Today Nokia announced that it's signed a 5G patent license agreement with Honor. This covers both companies' "fundamental inventions in 5G and other cellular technologies", according to the official press release.
Nokia boasts that it's the fourth major smartphone agreement that it has concluded in the past 12 months, sounding more and more like a patent licensing firm than anything else. It further says its "industry-leading patent portfolio" is composed of "around 20,000 patent families, including over 6,000 patent families declared essential to 5G".
Honor Magic5 Pro
Anyway, as...
The QNAP TVS-h674T looks and feels like a high-quality device. It’s got quick release drive bays where it needs them but adding additional hardware simply involves unscrewing the case. It’s simple to set-up thanks to an intuitive app and a well-honed installation process and it’s simple to access locally and across the internet. The killer feature is the Thunderbolt 4 connectivity, which facilitates fast data transfer onto the NAS’s own drives or through the NAS on its way to one, or multiple, devices on a network at once. This potentially removes the necessity of buying multiple, expensive hard drives for work with massive video files, but you’ll need a bleeding edge network to realise this potential.
Unboxing and first impressions
As seems to be the law in NAS land, the QNAP TVS-h674T arrives boxed within a box for maximum protection. However, once extricated, you’re simply left with a NAS box, power cable and a box of screws for potential upgrades. A status display on the front looks smart but isn’t overly useful. Included literature tells you to download the QNAP app, follow the prompts and within 10 minutes you reach a point where drives are ready to be inserted and formatted.
Design and build quality
(Image credit: Future / Nick Ross)
SPECS
CPU: 2.5-4Ghz hexa-core Intel Core i5-12400 (12-thread) Memory: 32GB DDR4 RAM (expandable to 64GB) Compatible Drive Types: 6 x 3.5 or 2.5-inch SATA HDD/SSD and 2 x m.2 2280 slots Ports: 2 x Thunderbolt 4, 1 x USB-C 3.2, 2 x USB-A 3.2, 2 x 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, 1 x HDMI 1.4b Dimensions: 180 x 264 x 280mm Weight: 6.4kg
Low-to-mid-range NAS boxes have a tendency to feel like expensive, cheap metal hollow boxes, but there’s more of a feeling of robust quality with an unladen QNAP TVS-h674T. The LCD panel adds to this, although its colourful, backlit status-readouts rarely added much useful information and we were glad it turned off automatically. Each 3.5-inch drive bay is simple to extract and load toollessly, as NAS users would expect, and the rubber grommets help negate vibrations. It’s simple to unscrew the lid to access the two SODIMM, two M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 hard drive slots and two PCIe add-on card slots. It runs quietly, even when under load. Just note that only certified hard drives can be used... but at least that list includes third-party drives, unlike some Synology alternatives.
In use
(Image credit: Future / Nick Ross)
QNAP’s TVS-h674T fulfils the NAS-based promise of Thunderbolt 4 connectivity. It’s aimed at creators and small studios who want multiple users to be able to upload, edit and share 4K video across a network without relying on the traditional bane of multiple expensive, shared, single-connection, tethered hard drives.
There are six toolless, lockable and hotswappable 3.5-inch drive bays (included screws are needed for 2.5-inch SSDs). There are also two M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 slots for fast NVMe drives that can be used for super-fast storage or SSD caching. For the latter, they can be optimised for virtualization and database applications (Random I/O) or file serving and media streaming (All I/O).
QNAP states that using six 22TB drives provides a maximum 110TB of formatted storage capacity, but this can be pushed to 352TB when using QNAP’s optional JBOD enclosures.
(Image credit: Future / Nick Ross)
Just beware that you need to check QNAP’s website for drive compatibility, as few third-party drives are supported. Still, the fact that any are supported at all is a win considering that newer Synology NASes only support Synology-branded drives nowadays.
Two SODIMM slots are populated with two (non-ECC) 16GB memory modules (upgradable to 32GB). Note that QNAP recommends its own branded RAM but doesn’t require it. At the back are two 2.5Gb Ethernet ports, an HDMI 1.4b port, plus two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (Type-A and a Type-C). There’s another Type-C port at the front.
There are also two PCIe 4.0 slots. One (4 x4), comes populated with a two-port Thunderbolt 4 card. The other (4 x16) can be used to add additional, faster network ports (that facilitate up-to 25GbE speeds) or additional M.2 slots. It can also be used to add a small low-powered discreet graphics card for things like AI-based applications. You may need the latter, as the 12th-Gen Intel Core i5-12400 hexacore processor (with Hyperthreading) has a modest integrated UHD 730 GPU. It can transcode RAW footage on the fly, but will struggle with more-powerful demands.
(Image credit: Future / Nick Ross)
Set-up is simple, in that you plug it into your network, go to the supplied web address and follow the instructions. The QuTS hero 5.1.4 browser-based operating system is intuitive and makes setting-up storage and cache a breeze. It also comes with a well-stocked app store for just about any NAS application.
When used with SSD cache, we found that the theoretical 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 connection speed wasn’t quite achieved. It’s hard to test over (even) our fast network environment (which also deals with theoretical speeds) but, while we couldn’t match the promised performance, we did see write speeds fluctuating around 600MB/s and read speeds hitting 1,700MB/s. If you work with video and are sick of hanging around, this will likely represent a significant improvement, but at this level the true benefits will heavily depend upon the file types you use and your network environment.
