Released right on cue in line with Fujifilm’s three-yearly schedule, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 becomes the latest in a long line of Fujifilm instant cameras for newcomers, succeeding the Fujifilm Instax Mini 11.
The Instax Mini 11 already occupies top spot in our best instant camera guide, and it will soon be replaced by the Instax Mini 12, which brings incremental improvements in design and all-round shooting experience – I'll get on to those shortly.
Getting started with the Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 is child's play. Insert the provided AA batteries, pop open the film door on the rear, slot in the film pack making sure to align the two yellow lines, close the door, twist the lens to turn the camera on, press the shutter button once to eject the film’s protective sheet, and you're ready to go.
After being dispensed from the camera, a photo will typically take at least 90 seconds to fully develop – so be patient. The number of exposures remaining in the film pack is displayed in a small window on the rear of the camera, and another window indicates if there is film inside the camera – don’t open the door if you see the yellow line of a film pack.
I've used the Instax Mini 11 a lot, and the Instax Mini 12 is similar in almost every regard. Its bubble-like design isn’t really my thing, but it does make for an eye-catching camera that’s perfect for picking up and playing with at a party.
(Image credit: Future)
The camera is a little slippery in the hand, with its smooth finish and curved edges not offering a great deal of grip. It's a fiddly camera to hold, especially when taking selfies, and I would love to see a more pronounced thumb grip, and/or or some kind of rougher texture on the exterior. Thankfully, a color-matched wrist strap is supplied; use it, as otherwise you’re bound to drop this camera at some point.
There are a couple of design tweaks that make perfect sense. You now turn the camera on by rotating the lens, and the lens has two settings: on and close-up. It's more intuitive, and a far less clunky process than on the Instax Mini 11, where pressing a stiff button pops the lens out and turns the camera on, and pulling the lens out then engages close-up mode.
The camera determines brightness in your pictures and the required flash power via auto exposure (AE) light and Flash Light sensors. Previously, these sensors were on the right-hand side of the camera (as you look at it) where fingers from your supporting hand might naturally rest and obstruct them. Now the sensors are out of the way in the center of the camera, meaning you’re less likely to get pictures that are overexposed because of pesky fingers.
(Image credit: Future)
Another addition is parallax correction. Put simply, parallax correction improves the accuracy of the viewfinder, so that what you see through the viewfinder is the composition you get in your print. That is, if you can get a clear view through the viewfinder in the first place – you need to really press your eye in close.
The Instax Mini 11 doesn’t have parallax correction, and you need to be mindful of moving the camera up and to the right for the vertical-format pictures Instax Mini cameras are primarily designed for. Over time this recomposing becomes instinctive, but removing yet another thing to think about makes the Instax Mini 12 even more user friendly – plus of course those picking up the camera for the first time aren’t to know.
The camera now has auto flash exposure, but I should stress that the flash still fires for every single picture. The theory is that the power of the flash is adjusted depending on what the camera sees, within the 0.3m to 2.7m range.
If you have more than one subject at various distances within the 0.3 to 2.7m flash range, the closest one will likely be too bright, and while that would be true of any flash, here you don’t have the option to turn the flash off.
I appreciated that this is a camera that's meant to be as simple as possible to use, but an option to deactivate the flash manually would be helpful for those times when you want to work with natural light only.
Complementing the Instax Mini 12 is a new app called Instax Up! The main purpose of the app is to enable you to digitize your instant images, from any Fujifilm instant camera. The dedicated app simplifies the process over, say, using your smartphone or camera to do the job, and it includes a handy Remove Reflections feature. The pictures in the sample gallery of this review have been digitized with a Google Pixel phone using the app.
(Image credit: Future)
Otherwise, most of the features of the Instax Mini 11 are carried over to the Instax Mini 12. There’s the same 60mm f/12.7 lens, with a close-up / selfie mode that reduces the minimum focus distance from 0.5m to 0.3m.
This field of view is similar to that of the main camera on a smartphone – it’s a little closer to the ‘classic’ 35mm focal length – and in selfie mode at arm's length you can fit yourself and a couple of other people in the picture, with a small mirror next to the lens giving you a rough idea of what the camera sees.
Exposure parameters are the same as on the Mini 11, with a shutter speed range between 0.5 sec and 1/250 sec, combined with the ISO 800 sensitivity rating of Instax Mini film.
The result of these settings is that, like its predecessor, the Instax Mini 12 overexposes highlights in bright sunlight and flash. Reducing exposure by 1EV would largely address this brightness problem, preferably by increasing the fastest available shutter speed to 1/500 sec, or alternatively by providing a slower ISO 400 film.
It’s a shame to think that I can't really use the Instax Mini 12 to its best potential when the sun is out, and improvements here would top my wish list for a successor that we might reasonably expect to land in 2026.
The best outdoor conditions for the Mini 12 is cloudy weather, while a shutter speed down to 0.5 sec combined with flash (slow sync flash) can produce great-looking pictures at evening events. That’s because slow sync flash reveals some of the background details around subjects, rather than simply a black background that you’d get with faster speeds with flash.
Auto exposure was introduced in the Instax Mini 11, and you can rely on the Instax Mini 12 to produce credit card-size prints (62 x 46mm, or 86 x 54mm including the border) that, highlights aside, are well exposed. (Personally, I prefer the Instax Square size (62 x 62mm) over Instax Mini – the larger square format gives subjects that extra room to breathe.)
That said, the range of tones the Mini 12 can capture is limited, and in general, you’ll want to capture scenes that feature fairly even brightness levels throughout, with no bright highlights or deep shadows. As for the overall feel and color of Instax Mini prints, I’m a big fan, with colors looking rich while also having a vintage feel.
