Water purifiers are one of those appliances most people install once and then think about only when something breaks. Over the past few years, I have seen a lot of them, and the pattern is usually the same: a plastic box under or beside the sink, a tap, and no real way of knowing what is actually happening inside until the filter light comes on or the water starts tasting off. And, of course, the aftermath is also difficult and sometimes hard on the pocket. But over the years, the dynamics have changed. You get a lot of tech, from apps to more unique designs and even better, affordable service is already available, but only if you choose one. This search brought me to the recently launched Native M2 Pro by Urban Company.

The Native M2 Pro is priced at Rs 19,499 and wants to change the conversation entirely, with its purification method and after-sales structure as its main selling points. So, how has it been? Here is my take.

Native M2 Pro: Design and installation

The Native M2 Pro has a fairly clean, understated design: a matte black body, a touch panel up front, a retractable tray, and a small light near the base that switches on automatically at night, which is a nice detail if you're filling a bottle without turning on the kitchen lights. It does not scream smart appliance the way some competitors do with extra LEDs and displays; it's closer to a piece of kitchen furniture that happens to dispense water.

At roughly 24.5 × 13.2 × 9.9 inches, the Native M2 Pro is not the smallest unit around, but it doesn't feel bulky either, and the 8-litre tank is enough for a household of four to five without needing to refill constantly. However, the installation can be a little tricky, specifically if you have a small kitchen like me. This one does need a reasonable amount of counter or wall space, so I would suggest you measure your kitchen layout before ordering rather than assuming it'll slot into a tight corner.

Installation includes the purifier itself, a mounting and installation kit, and an external sediment filter, and Native offers free delivery and installation as part of the deal. I didn't have to arrange anything separately for this unit, which was a welcome change from setups where you're told mid-installation that you need an additional valve, tap, or part before the technician can finish the job, a common (and often irritating) surprise with other brands.

Native M2 Pro: How it purifies water

Before receiving it, I read a lot about the Urban Company Native M2 Pro and, to be honest, its purification method. And to test my knowledge, I had a detailed conversation about how it works with the Urban Company's engineer who came to install it, and I think you should read it too.

A lot of RO purifiers in this price range use an MTDS control or bypass valve, essentially blending a bit of untreated water back into the purified stream to hit a target TDS reading. It is cheaper to engineer, and it keeps the water from tasting ‘too pure’ or flat, but it also means a portion of what comes out of the tap hasn't gone through the RO membrane at all.

What I found out is that the M2 Pro skips this step. All the water goes through RO purification first, and minerals, along with copper, are added back afterwards for taste and balance, rather than being blended in from an untreated source. On top of that, there is a UV stage and an alkaline stage, which brings the total to a 10-stage process, and the unit is rated for input TDS up to 2,500 ppm, which should comfortably cover most municipal supplies and a good number of borewell sources too.

Whether this purification approach matters to you in day-to-day use is honestly debatable. Most people can't taste the difference between water that's been through a bypass valve and fully RO-treated water with minerals added back afterwards. But for buyers who actually read the specification sheet and care about how the number they see on a TDS meter was arrived at, it's a real and meaningful distinction, not just marketing language.

Native M2 Pro: Dispensing

I usually don't mention this section in a review, but this one is practical. It's one of the day-to-day parts of the experience and probably the feature you will notice the most once the novelty of a new appliance wears off. Rather than holding down a button and watching the glass fill while trying not to overflow it, there are touch presets for Glass, Bottle, and Free Flow: tap the mode, place your container, and it stops on its own once the preset amount has been dispensed.

It's a small thing on paper, but it does cut down on the standing-around-waiting part of getting a glass of water, especially with the presets being adjustable if the defaults don't match your usual glass or bottle size, which is useful if your household uses everything from small tumblers to one-litre bottles. There is also a battery backup for dispensing during power cuts, so you are covered in such cases as well. But do note that the battery only backs up the dispenser and not the pump.

Native M2 Pro: The companion app

Honestly, this one is new for me. I have switched from a classic Aquaguard to the Native M2 Pro, and suddenly I have a lot of options to look at. You can simply track the water quality, filter health, and usage data, along with the Smart Rinse auto-clean function that's meant to run on its own without you having to remember to trigger it.

However, I will admit that I have not opened the app often after the initial setup. It's not something that you will be checking daily, and the novelty of 'smart' monitoring does wear off after the first week or two. But it is actually useful to have around for the moments that matter: knowing when to change the filter, what the water quality is, and when you should call your technician.

Native M2 Pro: Ownership costs

This is where Native tries hardest to differentiate the M2 Pro from other purifiers on the market, and arguably where the brand's Urban Company parentage shows most clearly, given the company's background in RO servicing. The M2 Pro comes with a two-year filter life that requires no servicing, and a two-year unconditional warranty covering filters, membranes, electrical components, and service visits.

After that initial two-year period, a full filter refresh costs Rs 5,000 to renew the cycle, which is worth budgeting for upfront rather than being surprised by it later. Optional add-ons, including a booster pump for low water-pressure situations, a PRV (Rs 250), and a PE kit (Rs 500), are available if your home's plumbing needs them, and delivery and installation are, of course, free.

The package actually makes sense. If you do the maths, you would actually save a few thousand rupees in just four years.

Native M2 Pro: Verdict

None of the individual technologies in the M2 Pro is new: RO, UV, mineral addition, and app-connected monitoring have all existed in other purifiers before this one, sometimes for years. What Native has done is package them in a way that's a bit more transparent about the purification process itself, and a bit less annoying to live with day to day, particularly through the auto-stop dispensing feature and the no-servicing warranty structure.

It's not a purifier that will wow you with novelty, and at Rs 19,499, it sits solidly in the upper-mid segment rather than being a budget pick, so it's not the right fit if you're shopping purely on price. But if your priorities are knowing exactly what your purification process involves, not wanting to think about servicing for two years, and having a slightly more convenient dispensing experience day to day, it does deliver on those fronts reasonably well.

Working from home sounded relaxing at first. But now, we all know, it is anything but that. Long meetings, hours of typing, switching between various devices, and more are just part of the deal, and before you know it, you realise you have spent the entire day sitting at your desk. The same is true for those who work from the office. While introducing the Signature Comfort Plus mouse and keyboard, Logitech claimed to have a solution for exactly this. I’ve been using the Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850 L for more than a week and have been pleased with the experience so far. But does it actually bring you the comfort that Logitech promises? Read on as we explore the answer in this review. 

Also read: Best laptops to buy under Rs 60,000 for work, study and gaming in 2026

Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L: Ergonomics and design

When you talk about comfort, the design and ergonomics are the first aspects that deserve attention. And, the first thing that you notice once you unbox the Signature Comfort Plus M850 L will be the palm cushion. Yes, you read that right. This mouse comes with an in-built cushion so that your palms stay comfortable all day long (in all honesty, that’s a sentence I never imagined I’d write for a mouse review). 

Now the idea sounds thoughtful, and it really is, but when you actually rest your palm on this mouse, you may wish it were just a bit more… plushy. When I used the mouse throughout my workday, it was certainly comfortable, but I am not sure how much of that was down to the cushion. That said, when I slammed my hand against the mouse in the middle of a panic session at work, I didn’t hurt my hand at all. So that’s a plus. 

Moving on from the in-built palm cushion, the rest of the design is exactly what you would expect from a good Logitech mouse. My hand wrapped around it comfortably, the size felt just right, and the rubberised sides provided an excellent grip.

In terms of looks, the mouse feels built to last while looking good at the same time. The signature Logitech logo sits neatly in the centre, and the graphite colourway gives it a clean, understated aesthetic. There is also an off-white colourway available if you prefer a lighter look. 

As for the build quality, the mouse feels sturdy enough to handle everyday wear and tear. It is certainly on the heavier side and won’t appeal if you are used to lightweight mice. But with that extra weight comes precision, which is far more important for some users. 

Buttons, scroll wheel and clicks

Comfort is not just about how a mouse feels in your hand. It is also about how it performs during a long workday. And the Signature Comfort Plus M850 L gets most of the basics right.

The left and right click buttons feel tactile without requiring too much force, and Logitech's silent click technology really does make a difference here. The clicks still provide enough feedback, but without all the noise that most traditional mice make. So if you do not like loud mouse clicks, this is something you will greatly appreciate. 

The SmartWheel also deserves a mention here. It automatically switches between precise line-by-line scrolling and faster scrolling depending on how quickly you move the wheel. During my usage, browsing through long documents, Excel sheets and web pages felt effortless, and I rarely found myself reaching for the scroll bar.

There are also programmable side buttons that can be customised using Logitech's Logi Options+ software, which we’ll talk about more in just a moment. So if your workflow involves frequently switching between applications or assigning shortcuts, these buttons can save you quite a bit of time. While I mostly left them with the default settings during my testing, you will certainly get more value out of them if you enjoy customising the buttons.

Logi Options+ Software

Like most Logitech peripherals, the Signature Comfort Plus M850 L becomes much more useful once you install the Logi Options+ software. The app allows you to remap buttons, customise the Actions Ring, create Smart Actions that automate repetitive tasks, and even access Logitech's AI Prompt Builder for generating AI prompts with preset instructions. None of these features is enabled by default, so you will have to spend a few minutes setting them up. Once configured, though, they can make your workflow noticeably smoother.

Battery life is another area where Logitech continues to impress. The company claims the mouse can last up to two years on a single battery. Since I only used it for a little over a week, I obviously cannot verify that claim, but I never had to replace the battery during my testing. So, this is one less device you'll have to worry about charging or plugging in regularly.

It is also nice to see Logitech putting some focus on sustainability. The mouse uses recycled plastic in its construction, depending on the colour variant, arrives in FSC-certified paper packaging, and is designed to reduce battery replacements over its lifespan.

Connectivity and multi-device switching

Now, coming to one of my favourite features of this mouse: working across multiple devices.

The Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850 L mouse can pair with up to three Bluetooth-enabled devices, and switching between them takes just the press of a button located at the back of the mouse. During my testing, I regularly switched between my Windows laptop and MacBook without any hiccups, and the connection remained stable throughout.

The mouse works across Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, Android and even iPadOS, making it a versatile option if you use different operating systems during the day.

The only thing worth keeping in mind is that the standard version relies entirely on Bluetooth. Unlike many other Logitech wireless mice, you do not get the Logi Bolt USB receiver in the box. That receiver is reserved for the business variant, so users who prefer a dedicated wireless dongle may find this slightly disappointing.

Should you buy?

The Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850 L tries to make your workday a little more comfortable. And, for the most part, it succeeds. The palm cushion isn’t as soft as you would want it to be, but the overall ergonomics, comfortable grip, silent clicks, reliable Bluetooth connectivity and excellent software support make this an easy mouse to live with. 

At Rs 7,762, this isn't a budget purchase, and there are plenty of capable wireless mice available for much less. However, if you spend eight or more hours at your desk every day and want a productivity-focused mouse that prioritises comfort, the Signature Comfort Plus M850 L is well worth considering. It may not transform your workday overnight, but after using it for a while, going back to an ordinary mouse certainly feels like a downgrade.

Also read: Nvidia GeForce Now finally available in India with no waiting list

Buying truly wireless earbuds under Rs 4000 is both easy and confusing. Easy because there is no shortage of options, and confusing because almost every pair promises the same things: active noise cancellation (ANC), bigger drivers, long battery life and AI-powered features. On paper, they often look nearly identical. The real differences only become apparent after using them for a few days. I have been using the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 as my primary earbuds for work, music, videos and calls for a week to find out whether they justify their Rs 3299 price tag. They promise features such as up to 52dB active noise cancellation, 12mm dynamic drivers, a six-microphone AI Clear Call system, up to 47ms low-latency gaming mode, up to 54 hours of battery life and some AI-powered features. The answer to whether they're worth buying is already in the title, but the real question is how well these features perform in everyday use. Let's find that out.

OnePlus Nord Buds 4: Verdict

The OnePlus Nord Buds 4 may not lead the segment in every technical aspect, but they deliver a polished everyday experience. They are comfortable, sound good across genres, offer reliable ANC, long battery life and a feature-rich app. If you prefer a warmer, more relaxed sound signature over an analytical one, they are worth considering at Rs 3299.

OnePlus Nord Buds 4: Design

However good-looking or good-performing a TWS earbuds pair is, if the case isn't portable enough, then it fails the point. The good thing is Nord Buds 4's case is compact and chic in looks and profile. Even the firmness with which the hinge snaps adds to the earbuds' appeal. The teal colour is easy on the eyes, but it can get worn out over time.

Inside, the earbuds have a tried-and-true stem form. The fit and comfort are also superb. The default ear tip worked fine, but you can swap it with the alternative pairs in the box.

Last but not least, the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 carry an IP55 rating, which means they should easily withstand sweat during workouts or light rain.

OnePlus Nord Buds 4: Sound quality

OnePlus Nord Buds 4 share the infatuation that most budget earbuds have for bass. While the bass here isn't too much, it is still more noticeable than on a Realme Buds Air 8 (review). This is true for the sub-bass in Childish Gambino's 'Retro', and the reverb in 'Retrograde' by James Blake, which are tighter on the Realme earbuds pair.

In another test track, 'Feel Good Inc' by Gorillaz, the guitar bassline sounded deeper and punchier on the Realme Buds Air 8. Meanwhile, Damon Albarn's vocals also sound clearer, while the rap verses were easier to follow. The OnePlus Nord Buds 4 delivered an enjoyable listening experience, but the Realme earbuds brought forward more detail from the track. Even the signature laughter effects sounded more open and prominent on the Realme, whereas they felt slightly recessed on the OnePlus. 

Basically, with OnePlus, you can expect a smoother, more relaxed character that many listeners may actually prefer during longer listening sessions.

Meanwhile, in the treatment of higher frequencies, the Realme Buds Air 8 does a cleaner job. The OnePlus Nord Buds 4 sounded itsy bitsy shrill in the elevated portions of 'Dawn of the Iconoclast' by Dead Can Dance. The opening drum sequence and percussion in the same track sounded weaker on the OnePlus earbuds, but had some weight in the Realme earbuds' presentation.

That said, all these differences aren't large enough to take away from the overall listening experience, and for casual listeners switching between genres, the Nord Buds 4 deliver a warm and enjoyable sound signature.

By the way, I tried all of these with the Balanced (default) EQ preset with BassWave feature disabled. The latter dynamically boosts bass in tracks. Within the HeyMelody companion app, you can enable Gaming mode for low latency in fast-paced titles. We'll talk more about this app later. So, all in all, you have options to tweak the sound to some extent, which is good.

Also Read: Realme Buds Air 8 Pro review: Expressive and easy to recommend

OnePlus Nord Buds 4: ANC and call quality

The Nord Buds 4 with its 52dB ANC ceiling, can reduce the background noises, be it office chatter, clacking of keyboard keys, traffic noises, AC, fan and vacuum cleaner noises to a great extent. But the Realme Buds Air 8 offers a marginally better cancellation up to 55dB, which is noticeable if you really pay attention.

So, the noise doesn't vanish completely, but it becomes far less distracting. As for the various ANC modes available, the High mode offers more aggressive noise cancellation, and the Moderate mode was also effective in cancelling most of the noises and was slightly less overpowering.

Transparency mode is suitable for brief conversations or hearing announcements without removing the earbuds. Voices sound normal, but you can feel there is a thin sieve in between. Considering the price, I can't complain, but the Realme Buds Air 8 does a better job here, too. Realme gives a voice enhancement option as well.

Besides noise handling, the mics on the Nord Buds 4 earbuds do a good job for calls. OnePlus underlines the use of AI to enhance clarity.

OnePlus Nord Buds 4: Battery life

Like the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro, the standard model also delivers a day-long battery life. During my testing, with ANC off and music (FLAC format) continuously playing at 80 per cent volume, the Nord Buds 4 ran for 11 hours and 12 minutes. And so in everyday use, it is but obvious that I never actually managed to drain them completely in a single working day. The total playback with ANC off can go up to 54 hours, as per OnePlus's claims.

And with ANC on, at 50 per cent volume, the brand says the earbuds will last for 6.5 hours and with the case, they can last as long as 27 hours. Your mileage may vary.

Even if it drops dead, the fast charging support is very useful. After the battery drain test, I plugged them in for some time, and when I checked them, the earbuds had regained 90 per cent health. The Nord Buds 4 is said to take 55 minutes to fully charge, and the case takes another half an hour.

OnePlus Nord Buds 4: Software experience

The pairing was straightforward and quick. The OnePlus Nord Buds 4 supports Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair.

After pairing, you will need the HeyMelody app for controlling the rest of the experience. This app shares the same simple design philosophy as the earbuds' design. It offers two screens. The main screen shows the remaining battery life and has noise control, dual connection, equaliser, game mode, etc. The second screen offers touch controls, with plenty of customisable gestures for both the left and right earbuds. The earbuds also give Spotify Tap, which lets you quickly launch the streaming app. Since I primarily use Spotify, I liked this integration.

You can configure tap gestures to trigger an AI assistant, and there's also an AI-powered translation feature. These are nice to have.

OnePlus Nord Buds 4: Should you buy it?

If you simply compare specifications, the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 don't always come out on top. The Realme Buds Air 8 also edges ahead in areas such as sound detail, transparency mode and active noise cancellation. However, that doesn't mean the Nord Buds 4 is bad.

I had a comfortable experience using it over the past week. This includes the lightweight build of the earbuds, the compactness of the case, the comely finish of the earbuds and case, reliable battery life, dependable call quality, a breadth of touch controls, and a simple-to-use yet feature-rich HeyMelody app. The sound signature is also easy to listen to across different genres. Even here, you get customisation options so that you can choose based on your taste.

That matter of taste is what makes you choose between the Realme Buds Air 8 and the OnePlus Nord Buds 4. Listeners who enjoy picking apart every layer in a song may prefer the Realme Buds Air 8. Realme also offers a more aggressive noise cancellation and transparency mode. The differences are meagre, though, and if you are a casual listener, you would enjoy the OnePlus earbuds' sound too.

And that brings us back to the question posed at the beginning of this review. When almost every pair of earbuds under Rs 4,000 promises the same features, what really matters is how those features come together in everyday use. The OnePlus Nord Buds 4 may not win every technical comparison, but they are comfortable, reliable, feature-rich and consistently enjoyable to use. So, at Rs 3299, you can consider them as your next TWS earbuds if you like a warmer and more relaxed sound profile.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar stories.

Also Read: Huawei FreeBuds SE 4 review: Should you buy these TWS earbuds under Rs 6000?

I type... a lot. And my workspace, (just like many other writers), has a hard time staying clean. Okay, let’s say I may be having a hard time keeping it clean, but that isn't what we need to focus on. What we do need to focus on is the reason behind all that clutter. Endless gadgets, chargers, external drives, cables and all the other accessories that somehow always end up scattered here and there. So when I got the opportunity to review the new Asus AIO (All-in-One), I couldn't help but wonder if this could finally give me a cleaner, more organised workspace. And after using this as my primary work machine for over a week, I can say that it does its job flawlessly.

Unlike a traditional desktop, there isn't a bulky CPU tower sitting under the desk or a dozen cables running in every direction. The PC is built right into the monitor stand, making the setup look far cleaner than what I'm used to. Now, of course, good looks alone aren't enough, especially when the Asus AIO comes with a price tag of Rs 1,11,990. So, does this device deserve your hard-earned money? Let us find out.

Also read: Asus Zenbook S14 review: Premium style at a premium price

Asus AIO: Specs, setup and installation

Before we delve deeper into the review, here is a quick look at what the device offers: 

Setting up and installing the Asus AIO was super quick and easy. All you need to do is take the AIO out of the box, connect it to a power source and press the power button located on the right edge of the monitor stand and connect its receiver to a USB-A port at the back of the monitor. Once the PC powers on, simply switch on the wireless mouse. The bundled keyboard doesn't come with a dedicated power button and automatically pairs with the system during the setup process.

Once this is done, it's the usual Windows setup. You'll be asked to connect to a Wi-Fi network, sign in with your Microsoft account and complete a few basic setup steps before reaching the main desktop screen. The entire process took me around 15 minutes from unboxing to getting started. And since there are hardly any cables to deal with, it all looks super clean. You also don't have to spend time connecting a separate CPU, monitor or speakers. Everything is ready to go within minutes, making the Asus AIO one of the easiest desktops I've ever set up.

Asus AIO review: Design and build 

Asus has been really smart with the design here. The entire PC is inside the monitor stand, which means it takes up less space and gives you a much cleaner desk. And trust me, if your workspace gets messy as quickly as mine does, you'll love this.

Another thing I loved is that despite everything being packed inside, this thing isn't ridiculously heavy. I was able to take it out of the box and set it up on my work desk all by myself. So if you ever need to move it between rooms or offices, it isn't going to be a huge task.

But, I also want to mention about something most brands don't really get enough credit for: the ports. And Asus has done a great job here. At the back of the monitor, you get an HDMI port, Ethernet, and three USB Type-A ports. And the ports you'll probably use every day, like the USB Type-C port and the headphone jack, are placed on the left side of the monitor stand. That means if you quickly want to plug in your headphones or connect an external device, you don't have to reach behind the monitor every time awkwardly. 

With that said, one thing that I did miss here was the height adjustment option. You can tilt the monitor to find a comfortable viewing angle, but that's about it. If your desk or chair sits a little higher or lower than usual, you might have to rely on a monitor stand or adjust your seating position to get the screen exactly where you want it.

But overall, the monitor itself feels premium and well-built, has a reassuring weight to it, and nothing feels flimsy. 

Asus AIO review: Keyboard and mouse

The Asus AIO comes bundled with a wireless keyboard and mouse. Starting with the keyboard, this is a full-sized 104-key layout, so you get a dedicated number pad and all the standard keys. And the typing experience is actually pretty decent. The keys are responsive and comfortable, once you get used to them. Personally, I come from a MacBook Air, so it definitely took me a day or so to get used to this Asus AIO. But once I adjusted, I had absolutely no issues writing long stories throughout the day.

As for the mouse, performance-wise, it is completely fine and does its job well. Clicks are responsive, tracking is accurate, and the scroll wheel feels smooth. My only complaint here is, well, the size. During my usage, my wrist kept touching my desk continuously. The mouse simply felt like it was too small. Now it was not so uncomfortable that I wanted to stop using the mouse altogether, but I definitely would've preferred a slightly larger mouse.

Also, while both accessories work well, they don't really feel like accessories that come with a PC costing over Rs 1 lakh. A little more premium look and feel would've completed the package.

Asus AIO review: Display, webcam and speakers 

The Asus AIO gets a 24-inch touchscreen IPS panel. And the first thing you'll notice here is the slim bezels. These don’t just enhance the overall feel but also give you a little more usable screen space. Now, the touchscreen here might appeal to some users, but as for me, I only kept accidentally closing important tabs while adjusting the viewing angle of the monitor.

The good thing is that this display comes with a matte finish, which means that reflections here are never a problem. I was able to work here comfortably even when I was sitting under those bright office lights. And that is a huge advantage. 

Brightness is another area where the display performs well. In fact, I spent most of my time using it at about 40 per cent brightness. Turning it all the way up to 100 per cent felt a little too bright for my eyes, so I never really needed to push it that far. 

As for the webcam, it's decent enough for everyday use. Whether it's Teams meetings, Zoom calls or catching up with colleagues, it gets the job done without any major complaints. It's not going to blow you away with image quality, but for a work-focused machine, it does exactly what's expected.

The speakers, on the other hand, were a pleasant surprise. I watched the trailers for Assassin's Creed Resynced and Marvel's Wolverine, and the audio sounded clear throughout. Dialogues were easy to hear, and action scenes had enough depth to make them enjoyable. Now, of course, these won't replace a dedicated pair of speakers. But for attending meetings and casual content consumption, the speakers are more than enough.

Asus AIO review: Performance and benchmarks

Now you could do everything right on a desktop, but it means very little if the performance isn't there. And thankfully, that is not the case with the Asus AIO. This machine is super responsive, and day-to-day performance was never an issue during my time with it. Running multiple apps, keeping around 20 Google Chrome tabs open, or working across Microsoft Office apps, the PC never felt like it was struggling. Everything remained smooth, even during long work sessions. 

I also ran several benchmark tests on the Asus AIO, and here’s how it went.

In the PCMark Applications test, the Asus AIO scored 12,942 points overall, including 7,041 in Word, 20,731 in Excel, 12,815 in PowerPoint and 15,001 in Edge. So if your work revolves around Microsoft 365, this machine is more than capable.

Moving on to Geekbench, it scored 2,121 in single-core and 10,587 in multi-core. In Cinebench R23, the machine scored 5,207 points in the multi-core test and 968 in the single-core test. And in the 3DMark Night Raid test, the Asus AIO managed 16,238 points.

Should you buy the Asus AIO?

So… coming to the Rs 1 lakh question: should you get the Asus AIO for your home or office setup? Simply put, if you're someone who wants a desktop without a bulky tower and messy cables, this machine is built for you. It looks clean, saves up space, and comes with excellent performance and display for everyday work. 

Granted, at Rs 1,11,990, this isn't exactly an affordable desktop. Especially when previous Asus All-in-One PCs have been available for almost half that amount. So yes, you're paying a premium. But if you have the budget and want a clean, clutter-free desktop that performs well for office work and everyday use, the Asus AIO checks all boxes.

Also read: Asus ExpertBook Ultra review: Built for business, not attention

My old air conditioner had stopped cooling properly, and with Delhi's unforgiving summer around the corner, I was already planning to replace it. Around the same time, Godrej sent over its new Magnus 2026 air conditioner for review. This particular model packs a slightly larger 1.6-ton capacity than a typical 1.5-ton AC, carries a 3-star energy rating under the latest BEE norms, and adds features such as 5-in-1 convertible cooling and smart app connectivity. At Rs 39990, it also competes in one of the busiest price segments in the market.
On paper, it promises stronger cooling than most similarly priced 1.5-ton models without asking buyers to spend significantly more on a premium 5-star AC. But specifications rarely tell the full story. After using it through Delhi's peak summer, here's what the Godrej Magnus gets right, and where it still leaves room for improvement.

Godrej Magnus 2026 AC: Design and installation

The indoor unit has a clean, industrial design, and unlike most white indoor units that are designed to disappear into the background, the grey finish makes the Magnus stand out. On the right side, there is a small rectangular black display that offers some nice contrast to the rest of the body. Even when the display is on, there are only minimal LED indicators for temperature, cooling modes, timer counter, etc. Overall, the design looks urban but not necessarily fancy.

Build-wise, too, it seems built for long-term use rather than showroom appeal. Godrej uses copper for both the condenser and evaporator, instead of mixing copper and aluminium. That's a welcome decision because copper is easier to repair and generally holds up better over the years of use. The Blue Fin coating on the coils should also help if you live in a coastal city or an area with high pollution, where corrosion often shortens an AC's lifespan.

The remote feels sturdy, although it's slightly larger than those bundled with most ACs. It includes dedicated buttons for almost every function, so you rarely need to dig through menus. Despite its size, the curved edges make it comfortable to hold, and most buttons are within easy reach. My only complaint is the lack of a backlight, which makes using it in a dark room a little inconvenient.

As for the installation experience, the Godrej technicians carried out the setup smoothly. One of the technicians also demoed what each of the remote functions/buttons means. Like most brands, Godrej charges separately for the outdoor unit stand and any additional installation materials, such as extra copper piping or cable, if required.

Also Read: Hisense Intelli Cool Pro 1.5 ton AC review: Reliable cooling with reasonable smarts

Godrej Magnus 2026 AC: Performance, efficiency and noise

Instead of the usual 1.5-ton capacity found in this price range, Godrej AC has a 1.6-ton configuration with a 5200W capacity. The AC is also designed to continue cooling even when outdoor temperatures climb above 50°C, something that's becoming increasingly relevant in many parts of northern India during peak summer.

My room is on the first floor of a 4-storey building and receives harsh afternoon sunlight. The AC did a fair job in bringing the room temperature to the desired Celsius. Most of the time, I was running it up to 28°C only. The room will get quite cool at 26 or 25°C.

The AC also features four-way air swing, and you can direct the horizontal and vertical swing using the dedicated buttons on the AC remote. The airflow is also well controlled and reaches across my 150 sq ft room. By the way, Godrej claims a 190 sq ft coverage. The throw was even, as reflected in our temperature gun test. In the test, the AC took around 13 minutes to bring the wall temperature down from 32°C to the set temperature of 28°C. All the walls in the room took approximately 19 minutes to reach that temperature.

For most everyday use, the Godrej Magnus remains impressively quiet. The indoor unit only becomes noticeably louder when Turbo mode or the highest Convertible mode is activated.

Furthermore, if you want the AC's cooling output to match the weather outside, you can enable the required convertible mode. This reduces power consumption when full cooling isn't required. The Magnus is rated at around 4.40 ISEER, placing it among the better-performing 3-star options currently available. During my testing, daily usage ranged from around 1.8 kWh on lighter-use days to just over 4 kWh on hotter days, which is in line with what I'd expect from a 1.6-ton inverter AC cooling a sun-facing room in Delhi.

Godrej Smart Life app and features

The Godrej Smart Life app gives you essential control over the AC from your phone. You can adjust the temperature, change cooling and convertible modes, schedule operation by time and temperature and monitor electricity usage without using the remote.

By the way, the AC provides the following convertible modes. You can choose them depending on your cooling needs, and the more capacity used, the more electricity is also consumed.

• C5: 110% cooling capacity
• C4: 100% cooling capacity
• C3: 80% cooling capacity
• C2: 50% cooling capacity
• C1: 40% cooling capacity

Like most modern ACs, the Magnus includes an anti-dust filter and a self-cleaning function. Don't get them wrong. Neither is a replacement for an air purifier, but both are meant to keep the AC internals free from dust, mould and smell. Still, routine manual maintenance is recommended to keep the filter clean.

The remote has more options like the i-Sense mode, which lets the AC adjust cooling as per the temperature in the area of the remote. So, while sleeping in a big area with the AC remote next to you, this feature can help you have a comfortable sleep, as even a small difference in room temperature can affect sleep.

These features are genuinely useful rather than gimmicky.

Should you buy Godrej Magnus 2026 AC?

If you're shopping in the Rs 40,000 price range, the Godrej Magnus (19M3TG) delivers where it matters most. It offers reliable, quiet, and even cooling, with its 1.6-ton capacity, 5-in-1 convertible modes and four-way swing. Most days, I found 27 or 28°C was enough to keep my room comfortable when the outside temperature was intense.

If you have a moderate use in mind, then the 3-star rating shouldn't be a deal-breaker either. Under the latest BEE norms, efficiency standards are much stricter than before, and unless you plan to run the AC for 10 to 12 hours every day throughout the summer, spending considerably more on a 5-star model may not result in meaningful savings for several years.

The AC also includes useful everyday features such as i-Sense, self-cleaning, an energy consumption monitor and timer functions. But, if a polished smart home experience is high on your priority list, then note that the Godrej AC doesn't include smart assistant support and better IoT standards like Matter.

So, overall, the Godrej Magnus AC gets the fundamentals right. It performs well, is fairly efficient, and has a reassuring warranty package of up to 10 years. If your priority is dependable cooling rather than the smartest connected features, you can consider it in the Rs 40,000 segment.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar stories.

Also Read: Mova E40 Ultra review: A reliable robot vacuum cleaner under Rs 50000

If you are in the market looking for a smartphone, then you might already know that you are no longer short of options, specifically if you are considering some device in the mid-range segment. Why? In the past few years, the sub-Rs 20,000 and sub-Rs 30,000 categories have become quite competitive, with brands constantly trying to outdo each other with better cameras, larger batteries, brighter displays, and longer software support. Of course, this makes standing out in a segment increasingly difficult, but the good thing is that consumers have more choices. Adding to the choice is the new Samsung Galaxy A27.

But at the same time, manufacturers are dealing with their own challenges. Rising memory prices, increasing component costs, and supply chain troubles have quietly affected the decisions brands make behind the scenes. The result? A market where meaningful upgrades are becoming harder to deliver without pushing prices upwards. Every new launch now carries a bigger question: what exactly is new enough to justify your attention?

Which brings us back to Samsung’s newest A series device, the Galaxy A27. This will be a 2026 model for the mass market, and it comes with a Snapdragon chipset, improved durability and a handful of upgrades. On paper, it certainly sounds like a sensible package and why not? The Galaxy A series has been one of Samsung's strongest weapons in India, consistently appealing to buyers looking for a balance between brand value, reliability and features.

But the question is, does Samsung's latest mid-ranger bring enough to the table to justify its place in this crowded segment? Or is it simply another smartphone trying to keep pace with rapidly rising expectations? Here is what I think.

Samsung Galaxy A27: Display and design

Starting with the best segment, the display. It comes with a 6.7-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display featuring a 120Hz refresh rate and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection. On paper, it checks most of the boxes that I expect from a modern mid-range smartphone: large screen, smooth to hover around and durable.

In day-to-day usage, the display delivers exactly what you would expect from a Samsung panel. The colours are good and vibrant, blacks are deep, and contrast levels remain excellent across different viewing experiences. So, if you are watching movies, streaming web series, scrolling through Instagram or the web, you will like it.

The animations are fluid, scrolling is smooth and multitasking across apps is also responsive. And of course, One UI gets credit here. The optimisation and features offer a good experience.

During our testing, the panel reached around 1,340 nits in High Brightness Mode, which is sufficient for comfortable outdoor visibility even under harsh sunlight. Text remains readable, and content retains its punch without requiring users to constantly seek shade.

But… Yes, there is always a but. Competitors in this segment, such as the Motorola Edge 70 Fusion, offer curved OLED panels, higher 144Hz refresh rates, sharper 1.5K resolutions and even higher brightness levels at a similar price.

On pure specifications alone, Samsung's display does not necessarily lead the category. However, Samsung counters that with something equally important: durability. The Gorilla Glass Victus+ gives the Galaxy A27 an edge over its rivals. Still, for what it’s worth, many of its competitors in the segment are offering MIL-STD-810H military-grade certification. The Galaxy A27 doesn’t have that.

Coming to design, Samsung has adopted a familiar approach. The Galaxy A27 features a glass front and back protected by Gorilla Glass Victus+, paired with a plastic frame. It is 7.8mm thick, weighs 200 grams and feels substantial. It also gets an IP64 rating for dust and water resistance, an upgrade over its predecessor.

Samsung Galaxy A27: Performance

The Samsung Galaxy A27's performance is a classic case of Samsung prioritising balance over brute force. The smartphone is powered by Qualcomm's 4nm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset, which focuses on efficiency and delivering stable day-to-day performance. Samsung is also offering fast LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 3.1 storage, which means you get improved app loading times, multi-tasking efficiency and overall responsiveness.

Whether you're switching between social media apps, browsing with multiple tabs open, responding to emails, attending video meetings or streaming content, the Galaxy A27 handles these tasks comfortably. That said, performance enthusiasts will definitely notice that competitors are beginning to offer more aggressive hardware at similar price points. Devices in this price range come equipped with newer Snapdragon 7-series chipsets that deliver noticeably higher CPU and GPU performance.

Benchmark results place the Galaxy A27 firmly in the upper mid-range category. The device scored 884,477 points in Antutu and achieved 12,843 points in the PCMark Work 3.1 test, 964 and 2,878 points in Geekbench 6’s single and multi-core tests, respectively.

Gaming, however, is not the Galaxy A27's strongest area. Casual titles run comfortably, and lighter games present no issues, but demanding titles require reduced graphics settings to maintain smooth gameplay. During testing, the device averaged around 50-55fps on smoother graphics presets.

However, the Galaxy A27 gets an edge in software longevity. The device offers six years of software support, which is more than what any rival in the segment offers. Also, there are some Galaxy AI features, such as Google Gemini, Perplexity integration, Bixby, and real-time voice transcription, that genuinely come in handy.

Samsung Galaxy A27: Battery

Here, the Galaxy A27 faces tough competition. The device packs a 5,000mAh battery, which remains perfectly adequate for everyday use, but several rivals in this segment have moved towards larger battery capacities. Phones in the same price category, like the Motorola Edge 70 Fusion and Redmi Note 15, offer noticeably bigger batteries, giving them an advantage on paper.

In our PCMark Battery Life test, the Galaxy A27 lasted 12 hours and 8 minutes. While that is enough to comfortably get through a full day of regular usage, it falls short of some competing devices in the same price bracket. For moderate users, battery life should not be a concern, but power users may find themselves reaching for the charger sooner than expected.

The Galaxy A27 supports 25W wired fast charging and takes a little over 90 minutes to go from 0 to 100 per cent. More importantly, Samsung only includes a charging cable in the box, while some rivals offer faster charging solutions and bundle the adapter as well.

Samsung Galaxy A27: Camera

The Samsung Galaxy A27 comes with a triple-camera setup consisting of a 50MP primary sensor with Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), a 5MP ultrawide camera and a 2MP macro lens. On the front, it houses a 12MP selfie camera. If we look at the specifications alone, the company has opted for a practical camera setup.

In daylight conditions, the primary camera offers good results. Images are sharp, colours look natural, and dynamic range is generally good for the segment. The post-processing also avoids excessive saturation, and you get more balanced and realistic visuals. I took some portraits as well, and the results were equally impressive. Skin tones appear natural, exposure is handled consistently, and edge detection remains reliable even around more challenging subjects such as curly hair. The background blur is software-generated, but the transition between subject and background looks smooth enough to avoid appearing artificial.

Close-up photography is one of the stronger aspects of the main camera. Flower and product shots benefit from good detail retention, accurate colours and natural depth. The camera is capable of producing images that look visually appealing without relying heavily on aggressive processing.

The ultrawide sensor is also useful for taking landscapes or group shots. However, it does show some limitations. Detail levels are lower than the primary camera, and some softness is visible around the edges.

Low-light performance is surprisingly decent. The primary sensor manages light sources well, retains decent detail and controls noise better than expected. The shots take indoor maintain a good balance between highlights and shadows.

Check out some camera samples

All in all, the Galaxy A27 offers a decent camera experience for everyday photography. But if you are specifically looking for a camera-centric smartphone that takes some brilliant social-media-ready photos, I’d suggest checking out the Motorola Edge 70 Fusion as well.

Samsung Galaxy A27 verdict: Should you buy it?

The Samsung Galaxy A27 is a device that plays around the traditional strengths. In the segment where brands are competing aggressively with larger batteries, fast charging, more powerful chipsets and increasingly ambitious cameras, Samsung has offered a more balanced approach focused on reliability, software longevity and everyday usability.

The display is among the strongest assets that offer vibrant colours, deep blacks and a smooth experience that buyers have come to expect from Samsung's AMOLED panels. The camera system is also decent and offers natural-looking photos with good dynamic range and consistent portrait performance. And yes, the clean One UI experience, useful AI features and six years of software support add weight to the package.

However, the phone is not without compromise. The performance is good for everyday tasks, but enthusiasts may ask for more. Battery life and charging speeds are also adequate rather than class-leading.

So, the Galaxy A27 is not the most exciting phone in the segment, but I would say it is definitely one of the safest choices. If you are somebody who prioritises software support, reliability, a polished user experience and a decent camera, you won’t go wrong with this.

I recently reviewed the Mova E40 Ultra, a robot vacuum cleaner priced at Rs 47999. Around the same time, I also received the Dreame L50S Pro Ultra for review, which costs Rs 79999. On paper, the Dreame promises higher 30,000Pa suction, hotter mop washing, more advanced camera-assisted navigation and even pet monitoring. But do these features make a meaningful difference in everyday use, or are they simply nice additions to an already capable robot vacuum? Well, you would get a noticeably better ownership experience, but not in the way you'd expect. Here's what I mean.

Verdict

The Dreame L50S Pro Ultra doesn’t just clean for you, it is also convenient to use. It quietly takes care of everyday floor cleaning, navigates obstacles more confidently and automatically takes care of much of its own maintenance. It struggles with sticky stains, but those are minor compromises. At Rs 79999, it offers a refined, largely hands-off ownership experience and is a strong choice for anyone looking to buy a premium robot vacuum.

Powerful, quiet and quick cleaning

While the higher suction power of the Dreame L50S Pro Ultra cleaned stains better than the Mova E40 Ultra, there isn't a dramatic difference. The floors didn't suddenly become cleaner. In fact, I found the experience very comparable since both Mova and Dreame belong to the same ecosystem.

Compared to a competing product in the same price range, the Dreame vacuum cleaner used less water while mopping, but took longer or more cycles to clean some tomato ketchup stains. It is fairly fast at its job, cleaning the perimeter first and then the area within in an S-shaped pattern.

You just need to give it commands through the app, and the machine is intelligent enough to work without further intervention. It follows its route, cleans the area, returns to the dock for refilling water, charging itself or clearing the dust and dirty water. It automatically empties its dustbin, refills its onboard water tank, washes the mop pads with hot water, dries them with hot air and even dispenses detergent automatically after you fill the dock's detergent tank. These are the quality-of-life features that make living with the robot easier over time.

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

The L50S Pro Ultra is also one of the quietest robot vacuums I've used. Even while vacuuming, it never became noisy enough to interrupt conversations or distract me while working. It gets noticeably loud when the dock empties the dustbin or dries the mop pads, but those tasks don't last long and are easy to ignore.

That doesn't mean it's flawless. Sticky stains still needed two or three cleaning cycles before disappearing completely. It sometimes fails to clean hair follicles, and also, since it is bound to a pattern, if there are obstructions, it may not always clean perfectly.

But for everyday dust, footprints and loose debris, the robot was consistently reliable enough that I rarely had to think about whether the floors had been cleaned.

Familiar design and feature-rich app

The L50S Pro Ultra sports a circular design with a height of 10.38 cm, and when combined with the docking station, neither is too heavy. So, you can move them around easily, if required. The build quality looks and feels decent. Only after long-term use will we know how durable the robot and its various components are.

Setting up the robot took only a few minutes. As expected, you'll need a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connection, and the first mapping run is mandatory before you can start using room-specific features. The mapping process itself was quick and accurate, and I didn't face any problems during setup.

Post that, I was mainly using the vacuum cleaner to clean by rooms and rarely by zones. Within the Dreamehome app, you get customisation options for room-specific cleaning routines, schedules, suction levels and virtual boundaries.

The Dreamehome app is feature-rich. On the home screen, you can see the current battery and operation status, the camera feed option, and quick commands to start cleaning, charging, etc.

Most other features are tucked away under different menus. So, the interface looks clean, and only when you dig deeper will you explore the many customisation options and other settings. If it feels overwhelming, you can use shortcuts for personalised cleaning based on your preferences or widgets on your phone's homescreen. Also, while comparing the L50S Pro Ultra with a competitor, I found Dreamehome's UI isn't the fastest. So, the widgets and shortcuts can come in handy.

Smart robot with a camera

The L50S Pro Ultra navigates around the house with very little hesitation. Thanks to its combination of LiDAR, AI-powered obstacle recognition and a front-facing camera, it avoids objects on its path, mostly. During testing, it correctly recognised a polypropylene carton strap and ignored it, while another robot vacuum tried to suck it in. It also successfully avoided a loose cable piece that another competing robot vacuum swallowed completely.

The Dreame L50S Pro Ultra is also equipped with a camera that is more useful than I expected. Being able to check on the house while away is surprisingly reassuring remotely. If you have pets, the feature becomes even more useful because you can locate them through the app, view a live feed and even interact with them remotely. It's not something you'll use every day, but when you need it, you'll be glad it's there.

Moreover, thanks to the EasyLeap Obstacle Crossing, the robo wheels can let it climb small elevations of up to 40mm.

But it isn't as smart as an adult human, and also, its confident movements can sometimes seem too hasty. One example is when it is done with the cleaning, it usually moves quickly back to the dock, and during this, we saw it bumping into some corners. Even though the brand claims the L50S Pro Ultra can detect over 220 obstacle types, we suggest you don't keep delicate objects on its path.

Another thing worth noting is that if you change the base station's location, the robo cleaner will lose its way back home. Even if the dock is kept closer to it, it will seem clueless. This is even with all the sensors and the RGB camera in place. This isn't a fault per se. It is by design meant to follow the map it has of the floor area. If you decide to change the dock's location, you are advised to map the place again before starting cleaning.

So long as the dock is at the mapped place and there aren't many obstacles on its path, the L50S Pro Ultra quietly does its job and lets you get on with yours.

In case you are concerned about privacy, note that camera access can be locked behind a password. And if you don't want it at all, you can turn the live camera off within the settings. We have asked the brand how it processes the data collected.

One feature I did miss was regional language voice prompts. For those who are not comfortable with English, local language support would make the robot more approachable.

Should you buy the Dreame L50S Pro Ultra?

A premium robot vacuum cleaner like the Dreame L50S Pro Ultra primarily offers features that offer convenience and save your time. It strictly follows the commands, navigates around obstacles more confidently, quietly gets on with its job and automatically takes care of cleaning itself on the dock. Even features like the video camera are useful for pet monitoring or simple, real-time, two-way audio communication.

But like any robot, the Dreame vacuum cleaner isn't perfect. Sticky stains still require multiple rounds of cleaning. You'll also want to keep cables and delicate objects off the floor. Since it is a machine designed to follow commands and patterns, obstacles can interrupt its cleaning process. The Dreamehome app offers extensive customisation, but it isn't the fastest, and support for regional language voice prompts would have made the experience more accessible.

Even so, at Rs 79999, the L50S Pro Ultra strikes a sensible balance between dependable everyday cleaning, thoughtful automation and a polished software experience. If you're buying your first premium robot vacuum in this price segment, it's worth shortlisting. And if you're upgrading from a capable upper mid-range robot vacuum, you can expect slightly better cleaning, but more importantly, a refined, quieter and largely hands-off ownership experience.

Also Read: Livpure Lotier review: Best water purifier under Rs 20000?

Huawei remains one of the biggest names in consumer technology globally, but geopolitical restrictions have kept its presence in India relatively quiet over the past few years. Now, the company is gradually making its way back with products like the FreeBuds SE 4 and the more premium FreeBuds 7i. I received the Huawei FreeBuds SE 4 for review. The company promises long battery life, active noise cancellation, AI-backed call clarity and a lightweight design. These aspects matter a lot in modern TWS use. But India's TWS market is now filled with great options, even in the sub-Rs 6,000 price range. 

After using the Huawei FreeBuds SE 4 for a few weeks, I have the answer to whether the product stands a chance in this market. Here’s my full review.

Huawei FreeBuds SE 4: Familiar but functional design

The Huawei FreeBuds SE 4 case looks quite similar to the AirPods Pro. The only easy giveaway, setting it apart from the Apple TWS, is the Huawei branding on the back of the case. But even that gets hidden by your palm most of the time. Despite that, whether you prefer the resemblance or not, one thing’s for sure: the Freebuds SE 4 will provide you with a comfortable fit. They're light and stay securely for hours, which matters when you are out and about. The compactness of the case allows for easy portability.

Since the FreeBuds SE 4 are IP54 rated against dust and water splashes, I confidently wear them while washing my face or while striding through the dusty, humid Delhi summers. And overall, comfort is one of the biggest strengths of these TWS earbuds.

Huawei FreeBuds SE 4: Balanced sound, workday battery

The Huawei FreeBuds SE 4 doesn't chase an exaggerated sound profile, and I like it for that. The tuning is fairly balanced and open. Bass has enough presence to make hip-hop music like Rockstar by DaBaby and Fell In The Sun by Big Grams enjoyable. Each song gets the befitting bass treatment. 

Vocals come through clearly, and instruments remain distinct in most songs. It's an easy sound signature to listen to. Even high notes offer decent details. But at high volume, in certain tracks, voices, and higher frequency notes sounded slightly shrill. Still, for most everyday content, the FreeBuds SE 4 perform well.

At around 80% volume, the Freebuds SE 4 ran for 7 hours and 36 minutes on a single charge. That's below what some of its competitors could manage. Still, the buds can bear through a regular workday.

Huawei FreeBuds SE 4: Effective ANC, useful awareness

Huawei includes up to 24db active noise cancellation in the FreeBuds SE 4, which works effectively at reducing constant background sounds. Sudden, unpredictable sounds can still seep in. The FreeBuds SE 4 couldn’t dampen wind noises, though. And the general noise cancellation is a bit weaker compared to the likes of Realme Buds Air 8.

Also Read: Realme Buds Air 8 Pro review: Expressive and easy to recommend

The Awareness mode works well for everyday use. It lets you hear your surroundings clearly, and conversations sound fairly natural, so I rarely felt the need to remove the earbuds to speak with someone.

Call quality was acceptable for everyday voice and video calls. The lightweight design also made the Freebuds SE 4 comfortable to wear during longer conversations.

Huawei FreeBuds SE 4: A major shortcoming

My biggest gripe with the Huawei FreeBuds SE 4 is that it lacks convenience features that are common in most TWS earbuds these days. It doesn’t come with wear detection and Bluetooth multipoint.

There is also no official companion app to check any of the earbuds’ settings in India. An app is a standard aspect of any gadget experience, and the absence of it means you have to stick with the touch gestures and sound profile you get out of the box. No app to customise these things.

However, that may not bother users who simply want to listen to music and are happy with the out-of-the-box experience. But for anyone used to the app experience offered by modern TWS brands, it feels like an odd omission.

Huawei FreeBuds SE 4 verdict: Should you buy it?

The Huawei FreeBuds SE 4 gets the basics right. It is comfortable enough to wear for long hours, delivers balanced sound that suits everyday listening, offers effective ANC for routine use, and the battery easily lasts through a workday. The responsive touch controls and useful Awareness mode also add to the overall experience.

However, the lack of an official companion app in India is difficult to ignore. At a time when even affordable TWS earbuds let you tweak the sound profile, customise gestures and receive firmware updates through an app, the FreeBuds SE 4 feels a step behind.

If you simply want a comfortable pair of earbuds with balanced sound and don't mind sticking with the default experience, the Huawei FreeBuds SE 4 is worth considering. But if you like fine-tuning your audio or want a richer software experience, you'll find stronger alternatives in the sub-Rs 6,000 segment.

Also Read: Moto Buds 2 review: Impressive value with a few inconsistent features

Colorful has built a substantial presence in the graphics card market, particularly across Asian markets, we even reviewed their laptops as they’d introduced them to the Indian market. However, its motherboards have generally remained less visible than competing products from ASUS, ASRock, Gigabyte and MSI. The iGame X870E VULCAN OC V14 is an attempt to change that perception. Rather than producing another broadly equipped X870E gaming motherboard, Colorful has developed a platform with a clear emphasis on competitive overclocking, DDR5 memory tuning while targeting AMD’s Ryzen X3D processors.

The fact that this is a top-tier premium model is immediately apparent from the hardware. The board uses just two DDR5 DIMM slots, reducing the electrical load placed on the memory controller and improving signal integrity at very high data rates. It also provides an external clock generator, physical base-clock adjustment buttons, onboard voltage measurement points, Safe Boot and Retry buttons, LN2 and Slow Mode switches, dual BIOS chips and an unusually substantial 18+2+2-phase power-delivery system. While the above mentioned features do position the iGame X870E VULCAN OC V14 as an open-bench overclocking board, it’s got a lot of connectivity options to broaden its appeal. Five M.2 slots, three of which support PCIe 5.0 x4 drives, sit beneath extensive aluminium cooling plates. Networking is propped up by 5GbE and Wi-Fi 7 options, while the rear panel includes two USB4 ports. A configurable onboard LCD, 60W front-panel USB-C charging support and an ALC1220 audio implementation with an ESS DAC further broaden its appeal.

This combination makes the VULCAN OC unusual as it attempts to retain the specialist hardware of boards such as the Gigabyte X870 AORUS Tachyon ICE and ASRock X870E Taichi OCF while looking and functioning more like a conventional flagship gaming motherboard. With a retail price standing at approximately Rs 1,23,000 in India, the board sits among, and to some extent above, some very well-established alternatives. Its value, therefore, depends less on basic Ryzen performance and more on whether its combination of memory overclocking, physical tuning controls, ample storage expansion and integrated display will prove their worth.

Packaging and contents

The packaging reflects the board’s flagship status. The large outer box uses the black and red visual language associated with Colorful’s iGame products, with angular artwork and prominent VULCAN branding rather than a conventional photograph of the motherboard. The presentation is more elaborate than the packaging accompanying most mainstream X870E boards, including an internal pop-up mechanism that reveals the board as the box is opened.

The VULCAN OC is a particularly heavy ATX board. Its large VRM heatsinks, M.2 armour, integrated display, backplate and numerous metal covers place considerably more stress on the PCB than a conventional motherboard design. The rigid packaging keeps the board from moving during transit and helps protect the LCD assembly.

Colorful has also supplied a comprehensive accessory bundle. It includes a USB flash drive containing drivers, operating manual and quick-start guides, stickers, a pair of gloves, a screwdriver kit, a Wi-Fi antenna and a graphics card support strut. Storage accessories include four SATA cables, additional thermal pads for the M.2 sockets, four M.2 standoffs and screws, and cable ties. Two three-pin ARGB extension cables are included for lighting installations, while two quick-connect front-panel adapters simplify the connection of a case’s power, reset and indicator cables. The front-panel adapters are especially useful because several onboard controls and headers are partially surrounded by the motherboard’s armour.

The gloves and screwdriver kit are not essential, but they fit the nature of the product. Much of the board is covered by dark metal, smoked plastic and semi-gloss surfaces that collect fingerprints quickly. There is no M.2 expansion card, external fan controller or separate RGB controller in the box. Given that five M.2 slots, eight fan headers and four addressable RGB headers are already integrated into the board, their absence is nothing serious to be talked about. 

