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Google Pixel 9 Pro review – the smaller Pro phone you’ve been hoping for

8:00 pm | August 13, 2024

Google Pixel 9 Pro: One-minute review

Pixel 9 Pro, clockwise arrangement showing back of Porcelain; Hazel; Obsidian; Rose Quartz — Pixel 9 Pro, clockwise from top-left: Porcelain; Hazel; Obsidian; Rose Quartz (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Google Pixel 9 Pro is the phone I’ve been asking for… I just forgot to ask Google. With the new Pixel 9 Pro, Google is the only company offering all of its best features on a smaller phone. You can buy an iPhone 15 Pro or Galaxy S24, but if you want the best you need to pay more and accept the biggest phones Apple and Samsung make. Not so with Google’s latest Pro Pixel.

I’m a big fan of great camera phones, but all the great camera phones are really big. If you want the best iPhone or Galaxy camera, you have to buy an iPhone 15 Pro Max or a Galaxy S24 Ultra. Anything less would be a compromise. You get a less powerful zoom lens if you choose the iPhone 15 Pro. You get less powerful everything if you choose a cheaper Galaxy.

The Pixel 9 Pro has the exact same camera specs as the Pixel 9 Pro XL. There are no changes and no compromises. It’s silly that this is a big deal, but as phones grew larger over the years, phone makers gave up on making the smaller phones just as capable as the larger phones. With the Pixel 9 Pro you get the exact same sensors with the same megapixels, and the same lenses with the same aperture, including the 5x telephoto camera.

What do you forego if you pick the smaller Pixel 9 Pro over the larger Pixel 9 Pro XL? There’s the screen size, obviously. The Pixel 9 Pro has a 6.3-inch display, versus the 6.8-inch display on the Pixel 9 Pro XL. Google didn’t just expand the same resolution on the larger phone, either – the Pro XL phone has a higher resolution, although it’s a tiny bit less sharp in terms of pixel density. Like the Pro XL, the Pixel 9 Pro is incredibly bright, with average brightness around 2,000 nits and peak possibility of up to 3,000 nits. That’s enough to take photos in bright sunlight, and maybe even hurt your eyes if you stare closely for too long.

I’ll need to spend time with the cameras to see if they truly offer an improvement over last year's Pro, but the Pixel 9 Pro will likely attract attention more for its AI capabilities than for its photo prowess. Even the cameras and photo-editing tools have been boosted by the latest Google Gemini AI, and the most exciting new Gemini AI feature is a Pixel 9 Pro exclusive – it won’t be available on the Pixel 9.

That feature is Gemini Live, the new conversational tool that Google is offering with Google Gemini. You’ll be able to talk to Google Gemini in a more natural way, and Google is staring down ChatGPT by making a chat-friendly AI tool that runs natively on a mobile phone.

Google Gemini is going to understand and interact with us in many new ways once the Pixel 9 Pro arrives. It will be a multimodal AI, which means it'll be able to look at photos or listen to audio and answer questions about what it sees and hears. Google says you’ll be able to take a photo of the plant that’s dying on your window sill and ask for advice on how to save it.

Gemini will also be able to listen to your phone calls. It won’t just listen, it will take notes and send you a summary of the call after you hang up. Google says this feature will alert both parties that the call is being summarized by AI. I’ve seen that similar features are coming soon from Apple and Motorola, so it seems that an AI will soon be monitoring phone calls no matter what phone brand you choose. That’s kind of alarming.

Google Pixel 9 Pro — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Pixel 9 Pro will get seven years of Android OS updates, including Pixel feature drops and security patches. If you plan on holding onto your phone for that long, I’d suggest looking at the Pixel 9 Pro over the Pixel 9, which gets the same seven-year promise – the slight hardware upgrade may be important over the long term.

The Pixel 9 Pro comes with 16GB of RAM inside, compared to 12GB in the Pixel 9. Those are massive amounts of memory for a mobile device, no matter which Pixel you choose. Samsung’s most powerful phone, the Galaxy S24 Ultra, only has 12GB of RAM, and you’d need to buy a gaming phone like an Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro to get 16GB or more (up to 24GB in the Asus phone) before the Pixel 9 Pro comes along.

My guess is that all that RAM isn’t for today – it’s for what’s to come. I’ve been very skeptical that today’s Pixel phones, like the Pixel 8, will really last through the seven years of updates that Google is promising. Google can’t make a processor that is future-proof, but adding more RAM that is needed at launch is a way to make sure that the phone will have spare headroom for whatever AI vehicles get parked in the Pixel garage.

With all that in mind, the Pixel 9 Pro is the most exciting Pixel phone I’ve seen in years, and I haven’t even mentioned the new design (and check out my Pixel 9 Pro XL hands-on for more on the new look). It’s a pleasantly smaller phone that doesn’t skimp on features like every other smaller phone. It’s got exciting camera features and AI tools today, with more on the way, and the right hardware to stay up to date when the future arrives.

Google Pixel 9 Pro hands-on: Price and availability

The Pixel 9 Pro XL in Rose Quartz and Pixel 9 in Peony — The Pixel 9 Pro XL (left) and Pixel 9 (right) will launch a couple weeks earlier (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Costs $999 / £999 with 128GB of storage
Preorders are open now
Available on September 4, after the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL

You can pre-order the Pixel 9 Pro today, but the phone won’t be available until after the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL have hit store shelves. The latter two phones will be available on August 22, but the Pixel 9 Pro and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold can’t be yours until September 4.

The Pixel 9 Pro costs $999 / £999, and comes with only 128GB of storage for that price, which is shameful. You can upgrade the storage up to 1TB, and surely Google and others will have periodic deals that give you more storage for the same price. Every model comes with 16GB of RAM.

You can buy the Pixel 9 Pro in black Obsidian, off-white Porcelain, gray Hazel and pink Rose Quartz. The Pixel 9 Pro XL comes in the exact same color options.

If you’re considering a pre-order, you should know that Google Pixel phones tend to go on sale early and often. For instance, the Pixel 8 Pro was launched in mid-October, 2024, for $999 and by the middle of November it was already on sale with a $200 discount on Amazon in the US. It’s probably been discounted more than half of the year it has been on sale, and the lowest price has been almost 30% off the launch price.

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Google Pixel 9 Pro hands-on: Specs

Google Pixel 9 Pro in Hazel, the best color — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

How does the Pixel 9 stack up against competitors? The best comparison is the Samsung Galaxy S24, launched at the beginning of this year. Samsung is using the fastest processor on any Android phone, so there’s no contest with raw processing power. On other specs, however, the Pixel 9 is very impressive.

The Pixel 9 has a better display than Samsung’s Galaxy S24, according to DXO Labs and Google. It’s brighter, with a higher resolution. The Pixel 9 may also have better cameras. The Ultrawide camera specs are the same on both phones, but the Pixel 9 has a larger sensor for its main camera, with a wider aperture lens that should bring more light to the sensor. We’ll have to test the phone thoroughly to be sure.

The Pixel 9 has faster charging than the Galaxy S24, according to Google, but we’ll have to test those claims in Future Labs. The battery size is the same, but the Pixel 9 charges at 45W, while the Galaxy S24 charges at 25W. To Samsung’s credit, the Galaxy S24 is a thinner and lighter phone than the Pixel 9. Both phones use Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for the front glass, and both phones are rated to IP68 water and dust resistance.

Google Pixel 9 Pro hands-on: Design and display

Google Pixel 9 Pro showing home screen elements — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Super-bright display is also razor sharp
Cool new design evolves the camera bar

Google is not messing around when it comes to the Pixel 9 Pro display. If you’re wondering how the Pixel is better than other Pro phones from Apple and Samsung, this is it. Google is winning on smartphone screens. The so-called Super Actua display on the Pixel 9 Pro is brighter than competing phones from Apple and Samsung, and it has a higher resolution as well. It looks fantastic, and it’s easy to read under any lighting conditions.

If you’re deciding between the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL, the 9 Pro doesn’t have as many pixels overall, but it packs those pixels tighter for a higher pixel density, making it slightly more sharp. Both Pro Pixel models have a display that's more pixel dense than any iPhone available now.

I wasn’t sure about the Pixel 9 Pro design after seeing the leaks, then the early preview images from Google. I’ve been a fan of the Pixel camera bar since the Pixel 6 launched. I especially liked the multicolor design of the Pixel 6a, but Google has been mostly monochromatic recently. That’s fine, because the Pixel 9 Pro looks fantastic, and it comes in some very snazzy colors that are unique but not too loud.

The Hazel grey has been growing on me ever since I laid eyes on it. It’s a very pleasant shade, more like wet granite than dark clouds. The porcelain is a nice alternative to a stark white model, and the Rose Quartz is a pleasant shade of blossom pink, more mature than the Peony pink available on the Pixel 9. If you’re boring you can also get the Pixel 9 Pro in black Obsidian.

Google chooses excellent materials and finish options to complement the colors. The matte glass back has depth to it, especially on the porcelain and hazel devices. The polished metal frame is more refined than the satin finish on the Pixel 9; it catches the light and sparkles.

I even like the camera bar, possibly because of how dated it’s going to look in a few years. It’s unique and very à la mode, with bold, almost cartoonish lines and curves. I like the look, and I’m curious to see how it evolves over the next few generations.

I hope it doesn’t become a boring old bump like every other phone. Like the camera bar of old, the new camera pill shape remains symmetrical and clean, and the phone didn’t rock when I placed it face up, like some Samsung phones do with their corner-situated camera bumps.

Google Pixel 9 Pro hands-on: Software

Google Pixel 9 Pro showing emoji wallpaper creation tool — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Lot of AI features will get to know you
Screenshots sounds useful, but will take some adjustment

Do you like AI? I hope you do, because the Pixel 9 Pro is going to push AI to a level we haven’t seen before in a smartphone. You’re going to talk to the Gemini AI on the Pixel 9 Pro like it’s a person. You’ll be able to show it things with the camera and ask questions about what you see. It’s going to organize and keep track of the things on your phone, and it will be able to answer questions in a normal, conversational style.

At least, that’s what Google promises. Some of it is very cool and immediately useful, like the Add Me feature in the camera. I’ll get to that next, but it works well and I can imagine using it; I just wish it had been around 10 years ago when I was chasing my toddler with a camera.

Some of the new AI features are a bit worrisome, though. You can ask the AI to listen to your phone calls and take notes. It will summarize calls and answer questions about what was said. Google says that your callers will get a warning when you use this feature, but it still feels strange to have the phone listening to calls and keeping track. I’ll need to test this feature thoroughly.

There's also a new Screenshots app that's exclusive to the Pixel 9 range, at least for now. If you take a lot of screenshots to help you remember, well, everything, the Pixel 9 Pro will be able to use its AI powers to read and understand your screenshots. It will be able to answer questions about the things you've saved, in a natural, conversational way, according to Google.

It’s hard for me to imagine how useful this might be, but I have to admit that after I spent time with the Pixel 9 Pro, I took a look at my other phones and realized I have far more screenshots than I ever imagined – and not all of them were taken just because I accidentally pressed the power and volume buttons at the same time.

If you buy the Pixel 9 Pro, Google will give you a year of its Google One AI Premium plan, which comes with 2TB of cloud storage. With the Premium plan, you can use Google Gemini Advanced, which is the, um, advanced model of Gemini. I’ve been a subscriber since it launched, so I can’t compare Gemini Advanced to the regular old Gemini, but I’m happy with the results I’ve been getting so far.

Google Pixel 9 Pro hands-on: Cameras

The older Pixel 8 Pro next to the Pixel 9 Pro (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Same 5x zoom lens as the Pixel 9 Pro XL
AI offers Improvements to video zoom and night video

Apple take note: you don’t need to make the 5x zoom lens exclusive to the big phone. Some people want a smaller phone, and those people shouldn’t have to sacrifice camera quality or capabilities. It’s strange that both Samsung and Apple, to varying degrees, make you settle for second-best cameras if you want their smaller phone, but the Pixel 9 Pro does not have the same constraint. Whether you buy the Pro of the Pixel 9 Pro XL, you get the exact same cameras, including the 5x zoom lens.