I wouldn’t necessarily expect to take the Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 with me everywhere, but it’s a fine choice for making keepsakes at big occasions.
(Image credit: Future)
Fujifilm Instax Mini 12: price and availability
A simple automatic instant camera, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 costs $79.95 / £79.99 (about AU$120) – a 15% increase from its predecessor – and is available in fiver different colors; Blossom Pink, Mint Green, Clay White, Lilac Purple, and Pastel Blue.
A twin pack of Instax Mini color film, with each pack containing 10 exposures, costs $20.99 / £14.99 / AU$23.80. In certain regions different film packs are available; in the UK, a single color film pack costs £8.99 and a pack of five costs £34.99, while monochrome film, plus various other styles, are also available in the US and UK at a cost of $15.75 / £9.99 for a single pack of 10 exposures. There's not really any better-value instant film available than Instax Mini.
(Image credit: Future)
Fujifilm Instax Mini 12: Specs
SHOULD YOU BUY THE Fujifilm Instax Mini 12?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
How I tested the Fujifilm Instax Mini 12
There aren’t a lot of features to explore on the Instax Mini 12 – you just insert the film and take a regular or close-up photo – but I was particularly keen to see how it performed in daylight and at night, and to test the accuracy of its viewfinder.
I'm happy to report that the Instax Mini 12 is easier to use than its predecessor. The viewfinder is much more accurate than before, and the lens design is less clunky.
Slow sync flash works well for pictures in low light. The same challenges remain when shooting in bright light – pictures are too bright – but I don't think this will be a difficult thing to fix in the next installment in the Instax Mini series.
We've got the brand new Oppo Find X6 Pro in for review. The phone comes in a packed box with a nice case, which mimics the vegan leather back of the phone itself, a 100W charger, a SIM tool, and a USB cable.
Oppo Find X6 Pro unboxing
We're lucky enough to have the flagship Brown model with the Hasselblad-themed vegan leather rear. The leather layer meets the specially-treated Gorilla Glass 5 top plate, which means to feel like metal. The big camera island is housed in a notched lens bezel made of aerospace-grade aluminum. There's even a little orange dot, which is a throwback to...
Google Bard, the search giant's answer to ChatGPT, is finally here. But was it worth the wait? And how does it compare to the many other AI chatbots springing up all over the web?
Well, the first one is easy to answer. Based on our initial impressions, Google's decision to hold it back until it was properly ready for human consumption was a good one. After all, Bard had a less than impressive debut, returning an incorrect answer to a question during its launch.
The second one is much harder - and we won't pretend we can fully judge it against Microsoft's ChatGPT-powered Bing until we've spent more time with it.
However, several things are immediately apparent within seconds of using it - including just how nicely designed it is, and how fast it is; sometimes scarily so.
There's a lot of excitement about how Google has approached its own chatbot. Could this be a revolution in how we search? Read on for our hands-on impressions.
Google Bard: Design
(Image credit: Google)
Off the bat, the user interface (UI) of Google Bard surpasses ChatGPT’s dark and dreary layout. The UI is bright and carries the Google motif we’ve grown accustomed to and everything feels reassuringly familiar, despite the fact you’re interacting with a completely new product.
The layout is clean and you're met with a bunch of new features, such as the option to speak to Google Bard and the ability to see all the different drafts Bard considered before returning your first response.
(Image credit: Google)
You can edit the text of questions already asked and restart the conversation from any point, and depending on your prompts or questions, a little button shows up underneath Bard’s response that lets you Google the response and see if there are any related searches.
Overall, we’re looking at a slick and sophisticated user interface that screams polished, poised and ready to go.
(Image credit: Google)
Google Bard: Performance
In terms of performance, it’s hard not to be blown away by Bard.
As soon as you enter the chat you’re greeted with a helpful and rather endearing introduction from Bard (an incredibly sweet name, Google). It admits it won’t get everything right and welcomes feedback, before giving you a revolving list of potential questions.
Bard’s tone of voice and temperament is strikingly human and incredibly easy to talk to; you feel like you're chatting with a friendly face. It’s unassuming and charming, incredibly helpful and always ready to apologize and admit its failings. The chatbot seems just as excited to talk to you as you are to talk to it.
In comparison to other chatbot models such as Bing AI and ChatGPT, the response time between putting in a prompt and having the bot respond is astoundingly fast. Bard was quick to respond no matter the nature of the prompt, whether we were asking it how it was trained and the different ways we can interact with it - did someone say Alexa integration? - or asking it to write a review of a product that doesn’t exist.
We asked Bard to write a review for a makeup product that doesn't exist and we're pretty amused by the response and kind of wish the Flimmery was a real thing. It's pretty remarkable how much it was able to spawn out of our brief prompt and fill in the gaps for the imaginary product.
Whereas other chatbots let you sit and watch the bot ‘think’ of a response, Bard spits out lengthy answers in a blink. We’re very excited to chat with Bard more and see what else it can do, but so far we’re very impressed.
(Image credit: Google)
Google Bard: First impressions
Well, what can we say? We’re dazzled.
Google may have had a rocky start with its initial launch of Bard, but safe to say it's delivered in the end. The bot is friendly, conversational and truly feels like a virtual assistant that actually wants to help.
Clearly, from our chats with Bard and the different ways we’re going to be interacting with it, Google already has plans to drip-feed more of the chatbot into our lives. If the chatbot’s standards are this good at this stage, we have high hopes for its future.
There’s a lot of fun to be had using Google Bard already, but even from our brief interaction, it’s clear that Bard means business. Yes, it can help you achieve your goals and tell you how to add more protein to a potential dinner idea, but the ease and skill with which it writes tech reviews, recommends products and spits out large walls of text from brief prompts lifts it above being a fun time killer. Search could be about to change fundamentally. Unlike Bing, however, Google Bard does not list its sources - which is interesting, to say the least. In fact, it's arguably irresponsible - surely people need to know where its information is coming from before they can decide whether to trust it?