Board layout

The iGame X870E VULCAN OC V14 uses a standard ATX footprint measuring approximately 305 x 245mm. It should consequently fit most modern mid-tower cases, although the thickness of the heatsinks, integrated backplate and right-side LCD assembly make it worth checking clearance around tightly positioned cable-routing cut-outs. A 10-layer black PCB forms the foundation of the board. Colorful says it uses a server-grade construction and an electroless silvering process intended to improve signal integrity. Only small sections of the PCB remain visible once the heatsinks and armour are installed. The result is a remarkably cohesive appearance, with the upper VRM assembly, lower M.2 covers, chipset heatsink and audio shroud forming an almost continuous black surface.

CPU socket and power connectors

The AM5 socket occupies the upper central section and supports compatible Ryzen 7000, Ryzen 8000 and Ryzen 9000 processors. Cooling compatibility is broadly identical to other AM5 motherboards, although large air coolers may partially conceal the upper heatsinks and make some of the nearby fan connectors harder to reach.

Two eight-pin EPS connectors are positioned along the upper-left edge. Only one is required for normal operation, while the second provides additional current capacity for heavily overclocked processors and sub-ambient benchmark configurations. Their location is conventional, but connecting both cables after the motherboard has been mounted in a compact case may be awkward. However, someone who’d likely spend Rs 1,23,000 on a motherboard would have put down an equally absurd amount for a versatile chassis that allows easy access from the top. 

A massive finned VRM heatsink surrounds the top and left sides of the socket. The two sections are linked by a heatpipe and covered by a smoked decorative shroud. Thin RGB strips follow the shape of the upper assembly, providing restrained accent lighting rather than illuminating the entire board.

Memory area

Only two DDR5 DIMM slots are fitted. They support up to 128 GB using two 64 GB modules, along with both AMD EXPO and Intel XMP memory profiles. Official memory limits vary by processor architecture. Colorful lists speeds beyond DDR5-8600 for Ryzen 9000 desktop processors, with considerably higher speeds possible when using Ryzen 8000 APUs and their stronger integrated memory controllers. The company has advertised support reaching DDR5-10000 and, under specific configurations, DDR5-10400.

The two-slot topology is a deliberate engineering decision rather than cost cutting. Each populated memory channel adds electrical load and routing complexity. Removing the second slot from each channel permits shorter, cleaner traces and makes it easier to tune memory at extreme frequencies. The compromise is reduced maximum capacity compared with four-slot X870E boards that can accept 192GB or 256GB.

The slots are reinforced and use single-sided locking tabs. The upper latches remain accessible when a graphics card is installed, although the lower ends of the modules sit close to the primary PCIe slot.

Surrounding the memory slots are several overclocking and diagnostic features. These include voltage measurement points for VDDCR, VDDIO, SoC and miscellaneous rails, four diagnostic LEDs and a two-character POST-code display. The LEDs provide a quick indication of whether a boot failure is related to the CPU, memory, graphics card or storage device, while the numerical display provides more precise diagnostic information.

Vulcan Smart Screen and onboard controls

The Vulcan Smart Screen is mounted vertically along the right side of the board, next to the memory slots and 24-pin power connector. It can display temperatures, frequencies, monitoring data, static graphics and animated content configured through iGame Center. Without a profile, it shows a splash screen during startup and may subsequently switch off rather than defaulting to a basic CPU temperature or clock-speed readout. This makes the initial experience less polished than it could have been.

Power, Reset and Retry buttons are integrated around the display assembly. They are clearly labelled and easy to reach on an open test bench. A graphics card release mechanism, called VGA Snap-fit, is also positioned in this area. It mechanically disengages the latch on the primary PCIe slot, reducing the need to reach underneath a large graphics card with a screwdriver.

The 24-pin ATX connector and an additional PCIe power connector sit beneath or beside the screen assembly. The additional connector is used to provide enough power for the internal USB-C header’s 60W Power Delivery function. Without it, the front USB-C connection remains usable for data but cannot necessarily deliver its full charging output.

Expansion slots and lane sharing

The primary expansion slot is reinforced and it supports PCIe 5.0 x16 operation with a conventional single-GPU configuration. A second full-length slot is attached to the chipset and electrically operates at PCIe 4.0 x4. The primary slot can be divided into an x8/x4/x4 arrangement. This permits CPU-connected lanes to be allocated to the two additional PCIe 5.0 M.2 sockets. Installing a drive in M.2_2 or M.2_3 reduces the graphics slot to PCIe 5.0 x8. That still provides bandwidth equivalent to PCIe 4.0 x16 and should not materially restrict current graphics cards in most workloads, but it is important for buyers expecting simultaneous x16 graphics and three fully connected Gen 5 SSDs. The secondary PCIe 4.0 x4 slot is suitable for capture cards, additional network adapters and storage controllers. Its position beneath the primary slot means it may be blocked by a graphics card using a four-slot or larger cooler.

Storage layout

Five M.2 sockets are distributed across the board. M.2_1, M.2_2 and M.2_3 support PCIe 5.0 x4 drives and connect to the processor. M.2_1 accepts drives up to 110 mm long, while the other two CPU-connected slots support the more common 80 mm format. The remaining M.2_4 and M.2_5 sockets operate at PCIe 4.0 x4 through the X870E chipset. Four SATA 6Gbps ports are also provided for conventional SSDs, hard drives and optical drives. RAID support varies by processor but includes the usual RAID 0, 1, 5 and 10 configurations where supported.

All five M.2 positions are covered by aluminium heatsinks. The primary drive has its own removable plate, while the lower sockets sit beneath larger sections of Colorful’s Vulcan Thermal Armor. The extensive coverage produces a clean appearance and spreads heat across a larger area, although accessing a lower SSD requires removing a comparatively large panel. The primary heatsink is not as thick as some dedicated vapour-chamber or tower-style Gen 5 SSD coolers. It should be adequate for most drives under normal desktop workloads, but sustained transfers from a high-power PCIe 5.0 SSD may still benefit from good case airflow.

Internal connectivity

The board includes eight four-pin fan or pump headers, supporting both PWM and DC control. Four addressable three-pin RGB headers are also present. Their distribution allows a case to be wired without relying entirely on external hubs, although some of the lower headers become harder to access after the graphics card and M.2 armour are installed. Internal USB connectivity consists of a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C header capable of 20Gbps transfers and up to 60W charging, a USB 3.2 Gen 1 header and two USB 2.0 headers. The latter remain useful for liquid-cooler controllers, power-supply interfaces, lighting hubs and other internal devices.

Additional controls along the lower edge include Safe Boot, BCLK increase and decrease buttons, BIOS selection, LN2 Mode, Slow Mode and lighting switches. Their placement makes sense for an open test bench but is less convenient once the motherboard is installed inside a conventional case with a graphics card covering part of the lower section.

Rear I/O

Rear connectivity is led by two USB4 Type-C ports operating at up to 40 Gbps. Both support DisplayPort Alternate Mode and can output up to 4K at 60 Hz when paired with a processor carrying integrated graphics. There is no dedicated HDMI or full-size DisplayPort connector, which may inconvenience troubleshooting situations where only a conventional monitor cable is available. The panel also provides four USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, four USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports and two USB 2.0 connections. A legacy PS/2 connector is included for keyboards or mice, particularly those used in competitive benchmarking environments where USB behaviour can occasionally become unpredictable at extreme settings.

Networking consists of a Realtek RTL8126 5GbE controller and a MediaTek Wi-Fi 7 module with Bluetooth 5.4. The Wi-Fi system supports the 6 GHz band and 320 MHz channels where regional regulations and the connected router permit them.Audio output is handled through analogue connections and an optical S/PDIF output. Clear CMOS, BIOS Flashback and X3D tuning controls are also accessible from the rear, allowing several recovery and optimisation functions to be used without opening the case.

VRM details

The VULCAN OC V14 uses an 18+2+2-phase power topology. Eighteen phases are assigned to the processor cores, with the remaining stages serving the SoC and supporting voltage rails. At the centre of the design is a Renesas RAA229521 PWM controller. The Vcore phases use Renesas RAA2209004 smart power stages rated at 110A each. Multiplying the stage rating by the 18 Vcore phases produces a theoretical combined capacity of 1,980 A.

That number should not be interpreted as an amount of current that the CPU will actually consume. Power-stage ratings are measured under defined laboratory conditions and do not directly represent continuous motherboard output once temperature, efficiency, PCB resistance and cooling are considered. Even after those practical limitations are taken into account, however, the VRM has considerably more capacity than any mainstream AM5 processor requires under ambient cooling.

Power enters through the dual eight-pin EPS connectors and is distributed across the 10-layer PCB. The large number of layers assists current distribution while also allowing Colorful to separate high-speed memory and PCIe traces more effectively. The Vcore stages are cooled by two sizeable finned aluminium heatsinks connected by a heatpipe. Finned heatsinks provide more surface area than simple solid blocks, improving heat transfer when air moves through the upper part of the case. Thermal pads create contact between the stages, chokes and heatsink assembly.

We recorded VRM temperatures of approximately 59 degrees Celsius from the internal sensor and 53 degrees Celsius using an external measurement. These numbers are dependent on the kind of CPU you’ve got installed but they indicate that the VRM cooling system has ample thermal headroom for normal Precision Boost Overdrive tuning.

For an ordinary gaming system, the VRM is excessive. For the kind of open-bench tuning that the VULCAN OC is intended to support, it is appropriately specified and paired with a cooling design capable of using that capacity.

BIOS overview

Colorful’s UEFI opens in an Easy Mode interface with a black background, red highlights and white text. The presentation is readable and consistent with the physical board, although the layout and graphical elements look less refined than the current firmware interfaces used by ASUS, Gigabyte and MSI. Easy Mode presents the core information required during setup, including processor and memory detection, temperatures, fan behaviour, storage devices and boot order. A visual Main Panel shows an illustration of the motherboard and indicates which sockets or interfaces are populated. This provides a useful way to identify a missing drive or incorrectly seated component without manually checking every menu. Advanced Mode exposes the voltage, timing, frequency and platform settings required for detailed tuning. A hardware monitor remains visible alongside the main controls, allowing temperatures and fan speeds to be checked while adjustments are made. 

The BIOS includes standard AMD functions such as Precision Boost Overdrive, Curve Optimiser, memory timing controls, Infinity Fabric settings and load-line calibration. It also exposes the board’s external clock-generator controls and High-V mode for configurations requiring unusually high memory or processor voltages. The most prominent processor-specific feature is X3D A.I Turbo. When a supported Ryzen X3D processor is installed, the BIOS presents several automatic tuning profiles. There are Turbo modes 1 through 4, along with additional profiles that combine the second or third tuning mode with BCLK adjustment. The profiles range from relatively conventional PBO-style optimisation to more aggressive base-clock changes. There also an X3D High Frame Rate Mode that adjusts parameters such as the base clock and PBO behaviour. These options lower the barrier to experimenting with X3D tuning, but they do not remove the need to test stability. Raising the base clock can influence multiple buses and devices, depending on how the external clock generator and BIOS dividers are configured.

The physical BCLK increase and decrease buttons allow the base clock to be adjusted while a benchmark is running. This is particularly useful for competitive testing, where a system may only remain stable at its highest frequency for the duration of a light workload or final validation run. Safe Boot attempts to start the system using conservative settings without permanently erasing the saved configuration. Retry triggers another boot attempt, which is useful when memory training fails intermittently. Slow Mode reduces the processor frequency to help the system remain stable between benchmark runs, while LN2 Mode adjusts boot behaviour for operation at sub-zero temperatures.

Dual BIOS chips add a further layer of protection. A failed firmware update or unusable tuning configuration can be recovered by switching to the secondary chip. Each firmware chip has a 256-megabit capacity, equivalent to 32 MB. That is sufficient for current AM5 support, but it provides less room than the 64 MB chips appearing on some newer high-end motherboards. 

Fan control is available through the hardware-monitor section, with support for PWM and voltage-controlled devices. The controls are functional, though not presented with the same degree of visual clarity or guided configuration found on some established competitors. The BIOS therefore contains the functionality expected from an overclocking platform. Its weakness is presentation rather than depth. Experienced tuners should be able to locate the necessary options, but less experienced users may find the terminology and menu hierarchy less approachable than the automated interfaces available elsewhere.

Board software

Colorful’s principal Windows utility is iGame Center. It combines hardware monitoring, RGB control, device information and configuration of the Vulcan Smart Screen. The monitoring pages display processor, graphics, memory and system information, along with available temperature, utilisation and clock-speed readings. The software can also manage compatible Colorful graphics cards and other iGame components, allowing lighting effects to be synchronised across a system. 

Lighting control covers both the motherboard’s integrated RGB strips and devices connected to its four ARGB headers. Effects, brightness and synchronisation can be adjusted without returning to the BIOS. The Smart Screen configuration tool is the most important motherboard-specific part of the application. It can place temperatures, frequencies and other monitoring values on the display, while also supporting static images and animated graphics. Custom screen layouts can be assembled by combining multiple graphical elements. The implementation is flexible, but it is not particularly intuitive. Setting up a useful monitoring display requires more manual arrangement than expected, and the screen does not present a practical system-information layout by default. Some downloadable graphics and functions may also require an iGame account.

A gaming section attempts to estimate frame rates at 1080p, 1440p and 4K based on the detected hardware. The software also contains an AI section centred around animated pets and avatars rather than hardware optimisation. We don’t see the appeal here but there might be certain markets where this is a welcome feature. The software covers the essential monitoring, lighting and LCD functions, but it feels just as lacking as the software from all the other motherboard manufacturers..

Overclocking

The iGame X870E VULCAN OC V14 is built around overclocking in a way that most premium gaming motherboards are not. Its external clock generator, two-slot memory layout, physical tuning controls and recovery features provide tools that are difficult to justify on a mainstream system but valuable during competitive benchmarking. For daily operation, Precision Boost Overdrive and Curve Optimiser remain the most practical methods of extracting additional Ryzen performance. PBO raises the current and power limits available to the processor, while Curve Optimiser adjusts the voltage-frequency behaviour of individual cores or the entire CPU.

A negative Curve Optimiser value can reduce the voltage needed at a given frequency. This may lower temperature and allow the processor to sustain higher boost clocks within the same thermal and power envelope. Stability must be verified thoroughly, as an unstable curve may only produce errors during light, single-threaded or idle transitions rather than during an obvious all-core stress test. The board’s VRM does not meaningfully constrain this form of tuning. Cooling and processor quality will become limiting factors long before the 18 Vcore stages approach their rated capacity. The external clock generator provides another route. Increasing BCLK raises frequencies derived from the base clock and can offer additional performance on processors with limited multiplier adjustment. The rear X3D tuning button, BIOS profiles and onboard BCLK controls are particularly relevant to Ryzen X3D models, whose manual multiplier options have historically been more restricted than those of conventional Ryzen processors.

Colorful’s X3D A.I Turbo profiles provide several levels of automatic adjustment. Some rely primarily on PBO-style behaviour, while others combine the profile with base-clock increases. They offer a convenient starting point, although the most aggressive profile will not necessarily be stable with every processor, memory kit and cooling system. The board has demonstrated its credentials under extreme cooling. In March this year, an overclocker by the name “Takukou” used the VULCAN OC V14 to validate a Ryzen 7 9850X3D at approximately 7.410 GHz. He still retains the top position for the 9850X3D at 7.5 GHz but with an ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Apex. Merely the fact that this board managed to achieve such a high score and stand among established peers is commendable.

Memory overclocking is arguably the board’s more useful strength. The two-slot layout reduces trace complexity, while High-V mode, extensive timing controls and direct voltage measurement support detailed tuning. Safe Boot and Retry become valuable during memory tuning because failed training is common when timings or voltages are close to the edge. Safe Boot can recover the system without immediately discarding every saved value, while Retry allows another training attempt without cycling the power manually. And as mentioned previously, Dual BIOS support reduces the risk associated with experimental firmware or heavily modified settings. A stable firmware version can be retained on one chip while the other is used for newer releases or benchmark-oriented configurations. LN2 Mode and Slow Mode are irrelevant to ordinary cooling but demonstrate that the board was designed with input from competitive overclocking use cases. Slow Mode allows the processor to operate at a reduced frequency between test runs, helping a system remain stable while a benchmark is prepared. LN2 Mode modifies low-temperature boot behaviour and related protections.

The VULCAN OC therefore offers considerably more overclocking infrastructure than a typical premium X870E motherboard and it provides the controls, recovery mechanisms and electrical foundation needed to explore the limits of those components.

Value for money

Value is the most difficult aspect of the iGame X870E VULCAN OC V14. We could not find any listings for this motherboard but some estimates put it over USD 600 in international markets. In India, it’s going for an eye-watering Rs 1,23,000. At that level, buyers can consider models such as the Gigabyte X870 AORUS Tachyon ICE, ASRock X870E Taichi OCF and ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Dark Hero. The Gigabyte and ASRock boards have similarly clear overclocking identities, while ASUS offers a more polished firmware and software ecosystem alongside extensive premium connectivity. 

The board makes the strongest financial case when its specialist features are genuinely required. A user buying it specifically for high-frequency memory, BCLK tuning, X3D experimentation, multiple Gen 5 drives or competitive overclocking receives a substantial amount of relevant hardware. For a stock Ryzen gaming system with one graphics card and one or two SSDs, it is difficult to justify. Less expensive X870E and B850 motherboards can deliver virtually identical application and gaming performance, often with four memory slots and simpler software. It should therefore be judged as a specialist tool rather than a universal flagship. Its value is high for a narrow audience and comparatively poor for buyers who will leave most of its physical controls untouched.

Verdict

The Colorful iGame X870E VULCAN OC V14 is a convincing piece of motherboard engineering. Its 18+2+2-phase power system, Renesas 110A stages, 10-layer PCB, extensive VRM cooling and dual eight-pin CPU inputs give it enough electrical headroom for any current AM5 processor. The two-DIMM topology and detailed memory controls also make it a credible platform for pushing DDR5 well beyond normal Ryzen operating speeds. Colorful has avoided turning it into a single-purpose benchmark board. Five M.2 slots, USB4, 5GbE, Wi-Fi 7, 60W front USB-C charging, eight fan headers and a well-equipped audio section make it practical enough for a high-end gaming PC or workstation. The physical design is generally excellent and the accessory package includes most of the items required for a premium build.

Its weaknesses are concentrated around refinement and price. For competitive overclockers, memory enthusiasts and builders seeking an unusual black flagship with an integrated display, the iGame X870E VULCAN OC V14 is a capable and technically interesting choice. It has the hardware required to compete with established overclocking motherboards and has already shown that it can operate at extreme CPU and memory frequencies. For everyone else, it is more motherboard than the system is likely to need. Its performance at stock settings is appropriately strong, but not fundamentally different from a well-built board costing far less. The VULCAN OC earns its place through specialised tuning hardware, not through ordinary gaming benchmark scores. Nevertheless, Colorful has succeeded in producing a serious flagship motherboard. The remaining task is to bring its BIOS, Windows software, international availability and pricing up to the standard set by the physical board.

Almost nine years ago, in late 2017, Apple showcased what could have been the future of wireless charging. It was called AirPower, and it promised a single charging mat that could power an iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods simultaneously, no matter where they were placed. It was an ambitious idea that never saw the light of day, eventually getting cancelled in 2019 because Apple couldn't overcome the engineering challenges behind it. Since then, we've seen plenty of wireless chargers for individual devices, but very few companies have attempted to build an actual charging ecosystem. DailyObjects has now taken a shot at that idea with its new Node Wireless Charging Ecosystem. And, don’t get it wrong, it isn't Apple's AirPower reborn, nor is it trying to be. Instead, what I feel is that it offers something arguably more practical: a modular wireless charging system that works across brands and devices while keeping your workspace clean, organised and surprisingly elegant.

I've been using the DailyObjects Node Wireless Charging Ecosystem every day. Here's my experience and everything you need to know before deciding whether it's worth buying.

Also read: iPhone 17 Pro Max review: Brilliance at a price

What exactly is the DailyObjects Node Wireless Charging Ecosystem?

The first thing to understand is that the Node Wireless Charging Ecosystem isn't a single product. Think of it as a modular platform where you build your own charging setup depending on the devices you own. It starts with the charging dock. You can choose between a 2-in-1 Dock priced at Rs 2,999 or a 3-in-1 Dock that costs Rs 3,499. Once you've picked the dock, you can add whichever modules make the most sense for your setup.

The review unit sent to me by DailyObjects includes the 3-in-1 Dock along with four modules: the Wireless Charging Phone Stand (Rs 6,499), the Wireless Charging Disk (Rs 3,499), the Apple Watch Charging Stand (Rs 2,999) and the Portable Lamp (Rs 4,499). Put together, the complete setup costs a whopping Rs 20,995, which is certainly not cheap! In fact, it is probably the first thing you'll notice about the Node ecosystem. But unlike conventional wireless chargers that perform just one function, every module here is designed to do more than simply sit on your desk.

For instance, the Phone Stand supports Qi 2.2 certified 25W wireless charging and doubles as a portable power bank thanks to its built-in 7,800mAh battery. Lift it off the dock, and you have a battery pack ready to charge your MagSafe phone on another desk or even while travelling. Likewise, the Wireless Charging Disk can also be detached and used independently via its USB Type-C port, making it much more versatile than a permanently fixed charging puck. More on it in a bit.

All these charging modules support magnets, so they work extremely well with Apple devices, like the iPhone and the Apple Watch. And speaking of the watch, the Apple Watch Charging Stand offers 5W wireless charging, securely holds the watch in place and neatly integrates with the rest of the system.

Last but not least, there is the Portable Lamp, which may initially feel like an odd addition to a charging ecosystem, but I used it for a while, and it made sense on my bedside.

Living with the Node ecosystem every day

I've been using the Node ecosystem every single day, and it has become a permanent fixture on my work desk. My iPhone almost always sits on the Wireless Charging Phone Stand throughout the workday. The elevated design keeps the display easily visible in iPhone’s Standby Mode. I’m easily able to check notifications or glance at incoming calls. The magnetic alignment is also reassuringly strong, and portrait and landscape orientations work equally well.

Also read: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra review: King of the hill

The Wireless Charging Disk usually takes care of my TWS earbuds, but every now and then, I place my Galaxy S26 Ultra on it as well. Since it supports Qi2-compatible devices, switching between brands isn't really a problem, which is perhaps one of the biggest strengths of this ecosystem. You're not locked into Apple products.

The Apple Watch Charging Stand completes the trio. Instead of having three separate charging cables running across my desk, everything sits neatly on a single dock. In the process, my workspace feels cleaner, and surprisingly, that has been one of my favourite aspects of using Node. You don't realise how much cable clutter affects your desk until it disappears.

Another thoughtful touch is that every module docks magnetically through pogo-pin connectors. There's no plugging and unplugging individual cables every time you want to use one independently. Lift it off, use it elsewhere, and simply place it back when you're done.

More than just a wireless charger

The module that surprised me the most wasn't actually a charger. It was the Portable Lamp. After unboxing, I initially thought it would be an extra accessory bundled into the ecosystem to make it feel more premium. But after taking the Node setup home for a few days, I found myself using the lamp every evening. I placed it on my bedside table, and it instantly became both a functional light and a nice piece of decor. The warm lighting feels quite pleasant, making it ideal for winding down before bed. There are three brightness levels depending on your preference, while the built-in 2,600mAh battery is claimed to deliver enough runtime that even if it is undocked, it should be able to run for 2-3 evenings on a single charge, before you sleep.

But yes, just like the rest of the Node modules, it docks onto the charging station when needed and can also be charged independently through its USB Type-C port. You read that right. Even if you skip the charging dock altogether and simply want to buy individual modules for your desk because they look aesthetically pleasing, you can. Just plug them into a charging brick using a USB Type-C cable, and you're good to go.

That sums up the Node ecosystem rather well. Every module feels like it has been intentionally designed with utility in mind. The overall build quality also deserves praise. The aluminium construction, soft-touch finishes and magnetic docking mechanism all feel premium. The modules snap into place with satisfying precision, and everything feels sturdy enough to withstand daily use.

Of course, this is clearly a design-first product, but thankfully, it doesn't sacrifice practicality in pursuit of aesthetics.

Then there is the price...

As much as I've enjoyed using the Node ecosystem, recommending it comes with one major caveat: the price. As I already mentioned, the setup I have costs Rs 20,995, which is a considerable amount to spend on charging accessories. For that money, many people would rather upgrade their earbuds, or maybe buy a smartwatch or put it towards a new smartphone altogether.

Even if you choose fewer modules, this is still positioned as a premium accessory rather than an impulse purchase. And that's not necessarily a criticism because I don’t think DailyObjects is targeting everyone here. The Node ecosystem is aimed at people who appreciate well-designed desk setups, own multiple wireless charging devices and are willing to pay for convenience and aesthetics.

If you're someone who charges just one phone every night, this probably isn't the product for you. A regular Qi charger costing a fraction of the price will do the job just fine. But if your desk usually has an iPhone, a pair of wireless earbuds, a smartwatch and perhaps another Qi-compatible phone lying around, then the Node makes a lot of sense. I know it does for me. The convenience of having everything neatly organised in one place, while also being able to detach individual modules whenever required, is actually useful.

Daily Object Node Wireless Charging Ecosystem: Verdict

The DailyObjects Node Wireless Charging Ecosystem is probably the closest we've come to a mainstream wireless charging ecosystem since Apple abandoned the AirPower dream. It doesn’t solve the same engineering challenge faced by Apple, nor does it charge multiple gadgets on a single mat. Instead, it takes a modular approach, and that's a much more practical solution.

Is it expensive? Absolutely. Is it essential? Not really. But that's also not what DailyObjects is trying to build. The Node ecosystem is a premium lifestyle accessory that happens to charge your devices exceptionally well while keeping your workspace organised. If you're already invested in multiple wireless devices and care about having a clean, clutter-free desk without compromising on design, the Node ecosystem is easy to appreciate. It is not for everyone, but for the right audience, it is one of the most thoughtfully designed charging systems currently available.

Going for a job and ensuring your home stays prim and proper is a tough task. Even if there's a homemaker, then also, making sure your house remains clean is that one thing that takes time and multiple cycles of effort throughout the day. Initially, I thought of hiring a maid for this, but then, I got this robot vacuum cleaner called the Mova E40 Ultra, and even though all of us were initially sceptical regarding its performance, it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. That said, robot vacuum cleaners aren't a one-stop solution. And from my month-long experience, let me tell you how capable the titular vacuum cleaner is, where it falters and whether it still makes sense to invest in this Mova robot vacuum cleaner priced at Rs 47999.

Verdict

The Mova E40 Ultra isn't perfect, but it delivers where it matters. You get fairly accurate LiDAR mapping, dependable everyday cleaning, a feature-rich app and an all-in-one dock that make it easy to live with. It occasionally misses hair, struggles with stubborn stains, and some of its components aren't very durable. But even the way it is, it consistently keeps floors clean enough that manual cleaning becomes far less frequent. So, given you have the budget, at Rs 47,999, it's a compelling robot vacuum for households.

Mova E40 Ultra: Design and docking station

The Mova E40 Ultra, including the robot and its docking station, has a clean design: white in colour with minimal branding. This looks elegant, but it can attract dust on the surface. The robo-and-dock combo won't take up much space in your room, and you can easily move it around if needed, thanks to its plastic build, which feels fine for the most part.

The clean water tank, dirty water tank, and dust bag compartment, etc., slide in and out smoothly without feeling fragile. But after a month of usage, the bottom roller brush appears to have a crack. So, you may have to eventually replace items such as mop pads, roller brushes, filters and dust bags. This is something to factor into long-term ownership.

The Mova E40 Ultra is roughly 9.7cm tall and could comfortably travel underneath most of our beds and sofas, areas that are usually difficult to reach with handheld mops.

While the robot empties its dustbin, washes its mop pads, dries them using hot air and recharges itself after every cleaning session, you'll have to periodically clean the dirty water tank and refill the clean water tank. In our case, we were changing the water every 3 days and the dust bag once a month.

After several days of use, the washing tray also naturally accumulates dirt and muddy residue. So, the docking station itself also needs occasional cleaning instead of being forgotten in a corner.

Mova E40 Ultra: App and mapping

As long as you have a 2.4GHz WiFi connection, the setup through the Mova Home app should happen smoothly. After pairing it with my account and charging itself well, on its first run, it quickly mapped the room. The LiDAR does its job well. There is no video camera here. Still, the created map was impressively accurate. Before it begins, you need to ensure it has ample charge and there is no obstruction in the areas you want it to map.

I repeat, you must let it finish mapping the first time it runs. When I first unboxed the Mova E40 Ultra, I interrupted its mapping midway because it had become late in the evening. That turned out to be a mistake. Since the map remained incomplete, I later had to ask the robot to remap the house properly.

Coming to the Mova Home app, at first, its interface looked intimidating because of the sheer number of options available. Once you spend a day or two exploring the interface, everything starts making sense. I particularly liked that multiple members of the family can install the app on their own phones. My wife, my mom and I could control the robot independently on our phones.

But I won't lie. My parents still struggle to operate it without help. So, there's a learning curve.

Once you get the hang of it, there are plenty of customisable cleaning options. You can choose cleaning room-wise, zone-wise or the entire house/workspace. You also get vacuum-only mode, mopping, vacuuming followed by mopping, option to select suction levels, adjust water flow, define room-specific cleaning preferences and schedule automatic cleaning sessions. You can rename rooms, merge or split them, create no-go zones, define carpets, set cleaning sequences and even ask the robot to clean only specific rooms or custom areas.

One nifty feature smart home enthusiasts may appreciate is that you can also control the Mova E40 Ultra with Alexa, Siri and Google Home. Moreover, the robot itself has physical buttons on top for basic operations, like sending it home, cleaning where it's placed, and turning the robo-cleaner off. So, even if you don't have your phone with you, you can get it to do the essential cleaning this way.

This reminds me of one feature I missed, which was manual navigation inside the app. There were occasions when I simply wanted to steer the robot towards a particular spot, like a remote-controlled toy car. A virtual joystick would have aided this use case.

Mova also offers Android and iOS widgets, making certain actions quicker to access. You can also use shortcuts for even more granular customisation.

Also Read: Living with Nuuk rechargeable table fan: The gadget I did not know I needed

Mova E40 Ultra: Cleaning performance

The Mova E40 Ultra isn't intelligent enough to notice every dirty spot or decide that one area needs more attention than another. It cleans using planned movement patterns and won't be as smart or effective as human judgment. But, even if it takes some cycles, if there's no obstruction, those patterns get the job done eventually.

As a result, daily dust, footprints, hair follicles and loose dirt are cleaned well consistently throughout our testing. We seldom felt the need to clean the house afterwards. But it can't clean stubborn patches, and if some hair follicles and dust are missed by it, you'll just have to run zone-based cleaning.

Carpet cleaning produced mixed results. Sometimes, it was smartly identifying carpets and raising the mop for increasing suction-based vacuuming. The carpets looked noticeably cleaner afterwards. On a few occasions, however, the robot slightly caught onto the carpet while climbing over it before freeing itself and continuing.

Then there are occasional struggles with obstacles and the elevated feet of the pedestal fan in my room, and the tiny water droplets it leaves behind after mopping sometimes. These aren't big issues, but some rough edges I noticed.

And as I have mentioned already, you'll have to manually clean its washing tray, dust bag, water tank, and the surface of the robot vacuum cleaner and the docking station.

Mova E40 Ultra: Battery and noise

Cleaning our primary bedroom of roughly 150 square feet took about 16 minutes while consuming only 5 per cent battery in Max mode. These robots don't clean or consume battery linearly, and your testing scenarios could differ. Still, this suggests even larger apartments can comfortably be cleaned on a single charge.

For larger homes, the Mova E40 Ultra can automatically return to the dock, recharge and resume cleaning from where it stopped. It is designed to remain docked and plugged in, ensuring it's always charged and ready for the next scheduled cleaning. The app also shows battery level, cleaned area, cleaning history and time taken for every session, making it easy to understand how much work the robot has completed.

The robot gives voice prompts, which announce what it's doing, whether it's returning to wash its mop pads, charging or beginning a new cleaning task. They made it easy to know the robot's status, but if you find them distracting, you can simply mute them from the app.

The sound of suction is the loudest in Max+ mode. During standard vacuuming, the Mova E40 Ultra is audible but never distracting enough to interrupt conversations or television viewing in another room. Maximum suction is naturally louder, but since the robot is designed to clean while you're busy doing something else, it rarely becomes bothersome.

As for the mops' cleaning and drying, as well as the dust bag emptying, you'll hear momentary noise. But this noise doesn't last long.

Should you buy Mova E40 Ultra?

After a few weeks using it, my mother and wife had started calling the E40 Ultra, 'Mova beta', as if it had become another member of the family. That probably says more about the product than any specification sheet can. We stopped manually cleaning the floors. Mova beta did this job well, backed by features like impressively accurate LiDAR mapping, decent battery life, fairly reliable automation features, and a pretty useful and customisable app experience.

However, E40 Ultra's pattern-based cleaning isn't without flaws. It occasionally misses hair strands, struggles with stubborn dried stains, and obstacle avoidance isn't very sophisticated. The build quality wasn't very reassuring because of the way the roller brush got damaged. So, the long-time cost of ownership could go north of the asking price of Rs 47999, making it really pricey.

But if you can afford to pay, the Mova E40 Ultra still makes a compelling case. For what you are paying, the E40 Ultra strikes a sensible balance between features, performance and convenience. It may not clean every stain perfectly or work like a human, but it consistently keeps your home clean enough that manual cleaning becomes an occasional task rather than a daily one.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar stories.

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The smartphone market is going through something that we have not seen before. On one hand, we are seeing massive advancements in hardware, software and AI. On the other hand, rising component costs, memory prices and supply chain uncertainties have made the technology, which was supposed to be accessible, more expensive. This has made it difficult for brands to deliver compelling products without stretching budgets. While flagship devices have absorbed most of the heat, the mid-range segment is now slowly turning into the industry's battleground. Brands are now racing to offer better value, longer battery life and more 'premium experiences' without pushing prices, but honestly, they are just trying. And the latest try comes from OnePlus, which they are calling the OnePlus N6.

Right when you thought OnePlus had it all figured out. The number series commands the flagship space, and the Nord series commands the mid-range smartphone segment. What else can a company do? Well, with the launch of its mass-market N6 device, OnePlus now also wants to snatch the most accessible smartphone segment right now: the sub-Rs 20,000 price segment.

Interestingly, the word 'accessible' does not quite show the full picture here. The N6 carries much of the familiar OnePlus DNA, featuring a clean design, sturdy build, large battery and a feature set that appears far more ambitious than what its positioning might suggest. However, capturing the budget-focused smartphone segment is difficult. Competition is fierce, consumer expectations are higher than ever, and OnePlus itself is navigating through its most challenging phase in the Indian market.

So, does the OnePlus N6 have what it takes to stand out in an already crowded segment? More importantly, can it deliver the value-first experience that helped build OnePlus into a global smartphone brand in the first place?

OnePlus N6: Display and design

The OnePlus N6 comes with a 6.8-inch HD+ IPS LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Yes, you read that right. We are back in the era of LCDs and HD+ resolution displays, with the N6 being the latest addition. But, as I said, given the market condition, these specs are exactly what many would expect from a phone that starts under Rs 20,000. That said, in terms of quality, the panel is pretty decent. Colours look natural, contrast levels are decent, and the display looks comfortable for activities such as social media browsing, video streaming and casual gaming. 

Speaking of the brightness, OnePlus claims a 1,200 nit in High Brightness Mode (HBM). But, during our testing, the phone fell a bit short of that claim, reaching approximately 1,080 nits in HBM, which is still very close. Importantly, the screen will not disappoint you outdoors, even in direct sunlight. You will still be able to view the display and content easily. However, you may not get the deep blacks and punchier colours that an AMOLED can offer. But again, for this price, the display delivers a practical experience. 

Coming to design, the OnePlus N6 definitely looks premium. At first glance, the phone comes with the familiar OnePlus design language, particularly with its camera module, which we have seen in the premium lineup. The build quality also leaves a positive first impression. The device feels solid and reassuringly sturdy in hand, backed by MIL-STD-810H military-grade certification. OnePlus claims the phone has been tested against extreme temperatures, rain, dust, salt corrosion and multiple drop scenarios. The IP65 rating also adds protection against dust and water exposure.

That said, durability comes with a trade-off. At 224 grams and 8.5mm thick, the OnePlus N6 is noticeably heavier and bulkier than some competitors. You may feel additional weight during prolonged usage, although it appears to be a compromise made to fit in that large 8,000 mAh battery and vapour cooling chamber. 

OnePlus N6: Performance

Speaking of performance, the OnePlus N6, on paper, does not immediately stand out against the rivals. The device is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6360 Apex chipset and is paired with a 5,300mm² vapour chamber cooling system. While it looks competent, enthusiasts comparing specifications alone may notice that some competitors like Redmi 15 offer better value, at least on paper.

In day-to-day usage, the OnePlus N6 feels smooth and responsive. Social media browsing, messaging, video streaming, web browsing and app switching are handled comfortably without noticeable lag or stuttering. Multitasking performance is also dependable, allowing multiple applications to remain active in the background without creating any major slowdowns. OnePlus has also managed to keep animations and interactions reasonably fluid, which contributes positively to the perception of speed.

As for the benchmarks, the N6 scored 6,17,192 points on Antutu, 785 in single-core and 2,015 in multi-core Geekbench 6 performance test. In our PCMark Work 3.1, we got 7,658 points. This means you and your productivity will not be disappointed at all. But what impressed me the most was the CPU throttling test. The device managed to sustain 95 per cent of its peak performance during prolonged workloads. It is an excellent result for a smartphone in this category and suggests that the cooling solution is doing its job effectively. 

During our gaming testing, the OnePlus N6 maintained an average of around 58.9fps across gaming sessions. Touch response remains decent, and frame pacing is somewhat stable, making casual and moderate gaming reliable. As expected, the OxygenOS 16 software, with the optimisations, made the user interface smoother than I expected. Good thing? The buyers will also get 2 major OS updates and 3 years of security updates.

OnePlus N6: Battery and charging

Now comes arguably one of the strongest reasons to consider the OnePlus N6. The device packs a massive 8,000mAh battery, bigger than its direct competitors in the segment; in fact, the Redmi 15 and G37 Power lag behind not only in battery capacity but also in charging capabilities.

During our PCMark Battery Life test, the OnePlus N6 delivered an impressive runtime of 23 hours and 18 minutes, making it one of the best-performing smartphones we have tested in this category. For most users, that means easily stretching through two to three full days of usage on moderate usage. 

The OnePlus N6 supports 45W fast charging, which remains ahead of several rivals in the segment. In our testing, the phone charged from 0 to 100 per cent in approximately 81 minutes. Another thing that I find useful is 5W reverse charging. It allows the phone to act as a power source for small accessories- earbuds, smartwatches and other gadgets. 

OnePlus N6: Camera

Coming to the camera, the OnePlus N6 comes with a 50MP primary camera with an f/1.8 aperture. It offers 1080p video recording at 60fps, Cinematic Video mode, Dual-View Video and up to 10x digital zoom. For selfies, the device offers an 8MP selfie camera. Along with this, you will get a host of AI-powered tools such as AI Portrait Glow, AI Perfect Shot, AI Eraser, AI Unblur and AI Reflection Eraser, which work decently for making your social media posts more attractive. 

In daylight, the primary camera works surprisingly well for its segment. The images are sharp with good detail and respectable dynamic range. It also manages the highlights and shadows, creating the balance without making the images look overly processed. The colours are vibrant and realistic, and the textures on buildings, objects and foliage do not loose its clarity. 

The close-up shots also look good. The subjects naturally get separated from the background, making a pleasing depth and bokeh without relying on post-processing. This means you will get some cool food shots, flowers and product images that look premium. 

Portrait performance is also good. Skin tones look natural, edge detection is reliable, and background blur looks controlled rather than exaggerated. Even challenging subjects, such as curly hair, are handled reasonably well. The AI-powered features further add convenience, with tools like AI Eraser and AI Unblur proving genuinely useful for casual users.

Low-light photography is also decent, but do not have high hopes. The sensor is capable enough to keep the scenes bright and maintain the ambience well. However, noise reduction can sometimes soften fine textures, particularly in foliage and distant objects. Despite this, the colours and exposure look consistent. 

OnePlus N6 Verdict: Should you buy it? 

The OnePlus N6 has entered the most competitive segment, with a clear objective: to offer all the fundamentals that matter the most in everyday usage. At Rs 20,000, it may not have the most powerful chipset in its class, nor does it attempt to be that gimmicky photography expert. Instead, it wants to deliver a balanced experience built around the battery life, durability, reliability and the familiar OnePlus software experience.

The biggest talking point is its 8,000 mAh battery and 45W fast charging, giving it a clear edge over the competitors. The durability aspect, including an IP65 rating and military-grade certifications, adds to that trust and will give users peace of mind. 

Performance is also decent, but I expected slightly better. But this does not mean that the overall experience is not smooth and dependable. The excellent CPU throttling result and stable gaming performance indicate that OnePlus has focused on sustained usability rather than headline-grabbing benchmark numbers. The camera is also decent for the asking price.

That said, the OnePlus N6 is not without compromises. The HD+ LCD display feels less ambitious, something that I said for CE 6 Lite as well. Also, the bulky form factor may not appeal to everyone. But if your priority is battery life, durability, decent performance and camera, the OnePlus N6 makes a compelling case for itself. It may not be the most exciting smartphone in its category, but it is one of the most sensible options available for around Rs 20,000.

I'll admit it. This is the first split AC I've owned. Until now, I'd only experienced split air conditioners at friends' and relatives' homes, while I continued using a window AC for years. So, when I finally decided to ditch my good old Voltas window AC and installed the Acerpure Chill Neo 1.5 Ton 5-Star split AC, I was curious to see what all the fuss was about. Were split ACs really that much better? Were they really as quiet as everyone claimed? And most importantly, was all the hype justified? After using the Acerpure Chill Neo for nearly three weeks in a 120 sq ft bedroom, I can definitely say it's made surviving Delhi's summer far more comfortable.

Also read: Livpure Lotier review: Best water purifier under Rs 20000?

Of course, for a split AC that officially retails for Rs 38,990 on Acerpure’s website, or for about Rs 36,000 on Amazon, the Chill Neo isn't perfect, but it gets the important things right, especially cooling performance, low noise levels during normal use and everyday comfort. Here's my firsthand experience.

Cooling performance is exactly what you'd expect from a modern inverter AC

Delhi summers are brutal, and if there's one thing every AC should do well, it's cool the room quickly. Thankfully, that's something the Acerpure Chill Neo has had no trouble with. My room measures around 120 sq ft, and for most of my usage, I simply leave the temperature at 24 degrees Celsius. Within a few minutes, the room starts feeling noticeably cooler, and after around 10 to 15 minutes, it reaches a comfortable temperature even during NCR's unforgiving summer.

Like most modern inverter ACs, the compressor doesn't keep switching on and off aggressively. Instead, it gradually adjusts its cooling output to maintain the set temperature. Apart from keeping the room comfortable, it also makes the entire experience feel much smoother than the older non-inverter and window ACs I've used over the years.

This is where it gets interesting. Whenever I needed the room cooled even faster, I enabled Acerpure's Ice Blast mode. I'm sure most modern ACs from other brands have an equivalent feature, but since this is my first experience owning a split AC, I really appreciated how easy it was to activate the turbo cooling mode with just the press of a button. On the ACs I'd used in the past, let’s say it wasn’t very easy to enable turbo cooling. Acerpure, on the other hand, gives it a dedicated button on the remote. As I mentioned earlier, a single press is all it takes for the compressor and indoor fan to begin operating at maximum capacity, bringing the room temperature down as quickly as possible.

And trust me, it makes a big difference. By the time I get home from the office, my room has usually been shut all day and feels quite humid when I enter. In situations like these, Ice Blast mode cools the room noticeably faster than the regular cooling mode.

Naturally, there is a trade-off. The indoor unit becomes louder because the fan is running at full throttle. Don't get me wrong, though. It's still nowhere near as noisy as the window ACs I've owned, but you do notice the extra airflow. Thankfully, once the room reaches a comfortable temperature, switching back to the regular cooling mode immediately brings the noise levels down again.

Quiet enough to forget it's even there

One of the biggest upgrades after moving from a window AC to the Acerpure Chill Neo has been the noise, or rather, the lack of it. Now, Window ACs always have that constant compressor hum sitting right beside you. You get used to it, but it's never really quiet. However, the Acerpure Chill Neo feels completely different.

During everyday use, the indoor unit is quiet enough that after a while, you almost forget it's running. At times, when I am working on my laptop, or watching TV, or just sleeping, the lack of noise in the background has been one of the biggest quality-of-life improvements.

Thoughtful features you'll actually use

Modern ACs are often loaded with features that sound impressive on paper, but you end up forgetting about them after a week. Similarly, the Acerpure Chill Neo also comes with a bunch of good things, and I have rounded up the most useful ones.

The biggest one is the 7-in-1 Convertible mode. The remote includes a dedicated ‘Convert’ button. Every press cycles through C1 to C7 modes, allowing you to change the AC's cooling capacity depending on the weather or how many people are in the room. In simple terms, these modes let you decide how hard the compressor works. Lower levels prioritise efficiency and consume less power, while higher levels unlock more cooling performance when temperatures outside are unbearable. I mostly left the AC in its default setting because it was more than enough for my room, but it's reassuring to know the flexibility is there.

Also read: Samsung Galaxy Book 6 Ultra review: The Jack of all trades

The swing functionality deserves a mention too. Initially, when I got the demo from the installation guy, I assumed the AC only supported 4-way swing in Ice Blast mode. After spending more time with it, I realised the controls are actually independent. The remote lets you control both the vertical and horizontal louvres separately. The icon with the three dots on the left controls the up-and-down airflow, while the roof-shaped icon controls the left-to-right movement. You can leave either one fixed in a particular direction or let them oscillate independently. Enable swing for both together, and the AC distributes air in every direction simultaneously, creating proper 4-way airflow across the room.

Apart from this, another practical addition to the Acer Chill Neo is the Self Clean function that dries moisture inside the indoor unit after operation, helping reduce mould and unpleasant odours over time. It also comes with Blue Fin protection on the coils for improved durability, 100 per cent copper condenser coils, an easy-to-wash dust filter, Eco Mode, Self Diagnosis, and uses the more environmentally friendly R32 refrigerant.

The Self Diagnosis feature should be particularly useful because it can display fault codes if something goes wrong, making troubleshooting easier for service technicians instead of relying purely on guesswork.

I also quite like the remote. It's simple, easy to understand and gives dedicated buttons to the features you'll actually use, including the aforementioned Ice Blast, Self Clean and Convertible modes. The backlit display is another nice touch, making it easy to tweak settings in a dark room without having to switch on the lights.

The indoor unit of the Acerpure Chill Neo has a clean white finish with subtle branding and a concealed temperature display that lights up when the AC is running. It'll blend into almost any bedroom without drawing unnecessary attention. It also feels well put together.

Even after running it daily for nearly three weeks, I haven't noticed any rattles, unusual vibrations or cheap plastic noises from the indoor unit. The front panel feels sturdy, the louvres move smoothly, and nothing about it feels poorly assembled.

Ownership experience matters just as much

One thing I'd recommend prospective buyers check before purchasing the Acerpure Chill Neo isn't the cooling performance, but the after-sales support available where they live. During the 20 days I've been using the AC, I haven't had to raise a service request. My only interaction with Acerpure's service team was during the installation. While the appointment had to be rescheduled after a couple of delays, the support team was responsive when I raised the issue, promptly arranging another visit. The technician arrived on the rescheduled date as promised, and the installation itself was completed without any problems.

Based on my experience, I'd simply suggest checking whether there's an authorised Acerpure service centre in or around your city before making a purchase. Unlike long-established brands such as General, Daikin or Blue Star, Acerpure is still expanding its presence in India's air-conditioner market. That said, the product itself left a positive impression. Cooling performance, efficiency and everyday usability never felt like compromises. If Acerpure continues strengthening its service network, I think the Chill Neo line will be an even easier recommendation in the years to come.

Acerpure Chill Neo 1.5 Ton 5-Star AC: Should you buy it?

The longer I used the Acerpure Chill Neo, the more I appreciated just how simple it was to live with. Once I'd settled on my preferred settings, there wasn't much left to fiddle with. Most days, I'd simply switch it on, leave it at 24 degrees and let it take care of the rest.

The AC responds quickly to commands from the remote, the temperature remains consistent, and I never found myself constantly adjusting fan speeds or changing modes throughout the day. Dedicated buttons for Ice Blast, Self Clean and Convertible mode work perfectly fine.

Being a 5-star inverter AC, the Acerpure Chill Neo is designed to be energy efficient. Since I've only been using it for around 20 days, it's still too early for me to comment on its real-world impact on my electricity bill. That's something I'll only be able to judge after a few billing cycles rather than a few weeks of use.

Acer is a brand most people associate with laptops and monitors, not home appliances. In fact, when the Acer team initially reached out to me for reviewing this product, I had the same reaction, ‘wait, what? Acer makes ACs now? How?’ So, naturally, there's always a little hesitation when a company enters a category dominated by long-established names. However, after spending nearly three weeks with the Acerpure Chill Neo, that hesitation has largely disappeared.

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

The Chill Neo cools my 120 sq ft room quickly, remains pleasantly quiet during everyday use and offers useful features. But, as I said, despite having a solid product on hand, Acerpure still has a lot of work to do in expanding its after-sales service network across India. But those shortcomings don't take away from what is otherwise a very capable air conditioner.

If you have good Acerpure service coverage where you live, the Chill Neo is an easy recommendation. It delivers where it matters most: cooling performance, comfort, ease of use and low day-to-day noise. More importantly, it proves that newer brands can absolutely compete with the established names, provided they continue investing in the ownership experience after the sale.

For my first experience with an Acerpure air conditioner, I came away pleasantly surprised. And for anyone shopping for a reliable 1.5-ton 5-star inverter AC, that's probably the biggest compliment I can give it.

I recently spent a couple of months at my in-laws' house in Gurgaon. There, the source of water includes both a municipal supply and a borewell, and my in-laws were relying on bottled water for drinking and cooking. So, I decided to install a water purifier and rather than simply installing another RO purifier and forgetting about it, I wanted something that could tell me what was actually happening to the water. That's when Livpure approached me for reviewing their India’s first AIoT water purifier, the Livpure Lotier. It is priced at Rs 18490 on Amazon, and beyond purification, it promises app-based insights into water quality, filter health and daily usage. It sounded like the kind of feature you might use once during setup and then ignore. After living with it for some time, I found that it wasn't the case. 

Here's the full review of the Livpure Lotier water purifier. Let’s dive in.

Livpure Lotier: Design and installation

The Livpure Lotier has an ABS plastic body with black colour and brownish-gold accents. There is minimal branding. The front panel has tiny touch-based controls which light up blue when the purifier is on. Below this panel is the tap through which you get the purified water.

The Lotier's glossy finish offers it a good look, but over a period of time, since it was installed in the kitchen, I had to regularly clean the surface to maintain its sheen. The chassis measures around 36.5 x 50 x 25.5cm and weighs 8.6kg. It has a very light build, and my mother-in-law, who collected it at the time of delivery, easily carried it to our first-floor room. Also, the technician who came to install it mounted it on the wall without any help.

Before calling in the technician, we suggest you decide on the wall space if you choose the wall-mounted installation. Livpure also allows tabletop installation, which is useful if drilling into walls isn't an option. In our case, wall mounting made more sense, and the technician completed the installation in 10- 20 minutes.

Note, the water tap to which you connect the Livpure Lotier purifier needs to have an RO valve. The technician will charge you separately for the valve and tap.

Along with the Livpure Lotier water purifier and its 16A wired plug connection, we also got a TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) meter to verify the TDS levels shown by the purifier. Even before the installation, the technician used this meter to check the incoming water source, told us about the same and then went on with the setup.

He also demoed the Livpure app to us. The app name is Livpure Smart Kitchen. After giving it permissions for camera, location, microphone and nearby devices, and sharing details like your name, address, email ID, and phone number, it finally lets you pair with the purifier through Bluetooth or scanning a QR code on the purifier. The former worked, and you get to the app's homescreen.

Also Read: Kenstar Maha Kool HC 90 review: Do traditional air coolers make sense in the age of ACs?

Livpure Lotier: App and controls

The technician explained what some of the on-purifier controls do. They are basic operational icons and status indicators:

• Wi-Fi indicator: Shows whether the purifier is connected to the companion app.
• UV indicator: Lights up whenever UV sterilisation is active.
• Water droplet: Starts or stops manual water dispensing.
• Glass and bottle icons: Dispense preset quantities of water.
• Tank icon: Lights up when the purifier tank is full.
• Filter icon: Will light up if the filter health is poor and needs replacement.

The touch controls themselves are responsive and easy to understand. But I don't see the particular need for the glass and bottle presets, as the measurements could differ from glass to glass and bottle to bottle. Instead, the brand could have given a live TDS display or the percentage level of water in the tank.

For more details, you can refer to the Livpure Smart Kitchen app. Its interface is colourful and easy enough to understand, but visually it feels dated. The icons, fonts and overall layout remind me of Android applications from several years ago. It works, but it doesn't feel particularly polished for a product positioned as a premium AIoT appliance.

