AI - Organizer - Page 12

Nvidia takes a $5.5B hit following an AI chip export ban

4:01 pm | April 16, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: AI | Comments: Off

Nvidia announced it will incur $5.5 billion in charges after the US government restricted exports of its H20 AI chips to China. The American company experienced a drop in shares, similar to AMD, which is also facing difficulties from the same embargo regarding its MI308 chip. The US Commerce Department is "committed to acting on the President's directive to safeguard our national and economic security," stated a spokesperson for the department that oversees US export controls. The H20 the AI chip in Nvidia's portfolio, designed for clients in China, where the AI industry is booming....

Honor presents new AI image editing features at Google Cloud Next

1:04 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: AI | Comments: Off

In March, Honor unveiled its Alpha Plan – a $10 billion investment in AI features over 5 years with the goal of becoming a leading AI device ecosystem company globally. Honor attended Google’s Cloud Next 2025 event in Las Vegas to support a key partner in the Alpha Plan and to promote some of the new features that they have created. AI Outpainting is a big one – it allows users to reframe a photo by zooming out and rotating it as needed. Normally, this will leave blank areas that go beyond what you captured in the shot. But with Honor’s AiMAGE suite, those blanks will be filled in using...

I tested the Google Pixel 9a, and it would be the perfect bargain phone if it wasn’t so dang ugly

4:03 pm | April 10, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Google Pixel Phones Phones | Tags: AI, Google Pixel, RAM | Comments: Off

Google Pixel 9a: Two-minute review

Google Pixel 9a in Peony pink — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Google Pixel 9a is a solid Android phone that punches far above its weight in important ways, even if the new direction for A-series phone design is a letdown. I'll try not to spend this whole review dwelling on how ugly this phone is – the photos speak for themselves – but I was surprised that Google abandoned its excellent Pixel design for this phone.

The Pixel 9a performs as well as the Pixel 9 in almost every way. It takes photos that look nearly as good as the pics I get from my Pixel 9 Pro. It has most of the latest AI features that make the Pixel a compelling choice for Google fans. I just wish it looked like a Pixel.

Don’t get me wrong; I love the color of the Peony review sample that Google sent me. Actually, TechRadar got two samples, and both were pink, so clearly Google likes this color as much as we do. The color is a perfect match with the Peony silicone case that Google supplied, and I kept the phone covered for most of my time testing it.

Putting the phone in its case was like putting lipstick on a pig. For the Pixel 9a, Google took the sharp, stylish, distinctive design language it used the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro and threw it in the garbage.

This phone is flat and boring. The camera bump is apologetic, rather than the bold statement the bump on the Pixel 9 makes. You would be forgiven for mistaking this phone for a cheap Motorola or Nokia, or an off-brand phone you find in the back of your carrier store.

I don’t get it. The best explanation I can muster is that the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro camera bar is expensive to produce, and the A-series phones are supposed to be a bargain. But Google cut plenty of other corners on this phone that should have offset the cost of a better design.

For instance, the camera sensors are much, much smaller than the sensors on the Pixel 8a. The main sensor is less than half the size, and that’s a massive drop for the most important spec in terms of camera quality. The Pixel 9a still manages to snap great photos, but this downgrade should have saved Google enough money to pay for a fancy new dress.

Google Pixel 8a in aloe green showing — The Pixel 6a, Pixel 7a, and Pixel 8a (left to right) all look like the other Pixel phones in their series (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Pixel 8a also launched with the same 8GB of RAM as the Pixel 8. The Pixel 9a keeps the 8GB of memory, but the Pixel 9 now offers 12GB (and the Pixel 9 Pro packs 16GB!), which makes a difference when it comes to running all of the AI features on the phone.

The Pixel 9a has a larger battery than the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, even though all three phones have a 6.3-inch display. However, in my time with the Pixel 9a, battery life was good but not extraordinary, and our Future Labs tests show that its battery life is somehow not measurably better with that larger cell inside.

Is the Pixel 9a a letdown? Not at all! Google’s AI features remain the most useful smartphone AI tools you’ll find – I regularly use the AI phone call features to hang up on spammers, wait on hold for me, or record an especially important phone call.

Google Gemini on the Pixel 9a has also gotten much better – and it even improved during my two weeks with the phone, as Google added the ability for Gemini to use the camera and discuss what it sees.

For the price – $499 / £499 / AU$849 – you won’t find a phone that feels so polished and capable. You may find more camera features on a phone like the Samsung Galaxy A56, but you won’t get better photos than you’ll take with the Pixel 9a, especially not macro shots, which is the Pixel 9a’s new specialty.

You might find snappier performance elsewhere, but the Pixel 9a’s Tensor G4 chip is powerful enough to for Google to guarantee seven years of major Android and security updates, and that’s the best promise you’ll get in this price range. If you need a bargain phone and you don’t want to replace it, like, ever, the Pixel 9a would be the first phone I recommend.

Except for one small thing: the Pixel 8a might be just as good. The Pixel 9a isn’t much faster, and it doesn’t do anything the Pixel 8a can’t do, other than offering the latest Google AI features. If the AI aspect of Google’s phones isn’t enticing, you might be just as satisfied saving even more money and getting the Pixel 8a, especially if it goes on sale again soon.

Actually, if you’re considering the Pixel 9a and you want the best possible bargain, you may want to wait a bit longer. The Pixel 8a went on sale in May of 2024 and the price dropped by $100 for one deal in the US in August. The current global economic uncertainty aside, Google loves to goose sales of its A-series phones with a great deal, so look out for price drops on the Pixel 9a. Or just buy the Pixel 8a – because at least that phone looks like a Pixel.

Google Pixel 9a review: Price and availability

Google Pixel 9a in black, peony pink, iris, and porcelain, showing back cover with camera and home screen — The Pixel 9a in Obsidian, Porcelain, Iris, and Peony (top to bottom) (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Priced at $499 / £499 / AU$849 for 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM
Available in Peony, Iris, Porcelain and Obsidian

The Pixel 9a is available now for $499 / £499 / AU$849, after a delay caused by a mysterious 'passive component' issue. My review sample did not seem to have any performance problems or build-quality issues, so I guess we’ll never know what held back the Pixel 9a for a few weeks.

The Pixel 9a costs the same as last year’s Pixel 8a did at launch, but this year there's no competing iPhone SE at an even lower price to consider. Apple has effectively vacated the $500 phone market by selling the new iPhone 16e for a laughable $599 / £599 / AU$999.

If you’re looking for a $500 phone, the Pixel 9a is one of your best options, along with the Samsung Galaxy A56. Samsung hasn’t started selling that phone in the US as I write this, but we have reviewed it, and we know it’s coming to the US later this year.

Nothing Phone (3a) Pro from back showing Glyph lights — See! A bargain phone can look cool, not clunky (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

You might also consider the Nothing Phone 3a Pro, a quirky Android that costs $459 / £449 / AU$849, though it’s only available in the US through a beta program.

Of all the phones in this price range, the Pixel 9a should get software and security updates for longer than the rest. The Pixel gets a seven-year promise, while Samsung gives you six years, and the rest of the Android world promises three or fewer.

Value score: 5/5

Google Pixel 9a review: Specs

The Pixel 9a uses the same Google Tensor G4 chipset as the Pixel 9 Pro and the rest of the Pixel 9 family. This is Google’s biggest strength with its bargain phones, because the Tensor contains the magic sauce that lets Google promise seven years of major OS updates for its latest phones (though none of them have actually been around for seven years, yet).

The Tensor G4 isn’t a performance beast, but it’s good enough for the Pixel 9a to get by, albeit with a bit of sluggishness. The initial setup process especially was a slog, as the phone gets bogged down when you try to download a lot of apps and then, you know, use them.

The paltry 8GB of RAM inside became noticeable when I used the AI features, and the Pixel 9a inexplicably doesn't have the new Screenshots app that debuted on the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro. That app gathers all of your screenshots and runs them through the AI so you can ask questions about what it sees; I guess 8GB of RAM is not enough for that level of on-device processing.

I'm very nervous about the next seven years with this phone, if we’re already seeing Google omit features on day one that the rest of the Pixel 9 phones have. I suspect that whatever Android update the Pixel 9a gets in seven years will be only a portion of what the rest of the Pixel phones will receive, but at least security holes should be plugged.

Google Pixel 9a review: Design

A major departure from Pixel design
The ugliest Pixel phone ever

Let’s start with a compliment: I like the colors. I like the Peony pink and the lavender Iris hues, and even the Porcelain and Obsidian look premium, not basic. I also like that the cases match perfectly with the phone, giving the handset some needed dimension and texture.

Okay, that’s all the nice I have in me for this phone's design. I’m only being mean to the butt-ugly Pixel 9a because I really liked the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro redesign, and I can’t believe Google didn’t carry the new look down to the bargain basement.

The Pixel 9a is just a flat slab of plastic broken by a round camera bump. It has no personality or character – it looks like somebody punched a Pixel 9 square in the nose and flattened its whole face.

The Pixel 9a has the same-size screen as the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, but the bezels are noticeably thicker. The phone is nicely rounded, like the Pixel 9, but the back is a matte-finish plastic, not shiny glass. Google says 23% of the Pixel 9a is recycled materials, by weight.

To be fair, the Pixel 9a is thinner than the Pixel 9 if you count the camera bump – that bar adds 3mm to the thickness of the latter phone. If you really want a phone that is borin… er, flat, this is a good pick.

Google also says the Pixel 9a is the most durable Pixel A-series phone yet. It can withstand a dunk in up to 1.5m of fresh water for 30 minutes, so feel free to drop it in the toilet and give it a flush, then rinse it in the sink.

Design score: 3/5

Google Pixel 9a review: Display

Very bright and colorful display
Questionable Adaptive Display settings should be turned off

The Pixel 9a has an excellent screen that's very bright and colorful, continuing Google’s dominance in this aspect of the smartphone world. This would be a great display for a phone at any price, but it’s a standout feature on a bargain phone; you won’t find a better or brighter screen on a phone this cheap.

