While the peak brightness is rated at 3,000 nits, I was easily getting a score of around 2,750 nits in High Brightness Mode when I tested it out in the Digit Test Labs. Plus, the anti-reflective treatment on the inner screen is also quite useful because reflections can be a real problem on large folding displays.

But the biggest improvement here is not necessarily the display technology itself. I mean, we all know Samsung makes great displays for their phones, and for other phone makers as well. I think the biggest improvement with the Galaxy Z Fold 8, if you haven’t guessed by now, is the inner screen’s aspect ratio.

The 4:3 inner display simply makes more sense to me. Of course, watching videos is still not perfect because you will obviously get some black bars depending on the content, but the overall experience is much more natural and definitely better than what we are accustomed to seeing on previous-generation Samsung folds or even the Fold 8 Ultra.

Reading is excellent, though. Browsing in portrait orientation, in a 3:4 aspect ratio, feels closer to using a small tablet, and even apps that were designed primarily for conventional phones feel better when they make proper use of the additional space.

With that said, there is one issue, though. Some apps still show letterboxing. Not that it is a huge deal-breaker for me, and it is certainly not as big a problem as I expected it to be when I first started using the phone. A lot of the most popular apps have already caught up with the new aspect ratio. Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Facebook, Amazon, Myntra, Swiggy, banking apps such as iMobile, FedMobile (the list goes on), and several third-party Google apps are properly optimised, and I have not had a problem using most of the apps I need every day.

Of course, there are still some exceptions. Snapchat, for example, is one of the more obvious ones. But this is one of those problems that I expect to improve with time. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 has introduced a different way of thinking about smartphone displays, and developers will need some time to adapt.

For now, I would call app optimisation a minor annoyance rather than a reason not to buy the phone. And to be fair, I think it is only going to get better from here.

Performance is exactly what you would expect

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, paired with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and up to 1TB of UFS 4.1 storage, depending on the variant. I have received the base 12GB + 256GB variant (priced at Rs 1,79,999) for review.

Given the hardware prowess, there is very little to complain about here. Everything I have done on the phone is unapologetically fast. App loading times, app switching, animation and transitions, or, for that matter, demanding games such as BGMI, COD: Mobile, and Genshin Impact run without any major issues. But again, the form factor is what makes the performance feel more interesting. Gaming on a 4:3 display is simply more immersive. You have more room to see what is happening on screen, and the larger canvas makes games feel much closer to a tablet experience.

When I last wrote my early review, the aforementioned games were not fully optimised, and many benchmarking apps were also not whitelisted. I am happy to report that both BGMI and COD: Mobile now support 120fps in both battle royale and TDMs.

For everyday use, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 feels and behaves like a flagship in every sense of the word. And because I have actually been using it as my primary phone, rather than keeping it around as a secondary device for testing, that tells me more than any benchmark score could.

Software goes hand in hand with the hardware

Samsung's software experience has come a long way, particularly when it comes to foldables. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 runs Android 17 out of the box with Samsung's One UI 9 layered on top, and the combination works well with the larger inner display.

Multitasking remains one of the biggest reasons to buy a foldable, and Samsung has made it easy to run multiple apps side by side. But what I like most is that I am not constantly thinking about the fact that I am using a foldable — which might sound strange, but it is important.

The best technology becomes invisible when it works properly. I am not constantly unfolding the phone just to show someone that it can unfold. I use the cover screen when I want a traditional phone, and I open it when I need more screen. And that is exactly how it should work.

Galaxy AI is also a big part of Samsung's software strategy, although some of the more interesting features are still dependent on region and availability. For instance, the cool Gemini Intelligence demo, which lets you do your trip and hotel bookings with a single prompt, is only coming later this year to the US and South Korean markets. Now, if and when this feature eventually comes to India, that’s going to be a big deal.

But otherwise, too, I have said this a lot of times, and I will say it again — One UI is by far the best and the most feature-loaded Android skin out there. The suite of features you get in Galaxy AI — whether it be call screening, live translate, photo assist, audio eraser, voice transcription, text generation, image generation, and so much more — is the most useful and practical set of AI features that actually work on any smartphone.

Of course, the potential is huge. Agentic AI is just getting started. But for me, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 does not just need AI features to justify its existence. The form factor itself is the biggest feature.

Cameras are finally good enough on a Fold

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a 50MP primary camera and a new 50MP ultra-wide camera, along with 10MP selfie cameras on the cover and inner displays. And, in a nutshell, the cameras are really good.

Starting with the primary camera, it produces excellent photos in almost every lighting condition I have tested it in. I took a bunch of photos in London, and the colours turned out pleasing with strong dynamic range, and Samsung's image processing also does a great job of producing shots that are ready to share. I also really like how easy it is to use the cover screen as a viewfinder when taking selfies with the 50MP primary camera. You get a much better camera to work with, and the cover display makes it easy to frame yourself before taking the shot.

The ultra-wide camera is perhaps the bigger surprise. The 50MP sensor gives it considerably more detail than what we have traditionally seen from foldable phones, and I really like the consistency between the primary and ultra-wide cameras, especially when it comes to the tone and the colours. As always, the lens does a fine job of capturing a wider field of view, which comes in handy when you want to fit more into the frame.

In good light, both cameras deliver excellent results. Even in more challenging conditions, they hold up well. The last time I used a fold, which was the Fold 6, I know I can't say with the same confidence that the Fold 6's camera was something I could completely rely on. With the Fold 8, though, I can. If I pull the phone out of my pocket to take a photo, I have confidence that it will give me a good result. And that is a big deal.

The 10MP selfie cameras on both the cover and inner displays are also perfectly capable for video calls and of course, the selfies. They do a good job in well-lit conditions, although I would still recommend using the 50MP primary camera whenever possible, especially if you want more detail and better overall image quality.

Of course, there is still one glaring omission — the telephoto camera. I really wish Samsung had managed to squeeze one into the Fold 8. The digital zoom works surprisingly well in good lighting. Samsung's processing is good enough to make the results look convincing, particularly at moderate zoom levels. But once the light drops, you start seeing the limitations. Details become softer, noise creeps in, and the image simply does not have the same confidence as something captured using a proper telephoto lens. And that is when you find yourself thinking, if only Samsung had added a telephoto camera. It would have sealed the deal for me.

Again, don't get me wrong. The camera system is good enough that I am comfortable relying on it, and that is something I could not say about previous Fold models. But let’s put it this way — the Galaxy S26 Ultra is my benchmark for smartphone cameras. I still consider it one of the best camera phones out there. The Fold 8 does not beat it.

But for the first time, I do not feel like I am making a huge camera compromise just because I chose a foldable. And that is what I call progress.

Galaxy Z Fold 8: The battery is surprisingly solid

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 packs a 4,800mAh silicon-carbon battery, which is not the biggest battery you will find in a flagship smartphone. But because this is silicon-carbon tech we are talking about here, this has allowed Samsung to fit more energy into a relatively small space, which is particularly important in a device that is as thin and light as the Fold 8.