That said, functionality matters more than appearance. It displays the health of all filters, the quality of water, both the incoming water TDS and the purified water TDS.

The app also shows filter health, remaining filter life, daily water consumption and maintenance reminders. In a recent interaction I had with Livpure's MD and CEO, Mr Rakesh Kaul, he told us that this model is meant to offer predictive maintenance. Using this purifier, the consumers know exactly what they are drinking. It guides the user to replace filters based on actual usage and water quality rather than being misled by technicians into unnecessary changes. The data collected by Livpure lets the brand understand consumer needs and offer better value.

I found the features useful because traditional RO purifiers usually leave you guessing until something stops working. So, despite its visual shortcomings, the Lotier's companion app actually adds value to the ownership experience.

Livpure Lotier review: Performance and service expectations

The Livpure Lotier has a 10-stage purification system comprising RO, UV and UF filtration, along with sediment and activated carbon filters, mineraliser, alkaline enhancer, copper infusion, anti-scalant cartridge and in-tank UV sterilisation. This model supports input TDS levels of up to 2,000 PPM.

As mentioned already, the purifier was connected to the municipal supply water, which has a relatively high TDS of 900 PPM. But the water out of the purifier was around the set safe TDS level of 100. The purifier was doing its job as verified through the bundled TDS meter. You can also set the TDS level you want in the Livpure Smart Kitchen app, and it works with a small margin of difference.

The water looked and tasted consistently clean. The Lotier's tank is made of food-grade ABS plastic and has a capacity of 6.5 litres. The capacity was fine for a nuclear household of 4-5 members. But in this price segment, brands are offering bigger tanks.

Another aspect that deserves appreciation is the ownership experience Livpure is trying to create. The Lotier comes with a 30-month or 2.5 years maintenance-free promise, covering filter replacements, membrane replacement and service visits during this period. The company claims a no-question asked, hassle-free support during this period.

As I mentioned earlier, the technician promptly responded and resolved an issue I had after the installation.

I could find the following current published data for Livpure's post-warranty maintenance:

• A standard 1-year comprehensive AMC costs Rs 4,699 without a pre-filter, and Rs 4,899 if the pre-filter is included.
• A premium Platinum 1-year AMC is available for Rs 5,499.
• For customers who choose not to buy an AMC, a standard technician visit costs Rs 300 (as per Urban Company), while the actual filters, RO membranes, and electrical components will be charged individually based on what needs replacing.

The company also claims it has a wide service network enabled in 19,000 pin codes with over 2,500 service technicians (including on-payroll and franchise-based workers). For installation or repairs, Livpure promises a turnaround time of within 24 hours in city limits and between 48 and 60 hours for upcountry regions.

Still, the after-sales service could vary depending on the city. So, you are advised to check these things before buying/renting the product. Yes, Livpure offers a subscription model, by which customers can rent a Livpure purifier. The brand says this addresses the high total cost of ownership (TCO) in the water purifier industry, where maintenance costs can often exceed the initial purchase price within three years.

Should you buy the Livpure Lotier water purifier?

The Livpure Lotier isn't the first premium RO purifier to offer a multi-stage purification or mineral enhancement. However, it is among the modern water purifiers that tries to make this filtration functionality transparent to the user.

It consistently delivered clean water with a safe TDS level, while the companion app let me monitor incoming and purified water TDS, filter health, water consumption and maintenance alerts. You may not check the app every day, but it's reassuring to have these details readily available when you need them.

The experience isn't without its drawbacks. The app interface feels dated, the onboarding process could be simpler, and the control panel could have displayed more useful information, such as the current TDS or tank level, instead of preset dispensing options. The 6.5-litre storage tank is also smaller than what some competitors offer.

However, all in all, the Livpure Lotier combines a modern industrial design, reliable purification, a useful companion app and a 30-month maintenance-free period. If these features appeal to you, it is worth considering. However, do factor in the post-warranty AMC costs and check Livpure's after-sales support in your city before making a purchase.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar reviews.

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Sony Bravia 8 II and Bravia 5 (review) were the top OLED and Mini LED TVs, respectively, in last year's Digit Zero1 Awards. So, when the Japanese TV maker launched the Bravia 7 II in India, like many TV enthusiasts, we were also intrigued and excited. The Sony Bravia 7 II is a new mid-range 4K HDR TV with an advanced RGB LED backlight technology, billed as True RGB. It also brings an XR processor with AI upscaling, XR motion clarity, X-Wide Angle Pro viewing, PS5 optimisations, etc. The 55-inch model (K-55XR70M2 IN5) that came in for review is available in India at Rs 210890. 

As a Sony mid-premium flagship TV, we had some expectations for its picture quality and overall offering. Let's see if the Bravia 7 II's new True RGB backlight and Sony's tuning meet that?

Verdict 

The Sony Bravia 7 II delivers one of the best LCD TVs currently available in India. It combines accurate colours, deep blacks, refined local dimming and smooth motion handling with Sony's True RGB technology and polished image processing. While the high price, limited HDMI 2.1 connectivity and lack of HDR10+ may deter some buyers, its picture quality and the overall experience are enough to justify its premium positioning.

Sony Bravia 7 II: Display performance

The Bravia 7 II uses a 55-inch 4K VA LCD panel with True RGB LED backlight, where each tiny LED cluster consists of independently controlled red, green and blue light. Sony claims this arrangement offers less colour mixing and more authentic colours. In the Calman test, the TV scores 83.01% of BT 2020 gamut coverage (1976 CIE) and 96.56% of DCI-P3 coverage. That's for HDR content, and for SDR, it scored 92.07% in BT709 gamut. These are better figures than the Bravia 7 with regular Mini LED backlighting.

The Bravia 7 II TV is plenty bright, too. You get to see its full potential in Vivid mode. I watched some FIFA World Cup matches in this mode as the TV lacks a dedicated Sports mode. It was either this or the Standard mode, which offers more muted visuals. Vivid isn't the most authentic in terms of colours, but the bright, saturated presentation can be captivating, even if it comes across as exaggerated to some viewers. It touched 2,110 nits in 10% and 25% windows with max brightness and peak luminance settings.

Black luminance was also excellent at 0.2 nits. So, the TV can present pitch black colour and justify. Content scenes like the night jungle sequence in Raakh Ep 02 and The Revenant; the TV produced uniform, deep blacks without any crushing. To complement this, the strong local dimming ensures there are no obvious haloing or blooming artefacts.

For the record, while watching movies, shows and everything except sports, I was using Professional mode. It offers very natural colours. The brightness is dimmer than Standard or Vivid, as authentic colours are preferred in this.

Furthermore, you can enable the My Cinema Preset, which adjusts content for the director's cut. Sitting at around 8-10 feet from the TV, with this preset, I played the tense dogfight sequence from Top Gun: Maverick on Prime Video and everything from colour grading, dynamic range, reflections, and motion looked true to the scene. There were no artefacts or visual disturbances in the quick frames of the command room, inside the jet, the facial features of the actors, including sweat, reflections on the jet's glass hood, and the air movement.

I was equally impressed by how the Bravia 7 II presented the Submarine scene from Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning. I was thinking this isn't an OLED, and still, the level of quality is better than any Mini LED TVs I recall testing.

Oh, by the way, even sitting slightly off-axis, the viewing angles come out nice.

Sony doesn't give HDR10+ support. But you get Dolby Vision, IMAX Enhanced and standard HDR10, which should cover a wide library of modern content out there.

Also Read: Xiaomi S Mini LED 75 2026 review: Big-screen cinematic TV under Rs 1 lakh but with some compromises

For old school shows and movies, Sony offers upscaling, but it is very aggressive, and results in these lower-resolution visuals looking waxy. Another thing you may notice in your everyday use is that the screen is slightly reflective. Even with all the curtains on and no light in the room (except for some lit monitors), I could see myself as a ghostly reflection on the screen. Sony's higher-end Bravia 9 II (which is not released in India) boasts an anti-reflective coating, which this one lacks.

Sony has equipped the Bravia 7 II for serious gamers. It supports 4K at 120fps over HDMI 2.1. However, it includes only two HDMI 2.1 ports and two older HDMI 2.0b ports. Both HDMI 2.1 inputs support VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), as well as Dolby Vision gaming. While playing games, you can easily access quick controls and assistance settings via the Game Menu 2.0. As a Sony TV, you also get tight integration with PlayStation 5, including automatically switching genre modes and HDR tone mapping.

Sony Bravia 7 II: Audio output

The 55-inch model of the Sony Bravia 7 II has a 2.2-channel speaker setup with two side-firing full-range drivers and an Acoustic multi-audio, sound positioning tweeter. The side frames of the TV vibrate to produce sound, and the total output is 40 watts.

The Bravia 7 II speakers support Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, along with 3D Surround Upscaling for virtual height effects and expanded stereo sound. The company claims the sound gets calibrated in real-time to your position, the ceiling height and the room size.

The lower bass frequency is decent but not very deep. The full-range drivers produce intelligible vocals and dialogues. If you have a compatible Sony soundbar, then you can get clearer mids, highs and deeper bass.

Sony Bravia 7 II: Software and remote

At the time of writing this, the Bravia 7 II runs on Google TV with Android 14 and the March 2026 update. So, you get a familiar and easy-to-use UI. The navigation is largely smooth, with occasional slow loading of apps, and the cold boot time takes a sweet minute. Overall, the XR Processor does a respectable job. Not great, but not bad either.

Google TV gives you access to Google Assistant, Alexa, Google Cast, Apple AirPlay, and HomeKit. Sony has assured that in a future update, you will get Gemini, too.

Currently, there are plenty of automatic calibration features on this TV. Some examples include the studio-calibrated modes for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Sony Pictures Core. The TV also features a My Cinema Preset that automatically calibrates the audiovisual settings to match the room conditions and the creator's intention. There is a button for this preset on the remote.

The remote is handy because of its lightweight, not-so-long length, lean build and the textured finish on the sides and back. Besides the regular buttons, you get a hotkey for Sony Pictures Core, JioHotstar, Netflix, Prime Video, SonyLiv and Crunchyroll. In case you don't want to go through the Google TV settings menu, the remote offers a button up top that shows an overlay of key settings like picture, audio, network, etc. One qualm is that the bundled remote isn't backlit, which may matter while using it in a dark room.

Sony Bravia 7 II: Design, build and connectivity

The front is mostly display with negligible bezels on three sides, and even the bottom chin is very thin. And thanks to the new transparent centre pedestal stand, the Sony Bravia 7 II TV is very pleasing to look at even when it's off. The back of the TV is plastic with a wavy texture. It has a very lean side profile, save for the protrusion of the stand. The leanness and side-facing ports matter while mounting it on a wall. And if you decide to place it on a table, as we did, know that the TV isn't very heavy. Just installing the stand would take some time, but you can follow an online video guide for that, if required.

Below the bottom frame, towards the left-hand side, there are manual toggles for volume, power, and even a microphone on/off button.

On the left side, you'll find two USB-A ports, a Digital Audio Out, an Ethernet (LAN) port, a cable/antenna input, a satellite tuner, and four HDMI ports. Of these, only two are HDMI 2.1, with HDMI 3 also supporting ARC/eARC. Gamers should note that ALLM is available on all four HDMI ports, while VRR is limited to HDMI 3 and HDMI 4.

Should you buy Sony Bravia 7 II True RGB LED TV?

The Sony Bravia 7 II offers one of the best LED LCD picture experiences currently available in India. Its combination of accurate colour reproduction, deep black level performance, refined local dimming and smooth motion handling puts it among the strongest performers in its category. Add to this an elegant design with a transparent stand, a handy remote, fairly loud and engaging audio, an intuitive software experience, and useful gaming features, including PS5-specific enhancements, and you get a television that feels every bit like a premium Sony product.

However, value-conscious buyers should know that the market has several more feature-packed alternatives. The Bravia 7 II is expensive compared to many Mini LED rivals, offers only two HDMI 2.1 ports, lacks HDR10+ support, and misses out on features such as an anti-reflective coating and dedicated subwoofer setup that are reserved for larger Sony models. I also found the upscaling a little too aggressive with lower-resolution content.

Ultimately, in true Sony fashion, the Bravia 7 II is not a TV you buy because it offers the longest feature list for the money. You buy it for Sony's image processing, colour tuning and overall picture quality. The rest of the package is solid and contributes to a genuinely premium viewing experience. If those are the qualities you care about most, and you're willing to pay extra for Sony's refinement, the Bravia 7 II is a compelling choice.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar reviews.

Also Read: Amazon Echo Dot Max review: A good-sounding smart home hub, still waiting for Alexa+

Business laptops don't usually get the same attention as gaming laptops or sleek ultrabooks. In fact, a lot of people don't think twice before buying one. After all, most working professionals need their laptops to open a few spreadsheets, attend some meetings, reply to emails, and call it a day. But those who spend eight or even ten hours working on a laptop every day know that this is far from the truth. Your work laptop is actually one of the most important devices you own. And when things get super busy, the last thing you want is a laptop that becomes another problem to solve. Because a good business laptop shouldn't demand your attention. It should quietly get out of your way and let you focus on your work. And that's exactly what HP is trying to do with the EliteBook X G2i 14. 

With a starting price of Rs 2.5 lakh, the EliteBook X G2i 14 is HP's premium business laptop that comes with a strong performance, all-day battery life, enterprise-grade features, and a lightweight design that's easy to carry around. I've been using it as my primary work machine for over a week, and while it gets a lot of things right, there are some tiny hiccups. Curious to know more? Read on.

Also read: Best laptops under Rs 70000 for office work in 2026

HP EliteBook X G2i 14: Design and build

The first thing I noticed about the EliteBook X G2i is, of course, the design. HP has played things extremely safe when it comes to the laptop’s looks. The device, without a doubt, looks professional but also generic. At this price point, I expected something that felt a little more special. More colour options (apart from the Eclipse Grey, Atmospheric Blue, and Glacier Silver) or a more distinctive design language could have helped the EliteBook stand out from the crowd.

The one thing that impressed me about the EliteBook X G2i was its weight. We all know that business users are constantly moving between desks, meeting rooms and offices. And if the job involves travel, there are numerous trips to even airports and hotels. In all of these cases, a laptop’s weight, as well as form factor, matters. The HP EliteBook X G2i 14 is a relatively compact and lightweight device that doesn’t compromise on durability. Throughout my testing, it never felt like a burden in my backpack or my arms, even after a full day of running around while carrying it.

Coming to the build quality, there isn’t much to complain about. The laptop overall feels reassuringly sturdy and well-built when you hold it in your hand. The keyboard deck remains solid under pressure and gives the laptop a premium feel. That said, there surely is a small amount of flex on the lid if you deliberately press down on it, but nothing that raises concerns during daily use.

One feature I want to mention here is the 180-degree hinge. And this is incredibly thoughtful on HP’s part. Let me explain why. 

Even though this sounds like a minor feature, being able to lay the display completely flat can be useful during collaborative discussions in a meeting room or while sharing content with colleagues sitting across the table.

HP EliteBook X G2i 14: Display

If there is one area where the EliteBook X G2i left me wanting more, it is the display. But before I say anything else, let’s get one thing out of the way: this is not a bad screen. The 14-inch touchscreen panel gets bright enough for indoor and outdoor use, colours look decent, and text remains sharp. So for usual day-to-day office work, the display performs well.

But the problem arises when you look at that price tag. At over Rs 2.5 lakh, expectations naturally increase. And the IPS panel simply lacks the vibrancy and contrast that many competing premium laptops now offer. The content looks good, but it is not really that impressive.

Moreover, HP's integrated privacy screen technology brings with it some viewing-angle quirks. Depending on how you position the display, colours can shift slightly, making the image appear inconsistent. And then there's the refresh rate, which is limited to 60Hz, and it feels somewhat dated in 2026. Granted, your productivity won’t be affected here because of this, but it is still something worth mentioning.

HP EliteBook X G2i 14: Keyboard and trackpad

As someone who spends most of the day writing, I immediately notice the typing experience on any device. And the EliteBook X G2i 14 scores full marks in this department.

The keys have a smooth and tactile feel that makes long writing sessions comfortable, and there is enough travel to provide satisfying feedback. In addition to this, the spacious keyboard deck gives your palms plenty of room to rest.

Even the touchpad has haptic feedback, which takes things up a notch and reminds you why this is a premium device. It feels modern, responsive, and precise, and every tap feels deliberate, while gesture navigation works exactly as expected.

HP EliteBook X G2i 14: Performance and benchmarks

The HP EliteBook X G2i is an absolute beast when it comes to performance, and I do not say that lightly. Throughout my testing, the laptop felt consistently fast regardless of what I threw at it.

Now my usual working day comes with dozens of Chrome tabs, productivity applications, messaging platforms, video calls, and occasional benchmarking runs. The laptop handled everything without any signs of struggle. This stellar real-world performance is backed by some strong benchmark results:

• PCMark 10 Overall: 7409
• 3DMark Time Spy: 7724
• 3DMark Fire Strike: 13,322
• 3DMark Night Raid: 45,772
• 3DMark Wild Life: 39,508
• 3DMark Wild Life Extreme: 12,548
• Cinebench Single-Core: 2074
• Cinebench Multi-Core: 1611
• PCMark Full SSD: 1591

Those are some really strong numbers that prove just how capable the HP EliteBook X G2i 14 is in terms of performance and consistency. You can go hours and hours of using it, and the laptop doesn’t ever feel sluggish in terms of speed and fluidity.

HP EliteBook X G2i 14: Speakers, webcam and other features

In most business laptops, the webcam just exists. But here, the 1080p front camera actually made me look decent during video meetings when I was sitting under white office lights. The colours are vivid, and the image quality remains quite clear. There is also a physical privacy shutter that can be toggled on and off. 

The speakers are decent without being exceptional. They are perfectly capable of handling meetings, YouTube videos, podcasts, and casual entertainment. However, they aren't likely to impress audiophiles.

And of course, this is a CoPilot+ PC, which means it comes with features like Recall and live captions with translation.

HP EliteBook X G2i 14: Battery and thermals

Talking about Battery life, this is another area where the EliteBook performs well. During the PC mark battery test, the laptop lasted almost 12 hours. This was at 50 per cent screen brightness and best power efficiency mode. That means that even if you forget to carry your charger during a busy work day, there’s nothing to panic about.

Moreover, when the laptop does run out of juice, charging speeds are quite impressive. The battery reaches 50 per cent in just 30 minutes, making things super convenient.

Thermals here are also well managed. Of course, the laptop does get slightly warm while demanding tasks, but things never get too hot to handle. Even when I was running benchmarks on it constantly, the surface temperatures remained under control. But the fan noise can get distracting at times. 

Verdict

The HP EliteBook X G2i is a laptop that understands its role. It isn't trying to chase trends or stand out in a market full of business professionals. And this is sort of a double-edged sword. On one hand, the laptop nails the basics and leads to a stellar performance. On the other hand, the display feels underwhelming for the price, and the design lacks the X factor that you'd expect from a machine that costs over Rs 2.5 lakh.

That said, if your priority is productivity and reliability, the HP EliteBook X G2i is an excellent business laptop. Just be prepared to pay a premium for the experience.

Also read: Can a thin and light gaming laptop really handle AAA games? I found out

The WD Red Pro WD103KFBX is a very specialised hard drive. While it’s easy to assume that hard drives are commoditised and barely stand apart from each other, the truth is that the firmware that sits at the heart of these drives have been fine-tuned for the applications that they’re meant to be used. The WD Red Pro, for example, is meant for round-the-clock usage with negligible downtime. So these are the ones that go into NAS (Network Attached Storage) devices that need to maintain significant uptime. Unfortunately, it’s not the cheapest way to add 10 TB of stage given its price tag of Rs 49,599. It’s basically meant for folks who want reliability in a heavy-use scenario. So you might see ingest servers in media houses use drives like these unless they’ve already switched to SSDs. The WD Red Pro drives are NAS-focused 3.5-inch mechanical hard drives built for users who want dependable capacity, stronger sustained performance and RAID-friendly behaviour inside a network storage box.

Specifications

At first glance, the WD103KFBX has the right ingredients for heavy use. It uses CMR recording, spins at 7200 RPM, carries a large 512 MB cache and is rated for NAS environments rather than occasional desktop use. A lot of NAS drives used to be 5400 RPM drives but of late, we’re seeing more of 7200 RPM drives being pushed into the segment. That’s great for performance but the main trade-off is acoustics. This is a performance-oriented mechanical drive, and under random access, it sounds like one.

Aside from being a 10TB 3.5-inch SATA hard drive, the WD Red Pro WD103KFBX uses conventional magnetic recording, which is important for those seeking performance in multi-drive storage because CMR drives generally handle sustained writes and RAID rebuild behaviour more predictably than SMR-based drives. WD rates this 10 TB model for up to 267 MB/s transfer speeds, and the Red Pro family is also positioned for RAID-optimised NAS systems. Surprisingly, this is an air-filled drive. Looking at the data sheet for the WD Red Pro family, we can see a mix of air-filled and helium-filled drives with slightly different performance characteristics. So, it’s a little weird that such drives would be clubbed together. While transfer speeds are close to each other, there are other parameters such as shock tolerance, power consumption, etc which are vastly different. 

Setup and initialisation

For this review, two WD Red Pro WD103KFBX 10TB drives were installed in a QNAP TS-216G NAS and configured in RAID 1. We went for this test environment because it reflects how many home-office users, creators and small businesses are likely to deploy a pair of high-capacity NAS drives: mirrored for redundancy, connected over 2.5 GbE and used for media libraries, backups, shared folders and light application workloads.

Installation in the QNAP TS-216G was straightforward. Once the two WD Red Pro drives were added and the storage pool was created, QTS reported healthy S.M.A.R.T. status for both drives. There were no reallocated sectors, no spin retry count warnings and the power-on hours matched the testing window.

The initial RAID 1 synchronisation took approximately 14 to 18 hours. That sounds long, but it is expected when the NAS has to initialise and mirror a high-capacity pair of mechanical drives. The important bit is that the NAS remained usable during the process. File access, the QTS interface and basic app behaviour continued to work, although response times were slightly higher while the background sync was active.

This is one of the areas where NAS drive behaviour matters. A weaker desktop-class drive may technically work inside a NAS, but long background operations such as initialisation, rebuilds and indexing are precisely the sort of tasks that separate purpose-built NAS drives from general storage. The WD Red Pro drives did not throw up health warnings or obvious responsiveness issues during this stage.

Synthetic performance

The strongest numbers came from sequential testing. Inside QNAP’s Storage & Snapshots benchmark, the individual drives posted sequential read and write speeds in the 260 MB/s to 270 MB/s range. That is very close to the official rated ceiling for this model and is strong for a mechanical hard drive. Over the network, the results were even more telling. CrystalDiskMark runs over the TS-216G’s 2.5GbE connection produced stable read and write speeds between 280 MB/s and 295 MB/s for both 1 GB and 16 GB test sizes. That effectively means the NAS network link became the limiting factor rather than the drives. In a two-bay RAID 1 setup, the WD Red Pro pair had no difficulty filling the available 2.5 GbE pipe.

On a basic Gigabit Ethernet NAS, these drives would spend most of their time waiting on the network. Gigabit Ethernet typically caps real-world transfers a little above 100MB/s, far below what the WD103KFBX can deliver. The Red Pro makes much more sense in a 2.5GbE or faster setup, or in larger NAS boxes where multiple users and services may be hitting the storage pool simultaneously.

Random 4K behaviour was also good for mechanical media. It was nowhere near SSD territory, of course, but for a 7200 RPM hard drive inside a NAS, we observed healthy metrics. The large cache and WD’s firmware behaviour appear to help with small bursty operations, particularly when the workload involves many smaller writes being absorbed before being committed to the platters.

Real-world transfers

The large-file transfer test was the cleanest demonstration of what these drives can do in a modern 2.5 GbE NAS. Copying a 50 GB 4K movie file produced an almost flat transfer graph, with speeds locked around 285 MB/s from start to finish. The transfer completed in just under three minutes, and there was no obvious drop-off once the copy operation settled.

This makes the WD Red Pro WD103KFBX a strong fit for media-heavy workflows. Large video files, RAW photo archives, project backups and system images are exactly the kind of workloads where this drive feels comfortable. The combination of high sustained sequential throughput and predictable NAS behaviour makes it feel less like a bottleneck and more like the natural storage layer behind the network connection.

Small-file performance was more variable, as expected. A 10 GB folder containing around 5,000 mixed photos and documents transferred between roughly 45 MB/s and 90 MB/s. That is a wide range, but it is not erratic in a worrying way. Small files are simply harder for mechanical drives because the heads have to move more frequently and the file system has to process more metadata. The 512 MB cache helps smooth out some of this behaviour, but physics still applies. And the more you use the drive and data gets fragmented across the drive, the more mercurial the speeds will be.

At the end, there were no sudden freezes, no prolonged stalls and no dramatic collapse in throughput. Backing up thousands of photos, moving document archives and syncing mixed folders all felt consistent enough for a NAS of this class.

NAS apps and media use

The WD Red Pro drives also behaved well when the NAS was asked to do more than simple file transfers. Plex Media Server library operations, thumbnail generation and basic timeline scrubbing were handled with minimal delay. Mechanical hard drives are not ideal for every app-heavy NAS workload, especially where databases and constant random writes are involved, but the Red Pro pair handled typical media-library behaviour without making the QTS interface feel bogged down. If you’re going for a similar setup, try to look for a NAS with an SSD Caching drive. 

QNAP’s own background tasks, indexing and management interface remained responsive during testing. This is where NAS-oriented firmware tuning becomes relevant. The drive has to manage command queuing and background work sensibly so that one task does not make the entire NAS feel sluggish. In this setup, the Red Pro drives handled that balance well. For a home media server, shared family backup system, small studio archive or office file server, this level of behaviour is exactly what is needed. The drive is not pretending to be an SSD, but it does deliver enough responsiveness for a two-bay NAS that is also running everyday services.

Thermals

Thermal performance was well controlled inside the QNAP TS-216G. At idle, the two drives settled between 36°C and 39°C. After an hour of continuous small-file transfer stress, they peaked between 43°C and 46°C. Those are safe figures for a 7200 RPM NAS drive and comfortably below the operating temperature ceiling.

The TS-216G’s internal fan did ramp up slightly under sustained stress, but not in a disruptive way. The drive temperatures also did not show worrying heat accumulation over the test period. This is encouraging because two high-capacity 7200 RPM drives inside a compact two-bay NAS can generate enough heat to expose weak chassis airflow.

For long-term use, the usual NAS hygiene still applies. The enclosure should not be placed inside a closed cabinet, and dust build-up around the intake and exhaust paths should be avoided. But within a normal open-room setup, the WD Red Pro drives remained comfortably within safe thermal limits.

Acoustics

Noise is the one area where expectations need to be set properly. At idle, the drives produce a faint and steady spinning hum. In a normal office or living room with background noise, it fades away easily enough. In a quiet bedroom or silent study, it is noticeable.

Under random seek loads, the character changes. The head movement produces a distinct rhythmic thumping or clicking sound. This is normal behaviour for a performance-oriented 7200 RPM hard drive, especially one designed for NAS and enterprise-adjacent workloads, but it is clearly audible across a quiet room. Being in India, we had to wait until the middle of the night to hear it clearly. This does not make the WD Red Pro unsuitable for home use, but it does affect placement. It is better suited to a study, office, equipment shelf or utility area than a bedside table. Users upgrading from quieter 5400 RPM or lower-power NAS drives will notice the difference. The trade-off is that the Red Pro delivers stronger performance and a more robust workload profile.

Verdict

The WD Red Pro WD103KFBX is a strong 10TB NAS hard drive that performs exactly the way a Pro-class NAS drive should. In the QNAP TS-216G, a pair of these drives in RAID 1 delivered excellent sequential throughput, stable real-world transfer behaviour and healthy operating temperatures. The drives were fast enough to saturate the NAS’s 2.5GbE interface, which is a clear sign that they are not the limiting factor in this setup. The large-file transfer results were particularly impressive for mechanical storage, with sustained speeds around 285 MB/s and no visible mid-transfer drop-off. Small-file workloads were naturally slower and more variable, but still stable. QNAP app behaviour was also smooth enough for everyday media and file-server use.

The main drawback is noise. The WD Red Pro’s 7200 RPM design and assertive seek behaviour make it clearly audible under load. That is not a fault, but it does mean the NAS should be placed thoughtfully. For users building a serious two-bay NAS, especially one connected over 2.5GbE or faster, the WD Red Pro WD103KFBX is a very capable choice. It brings the performance headroom and workload confidence expected from a NAS-focused hard drive, while still offering the simplicity and capacity benefits of traditional mechanical storage. It is best seen as a dependable workhorse for active storage, media libraries and backup-heavy environments, rather than a silent archival drive for a quiet corner.

The Noise ALT Watch 1 enters a market where brands are now trying to sell an experience, and Noise wants you to buy into a design-first ecosystem backed by artificial intelligence (AI). Whether it be AI-generated watch faces or smart summaries in the mornings, the device tries hard to live up to the motto, ‘this is not just another smartwatch.' Naturally, that also raises expectations, as when a brand talks extensively about AI and positions a product as a more premium alternative, we expect the experience to justify the claims beyond a presentation slide. So without any further ado, let's deep dive and check if Noise was able to deliver what it marketed.

I used the Noise ALT Watch 1 as my daily companion for some time, and I came away with mixed but largely positive impressions. The Noise ALT Watch 1 surprised me in areas I did not expect, particularly with its display, notification handling, app experience, and health-tracking reliability. However, I too have a few complaints with the device, and some of them are in a critical department. So, the question is whether those compromises matter enough to keep it off your wrist. Let's check it out.

Design and build: Looks good but doesn't feel premium enough

The first thing I noticed when I unboxed the Noise ALT Watch 1 was its circular design, which gives it a more traditional look than the square alternatives. But, beyond the looks, once I started using it regularly, I realised that the build quality did not completely match the premium image that Noise was trying to project. At Rs 5,999, I expected something that felt a little more solid in hand. Despite featuring a metal body with an anodised aluminium bezel, the watch leans towards a plastic-heavy feel that occasionally reminds you of its price category.

That does not mean the Noise ALT Watch 1 feels poorly built. It is sturdy enough for daily use and never feels fragile, but the issue is more about perception. The marketing and design language suggest a premium experience, but the physical hardware does not always reinforce that impression.

I also took a fair amount of time to get used to the unusual crown placement. I am used to watches with a more traditional positioning of the crown, which is more towards the centre. However, this is a personal preference, and many people may not notice it at all. Also, the crown works fine for the most part. It’s just sometimes I felt that moving through the interface was not as smooth as I expected.

Display: One of the key highlights

I found the Noise ALT Watch 1’s display to be quite impressive, albeit with a minor hiccup. On the good side, the 1.32-inch AMOLED panel is bright, sharp, and extremely easy to read outdoors. During my time with the watch, visibility under direct sunlight was excellent. Whether I was checking notifications, looking at fitness stats, or simply glancing at the time while outside, the display remained clear and readable.

Honestly, this is the kind of thing that most budget and even mid-range smartwatches just don't manage to get right, so it's genuinely nice to see Noise nail it. On top of that, the display barely picked up any dust or smudges, unlike most other watches I've tried in this price range.

I also put it through a proper stress test by wearing it during the daily chaos of Delhi Metro crowds, and honestly, I was a little surprised that the screen came out without a single scratch. That's no small thing, especially since other watches I've tested in the same conditions ended up with quite a few scratches by comparison.

As for the ‘minor hiccup’ I earlier mentioned, I found the brightness adjustment of the device to be a bit finicky. There were occasions when the automatic brightness took slightly longer than expected to adapt to changing lighting conditions, or it never adapted unless set manually. While it was not frequent enough to become frustrating, it happened often enough for me to notice.

That said, the display still remains one of the strongest reasons to consider the ALT Watch 1. If you spend a lot of time outdoors, you are likely to appreciate what this panel offers.

Comfort: It’s subjective

Comfort was where my experience became a little mixed, as throughout the day, the Noise ALT Watch 1 remained comfortable enough for extended wear. It never felt excessively bulky, and I was able to work, walk, and go about my routine without constantly noticing it on my wrist.

However, as I always say, the silicone strap is not my favourite type, and my judgement remains the same with the Noise ALT Watch 1. The strap tends to accumulate sweat during prolonged use, especially in the current heat of Delhi. Furthermore, with time, this makes the watch feel less comfortable than it otherwise would, and I also noticed that sweat would occasionally build up around the sensor area, requiring me to clean both the strap and the watch more frequently.

I was also let down a bit while using the Noise ALT Watch 1 during the night. I usually sleep with smartwatches on purpose, since it's the only real way to test sleep tracking and see how comfortable a device actually is over long hours. I've done this with quite a few other watches without any issues, but the ALT Watch 1 just didn't sit right on my wrist at night. A few times, I genuinely felt like taking it off before bed instead of just leaving it on.

Now, this could come down to wrist size or personal preference, so your experience might be different. But for me, it didn't make the cut as a comfortable overnight wearable.

Health Tracking: Reliable enough for everyday users

Health tracking is probably the most important thing on any smartwatch these days, especially with brands pouring so much money into getting this right. The good news is that the ALT Watch 1 actually holds up well here. I tested it while walking, doing light jogging, and during my regular workouts, and the results were mostly the same each time.

The heart rate readings were quite accurate throughout most of the test period, and my SpO₂ measurements were also in line with my expectations. Sleep tracking proved to be accurate at depicting my sleep cycle, while the number of steps recorded was somewhat closer to the real thing.

Is the data lab-grade accurate? No. Would I trust it on a daily basis for fitness tracking purposes? Yes, certainly. In my opinion, the watch should be considered a tool for fitness and everyday monitoring, rather than one that provides absolutely accurate information. The readings may not always be precise, yet they are still accurate enough to follow your progress in terms of fitness level.

Software Experience: Seamless and quick

One of the most pleasant surprises during my time with the Noise ALT Watch 1 was the software experience. Connecting the watch via the NoiseFit application has been both fast and easy. I tried pairing it with an Android phone at first, and the process was lightning fast. Then I also tried connecting it to an iPhone and had the same nice experience.

Many people often forget about cross-device compatibility, which can be very useful in case someone switches their devices or simply owns several phones. The application itself is easy to use and offers fast access to all kinds of data and health information. I didn’t experience any problems during my testing phase, and the connection was steady all the time.

Notifications and calling performance: On point

The performance of a smartwatch is determined by its ability to perform common tasks, notifications being one of them. Luckily for us, ALT Watch 1 has done great here.

The notifications came promptly and without delay, regardless of whether the battery was low or if the device had entered the power-saving mode. Such stability made this watch a practical companion all throughout the day, as I didn't feel the urge to pull out my phone to check on the notifications coming in.

Bluetooth calls have been mostly positive, with decent voice clarity and no issues reported by callers hearing me. On my end, the sound quality was good at normal volume levels. However, I did notice some problems when the volume was turned up to the maximum. At full volume, the caller’s voice began to crackle and buzz, as though it was being over-amplified.

AI Features: More hype than real use

Noise marketed the ALT Watch 1 as an AI-focused smartwatch. But honestly, it didn't live up to the hype for me. The morning briefs did show basic stuff like weather and temperature, but that's about it, as nothing here felt unique or particularly useful.

The AI watch faces and the AI companion app left me disappointed too. I won't go as far as calling these features completely useless, but they're nowhere near the level Noise made them out to be. What I can say is they are eye-catching.

Long story short, the marketing made them seem much more impressive than they actually are, and this creates a noticeable gap between what is promised and what you get in real use. In my view, it is better to see these AI features as small extras rather than the main reason to buy the smartwatch. If you do that, you will probably have a better overall experience.

Battery Life: Depends entirely on how you use it

Battery performance is one of the most interesting aspects of the Noise ALT Watch 1 because your experience can vary dramatically depending on your settings. Under default configurations with many advanced tracking features disabled, the battery performs very well. In that scenario, I can understand how users might approach the brand's claimed battery figures.

The problem is that most people buy a smartwatch to actually use its features. Once I enabled the Always-On Display and activated regular health tracking, battery life dropped significantly. In my usage, the watch typically lasted around two and a half days before requiring a recharge.

That is not terrible, but it is also not exceptional. It means you need to pay attention to battery levels and keep the charger nearby, especially if you rely on the watch heavily.

Charging from 0 to 100 per cent took approximately 82 minutes in my testing, which is acceptable for this category. If your goal is maximum battery life of 21 days, as claimed by the brand, then you can certainly achieve it by limiting features. However, if you're using everything the watch offers, then don't expect anything impressive.

Watch faces and customisation: Need more attention

Another area where I felt that Noise could have done a better job with the ALT Watch 1 is the customisation part of the watch faces. Though the available watch faces look fine, and there is a decent selection to choose from, I felt it lagging when compared with the other watches in the same price bracket.

One of the features that I particularly missed was the ability to customise colours on certain static watch faces. While it may sound like a minor detail, these small personalisation options make a smartwatch feel more personal and unique.

Also, it's not a major flaw, and it certainly does not affect daily usability, but it is an area where I hope that Noise gives its users more flexibility with future software updates.

Noise ALT Watch 1: Should you buy it?

The Noise ALT Watch 1 is a smartwatch that gets many fundamentals right while simultaneously reminding you that it is still a first-generation product within a new lineup.

The display is excellent, notifications are reliable, along with the polished software experience and more. 

At the same time, the watch is not without shortcomings, as the silicone strap may not be comfortable for everyone. Moreover, the build quality feels less premium than the design suggests, along with the average battery life and speakers.

Despite those criticisms, I would not call the Noise ALT Watch 1 a bad smartwatch. Far from it. If you are looking for a smartwatch with a bright display, dependable notifications, good software support, and health tracking that is accurate enough for everyday use, the ALT Watch 1 makes a compelling case for itself, especially at a price point of Rs 5,999.

The Redmi Turbo series has officially made its debut in India with the Redmi Turbo 5. Over the past few years, the Turbo series has built a reputation outside India for delivering flagship-level power without the price tag of a flagship phone, and the new Redmi Turbo 5 looks set to continue that trend. On paper, I would say Xiaomi has packed quite a lot into this device. There’s the MediaTek Dimensity 8500 Ultra chipset, a large 7,540mAh battery with 100W fast charging, a 120Hz AMOLED display and a durable design.  At a starting price of Rs 37,999, the Redmi Turbo 5 comes at a very competitive price, considering the current smartphone landscape.

For obvious reasons, if buyers are spending close to Rs 40,000 on a phone, they would want capable cameras, a premium design, reliable software, and long-term value. For sure, the Redmi Turbo 5 looks impressive on paper; the real question is whether it can deliver a balanced experience that justifies its place among the best smartphones in its segment. After spending a couple of weeks with the Redmi Turbo 5, here’s everything you need to know.

Redmi Turbo 5: Design and build quality

The Turbo 5 features an aluminium frame and a glass back panel that feels premium in hand, while the subtle red accents around the camera module help it stand out. Redmi has also added a Matrix lighting ring inside the camera module that lights up during notifications and media playback, which can be customised in the settings.

While the design isn’t extraordinary, it feels modern and clean. Not to mention, the look is the same as the Poco X8 Pro. Also, if you’re looking for a slim phone, well, this one doesn’t feel as slim or as elegant as some of its peers.

On the durability front, the Redmi Turbo 5 comes with IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings, along with SGS certification.

The stereo speakers are also worth mentioning. With Dolby Atmos support and surprisingly good bass, the mids also come out loud and clear.

Redmi Turbo 5: Display

The Redmi Turbo 5 comes with a 6.59-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, and for the most part, it’s an excellent panel. Animations are smooth, scrolling feels fluid, and touch response remains quick whether you’re browsing social media, gaming, or simply navigating through the interface.

Outdoor visibility is another strong point. During our testing at Digit Test Labs, the display reached 2,860 nits of brightness, making it easy to use even under harsh sunlight. Redmi also supports HDR10, HDR Vivid and Dolby Vision, which gives the Turbo 5 an advantage when it comes to supported HDR formats. Watching content on Netflix, YouTube and other streaming platforms is genuinely enjoyable. Colours look vibrant, contrast levels are strong, and the overall viewing experience feels high-end.

While there are displays in this segment that offer slightly better colour calibration and richer visuals, the Turbo 5’s panel remains one of its strongest features and should satisfy most users.

Redmi Turbo 5: Performance

Powering the Redmi Turbo 5 is the MediaTek Dimensity 8500 Ultra chipset, paired with up to 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.1 storage. Before I give you the real-world performance breakdown, here are some benchmark scores.

The Redmi Turbo 5 scored around 2.08 million in Antutu, while Geekbench results reached 1,604 in single-core and 6,359 in multi-core. In the CPU throttling test, the device maintained around 81 per cent of its peak performance. In the 3DMark Wildlife Extreme Test, it got an overall score of 4,429.

More importantly, these impressive numbers also reflect in everyday use. Apps launch instantly, multitasking is effortless, RAM management is reliable, and the overall software experience feels consistently fast.

Gaming performance is also impressive. BGMI supports 120 fps gameplay with minimal frame drops. Call of Duty Mobile also runs at 120 fps with consistent frame rates during extended gameplay.

The only issue that I came across while using this phone under load is heat management. During long gaming sessions and benchmark runs, the Turbo 5 Pro gets quite warm. This is to the point that sometimes it becomes uncomfortable to use.

Still, for users prioritising performance, the Redmi Turbo 5 delivers exactly what it promises.

Redmi Turbo 5: Cameras

Camera setup on the Redmi Turbo 5 is pretty straightforward. You get a 50MP Sony IMX882 main camera along with an 8MP ultrawide sensor on the back. Selfies are handled by a 20MP front-facing camera.

Let’s start with the primary camera. The results are generally good. Photos are detailed, colours are vibrant, and images often look social-media ready straight out of the camera. The images have a noticeable amount of sharpness, particularly when capturing human subjects, which can make facial details look slightly artificial.

Exposure control is consistent, while HDR performance isn’t the strongest in the segment, but sometimes it’s like a hit and miss situation.

In portrait photography, the edge detection is great, subject separation is clean, and the images have a pleasing contrast that makes them stand out, but depending on your taste, sometimes the contrast can be too much.

The 8MP ultrawide sensor captures fewer details, and image quality drops in tricky lighting. It gets the job done in good light, but it’s clearly not the highlight of this device.

Selfies are decent, not exceptional. The 20MP front camera captures enough detail for social media uploads, and for video calls, you can rely on it.

Redmi Turbo 5 can record videos up to 4K at 60fps, although the video output is okayish with decent stabilisation.

Redmi Turbo 5: Battery life and charging

Redmi Turbo 5 battery impressed me a lot. The phone packs a massive 7,540mAh battery. In our PCMark battery test, the device lasted 18 hours and 2 minutes, making it one of the strongest contenders in this category. Real-world usage also tells a similar story. The phone was easily getting me through an entire day of heavy use. And if you’re a moderate user, it can easily stretch into a second day before needing to charge.

Speaking of charging, the Redmi Turbo 5 supports 100W fast charging and takes 1 hour and 11 minutes to charge from 0 to 100 per cent.

Redmi Turbo 5: Software

Redmi Turbo 5 runs HyperOS 3 based on Android 16. The interface is feature-rich and offers a lot of customisation options. Like many other smartphones, there are some pre-installed apps out of the box, but most of them can be removed easily.

The overall experience remains smooth and responsive in daily usage; there are no glitches as such, and the animations are also smooth. More importantly, Redmi has committed to 4 years of Android updates and 6 years of security patches.

Redmi Turbo 4: Verdict

Does the Redmi Turbo 5 justify its asking price? I’d say, in the sub-Rs 40,000, the Turbo 5 succeeds because it focuses on the things that matter most to its target audience. It delivers great performance, excellent battery life, a high-quality AMOLED display and strong durability.

Granted, the cameras aren’t class-leading, and the phone does warm up under heavy usage. But, at around Rs 38,000, the Redmi Turbo 5 offers one of the strongest value propositions in the market today.

If your priorities are performance, gaming, battery life and long-term software support, this is an easy phone to recommend. It may not be the most complete high-end experience available, but as an all-round value-focused device, the Redmi Turbo 5 gets a lot right.

When we look at the TWS earbuds available for under Rs 3000, there’s no doubt that the segment is quite crowded. While very few products offer a refined experience, what remains one of the key criteria for these products to be categorised as ‘refined’ is the sound. Of course, this aspect could also be very subjective. But then there are other features that tell you how competent and competitive a pair of earphones is. Into this space, Motorola has recently launched the Moto Buds 2, priced at Rs 2999. It comes with dual drivers, 55dB active noise cancellation, LDAC and LHDC audio support, multipoint connectivity, Spatial Audio, and up to 11 hours of playback on a single charge. I have been wearing the pair for a few weeks now, and I have some thoughts about it. 

I won't call the Moto Buds 2 flawless, but they do somewhat stand out in a segment where compromises are usually easy to spot. Here's my full review.

Moto Buds 2: Verdict

The Moto Buds 2 deliver where it matters most. They offer warm, engaging sound, effective ANC, long battery life, and a comfortable fit, making them an excellent value at Rs 2999. While inconsistent touch controls, in-ear detection, and weaker Bluetooth stability keep them from feeling fully polished, they don't overshadow an otherwise well-rounded experience.

Calm and comfortable design

Although TWS earphones with a stem and silicone earbuds are very common, not all of them offer a good fit. The Moto Buds 2 gladly do. These are light, and you stop thinking about them after a while. The angular edges of the stem make it easily tactual. I received the Pantone Carbon variant for review, which is dark blue-ish in colour with both matte and glossy accents. I prefer this clean and understated look over flashy designs.

As for the charging case, it is compact in size and can easily disappear into the coin pocket in jeans. The case has a dual-tone finish with a translucent lid and a white bottom. The lid feels slightly fragile and flimsy. In longer use, I will know how durable the case is.

On the durability front, you also get an IP54 rating, which can offer some peace of mind against drizzle or splashes.

The feature list doesn't feel budget

After a smooth pairing process, you can access the essential features you come to expect from a TWS earbuds pair in the Moto Buds app. It has a simple interface, and you can access Noise Controls, Equaliser, Gaming Mode, Volume Boost, Hi-res mode, Gestures, In-ear detection, dual-connection, and a few more settings.

While it is good to have features, they can be unpredictable. For instance, you take out the Moto Buds 2 while washing your face, and you can still hear sound from the earbuds. The touch gesture area could have been bigger, or the recognition should be better, as most times, the earbuds weren't recognising the taps. It isn't a deal-breaker, but it can be mildly annoying when you're trying to quickly skip a track or pause playback.

Connection stability is not the strongest. It gets spotty in certain areas where other earbuds work fine. The Bluetooth range is also shorter than expected, making the connection less reliable when you move away from the paired device.

Also Read: Realme Buds Air 8 Pro review: Expressive and easy to recommend

Moto Buds 2: Sound that's warm

A key reason to consider the Moto Buds 2 is its sound if you like a warm, bass-forward tuning. In the Flat EQ preset with hi-res mode, you'd feel the bass emphasis in all tracks. The presentation is boomy in old school hip hop tracks like Good Times by Styles P or a new track like Lights On by Big Grams. The beats really slap in a song like I'm in Love by Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King and a new Tamil song, Verappa, from the movie Karuppu. The starting bass drops in Poo Padal from another Tamil movie, 29, also sound tastefully tight.

Even with the bass, other sound elements have enough clarity. You can hear instruments and the vocals with ample separation. The dual-driver setup clearly helps here. While the 11mm driver takes care of the lower end, vocals, and the highs sound clear and sharp, thanks to a 6mm driver. The sound was louder and better than the Realme Buds Air 8, which is one of the best-sounding earbuds in this range.

ANC that actually matters

I argue that, besides how well an earphone sounds, it is also important how well it kills the ambient noise, as that determines your overall listening experience.

The Moto Buds 2 perform decently, but you can still make out what's happening around. And if you want to really be aware of your surroundings, the Transparency mode is there to help. It is clearer than what the pricer Realme Buds Air 8 offers.

For a Rs 2,999 product, the overall noise cancellation experience feels genuinely useful. Background noises are also hushed during calls, and the call experience was alright. The voice was clear and audible for both parties on the call.

Battery life is a standout feature

Motorola claims up to 11 hours of playback on the Moto Buds 2, but I was getting 8.5 hours only at 80 per cent volume. The total claimed runtime is 53 hours, by the way. So, just from the buds, you should get a workday's worth of juice, and with the case, you could carry them for a weekend outing.

For charging, the brand says that in 10 minutes, you can get up to 3 hours of playtime. This could matter when you are in a hurry, and the buds' charge is low.

Moto Buds 2: Should you buy it?

On paper, the Moto Buds 2 are a great offering. And in reality, it meets the expectation to a great extent. You get a warm and attractive sound, effective ANC, a neat design and a comfortable fit. The Moto Buds 2 app is easy to use and packs all the essential features that are meant to enhance your experience.

However, some of these features, like wear detection and tap gestures, work inconsistently. Bluetooth stability isn't as dependable as some rivals'. These aspects can be annoying, but they don't degrade the overall experience.

Especially considering the sub-Rs 3000 price segment, the Motorola branding, and strong fundamentals offered by the product, the shortcomings are easier to overlook. If not for anything else, the sound output could appeal to the mainstream audience. So, if you are looking for a feature-rich pair of TWS earbuds that sound engaging, without spending a fortune, the Moto Buds 2 deserve a place near the top of your shortlist.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar reviews.

Also Read: GoBoult Mustang Sprint TWS earphones review: Quirky design meets murky performance

We’ve all heard the phrase, ‘all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.’ But sometimes, Jack has to be the dull boy, only to get things done and moving. Because at the end of the day, presentations need to be finished, emails need replies, meetings need attention, and deadlines aren't going to meet themselves. And to do it all, you need a machine that shows up with you, every single day. That’s exactly where business laptops come into the picture. These are very specific, no-nonsense devices that you won’t really find on platforms like Amazon and Flipkart. Also, unlike consumer laptops that are often designed around entertainment, gaming, and aesthetics, business laptops are built with a different goal in mind. They prioritise portability, battery life, durability, security, and productivity above everything else. And Asus just unveiled its latest one: the Asus ExpertBook Ultra. 

This laptop is pitched as a business machine that can do it all. With a starting price of Rs 2,39,990, this is strictly for professionals who spend most of their time, well, working (hello corporate employees). Let’s take a close look at it and try to find out if this device meets your business needs. 

Also read: 5 best laptops for content creators in India: Top picks in 2026

Asus ExpertBook Ultra: Design and build

The moment you hold the Asus ExpertBook Ultra, you will immediately go ‘woah, that is light’. At least, that is what my reaction was when I first held the device. At just 990 grams, this is among the lightest 14-inch laptops you can buy today. And this means that carrying it between meetings, commuting with it in a backpack, or travelling with it will be completely hassle-free.

The chassis is built using a magnesium-aluminium alloy and features a nano-ceramic coating that gives it a clean matte finish as well as being lightweight. This coating also keeps fingerprints, smudges, and scratches away. During my time with the laptop, I rarely felt the need to wipe it with a microfiber cloth (which is something I find myself doing way too much with some devices that collect dust and smudges easily).

As far as the build quality is concerned, the Asus ExpertBook Ultra is super impressive. Even when I put pressure on the lid and the keyboard deck, there was no visible flex. The overall in-hand feel is also super sturdy. So, despite its lightweight design, the ExpertBook Ultra never feels fragile.

Now, even though the build quality is excellent, the design itself is another story. Asus here has opted for a design that looks absolutely built for business. And even though business users will appreciate this approach, others might expect a little more.

The ExpertBook Ultra feels a little too conservative for a laptop in this price range. Now I do understand that business laptops aren’t really built to look like an aesthetic marvel, but since we are in 2026, a bit more personality wouldn’t hurt. Now this surely isn't a dealbreaker as the laptop still looks super premium, but a different colour option other than black or grey would have been just amazing. 

Coming to the port selection, you get all you would need at work, and that is exactly how a business laptop should be. Asus has included two Type-C ports (one of which is for charging), two USB Type-A ports, an HDMI port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. 

Asus ExpertBook Ultra: Display

The Asus ExpertBook Ultra features a 14-inch 3K Tandem OLED touchscreen display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a matte finish anti-reflection coating. Heavy focus on the words ‘anti-reflective’ here because that changes things completely. 

In all honesty, when I first looked at the laptop, I didn’t realise this was an OLED screen. Because when I think of OLED, I immediately think of a glossy screen with super deep blacks and high contrast. And on this device, the blacks are deep for sure, but not as much as you would expect them to be on an OLED screen. More on that later, but first, let’s talk about the aspect that changes everything: the matte finish anti-reflection coating. 

The screen basically solves the biggest problem found in almost all other OLED laptops, which is reflections. Now they all look fantastic until you take them into a brightly lit office. This is where reflections become a constant distraction, and soon, you end up looking at your own face rather than what is on your screen. But in the Expertbook Ultra, the anti-reflective matte coating makes glare almost non-existent. I used the Asus ExpertBook Ultra in various lighting conditions, and reflections were never an issue.

Apart from that, this is still an excellent OLED panel on the Asus ExpertBook Ultra. Colours look vibrant, text appears super sharp, and the 120Hz refresh rate makes everything feel fluid.

But, coming back, there is a compromise, though. Because of the matte coating, blacks do not look quite as deep as they do on glossy OLED panels. Most users will probably never notice the difference, but those who are used to traditional OLED screens may spot it immediately. For a business-focused machine, however, I think the trade-off is worth it.