I was feeling a bit let down by the display for my first few days with the Pixel 9a, but then I turned off the Adaptive Display mode and things got much brighter. For some reason, Adaptive Display was keeping my phone very dark no matter where I used it, but when I took control the experience got exponentially better.

The screen can refresh at up to 120Hz, but frankly I’m not sure the phone can keep up with any content moving that fast. Scrolling through the apps and settings menus felt more stuttery on the Pixel 9a than on the Pixel 9 Pro, and I can only assume that more RAM would pick things up.

The phone has Gorilla Glass 3 on the front, which is durable but not as scratch-resistant as the latest Gorilla Glass Victus materials. I noticed some hairline scratches on the screen after only a week of use, although these weren't distracting. The back of the phone is plastic, not glass, so it should be more durable.

Display score: 4/5

Google Pixel 9a review: Software

A polished version of Android, with many updates to come
Doesn’t have all the features of the rest of the Pixel family

The Google Pixel 9a launches with Android 15 on board, and it should get updates through Android 22 in 2032, if humanity survives that long. Google has only been making this seven-year promise for three years, so we can’t be sure what those eventual updates will look like, but Google also regularly drops new features, or brings newer features to older phones, in software updates it calls Pixel Drops.

Google’s version of Android is the most refined you can get, with the fewest extraneous features. Where Android used to be known for its heavy customization options, now you’d have to download a whole new launcher app if you want to organize your app list into folders or tweak the interface behavior. Today’s Android is simpler, and better for it.

Google also has some of the most useful AI tools on its smartphones; and, where other phone makers have the same features, Google does it better. For instance, Google’s Voice Recorder app is the best at transcribing what it hears into text. It will label individual speakers, and you can simply tap on a word to jump to the moment in the recording when it was spoken. Samsung and other Android phone makers have similar software, but it doesn’t work as well; not even close.

I especially like Google’s AI calling tools. When I get a mysterious phone call, I can have Google’s AI answer and screen the call; spammers always hang up at this point. If I’m on an important call that I need to remember details of, I can have the AI record and later transcribe the call. My caller will be alerted to the fact that they're being recorded, so there’s no privacy concern.

Google’s Gemini Live conversation tool also got a nice boost on the Pixel 9a. Just before this phone launched, Gemini Live went multi-modal, so it can now talk to you conversationally while it looks through your camera. I pointed Gemini at the blank wall beneath my TV and asked for suggestions on how to decorate it. Gemini suggested that I add plants, then we switched the conversation to what plants I could buy that I wouldn’t kill in a month.

Of course, there are plenty of AI slop tools on the Pixel 9a as well. There's the standard image-generating tool that probably shouldn’t exist, for legal and ethical reasons, and it can now create images of human beings, which was forbidden in the past.

I have a big problem with these tools. They're bigoted by nature. If I ask Pixel Studio for an image of ‘a successful person,’ I get five images of young, able-bodied people. The selection may be racially diverse, but it still holds onto so many stereotypes that it should simply not be on a phone.

If I ask Pixel Studio for an image of ‘a Jewish man,’ I get the most stereotypical caricature of Jewish identity: an older man with a full beard and a head covering. If I ask for ‘a Palestinian man,’ it refuses to create anything, which is its own harmful erasure and stereotyping, as if any image of a Palestinian man should be considered potentially harmful.

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AI images created by Google's Pixel Studio on the Pixel 9a depicting stereotypical older Jewish men with long beards and heads covered — I asked Pixel Studio for "A Jewish man" and got these three images in a row (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

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Sorry, this Pixel has no business creating images of people if it resorts to stereotypes. I’m not sure when it became acceptable for a smartphone to reinforce bigotry, but it’s not something I’ll ever be comfortable with. Google should remove this capability from Pixel Studio immediately.

Software score: 2/5

Google Pixel 9a review: Cameras

Surprisingly good photos that look like Pixel 9 Pro pics
Astonishing macro capabilities that rival my DSLR – seriously

I've been pleasantly surprised by the Pixel 9a’s camera capabilities. This phone continues the A-series tradition of producing photos that look almost identical to the shots you’d get from the Pro-series device, albeit at a much lower resolution.

The Pixel 9a has a 48MP camera, but it uses a pixel binning technique and will only produce images that are 12MP. Even the raw files it produces are 12MP or less.

That’s fine by me! I think 12MP is the perfect size for sharing, whether you send photos to friends or post them to your favorite social app. You won’t be able to zoom in later, and you might miss the fine details, but 12MP is a good compromise for a bargain phone. To be fair, the Pixel 9 has a 50MP camera and that phone also limits its photo output to 12MP.

I was expecting the Pixel 9a cameras to be much less capable, because the sensors have been reduced in size compared to the Pixel 8a, and are much smaller that the sensors you’ll find on the Pixel 9 or Pixel 9 Pro. The Pixel 9a uses a half-inch sensor for the main camera, compared to the three-quarter-inch sensor on the Pixel 9.

That doesn’t sound like much, but that’s the diagonal measurement, and the actual area of the sensor in the Pixel 9a is 57% smaller than that of the sensor the Pixel 9. That means it captures much less light, which affects every other aspect of photography.

Thankfully, Google’s AI photography magic has never been more powerful. Photos look great, nearly identical to Pixel 9 Pro photos, until you zoom in close. Then things get muddy, but the Pixel 9a produces images with accurate colors and good lighting. The iPhone 16e might be a little bit better, but it’s also much more expensive, and it lacks some of the Pixel 9a’s great features.

I was blown away by the new macro photography capabilities on the Pixel 9a. I shoot macro photos often with my Nikon D750 and Tamron 100mm macro lens, so I broke out the full-frame camera for a comparison test. The results were truly shocking.

Without a flash, the Pixel 9a totally outperformed my Nikon. I couldn’t hold the camera still enough for the 1/4 second exposure that it required, but the Pixel 9a had no trouble grabbing a sharp shot in the same dim light. Even with a flash attached, my Nikon wasn’t much more sharp than the Pixel 9a. The Pixel even managed to expose a wider swath of the subject than my Nikon at f/16.

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Photo samples taken with the Google Pixel 9a — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

This macro shot was taken with the Pixel 9a

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A macro photo taken with the Nikon D750 of a piece of red leather — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

This macro shot was taken with a Nikon D750 DSLR with a Tamron 100mm macro lens

Usually, macro photography on smartphones is a gimmick performed with a pathetic 3MP camera, but on the Pixel 9a it’s so good, at full resolution, that it offers a whole reason to consider this phone. If you like shooting macro, you’ve probably never seen a smartphone that can get this close and take photos this sharp.

Camera score: 3/5

Google Pixel 9a review: Camera samples

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Google Pixel 9a review: Performance

Adequate performance but not what I’d call fast
The AI features always slow things down

The Pixel 9a performs as well as the Pixel 9, for better and for worse. It was able to handle all of my favorite apps and all of Google’s features with little trouble, as long as I wasn’t asking the AI for anything. Except for some hiccups during my initial setup, when the interface ground to a halt while installing numerous apps and backup data, I had no trouble using the Pixel 9a as my primary work phone.

It’s still slow, objectively and subjectively. The menus and interface do not feel as snappy on the Pixel 9a as OneUI does on the Galaxy S25, for instance. It isn’t as smooth and responsive as iOS on any recent iPhone. Some apps take a bit longer to open, and when switching between apps it takes longer for the screen to populate.

I was still able to run all of my necessary apps, take video calls while browsing the web, and play my favorite games, including Call of Duty Mobile – I had to turn the settings down for better performance, but I had fun playing.

The Pixel 9a sends much of its AI computing to the cloud, and this slows down whatever process you're engaged in. Pixel Studio, for instance, generated images much faster on the Pixel 9, and it was even faster on the Pixel 9 Pro. Apparently RAM does make a big difference with these AI features.

Performance score: 3/5

Google Pixel 9 Pro review: Battery

The larger battery doesn’t translate to longer life
Charging speeds are also slower, but there’s wireless

One of the big advantages Google highlights with the Pixel 9a is the larger battery – a 5,100mAh cell that's bigger than the batteries in the similarly-sized Pixel 9 or Pixel 9 Pro. I didn’t see any benefit, though.

The phone lasted through a full day of use most of the time, except on days when I did a lot of work with the AI tools and cameras. Even then, battery life was acceptable, if not exceptional.

I’m not sure why this phone isn’t lasting much longer than the Pixel 9, even though its battery is 8.5% larger. Our Future Labs testing concurs. In our battery rundown test the Pixel 9a lasted at most 13 hours and eight minutes, while the Pixel 9 lasted 13 hours and 18 minutes in the same test.

That’s not terrible, but you can find longer-lasting phones in this price range. The Nothing Phone 3a Pro lasted more than an hour longer in Future Labs. The OnePlus 13R is only a bit more expensive, and it’s our battery-life champion, with hours more battery life than the competition.

The Pixel 9a does include wireless charging, which isn’t common on a bargain phone. Nothing Phone and OnePlus omit wireless charging on their budget models, though they do have much faster wired charging than Google offers.

The Pixel 9a can only charge up to 23W, which isn’t very fast. The battery wasn’t even halfway charged after 30 minutes, and it took more than an hour to get to 100% from 1%.

Battery score: 3/5

Should you buy the Google Pixel 9 Pro?

Buy it if...

You want a great bargain camera for close-ups
While it lacks zoom, Google’s bargain Pixel has some of the best macro photography capabilities I’ve seen.

You want a solid phone to keep for a very long time
The Pixel 9a is durable, and it'll get seven years of Android and security updates. That makes it a keeper if you want a bargain phone that will last.

You want the best AI phone features
There’s a lot of AI on this phone, but the best features work with the actual Phone app to help screen calls and record important conversations.

Don't buy it if...

