A high-end wireless gaming headset designed for Xbox, the JBL Quantum 910X falls just short of earning a place among the best Xbox Series X headsets. That’s not to say that it isn't still a formidable option, however, as it offers an excellent level of comfort that’s backed up by rich audio; it’s absolutely perfect for many of the best Xbox Series X games. In addition to Xbox, it’s also fully compatible with PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and PC, making it a strong multi-platform choice.
Unfortunately, the flagship feature of the JBL Quantum 910X, its head-tracking 360 degree spatial audio, is a mixed bag. The head-tracking itself is exceptional, simulating your head motion perfectly, but the audio quality takes a substantial hit whenever the feature is enabled. The bass becomes almost non-existent, completely ruining the punchy action of first-person shooter (FPS) titles like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, while the high end frequencies sound sharp and unpleasant. If your number one concern is high-quality spatial sound, no shortage of cheaper headsets like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X, offer far superior spatial audio.
The microphone is the only other major area where the JBL Quantum 910X falls behind the competition. It lacks adjustability and leaves your voice sounding grainy and quiet. It’s by no means unusable, but this is nowhere near the level of performance that you would reasonably expect for this price. Whether this is the headset for you is therefore going to depend on whether these two shortcomings are a total deal breaker but, if they’re not, there’s still an awful lot to like here.
(Image credit: Dashiell Wood / Future)
Price and availability
$299.95 / £219.99
Available in the US and UK
Better value in the UK
The JBL Quantum 910X costs $299.95 / £219.99 and is available in the US and UK directly from JBL or at retailers like Amazon. In the US, this comes in slightly cheaper than other high-end gaming headsets, such as the $329.99 / £279.99 Turtle Beach Stealth Pro, but is still firmly in premium territory. All things considered, it’s quite a reasonable price when you factor in the presence of high-end features such as active noise cancellation, not to mention customizable RGB lighting and the robust build quality.
Even so, UK price represents the best value of the two regions. At £219.99, the headset is a massive £60 less expensive than the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro, widening the gap between the two headsets and making the JBL Quantum 910X a much more tempting proposition.
Unfortunately, the JBL Quantum 910X is not currently available in Australia.
Specs
(Image credit: Dashiell Wood / Future)
Design and features
The exterior of the JBL Quantum 910X is primarily constructed from a smooth black plastic. Its ear cups are covered in bright RGB lighting, illuminating in a ring around each ear in addition to an area with a small grill-like pattern and a prominent embossed JBL logo. The lighting is set to green by default which is perfect if you intend to use the headset with an Xbox out of the box. This lighting can be fully customized through the compatible JBL Quantum Engine software on a PC.
Each ear cup is connected to the headband with a clear plastic strip and a short braided cable, which is black with subtle green stripes. The clear plastic portion can be extended or retracted in order to customize the fit, engraved with numbers that indicate different sizing settings. The ear cups themselves then use soft black pleather cushions, which are a generous size and pleasantly soft.
The same cushioning is also found on the underside of the headband itself, which is topped with black plastic covered in a tactile grooved design. Although the JBL Quantum 910X is notably heavier than many other gaming headsets, weighing a hefty 14.8oz / 420g, the comfortable cushions makes it surprisingly easy to wear for extended periods without discomfort.
(Image credit: Dashiell Wood / Future)
The microphone is attached to the left ear cup and can be raised or lowered. It’s muted by default in its raised position, indicated by a small red LED light near its tip. There’s also a separate dedicated microphone mute button on the back of the ear cup, which is handy if you want to quickly mute the microphone without having to raise it. This is positioned below a volume dial, a volume mixer dial (which changes the balance between in-game audio and audio from a connected mobile phone), and a switch which enables or disables the headset’s active noise cancellation. On the bottom of the left ear cup you will also find the USB Type-C port, which can be used for both charging and wired play. It’s next to a 3.5mm headphone jack and superb braided cables for both are included in the box.
Controls on the right ear cup are simpler, with a power slider that doubles as a switch to enable Bluetooth connectivity and a simple button that alternates between standard audio, spatial sound, and full head-tracking. Although it can be used out of the box, spatial sound can be further calibrated for enhanced precision in the JBL Quantum Engine software.
This is a simple process with clear on screen instructions, but does require an included detachable microphone to sit in your ear. Factor in the wireless dongle, which comes alongside a compact USB Type-A to USB Type-C converter and that’s a lot of separate accessories to keep track of. Luckily, the headset comes with an absolutely lovely plush gray bag which is perfect for keeping everything in one place.
(Image credit: Dashiell Wood / Future)
Performance
In its standard mode, the JBL Quantum 910X performs excellently on the whole. It offers punchy, rich bass, clear mids, and detailed high-end frequencies. While its overall audio profile might be a little too bass-heavy for audiophile music listening, it’s absolutely perfect for gaming and the range of titles I tested sounded superb. Shots in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 packed some serious punch on Xbox Series S, while the streets of Sotenbori in the PC version of Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Namefelt impressively life-like.