Final verdict
The QNAP TVS-h674T represents a significant investment that might, on the surface, appear like an extravagance in the six-bay NAS market. However, while it’s not cheap compared to slower rivals and siblings, the collective man-hours saved by the reduced transfer times of gargantuan UHD video files plus the potential for eschewing the procurement and management of multiple expensive tethered hard drives and also the ability for multiple team members to work on network-shared files (potentially remotely) mean it can quickly pay for itself in the right environment.
The VigorSwitch PQ2200xb is a new managed switch from Draytek, and is perfect for businesses who are upgrading an existing network, or rolling out a new one. Key is the ability to supply up to 400W via PoE, which makes it an ideal backbone for cameras, VoIP phones, Wi-Fi access points, and more. The switch also includes a range of surveillance focused features that ensure it is well suited to supporting security cameras.
While the ethernet ports are 2.5GbE, it also has four SFP+ ports for high speed links, and offers up to 160 Gbps of overall switching capacity. Importantly, the PQ2200xb can be configured directly using its web interface, controlled with a DrayTek router, or managed through seperate software, such as Draytek’s own VigorACS 3.
The switch isn’t perfect, so read on as we put it to the test, and find out if it could suit your business. As always with Draytek products, you can try before you buy and test the interface and features yourself, thanks to a handy online demo.
While we tested it on a bench, the VigorSwitch PQ2200xb also comes with a rack mounting kit. (Image credit: Future / Lindsay Handmer)
Price and availability
The VigorSwitch PQ2200xb will set you back $659 / £550 / AU$1,200, which is quite inexpensive considering what's on offer. While there is some competition from other brands, few offer the same features for a comparable price. The PQ2200xb is easy to find for sale in Australia, but for other locations, if the switch is not stocked by your normal retailers, it may be necessary to reach out to your country's DrayTek office to find where it can be purchased.
The VigorSwitch PQ2200xb has four SFP+ ports, which enable high performance links at up to 10Gbps. (Image credit: Future / Lindsay Handmer)
Design and specifications
The PQ2200xb is a rack mount switch, measuring in at 440mm x 281.3mm x 44mm, and with a weight of 4.3kg. Around the back it has an IDC power port, while the dual 40mm variable speed fans are side mounted, with a vent on the other side. In the box you get a rack mount kit, RJ-45 console cord, power cord, rubber feet and quick start guide. The switch will run from 100V through to 240V, and is rated for a maximum power consumption of 550 watts.
SPECS
Ports: 16 x 2.5GbE, 4 x SFP+, 1 x RJ-45 console Switching Capacity: 160Gbps VLANs: 256 PoE: 12 x PoE+ (30W), 4 x PoE++ (90W), 400W total Management: TR-069 compatible Power Use: 100V – 240V, 6A (550W) Dimensions: 440(W) x 281.5(D) x 44(H) mm Weight: 4.3kg Warranty: 2 year back to base
The PQ2200xb has a total of 21 ports on the front – 16 x 2.5Gbps Ethernet connections, four 10G SPF+ slots, and an RJ-45 console connection port. This combination provides a versatile overall mix of connection options that will suit many small to medium businesses. The 2.5GbE ports provide high network speeds that can cater for fast access, or moving a lot of data around, without the cost of stepping up to a 10Gbps network. The four SFP+ ports give the flexibility to create very high speed links, such as between switches, or to network attached data storage or servers. Overall this combination of ports allows the creation of a robust, high performance network, without excessively high upfront costs.
A key feature of the PQ2200xb is Power Over Ethernet, and the switch can supply up to 400W total over the 16 ethernet ports. Critically, four of these ports are PoE++, which means that they can supply up to 90W per port. This is enough for power hungry equipment, ranging from point of sale computers and laptops, to TVs and other large displays, video conferencing systems, or even building management systems such as gate or door controllers. The other 12 ethernet ports are PoE+, providing up to 30W and are well suited to running a range of typical devices, such as cameras, Wi-Fi APs, lighting and so on. The inclusion of four PoE++ is a great design choice, as it enables a range of higher power networking options to be run without installing a separate connection for electricity. One downside is the choice to only provide 400W total, as if all four PoE++ ports have higher power devices connected, there is little leftover for the 12 PoE+ connections. We would have preferred to see a minimum of 500W overall for this setup, to give enough headroom to at least get 10W to each PoE+ port, while still being able to push the PoE++ to the full 90W.
The PQ2200xb is well suited to surveillance needs, and can detect ONVIF capable devices and place them into individual VLANs, as well as allow direct image viewing and setting management through the switch interface. It can also monitor cameras (and other devices), give alerts if a camera stops responding, and cycle the power to try and restore it.
