The Redmi Note 12 Pro+ unveiled in China last October debuted in India in January and launched in Europe this week. We've been using the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ for a few weeks now, and our detailed review is around the corner, but we thought we'd share part of our findings about the phone in advance.
Unboxing
Let's check the Redmi Note 12 Pro+'s retail box first. In India, the smartphone comes in a black-colored box, which includes a protective case, a SIM card ejection tool, a USB-C cable, a 120W charger, and the usual paperwork.
In comparison, in Europe the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ comes...
Tecno is apparently gearing up for a new release within its camera-centric Camon series. The Tecno Camon 20 Premier 5G just recently popped up online in a couple of images and with some leaked specs to boot. We have only seen the camera island of the phone thus far, and it sure is distinctive. As per the source, the Camon 20 Premier 5G will have a leather back to give it an extra premium look and feel.
Techo Camon 20 Premier 5G
Regarding specs, the phone is expected to feature an FHD+, 120Hz flat AMOLED display with a diagonal in the 6.X-inch range. Powering the phone, we...
Tecno is apparently gearing up for a new release within its camera-centric Camon series. The Tecno Camon 20 Premier 5G just recently popped up online in a couple of images and with some leaked specs to boot. We have only seen the camera island of the phone thus far, and it sure is distinctive. As per the source, the Camon 20 Premier 5G will have a leather back to give it an extra premium look and feel.
Techo Camon 20 Premier 5G
Regarding specs, the phone is expected to feature an FHD+, 120Hz flat AMOLED display with a diagonal in the 6.X-inch range. Powering the phone, we...
We already know the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is on its way and is expected to land on April 4 alongside the OnePlus Nord Buds 2. We’ve also already seen a render of the phone in a lime green color. Some reliable tipsters have now managed to dig up some specs on the upcoming device as well.
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G specs
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G (CPH2467) is expected to rock a 6.7-inch, FHD+, 120Hz LCD display and a large 5,000 mAh battery with 67W charging inside a 165.5 x 76 x 8.3 mm, 195-gram glass and plastic body. The phone will likely be based on the Qualcomm...
There are a lot of 4K 144Hz gaming monitors out there, but there are few as good as the Philips Momentum 279M1RV. It fits into a very particular niche among the best gaming monitors in that it is designed for both PC gaming and console gaming, and it does both extremely well.
Whether you have the best gaming PC or an Xbox Series X|S or PS5, with 144Hz for PC and 120Hz for consoles, you're able to get the fastest 4K performance for all of your games, which is great after being locked into 60Hz for so long.
That said, there are a lot of gaming monitors and gaming TVs out there, so what makes the Philips Momentum 279M1RV so special? Frankly, it's price. It has a retail price of $749.99 / £759.95, which is significantly cheaper than many of the best 4K monitors of this size.
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For gamers, in addition to the fast refresh rate, there is also a fast response time of 1ms, making it a great option for casual esports players.
In standard mode, you get 450 nits of brightness, but this can be pushed up to 600 nits in HDR mode. The monitor panel features nano IPS/W-LED with DisplayHDR 600 as well as a very wide color gamut across sRBG (133%), Adobe RGB (110.1%), and DCI-P3 (98%), making this an excellent creative's monitor as well, so this little display can really do just about everything and does it very well.
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Best of all, for console players, you get three HDMI 2.1 ports, meaning that you can have three consoles plugged in at once and have all of them benefit from 120Hz refresh, which is something you don't see that often. Most of the best gaming monitors for Xbox Series X and best gaming monitors for PS5 only have one HDMI 2.1 port, so you need to swap out ports fairly regularly.
It's a small feature, but it's a notable one that multi-console players like myself absolutely appreciate.
If there were a criticism I have of the Philips Momentum 279M1RV, it'd be the fairly weak speakers and the somewhat awkward footprint. The former isn't as big a deal since most of us have a good gaming headset handy, but if you don't, don't expect miracles from this monitor's built-in sound.
The footprint is more a matter of personal taste. The stand is easy enough to assemble and is plenty sturdy, but the rather tall T-bar for a stand makes it difficult to use the space under the monitor for a soundbar like the Razer Leviathan V2 Pro. Again, it's definitely not a deal breaker, but if you really like to have a pristine setup, it's something to note before dropping this much cash on a monitor.
Should you decide to do so, however, you won't be disappointed. The Philips Momentum 279M1RV is a phenomenal display with great features for both PC gamers and console fans at a very fair price, making it a strong contender for one of the best monitors we've reviewed this year.