In my experience, battery life has been good. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 comfortably gets me through a day, and there have hardly been days when I have had to charge the phone before evening. And this is particularly impressive when you consider the amount of time I spend using the larger 7.6-inch display.

Charging is also faster than previous Fold generations, with support for 45W wired charging and 20W wireless charging. The phone juices up about 65 per cent in 30 minutes, while a full charge takes about 70 minutes.

Of course, I would not call the battery life class-leading, but it is certainly good enough for the kind of phone this is.

Should you buy the Galaxy Z Fold 8?

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is not perfect. As I said, some apps may still need to catch up with the new aspect ratio. The lack of a telephoto camera is felt, particularly when shooting in low light. Also, it is not the best camera phone. That crown still belongs to the Galaxy S26 Ultra for me. And then there is the price, which remains firmly in premium flagship territory.

Also read: Why right now is the best time to buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra

But look past those things, and there is something very compelling here. Something we haven’t seen before in a smartphone’s design and form factor in a very long time.

For what it’s worth, Samsung has finally figured out what a book-style foldable should’ve been in the first place. It should be compact when you want a phone. It should become a proper canvas when you need more screen space. It should be light enough to carry every day. It should be powerful enough to replace your flagship phone. And, most importantly, it should not make you feel like you are constantly compromising because you chose a foldable.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 checks all of the aforementioned boxes.

I have used foldables, and then after a point, I have always resorted to a traditional slab phone. With the Fold 8, I don’t want to go back to a slab phone. So, what happens to my Galaxy S26 Ultra? Or how will I make the switch to the Galaxy S27 Ultra next year? I guess all of this is a conversation for a different time.

I am not simply using the Galaxy Z Fold 8 because it is a foldable. I am using it because I genuinely like this smartphone.

LG QNED85 is positioned as LG's higher-end 2026 QNED model, and its biggest selling point is its Mini LED backlight. It combines that with the company's Dynamic QNED Color Pro technology and Precision Dimming. The result is a TV that is designed to give you far more brightness and better control over dark areas than a conventional LED TV. It is priced at Rs 107000 and offers a 120Hz panel, 144Hz VRR, four HDMI 2.1 ports, Dolby Vision, webOS 26 and LG's latest Alpha 8 AI Processor 4K Gen3. We got the 65-inch model (65QNED85BLA) that is aimed at buyers who want a premium large-screen TV for movies, sports, streaming, and gaming, but do not want to spend LG OLED G6-like money. In our more than a month-long test, we realised there's a long list of things to like here.

LG QNED85: Display and picture quality

The QNED85 uses a 4K Mini LED LCD panel. Although it uses small LEDs as a backlight, these LEDs are present on the edges only. But as per LG, its Precision Dimming feature can finely control the dimming zones to improve contrast and provide clearer details.

In our Calman tests under Vivid picture mode, the highest reading was around 764 nits at a 25% window, while the 10% window reached around 754 nits, and at a 100% window, I got around 611 nits. For a living room with moderate ambient light, this should be enough for an impactful HDR experience.

Meanwhile, the HDR Calman snapshot recorded a minimum luminance of 0.09 nits.

In everyday viewing, and even in demanding test content such as the busy Penguin chase sequence in The Batman, I could easily make out the darker parts of the road, details on Batman's suit, and water splashes on the wet surface. The TV also maintained a clear contrast between the headlights and the surrounding black environment. 

Also Read: Sony Bravia 7 II review: The best LCD TV I’ve tested this year

While there was no bothersome blooming around bright objects in the content I watched, including the sequence above, the end credits of the first Knives Out or the different lights appearing in the submarine scene in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, the Magic Remote's cursor was a different story. When moved over a dark background, it created a fairly large halo around itself.

I also noticed a minor uniformity issue with near-black scenes. During the end credits of the first Knives Out, the otherwise black background developed a faint purple band along the bottom of the screen. This was not something I noticed during most of my viewing, but it was glaring in this particular instance. 

LG also claims 100% DCI-P3 colour volume certification from Intertek for its Dynamic QNED Color Pro system. We managed to get 95.77% in this gamut in Filmmaker mode. And the ColorChecker result was an average Delta E of 2.96, and Greyscale Multi recorded 2.74 points.

So, while the QNED85 panel has the potential to produce a strong picture, the Calman results suggest that it is not perfectly tuned out of the box. LG offers plenty of customisation tools in the settings, AI or otherwise, to control the experience to your preference.

Similarly, you get HDR formats like Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG. LG does not list HDR10+ support. Dolby Vision and HDR10 mean a wide range of HDR content gets covered.

And LG's Alpha 8 AI Processor 4K Gen3 supports AI Picture Pro, AI Super Upscaling 4K, Dynamic Tone Mapping Pro and AI HDR Remastering, so that you get a good experience across varied content.

Last but not least, the viewing angles were respectable, and reflection handling isn't the best.

LG QNED85: Gaming, UI, and connectivity

The LG TV comes with a native 120Hz refresh rate. LG's TruMotion processing can also adjust motion smoothing depending on the content genre. The visuals were smooth. Additionally, for gamers, the company has given VRR support up to 144Hz and a Motion Booster feature that can further simulate the refresh rate to up to 288Hz to improve motion clarity.

Speaking of gaming, four HDMI inputs are HDMI 2.1 and support 4K 120Hz, VRR, and ALLM. Even some higher-end TVs don't offer this. The TV also supports AMD FreeSync Premium, HGiG, and Dolby Vision for gaming at 4K 120Hz. There is also a Game Optimizer and Game Dashboard, which let you easily access gaming-related settings without leaving the game.

LG also underlines Bluetooth Ultra Low Latency controller support, with compatible controllers meant to reduce controller input delay to below 2.5ms. 

So, connectivity is one of the QNED85's clear strengths. You get four full-fat HDMI 2.1 ports, with eARC support on HDMI 2, two USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet, optical audio output, and two RF inputs. Wireless connectivity includes Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.3. Like with HDMI, it would have been good to see up-to-date standards on these other connectivity options.

What’s up to date is QNED85’s software, which is Linux-based webOS 26. This is a rather mature operating system with different hubs, profiles, and recommendations. You get a personalisable My Page, 150+ free live channels through LG Channels, Multi AI Search with Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot, alongside AI Concierge and an AI Chatbot. This makes you feel you have a really smart TV, but how often you use it depends on you. Because of all of these, the UI can feel a little sluggish at times. Not a common or frequent affair, though. 

The webOS Re:New programme is more important in my book. LG says the TV can receive platform upgrades for up to five years, so up to webOS 30. For a TV that costs more than Rs 1 lakh, long-term software support matters. 

LG QNED85: Design, audio, and remote

The QNED85 is a remarkably slim TV for a Mini LED model. It weighs 21.5kg without the stand and 21.9kg with it. The light and slim profile lets you easily carry and mount it on a wall or a table. Either way, it also looks clean. The inverted V table-top stand, however, being on the edges, demands some space.

Similarly, the LG's AI Magic Remote with its air-gesture-based cursor control demands some getting used to. It is useful if you get the hang of it. It helps in quickly entering text, selecting items, and moving around menus. Otherwise, it can be a bit annoying. Well, in that case, you can use traditional buttons.