Asus ExpertBook Ultra: Keyboard and trackpad

As a journalist, the keyboard and trackpad matter more to me than benchmark scores. Most of my day involves writing articles, editing copy, responding to emails, and juggling multiple browser tabs at once. The good news is that the Asus ExpertBook Ultra absolutely nails the fundamentals.

The keyboard offers 1.5mm of key travel and feels comfortable from the very first typing session. Keys are tactile without being noisy, making the laptop ideal for offices and shared workspaces. I comfortably worked on long stories for hours without experiencing any finger fatigue. More importantly, the keyboard remained quiet enough to avoid attracting attention during intense deadline sessions.

The haptic touchpad is equally impressive. It feels smooth, responsive, and accurate, while palm rejection works reliably. Even when I accidentally rested my palm on the surface, the laptop never misinterpreted my inputs.

Asus ExpertBook Ultra: Performance and benchmarks

The Asus ExpertBook Ultra is powered by Intel's Core Ultra X7 processor, and performance is one of its strongest areas.

During testing, I routinely had more than 40 Chrome tabs open alongside WhatsApp Web, music streaming services, productivity apps, and multiple background processes. Despite that workload, the Asus ExpertBook Ultra showed no signs of slowing down.

Applications launched quickly, multitasking felt seamless, and the overall experience remained consistently smooth.

Benchmark results were equally impressive:

• Geekbench 6 Single Core: 2867
• Geekbench 6 Multi Core: 16297
• Cinebench R23 Single Core: 1950
• Cinebench R23 Multi Core: 17732
• PCMark 10 overall: 7761 

The Asus ExpertBook Ultra also benefits from a dedicated NPU, enabling AI-powered features such as transcription, summarisation, image enhancement, and noise cancellation.

Now, even though this is not a gaming laptop, it delivers more than enough performance for demanding productivity workloads and content creation tasks. 

Asus ExpertBook Ultra: Speakers, webcam and more

The Asus ExpertBook Ultra comes equipped with a six-speaker setup with Dolby Atmos support. And when you talk about the audio quality, it is super and loud enough for an office space. It, of course, isn’t perfect, but it solves its purpose. 

 I played some music on the device when everyone was in the middle of work on a random Tuesday afternoon and got side eyes from my colleagues as the volume was too loud. This didn’t make them happy, but it did make me smile. Because laptop speakers being this good is rare. Kudos to Asus for this.

The 1080p webcam is sufficient if you want to attend video meetings. In well-lit environments, video quality is perfectly suitable for meetings and virtual calls. But in darker lighting conditions, image quality does take a hit as noise becomes more visible and details start to soften.

Other features include Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, Bluetooth 6.0 support, AI-powered noise cancellation, and enterprise-friendly features that business users will appreciate.

Asus ExpertBook Ultra: Battery and thermals

Battery life is another thing that the Asus ExpertBook Ultra gets right. With a mixture of web browsing, writing, meetings, messaging apps, and media consumption, I consistently managed to get through a full workday on a single charge.

For most users, 12 to 13 hours of real-world usage is easily achievable.

And when the laptop does run out of juice, the bundled 90W charger tops up the battery quickly.

Thermals also deserve a special mention here. Despite its slim profile and lightweight chassis, the ExpertBook Ultra remains cool. Fan noise also stays under control, and things never get too hot to handle. 

Asus ExpertBook Ultra: Verdict

Summing it all up, the Asus ExpertBook Ultra is a laptop that values practicality above all else. It is incredibly light, offers excellent battery life, delivers strong performance, and features one of the best keyboard and trackpad combinations I have used on a Windows laptop recently. The matte OLED display is another standout feature that genuinely improves the day-to-day experience.

However, at a starting price of Rs 2,39,990, I expected a design that felt a little more special. But if your priority is productivity rather than aesthetics, this is one of the most capable business laptops available today.

Also read: What is the right way to play an open world game? GTA 6 maker answers

Ever since I reviewed the Realme Buds Air 8, I have been waiting for the Pro model. I was very impressed with the standard model and was curious to see how Realme ups the ante. The newcomer carries a price tag of Rs 6999 in India and brings dual drivers, 55dB active noise cancellation, LHDC 5.0 audio support, long battery life, and a dedicated bone-conduction microphone for calls (I’ll tell you all about it in a bit). On paper, it looks like a very interesting TWS earphone for the price, but is it really good in everyday use? Let's find out.

Here's my experience after spending time with the Realme Buds Air 8 Pro for several weeks now in my home, office, metro and rikshaw commutes, watching movies, listening to music and taking calls, and sometimes just wearing them to avoid people and noise. It wasn't perfect, but very close. Let’s dive in. 

Verdict

The Realme Buds Air 8 Pro is one of the most complete TWS earphones you can buy under Rs 7,000. It offers expressive sound, effective ANC, reliable call quality, long battery life, and a comfortable fit. Granted, the Realme Link app still needs some refinement, and the glossy design won't be for everyone, but these are minor qualms in an otherwise well-rounded package that is easy to recommend.

Realme Buds Air 8 Pro: Design and comfort

The Realme Buds Air 8 Pro come in Master Black and Master White colour options. Our review unit came in the white finish, which combines a matte body with a glossy metallic top. This is very reflective, and you can even see your face in it. The lustrous surface attracts a lot of smudges, too, especially on the case. The earbuds also have a glossy, steel-like finish on the stems, which gives them a distinct look. However, if I had to pick this or the more sober and sophisticated finish of the black one, I would go with the latter.

The Realme Buds Air 8 Pro case is compact and pocket-friendly. Both its and the buds' build quality is reassuring. The buds sit securely inside the ears without much pressure. One day, it started drizzling during my commute back home, but I confidently kept wearing them thanks to the IP55 ingress protection rating.

Overall, the design is practical and comfortable. The glossy case element may be slightly divisive, but that hardly comes in the way of your actual wearability and usage.

Realme Buds Air 8 Pro: Connectivity and controls

You get a quick and straightforward pairing experience on Android thanks to Fast Pair, and I had no issue connecting it with my MacBook. It should work fine with iPhone and Windows, too. Pairing was followed by a no-fuss connectivity experience. It runs on Bluetooth 6.1 and supports simultaneous connection with three devices, and allows seamless taking calls or switching music playback between these devices. The only catch is that if you are listening to Spotify on your phone and trying to watch a YouTube video on your laptop, you'll have to pause one to start listening on the other.

The Realme Link app is one of the better companion apps in this segment. It needs logging in, and once you do that, you can see all your Realme audio, smart home and fitness-oriented products. Tap the Buds Air 8 Pro from the list, and you can see the earbuds' battery percentage and various settings like ANC controls, EQ presets, firmware updates, wear detection settings, Game mode (low latency), and audio personalisation settings.

On one hand, features like tap-based controls are fairly customisable and quite responsive too. The swipe up/down gesture on the buds' stems to control volume is particularly useful. But the app needs some polishing. You see, I used the hearing test feature called Golden Sound to generate a profile. I applied it and was pleased by the result, but later, one day when the app prompted me to re-log in, after logging in, the saved profile was missing.

Other rough edges include the Ask AI feature (which uses Gemini), wasn't working because of a busy server. Similarly, Mindflow mode wasn't working. Face to Face Translate feature also wasn't working as seamlessly as I would have wanted it to, even though I had given it the microphone permissions.

All these things don't necessarily impact the audio experience of the earbuds, so I can give them a pass. It's just that if the brand aims to compete in a higher segment, the software experience needs to be more refined.

Realme Buds Air 8 Pro: Sound quality

The driver setup is similar to the standard Realme Buds Air 8: 11mm + 6mm duo, and you also get support for high-res LHDC 5.0 codec. The tuning has familiar attributes like good, strong bass, clear vocals and safe highs, but all of these aspects are enhanced for an even more expressive sound.

Take the 'Vallah' song from Cocktail 2, for instance, the sub-bass, dhol beats and other instruments sound tighter and tastier. Nick Hakim's I Don't Know has a very atmospheric presence on the Buds Air 8 Pro. The voice of the lead vocalist from Alabama Shakes' Don't Wanna Fight and the guitar riff both reach the corners of my mind on this pair. In The Temptations' My Girl, the high vocals and instruments in the high frequencies sound clear and not-so-harsh. So much is happening on the Buds Air 8 Pro compared to the Buds Air 8, and due to this, the 8 Pro could seem more fatiguing to some. But, I am sure, most would find the Pro's tuning more interesting than the standard model.

You can tweak the sound to some extent using EQ mode, Spatial Audio, High-definition sound, Dynamic audio, and Golden sound settings in the Realme Link app. The Golden sound option is not available on the standard Buds Air 8 model.

All in all, it is one of the best-sounding earphones in the range and easily recommendable to the mainstream audience.

Also Read: Amazon Echo Dot Max review: A good-sounding smart home hub, still waiting for Alexa+

Realme Buds Air 8 Pro: ANC and calls

Realme claims up to 55dB active noise cancellation, and the ANC performance is genuinely impressive. There is wind-noise reduction, also. I was choosing the Max mode from the different EQ modes in the Realme Link app. Even in this, you will hear sudden, random sounds occasionally, and I didn't mind that at all. On the other end of the spectrum, the Transparency mode also sounded reasonably natural.

Compared to a budget pair of earbuds I reviewed recently, this one offered a clear improvement in call quality. I preferred using the Buds Air 8 Pro while calling my wife from the office. The combination of six microphones and the dedicated bone-conduction sensor isolates your voice well. Both of us could hear each other properly without any noticeable background noise.

So good sound for entertainment and calls, and a good shield against outside noise are ample reasons to like this Realme offering.

Realme Buds Air 8 Pro: Battery life and charging

With ANC disabled, at 80% volume level, and AAC codec, playing a FLAC file, the earbuds ran for 10 hours 40 minutes. With the case, the brand claims up to 50 hours of battery life. This is lower than the Buds Air 8's claimed runtime, but it is still plenty long. Just with the buds, you can easily get through a workday and say you are going on a 4-day vacay, the Buds Air 8 Pro should last the entire trip.

Turning ANC on naturally reduces endurance, but the overall battery life remains competitive.

This is backed by fast charging support. Realme gives an estimate of 11 hours worth of playback from just 10 minutes of charging. Good figures.

Should you buy the Realme Buds Air 8 Pro?

Well, the review period is over, and I will still be keeping these as my default earbuds for daily metro rides, office work, movie sessions, and phone calls. That, more than any specification, says a lot about how good they are.

The Realme Buds Air 8 Pro improves upon the standard Buds Air 8 in meaningful ways. The sound is more expressive and engaging, ANC is stronger, call quality is excellent, and features like triple-device connectivity, swipe volume controls, and Golden Sound add genuine value to the overall experience.

The only area that sees a slight downgrade from the Buds Air 8 is battery life. Even then, it has more than the required juice for daily use and can comfortably last through a long weekend trip. During everyday use, the Realme Link app has a lot of useful features, but the AI-powered ones didn't feel particularly polished in my experience.

The glossy elements of the design are also not to my personal taste because of their reflective, smudge-prone finish. That said, they do help the earbuds stand out, and these are more personal preferences than actual drawbacks. They don't meaningfully affect what is otherwise an excellent pair of earbuds.

So yes, I can comfortably recommend the Realme Buds Air 8 Pro at its asking price of Rs 6,999. It is one of the most complete TWS earphones you can buy in this segment today.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar reviews.

Also Read: Oppo Enco Air 5 Pro review: Easy to recommend TWS earbuds under Rs 5,000 

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i Gen 11 (15IPH11), comes in as one of Lenovo’s entry-level, budget-friendly workhorses. It sits below the Yoga, Legion and LOQ series but within the IdeaPad series, it’s more in the middle of the lot. That being said, this particular model is a little special, at its core is Intel’s new Core Ultra 5 322, a Panther Lake-H chip with a 2P+4E core layout, paired with 16 GB DDR5 memory, a 512 GB PCIe SSD and integrated Intel Graphics. Intel unveiled Panther Lake at CES 2026 making it the third family of processors to have the ‘Core Ultra’ branding. The above hardware combination effectively positions the laptop as a machine for office work, web-heavy multitasking, online classes, streaming, light creative work and casual productivity rather than gaming or workstation workloads. It’s currently retailing for Rs.1,09,990 which might seem a little high for the positioning of the laptop, but you can blame the memory pricing crisis for that. 

Lenovo’s positions the IdeaPad Slim line around portability, clean design, long battery life, rapid charging, collaboration features and AI-oriented everyday usage. This range is also part of Lenovo’s Make in India push, which is worth noting for the Indian market.  

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i Gen 11 Specifications

If you’re looking for the exact model that we’re reviewing today then look for the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i Gen 11 with the 15IPH11 2 product tag and the model number 83UR009QIN. It runs Windows 11 Home and our unit was tested with Lenovo BIOS TTCN19WW dated 9 March 2026. Like we mentioned previously, the processor is the Intel Core Ultra 5 322, based on Intel Panther Lake. It is a 2P+4E processor, with a peak clock of 4.3 GHz in the tested configuration. The CPU has 12 MB of L3 cache and a typical power rating of 25 W, which is in line with its positioning inside a thin-and-light productivity notebook.

On the memory front, the unit comes with 16 GB DDR5-5600 RAM in dual-channel mode as do all DDR5 DIMMs. When we opened the unit, we saw just one 8 GB Samsung DDR5 DIMM suggesting that the other 8 GB or RAM was soldered onto the mainboard. The reported maximum memory capacity is 40 GB, which is useful for buyers who want a mainstream laptop that does not become immediately restrictive after a couple of years.

Storage is handled by a 512 GB SanDisk SN5100S NVMe SSD. That leaves you 476 GB of usable space after the metric-to-byte conversion and over-provisioning. The integrated graphics solution is the Intel Panther Lake-H GT2, which shows up as 'Intel Graphics' with dynamic memory allocation ranging between 512 MB to 2 GB, available as needed.

The display on the review unit is a 15.3-inch Lenovo LEN153WUXGA panel with a 1920 x 1200 resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio and 60 Hz refresh rate. It’s rated for up to 400 nits brightness and comes with TÜV Low Blue Light certification.

Connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 through a MediaTek MT7920 wireless card. Although, technically, it can handle LMP 13 features so it can be called a Bluetooth 5.4 device if certified as such. The port selection includes USB Type-A, USB Type-C with DisplayPort and Power Delivery, HDMI 1.4, an SD card reader and a 3.5 mm audio combo jack. The system also includes a 60 Wh battery with Rapid Charge Boost support, with Lenovo claiming up to two hours of use from a 15-minute charge on the 60 Wh model. You can check out the full list of specifications below:

Features

The IdeaPad Slim 3i Gen 11 follows Lenovo’s recent mainstream laptop playbook featuring a cleaner chassis, a taller 16:10 screen, improved conferencing hardware and enough performance for hybrid work and study. It is not trying to be a Yoga or a Legion. This is meant for students, office users, home users and anyone who wants a reasonably modern laptop without stepping into premium ultrabook territory.

The FHD IR camera is one of the more useful additions. It allows faster Windows Hello login and is paired with a physical privacy shutter, which is still the simplest webcam privacy feature that actually matters. It also packs dual microphones, smart noise cancellation and Dolby Audio speakers, all of which are aimed at online classes, video meetings and casual media consumption. Lenovo is also leaning on AI messaging with this generation. There's the typical Copilot+ PC experiences, real-time translations, intelligent captions, smarter search and Lenovo Smart features baked in.

Coming to the included software, Lenovo Vantage, which has been a mainstay on all Lenovo laptops for some time has evolved into one of the more useful software additions because it pulls together several utility functions that would otherwise be scattered across Windows settings, driver tools, audio apps, display utilities and support pages. The app shows device identity, warranty status, battery health, charge cycles, BIOS version and installed hardware in one place, which makes it friendlier for regular users who may not want to dig through Device Manager or system information menus.

The power section is particularly useful, with battery capacity, current charge, battery temperature and warranty details clearly shown. Display controls are also neatly integrated, including eye care mode, colour effects, super resolution for video playback, and presence detection features such as zero-touch login, lock and video playback. Audio and conferencing controls are similarly useful, with Dolby Atmos profiles, speaker noise cancelling, microphone noise reduction, smart meeting assistant, mute detection alerts and gesture-based microphone control for Teams.

Vantage also handles system updates, BIOS and firmware update scheduling, hardware diagnostics, system insights and real-time thermal monitoring. The result is a utility suite that feels less like preloaded bloatware and more like a practical control centre. For a mainstream laptop, this kind of consolidation makes ownership easier and reduces the friction of maintaining the device.

Build quality

The IdeaPad Slim 3i Gen 11 follows the same design language as the previous Gen 10. It’s primarily built using ABS plastic for all the parts that are user-facing but on the inside, we can see a rigid metal chassis, presumably aluminium. The Luna Grey finish fits the understated IdeaPad identity. The chassis has a very clean and sleek look, but it doesn’t appear to be chasing the ultra-premium thinness of Yoga models, but that works in its favour if the aim is daily dependability rather than flash and pizzaz.

For a 15-inch notebook, the taller 16:10 panel makes the machine feel more useful for documents, spreadsheets and web pages. The slim bezels also help keep the design modern. Lenovo claims up to around 90 per cent active screen area ratio for the family of laptops. The review unit we received uses a 1920 x 1200 60 Hz panel, so it is clearly more of a productivity display than a high-refresh or colour-critical panel.

Connectivity options are decent. The inclusion of USB Type-A, USB Type-C with charging and display output, HDMI 1.4, SD card reader and a headphone jack means users should not need a dock or dongles for basic everyday usage. The SD card reader is particularly welcome, especially for students, creators and journalists who still move files from cameras or audio recorders. What would have been better is if Lenovo has switched to using a USB Type-C connector for the charger but it seems to be left out for the more premium models.

The keyboard has a 1.3 mm key travel, and comes with optional backlighting depending on the configuration. The model we reviewed had a backlit keyboard. The trackpad is quite large with about 120 x 75 mm in area and that’s good for folks who rely on gestures for navigation.

The internal configuration is interesting. We’ve already spoken about the mix of soldered and swappable memory. We also spotted a protective cage on the inside of the bottom cover for the memory, its edges touch the clean copper rectangle that you see around the memory. The plastic bottom cover often flexes and without the protective cage, the cover could bump into the memory DIMM and potentially damage the module. So the protective cage helps with that. 

The cooler uses a simple single blower configuration since there’s no discrete GPU and the CPU is set to 25 Watts, so there isn’t a lot to cool in the chassis. There's an empty M.2 slot in case you want to add more storage. Looking at the I/O ports, we can see that the fixtures are reinforced with metal brackets which is always a good thing to see. We’ve also seen other configurations wherein the ports are on a daughter board with a little bit of play so that accidental bumps don’t end up damaging the entire board. 

We didn’t spot any downward firing speakers or any additional ones near the bottom. Instead, we found the antennae for the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules in the spot where the additional speakers are generally seen. Overall, the design is very typical of most mainstream laptops. 

Performance

The Core Ultra 5 322 is the most interesting part of this laptop. It is not a high-core-count processor, but the test results show strong single-threaded performance and competent multi-threaded output for a mainstream thin-and-light notebook.

In Geekbench 6, the IdeaPad Slim 3i Gen 11 scored 2,516 in single-core and 8,099 in multi-core. Cinebench R23 produced 1,819 points in single-core and 7,492 points in multi-core, with a multi-core ratio of 4.12x. Even the Cinbench 2026 single core benchmark numbers put it in same league as the Apple M1 or the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365. On the multithreaded front, it is still comparable to the Apple M1, Intel Core i7-1260U and the AMD Ryzen 5 5600H. These are healthy numbers for the segment and suggest that the laptop should feel quick in common workloads such as browser multitasking, Microsoft Office, content management systems, photo resizing, light coding and compressed file handling.

The PCMark 10 Extended score of 5,055 paints a similar picture. The laptop scored 8,976 in Essentials and 10,582 in Productivity, which are the two areas most relevant to the device. Digital Content Creation came in at 6,735, while Gaming stood at 2,761. That split is exactly what one would expect: strong everyday responsiveness, decent light creative headroom, and limited gaming capability.

In compression and decompression workloads, the results are respectable. The 7-Zip benchmark produced a total rating of 37.713 GIPS, while WinRAR reported 5,820KB/s. Blender is clearly outside the laptop’s comfort zone, but it still completed the benchmark with 35.28 samples per minute in Monster, 25.71 in Junkshop and 19.77 in Classroom. These results are fine for occasional CPU-based rendering tests, but not for anyone who regularly works in 3D.

The integrated Intel Graphics is functional rather than ambitious. In 3DMark Steel Nomad, the laptop scored 232 with a graphics test result of 2.32 FPS. That is a clear signal that modern heavy gaming is not the focus here. The GPU can handle display acceleration, video playback, light creative acceleration and older or lightweight games at modest settings, but this is not a laptop for gaming. Even casual gaming expectations should be set around older titles, esports games at reduced settings and cloud gaming rather than native high-fidelity play.

Memory performance is good. AIDA64 Cache & Memory Benchmark recorded 43,709 MB/s read, 71,687 MB/s write and 66,791 MB/s copy bandwidth, with memory latency at 120.5 ns. The write and copy figures are solid for DDR5-5600 in a mainstream system, though the latency is not especially tight. In real-world usage, the key advantage is dual-channel memory, which helps both CPU responsiveness and integrated graphics performance.

Storage performance is strong in CrystalDiskMark, with sequential read speeds of 6,680 MB/s and sequential writes of 5,240 MB/s in the SEQ1M Q8T1 test. Random 4K Q32T16 results came in at 506 MB/s read and 314 MB/s write, while Q1T1 random results were 70 MB/s read and 105 MB/s write. Those are good figures for fast boot times, app launches and large file transfers. PCMark’s Quick System Drive Benchmark was less flattering, with a score of 1,827, bandwidth of 219.78 MB/s and average access time of 69 microseconds, but the overall storage experience should still feel snappy.

Networking is handled by the MediaTek Wi-Fi 6 MT7920 card. With 1,201 Mbps link speed on the test network with 160 MHz channel width, we managed to get about 722 Mbps downstream which is more than enough for fast downloads, cloud backups, video calls and local NAS transfers, assuming the router and network conditions are up to the job.

We didn’t see any significant throttling with the Intel Core Ultra 5 322. Even with a sustained load for over 10 minutes, we only saw the Cinebench multi-threaded scores dip by 40 points. That being said, it should be noted that the Ultra 5 322 has very low core and thread count and is clocked quite moderately, so there isn’t much scope for a lot of throttling. We typically see throttling where the headrooms aren’t are large and that’s usually with the Ultra 7 or higher SKUs. 

Power consumption and battery life

The IdeaPad Slim 3i Gen 11 comes with a Sunwoda 60 Wh battery which gives it more headroom than the smaller packs often found in budget 15-inch notebooks, and that should help when the laptop is used for mixed productivity rather than heavy sustained workloads.

The Sunwoda battery has a designed capacity of 60,000 mWh, a fully charged capacity of 63,000mWh. In our battery test, we managed to get 13 hours and 59 minutes out of the battery. Lenovo claims Rapid Charge Boost support on the 60 Wh model, with up to two hours of usage from a 15-minute charge which was easily achieved. As always, these claims depend heavily on brightness, workload, wireless usage and power mode, but rapid charging is genuinely useful in this class of laptop.

The included charger is slim and has a narrow barrel connector making it easy to carry around. Like we mentioned previously, a USB Type-C Connector would have been excellent.

Verdict

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i Gen 11 (15IPH11) comes across as a very sensible mainstream laptop built around the right upgrades. Panther Lake-H debuts in Lenovo’s portfolio with Intel Core Ultra 5 322 delivering great single-core scores and competent multi-core performance for a six-core thin-and-light laptop. The limitations are equally clear. The integrated Intel Graphics is not built for demanding gaming. The display is practical, but not enough to make this a creator-grade machine unless a higher-end OLED configuration is available. We’d say that the IdeaPad Slim 3i Gen 11 works best as a modern everyday laptop for students, office users and home productivity buyers who want a clean design, good responsiveness, upgrade potential and a practical feature set. It is not exciting in the gaming or creator sense, but it gets the mainstream fundamentals right, and that is exactly where the IdeaPad Slim line needs to land.

Android tablets, long treated as inadequate alternatives to the iPad, have matured considerably. In the first three months of 2026, the market has witnessed a 5% growth in comparison to 2025 even though the prices increased due to prevailing memory shortage, according to Counterpoint Research. The premium end is particularly active with tablets priced above Rs 20,000 recording a 71% surge in Q3 2025 and 11-inch devices accounting for 59% of all tablet sales. The Xiaomi Pad 7 captured 36% of premium tablet sales in Q1 2025, per CMR's India Tablet PC Market Leaderboard. Xiaomi has played a crucial role in offering the right features-to-price ratio for buyers who want a serious Android tablet without crossing into iPad price territory. This year, the Xiaomi Pad 8 builds on that with some focused upgrades.

Place the Pad 7 (review) and Pad 8 side by side and you will not be able to discern the differences because Xiaomi isn’t here to fix what’s not broken. The Pad 8 has a slimmer, lighter chassis that houses a larger 9,200 mAh battery. The Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 on the Pad 7 gives way to the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 on the Pad 8 and HyperOS 3 ships out of the box on Android 16. The Focus Pen Pro has been redesigned from the ground up, replacing physical buttons with a haptics-based gesture system. After extended daily use as a media device and a portable work machine, the Pad 8 is an easy recommendation for the right buyer.

Xiaomi Pad 8 review: Design and display

At 5.75 mm and 485 g, the Pad 8 is thinner and lighter than its predecessor. The flat-edge aluminium design retains the premium feel of the Pad 7 and the reduced weight is immediately apparent in hand. This is a tablet comfortable enough for extended reading sessions or for propping up on the kitchen counter while following a recipe, without the fatigue that heavier slates bring with sustained use.

The 11.2-inch LCD panel carries over from the Pad 7. In our testing using the Portrait Displays’ Calman colour calibration tool, the display achieves a Delta E of 2.4 and covers 98.9% of the sRGB colour space. The brightness reaches 779 nits in manual mode and exceeds 1,000 nits in adaptive mode, which holds up well outdoors. The 3:2 aspect ratio continues to earn its keep: the additional vertical space benefits split-screen tasks and document reading that a wider 16:10 panel would not provide. At a maximum of 144 Hz, scrolling and animations are fluid throughout. In addition, a nano-texture variant is available at a premium for users who frequently work in high-glare environments.

Xiaomi Pad 8 review: Performance

The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, built on TSMC's 4 nm process, is a significant step up from the Pad 7's Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3. The Pad 8 scores approximately 2.4m in AnTuTu and the gains translate into real-world use: demanding games run well, multitasking is smooth and sustained workloads do not cause thermal issues on a device with this surface area.

HyperOS 3 on Android 16 brings meaningful refinements to the software experience. The UI and apps now feel naturally befitting of the larger screen estate rather than being retrofitted, however, some UI inconsistencies such as the File Manager app opening in portrait mode even if the tablet orientation is in landscape make it fall short of being called a perfect experience. The floating windows and a workstation mode supporting up to four simultaneous apps are well implemented. The AI suite, which covers AI Writing, AI Live Subtitles via Meeting Toolbox 4.0 and AI Recorder with transcription, provides practical tools for productivity users. Xiaomi's cross-device interconnectivity now extends to the Apple ecosystem, allowing the Pad 8 to function as an extended display for Mac users. 

However, one gap that stands out is that there is no fingerprint sensor. The face unlock relies on basic 2D recognition, which Android does not classify as a secure biometric. On a tablet at this price, positioned for productivity, that absence is a notable omission.

Xiaomi Pad 8 review: Battery

The 9,200 mAh battery is the standout specification, particularly given the 5.75 mm chassis. In use, the Pad 8 handles a full day of mixed streaming, productivity, and gaming without concern and extends comfortably into a second day on lighter loads. In the PCMark battery life test, the Pad 8 ran through 12 hours and 39 minutes of continuous use which is great considering the screen size. Users can get more battery life by keeping the brightness in check. Xiaomi includes a 67 W charger in the box, and a full charge from empty takes 1 hour and 19 minutes.

Xiaomi Pad 8 review: Audio

The quad-speaker setup with Dolby Atmos and a 200% volume boost mode delivers clear, room-filling sound. It holds up well at higher volumes without noticeable distortion. For media consumption, the Pad 8 performs as well as anything in the Android tablet segment at this price.

Xiaomi Pad 8 review: Cameras

The camera hardware is unchanged from the Pad 7: a 13 MP rear sensor and an 8 MP front camera. The rear camera handles document scanning capably and produces acceptable results in good light, but it is not a replacement for a smartphone camera. The front camera is adequate for video calls, with natural colour output and reasonable sharpness. The landscape-mode camera placement means you can just prop it up on a table and you don’t have to worry about your chin showing up in office meetings.

Xiaomi Pad 8 review: Accessories

The Focus Pen Pro (Rs 5,999) gets the most notable redesign in the Pad 8 ecosystem. The physical buttons are replaced by haptic gestures: a double press, a pinch and a grip each trigger distinct functions. It is a cleaner design that feels more intuitive in use and the haptic feedback is precise enough to feel deliberate. For note-taking and sketching, the Focus Pen Pro is a meaningful step forward from its predecessor.

The Focus Keyboard Pro (Rs 8,999) is backlit with a base stable enough to use on the lap and the trackpad supports laptop-style gestures, so there’s no learning curve. It handles light writing and browsing without complaint. The combined weight is worth factoring in though: the tablet at 485 g and the keyboard at 325 g total 810 g, putting the full setup in lightweight laptop territory. The keyboard's weight is necessary for stability, so this is an understood trade-off rather than a design flaw, but buyers should assess it against their portability needs before committing to the bundle.

Verdict

The Xiaomi Pad 8 improves on the Pad 7 in the areas that matter most. The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 brings performance up to a flagship level, the battery is larger and charges quickly and the form factor is the most refined Xiaomi has shipped in this segment. The HyperOS 3, based on Android 16 is a polished, capable operating system and the AI tools adds great value for work users and even designers.

The gaps are real but not deal-breakers for most buyers. The combined weight of the tablet-plus-keyboard system approaches that of a lightweight laptop. And while Android's app ecosystem has improved substantially, some third-party applications and UI inconsistencies still need to be addressed. That Xiaomi already includes a fingerprint sensor on the Pad 8 Pro makes the omission here a deliberate cost decision rather than a hardware limitation and a difficult one to justify at this price.

At the launch price of Rs 33,999 for the 8 GB + 128 GB variant and Rs 36,999 for the 12 GB + 256 GB, the Pad 8 is a strong recommendation for students, professionals who need a capable portable work device and anyone seeking the best Android tablet experience short of an iPad. The Focus Pen Pro and Focus Keyboard Pro are competitively priced for first-party accessories, but both are optional additions and should be evaluated against individual use cases.

In the smartphone space, the word ‘ultra’ has remained untouched by the ‘Pro fatigue’ that most brands have allowed to hollow out their own naming conventions. While ‘Pro’ has become a suffix thrown around loosely to justify incremental upgrades, ‘Ultra’ still implies ambition that goes above and beyond. The largest sensors, the most capable optics, the most powerful processor, a premiumness that defies the initial in-hand feel and a price to match. Up until last year, the cadence has been slow too. This year though, things are looking very different since we have a barrage of Ultra-phones that have arrived in quick succession, giving Indian buyers a taste of what’s possible if cost is not an issue. Samsung has occupied this space with relative comfort for years with their Galaxy S-series flagships but this year it has competition in the form of the Xiaomi 17 Ultra. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is Rs 1,39,999 of camera ambition backed by a 1-inch type Leica-tuned main sensor, a 200 MP continuous optical zoom telephoto and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. On paper, it is the most complete ultra-tier package currently available in India. After daily driving it for over two months now and putting it through its paces, the question worth answering is how much of that claim survives in real life.

The answer is: most of it. Most ultra-tier flagships ask you to accept a hierarchy of trade-offs in exchange for their photographic capabilities. More sensor means more bulk, more bulk means more weight and more weight means reduced endurance. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra does not fully escape this logic; no phone housing a 1-inch sensor and a periscope telephoto assembly can, but it manages expectations better than most. The camera system is exceptional. The display is among the finest on any smartphone in the market, and the performance is class-leading. Sure, there are some trade-offs but the Xiaomi 17 Ultra knows exactly what it is. Whether that is enough depends on why you are spending Rs 1,39,999 and for anyone whose answer is the camera, this is the ultra they have been waiting for.

Xiaomi 17 Ultra key specifications

Xiaomi 17 Ultra Design and build

At 8.29 mm and 218.4 g, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is lighter than most competing ultra-tier phones. A 1-inch sensor and a periscope telephoto assembly with a moving lens demand physical space and weight. But the reason for that comparative lightness is the back panel is made from aerospace-grade fiberglass rather than glass. It is smooth, slightly cool to the touch and passes for glass convincingly in casual use. The aluminium frame is solid, the circular volume buttons have a satisfying tactile click and the micro-curved edges make extended one-handed use comfortable.

The camera module’s placement despite the sensor bulk behind the glass, does not jut aggressively from the back panel. It sits centrally, slides into a pocket cleanly, and your index finger finds its lower edge naturally when shooting handheld for extended periods.

In terms of durability, during my extended daily use, the camera module glass, protected by Corning Glass 7i, remains scratch-free after being carried in bags and pockets alongside keys and other objects. The display, covered by Xiaomi Shield Glass 3.0, resisted micro-scratches with equal stubbornness and the IP68 water resistance covers submersion in up to 6 m of fresh water for 30 minutes. The ultrasonic fingerprint reader is well-placed and consistently accurate.

Xiaomi 17 Ultra display

The 6.9-inch HyperRGB OLED panel is, without much argument, one of the finest displays on any smartphone in the market today. The term ‘HyperRGB’ refers to a full RGB subpixel matrix: every pixel has its own red, green and blue subpixels, unlike the PenTile arrangement which use a shared subpixel arrangement across neighboring pixels. This enables sharper text, more accurate colour and a more natural image at any brightness level, even with a pixel density of 416 ppi across 2608 x 1200 pixels.

The LTPO implementation is particularly well-tuned and precise. The refresh rate scales intelligently from 1 Hz when the screen is idle all the way to 120 Hz during active use, and the system makes sensible decisions throughout: Chrome, system menus, and even the YouTube browsing interface operate at 120 Hz, with the display stepping down to match a video's frame rate only when playback actually begins. 

At 12-bit colour depth with HDR10+, Dolby Vision and HDR Vivid support, the display handles HDR content with the depth you would expect from a premium OLED panel. The peak brightness at 3500 nits holds up in direct sunlight without compromise and the 2160 Hz PWM dimming is a welcome addition for anyone sensitive to screen flicker, keeping the display comfortable at lower brightness settings over long sessions.

The cameras is where the 17 Ultra earns its name

The camera system is the central argument for why this phone exists. The rear triple camera system spans focal lengths from 14mm to 100mm under Leica's VARIO-APO-SUMMILUX 1:1.63–2.6/14–100 ASPH designation, combining ultra-wide, primary, telephoto and periscope optics co-engineered with Leica. On paper, it remains one of the most ambitious and versatile smartphone camera systems currently available in India.

Main camera: the 1-inch advantage

The primary camera pairs a 50 MP Light Fusion 1050L sensor, a 1-inch type built with LOFIC (Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor) technology with a fast f/1.67 Leica Summilux lens and optical image stabilisation. A sensor of this physical size pulls in more light, produces more dynamic range and delivers an optical depth of field that smaller sensors can approximate in software but cannot replicate naturally.

In daylight, the results are crisp and natural, free of the hyper-sharpened, over-saturated quality that betrays many competing flagship cameras. The skin tones are neutral, facial detail is well-rendered and in high-contrast scenes the sensor balances bright highlights and deep shadows well.

The 1-inch advantage is most apparent in low light. Night shots preserve the subtle tonal transitions that smaller sensors tend to lose like the colour gradients in a twilight sky, the warm quality of artificial lighting at dusk. The noise reduction is effective without being agressive and the results in the right conditions are close to what a dedicated camera with a fast prime lens would produce.

The 2x in-sensor zoom: an everyday favourite

Cropping into the centre of the 50 MP sensor at 2x gives 46 mm equivalent results, and this has been the most-used focal length in my use, particularly for food and tabletop photography. The reason is straightforward: shooting close subjects at 23 mm introduces barrel distortion that subtly warps proportions.

At 46 mm, a dish shot overhead is sharp edge-to-edge and proportioned accurately. Textures in paint, fabric, food surfaces are retained with natural fidelity and in low light this focal length holds up better than equivalent digital crops from competing devices.

The showstopper: 200 MP continuous optical zoom

Rather than a single fixed telephoto, the 200 MP Samsung ISOCELL HPE sensor sits behind a continuous optical zoom lens covering 75–100 mm equivalent with the aperture shifting from f/2.39 to f/2.96 across the range.

The practical advantage that you get is when you want to frame a subject at exactly 3.5x or 3.8x precisely and the 17 Ultra gives you that with full optical quality. At 75 mm, the background blur is smooth enough and at 100 mm, the 200 MP resolution compensates for the narrower aperture and the OIS handles the handshake amplification that telephoto focal lengths tend to exaggerate so the illuminated building facades at night remain sharp and well-detailed.

Digital zoom from the 200 MP sensor extends the usable reach considerably. At 8.6x, images of flowers, architectural stonework and building facades hold up well in adequate light with some sharpening applied to compensate for the crop.

Shadow detail at this reach can turn soft. At 17.2x, AI upscaling is more visible and fine details take on a slightly softened quality, but getting a usable image at this reach on a smartphone remains an impressive capability, should you ever need it.

Portrait mode across all focal lengths benefits from precise edge detection. Be it thin-stemmed flower subjects, hair or fine structural detail, all are handled accurately. The 75 mm option produces the most optically flattering rendition with a background blur roll-off that needs no software processing.

Ultrawide: consistent and capable

The 50 MP Samsung ISOCELL JN5 at 14 mm produces sharper images likely owing to an unusually well-matched lens. More importantly, Leica's colour science extends across the full system and the ultrawide does not feel like a separate camera with a different look. The wide-angle architectural and landscape shots handle edge distortion well and retain detail at distance.

In low light, the ultrawide steps back a bit as sharpness is competent and dynamic range is adequate, but it is far from the excellence of the primary sensor.

Selfie camera: a meaningful upgrade

The 50 MP front camera with autofocus responds quickly and accurately and close-up pictures are noticeably stronger than fixed-focus selfie cameras can manage. In typical daylight conditions, images are detailed and well-exposed. It struggles in very harsh direct sunlight and in dim indoor conditions, but for everyday use it matches the phone's overall camera ambition.

Leica colour science: the intangible differentiator

Beyond the specifications, the Leica partnership gives the 17 Ultra a photographic character that no competing Android device currently matches. The two shooting styles, Leica Authentic Look and Leica Vibrant Look, along with Leica's classic monochrome, high-contrast and sepia filters, add a creative value for those who like to experiment. The monochrome results in particular carry a warmth and depth that feel like a genuine artistic interpretation rather than a digital rendition. The Leica Authentic mode adds natural corner vignetting and the sound of the classic Leica shutter is the kind of detail that makes photography feel more considered and enjoyable, which is the greater point in my opinion.

The photography kit: for the serious shooter

For those who want to push the experience further, Xiaomi offers an optional photography contraption that turns the 17 Ultra into a camera-like device. It attaches via USB-C and adds a two-stage shutter (half-press to lock focus, full-press to capture), a dedicated video button, a customisable dial for adjusting exposure, ISO, shutter speed, white balance or filters and a zoom lever for switching focal lengths or holding for continuous zoom. A 67 mm filter adapter ring accepts standard ND and Black Mist filters for greater creative control. The grip carries a 2000 mAh battery that kicks in as a power bank when the phone's charge drops below 20%, and supports 90 W fast charging. The photography grip is IP54 dust and splash resistant meaning it holds up outdoors. A Fastshot mode adds a streamlined interface optimised for street photography. It is not an essential purchase, but for the camera-first buyer, it is an ingenious add-on accessory.

Xiaomi 17 Ultra Performance

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, manufactured on a 3 nm process, pairs two high-performance Oryon V3 Phoenix L cores running at 4.6 GHz with six efficiency-focused Oryon V3 Phoenix M cores at 3.62 GHz. The Adreno 840 GPU handles graphics and Qualcomm's Hexagon NPU manages on-device AI processing. The single configuration available in India is the 16 GB of LPDDR5X RAM with 512 GB of UFS 4.1 storage option which is well-specified for the price, particularly given that some competing ultra-tier devices at similar or higher prices ship with 12 GB.

Day-to-day usage remained effortlessly smooth throughout my use. App launches, multitasking across demanding applications and animations all respond without any sort of delay or lags. There is no noticeable difference in this responsiveness between day one and day 60.

Extended gaming presents the most demanding sustained workload and running titles such as Genshin Impact, BGMI and Wuthering Waves was fluid and without any apparent frame drops. Xiaomi's dual-channel IceLoop cooling system handles regular use competently, but shows its limits when the sensor hardware and processor are under sustained simultaneous load like when recording videos for an longer duration.

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra ships with HyperOS 3 on top of Android 16. Xiaomi commits to five major OS upgrades and six years of security patches. It is a competitive promise in comparison to Vivo and Oppo, though Google and Samsung continue to set the benchmark for long-term software support.

The HyperOS 3 feature set is substantial. Like the dynamic island on the iPhone, the punch-hole notch cutout also surfaces contextual information (calendar events, active timers, incoming calls and media playback) in a dynamic pill around the punch-hole cutout. The AI suite under Xiaomi Hyper AI covers writing assistance, speech recognition, translation, search and dynamic wallpapers. The lock screen customisation is deep and flexible.

The cross-device connectivity now extends beyond Xiaomi's own hardware to non-Xiaomi Android devices and, more impressively, to Apple devices. There is no pre-installed bloatware (except Amazon, Agoda, LinkedIn and Indus Appstore) and no clutter in the app drawer out of the box. 

Xiaomi 17 Ultra Battery life

The 6000 mAh silicon carbon cell is, on paper, among the larger batteries in the ultra segment. In practice, my screen-on time consistently fell in the seven to eight hour range which is respectable and sufficient for a full working day. Heavy camera use, gaming and video recording are the primary reasons of faster drain. With more typical usage involving social media, messaging, navigation and occasional photography, you can get a few more hours out of the phone.

In our PCMark Battery Life test, the 17 Ultra lasted for 20 hours 54 minutes which is a solid number but falls marginally short in comparison to S26 Ultra’s 21 hours and X300 Ultra’s 24 hours scores.

The included 90 W fast charging adapter fills the battery from 1% to full in approximately 45 minutes so you can be rest assured that a quick top-up during the day will save you from battery anxiety. At a time when several major manufacturers have moved to selling chargers separately, the fact that Xiaomi includes the 90 W adapter in the box makes it a buyer-friendly choice.

The 17 Ultra also supports wireless charging at 50 W (with a compatible Xiaomi charger, sold separately), reverse wired charging at 22.5 W and reverse wireless charging at 10 W.

Should you buy the Xiaomi 17 Ultra?

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra offers the most comprehensive smartphone photography setup available in India today. If you are a photography enthusiast or a professional photographer who has their north star set to DSLRs, Xiaomi 17 Ultra will eventually convince you that the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. 

Anchored by the 1-inch type main sensor tuned by Leica, the continuous optical zoom telephoto and Leica’s colour science together make up a solid camera system which makes the art of photography more enjoyable in an era of AI generated/morphed pictures.

But the 17 Ultra is not only a camera phone. The display is exceptional, the build quality is solid, the performance is class-leading that has shown no signs of slowing in daily use, the software is capable and feature rich, the battery gets you through a full day of use and the 90 W charger in-the-box keeps battery anxiety at bay.

Whether you photograph architecture, food, people or landscapes, this phone has a sensor and focal length suited to the task and the quality at every point in the range is best-in-class. For photographers, videographers and anyone for whom the camera experience is priority, my recommendation is straightforward: at Rs 1,39,999 for the hardware and experience delivered, that cost is fair. For the rest, the ultra India deserves has arrived.

Due to the rising component prices, we haven’t seen a lot of smartphones launching in the sub-Rs 20,000 price segment. That said, if a phone does drop in the segment, brands these days literally make sure to make their product stand out by offering the best specs and performance. Seeing this, Realme has just launched its latest phone, dubbed the Realme P4R. From what I can understand, the company has created a device here that not only prioritises durability and day-to-day reliability but most importantly, battery life. With a massive 8,000mAh battery, which is still a rare sight in this price segment, the phone also comes with military-grade durability, 45W fast charging, a 144Hz display and a MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor. 

On paper, the Realme P4R appears to target users who value long battery life and a sturdy design over raw performance. But, does it really deliver? Read my full review to find out.

Realme P4R: Design and build quality

The Realme P4R focuses heavily on practicality rather than a flashy design. Despite packing a massive 8,000mAh battery, the phone manages to maintain a reasonably slim profile at 8.8mm thick, making it comfortable to hold and use throughout the day. The rear panel is made of polycarbonate and features a matte finish that does a good job of resisting fingerprints and smudges.

Realme sent us the Lavender Glare colour that looks clean and subtle. Buyers can also choose from Titanium Glare and Silver Glare variants. 

Around the camera module, Realme has added a customisable Pulse Light, which can be configured with multiple colours and speed settings. It acts as a notification light and adds a bit of personality to the design.

The phone is also very durable. Realme claims military-grade MIL-STD-810H certification, and the phone certainly feels solid. During our testing, it handled heavy use without issue.

In terms of security, the side-mounted fingerprint scanner integrated into the power button works reliably and unlocks the device quickly. At 8.8mm thick and at 224g, the phone is not excessively bulky and heavy despite having a large battery.

The device includes a USB Type-C port, although it is limited to USB 2.0 speeds, of course. The SIM tray supports a hybrid configuration, allowing users to choose between dual SIM functionality or expandable storage.

Overall, the Realme P4R offers good build quality for its price and feels capable of handling everyday wear and tear.

Realme P4R: Display

The Realme P4R features a 6.8-inch HD+ LCD display with a 144Hz refresh rate. While the refresh rate is impressive on paper, the display resolution remains limited to 720p. Yes, you read that right, and having an HD+ panel in 2026 feels like a compromise, especially when several competitors offer Full HD panels in this segment. That said, the high refresh rate does make daily navigation feel smooth. Scrolling through social media apps, browsing the web and navigating the interface all feel responsive.

Since this is an LCD panel, it also isn’t the brightest. The display offers a peak brightness of 1,200 nits. However, in our testing, it got 1038 nits in High brightness mode (HBM), which I would say helps maintain decent visibility outdoors. Colour reproduction is reasonably good, and you get the tried and tested hole-punch design at the front. However, there is a chin at the bottom that makes the phone look a bit outdated.

Of course, there are a few limitations with the Realme P4R. The phone carries Widevine L3 certification, which means streaming services such as Netflix are restricted to standard-definition playback rather than Full HD. HDR support is also absent.

I would say, for a budget phone, the display remains kind of usable. It is not bad, but not extraordinary either. Also, a Full HD panel would have significantly improved the viewing experience.

Realme P4R: Performance and benchmarks

Powering the Realme P4R is the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset. Our review unit came with 6GB LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB UFS 2.2 storage.

In benchmark testing, the phone delivered the following results:

Antutu Score: 610,697

Geekbench Single-Core: 785

Geekbench Multi-Core: 1,982

CPU Throttling Test: 92 per cent stability

These numbers position the phone comfortably within the entry-level to mid-range category. However, everyday performance remains smooth, with no major issues during everyday tasks such as social media browsing, messaging, video streaming and multitasking.

This is not a gaming-focused chipset, but it can still handle popular titles reasonably well. In BGMI, the phone supports Smooth + Extreme settings, allowing gameplay at up to 60 fps. Call of Duty Mobile also runs at 60 fps with suitable graphics settings.

Gaming performance is generally stable, although the 144Hz display remains underutilised because most games cannot take advantage of the higher refresh rate.

For casual gamers and regular users, performance should be sufficient, but power users may want something with a stronger processor.

Realme P4R: Cameras

The Realme P4R’s camera setup consists of 2 sensors featuring a 50MP primary camera and a 2MP depth sensor. For selfies, you get an 8MP front camera.

The rear camera captures decent photos in daylight conditions. Images generally offer good detail and acceptable colours, although exposure can sometimes be slightly aggressive, resulting in brighter shots.

Portrait mode performs reasonably well, with respectable edge detection for the price range. However, some images do appear slightly overexposed, particularly when shooting in challenging lighting conditions.

The front camera produces usable selfies with good skin tones and sufficient detail for social media sharing.

For video recording, both the front and rear cameras are limited to 1080p at 30 fps. Video quality is acceptable for casual use, but stabilisation remains average, and exposure management could be better.

One area where the camera experience stands out is the inclusion of Dual Video Capture. This allows users to record simultaneously using the front and rear cameras, a feature that is still uncommon in many budget smartphones.

Overall, the camera system is capable enough for everyday photography, although video recording at 1080p 60fps would have made the package more competitive.

Realme P4R: Battery Life

Realme P4R packs a massive 8,000mAh battery, which stands out from most competitors. During everyday usage, users can comfortably expect 2 days of battery life on a single charge.

In our PCMark Battery Test, the Realme P4R achieved an impressive screen-on time of 27 hours and 34 minutes. This is one of the strongest battery results we have seen in this category.

Charging is handled by a 45W fast charger included in the box. While charging such a large battery naturally takes some time, it took 1 hour and 52 minutes to charge from 0 to 100 per cent.

Another useful feature is reverse wired charging, which allows the phone to act as a power bank for other devices. For anyone who spends long hours away from a charger, the Realme P4R's battery performance could be a major selling point.

Realme P4R: Software Experience

The Realme P4R runs Realme UI 7.0 based on Android 16 out of the box. The interface feels smooth and familiar, although there are several pre-installed applications present initially.  Thankfully, most of these can be uninstalled easily. Once the unnecessary apps are uninstalled, the software experience becomes much cleaner and more enjoyable.

Realme has also included a couple of AI-powered features. AI Portrait Glow helps brighten faces in portraits, while AI Eraser 2.0 allows users to remove unwanted objects from images. Both features work surprisingly well and add extra functionality to the camera app.

In terms of updates, Realme has promised two years of major Android updates and three years of security updates, providing a reasonable level of software support for the segment.

Realme P4R: Audio and Connectivity

Audio duties are handled by a single down-firing speaker. Sound quality is decent, but the absence of stereo speakers is noticeable, especially considering the phone's pricing.

On the connectivity front, the Realme P4R includes Dual 5G SIM support, Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.3. For those wondering, the phone doesn’t have NFC support or an IR blaster. 

Realme P4R verdict: Should you buy it?

After spending decent time with the Realme P4R, one thing’s for sure: this is not the fastest or the phone with the best camera in the segment. Instead, this is a device that focuses on durability, battery life and dependable everyday performance.

The Realme P4R’s biggest strengths are the excellent battery endurance, solid build quality, smooth software experience and practical features such as reverse charging. The display resolution, lack of Widevine L1 certification, decent cameras and single speaker setup are areas where compromises have been made.

If your priority is getting a smartphone that can comfortably last multiple days on a single charge while handling daily tasks without trouble, the Realme P4R is a solid choice. Just remember, it may not lead every category, but it delivers where it matters most for its target audience.

Alexa and Amazon's Echo series have been longstanding names when it comes to smart assistants and smart home products, respectively. Now, in the current Echo lineup, the Echo Dot Max is called the most advanced and powerful speaker. It is priced at Rs 10,999 and comes with upgraded audio with enhanced bass and smart features like Automatic Room Adaptation, Omnisense Technology, Alexa smart assistant, and a built-in smart home hub. I have been using it for a few weeks now, and in this time, I was trying to see how good a speaker it is, how smart Alexa is and whether the device overall can act as the centre of a smart home.

Amazon Echo Dot Max: Design and controls

Amazon Echo Dot Max comes in a familiar spherical shape that is 10.9 cm wide, 9.9 cm tall and weighs 505.3 grams. It is light enough to move around and small enough to carry around in a backpack. Our review unit has a purple colour with premium 3D knit fabric. You can also purchase it in Graphite colour, which is a more sober choice than the purple one.

On the front side, there is a control centre consisting of volume down (-), a mute button and a volume up (+). The buttons are clickable, and the quick-access mute button in the middle is a thoughtful touch from a privacy standpoint.

Besides the hardware controls, there is a tap gesture to pause/resume music playback or dismiss calls, alarms, etc. This is handy, but what I preferred most was to ask Alexa directly to change volume, playback and a lot more.

On the back side, there is a power port. You just have to connect the bundled 2-pin 22W AC adapter. Simple as that. There are no other bells and whistles on the design front.

Amazon Echo Dot Max: Pairing, performance and features

You just have to plug in the device, power it on, and then press the Mute button and Volume Down button simultaneously to enter pairing mode. When pairing begins, the Echo Dot Max glows an orange ring light around the front control panel. When I was setting it up the first time, the device started updating itself, and during this time, there was a blue ring light. This took a while, but it eventually lit up orange.

Once it is in pairing mode, open the Amazon Alexa app on your mobile phone. Log in using your Amazon account, and then on the home screen, tap the Plus (+) button at the top, followed by Device and select your Echo Dot speaker.