We do hope that as more people use Bard and it becomes more prevalent in our day-to-day that we can not only learn from it, but learn more about it. No doubt there'll be a flood of people waiting to ‘jailbreak’ Google Bard and pick it apart, but hopefully Google has had time to learn from the competition and prevent that happening. After all, it wasn't long before Bing was throwing tantrums and making stuff up - so if Google can avoid that, it'll be doing well.
We'll continue to play around with Google Bard over the next few days and will update this hands-on review accordingly.
Samsung US is running a week-long sales event dubbed “Discover Samsung”. It’s a big company and it makes a lot of things, so if you visit Samsung.com you will find discounts on TVs, washing machines, portable SSDs and gaming monitors.
We are more concerned with the smartphones, smartwatches and tablets, of course. Here are the best offers this week.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 and S23+ are up to 88% off with enhanced trade-in credit reaching $700 – this is for unlocked units to boot. You can send in old phones (including ones with cracked screens), tablets and watches. For example, an old...
The Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy is the first (ever) espresso machine with Alexa built-in, and there has been no other coffee machine to rival this position since it launched in fall 2021.
Single-serve best coffee makers, often referred to as pod coffee machines, have been around since the mid-1980s, making it possible to create barista-style drinks with minimum fuss. The ground coffee is contained within a capsule, which, at the time brewing begins, is pierced several times so water can be pushed through the coffee. The capsule is then injected into a container that can be emptied directly into the rubbish bin.
Nespresso may be the most well-known manufacturer of pod coffee machines, but other brands such as Lavazza are giving the brand a run for its money with their simple, easy-to-use coffee makers. So it's no surprise that almost one million Brits purchased a single-serve coffee machine in 2019, according to Statistia.
The A Modo Mio Voicy is the latest pod machine from Lavazza, and for the first time can double up as one of the best smart speakers, since this coffee machine comes with Alexa built-in. As with the Swan Alexa 1.5 Litre Smart Kettle (another world-first), you can request a weather report, have your burning questions answered, or simply ask Amazon’s voice assistant to start a coffee brewing for you – but is this functionality enough to secure it a place in our list of the best coffee makers?
Using Lavazza-compatible coffee pods, this machine can create two different types of coffee: espresso and espresso lungo, which takes slightly longer to brew but results in a stronger coffee. You can customize the volume of coffee produced with each cup, too. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy includes a 1.1-litre water tank, along with a used capsule container that can hold 10 pods at a time.
There’s no steam wand with this model, and at £249.99 (approx. $365 / AU$ 548), this is one of the most expensive single-serve coffee makers we’ve tested. However, for those who want to be able to customize the volume of coffee and want Alexa smarts built in, this coffee maker is worth the investment.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy review: price and availability
RRP: £249.99
Only currently available in the UK
The Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy is priced at £249.99 (approx. $365 / AU$ 548) and is the company’s top-of-the-range pod coffee machine. It’s available through Lavazza direct, as well as through Amazon UK.
This model can also be purchased as part of Lavazza’s coffee subscription service, which sees the appliance cost just £50, alongside a capsule subscription of at least 10 packs of capsules for a minimum of nine deliveries. With capsules costing £4.40 that works out to a total of £396 on top of the £50.
Value: 4/5
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy review: specification
Price: £299
Water tank capacity: 38.7oz / 1.1L
Power consumption: 1450W
Automatic shut off: 9 minutes
Control: touchscreen, app or Alexa
Dimensions: 30 x 15.7 x 38cm (h x w x d
Weight: 4.5kg
Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy review: design
Makes two different coffee drinks
Easy one-touch use
1.1-litre water tank
The Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy is a relatively compact single-serve coffee machine, measuring 11.8 x 6.18 x 14.9inches / 30 x 15.7 x 38cm (h x w x d) and weighing in at 4.5kg. Its matte-black styling and plastic design don’t look or feel particularly premium, however.
On its front is an oval-shaped control panel that features seven buttons, some of which are used to brew coffee and others for controlling the volume of the built-in speaker through which Alexa issues her responses. The control panel is surrounded by a LED ring that glows blue when Amazon’s voice assistant is responding, or red if it has been muted.
The Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy has a 5W speaker, and Wi-Fi connectivity not only allows access to Alexa but also connects the coffee machine to the Piacere Lavazza app. Through the app, you can adjust the Modo Mio Voicy’s settings, order coffee capsules and even retrieve tips on how to brew the perfect cup of coffee.
As mentioned, the Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy can brew two different coffees. The volume of espresso and espresso lungo can be customized in 5ml increments from 10ml to 245ml. Plus, you can raise the temperature of the coffee to a level that Lavazza dubs extra hot through Alexa, or using the app.
The machine has a 1.1-litre water tank, while the cup stand is adjustable to hold cups up to 11cm in height. Once you’ve made your coffee, used capsules are automatically ejected into a container that slides out from the front of the machine. It holds up to 10 capsules at a time.
Design: 5/5
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy review: performance
Produces smooth espresso with a thick crema
Temperature and coffee volume can be customized
Alexa is built-in
The Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy was extremely easy to set up and use. It took just 24 seconds to brew 30ml of espresso with a compatible capsule. The resulting coffee was smooth and rich, with a thick crema that reformed after a teaspoon of sugar had been sprinkled over the hot drink. The coffee registered a temperature of 68ºC as soon as it had been dispensed, which is an acceptable level for this hot drink. Adjusting the setting to ‘extra hot” saw the temperature rise to 72ºC on our thermometer.