You want a pretty phone that you can show off
Get a case for this ugly phone, or put a bag over its head. I don’t know why Google uglified its Pixel like this, but it hurts.

You don’t want to support bigoted AI image generators
AI image generator tools that produce only stereotypes reinforce bigotry. This software isn’t acceptable on my smartphone and it needs to go.

Google Pixel 9a review: Also consider

Samsung Galaxy A56
You can’t buy the Galaxy A56 everywhere yet, but we got to review Samsung’s top bargain model, and it won us over with a high-quality build and great performance.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy A56 review

Nothing Phone 3a Pro
Like the anti-Pixel 9a, this phone is all about the cool design and showing off. The Nothing Phone doesn’t want to hide in a case, it wants to dance and party!
Read our full Nothing Phone 3a Pro review

How I tested the Google Pixel 9a

I used the Google Pixel 9a for almost two weeks. I tested the phone on AT&T’s network in the greater New York area, throughout the city and suburbs. I used the Pixel 9a as my primary work phone with all of my work accounts and apps, as well as a personal phone for photos and gaming.

I tested the Pixel 9a with a Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Buds Pro 2. I connected the phone to my car and tested Android Auto. I connected an Xbox wireless controller for gaming.

I tested the Pixel 9a camera against the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, as well as the iPhone 16 and Galaxy S25. For macro photo comparisons, I compared against my Nikon D750 camera with a Tamron 100mm macro lens.

Future Labs tests phones using a mix of third-party benchmark software and proprietary, real-world tests. We use Geekbench, CrossMark, JetStream, WebXPRT and Mobile XPRT, and 3DMark for performance testing. We test a phone's performance on tasks using Adobe Premiere Rush. We also measure display color output and brightness.

For battery testing, we have proprietary rundown tests that are the same for every phone, and we determine how long it takes for the battery to run down.

Potensic Atom 2: one-minute review

Potensic has carved itself a strong reputation in the sub-250g drone category with the release of the Atom SE and Atom drones in recent years. The Potensic Atom 2 is now available, with this latest model taking the coveted title of best sub-250g DJI alternative. It's not perfect – few drones are – but it's an enticing drone for beginners, enthusiasts and more advanced pilots alike.

Potensic Atom 2 unfolded for flight — (Image credit: James Abbott)

Given the features on offer, and what's to come in firmware updates – more on those later – the Atom 2 will sit somewhere between the DJI Mini 3 and the DJI Mini 4 Pro, which is an impressive achievement, especially when the Standard Kit costs just $330 / £300 / AU$580. This makes it only just a little more expensive than the entry-level DJI Mini 4K, making it a strong contender for our best drones guide.

The Atom 2 lets you capture video up to 4K at up to 30fps, in Normal and HDR color profiles; there's also slow-motion video and timelapse capture. Photos can be captured in raw and JPEG, while the camera offers both automatic and manual control. There are also AI Quickshots and AI Track for subject tracking. These features are just the tip of the iceberg, and with great flight performance to boot the Atom 2 is a solid option for many pilots.

Potensic Atom 2: release date and price

Announced February 2025
The Standard Kit costs $330 / £300 / AU$580
The Fly More Bundle costs $430 / £400 /AU$785

The Potensic Atom 2 was announced in February 2025, and is available to purchase directly from the Potensic website and Amazon. The drone is reasonably priced considering the features and functionality on offer and will compete directly with other sub-250g models including the DJI Mini 4K, DJI Mini 3 and the Holy Stone HS900, although it exceeds all three in some areas.

The Atom 2 is available in two kits, with the Atom 2 Standard Kit costing $330 / £300 / AU$580 and comprising the drone, controller, one battery, two sets of spare propellers, phone cables and other accessories.

The Atom 2 Fly More Combo includes all of the above plus two additional batteries, a fast-charging hub, a shoulder bag and two extra sets of spare propellers for $430 / £400 /AU$785. This kit offers excellent value for money.

Price score: 5/5

Potensic Atom 2 unfolded on stone — (Image credit: James Abbott)

Potensic Atom 2: specs

Potensic Atom 2: design and handling

Folding sub-250g design
Solid build quality
Excellent controller

With the exception of the DJI Neo, DJI Flip and the HoverAir X1 models, drone design has remained relatively unchanged for years, which is no bad thing – if it isn’t broken, why fix it? The Potensic Atom 2 makes no bold statements in terms of design with its light gray airframe and folding propeller arms, but it is solidly made. Its dimensions extend from a palm-sized 5.63 x 3.46 x 2.28 inches / 143 x 88 x 58mm when folded to 8.3 x 5.98 x 2.28 inches / 210 x 152 x 58mm unfolded.

The main difference with the Atom 2 design-wise is that Potensic claims the new propellers are 40% quieter, and they undoubtedly appear to be quieter, with a lower pitch hum during flights, rather than the higher-pitch whirr we're used to with smaller drones like this.

There's also a green flashing LED on the rear of the drone that's visible over long distances, so it may be bright enough for night flying. Drone strobes must be visible at three miles in the US for night flights, but this distance couldn’t be legally tested.

The only other notable external aspects of the drone are the 3-axis mechanical gimbal, which can be tilted between -90 and +20 degrees so the camera can look up slightly as well as straight down. Plus, there's a basic downward vision system, although I didn’t notice this doing anything when flying low to the ground with an undulating surface. As you'd expect for the price, there's no collision avoidance.

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Potensic Atom 2 folded from above — (Image credit: James Abbott)

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Potensic Atom 2 folded bottom view — (Image credit: James Abbott)

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Potensic Atom 2 folded with the propeller strap attached — (Image credit: James Abbott)

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Potensic Atom 2 side by side with the controller — (Image credit: James Abbott)

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Potensic Atom 2 controller with no phone attached — (Image credit: James Abbott)

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Potensic Atom 2 controller top view to show controls — (Image credit: James Abbott)

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Potensic Atom 2 with phone attached — (Image credit: James Abbott)

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Potensic Atom 2 carry bag — (Image credit: James Abbott)

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Potensic Atom 2 fast-charging battery hub — (Image credit: James Abbott)

The controller follows the same design as the controller for the Atom and Atom SE, but has been upgraded and now features a directional antenna that helps maintain a control and video-transmission distance of up to 6.2 miles. During testing, there was occasionally some pixelation and stutter of the video feed, but ensuring the antenna was facing the direction of the drone alleviated this.

Moving back to the design, the controller holds your smartphone between the two comfortable handgrips that extend outwards to insert and then grip the phone. This makes the whole package look more like a smart controller, and the positioning of the phone in the centre between the controllers is much more comfortable than a top-heavy top-mounted phone.

There are six direct-access controls for accessing commonly used functions including the gimbal tilt, digital zoom, a shutter button and a Return to Home button. The two remaining buttons are set to switch the gimbal angle between 0 and -90 degrees and to change the flight mode by default. These two buttons are customizable if you'd like to change them, while the control-stick modes and stick sensitivity are also customizable.

Design score: 4/5

Potensic Atom 2: features and performance

Level 5 wind resistance
AI subject tracking
AI Quickshots

The Atom 2 is a fantastic flier, with responsive and smooth controls that facilitate seamless maneuvers when capturing video. GPS provides a stable hover, with no drift detected during testing, alongside providing Return to Home functionality which comes with standard RTH functionality and a new smart version.

Dynamic Home Point, when enabled, brings the drone back to the controller location rather than the take-off point when Return to Home is initiated. This may not sound like much, but it's an incredibly useful feature because it's sometimes useful to walk along behind drones during flight to maintain visual line of sight and to help with the performing of precise maneuvers.

This may be a small and lightweight drone, but the Atom 2 offers Level 5 wind resistance, which equates to speeds of up to 23.6mph. Flight modes include Video, Normal and Sport, with Sport mode offering a top speed of 35.8mph, while Video is for slower and smoother flight. There's also built-in Remote ID, which will be a welcome feature for US-based pilots.

Subject tracking is a feature that's becoming increasingly important and popular. It's been around for a while, but the introduction of AI in drones has made it more effective than ever before. The Atom 2 isn’t a selfie drone by any means, but its AI Track options for subject tracking include AI Spotlight, AI Follow and AI Parallel. These all work incredibly well.

Potensic Atom 2 battery and rear LED light flashing red — (Image credit: James Abbott)

Then there's AI Quickshots, which includes Pull-Away, Spiral, Rocket, Circle, Boomerang and Dolly Zoom. All of these perform well, and most create professional-looking videos.

Dolly Zoom produces a great effect, thanks to combining the digital zoom with flying backwards, but it's not perfect. At the end of the dolly zoom, when the digital zoom is at its maximum, image quality is noticeably reduced, and while it's still a fun feature, it's not for professional use.

All of these effects can be applied to human subjects and inanimate objects simply by drawing around the desired subject in the Potensic Eve app.

Flight times are advertised as being up to 32 minutes per battery, but during testing the batteries typically lasted around 22 minutes before Return to Home was suggested by the drone at 15% battery level. This isn’t too bad, but it does make the Fly More Combo with three batteries and a fast-charging hub an attractive option. The fast-charging hub is claimed to be able to charge three batteries at once in 1.3 hours, and in my experience it was faster with batteries at a 15-30% charge.

Other features pilots will find useful are the Interval Timer for timelapse capture, and Cruise Control. There's also SmartTransfer, which enables you to transfer media files to your phone at speeds of up to 25MB/s. This makes it easier to share photos and videos directly to social media if you like to do this on the go.

Performance score: 4/5

Potensic Atom 2: image and video quality

1/2-inch sensor
Fixed focus 26mm f/1.8 lens
4K video and 12MP Raw photos

Potensic Atom 2 camera and gimbal close-up — (Image credit: James Abbott)

The Atom 2 camera is an improvement on the Atom with improved image quality and additional features, but before we delve into those, let's take a look at the specs.