When I say the exact same cameras, I mean it. The sensors and lenses are the same. There isn’t some special image stabilization that you only get on the Pixel 9 Pro XL, as there is with the iPhone 15 Pro Max. It’s all the same. In fact, the main camera and ultra-wide cameras are the same kit found on the Pixel 9, but that cheaper phone doesn’t have a zoom lens. If you’re serious about taking photos, you need the zoom.

The new Add Me feature on the camera seems genuinely useful, though I am a bit hesitant. The TechRadar team gave it a try in our hands-on time with the Pixel phones, and it did a great job adding our Editor-at-Large Lance Ulanoff to a photo after I’d left him out. It was easy to line up the shot and tell Lance where to stand, and the end results were flawless.

Is that a good thing, that the Pixel 9 Pro can create a flawless image of a group photo that never happened? I haven’t decided, but I can easily imagine this feature catching on, especially with new parents.

The Pixel 9 Pro also gets new video capabilities, thanks to Google’s AI enhancements. The camera can already use AI for what Google calls a 'Super Res Zoom' photo that can zoom in up to 30x. Now the video camera can also use 'Super Res Zoom' for up to 20x zoom on video recordings.

If you’re recording at night, Google’s Video Boost feature has been improved to process dark videos twice as fast, once the video has been uploaded. Also, Google has improved low-light handling for panorama shots, and it says the Pixel 9 Pro can create the best panoramas in low light of any camera.

Google Pixel 9 Pro hands-on: Performance and battery

Tons of RAM should help with AI features today and to come
Fastest battery charging on a Pixel, but no charger in the box

Pixel fans don’t fret about performance and benchmarks, because Pixel phones aren’t built for power, they're built for Google. You won’t win benchmark weightlifting competitions with the Pixel 9 Pro, but Google has given the phone some interesting hardware to keep it current with the latest Android software and Pixel feature drops for the next seven years.

The Pixel 9 Pro has 16GB of RAM, which is truly mind-blowing in a mobile device. My first laptop had only… never mind, it doesn’t matter. Let’s just say that 16GB is more than any other phone most people have heard of. You’d need to buy an Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro gaming phone and spend extra on RAM to top the Pixel 9 Pro.

Why so much RAM? Probably AI. Across the board, on laptops and mobile phones, our testing has shown that RAM makes a big difference with AI features. Is it more important than having the fastest Snapdragon processor? Time will tell, but if I buy a Pixel hoping to make it to the end of the seven-year promise, I want that Pixel to be stuffed with RAM.

The Pixel 9 Pro should charge faster than any previous Pixel, according to Google, but that claim isn’t very impressive. You’ll need to buy a 45W charger to get the full charging speed, and it’s worth the investment. Google should have included one with this Pro phone, since presumably most buyers won’t already have a charger this fast.

Oddly, the Pixel 9 Pro XL has a larger battery, but it also charges faster, according to Google’s charging-time estimates. It has the same 45W charging capability, but Google says it charges faster. When you ask Google about the spec differences between the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL, it tells you the only differences are the screen and the ‘power,’ which seems to mean more than just battery size. We’ll have to test these claims to see what’s really happening.

Google Pixel 9 Pro hands-on: The bottom line

The Pixel 9 Pro is an exciting phone, and I hope Apple and Samsung pay attention. It’s a smaller phone that doesn’t skimp on performance or memory, and especially not on cameras. If you’ve been pining for a smaller phone that doesn’t make you feel left out, the Pixel 9 Pro is worth a look.

Is it better than other phones at this price? I’ll need to test the phone thoroughly, but it seems promising. The display alone is a winning feature, and it’s a wonder that Google hasn’t earned a stronger reputation for its spectacular Super Actua screens.

With cameras, however, everybody knows Google Pixel phones are among the best, and the Pixel 9 Pro is the most promising camera system yet on a Pixel phone. I like the new AI features, even if I’m nervous about relying on AI to change images. I’m very interested to see how the AI improves photography as I’m shooting, especially the low-light improvements to video shooting and panoramas.

The Pixel 9 Pro is going to require a lot of trust. I’m going to turn over my screenshots, all of those dozens of random, unsorted images, and let the AI read everything. I’m going to let it listen to my phone calls, and I’m going to rely on its interpretation of what was said. I’m going to have conversations with this phone like a normal person. I just hope it acts normal. I’m not sure I’m ready for my phone to be this much of a person.

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First hands-on August 2024

Google Pixel 9 review – the dawn of a new Pixel era

8:00 pm |

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

Google Pixel 9: One-minute review

Google Pixel 9 from the back in every color — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Google Pixel 9 makes sense – it’s a very easy phone to explain. When you buy the Pixel 9, you get the best of the Pixel 9 Pro, for less money. You get the exact same processors, two of the exact same cameras (the Pro gets an extra one), and the same new AI features, with none of the good stuff left out just because you didn’t go Pro. No other phone company draws such a straight line from the bottom to the top of its range.

The Pixel 9 even looks more like its Pro brethren than previous 'standard' models. The Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro are nearly identical in shape, size and weight. Both have a 6.3-inch display that is searingly bright. The batteries are the same size. Both the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro use Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for improved durability up front, and Google says the Pixel 9 is twice as durable as last year’s Pixel 8.

Along with that improved durability comes an entirely new look for the Pixel family. The old camera bar is gone, replaced with a ‘camera pill’ (my term, not Google’s) that doesn’t quite extend across the full width of the rear of the phones. It looks much better in person than it did in early leaked photos. The Pixel 9 still looks unique compared to the asymmetrical corner-placed cameras on your typical iPhone or Galaxy phone, but this is the biggest style departure in years, since the Pixel 6 ushered in today’s Pixel design language.

Google Pixel 9 front and back — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Pixel 9 looks remarkably like the Pixel 9 Pro. One phone has a polished glass back with a satin finish to the metal frame and camera bump. The other has a matte glass back with a polished finish to the frame. If I didn’t tell you which was which, you probably couldn’t guess, though the Pixel 9 Pro gives itself away with the extra camera lens.

What are you sacrificing if you choose the Pixel 9 instead of the Pixel 9 Pro? The Pixel 9 comes with ‘only’ 12GB of RAM, which is the same as a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, but the Pixel 9 Pro offers 16GB. I think more RAM will be important with new AI features becoming the headline features for new phones. Those AI tricks need a lot of RAM, probably more than they need a super-powerful processor.

The Pixel 9 doesn’t offer a zoom lens in its camera setup, but it does give you the same 50MP wide camera and 48MP ultra-wide found on the Pixel 9 Pro. And you don't just get the same number of pixels, you get the exact same sensors. Neither Apple nor Samsung give you the same cameras on the base model and the most expensive version.

Of course, the Pixel 9 isn’t just about cameras, even though the cameras look like a big improvement over the Pixel 8. It’s also a showcase for Google’s latest AI ambitions, and Google Gemini is looking very ambitious. Is it time to worry about AI on your phone? Not yet, but we’re getting closer.

Google Gemini on the Pixel 9 will be Google’s first multimodal AI attempt. That means it won’t just listen to your voice or read what you type; it will also be able to look at an image or listen to audio and answer questions based on what it sees and hears. Google says you can take a photo of the contents of your fridge, and Gemini will suggest recipes based on the ingredients you have.

Like previous Pixel phones, the Pixel 9 will be able to change your photos. Some new photo features seem invaluable, like the Add Me feature built into the Pixel camera. As a parent, I was often left out of photos because, well, I was holding the camera. With Add Me, the photographer can take a photo, then pass the camera to someone else and step into the shot; that person takes another shot, and then the Pixel adds you seamlessly to the first image, like you were all together.

Other features border on questionable AI. There's a new ‘reimagine’ tool in the Magic Editor, as well as a Pixel Studio image generator. It’s easy to change your images or create new, fake photos, but at best the usefulness of these tools seems questionable, and at worst they have the potential to be used in nefarious ways.

The Pixel 9 can also listen to your phone calls and take notes using Gemini AI. Google says this AI feature will announce itself to you and your caller when you activate it, but I’m not yet comfortable with everyday, normal phone calls being recorded for no reason. I’m worried that this will soon become the norm with mobile AI, and I haven’t seen proof that our privacy is being properly safeguarded.

Is the Pixel 9 going to be worth buying? A lot depends on the camera image quality, and also on how much you care about new AI features; because AI is already a big part of this phone and it’s only going to get bigger. The new Pixel-exclusive Screenshots app doesn’t appeal to me at the start, but if it proves useful then I might start taking a lot more screenshots, and relying more on the AI for answers.

But why stop at screenshots? Why stop at phone calls? Eventually, the Gemini AI could expand to understand a lot more of the world around you, especially now that it has become a multimodal tool. Over the next seven years, Google says the Pixel 9 will get major Android OS updates, Pixel feature drops, and security patches. I expect the stickiest and most useful AI tools today will become a much more important part of the entire Android system tomorrow.

Google Pixel 9 hands-on review: Price and availability

Available August 22 starting at $799 / £799
Maybe wait for a price drop closer to the year’s end

The Pixel 9 is available for pre-order now, and you'll be able to find it in stores from August 22. The phone comes in two storage options – 128GB or 256GB – and you may want to opt for the larger capacity if you plan on keeping your phone for longer. Who knows how much storage future large language models (LLM) will take up.

The colors this year are inspired by nature, and they look great in the myriad materials and finishes Google uses for the frame, the glass, and the camera hump. The new Peony pink is bright and saturated, and it stands out more than the pink Rose Quartz color on the Pixel 9 Pro.

The Wintergreen is my favorite, but I’ve been carrying a porcelain Pixel 8 Pro for a while and I’m happy to see that off-white make a comeback this year on the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro. If you’re boring you can always get the black Obsidian color.

I must warn you that Pixel phones go on sale frequently, and pricing can be erratic throughout the year. While the Pixel 9 starts at $799 / £799, I would expect that price to drop, though not as quickly as before. The Pixel 8 went on sale in mid-October last year, and by mid-November you could buy one on Amazon for $150 off the launch price in the US.

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Google Pixel 9 hands-on review: Specs

The Pixel 9 has a better display than the Galaxy S24, according to DXO Labs and Google. It’s brighter, with a higher resolution. The Pixel 9 may also have better cameras. The ultra-wide camera specs are the same on both phones, but the Pixel 9 has a larger sensor for its main camera, with a wider-aperture lens that should allow more light to hit the sensor. We’ll have to test the phone thoroughly to be sure.

Google Pixel 9 hands-on review: Design and display

Best display in its price range, according to DXO Labs
New design is a departure, but very modern

Google made the Pixel display a priority with the Pixel 8, and the Pixel 9 doesn’t just continue its quiet dominance, it comes with bona fides of its own. Google says DXO Labs will call the Pixel 9's display the best phone display in its price range, which includes premium phones under US $1,000.

In my hands-on time, it was a very bright and impressive display to behold. Google has done a nice job matching the wallpapers to the various Pixel 9 color options with striking results. It was a sunny day when I got to play with the phones, and I had no trouble seeing the display while taking selfies.

The phone’s design is different this year, and it’s a radical evolution, though you can see the Pixel lineage in the huge camera bar and overall finish. Google’s Pixel phones try to buck Android’s reputation for cheap devices, and the materials look and feel premium. The bright color options work with the Pixel 9’s glossy finish, while the muted Pixel 9 Pro colors look better with its matte shell.

The camera bump admittedly sticks out much more than it did before, but it still looks symmetrical, and it won’t make the phone rock or tip to one side if you lay the device on its back. I like the sharp edge on the new pill-shaped protrusion. It looks laser-cut with precision.

Google says the Pixel 9 is twice as durable as the Pixel 8, without citing any one improvement. It uses 100% recycled aluminum in the frame, as well as the aforementioned Victus 2 glass, but Google seems extra confident this year. Maybe I’ll have to drop my review unit accidentally… out of a window.

Google Pixel 9 hands-on review: Software

AI software leads the way, of course
Screenshots app reads screenshots, could portend the future

I wish there was more to say about the Android software, but all of the software features I tried in my hands-on time were related to Google’s AI, not the basic interface design elements. Some of Google’s new AI features were clever and useful, like the Add Me feature in the Camera app. Some seemed questionable, like the calling features that will listen to your conversation and take notes.