We also brewed 60ml of espresso lungo on the Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy, which took 31 seconds for the drink to be dispensed. Our decibel meter registered 53dB when pouring an espresso, making it one of the quietest single-serve coffee machines we’ve tested – that’s the equivalent to moderate rainfall and is more than acceptable in our eyes.
While this machine didn’t result in much splashing when pouring drinks, there was some dripping after the coffee had finished being dispensed.
As far as Alexa smarts are concerned, we found the voice assistant responsive when asked a question or to perform a task, such as brewing a coffee (although you’ll need to ensure a capsule is inserted, and a cup is in place before you do this). Alexa was also able to effectively adjust the temperature of the coffee we brewed, and could also provide a weather report and play our favourite Michael Bublé album on Spotify.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
The removable drip tray, water tank, and used capsule container are all dishwasher-safe, making the Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy super-easy to clean.
Unfortunately, there’s no steam wand included on this pod coffee machine, so you’ll need to purchase one separately if you want to create milk-based coffees.
Performance: 4.5/5
Should I buy the Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy?
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy review: also consider
If you want to make your home more connected, here are a couple of other options to consider...
One thing you can say about the big and bold Oppo Find X6 Pro is that it makes an impression. Anyone who caught a glimpse of the 6.82-inch phone's back couldn't help but comment on the gigantic, circular camera array. As I see it, you can't talk about the phone without addressing this distinct piece of the phone's hardware.
The reality at this moment is that it's hard to write about much else on the Android 13 handset, which currently looks like it's only set to sell in China. Oppo graciously shipped me the Chinese version, which is packed with Mandarin text and is not currently capable of accepting English apps – including the Google Play Store. As a result, while I could experience the beefy hardware and lovely large screen, take countless photos (and some video), and play around with the pre-installed Chinese version of TikTok, I couldn't test much else. There's no way to benchmark the phone and run my favorite apps, not right now, anyway.
Here's what I can tell you. This is a big, thick phone with three (count 'em three!) 50MP sensors on the back, which includes a wide, ultra-wide, and periscope telephoto (3x optical). They all get an image-processing assist from the leading-edge Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile chipset and Oppo's MariSilicon X imaging NPU, as well as some tuning, courtesy of the company's ongoing partnership with Hasselblad.
Hope you like your camera arrays big, really big. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
I was generally pleased with the phone's image capture capabilities, though it does push things a bit far with 120x (digital) super zoom that essentially turns photos into impressionistic paintings.
The other highlight here is the battery life and ultra-fast charging capabilities. This is one of the few smartphones still shipping with a dedicated charging adapter (it oddly still features a USB-A port), and, in this instance, it's a 100W powerhouse that – in my experience – can charge the phone from 0% to 100% in 30 minutes.
In China, the the phone starts at CNY¥5,999 (approximately $870 / £710 / AU$1,305 when converted directly) and tops out at CNY¥6,999 (approximately $1,020 / £830 / AU$1,520) across three memory and storage configurations and reports of devices shipping from March 24.
Hands-on Oppo Find X6 Pro review: Price and availability
From CNY¥5,999 (approximately $870 / £710 / AU$1,305)
Unconfirmed for the US, UK or Australia
Oppo is bringing its Oppo Find X6 Pro (and the Find X6) to China – announcing the phones on March 21 and promising an on-sale date of March 24. No details are currently available for the rest of the world. Both Find X6 and Find X6 Pro will be available in a variety of materials and colorways.
The handset is offered in the brown and faux leather I tested, as well as green and black finishes.
The base model comes equipped with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage for CNY¥5,999 (approximately $870 / £710 / AU$1,305), there's a 16GB RAM and 256GB storage option (converting to approximately $945 / £770 / AU$1,415) and a top-tier 16GB and 512GB model (black and green, only), which by directly translating prices comes in at $1,020 / £830 / AU$1,520.
For context, the Oppo Find X5 Pro started with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage for ¥6,299 (which converts to $915 / £750 / AU$1,370), while the actual starting price in the UK and Australia came in notably higher at £1,049 / AU$1,799.
Hands-on Oppo Find X6 Pro review: Specs
The Oppo Find X6 Pro is undeniably bold. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Hands-on Oppo Find X6 Pro review: Design
If you hold the phone this way, you barely notice the bump. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
That's one big camera array
Sturdy look and feel
Is that screen curve a little too retro?
The Oppo Find X6 Pro is a mood and one you will probably either love or hate. Leaving aside the supple faux leather (Oppo calls it "Vegan Leather") back, which adds a warmth otherwise missing from most smartphones, the Oppo Find X6 Pro's camera array, which is designed to look like a professional camera lens, is so startlingly big that it can almost be used as a finger rest (a genuine boon, ergonomically speaking). The circle, which houses the phone's three 50MP cameras, flash, microphone, a sensor and prominently features the camera-maker (and Oppo tech partner) Hasselblad's brand name, takes most of the top third of the phone's back.
After a week of playing with the X6 Pro, I'm a little less overwhelmed by the giant camera circle as I initially was but I still don't like it. Most of the Oppo Find X6 Pro's body measures 9.5mm (it's only 9.1mm thick, if you opt for one of the glass finishes). However, the camera array pushes that girth to roughly 14mm(!). Because of that sizeable bump, it's impossible to place the phone "flat" on any surface. It will always sit at a noticeable angle, unless, of course, you flip it over on its mostly-flat screen.
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A side view of the Oppo Find X6 Pro. With its single button, it's a pretty clean look. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
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No 3.5mm headphone jack, but dual-SIM-supporting, with a physical SIM tray on offer. It does support 5G, if you were wondering. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
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Oppo Find X6 Pro has the independent volume buttons on its left side. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
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There are speaker and microphone slots on top of the Oppo Find X6 Pro. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
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Despite the large camera array, this is a pretty well-balanced piece of hardware. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
If you can ignore the camera bump, there's actually a lot to like about this robust flagship. The body is an expertly crafted mix of brushed aluminum and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (on the front) and at 164.8mm x 76.2mm x 9.5mm, the Oppo Find X6 Pro is actually slightly smaller and lighter than the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra despite offering a marginally larger screen.