The camera features a 12/48MP Sony 1/2 in CMOS sensor with 4-in-1 pixels, which is claimed to reduce noise and enhance low-light performance, although if I'm honest I wasn't overly impressed with low-light performance.

The camera lens provides a 26mm equivalent focal length with a fixed f/1.8 aperture. The lens is fixed-focus from 4m to infinity, relying on hyperfocal focusing to achieve a large depth of field.

When it comes to image quality, sharpness is greatest in the center of the frame, with fall-off towards the edges. There's also some vignetting, and white balance can be inconsistent when using Auto and Manual settings, but this can be easily fixed in Lightroom when shooting raw.

Videos are consistently better quality and don’t suffer from these issues. Strangely, even white balance is more reliable for video capture. Moving back to photos, JPEG processing is heavy with strong and noticeable sharpening applied, so the best image quality will always come from raw files.

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Photo of a river with moored boats taken with the Potensic Atom 2 drone — (Image credit: James Abbott)

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Photo of solar panels taken with the Potensic Atom 2 drone — (Image credit: James Abbott)

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Photo of an industrial building taken with the Potensic Atom 2 drone — (Image credit: James Abbott)

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Photo of a river at the edge of a town taken with the Potensic Atom 2 drone — (Image credit: James Abbott)

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Photo of a football pitch taken with the Potensic Atom 2 drone — (Image credit: James Abbott)

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Photo of football goal taken with the Potensic Atom 2 drone — (Image credit: James Abbott)

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Photo of river taken with the Potensic Atom 2 drone — (Image credit: James Abbott)

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Photo of a road bridge taken with the Potensic Atom 2 drone — (Image credit: James Abbott)

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Photo of fields and lakes taken with the Potensic Atom 2 drone — (Image credit: James Abbott)

You also have the ability to switch between 12MP and 48MP photo capture, but doing so isn’t a straightforward decision when JPEG processing is as it is.

The caveat with 48MP/8K photo capture is that it's only available in JPEG format, and not in raw. This is an odd omission, and one that will hopefully be fixed in a future firmware update, alongside adding a histogram for aiding exposure. You also have the option of 9:16 vertical photo capture, in JPEG only, with file sizes at 1520 x 2704 pixels.

Video can be captured in 4K at 24/25/30fps, 2.7K at 24/25/30fps, FHD at 24/25/30fps, and slow motion FHD at 2/3/4/5x. The maximum video bit rate is 80Mbps, while color profiles currently include Normal and HDR. In a future firmware update, a flat P-Log color profile will be delivered to the Atom 2 for more advanced video capture.

A digital zoom is available at 4K up to 2x, 2.7K up to 3x, and FHD up to 4x. Photos can be zoomed in up to 2x. Image quality reduces but the feature can be useful. Additional photo features include Bracketing, Burst Shooting and Panorama.

The Panorama mode includes Wide Angle, 180 Degree and Vertical options, with Sphere set to be delivered in a future firmware update. Panoramas are stitched in-camera, and saved as JPEGs alongside the constituent images in JPEG format. There's also a Defog mode for shooting in hazy conditions, and an AI Night mode for capturing video at night. The latter reveals more shadow detail at night, but image quality is questionable.

Image and video quality score: 4/5

Main example video

AI Night video

Potensic Atom 2: testing scorecard

Should I buy the Potensic Atom 2?

Buy it if...

You're on a budget
The Atom 2 is one of the most feature-packed 'mini' drones available for such a competitive price, so you can get a lot of bang for your buck with this drone.

You’re a drone beginner
This is a great drone for beginners, but also one that will meet your needs for years to come. In a nutshell, the Atom 2 won’t require an upgrade any time soon.

You'd like log footage
The P-Log color profile will be delivered in a firmware update, making the Atom 2 one of the least-expensive drones to be able to capture video in a flat Log color profile.

Don't buy it if...

You'd like 48MP raw files
Despite the 48MP sensor, 48MP photos can only be captured in JPEG format, with raw capture available at 12MP. If you want higher-resolution raw files you'll have to look elsewhere.

You'd like a telephoto camera
If you'd like a dual-camera drone with a wide-angle and medium telephoto lens the DJI Air 3S is a great option, albeit much more expensive. The Atom 2 does, however, have a digital zoom.

You need collision avoidance
If you'd like collision avoidance for flying confidently in complex environments, the DJI Min 4 Pro is going to be a much better option for you.

Potensic Atom 2: also consider

DJI Mini 4K

The DJI Mini 4K is slightly less expensive than the Potensic Atom 2, and offers similar features at a basic level. It doesn't offer the same subject-tracking, or more advanced features such as an interval timer for capturing timelapse videos, but if you'd like an inexpensive DJI drone capable of capturing 4K video and photos in raw and JPEG formats, it's a great budget option.

Read our in-depth DJI Mini 4K review

How I tested the Potensic Atom 2

I tested all flight features
I flew the drone in a range of conditions
I tested all the camera functions

I tested the Potensic Atom 2 over several days of flying in a range of locations, environments and weather conditions (excluding rain) to test flight performance, flight features, overall handling, and image quality for both photo and video capture. All testing is conducted in a way that meets local aviation laws and restrictions to ensure that all flights are safe and legal.

Drones are always tested using manual flight patterns for videos that are typical of professional aerial video techniques for capturing visually interesting footage. This also provides the opportunity to test variables such as the connection between the drone and controller, latency between the two, and the accuracy of the controls and flight accuracy in general.

First reviewed March 2025

Testing Samsung’s new AI-powered vacuum taught me that I don’t really need my vac to be know the difference between every single surface

3:00 am | March 31, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances Vacuums | Tags: AI | Comments: Off

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra: two-minute review

The Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra is a cutting-edge cordless vacuum with a self-empty dock, companion app, and AI-powered suction automation. I tested a model ahead of its launch to see how it compares to the rest of the best cordless vacuums on the market, and if it manages to justify costing more than any other vacuum we've tested at TechRadar.

To the untrained eye (and honestly, the trained eye, too), the AI Jet Ultra appears a lot like a regular cordless stick vacuum, albeit a high-quality model that's solidly built and comfortable to use, with an extending telescopic wand and ergonomic handle. However, under the hood it boasts advanced AI smarts that enable it to detect exactly the kind of floor it's on and adjust its suction and brushroll speed in response, to deliver an efficient clean that won't waste battery or make the vacuum too difficult to push.

That's the theory, anyway. On test, the AI adjustments proved a little unreliable. I could hear a change when shifting from lino to carpet, but it overlooked more subtle changes in floor type, and didn't adjust when cleaning the edges of rooms, either. Interestingly, it did sometimes adjust when encountering large spillages, even though it isn't advertised as being able to detect differing dirt levels.

That's not to say the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra vacuum doesn't offer excellent cleaning power – it does. It aced all my suction tests. But there are a number of vacuums I've tested that have also achieved great results in these tests; the point of difference here is the AI, and I think there's still a bit of work to be done in this regard.

I was more impressed with the auto-empty dock. This isn't unique to Samsung – today's best Shark vacuums also come with their own empty stations – but the unit here is particularly stylish, and ultra-convenient, too. It might benefit allergy-sufferers who don't want particles escaping back into the air, or anyone with a large home and lots of dust or pet hair. The latter will also benefit from the extensive potential runtimes offered by the two swappable batteries. There's also a companion app, although this doesn't feel terribly necessary.

A big sticking point for many will be the price. At £1,199.99 (US and AU price TBC) I'd want this vacuum to be pretty much perfect, and certainly for those advanced AI features to work correctly and make a noticeable difference to performance. However, I'm not sure the price is justified.

That's the short version. Read on for my full Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra review, and to find out if it might be the best vacuum for you.

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra in reviewer's home — (Image credit: Future)

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra review: price & availability

List price: £1,199.99 (US and AU pricing TBC)
Launch: UK pre-order from March 2025, on sale 22 April (US / AU TBC)

At list price, the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra costs £1,199.99 and will available to pre-order from late March 2025, for an on-sale date of 22 April. I'm awaiting pricing and launch info for the US and Australia, but that UK price is equivalent to around $1,550 / AU$2,450. The price puts this vacuum firmly in the premium price bracket; in fact, I think this is the priciest vacuum we've ever tested at TechRadar.

However, chances are you might not have to shell out that list price. During deals events we often see hefty discounts on Samsung appliances, and I predict that this will be the case for the Bespoke AI Jet Ultra, too.

In comparison, Dyson's most advanced model at time of writing is the Dyson Gen5detect, with list prices from $949.99 / £769.99 / AU$1,549. That model doesn't have the auto-empty dock or companion app, though.

At time of writing, Shark's top vacuum is the Shark PowerDetect Cordless. That one does have an auto-empty dock, although overall feels far less premium than the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra. With the base, it costs $499.99 / £549.99 / AU$999.99.

Samsung's previous model in the lineup – the Bespoke Jet AI – has a list price of $1,099 / £999 / AU$1,499.

Is it worth it? I'm not sure. While the build quality is solid and the performance good, I think much of what you're paying for is those advanced AI features, which on test didn't quite work as advertised. They also didn't result in a noticeably more efficient clean than other, AI-free vacuums I've tested. If you do decide this is the vacuum for you, I'd definitely hold out for a discount.

Value for money score: 2.5 out of 5

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra specs

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra review: design

Stick vacuum with telescopic wand and ergonomic handle
Comes with self-empty dock that can also diagnose any problems
Various attachments including two floorheads and mini-motorized Pet Tool+

The Bespoke AI Jet Ultra is the third generation model – you can read about this vacuum's predecessors in our Samsung Bespoke Jet AI review (2023 launch) and Samsung Bespoke Jet cordless vacuum review (2022 launch).

Under the hood, this Ultra model certainly sees some improvement over the Bespoke AI Jet. For example, this new version offers 400W of suction power (compared to 280W), and it comes with a new "spinning cyclone" (although there's no info yet on what this does). The addition of AI is also an upgrade, improving the vacuum's detection capabilities. So, while the previous model could differentiate between carpet, hard floor and mats, and be aware that it's been lifted up, the new model can do all that, but is also able to detect long-pile / dense carpet, and corners. Used in AI mode with one of the two main floorheads, the vacuum has been designed to optimize suction power for an effective, battery-efficient clean.