The PQ2200xb has an in depth but robust web interface, but can also be managed with separate software. (Image credit: Future / Lindsay Handmer)
The PQ2200xb has the full range of features you’d expect from a managed switch (and too many to list them all here), including QoS controls, network conflict detection, network management and monitoring, port aggregation, IPv6 support, enterprise level security and more. The switch can handle 256 VLANs, works with a RADIUS or TACAS+ authentication server, has a 160Gbps switching capacity, and supports a 16k MAC address table. As we have come to expect from DrayTek, there are plenty of resources available online for the PQ2200xb. These range from the quick start guide, to the online demo mentioned earlier, firmware updates, the comprehensive 349 page manual, and an expansive general knowledge base.
In use
The PQ2200xb has a clean internal layout and excellent airflow, though the dual fan setup is somewhat noisy and inefficient. (Image credit: Future / Lindsay Handmer)
The PQ2200xb can be configured via a web browser, and the interface is straightforward and easy to use, despite the impressive depth of features. We tested the PQ2200xb with a range of other DrayTek devices, including Vigor routers and wireless access points. We also included an assortment of other devices on the network, from computers, servers, NAS and PoE security cameras.
Overall the PQ2200xb handled itself very well, and we had no problems testing all of the advertised functionality. Compared to lesser switches, the higher end features made network setup and management feel easy. For surveillance management, options such as the ability to ping network devices, and automatically power cycle them if using PoE, proved reliable, and an invaluable tool.
Maximum power usage of the PQ2200xb will depend on how many PoE devices are connected (and max input is 550W), but power draw starts from 20W at idle. Under little load the switch is silent, but once running, the dual 40mm fans are not especially quiet, and the switch is not shy about running them. The switch should live in a clean environment, but if the fans ever need to be changed, access is easy thanks to the removable cover.
The innards of the PQ2200xb are well laid out, with clean airflow and plenty of heatsinks. The fans used are quality SUNON dual ball bearing models, measuring in at 40mm x 20mm, and rated for 70,000 hours of use. The fans don’t feature PWM control, so are either on or off, which contributes to the noise. The fans are configured to blow air out of the switch, but the outer shell has a too small 37mm hole, which creates significant airflow obstruction. Despite this, the fans are more than powerful enough to ensure heat is not a problem, but is less efficient than it could be. The switch also has the space (and deleted fan plugs) for two more fans, so a lower speed, triple or quad fan option would have been preferable.
Network Management
VigorACS 3 is a powerful TR-069 management solution from DrayTek, and you can even test it online for yourself. (Image credit: Future / Lindsay Handmer)
The PQ2200xb can be managed directly via its own interface (which is excellent), but can also be handled via a Vigor router, using DrayTek’s Central Switch Management. While this option works fine, the PQ2200xb supports TR-069 management for more comprehensive options. The free TR-069 based VigorConnect local network management software from DrayTek is quite good, and more than enough for simpler networks or smaller businesses.
DrayTek also has VigorACS – a paid network management option that has a wealth of features. It’s specifically designed to give the best possible support for all compatible DrayTek hardware. The software requires an annual subscription, and the price will depend on the number of network devices you want to be able to control.
VigorACS 3 is aimed at larger businesses that might have multiple switches, and a large number of other devices, and in our experience, doesn’t offer as much value for smaller networks. A key use for VigorACS 3 is to enable SD-WAN options, for connecting multiple sites, or making it easy and secure for remote workers to access the network.
Like the switch, VigorACS 3 has an online demo, which can be accessed using the account name “guest” and the password “guest12345”. If you do buy a Vigor device, DrayTek provides a 30 day free trial of VigorACS 3, so you can test it out on your own server and network.
VigorACS can be installed on a Windows or Linux server, locally or in the cloud, and doesn’t need particularly demanding specs unless the network is very large. One advantage is auto provisioning, where new devices can be added to the network, and are automatically configured and updated by the VigorACS server. It also makes it easy to remotely control and schedule updates to your network. There’s also a host of data collection, from real time status monitoring (and alerts if equipment goes down) through to stats such as performance logging and report creation. VigorACS also has a VPN Wizard, which helps make it easy to create and backup configurations, and make sure your remote workers can stay connected.
While it is not the only option for TR-069 management, VigorACS is a great match for DrayTek hardware, and well worth the cost for the time savings alone. There’s also a large VigorACS knowledge base of articles that make using it much easier.
That said, the pricing for VigorACS makes it comparatively expensive for smaller networks running just one or two switches, and the potential time savings won’t really materialize until managing a much larger network. In which case, the licencing option for a small number of nodes is aimed at businesses that need features such as SD-WAN.
Final Verdict
DrayTek offers a comprehensive ecosystem of products, and the VigorSwitch PQ2200xb fills an important niche in the lineup. While it is a solid stand alone product for a small to medium business, to get the full benefit, it’s best used in a larger DrayTek based networking ecosystem. The PQ2200xb faces some competition in the market from other switches, but few combine the same feature set for a comparable price.
All in all, the PQ2200xb does everything it promises, and is a great option to combine high speed networking, and robust PoE functionality. While we wish the overall power budget was slightly higher, and the switch was slightly quieter, these are minor quibbles. For those businesses that need PoE, but not the 90W of PoE++, consider alternative DrayTek options, including the 28 port Gigabit PoE VigorSwitch P1282, or for 10GbE, the 28-port VigorSwitch P2280x.