As for sound, the QNED85 has a 20W, 2.0-channel down-firing speaker system. This is coupled with AI Sound Pro, which can create a virtual 11.1.2-channel presentation. There are also other AI goodies like AI Object Remastering Pro, Clear Voice Pro, Dolby Atmos, Adaptive Acoustic Tuning, and WOW Orchestra. The built-in audio is fine for regular everyday watching, and these processing tools can enhance the out-of-the-box sound experience. But since you are spending Rs 1.07 lakhs and want a proper home-cinema experience, I would suggest adding a dedicated soundbar or audio system.

Should you buy the LG QNED85?

At Rs 107000, the LG QNED85 is a good balanced 65-inch TV. You get a Mini LED display with good HDR brightness, strong contrast for an LCD TV, a 120Hz panel, 144Hz VRR, four HDMI 2.1 ports, Dolby Vision, and a mature smart-TV platform.

The picture quality is generally very good for a variety of content. It handled difficult dark scenes well in my testing, with good shadow detail and no distracting blooming around bright objects in the content I watched. But there are some caveats. As the Calman results show, the panel is not perfectly accurate out of the box. It doesn’t handle reflections all that well, and I encountered uniformity and haloing artefacts. 

And while there are Mini LED TVs with stronger hardware offerings in this range, like the Haier M92, LG's response is through a strong gaming and software suite. 

Four HDMI 2.1 ports supporting 4K 120Hz, VRR and ALLM give you plenty of flexibility, while VRR can go up to 144Hz and Motion Booster can simulate up to 288Hz for improved motion clarity. You also get FreeSync Premium, HGiG, and Dolby Vision gaming. 

Meanwhile, WebOS 26 is mature, the Magic Remote is useful once you get used to its cursor, and LG promises up to five years of WebOS platform upgrades through its Re:New programme. I also think this and strong after-sales support matter more than the TV's collection of AI features. Gemini, Copilot and the AI Concierge may be useful, but software support is something you are likely to appreciate throughout the TV's lifespan.

So, if you want a 65-inch all-rounder TV that can handle movies, sports, regular television, streaming, and gaming, the QNED85 is a sensible choice. If you are chasing the best possible HDR performance, built-in audio, or dark-room movie experience, there are other options. The better choice depends on what you value more.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar stories.

Also Read: LG OLED G6 review: One of the most complete TVs I have tested this year

Before this, my entire mental model of an ASUS keyboard was built on a brief fling with an Azoth. Great board, wrong crowd for what I'm about to review. The Azoth is pure ROG: black-on-black styling, a chassis that could double as a projectile in a fight, RGB that insists on being noticed. Walk into the Jelly75 KD201 expecting more of that and you'll be confused within thirty seconds. This thing looks like someone raided a candy store and decided a keyboard could use some sugar too. And somehow, ASUS makes it work.

Also read: iQOO Z11 Review: Battery beast with a catch

Design and build

The Jelly75 has a clear housing and keycaps that look like they've been 3D-printed from gummy bears – round, tall, and slightly squishy-looking without being squishy. Its chassis allows you to get a view of the internals, which is one of the best things about a gasket-mount board. If your desk is now an all-white shrine to "gamer minimalism," then the Jelly75 is going to be an act of rebellion. It rejects the entire ROG approach to things and embraces its own style of life, and I mean that as a compliment.

In terms of layout, it's a 75%, the same as my daily driver – the Aula F75 – which made the learning curve very fast. But where it falls flat is density. ASUS put more keys into less space than most 75% boards do, and the result is that the arrow keys are cramped alongside the Copilot key. I need arrow keys. I do not need Copilot. In fact, avoiding that exact key is the reason I still plug in an external keyboard with my laptop instead of using the one built in. Muscle memory betrayed me here more than once, and Copilot popped up on my screen enough times that I started to wonder if it was doing it on purpose.

Unboxing and value

Once the box is opened, the excitement evaporates a bit. You will find a USB-A to Type-C cable, the 2.4GHz adapter and a sense of being cheated in some way. At a price of Rs. 8,999, not even one extra switch, and surprisingly, not even a hot-swap tool on a board that sells itself on the feature of hot swapping. Someone somewhere at ASUS must have forgotten the very essence of hot-swappable ports, i.e., that there was something to be swapped in the first place.

Connectivity and multitasking

This is where the Jelly75 really earns its keep. Five computers with one keyboard: 2.4GHz, wired and three Bluetooth channels, each fully switchable with not a hitch. Visualize the traditional dual system: one Mac computer for office use and one Windows computer for playtime after work. Done with work? Flip the switch and switch from Bluetooth to wired or 2.4GHz before you even get to your mouse. There's even a special button on the keyboard that switches your entire keyboard into the correct operating system mode at the same time you switch the connection.

Gaming performance

Polling rate, for those new here, is essentially how many times per second the keyboard shares data with the computer on what button was just hit. In wired mode, the polling rate of the Jelly75 reaches 1000Hz, making it an absolute benchmark for competitive gaming. 2.4GHz polling rate, by comparison, reaches 500Hz, which is good enough. However, a Bluetooth connection will provide no more than 133Hz of polling rate, which seems perfectly fine but not when you are checking a corner in Valorant, and your inputs come in late. I have tested each of the polling modes in the course of several ranked matches, and Bluetooth is to be avoided the minute the stakes are raised.

Typing experience

This is where the Jelly75 won me over. Look past its clear housing, and you'll find the gasket mount at work; there are little silicone bands holding up the plate such that it bends rather than hitting the enclosure head-on with every key press. Flexibility is the only thing separating boards which clatter like a hail storm from boards like this one. The Jelly75 occupies a space which I rarely get to enjoy with my keyboards; it isn't too crisp like a naked PC board, nor is it too mushy like budget-friendly models which have been over damped.

ASUS calls the layer underneath a uni-cushion silicone structure, working with the gasket mount to soak up vibration before it reaches your fingers. Put another way, it means that you can go for an entire hour of typing without hearing complaints about your wrists. As for the switches themselves, they’re linear and feature 4mm actuation distance while feeling like they come already pre-lubricated rather than raw out-of-the-box, which surprised me at this price level. There’s not much of a wobble of the switch stem, no rattling from the stabilisers when hitting the larger keys and the noise is consistent regardless of whether you are typing your fast Slack response or struggling with a 2,000-word piece of writing.

Slide your fingers over the keys of the typing test and the Jelly75 has a bounce to it, responsive to the touch on the downward press, soft on the rebound, but with just enough resistance that you’re not hitting bottom with every key press. Contrast this with your typical office membrane board (Please stop using these) and it’s not even close to being a contest. But compare it with an actual enthusiast custom build with a completely lubricated stabilizer kit and foam stuffed inside the case and yeah, the Jelly75 will come off as slightly more rough around the edges. But compared to the typical keyboard you can pick up off a shelf without ordering switches and disassembling stabilizers yourself, it’s got a custom keyboard vibe about it.