Philips Momentum 279M1RV: Price & availability
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How much does it cost? $749.99 / £759.95 (about AU$1,090)
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia
The Philips Momentum 279M1RV is available now in the US, UK, and Australia for $749.99 and £759.95 in the US and UK, and about AU$1,090 in Australia. This puts it well north of the best cheap gaming monitors and many of the best gaming monitors generally as well, but for a 27-inch 4K 144Hz gaming monitor, this is actually pretty affordable.
The Sony Inzone M9 4K 144Hz monitor is nearly $900, as is the BenQ Mobiuz EX2710U, but the HP Omen 27U is $699, which makes it slightly cheaper.
Philips Momentum 279M1RV: Specs
Should you buy the Philips Momentum 279M1RV?
(Image credit: Future/John Loeffler)
Buy it if...
You're a PC and a console gamer
Thanks to its ample ports capable of 120Hz or higher, you'll get outstanding performance whether you're gaming on a PC or a console.
You want a well-priced 4K 144Hz monitor
This isn't the cheapest 4K 144Hz monitor, but it's one of the cheapest you'll find, and given its performance, it's an excellent value.
Don't buy it if...
You don't have a console
This monitor's best features are meant for console gamers, so while it's great for PC gaming, you can find cheaper PC-specific monitors out there.
You're on a budget
We all want the best, but this monitor is still a pretty premium item. There are cheaper 1440p displays that will get you great performance for much less.
Philips Momentum 279M1RV: Also consider
How I tested the Philips Momentum 279M1RV
I spent more than a month testing the Philips Momentum 279M1RV
I used it for work, gaming, and content creation
To test the Philips Momentum 279M1RV, I used it extensively as my primary monitor at home.
I used the monitor for extensive work, content creation, and for gaming on both PC and both Xbox and PS5 console.
We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.
iQOO unveiled the iQOO Z7 in India earlier this week and followed up with another Z7 in China, which has different specs. The Chinese Z7 is yet to go on sale, but the Indian Z7 is already available for purchase. It starts at INR18,999 ($230/€215) and has two color options - Norway Blue and Pacific Night. We spent some time with it and here are our impressions.
Let's check the iQOO Z7's retail box first, whose design is similar to the more premium iQOO number series' packages, but has a smaller footprint. It includes a SIM ejector tool, a protective case, a USB-C cable, a 44W power adapter,...
Samsung has released its latest refresh on its Galaxy Book line of laptops. The most luxurious of the three, the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra, is an Ultrabook that's meant to give users a top-notch experience in productivity, creative work, and even gaming.
The Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra is an absolute stunner of a portable machine, offering excellent specs and a gorgeous display all in a sleek and sexy package. Though I often lament the lack of colors in these laptop lines, the Book3 Ultra is one of those exceptions. It has more heft in its form factor than the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro or Pro 360, but it’s still very lightweight and thin for the 16-inch display, at 0.65 inches and less than four pounds.
Pricing is quite high, as it starts at $2,399.99 (£2,649 / around AU$4,875) for the base model and $2,999.99 (£3,049 / around AU$5,610) for the upgraded model. Right now, there’s a US-only sale that drops prices to $1,799.99 for the base model and $2,399.99 for the upgraded version. Australia is left out in the cold, with no official access to the Book3 Ultra at all.
The display is a beautiful 3K (2880 x 1800) AMOLED screen, which complements its variety of uses that all require a high-quality screen. The keyboard feels smooth and is easy to type on thanks to the wide and well-spaced keys. And thanks to the 16-inch display, there’s even plenty of space for a num lock pad. The touchpad is large and equally smooth, with a great response.
Its port selection has some decent variety: one HDMI 2.0 port, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, one USB 3.2 Type-A port, an audio jack, and one MicroSD slot. I do wish the Ultrabook had an extra Type-A port and an ethernet port, but overall there’s enough coverage for most uses, which is still a leg up on many other Ultrabooks especially.
Performance-wise is great across the board, with productivity being the best use for this laptop. However, if you need a machine that can handle creative and editing projects, as well as some pretty good gaming, then this laptop can also perform well. This is thanks to the 13th-gen Intel Core i7-13700H CPU and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 CPU that’s built into the laptop, with the former upgradable to the Core i9 and the latter to an RTX 4070 for even better performance.
But the brand new crown jewel of this new line of Galaxy Book3 laptops is the addition of several Samsung file and internet sharing features like Multi Control, Quick Share, Microsoft Phone Link, the Expert RAW app, and Instant Hotspot. This ecosystem of file-sharing and more serves as a true challenge to Apple’s own excellent file-sharing features and makes having multiple Samsung devices worth it.