After the setup, I rarely touched the device. Alexa was my go-to mode for controlling the device. You have to give it set commands like 'what's the weather' or 'set timer.' It is responsive, and if you whisper something to it, the response will also be whispered back to you.

You can talk to Alexa in Hindi also, after you tell the assistant your preferred language. Further, you can use various Alexa skills, which are apps either made by Amazon or third-party developers that let you play games, check news, order food, and control connected home gadgets with preset commands. This adds to the use of Alexa.

But regardless of the language, the standard Alexa cannot respond to everything you ask. It can't go beyond the scope of those select commands. You can throw in follow-up prompts, but it can't answer open-ended questions that you would normally ask ChatGPT or Gemini. Although it has contacts from your phone, it can't ring any of those contacts unless they have signed up to the Alexa Communication service. By default, it has Amazon Music as the service provider, but even if you set Spotify, it would sometimes choose to play from Amazon Music or just doesn't understand the context properly.

The reason is that India hasn't got the generative-AI-based Alexa+ yet. The Plus variant brings LLM-based smarts like natural contextual conversations, can remember things, and do things for you. But sadly, the Echo Dot Max in India doesn't have this upgraded Alexa yet. So, the Alexa intelligence you get right now does not hold a candle to built-in phone assistants like Gemini when it comes to carrying a real conversation, following context across several turns, handling nuance, and reasoning through open-ended questions.

Also Read: Xiaomi S Mini LED 75 2026 review: Big-screen cinematic TV under Rs 1 lakh but with some compromises

But the smartness of the Echo Dot Max isn't limited to just Alexa. There is an Omnisense sensor that allows the Echo Dot Max to automate routines or run connected smart devices based on factors like ambient temperature, light, and even presence. Say you enter the room, and this Echo speaker can detect you and accordingly trigger routines. All of these are powered by the new AZ3 chip with an AI accelerator. For what it's worth, Alexa's responses were fast, albeit limited.

For connectivity, you get a built-in Zigbee hub, Thread network, full Matter communication support and Wi-Fi 6E. This means it can tether with a wide range of smart devices, from older Zigbee bulbs and locks to newer Matter-certified products. And since the 3.5mm jack is absent here, everything operates wirelessly.

Amazon Echo Dot Max: Audio experience

Audio is the most useful aspect of this speaker, to me. Amazon has packed a two-way driver system, consisting of a 0.8-inch tweeter for highs and a 2.5-inch woofer for bass. There is also twice as big an internal acoustic chamber as the fifth-gen Dot. This is plenty loud for its size, and with its built-in mics and feature called room adaptation, it is said to adjust to the acoustics of the room it is playing in.

The sound signature is bass-forward. If you like full and punchy bass music, you'll have a great time right out of the box. Just know that this is a two-way mono channel, and for true stereo separation, you will have to connect a second speaker through the Alexa app.

While the default sound is enjoyable, at times, you feel the bass emphasis is too much for its own good. I was watching Black Noir on Amazon Prime Video, and I wished the dialogue could have been clearer as the low end was masking the mids. You can tweak the sound frequencies to a small extent through the EQ inside the Alexa app.

If you want to use this as your TV speaker, you can. With compatible Fire TV Sticks, the Echo Dot Max can work in home theatre mode. The result is the Echo Dot Max acting as a surround speaker for the TV output. A handy feature, especially if you want a wider sound stage from the TV audio.

Should you buy Amazon Echo Dot Max?

At Rs 10,999, the Echo Dot Max acts as an upgrade over the lower-end Echo Dot 5th Gen in terms of audio and smart hub functionality. With support for Zigbee, Matter, Thread and Omnisense sensors, the Max model can sit at the centre of your connected home and automate tasks based on presence, temperature and ambient light. If you are planning to expand the smart home setup, these features matter a big deal.

But, as an Alexa Speaker, it is currently suited for controlling connected devices and basic tasks like setting timers, checking information and running routines. It does these tasks fairly quickly and reliably. However, the standard Alexa can't currently carry on natural conversations or perform the kind of open-ended requests that Alexa+, ChatGPT, or Gemini can.

The good thing is that Amazon has already confirmed that its latest Echo devices are designed to support Alexa+ when it rolls out in India later this year.

Until then, Echo Dot Max's biggest strengths remain its smart home capabilities and audio performance. The upgraded driver setup delivers powerful sound with deep bass and enough volume for everyday listening. While the tuning prioritises bass over clarity, it is a step up from the output of lower-tier Alexa speakers.

So, the Amazon Echo Dot Max comes across as a smart home controller with good sound, rather than a speaker whose main attraction is Alexa. And if you prioritise modern AI assistance or high sound fidelity, there are other options in the market. With the Alexa+ rollout in India, however, the Echo Dot Max could become a significantly more capable conversational assistant than it is right now.

Also Read: Amazon Fire TV Stick HD review: A smart upgrade for older TVs at just Rs 4,999

The name is Bond. James Bond.’ A lot of 90s kids grew up hearing these words and sometimes, even saying them out loud to sound cool. Little did we know that in 2026, we would get to experience the iconic spy’s origin story. IO Interactive’s latest game, 007 First Light, did what no other title has managed to do in 2026 - take pop culture’s most iconic spy and turn him into a character who feels both familiar and completely new.

Instead of throwing players into the shoes of the polished, martini-sipping secret agent we all know, First Light takes a step back and explores the moments when Bond was just another recruit at MI6. As a result, what you get is a spy thriller that balances cinematic storytelling, stealth, action, and character development with immense confidence. I am not even exaggerating here, but the game feels like an interactive Bond film, one where every gadget, chase sequence, and difficult decision helps shape the legend that Bond will eventually become.

So what exactly makes 007 First Light special, and should you actually buy it? Let’s try to answer that question in this review. 

Also read: Best compact laptops for office use in 2026

007 First Light: Test system and performance

I tested 007 First Light primarily on my home PC equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Ti GPU, and 32GB of RAM. Running the game at 1440p resolution with every graphical setting cranked up to Ultra delivered impressive results. With DLSS Super Resolution set to Auto and no frame generation enabled, the game hovered around 45 fps. Now, 45 fps is certainly playable, but not really the best. But when Nvidia’s Multi-Frame gen entered the picture, the experience got a major upgrade. 

Switching to 2X Frame Generation immediately boosted performance to around 76 fps, which is smooth enough for both combat and exploration. Increasing it further to 4X pushed frame rates to roughly 136 fps, while 5X Frame Generation delivered anywhere between 150 fps and 167 fps, depending on the scene. The real surprise here was the 6X Frame Generation, as with this turned on, the game comfortably stayed around 190 fps and occasionally crossed the 200 fps mark. And no, the image quality didn’t really take a major hit. 

Things got even more interesting when I switched DLSS Super Resolution from Auto to Performance mode. With 6X Frame Generation enabled, frame rates climbed to around 230 fps, and well, the game still looked fantastic. However, my preferred setting ended up being DLSS Quality paired with 2X Frame Generation. This combination delivered a stable 80 fps experience while keeping the super-stunning visuals that make First Light such a visual treat.

For the ultimate experience, I swapped the RTX 5060 Ti in my PC for a (drumroll) Nvidia RTX 5090 GPU. I also connected my PC to my 55-inch OLED TV so that I could actually feel like I am inside Bond’s world. And the moment I turned my PC on, I really was. 

Even with every graphical setting maxed out and the game running in 4K resolution, the performance was exceptional. Running DLSS in Balanced mode with 2X Frame Generation resulted in around 200 fps, while enabling 6X Frame Generation pushed performance to an absurd 600 fps. Even with every DLSS and Frame Generation feature disabled, the game still managed between 80 fps and 10 fps, which speaks volumes about the title's optimisation.

Now, throughout my playthrough, on both 5060 Ti and the 5090 GPU, I encountered no stutters, crashes, or performance-related issues. With that, let’s now talk about the graphics. 

007 First Light review: Graphics

The moment 007 First Light's opening cutscene began playing, one thought immediately crossed my mind: this looks like a movie. And I do not mean that as a casual compliment. There are moments throughout the game where it feels like IO Interactive forgot they were making a game and accidentally ended up making a Bond film instead. The cinematography during cutscenes is exceptional, facial animations are mostly excellent, and the camera work constantly adds tension and drama to every major scene.

The visuals are undoubtedly one of the game's biggest strengths. Environments are packed with detail, textures are incredibly sharp, and lighting transforms every location into something memorable. Whether you are walking through luxury interiors, exploring training facilities, or infiltrating hostile locations, everything feels polished and expensive.

Reflections also deserve a special mention here. Mirrors actually behave like mirrors, water surfaces look remarkably realistic, and lighting interacts naturally with the environment. 

That said, there are occasional inconsistencies. While most character models look fantastic, some facial details could have been refined further. Bond himself looks handsome and charismatic for the most part, but there are moments where his eyes and facial expressions appear slightly unnatural compared to the incredible quality of the surrounding world.

Still, these are relatively minor complaints in what is otherwise one of the best-looking games released this year.

007 First Light: Characters and setting

Spy games are nothing new. We have seen stealth games, espionage adventures, military thrillers and covert operations countless times before. What makes 007 First Light interesting is its willingness to show a version of James Bond that we have never truly explored.

This Bond is young, talented, confident and undeniably charming, but he is also reckless, impulsive and emotional. He has not yet become the polished secret agent the world knows. Instead, he is still figuring things out, making mistakes and learning from them. And that is what makes this game stand out in a crowd.

Watching Bond struggle with authority, ignore orders and make questionable decisions often makes him feel more relatable than some of the franchise's older portrayals. There is an energy to this version of the character that reminded me of Leon Kennedy from Resident Evil 2 or Nathan Drake from the early Uncharted games. You know he is destined for greatness, but he has not quite reached that point yet.

The game also explores Bond's emotional side more than many fans might expect. There are moments where his actions clearly affect him. Situations that would normally be brushed aside in older Bond stories are given emotional weight here. Seeing Bond react like a human being rather than an untouchable action hero makes him much more interesting.

But, despite all these changes, he still feels like Bond. Which means that style, sarcasm, and being smooth around women are just built into his DNA.

Now, even though Bond is undoubtedly the star of the show, the supporting cast deserves a lot of credit as well.

Many story-driven games struggle to make secondary characters memorable, but that is not the case here. The various MI6 recruits, agents and mentors all have distinct personalities. They joke with each other, challenge Bond's decisions and help make the world feel believable.

The game's setting is also impressive, and there is style everywhere you look. Expensive suits, luxury interiors, exotic destinations and dangerous missions combine to create an experience that constantly feels like a Bond adventure. The game understands that Bond's world should be glamorous and dangerous at the same time, and it successfully captures that balance.

One of the early missions inside a nightclub is a perfect example of this. Without spoiling anything, the mission combines stealth, tension, spectacle and chaos in a way that feels pure Bond. The mission is stylish, unpredictable and incredibly entertaining.

007 First Light: Gameplay and combat

As for the story itself, IO Interactive has done an impressive job.

This is very much an origin story, but it never feels slow or overly focused on exposition. Missions escalate quickly, situations become increasingly dangerous, and the plot constantly pushes players forward. There were several moments where I intended to play for thirty minutes and ended up spending hours instead.

As for the writing, it is as good as a Bond film. Dialogues are sharp and natural throughout. There is humour when needed, tension during serious moments and enough Bond-style one-liners to keep fans smiling. I frequently found myself laughing at conversations and looking forward to hearing what Bond would say next.

Now let’s come to one of the most exciting (and challenging) parts of the game - combat. Remember that you get to control Bond before he becomes the renowned spy who is simply flawless in everything. So, in the game too, you don’t play as an unstoppable super spy capable of taking down entire armies without breaking a sweat. Fights can become messy, enemies can overwhelm you, and poor decisions often have consequences. The game surely rewards stealth, planning and patience rather than reckless aggression (which is something I resort to when things go awry).

The only downside here is that the learning curve can feel a little steep during the opening hours. Between gadgets, stealth mechanics, movement systems and combat options, the game throws a lot of information at players quite quickly. And that can be overwhelming for someone new to Bond’s world. 

007 First Light: Music and sound design

No Bond experience would be complete without memorable music, and 007 First Light absolutely delivers on that front. For instance, the moment the opening credits roll, you know things are about to get exciting. Quick confession - I skip through the opening credits for most games. However, this was one of the rare occasions where I sat back and watched the whole thing from start to finish.

As for the background score in the game, it perfectly backs key moments throughout the campaign. And smaller audio details such as footsteps, environmental sounds and gadget effects help immerse players even further into the experience.

By the end of my playthrough, I genuinely felt like I was part of MI6. And that is probably the highest compliment I can give the game's audio team.

Verdict: Should you buy 007 First Light?

One word answer here is, absolutely.

007 First Light understands exactly what makes James Bond special while also giving the character room to evolve. The game comes with some stunning visuals, an intriguing storyline, engaging gameplay, memorable characters and an emotional take on Bond's early years.

More importantly, this does not feel like a licensed game relying solely on a famous name. It feels like a real attempt to build the future of Bond in video games.

Also read: I tried gaming on an Nvidia Spark Chipset laptop, here is what happened

Rating: 9/10 

There are laptops which do not beg for your attention. No flashy design, no boasting specs, and no RGB light that will turn your desk into a night club. This is a laptop that comes each day, serves its purpose, and then goes away. That's the HP Omnibook 5 (2026) right there, and if you take some time to give it a go, chances are you will like what you see.

Costing ₹1,24,999, the Omnibook 5 aims at the business user looking for a good daily driver. This laptop should offer a decent build, a great look, and excellent battery life. To put it simply, if all three aspects are met, there will not be many people able to complain. In this particular case, all the three aspects are quite good. You cannot say anything bad about the screen on this laptop. It is just great. The battery will last forever and ever. Lastly, at 1.3 kg, this is a very lightweight machine.

In other words, if you want a reliable daily driver for your tasks, this is probably what you have been waiting for. Here is why.

Also read: I tried gaming on an Nvidia Spark Chipset laptop, here is what happened

Design and Build: The art of not getting in the way

Weighing just 1.3kg and only 13.6mm thick, the Omnibook 5 is easily stowed away in a shoulder bag, then forgotten entirely. The metal casing feels solid and substantial, while the matt finish deals with fingerprints as well as an adult would, and all of this packed into dimensions of 312 × 217mm – still relatively compact for a 14-inch model.

Keyboard design is neat and makes sense, with no numpad and nothing too fancy. FN key sharing for media controls and backlight adjustment is now expected at this price point, so we’re not getting any sleepless nights from it. The touchpad is sensitive and responds well. There’s absolutely nothing flashy here in terms of construction – except some solid quality and precision behind it.

Display: Cinematically good 

Let's get the numbers out of the way: 14-inch 2K OLED panel with 300 nits of brightness. By any display standard, this is a very colour accurate and beautiful display. In practice, the display is the part of this laptop you'll brag about. Playing Star Wars Jedi: Survivor on it – a game that's full of cinematic lighting – felt genuinely good. Not "good for a budget laptop" good. Just good. And watching Project Hail Mary, a film that deserves the best screen you can give it, the Omnibook 5 held its own. It's not IMAX. But you'll finish the movie satisfied.

It's a matte panel too, which means no ghostly reflections of your ceiling fan while you're trying to work. A decision HP got right. The one asterisk: 60Hz. For productivity and content, pretty much invisible. For some light gaming, we'll get to that.

Performance: Solid, for the most part

With 16GB of LPDDR5X at 6,800MHz, the Core Ultra 7 355 is a competent everyday CPU that can get through pretty much anything a regular person would do with a thin-and-light laptop without any trouble. The 1TB NVMe SSD delivers sequential read/write speeds of 6,381 MB/s and 5,255 MB/s, respectively, on CrystalDisk, which translates into quick app launches and large file transfers. PCMark 10 gave the laptop an overall rating of 7,482, a good score for this kind of machine – productivity tasks such as writing documents or making video calls run smoothly. As for performance, Cinebench R23 returned a multithreading score of 10,067 and a single-thread result of 1,899, a decent score for a thin-and-light notebook that operates almost completely silently. Geekbench 6 gave the Intel CPU 2,734 single-core points and 11,093 multi-core points – not amazing, but still quite good. Finally, as far as AI is concerned, Procyon AI Computer Vision benchmark (Windows ML Float32) scored the onboard NPU 85 points, placing it in the realm of everyday computing power – enough for some basic noise cancellation and live captions.

Also read: I used the Primebook 2 Max for a month: Here’s what it’s actually like

One honest caveat: under sustained heavy load, the CPU peaked at 96.3°C during our Cinebench stress test, and we saw a throttle gap of around 2,859 points in back-to-back runs. In other words, it slows itself down to stay cool when you push it hard for extended periods. That's expected behaviour for a 13.6mm chassis but it's not just an internal story. Surface temps under load tell it plainly: WASD hit 35°C, the centre cluster reached 32°C, above the keyboard was 34°C, and the palm rest came in at 34°C. The bottom panel was the coolest at 29°C, which is cold comfort when your hands are sitting on the warm end. You will feel the heat when you push this machine. It won't burn you, but it'll remind you it's working.

Gaming isn’t quite what you would buy this laptop for but who doesn’t like to take it easy and play something fun every once in a while. Performance for that is also pretty decent, but with a caveat. Jedi: Survivor, a graphically intensive third-person game, maintained a rock-solid 60 fps performance throughout. At that resolution, it looked beautiful, too. Pure joy to play. Valorant ran at an incredible 200 fps on low graphics, which might sound amazing until you consider that the panel runs at 60 Hz. FPS gaming at 60 Hz in 2026 will be hard enough even for your average consumer. The Omnibook 5 is not a gaming laptop by any means – its panel says it all. Some story-driven game on the weekends? Yes please. Grinding ranked in Esports titles? Try something else.

Battery life: The reason to buy this laptop

The number? 1,017 minutes from the Modern Office test of PCMark 10. That equates to just under 17 hours. But before you sigh and say “benchmark numbers are meaningless”, this particular benchmark number actually meant something in the real world. Work days, Photoshop, Illustrator… no power cable. None at all.

And that's what makes the Omnibook 5 special, in a really big way. You've all had those laptops where you are constantly counting down your battery percentage and trying to find some place to plug in somewhere along the way. The Omnibook 5 means you never have to do that again. It charges in around an hour, and once that's done, it simply runs all day long. Add that to its weight of 1.3 kg, and you have a computer you don’t have to think about until you actually use it.

Camera and Audio: Gets the job done

The webcam is 1080p – decent, solidly usable for video calls, nothing you'll be writing home about. It won't replace a dedicated webcam for creators, but for its intended use – Teams calls, Zoom check-ins, the occasional video interview – it holds up without embarrassment. The bottom-firing speakers are a genuine pleasant surprise. Loud, clear, and competent enough to fill a room with music or make a movie actually enjoyable without headphones. 

Verdict

This is not a device that aims to outperform others in terms of technical specifications. With its 60 Hz screen, lack of a fingerprint sensor, and CPU downgrading under heavy loads, this is an outdated device.

But I am here to give my true opinion about this device, and I must say that it does not matter for the person it was designed for. If you are a student or a professional, someone whose main requirement from the laptop is mobility, reliability, and stylishness - there's no better alternative than this. Battery life alone will pay for itself; the screen is just a cherry on top, and the build-quality guarantees that you will never regret your choice in six months' time. The HP Omnibook 5 is a very subtle laptop indeed. Sometimes, this is precisely what you require.

Also read: GIGABYTE AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE OC Graphics Card review

Oppo has been on a strong run lately. The brand has had a stellar array of recent launches, including the Find X9s and the mighty Find X9 Ultra. But it’s not just the flagship phones; Oppo has built a strong lineup across various price segments, be it in the form of the premium mid-range Reno series or the budget-focused K-series. Having said that, one gap that still remains is the upper mid-range segment, that tricky Rs 35,000 to Rs 40,000 range where buyers expect that top-tier premium smartphone experience without the flagship price tag.

To tackle this, the Oppo F33 Pro is the brand's answer. It sits just above the K-series and just below the Reno 15 series. It's a phone I've used as my daily driver for a good while, and after all that time, I can tell you exactly who it is for. I don’t want to sound poetic, but it’s a device that looks and feels like much more than it does. But then there’s the hardware, which tells a slightly different story.

So, what really makes the Oppo F33 Pro worth it and, at the same time, what are its shortcomings? All this and much more in my full review. Let’s dive in.

Oppo F33 Pro: Design and build 

When it comes to the looks, build, and design, the F33 Pro does not disappoint. Without a shadow of a doubt, it is one of the best-looking phones at this price. It features what Oppo likes to call the ‘Starry Sea’ lens module on the back, which is a fancy way of saying: there’s a rectangular camera island, housing the camera and a ring flash, and it gives the phone a distinctive look. 

Oppo sent me the Misty Forest variant for testing, and, among all the other colour options, it has to be my favourite. It features a subtle gradient that catches the light beautifully, and, rather than the simple back design most phones use, it feels unique. I will also admit that the design has been a bit of a head-turner in public. 

Coming in at just 194 grams, the F33 Pro feels relatively compact and well-balanced for a phone carrying a 7,000mAh battery. Where Oppo has really gone above and beyond, though, is durability. The phone carries IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K certifications, in addition to the MIL-STD-810H military-grade shock resistance. 

Overall, with the Oppo F33 Pro, you not only get the good looks but also a phone that has reassuring build quality.

Also Read: Google Pixel 10a review: Seven years of reasons to buy this phone

Oppo F33 Pro: Display and speakers

Moving over to the front of the phone, the Oppo F33 Pro gets a ‘not so big, but not so small’ 6.57-inch FHD+ AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. Compared to the other phones in the price range where larger displays are becoming more common, I much prefer the relatively compact footprint of this device. For my hand, it fits in perfectly for one-handed usage. Visually too, the display is sharp and fluid, and Oppo has done a good job with the tuning, making anything on the screen pop in a way that most buyers will immediately notice.

On our lux meter, the F33 Pro hit a brightness of 1,840 nits, which is much higher than Oppo's official 1,400 nits claim in High Brightness Mode. What you need to know is that the display is quite bright to be comfortably readable even under harsh summer sun. Moving over to our Calman analysis, again, you don’t get disappointed by the numbers, as the colour gamut coverage came in at an impressive 99.1 per cent.

Though the average Delta E of 3.6 in the colour checker analysis is a bit lower than expected. For the most part, it’s acceptable for this segment, but if you were to put it in side-by-side comparisons with other devices, chances are it might fall a bit short. For most users, though, the display will simply look great. 

Personally, I had a lot of fun watching both YouTube videos and OTT content on the Oppo F33 Pro, and a major reason behind it was the excellent speakers. Just like other Oppo phones, the F33 Pro features a 300 per cent volume boost mode, which makes the sound much louder. The audio feels clear, and for the price range, it is well on par with other devices.

Oppo F33 Pro: Performance and software 

Now, the performance is where I felt like the mid-range pricing starts to show itself. Internally, the phone comes powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6360 Max, which is a 6 nm chip capable of handling everyday tasks like browsing, social media and casual video streaming without any major hiccups. But again, if you’re buying a phone, at this price range, you’d typically expect the phone to do more than that.

In Antutu, the F33 Pro scored a modest 647,777, which is much lower when compared to other phones in the same price range. A similar pattern was seen in the Geekbench 6 tests, as it put up a single-core score of 771 and a multi-core at 1,980, which is well behind what the competition offers at this price point. In our 15-minute CPU throttle test, the chip settled at 93 per cent of peak performance, which suggests that managing sustained performance is reasonable, but yes, in the real world, the performance does start to throttle when pushed to the limits.

Naturally, gaming is again where the difference starts to become most apparent. I tried playing games like BGMI and Call of Duty, and on medium-to-high settings, the results weren’t impressive. There were noticeable frame drops, and anyone who games seriously will find this chipset limiting. Not to forget that the UFS 2.2 storage is another tough sell in 2026, as at this price, at least, UFS 3.1 should be the standard. For a device and this price range, this is a difficult trade-off to accept.

Thankfully, the software side of things is much better. The Oppo F33 Pro boots ColorOS 16 based on Android 16, which feels smooth and polished. Along with that, it’s loaded with genuinely useful AI features like AI Eraser, AI Summary, and AI Writing Assistant. While the bloatware situation is less impressive, the good thing is that you can uninstall a lot of stuff that you don’t need. However, at this price point, a cleaner UI experience is generally expected. 

Also Read: iPhone 17e review: Apple’s case for the faithful

Oppo F33 Pro: Battery and charging 

Where performance falls short, the battery almost makes up for it, as battery life is clearly one of the highlights for the F33 Pro. The phone packs a large 7,000mAh battery paired with an 80W fast charger in the box. It’s a combination that Oppo has been using on a lot of its devices recently.

In real-world usage under medium to heavy load, the phone consistently lasted 1.5 to almost 2 full days. Meanwhile, in our PCMark Work 3.0 battery test, it ran for a solid 23 hours and 22 minutes before hitting 20 per cent, which indicates a strong result. Moreover, the 80W charger allows the phone to be charged in under an hour.

Oppo F33 Pro: Camera

We cannot talk about an Oppo phone without talking about its camera. Clearly, the brand has built an identity to provide a solid camera performance in its smartphones across price segments. That said, after clicking a bunch of pictures with both the front and rear cameras, I felt like it carried an almost split personality. What I mean to say is that there are effectively two different camera experiences here, depending on which camera you're using.

First off, the 50MP front camera is arguably the best selfie camera in this price range. The natural skin tone processing makes portraits look like actual people, and the main advantage comes in the form of group selfies. They are handled with ease, as the wide field of view makes capturing large group selfies possible. I tried clicking pictures in both harsh outdoor sunlight and even low light, and the front camera balances both these experiences very well.

However, the rear camera is much different. In bright daylight, the 50MP main sensor performs well; the colours feel vivid, there's a good amount of detail, and the images feel natural. Where it struggles, however, is almost everywhere else. Yes, you read that right. The dynamic range is poor, and photos taken in low light are a clear weakness, as there’s visible noise and softness. Just have a look at some of the samples yourself.

To sum it up, just know that the front camera is very good on the F33 Pro. In my books, it is actually excellent. However, the experience with the rear camera, on the other hand, feels dated. Limitations like no ultra-wide, no telephoto, no OIS, and only 1080p video recording restrict the experience. 

When you’re spending this kind of money on a smartphone, these are some things that are not minor omissions but basic expectations.

Oppo F33 Pro: Final verdict

In the end, it’s safe to say that the Oppo F33 Pro is a phone that rewards you instantly but makes your mind question later on. On one hand, the design is excellent, the display is bright and vibrant, and the battery will easily keep you away from the wall. Even the selfie camera is among the best at this price. If you were to buy this phone based on a quick demo, you would feel good about it.

However, once you start to dig deep, things like the performance chops of the Dimensity 6360 Max, the dated UFS 2.2 storage, and the limited camera system start to reveal the gap between what this phone looks like and what it actually is. Honestly, that's like the middle child dilemma that the phone suffers with. Stuck between the performance-focused K-series and the camera-focused Reno series, it’s almost kind of a hard sell. 

But nonetheless, for a buyer who prioritises build quality, battery, and selfies above all else, the Oppo F33 Pro is a solid pick. For everyone else, at the price of Rs 37,999, you can easily consider phones that offer more performance and much better cameras.

Also Read: Xiaomi 17T Review: The return of fan-favourite formula

The HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 4388 All-in-One isn’t trying to be a high-volume office workhorse, nor is it built like a premium photo printer. It’s meant for homes, students, hybrid workers and small offices that need an affordable colour inkjet printer with inbuilt scanning and copying features. And to keep up with the times, it’s got wireless printing and an automatic document feeder. These were features, that until now, would only be present in more premium models. HP lists the printer at Rs.8,349 officially, however, you can find it for about Rs.7,299 on most major online retail stores. At that price, the value proposition is fairly straightforward: the DeskJet 4388 offers print, copy and scan functions, dual-band Wi-Fi, USB connectivity, an ADF, mobile printing and support for regular document workflows. 

HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 4388 All-in-One Specifications

A glance at the official specifications puts it squarely in the light-duty category, with ISO print speeds of up to 8.5 ppm in black and 5.5 ppm in colour, draft speeds of up to 20 ppm in black and 16 ppm in colour. HP has a recommended monthly page volume of 100 to 300 pages for the DeskJet 4388. Print resolution goes up to 1200 x 1200 DPI for black output, while colour print quality is rated at up to 4800 x 1200 DPI when printing from a computer on selected HP photo papers with 1200 input DPI. Like most printers today from HP, this one uses HP PCL 3 GUI, HP PCLm and URF for AirPrint, and supports manual duplex printing with driver assistance. 

Connectivity options are decent with the DeskJet 4388 coming with a USB 2.0 port and built-in dual-band Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n). Mobile printing support includes the HP app, Apple AirPrint, Mopria Print Service and HP Print Service Plugin for Android. The only bit missing is an Ethernet port. Adding that would have rounded out all options but plain Wi-Fi should be fine for most users.

Paper handling is modest but more than appropriate for this segment. DeskJet 4388 printer has a 60-sheet input tray and a 25-sheet output tray. Supported media includes plain paper, photo paper, brochure paper, envelopes and other specialty inkjet papers. HP lists A4, B5, A6 and DL envelope among the supported sizes, with custom media ranging from 76 x 127 mm to 215 x 355 mm. Borderless printing is not supported, and HP recommends 75 GSM media. Most of the popular brands in the market start from 70 GSM, so you should be fine for paper.

On the scan side, the DeskJet 4388 uses a flatbed scanner and an automatic document feeder. Optical scan resolution is rated up to 1200 DPI, with supported export formats including JPEG, PNG, TIFF and PDF. HP lists the maximum flatbed scan size at 216 x 297 mm, while the ADF can scan up to 215.9 x 355.6 mm. Lastly, the ADF capacity is listed at 35 sheets. 

The monthly duty cycle is up to 1,000 pages, but HP recommends a monthly page volume of 100 to 300 pages. So while you can push this to 1,000 or more, doing so is going to wear out the moving bits inside the printer. Most printers in this range come with Nylon or Delrin gears and these erode much faster than metal. So expect a life of 3-to-5 years which is the usual faire for most home printers. The DeskJet 4388 can handle bursts of use, but it is not the right machine for a desk that prints hundreds of pages every week. Replacement cartridges are HP 683 black and HP 683 tri-colour, and the box includes HP 683 setup black and tri-colour cartridges.

Features

The HP DeskJet 4388’s feature set is more complete than its compact price positioning might suggest. The main attraction is the combination of Wi-Fi, USB and ADF support in a relatively inexpensive colour inkjet. For households and small offices that still print forms, school work, ID copies, invoices, homework sheets and occasional colour pages, the HP DeskJet 4388 becomes a great option.

The control panel is basic, but usable. The LCD display shows copy count, wireless status, Wi-Fi Direct status, warnings, errors and estimated ink levels. The buttons cover power, cancel, resume, Wi-Fi, information, colour copy and black copy. You’re getting a decent amount of information from the display, but users will still depend on the HP app or software for more complex actions. Many inexpensive all-in-one printers force users to scan or copy one sheet at a time on the flatbed. The DeskJet 4388’s ADF makes multi-page copying and scanning less tedious, especially for office forms, school documents and receipts. We found that the ADF worked reliably. It fed pages properly, did not introduce obvious skewing and did not become a weak point in day-to-day use.

The printer also supports Wi-Fi Direct, allowing a device to connect directly to the printer without joining an existing network. Unlike Ethernet wherein hundreds of people can connect to a printer at any given time, Wi-Fi Direct is more limited. HP’s guide notes that up to five computers or mobile devices can connect using Wi-Fi Direct which is more than appropriate for a home / SOHO printer. You’re not going to be getting low-duty printers if you had the need to connect hundreds of users to one printer in the first place.

There are also a few practical maintenance and reporting features available from the control panel. The information button can print a printer information page, while specific button combinations can print Wi-Fi test reports, network configuration pages, Wi-Fi Direct guides, Web Services reports and WPS PIN pages. These may not be glamorous features, but they are genuinely useful when the printer has to be set up in a home network where the router, phone and laptop are not always behaving nicely.

HP’s dynamic security implementation means the printer is intended to work only with cartridges that have new or reused HP electronic circuitry. The web page for this printer states that periodic firmware updates will be delivered over the internet to maintain dynamic security and block cartridges using modified or non-HP circuitry. This is part of one of the many steps that HP takes to stem the use of cheaper third-party cartridges.

Software

The HP app sits at the centre of the DeskJet 4388 experience. It is used for setup, printer management, status checks, printing, scanning and supplies management. It’s nice to have one app as the tool used to set up and connect the printer, print and scan documents and photos, share documents, manage settings, check printer status, print reports and order supplies. Once the printer is configured, the app experience is broadly functional. Basic printing and scanning tasks are easy enough to access, and the app helps surface printer status information in a friendlier way than the icon LCD. The printer itself can only show so much through icons and error codes, so software support is essential.

The problem is the setup process. The DeskJet 4388 requires internet access during setup, and in this price segment that feels needlessly restrictive. A USB-capable printer should not make first-run setup feel dependent on an online flow, especially when some buyers may be setting it up in a home, hostel room, small office or shop where the network is either unreliable or temporarily unavailable. During our testing, the printer could not be set up without internet access, and that made the initial experience more frustrating than it needed to be. This is part of HP’s security measures to prevent third-party cartridge use. However, with all security measures, the moment it becomes an impediment for normal usage, is when you lose more customers than you gain. A printer that includes USB should still offer a clearer offline-first setup path, even if some advanced features require online services later.

The embedded web server a.k.a. the status page, is a useful feature once the printer is on the network. Like all printers made in the last decade, the status page can be used to view printer status, check supplies information, receive notifications and change network or printer settings. It is also used for advanced settings and firmware updates. Speaking of which, firmware and update handling deserve a separate mention because of the product-page warnings attached to this printer series. The official HP guidance listed on the product detail page references to an E9 firmware update error and an E0 cartridge error. The E9 warning explains recovery steps when a firmware update has been interrupted, while the E0 warning points to cartridge installation, damage or packaging/tape-related issues. It’s great that HP has the common errors for the printer listed in one of the most easy to access places. However, this also presumably means that many users are experiencing the firmware related error and that’s not a good thing. HP might have to explore easing up on their aggressive security measures or simply implementing more robust failsafe methods for ensuring that the firmware updates don’t fail that often.

Build quality

The DeskJet 4388 looks and feels like a budget inkjet, which is not a criticism so much as a category reality. The chassis is light, the trays are simple, and the plastics are clearly designed around cost control. HP lists the product weight at around 4.81 kg. The printer comes with a white body and surf blue accents. It is easy to move, easy to place on a desk, and compact enough for a home workspace. The input and output trays are functional but basic. The rear-style top input tray keeps the footprint manageable, and the output tray folds out from the front. Paper loading was straightforward with both 80 GSM regular paper and 100 GSM bond paper. The printer did not show major feed problems during the test run, and the ADF behaved properly. The scanner lid and ADF assembly feel in line with the price. The mechanism does not feel premium, but there was no sense of immediate fragility either. 

Performance

The review unit was supplied by HP and tested using the starter cartridges provided in the box. Testing was carried out on 80 GSM regular paper and 100 GSM bond paper. Quality tests were printed at the highest available quality setting, while speed checks were carried out at the lowest possible setting. Printing was tested over both USB and Wi-Fi. We aren’t looking at this printer as a tank printer or a professional colour proofing device. It is a low-cost all-in-one inkjet meant to deal with everyday pages, school assignments, office documents, web printouts, occasional colour graphics and the odd scan or copy. On those terms, the HP DeskJet 4388 gets a lot right. However, its first-run experience and cartridge handling quirks are harder to ignore.

The DeskJet 4388 was tested using a mix of practical and diagnostic print files to look at print hear resolution, colour branding, registration or alignment, colour reproduction and so on. These files stress different parts of the printing pipeline, including colour patches, gradients, photographs, greyscale separation, small text, line registration and fine-detail reproduction.

For speed checks, the printer was set to the lowest available quality mode. In that mode, the DeskJet 4388 performed in line with HP’s official rated speeds. Suffice to say that the printer is quick enough for occasional home or student use, but nobody should mistake it for a business-class laser or ink tank built for heavy output.

The printed quality tests were more interesting. The colour photo test image contains photographic subjects, strong colour bars, greyscale ramps, skin tones, flowers and mechanical detail. It should be noted that these test images should not be expected to match a reference page exactly because colour can vary by printer, ink, media, environment and settings. With the DeskJet 4388, the prints are quite acceptable for a low-cost inkjet, but not colour-accurate in any strict sense. Skin tones were serviceable, but not especially natural. Saturated colours had enough punch for casual use, but the output lacked the smoothness of a photo-oriented printer. Also, photo papers make a world of a difference when used for photo printing, so keep that in mind when printing photographs.

The upside is that gradients did not show obvious banding. That is important because low-cost inkjets can sometimes reveal striping in large fills or smooth transitions. With gradients, the DeskJet 4388 produced reasonably clean transitions across colour and greyscale blocks. The result was not perfectly smooth under close inspection, but there were no severe bands that would make charts or school project graphics look broken.

Next, we look at radial line targets and small text to check whether colours, lines and text remain stable. The DeskJet 4388 handled the colour blocks without major dropout. Cyan, magenta, yellow and mixed colours were visible across the tint steps, and the radial targets remained recognisable. However, up close, the output clearly showed inkjet dot structure. This is expected from the category, but it means the printer is better suited to charts, diagrams and casual images than to polished photo output.

The DeskJet 4388 can handle fine line work better than expected for the price. We set line widths from 0.05 mm to 0.40 mm across black, blue, brown, green, yellow and purple, as well as arrowed gaps and 0.15 mm line patterns. The printer was able to render fine lines across the page, including very thin line targets. That said, fine detail was not laser-sharp. Under close inspection, there was visible dotting and slight softness around the thinnest elements, especially where colour inks were involved.

Straight lines are easy to print. The real fun is to see how the printer handles curved edges. The DeskJet 4388 printed the larger targets cleanly enough, and black shapes were dense enough for office-style use. However, the finest resolution areas softened visibly, which is expected from a budget inkjet on regular paper. The printer also showed slight registration artefacts in black line areas, where the main black line remained distinct but a faint shadow-like effect from colour dots appeared around it.

Copying was proper in functional terms. The DeskJet 4388 was able to reproduce documents without drama, and the ADF made multipage handling convenient. Colour accuracy, however, was not a strength. The machine is fine for duplicating forms, handwritten notes, ID copies and simple colour documents. It is not the right tool for colour-critical presentations, art proofs or photo archiving, nor does the printer claim to be so.

Scanning was also in line with the segment. The flatbed and ADF both performed reliably, and HP’s official scan resolution of up to 1200 DPI gives the hardware enough headroom for documents and decent image capture. The real-world value lies less in absolute scan quality and more in convenience. A home user can scan a form, save a PDF, copy a document or digitise a few pages without needing a separate scanner.

Noise and general operating behaviour were typical for a compact inkjet. The printer is audible during paper feed and carriage movement, but not unusually loud. To put it in real-world terms, if you start printing, everyone on the office floor will know. 

Ink economy cannot be fully judged from the starter cartridges so we’re not getting into that. Starter cartridges are meant to get the printer operational, don’t provide a full view of long-term running cost. The HP 683 Black cartridge is rated for 400 prints and the tri-colour one for 200 prints. Each costs about Rs.1024-1434 on popular online retailers and HP’s own store. Since the DeskJet 4388 uses a black cartridge and a tri-colour cartridge, buyers who print unevenly across colour channels may eventually face the usual limitation of tri-colour systems: if one colour runs out, the whole colour cartridge becomes the replacement unit. If this irks you, look at Ink Tank printers.

Verdict

The HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 4388 All-in-One is a capable budget printer with one unusually strong advantage for its class, in the sense that it combines colour inkjet printing, scanning, copying, dual-band Wi-Fi, USB and a working ADF at a price that can fall close to ₹7,299 online. For homes, students and small offices with light monthly needs, that is a hard-to-ignore combination. Its print performance is broadly in line with expectations. It meets its rated speed behaviour in draft use, produces usable black text, handles everyday colour documents well enough, and does a surprisingly decent job with fine line targets when set to its best quality mode. Gradients were clean enough, large fonts looked good, and the ADF worked properly. For regular forms, school assignments, web pages, light office documents and casual colour output, it does the job. 

The bigger frustration is setup. Requiring internet access to set up an inexpensive USB-equipped printer feels unnecessary. It turns what should be a simple first-run experience into something more brittle than it needs to be. The HP DeskJet 4388 is easy to recommend for light-duty users who want an affordable all-in-one with an ADF and wireless printing, provided they are comfortable with HP’s app-led setup and cartridge ecosystem. It is less suitable for users who print a lot, want low running costs above everything else, need offline-first setup, or expect high-quality photo output.

Last month, a relatively new brand on the block called Nuuk reached out with a review unit of its Lit v3 rechargeable table fan. A table fan isn't a kind of product I would normally get excited about. But, this one is more of a personal fan with a unique as well as utilitarian design. It has a rechargeable battery, and so it came in handy during power cuts. But not just that, it acquired a permanent spot on my study/work table. Since it is a light fan, I would easily move it to the bedside table, dining table and beside the sofa while watching television.

The biggest surprise, however, was that I was not the only one who seemed to enjoy it. My Labrador, named Oscar, would often lie in front of the fan. And he would simply refuse to move from the spot until the fan was switched off.

So, after spending time with the Nuuk Lit v3, here's what both of us have to say. Well, his quick verdict is Bow Bow Bow. And for my verdict of whether you should buy it now, now now, read on.

Nuuk Lit V3: Design and build quality

The Nuuk fan dons a neo-retro design with pastel colours and matte finish. The largely ABS plastic body reminds you of a traditional table fan. Form-wise, it looks minimal, miniature and has a light and compact build. So, with that size and muted colours, it can easily blend in at home and the workspace. And it appears more like a desk accessory than a household appliance. 

The matte finish means it doesn’t attract smudges that easily. In my month-long use, I have used it in the kitchen, dining table, study/work space, and even placed it next to Oscar. Still, today, when I was taking pictures of it, the fan looked just as new.

Even if dust accumulates on the blades over time, you can easily access them by removing the grille. This grille has a very narrow gap, and so, fingers wouldn’t easily reach the blades, in case you are concerned about that. 

Now, as already mentioned, you can easily carry it around thanks to its polycarbonate fan material coupled with a wooden stem and the carrying strap. The round base keeps the fan stable, even at the highest speed and with oscillation enabled. The oscillation movement is smooth, and the twistable hinge lets you angle the fan in different directions. The fan’s head is held firmly in the angle you place it. But when it is bent aggressively to one side, the fan loses balance. So, weight distribution can be uneven in certain hinge positions. 

Rest, on the fan, you get clicky buttons for changing speed levels and light intensity. There is no Wi-Fi or app functionality here. And I appreciate the whole neo-retro physical button-only approach. 

But you don’t have to rely on these buttons always. 

Nuuk Lit V3: Features and everyday use

Now, before we get to the actual speed and cooling performance, we need to talk about its features. One of the reasons I enjoyed using the Nuuk Lit V3 is that it has many useful features.

This includes the bundled remote that lets you remotely power on/off the fan, control its speed, and oscillation. It is a simple and handy tool. And a clever thing about the remote’s design is how you can just fix it in front of the fan. This small detail could solve the common challenge of losing tiny remotes.

Then there is the integrated LED light on the fan, which comes with three mood light levels. So, it can act as a bedside lamp, or if your area has a power cut, that could be one light source you need.

The fan can also function as a power bank. Yes, Nuuk has given 5W reverse charging functionality with that USB-C port. So, the 6,000mAh fan could act as an emergency power source for a smartwatch or earbuds. 

Also Read: Kenstar Maha Kool HC 90 review: Do traditional air coolers make sense in the age of ACs?

Nuuk Lit V3: Cooling performance and noise

The Nuuk Lit v3 is powered by a BLDC motor that offers three speed settings along with a Wave mode that varies airflow automatically. The claimed airflow is 177 ft³ per minute and can rotate in a 120° radius. 

On the lowest setting, the airflow is gentle and has the least noise of 32dB. This is comfortable and the least distracting. And the higher the speed you go, the better the cooling gets, and the noise gets louder. In the waking hours, the noise from the highest speed mode wouldn't bother me much, but I wouldn't want to hear it while I am trying to sleep.

You can feel the air within one to two metres. The airflow isn’t as strong as a conventional table fan in the market, which can offer a lot stronger and faster air delivery. You can’t replace an actual Farrata, cooler or AC with this. But, as a personal fan placed next to you while working, studying, cooking, or relaxing, you get a steady stream of air focused at you, offering some relief.

Nuuk Lit V3: Battery life and charging

The fan packs a 6,000mAh battery, and in real-world use, it lasts plenty long. It is rated for up to 17 hours of runtime, and in my experience, it covered an overnight use easily.

I was mostly running it in low or medium speed and never felt battery anxiety as such. Part of the reason is the USB-C port-based charging. I can charge it with the same Type-C cable as my laptop/phone charger. And even a power bank could fill its tank.

This meant a lot during power cuts, as this thing is portable and offers cooling without a constant power supply. Also, if it was low on charge, I could use a power bank to refuel it. Well, to fully charge it, it would take 4 to 5 hours.

And that 5W reverse wired charging from its USB-C port can be super clutch at times. 

Should you buy Nuuk Lit V3?

There are table fans in the market that can move a lot more air than the Nuuk Lit V3. If your primary requirement is maximum airflow for the money, a conventional table fan will serve you better.

But airflow is just one part of the story.

What makes the Nuuk fan stand out is the overall experience. It is compact, rechargeable, easy to carry around, reasonably quiet at lower speeds, and comes with genuinely useful features like a remote, mood light, USB-C rechargeable battery, and power bank functionality. Add to that the charming design, and it feels more like a personal gadget than a household appliance.

At Rs 2999, it is undoubtedly expensive for a rechargeable fan. However, after using it for a month, I found myself reaching for it far more often than I expected, whether it was during a power cut, while working at my desk, watching television, or simply relaxing with Oscar nearby.

So, if you are looking for a portable personal fan that prioritises convenience, design, and everyday usability over sheer airflow, you can consider this Nuuk fan. But if you care more about strong air delivery, there are better options available for less money.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar stories.

Also Read: Best BLDC fans under Rs 4,000 in India: Top powerful and energy-saving ceiling fans in 2026

To say that the smartphone market has been going through an interesting phase over the past few months is an understatement. Increasing component costs, expensive chipsets and the ongoing geopolitical uncertainties have steadily pushed prices upwards across the categories. Be it the entry-level phones, flagship devices, camera phones or even performance-centric devices, brands are finding it increasingly difficult to deliver top-tier hardware for the price without passing some of that burden onto consumers. Take the example of the recently launched high-end phones: the Vivo X300 FE and the Oppo Find X9s. Both have capable hardware and premium ambitions, but they also sit higher on the price ladder than many expected. And due to this, a familiar gap has quietly re-emerged in the market, the space once occupied by ‘flagship killer camera phones,’ which delivered the crème de la crème flagship experience without costing like an actual flagship. 

Now, to fill this familiar gap, Xiaomi has come up with a familiar T series device in India, the Xiaomi 17T. While it’s been a good while since we last saw a T-series phone, I guess it was the Xiaomi 11T Pro back in the day. But, generally speaking, during its peak, the Xiaomi T phones had their fair share of attractors and sold well. 

With the 17T, Xiaomi wants to rebuild on that legacy through a new strategy: refined design, Leica-tuned cameras, a high-end display and the latest HyperOS 3 experience. On paper, it sounds like a compelling package. But in a market where ‘premium’ increasingly comes with a premium price tag, the bigger question is whether the Xiaomi 17T still delivers the value proposition that once defined the T-series. After spending about two weeks with the device, here's what I think.

Xiaomi 17T: Design and build

The Xiaomi 17T made a strong first impression on me, and it didn’t even need any flashy gimmicks. The 6.59-inch form factor looks cute and feels like a sweet spot, specifically in today's smartphone market. During extended use, the phone is comfortable to hold, and whether you are browsing social media, watching content, or using the camera, most people should be just fine with it.

In terms of the design, the flat front and rear panels are paired with subtly curved edges around the frame, giving the 17T a cleaner look while also improving ergonomics. The highlight is Xiaomi's Metallic Deco camera module, which immediately draws attention and reinforces the phone's imaging-focused positioning. The Leica branding is there on the camera island, and it certainly sets the expectations.

While the phone looks and feels premium in hand, Xiaomi has opted for a plastic frame on the 17T. However, this does not raise big questions as Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protects the device’s display, and the phone also carries an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.

For the front profile, Xiaomi has used extremely slim 1.5mm bezels, which help maximise screen real estate and contribute to a more immersive viewing experience. The display appears almost edge-to-edge from certain angles, giving the phone a distinctly premium look.

Xiaomi 17T: Display

The Xiaomi 17T comes with a 6.59-inch AMOLED display with a 1.5K resolution, a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and 12-bit colour depth. Xiaomi has also equipped the panel with a peak brightness rating of 3,500 nits and paired it with multiple TÜV Rheinland certifications for low blue-light, flicker-free operation, circadian-friendly viewing and intelligent eye care. On paper, it is a display designed to appeal to both content consumers and creators, with Xiaomi positioning it as a screen optimised for everything from HDR streaming to colour-sensitive editing.

In everyday use, the display on the 17T looks and feels impressive. The 1.5K resolution strikes a sweet spot between sharpness and efficiency, delivering crisp text, detailed visuals and excellent clarity without feeling unnecessarily demanding on the battery. Colours look vibrant, while the 12-bit panel helps produce smoother gradients and more natural transitions, particularly when viewing HDR content.

The display's HDR credentials are also backed by real-world performance. Support for both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ means it can take full advantage of content available across major streaming platforms. Whether you're watching movies, binge-watching a TV series or scrolling through HDR-supported content online, the panel delivers the contrast and colour depth needed to make those formats worthwhile. Blacks are deep, highlights are punchy, and the overall viewing experience feels immersive.

In our testing, the display reached 1,760 nits in High Brightness Mode (HBM), which reflects the panel's ability to illuminate the entire screen under challenging lighting conditions. During HDR playback, brightness peaked at around 3,300 nits, allowing highlights to stand out effectively and ensuring HDR content retains its intended impact. Outdoor visibility is also excellent, and readability under direct sunlight is rarely a concern.

On the other hand, animations are also fluid, scrolling feels smooth and interactions remain responsive throughout the interface. HyperOS 3 deserves some credit here as well, as the software appears well-optimised on the Xiaomi 17T.

Xiaomi 17T: Performance

Performance is perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Xiaomi 17T because it largely depends on what you expect from the phone. At this price point, many enthusiasts would naturally look for a flagship-grade chipset that competes directly with performance-focused devices such as the iQOO 15, Motorola Signature, OnePlus 15R and more.

Xiaomi, however, appears to have taken a slightly different route with its T series this time and moved towards a camera-focused USP that changes the conversation completely.

The Xiaomi 17T is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8500-Ultra, built on a 4nm process and featuring an octa core architecture with clock speeds reaching up to 3.4GHz. It is paired with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and a cooling chamber, which Xiaomi calls a 3D IceLoop system. It also says the platform has been specifically optimised for computational photography, AI-assisted imaging, 4K video editing and sustained camera workloads, all of which align with the phone's camera-first positioning.

In day-to-day experience, the Xiaomi 17T performs well. I used it for a few days, juggling social media apps, multiple Chrome tabs, messages and other productivity apps. And the device gave me no reason to complain. The HyperOS 3 also deserves some credit here. The software feels well optimised and helps maintain a smooth user experience. Good thing? You get extended 6-year software support as well.

If you are a gamer, there is ‘something’ for you as well. We tested BGMI on this phone, and the game ran smoothly and consistently, giving an average of 86 FPS during the gameplay session. The touch response is quick, the frame pacing is also stable, and the overall experience is quite reliable but of course, you cannot compare it with other performance driven competitors. The device does get warm during extended gaming sessions, but the temperature remains manageable.

Benchmark results also back the experience. We ran multiple tests, and it scored well. In our testing, we got Antutu score- 2102281, 3DMark Wild Life Extreme- 3375, PCMark Work 3.0 score of 14,744, Geekbench 6- 1,700 for single-core and 6,308 for multi-core workloads. 

Lastly, the Xiaomi 17T maintained 88 per cent of its peak performance in the CPU throttling test, which is an excellent result and suggests that the cooling system is doing its job effectively. More importantly, it performs better than several competing devices in the segment. So, for me, the Dimensity 8500-Ultra may not be the most aggressive, but it gets the job done.

Xiaomi 17T: Battery

While much of the attention on the Xiaomi 17T revolves around its cameras and display, the battery experience plays a big role in making the overall package feel dependable. The device packs a sizable 6,500mAh Silicon-Carbon (SiC) battery, with 16 per cent silicon-carbon content.

In real-world use, the Xiaomi 17T delivers the kind of battery life that camera-centric users will appreciate. During our PCMark Battery Life test, the phone lasted an impressive 15 hours and 24 minutes.

This means, for moderate users, the Xiaomi 17T can realistically stretch into a second day before requiring a charge. Even heavier users are likely to end most days with enough battery remaining to avoid reaching for the charger early.

Charging speeds are practical and not class leading. The device supports 67W wired charging, allowing the large battery to go from near empty to full in a little over an hour. Another useful addition is support for 22.5W reverse wired charging. This makes the battery aspect a complete package.