The handset feels good, especially because of that fake leather. The front and back tapers make the aluminum edge thinner, which also makes the phone a little more comfortable to hold. On other hand, the curved or 'waterfall' display feels a bit retro, like a Samsung Galaxy design from 2014. I think Oppo could've split the difference here and made the back curved and the screen completely flat, however.
This is otherwise a clean and solid-looking design. There are no grilles, just aggressive drill-throughs for the USB-C charging port, speaker, microphone, and SIM slot, on the bottom edge and, on top, a speaker, microphone, and what I believe is an IR controller for use with third-party consumer electronic devices like your AC unit or TV. The volume controls are on the left and sleep/wake button is on the right side.
The phone is IP68-rated, which means it can handle dust, a splash, and even a dunk in the toilet (not that I recommend testing it though). It's a shame that the phone's closest sibling in the US – the OnePlus 11 – never received and IP certification as some of its predecessors did (in order to range with T-Mobile).
Hands-on Oppo Find X6 Pro review: Display
This is a nice, big screen. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
6.82-inch 19.9:8 1Hz to 120Hz AMOLED with LTPO3
Enough nits to beat back the sun
LTPO means you get faster refresh without all the battery suck
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
While I'm not in love with the design, I can credit Oppo for not skimping where it matters. The screen, for instance, is all the latest imaging technology stuffed into a larger, edge-to-edge display. There is only a small circular cutout for the 32MP selfie camera. By using an LTPO3 (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide) AMOLED display, the panel can save power, with a variable refresh rate range from 1Hz to 120Hz.
The screen defaults to a power-saving Full HD+ resolution of 2376 x 1080 but can run at 3168 x 1440 (Quad HD+); both look good. Under the screen is an effective optical fingerprint reader.
While I couldn't test any of my favorite apps on the Oppo Find X6 Pro, I did enjoy a lot of Chinese-language videos and trailers on their version of YouTube and the original Chinese TikTok. The display is also an excellent viewport for the powerful camera array.
Oppo Find X6 Pro screen can handle the bright sunlight. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
It's clearly ready to handle all of your most demanding content, with support for Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HDR10+. Without any US-based apps, though, I found it a little hard to press the handset on some of these capabilities.
With 800nits of base brightness but up to 2,500peak nits, the display was more than able to hold up in direct sunlight – beating out the iPhone 14 Pro's impressive brightness ceiling.
If I have one criticism of the display, it's the curved edges. I just think it looks too much like an old Samsung. Next time, Oppo should go for a perfectly flat screen; like the more affordable Oppo Reno 8 series.
Android 13 with Oppo's ColorOS 13.1 running on top
Intuitive, despite running a Chinese version of the OS
Even though much of my test unit interface was in Chinese, I could still see the utility of the ColorOS platform. There are customizable widgets, places to collect and organize apps, quick access to health metrics like "Steps walked" and numerous recognizable apps like Videos (sort of YouTube), a web browser, a photo gallery, games, and social media. I can access quick functions (some of which were in English) by swiping to the right on the Home Screen or use a single tap to optimize the system.
Hands-on Oppo Find X6 Pro review: Cameras
At least the giant bump is filled with excellent cameras. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Three 50MP cameras, all with OIS
Big Sony sensors
32MP selfie camera
Once you get a good look at all the cameras on the Oppo Find X6 Pro, you start to understand why Oppo felt it was necessary to house them in such an ostentatious bump. These are some of the best mobile sensors paired with some very good lenses. Plus, the resulting image-capturing capabilities are almost uniformly excellent.
Here's what we have:
50MP Sony IMX989 f/1.8, 23mm main camera
50MP Sony IMX890 f/2.2, 15mm ultrawide camera
50MP Sony IMX890 f/2.6 3x optical zoom, 65mm periscope telephoto camera
32MP Sony IMX709 f/2.4 front-facing camera
I was generally impressed with all four cameras. The colors and clarity of virtually all the shots is above average in the flagship space, with tremendous color verity and impressive clarity.
I took portrait mode photos with both the selfie and rear main camera and was pleased with the bokeh effect, which I could edit after I took the photo.
The periscope camera's 3x optical zoom is useful and on par with, for instance, Apple's iPhone 14 Pro. There's also an effective 6x hybrid zoom, that combines digital and optical for what looks like fully-optical zoom. Oppo chose to include a digital zoom that goes up to 120x, but I wouldn't recommend using it. Unlike Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra's Space Zoom, which uses some controversial wizardry to create stunning images of, for instance, the moon, Oppo's super zoom turns images into impressionistic paintings. They're fun to look at but otherwise useless.
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A photo taken using the Hasselblad pro-level controls. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
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The same photo without those controls. Definitely no longer an artsy shot. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
As you would expect, the 50MP ultrawide can create some stunning images, especially when you use it in a skyscraper-filled city.
With the Hasselblad-branded Pro mode (under "More" in the camera app) you gain control of ISO (basically sensor light sensitivity), shutter speed, focus, and white balance. Not many will dig into these settings, but if you like more artistic control over your shots and the ability to separate focus and light metering, these are useful and powerful controls.
It's a good camera phone. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
The Oppo Find X6 can also shoot up to 4K video at 60FPS (in Dolby Vision, if you choose) for some extra-crisp video.
At night, I put the phone on a tripod, selected Night shooting and then the "tripod mode" in the camera app. The phone did a nice job with astrophotography, though I think it may have over-compensated a bit on auto-adjusting the contrast.