Battery life

This keyboard delivers on its promises with 4000mAh battery life. Typing for three weeks straight with the backlight active and I still did not have to plug it in once. Only complaint is that there isn't an accompanying app to monitor the battery level. It takes complete guesswork since you have no idea when it will give out on you.

Also read: Neosapien Neo 1 review: Great at remembering, but not quite ready to be forgotten

What's missing

A few weird omissions are worth mentioning. There's no place on the board to store the 2.4 GHz dongle, so now it’s up to you to make sure that you don’t lose it amid the desks. The lack of any sort of indicator for caps lock is also an omission, as well as the lack of any indicator for Mac/Windows switcher.

Verdict

The ASUS Jelly75 KD201 fulfills its mission perfectly by offering the lifestyle audience a colourful and comfortable alternative to the never-ending line of gaming boards which always come in black and gray colour options. No sacrifices have been made when designing the keyswitches, as they, combined with the gasket mount, provide exceptional performance compared to the price. Multi-device switch function is a true productivity tool, while the battery lasts long. However, there are some minor drawbacks which may hinder the experience. For example, there is nothing spectacular about the packaging, considering the price point of this keyboard. Furthermore, there is no place for the dongle, while the Copilot button sits in a very inconvenient position. There are also no status lights. None of these issues would make me recommend avoiding the product, however, they create friction which makes it difficult for me to make a clear recommendation without any disclaimers.

Also read: Brother DCP-B7620DWB review: Easy, efficient and effective monochrome printer

I’m not sure how many times you may have heard, but it's true that the smartphone market is going through a transition that nobody really saw coming. The rising memory and component costs have pushed prices beyond the ceiling for almost every price segment, from sub-Rs 20,000 smartphones to premium flagships costing over a lakh. At the same time, brands are being forced to make difficult choices: either increase prices or cut back on hardware to keep devices within their intended price brackets. The result is a market where finding genuine value for money is becoming increasingly difficult.

For manufacturers, everything that is going on is less about choice and more about survival. The current situation, for me, is a phase the industry will eventually adapt to, but until component and memory prices stabilise, compromises are becoming an unavoidable part of new smartphone launches.

And with that context in mind, I spent the last few days with a smartphone from a series that has traditionally been synonymous with value, the Redmi Note. Xiaomi has just introduced the Redmi Note 17, and it comes at a time when even this segment is feeling the pressure. There are a few obvious compromises here, and honestly, they were probably necessary to keep the phone at its price point.

At the same time, Xiaomi has even tried to balance those compromises with some meaningful upgrades, including a bigger battery, a larger and improved display, and a more stylish design. On paper, the Redmi Note 17 looks like a familiar Note-series formula adapted to a very different market. But how much of that value actually translates into real-world experience? After using the phone for a few days, here's what I think.

Redmi Note 17 display

The Redmi Note 17 comes with one of its strongest upgrades, the display. It features a large 6.9-inch AMOLED panel with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate, 100 per cent DCI-P3 colour coverage and a claimed peak brightness of 1,800 nits. It also gets HydroTouch 2.0, which is designed to keep the screen responsive when your fingers are wet or oily.

On paper, these are impressive specifications for a phone in this segment, particularly because a large battery often comes with compromises elsewhere. Redmi has managed to retain an AMOLED panel here, and that immediately makes a difference. The screen looks vibrant, punchy, and attractive, with deep blacks and strong contrast. Whether you are watching a movie, scrolling through social media, or playing a game, the display has the visual impact you would expect from a more expensive smartphone.

During our testing, we recorded a peak brightness of around 2,200 nits, which is more than enough for comfortable outdoor usage. Even under harsh sunlight, I did not find myself constantly adjusting the viewing angle to read content.

And in our Calman testing using Spectracal C6, the colour measurement tells a nuanced story. The display covers essentially the entire sRGB gamut and around 98-99 per cent of DCI-P3, which is excellent for this price segment. However, colour accuracy is not perfect, with the panel showing some deviation from reference colours in our Calman testing. In practical terms, most users will not notice this. The display is clearly tuned more towards vivid and punchy visuals than strict colour accuracy.

Simply put, the display is well-tuned, and you will not face any problems while streaming content or watching photos in its segment.

Redmi Note 17 design

The Redmi Note 17 follows a fairly familiar design approach, but it does manage to look more premium than its positioning suggests. I have the Starlight Purple variant, and the matte finish with its ‘Starlight’ pattern does a good job of catching attention without becoming too flashy. The squarish camera module houses the camera setup and carries the 50MP branding alongside the Redmi logo. It gives the rear panel a more distinctive appearance and, overall, the phone looks considerably more expensive than it actually is.

In terms of durability, the Redmi Note 17 comes with Corning Gorilla Glass 7i, an IP65 rating for dust and water resistance, a reinforced chassis, and HydroTouch 2.0. These are useful features for a device that is likely to see plenty of everyday abuse.

However, there are trade-offs. At 8.4mm, the Redmi Note 17 is not exactly slim, and its large footprint makes it feel big and slightly bulky in the hand. That is understandable given the massive battery inside, but it does affect one-handed usability, given it is 47 grams heavier compared to the Note 15. I also miss the softer, more premium feel that curved edges can provide.

Redmi Note 17 performance

Performance is where the Redmi Note 17 may feel underwhelming for power users. The phone is powered by the 4nm Snapdragon 4 Gen 4, an octa-core chipset designed primarily around efficiency and sustained everyday performance rather than outright processing power. It is paired with up to 8GB of RAM, while storage can be expanded up to 2TB. There is also 10,416 mm² of graphite cooling and Xiaomi's Long-Term Fluency Engine, which is designed to manage system resources and maintain performance over longer periods.

The problem is that the chipset feels like a step backward for the Note series. Xiaomi has often highlighted that Redmi Note users tend to keep their smartphones for longer, which makes the choice of Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 particularly difficult to justify. The Redmi Note 15, for instance, used the considerably more capable Snapdragon 6 Gen 3. Moving down a tier here means buyers should not expect the same level of longevity or performance headroom.

Having said that, in everyday usage, the Redmi Note 17 is perfectly usable, but again, you need to keep your expectations in check. Social media, messaging, web browsing, streaming, and basic productivity are handled without major problems. However, once you start pushing the phone with multiple apps running in the background, the limitations become more apparent. I noticed occasional stutters and jitter while switching between applications, with some tasks taking noticeably longer to process.

In terms of benchmarks, the Redmi Note 17 scored 6,31,200 on AnTuTu, while Geekbench 7 returned 779 in single-core and 2,100 in multi-core. In PCMark Work 3.1, it managed 11,524 points. More encouragingly, the phone retained around 95 per cent of its peak performance in our CPU throttling test, suggesting that Xiaomi's cooling solution is capable of keeping sustained workloads under control.

On the software front, the Redmi Note 17 runs Android 16 with HyperOS 3 and gets four Android updates, up to Android 20, alongside five years of security updates. The software experience is generally smooth, and the newer desktop-style widgets are useful additions.

Redmi Note 17 battery

The Redmi Note 17 packs an 8,000mAh silicon-carbon battery, and this is easily one of the biggest talking points of the phone. Xiaomi claims up to 2.5 days of typical usage, while light users can potentially stretch it beyond three days. Considering the size of the battery, the fact that it fits inside an 8.4mm-thick body is also worth noting.