Xiaomi 17T: Camera

Now comes the most interesting and the main segment. Obviously, the Leica partnership brings some credibility to the table, and it actually brings more weight to the conversation. The Xiaomi 17T features a triple-camera setup comprising a 50MP Sony IMX906 primary sensor with OIS, a 50MP Samsung ISOCELL JN1 telephoto camera offering 5x optical zoom and a 12MP ultra-wide camera with a 120-degree field of view. On the front, Xiaomi has included a 32MP selfie camera.

Alongside the hardware, Xiaomi has bundled several Leica-centric features, including Leica Authentic and Leica Vibrant colour profiles, Leica Portrait modes, Leica Live Moment capture, and its AI-powered AISP computational photography pipeline designed to improve HDR, colour science, portrait rendering and exposure balancing.

In everyday use, the primary camera does the job well and generally delivers good results. Images are sharp, detailed and rich in micro-contrast, with good dynamic range that helps retain details in both bright highlights and darker shadow regions. What I don't like, but most of you may like, is Xiaomi's image processing. It leans towards a visually appealing style rather than strict realism. Colours appear punchy and contrast is elevated, making images look ready for social media sharing straight out of the camera, but sometimes a little overexposed. And if you are by my side, there is a Leica Authentic mode, which offers flatter tones and slightly more natural result.

Before jumping to the telephoto, let's talk about consistency. Leica tuning brings a character to images without becoming overly aggressive and Xiaomi's AISP processing pipeline generally does a good job balancing exposure across challenging scenes. HDR performance is particularly effective, helping preserve skies and highlight details without creating the overly processed look.

The telephoto camera is great for what it's made for: portraits and moderate zoom photography. During daylight, it captures pleasing images with good detail levels and natural perspective compression.

Portrait photography is the strongest aspect here. The Leica's portrait modes offer multiple focal length options and produce good background separation. Subject detection is generally reliable, skin tones remain natural and edge detection performs well around hair and more complex subjects.

The 12MP ultra-wide camera performs decently. Distortion control and colour consistency remain reasonably good, but I expected a better performance, specifically looking at the imaging first positioning. The lack of autofocus also feels like a missed opportunity.

Low-light photography will not get really good marks from me. Even after the night mode activates automatically when required, you would struggle with noise effectively and contrast, sometimes with white balance leaning towards a warmer tone. However, it handles the light well, and after some effort and patience, you can click some good images.

Xiaomi 17T Verdict: Should you buy it?

The Xiaomi 17T arrives at a time when the gap between premium smartphones and true flagships is becoming increasingly difficult to define. At Rs 60,000, it doesn't try to be the fastest phone in its segment. Instead, Xiaomi has built a device that focuses on delivering a well-rounded flagship-like experience with a particular emphasis on photography.

The Leica-tuned camera system remains the biggest highlight. The primary camera consistently delivers detailed and visually pleasing images, while features such as Leica colour profiles, strong HDR processing and capable portrait modes help the phone stand apart from many rivals in this price range. The display is another strong point, offering excellent brightness, vibrant colours and support for every major HDR standard, making it equally enjoyable for content consumption and content creation.

Performance, meanwhile, is dependable rather than class-leading. The Dimensity 8500-Ultra handles everyday tasks, multitasking and gaming comfortably, while its impressive sustained performance ensures the phone remains stable during longer workloads. Battery life is equally reassuring, with the large 6,500mAh silicon-carbon battery easily lasting a full day and often stretching beyond that for moderate users.

That said, the Xiaomi 17T is not without compromises. Buyers looking for the most powerful chipset available at this price may feel that Xiaomi has prioritised cameras over outright performance. The telephoto camera, despite Xiaomi's marketing around zoom photography, comes with some limitations in challenging lighting conditions and at higher zoom levels.

But if you would ask me, the Xiaomi 17T is a solid champion to consider at this price point, but seeing the current market landscape and the challenge it faces in terms of its competing peers, this is going to be a tough fight.

While the GoBoult Mustang Sprint was announced earlier this year, I got my review unit a few months later. Personally, it was the Sprint's design that got me interested in reviewing it in the first place. For starters, it has a partly transparent case and a unique-looking pair of earbuds inside. This should appeal to those of us who want something different and head-turning to wear. But, earbuds are not just about their looks. They need to primarily sound good, the app experience has to be simple and feature-rich, and things like battery life and call quality need to be reliable for everyday use.

Do the GoBoult Mustang Sprint TWS earbuds offer all of these? In my test, here's what I found out:

GoBoult Mustang Sprint: Design and comfort

GoBoult sent us the yellow variant of the Mustang Sprint earbuds. It is mango-like yellow.

Both the earbuds and the case have black, yellow, silver, white and transparent colour elements. The top portion of the case, i.e., the lid, is transparent, and the bottom half has a carbon-fibre finish. If you don't like the colour, know that the colour portion faces the ear, and it goes inside the ear.

There is a Mustang logo on the case, not on the earbuds. The buds have '302' imprinted on both sides. I like the design language. One weird thing, though, is that the button on the case only triggers decorative lighting and doesn't do anything else.

Beyond aesthetics, in everyday use, the GoBoult Mustang Sprint earbuds are comfortable to wear. I didn't mind wearing it for long hours, both indoors and out. The in-ear fit is tight too, and don't let the buds fall off with small movements.

Also Read: Philips SHP9500 open-back headphones review: Clear, clinical and comfortably priced

Thanks to the IPX5 rating, the earbuds can handle light splashes and sweat without any issues. I even wore them during a drizzle the other day without worrying about water damage. The charging case is compact enough to slip into a pocket or tuck inside a backpack, like when it is raining outside. In time, I will know whether the transparent case withstands drops and scuffs.

You can open the lid with a single hand. The lid closing has a nice clack sound. The buds are also magnetically held in their respective cradles in the case. And for the long-term durability of the case, especially the transparent portion, I will be using them more.

GoBoult Mustang Sprint: Connectivity and controls

For pairing, the instruction is to take out both the earbuds from the case, and the pairing screen in the GoBoult Amp app should show the buds ready to pair. You just have to tap the Mustang Sprint prompt appearing on this screen, and the buds get paired to the phone. But while trying to connect it to my Pixel 10 and Samsung Galaxy S23, I was getting an error repeatedly. A GoBoult tech support personnel tried to solve this patiently. Didn't work, though. It may as well be an issue with my review unit.

What worked was pairing the Sprint earbuds with my wife's iPhone. The Amp app has the standard features, like showing the battery life of the buds and the case, ANC control, equaliser control, and tap controls. The brand has also included tools to clean dust and water ingress with vibration.

The app has some typos, which is a bit odd. To use it, you need to provide your mobile number, and the app's home screen also asks where the product was purchased. Most users probably won't mind since they only have to do it once. Still, I mention it because it suggests that some level of user profiling is taking place.

Rest, in everyday use, I didn't face any other problem. The connection stayed strong, and dual-device connectivity through Bluetooth 5.4 was super convenient. For the second device pairing, you have to disconnect the first device.

As for controls, you get tap to play and pause music, and tap combinations to change the playback. The responses take a second. But they work reliably.

GoBoult Mustang Sprint: Sound quality

Every time you put on the GoBoult Mustang Sprint earbuds, they play a roaring engine start sound. It was annoying, and I couldn't find a setting to disable this. Nonetheless, that engine sound tells you the sound is more bassy.

The bass is boomy with a palpable rumble, but it is not very tight. Tracks with low-frequency emphasis, like Cocktail 2's Mashooqa and Harry Styles' Dance No More, sound engaging. That said, you can clearly feel vocals, and finer details take a back seat. The bass overshadows the voice, the texture of it, and the instrumental elements in Sobit Tamang's Dekho Na.

Of course, this may not bother all, and vocal-heavy music and podcasts are all fairly listenable. But if you are looking for a balanced sound signature, you may find the tuning too aggressive. You can try other EQ profiles to find a tuning to your taste. Gamers among you would appreciate Combat Mode with 45ms low latency.

GoBoult Mustang Sprint: ANC and calls

GoBoult advertises up to 32dB ANC on the Mustang Sprint earbuds, which is enough to tune out noises in your working or study environment. You will still hear the voices of people talking nearby, and some sudden noises will creep in. Outside, on busy roads, you will hear some traffic noise. It doesn't create a fully quiet bubble, but the bubble is quiet enough to let you work or study in focus.

There is no transparency mode, and so while you are out and about or want to listen to someone, you'll have to remove an earbud.

Call performance also shares the bass-heavy sound for both parties. You can hear what the other person is saying, but the bassiness is not very pleasant.

GoBoult Mustang Sprint: Battery life and charging

In our battery test, involving playing a high-res FLAC music file continuously at 80 per cent volume with no ANC, the GoBoult Mustang Sprint TWS ran for 6 hours 45 minutes. It is said to last 60 hours by the brand.

As for charging, the brand claims a 10-minute charge can give up to 100 minutes of playtime. Sprint has a USB-C port, so charging it can be done with the same cable as your phone charger.

Should you buy GoBoult Mustang Sprint?

The GoBoult Mustang Sprint stands out in a market full of lookalike earbuds. The transparent case, colour accents, and Mustang-inspired styling give it a distinct personality. They are comfortable to wear, offer reliable controls, decent ANC, a 45ms gaming mode, and good battery life. Sound-wise, it is for those who listen to bass-heavy music.

However, there are some compromises worth knowing. The earbuds refused to pair with multiple Android phones I tested and only paired with an iPhone. This could have been a one-off issue with my review unit. Still, it does raise questions about quality control, especially since the problem persisted despite troubleshooting with GoBoult's support team.

Also, the bass-heavy tuning lacks balance, often pushing vocals and finer details into the background. Call quality is serviceable, but the bass-heavy presentation does not sound particularly pleasant during conversations.

At Rs 1499, the GoBoult Mustang Sprint TWS earbuds make sense for casual listeners who value design and prefer bass-heavy audio. However, if you want a more balanced sound signature or a more polished overall experience, there are other options in this price range.

Also Read: Oppo Enco Air 5 Pro review: Easy to recommend TWS earbuds under Rs 5,000 

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE enters the stack as a very deliberate middle child. It sits below the Radeon RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT, but above the more mainstream Radeon RX 9060 XT, and its geared to deliver strong 1440p gaming without pushing the buyer all the way into higher-end territory. In AMD’s own positioning, the RX 9070 GRE is meant to sit closer to the GeForce RTX 5070 in raster performance while being priced closer to the GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB, which makes value the real argument here. Positioning in India might go in an entirely different direction though.

For the review, we picked cards that are within the pricing vicinity of the RX 9070 GRE. Against the RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT, the GRE shows how much of the RDNA 4 experience AMD can retain at a lower tier. Against the older RX 7900 GRE, it tells us what RDNA 4 changes in practice, especially for ray tracing and AI-assisted features. Looking at the competition i.e. NVIDIA’s RTX 5070 and RTX 5060 Ti, it becomes a more direct fight around 1440p gaming, memory configuration, driver features, power behaviour, and upscaling support. The RX 9070 GRE is trying to be the most sensible card in this stack for high-refresh 1440p gaming. At a price point of USD 599, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE is priced to replace the earlier RX 9070 but we still haven't received Indian pricing, so you'll have to wait another day to see where it lies among the competition.

AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE Specifications

The Radeon RX 9070 GRE is based on AMD’s RDNA 4 architecture and is manufactured on TSMC’s N4P process. The GPU uses 48 compute units, 48 ray accelerators, 96 AI accelerators, and 3,072 stream processors. On paper, this places it below the Radeon RX 9070, which gets 56 compute units, and comfortably above the Radeon RX 9060 XT class. The card has a game clock of 2,220MHz and a boost clock rated up to 2,790 MHz, although partner cards can push higher depending on the cooling design and power limit. Memory is where AMD has made the most visible segmentation choice. The RX 9070 GRE comes with 12 GB of GDDR6 memory running at 18 Gbps across a 192-bit bus, producing 432 GB/s of effective bandwidth. That gives it the same capacity as the GeForce RTX 5070, but with lower bandwidth on paper, while the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB has more capacity but a narrower 128-bit bus. AMD also includes 48 MB of third-generation Infinity Cache, which remains an important part of how Radeon cards manage memory bandwidth in games.

The broader platform feature set is modern. The RX 9070 GRE supports PCIe 5.0 x16, HDMI 2.1b, DisplayPort 2.1a with UHBR13.5, AV1 encode and decode, HEVC encode and decode, and H.264 encode and decode. The enhanced media engine is also a useful generational change for users who stream or record gameplay, with AMD specifically highlighting improvements to encode quality across H.264, HEVC, and AV1. The total board power for the reference specification is 220 W, with AMD recommending a 650 W power supply. However, actual board behaviour will depend on the partner model. The test card in this review peaked higher under load, which is covered later in the thermals and power section.

AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE Performance

The comparison set for this review includes the Radeon RX 9070 GRE, Radeon RX 9070, Radeon RX 9070 XT, Radeon RX 7900 GRE, GeForce RTX 5070, Radeon RX 9060 XT, and GeForce RTX 5060 Ti. This gives the RX 9070 GRE a useful set of reference points: its direct RDNA 4 siblings, the previous-generation GRE card, and NVIDIA’s closest current-generation rivals. The key question is whether the RX 9070 GRE behaves like a cut-down enthusiast card or a stretched mainstream GPU. In rasterised games, the card is expected to sit closer to the RTX 5070 than the RTX 5060 Ti.

Processor – AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
CPU-Cooler – Noctua NH-D15
RAM – 2x 24 GB Kingston FURY Beast 6000 MT/s
SSD – Kingston KC3000 2TB
PSU – Cooler Master V1200

3DMark

3DMark is a popular benchmarking tool for graphics cards and gaming systems. It provides a comprehensive suite of tests that measure various aspects of a GPU's performance. 3DMark includes several benchmarks, such as Time Spy, Steel Nomad, Speed Way, and Fire Strike. Time Spy is a DirectX 12 benchmark that tests the performance of a GPU and CPU in a variety of graphically demanding scenes. Steel Nomad, successor to Time Spy, is a DirectX 12 benchmark that focuses on real-time ray tracing and other advanced graphics features. Then there’s Speed Way, a DirectX 12 benchmark designed to test the performance of a GPU and CPU in a high-speed racing game environment. And for legacy benchmarks, we have Fire Strike which is a DirectX 11 benchmark that tests the performance of a GPU and CPU in a variety of gaming scenes. 

Ray Tracing

3DMark Port Royale is a synthetic benchmark that uses a real-time ray tracing scene to simulate the reflections, shadows, and other visual effects that are possible with ray tracing technology. Port Royale is a demanding benchmark that can be used to compare the performance of all current graphics cards with real-time hardware-accelerated ray-tracing.

OpenCL Rendering

This benchmark utilises OpenCL to generate photorealistic results by strictly adhering to the physics of light, a process known as physically-based rendering. Rendering progress is gauged by the number of samples calculated, which can be visualised as "light particles" that have interacted with the scene and reached the camera's sensor. As a physically-based renderer, the results closely reflect how GPUs are used in industrial rendering applications.

API Performance

Basemark GPU is a nice benchmark to compare the performance of different graphics APIs between cards. We can use the same textures with OpenGL, Vulkan and DirectX 12 to see if the graphics card excels at any particular API more than the rest or if the performance is consistent across the board. 

Procyon AI Text Generation

The UL Procyon AI Text Generation benchmark automates local Large Language Model (LLM) testing by executing standard models, such as Phi-3.5-mini, across diverse real-world prompts. It simulates tasks like creative writing and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) where the model must summarize text by drawing from external data. Crucially, the benchmark interacts directly with hardware-specific runtime engines like Microsoft DirectML, Intel OpenVINO, or NVIDIA TensorRT to isolate real-world optimization. It breaks down generation speed into Tokens per Second, initial processing latency, and overall resource consumption.

AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE Gaming Benchmarks

Baldur's Gate

Hogwarts Legacy

Cyberpunk 2077

The Witcher 3

F1 25

Power Consumption and Thermals

Power behaviour is one area where the RX 9070 GRE needs some context. AMD’s reference specification lists a 220W total board power, but the test card peaked at 270W during sustained load. That is a meaningful increase over the official figure, although not unusual for partner cards with more aggressive boost behaviour and factory tuning.

Thermals were well controlled, with the GPU peaking at 77 degrees Celsius. That puts the card in a comfortable operating range for a modern gaming GPU and suggests the cooler has enough headroom even when the board is drawing more than the reference power target. The card is not especially frugal when pushed, but it does not appear thermally stressed either. For most users, the more important takeaway is that case airflow will matter, particularly in compact builds or cabinets with restricted front intake.

Overclocking the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE

The Radeon RX 9070 GRE leaves some room for tuning, but expectations need to be realistic. This is already a high-clocked RDNA 4 GPU, with an official boost clock of up to 2,920 MHz, and partner cards are likely to arrive with their own factory overclocks. That means manual overclocking is less about transforming the card and more about finding a stable balance between frequency, power, fan noise, and memory behaviour. In practice, the more useful approach is likely to be a mild GPU clock uplift paired with careful power-limit tuning. Memory overclocking may also help in bandwidth-sensitive games, since the card uses a 192-bit bus with 18 Gbps GDDR6. However, pushing too hard can quickly eat into efficiency, especially when the test card is already able to touch 270 W under peak load. For most users, AMD’s tuning tools should be treated as a way to refine the card rather than chase large gains. A mild undervolt may actually be the more interesting route, especially if the goal is to reduce fan noise while retaining most of the card’s 1440p performance.

Verdict

The GIGABYTE AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE is a well-received addition to AMD’s RDNA 4 line-up. It does not replace the RX 9070 XT (or the RX 9070) for users who want the highest frame rates, and it does not make the RX 9060 XT irrelevant for mainstream buyers. Instead, it fills the gap between them with a card that is clearly aimed at 1440p gaming, modern display support, better ray tracing than previous Radeon mid-range cards, and a stronger AI and media feature set than RDNA 3. This is a year-old card, and we don't know why AMD chose to release this card globally now. Perhaps they've got surplus or perhaps it's a smarter stop gap until the next generation.

Compared with the RX 7900 GRE, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE benefits from RDNA 4’s newer ray accelerators, second-generation AI accelerators, improved media engine, and newer display connectivity. And when compared with the RTX 5060 Ti, it should generally feel like the more capable 1440p gaming card. The main caveat here is power. A 270 W peak draw on the test card is not alarming, but it does make the RX 9070 GRE less efficient than the 220 W reference figure might suggest. Even so, the RX 9070 GRE lands as a practical choice for gamers who want more than entry-level performance without paying full upper-mid-range money. As for Indian pricing, you'll have to wait a day.

The iPhone 17e at Rs 64,900 is Apple's most accessible iPhone, the point at which someone weighing Android against iOS makes their choice, or someone already inside the Apple ecosystem finds their way back in. The phone itself is familiar in almost every material sense: the design carries over from last year, the chip has moved forward, but the display has not and the camera system offers a single lens where competitors at this price routinely offer two or three. What the iPhone 17e is selling and what its price is partly paying for is the full weight of the Apple ecosystem, the most polished mobile operating system currently available and the sustained software commitment that comes with buying into Cupertino's long-term plan. For someone already running AirPods, a MacBook and an iPad, the case is immediate and the premium is legible. For someone evaluating this phone cold, the Rs 64,900 price against a 60 Hz display and a single camera will require more convincing. This is our full review of the iPhone 17e.

iPhone 17e review: Build and design

The iPhone 17e is, in most respects, the iPhone 16e with a chip upgrade and a toughened front panel. The flat aluminium edges, the Face ID notch, the overall proportions, none of these has changed. If you found the 16e's design clean and composed, the 17e continues that with no concessions. If you found it dated, 2026 has brought no update to prompt a reassessment.

At 169 g and 7.8 mm, it is one of the lighter and slimmer phones in its segment. The build is tight and confident, with no ambiguity in the material quality of the frame and the glass front. The upgrade from Ceramic Shield to Ceramic Shield 2 is the single meaningful hardware change on the outside, offering improved drop resistance that Apple claims is meaningfully better than its predecessor. 

Colour options are conservative: Black, White and Soft Pink. There is nothing wrong with these choices; each is executed well and the Soft Pink is warmer and more characterful than the name implies.

The Face ID notch occupies meaningful real estate at the top of the display. In 2026, when most phones at or below this price have moved to a punch-hole cutout, the notch reads as a carry-over compromise rather than a deliberate design decision. It is not unusable; Face ID itself remains a reliable and fast biometric unlock, but the estate it consumes at the top of a 6.1-inch panel is noticeable.

iPhone 17e review: Display

The iPhone 17e carries a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with a peak brightness of 2,300 nits. The OLED technology delivers the expected strengths: deep blacks, strong contrast and accurate colour reproduction. HDR content in supported streaming titles renders well and outdoor visibility, while not at the top of its segment, is sufficient for most daylight conditions.

The constraint that defines this display is the 60 Hz refresh rate. In 2026, at Rs 64,900, this is the iPhone 17e's most difficult specification to defend. Competitors at Rs 40,000 and below have standardised 120 Hz across their lineups. Users arriving from any modern Android flagship or even last year's mid-range Android phones will notice the difference immediately. It does not make the phone unusable and Apple's software is tuned to present the experience as fluidly as possible within the constraint, but the limitation is real and persistent.

At 2,300 nits peak, brightness is competitive but trails the leaders in its class. The practical consequence is that in direct, intense sunlight, particularly at peak afternoon brightness, the display requires more effort to read than brighter rivals. For most indoor and moderate outdoor use, the panel performs without complaint.

Colour accuracy is a genuine strength. Apple's display tuning in the Natural mode is well-calibrated, with consistent white balance and accurate colour rendering that serve photo review and content consumption well.

iPhone 17e review: Performance and software

The A19 chip in the iPhone 17e is, in raw benchmark terms, the most capable processor available in any phone at or near this price. The numbers are anything but marginal.

The A19 delivers approximately double the raw performance of the Tensor G4-powered Pixel 10a in multi-core and GPU workloads. In daily use, the performance advantage is felt most clearly in tasks that demand the GPU: graphically intensive gaming, video editing on device and augmented reality applications. Titles like Genshin Impact and Call of Duty Mobile at maximum settings run with a stability and frame rate ceiling that competitors at this price cannot match. App launches are immediate across the board and multitasking handles the most demanding combinations without hesitation. The raw hardware is the iPhone 17e's clearest strength.

Software

The iPhone 17e runs iOS 26 and the software experience remains one of Apple's most consistent competitive advantages. iOS is polished, consistent and designed with a coherence that extends across every element of the interface. There is no bloatware. The system-level animations and transitions are calibrated to feel deliberate rather than decorative. For users who want a phone that stays out of their way and works predictably, iOS continues to set the standard.

The ecosystem integration is the layer beneath the operating system that truly differentiates the iPhone for buyers already invested in Apple's hardware. AirPods connect instantly and hand off between devices without friction. Continuity features between iPhone and Mac such as Handoff, Universal Clipboard and iPhone Mirroring, work reliably. iMessage on iPhone remains meaningfully different from the cross-platform equivalent. For users with multiple Apple devices, the iPhone 17e is not just a phone; it is the mobile anchor of a coordinated system and no Android alternative fully replicates that.

Apple supports its devices with iOS updates for multiple years and the iPhone 17e can be expected to receive software support for the medium to long term, continuing to benefit from new features, performance improvements and security patches well beyond its purchase date.

iPhone 17e review: Battery life

The iPhone 17e carries a 4,005 mAh battery, the smallest in its price class by some margin. In our PCMark Work 3.0 battery test it ran for 19 hours which is a respectable result relative to the capacity and a reflection of Apple's strength in hardware-software efficiency. In real-world moderate use, calls, social media, streaming and navigation through a typical day, the phone reliably reaches evening with charge remaining.

Heavy users will find themselves reaching for a cable by the end of the day. Lighter users will stretch to the following morning without discomfort. Charging is rated at 15 W via MagSafe and Qi2 wireless. A full charge takes approximately one hour and 30 minutes. The wireless charging support is a useful convenience in daily use; dropping the phone on a MagSafe puck before bed or during desk sessions is a friction-free routine that wired-only phones cannot offer. The absence of a charger in the box remains a genuine inconvenience, requiring either a USB-C power adapter or a separate purchase for buyers who do not already have one.

The 15 W wired charging speed is slow by any current standard. At Rs 64,900, rivals offer 30 W, 65 W, 80 W and above.

iPhone 17e review: Cameras

The iPhone 17e has a single 48 MP main camera. There is no ultrawide. There is no telephoto. This is a deliberate simplification at a price point where dual and triple camera systems have become standard and it is the camera section's central context for everything that follows.

Apple's camera processing on the primary sensor is refined and immediately appealing. The results are warm, bright and flattering, images that look good without adjustment and are ready to be shared without editing. For users who want a camera that reliably produces pleasing results under most conditions without requiring thought or post-processing, the 17e delivers on that promise consistently.

In good light, the 17e's HDR processing takes an aggressive approach to shadow recovery, lifting the darker areas of a scene to produce images that are uniformly well-exposed across their full tonal range. The results are bright and detailed, with strong recovery in areas that other cameras might allow to fall into shade. The trade-off is a slightly flatter overall contrast and images can appear more uniform and less dramatic than those from cameras that preserve deeper shadows. In fine detail, the rendering is slightly softer at a pixel level than more aggressively sharpened alternatives, producing an image quality that reads as natural rather than highly processed. Structural subjects like carved stone and architectural detail are captured clearly, with the HDR recovery ensuring that textured areas in shadow remain visible.

The iPhone 17e's colour signature leans consistently warm, pulling slightly toward golden and yellow tones across a range of subjects. This reads as appealing in most everyday scenarios: food, people and landscapes in warm light all benefit from the treatment. In more neutral lighting, the warmth is gentle enough not to be intrusive. On saturated subjects in bright light, particularly highly saturated reds, the camera can occasionally clip highlights more readily than cooler-processed alternatives, with delicate gradient detail in petals and similar subjects occasionally being simplified. Greens tend toward slightly more yellow than their real-world equivalents, which is a consistent characteristic of the colour tuning rather than an occasional artefact.

Portrait processing on the iPhone 17e is optimised for an immediately pleasing result. The camera lifts shadow detail on faces, adds a touch of warmth and softens ambient contrast. For casual portraits, social media content and video calls, this is the right call and Apple executes it well. Skin tones are rendered with warmth and consistency. Edge detection in Portrait mode is reliable in good light, cleanly separating subject from background with accurate depth simulation.

At night and in mixed artificial lighting, the iPhone 17e produces bright, well-exposed images with strong overall scene visibility. The night mode processing effectively combats noise and the results are clear and usable. Lens flare is visible around high-intensity light sources in some conditions. The ambient sky in night scenes is brightened by the processing, which adds visibility but can introduce minor noise in the upper frame.

The absence of an ultrawide camera is the most significant gap in the iPhone 17e's hardware for practical use. Group shots in confined spaces, wide-angle architecture, landscape photography and any scenario requiring a broader field of view than the main lens provides are simply not available without moving further away from the subject. There is no workaround. Buyers who regularly shoot in varied conditions or who have become accustomed to the flexibility of a multi-camera system will feel the absence of an ultrawide regularly.

Verdict

The iPhone 17e is a phone with a clear buyer and an honest proposition. For someone already inside the Apple ecosystem, with AirPods, a Mac and the accumulated frictionlessness that comes from years of iOS use, the Rs 64,900 asking price is a justifiable cost for the most powerful chip at this price, a software experience that has no real competitor in polish and an integration with the rest of Apple's hardware that no Android alternative fully replicates. In that context, the iPhone 17e does its job with confidence.

The harder case is for a buyer coming in fresh. The 60 Hz display at Rs 64,900 is genuinely difficult to defend in 2026 and will be the first point of friction for anyone who compares it against alternatives in the same price range. The single camera misses out on the ultrawide that has become a practical standard. Battery capacity and charging speeds are the slowest in the class by a significant margin. And the price sets a threshold that alternatives in the segment now challenge from a position of hardware density that was not available even two years ago.

What the iPhone 17e offers in return is the A19's raw horsepower, the iOS experience at its most refined, the depth of the Apple ecosystem, the MagSafe convenience and Apple's track record on long-term software support. These are real and substantial advantages. The question the iPhone 17e cannot escape is whether the premium is for the phone or for everything around it. The answer, for most buyers, will decide the purchase before the specification sheet gets a second look.

The Google Pixel 10a, starting at Rs 49,999, makes Google’s strongest mid-range case in years. Even though it carries a polycarbonate back into a segment where glass has become expected, a Tensor G4 chip that predates it by a generation, charging speeds that look modest by 2026 standards and bezels thick enough to attract comment, the Pixel 10a is not competing on specifications. It is built on a different premise, one that the software experience, the camera intelligence, the display accuracy and a seven-year update commitment add up to something more durable than any individual benchmark figure. There are real trade-offs here and this review will not sidestep them. But the Pixel 10a makes a case for itself that grows stronger the longer you consider what you actually do with a phone from one day to the next.

Pixel 10a review: Build and design

The Pixel 10a's design is defined in large part by what it does not have. No protruding camera island. No glass back reaching for a premium feel. No safe, predictable colour palette defaulting to black and silver. Google's decision to run the camera module nearly flush with the rear panel is a differentiator in a segment where raised camera housings have become universal. It gives the phone a flat, minimal profile and, in the hand and in a pocket, the phone sits more naturally than its 9 mm depth implies, because there is no camera hump shifting the balance or snagging on fabric.

At 183 g, the weight falls comfortably in the middle of the range for this screen size and category. The polycarbonate back is the one area where the build falls noticeably short of glass-backed alternatives at comparable prices. It scratches and smudges more easily and is a clear step down. That said, the build quality is solid throughout, with no flex or creak under pressure and the phone handles itself well in everyday use.

The colour range includes Obsidian, Fog, Berry and Lavender which carries significantly more personality than the segment's typical safe palette. The Berry and Lavender in particular are choices people make for aesthetic reasons rather than out of indifference and they give the Pixel 10a a visual identity that is recognisable from a distance.

Durability is covered by an IP68 rating, providing meaningful protection against water exposure in everyday scenarios, be it rain, spills or accidental submersion.

Pixel 10a review: Display

The Pixel 10a carries a 6.3-inch FHD+ P-OLED display running at up to 120 Hz, with a peak brightness of 2,850 nits and a standard SDR brightness of 1,360 nits in everyday use. In direct sunlight the display stays comfortably readable without requiring shade or manual adjustments. HDR content in supported streaming titles looks appropriately vivid and well-separated. The 120 Hz adaptive refresh rate makes the interface feel fluid and responsive.

The bezels are noticeably thicker than what buyers at this price have come to expect in 2026. First impressions will register them and in a side-by-side comparison with competitors, the difference is obvious. But after extended use they recede from notice, partly because Google has tuned the software interface to work with the display's geometry rather than against it, but they remain a visible compromise that is difficult to fully overlook at this price.

We put the Pixel 10a through rigorous Calman display testing and the data validate the calibration. In the Natural colour mode, the Pixel 10a returned an average deltaE of 1.9 with 98.2% DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage. For context, a deltaE below 1 is considered indistinguishable to the human eye; anything under 3 is considered excellent. The Pixel 10a sits firmly in accurate territory. The white point skews slightly cool but not to a degree that draws attention during regular use.

Pixel 10a review: Performance and software

The Pixel 10a is powered by Google's in-house Tensor G4, the same chip as last year's Pixel 9a. Google made no hardware update here and in a segment where rivals have moved to Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, the benchmarks reflect a growing gap in raw performance.

The CPU throttling result of 58% is the figure worth pausing on. Under sustained load like extended gaming sessions, intensive multitasking or video processing, the performance drops considerably more than Snapdragon-based alternatives at similar prices. For dedicated mobile gamers or users who regularly run demanding workloads, this is a genuine consideration.

In everyday use, however, the distance between the benchmark scores and lived experience is significant. Pixel UI on Android 16 is one of the most tightly optimised software-hardware pairings in Android and day-to-day tasks like social media, streaming, navigation, photography and communication run with a smoothness that does not reflect the throttling numbers. App launches are quick, multitasking handles reasonable loads without complaint and casual gaming at medium to high settings runs acceptably.

Where the Tensor G4 makes its argument most effectively is in AI processing. Features such as Magic Editor and Best Take for computational photography refinement, Audio Magic Eraser for video clean-up and real-time transcription and translation are not surface-level options, they are embedded into the way the phone works and mature enough to have become part of routine use rather than things to be demonstrated.

Software

The Pixel 10a runs Pixel UI on Android 16 and it is the cleanest stock Android experience available. There are no pre-installed third-party applications, no aggressive notifications demanding attention and no customisation skin adding visual complexity to the interface. The design is focused and consistent, with AI capabilities built in at a system level rather than layered on top as a separate application. The overall experience is bloat-free and notably more cohesive than what most of the segment offers.

The defining commitment is seven years of Android OS updates and seven years of security patches. At Rs 49,999, that is a long-term value argument that few rivals can match at any price. A phone purchased today will remain fully supported and on current Android versions well into 2033. In a segment where four to five-year commitments have become the benchmark, seven years materially changes the maths on long-term ownership and it sets a standard that the rest of the segment has yet to match.

Pixel 10a review: Battery life

The Pixel 10a carries a 5,100 mAh battery, and in our PCMark Work 3.0 battery test it recorded 20 hours and 54 minutes which is a solid result that translates into a full day of heavy use or a day and a half for moderate users. Lighter users can reasonably stretch past two days between charges. Across real-world testing: streaming, navigation, photography and social media through a full day, the phone consistently reached evening with charge remaining, with no cause for mid-day anxiety.

Charging is rated at 30 W wired and 10 W wireless, with bypass charging supported: a feature that routes power directly to the chipset during gaming to keep thermals low and protect long-term battery health. The inclusion of wireless charging at this price is noteworthy as it remains rare in the category. A full charge via wired charging takes approximately one hour and 43 minutes.

The 30 W wired charging speed is the battery section's clear weakness. In a segment that now regularly offers 80 W and above, 30 W requires a shift in charging habits like planning overnight top-ups rather than relying on quick boosts.

Pixel 10a review: Cameras

The Pixel 10a's camera system includes a 48 MP primary sensor, a 13 MP ultrawide with a 120° field of view and a front camera. There is no dedicated telephoto. Google offers a 2x lossless crop from the primary that performs better than most digital zoom operations. It’s clean and usable at 2x, though quality falls away at 3x and beyond, at which point the phone moves into standard digital territory.

Google's computational photography pipeline produces results that consistently exceed what the specification sheet implies, particularly in dynamic range, highlight control and portrait accuracy.

In good light, the Pixel 10a's processing signature is one of high contrast, deep shadows and strong edge sharpening. Architectural subjects such as stone carvings, building facades and fine surface textures come through with a tactile quality that suggests the processing is drawing detail out of the scene rather than smoothing over it. In shots of traditional carved architecture and multi-level buildings, the shadows fall realistically and with depth rather than being aggressively lifted. Dynamic range in mixed lighting is handled well, with highlights preserved and shadow detail recovered without the artificially flat look that over-aggressive HDR processing can introduce.

The Pixel 10a's colour tuning leans cooler and punchier than the segment average. In flower macro shots, reds are saturated and vibrant, greens rendered deeply with clear differentiation between adjacent hues. The processing notably avoids clipping highlights on brightly lit saturated subjects, even red flowers in direct sunlight, an area where many camera systems struggle, handling delicate colour gradients more gracefully than rivals. The cooler white balance is consistent across conditions; it suits architectural and landscape subjects particularly well, though users accustomed to warmer, more immediately flattering results will notice the stylistic difference.

In portrait mode and selfies, rather than brightening faces or lifting shadow detail for an instantly pleasing result, the camera retains natural contrast and micro-contrast, producing portraits that represent the actual lighting conditions of the scene rather than applying a flattering retouch. Skin texture is preserved, lighting reads accurately and portrait edge detection is among the most precise at this price. For photographers who prefer the immediate warmth and brightness some other camera systems apply to faces may need time to adjust to the Pixel's more neutral treatment, but the accuracy it delivers is not something easily replicated by processing.

Selfies are detailed in daylight and softer in low light, following the same pattern as the primary camera.

Low light is where the Pixel 10a's processing advantage over rivals in this segment becomes most evident. In shots of neon-lit scenes, illuminated architecture and busy night markets, such as the shots taken at the Jama Masjid and the a restaurant, the camera does a particularly good job of suppressing bright point light sources. Signs, architectural uplighting and streetlamps stay contained rather than bleeding into surrounding areas. The night sky reads as appropriately dark in scenes where many phones tend to lift ambient light, preserving atmosphere and depth. In very dark conditions with moving subjects, some softness is visible, but static subjects in low light render with strong detail and well-managed noise.

The 13 MP ultrawide with a 120° field of view performs capably in good light, with natural rendering and lens distortion that is present but well-managed at the edges. In low light, noise and detail loss are more apparent, consistent with the sensor size. 

Video from the primary sensor is stable, with effective handheld stabilisation for everyday scenarios. Some noise is visible in daylight footage, which becomes apparent when viewed on larger screens. It is not a weakness that limits everyday recording, but it is a limitation for users who prioritise video quality as a primary use case.

Verdict

The Google Pixel 10a is a phone that rewards the patient buyer. It does not have the fastest chip in its class and it will not win benchmark comparisons against rivals running more recent Snapdragon silicon. The 30 W charging is restrained by 2026 standards. The bezels are thicker than what competitors offer. The polycarbonate back is a material compromise at that price.

However, the display is accurately calibrated and bright enough for strong outdoor performance. The camera system is one of the most consistent and natural in its segment, with a low-light processing advantage that rivals at this price consistently fail to replicate. Pixel UI on Android 16 is the cleanest, most uncluttered Android experience available, with AI features that are practically useful rather than decorative. And the seven-year update commitment is a meaningful difference in what buying this phone actually means over the course of ownership.

For buyers who need faster hardware or optical zoom reach, better-suited alternatives exist at or near this price. But for buyers who want a camera that holds up across every condition, a software experience that stays out of their way and a phone that remains relevant and fully supported well into the next decade, the Pixel 10a makes its case plainly. It is not the most dramatic choice in its class. It is, by most everyday measures, one of the best.

Smartwatches have reached a point where even affordable options are trying to offer premium features. So much so that the challenge is no longer adding more features but delivering an experience that feels complete in daily use. After spending time with the Realme Watch S5, I came away feeling that Realme understands this well. It packs a bright AMOLED display, built-in GPS, Bluetooth calling, extensive fitness tracking, and impressive battery life into a package that costs under Rs 8,000. Although the device does have some drawbacks, it manages to find that middle ground. 

I've been using the Realme Watch S5 as my primary smartwatch for the past few days, paired with a OnePlus 15. Though the company claims big things about the wearable, let's just deep dive and check how much of that is actually true. Here’s my full review.

Realme Watch S5: Design

When I first unboxed and assembled the Realme Watch S5, it did not look like a budget smartwatch. The circular dial, combined with the aluminium alloy frame, gives it a premium appearance that easily blends into both casual and formal settings. It also feels sturdy in hand and does not give the impression of being cheaply built. I could be sitting at my desk, walking outdoors, or wearing it overnight for sleep tracking, and the weight never felt bothersome to me. Of course, the main reason for this is that it only weighs 49.63 grams, including the strap.

The Watch S5 also boasts three physical side buttons, making the navigation easier and adding to the overall experience as you no longer need to juggle through the apps to open certain things. Moreover, while most interactions happen through the touchscreen, having dedicated buttons is always useful during workouts or when your hands are wet.

However, I do have mixed feelings about the bundled silica gel, aka silicone straps, which I already mentioned in my first impression. While this is more of a personal preference than a direct criticism, I have never been a fan of silica gel straps on smartwatches. In case of exercise or even everyday activities, when it is humid, it becomes difficult for me to keep the sweat away from beneath the strap of the watch, considering that I wear it tightly for better health results.

Another thing about the Realme Watch S5 is that sweat usually takes its time to evaporate, making the watch slightly uncomfortable to wear for longer durations. This was due to the sensors on the back getting dirty easily. In order for the sensors to read accurately, I had to clean them regularly. I experienced this multiple times with SpO₂ measurements, as when the sensors were covered in sweat, the watch often refused to record a reading.

In terms of durability, the Realme Watch S5 uses Panda Glass protection, which should provide some resistance against everyday wear. Still, much like almost every smartwatch I have tested, the Watch S5 picked up a few minor scratches during normal usage and daily travel. They are not immediately visible unless viewed under direct light, but it shows that you still need to be extra careful in that compartment. I'd suggest you go ahead and put up an external screen guard to keep it safe.

Realme Watch S5: Display

The display is arguably one of the strongest aspects of the Realme Watch S5. The company has equipped the smartwatch with a 1.43-inch AMOLED display. Furthermore, it is equipped with a 466 x 466 resolution and a display pixel density of 302 PPI, which makes the display appear sharp, colourful, and enjoyable to view all day long.

While the on-paper specs give you high hopes, the real-life testing tells you the correct story. When put to the test, everything from watch faces to notifications appears crisp. The colours felt punchy without looking unnatural, and the overall viewing experience feels premium for a smartwatch in this price segment.

The company claims a peak brightness of 1,000 nits, and during my testing as well, the outdoor visibility was generally excellent. Under direct sunlight, I could comfortably read notifications, fitness statistics, and other information without having to search for shade.

That said, if you have ever used a high-end smartwatch like an Apple Watch before, you may notice that the Watch S5 does not appear quite as bright. However, this sort of comparison also needs context. Basically, the price difference is quite significant between these two watches. While the Apple Watch has been the gold standard when it comes to smartwatches and brightness, it also costs upwards of Rs 40,000 to Rs 45,000. In Realme’s case, it gives you a damn good experience and legibility, for a smartwatch that costs under Rs 8,000.

That said, one minor issue that I will point out with my watch is its automatic brightness feature. On more than one occasion, I have stepped out of the house and had to wait for the watch to get used to the change in environment and light levels. When manually set to maximum brightness, the display remains perfectly usable outdoors. However, the trade-off is that the battery consumption is increased.

Realme Watch S5: Software experience

In all honesty, the one aspect that made me unable to appreciate the Watch S5 fully was its software. The watch works well enough on its own. However, the user experience is entirely dependent on the companion app, which is where I had most of my issues.

During my testing, I faced random disconnections between the watch and the Realme Link app. Reconnecting it was not as simple as pairing again. I often had to reset the watch completely before it could be paired back successfully. This also deletes all your previous health data from both the device and the unsynced app.

These problems significantly affected my overall experience because even excellent hardware can feel frustrating when the software ecosystem is unreliable.

Realme Watch S5: Watch faces and customisation

Customisation is another area where the Watch S5 feels somewhat limited. The watch does provide a healthy selection of watch faces, including cloud-based options, custom photo watch faces, and always-on display support. For many users, this may be sufficient.

Personally, I enjoy personalising my smartwatch to reflect my own style and preferences. Unfortunately, the customisation options here are more limited than they initially appear. Many watch faces only allow colour adjustments rather than meaningful layout changes. You cannot significantly alter the arrangement of complications or customise information displays to the extent offered by some competing platforms.

Storage limitations add another inconvenience. The watch can only store around 12 watch faces locally at a time. Downloading and syncing new faces also takes longer than expected. As a result, customisation feels functional rather than exciting.

Realme Watch S5: Notifications and smart features

Notifications are one of the most important smartwatch features, and unfortunately, this is another area where the Watch S5 leaves room for improvement. Basic notifications arrive reliably most of the time, but the overall experience feels limited.

Images within notifications cannot be viewed properly. Emoji support is inconsistent, meaning messages occasionally lose context when displayed on the watch. Notification customisation options are also quite limited compared to more mature smartwatch platforms.

Voice replies exist, but in my experience, they were not reliable enough to become part of my daily workflow. There were too many situations where using my phone directly felt faster and easier.

That said, Bluetooth calling performs much better. Call quality was generally good, voices sounded clear, and the built-in microphone handled conversations reasonably well. For quick calls while walking or working, the feature proved genuinely useful.

Realme Watch S5: Fitness tracking and health monitoring

The Realme Watch S5 packs in a solid set of health features. You get heart rate tracking, blood oxygen monitoring, sleep analysis, stress tracking, breathing exercises, and support for over 110 sports modes. On the surface, it sounds like everything you could ask for. But having a long feature list and actually delivering on it are two different things.

Take heart rate monitoring. For everyday use, it does the job fine. But during workouts, the readings jumped around more than I would have liked. Nothing wildly off, but not the kind of steady, reliable data you want when you are actually pushing yourself.

Step counting had its moments, too. Some days it felt spot on, while other days it was clearly counting things that were not steps. The most telling moment? I got a notification saying I had hit my daily walking goal while I was sitting at my desk typing. That was hard to ignore.

Workout tracking tells a similar story. The data it gives you is useful enough, but I would call it decent rather than impressive. What really got to me was the auto-detection. It kept missing workouts that should have triggered automatically, so I ended up having to start sessions manually more often than not.

If you are someone who just wants a rough idea of how active you are being, these things probably will not bother you much. But if you take your training seriously and need numbers you can actually trust, this watch may leave you wanting more.

Realme Watch S5: GPS performance

One feature I was particularly interested in testing was the built-in GPS. The good news is that independent GPS functionality works reasonably well. Being able to leave your phone behind during a walk or run is convenient, and the watch generally maintains a stable connection to satellite systems.

Route-tracking accuracy was sufficient for daily exercise. Distance tracking appeared accurate, and recorded routes matched my movements most of the time.

That said, route and distance tracking do not quite match the performance offered by dedicated sports watches from companies such as Samsung or Garmin. Occasional discrepancies appeared in the recorded maps. Even so, the GPS performs reliably and remains one of the watch's strongest features.

Realme Watch S5: Battery life and charging

Battery life is another spot where the marketing numbers and real life do not quite match up. Realme claims up to 20 days of battery life, and sure, you can get there technically. But to do that, you have to switch on Light Smart Mode and turn off most of the health tracking features running in the background. At that point, what is even the point of buying a smartwatch loaded with features?

In actual use, I got around six to seven days with the always-on display turned on, which I thought was fair. Switching that off may push it to somewhere between 10 and 12 days, which honestly feels like the more realistic number most people will land on day to day.

However, charging was where things slowed down a bit. It took close to three hours to go from empty to full, and the watch did get a little warm while plugged in. It has been brutally hot lately, so I am willing to give the wearable the benefit of the doubt in this department.

The Watch S5 relies on a proprietary magnetic charging puck connected via USB Type-C. The magnetic attachment is weaker than I would prefer, making alignment somewhat frustrating. More than once, I found myself readjusting the watch to ensure charging had started properly.

Realme Watch S5: Final verdict

The Realme Watch S5 is a smartwatch that constantly reminds you of its potential. It has an excellent AMOLED display, dependable battery life, built-in GPS, good Bluetooth calling, and an attractive design that looks more premium than its price suggests.

Unfortunately, the software issues prevent it from providing the experience matching the quality of its hardware. Frequent connectivity problems, sync failures, limited customisation, average fitness accuracy, weak notification handling, and a frustrating companion app make the watch harder to recommend than it should be.

If your priorities are display quality, battery life, and basic smartwatch functionality, the Watch S5, priced at Rs 7,999, delivers enough value to remain a reasonable option. However, if you expect a polished software experience and highly accurate fitness tracking, you may find yourself wishing Realme had invested as much effort into the software as it did into the hardware.

A few months back, I visited the Beyond Appliances factory near Delhi and saw the assembly lines and processes involved in manufacturing chimneys. Later, the brand sent us a review unit of one of its key products: the Beyond Appliances Eris chimney, which is called India's first Android chimney. It has a phablet-sized touchscreen above the suction area that runs on Android and comes with quick controls, cooking guides, and even a full-fledged app library, including YouTube, Spotify, and popular OTT apps. My family has been using the chimney for a month or so now, and I have a bunch of thoughts about this thing.

If you are thinking of installing a chimney in your kitchen and have a budget of under Rs 20,000, I think you should read about my experience with the Beyond Appliances Eris chimney. Here’s everything you need to know regarding the installation, using the chimney in the hot Delhi summer, whether that screen makes sense, and what it was like to have a phone-like screen hovering over our cooktop.

Eris chimney: Installation and ducting

The Eris chimney came in first, and upon intimation, the brand sent a technician for installation. If your kitchen doesn't have a duct opening, you'll need to have one installed before calling in the Beyond Appliances technician. If you don't want to or can't create a ventilation opening, you can consider Cube, a ductless chimney from the brand.

The technician unboxed and mounted the chimney on the wall without our help. If needed, you can offer a hand to lift the chimney. It will be convenient for you and the technician if you vacate the area beneath or cover the cooktop and other items present there. This would allow for easy cleaning of the dust from the drilling in the installation process. This part of the experience could differ based on the technician and the ducting layout.

For our setup, we repurposed the exhaust opening, so no hammer and chisel were required. The required ducting length was also short. A proper ducting with fewer bends is advisable to maintain airflow efficiency and keep noise levels in the house under control. Also, if the duct is just above the chimney, the duct hole and pipe can be hidden behind a bundled black metallic enclosure.

Eris chimney: Design and screen

Eris is a slant-style chimney with a black glossy finish. I can't lie, it is a looker, and even in our modest kitchen setup, it adds a modern charm. It should easily blend in with modular kitchens, especially darker countertop setups. Since it isn't too heavy, you should be able to easily unmount and reinstall it.

As a chimney placed above the cooktop or hobtop, over a period of usage, it collects grime and oil residue. The good thing, however, is that this dirt isn't visible easily. Only if you get very close to the chimney and rub with your finger will you see this.

The materials in use on the chimney and duct pipe are good. We tested the 60 cm variant, which is suitable for cook/hobtops with 3 or fewer burners. It doesn't take up too much space. The slant design offers ample headroom for the person standing in front of the cooktop.

And for people standing next to the cooktop, the Eris chimney offers light through a built-in lamp on it. This is present above the suction inlet. Thanks to this, you don't have to always put on a different tube light or bulb in the kitchen. One minor gripe I have with the lamp is that it stays on by default, and the only option to toggle it off was in the homescreen of the Android screen. That means you have to switch on the screen first to turn off the lamp.

Well, that 7-inch touchscreen is a big reason the Eris stands out from conventional options in the market. It is present above the suction inlet and the lamp, and shorter folks would struggle a bit to reach it. But if you can access it, its usage is somewhat similar to a phone/tablet. The touch response is serviceable, and the UI is user-friendly with touch-based buttons, knobs, sliders and easily graspable gesture controls. For controlling volume, jumping to the homescreen and opening the recents menu, there is a permanent floating translucent button on the screen. Tap it and access these controls. Nice. And the UI colours, contrast and font offer decent legibility.

In essence, you don't have to keep a phone in the kitchen for entertainment and information. Earlier, my mom used to place her phone on a stand or lean it against any utensil. Well, that can be unstable and insecure. The phone could drop, or something could drop on the phone, and either way, the phone could get damaged. So the Beyond Appliances Eris acts as a relieving alternative for using smartphones in the kitchen.

Under the hood, this phone-like screen on the Eris chimney has Android 11 operating system and supports apps like YouTube, Spotify and recipe platforms. The older Android version is fine for a kitchen appliance. The chimney also has fairly loud speakers. So with that display and speaker setup, you can watch recipe videos while cooking, listen to songs, the news, or watch a movie, for all you care. You do not have to touch your phone with oily hands.

The Chef Connect section has some pre-built recipes with text and image-based guides. Navigating this wasn't the smoothest experience, and you can see some typos, which suggests the brand can work more on polishing this feature. And every time you boot this Android OS, a pop-up window asking for access appears, which is a little annoying.

But, overall, the large touchscreen UI becomes the focal point of this appliance. Guests notice it instantly. And it is a handy thing to have while cooking in the kitchen.

Also Read: Hisense Intelli Cool Pro 1.5 ton AC review: Reliable cooling with reasonable smarts

Eris chimney: Suction performance and cooking experience

Eris performs well. My parents weren't very big believers in a chimney. But lately, I have seen them putting it on frequently. At 1500 CMH, the suction is genuinely powerful. It quickly sucks smoke and steam from frying pans, kadai, and cookers. Using it led to less smell, also. Mind you, we were using the Eris during the hot Delhi summer in a kitchen involving basic boiling, steaming and frying things multiple times a day to deep-frying snacks and cooking heavy masala dishes for lunch or dinner.

The Eris chimney offers multiple speed levels, and for most daily cooking, the middle setting was enough. You can use the highest mode for intense cooking sessions, but this one can be noticeably louder. Premium chimneys with BLDC motor may produce even less noise.

For a better experience, I figure you may switch on the chimney as soon as cooking begins, so that the smoke doesn't accumulate.

You can tap the fan hotkey (touch-based) on the right side of the touch screen to control the speed. You can also control the fan speed on the homescreen of the touchscreen interface. There are three speed levels.

By the way, the touchscreen Android interface is off by default. When you turn on the chimney, it isn't on. You have to manually activate it by tapping the power button on the left side of the touchscreen.

Unlike a baffle filter-based chimney here, grease gets collected internally and flows into an oil collector tray through the auto-clean mechanism. Still, you are advised to maintain the chimney regularly to avoid oil buildup. Cleaning the tray is easy. So, maintenance isn't a problem.