More than once, the phone's on-screen controls stopped responding to my touch, as if the phone was otherwise occupied, I could, however, put the phone to sleep and instantly regain control.
I couldn't install Geekbench to run proper benchmarking tests, but anecdotally, this is a responsive phone, which shouldn't be a surprise considering it top-tier Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset.
It should also perform a variety of tasks more efficiently, thanks to its use of the latest flash storage standard, UFS 4.0.
This, by the way, is a 5G phone, though I could not test connection speeds on a US cellular network. Perhaps more interesting, this is one of only a handful of phones that already supports Wi-Fi 7.
Hands-on Oppo Find X6 Pro review: Battery
5,000mAh battery
Ships with a 100W fast charger
Great battery life
A 5,000 mAh battery means the Oppo Find X6 Pro is ready to work all day and more. In my anecdotal tests, I had no trouble using the phone all day long to take photos and videos and watch a lot of Chinese TikTok videos. In fact, a single charge lasted two days. But that's not the most exciting thing about this phone's battery performance.
Oppo still includes a power adapter with the Find X6 Pro, and not just any adapter. It's a fast 100W charger that, in my tests, recharged the phone from 0% in 30 minutes. It was blazingly fast and basically sets a new benchmark, at least with most other phones in the US, across the pond and beyond 100W is far from the ceiling, with the Realme GT 3 recently launching with unmatched 240W speeds.
The phone also supports 50W wireless charging (with a promised 100% in 50 minutes) and even 10W reverse charging. I used it to charge up a pair of Apple AirPods Pro.
Oppo Find X6 Pro: Early Verdict
If you can get past the oddball design that screams, "Look at my cameras!" this is a powerful handset that, because it's coming from Oppo, could undercut a lot of the flagship competition on price.
It doesn't skimp on processor, display, memory, or storage. The cameras are all above average (even with the super zoom overreach). The battery is big and long-lasting, and fast wired charging is the best I've seen yet.
I don't know if the Oppo Find X6 Pro will ever go on sale outside of China, but if it does, you should give it a look.
Hands-on Oppo Find X6 Pro review: Also consider
If you like the combination of powerful components, a big screen, and excellent camera chops, any of these phones that are available in the US, UK, and Australia right now should fit the bill.
A tougher build, faster memory and storage, a more efficient battery, a custom-tuned chipset and a new 200MP main camera hidden behind a familiar design; the S23 Ultra is a more substantial upgrade than you might first realize. Provided you're not dissuaded by the steep asking price, in every other regard you'll be getting one of the best phones in the world.
While there was never any question that Samsung would be offering up a new Ultra for 2023, there was nothing inherently wrong with its predecessor, and aside from running on the previous year's internals and a lower resolution primary camera, you're getting a very similar experience from a device with a year's worth of price reductions under its belt worth considering.
If you're after a large-screened flagship phone with class-leading performance and a capable camera setup that isn't the Galaxy S23 Ultra, Apple will accept a similar amount of money for their latest top dog.
How I tested the Oppo Find X6 Pro
Oppo Find X6 Pro in my hand. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Test period = One week
Testing included = Photography, some content consumption. Indoor and outdoor use.
Since Oppo sent me a Chinese version of the Oppo Find X6 Pro (an update with access to US-based Google Play and associated apps is expected on March 24), I was significantly limited in how I could use and test the phone. I couldn't benchmark it or load any of the apps I use to test its core capabilities. So I focused primarily on the design, screen, cameras, and charging capabilities.
As for who I am, I've been writing about technology for 31 years and testing smartphones for almost 20.
Alongside the new Find X6 and Find X6 Pro flagship smartphones, Oppo announced its third Android tablet – the Oppo Pad 2 which comes as a sequel to last year's Oppo Pad. Oppo also introduced its latest TWS earbuds in its Enco series – the Enco Free3.
Oppo Pad 2
Oppo Pad 2 brings an 11.6-inch LTPS LCD with a 2000 x 2800 px resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate. The other interesting bit is the 7:5 aspect ratio which makes room for more vertical content and should come in handy for multitasking.
Oppo Pad 2 features an 11.6" display with a 7:5 aspect ratio
Moving on to the...
The Alienware AW2524H 500Hz does what it sets out to do and does it well. It provides up to a 500Hz refresh rate – faster than any of the best gaming monitors out there – and a response time of 0.5ms as well as some solid HDR and surprisingly good color accuracy, at least in the sRGB space, for a visual experience that’s more than a gimmick.
The real question then is whether or not the Alienware AW2524H 500Hz is worth the upgrade. After all, not everyone can take advantage or even reach its highest levels of performance. Your gaming skill level, the kinds of games you play (open-world aficionados should look at the best 4K monitors instead), and whether your GPU can even keep up are all factors on whether this will benefit you.
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
While the price is not outrageous compared to most other high-performing monitors, it’s enough to make the average gamer swoon. Really, it might be better to say that it’s great for a small subsection of competitive gamers.
For those people, its small footprint is actually a benefit. The Alienware AW2524H 500Hz is not an immersion machine to gallop around in Red Dead Redemption 2. Instead, it’s the perfect 24.5-inch size and form factor for competitive gaming where you’re focused on details like small, quick movements with all the action right in front of you.
That small form factor is also helpful in the fact that its base doesn’t take up too much desk space. And, if you have a somewhat cramped desk, you can tilt, swivel and raise/lower the panel quite a bit, though you won’t be able to turn it to portrait mode.
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Cable management built into the stand keeps things nice and tidy in the back, especially if you plan on taking advantage of all the ports that are on hand. While there’s no USB-C, an unfortunate omission for us multitaskers, it does come with DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI 2.1 inputs, the latter being capped at a 240Hz refresh rate, along with a USB hub that includes four downstream USB 3.2 ports and one upstream USB 3.2 port.