In real-world usage, the endurance has been impressive so far. Regular activities such as social media, messaging, navigation, calls, and video streaming barely make a dent in the battery percentage. In our PCMark Battery Life test, the Redmi Note 17 lasted 20 hours and 14 minutes, which is a strong result and gives the phone plenty of endurance for heavy users.

Charging is handled by a 45W charger, included in the box. However, the sheer size of the battery means charging isn't particularly quick. In our testing, it took approximately 115 minutes to go from 0 to 100 per cent. That's considerably longer than what some faster-charging rivals can manage, but it is also a trade-off that comes with having such a large battery.

For what it’s worth, the phone also supports 22.5W wired reverse charging, which is particularly useful if you want to charge accessories or another phone in an emergency.

Redmi Note 17 camera

The Redmi Note 17 gets a 50MP AI camera at the rear and an 8MP selfie camera. Xiaomi has focused this setup primarily on everyday photography, with features such as a dedicated Night Mode, AI HDR, AI Scene Detection, Dynamic Shots, AI Bokeh, and a 2x in-sensor zoom mode. However, there is no ultrawide camera, while both front and rear cameras are limited to 1080p video recording at 30fps. There is also no OIS, which immediately puts some limitations on the camera hardware.

In daylight, the 50MP primary camera is capable of producing good-looking images. Details are reasonably sharp, colours are rich without going excessively overboard, and the dynamic range is stable in well-lit scenes. This is also where the camera's tuning makes the most sense for casual users and social media. Portraits are decent too, with natural-looking skin tones and reasonably reliable edge detection. However, finer details can appear slightly soft when you zoom into the images.

The bigger issue is what you don't get. The absence of an ultrawide camera limits the phone's versatility, particularly for landscapes, group photographs, and architecture. Competitors such as the Motorola Edge 70 Fusion, Nothing Phone 3a Lite, and OnePlus Nord CE6 Lite offer more flexible camera systems.

Low-light photography is where the limitations become more apparent. The smaller sensor and lack of OIS mean that images can lose detail in darker environments, while moving subjects can be difficult to capture cleanly. Night Mode helps brighten scenes, but it cannot completely compensate for the hardware limitations.

Redmi Note 17 verdict

The Redmi Note 17 is a smartphone that makes its priorities very clear. Xiaomi has put considerable emphasis on the 8,000mAh battery and 6.9-inch AMOLED display, and both are genuinely strong aspects of the phone. Battery endurance is excellent, the display is vibrant and bright, and the overall design looks more premium than the price suggests. Features such as reverse charging, Gorilla Glass 7i, and IP65 protection further add to its everyday appeal.

However, the compromises are equally difficult to ignore. The Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 feels underpowered for a Redmi Note device, particularly when the series has traditionally offered stronger performance. This is a phone for everyday users rather than anyone looking for serious gaming or long-term performance headroom. The camera setup is another area where Xiaomi has clearly cut costs. The primary camera performs reasonably well in daylight, but the absence of an ultrawide camera, OIS, and 4K recording makes the Redmi Note 17 less versatile than several competitors.

So, is it a bad phone? No. In fact, if your priorities are battery life, display quality and a stylish design, the Redmi Note 17 makes a reasonable case for itself. But if you expect strong performance, versatile cameras and a phone that feels future-proof for several years, there are compromises you will have to accept.

A friend of mine still uses last year’s iQOO Z10, and when I mentioned I’m reviewing the Z11, the first thing he asked wasn’t about the chipset or the camera, it was whether it’s actually worth upgrading. But then the conversation flipped around: is the 144Hz display actually better, does the new processor have enough power to handle heavy tasks, is the ultrawide sensor worth having, and does any of that justify the price hike of Rs 15,000? For these questions, the answers would be mixed. That conversation stuck with me through the whole week, and this review is built around trying to actually answer it and here’s what I found.

iQOO Z11: Display

The iQOO Z11 features a 6.83-inch 1.5K curved AMOLED panel with a 144Hz refresh rate, and it's one of the strongest parts of this phone. I watched Operation Safed Sagar on Netflix over a couple of nights, and the display handled it well. Aerial shots of jets held their detail, mountain scenes came through with real depth, and dark sequences stayed properly black rather than sliding into grey.

At 144Hz, scrolling feels smooth, and if you spend a lot of time moving through social media feeds, that smoothness is noticeable. One thing worth knowing, not every app runs at the high refresh rate by default. You'll need to turn on high refresh mode manually for individual apps in the settings.

The curve on the display did cause one issue for me. While shooting photos, I accidentally kept touching the edge of the screen, which occasionally shifted focus in the viewfinder.

On the bench, the numbers back up what I saw. Our Calman test returned an average Delta E of 1.23, an excellent result, and the Colour Gamut test measured 97.67% coverage. Peak brightness is where things get interesting, our testing recorded 3,560 nits, higher than iQOO's own claim for this panel. What isn't in question is real-world visibility. I never had to squint at this screen, even in harsh direct sunlight.

iQOO Z11: Design

When I picked up the iQOO Z11, the camera island on the back is the first thing that stands out, it's laid out in a way that immediately reminded me of a Pixel phone. Beyond that, the design stays fairly minimal. iQOO sent us the Aurora Green colourway, which shifts to a blue tint under certain light and looks distinct. Buyers can also buy the Celestial Blue option.

Despite the size of the battery inside, the iQOO Z11 does not feel heavy. At 199 grams and 7.99mm thick, it sits comfortably in hand, and I never struggled with typing on it for long stretches. The one real complaint is grip, the back is slippery enough that I'd recommend using the case iQOO includes in the box rather than skipping it.

Stereo speakers here can hit up to 200% volume, though sound quality drops off and gets distorted the louder you push it. Durability is solid on paper, with MIL-STD-810H certification alongside IP68 and IP69 ratings for water and dust resistance. The in-display optical fingerprint sensor worked reliably every time I used it.

iQOO Z11: Performance

The Z11 runs on MediaTek's Dimensity 7500 Turbo, paired with 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage on our review unit. This isn't a flagship chipset, and it doesn't try to be one, but that doesn't mean it feels slow. Apps open quickly, multitasking is smooth without issue, and RAM management felt well handled throughout my time with it.

BGMI is capped at Smooth graphics with Extreme frame settings, which means you can play BGMI up to 60fps. Call of Duty Mobile fares better, running also at 60fps but the frame rates stayed consistent through my sessions.

I also noticed the phone getting warm during extended use in direct sunlight, and that warmth resulted in occasional jitter while scrolling through the UI. It wasn't a constant issue, but it was noticeable enough to mention.

On the benchmark side, the iQOO Z11 scored 1,107,516 on AnTuTu. Geekbench returned 1,194 in the single-core test and 3,271 in multi-core. The 3DMark Wild Life Extreme test gave it an overall score of 1,161, and the CPU Throttling Test showed the chip holding on to 87% of its performance under sustained load.

iQOO Z11: Software

OriginOS 6, built on Android 16, runs on the iQOO Z11, and it feels smooth throughout. Animations are clean, and apps open and close without any noticeable stutter.