The new Gemini Live conversation feature isn’t coming to the Pixel 9, sadly. It will only be available on the Pixel 9 Pro or higher. All of the other Gemini AI features should be available on every Pixel 9 phone.

Google is making an interesting improvement to Circle to Search that I’m curious to try. If you circle an image, Google will tell you where that image came from. If the image was altered by AI, Google says its new search will know. Frankly, if this works as advertised, it could be invaluable for the upcoming US election season.

It will take some time before we know whether some of Google’s most interesting AI features are invaluable or not. Google’s new Pixel Screenshots app looks very interesting, and could have a grand future ahead.

I take a lot of screenshots, but I never thought much about them. If I need to remember a specific detail, I might take a screenshot and refer to it soon after, but screenshots don’t seem like a good long-term storage solution for information.

Somebody at Google, however, has been thinking about screenshots a lot. The Screenshots app, which is exclusive to the Pixel 9 family (for now, at least), will apply its AI understandings to your vast collection of screenshots. If you don’t have a screenshot gallery, maybe this app will inspire you to take more.

Google says you’ll be able to ask questions in Screenshots in a natural, conversational way, using its Gemini AI. You can ask Screenshots to pluck details from your various, er, screenshots and it will be able to use its new multimodal talents to interpret the image and answer your questions.

The thing is, I don’t think this feature will end with screenshots. I can easily imagine a future where Google’s AI treats every moment on your phone the way its new Screenshots app treats screenshots. Using the same tools, your phone could constantly monitor what it sees on your screen and organize this data to answer questions later. I think Screenshots is a preview of the deeper understanding that AI will have of your phone, and of your digital life.

Google Pixel 9 hands-on review: Cameras

Exact same main camera and ultra-wide as Pixel 9 Pro
New Add Me camera feature is useful, but is it real?

Every year Google says the Pixel has the best cameras ever, but this year I am especially enthusiastic about the choices Google has made. The Pixel 9 has the same main camera and ultra-wide camera as the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL. The only difference is the additional 5x zoom camera on the Pro models.

That’s unheard of in the smartphone world. Other phone makers use camera specs to sell the bigger phone. The cameras on Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro are better than those on the iPhone 15, and the cameras on the iPhone 15 Pro Max are better again. Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra is so different from the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus, cameras-wise, that it might as well have a different name.

Of course, great specs still need to be tested in the real world, so I’ll have to put these cameras to use, but I’m optimistic.

Google has applied its AI features heavily to the camera and Photos app. There’s a new Add Me feature in the camera that seems very useful. Basically, it lets you shoot a group photo, then have somebody else hold the camera while Google’s AI helps add you to the image. It gives the second cameraperson guides to follow to line up the shot, then it blends you into the group.

In practice, I can imagine using this all the time. I have very few photos of myself with my son when he was a toddler because I was always holding my big, fancy camera. I love the idea that parents can be together in family shots.

There's also a new ‘reimagine’ tool in the Magic Editor, part of Google’s AI image editing in Google Photos on the Pixel phone. Reimagine lets you select a large portion of your photo and replace it with an AI generated image, and it seemed to be quite effective in my brief tests.

Image 1 of 3

Image 2 of 3

Image 3 of 3

I took a photo of some folks sitting high up on the edge of a wall, and added a waterfall underneath their legs. It looked perfect. Then I asked the AI to replace the wall with a “Basquiat mural” and the Pixel offered me a few options, presumably in its interpretation of the late artist’s style. The murals looked photorealistic when the ‘reimagine’ tool inserted them.

Here’s my big problem, though. None of that is real. I wish I were in those photos with my kiddo back in the day, but I wasn’t. If I add myself later, I still wasn’t in the photos. It’s no more real than if I’d just asked my child to draw me a picture of the family.

I wonder even more about when I’d want to lie about sitting on a wall. If I take a photo of friends sitting side-by-side at the top of a wall, is the photo better because I can make the wall more interesting? Maybe, but then it’s fake. There was no waterfall on that wall. Basquiat never painted there.

In other words, Google’s new photo-editing tools looked cool and effective in my brief hands-on time with them, but they already feel like they lack authenticity, and that’s what gives a photo value as a memory. I’m not sure these tools will be valuable to me.

Google Pixel 9 hands-on review: Performance and battery

Tensor G4 may not win benchmarks, but it’s got a lot of RAM
Fastest charging on a Pixel phone, if you buy a fast charger

It was hard to get a feel for the performance of the Pixel 9 in my brief hands-on time, mostly because I was testing AI features, and every AI feature is a little bit slower than other features. Many AI features call upon Google’s cloud for help, though Google says the Gemini multimodal AI does run locally on the Pixel 9’s Tensor G4 chipset.

Performance isn’t the real point of the Google Pixel 9, though. I have no hope that this phone will top the Galaxy S24 or iPhone 15 in benchmark tests. Google doesn’t aim for the fastest processor. It aims for synergy between the chipset and the Pixel’s features.

When I test the Pixel 9’s performance, I’ll be looking to see if the delay for AI results is getting shorter or longer, compared to the Pixel 8 and other AI phones. I’ll be judging whether the delay is worth the features offered. If I have to wait a long time for the Magic Editor to reimagine bits of every photo, I won’t bother using AI in Google Photos.

Google says its battery charges faster than ever before, and the Pixel 9 uses 45W charging, but there's no charger in the box. It’s worth splurging on a nice charger, as the faster charging speed makes a difference when you’re in a rush and need a few more hours of screen or camera time.

Google Pixel 9 hands-on review: The bottom line

My final verdict on the Google Pixel 9 will depend on the cameras and the new AI features. I’m hoping the cameras will deliver, especially because the Pixel 9 Pro will take the same photos, since it has mostly identical specs. On the AI features, I’m skeptical but willing to put in the work.

I’m willing to let Gemini listen to some of my phone calls. I’m willing to take a bunch of screenshots for the Screenshots app to feed upon. I’m willing to try some creative reimagining of my boring photos. From what I’ve seen in my hands-on time, I expect the results will be pretty good.

But even if we allow that it’s good, is it useful? I wonder if we’re at the point where AI tools have become powerful and effective, but we just don’t want them. I’m curious to spend time with the Pixel 9 and its new AI features to see if Google is creating our AI future, or if we’re actually just sitting on an AI bubble.

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First hands-on August 2024

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review: a by-the-numbers cheap Android phone

6:00 pm | August 11, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets OnePlus Phones Phones | Tags: AMOLED, Australia, RAM, US | Comments: Off

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite two-minute review

OnePlus’ family of Nord CE phones remains its most forgettable, a fact demonstrated by the fact that I had nearly finished this OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review before I realized that the TechRadar writer who tested its predecessor was in fact me. Way to make a lasting impression...

A much more affordable alternative to the various other OnePlus phones, including t=recent models from the OnePlus Nord line, the CE 4 Lite makes a few choice tweaks to its predecessor, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite, but does little more to actually impress. If you’re looking at it in a line-up of similarly-priced rivals, it’s not going to stand out much.

Let’s start by looking at improvements: the Nord CE 4 Lite has a smaller screen than its predecessor but it ditches the LCD in favor of AMOLED, making a marked improvement; it’s also quite a bit brighter, though that’s not saying much.

Another apparently loss is of a 108MP camera, though frankly the 50MP snapper that’s replacing it is miles better. It still falls just shy of ‘good’, with pictures that lack some color, but it’s still progress.

I’m also going to call out Aqua Touch, a feature OnePlus has been introducing to some of its new phones, which makes it much easier to use the phone screen when you’re hands are wet. It’s a small addition but it can have dramatic quality-of-life benefits to bathtime testers.

The Nord CE 4 Lite’s charging speed and battery size both trump the CE 3 Lite — and a few choice budget rivals, I should add — as an established OnePlus trait I’m quite fond of.

A few more minor improvements like the presence of an under-display fingerprint scanner, newer software, an IP rating (only IP54, mind you) and more storage space all mark minor but welcome improvements.

Not everything is changed here, though. The Nord CE 4 Lite retains its predecessor’s sluggish chipset, as well as its selfie camera, screen resolution and plasticky design.

These improvements do bring the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite more in line with what you’d expect from the price — that’s why this mobile gets a higher score than the 3 Lite. But ‘good enough’ isn’t enough to win the new smartphone a glowing recommendation.

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review: price and availability

The OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite against a green curtain. — (Image credit: Future)

Announced in June 2024
Single model for £299 (roughly $380, AU$580)
No availability in Australia or US at time of writing

The OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite was announced in mid-June 2024, and put on sale shortly afterward, although it was quickly overshadowed by the more premium OnePlus Nord 4, announced a month later.

Only limited availability has been announced for the Nord CE 4 Lite at the time of writing, but that fits OnePlus’ modus operandi: its Nord phones often vary by region. The CE 4 Lite has been confirmed in the UK, and could also come to Australia in the future given that the CE 3 Lite is on sale there, but it’s very unlikely it'll reach the US for the reasons stated above.

In the UK, you can pick up the phone in its sole configuration for £299 — that roughly translates to $380 or AU$580, for context. That’s the exact same price the CE 3 Lite released for, putting the mobile in the cheap phone market segment.

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review: specs

The OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite is an archetypal low-cost phone, and its specs match:

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review: design

Standard-looking Android in silver or blue
Plastic body and IP54 for protection
Has a 3.5mm headphone jack

It's hard to get away from the idea that the OnePlus Nord CE 4's design. That’s not a criticism per se, but the phone won’t win any design awards.

Measuring in at 162.9 x 75.6 x 8.1mm, it’s big just like most other low-cost Android phones. It weighs 191g so it’s not too heavy; its plastic frame and back are likely to thank for this — this material doesn’t always feel particularly premium, but it offers better protection than glass.

Talking of protection, the phone has an IP54 rating, meaning it’s protected against soft particle ingress but only against splashes of water, not more, so don’t try for any underwater photography.

The size of the phone means that the volume rocker on the right edge is pretty much out of reach unless you employ two hands. I found the power button, just below it, is within reach though. On its bottom edge, there's a USB-C port and 3.5mm headphone jack, but no alert slider here like on certain other OnePlus mobiles.

On the back of the phone, there are two vertical circular blocks that hold the camera lenses. Due to a reflective panel around them these actually look a lot bigger than they actually are; they don’t stick out too far and only open the phone up to minor wobbles when it was placed flat on a surface.

You can pick the phone up in two different color options, at least in the UK: blue and silver. As you can tell from the review photos, I used the latter, but there’s no difference beyond the hue.

What you might not gleam from that list of specs is that, despite its by-the-numbers build, the Nord CE 4 Lite feels pretty minimal in its design. You’ve got everything you need and nothing that you don’t. And your hand isn’t distracted by random bumps, levers and dials like on many other Android phones I’ve tested.

Design score: 3 / 5

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review: display

6.67-inch, 1080 x 2400 resolution
AMOLED marks improvement over predecessor
Aqua Touch for wet hand use

OnePlus has opted for a 6.67-inch AMOLED display on the Nord CE 4 Lite, which is the exact same size that the vast majority of Android rivals have, though AMOLED marks an upgrade over the 3 Lite's flat-looking LCD.

That’s also true of the 1080x2400 resolution and a refresh rate of 120Hz. The CE 4 Lite reaches the bar of what you’d expect at this price but doesn’t exceed it in any way. This is reflected in the experience of using the display: everything is clear and smooth, but opting for a pricier phone will get you brighter colors and a higher max brightness.

There is one stand-out display feature, but it won’t impact your viewing ability: this is Aqua Touch, a feature OnePlus has begun installing on its phones. This handy tech ensures your touch is registered accurately when you have moist or wet hands, making your phone much easier to use in the rain or in the shower.

Display score: 3.5 / 5

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review: software

Android 14 with OxygenOS 14.1
Two software updates promised
Good-looking user interface, but with bloatware

When you boot it up, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite comes with OxygenOS 14.1 pre-loaded — this is a fork of Android 14, with OnePlus making tweaks to Google’s stock operating system. The company has promised two years of updates (so, to Android 16) and three of security updates. That’s not a huge amount but it’s certainly better than nothing.