Alongside the AI smarts, the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra arrives with a companion app and the ability to self-diagnose any maintenance issues, such as blockages.

Vacuum

The vacuum itself is a fairly standard-looking stick vac, if a little dramatic with its matte off-black finish. The main motor mechanism is on the larger, heavier side, but the handle has an ergonomic grip and rest for your index finger, making it secure and comfortable to hold. Above the handle you'll find an "On" button, plus and minus buttons, and a small screen for displaying information.

You can use the plus and minus buttons to cycle through the five different power modes: Min, Mid, Max, Jet and (if you have one of the main floorheads attached) AI. The screen will display which mode you're in, and how much cleaning time you have left on the battery in that mode.

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Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra vacuum — A screen provides info about suction mode and remaining runtime (Image credit: Future)

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Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra information screen showing blockage message — It'll also inform you of any issues (Image credit: Future)

It will also show maintenance information: when to clean the filter; when the dock dustbag is full; and if the brushroll is blocked, for example. The Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra has diagnosing powers, too. It told me when the floorhead was blocked (when it had tried to suck up my bath mat) and even displayed a graphic showing me what to do to clear it. Today's best Dyson vacuums can also self-diagnose and provide specific fix instructions.

The AI Jet Ultra also makes it possible for you to display any messages and calls to your phone on its screen. I guess that might be useful if you're concerned about missing any important calls/messages as a result of the noise of the vacuum, but it seems more like a gimmick to me.

Filters from Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra cordless vacuum — There are a couple of filters within the dustbin section (Image credit: Future)

Remove the dustbin and you'll find a small, washable filter. The main filter (behind a metal mesh) sits inside the dustbin, and can be accessed by twisting the plastic cover to unlock it. There's also a paper filter hidden behind a grille, but I couldn't figure out how to access it for cleaning purposes. New to this model is HEPA filtration – the most effective filtering found in commercial products.

Rather unusually, this vacuum ships with two different-sized batteries. Both fit on the vacuum, with one designed to last 100 minutes, while the other will last up to 60 minutes.

The wand and floorhead / detail tools clip on, with a clever addition being a slider on the main wand that allows it to extend. At minimum height the vacuum's reach is pretty short (I'm 5ft 8in and needed to extend it a fair way to use it comfortably), so I think part of the motivation behind this is that it means the dock doesn't need to be super-tall. However, being able to adjust height to suit the user does make it more comfortable to use.

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra with pivoting joint attachment — A hinge attachment allows you to angle your detail tools (Image credit: Future)

Samsung also provides a joint attachment that can be angled at around 45, 90 and 135 degrees. This sits at the bottom end of the wand, extending its reach even further. It's designed for up-high cleaning with a detail, too. You can't use it with any of the motorized cleaning heads (so the two floorheads and the mini Pet Tool+). Shark's equivalent feature sits at the top end of the wand and allows it to pivot forward to 90-degrees, for easier cleaning under furniture – arguably, a slightly more useful setup.

The previous model had an optional mop attachment, but this isn't a feature here – or, at least, I didn't have one included on my review model.

Dock

This stick vacuum comes with a large dock that both charges the machine and empties the onboard dustbin. It takes the form of a dramatic-looking black cylinder with a base.

The vacuum slides in the top, prompting anything in its onboard bin to whoosh out and into a larger dust bag in the base. There's a discreet Start/Stop button, to manually control the emptying if required, and the process can also be managed via the app. To access the larger dust bag, you remove the black, plastic cover and open a second hatch behind.

Dust bag hidden in dock for Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra vacuum — Inside you'll find a 2L dustbag (Image credit: Future)

Overall, I think Samsung has done a great job of making the dock look as stylish as possible, given that it has to be a fairly awkward size and shape to do what it needs to do. It's certainly more high-end looking than Shark's big, white, Toblerone-shaped auto-empty docks (see our Shark PowerDetect cordless vacuum review for an example). While Shark's machines can be purchased with or without a dock, the Samsung dock is included as standard.

Accessories

Samsung provides a wide range of detail tools to help you tackle different cleaning tasks. They are as follows:

Active Dual Brush floorhead
Slim LED Brush+ floorhead
Pet Tool+ mini-motorized head
Combination tool
Extendible Crevice tool

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Detail tools for Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra vacuum — The vacuum comes with various detail tools (Image credit: Future)

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Underside of two floorheads for Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra vacuum — There are two main floorheads (Image credit: Future)

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Detail tool holder next to main dock for Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra vacuum — An accessory tree provides somewhere to store everything (Image credit: Future)

Your main floorhead looks to be the Active Dual Brush, which has a small fluffy roller and a larger one with bristles. I assume this is for use on both hard floors and carpet. There's also a Slim LED Brush+, which has just one large fluffy roller. It's designed for hard floors specifically, since the soft roller can get nice and close to the floor without scratching it.

The Pet Tool+ mini-motorized head is meant for covering larger, not-flat surfaces such as sofa cushions. Samsung has supplied a kind of accessory carousel that has space to house all five of the attachments, with the main floorheads clipping on and dangling downwards.

Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra review: performance

Comfortable and fairly maneuverable, but can be hard to push on carpet
Suction excellent, but AI adjustment doesn't always seem to work
Self-empty dock is a big effort-saver

Upon switching the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra on for the first time, the screen took me on a whistle-stop guide of the vacuum – and I mean whistle-stop; each bit of information barely stayed on-screen long enough for me to read it.

To test performance, I used the vacuum to clean my whole flat, putting all the different attachments through their paces, measuring my experience against Samsung's performance claims. I also ran a series of suction tests on hard floor and carpet.

Comfort & usability

First up, I have to commend Samsung for the ergonomic design of the vacuum's handle. It's a simple thing but often forgotten (I'm looking at you, Dyson) and really does improve comfort in use. That's especially important when the vacuum is on the heavier side, as this model is.

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra in handheld mode in reviewer's home — The vacuum is comfortable to hold, thanks to an ergonomically shaped handle (Image credit: Future)

The main Jet Dual Brush floorhead seems to pivot pretty well – although it isn't as nimble as a Dyson – but on test I found it difficult to change direction and get the vacuum moving again on carpet. This was a complaint our reviewer had with both the previous iterations of this vacuum; it seems Samsung might have stuck with the same design here. It's much better with the Slim LED Brush+ on hard floor, though.

Many vacuum brands have built anti-tangle features into their floorheads, but sadly, the Jet Dual Brush is lacking here; it quickly becomes tangled with my long hair when used on my carpet.

Hair wrapped around Active Dual Brush floorhead — The main floorhead quickly became tangled with hair from my carpet (Image credit: Future)

Both of the main floorheads feature LED headlamps, which are on by default. These do help light the way, but there's a marked difference between these kinds of white lights and the green laser used by Dyson. The former will really only help illuminate dingy corners, while the latter shows up dirt that's near-invisible to the naked eye.

Cleaning performance

The AI mode can be used with either the carpet or hard floor floorheads. Samsung says the vacuum can sense hard floor, carpet, long-pile carpet, mats, corners, and when it's been lifted up. It will then adjust suction and brushroll speed to deliver equivalent cleaning power to being used in Mid mode, but while saving battery and being easier to push, due to less resistance.

It's all quite complicated, but Samsung provided me with some graphics to show the science behind it all – and, in theory at least, it seems to make sense. (Although I will state for the record that in my opinion, I do think that "AI" is being thrown in purely as a buzzword here.)

It's worth flagging that the dock needs to be plugged in with the vacuum connected via Bluetooth for the AI to work, and this mode only works with the two main floorheads.

On test, I found this auto-adjustment a little hit and miss. I could hear the power shifting as I went from hard floor to medium-pile carpet – and I'd receive a notification on-screen saying that the vac was "Optimizing for environment". It also dropped to a lower-power mode when I lifted it up.

However, when I laid out my bath mat (medium thickness, thin, looped pile) on my carpet, it didn't adjust for it; it repeatedly tried to eat it. It also failed to adjust when cleaning the edges / corners of rooms – a feature that has been specifically added to this model.

Large debris suction test on carpet using Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra — Power seemed to sometimes adjust for debris on the floor, although this isn't an advertised feature (Image credit: Future)

Interestingly, the vacuum did occasionally (not always) adjust for high levels of dirt: for example, when clearing up the spilled oats or cleaning an especially dusty area. Dirt detection isn't something Samsung advertises as an AI feature, although this is the main focus of competitor vacuum brands' automation efforts.

Dyson (with the V15 Detect and Gen5detect) and Shark (with the Detect Pro and PowerDetect cordless) offer their own automation features. Models from both brands can adjust suction based on whether they're cleaning hard floor or carpet, and the level of dirt is detected. Shark's models even adjust when cleaning the edges of rooms. In general, I've found these models more reliable, plus I think adjusting cleaning power based on dirt rather than floor type is a more logical priority.

Suction tests

To get a more objective view of how well the Bespoke AI Jet Ultra vacuum performs, I ran TechRadar's standard suction tests. It was possible to see this vacuum's powerful suction because after running it around my flat, the bin had collected quite large quantities of grey fluff. I can only assume this is dirt off my carpet (which is 3+ years old and past the shedding stage).

On with the tests. I started by emptying a teabag onto my carpeted floor, to see if the vacuum could clear it with the Active Dual Brush floorhead attached – and it did so extremely well. I tackled one side of the mess using AI mode, the vacuum clearing it in a single forward pass. On the other side I used the vacuum in Min mode, and everything was gone in one forward and backward pass.