Asus might have made the best out and out gaming phone of 2023 in the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate, but the Nubia Red Magic 8S Pro was the people’s champ. It offered comparably zippy performance and gamer-friendly controls in a reasonably neat package, all for less than half the price.
Now the Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro is here, with updated internals and a slightly streamlined design at the same asking price. Yes, it’s another iterative update from Nubia, but that’s kind of what it takes if you’re intent on staying at the cutting edge of mobile gaming performance on a strict budget.
The design is much like the previous models, with flat surfaces and gaming-friendly capacitive shoulder buttons, but with a more elegant flattened camera module. Meanwhile, the huge notch-free display is brighter and more vibrant than before.
If we’re talking top-tier features, the Red Magic 9 Pro really hits the bullseye with its performance. Not only does the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 beat most of the competition, but it can do so over a sustained period thanks to an extensive multi-layered cooling system.
(Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
The other key component here is the Red Magic 9 Pro’s battery. It’s bigger than ever at 6,500mAh, and it can last a full two days of regular usage on a single charge. Heavy gaming won’t leave you sweating come the end of a day either, while a bundled 80W charger gets you back up to speed quickly.
Few of the best gaming phones take brilliant pictures, and the Red Magic 9 Pro is no exception. Its 50MP main Samsung-made sensor does a passable job, especially now that it has OIS, but the new 50MP ultra-wide is fairly mediocre, and the under-display selfie cam is abysmal.
Nubia’s software provision has come on leaps and bounds since its calamitous early days, to the point where it’s now actually quite usable. It’s far from perfect, but its Game Space mode is well tuned to a gamer’s needs.
It isn’t the best pure gaming phone on the market, even with its imperious performance, but the Red Magic 9 Pro is undoubtedly the best-value. You simply won’t find this level of sustained performance anywhere else for $649 / £579.
Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro review: Price and availability
From $649 / £579 / Australian buyers use Red Magic's global store in USD
Pre-order from December 27, 2023
On sale from January 3, 2024
The international version of the Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro was made available for pre-order from December 27, 2023 on the Red Magic website, with open sales commencing on January 3, 2024.
The entry-level Sleet model – which ships with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage – costs $649 / £579. The Cyclone and Snowfall models – both of which ship with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage – cost $799 / £709.
While Red Magic tries to sell its devices local currency in most of the markets it operates in, interested buyers in Australia will have buy through the company's global store, which is all priced in USD, meaning the base 256GB model sells for approximately AU$965 at $649 and the 512GB variant costs equivalent to about AU$1,190.
That essentially sees Nubia freezing the pricing of its latest gaming phone compared to the 8S Pro. The mid-level price has been taken out this year too, which effectively means that you get a choice of color if you’re shopping for the top storage RAM version.
Value score: 5 / 5
Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro review: Specs
Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro review: Design
(Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
Gorilla Glass 5 front and back, aluminum frame
Even flatter design than before
520Hz capacitive shoulder buttons
Dedicated gaming mode switch
As gaming phones go, the Red Magic 9 Pro looks pretty decent, but isn’t the most comfortable to hold for extended periods. Make no mistake, this is still a big, bulky phone, at 8.9mm thick – half a millimetre thinner than the 8S Pro – and with a similar weight of 229 grams.
Both measurements are at the very top end of acceptable for regular phone users, but within a gaming phone context they’re quite reasonable. With none of the ROG Phone 7 series' curves, however, it might weigh a little heavier after a lengthy gaming session.
The Red Magic 9 Pro’s blocky, flat-surfaced look has been accentuated this year with an almost completely flat back. The camera module has been shunted to the side and placed underneath the transparent rear cover, which could be the first practical use case for such an aesthetic choice. It’s a pleasingly clean effect, though it’s ever so slightly spoiled by the flash poking through.
My model comes in the Snowfall colorway, which is basically off-white with a semi-transparent back hinting at some of the components within. Cyclone pulls the same trick but with black as the underlying color, while Sleet is the terribly named plain black entry model.
There’s some RGB lighting, of course, around the fan, under the '09' decal, and now also underneath the capacitive shoulder button controls that sit along the right edge. Said sensors appear to be unchanged since the 8S Pro, lighting aside.
Once again, they have a speedy 520Hz response rate, and work with Nubia’s gaming UI, allowing you to map gaming controls to them. They’re particularly handy in shooters like CoD Mobile or PUBG Mobile, where they can be assigned to aim and shoot.
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On a rather over-stacked right-hand edge, you also get the volume and power buttons – the latter pleasingly circular – as well as a custom Game Boost Switch. Flip this to jump into Game Space mode, where you can launch games and tinker with performance and interface elements, so as to optimize your gaming experience.
That flat side frame itself is made from aluminum, while the display is once again covered by Gorilla Glass 5. This isn’t the newest or toughest material of its kind, but cuts clearly had to be made somewhere to hit that price point. Another such compromise is the lack of a water and dust resistance IP rating.
You only get the one USB-C port on the bottom of the phone, unlike the Asus ROG Phone range, but you still get a 3.5mm headphones jack on the top edge.
The front of the phone impresses from a visual perspective, with minimal bezels and an under-display selfie cam making for a nigh-on all-screen experience. It’s not an especially gamer-friendly touch, though, with less space to hold the phone and ample opportunity for false presses.