OxygenOS continues to be a popular user interface amongst phone fans, and I think I get it: it has a distinct look, with a unique font and style that makes it distinct but ensures icons and buttons are easily understandable.

Loads of cool features are included like Zen Space, which lets you lock your phone to concentrate, and a hearty offering of customization offers.

Also on the table are a boat-load of pre-installed apps, which is a little less impressive. It’s the usual offenders like LinkedIn, Netflix, Facebook, Amazon Shopping and AliExpress, as well as a few games. There’s nothing especially heinous, considering how many cheap phones come stuffed with annoying extras you need to download, but fans can and should complain about this.

Software score: 3.5 / 5

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review: cameras

50MP main and 2MP depth cameras, with 16MP on front
Pictures a clear but a little dull
Standard arsenal of extra modes

To put it politely, cameras clearly aren’t a focus for the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite — it has the mandatory amount (and one straggler) of snappers.

The main camera comprises a 50-megapixel, f/1.8 sensor; if you’ve been considering many options in the budget phone market you’ve probably seen this same tech on… well, most phones these days. The main camera is joined by a 2MP, f/2.4 companion that, from my testing, doesn’t seem to do a whole lot — autofocus seemed just as quick and just as accurate when I covered up this part with some sticky tape.

Photos taken on the phone are fine: they’re light and detailed enough for you to see your subject without any rogue errors or massive problems. However, the photos aren’t exactly colorful, as you can see from the camera samples section, and I found that there were contrast issues in some shots.

Sometimes in phones, AI-powered scene optimization can save the day, but I didn’t notice much of that to speak of in the Nord CE 4 Lite. As I said, photos are fit for everyday use but they’ll never elicit a ‘wow’.

OnePlus has granted CE 4 Lite users access to a magic eraser feature, which isn't all that commonplace in phones at this price point. It works reasonably well, as long as you bear in mind the phone's processing power (which is limited) and only give the AI easy tasks.

The lack of an ultra-wide camera means you get what you’re given when you point the phone at a subject, and can’t digitally step back to view more of a scene. I’d say the same about the lack of a telephoto camera for zoom, but was pleasantly surprised with digital zoom; the fact you can only go up to 10x this way means you’re getting a fair amount of detail at maximum range.

On the front of the phone is a 16MP, f/2.4 camera, and most of what I said about the rear camera applies here too. Pictures are clear but lack vibrancy, and I also found that even the briefest amount of sun would blow out selfies.

There’s the bare minimum of extra modes here: photographers get portrait, pro, night and panorama options while videographers get dual-view, time-lapse and slow-mo. In normal video mode, you can go up to 1080p and 30 frames per second.

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite camera samples

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Camera score: 2.5 / 5

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite: performance and audio

Snapdragon 695 doesn't provide much power
8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage
Stereo speakers plus 3.5mm headphone jack

One of my biggest gripes with the Nord CE 3 Lite’s predecessor was its weak processor, and the company’s response was evidently to use the exact same piece of kit in this new phone.

That’s the Snapdragon 695 chip, a stalwart of budget mobiles for any years now. In the Geekbench 6 benchmark test it returned a multi-core score of 1,968, which isn’t exactly blazing fast.

When playing top-end titles I occasionally noticed the odd lag or stutter, and during intense action I found that inputs could sometimes be a little delayed. However, in the interests of fairness I should say that my issues didn’t feel as dramatic as with the CE 3 Lite, despite them using the same processor.

Like its older sibling, the Nord CE 4 Lite has 8GB of RAM. But it’s seen a storage size increase up to 256GB, so you can fit a lot more on the phone – bear in mind that this is all for the same price as last year’s model. That’s a nice upgrade.

In terms of audio, the Nord has a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you can plug in wired headphones. Its Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity isn’t quite on par with the 5.2 to 5.4 standards you see on most smartphones these days, but the differences will be negligible beyond the distance you can listen at from your phone.

The stereo speakers are as tinny as you’d expect on your smartphone, but are fine for listening to voice notes, social media videos and the like.

Performance score: 3 / 5

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review: battery life

Long-lasting 5,110mAh battery
Lasts over a day of use
Nice fast 80W charging

If there’s one trait that you can rely on with all budget phones, it’s their battery life — space saved on fancy internals can instead be used on a larger battery, and the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite is no exception.

The phone packs a 5,110mAh battery, marking it as one of the new wave of budget phones that jumps up from the previous standard 5,000mAh battery.

Having this much juice ensures that the Nord easily lasts through a day of use, whether you’re just checking the weather or are laid up with a cold playing Call of Duty: Mobile all day.

In my most intensive testing days, the Nord had at least a quarter of its charge upon a second day of use, and that number was higher when I hadn’t been using the phone much the prior day. I don’t imagine you’d be able to see the phone through two days of use without charging it under any circumstances, but its lasting power was still admirable.

Equally laudable is its charging speed: 80 watts of power delivery ensure that the phone will go from empty to full in just over half an hour. You’ll need a compatible charger of course, and in the box you’ll only get a USB-A to USB-C cable.

The handset offers reverse wireless charging, so you can plug a cable into the phone and use it to charge another device. This will require a cord that’s USB-C to whatever you need, whether it’s another USB-C device, micro USB or Lightning.

Battery score: 4 / 5

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review: value

You’re basically getting what you pay for with the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite, just like with its predecessor and basically the entirety of the Nord line.

So you won’t pick up the CE 4 Lite and feel cheated: its screen, speed, battery life and camera prowess all roughly fit what you should be expecting given its price tag.

However if you have a budget that’ll stretch a little higher, know that you will be able to buy a better phone without having to shell out that much more cash.

Value score: 3.5 / 5

Should you buy the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite?

Buy it if...

You need a long battery life
Don't get many opportunities to charge your phone? The Nord CE 4 Lite's power might make it a reliable pick.

You want OxygenOS on a budget
If you've heard tell of OxygenOS and want to try it, the CE 4 Lite is one of the cheapest OnePlus phones out there right now.

You text with wet hands
I may sound like I'm being sarcastic, but I'm not: Aqua Touch is really useful in day-to-day use. You can use the Nord in the rain or in the bath.

Don't buy it if...

You like taking photos
Budding phone photographers will only be disappointed by the Nord CE 4 Lite's disappointing camera hardware and feature set.

You're a mobile gamer
You're not going to get blazing power for games on the Nord. In the competitive budget mobile world, it's one of the weaker cheap phones out there.

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review: Also consider

While largely positive, this OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review should make it clear that the phone has issues. So here are some other options you may want to consider:

How I tested the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite

Review test period = 2.5 weeks
Testing included = Everyday usage, including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
Tools used = Geekbench 6, Geekbench ML, GFXBench, native Android stats

I tested the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite for about three weeks, and the testing was done alongside the contemporary Nord 4.

The testing process involves both real-word use (taking photos, making calls, playing games, streaming Netflix) and some lab tests (benchmarking, battery tests and software checks) to give a well-rounded view of the device.

I've been reviewing smartphones for TechRadar since early 2019, and in that time have used plenty of mobiles from OnePlus, as well as other devices in the price segment. As stated in the intro, I tested the Nord CE 3 Lite.

Geekom AX8 Pro: 30-second review

Specs

CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS
Graphics: AMD Radeon Graphics 780M
RAM: 32GB DDR5 5600MT/s up to 64GB
Storage: M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4 x 4 SSD 1TB up to 27B
Rear Ports: DC Jack, USB 4.0. USB 3.2, 2 x HDMI 2.0, 2.5GbE LAN Port, USB 2.0 Port, USB 3.2 Gen 2 port
Front Ports: 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 3.5mm Headphone
Connectivity: WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, 2.5G Ethernet
Audio: 3.5mm audio
Camera: n/a
Size: 117 x 111 x 38.5mm
OS installed: Windows 11 Pro (64bit)
Accessories: VESA Mount

From the outset, the Geekom Mini PC AX8 Pro impresses with its full metal build and stylish design. From the box, you can instantly feel the weight, which is more than you normally expect from a machine of this size. However, as this is a mini PC, and at 545 g, it is going to add a small amount of weight or bulk to your desktop or bag.

Looking at that design and that full metal build does give the mini PC a real sense of quality. There's nothing flimsy about it, which gives you confidence that if you need something portable, then it will withstand more than a simple knock or two.

As with so many of the best mini PCs we've reviewed, there are several ports around the body of the machine, giving you plenty of connectivity options whether you're using it as a permanent desktop solution or as something more portable.

Inside the AX8 Pro, you have an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS coupled with AMD Radeon Graphics 780M, which proved to provide plenty of power when it mattered. Our review sample features 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB SSD, which also provides plenty of power and decent storage capacity.

The machine comes with Windows 11 Pro 64-bit installed, so the initial setup process takes about 20 minutes. Once everything is in place, the machine performs impressively across all test programs that usually require a bit more processing, such as Photoshop and Premiere, which run smoothly for the most part.

However, you do start to see its slight lag in Adobe Premiere Pro with some of the high-resolution footage from the Canon EOS R5 C. Taking an in-depth look at the benchmarking results, we can see just how good this small machine is comparing well to some of the more powerful laptops on the market and some of the larger gaming mini PCs.

The benchmarks show that the AX8 is an outstanding machine, able to cope with a wide breadth of applications and uses. With its sleek, understated design, it's surprising just how powerful it is, which makes it an ideal solution for professional use. It's not only capable of ploughing through office admin applications but also doing an awful lot more, including handling all of your creative content and applications.

Geekom AX8 Pro: Price & availability

Geekom Mini PC AX8 Pro Review — (Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The AX8 Pro is available directly from Geekom for $749 / £749, reflecting its premium quality build and outstanding performance. You can also find this machine on Amazon and several other online retailers, and the prices will vary depending on what offers are available.

Score: 4/5

Geekom AX8 Pro: Design & build

The build quality of mini PCs is certainly on the up, and the AX8 Pro Mini PC is a testament to this. On close inspection, the full metal build of the exterior casing, the honeycomb design of vents along the sides and venting at the back along with the neat layout of the front and rear ports all give this mini PC an edge when it comes to absolute style and quality.

The front of the machine is minimalistic with two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, which enable 10 Gb/s data transfer. These are neatly laid out and great for plugging in occasional accessories. There is also a 3.5mm headphone socket, which accepts most wired headphones and then the main power button.

Flipping over to the rear, you have the 19V DC in, and the mini PC comes supplied with an external power supply that plugs straight into the mains socket. Next to this, you have a USB 4.0, which delivers 40 Gb/s. Below this is an HDMI 2.0 port. On the opposite side of the machine, there's a USB 3.2 port and HDMI 2.0 port coupling. The USB 4.0 port on the left is capable of delivering 8K at 30 Hz, while the USB 3.2 port on the right can deliver 4K at 60 Hz, providing future-proofing options. Additionally, you have a 2.5 GB LAN port, another USB 3.2 Gen 2 port, and a USB 2.0 port, giving you plenty of options for connecting peripherals and multiple displays.

On the base of the casing are two screw holes that enable a VESA mount to be attached, so this mini PC can easily be mounted in various locations using the standard mounting system. On the side of the mini PC, there is a security lock slot for added protection.

Design: 4.5/5

Geekom AX8 Pro: Features

The small size of this mini PC doesn't give you any impression of the scale of the features packed inside. Firstly, it boasts an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS, coupled with AMD Radeon Graphics 780M. This combo is paired with 32GB of DDR5 5600MT/sRAM, expandable to 64GB if required. Storage wise it ships with a 1TB M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4 x 4 SSD, but will take an SSD up to 2TB. Then, for networking connectivity, it has a decent suite of ports, including a 2.5G Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.2 for connecting devices.

One of the big features of the AMD CPU used is that it's part of the 8000 series, featuring advanced AI capabilities to help allocate processing where and when it's needed. This aids with a variety of functions including predictive maintenance, improved energy efficiency, enhanced performance and security, and helps to personalise your experience in combination with Windows 11 Pro.

When you open up the machine by removing the four screws on the base, it reveals the RAM and SSD slots so upgrading is extremely easy.