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Pile of tea on carpet, ready for fine debris suction test using Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra — Tea on my carpet, before the suction test... (Image credit: Future)

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During fine debris suction test on carpet using Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra — ... and during (Image credit: Future)

I then ran the same test using oats, to see how well this floorhead would cope with larger debris. Again, the Bespoke AI Jet Ultra cleared everything without any issues, even when I switched from AI mode to Min mode. Neither did the oats ping around, as can happen with larger particles.

During both tests, I also tried pulling the floorhead backwards over the spillage, and was pleased to see there was no pooling of debris behind the floorhead.

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Oats on carpet, ready for large debris suction test using Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra — Oats on my carpet before the test... (Image credit: Future)

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After large debris suction test on carpet using Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra — ... and after (Image credit: Future)

I sprinkled oats along the side of my fireplace, too, to gauge the efficiency of this vacuum's edge cleaning. I was disappointed not to hear the power ramping up here, especially since edge detection is a new addition for the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra. Nevertheless, the vacuum did manage to suck up most of the mess, leaving only the oats closest to the carpet's edge; but it did ping some around through the process. The Crevice tool cleared the rest with no issues.

Edge cleaning test on carpet using Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra — Edge cleaning was decent, although suction didn't adjust as it should have done (Image credit: Future)

Attaching the Slim LED Brush+, designed for use on hard floors, I then repeated the same tests on my kitchen lino.

I found the Samsung cleaned up the tea leaves fine, but did cause them to pool behind the floorhead when approached from behind. However, this seems to be a common occurrence with this type of floorhead, because I have encountered the sae problem with the Dyson counterpart.

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During fine debris suction test on lino using Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra — Tea on my lino floor before the suction test... (Image credit: Future)

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Before fine debris suction test on lino using Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra — ... and during (Image credit: Future)

When I ran the test with the oats, the Bespoke AI Jet Ultra cleared them well when approached from the front, but on the reverse stroke the debris again pooled and was pinged around.

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During large debris suction test on lino using Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra — Oats on my lino floor before the suction test (Image credit: Future)

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Oats pooled behind Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra floorhead on lino — Oats pooled behind the floorhead when it was pulled backwards over the spillage (Image credit: Future)

In general, the soft Slim LED Brush+ seemed to struggle to pick up hair and debris off lino flooring around edges of the room. I assume it's really designed for fine dust, but it's very difficult to tell how it's managing that.

Attachments & handheld mode

Like most modern stick vacuums, the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra can be converted into a handheld machine by removing the wand and adding a detail tool. In use, while it felt a little heavy used in this way; it was fine in general, with the ergonomically shaped handle helping with grip and maneuvering.

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra in handheld mode on reviewer's sofa — This vacuum can be transformed for use as a handheld (Image credit: Future)

The Pet Tool+ mini-motorized head worked well on my sofa, although it did quickly become tangled with hair. (This is an issue Dyson has managed to solve by swapping out a parallel roller for a conical one.)

Hair wrapped around small motorized attachment — The Pet Tool+ worked well but became tangled with hair (Image credit: Future)

Samsung has made its Crevice tool extendible, although be aware that it does become wobbly when extended. My only other minor complaint with the attachment-swapping process is that upon removing the main floorhead following my suction tests, I found some oats fell back out onto my floor – they obviously hadn't quite made it to the bin.

Emptying

The Samsung vacuum's auto-emptying worked as advertised, clearing almost everything from the bin on its "short" cycle, and leaving only a bit of fluff and few hairs wrapped around the central filter. It was a little noisy, but nothing too offensive.

I appreciate that Samsung has included an option to turn the lights off on the dock and vacuum screen – charging LEDs that blink in the night are a perpetual irritation to me.

However, you can't turn off the auto-empty, which in my opinion is an oversight. I found it annoying when using the vacuum for just quick cleanups, when there was barely anything in the bin. There are also occasions where you won't want the disturbance – say the dock lives near a child's bedroom, and you've used the vacuum elsewhere in the evening; you'll need to be quick on the Stop button when adding it back onto its perch.

Although I don't particularly mind having to manually empty my vacuum's bin, the automation is super convenient. It might also appeal to allergy sufferers, because it means fewer chances for allergens to escape back into the air once they've been sucked up. You will have to factor in the ongoing cost (and minor hassle) of buying dust bags, though.

App

You can control aspects of the vacuum's settings via the Samsung's SmartThings app. It will display charge status, and when the dustbin was last emptied. You can also direct for the dustbin to be emptied, if the vacuum is docked. However, since this happens automatically when you dock the vacuum, it feels a little unnecessary... although I guess it might be useful if it hasn't fully emptied, and you don't want to get up and press the button on the machine itself.

Screenshots from SmartThings companion app — Screenshots from the SmartThings companion app (click to expand) (Image credit: Samsung / Future)

You can also adjust the time allocated to emptying the dustbin – shorter, if you know you aren't picking up much on a general clean; longer, if you're dealing with mountains of pet hair – and set the default suction power. It's on AI as standard, but you could pick a different mode, if you prefer. And it's also possible to switch off all the vacuum's lights while it's docked. Note that none of this functionality is essential, though, so you could get by just fine without the app.

Performance score: 4 out of 5

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra review: battery life

Comes with two interchangeable batteries
One lasts 100 mins, the other 60 mins
Theoretically up to 2hrs 40 mins cleaning in Min mode

Unusually, my Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra came bundled with two batteries – one big (in size and capacity) and one small.

Samsung quotes a maximum runtime of 1 hour 40 minutes for the larger battery, and 60 minutes for the smaller. Anything over an hour's runtime is exceptional, although obviously we're talking about that being achieved on the lowest powered mode, plus that's not standardized from machine to machine.

One unit will charge in the vacuum on the dock, and there's a separate small charge dock supplied to keep the second battery juiced up. All this means you can hot-swap them, to get up to 2 hours 40 minutes of cleaning.

Battery life score: 5 out of 5

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra review: alternatives to consider

Dyson Gen5detect
This is Dyson's most advanced model at the time of writing. It's premium in price but still a lot cheaper than the Samsung. The floorheads contain sensors that detect dust and debris, adjust suction in response, and report back in real time on-screen. The hard floor floorhead also has a laser than can illuminate near-invisible dust. There's no auto-empty dock, however.

Read the full Dyson Gen5detect review View Deal

Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty System

This is Shark's top model at the time of writing. It's significantly cheaper than both the Dyson and the Samsung, although it does also feel less premium. It can auto-adjust suction based on dirt levels, floor type, and if it's cleaning near the edge of a room. There's an optional auto-empty dock, too.

Read the full Shark PowerDetect Cordless review View Deal

Should you buy the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra?

Buy it if...

You have a big home and are serious about cleaning
The dual-battery setup and auto-empty capabilities come into their own in larger homes with higher levels of dirt.

You suffer from allergies
The auto-empty dock has benefits for allergy-sufferers, because there are far fewer chances for particles to escape back into the air.

You love a cutting-edge gadget
Not many vacuums these days use AI or come with a companion app. If you want the most modern floor cleaner around, Samsung's new vac is up there.

Don't buy it if...

You're on a budget
The Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra is the most expensive vacuum we've tested by some margin. There are plenty of alternatives that offer similar performance and features for a much lower price.

You have a smaller home with one floor type
The AI features are the main reason for investing in this vacuum, and if your home has only one floor type throughout, you won't see most of the benefits.

How I tested the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra

I received a pre-launch sample of the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra, and was only able to keep it for a week. During this time, I used it to clean my entire flat, testing out all of the detail tools as well as using both floorheads. I also ran TechRadar's standard suction tests to get an objective idea of how it performs in practice. I tested any features and claims made by Samsung, and compared my experience to other vacuums I've reviewed – in particular, the Dyson Gen5detect and Shark PowerDetect stick vacuum.

Read more about how we test vacuum cleaners

First reviewed February 2025

Elon Musk’s X purchased by his AI company xAI

6:00 pm | March 29, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: AI | Comments: Off

Elon Musk-owned X, previously called Twitter, has been purchased by his AI company xAI. This announcement came from Musk through a post on his X account, revealing that X was acquired by xAI in an all-stock transaction, valuing xAI at $80 billion and X at $33 billion ($45B less $12B debt). X, then Twitter, was purchased by Musk in 2022 for about $44 billion and has been mired in controversies for different reasons. With its acquisition by xAI, Musk said this combination of X and xAI, whose "futures are intertwined," will unlock immense potential by "blending xAI’s advanced AI...

Elon Musk’s X purchased by his AI company xAI

6:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: AI | Comments: Off

Obsbot Tiny SE review: a conference room camera king

1:04 pm | March 28, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Peripherals & Accessories Webcams | Tags: AI | Comments: Off

Obsbot Tiny SE webcam: Two-minute review

The Obsbot Tiny SE is an entry-level pan-tilt-and-zoom gimbal webcam with AI features that punches well above its weight. At a remarkably affordable price point of $99 / £109 / AU$199, it offers a compelling blend of features and performance that makes it a strong contender, but only if you need a camera that can follow you around a room.

The Obsbot Tiny SE webcam. — Watching the Tiny SE swivel and tilt to follow your movement is oddly adorable. (Image credit: Future)

The low price point is probably down to the Obsbot Tiny SE maxing out at 1080p resolution. If you’re a stickler for 4K, check out the Obsbot Tiny 2, but for most users, 1080p strikes an excellent balance between quality and practicality. What's more important is that this webcam will go up to 100 frames per second, if you’re moving around a room, gesturing, or being rather animated in general having smooth motion is going to be important.

The webcam utilizes a 1/2.8-inch CMOS sensor with an f/1.8 aperture, resulting in decent low-light performance with minimal noise and grain. This is a significant advantage for home offices with terrible lighting; gamers who prefer a moody, backlit setup will also appreciate how well this webcam performs.

Here is a side-by-side image comparison against the budget webcam king, the Logitech C920. As you can see, the lines are sharper, the details are clearer, and the color balance is better.