With all these positives, there’s one major drawback which is battery life. If you’re streaming movies or TV shows then you’re getting less than five hours before needing a recharge. And for pure work, about six or so hours is all you’ll have before needing a recharge, so it won’t even last a full day at the office.
All things considered, however, this is still one of the best laptops 2023 has to offer.
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra: Price & availability
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Starting at $2,399.99 (£2,649 / around AU$4,875)
Available now in the US and UK
At the time of this writing, there’s a laptop deal in the US for the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra, which lowers the pricing to $1,799.99 for the base model and $2,399.99 for the best version.
However, the regular pricing for the base model, which is also the review unit that I received, is $2,399.99 (£2,649 / around AU$4,875) which includes the Core i7-13700H CPU and RTX 4050 GPU. If you want the upgraded version with the Intel Core i9-13900H CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, that’ll set you back $2,999.99 (£3,049 / around AU$5,610).
As for availability, you can easily nab both models in the US and the UK through the Samsung online store. Unfortunately, Australia is out of luck, with none available through official means. You’ll either have to import one or order from third-party retailers and auction sites.
Price score: 3 / 5
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra: Specs
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The specs for the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra review unit sent to me are as follows: Intel Core i7-13700H CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD of storage.
There’s also an upgradable version of the laptop which features the following specs: Intel Core i9-13900H CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD of storage.
Specs score: 5 / 5
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra: Design
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Sleek and sexy chassis
Great display and keyboard
Samsung filing sharing ecosystem is excellent
The Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra has an absolutely gorgeous, sleek design. It’s an Ultrabook wearing a sexy black chassis and has a light and thin form factor for its 16-inch display. The display itself is a 3K (2880 x 1800) AMOLED screen that features 400 nits of brightness normally, and when it’s using HDR that increases to 500 nits. The refresh rate is a variable one that can be adjusted between 48-120Hz depending on your needs.
It has a nice, wide keyboard with well-sized keys and a num lock pad on the side. The touchpad is humongous and well-balanced in its sensitivity. Its audio quality is also excellent, sporting a clear sound that degrades very little at max volume. The webcam is a standard 1080p resolution, and though it doesn’t have the bells and whistles of an HP camera, the image quality is still quite decent even in poor lighting conditions and sharp in good lighting. There’s an HDR mode and a facial smoothing filter with different levels.
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But arguably the most anticipated new feature is one I tested out extensively: the new Samsung ecosystem, which is meant to finally unify Samsung devices like its smartphones and laptops. Connecting a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra to the Book3 Ultra through the necessary software and Bluetooth connection, I found that I could transfer photos and other files with ease, as well as display my phone screen on its display, as well as make phone calls, send text messages, and more.
I’m not one for needing a united ecosystem of devices, usually preferring to purchase whatever individually best suits my needs. However, these features have piqued my interest, and I finally understand why it’s so coveted among Apple users, as it genuinely makes so many tasks that much faster and easier. Having multiple Samsung devices is worth it now, as long as it keeps being supported. Also, the process of linking up your phone and laptop should be a little more streamlined and less complicated at first, but thankfully it becomes more intuitive as you go along.
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Design score: 5 / 5
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra: Performance
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Can run work applications and creative programs with ease
Can game on high settings with any PC game
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra: Benchmarks
Here's how the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
3DMark: Night Raid: 25,584; Fire Strike: 13,479; Time Spy: 6,228 Cinebench R23 Multi-core: 14,093 points GeekBench 5: 1,768 (single-core); 12,310 (multi-core) PCMark 10 (Home Test): 6,762 points Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 4 hours, 45 minutes Civilization VI (1080p, Ultra): 92 fps; (1080p, Low): 96 fps
General performance for the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra is very well-rounded, a Jack of all trades if you will. Though it doesn’t have a particular speciality, its greatest function is that it’s an all-around workhorse that can tackle most creative and editing tasks alongside productivity and even higher-end gaming. It’s an expensive machine, but it’ll handle whatever you through at it and quite well at that, meaning you won’t have to purchase separate laptops to accomplish different tasks.
Testing using productivity and rendering benchmarks like Handbrake, CrossMark, and PugetBench for Adobe CC found that, while the results weren’t the top of the class, they are comparable to another Ultrabook with similar performance: the Apple Macbook Pro 16 outfitted with the M2 Max chip. Though the Book3 Ultra was beaten out in every test result, it wasn’t by an extremely high margin either, with the largest being less than 400 in the PugetBench Photoshop and CrossMark tests.