The PC comes with Wi-Fi 6E to ensure a decent connection to your networks for conferencing work, light entertainment, and gaming. Its backward compatibility means that if you are transporting this small box around, it should easily connect with all sorts of networks without issue. For other forms of connection, it has Bluetooth 5.2, allowing you to connect wireless accessories and speakers without too much hassle.

A variety of ports around the body of the mini PC provide plenty of connection options. Notably the HDMI, USB 4.0 and USB 3.2 enable you to connect to large displays, with two standard HDMI 2.0 ports enabling you to connect to 4K 60Hz monitors. Additionally, the USB 4.0 port allows you to connect to an 8K 30Hz monitor, and a USB 3.2 port enables you to connect to a 4K 60Hz monitor, allowing for a total of four monitors to be connected at once.

The USB 4.0 and 3.2 ports can be used to connect to displays or provide ultra-fast data transfer to storage devices such as external SSDs, enabling transfer speeds up to 40 Gb/s. This makes it suitable for photographers and videographers looking for a machine that can handle the large data files required for image and video editing. The 2.5G Ethernet will enable you to connect to network drives easily.

One issue with having such a high-performance mini PC in a small frame is heat management. Geekom addresses this with its Ice Blast 5.0 cooling system, incorporating a large fan at the top of the machine. This fan helps draw heat from the electronics and pushes it out through a vent on the back of the machine, while the Honeycombe vents on the side draw in cooler air across the electronics.

Despite the high processing speeds, this mini PC is well-balanced and consumes only 45W, which is far lower than similarly powered laptops. One of the big features is that the AX8 Pro is a powerful computing solution in a small and robust package that's easy to carry and connect to displays and wireless systems, perfect for presentations or work. At 117 x 111 x 38.5 mm with the VESA mount in the package, it's also extremely mountable, so it can be positioned on the back of a monitor, TV, or beneath your monitor with ease.

An interesting feature highlighted by Geekom, which is quite rare for a mini PC, is its durability. The company states that it has undergone drop tests, vibration, altitude, temperature, and humidity tests to ensure it is a robust mini PC that will stand up to more than typical use.

This PC comes standard with Windows 11 Pro, which works seamlessly with all Microsoft Office apps, Google Suite, and the Adobe Creative Collection, as utilised throughout this review.

Features: 4.5/5

Geekom AX8 Pro: Performance

Benchmarks

Crystal Disk Read: 7102.34MB/s
Crystal Disk Write: 6192.86MB/s
GeekBench CPU Single: 2662
GeekBench CPU Multi: 13392
GeekBench Compute: 31321
PC Mark: 7518
CineBench CPU Multi: 14602
CineBench CPU Single: 1800
Fire Strike Overall: 7734
Fire Strike Graphics: 8384
Fire Strike Physics: 26594
Fire Strike Combined: 2925
Time Spy Overall: 3359
Time Spy Graphics: 2997
Time Spy CPU: 10687
Wild Life: 17182
Windows Experience: 8.2

Unboxing the AX8 Pro from the packaging takes a couple of minutes and a further 20 minutes to run through the Windows 11 Pro setup process. The machine is very simple to set up, with the AC to DC transformer plugging into the back with a decent-length cable to plug into your AC mains wall socket. Following that, the two USB ports on the back can be used to connect your keyboard and mouse before a cable HDMI or USB type-C is run to the monitor.

For our test, we used a single 27-inch 4K monitor plugged in directly through the HDMI cable. It supplies a decent 4K resolution at 60 Hz, which is more than enough for most professional uses, including office work, creative and video editing.

To run through the tests the system was loaded with the usual benchmarking software, 3D Mark, PC Mark, Geekbench, Adobe Creative Cloud (ACC) with Photoshop and Premiere Pro, and a few games to test the graphics potential.

Starting with Microsoft Office apps, Microsoft Word and Excel ran absolutely seamlessly with no issues encountered with multiple documents and applications open.

Putting a little more pressure on the system, Adobe Photoshop and Premiere were loaded. Using Photoshop as a starting point, we tested the machine's capabilities, and it was able to happily open and manipulate images from the Canon EOS R5 C with 5 to 10 layers and multiple adjustments with minimal slowdown. This makes it an ideal solution for photographers who need a small and compact machine that can be used in a studio environment or out in the field.

Switching the processing over to some of the best video editing software out there, Premiere Pro, we edited a five-minute video taken from the Canon EOS R5 C in 4K. While the internal storage wasn't large enough to hold all the video captured, an external Lexar Armor 700 SSD was attached to the USB port on the back of the machine. This provides the transfer rates needed by Premiere Pro for smooth editing of the footage. The ease of use and the smoothness of the editing process highlight just how powerful this little machine is. With proxy media enabled, the AX8 Pro provided a smooth workflow, although, for larger productions, this small machine would start to struggle.

For office tasks using Google Suite or Microsoft Office within a professional environment, this machine will absolutely excel, enabling you to connect to multiple displays and storage devices without an issue. For creative tasks such as Photoshop or InDesign, this machine is more than adequate, handling data manipulation and layout with plenty of power. When it comes to video editing for full HD and 4K video, this machine handles the data with relative ease. However, for high bitrate footage, such as that produced by the Canon EOS R5C, the machine starts to need help with longer productions. Using Adobe Media Encoder to convert that footage to something more accessible will help the editing process. As it stands, it does a relatively good job.

Switching to benchmarking software, we see just how good this machine is, with some of the fastest results seen from any mini PC.

The benchmark results show the AX8 Pro's impressive storage speed. With read speeds of over 7000 MB/s and write speeds surpassing 6000 MB/s, the NVMe SSD ensures rapid boot times, fast file transfers, and runs multiple applications with ease.

The Geekbench and Cinebench scores highlight the capabilities of the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS. The high single-core scores ensure that everyday tasks and applications like Microsoft Office and Google Chrome run smoothly. The impressive multi-core scores indicate excellent performance in multitasking and demanding applications like the best photo editors Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, as well as Premiere Pro.

A PC Mark score of 7518 and a Windows Experience Index of 8.2 reflect a balanced system optimised for productivity, entertainment, and creative tasks.

The gaming benchmarks reveal the AX8 Pro's abilities, with the AMD Radeon 780M providing solid performance. Fire Strike and Time Spy scores, particularly in graphics and physics, indicate that the AX8 Pro can handle graphically intensive games like Cyberpunk 2097 and Red Dead Redemption 2 in medium settings. The Wild Life score of 17182 further reinforces this - so if you do want to do a little gaming, then while you won't be able to crank up the graphics all the way, you'll still get a decent gaming experience.

One thing to note is that during the editing of 4K video and when playing games the fan noise was quite loud, so while the machine is more than happy to delve into heavy processing you will have the fan noise to contend with.

Performance: 4/5

Should you buy the Geekom AX8 Pro?

The Geekom AX8 Pro will undoubtedly suit any professional who needs a smaller, robust computer, whether for the office, studio, or on location. This mini PC is versatile enough to take out in the field or use in a presentation at an alternative workplace.

Unusually for a mini PC, build quality, and the robustness of the design really come into play. The style of this mini PC is so understated that you wouldn't realise just how tough it is. Geekom has gone to extra lengths to ensure that if you decide to carry this mini PC around, the build quality will protect the delicate components inside the metal casing.

Inside is a powerful PC, highlighted through both real-world tests and benchmarking. While the graphics abilities of this mini PC might not match those of top-flight gaming and production mini PCs, it is still among the best we've tested. If you need extra graphic processing, there is a USB 4.0 port on the back that will allow you to connect an external GPU of your choice, giving a significant boost in graphics performance.

Beneath the hood, there's a lot of processing power, and this machine will get hot. Thankfully, the cooling system that Geekom has implemented works well. Although you can hear the fans as they kick in to keep things cool, it's not overly loud. If you need a quiet editing environment for video work, there might be better machines for you, though the noise levels are generally acceptable.

As an all-around powerful PC, the Geekom AX8 Pro outperforms many others and is a great solution for demanding office work and medium creative applications.

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

For more professional devices, we reviewed the best business computers and best business laptops.

Kubuntu Focus M2 Gen 5 Linux laptop review

4:47 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Tags: GPU, RAM | Comments: Off

Many people are familiar with PCs and Macs as the primary operating systems. While these are great, sometimes users may seek alternatives, especially those in programming or those who want a more open-source operating system that can be customized to their needs. Linux is often used for servers, IT professionals, developers, and other devices that must be operational for long periods.

But can the Kubuntu Focus M2 Gen 5 compete against some of the best Linux laptops we've reviewed? We put it to the test.

Kubuntu Focus M2 Gen 5: Unboxing & first impressions

Unboxing the Kubuntu Focus M2 Gen 5 Linux Laptop made me appreciate the durability and reliability that Kubuntu offers. This laptop is solid. It's not a cheap-feeling plastic; it is solid and could take some rugged and demanding work. The box includes the computer, a powerful 280W or 330W power adapter (depending on the GPU configuration), and essential documentation.

The laptop chassis is made of aluminum alloy for its quality and durability. The QHD display is immediately impressive with its vibrant colors and sharp resolution. This is something that I was happily surprised with, as I was expecting a lower-quality screen for some reason. The keyboard and touchpad feel responsive and well-built, with the option of customizable backlighting.

Kubuntu Focus M2 Gen 5: Design & build quality

Specs

as tested

Processor: Intel i9-14900HX (24 cores, 32 threads, up to 5.8 GHz)
GPU: Nvidia RTX 4060
RAM: Up to 96GB DDR5 5200 MHz
Storage: 1000GB 7450MBps Samsung
Ports: HDMI 2.0b, Mini DisplayPort, 2 x USB-C 3.2 (with Thunderbolt 4), 2 x USB-A 3.2, Headset Audio Jack, Mic + S/PDIF Audio Jack, 2.5 Gigabit RJ-45 Ethernet

The M2 Gen 5 boasts an all-metal design with a premium finish. It can be used heavily without showing much wear and tear. Among the other laptops I am testing, it feels like a Cyber Truck. It looks different from the streamlined, minimalist design language the "other guys" are going for.

However, the device is relatively slim and lightweight compared to many of the best mobile workstations out there, making it portable without compromising on power. It's not made to be a slim notebook design. It's supposed to be a powerhouse workstation.

The hinge mechanism feels robust, and the overall build quality is excellent. As I mentioned, I can be more careful with this, and I'm worried that the laptop will fold, bend, break, or be damaged. The ports are firm and can withstand a heavy workload of plugging and unplugging without getting loose. Lastly, the keyboard is comfortable to type on. I may not want to write for hours and hours on this machine, but as a workstation, its keyboard is relatively easy to use and comfortable enough to get the job done.

Kubuntu Focus M2 Gen 5: In use

My first interactions with the Kubuntu Focus M2 Gen 5 were a bit problematic. I had issues with skipping, lag, and an overall slow UI. However, after some research and reaching out to Kubuntu, I realized this issue was due to a hybrid mode that I had allowed, which was helpful. Once I moved out of hybrid mode and into performance mode, I was gleefully surprised by how smoothly everything operated.

The performance across the board has been stellar. I've been able to knock out anything I've wanted to do with ease. As with all our tests for the best business laptops, my team and I tested this with light coding, 3D rendering, programming, and everyday business tasks.

The laptop runs quietly under load. However, upon closing the computer, it usually does a quick fan burst to help cool and prepare for sleep. All around, the battery life is good. We got nearly 8 hours with moderate use, and thankfully, it charges with USB-C, just like everything else we have, so we could charge it up quickly with what charging bricks and stations we already have on hand.

Carrying this laptop around feels hefty, especially when working with super-thin laptops designed to be highly portable and light. What I was able to remind myself of, though quickly, is that Kubuntu is not trying to be the thinnest laptop on the market, designed to slip into a small bag or sling and not be seen; the goal of this laptop is to be a powerhouse, competing with other workstations, not thin laptops. With that in mind, this laptop is much more reasonably sized and scores better in overall footprint and weight.