Image quality comparison of the Logitech C920 HD and the Obsbot Tiny SE, showing a figurine of a samurai. — Granted, the Logitech C920 has been around for a while now, but at the same 1080p resolution the Tiny SE is notably sharper. (Image credit: Future)

The Tiny SE is, as the name suggests, tiny. Especially for a camera that includes motors able to follow you around a room. There is something undeniably cute about something so small following you around a room. Its compact design ensures it doesn’t hog space on your desk or screen. Here is a picture with it next to an SD card to give you an idea of how small it really is:

The Obsbot Tiny SE webcam next to a regular SD card for size comparison. — The Tiny SE certainly lives up to its name. (Image credit: Future)

The webcam comes with a standard monitor mount, making it easy to clip onto your laptop or desktop display. For added versatility, it also includes a 1/4-inch thread for mounting on tripods or other camera accessories.

The USB-C connection ensures compatibility with modern devices, and the included USB-C to USB-A adapter covers legacy ports. This thoughtful inclusion makes it adaptable without forcing you to rummage through your drawer of forgotten dongles and adapters.

The built-in AI tracking is a showstopper. Whether you’re pacing during a presentation or showcasing a product for your audience, the webcam keeps you perfectly framed. You can choose between different framing like upper-body tracking, or close-up shots.

The tracking works pretty well, keeping subjects in focus even when they move around the frame. Paired with the smooth 100 FPS recording, the result is buttery-smooth footage that doesn’t feel like a typical static webcam shot.

Gesture controls are a fun addition that I personally found annoying but I could see being useful for someone who is presenting. Need to zoom in? Flash an “L” with your hand. Want it to follow your movements? Raise your hand, and it locks onto you. Sometimes however it interprets hand gestures incorrectly and will zoom into a random area or follow you when you don’t want it to. Try it out for yourself to see if it's useful, but personally, I turned it off.

When testing the built-in microphones for the Tiny SE in a quiet room, my voice is clear with good range for webcam use, although a small amount of room echo and noise are present. The mic isn’t exceptional but then I was never expecting it to be and it does struggle a little in a crowded office. You'll always sound better with a dedicated headset or microphone but for a webcam, the Tiny SE offers acceptable audio quality.

In terms of usability, the setup process is straightforward. Plug it in and you’re good to go. The Obsbot Center software does take this webcam to the next level and while it is annoying installing an app for a webcam, it really is worth it to get the most out of the Tiny SE. Its intuitive interface makes adjusting settings a breeze, whether you’re tweaking the tracking mode or fine-tuning image quality. You can adjust ISO, shutter speed, white balance, and refresh rate, as well as play with its AI features. The software also supports integration with tools like the Elgato Stream Deck, letting you set up presets for different angles or zoom levels at the push of a button.

While the AI-driven tracking around a room is almost flawless, the autofocus leaves something to be desired. While it technically works, it isn’t as snappy or accurate as autofocus found in higher-end and more expensive models. There’s noticeable focus hunting and occasional warping, which can be distracting when trying to present or walking around. It’s one of the few compromises they clearly made to keep the price so low.

Obsbot Tiny SE webcam: Price & availability

How much does it cost? $99 / £109 / AU$199
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? The US, UK, and Australia

Here’s where the Obsbot Tiny SE hits it out of the park: the price. At $99 / £109 / AU$199, this webcam is fighting way above its weight class. Comparable models with similar features and gimbal tracking often cost significantly more. The Tiny SE provides a budget-friendly option for those who want tracking without the premium price tag.

Obsbot Tiny SE webcam: Specs

Should you buy the Obsbot Tiny SE webcam?

Buy it if...

You're upgrading a conference room setup
This is a "no-brainer" for businesses looking to upgrade conference calls. Its ability to track speakers and provide a more dynamic meeting experience while also being affordable and easy to use makes is easy to recommend.

You need AI tracking on a budget
The Tiny SE offers smooth, reliable AI tracking. If you move around during presentations, demonstrations, or online teaching, this camera will keep you framed effectively.

Don't buy it if...

You don't need pan, tilt, and zoom
The AI tracking and PTZ features are the Tiny SE's main selling points. If you primarily sit stationary in front of your computer, a less expensive, static webcam will likely suffice and save you money like the cute Obsbot Meet SE.

You need 4K video quality
If you're a professional content creator (or you're very serious about video conferencing) you might want to spring for a 4K webcam instead.

Obsbot Tiny SE webcam: Also consider

Logitech C920
The quintessential 1080p webcam. Logitech's C920 has been a reliable and sensibly-priced choice of webcam for years, making it a good pick if you'd like to save some cash and don't need the fancy AI-tracking features found on the Obsbot Tiny SE.

Read our full Logitech C920 review

Obsbot Tiny 2
If you're looking for a more premium webcam than the Tiny SE, the Tiny 2 from Obsbot is virtually the exact same device - but with a 4K camera and some extra bells and whistles. For those who want a high-end video experience, this is a great pick (though it's naturally more expensive than the Tiny SE).

Read our full Obsbot Tiny 2 review

How I tested the Obsbot Tiny SE webcam

Tested the webcam in video calls
Spent a while experimenting with the gesture command feature
Compared image quality to other webcams

I used the Obsbot Tiny SE for video calls and general image quality testing, as well as trying it out with various lighting levels to see how well it performed. I also tried out the gesture controls, and did some side-by-side comparisons with other webcams the offer the same resolution.

Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro review: One-minute review

If you can count on Chinese tech brand Xiaomi to do one thing in its gadgets, it’s to load them up with top-end spec and then sell them for a relatively competitive price, and that’s exactly what it’s done with the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro.

This new mid-range slate is a relative rarity given Xiaomi’s focus on low-end tablets over mid-range ones (it doesn’t sell top-end ones to match the price of the iPad Pro or Samsung Galaxy Tab S10). It follows the Pad 6 which was released in the west in 2023, and it comes amidst many other Android tab rivals all vying for a spot in our list of the best tablets, including the recent Honor Pad V9 and Oppo Pad 3 Pro. It’s this latter that competes closely with the Xiaomi, in terms of specs and price – more on that later.

As is often the case with Xiaomi’s gadgets, the brand has laden the Pad 7 Pro with top-tier specs. It has one of the most powerful chipsets on Android devices right now, plus a screen resolution and charging speed that aren’t currently available on any rival products right now.

So it’s spec-heavy but it has its issues too. There’s a fingerprint scanner built into the power button that proved quite unreliable, the battery drained pretty quickly during gaming, and the tablet could heat up quite a bit. I also found some of the AI features to be unreliable.

Given its display size, the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro could be considered an Android-powered iPad Pro 11 rival. It's less powerful but costs less and has a better-looking display... and the Xiaomi's accessories are just as pricey as Apple's versions.

So if you've been considering buying a fairly powerful tablet but don't need the top-end trappings of an iPad Pro, or the price tag that comes with it, the Xiaomi is a solid option. However if you're not as picky a buyer, you'll find that the Xiaomi doesn't offer quite as much value for money as more affordable options that you'll find detailed below.

Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro review: price and availability

The Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro on a bronze table — (Image credit: Future)

Released in Februay 2025
Starts at £449, but only on sale in limited regions
Accessories cost a pretty penny

The Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro was unveiled in February 2025 alongside a suite of other gadgets from the company including the Xiaomi 15 series of smartphones, the Xiaomi Buds 5, a new smartwatch and the base model Xiaomi Pad 7.

You can pick up the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro for £449 (around $581 / AU$900, though it’s not on sale in the US or Australia). That price will get you 8GB RAM and 256GB storage but I’d recommend you pay an extra £50 (around $70, AU$100) for the higher-spec 12GB RAM and 512GB model, which gets you a lot more power. Add that premium again and you can get a special matte glass model of the higher-spec tablet, which will provide a more premium design but the same internals.

At that price, this is a mid-range slate, designed not as an entry into the tablet world but for people who are looking for a series tab with a lot of power but not all the trimmings and trappings of a top-price premium alternative.

Price-wise it sits between the standard iPad and the iPad Air, or at about £100 more than the non-Pro Xiaomi Pad 7. We’ll get to a few competitors later but suffice to say, you can expect a fair amount if you’re paying this much for a tablet.

I’ll briefly touch on accessories too: these don’t come with the slate but you can buy them separately. There’s a keyboard stand for £119 and a Focus Keyboard £179, and these are imitations of Apple’s Keyboard Folio and Smart Keyboard respectively. The main difference with the latter is that it has a trackpad and lets you tilt the display over different angles. Then there’s the stylus, which costs £89, and a standard cover-stand that costs £45.

Value: 3 / 5

Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro review: specs

Here are the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro's specs at a glance:

Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro review: design

Lightweight and pretty thin
Three color options plus one matte alternative
Unreliable fingerprint scanner

You may find the look of the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro familiar, and that’s because it boasts the same flat-edge unibody look that most slates have been using since the iPad Pro was introduced 7 years ago. Oh well: if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, and it’s popular for a reason: the design is svelte and slender, easily slipping into a bag and looking good to use.

The exact measurements of the Pad 7 Pro are 251.22 x 173.42 x 6.18mm, so it’s pretty slim. It weighs 500g, according to Xiaomi.

When held landscape the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro has a USB-C charging port on the right edge, but no 3.5mm jack, I’m sorry to say. There’s a volume rocker and a power button, and the latter doubles as a fingerprint scanner, but it wasn’t the most reliable sensor. When attached to a keyboard, I found that the lip of the folio overshot the edge of the tablet, so I had to angle my finger just right to press my finger on the sensor.

The keyboard case adds quite a bit to the bulk of this otherwise-thin and portable tablet. However, its added protection is worth the extra size, in my eyes, as gadgets like this are prone to scratches and bumps.

You’ll want to add a case or keyboard if you plan to lay the slate flat on a table. That’s because the square camera bump on the back of the Pad is pretty pronounced, so it’ll wobble quite a bit if you don’t use the case to level it out.