The 13th-gen Core i7 CPU works like magic, and it's definitely the key to the Book3 Ultra’s success, being able to run a wide range of applications and programs without breaking a sweat. However, the GPU is no slouch either. This is our first look at the RTX 4050 mobile chip, and its performance is excellent across the board. Though obviously not beating out a dedicated gaming laptop, it absolutely sweeps the last-gen competition in benchmark test scores, and even better, plays nice with the CPU. There’s no sign of the bottleneck that CPU performance hits when paired with a 4080 or 4090.
Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm ran at 95fps on low settings and 92fps for higher settings, which is very impressive. I also ran two other benchmarks to see those results, Cyberpunk 2077 and Hitman 3. For the former, I tested on high settings without ray-tracing or DLSS, and the results were a surprisingly solid 31fps on average, though you shouldn’t turn on ray-tracing because even with DLSS on it chugged along at 14FPS. Hitman 3 on high settings netted about 76fps for the Dartmoor benchmark and 98fps for the Dubai, which are both great numbers.
Performance score:5 / 5
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra: Battery
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Terrible battery life
Charges fast
Bottomline, the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra has a terrible battery life. Through productivity work, you can get it to last around six hours at most, and with streaming and gaming, you’ll be getting less than five hours. Most likely the battery drain is due to the RTX 4050 powering it, and I would imagine the 4070 GPU would be even worse.
I did notice that it has a 77Whr battery, which is a bit on the low side for a machine packing a 4000-series card. It charges quickly for that same reason, taking less than one hour for a full charge. But this is a laptop that needs to stay on AC power, especially if you’re doing any intensive work or play.
Battery score: 2 / 5
Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra?
Buy it if...
You want excellent productivity and gaming performance This laptop can balance both, plus any editing or creative projects that you need to be done. It's the ultimate workhorse in a gorgeous chassis.
Don't buy it if...
You’re on a budget
Though this is a high-quality laptop that can truly do it all, it also comes at a steep price. The average worker or creative person might have trouble affording it.
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra: Also consider
If the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra has you considering other options, here are two more laptops to consider...
How I tested the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra?
I tested the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra for several weeks
I tested it using productivity and creative applications, as well as gaming
I stress-tested the battery using the TechRadar movie test
First, I tested the general weight and portability of the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra by carrying it around in a laptop bag. After I set it up, I ran several benchmarks to thoroughly test out the processor and graphics card. Finally, I used a variety of programs and applications to test out both battery life and general performance during work-like conditions, as well as gaming benchmarks to test the RTX 4050 GPU.
The Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra is meant to be a portable laptop with a thin and light chassis. I had to spend a good amount of testing not only on performance issues but looking for any ventilation issues. I also tested out battery life to see how long it could last off AC power.
I've tested plenty of gaming PCs and laptops, making me more than qualified to understand benchmark test results and how to properly stress test machines to see how well they perform as a work machine.
The Redmi Note 12 series is already sprawling. There’s already the Redmi Note 12 Pro+, the Redmi Note 12 Pro, the Redmi Note 12 and the Redmi Note 12 4G. There is also word of a Redmi Note 12 Turbo on the way, and we might actually be missing a model or two from the list. As per some newly leaked info, users can soon expect at least two more additions to the lineup.
Redmi Note 12S and Note 12 Pro 4G renders
The Redmi Note 12S is expected to rock a 6.43-inch, FHD+, AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. A MediaTek Helio G96 chipset will probably power it. In case you were...
Apple recently rolled out the iOS 16.4 release candidate for developers, which includes references to new AirPods with model code A3048 and a new AirPods case bearing model designation A2968. According to famous analyst Ming Chi-Kuo, these are likely the USB-C version of AirPods Pro 2 launched last year with a Lightning port, and their mass shipments are expected between 2Q23-3Q23.
AirPods Pro 2 launched last year with Lightning port
Kuo didn't divulge anything else about the AirPods Pro 2's USB-C version, and it's unclear if these will just be the AirPods Pro 2 coming in a charging...
The Xiaomi TV Stick 4K is the company's latest entry-level 4K media streaming device. It's the usual sort of compact, dongle-like design that has become very popular with consumers as media streaming usage skyrockets. This new model supports most of the popular new audio/video formats along with the new Google TV interface. Priced at INR 4,999, the Xiaomi TV Stick 4K goes head-to-head with the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, which retails for the same price.
Design and remote
The Xiaomi TV Stick 4K comes in simple paper packaging. Inside you'll find the streaming stick, a Bluetooth...