The port offering on this laptop has been a huge pro, especially in the line of work people wanting this laptop would be in. There is no need for dongles, docks, or adapters, as this computer has nearly every port you need. Any ports that could run off the back of your computer and only be plugged in and not messed with, such as ethernet and HDMI, run off the back. The ports that would probably be messed with while working on something are all on the sides, making them easily accessible and easy to use. This workstation was designed for heavy-duty work and to do that work efficiently.

Kubuntu Focus M2 Gen 5: Final verdict

The Kubuntu Focus M2 Gen 5 is an exceptional machine for those who need an all-around great Linux Workstation. Its quality components, excellent build quality, and robust port offering make it a top choice for professionals despite its higher price tag.

Looking for desktop computing? We reviewed the best Linux PCs.

MSI Modern 14 H review: An affordable business-ready laptop

8:04 am | August 6, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops | Tags: RAM | Comments: Off

MSI MODERN 14 H: Two-minute review

The MSI Modern 14 H is a low-cost, business-focused laptop that aims at providing bang for buck rather than trying to pack in every last feature. The laptop has a 14-inch frame with 31.4 x 23.6 x 1.9cm (12.4 x 9.3 x 0.73 inches) dimensions and weighs 1.6kg (3.53 lbs), making it quite portable but larger than very slim or ultralight models.

The Modern 14 H configuration featured in this review (D13MG-045AU) boasts a relatively powerful Intel i9-13900H CPU with 14 cores, 20 threads and a boost frequency up to 5.4GHz. It also has 16GB of DDR4 3200MHz RAM (upgradeable to 64GB), a 1TB NVMe M.2 SSD and a 53.8Wh battery. The 14-inch display has a resolution of 1920 x 1200 (16:10 ratio) and uses a 60Hz IPS panel with a matte coating and no touchscreen.

Along the left edge, the Modern 14 has the DC power input, a USB-C port (40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 with DisplayPort and 100W PD charging), a single USB 3.2 Type-A port and a 3.5mm headset jack. The right side has a vent and a Kensington lock, while the rear has HDMI 2.1, a 1Gb Ethernet connection and two USB-A ports. While I wish there was a USB-C connection on the rear as well as the side, the overall layout of the ports is quite neat. The top and bottom panels are metal, but the rest of the laptop shell is a surprisingly rigid, robust-feeling plastic. The included 90W power brick is a little chunkier than expected, but not outrageously large.

MSI doesn't provide the display brightness or color accuracy, but the screen is perfectly usable for office tasks. It can be laid down almost flat (but not quite a full 180º) and, when combined with the display flip hotkey, makes it easy to show what's on the screen to a person sitting across from you. The 720p webcam is serviceable (and has a physical shutter), but does not support facial recognition and there's no fingerprint reader for fast, secure logins. The keyboard is backlit and comfortable to use despite a little flex, while the trackpad is reasonably large and accurate. The speakers are nothing special but give clear audio and work well for tasks like video meetings.

Equipping the Modern 14 with an Intel i9-13900H is an interesting move, as this slightly older (2023) but relatively powerful CPU isn't often seen in more affordable laptops. Of course, real-world performance also depends on cooling, but the Modern 14 H system allows the the i9-13900H to sustain near-full CPU power in heavy workloads. While normally near-silent, the the fans become audible under load, but aren't too intrusive. The included MSI management software is straightforward and easy to use, and gives a reasonable depth of settings.

The 53.8Wh battery is not especially large, but the MSI laptop can manage a pretty decent 6 hours and 23 minutes unplugged when doing office tasks. Performance is limited to 30W on battery – though it will run at full speed on USB-C. A full charge takes up to 1.5 hours, but 50% capacity can be reached in just over 30 minutes.

Viewed from above, the MSI Modern 14 H screen folded flat — (Image credit: Future - Lindsay Handmer)

MSI Modern 14 H: Price & availability

How much does it cost? $999 / £999 / AU$1,599
When is it available? Available now
Where is it available? Available in the US, the UK and Australia

The i9-13900H MSI Modern 14 H (D13MG) tested is still hard to buy in the US and UK and costs $999 / £999 where available. It's a little more widely available in Australia, where it will set you back AU$1,599 at full price.

When shopping around, keep in mind that there are many MSI Modern 14 variants that don’t have the mighty Intel i9-13900H CPU. Models equipped with an Intel Core i5, i7, or AMD Ryzen CPUs are still great laptops, but only the H spec offers higher-end performance and 13th Gen CPUs like the i7-13620H and i9-13900H.

For those who want a larger screen, the MSI Modern 15 H (B13M) can be found for a very similar price ($999 / £999 / AU$1,599) and otherwise near-identical spec. Again, the 15 H with the i9-13900H is easiest to buy in Australia, but is available in the US without too much trouble and in the UK from limited retailers.

In Australia, the Modern 14 H stands out as excellent value amongst its often feature-packed but more expensive peers. The comparatively limited availability in the US and UK means the Modern H is often not as price competitive.

Value score: 4.5 / 5

MSI Modern 14 H left side side ports showing the DC input, USB-C, USB-A and 3.5mm audio — (Image credit: Future - Lindsay Handmer)

MSI Modern 14 H: Specs

The Modern 14 H doesn’t have a huge number of configurations, and even then not all are for sale. The main difference are the CPUs available, and the H spec laptops can have the i9-13900H, the i7-13620H and i5-13420H – though only the i9-13900H gets Intel Iris Xe graphics.

Below is the list of specs for the configuration tested for this review:

Specs score: 4 / 5

MSI Modern 14 H screen folded flat and flipped for sharing — (Image credit: Future - Lindsay Handmer)

MSI Modern 14 H: Design

Fold-flat screen
Thunderbolt 4
100W USB-C charging

The Modern 14 does an admirable job of keeping the design simple, with a focus on higher performance at an affordable price, so the lack of an IR webcam for facial login support and no fingerprint reader are minor frustrations. I wish there was a 32GB model available, but at least the laptop uses upgradeable RAM.

The Modern 14 H measures in at 31.4 x 23.6 x 1.9cm (12.4 x 9.3 x 0.73 inches), and while it does have chunky rubber feet to ensure adequate cooling space, they don’t cause any issues with even very slim laptop bags. The laptop's 1.6kg (3.53 lbs) feels very light in hand compared to the overall size.

The Modern 14 H layout is quite clean, and I appreciate the way the ports are all on the left and rear (though left handers may feel the opposite!). Still, having an extra USB-C port (with PD charging) on the rear would have been handy. The lack of SD or microSD card reader may also frustrate some buyers. On the plus side, the choice to have the USB-C port support Thunderbolt 4 with 100W PD charging means the Modern 14 H is ideal for connecting to a dock with an extra monitor or other high-speed external devices.

The Modern 14 H has a mostly plastic body, with metal top and bottom panels. The plastic is quite stiff itself and, combined with the metal, the 14-inch form doesn’t exhibit much flex at all. MSI also reports the laptop is rated to the MIL-STD-810H Military Grade Standard for toughness, and I didn't find any compromises that could result in premature failure or wear.

The Modern 14 H uses a 16:10 ratio display to give a small but welcome amount of extra vertical space compared to a 16:9 screen. The resulting resolution is 1920 x 1200, and while that may seem low, the display is quite sharp and perfectly usable in the 14-inch size. The (almost) 180º fold-flat screen is a nice addition, as well as the hotkey for flipping the display orientation to show it to someone sitting opposite. The fold-flat screen also means the laptop works great with a dock and vertical stand, though I do wish the hinge allowed a bit of extra folding so it could lay fully flat.

Design score: 3.5 / 5

MSI Modern 14 H keyboard and trackpad showing the white key backlighting — (Image credit: Future - Lindsay Handmer)

MSI Modern 14 H: Performance

Powerful CPU
Not too noisy
Fast 1TB SSD

MSI Modern 14 H: Benchmarks

Here's how the MSI Modern 14 H performed in the TechRadar suite of benchmark tests:

3DMark: Time Spy: 1,809

Cinebench R23 Multi-core: 13,337 points; Single-core: 2,029

PCMark 10: 6,510

CrystalDiskMark 8 NVMe: 5,000 MB/s (read); 3,576MB/s (write)

Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm (1080p, Ultra): 25fps

PCMark 10 Battery life: 6 hours and 25 minutes

1080p video playback battery life: 6 hours and 57 minutes

It’s important to remember the relatively affordable nature of the MSI Modern 14 H when considering the performance. It’s not common to see a higher-end CPU like the Intel Core i9-13900H CPU in a thin and light chassis, though the Modern 14 H opts for DDR4 RAM over DDR5 (both are supported by the CPU) to help keep costs down. The RAM runs at 3200MHz and, in this case, faster DDR5 wouldn’t give much of a performance boost.

The MSI Modern 14 H benchmarks results are excellent and it bested more expensive laptops – even those with the same or a similar CPU. This largely comes back to the MSI engineers making sure the i9-13900H is kept cool enough to run at or above its 45W thermal design power. Unfettered, the CPU can boost up to 115W, but that’s reined in and total system power is limited by the 90W adapter.

The laptop vents hot air out the rear and right side, and at full power that can result in a warmer-than-usual mousing hand. That's delightful in winter perhaps, but not as nice in a hotter environment. The MSI software in 'AI' mode does an admirable job of keeping the laptop as quiet as possible without limiting performance when needed. For those who like manual control, in performance mode, the CPU can sustain the 45W TDP for extended period, and under load the fans are plainly audible but not excessively loud.

Balanced mode drops the CPU power back to 30W, and even with heavy use, the fans are only just able to be heard. Quiet mode limits the CPU to a much more modest 20W, ensuring that even under sustained load the fans never spin fast enough to be audible. Super battery mode limits the CPU to just 15W, making many apps noticeably slower, but it still works well if maximizing battery life during lower impact tasks like video playback.

On battery, the system automatically limits the CPU to 30W – though the impact of this is only noticeable in very CPU-heavy apps. The Modern 14 H doesn’t throttle performance at all when connected to a 100W USB-C charger, and peaks at just over 90W when pushed hard.

The Modern 14 H SSD is reasonably fast overall and the laptop is well suited to work that demands higher-than-average performance. Despite the decently powerful Intel Iris Xe graphics, the overall cooling of the laptop does mean gaming performance is limited. This is expected for a business-focused laptop, but nevertheless you can still get playable frame rates out of older or less demanding games.

Performance score: 4 / 5

The MSI Modern 14 H power brick sitting behind the laptop as a size comparison — (Image credit: Future - Lindsay Handmer)

MSI Modern 14 H: Battery life

6 hours and 25 minutes work when unplugged
6 hours and 57m of video playback

The Modern 14 H has a fairly normal sized 53.8Wh battery and it gives decent but not outstanding battery life. Connected to Wi-Fi, I managed over 6 hours of office work on battery. This isn’t quite enough to get through a full day's work without a charger, but is more than enough to spend plenty of time unplugged. For less demanding tasks like video playback, the Modern 14 H can just reach 7 hours. If working the CPU hard, expect as little as 2 hours on battery, or 3 to 4 hours with medium level workloads.

The Modern 14 H will fast charge on USB-C or using its power adapter, and from 4% charge it can hit 50% in not much more than 30 minutes. A full charge takes around 1.5 hours. The battery charge efficiency is above average, and from 4% capacity it took 59.5Wh to charge the 53.8Wh battery. This means you can fully charge the laptop on a suitable 20,000mAh (74Wh) or larger power bank.

The Modern 14 H doesn’t throttle performance when connected to USB-C – meaning you can get full performance for heavy workloads when on the go by using a power bank. In my testing, a 20,000mAh (74Wh) power bank gives an extra 5 hours or so of demanding work, like video editing.

Battery life score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the MSI Modern 14 H?

Buy it if...

You need above-average performance
Thanks to the powerful Intel Core i9-13900H CPU, the Modern 14 H offers better performance compared to several more expensive laptops.

You use a USB-C dock
The Modern 14 H runs at full performance on USB-C, and has a 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 connection with DisplayPort, so is ideal for use with a dock.

You want value for money
Despite the modest price tag, the Modern 14 H offers a mix of features that mean it is well suited to handling heavy workloads.

Don't buy it if...

You need all-day battery life
6 hours on battery is nothing to sneeze at, but it won’t get you through a full day's work without charging along the way.