There's bloatware here, as expected at this price, but all of it can be removed. One thing worth flagging for anyone setting the phone up for the first time, the initial boot process prompts you to install some third-party apps. It's easy to miss, so make sure to uncheck that option if you'd rather not add third-party apps you didn't ask for.

iQOO has added a few AI features worth mentioning. AI Caption handles real-time translation, useful for multilingual meetings, videos, or conversations where context and accuracy matter.

AI Writing helps with drafting emails, summarising meeting notes, pulling out action items, and cleaning up documents. Circle to Search is also here, letting you pull up information on anything visible on your screen without leaving the app you're in.

In terms of Software updates, iQOO is promising three years of Android Updates and five years of Security Patches.

iQOO Z11: Battery

The Z11 packs a 7,050mAh battery with 44W charging support, and in daily use it held up exactly the way a battery this size should. Across full days of heavy use, gaming, scrolling, and content watching, it never once ran out on me, and it regularly carried over into a second day. In day-to-day use, this is a phone that gets you through a day and a half without needing to think about a charger.

For lighter, more casual use, I'd expect close to two days of screen-on time. It's also worth pointing out that a 7,000mAh-plus battery isn't the rarity it used to be, several brands are building around this size now, so it's becoming closer to a new baseline than a standout feature.

At Digit Test Labs, the PCMark Battery Life Test returned 22 hours and 37 minutes of screen-on time, a strong result that lines up with what I saw day to day.

Charging is the one area that felt behind. 44W is usable, but at this price and battery size, I expected something closer to 65W or higher. We charged this phone from 0 to 100% and it took 1 hour and 46 minutes in our testing.

iQOO Z11: Cameras

The Z11 keeps its camera setup simple, a 50MP Sony IMX822 main sensor paired with an 8MP ultrawide, and a 32MP selfie camera up front.

Photos of human subject where this camera struggles most. Shots came out over-processed and softer than I'd like, with detail getting lost in the process. In one shot of mine, the camera added colour where there shouldn't have been any, my black shirt picked up a tint that wasn't there in real life, and for context, every shot from the iQOO Z11 was taken entirely in Natural mode.

Photos looked good enough to post straight from the gallery without editing, and depth of field came through naturally without needing portrait mode to fake it.

Low light performance was a pleasant surprise, particularly with skies; images matched what I was actually seeing in the moment rather than over-brightening or losing colour.

Portrait mode is a mixed bag. Edge detection is generally solid, though it occasionally struggles specifically with human subjects, the same weak spot as the main camera. When it works, though, the bokeh effect looks creamy, and the overall portraits hold up well.

The ultrawide camera is fine rather than impressive. Don't expect a lot of detail, but for wider shots where framing matters more than sharpness, it does the job.

Selfies are a genuine strength here. Detail holds up well, edge detection in portrait selfies is great, and skin tones come through natural rather than overprocessed.

iQOO Z11: Verdict

After a week with the iQOO Z11, the pattern is fairly clear. Display and battery are the two things this phone gets right without much to argue about, a bright, accurate AMOLED panel backed by genuinely excellent brightness and colour numbers, paired with a battery that comfortably stretches past a single day. Performance holds up fine for daily use and the main camera handles almost everything well but sometimes struggle with portraits.

At Rs 34,999, the Z11 makes the most sense for someone who prioritises screen quality and battery life over gaming headroom or portrait photography. If either of those two things matter more to you than the display or the battery does, it's worth looking elsewhere in this price range.

We have become very good at having conversations and very bad at remembering them. On a busy workday, you can sit through meetings, speak with dozens of people, and still struggle to remember who said what by the time evening comes. Of course, taking notes helps, but writing everything down can mean you are busy documenting instead of actually listening. This is the problem devices like the Neosapien Neo 1 are designed to solve. Worn around your neck, it listens to conversations and turns them into transcripts, summaries, and action items that you can search later. Sounds cool in theory, right? 

Well, I wore the Neosapien Neo 1 for two weeks, using it in a variety of situations, to see how well it handles real-world conversations. Here is my full review.

Design and Build: Simple, but doesn’t feel as premium as it looks

The Neo 1 is a 20-gram pendant that sits around your neck on a metal chain. There is no screen, speaker, or complicated set of controls. A double tap starts or stops recording, while a white LED confirms that the device is listening.

I initially liked the simple design of the Neo 1 because it does not look like a typical gadget. However, after using it for two weeks, I have mixed feelings about the build quality. The black paint on my unit has already started chipping under normal use, while the plastic body doesn’t inspire confidence. The parts around the chain have also started to loosen.

The chain itself can be annoying. It gets tangled in clothes, and many times, while taking it off, it gets stuck in my hair. 

Recording controls: Convenient yet frustrating

The double-tap control on the Neo 1 is a nice idea because you can start recording without opening your phone. But there is no vibration or sound to tell you that the tap actually worked. This means I often found myself looking down at the LED to confirm whether it was recording. For a device designed to let you tap and forget about it, this feels like an unnecessary interruption.

There is another issue that bothered me more. You need to keep an eye on whether the device has gone into sleep mode. The Neo 1 is supposed to be something you can wear and forget, but I found myself checking it occasionally to make sure it was still active.

Transcription: Good in controlled conditions

I tested the Neo 1 on the Delhi Metro, and while the transcription was generally decent, it struggled in noisy environments. Sometimes, it picked up nearby conversations, making it hard to tell what I was saying from what other people were saying.

I noticed a similar issue while travelling in public places that have a noisy environment. I found that the device occasionally mixed conversations from other passengers and people nearby with our own. However, its performance improved a lot in quieter and more controlled settings.

The Neo 1 worked especially well indoors with very little background noise, such as during meetings. In these situations, it captured conversations more clearly and produced much more reliable transcriptions.

Hindi transcription also worked well in my testing. It was able to accurately capture proper nouns, including company names, which can often be difficult for speech-to-text systems. The company says the Neo 1 supports more than 140 languages, although I wasn’t able to independently verify that claim.

AI Summaries: Things that make sense

The raw transcript is useful when you need to search for something, but I found the AI-generated summary much more practical for everyday use. Instead of reading through an entire conversation, you get a short summary along with important points and action items. If you have two different discussions in one recording, the Neo 1 can also separate them into different memories.

For me, this was the feature that truly made the device feel like more than just a microphone. During closed-room meetings, I use it to quietly listen to the meeting details and later check the AI summaries that have been provided to me as a clear recap of the conversation. Doing so saved me a significant amount of time and made it much easier to stay focused on the meeting instead of worrying about taking notes.

Neosapien Neo 1 Search: It feels like a second memory

The search function is probably the feature I would miss the most if I stopped using the Neo 1. You do not have to remember which meeting something was discussed in. If you remember the topic, you can search for it and find the relevant conversation. The app keeps things relatively clean, with transcripts, summaries, and action items presented without unnecessary clutter. This is particularly useful if your work involves back-to-back meetings, interviews, or events.