It also means that the speaker grilles have been consigned to the top and bottom edges, which isn’t ideal for landscape gaming.
Design score: 3.5 / 5
Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro review: Display
(Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
Large 6.8-inch screen
FHD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate
New material provides brighter, bolder picture
Under-display selfie camera
Like its predecessor, the Red Magic 9 Pro packs a large 6.8-inch OLED display with a 2480 x 1116 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The latter spec isn’t the fastest on the gaming phone market, but given that precious few games will support frame rates in excess of 120Hz it’s not a huge problem.
This isn’t exactly the same as the Red Magic 8S Pro display, however. Nubia has switched to using BOE’s Q9+ luminescent material, which makes for a punchier output. A little too punchy, in fact – I had to crank the color mode all the way down to ‘Soft’, away from the ‘Colorful’ default and past the medium ‘Standard’ setting, to secure a slightly more natural look.
This new material seems to grant the Red Magic 9 Pro a little more brightness too. Nubia claims a peak brightness of 1,600nits, which is up 300nits from the 8S Pro. With auto-brightness switched off, I recorded the 9 Pro hitting 445 nits, which is about 100 nits more than its predecessor.
While this might not be the sharpest or most nuanced display on the market, the Red Magic 9 Pro's screen makes for an excellent gaming canvas. It’s big, flat, sufficiently bright, and it doesn’t have a bothersome notch getting in the way of the action.
Display score: 4 / 5
Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro review: Camera
(Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
50MP main with OIS this time
Improved 50MP ultra-wide, 2MP macro
16MP in-display selfie camera still terrible
Up to 8K video
If a manufacturer needs to free up space and money to do something a little different with a phone, it’s invariably the camera that suffers. Just as with foldables, so it is with gaming phones.
Last year’s Red Magic 8S Pro didn’t take particularly great pictures, and the Red Magic 9 Pro isn’t all that much better. It does mark a slight improvement, however.
While it packs the exact same 50MP Samsung GN5 main image sensor as before, this time it’s accompanied by optical image stabilization (OIS). You’d take this component for granted in a $700/£600 smartphone, but it’s a welcome addition to this $700/£600 gaming phone.
The combination of an aging flagship sensor (it was in the Samsung Galaxy S22) with proper stabilization, a 7P lens (that stands for seven [plastic] elements), and the improved image processing of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, produces decent shots in good lighting. The results in low lighting are a tad crisper than with the 8S Pro, though Nubia’s Night mode still brightens things up to a slightly false-looking degree.
Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro camera samples
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Nubia has also improved the ultra-wide camera, swapping out the 8MP sensor in the 8S Pro for a 50MP Samsung JN1 alternative. While it’s an adequate component in good lighting, there’s a marked difference to the main sensor in terms of tone and dynamic range.
The fresh OIS provision also enhances the 9 Pro’s video capabilities. It’s still shooting at 8K/30fps, 4K/60fps, or 1080p/240fps, but the footage I captured seemed to benefit from the new steadying technology.
One thing that most certainly hasn’t changed is the Red Magic 9 Pro’s 16MP under-display selfie camera. It might free up space on the display, but once again selfie shots look truly terrible – a blurry, smudgey, borderline impressionistic mess.
Camera score: 3 / 5
Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro review: Performance
(Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
One of the first phones on the market with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip
12GB or 16GB RAM of LPDDR5X RAM
256GB or 512GB UFS 4.0 storage
Any compromises made with the Red Magic 9 Pro’s design and camera were reached in service of this: providing as much gaming power as possible for a mid-market price.
On that front, the Red Magic 9 Pro is an unmitigated triumph. Nubia has switched to the latest and greatest chip at its disposal, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 from Qualcomm, together with either 12 or 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM.
This is the same chip the vast majority of 2024 flagship phones will be using, and it’s as fast as you’d expect. The usual CPU and GPU benchmark tests reveal a clear, if hardly seismic performance boost over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 from 2023.
Interestingly, it’s nip and tuck with the iPhone 15 Pro and its A17 Pro. Apple’s latest chip seems to have a clear single-core CPU performance advantage, but the $649 / £579 Red Magic 9 Pro and its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 wins its fair share of GPU rounds.
Raw processing power is all well and good, but that’s only half the story with a gaming phone such as this. Where the Red Magic 9 Pro really impresses is with its level of sustained performance.
Shoulder buttons and a red switch made for gaming on the go. (Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
Running a couple of the 3DMark Extreme tests, which run 20 successive minute-long intensive graphical tests, the Red Magic 9 Pro achieved close to perfect stability. That is, its average loop score remained remarkably consistent. Non-gaming phones only tend to score 70 to 80% in the stability stakes, due to their habit of throttling the processor significantly after the first loop.
The difference all comes down to cooling. Nubia has equipped the Red Magic 9 Pro with an upgraded ten-layer ICE 13.0 Cooling System, which includes a physical fan that kicks in when you start up a game. It’s a bit noisy, but it enables you to run the likes of Genshin Impact or Diablo Immortal on the highest settings at a solid 60fps, and they won’t start dropping frames deep into your session.