You can't live without a fancy screen
The Modern 14 H display is perfectly fine for office use and folds back through 180º, but doesn’t wow compared to much more expensive OLED or higher-resolution panels.

You need 32GB of RAM
The MSI Modern 14 H doesn’t have a configuration equipped with 32GB of RAM – though the memory is user upgradable.

MSI Modern 14 H: Also consider

If our MSI Modern 14 H review has you considering other options, here are some other gaming laptops to consider...

How I tested the MSI Modern 14 H

I tested the MSI Modern 14 H for two weeks
I used it both on a desk with a dock, and when on the go
I tested it with benchmarking tools, as well as battery and power logging

I ran the MSI Modern 14 H through the usual comprehensive array of TechRadar benchmarks, as well as using it for actual day to day work.

I used the TechRadar movie test for assessing battery life during video playback, as well as running productivity-focused battery benchmarks. I also logged power use in a variety of scenarios, including when charging from USB-C, or running from a power bank.

EnGenius ECW536: Design

The EnGenius access point ships with one accessory box containing the mounting kit. Once installed, the unit locks to the base by rotating it. The white plastic enclosure has a metal backplate that doubles as a heat dissipator. Two Ethernet connectors and a 12V DC socket at the back connect to the network. A small hole is also present to reset the device using a paper clip. The case gets warm after some time, eventually reaching 50 degrees Celcius. The access point measures 23 cm x 23 cm x 37 mm and weighs 1.3kg.

The ECW536 uses a Qualcomm Pro 1220 multichip design. The processor is a fast quad-core ARM A73 CPU, which can support up to eight SSIDs on the 2.4GHz and 5/6GHz bands. There are also built-in VLAN tagging and a QoS for increased bandwidth management. Complementing the CPU are 2GB of RAM, 256MB of Flash, and two 10G Ethernet interfaces, which also support 5G, 2.5G, 1G, and 10/100Mbps.

Three Wi-Fi radios each serve a specific frequency while supporting four spatial streams, the twelve paths aggregating for a throughput of 18Gbps. Maximum transmit gains, which depend on country location, vary between 24dBm and 25dBm, while antenna gains vary between 5dBi and 6dBi.

The ECW536 access point consumes 13W without connected clients, which increases to 20W when one user actively uses the AP. A single multicolor LED gives feedback on the unit’s operation and is a departure from the past Wi-Fi 6 version, which had four LEDs. The AP is ready when the LED is green. Blue indicates that there is at least one connected client. The user can adjust the LED’s brightness through the mobile app.

EnGenius ECW536 front — (Image credit: Future)

EnGenius ECW536: In Use

Setting up the access point can be done entirely through the mobile app, which is available for Android and iOS platforms. The user needs an account to begin the installation. The AP and other EnGenius units can be added using a QR code on the back of each unit.

To fully utilize the Wi-Fi7 bandwidth, we strongly recommend connecting the AP to a 10Gb Ethernet LAN supporting PoE with at least 50W of available power. The ECW536 LED will blink orange if the PoE switch cannot provide sufficient power. Thus, the optional power socket becomes handy with an external 12V supply and completes the setup.

The mobile application offers features similar to those available on the cloud portal. The convenience of controlling access to the Wi-Fi network at one’s fingertips is very enticing. The user can also see what device consumes the most bandwidth at any time. However, the most helpful thing remains the ability to check the access point’s health from any place with Internet access.

The ECW536 offers mesh capability to increase signal reach; the AP can connect to other ECW536 units or previous-generation models such as ECS230S. There are obvious reasons to use one against the other. In a Wi-Fi 6 infrastructure, the ECW536 will mesh using one of its four 160MHz backhaul channels, providing a maximum of 1.4Gbps as throughput. On the other hand, using several ECW536 yields the best range and throughput since the backhaul is now over Wi-Fi 7 at 2.9Gbps.

EnGenius ECW536 back — (Image credit: Future)

EnGenius ECW536: The competition

Upgrading from something other than Wi-Fi 6 to Wi-Fi 7 should be a sound investment for the next few years, mainly because of the higher throughput offered by the denser 4096 QAM encoding. Still, fierce competition in consumer-level routers continues to drive prices down. The ECW536 comes with more technical support and an overall better performance when compared to consumer products.

Based on the same Qualcomm technology, the Zyxel WBE660S provides a similar throughput and range compared to the ECW536, while the Zyxel AP costs less than the EnGenius. A second 10G Ethernet port on the ECW536 turns it into a 10G switch, something lacking on the WBE660S. The ECW536 is also more compact and lighter, making installation a breeze compared to the WBE660S. Finally, the EnGenius AP consumes less energy than Zyxel’s access point, resulting in a device that will last longer while costing less electricity.

EnGenius ECW536: Final verdict

Thanks to the new Wi-Fi 7 standard, the EnGenius ECW536 takes wireless networks to the next level by adding more range and bandwidth. The range should be as good as previous 5GHz access points. The increase in bandwidth results from using a better encoding algorithm, quadrupling the throughput compared to Wi-Fi 6. These gains come with higher power dissipation and a more expensive unit. A 10G LAN infrastructure supporting PoE is required to use the AP to its fullest potential.

EnGenius offers a 5-year warranty on the ECW536 and customer support via online chat, phone, or email. The AP has cloud access, allowing network inspection and problem resolution remotely.

Buy the ECW536 if:

You are starting a new network that requires lots of bandwidth and range.

Dont buy the ECW536 if:

You already have a Wi-Fi 6 AP fleet from another manufacturer

We list the best Wi-Fi extenders.

Honor MagicBook Art 14 2024 arrives with Core Ultra 5 or Core Ultra 7, up to 32GB of RAM

4:29 pm | July 12, 2024

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

At its big event today Honor not only took the wraps off of the Magic V3 and Magic Vs3 smartphones, but also unveiled the MagicBook Art 14 2024 laptop. This one weighs 1.03kg and is 12.95mm thick, sporting a 14.6-inch OLED screen with a 3:2 aspect ratio, 700-nit typical brightness, and 3,120x2,080 resolution. You can have it with a choice of Intel Core Ultra 5 125H or Core Ultra 7 155H, with Intel Arc graphics. The laptop comes with a 1TB SSD, and supports LPDDR5X RAM. It has six speakers with spatial audio and DTS support, and a 60Wh battery that fully charges in 95 minutes and gets...

Honor MagicBook Pro 16 laptop review

7:42 pm | July 1, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Tags: CPU, OS, RAM | Comments: Off

Honor MagicBook Pro 16: 30-second review

Specs

CPU: Intel® Core™ Ultra 5 processor 125H
Graphics: Intel® Arc™ graphics
RAM: 24GB
Storage: 1TB
Rear Ports: USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, HDMI 2.0
Front Ports: USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, Thunderbolt 4
Connectivity: 2x2 MIMO antennas, Wi-Fi 6 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax, 2.4GHz and 5GHz, and Bluetooth 5.1.
Audio: 3.5mm
Camera: webcam
Size: 354 x 242 x 19.9mm
Weight: 1.79kg
OS installed: Microsoft Windows 11 Home
Accessories: None

The Honor MagicBook Pro 16 2024 is an impressive-looking laptop from the outset, with sleek black lines and sharp edges, instantly giving it an ultra-stylish and modern look.

Like the many of the best business laptops we've reviewed, the build quality of the Aluminium Alloy case highlights the MagicBook Pro as something more than your average Windows work laptop, giving it both a premium and robust feel. When closed, the laptop exterior is kept simple with a sleek, subtle wedge-like design that makes it easy to slip into a laptop bag, while when open, that design gives the keyboard a subtle yet comfortable angle when in use. Likewise, the rest of the exterior is plain, with just two USB ports on the side along with a 3.5mm audio socket and two USBs on the back with an HDMI - just what you want for business use.

The unusual positioning of the two USB Type-A ports and HDMI at the back enables easy connection to multimedia docs, making it an ideal solution when giving a presentation from a lectern or board room. With wires clear of the sides of the machine, additional notes, drinks, and props can be placed back onto the surface without being obstructed by wires, helping to keep things neat and professional.

Opening the lid and the large 16-inch screen is clear and bright, with plenty of scope for adjustment. Starting the test with a little office work, the high-resolution screen of 3072 x 1920 gives plenty of space for laying out windows and flicking between office apps. If you need more screen real estate then there's the HDMI or Thunderbolt 4 port to connect up to additional monitors. Used for standard office applications such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint, along with a browser for research, the laptop handles all with ease, with the AI working unnoticed in the background to allocate resources when and where needed.

The actuation of the full keyboard is decent enough with a good feel to the keys and responsiveness. However, some of the keyboard feels a little crammed in, and miss types are easy with the "Enter" and right-hand "Shift" keys, both reduced in size and surrounded by the number pad and cursor keys without the usual gap. The touchpad is of a decent size and, again, responsive, but there's a slight tinniness to the feel, and it lacks some of the quality you expect with premium laptops. However, this is mid-range.

Switching the laptop's use to creative apps such as Photoshop, the machine is able to handle files with relative ease and is powerful enough to build up multi-layer projects from files from the Canon EOS R5. When using Photoshop, additional storage is a good idea as there's only 1TB internally, and with the option of USB or Thunderbolt 4 ports, you have two speedy connection options.

Taking a look at video editing, the laptop does start to struggle with 4K footage - so this won't replace the best video editing laptops any time soon. Straight editing is handled, but complex compositions start to see the system slow, although it still impresses with what it is able to handle. As with photography, when video editing, an external SSD can be connected to boost storage, and again, the Thunderbolt 4 or USB 4 ports make a big difference to the overall performance.

Finally, used in a lecture theater, the rear port connection makes connection easy, and the space around the machine is welcome. The long battery life is also welcome, as the machine happily remained self-powered through a three-hour lecture running a presentation without pause.

Overall, this is a powerful laptop with plenty of flexibility for use in and out of the office. While creatives may find the size of the internal SSD a little limiting, most will find this space more than adequate, and the balance of the power and abilities are finely tuned for everyday work from spreadsheets and documents to larger-scale presentations.

Honor MagicBook Pro 16: Introduction

Honour makes several variants of the MagicBook Pro 16, and in this review, we'll be looking at the Honor MagicBook Pro 16 2024, with the mid-range Intel Core Ultra 5 CPU and Intel Arc GPU. While the internals of the various models may be different, the external aluminium alloy casing is much the same and gives the machine a stylish high-quality look and feel. This model is also available in two colour variants, either white or purple, although the purple is closer to grey, making it an ideal solution for everyday office use.

The Core Ultra 5 is the entry-level of the new range of Intel CPUs and features built-in AI abilities and far more processing power than we've seen in previous entry level CPUs. The CPU's performance when coupled with integrated graphics is impressive, especially when pushed to handle larger documents and files across multiple different apps, a task previous generations of the processors at this level might have struggled with, however here, this machine is it's able to intelligently allocate resources where needed and run those applications smoothly.

While this laptop only features integrated graphics, the Intel Arc GPU is surprisingly powerful and can handle creative tasks and applications that are well beyond the capabilities of many laptops in this price range. Both Photoshop and Premiere Pro can run and handle relatively complex projects, although an external SSD is a good idea for additional storage.

The Honor MagicBook Pro 16 is an interesting laptop designed as a powerful mid-range solution with a premium build and solid hardware that should offer most professional users the power and features they need.

Honor MagicBook Pro 16: Price & availability

How much does it cost? 1299,90 EUROS
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in France and China

The 2024 Honor MagicBook Pro 16 is available in France for €1299 and in China for ¥6299. This laptop is designed for professionals and features an Intel Core Ultra 5 processor and Intel Arc graphics, a 16-inch 3K display with 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut, and TÜV Rheinland certifications for eye protection. The sleek, aluminium alloy design ensures durability and style, while its performance supports both office and light creative use. With a 75Wh battery offering up to 12 hours of use and fast charging capabilities, it is ideal for both office and creative work.

For more details, visit the Honor product page by clicking here.