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Though the USB hub is a nice addition for charging devices, I wasn’t able to transmit data. I could plug a keyboard or mouse into a port for charging but not to use with the PC that the USB hub is connected to. However, the headphone jack (there’s also a line out) will transmit audio from whichever source you’re currently using.
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
The RGB lighting often seems like an unnecessary addition to a monitor, but its inclusion here is a nice touch. While you won’t be able to look directly at it during use, it’s bright enough to give off an ambient glow similar to what you would get from a Govee or Nanoleaf product, provided you have the gaming monitor set near a wall to bounce the RGB off.
In terms of performance, the Alienware AW2524H 500Hz is far from a paper tiger. You can really achieve 500fps. However, that comes with some caveats. To start, you need hardware capable of keeping up with this monitor. After all, its 500Hz refresh rate and its 0.5ms GTG response time – both of which are actually the overclocked settings from 480Hz and 1ms respectively – take up a lot of graphical resources.
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
I tested this monitor with two different PCs, one sporting an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 and one with an RTX 4090. With the RTX 2080, I could only get 500 fps with CS:GO. Rocket League would mostly stay in the 300 fps range. More graphically demanding games such as Far Cry 6 would barely make 100 fps.
The RTX 4090, however, ran CS:GO and Rocket League at a solid 500fps. Fortnite bounced between 480 to 490. Games like Far Cry 6 (170ish on low settings), Cyberpunk 2077 (250 on low), and Battlefield 2042 (280 on low) all gave results that were much better than the RTX 2080.
To that point, a lot of games are just not going to give you close to 500fps right now. Luckily, most competitive games aren’t graphical juggernauts and are meant to be enjoyed on everything from kitted-out gaming PCs to consoles. So, if you’re considering this monitor for one of those, you’ll certainly make the most out of that incredibly high refresh rate.
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
In general, though, the Alienware AW2524H 500Hz responded beautifully. Even the games that didn’t hit 500fps still resulted in an experience that was without any latency, screen tearing, or ghosting. They felt more immersive because they were more stable. Honestly, I would almost consider this over a 4K monitor at 60Hz. Of course, its 99% sRGB color coverage and Vesa Certified HDR400 help.
While the included HDR is not the best out there, it does make a difference. I find that not only do colors pop more thanks to the contrast but that I can use the screen with lower brightness settings and still see everything clearly since lower light areas still retain their detail.
If my experience was so solid even when I was getting fps in the 200-300 range on many games, then why not just get something with a 240Hz refresh rate? You can certainly find one that’s much cheaper than this display.
To get a handle on that, I actually tested the Alienware AW2524H at 240, 360, and 500Hz. For games like Cyberpunk 2077, the various refresh rates made little difference. But, for CS:GO and Rocket League, I experienced something interesting that I think makes this monitor worth consideration for any competitive gamer.
While I couldn’t see much of a difference (the difference between 240Hz to 360Hz, for instance, is an almost imperceptible 1.4ms), I could feel it. Everything felt more stable and more concrete like I was actually moving around in that environment instead of moving pixels around while a computer recreated an image every couple of milliseconds.
Is it worth the cost? For the right competitive gamer looking for a new monitor, possibly.
Alienware AW2524H 500Hz: Price & availability
How much does it cost? $829.99 / about £680.44 / about AU$1236.12
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, other territories not yet announced
Fast refresh rate monitors almost always come at a premium, and the Alienware AW2524H 500Hz is no exception. At $829.99, it’s out of range for all but the most committed gamers. That’s more than some budget gaming PC builds. Since it takes some serious hardware to really push, you’re also going to need a solid GPU. Gamers still using a 1000 or 2000 series Nvidia GPU – and there are many – will have to shell out to upgrade their systems to take advantage of this display.
While many 240Hz monitors, like the AOC Agon Pro AG274QG, sit in a similar price range or are just a few hundred dollars cheaper such as the Samsung Odyssey G7, you won’t need quite as robust of a PC to get the most out of them. Plus, both run at a higher 1440p resolution. For those wanting to get fast refresh rates without spending that kind of money, the AOC CU34G2X achieves a respectable 144Hz along with a QHD resolution in a 34-inch panel for half the price of this Alienware model.
If you are considering buying the Alienware AW2524H 500Hz, then be aware that it’s currently only available in the US and China at the time of writing.
Price: 3.5 / 5
Alienware AW2524H 500Hz: Specs
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Should you buy the Alienware AW2524H 500Hz?
Buy it if...
You want the latest and greatest The Alienware AW2524H 500Hz is expensive but not unreasonable for the first 500Hz gaming monitor on the market. If you want that next-level performance that no one else has, this is for you.
You want silky smooth performance That unrivaled 500Hz refresh rate and 0.5 g2g response time provide a performance that feels so smooth, even if it’s hard to see much of a difference.
Don't buy it if...
You’re on a budget At over $800, this display is not cheap. Plus, you’re going to need a powerful GPU to run most games at those high refresh rates.
You have a monitor with a very high refresh rate Going from 240 to 500Hz is not a night and day difference. You may not even perceive one. If you already have a monitor with a high refresh rate, save your money.
Alienware AW2524H 500Hz: Also consider
How I tested the Alienware AW2524H 500Hz
Tested over a week
Tested with different and different kinds of games
Used a colorimeter to test color accuracy
To test the Alienware AW2524H 500Hz Gaming Monitor, I spent a week with it, playing all sorts of games from popular esports titles like CS:GO and Rocket League, more controversial ones like Battefield 2042, and more graphically intense single player titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Far Cry 6.