Performance score: 5 / 5
Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro review: Software
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Red Magic OS 9.0 on Android 14
Ugly but functional UI
Powerful Game Space dedicated gaming UI
Nubia has improved its Red Magic OS user experience immeasurably over the past couple of years. What was once a painful mish-mash of screen-hogging widgets, occasionally untranslated Mandarin text, and a number of glitches has turned into a fairly typical custom Android 14 environment.
It’s still a pretty mediocre custom skin, with charmless wallpapers, a superfluous browser-cum-news-feed app, and the Booking.com app preinstalled (why is it always Booking.com?). But Red Magic OS 9.0 is now in a broadly functional state, and I was able to run the phone as my day-to-day device for around a week (and intermittently thereafter) with no major snags.
While I’m doling out faint praise, is that Google Keep I see preinstalled? It’s a very small point, but precious few manufacturers go with Google’s clean note-taking app out of the box, so I appreciate it when one does.
I did observe a couple of hiccups early on, with the home screen seeming to exhibit some bizarre lag despite all that power on tap, and despite me forcing the screen to refresh at 120Hz. After a couple of firmware updates, however, everything seems to be running smoothly.
I also had to go in and set Gmail to sync manually, for whatever reason. Presumably the aforementioned updates fixed that, but it’s difficult to be certain without a factory reset.
Game Space is loaded with useful tools for gamers. (Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
The important software here – given the intended audience – is Nubia’s Game Space UI. Flick that red switch and you’ll be booted into an interface that grants access to your games, as well as control over fan, CPU, and GPU settings.
When in a game you can drag in from the top left edge of the screen to bring up a streamlined UI. It’s from here you can also assign those capacitive controls to the game’s on-screen virtual buttons.
Nubia’s Game Space UI also lets you manage any accessories that you choose to buy, as well as run a large screen projection, manage your in-game screenshots and captured videos, tweak the RGB lighting output, and much more besides.
It’s way more than your average phone user will want or need, but then the Red Magic 9 Pro isn’t for average phone users.
Software score: 3 / 5
Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro review: Battery
(Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
Expanded 6,500mAh battery
Clears a full day of intensive use with ease
Fast 80W wired charging
Given that the Red Magic 9 Pro weighs about the same as the 8S Pro, and is also a little thinner, it’s impressive to note that Nubia has managed to increase the size of its battery.
It’s now up to a frankly huge 6,500mAh dual-cell configuration. Nubia claims that it can last up to 56 hours, which is tricky to equate to real world usage. I found that I could go through a full day of moderate usage with about four hours of screen-on time, and still be left with around 65% in the tank.
That’s an excellent result, not only improving upon the Red Magic 8S Pro, but also opening up the genuine possibility of practical two-day usage.
Of course, that’s not what all that extra juice is intended for. Gamers will find that they can indulge in a couple of intensive gaming sessions throughout the day, and won’t have to worry about plugging in until bed time.
The charging provision has ostensibly been improved too, with an 80W charger bundled in, which is up from 65W on the 8S Pro. Given the extra capacity of that battery, though, charging speeds are roughly the same, with a full charge from empty taking around 40 minutes.
Again, there’s no wireless charging here, but that’s a feature that’s routinely omitted from gaming phones – even the $1,399 / £1,199.99 / AU$2,099 ROG Phone 7 Ultimate – where advanced cooling solutions occupy that space instead.
Battery score: 5 / 5
Should you buy the Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro?
Buy it if...
You want peak gaming performance at half the price Good luck getting this much sustained gaming performance this cheap anywhere else. Nubia's choice of top-speed chip, memory and storage, along with active cooling make for a powerful team.
You’re after an all-screen phone The Red Magic 9 Pro’s minimal bezels and under-display camera make it a uniquely screen-heavy device. While it's built for active media, you can also passively sink your teeth into shows and even books on its expansive display too.
You want two-day battery life When you lay off the games, the Red Magic 9 Pro will sail through two full days of use on a single charge, and if you don't, you'll still make it through a day without having to curb your gaming habit.
Don't buy it if...
Photography is a priority The main sensor doesn’t take terrible photos, but you can get a way better camera system for the same money – or even less. Under-display camera tech is cool in theory, but the reality means selfie-lovers should avoid too.
You want the best gaming phone, money no object Nubia cuts a few corners to hit an aggressive price point. If money is no object and you want the very best, keep any eye on the Asus ROG Phone range.
You hate custom Android UIs Anyone with a bee in their bonnet about manufacturers messing with Google’s stock Android UI should look away now. Red Magic OS 9.0 is the best iteration of the company's user experience to date, but that's not saying a whole lot, considering where things started.
Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro review: Also consider
The Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro is a unique proposition alright, but it isn’t the only option if you’re after a game-friendly phone.
Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate It’s about to be replaced at the time of writing, but if you can use that fact to get the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate at a discount, it remains a fabulous gaming specialist.
Nubia Red Magic 8S Pro Last year’s model remains a fabulous gaming phone, with a very similar feature-set to the 9 Pro. You should be able to get it even cheaper now, too.
Apple iPhone 13 Apple still sells the iPhone 13 as new for around the same price as the Red Magic 9 Pro. It’s not as gaming focused, but it remains capable, and has access to a superior roster of games.