Recording on Neosapien Neo 1: Where is that?

Despite everything the Neo 1 does well, I still had to use a separate recording device during important conversations. The reason is simple: it does not give you the original audio back. Once it has processed the conversation, you are left with the transcript and AI-generated information.

That is fine when you only need to remember what was discussed. But during an interview, sometimes a summary is not enough. You may want to hear exactly how someone said something, understand the context behind a statement, or check a particular word. I would like Neosapien to add a recording option, because having the original audio alongside the AI notes would make the device much more useful.

Battery Life: Not quite always on

Battery life is another area where my experience did not fully match the idea behind the product. Neosapien claims around two to three days of battery life, but with regular recording, you should expect considerably less. For something designed around continuous listening, this can become inconvenient.

I also found the device going to sleep occasionally, which meant I had to keep checking it. That takes away some of the convenience of simply wearing it throughout the day. The good thing is that the Neo 1 can continue recording over Bluetooth even when there is no internet connection. It can then process and sync the information when you are back online. In my testing, the device took around 95 minutes to fully charge from 0 per cent to 100 per cent.

App and connectivity: Good, but have some rough edges

Pairing the Neo 1 with the app is simple, and the overall interface is clean. There is also a desktop app for Windows and macOS that can capture audio from your computer for services such as Zoom, Meet, Teams, and WhatsApp calls without needing a bot to join the meeting.

However, I did notice some syncing issues, and there were also moments when the device randomly went to sleep. Another limitation is that integrations are still a work in progress. I would like to see the Neo 1 automatically push notes into apps such as Notion or directly update tasks and CRM entries.

Privacy: Useful device but difficult conversation

A device that listens to conversations will always raise privacy concerns. While the company says raw audio is deleted after transcription and that data is encrypted both in transit and at rest, its privacy policy also identifies several categories of third-party services that may process user data, including payment providers, logistics providers, AI partners, and cloud storage providers.

The company also says it regularly audits and tests its systems for vulnerabilities, although the privacy policy does not publicly identify any third-party security agencies or provide detailed audit reports. It further states that user conversations will not be used to train AI models unless the user explicitly opts in to such use.

Neosapien Neo 1: Should you buy it?

The Neo 1 is an interesting product because the idea behind it genuinely works. I found myself saving time while covering events and searching for quotes, and the quality of its transcripts and summaries was better than I expected.

But there are too many compromises for me to call it a complete product. The battery life needs improvement; the device can go to sleep unexpectedly; the build quality doesn’t feel premium; the chain is inconvenient, and Android syncing needs more work. The inability to access original recordings is also a serious limitation.

At Rs 12,999, I would recommend the Neo 1 mainly if your day revolves around meetings, interviews, events, or conversations that you regularly need to remember. If you rarely have such use cases, you may struggle to justify the price.

For the Neo 2, I want better battery life, stronger hardware, a better form factor, proper integrations, the ability to work without the phone nearby, and most importantly, access to the original recordings. The Neo 1 has a genuinely useful idea at its core. Now, Neosapien needs to make the hardware and experience good enough to match it.

iQOO is known for gaming-centric devices at accessible prices. Besides phones, the company is gradually extending that approach to audio. Two years after the iQOO TWS 1e, a new pair of in-ear truly wireless earphones, simply called the iQOO Buds, has launched in India. These new buds come in at Rs 1,899 and bring features like 10mm drivers, 42ms gaming latency, Bluetooth 6.1, multipoint connectivity, dual-mic call noise cancellation, and up to 50 hours of total battery life. 

But this is also one of the most competitive segments in the TWS market. A long feature list alone is not enough anymore. So, the question is whether the iQOO Buds offer a good everyday experience, and after using them for about a week, I can tell you how well they hold up as a pair of affordable true wireless earbuds. Let’s get started.

iQOO Buds: Design and fit

The iQOO Buds have a familiar in-ear design with stems. There is nothing particularly distinctive about the earbuds themselves. The shape is conventional, and I found the fit secure and comfortable enough for extended listening.

Each earbud weighs about 3.8g, while the complete package weighs around 41.3g. Both the buds and the case are light and easy to carry around.

The earbuds are also IP54-rated, which gives them some protection against dust and water splashes. However, the matte black finish of the case could be prone to smudges and scratches, especially over a long period of use.

The earbuds, meanwhile, have a glossy black finish, and the magnets in the case hold them firmly. Taking them out is easy, too. 

When you take out the earbuds, the LED indicator on the front of the case blinks in pairing mode. They glow a constant orange for charging indication.

You get a USB-C port on the bottom of the case, and above the LED indicator, on the front, there is also an iQOO engraving.

While all of this is par for the course, the light, plasticky quality of the case lid tells you one area where the corners have been cut. But it is functional, and only time will tell you about its durability. 

iQOO Buds: Connectivity and latency

Pairing is as easy as it gets, especially on compatible Vivo and iQOO phones. Just opening the case puts the earbuds into pairing mode when they are being set up for the first time. And on the familial phones, you’ll get a quick pairing prompt when the case is opened nearby.

It supports Bluetooth 6.1 in everyday use, and the connection was stable. Bluetooth multipoint is another notable addition. You can keep them connected to two devices at the same time. Playback will happen one at a time. So, pause on one device to begin playback on the other.

Gaming is where iQOO has the clearest reason for making these earbuds.

The Buds support 42ms gaming latency, and with the Esports sound mode on, the Buds can adapt sound based on games. For online videos, the latency was fine, even in the Standard sound profile.

iQOO Buds: Sound quality

The iQOO Buds use 10mm drivers and support AAC and SBC codecs. There is no active noise cancellation, which is worth keeping in mind when comparing it with some alternatives in this price range.

Again, with gamers in mind, iQOO’s acoustics team has worked on enhancing bass while keeping the mids and highs slightly controlled. This is meant to give game effects such as gunshots and explosions more impact without completely sacrificing the voices of players and other details.

Even in our frequency response curve test, iQOO Buds show a very bass-heavy tuning. The vocals are reasonably clear, but the elevated bass makes the overall presentation feel thicker than I like, and treble extension is limited. 

You get EQ profiles called DeepX 4.0 sound effects in the companion app. This includes Mega Bass, Clear Voice, Clear High Pitch, Esports mode for games, and even an audiobook mode. I stuck with Standard mode as it is the most balanced one among the lot. 

There is also spatial audio, with four modes: Theater, Concert Hall, Studio, and Live Concert. However, this feature requires a compatible Vivo or iQOO phone, so it is not something every buyer will get access to out of the box.

Also Read: Boat Airdopes ProClip review: An open-ear design that gets the basics right

iQOO Buds: Calls and smart features

The Buds are said to have a particular design and dual microphones for clear calls. There is also AI-based call noise reduction for sounds like wind and sudden horns. 

You can take or reject calls through touch gestures. These touch controls can be customised through the phone or the vEarphones app. The app also comes with EQ settings, a Find earphones feature, and a remote camera shutter option on supported Vivo and iQOO phones.