That said, I do think Beyond Appliances could simplify the software experience further. Most people buying chimneys primarily care about suction, reliability and maintenance. OTT apps on a chimney feel more like a bonus than a necessity.

There is also the long-term durability question. Kitchens are hot, greasy and humid environments. The screen survived our testing period without issues, but durability over several years will matter more than first impressions. Beyond Appliances does include physical touch controls as backup, which is reassuring.

Should you buy Beyond Appliances Eris chimney?

After using the Beyond Appliances Eris for over a month, I can say it is not just another chimney with an Android screen attached to it. This screen does add value, as you can use it to follow recipes, listen to music or watch videos while cooking or otherwise. My family, particularly my mother, who is not tech-savvy, ended up using the screen more than I initially expected.

At the core, the chimney does its primary job well. The suction power is effective in quickly clearing smoke and steam. The fan noise from its operation is manageable. The slant design also offers good headroom and doesn't feel intrusive while cooking.

The Android experience is passable for a kitchen appliance, but it needs a bit more polish. Coming from fast phones and other devices, this UI feels a tad slow. Some of its features, like Chef Connect, could use further refinement. Since Beyond Appliance is approaching kitchen appliances from a technology perspective, my task is not just to judge the chimney's performance, but also to point out these quirks. And after a long-term use, only I will be able to tell you how well that touchscreen UI ages in the hot, humid and greasy kitchen environment.

You see, if your priority is simply getting a chimney, there are several other options in the market with different tiers of features, performance, brand recall and service support. But, at Rs 18,999, the Eris makes sense if you are already looking for a premium chimney and like the idea of having entertainment and recipe guidance built directly into the appliance. The screen is not something I would buy the chimney for on its own, but after living with it, I can see its appeal. Now in time, I will see if the novelty wears off and whether I actually keep using it regularly.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar stories.

Also Read: Kenstar Maha Kool HC 90 review: Do traditional air coolers make sense in the age of ACs?

Reviewing a large-screen TV is always fun, and if it is a high-end model, then you’re always in for a treat, thanks to the grand visual experience. When the Xiaomi TV S Mini LED 75 arrived at our doorstep, moving it to the Digit Test Labs was a bit of work, but even in its packed state, it was already turning heads. For obvious reasons, I had to take the help of some of my colleagues to unbox and set it up on a table. They all gawked at the visuals for some time, and that was their reward, I guess. But, as someone who reviews a lot of TVs, my task was beyond just enjoying what's in front of me. 

I have consumed a lot of content on the Xiaomi S Mini LED 75-inch TV, for a few weeks now, and here's my full review that should tell you if it's worth shelling out Rs 99,999 on a panel this big, how much of an impact the Mini LED tech makes, whether the sound has a big presence, and everything else that matters in your everyday TV use.

Xiaomi TV S Mini LED 75: Display and audiovisual quality

The main selling point of the Xiaomi S Mini LED TV is, of course, the screen: a 75-inch VA LCD panel with QD-Mini LED backlighting. The company claims 512 dimming zones, 1,200 nits of peak brightness, and 94 per cent DCI-P3 colour coverage. The result is finely bright visuals, punchy colours, deep blacks, and agreeable viewing angles. Due to the bright and vibrant visuals, I didn't mind watching even ads sometimes. Personally, I love watching travel shows or city walkthrough videos on such big screens for the scale and immersion.

In regular everyday SDR content, the screen was easy on the eyes. I watched a few sitcom episodes and the Malayalam film Sambhavam Adhyayam Onnu on JioHotstar, and the forest-heavy scenes especially looked rich and captivating on the large panel. Upscaling performance is decent overall, as I had a pleasant rewatch of some scenes from Meet Joe Black.

HDR performance, however, is a little more inconsistent. While watching the final episode of The Boys in HDR10+ on Amazon Prime Video, one of my colleagues immediately pointed out visible graininess in some scenes. At the same time, close-up shots of characters carried realness with strong facial detail and depth. Another thing was that the colours looked very saturated, and skin tones, in particular, appeared pinker or redder than natural. Switching the colour temperature from Warm to Neutral improved things noticeably for me.

Watching Top Gun: Maverick on Amazon Prime Video also exposed a few more limitations. The dogfight sequences were not always the easiest to follow, especially during fast aerial movements. In the darker command room scenes, close-up shots of actors looked sharp and detailed, but the background showed visible choppy artefacts. Around the 1 hour 34 minute mark, I also noticed temporary image retention where the pocket watch impression lingered briefly on screen.

Other than this, motion handling is fine for watching IPL and tracking the movement of the ball, for instance. But I saw there is visible stuttering during other fast-moving scenes and panning shots. For example, the opening drone sequence in the Wild Isle documentary on Prime Video showed noticeable judder.

The Xiaomi S Mini LED display's plus and minus were apparent on Dolby Vision content, too. Say, in Stranger Things on Netflix, the villain, Vecna's veiny body, looked creepily lifelike. So, the Xiaomi TV screen has its appeal whenever subjects are well-lit and in focus; you can see more life in them. But, here too, some pixelation artefacts were visible in darker scenes.

I didn't encounter any jarring blooming issues, but there was noticeable banding in the gradient-heavy desert scenes of the Dune 3 teaser trailer.

As for games, we played Hogwarts Legacy on a connected Sony PS5 Pro, and the experience was alright. Playing on the big screen was fun, but the Mini LED magic couldn't be felt. We switched between different picture profiles and stuck with the HDR game preset.

Finally, the audio output is befitting the large visuals on screen. Be it gaming or the Top Gun Maverick dogfight, everything was loud and enjoyable on the Xiaomi S Mini LED 75.

Also Read: Vu Vibe DV review: A balanced QLED TV under Rs 35,000

Xiaomi TV S Mini LED 75: Design and connectivity

The Xiaomi S Mini LED 75 is massive but minimal. You see, the bezels are slim enough that they almost disappear once the content starts playing. This is largely because you are sitting in front of a 75-inch expanse that dominates your field of view.

The screen is held firmly by a chassis of reassuring quality, and the tabletop stands. These stands can be positioned either near the edges or closer to the centre. While setting it up, one of my friends was confused about what the optional cavities were for. We chose the extreme edge ones, and there is no worrying creak or flex. The option is appreciated.

Wherever you mount it, or even for unboxing it, an extra pair of hands would be required, as it is a massive TV.

And if you choose to wall-mount, no kit is included in the box, and it will have to be bought from the brand. But if you do place it on the wall, the left-side-facing port array is easily reachable. The IO array includes 3 HDMI ports (one is HDMI 2.1 with eARC and ALLM support), 2 USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet, Optical audio, and wireless connectivity happens through Bluetooth 5.0 and Dual-band Wi-Fi.

Note that the panel supports a 60Hz refresh rate only, and so you get 4K 60Hz natively, along with 120Hz DLG (Dual Line Gate) mode. This is a software-based upscaling that simulates a 120Hz refresh rate when you enable the Game Boost feature. Also, USB 3.0 would have been preferable as competing TVs have these specifications.

Rest, on the rear, towards the right, there is a power cable, but no routing channels are present. Well, a built-in cable routing solution would have been sweet for a seemingly showpiece of a TV like this.

Xiaomi appears to have chosen to go large on not just the screen: The bundled remote is also longer than usual remotes. It has the table stake buttons, includes the hotkeys for all popular OTT platforms and Google Assistant voice control. Nice.

But the problem is that because of the length of the remote, you'll have to do some finger gymnastics to reach certain buttons, especially the ones on the corners, like the Google Assistant button. Another personal gripe is with the location of the Patchwall UI button. I was accidentally triggering it several times, as many TVs have the back button there. But it is a matter of learning and habit. That's all.

Xiaomi TV S Mini LED 75: Software and performance

The Xiaomi S Mini LED 75 runs Google TV based on Android 14 out of the box. And if you want a different UI, you can jump to Xiaomi’s PatchWall+ interface with a simple button click. PatchWall could help you discover regional content, and Google TV is also a reliable UI for content discovery. There is also Xiaomi TV+ for free ad-supported streaming channels. I appreciate the options on offer. You can cast content through Chromecast or AirPlay 2 and install other apps you like from the Google Play Store. The TV ships with 32GB of storage.

But there is a hardware limitation here. The quad-core ARM Cortex-A55 processor, coupled with just 2GB of RAM, shows the struggle when you switch between apps, open and close menus and load homescreen rows. This wasn't right away noticeable. Only when I was juggling multiple apps and cycling between screens and settings did things start slowing down. I also observed occasional lags while navigating picture settings with content still playing in the background.

So, there are a lot of options and features, but sometimes the UI hesitates momentarily.

Should you buy Xiaomi TV S Mini LED 75 2026?

At Rs 99,999, Xiaomi has priced the S Mini LED 75 2026 TV similarly to comparably specced TVs from Hisense and TCL. And for the money, you are getting several good things like a massive 75-inch screen with rich colours and plenty of brightness, paired with loud enough speaker output, packed in a minimal design suited for modern living spaces. In the mix, the multi-UI choice of Android 14-based Google TV and PatchWall+ is nice to have, and the connectivity selection should be fine for basic use.

However, in regular use, you'd notice some of the compromises. The software experience is not always as fluid and responsive as some competing TVs in this broad competitive market. And sometimes, in certain scenes, you'd come across processing limitations like motion stutter, artefacts in darker backgrounds, or inconsistent HDR tuning. And while the connectivity options cover the essentials, specifications like USB 3.0 or a more capable HDMI implementation would have made the package feel more future-ready.

Still, despite these shortcomings, the Xiaomi S Mini LED 75 2026 edition makes sense for a particular kind of buyer. If your priority is a large-screen cinematic experience with vibrant visuals, strong brightness, and Mini LED contrast without spending flagship money, this TV delivers that experience rather convincingly. So, it is best suited for those who want an impressive screen presence in their living room or bedroom for casual viewing and some occasional gaming.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar stories.

Also Read: Amazon Fire TV Stick HD review: A smart upgrade for older TVs at just Rs 4,999

The Indian summers are at their peak, and finding an air conditioner that balances cost, features, and raw cooling power can be tough. The Intex SRAC183i Inverter AC enters this competitive space with an aggressive Market Operating Price (MOP) of Rs 35,490. It targets buyers who want modern inverter technology without the premium price tag of legacy AC brands. Of course, there is a catch, which I address later in this review, but before that, here is a detailed breakdown of its technical specifications.

Also read: Hisense Intelli Cool Pro 1.5 ton AC review: Reliable cooling with reasonable smarts

Cooling Capacity: 1.5 Ton Inverter Split Air Conditioner: Ideal for medium-sized rooms (150–180 sq. ft.).
Compressor: High-Efficiency Inverter Compressor for faster cooling and lower electricity consumption.
Condenser: 100 per cent Copper Condenser with Anti-Corrosion Blue Fin Coating for extended durability.
Special Modes: Turbo Cooling Mode for instant temperature drop and Eco Mode for optimised performance.
Airflow: 4-Way Air Swing for uniform cooling across every corner.
Smart Features: Sleep Mode, Self-Diagnosis, and Auto Restart Function.
Display and Aesthetics: Hidden LED Display with a Modern Premium Design.
Power Management: Stabiliser-Free Operation with a Wide Voltage Range.
Price: MOP - Rs 35,490.

Design, build quality and remote control

The indoor unit (IDU) of the Intex SRAC183i keeps things simple, clean and functional. It’s everything that a modern AC should be. There are no aggressive geometric shapes or flashy accents. Instead, its classic white chassis blends easily into almost any indoor environment. The finish is smooth, and the plastic used feels sturdy enough to resist rattling or creaking when the blower runs at full speed.

While this AC isn't ultra-slim, Intex has managed the proportions well. It doesn't look overly bulky or project too far out from the wall. A major highlight here is the Hidden LED Display. When the AC is turned off, the front panel looks completely seamless. Once turned on, the temperature digits glow softly through the plastic panel, giving it a modern, premium aesthetic that punches above its price class.

The indoor unit comes with a 4-Way Air Swing (automated horizontal and vertical louvres). This is a massive bonus, given that in this budget segment, many manufacturers cut corners by offering only 2-way auto-swing. Intex has included full automation here to ensure that you can direct the airflow exactly where you want it, right from the couch or bed.

The outdoor unit (ODU) is exactly what you want it to be: large, heavy and robustly constructed. The outer casing uses thick sheet metal designed to endure direct sunlight, heavy rain and dust storms.

The accompanying remote control is compact, lightweight and fits comfortably in the hand. It features a clean button layout with dedicated shortcuts for major modes like Turbo, Eco and Sleep. I really liked the presence of a Self-Cleaning button, which runs the indoor fan for a short duration after turning off the cooling cycle to dry out residual moisture on the evaporator coils, preventing mould and bad odours.

Key features and daily usability

There are a bunch of features on this model that further make the pricing exciting. These are tailored for everyday convenience and regional power quirks:

Stabiliser-Free Operation: The AC is engineered to handle a wide voltage range safely. If you live in an area prone to minor voltage fluctuations, you don't need to mount a bulky, unattractive external stabiliser on your wall.

Auto Restart: In case of a power cut, the AC automatically resumes operation with your previous temperature, fan speed and swing settings once power is restored. This is essential for uninterrupted sleep during stormy summer nights.

Sleep Mode: This feature gradually adjusts the room temperature by a couple of degrees over the course of the night. It accounts for the natural drop in ambient night temperatures and your body's cooling metabolism. It’s super useful for someone like me who often wakes up freezing at 4 am to either change the AC temperature or to switch it off. Needless to say, this feature also helps save power.

Eco Mode: For mild summer days or evening usage, Eco Mode caps the maximum power consumption of the compressor, optimising performance so your electricity meter doesn't spin out of control.

Cooling Performance

There couldn’t have been a better time to test this AC. The temperature in Delhi-NCR has been exceeding 40 degrees Celsius over the past month, often hitting 45 degrees in the last two weeks. I have been testing the AC in a fairly decent-sized master bedroom (~160 sq. ft.), which revealed its true capabilities.

The unit delivers a solid and reliable performance. The Intex 1.5 Ton AC does not offer an instant blast of air upon startup. Instead, it follows a steadier, progressive approach to lowering the room's temperature. It quietly works its way down to your target setting rather than forcing the compressor to max capacity instantly. However, once it hits that target, it settles incredibly well, maintaining a perfectly uniform thermal environment without annoying temperature spikes.

Even when outside temperatures hovered at 45 degrees Celsius, keeping the AC set to 24 degrees was more than enough to keep the room perfectly chilled. The advanced inverter compressor does an excellent job of constantly adjusting its cooling capacity based on the real-time heat load of the room, keeping the compressor running at lower, more efficient speeds once the room is cool.

In case you need an immediate temperature drop, there is also Turbo Cooling Mode, which forces the compressor and the indoor blower fan to run at absolute maximum capacity for quick relief, though it does come with a temporary jump in power usage.

Air distribution is another high point. Thanks to the 4-way swing and a well-engineered blower fan, the air throw easily covers the entire room, leaving zero hot pockets or stagnant air zones. Furthermore, the indoor unit is relatively noise-free even at medium-to-high fan speeds.

Durability and trade-off

Intex has utilised a 100 per cent copper condenser coil to ensure that this AC lasts for years. Copper is vastly superior to aluminium because it offers better heat exchange efficiency, is much easier to repair if a leak occurs and handles high pressure significantly better.

To sweeten the deal, the copper coils are treated with an Anti-Corrosion Blue Fin Coating. This protective layer acts as a shield against moisture, acid deposition and salt accumulation. This is particularly important and useful if you live in a coastal area or an urban zone with high pollution levels, which can accelerate coil corrosion and cause gas leaks.

While the performance is top-tier for the price, a major limitation of this AC is that it carries a 3-star energy efficiency rating. An inverter compressor helps lower electricity consumption compared to old fixed-speed ACs, but a 3-star rating means it will inherently consume more power annually than a premium 4-star or 5-star inverter AC of the same capacity.

So, you must factor in your projected usage patterns before purchasing. If you only plan to run the AC for a few hours at night during the hottest months, the money saved upfront on the purchase price makes a lot of sense. However, if this is for a home office or a living room where the AC will run 12 to 15 hours every single day, the increased electricity bills over 2–3 years might bridge the price gap to a 5-star model.

Also read: Samsung Galaxy Book 6 Ultra review: The Jack of all trades

Final verdict

The Intex SRAC183i 1.5 Ton Inverter AC is a highly capable, value-driven appliance. At Rs 35,490, it has a premium and modern design with great inclusions like the hidden LED display, robust build quality, a 100 per cent copper condenser, and a fully automated 4-way air swing. Some of these features are often missing from budget competitors.

While it takes a steady, methodical approach to cooling rather than a flash-freezing one, it handles intense heat effortlessly once it stabilises. The 3-star rating is its only notable compromise. If you need a reliable, feature-packed AC for moderate daily use and want to keep your initial investment low, this Intex model is an excellent, smart choice for your home.

Samsung's A-series has long been the most sensible answer to the question of which mid-range Samsung phone to buy in India. These phones are reliable, well-supported, widely serviced and built to last. The Galaxy A57 continues that tradition in nearly every meaningful respect, arriving thinner and lighter than its predecessor, rated IP68 for the first time in this line and powered by the new Exynos 1680 chipset with a base configuration that now starts at 8 GB of LPDDR5X RAM. It ships with Android 16 out of the box with One UI 8.5 and Samsung's promise of six major OS upgrades gives the A57 one of the strongest long-term software commitments in the segment. The camera hardware looks unchanged on paper: a 50 MP main sensor with OIS, a 12 MP ultrawide and a 5 MP macro, but the improved ISP (image signal processing) tells a more interesting story in real-world use.

All of that sounds like a compelling package and in many ways it is. The problem is the price tag. Launched at Rs 56,999 for the base 8 GB + 256 GB variant and Rs 62,499 for the 12 GB + 256 GB model, the A57 costs roughly Rs 15,000 more than the A56 did at launch and that gap demands justification. Whether the A57 earns it is exactly what this review sets out to find.

Samsung Galaxy A57 review: Design and build

Pick up the A57 after the A56 and at 179 g and 6.9 mm thin, the A57 feels like a meaningfully different proposition in hand than the A56's 198 g and 7.4 mm profile, which made it feel slightly blocky by comparison. Samsung has shaved off 19 g and half a millimetre of thickness while keeping the same 6.7-inch footprint and the result is a phone that balances well and sits comfortably in a single hand without feeling dense or unwieldy.

The build quality is excellent for the price. A layer of Gorilla Glass Victus+ covers both the front and the back, while the aluminium frame is solid and well-finished and the whole assembly feels premium without resorting to fussy materials or design gimmicks. The A57 is available in four colours: Navy, Grey, Icyblue and Lilac, all of them clean, grown-up finishes that age gracefully and don't demand attention. There's no aggressive texture pattern or loud colour science here.

The upgrade to IP68 dust and water resistance is a genuine improvement over the A56's IP67. The A57 can handle immersion to 1.5 m for up to 30 minutes, which is a meaningful real-world upgrade for anyone who's ever fumbled their phone near a sink or been caught in the rain. At this price, it's the baseline you'd expect and Samsung delivers it.

The under-display optical fingerprint sensor is fast and accurate. The dual stereo speaker grilles are positioned sensibly. There's no 3.5 mm headphone jack, which is expected at this point and the USB Type-C 2.0 port is functional but dated.

Samsung Galaxy A57 review: Display

The Galaxy A57 features a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED+ panel running at 120Hz with a Full HD+ (2340 x 1080 resolution). The move from the A56's standard Super AMOLED to Super AMOLED+ brings a measurably richer viewing experience, so you can expect deeper blacks, slightly more vibrant colours and a more consistent brightness profile across the panel.

In our testing, the A57 peaked at 2,020 nits, comfortably exceeding Samsung's own claim of 1,900 nits, while the SDR content peaked at 730 nits. We conclude that it is a brighter panel and outdoor legibility in direct sunlight is significantly better than on the A56. The HDR10+ support means streaming content on Netflix and YouTube looks the way it was intended to and the OLED contrast gives movies and games a visual punch that LCD alternatives at this price simply cannot match.

The 120Hz adaptive refresh rate keeps scrolling and animations fluid and the Aqua Touch feature handles wet or sweaty finger inputs reliably. The touch latency is low and the screen responds accurately without any perceptible lag.

The one criticism worth raising here is the display resolution. While the A57's display is perfectly sharp for everyday use, the text is crisp, images are clean, but at Rs 56,999, competitors in this segment are offering 1.5K panels. It's not a dealbreaker in practical use, but it's a visible gap on a spec sheet that Samsung should have addressed at this price point.

Samsung Galaxy A57 review: Performance and software

The Galaxy A57 is powered by Samsung's own Exynos 1680, built on a 4 nm process and with an octa-core CPU where one prime core is clocked at 2.9 GHz, four performance cores at 2.6 GHz and three efficiency cores at 1.95 GHz, paired with the Xclipse 550 GPU. The base 8 GB LPDDR5X RAM configuration is a step up from the A56's base 6 GB and storage uses UFS 3.1 across all variants.

Here's how the A57 fared in our benchmark suite:

The AnTuTu score of 1,382,419 puts the Exynos 1680 well clear of the Exynos 1580 and in competitive territory against other upper-mid-range chips. The 81% CPU throttle score is the more meaningful figure for real-world use as it tells you that the A57 sustains close to its peak output under extended load rather than collapsing into thermal throttling after a few minutes. That matters for sustained gaming sessions, long video recording runs and anything that demands consistent compute power over time.

In daily use, the phone is fast, fluid and consistent. App launches feel quick, multitasking between heavy applications is seamless and the UFS 3.1 storage keeps file transfers and installs snappy. For gaming, the Xclipse 550 handles popular titles like BGMI and COD Mobile at stable frame rates without alarming the thermals. It isn't a chip that will impress serious gamers, but it delivers exactly what a mid-range daily driver should: predictable, drama-free performance.

Software is one of the A57's strongest arguments. One UI 8.5 on Android 16 is one of the cleanest Android implementations available with fluid animations, sensible information architecture and a bloat level that's lower than previous Samsung mid-range generations. Galaxy AI features like Circle to Search, Live Translate and Note Assist are functional rather than gimmicks. Samsung's commitment to six major OS upgrades means the A57 will remain current software-wise well into the 2030s, which strengthens the long-term ownership story that few competitors can match at this price.

Samsung Galaxy A57 review: Battery and charging

The Galaxy A57 has a 5,000 mAh battery, the same as A56 and charges at 45 W over a wired connection. There's no wireless charging and no reverse charging support.

In our PCMark Work 3.0 battery life test, the A57 ran for 14 hours and 43 minutes, which is a solid result. In daily use, moderate users will comfortably reach the end of the day with some charge remaining and lighter users can realistically stretch to a day and a half. Heavy users, such as those combining navigation, extended camera sessions, social media and video streaming, will want to plug in by evening.

The charging speed is where Samsung's conservatism costs the A57. A full charge from flat to 100% took approximately 1 hour in our testing, which is a perfectly acceptable result in isolation. But in a segment where competitors are now shipping with 65 W, 80 W and even 100 W fast charging as standard, 45 W feels like it belongs to an earlier generation. At Rs 56,999, anyone who buys this phone today has a right to expect more here.

Samsung Galaxy A57 review: Cameras

On paper, the A57's camera system is nearly identical to the Galaxy A56: a 50 MP f/1.8 main sensor with OIS (1/1.56", 1.0 µm pixels, PDAF), a 12 MP f/2.2 ultrawide with a 123° field of view, and a 5 MP macro lens. The front camera is a 12 MP f/2.2 fixed-focus unit. The hardware hasn't changed on paper, but the Exynos 1680's improved image signal processor and Samsung's refined computational photography pipeline make a tangible difference in output, primarily in daylight, where the A57 is a genuinely excellent performer.

Daylight and indoor performance

The main sensor is at its best when given light to work with and it makes full use of it. Samsung's colour science is immediately recognisable with punchy, saturated and visually pleasing tones, even if it occasionally tips towards vibrancy. In brightly lit outdoor environments, the camera handles high-contrast scenes confidently, keeping highlights in check while properly exposing subjects in shadow. Dynamic range is one of the sensor's clear strengths.

In the default 12.5 MP pixel-binned mode, detail and sharpness are excellent. Fine textures like small printed text, metallic surfaces and fabric weaves are all rendered clearly and with good edge definition. Shooting in the full 50 MP mode produces images that are slightly softer than the binned output but avoids the artificially over-sharpened look that some sensors apply. For those who intend to edit before sharing, the full-resolution files offer a clean canvas that responds well to post-processing.

White balance under mixed indoor lighting is handled gracefully. The camera reads warm ambient light accurately and renders a cosy atmosphere without skewing too far yellow. Skin tones in portrait shots are natural and flattering, and subject-tracking autofocus is reliable and fast.

Natural bokeh, zoom and portrait performance

The primary lens creates a smooth, natural background separation at close focusing distances and the roll-off from sharp foreground to defocused background has an optical quality to it rather than looking computationally generated. The focal plane is fairly narrow at close range, which requires some patience when shooting foreground subjects against a busy immediate background, but the results when you get the framing right are genuinely impressive for the segment.

Portrait mode handles edge detection nicely. It isn't perfect on subjects with complex hair or translucent edges, but it avoids the worst artefacting and produces social-media-ready results consistently.

The main camera's 2x digital crop is a highlight. It produces clean, detail-rich images that hold up to close inspection and, crucially, it performs significantly better than the dedicated 5 MP macro lens in close-up scenarios. For portraits and close-up photography, the 2x crop is the right mode in virtually every case.

Ultrawide

The 12 MP ultrawide is a solid performer in good light. Colours stay accurate, dynamic range is reliable and edge-to-edge sharpness is improved compared to older A-series generations. The 123° field of view is a genuinely wide capture angle that serves architecture, landscapes and group shots well. Fixed focus means it's better suited to distant subjects than to anything in the immediate foreground.

After dark, the ultrawide's usefulness drops sharply. Nighttime shots from this lens are soft, noticeably grainy and prone to colour temperature miscalculation. It's a limitation shared across most phones in this segment, but it's worth factoring into your expectations if ultrawide photography in low light is important to you.

Selfie Camera

The 12 MP front camera is one of the A57's quieter highlights. In good light it captures excellent detail, wide dynamic range and vibrant colours. The fixed-focus lens performs best at a natural arm's length and while it softens in dimmer rooms, the output remains highly usable. The addition of 4K at 30 fps video recording on the front camera is a practical benefit for content creators and video callers alike.

Low light and night mode performance

This is where the A57's limitations become clearest. In urban environments with reasonable ambient light like illuminated signage, streetlights and lit shop windows, the main camera holds its ground. It exposes bright elements accurately and avoids blowing highlights. But the dynamic range narrows noticeably in darker areas: shadows accumulate noise quickly and fine detail in poorly lit foreground elements tends to get crushed.

In severely dark scenarios, standard mode struggles significantly. Noise levels are heavy and finer subject detail such as textures, labels and small objects, becomes indistinct. Switching to Night Mode offers only a marginal recovery. It lifts exposure slightly, recovers a little more of the scene's brighter elements and manages colour noise modestly better. But the processing relies heavily on aggressive noise reduction, and the result is images that are technically brighter but visually soft and muddy. 

The 5 MP macro lens is largely unnecessary. Its output quality is budget-tier, and the required shooting distance places the phone close enough to its subject that you'll often shadow it before you've framed the shot. The main camera's 2x digital crop outperforms it consistently and is the obvious choice for any close-up work.

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy A57 is a well-built, well-supported and well-designed phone that gets a great deal right. But the price is the conversation the A57 cannot escape. At Rs 56,999 for the base variant, Samsung is asking significantly more than the A56 ever commanded and the upgrades, while real, are uneven. The camera hardware is essentially unchanged. Charging remains at 45 W in a segment that has moved on to faster standards. The display stays at Full HD+ when 1.5K has become the benchmark for this price bracket. And the low-light camera performance, particularly through Night Mode, is not the step change this price demands.

For buyers upgrading from an A55 or older, the A57 is an easy recommendation because the cumulative improvements are significant and the long-term software commitment is compelling. For A56 owners, the case is much harder to make. And for anyone entering this segment fresh at around Rs 57,000, the competition is serious and informed. The A57 is a good phone, but we would advise buyers to be on the lookout for a price cut or discounts during sale season.

There’s a standard, there’s the Pro, and then there’s the Ultra. Why do phone makers tag their highest-end product as ‘Ultra’? Derived from a Latin word ultrā, according to the Oxford dictionary, it means beyond, something which is extreme or something which exceeds its usual limit. Now, Oppo has done something extreme this time with the launch of its latest flagship phone, the Oppo Find X9 Ultra. This phone checks almost every box to be called Ultra. By the way, I’ve used a bunch of Ultra phones since 2020, and over a period of time, the meaning of this word has changed. Earlier, it mostly meant having better zoom or specs on the Ultra model. But now, these are the phones that are expected to do everything well: cameras, performance, battery life, display, gaming, software, and literally everything.

For this review, I didn’t want to test the Oppo Find X9 Ultra the usual way. Instead of shooting near my office or house, I carried it across Rishikesh and Dharamshala, used it in various conditions, including bright sunlight, tricky sunsets, mountain landscapes, low-light street photography and also took the phone to an IPL match, just to understand one thing: does this phone actually deserve the Ultra title?

After living with this device for the past couple of weeks, I think Oppo may have made one of the most complete camera flagships of 2026. Here’s my full Review.

Camera: The obvious reason to buy this smartphone

For me, the Oppo Find X9 Ultra feels slightly different because this is a phone that clearly wants to behave more like a camera than a smartphone with good cameras attached to it. So, as I mentioned above, instead of another normal camera test, I took this device to two cities, Rishikesh and Dharamshala. I shot with it in bright sunlight, in tricky lighting, sunsets, on the bus, and in low light, just to understand one thing: how good is this camera system when you genuinely rely on it?

The Oppo Find X9 Ultra features cameras co-developed and tuned by Hasselblad. The main lens is a 200MP Sony LYT-901 with a large 1/1.12-inch sensor size and an f/1.5 aperture. This is paired with a 50MP Sony LYT-600 ultra-wide sensor with an f/2.0 aperture, a 200MP 3x telephoto OmniVision OV52A sensor with an f/2.2 aperture, the world’s first 50MP 10x ultra-telephoto customised Samsung JNL sensor with an aperture of f/3.5, and a 3.2MP monochrome sensor with an aperture of f/2.4. On the front, you get a 50MP autofocus Samsung ISOCELL JN5 sensor with an f/2.4 aperture.

Now, for obvious reasons, the main camera is where the Find X9 Ultra is the strongest. In this poolside image, you can see that the tiny textures and shadows were retained in the lower section of the pool lounger. The phone does not aggressively smooth or sharpen the image unnecessarily. This image was captured in broad daylight in Risikesh.

Similarly, when you look at the overall performance of the main camera, it retains texture and shadow details extremely well in photos. Even difficult elements like darker foliage and water reflections stayed controlled. The colours are also balanced and look quite natural. However, there were some moments where the images kind of looked a bit over-sharpened, but most of the time, I was satisfied with the results.

For everyday photography, the experience stayed consistent and impressive. The Oppo Find X9 Ultra delivers crisp details and strong dynamic range in photos, but what really stands out is how reliable the camera is. I can confidently say that you can point and shoot with this device without worrying too much about the outcome.

By the way, I also compared the Oppo Find X9 Ultra camera with the Vivo X300 Ultra. You can watch it right here.

Macro photography is also a strong area on the Find X9 Ultra. While walking around the pool area at my hotel in Rishikesh, I noticed a small bug on the ground, and I instantly took a picture, and the texture captured on the wings and body was impressive. There were fine details, and the image didn’t look artificially sharpened.

I would say portrait photography is probably one of the key factors of getting the Find X9 Ultra. The images this phone takes look balanced and cinematic. If you zoom in on the shot, you could easily spot the details. The bokeh effect looks very natural, and hands down, for me, this is the best smartphone in the world, which has the best edge detection, period.

In this photo below, you can literally see every hair strand of the subject.

With that said, not every smartphone camera, as good as it is, can be perfect, nor is this one. One of the cons I noticed is the camera’s tendency to slightly brighten up faces in some photos, which does not look natural. One more thing, the Find X9 Ultra keeps more of the frame, i.e. background and foreground in focus, instead of creating that subject separation. So, because of this, you may find some of the portrait photos less dramatic.

In terms of zoom, at 6x, it performs extremely well; the facial details, beard texture, fabric patterns and even smaller textures remained highly detailed.

World’s first 50MP 10x optical telephoto lens

Now, Oppo did something insane with the Find X9 Ultra. This phone includes the world’s first 50MP 10x ultra-telephoto sensor, and it has proper 10x ‘optical’ zoom. And this telephoto lens is not just there for marketing. It actually makes a visible difference once you start shooting at longer focal lengths.

While shooting mountains in Dharamshala, the camera retained snow textures and tiny landscape details surprisingly well. The phone also maintained sharpness while still preserving small textures inside the frame. 

One of the best experiences I had with this sensor was during an IPL match. I took shots at 30x (690mm), and the results were genuinely impressive for a smartphone. In one of the images of Virat Kohli, you can see the details of his tattoo, and even the grass texture remains visible.

Of course, I also pushed it to its max zoom at 120x, and sure, at this focal length, the AI processing starts taking over heavily, and the images stop looking natural. But to be honest, that applies to every smartphone out there.

The ultra-wide camera also surprised me more than I expected. Usually, the ultra-wide cameras are where you can see the compromises. But here, Find X9 Ultra has done a very solid job overall. Colours stay close to the main sensor, details remain sharp, and the camera avoids softness and distortion around the edges.

In outdoor scenes, plants and textures remained detailed near the edge of the frame. Plus, the dynamic range handling was also strong during this sunset image.

I also went to McLeodganj during the evening to check the Find X9 Ultra’s low-light capabilities. One thing about this device is that it consistently pulled strong details from darker areas without making the images look bright. And the best thing is that it didn’t add a blue tint to the sky.

In the shots captured from the main camera at 35mm, the shadow retention remained excellent. The wall textures, building information, and surrounding details stayed visible, and the highlights were intact.

Low-light portraits look beautiful, the colour production was also spot on, but again, the skin got brightened up in some of the shots.

However, there were moments where the processing became slightly inconsistent. In some low-light scenes, I noticed visible grain appearing in the sky areas, which affects the quality of the overall image.

As for the 50MP front camera, I was happy with the results. The selfie camera preserves facial texture, and it also handles edge detection well in portrait images. Skin tones remain balanced, but here as well, some photos do have the faces brightened. Maybe Oppo needs to tweak this issue once and for all via a software patch. Overall, though, I would not say that this is the best selfie camera out there, but it is one of the best for sure.

Video recording is another area where Oppo has improved a lot in recent years. The X9 Ultra can shoot up to 8K at 30fps and 4K at 120fps. Plus, all the cameras can shoot 4K videos at 60fps. The Oppo Find X9 Ultra records videos in Dolby Vision (which is enabled by default).

The Pro mode is also there, which allows you to shoot Log recording in Oppo’s O-Log2. The Pro mode gives you 5 LUTs to choose from, and you can also import your own LUTs.

I recorded multiple clips around the poolside, mountain roads, markets and at the stadium, and the footage consistently looked stable and detailed. Even while shooting, the sensor shift is smooth.

XPAN is one of my favourite modes in the Oppo devices. I always had fun shooting with it. And this time, Oppo’s added a lot of filters to it, although my favourite remains the Bold B&W.

That said, one thing I'm disappointed about is that Oppo didn’t launch the Teleconverter kit in India as they did with the Find X9 Pro. The extended zoom lens gives you more freedom to capture the far subject. I really wish that had also made the cut with the Find X9 Ultra.

Oppo Find X9 Ultra: Design

The Oppo Find X9 Ultra has to be one of the best-looking phones out there in the market. I’m using the Tundra Umber colour, which is inspired by the Hasselblad X2D camera, and even the Oppo and Hasselblad logos sit horizontally, so when you look from the back, it looks like you’re shooting with a camera. The back is vegan leather that gives you a grip while holding the phone. In hand, the Find X9 Ultra feels chic. Although it does feel a bit top-heavy. Somehow, I didn’t feel any strain on my pinky finger while holding this phone. In terms of thickness, it is 8.7mm. 

The Find X9 Ultra has an IP68 and IP69 rating for dust and water resistance. The Ultrasonic fingerprint scanner is very reliable and works crazy fast.

The Oppo Find X9 Ultra also comes in the Canyon Orange colour, but I personally prefer the Tundra Umber finish only.

The camera module has a hexagonal mirror that looks premium and distinct. And this time, Oppo added a penta camera setup on the back that makes it even crazier. Just like its younger sibling, and taking inspiration from the iPhones, the X9 Ultra comes with the Quick button so that you can control the camera through it. 

Oppo Find X9 Ultra: Display

The Oppo Find X9 Ultra features a beautiful 6.82-inch QHD+ LTPO AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate. The display speaks for itself right away when you start using the device. Colours instantly pop when you watch content, and at the same time, the black looks deep. It is also quite bright. I never had any problem using this in the scorching heat of Delhi. Speaking of brightness, Oppo claims 3,600 nits of peak brightness, and 1,800 nits in High Brightness Mode, where it actually matters. The good news is that in the Digit Test Labs, the phone reached a mind-boggling 2,730 nits of brightness. What this means is that visibility will not be an issue at all, whether you use the phone indoors or outdoors.

The Find X9 Ultra also supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and HDR Vivid, which enhances the content-watching experience.

Oppo Find X9 Ultra: Performance and software

Oppo Find X9 Ultra is a camera monster, no doubt about it, but it is also a power monster at the same time. Under the hood, this beast is repping a flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor along with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.1 storage. Courtesy of the top-tier hardware, the phone feels snappy and is actually fast. App opening times are fluid, multitasking is smooth, and transitions feel polished. I mean, what else can you expect from a phone that has specs like this?

I also ran some benchmarks for those who care about numbers. In Antutu, it scored 4.10 million, which is bonkers. In Geekbench, the X9 Ultra scored 3,613 in single-core and 10,608 in multi-core. In the CPU throttling test, the CPU throttled to 86 per cent, and at last, in the 3DMark Wildlife Extreme Test, it got an overall score of 7,276.

Gaming-wise, this phone is sorted as well. I played three games on the X9 Ultra: BGMI, CODM and Genshin Impact, and I never got any stutter or lag during gameplay. The gaming experience is so smooth without any major fps drop, and the thermals were maintained even after an hour of gameplay. 

You can play BGMI and CODM at 120fps with ease, and can play Genshin Impact at 60fps without any hiccups. I wish I could also play Genshin Impact at 120fps, but that’s fine. 

The Find X9 Ultra comes with ColorOS 16 based on Android 16, and yes, ColorOS is great because it's almost the same as the OxygenOS on OnePlus devices. The OS is lightweight, clutter-free and runs smoothly without any issues. There are a lot of customisation options in the UI, plus there are some useful AI tools to work with. Like the AI Editor tool in the Photos app literally works great. 

On the left of the device, there’s a Snap Key, which we also saw in the previous Oppo devices. That also comes handful if you want to toggle certain actions, like turn on the DND mode, or if you quickly want to record a voice note, then you can do it instantly.

Oppo's software support policy is also great. They’re promising 5 years of OS updates and 6 years of security patches. That said, 5 years still feels a bit less when companies like Samsung and Google promise 7 years of software updates.

Oppo Find X9 Ultra: Battery

Oppo continues to retain the Ultra title in the battery department as well. It packs a 7,050mAh battery and supports 100W SUPERVOOC wired charging, and also supports 50W AIRVOOC wireless charging. Thankfully, the charger is there in the box, but it comes with a Type A to Type C cable.

The 7,050mAh battery took 48 minutes to charge from 0 to 100 per cent, which is very reasonable. In my PCMark Battery test, it got 17h 12mins, which is amazing. 

In real-world usage, too, the phone easily gave me 1.5 days of battery life on a single charge. Of course, depending on your mileage, the endurance can vary.

Best camera phone of 2026?

After spending a couple of weeks with the Oppo Find X9 Ultra, I think the company launched this with a purpose. While Oppo makes good camera phones, they didn’t just want to make good cameras on this one; I think the focus was on making the entire photography experience feel complete.

The Find X9 Ultra’s main camera is incredibly reliable, the portrait mode is easily among the best I’ve used on any smartphone, and that 10x optical telephoto lens genuinely changes how you shoot photos. Add to that a beautiful display, excellent battery life, flagship-level performance and a polished software experience, and you understand why this is an Ultra flagship.

Of course, as I said earlier too, it is not perfect. Sometimes the phone over-brightens faces, low-light processing can occasionally introduce grain in darker skies, and ColorOS still doesn’t match the long-term software commitment offered by Samsung or Google.

But overall, the Oppo Find X9 Ultra feels like one of the most complete flagship phones currently available. More importantly, it feels like a phone made for people who genuinely enjoy taking photos, not just posting them.

And honestly, after using this phone across two cities, mountains, markets, sunsets and stadiums, I can confidently say this: the Oppo Find X9 Ultra is easily one of the best camera phones of 2026. 

But, the main question remains: for everything that’s on offer, and for as brilliant as this phone is, would you be willing to spend Rs 1,69,999 on an Oppo flagship? As I said, it is one of the best camera phones right now, and it absolutely deserves all the attention.

Panther Lake is a beast, and yes, we absolutely do need the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 GPU on the Samsung Galaxy Book 6 Ultra. For those wondering why I started this review with such an abrupt statement, well, this is the answer to the question I raised in my first impressions article. The premise was simple: the Galaxy Book 6 Ultra is a high-end premium laptop. It is not the slimmest machine around, but for its massive footprint, the weight and thickness are actually quite impressive. More importantly, though, did we really need this kind of hardware on a premium machine such as this? Because, for what it’s worth, at around Rs 3 lakh, you can easily buy yourself a solid gaming laptop, but it probably won’t look the part. Or you can spend that money on a premium ultrabook with stunning looks, but it won’t come close to matching the Book 6 Ultra in terms of raw power.

Also read: Samsung Galaxy Book 6 Ultra in Digit Test Labs: Panther Lake is a beast, but do we really need Nvidia RTX 5070?

The point I am trying to make, and going by the headline of this review too, is that the Galaxy Book 6 Ultra is a true ‘jack of all trades’ laptop. It has the looks, the specs, the features, and the performance to back it all up. Here’s my full review explaining why I think so, and also to help you decide whether this machine is worth your hard-earned cash or not.

Galaxy Book 6 Ultra: The Samsung user experience

I won’t bore you by talking about the regular Windows 11 software stuff. There are already a ton of Windows machines out in the market with Copilot, capable AI features, and all the usual tricks. And generally, the more money you invest, the better the experience gets. We all know that already…

The main reason why I haven’t missed my Mac all that much and have actually been using a Windows laptop full-time is the ‘Samsung software’ factor. Sure, this machine runs Windows 11. The dedicated Copilot key is also here, which, I’ll be honest, I haven’t really used all that much. What I have used thoroughly though, are the ecosystem features. The way this laptop behaves when you pair it with other Samsung gadgets.

My main phone is a Galaxy S26 Ultra, and I also use the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. Covering the basics first, all three of these devices work in perfect sync. I’ll be listening to music while working on the Book 6 Ultra, and the moment a call comes in, the audio automatically shifts to my phone and the video pauses. Once the call ends, the audio seamlessly shifts back to the laptop. By the way, you can also take calls right on the PC, but I don’t really prefer that feature (More peaceful the way it is). And yes, I know this is pretty basic stuff, and we’ve had it for years on the Apple iPhone and Macs, which is great. My point is that, because I was so used to using my Mac in a certain way, I naturally tried to replicate that same experience on the Windows platform. And since I had never experienced that level of simplicity on Windows before, I genuinely didn’t think it could be this good.

Also, yes, while these features existed on the older Galaxy Book 5 series laptops too, they never worked this well. In fact, the newer Samsung ecosystem features, combined with the older ones, come together to deliver a genuinely solid Windows 11 experience.

For instance, Quick Share was already available on the older Book 5 models, and it continues on the newer models as well. But what the new model also gets is Storage Share, which lets me wirelessly access my laptop’s storage directly from my S26 Ultra. So, just like I can access my Samsung phone through the File Explorer sidebar on Windows, I can also access my laptop’s 2TB storage from the File Manager on my phone instantly. At that point, why would I even bother sharing files through Quick Share when I can simply access both devices’ storage with a tap and get things done?

There’s also a dedicated Samsung Settings section that lets me tweak how I want all my devices to behave with one another. Continue on other devices, as the name suggests, is probably the most useful feature I have used on a Windows laptop paired with an Android phone. Of course, I’ve always loved how Continuity works between an iPhone and a Mac, but over the past year or so, that feature has become quite finicky. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. And even when it did work seamlessly, it never felt as reliable as it does on Samsung devices. Over the past two months, I can barely remember a moment when I copied something to my clipboard and the ‘paste’ command failed on the other device.

Multi-Control is another feature I use a lot. It lets me move my PC’s cursor directly onto my S26 Ultra. The moment I drag the cursor to the side of the laptop’s screen, it instantly appears on the phone. Why is this helpful? Because it makes dragging and dropping images between devices ridiculously easy. Sure, Quick Share and Storage Share are great for larger file transfers, but for smaller ones, it doesn’t get much better than this. It’s especially useful when I’m transferring video thumbnails from my laptop to my phone’s gallery.

The point is, I can go on and on about the seamless connectivity and ecosystem benefits you get here, but that would make this an extremely long review. What you really need to understand is this: if you thought Apple was the only brand that could make two devices feel like they were part of one seamless experience, Samsung and Windows, despite being two completely different entities, are doing a much better job than you might expect. And my Galaxy Book 6 Ultra, paired with the Galaxy S26 Ultra, is living proof of that.

Sure, not everything is perfect, and there are still a couple of things I genuinely miss from my Mac. For instance, the ability to natively change an image’s file type, or easily resize multiple images at once using Preview. Another very convenient feature is being able to simply press the space bar to quickly preview photos and videos. And then there’s the screenshot workflow. On a Mac, after taking a screenshot, before it even gets saved to its designated location, you can instantly grab the preview from the corner and drag and drop it anywhere. It’s especially useful when I quickly want to drop a screenshot into ChatGPT’s search box without having to dig through folders.

Again, these are not Samsung problems. These are features that are simply missing from the Windows 11 platform. But I understand that nothing is ever perfect, and I genuinely hope that, if not Microsoft, then maybe Samsung eventually brings some of the better ideas from the Mac ecosystem into its own suite of PC features and settings. We’ll see.

It’s bright, it looks the part, and it is loud

Needless to say, the Samsung Galaxy Book 6 Ultra comes with a gorgeous 16-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, and yes, it is touch-enabled too. Speaking of the latter, though, I am personally not a fan of touchscreens on laptops. In fact, I would prefer not having one at all. I don’t think laptops really need touchscreens unless they can properly transform into a tablet, like the Windows Surface machines, which this one certainly cannot.

The Galaxy Book 6 Ultra is unapologetically a high-end, mainstream laptop. It is not a convertible, not a tablet-laptop hybrid, but simply a laptop, and honestly, I love that about it. I really like how it looks and feels. For a 16-inch machine, it is actually quite manageable. In fact, the 1.79kg weight is genuinely impressive. Although I will say, the charger that comes bundled with it, the 140W Samsung brick, is huge. So, for most of my usage, I have simply been using my own 150W PD charger, which gets the job done perfectly fine.

But without drifting away from the main topic, this is a very nicely built machine with aluminium used throughout the construction. The lid, the keyboard deck, and even the underside are all metallic. Opening the lid reveals a gorgeous display that is bright, punchy, and simply top-tier. It also comes with an anti-reflective coating, which is something I only truly appreciated while commuting to work.

Now, I am not saying it works perfectly because, above all else, this is still a glossy panel. But having used so many laptops over the years, Macs and Windows machines alike, I genuinely don’t think I have used another laptop with a screen this usable outdoors. By that, I mean when I travel to work, I usually sit in the front seat and continue working during the ride. Sunlight has always been my biggest enemy because on several laptops I’ve used, screen visibility completely falls apart under harsh light. That simply hasn’t been the case with the Galaxy Book 6 Ultra, and a lot of that comes down to the anti-reflective coating.

Again, I am not saying it works miracles, but for what it’s worth, I genuinely don’t know of another laptop with a more usable display under harsh sunlight. And on top of that, it gets seriously bright. Samsung claims an HDR brightness of 1,000 nits and an SDR brightness of 500 nits. In the Digit Test Labs, this machine actually hit 1,104 nits of brightness, and those numbers absolutely reflect in real-world usage.

The bezels are also very slim and symmetrical on three sides. All four corners of the display are rounded too, which looks really clean aesthetically. And speaking of the bezels, right at the top centre sits the Full-HD webcam. It delivers pretty good quality and should be more than enough for video calls and meetings. The microphones also do a perfectly fine job. That said, this is still one area where I feel Macs continue to do slightly better.

However, the speakers on this thing are simply top-tier. Samsung has absolutely nailed the audio experience on the Galaxy Book 6 Ultra. The six-speaker setup here gets seriously loud, but more importantly, it sounds rich and full instead of simply blasting noise at your face. While watching movies, I found that the vocals sounded clean. In songs, instruments have proper separation, and there is actual depth and bass here, something that a lot of Windows laptops still struggle with. Even at higher volumes, the audio does not start cracking or sounding tinny. The soundstage also feels surprisingly wide for a laptop this slim, to the point where I never really felt the need to connect external speakers while casually consuming content.

Honestly, between the gorgeous AMOLED display and the excellent speaker setup, the Galaxy Book 6 Ultra is just a fantastic media consumption machine overall.

Galaxy Book 6 Ultra: Panther Lake paired with RTX 5070

Now comes the actual meat of this machine, the performance. The Intel Panther Lake chipset inside this thing is an absolute beast; I have said it above, and I will say it again. I mean, there’s no other way for me to put it. Everyday usage is obviously effortless, but that is expected from a laptop that is this costly, but for the cost, it also comes with a very potent chip.

Also read: Asus Zenbook Duo 2026 review: Panther Lake makes this the best multitasking laptop I’ve used

You see, the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H chip is a high-performance 16-core processor that also features a 50 TOPS NPU. And you may also think and question: do we really need all this NPU power right now? I mean, sure, there are AI features here and there across Windows 11 and several creative applications, but I still don’t think we are at a stage where most people are fully utilising this kind of AI horsepower on a laptop. But five years down the line? That is where I think this chip is going to show its worth. Because 50 TOPS is a lot of AI compute power. And, as more AI-powered workloads start shifting locally onto devices instead of relying entirely on the cloud, this kind of hardware will matter much more.

But beyond its AI capabilities and how fast and relevant it is going to be in the future, what genuinely impressed me, though, was just how confidently this machine handles all sorts of workloads. Of course, the main credit for the top-notch performance also goes to the hardware, which includes the aforementioned Core Ultra 7 356H CPU, RTX 5070 GPU, paired with 32GB LPDDR5X RAM and 2TB of superfast NVMe SSD storage.

My usual workflow is writing and editing articles, shooting emails, doing video meetings, editing photos, and watching YouTube. That, in a nutshell, is what I usually do on my daily work laptop. And then, when I reach home, my laptop is also my haven for all the OTT content that I watch. But, while using this machine, I have also been gaming quite a lot, so that’s added to my regular schedule now. And boy, have I missed gaming!

And, I think this is where the combination of Panther Lake and the RTX 5070 really starts to shine. Now, yes, before the hardcore gaming crowd comes after me, this is not a full-powered RTX 5070 implementation. Samsung has tuned the GPU to a 90W TGP, which obviously means it won’t perform like the mainstream Alienwares and Razer Blades of the world; laptops that are thicker, louder, and built entirely around gaming performance. But, for what this machine is trying to achieve, the balance here is surprisingly good. Because, at the end of the day, this is still a relatively thin and premium productivity-first laptop that also happens to game properly.

For instance, I played Shadow of the Tomb Raider on this machine quite extensively, and the performance was genuinely impressive. At 1080p resolution, with high settings and DLSS enabled, the game comfortably stayed around the 110-130 fps mark, while temperatures remained surprisingly manageable. More importantly, the laptop never became unbearably loud or hot in a way that made me want to stop gaming altogether. And that is important because most productivity laptops with dedicated GPUs usually end up sounding like jet engines the moment you give them the beans.

Hogwarts Legacy, which is an even heavier and far more demanding title, also ran surprisingly well. Now yes, this is exactly the kind of game where you can tell the RTX 5070 here isn't running at its absolute maximum wattage. But even then, with the right settings tweaks, the experience remained genuinely enjoyable. At high settings with DLSS enabled, I was getting around 60-75 fps in most areas, while some of the heavier open-world sections dipped slightly lower. But I would again say that Nvidia’s DLSS technology deserves a lot of credit here because it really helps maintain smoother frame rates without heavily compromising the visual quality. And because this laptop also supports frame generation, gameplay feels noticeably smoother than what numbers may suggest.

GTA V, unsurprisingly, ran like a dream. And yes, I know GTA VI is right around the corner, but GTA V still remains one of those games that can really test if a laptop can sustain performance properly over a continuous session. The game comfortably stayed around 120 fps at very high settings without breaking a sweat.

And then there’s Tekken 7, which I absolutely enjoyed on this display. Performance-wise, the game stayed locked at 59-60 fps throughout, which is exactly what you want from a button-mashing game.