How I tested the Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro
Review test period = 2 weeks
Testing included = Everyday usage, including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
Tools used = Geekbench 6, GFXBench, 3DMark, native Android stats, bundled Nubia 80W power adapter
I was sent the top Snowfall model of the Red Magic 9 Pro by a PR representative, at which point I commenced using the phone on a daily basis over a two-week period.
For at least a week of that time, the 9 Pro was my everyday phone. For the rest of the time, I swapped in another active SIM and continued to use the phone for benchmark tests, photos, and general browsing.
I’m a freelance journalist who got his start writing about mobile games in the pre-smartphone era. I was around to cover the arrival of the iPhone and the App Store, as well as Android, and their seismic effect on the games industry. I now write about consumer tech, games, and culture for a number of top websites.
While it’s not official yet, the expectations for the Galaxy S24 Ultra are that it will use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset exclusively, while the Galaxy S24 and S24+ will use the Exynos 2400 in most regions. How do these two chips compare? Well, early results showed that the Qualcomm chip is faster than the Samsung one in terms of CPU.
However, new results have surfaced on Geekbench and it looks like the Exynos is closing the gap. Here are early results Galaxy S24+ with Exynos 2400 and Galaxy S24 Ultra with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3:
Early results: S24+ with Exynos 2400 • S24 Ultra with...
Shortly after Apple rolled out its iOS 17.3 beta 2 update, the company was forced to suspend the update process as some users reported bricked iPhones after applying the new version of the OS.
Apple even issued an official statement that the iOS 17.3 beta 2 version of the software "prevented a small number of devices from starting up". Some believe that the bootloop issue is related to the Back Tap gesture, as only users who have disabled the feature are having trouble with their iPhones.
Those affected, however, have a rather easy fix to solve the problem. You just have to enter...
Current expectations for the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the Galaxy S24 and S24+ are that they will support the same charging speeds as their 2023 predecessors – 45W for the plus and Ultra, 25W for the vanilla S23. The two smaller models will have slightly larger batteries but only by 100/200mAh.
Even so, Samsung is working on new chargers, writes leakster Roland Quandt. The first will be the wired Samsung Charger Duo 50W. This one will have two USB-C ports, so chances are that it will max out at 45W with one port in use and 2x 25W when both are in use. This charger’s model number is...
Ahead of the Galaxy S24 series January 17 announcement spare parts have already been delivered to service centers around the world. Thanks to that, Slovenian repair center Mobistekla was able to send us some high-quality images of several original Galaxy S24 parts.
The parts aren't too revealing - we have the USB-C ports with their respective circuit boards.
The USB ports with their respective circuit boards
There's also the flex cable for the display and the ribbon cable for the volume and power buttons.
Ribbon cables
You can check out what's to expect...
The Huion Kamvas Studio 16 is what the company calls a drawing computer – not just a display that links up with a separate laptop or PC, but a fully-fledged Windows 11 device that acts as its own digital sketchpad, monitor, and processing powerhouse.
The beauty of this is its self-sufficiency; there’s no need to grapple with trailing cables between devices when one covers all of these purposes, and the built-in kickstand means you don’t even need to use the accessory stand that comes in the box. But options are good, we guess?
The 15.75-inch drawing area is expansive, with a capacitive touch display that feels like a natural companion for the PenTech 3.0+ stylus, which offers smooth, accurate lines and minimal parallax alongside 8,192 pressure levels – currently the market standard for premium drawing displays.
Windows 11 isn’t exactly a natural fit for a drawing tablet, but it offers a medley of app and browser functionality, 512GB of onboard storage, a powerful Intel Core i7 processor, and 16GB of RAM for “reliable running speed” when you’re multitasking between software. The inclusion of a front-facing camera, microphone array, and stereo speakers, means this device can also cater to work calls and video meetings too.
The price tag may make some balk, but the Kamvas Studio 16 justifies it with an excellent drawing display and well-specified Windows tablet all-in-one versatile design.
(Image credit: Future)
Huion Kamvas Studio 16 review: Price and availability
List price: $1,699 / £1,879
The Huion Kamvas Studio 16 retails for $1,699 / £1,879, with no model currently available on its online Australia store. That’s noticeably cheaper than the larger Studio 24 model, which comes in at $2,399 / £2,399, albeit with a roughly 24-inch screen, double the onboard storage (1TB), and a hefty 32GB of RAM.
However, for those who don’t need a full Windows PC baked inside their drawing tablet, you can also get a 4K drawing display for just $999 / £999 with the Huion Kamvas Pro 24, and plenty of even cheaper iterations of displays and display-free tablets alongside.
Huion Kamvas Studio 16 review: Specs
(Image credit: Future)
Huion Kamvas Studio 16 review: design
Solid build and expansive
3.9kg makes it a little heavy to lug around
Minimal ports and no shortcut buttons
The Huion Kamvas Studio 16 is a premium drawing computer, and very much looks like it, with a metal casing, an 11.9mm depth, and an expansive 349.6 x 196.7 mm drawing area within its 384 x 234 mm screen.