In-ear detection is missing but is fair considering the price.

iQOO Buds: Battery life

Battery life is one of the strongest parts of the iQOO Buds.

iQOO claims up to 12 hours from the earbuds and up to 50 hours with the charging case. It also claims that a 10-minute charge can provide up to four hours of playback. These figures are based on AAC playback at 50% volume with ANC disabled, so real-world results will vary.

In my testing, the earbuds lasted 10 hours and 32 minutes on a single charge. It was a continuous playback of a FLAC file at 80% volume. 

The case has a 513mAh rated battery, while each earbud has a 51mAh minimum battery capacity.  iQOO rates charging the earbuds at around 60 minutes.

So, the battery runtime is more than sufficient.

Should you buy the iQOO Buds?

iQOO has clearly prioritised gaming, battery life and connectivity here. The 42ms latency, multipoint support and 10-hour-plus battery life are useful additions, especially at Rs 1899. The lightweight build and secure fit also make the iQOO Buds easy to use throughout the day.

The sound tuning will appeal to those who like heavy bass. This, however, makes the presentation thick, while the limited treble extension takes away some detail and separation. There is also no ANC, which is something some competing earbuds in this segment offer. Some of the features will be available in compatible iQOO or Vivo phones only.

For anyone, especially iQOO and Vivo phone users who play games, are fine with bass-forward sound, and want long battery life from their earbuds under Rs 2000, the iQOO Buds make a reasonable case. But for those for whom music quality or ANC matters more, there are better-rounded options in this price range.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar stories.

Also Read: A day with the spectacular Hisense 116UX RGB Mini LED TV that costs Rs 30 lakh

Open-ear earbuds have created their niche, and you have plenty of options in the market. At the same time, they have a very different proposition from regular TWS earbuds. They don't seal the ear canal. In practice, when you sport open-ear earbuds, you get ambient awareness but no form of noise cancellation. Now, for those who want this kind of earphones, Boat has launched the Airdopes ProClip. It features the clip-on design, 12mm dynamic drivers, Bluetooth 6.0, multipoint connectivity, a claimed 52-hour battery life, 55ms low latency, and AI-powered Environmental Noise Cancellation for calls. All at an asking price of only Rs 1799.

I have been wearing the Boat Airdopes ProClip for a week now, and here's how it fared as my primary buds for music, movies, calls, and navigation instructions, while keeping me aware of my surroundings.

Boat Airdopes ProClip: Design and build

Our Boat Airdopes ProClip review unit has a chic Velvet Wine colour and a matte finish. The other two options are Silk Grey and Satin White. The buds have a flexible C-shaped bridge between their two modules. The smaller module has the driver and sits in front of the ear, and the battery and controls are present in the other module, which sits behind the ear. While it is very light and the bridge ensures the earbuds don't fall off even during workouts, occasionally, after several hours of wearing them, I did feel mild pressure.

Thankfully, wearing them and removing them is easy. So, whether it is because of fatigue, rain, or while washing my face, I could easily take them off. By the way, because of IPX4 ingress protection, the buds can withstand some splash. Also, you can keep them and still hear your neighbours talking to you, even if music is playing. But to have a conversation, the music will need to be stopped.

Boat Airdopes ProClip: Connectivity and app controls

For pairing, the user has to open the Boat Airdopes ProClip case and press the button on the back of the case for a few seconds. Choose it in your device's Bluetooth settings. That's it. You can start using it, or if you want to tweak any settings, use the Boat Hearables app. The app takes a second to register the connection.

The connection stayed stable throughout my use. You get Bluetooth multipoint support, too, enabled by default. You can connect to two devices at a time, but playback on the first device needs to be paused for audio to be heard from the second device.

You can find Multipoint and other settings within the Boat Hearables app. The app needs you to log in with a mobile number and an email ID, by the way. Also, the app asks you where you purchased the earbuds from and offers you complementary Spotify and JioSaavn subscriptions.

Inside, you get to see the battery status and basic tweaking options. The two primary settings I found useful were that you can choose and change the 10-band EQ and configure the touch controls.

You have to tap the module present on the back of the ear to trigger the touch controls. It works decently but takes a sweet second to register. Sometimes, that can be annoying.

There's also a Beast Mode that is said to reduce the latency to 55ms. This worked alright for gaming and watching dialogue-heavy content on screen.

Boat Airdopes ProClip: Sound quality

Let me tell you right away that the sound experience from the Boat open-earbuds was nice and better than my expectations. It is fairly airy with ample clarity for vocals, instruments, and respectable weight for bass.

I vividly remember the atmospheric feel I got while listening to Snehithine cover by Masala Coffee on YouTube Music. The vocals by the band's lead singer, Sooraj Santhosh, and the violin strings reached high notes impressively. The different instruments could also be heard from different positions, showcasing the earbuds' better-than-expected sound staging.

Since open-ear earbuds do not seal the ear canal, they cannot deliver the same low-frequency impact as in-ear earbuds. Still, the bass drops in songs such as Like This by Miss Tyka were fine for the part and price.

Again, lower volume level and more sound leakage than in-ear buds are part of the package. Even though the Boat Hearables app consists of a Private Mode in EQ settings, which is meant to reduce sound leakage, my neighbour could still hear what I was listening to. Open earbuds after all.

Also Read: Skullcandy Method 360 ANC review: Standing out is easy, but can it stand apart?

Boat Airdopes ProClip: Calls and ambient noise

Open earbuds like the Boat Airdopes ProClip are best used while walking outdoors and in any situation wherein you want to hear what's happening around you. You don't need to turn on transparency or ambient mode. It is on by design, and there is no artificiality to the ambient sound and voices.

As for voices over calls, the quality was adequate indoors. I could hear the other person well, and their voice sounded clear and familiar. But they mentioned that I sounded a little bassy. And, of course, surrounding noises were creeping in.

Boat Airdopes ProClip: Battery life and charging

Each earbud packs a 50mAh battery, while the charging case has a 500mAh battery. Together, they are rated to provide up to 52 hours of total playback at around 60% volume. Our test involved running it continuously, playing a FLAC music file at 80% volume, and it lasted 8 hours.

The earbuds are said to take 50 minutes to fully charge via the USB Type-C port, while the case takes up to 2 hours. Additionally, the fast-charging feature is quite useful. A 10-minute charge provides up to 200 minutes of playback, according to Boat. That should give the earbuds enough charge before leaving home.

For everyday use, the battery life is more than sufficient. You can wear these through a workday and several workouts without thinking much about charging.

Should you buy Boat Airdopes ProClip?

At Rs 1799, the Boat Airdopes ProClip makes sense if you specifically want the benefits of an open-ear design. It is comfortable, stays secure during workouts, has good battery life, and lets you hear your surroundings without relying on a transparency mode. I also found the sound output decent.

However, as expected from this design and price, there are some compromises. You get more sound leakage and less bass impact than a sealed TWS earbud. Call quality is adequate indoors, but background noise can creep into calls outdoors.

As long as you can live with these trade-offs, for under Rs 2000, you can absolutely consider the Boat Airdopes ProClip.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar stories.

Also Read: Realme Buds Clip review: A comfortable open-ear earphones under Rs 6,000