Of course, what I also appreciated was how controlled the thermals remained throughout all of this. Sure, the laptop does get warm, especially around the keyboard deck while gaming. And yes, if I were to place the machine on my lap and start playing games, the underside definitely gets hot. But that is the case with pretty much any laptop that has hardware as capable as what you are getting here. More importantly, that is not really how you are supposed to use a laptop while gaming in the first place.

What really matters is how the Galaxy Book 6 Ultra behaves during normal daily usage. For instance, even while charging, the laptop mostly stays cool and comfortable to use. I usually use my laptop, propped on my lap, while I nicely recline back on my office seat. Mind you, I do this at times, when the laptop is also charging, and it never gets uncomfortable. Also, surprisingly, the fans, while you do notice them when the machine is under load, are not annoyingly aggressive either.

Keyboard, trackpad and battery life

Now, coming to one of the most important parts of any laptop for me personally, the keyboard and trackpad. And Samsung has done a fantastic job here. I genuinely enjoyed typing on the Galaxy Book 6 Ultra. The keyboard has slightly shallow travel, and the keys are very clicky-clacky. Yes, they do make a noticeable amount of noise while typing, but truth be told, that sound is like music to my ears. There is a very satisfying tactile response every single time you press a key, and because of that, typing never felt tiring to me on this machine.

The trackpad is also massive. It is smooth, very responsive, and one of the best trackpads I have used on a Windows machine. Gestures work just as they are supposed to, palm rejection is solid, and the overall feel of the click mechanism is spot on. It genuinely feels premium.

That said, just like the missing Mac features I mentioned earlier, I also have to add gestures to that list. Because, while Windows 11 gestures work well here, Apple’s trackpad gestures are still on another level entirely. The fluidity, animation response, and overall polish on a Mac simply feel more refined. But again, this is not a Samsung problem. It is more about how Windows itself is optimised. Samsung has clearly done everything it possibly can on the hardware side because, as far as Windows laptops go, this is easily the best trackpad experience I have had so far.

Before I tell you about the battery life and my final take, here's a quick look at the port situation too. To no surprise, the Galaxy Book 6 Ultra is loaded with everything you'd need. There are two Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports, a USB Type-A 3.2 port, an HDMI 2.1 port, a headphone jack and a dedicated SD card reader slot.

Battery life is another area where the Galaxy Book 6 Ultra impressed me. This is my second Panther Lake-powered machine that I have tested, and one thing has become very clear to me: Intel has made serious progress with efficiency this generation. Battery life on Panther Lake laptops is genuinely solid. The Galaxy Book 6 Ultra comfortably lasts an entire workday for me most of the time. Depending on how aggressively I was using it, I sometimes did have to charge it towards the end of the day. But for my usual workflow, the Book 6 Ultra consistently delivered around eight hours of usage quite comfortably.

In the PCMark battery test, the Galaxy Book 6 Ultra scored 897 minutes, which again proves just how far Windows laptops have come in terms of endurance.

That said, while Windows 11 paired with Panther Lake chips shows really good progress in battery life and efficiency, Apple’s ARM-based architecture still holds the crown when it comes to sheer longevity on a single charge. Macs still manage to squeeze out more runtime while staying incredibly efficient under heavier workloads. But the gap is definitely getting smaller now, and that is the important part. Because a few years ago, a Windows laptop with this level of performance simply would not have lasted this long away from the charger.

Galaxy Book 6 Ultra: Verdict

So, coming back to the question I asked right at the beginning of this review: do we really need a premium laptop with hardware this powerful? After spending a considerable amount of time with the Samsung Galaxy Book 6 Ultra, my answer is very simple: yes, we absolutely do.

This laptop is simply for anyone who wants everything in one machine.

It looks premium, feels premium, has one of the best displays I have used on a laptop, sounds fantastic, performs brilliantly, games surprisingly well, and still manages to deliver genuinely good battery life. Add Samsung’s ecosystem features on top of all this, and the experience starts feeling far more complete than what I usually expect from a Windows machine.

Sure, there are still things that macOS does better. Trackpad gestures are more refined, some quality of life features are still missing on Windows 11, and Apple’s ARM-based chips still hold the crown when it comes to sheer battery efficiency. But the gap is now smaller than it has ever been before.

Also, addressing the price bit, yes, Rs 3,10,990 is a lot of money for a laptop. And at this cost, compromises become very difficult to justify. But thankfully, the Galaxy Book 6 Ultra does not really make many major mistakes. Samsung clearly understood what they were doing here. They didn’t want to build an ultra-thin machine with mediocre performance, nor did they intend this machine to be like a bulky gaming laptop that sacrifices portability.

Also read: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra review: King of the hill

With the Galaxy Book 6 Ultra, Samsung built something that balances both worlds surprisingly well. And that balance is what I ended up appreciating the most.

In a nutshell, this is a machine that lets you work hard and then play harder when the work is done. Trust me, very few laptops manage to pull this off convincingly. Which is why I think the Galaxy Book 6 Ultra truly earns the ‘jack of all trades’ title.

For years now, earphones from Oppo and its sister concerns have been legit recommendable options in the affordable Indian TWS market. So, when one of them launches a new product, you have certain expectations. Let's see if the newly launched Oppo Enco Air 5 Pro meets that. On paper, it brings 55dB ANC, Bluetooth 6.0, LHDC 5.0 support, AI-backed call noise reduction, and up to 54 hours of total battery life. I have tested the Enco earbuds for quite some time, and I find they are a well-rounded package.

But are they worth the asking price of Rs 4,999? Find that out here in my Oppo Enco Air 5 Pro review.

Oppo Enco Air 5 Pro: Design and comfort

Our Enco Air 5 Pro review unit comes in a sober black colour. The oval-shaped case has a powdery smooth finish that feels good to touch, but the small, rounded form and this finish mean it can be a bit slippery at times. The matte black paint job attracts smudges and stains, but nothing a swipe can't clean. And if you go with the white variant, this problem shouldn't be there to begin with.

The compactness of the case means it is easy to carry in a pocket, and with finger gymnastics, you can open it one-handed. The earbuds are easy to take out and put back in with satisfactory suction.

The buds themselves look small and chic in their black colour. They look a bit similar to the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro (review). The silicone in-ear tips stay put in the ear canal. I was confidently wearing them while rushing through crowded metro stations and trains. And since they are comfortable to wear, I would put them on even without music playing.

On the design front, one more thing worth talking about is its IP55 ingress protection. This allows them to withstand some dust and water. Good to have.

Overall, there is nothing flashy about the Oppo Enco Air 5 Pro other than the fact that it features a functional design.

Oppo Enco Air 5 Pro: Connectivity and controls

While I would call my overall experience with the Enco Air 5 Pro quite good, I did have one gripe with the earbuds, i.e., it frequently won't respond to a single tap to resume music playback, and one or two times it wasn't working at all, even though it was active and connected. Putting it back in the case and taking it out again made it work.

But rest, the Bluetooth 6.0-based connection was strong. The pairing was quick with Google Fast Pair and Windows Swift Pair. The HeyMelody app is easy to set up. 

Thereafter, it simply worked everywhere I went, even in the office basement and in the underground metro. Sometimes I would just stroll to the office pantry, a few meters away from my desk, where the playback device is, and face no drops or stutters.

Dual-device connectivity also works for a smooth transition between my personal MacBook, Windows work laptop and phone. You can control this setting and other things like ANC levels, transparency mode, EQ presets, gaming mode, touch gestures, and firmware updates from the HeyMelody app. It is a very user-friendly app, and if you have used any Oppo or OnePlus earbuds, then you’d be familiar with it already.

Coming to controls, the Enco Air 5 Pro has one of the most responsive gesture recognitions I have experienced. You tap, and you know it has registered, even if it takes a millisecond for action.

To face no delay in gaming and video playback, Oppo has given a Game Mode that claims up to 47ms of low latency. Slick. 

Oppo Enco Air 5 Pro: Sound quality

At the core of the Enco Air 5 Pro is a 12mm titanium-coated dynamic driver with support for LHDC 5.0 high-resolution audio codec. I was using the Ultimate sound EQ profile. Like many earbuds in this segment, the tuning is for mainstream users who would listen to pop tracks and anything bass-oriented. You’ll have a good time headbanging. But, in some tracks, you’d want the bass thumps to be more precise and defined.

You may feel the sound staging isn't very wide either. Enabling Oppo Alive Audio mode widens the room for the sounds and is a neat feature to try. 

And vocals, albeit clear enough, don't stand out as much as they do on the Realme Buds Air 8 (review). Both Sonu Nigam’s voice in Iss Tarah and Chinmayi’s voice in AR Rahman’s Muththa Mazhai (Reprise) are vanilla on the Oppo earbuds, while they are more real and eargasmic on the Realme earbuds.

Treble performance is decent but leaves you wanting more. Take MJ, and Paul McCartney’s Say Say Say, the vocals and instrumental high notes don't touch the heights the Realme Buds Air 8 manages to. 

Overall, in isolation, the Oppo tuning remains safe and easy to listen to for hours, which many mainstream users may actually prefer.

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro review: A strong premium pick, especially for Galaxy users

Oppo Enco Air 5 Pro: ANC and calls

Oppo claims up to 55dB ANC on the Enco Air 5 Pro, which is extremely ambitious and quite effective at the same time. Say you are sitting in front of a desert cooler, the Oppo earbuds dull down most of the noise coming from the fan and the moving chassis. But here also, the Realme earbuds are more aggressive.

Out of the different ANC (active noise cancellation) levels, the High one works the best. If you are in a Metro, in the High mode, most sounds are hushed, but you can still hear the guy standing beside you. But in the Moderate profile, you can hear people standing at a distance of about 5 meters. The metro rail noise will also be mildly audible. The High profile lets in sudden sounds, which is good while travelling.

Transparency mode doesn't sound too artificial, which is good. 

Call quality is another strong area. The six-microphone setup, combined with AI noise reduction, delivers a clear voice, and background noises are also prevented.

Oppo Enco Air 5 Pro: Battery life and charging

Battery life from the Enco Air 5 Pro can easily get you by a day. At 80% volume, ANC off, and AAC codec, the Enco Air 5 Pro ran for about 7 hours and was at 50% energy. So, the stated 13 hours is achievable. Coupled with the case, the runtime can last up to 54 hours.

The mileage may vary with ANC on and other settings changed. In any case, the fast charging claim of 4 hours of battery life from just 10 minutes of charging is also interesting. A full charge takes around an hour and a half for refuelling both the earbuds and the case.

Should you buy Oppo Enco Air 5 Pro?

The Oppo Enco Air 5 Pro has many things going in its favour, which makes it a well-balanced and fairly easy-to-recommend pair of earbuds under Rs 5,000. It has a clean design, the fit is comfortable for long hours, battery life is dependable, ANC is strong, connectivity is reliable, and the overall feature set feels complete. 

The sound tuning also works well for mainstream listeners. It is bass-friendly and easy to listen to for extended periods without becoming tiring. The ANC implementation, too, feels effective.

However, the Enco Air 5 Pro doesn’t quite stand out because of the competition it faces, especially from its cousin, the Realme Buds Air 8. The Realme earbuds offer a more expressive and energetic sound signature, wider soundstage, sharper vocals and treble response, and a slightly more aggressive ANC experience. So while you cannot really go wrong with the Oppo earbuds, there also isn’t one defining feature that clearly separates them from the rest of the segment.

So, if you want a balanced pair of earbuds for everyday listening that is comfortable to wear, looks decent, lasts through a full day, offers enjoyable sound, strong ANC, and a healthy set of practical features, then the Oppo Enco Air 5 Pro at Rs 4,999 is a good buy.

It is just that the sub-Rs 5,000 TWS space has become extremely competitive right now, and some rivals simply feel more exciting or offer slightly better overall value depending on what you prioritise.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar reviews.

Also Read: Philips SHP9500 open-back headphones review: Clear, clinical and comfortably priced

Is it just me, or are smartphone brands getting really confusing when it comes to the naming strategy of their flagships? Case in point, the X300 is Vivo’s standard flagship offering for 2026, but the recently launched X300 FE is priced around Rs 3,000 higher. Which begs the question: where exactly does the ‘FE’ model fit in the lineup? Similarly, Oppo has also taken a similar path with the official launch of its latest high-end smartphone in the X9 series, the Oppo Find X9s.  

By the way, this is the first time Oppo has brought an 's' branded Find X-series smartphone to the Indian market. Going by the name, you may think that this phone should sit below the standard Oppo Find X9 (review), in terms of pricing and also as a slightly toned-down version in terms of what you are getting here. But the moment you look at the pricing, things become a little harder to understand. 

Oppo has priced the Find X9s at Rs 79,999 in India, making it more expensive than the standard Find X9 itself. Like I mentioned, what Vivo also did with the X300 FE (review). 

This situation raises a few unanswered questions. Is Oppo planning to slowly phase out the regular Find X9 from the market? Will the standard model become more expensive later? Or does Oppo simply believe the Find X9s offers a more polished overall experience despite carrying a slightly less powerful chipset on paper? Right now, the company has not made its strategy very clear.

But what is very clear is the fact that I have been rigorously testing this phone in the Digit Test Labs for a good while. And the question you should actually ask is, can Oppo justify the Find X9s price tag? Let's find out.

Oppo Find X9s review: Design

When I took the Oppo Find X9s out of the box, the first thing I noticed was how closely it resembles the Find X9. The overall size and design language feel very similar, but that is not a bad thing at all. Oppo has gone for a clean and minimal look here, and I think the company has done a good job with the overall design.

I received the Midnight Grey colour option for review, and personally, I liked how premium and classy it looks. It does not have a flashy pattern or a shiny finish, which gives the phone a more elegant appearance. Oppo is also offering the device in Sunset Orange and Lavender Sky colour options for users who prefer brighter shades.

The Find X9s comes with flat edges and softly curved corners, making it comfortable to hold even during long usage sessions. Whether I was watching videos, scrolling through social media or gaming, the phone felt easy to grip. At just 7.99mm thick, the device also feels slimmer than many other flagship smartphones in the market.

On the rear panel, the squarish camera module sits in the top-left corner without looking too bulky or distracting. I also liked the matte finish on the back because it doesn't attract fingerprints.

Another thing worth mentioning is the weight distribution. The phone feels balanced in the hand and does not feel top-heavy despite featuring a large camera setup. Oppo has also added IP66, IP68 and IP69 ratings, which means the Find X9s offers strong protection against dust and water exposure.

So, the Oppo Find X9s focuses more on comfort, practicality and a premium in-hand feel rather than trying too hard with flashy design elements, and I think many users will appreciate that.

Oppo Find X9s review: Display

The Oppo Find X9s features a 6.59-inch LTPS AMOLED display with a 1.5K resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, 3,600 nits of claimed peak brightness, and a pixel density of 460 PPI. On paper, these are solid specifications, but what stands out most is the size of the display. In a market where flagship phones are getting increasingly larger, the Find X9s hits a sweet spot. The screen feels big enough for watching videos, gaming or scrolling through social media, while still being compact enough to comfortably use with one hand.

The AMOLED panel itself delivers a good viewing experience. Colours look vibrant without appearing overly saturated, blacks are deep, and content looks sharp. For protection, Oppo has added Corning Gorilla Glass 7i, which should offer some peace of mind against minor scratches and accidental drops in daily use.

Oppo claims the display can reach up to 3,600 nits of peak brightness. But since we all know how the ‘peak brightness’ marketing claim works, what really matters, though, is the real-world performance. In our lux meter test, the panel reached around 1,850 nits with auto brightness enabled. While that number is far from the marketed figure, it is still bright enough for comfortable outdoor use. Even under harsh sunlight, the screen remains perfectly readable without much struggle, which matters more in day-to-day usage than peak numbers on paper.

So, the Oppo Find X9s gets the basics right with its display. It is sharp, smooth and bright enough for outdoor visibility, and the size feels practical without compromising on the viewing experience.

Oppo Find X9s review: Performance

The Oppo Find X9s is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9500s chipset, which is built on a 3nm process. The smartphone comes with up to 12GB RAM and 512GB storage. For this review, I received the base 12GB RAM and 256GB storage variant.

In everyday use, the Find X9s delivers the kind of smooth experience most people expect from a premium flagship smartphone. Whether I was endlessly scrolling through Instagram, jumping between multiple apps, replying to messages or quickly opening the camera to click photos on the go, the phone felt fast and responsive throughout. Animations are smooth, apps load quickly, and overall, the device rarely gave me a reason to complain during regular usage. The phone also handles multitasking comfortably. I could keep several apps running in the background without noticing aggressive app reloads. 

However, things become slightly less impressive when you look at the benchmark scores. The Oppo Find X9s scored 23,84,561 on Antutu. In Geekbench 6, the device managed 2,215 in the single-core test and 7,282 in the multi-core test. For comparison, the recently launched Vivo X300 FE, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chip, delivered higher benchmark numbers, scoring 28,21,622 on Antutu along with 2,767 in Geekbench single-core and 8,750 in multi-core tests. 

Interestingly, the Oppo Find X9, which is available at a slightly lower price, actually offers better raw performance. During our testing, the Find X9 achieved an Antutu score of around 3.44 million. In Geekbench 6, it scored 3,142 in the single-core test and 9,721 in the multi-core test, clearly outperforming the Find X9s as well as the Vivo X300 FE.

So while the Oppo Find X9s handles real-world usage smoothly, benchmark enthusiasts might find better value in some competing devices or even within Oppo’s own lineup.

Now, I know the Oppo Find X9s is more of a camera-centric flagship phone, but many users, including me, also expect good gaming performance at this price. So, I spent a good amount of time playing BGMI on the device to see how well it handles gaming.

With HDR graphics and Extreme frame rate settings enabled, the phone delivered a stable 60fps experience. Switching to the Better Frame Rate setting allowed the device to push a stable 90fps gameplay, which definitely felt smoother during fast-paced matches. However, considering the high price tag of the phone, I was honestly expecting support for 120fps gameplay.

That said, I also understand that Oppo is clearly prioritising cameras and overall balance here rather than trying to create a gaming flagship. During longer gaming sessions of around 20 minutes or more, the phone did warm up slightly, but thankfully not to the point where it became uncomfortable to hold or affected gameplay in any major way.

On the software side, the Find X9s runs on ColorOS 16 based on Android 16, and the experience feels polished and fluid in day-to-day use. Animations are smooth, multitasking works well, and the UI feels clean, though there are still a few pre-installed apps out of the box. Oppo has also added several AI-powered features like AI Bill Manager and AI Recorder, which can actually feel useful instead of gimmicky during usage. The company is also promising four years of major Android OS updates along with six years of security updates for the Find X9s, which definitely adds long-term value to the device.

Oppo Find X9s review: Camera

The Oppo Find X series is known for offering strong camera performance, so naturally, I had high expectations from the Find X9s as well. The smartphone features a triple rear camera setup consisting of a 50MP Sony LYT-700 primary sensor with OIS, a 50MP ultra-wide camera, and a 50MP Sony LYT-600 periscope telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom and OIS. On the front, you get a 32MP camera for selfies and video calls.

The primary camera performs really well in most conditions. During the day, photos come out sharp with good details and balanced colours. I liked that the phone does not overdo saturation like some other flagship phones. Colours look lively without appearing unrealistic, and skin tones are handled nicely.

Portrait shots are also quite good. The phone manages background separation nicely, and most portraits look clean enough for social media uploads. That said, edge detection is not always perfect and can occasionally struggle in tougher scenes, though the overall results are still quite usable.

Low-light photography is another area where the Find X9s impressed me. Night shots retain a good amount of detail without making images look artificially bright. The phone does a nice job of controlling noise while still keeping textures intact. 

The telephoto camera is useful too. At up to 3x zoom, images remain detailed and quite usable. However, once you move beyond the optical zoom range and rely more on digital zoom, image quality starts dropping, and details become softer.

The ultra-wide camera is the weakest part of the setup. While it is perfectly usable for landscape shots or group photos, there is a visible difference in quality compared to the primary camera.

As for selfies, the 32MP front camera captures decent photos with natural skin tones and enough detail for Instagram or video calls. 

Oppo Find X9s review: Battery

The Oppo Find X9s packs a huge 7,025mAh battery with 80W wired fast charging support. During my time with the device, battery anxiety was rarely a concern. Whether I was doom-scrolling Instagram late at night, watching YouTube videos, using navigation, or clicking plenty of photos throughout the day, the phone comfortably kept going without constantly making me look for a charger.

With light to moderate usage, the Find X9s can easily last close to one and a half days on a single charge. Even on days when I used the camera heavily, streamed content for long hours, and played games, the device still managed to survive an entire day without much struggle.

I also noticed that battery drain during regular tasks remained under control. Streaming videos for around 30 minutes consumed roughly 4 per cent of the battery, while an hour of power-hungry Google Maps navigation drained only around 5 per cent.

However, the PCMark battery benchmark results were slightly underwhelming, given the massive battery capacity. The device lasted around 20.5 hours in the test, which is good, but honestly, I expected better numbers from a 7,025mAh battery. But this is again a synthetic benchmark test we are talking about, and what really matters is the real-world experience where the Oppo Find X9s delivers. 

Also, using the bundled 80W charger, the Oppo Find X9s takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes to fully charge from 0 to 100 per cent. While there are faster charging phones available, the charging speed here still feels reasonable once you consider the large battery capacity.

Oppo Find X9s review: Verdict

The Oppo Find X9s is a smartphone that gets a lot of things right. It offers a premium and compact design, a vibrant display, good cameras, excellent battery life and a smooth overall experience. The phone feels comfortable to hold, easy to use for long hours and reliable enough to handle almost everything you throw at it without much trouble.

However, what makes the Find X9s slightly difficult to judge is its positioning within Oppo’s own lineup. Apart from the processor, the Find X9s offers almost identical specifications to the standard Oppo Find X9. The display, cameras, battery capacity, charging speeds and overall experience remain largely similar. That naturally makes the pricing harder to justify, especially when the regular Find X9 is available at a lower price while also delivering noticeably better real-world and benchmark performance.

And this creates a situation where it becomes slightly difficult to recommend the Find X9s over the standard Find X9 unless you specifically prefer its colour options or simply want the latest addition in the lineup. 

Again, don’t get me wrong, for what it’s worth, the Oppo Find X9s is still a very capable compact flagship smartphone. It focuses more on balance, comfort, battery life and overall usability rather than chasing raw performance numbers. But at its current pricing, the regular Find X9 feels like the more sensible choice. Unless Oppo decides to discontinue the standard model, then we’ll have a different debate. That’s a story for another time. 

Budget smartphones can no longer be seen as devices that compromise on features the way they used to a few years ago. A few years back, whenever I wanted to buy a smartphone, that too with a price point of around Rs 15,000, it usually meant being prepared to live with at least one noticeable compromise. The devices back then usually had a mix of a few things, like decent performance with poor cameras. However, if that were not the case, then I would see a device that heavily focused on battery life but ignored display quality or software experience. Similarly, a few brands also tried to impress buyers with flashy designs and big specifications on paper, but those things rarely improved the actual everyday experience. But that's no longer the case, as Motorola launched the Motorola G37 Power in the budget category.

The budget smartphone market has changed a lot now. Brands are no longer focusing on just one feature. Rather, most smartphones today try to offer a complete package with good displays, capable processors, bigger batteries, better cameras and cleaner software. While this is a good thing, it has obviously made this category a bit more confusing, which is actually beneficial for you and me. Recommending a budget smartphone now has also become a bit harder than before as a result of that.

The Motorola G37 Power approaches this segment a bit differently from the existing brands and models. Instead of focusing on one flashy feature, Motorola tried building a smartphone that gives you balance and feels more practical in everyday use. The specs suggest the same, as the device comes with a huge 7,000 mAh battery, a MediaTek Dimensity 6400 chipset, military-grade durability, Gorilla Glass 7i protection and stereo speakers. In terms of software, it sports Android 16 with Motorola’s clean software experience out of the box. On paper, that already sounds quite impressive for a smartphone priced at Rs 15,999.

However, the specifications alone never tell the full story, especially in the budget segment where things like optimisation, heating and day-to-day consistency matter much more than big numbers. The real question is whether Motorola has managed to make a phone that actually feels reliable in real-world use or if this is just another budget device trying to stand out in an overcrowded market. After using the Motorola G37 Power as my primary smartphone for some time, here is what I think.

Motorola G37 Power design: Practical, comfortable and built to last

The first thing that surprised me about the Motorola G37 Power was the packaging. Motorola has kept things simple, but the overall unboxing experience still feels neat and slightly more premium than what you usually expect in this segment. When you unbox the device, it immediately gives you the impression that the company is trying to offer a polished experience rather than just another budget smartphone.

Once unboxed, you find some paperwork, a SIM ejector tool, the Motorola G37 Power handset, a charging cable and the adapter in the box. Talking about the handset, it feels light when holding it, and the synthetic leather finish gives you a good grip on the device. I tried using the device for about 1.5 to 2 hours while travelling in the busy Delhi metro. Trust me when I say this, but I never reached the point where the device felt tiring to hold. Whether it be watching videos, scrolling social media or replying to emails or WhatsApp messages, the phone remains comfortable enough.

The design language itself feels clean and familiar, as the rear panel has a premium leather finish that gives the phone a more polished look than most devices in this segment. The camera module is simple without looking overly flashy, which honestly works in Motorola’s favour because many budget phones now try too hard with oversized camera islands.

Furthermore, the side-mounted fingerprint scanner is fast and reliable. It unlocks the device quickly without requiring repeated attempts, which is something budget phones still occasionally struggle with. However, one thing I think the company can improve is the scanner’s sensitivity. At times, if your hands are wet or even slightly sweaty, then the scanner may deny access to the device.

Build quality is another area where the phone leaves a positive impression. The Motorola G37 Power comes with Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protection, MIL-STD-810H military-grade certification and an IP64 rating. While these are specifications most users may not actively think about every day, they add confidence during real-world usage. The phone feels sturdy in hand and does not flex or creak under pressure.

You may have forgotten this, but older smartphones used to come with a headphone jack and an SD card slot. Motorola brings back that nostalgia by retaining these practical features that many brands have gradually started removing. The phone includes a 3.5mm headphone jack along with 1TB expandable storage support via a microSD card slot, and honestly, these features still matter to many of us who are buying a new device in a budget category.

Motorola G37 Power display: Smooth enough for everyday entertainment

Motorola’s G37 Power is equipped with a 6.67-inch LCD screen, which instantly feels big and immersive to use on a daily basis. Sure, the HD+ (720p) resolution isn’t the sharpest in the segment, but it does get the job done. Personally, the screen size worked out well for me while enjoying YouTube videos, social media browsing, or any other form of online streaming entertainment. In addition, having a hole-punch display makes it appear modern from the front. 

That said, I do feel Motorola could have trimmed the chin a bit more, as there is some visible room that could have improved the overall screen-to-body ratio. Again, considering this is an LCD, and not an AMOLED panel, this is a tradeoff. 

On the bright side, the phone supports a 120Hz refresh rate, which instantly elevates the user experience. Simply scrolling in the app drawer or switching between menus, all felt fluid. More importantly, the animations remain fairly stable most of the time, so the smoothness doesn’t feel inconsistent or exaggerated.

Motorola has also added its Display Colour Boost feature, and in daily use, I noticed it gives colours a slightly richer look without pushing them into unnatural territory. Videos look more engaging, skin tones stay fairly balanced, and overall, the display maintains a pleasant, easy-on-the-eyes tuning that works well for extended consumption.

Motorola claims the panel can go up to 1,050 nits in High Brightness Mode (HBM), i.e., when used in direct sunlight, this is the maximum brightness the screen can achieve. Of course, the screen is not as bright as an AMOLED, but in my testing, the display held up well outdoors, and I was able to comfortably view videos and browse content even under harsh lighting conditions. Again, it is not going to be perfect, nor is it the brightest, but as I said earlier, it gets the job done.   

However, I do want to pinpoint an issue while using the camera outdoors. While previewing the image in the viewfinder, the screen gets quite dim. Again, this is a natural smartphone behaviour. And you may think, if this is so normal, why don’t a lot of people complain about this? You see, while phones with AMOLED screens also get dim while previewing an image in the viewfinder, even at their dimmest, they are decently bright. Can’t be said the same about an LCD. So, there’s that. 

Overall, Motorola has done a pretty good job with the overall presentation of the phone. And to hit a certain price point, you can’t have all positives. Case in point, the LCD display is decent on the G37 Power, and as I said, I personally find it okay; it is quite obvious that this is the area where most of the cost-cutting has happened.

Motorola G37 Power performance: Surprisingly stable for the price

Performance is easily one of the strongest aspects of the Motorola G37 Power, and honestly, this is where the device starts clearly separating itself from many similarly priced competitors. The handset is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6400 processor paired with up to 8GB LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB UFS 2.2 internal storage. On paper, these specifications already place it in a fairly comfortable position for its segment, but as always, real-world performance matters more than spec sheets, and thankfully, this is where the device holds up quite well.

On a daily basis, the apps on the smartphone open at a reasonable speed, and I never felt that I had to wait around for things to load. Even the basic tasks like calling, messaging, social media scrolling, Chrome browsing, video streaming, and light image editing all run smoothly without pushing the device into discomfort.

Using multiple apps at the same time also works better than expected. You can switch between apps without the phone feeling unstable, and while there are small delays now and then, they are not distracting. Many budget phones start to lag after some time of use, but this one stays fairly steady throughout the day.

Gaming performance is decent for its class, as games like BGMI and Call of Duty Mobile remain playable with stable frame delivery on balanced graphics settings. However, keep in mind that the device is not made for heavy or high-graphics gaming, and if you push the settings too high, then you'll notice its limits quickly. Aside from the heavy gaming, lite games like Temple Run, Subway Surfer, UNO, Ludo and chess work well.

When playing heavy games, you may feel that the device gets a bit warm, especially during long gaming sessions. But it doesn't ever reach a point that feels uncomfortable.

In the performance tests, the device shows balanced results as it scored 5,41,583 in Antutu, which is solid for this category. While in Geekbench 6, it gets 817 for single-core and 1,345 for multi-core, which reflects steady everyday performance rather than extreme power.

Graphics performance is also consistent, with a score of 1,451 in Geekbench OpenCL. In 3DMark tests, it scores 1,390 in Wild Life and 383 in Wild Life Extreme. It also gets 3,903 in SlingShot, and what stands out is its stability of around 99.5 per cent, which means it keeps performance steady over long use without dropping much.

For regular work tasks, the phone scores 11,085 in PCMark Work 3.0 which shows that it is efficient while handling daily use. Storage speed is good for this segment because of UFS 2.2. Apps open quickly, and file transfers feel smooth enough that you do not notice delays in normal usage, even if it is not as fast as premium phones.

Motorola G37 Power software: Clean, lightweight and easy to live with

Software has traditionally been one of Motorola’s strongest areas, and thankfully, that remains true here as well. The Motorola G37 Power ships with Android 16 out of the box, along with Motorola’s Hello UI. The overall experience feels relatively clean, lightweight and easy to use. Unlike several budget phones that aggressively push advertisements or unnecessary pre-installed applications, the G37 Power avoids making the interface feel cluttered.

That cleaner software experience genuinely improves daily usage. Animations feel smoother, notifications remain less chaotic, and the UI never feels overloaded with duplicate apps or unnecessary features.

Motorola has also included several useful software additions like Moto gestures, Moto Secure and Google Gemini integration. Features like a twist-to-open camera and a chop-chop flashlight still remain surprisingly convenient during regular usage. The company is also promising an upgrade to Android 17, which adds some confidence regarding long-term software support.

It’s not all sparkles when it comes to the software because the experience itself isn’t flawless. I did encounter some lag when quickly swapping between two demanding apps, but it doesn’t happen that often.

Motorola G37 Power battery and charging: Built for endurance

Battery life is undoubtedly the headline feature of the Motorola G37 Power, and honestly, the phone genuinely lives up to the Power branding.

The G37 Power packs a massive 7000mAh battery, and you feel that advantage right away once you start using it normally. During my usage, the phone comfortably lasted well beyond a full day, even with heavier tasks like gaming, camera usage, video streaming, social media browsing and extended 5G usage. Moderate users can realistically stretch the phone close to two days or even more, depending on usage patterns. The PCMark Work 3.0 battery result also doubles down on my statement, as the device, during the battery test, lasted for 19 hours and 50 minutes.

However, when the device is completely out of juice, getting it up to speed using the 30W TurboPower charger takes around 85 minutes to completely charge the device from 0 per cent to 100 per cent. 

Motorola G37 Power camera: Good enough for casual photography

The Motorola G37 Power features a 50MP primary camera along with AI-based camera features, and honestly, the overall camera experience feels reasonably balanced for the price.

Daylight photography is where the phone performs best when compared to other devices in the same price bracket. Images captured through the primary camera generally offer decent detail levels, good colours and respectable dynamic range considering the segment. Motorola’s image processing appears slightly boosted at times, but thankfully, it avoids becoming overly aggressive in most situations.

Portrait mode performance is also fairly good for a phone at this price. Edge detection remains reasonably reliable around subjects, while background separation looks natural enough for social media usage.

The front camera also does an adequate job, especially in selfies, where the picture looks quite natural, and there is good colour accuracy and enough detail for daily use.

However, when used in low light, the camera is just mediocre. Though the night photos come out okay, they aren’t the strongest point of the phone. You may notice a bit more noise in darker scenes, and the details can look slightly soft when the lighting is poor. Still, the results are acceptable for the price.

Video recording is also good enough for everyday use. The G37 Power manages stable enough footage in good lighting conditions, although it is clearly not a camera-focused device.

Motorola G37 Power: Verdict

The Motorola G37 Power feels like a phone built around practicality rather than gimmicks, and honestly, that works strongly in its favour.

Instead of focusing on a single main feature, Motorola has tried to build a balanced device that performs reliably across the most important areas. You get excellent battery life, stable performance, good durability, clean software, stereo speakers and a surprisingly polished overall experience for the price.

The phone is not perfect, of course. The LCD display, while okay, isn’t the brightest or sharpest in the segment. The low-light camera performance could have been better, and the phone still carries some weight because of the massive battery. But none of these issues feels like a deal-breaker once you consider the overall package. And that’s the best I can say for a sub-Rs 20,000 smartphone in 2026, considering the rising prices.

Fire TV devices launched in recent memory run on Amazon's own Linux-based Vega OS. The same is the case with the newly launched Fire TV Stick HD. On the surface, you get the familiar Fire TV UI, and it targets users who still own full HD TVs or monitors, or just don't care about 4K streaming. I installed it on an old Samsung dumb TV I have at my in-laws' place. So, my folks and I were happy to stream and use the modern TV content and features. I will share with you how the experience is, and by the end, you will know if it is worth spending Rs 4,999 on this streaming dongle.

Design and remote

The new Fire TV Stick HD is said to be around 30% slimmer than previous sticks. Well, I haven't compared it personally, but it does feel light and slim enough to easily carry around. I received the review unit at my office, and carrying it to my in-laws' place and back was easy because of this. When plugged in, you can still access nearby ports. But, this partly depends on the TV.

The port on the Fire TV Stick HD is USB-C, and the accompanying charging cable has a USB-A head on the other end. For powering it, you can plug it into the USB-A port on the TV itself. But if the USB-A port isn't close enough, then the shortness of the bundled cable could be an issue. You'll have to rely on an extension board. Plus, there is no adapter in the box. So, you'll have to use any USB-A charging brick you may have. Still and all, the switch from micro-USB to USB-C port is appreciated.

Besides these, inside the box, you get the Alexa Voice Remote, two AAA batteries, and a quick start guide. Amazon now sells the HDMI extender separately, unlike older models, where it was included.

The remote is also very handy and easy to use. You get the navigation ring, volume buttons, mute, OTT shortcuts for Prime Video, Netflix, and YouTube, App Store, and the Alexa microphone button. The buttons are clicky. There is no backlighting, though, which may matter in a dark room.

This remote can be used to control the TV, too, as it works via Infrared. So, design-wise, the offering is decent.

Setup and software

Setup is easy for the most part. Plug the stick into the HDMI port, Power it up through the USB-C port, join Wi-Fi, sign into your Amazon account, and the system walks you through the rest. You can also scan a QR code for faster account sign-in. But the Wi-Fi setup screen was slow to load on the mobile UI. And the cable length issue I mentioned is also annoying during setup.

Once it is set and you reach the home screen, the interface looks familiar if you have used Fire TV before. The home screen has dedicated tabs and sections for movies, shows, free streaming content, live TV, etc. There are major OTT apps lined up and below that recommended content from these is also present. But Amazon Prime and MX Player content gets major footage here.

There is no side-loading but the app store has everything I want. And in case I don't find something, well that's true for other OEM skins, too. The storage is 8GB only and that means you need to be selective and careful with app installation.

Something that comes out of the box is Alexa integration, which can be an integral part of the Fire TV experience. Voice recognition works well. Say, if I ask Alexa to 'play Pushpa,' it directly plays the movie on Amazon Prime Video, but Google Assistant shows where I can watch it, say on MX Player. But, Alexa isn't as good at information retrieval as Google Assistant. If you ask for 'IPL Match Today,' Google gives all the details required, while Alexa shows JioHotstar listing on the app store.

Also Read: Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select review: A lean but healthy offering with only the essentials

Performance and streaming quality

The Fire TV Stick HD runs on a quad-core 1.7GHz processor paired with 1GB LPDDR4 RAM and 8GB storage. These are very basic specifications. But even with that, for the most part, navigation is fast enough. Sometimes you'd notice some brief pauses in the loading of menus and app loading times. It isn't that bothersome. It is just what you expect with the specs in question. There were no noticeable bugs or crashes, though.

The biggest limitation here is obvious. This is still a Full HD streaming stick. For the untrained eye, it should be fine. But since I am used to 4K TVs, I could see the hit in quality. And it gets worse, the bigger the TV screen is. That said, a big screen TV probably has a dependable smart OS already. And in isolation, the 1080P streaming quality is agreeable for watching TV shows, web shows, movies, and everyday TV and YouTube content.

There is HDR10+ support, but no Dolby Vision. The list of specs also includes AV1 decoding. That and Wi-Fi 6 should aid in smoother streaming. Motion handling with the Match Original Frame Rate setting works to preserve the creator’s intent. And in the Display Settings, you can tweak HDR, colour format, colour depth (up to 12 bit), and the video resolution.

In case you are interested in gaming, you can expect casual gameplay with Xbox Cloud Gaming support. You'll need a Game Pass subscription and a compatible Bluetooth controller for this. Amazon has given Bluetooth 5.3 support.

For audio, it relies on HDMI passthrough, and the sound is delivered through the TV's speaker. There is Dolby Atmos support for compatible soundbars and receivers. Again, it is passthrough and not built-in decoding.

Should you buy the Fire TV Stick HD?

Caveat Emptor: You should know what you are buying. The Fire TV Stick HD is meant for Full HD streaming, and it does that reliably. The support system around it, including the software UI, app library, and voice controls, is also decent. But you should be aware of its limitations beforehand.

This is not meant for power users who want to sideload apps, experiment with features, or heavily customise the experience. Unlike Android TV sticks, it does not allow external APK installations, and the onboard storage is fairly limited, too. Similarly, if you already own a 4K TV or want a 4K streaming experience, this is not the stick for you. In that case, the Fire TV Stick 4K Select or higher-end models make more sense.

Where the Fire TV Stick HD works best is with older Full HD televisions, monitors, secondary TVs in bedrooms, guest rooms, and similar setups where casual streaming is all that is expected. And in that role, it largely delivers what the name promises: the Fire TV experience with HD streaming.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar reviews.

Also Read: Vu Vibe DV review: A balanced QLED TV under Rs 35,000

Earlier this year, Dell Vice Chairman and COO Jeff Clarke was addressing a pre-CES 2026 virtual press briefing when he took everyone by surprise with just one statement- “I owe you an apology today. We didn’t listen to you. You were right on branding. You guys heard that right.” Now it isn’t everyday that you see the Vice Chairman of a tech giant admitting their fault. And it isn’t everyday that you see them making a U-turn on a decision that was passed just a year back. But Dell did exactly that with the XPS brand. 

For years, the XPS lineup was the premium Windows laptop. At one point, it was even called a MacBook alternative for those looking for a Windows device that is at par with Apple’s laptops. So when I got the opportunity to review the all-new XPS 14, I was quite intrigued. 

I have been using the laptop as my daily driver for more than a week. With a refined look and some mind-blowing performance, there are a lot of exciting things happening here. But, it also comes at a premium price tag. Rs 2,57,890 to be exact. So should you buy the all new XPS 14? Let’s try and find out in this review. 

Also read: Forza Horizon 6 first impressions: A stunning drive through Japan

Dell XPS 14: Design and build

The funny thing about the XPS 14 is that when you first look at it, it almost feels… boring. It’s this clean, minimal machine with a matte black finish and a subtle XPS logo sitting in the centre. The laptop demands to be carried straight to a business meeting. But, when you lift the lid, a familiar surprise awaits.

There is the familiar zero-lattice backlit keyboard, which we have seen earlier on the XPS lineup. It comes with an edge-to-edge design with large, flat keys placed tightly together. Typing on this thing feels firm and snappy. However, it might take a little time to get used to it if you are coming from a more traditional keyboard layout.

The touchpad blends seamlessly, almost hides, into the chassis and uses haptic feedback for clicks. It feels smooth, quick, and very responsive. In fact, I stopped carrying a mouse while using this laptop and that is probably the biggest compliment I can give to any Windows laptop touchpad. The chassis also feels incredibly smooth, especially around the palm rest area. 

As for the build quality, it feels rock solid. There is minimal flex on the lid and when you hold the laptop in one hand, there’s a sturdiness that’s reassuring. That said, the laptop is slightly heavier than what I’d like it to be but that’s not a dealbreaker.

Also, the weight distribution here is excellent and I could open the laptop easily with one hand. There is also a subtle magnetic snap when you close the lid, which is just super satisfying. I don’t know why, but I kept opening and closing it for no reason.

However, ports here are very limited. You get three USB Type-C ports with Thunderbolt support, a headphone jack, and that is pretty much it. I really missed having an HDMI port or even a USB-A port here. At this price point, you don’t really want to be living the dongle life.

Dell XPS 14: Display and performance

The display on the XPS 14 is honestly gorgeous. You get a 14-inch 2.8K OLED panel with 100 percent DCI-P3 and sRGB coverage. Now during our internal testing, we found this claim to be accurate. 

In real world usage, the colours here look rich and vibrant. Blacks are super deep, contrast looks fantastic, and watching content is simply a treat.

At 500 nits peak brightness, this is also a bright enough display. I used the laptop outdoors quite a bit and visibility was never an issue. Now yes, because this is OLED, reflections are definitely noticeable and that can get annoying sometimes, especially under harsh lighting. PS: This is a touchscreen. Which is nice to have, but full disclosure time- I did not use it at all.

Let’s now talk about the star of the show here- performance. The Intel Core Ultra X7 chip is an absolute beast and the laptop just blazed through our benchmarks.

In the 3D Mark Time Spy benchmark test, the laptop showed a phenomenal score of 6045 points. This puts it way ahead of other laptops in the same price range. 

And in the other 3D mark tests, a similar trend continued. Nightraid saw a score of 37494 while the Fire strike test saw a score of 11317. In wildlife and Wildlife extreme tests, the scores were 40961 and 12934. 

I also ran the PC Mark 10 benchmark test. And the laptop had an overall score of 7181 with some impressive numbers in other tests. For instance, it got 10823 points in essentials, 26012 in rendering and 13632 points in Digital content creation tests.  So looking at the scores, the XPS 14 can easily handle your demanding creative tasks, and even a bit of gaming.

In the PC Mark 10 Full SSD test, the laptop scored 2155 points which is once again way ahead of competition.

Coming to Geekbench, the XPS 14 scored 2850 in single core test and 16148 in multi-core test. And in Cinebench r23 benchmark, the laptop scored 13894 in multi core test and 2051 in single core test.  

In real world usage, the laptop performed admirably. App launches were fast and smooth, there were no slowdowns and I could get through all my tasks easily.  

Another thing that took me by surprise was the speaker setup. Because in many Windows laptops the speakers are usually just… there. But that’s not the case here. The speakers of the XPS 14 are actually good.

They get loud, there is proper bass, and the sound feels full. I played the official video of Michael Jackson’s Beat It in the office and the moment the music started playing, I immediately started getting side-eyes from my colleagues and had to turn the volume down. I could also clearly hear not just the music, but also the thuds and other tiny details.

The webcam is another win here. Video calls looked sharp and clear, and most importantly, I actually looked decent during meetings. So, both the speakers and webcam are far better than what I have seen on several other laptops in this price range. Kudos to Dell for that.

Battery and thermals

Now nobody likes laptops that make you hunt for a charger on a busy work day. And the XPS is NOT one of those devices. In our battery test, the laptop lasted around 17 hours at 70 percent screen brightness, which is quite impressive. This also means that you won’t need to charge your laptop every day. 

As far as real-world usage is concerned, I used the laptop comfortably through a work day full of video meetings, web browsing, and an occasional YouTube video streaming, And when it was time for me to clock out, the laptop still had 40% of battery left which is super. For added context, I was using the laptop in balanced power consumption mode at 80% brightness.

Coming to the thermals, they are also very well managed. Even while running benchmarks, the laptop’s keyboard area got slightly warm but never uncomfortable to use. The touchpad and chassis remained cool overall. During our internal testing, I noticed the surface temps staying below 30 degrees in all major areas. So, the laptop can handle cooling well.

Verdict

The Dell XPS 14 feels like a laptop that focuses on refining every little experience. It looks premium, comes with a solid build, and delivers incredible performance. The speakers and the webcam here are nice little bonuses to have. With that being said, I do wish Dell had included more ports and the touchscreen isn’t of much use. 

As mentioned already, this model costs Rs 2,57,890. And this is just out of reach for a lot of people. So, the Dell XPS is certainly not for everyone out there. But if you do have the budget for it, this is one of those laptops you can buy without overthinking too much.

Also read: Dell unveils Alienware 15 and Dell 14S laptops globally: All details

In most Indian cities, you need an air purifier to breathe quality air at home. And today, if you search online, you get plenty of options across budgets. Recently, I made a listicle for air purifiers under Rs 20,000, and one brand that stood out for its offering is Qubo. The Here Group company recently launched the R700 air purifier and sent us a unit for review. It retails at around Rs 15,000 in India, and on paper, it is a very competent product. It boasts a CADR of 460 m³/h, coverage area of up to 700 sq. ft., True HEPA H13 filtration, BLDC motor, app support, and voice assistant integration. But specifications alone do not make a good air purifier. In real-world usage, factors like airflow behaviour, purifying quickness, noise, maintenance cost, and day-to-day convenience matter more. So, I have used the Qubo R700 for a few weeks now and here's my experience.

Qubo R700: Design and indicators

Most air purifiers I have come across are in white or off-white colour. The Qubo R700 at least tries to look different with its matte black cylindrical design, which isn't just an aesthetic choice, but the cylindrical form factor with pores on the surface allows for 360-degree air intake. This also means that regardless of the way it is placed, there are some openings to intake impure air.

That said, over time, the black finish does attract smudges, dust, dirt and stains. But you can easily wipe and clean it.

It weighs very little, too. The day it was delivered on a bike, it was easy to carry it upstairs to my room on the first floor. At about 4.1kg, the R700 can be easily moved around the house, if needed.

On top, you have the air vents for pure air throw and a control panel with comprehensible text and icons. The control panel is a touch interface. You get toggles for Power On/Off, Fan Speeds, including sleep mode, Timer, Auto Mode, and QSenseAI. Well, the difference between the latter two is that Auto Mode regulates fan speed only between 1, 2 and 3 levels, whereas QSenseAI cycles between Sleep Mode and other fan speeds based on your usage habits and indoor air quality. It is slightly more efficient than regular Auto Mode.

In the centre, there is a PM 2.5 indicator which changes in real-time. And besides the white-coloured lighting of these icons and PM 2.5 numerical indicator, there is also a colour-based indicator: Red for very poor quality, Yellow for poor air quality and Green for satisfactory air quality.

Out of the box, the filter will already be installed inside the purifier, but it will be covered in plastic. To remove it, unlock the bottom cover by rotating it anticlockwise. Take out the filter, remove the plastic cover, place the filter back inside, and lock the cover by rotating it clockwise. Then plug in the purifier and start using it.

Also Read: Best air purifiers between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000 in India in 2026

Qubo R700: Filtration and real-world performance

The Qubo R700 purifier claims a CADR of 460 m³/h with room coverage of up to 700 sq. ft. These figures are impressive for the price. I placed it in our bedroom, which measures about 150 sq. ft., and it mostly sat there unintrusive, unless we were lighting up dhoop batti in the pooja room nearby or during the night. While sleeping, the lights on the top can be distracting, so I would always manually enable sleep mode.

You don't have to always tap the touch panel to control the R700 purifier. The Qubo app also does the same job, perhaps even more conveniently. Say, you are in the living room or on the bed, and want to toggle any mode/settings, you can do that with the app. It works over 2.4GHz Wi-Fi. The pairing is straightforward. When it works, it works reliably. But, sometimes, say when QSenseAI puts the purifier in standby mode, then when the purifier detects impure air and starts working, the app still shows the purifier as off.

I tested it wih dhoop batti lit in different scenarios:

• Lit it for about 15 feet away in an open 550 sq. ft. space, and the R700 took under 10 minutes to reduce PM2.5 by 50 per cent.
• Burned the dhoop batti for 2 minutes in a closed 160 sq. ft. room, and the purifier took under 5 minutes to reduce PM 2.5 by 50 per cent.
• If the dhoop batti is placed really close to the purifier, then it does bring down the pollution level in the room even quicker.

Dhoop batti has dense smoke, and if it takes anywhere around 10-20 minutes for near-normal air, then that is decent. In essence, this test shows the purifier can ramp up quickly and noticeably reduce indoor particulate matter (PM) levels within a short period.

The Qubo R700 uses a 5-stage filtration setup consisting of:

• Pre-filter
• Anti-bacterial filter
• True HEPA H13 filter
• Activated carbon layer for odour, VOCs and cooking smells
• Nano-silver coating

The most important filter is True HEPA H13, which is rated to capture 99.95 to 99.99 per cent of particles measuring 0.3 microns. This includes: PM2.5 pollutants, fine dust, smoke particles, allergens, pollen, and Pet dander. Well, we have a Labrador at our place, and he was seen quite often lying next to the purifier. Perhaps the cool air from it and the purifier don't get warm either. So, I guess that's a thumbs up from his end, too.

Another aspect where I appreciate the Qubo R700 is its quiet operation. You see, it is said to run up to 55 dB noise output. So, at the highest fan speed, it is audible. But when it is running at moderate PM 2.5 levels, the fan noise isn't much. So, during afternoon nap, I didn't mind using it normally without sleep mode or putting it on standby. But if you prefer the least noise, sleep mode is quiet enough. The BLDR motor inside helps in this sound profile. There is no unnecessary rattling or vibration noises.

That BLDC motor also helps in power efficiency. Qubo claims the R700 draws around 50W at peak operation. But it works dependably, and I figure running it for extended periods should not dramatically increase electricity bills.

Qubo R700: Everyday convenience and long-term costs

So, the purifier supports Wi-Fi connectivity, the Qubo mobile app and within the app, you can enable the Amazon Alexa-based voice control feature. You can say commands like turn on the purifier, turn off the purifier, etc., and the connected R700 does so. But, I feel this is very fancy and in indian homes, using the app controls or directly interacting with the device is more handy.

Besides remotely controlling the purifier, you can use the app to monitor air quality over a period of time, like the last 24 hours, 7 days, 30 days, a year, etc. You can use the app to schedule a timer, set a child lock and configure features like QSenseAI, enable silent mode, change the lighting brightness, or turn it off.

The Qubo app also guides you on how to change or clean the filter, order a new filter and understand the PM 2.5 readings. Well, at one point, I found that this understanding section wasn't showing a 404 page not found error. I informed the brand about this bug and was assured a fix.

By the way, Qubo says the filter can last for 15,000 hours, and that's about a year and a half. This could differ based on your usage and pollution exposure in your place. On the Qubo website, the R700 filter costs Rs 4,250. That is not cheap for an Indian middle-class home, but the competition also charges in the range of Rs 3,000 to 5,000. This is as important a factor to consider as the upfront cost since it matters for long-term ownership.

Should you buy Qubo Smart Air Purifier R700?

The Qubo R700 gets most of the fundamentals right. It can automatically and timely detect pollutants and clean the air quickly. The coverage and air throw distance are good enough for bedrooms and even medium-to-large living rooms. It works quietly and has modes to ensure your sleep or focus isn't disturbed by its operation. The inclusion of a BLDC motor aids in its hushed performance and possibly power efficiency. All of these come packed in a neat and functional design that is portable and should blend well into your room decor. And this is backed by easily accessible LED-lit indicators and a serviceable app experience.

I say serviceable since the Qubo app needs more polish. It has the expected features. But there are some minor sync issues between the app and the on-device controls, and a few bugs and glitches that need to be ironed out. They don't come in your way, but once Qubo fixes them, the purifier will be even better to use every day.

At Rs 14,990, the Qubo R700 is genuinely competitive and a well-rounded product. It will be a good purchase if you want clean air at your place or where your loved ones are.

Keep reading Digit.in for similar reviews.

Also Read: Qubo Q600: Why you should consider this sub-Rs 15,000 air purifier