Price: 4/5

Honor MagicBook Pro 16: Design & build

The Honor MagicBook Pro 16 features a sleek aluminium alloy outer casing that gives the laptop a durable, stylish, and modern look. The materials and finish give it a solid build quality that surpasses that of many laptops in this price range. The subtle slim wedge shape design gives the laptop an ergonomic feel and not only makes it comfortable to carry but also easy to slip into a laptop bag. When it comes to doing some work and the laptop is opened, this shape subtle slant provides a comfortable platform when typing over longer periods.

When it comes to weight, the two colour variants are weighted differently which is slightly strange. The Purple version, which is more grey, is the lighter of the two options at 1.79 kg, while the white comes in at 1.83 kg. Both models feel reassuringly premium when it comes to build quality and this feeling of quality continues as you open the lid to reveal the screen. The 16.1-inch display is bright and crisp, featuring 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage, 500 nits brightness, and a 3072 x 1920 resolution.

The overall design feels premium; however, while this is an expensive machine, in real terms, it's in the mid-range of professional laptops suited for everyday office use rather than home gaming or intensive creative work. As such, the design is simple, and this simplicity is evident through the layout of ports: a 3.5mm audio socket, USB-C 3.2 Gen2 (10Gbps), and Thunderbolt 4 (40Gbs) are on the side. On the back, which is an unusual position, are two USB-A 3.2 Gen1 and an HDMI 2.1, which supports 4K @ 60Hz, making it ideal for presentations and multimedia connections.

The ports' rear positioning is an interesting design choice, making them ideal for connecting to presentation systems and docks.

Another interesting feature is the full keyboard with a 1.5mm actuation distance and a 134.2mm x 81.2mm touchpad that supports multi-touch. When it comes to biometric features, there is a fingerprint power button with a touch sensor, but the small camera doesn't allow Windows Hello. The 1080P FHD front camera supports video recording and video chat and is equipped with an indicator for privacy.

As you'd expect, audio is well covered with six speakers delivering Spatial Audio and DTS effects, along with two microphones, all designed to give you the best quality for video streaming and online meetings.

When it comes to power, there are the usual options, AC through the Thunderbolt 4 port, which enables a 65w fast charge to the laptop's 75Wh battery. In normal use this battery offers approximately 12 hours of usage on a single charge, and fast charging can boost the charge to about 55% in 30 minutes.

Ultimately, this laptop is designed for professionals who need a reliable machine for the workplace. It is capable of plugging into a docking station, supporting intensive work on the go, and connecting to projectors and multimedia with ease and neatness. The size and weight, combined with a robust build, all come together to ensure that it can withstand being carried around safely in a suitable laptop bag.

Design: 3.5/5

Honor MagicBook Pro 16: Features

The Honor MagicBook Pro 16 is a laptop aimed at working professionals and combines looks with ability. However, whereas other manufacturers boost the basics with additions such as card readers, discrete graphics, and more, this version of the MagicBook Pro 16 2024 focuses its abilities on those who need a powerful laptop for work.

As such, it offers a large 16-inch 3K display with a 3072 x 1920 resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate, which means that it can display spreadsheets, word documents, and multimedia presentations smoothly. Backing up the resolution is 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut support and 500 nits of brightness, all helping to ensure accurate and bright colour, making it a decent choice for creative professionals. It also includes TÜV Rheinland certifications for low blue light and flicker-free viewing, protecting your eyes during prolonged use.

Inside is one of the latest Intel Core Ultra 5 processors 125H with a base frequency of 1.2 GHz, boosting up to 4.5 GHz. Intel Arc graphics complements this 14-core processor. While this isn't a separate GPU, this integrated graphics chip is still capable of delivering substantial power for multitasking and graphics-intensive applications such as Illustrator and Photoshop. In this review, our laptop features 24GB of LPDDR5X RAM and a 1TB SSD, all helping to ensure fast load times and a decent amount of storage for general use and applications. If you are looking at using this for more creative endeavours, then an external SSD would be a good idea.

One of the most interesting features of the Honor MagicBook Pro 16 is the all-new AI NPU chip integrated with the Intel processor. This AI chip has been designed to support a variety of applications, including real-time translation and automated reasoning, and this is all down to the large language model of up to 20 billion parameters. These AI capabilities enable the laptop to perform sophisticated tasks without requiring an internet connection, significantly improving efficiency. These additional features are handled through the Honor Software offerings that are pre-installed.

When you set up the laptop, you have two Honor applications that feature some of the AI abilities, such as Honor Connect, which enables you to switch tasks intelligently between devices; Smart Reminders, which enhance the more you use them, and the ability to tether with your smartphone when needed easily. Most of these features are based on preserving battery power as well as being exteremly useful. The other app is Honor PC Manager, and this keeps an eye on the health and performance of your machine, depending on how you're using it. One of the main features here is the Smart Mode that adjusts the power settings depending on what you're doing, or if you just want full power, then you can switch to the high-performance option, although this does create more noise from the cooling system and shorter battery life. There's even a keyboard short cut of Fn + P to make the switch manually if you need a power boost, but you need to be on the desktop for this to work rather than within an App.

In other applications, such as Microsoft Office, the AI chip can optimize system resources to ensure a responsive experience. Even with large documents and complex spreadsheets, the idea is that you can work on multiple applications simultaneously without experiencing slowdowns. In all cases the AI works in the background handling the resources and allocations and ultimately helping to avoid slowdowns.

The most impressive angle for the AI chip is the ability to manage resources, especially for intensive creative applications used for photo and video editing. In Photoshop and Lightroom, the AI can assist in automated tasks like selecting subjects or applying filters. In Premiere Pro, AI-driven enhancements can speed up rendering times and general performance with 4K resolution footag

As always, connectivity options are incredibly important, especially for a work laptop. Here, there's Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, and support for HONOR Magic-link for integration with Honor smartphones and tablets. The port selection around the laptop is minimal, with a USB-C 3.2 Gen2 port, a Thunderbolt 4 port, two USB-A 3.2 Gen1 ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

The laptop's battery, 75Wh, keeps it powered away from AC power. Honor quotes this battery as being able to supply up to 12 hours of usage on a single charge. A good feature is support for fast charging, which means that it can reach a 55% battery capacity in 30 minutes and a full charge in 70 minutes.

The MagicBook Pro 16's keyboard is quite unusual. It's a full-size keyboard with a 1.5mm actuation distance and a large touchpad supporting multi-touch gestures. Regarding security, there's a convenient fingerprint power button, making it quick to access the laptop when needed.

Finally, audio is covered with a six-speaker sound system that enables Spatial Audio and DTS effects. Dual microphones help ensure clear voice capture when you're making video calls and recordings, and the 1080P FHD front camera handles visuals.

Features: 4/5

Honor MagicBook Pro 16: Performance

Benchmarks

3DMark Wild Life:
Graphics Score: 21257
Fire Strike:
Overall: 7867
Graphics Score: 8467
Physics Score: 21629
Combined Score: 3166
Time Spy:
Overall: 3341
Graphics Score: 3009
CPU Score: 8958
Night Raid: 27643
Graphics: 35347
CPU: 12369

Cinebench R23:
Multi-Core Score: 12605
Single-Core Score: 1602

GeekBench 5:
Multi-Core Score: 11361
Single-Core Score: 2189
GPU: 27070

CrystalDiskMark:
Read Speed: 4998.81
Write Speed: 3509.50

PCMark 10:
Score: 6980

Windows Experience Index:
Score: 8.2

Display

sRGB Accuracy: 100%, Adobe RGB: 88%, P3 99%
Gamut: 5 out of 5
Tone response: 3.5 out of 5
White Point: 4.5 out of 5
Contrast: 5.0 out of 5
Luminance: 4 out of 5
Colour Uniformity: 4.5 out of 5
Colour Accuracy: 3.5 out of 5
Overall: 4 out of 5

The Honor MagicBook Pro 16 2024 is aimed at professionals who need a well-made, high-quality laptop that will enable fast loading of applications and documents as well as the ability to easily link into systems and adapt to a variety of work situations. The style of the laptop reflects this with a sleek, professional design that will look at home in any city office, workplace meeting or presentation.

The machine is powered by the Intel Core Ultra 5 processor 125H, which has a base frequency of 1.2 GHz and automatically boosts up to 4.5 GHz when needed, such as when multitasking or using more power-intensive applications such as Photoshop or DaVinci Resolve. When used for day-to-day work, such as switching between various Microsoft Office applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, the machine handles all programs with ease, and there's no lag or hesitation as you switch from one to the other

Taking a look at the benchmark tests, the MagicBook Pro 16 mirrors the real-world performance with the results from the tests. Using Microsoft Office applications, the laptop is fast and responsive, with large Word documents loading quickly and mid-sized Excel spreadsheets with multiple formulas and data points being easy to open and navigate. When it came to more graphics-intensive applications such as PowerPoint, the laptop's Intel Arc graphics handled the stock transitions and animations through the presentations that were tested well.

One of the points that will interest many creative professionals is the P3 display. In Photoshop, the high-resolution 3K display with 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage does help to ensure that images are vibrant and colours look accurate on screen. We used a DataColor Spyder X2 to calibrate the monitor prior to testing. With the latest version of Photoshop loaded, editing high-resolution photos taken on a Canon EOS R5 proved to be a fluid process with fast reaction times for the dodge-and-burn, selection and Generative AI tools. When enhancing the images, even when working with multiple layers and complex effects the machine was able to handle the work with ease. In Lightroom, the laptop handles large photo libraries effortlessly, making it easy to sort, edit, and export images quickly.

Video editing in DaVinci really put the Intel Core Ultra 5 processor, Intel Arc graphics, 24GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and a 1TB SSD to the test. Here, the laptop handles multiple video tracks, effects, and transitions with relative ease. However, it is possible to see the limitations of the hardware and the Windows operating system with codecs and multiple other bits of software required to play back native Canon RAW video files. 1080p video edits smoothly and easily, 4K up to 5 minutes with a couple of tracks and effects is fine, but as you build the complexity of the production, the machine does start to slow down, which is expected.

One surprising aspect, as the machine's abilities are pushed, is the effectiveness of the cooling system, which keeps temperatures in check even during intensive tasks. During video editing, the machine stayed quiet due to the cooling system, which seems to show that the 12mm composite pipe system works.

Honor states that the 75Wh battery is able to provide approximately 12 hours of usage on a single charge. In our real-world test, we ran the various benchmark tests, Photoshop, DaVinci, and the Microsoft Office apps. At that time, we had around five hours of intensive use with around 20% left. With the fast charge, you can get the level back up within 30 minutes, and just over an hour sees you back at full power. It's worth noting that the charger needs to be the correct type, and not all USB Type-C chargers will work in the Thunderbolt 4 port.

In general performance, the laptop proved ideal for office and presentation-based work, with the power of the hardware more than capable of handling almost any document or presentation you could wish to throw at it. When it came to creative tasks, again, this is a powerful, if understated, laptop. The P3 display is good, and our test proved 88% Adobe RGB accurate, which is a consideration for photographers. Videographers will be happy with the colour profiles and accuracy as well. For basic onsite editing with an external SSD, this laptop with the correct codecs installed will happily enable you to edit basic video productions ideal for work and social.

Considering the laptop's cost, its performance is exceptional. It handles Office applications with absolute ease, and Photoshop proved well within its limits. But using one of the best video editing software we've tried, DaVinci Resolve, admittedly started to push the machine's limits, but for general editing of short corporate videos and social posts, this machine will be more than happy to handle that type of work.

AI is a big part of this new chipset and you are aware that AI processing is going on in the background, and holding down the Fn button and P enables you to switch between the power modes when needed. In this test, that boost was when dragging new 4K footage into the Premiere Pro sequence.

Performance: 4/5

Should you buy the Honor MagicBook Pro 16?

If you're looking for a laptop that blends stylish looks, high-performance and price, then Honor MagicBook Pro 16 is an excellent choice. The sleek design, mid-range yet powerful internals, and AI-driven enhancements that come with the latest chipset and Honor software make this a great all-rounder. However, if you require extensive internal storage or a dedicated GPU for video or 3D work, possibly a bit of high-end gaming then opt for the version with the dedicated NVidia graphics. Also, while the full keyboard is great for general office work, it does take some getting used to the smaller enter and shift keys surrounded by the number pad.

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