You can buy the tablet in gray, blue or green, and the aforementioned matte glass version is also gray – I didn’t test this model, so can’t talk about what difference it makes.

Xiaomi’s website doesn’t list an IP rating for the Pad 7 Pro and I’d take that to mean that there isn’t significant protection against dust or water. Try to avoid getting the thing wet, or getting into a situation where fine particles could get into the ports (that includes sand, you beach-readers!).

Design: 4 / 5

Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro review: display

11.2-inch display and 3:2 aspect ratio
2136 x 3200 resolution and 144Hz refresh rate

The Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro has an 11.2-inch screen, making this a potential alternative to the smaller-sized iPad Pro which also has an 11-inch screen. Both have the same 3:2 aspect ratio, but the Xiaomi has more pixels.

Its resolution is 2136 x 3200, which Xiaomi classifies as 3.2K – enough for any movie, TV show or game you’d want to enjoy on the slate. In all my testing and research, I haven’t found a tablet with a higher resolution (and all Apple and Samsung options have fewer pixels), so if you want something really high-res, this is for you. It equals a 345 pixel-per-inch density.

The refresh rate is 144Hz, which only a handful of video games can hit, but by default the slate runs on an adaptive mode which changes the refresh rate depending on your task.

The max brightness is 800 nits, which is fairly luminous and it’ll make the colors in your chosen TV show pop more. However when I used the tablet in a coffee shop, I did struggle to see the screen due to glare from sunlight.

One other display feature to mention is that there’s official support for Dolby Vision here, a visual standard that’s used for movies if you stream from certain apps like Netflix.

Display: 5 / 5

Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro review: software

Android 15 with HyperOS 2 laid over the top
AI features are hit-or-miss
Some bloatware

The Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro runs on Xiaomi’s version of Android, HyperOS 2, which runs on top of Android 15. I couldn’t find official confirmation from Xiaomi for how long it plans to support the tablet with software updates.

HyperOS, for better or worse, doesn’t change many layout or design features of Android. Android has been in iPadOS’ shadow as a tablet-oriented operating system and while it’s come on leaps and bounds in the last few years, with features like split-view apps and a redesigned user interface, there are still some annoyances, like how squished the quick settings menu is.

Instead, Xiaomi has jumped on the AI bandwagon by loading the Pad 7 Pro full of features that bear the ‘AI’ name – though some didn’t work right, and a few didn’t work at all. I could never find a way to enable the AI art feature, for instance, which lets you circle your own works in the Mi Canvas app to create AI-generated images.

Using my own photos, the AI: 1) thought movie posters on my wall were documents, and wouldn’t let me edit any part of the picture except the posters 2) provided completely incorrect transcripts when I asked it to recognize text and 3) failed to identify items I wanted removed from shots.

Plus, you need to create a Xiaomi account, sign in and install these features to use any of them, so they’re not available out of the box, and features are spread between separate menus in the Gallery app instead of being in one place.

Some AI features worked better, like the speech-to-text conversion from the recorder app, so it’s not all doom and gloom. I find AI features incredibly situational at the best of times, and didn’t use any of the Pad 7 Pro’s during day-to-day use, so their unreliable nature won’t affect your using the tablet if you don’t plan to utilize these tools. Notably, they only seem to work from the Pad 7 Pro’s pre-installed apps; I couldn’t use the AI writing tool on Google Docs, for example.

As with many Xiaomi devices there’s bloatware with apps like LinkedIn, WPS Office and Gemini pre-installed, but it’s not as dramatic as on many phones from the company.

A few features make the Pad 7 Pro useful as a working tool, like the ability to wirelessly connect it to a Windows or Mac PC as a screen extension (without downloading any extra apps on either) or to turn it into a working hub for other Xiaomi gadgets you own.

Software: 3 / 5

Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro review: performance and cameras

Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 provides lots of processing power
8GB/12GB RAM and 256GB/512GB storage
50MP rear camera and 32MP front-facing

Xiaomi has packed up the Pad 7 Pro with a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, a chipset that was designed as a slightly less powerful alternative to the top-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. So the Xiaomi Pad isn’t the most powerful slate on the market, not as long as Apple is offering desktop-class M2 and M4 chips in the iPad Air and iPad Pro, but it can still hold its head up high for most functions.

I tested a variety of games on the tablet and never saw serious stuttering or lagging, with titles able to run their highest graphics options if they were available. Perhaps for super-power-hungry tasks like video editing you might need a little more power, but for 99% of buyers, I’d say the 8s Gen 3 is enough. However when gaming, a common Snapdragon problem did arise: the slate could get pretty hot if I gamed for too long in one session. Take breaks!

In terms of speakers, there are four around the tablet. These provide Dolby Atmos audio for supported apps and Xiaomi has also included a Volume Boost feature that does exactly what you’d expect. However, movies and music only sound one step better than listening on a smartphone, and I found myself opting to use Bluetooth headphones when streaming movies.

The rear and front cameras of the Pad 7 Pro are both surprisingly high-res; you’re getting a 50MP camera on the back and a 32MP one on the front. There are a few photography modes (Portrait and Night on the rear camera), but you’re not getting nearly as many as on a smartphone.

A small LED mounted on the top bezel of the slate, just next to the front camera, lights up green when either camera is on; a bonus for privacy-conscious users.

Performance: 4 / 5

Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro review: battery

8,850mAh battery drains surprisingly fast
67W charging powers up tab quickly
Battery health tech

Keeping the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro powered is a 8,850mAh battery, which is in the same ballpark as its competitors.

Xiaomi estimates that you can keep the tablet running for 19 hours of video playback with that battery, but while I didn’t personally watch Netflix for that long in my testing period, I did find the battery would drain a little quicker than I’d expect.

At least the tablet charges quickly: with 67W powering, this is one of the fastest-charging slates you’ll find on the market. Xiaomi’s says it should take about 80 minutes to power from empty to full and I’d concur.

If you worry about battery health, the slate also has two chips that Xiaomi designed for its smartphones; one helps extend the device’s battery life and the other ensures that fast charging doesn’t damage the battery capacity.

Battery: 3/5

Should you buy the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro?

Buy it if…

You care about screen fidelity
If your tablet use case necessitates lots of on-screen pixels, then the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro's high-res display will be perfect for you.View Deal

You want power on a budget
It's not the cheapest tablet, and it's not the most powerful, but the Xiaomi is a lovely marriage between value and power.View Deal

You're not great at remembering to charge
Tablets often take ages to charge, which isn't great for those of us who constantly forget to plug in the slate. The Xiaomi's 67W powering helps a lot with that.View Deal

Don’t buy it if…

You want accessories on a budget
I was surprised to learn how expensive the Xiaomi's accessories are. If you're on a budget but want a stylus or keyboard, you might want to look elsewhere.View Deal

You're reliant on AI features
If you are buying a tablet for its AI-enabled features, then you might find the Xiaomi doesn't reach expectations.View Deal

Also consider

Not convinced by the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro? Here are a few other options to consider:

iPad Pro 11 (2024)
You get more with the iPad: more processing power, more storage and lots of Apple features. However it costs a lot more, doesn't have as high-res a display and charges a lot slower.

Read more about the iPad Pro (2024)

Oppo Pad 3 Pro
Oppo's Android tablet costs roughly the same as the Xiaomi, and its specs are very similar too. Slight differences distinguish the two, but nothing huge.

Read our full Oppo Pad 3 Pro review

How I tested the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro

I used the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro for three weeks before writing this review, alongside the keyboard folio which you see in some of the accompanying pictures. The model used was the higher-spec option.

My use cases involved streaming movies, TV shows and music across various apps, playing several games titles, writing articles for my job and reading news stories online.

I've been reviewing products for TechRadar since early 2019, covering everything from tablets and smartphones to headphones, fitness trackers, and electric scooters.

Why you can trust TechRadar

☑️ 100s of smartphones reviewed
☑️ 15 years of product testing
☑️ Over 16,000 products reviewed in total
☑️ Nearly 200,000 hours testing tech

First reviewed March 2025

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Google Pixel 9a: Two-minute review

Google Pixel 9a review: Price and availability

Google Pixel 9a review: Specs

Google Pixel 9a review: Design

Google Pixel 9a review: Display

Google Pixel 9a review: Software

Google Pixel 9a review: Cameras

This macro shot was taken with the Pixel 9a

This macro shot was taken with a Nikon D750 DSLR with a Tamron 100mm macro lens

Google Pixel 9a review: Camera samples

Google Pixel 9a review: Performance

Google Pixel 9 Pro review: Battery

Should you buy the Google Pixel 9 Pro?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Google Pixel 9a review: Also consider

How I tested the Google Pixel 9a

Potensic Atom 2: one-minute review

Potensic Atom 2: release date and price

Potensic Atom 2: specs

Potensic Atom 2: design and handling

Potensic Atom 2: features and performance

Potensic Atom 2: image and video quality

Main example video

AI Night video

Potensic Atom 2: testing scorecard

Should I buy the Potensic Atom 2?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Potensic Atom 2: also consider

How I tested the Potensic Atom 2

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra: two-minute review

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra review: price & availability

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra specs

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra review: design

Vacuum

Dock

Accessories

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra review: performance

Comfort & usability

Cleaning performance

Suction tests

Attachments & handheld mode

Emptying

App

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra review: battery life

Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra review: alternatives to consider

Should you buy the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra

Obsbot Tiny SE webcam: Two-minute review

Obsbot Tiny SE webcam: Price & availability

Obsbot Tiny SE webcam: Specs

Should you buy the Obsbot Tiny SE webcam?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Obsbot Tiny SE webcam: Also consider

How I tested the Obsbot Tiny SE webcam

Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro review: One-minute review

Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro review: price and availability

Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro review: specs

Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro review: design

Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro review: display

Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro review: software

Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro review: performance and cameras

Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro review: battery

Should you buy the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Also consider

How I tested the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro

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