On the left side, you’ll find two USB-C ports, for charging or connecting other devices – not that you’ll need to do much of the latter, with the full Windows 11 OS baked right into the device. The right side features volume controls and a 3.5mm audio jack, for connecting headphones, though the pair of 2W speakers allow you to play sound out loud too at a decent quality.
Oddly, there are no shortcut buttons, either on the device itself or through an included accessory, so those of you who like a few physical shortcut keys to hand during the drawing process may be left disappointed. However, the Windows OS here means it should be easy to connect any external accessories, even if they require a separate purchase. (Huion has a number of Mini Keydials in its store, too.)
At 3.9kg, this is very heavy for a drawing tablet, so it’s worth noting this will be a little harder to slip into a rucksack than some other models. An adjustable stand is included, mind, which makes that weight easier to navigate and place in an optimum position. The stand itself is a little thin but is sturdier than it looks, and allows for a good amount of angle adjustment to suit your preferred position. Still, the built-in kickstand at the back of the tablet is perfectly sufficient for propping up the display, and we found it a more stable choice most of the time.
(Image credit: Future)
Huion Kamvas Studio 16 review: performance
2.5K resolution and 400 nit brightness
100% Adobe RGB color gamut
Full Windows PC is great for multi-purpose use
The Kamvas Studio 16 looks and feels great as a drawing tablet. Its anti-glare screen, premium design, and bright, color-rich screen. At this size, it’s a slight shame not to get closer to 4K resolution, but this 2.5K display is still a notable step above Full HD tablets on the market, and that pixel density will still look better here than in the larger Studio 24 model.
The real charm of the Kamvas Studio 16 is how self-sufficient you’ll find it. As a full Windows 11 PC, there’s no need to connect it to another laptop or desktop computer, and you shouldn’t need a single wire during drawing sessions – unless you’re charging it, that is.
That does make this device slightly more complicated than other Huion drawing tablets, mind. Setup is extensive and requires a series of approvals and logins before you can get started with the important work of illustration. The Kamvas Studio 16 also carries the Windows desktop experience, rather than a dedicated tablet operating system, which means it isn’t quite as slick to navigate as we’d like – certainly compared to an equivalent iPad Pro.
You can summon an onscreen keyboard, though a connected Bluetooth keyboard would likely serve you better for most non-illustrative functions, given the OS here isn’t designed for touch navigation, and the on-screen keyboard can feel a little in the way for general desktop use.
(Image credit: Future)
However, the built-in camera, microphones, and stereo speakers make the Kamvas Studio 16 fully capable for work calls – it’s a great choice for a creative professional who needs their drawing tablet to double as a work computer, with all the admin and meetings that entails. The front-facing camera’s 5MP isn’t quite as impressive as some of the device’s other specs, mind, and it’s hard to imagine many uses for the 8MP camera on the rear – the device is a little too heavy to hold up as you would a normal smartphone or tablet! The Windows 11 OS obviously allows for browsers and any host of desktop apps too.
The 100% Adobe RGB gamut is a boon for the main purpose of the Kamvas Studio 16 – drawing and illustrating, particularly using Adobe creative software like Photoshop and Illustrator. Colors are rich and vivid, with broad coverage of the color spectrum, while the 400 nits brightness can illuminate hues to a decent standard, even if it falls well behind the 1,000 nits of an iPad Pro.
It’s worth noting that the Adobe RGB gamut includes more green and yellow tones compared to sRGB, and you may notice a slight color difference, particularly with skin tones on TV streaming services, or neon tones that stand out more than usual. We noticed some banding in dark patches of TV shows, too – but this isn’t a TV device, primarily, and the quality is good enough for this as a secondary purpose.
Still, as an all-in-one device that encompasses a desktop OS, an expansive touchscreen, and a brilliant stylus (more on this below), the Kamvas Studio 16 delivers on its premium promise.
Huion Kamvas Studio 16 review: Stylus
(Image credit: Future)
Premium stylus and case
8,192 pressure levels
Two customisable buttons
As expected from such a high-spec drawing computer, the companion stylus is also a high-class affair – a slick, black implement shaped like a fountain pen, with two customizable buttons, indented on the side, where your finger would rest. The buttons can pan/scroll, act as shortcuts to run a specific program, or a ‘precision mode’ for temporarily fine lines.
It comes in a hefty case, with rubber cushioning on the inside and a small clip with which to remove the pen’s nib. There are three standard nibs and three felt nibs included in the box, for when one starts to blunt over time, though the latter is generally advisable for a smooth, skimming-over-the-surface feeling.
It’s a pleasure to use, with a market-standard 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity that make it easy to vary the thickness and strength of the line. It helps that the expansive screen allows for large, confident movements as well as small, precise markings, and overall it’s a drawing experience where you feel fully in control.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo shared that Genius Electronic Optical will supply the upgraded ultrawide angle camera module to Huawei for the P70 series. He didn't get into specifics about the new hardware but says with it, the P70 series will aim for a 100% to 120% shipment growth over the P60 series.
The new ultrawide is rumored to have a unique 1G6P lens (with one glass and six plastic elements) and a 1-inch type sensor. That would be a huge upgrade in a segment that sees 1/1.56-inch type sensors at best. Other rumors have suggested a 7P lens, which would be cheaper and easier to...