While testing, I kept a refresh rate counter on and then ran each game on low and high graphical settings as well as at 240, 360, and 500Hz. I turned the HDR on and off, tested the ports, and did general checks like adjusting its ergonomics. I also tested the monitor with a computer sporting an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 and one with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090.
Having spent the last few years reviewing tech gear for gaming and otherwise, I’ve gotten a feel for what to look for and how to put a piece of kit through its paces to see whether it’s worth the recommendation. And, I’ve spent even longer playing computer games so I have an understanding of what gamers look for to get the most out of their titles.
Back in January, HMD launched its Nokia C12 entry-level handset and today we have the new Nokia C12 Pro. The new device brings the exact same specs as the C12 but with a larger 4,000 mAh removable battery.
There’s a 6.3-inch HD+ screen upfront with a waterdrop notch for the 5MP selfie camera. The back houses a single 8MP sensor and LED flash. C12 Pro is equipped with Unisoc's 9863A1 chipset paired with 2/3GB RAM and 64GB storage. The phone boots Android 12 (Go edition) and is promised two years of quarterly security updates.
Nokia C12 Pro
Nokia C12 Pro comes in Dark Cyan,...
The BougeRV Flash-300 power station strikes the right balance between battery capacity, inverter power, and size. It is rugged enough to be moved casually without any damage. Moreover, it features a fast internal battery charger that can top the battery in half an hour. It can serve a limited amount of power for a short time since it integrates a 286Wh battery with a 600W AC inverter.
The Flash-300 uses an NMC-type Lithium-Ion battery with at least 700 charge cycles before dropping to 80% capacity. The cooling fan has strange activity patterns, humming from low to medium with only a laptop connected to the Type-C and the AC plugged in. It is equipped with a wireless charger on the top and supports nine outlets, including two for AC.
Finally, a bright multi-purpose flashlight is available at the back.
The BougeRV has an MSRP of $399, bringing it to almost $1.4 per Wh. Considering that it ships with low-endurance Li-NMC cells, this is a high price for a power station. The one-year warranty period is also less than what the competition offers.
(Image credit: Future)
BougeRV Flash-300: Design
The BougeRV Flash-300 power station can be mistaken for a fancy lunch box measuring 28cm x 18cm x 20cm and weighing 6.6kg. Three yellow handles with built-in rubber grips ensure moving the station around is as painless as possible. The black plastic case feels solid. Accessories include an AC cord, a user manual, and a 12V car adapter. A large fan placed on the right provides adequate airflow but can be noisy while in use.
The front panel is home to a segmented LCD. Input and output power are shown clearly on the side, while the remaining battery capacity is in the center. The display’s backlight activates whenever a button is pressed and automatically turns off after thirty seconds to save power. Pressing any button on the front panel generates a beep, which cannot be disabled.
The station combines three power units capable of supplying a total of 600W. A push-button at the top of each section allows turning them on and off with a long press. The first DC section includes three 13.5V ports, a cigarette port, and two DC5525 barrel-type sockets, which combine to give 135W. Four USB sockets are included, with two 15W and one 18W fast-charge Type-A and a single 100W Type-C. A wireless charging surface conveniently located at the top provides 15W of power.
The 600W AC section sports two output sockets. These are concealed with rubber covers to prevent water and dust from entering the unit. Outputs are protected against short circuits, while over-power protection triggers if the total consumption exceeds 605W for more than one minute. The inverter can output 900W for short durations. A large LED flashlight at the back supports a soft light mode, a focused beam, and an emergency mode.
(Image credit: Future)
BougeRV Flash-300: In use
We recommend doing a full charge before using the station for the first time. A fuse-protected AC connector on the right side provides the main power inlet, taking less than an hour to charge the unit. Charging can also be done with the supplied car extension cord through a dedicated 12V input, taking two hours to complete.
The Flash 300 supports charging through solar panels and uses MTTP technology to achieve the best efficiency. Solar charging offers the same input power rating as AC charging, taking an hour to charge. Like other compact battery stations, the Flash 300 has a fourth charging method through its USB Type-C port. It is the slowest and will take three hours to top the battery to 90%.
The BougeRV portable power station includes many safety features to guard against common misuse. The device will turn off and display an error code when subjected to extreme operating temperatures. The same applies when charging using solar panels. Any abnormal condition, such as cell over-voltage, triggers an error code and requires addressing the issue before reusing the station.
The Flash-300 automatically detects the grid’s frequency on the first power-up. This setting is saved but can be changed by pressing the AC and DC buttons simultaneously. Another helpful feature is its ability to turn off unused outputs after one hour. A UPS mode is also built-in but not recommended since the battery will deplete and recharge, thus eating up the limited number of charge cycles.
(Image credit: Future)
BougeRV Flash-300: Competition
The BougeRV Flash-300 is in a class of its own, with a battery capacity different from the inverter output power. The station’s prohibitive cost of $1.4 per Wh is compensated by its versatility, which makes it helpful in an office or as a universal USB charging station.
The Jackery Explorer 500 features similar specifications as what BougeRV offers. With a bigger battery but a smaller AC inverter, the Explorer 500 has only one AC socket and no USB Type-C. The power adapter is external, hence preventing any kind of fast charging.
BougeRV Flash-300: Final verdict
Equipped with a 600W inverter, the BougeRV power station has enough juice to power most medium-sized home appliances. Excellent features such as a built-in fast charger, a multifunctional flashlight, and an array of protections make it safe and indispensable at home.
A price tag of $400 makes the Flash-300 one of the most expensive power stations per Wh. The Li-NMC 286Wh battery feels underwhelmed, and an under-par UPS mode will eat up the battery charge cycles when in use. The BougeRV remains a good compact power station that can help during an emergency or provide a solar-based battery backup.