The emphasis on bass is also an excellent fit for rhythm games and I enjoyed quite a bit of success challenging myself with “JITTERBUG” on Extreme difficulty in Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Future Tone on PS5. The JBL Quantum Engine software offers a range of useful equalizer modes and is, on the whole, some of the best companion software that I’ve ever tested. It offers an impressive number of functions, features an intuitive and attractive UI, and is lightning fast while taking up just 255MB of space. A mobile app or a native application for Xbox would enable those without access to a PC to benefit from its features, but otherwise there is nothing to complain about here.
(Image credit: JBL)
Returning to the headset, the on-board controls are well-spaced and responsive, while the active noise cancellation is a treat. It’s very effective and managed to block out almost everything that I could throw at it, ranging all the way from nearby conversations to loud passing vehicles. I also consistently managed to squeeze an impressive 32 hours of battery life out of the headset, which was more than enough for a full week of gaming sessions.
Unfortunately, the performance with the spatial audio mode enabled is a completely different story. The illusion of depth is there, but the bass instantly vanishes leading to an incredibly tinny sound that lacks any impact whatsoever. It’s like listening to a tiny pair of cheap speakers in a massive hall, an impression that is only further reinforced by the oddly echoey sound of any dialogue.
The optional head tracking, which sees the audio source shift as you look around, is incredibly accurate and well worth experimenting with for a few minutes, but the dramatic fall in audio quality means that it’s impossible to recommend using the spatial audio mode for any substantial length of time which is a huge shame.
The microphone performance is also disappointing. The physical microphone itself is unusually rigid and cannot be adjusted to be closer or further away from your mouth very easily. I found that this meant that my voice often sounded rather quiet and a little muddy. I was still easy to understand, once every participant of my calls had adjusted their volume accordingly, but this really shouldn't be necessary with such an expensive peripheral.
(Image credit: Dashiell Wood / Future)
Should I buy the JBL Quantum 910X?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Also consider
If you’re not keen on the JBL Quantum 910X, you should consider these two compelling Xbox-compatible alternatives instead.
How I tested the JBL Quantum 910X
Used daily for over a month
Tested with a wide range of platforms
Compared to other premium gaming headsets
I tested the JBL Quantum 910X for over a month, using it as my main gaming headset. During that time, I tested the headset with Xbox Series S, PlayStation 5, PC, and Nintendo Switch playing a broad range of titles. In addition to my usual favorites, I tried to focus on some modern games that offer rich sound, including the likes of Counter-Strike 2, Need for Speed Unbound, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, and Fortnite. In order to test the microphone, I used the headset for multiple online gaming sessions and recorded a number of audio files with Audacity.
Throughout my time with the headset, I was careful to compare the experience with my hands-on time with other high-end gaming headsets such as the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X, Astro A50 X, and Turtle Beach Stealth Pro .
The Revlon SmoothStay hair dryer – also known as the Revlon SmoothStay Coconut-Infused hair dryer is lightweight, flexible and budget-friendly, and it dries hair fast and effectively. Revlon is well-known for selling a wide range of hair and beauty products, and the SmoothStay is one of its latest hair dryer designs that’s both reasonably priced and versatile. If you're looking for the best hair dryer but don't have a lot to spend, this is definitely worth your consideration.
(Image credit: Future)
The model features ceramic tourmaline ionic technology to help reduce static and frizz, and smooths your locks every time you use it; I certainly noticed that the heat flow left my hair feeling nicely dried and tame. The hair dryer also has a triple-coated ceramic coconut-oil infused grill to help enhance shine and achieve a frizz-free finish. It’s hard to know if this is entirely capable of adding that extra bit of shine, but having used the SmoothStay a number of times, I was pleased with how quickly it blow-dried my hair as well as the sleek results.
At 1875W, the hair dryer is powerful, and if you’re someone who prefers that their hair dryer to be at peak temperature from the moment you press the button, you won’t be disappointed. There are two speed and three heat settings to choose from, depending on how hot you like the blast of air. The cool shot is also quick to chill, which means there’s no hanging around when you want to fix your hair to flick up the ends or set in specific styles.
(Image credit: Future)
I think one of the best features of this hair dryer is the unique concentrator nozzle that comes in the box, which is shaped like a comb. It’s designed to help you smooth your hair as you dry it and makes blow-drying easier. I found I had to use quite a bit of force to connect the nozzle to the body of the hair dryer at first, but I soon got the knack of snapping it firmly in place. I used the nozzle together in tandem with a wet brush to smooth out my wavy hair. There’s also a volumizing diffuser in the box that attaches easily and looks like a good size to define curls on both long and short hair.
Unlike most powerful hair dryers that feature ionic technology, the Revlon SmoothStay comes in at an excellent price. We’ve found it on Amazon for a reasonable $29.99 / £30 (currently reduced to £20), and you can also pick it up directly from Revlon or at select local retailers such as Argos in the UK. In the box, you’ll find a concentrator comb nozzle and a volumizing diffuser to help enhance your finished results.
I found the Revlon SmoothStay comfortable to hold. The even distribution of weight makes the hair dryer feel solid and robust, but it isn’t so heavy that you run the risk of suffering arm ache with extended use.
The SmoothStay features a good mix of controls, which is just what you would expect from a premium hair dryer. There are three heat and two speed settings conveniently placed on the inner side of the handle, plus a separate cool shot that seals hair cuticles when styling. The controls sit in place securely, so there’s no risk of accidentally knocking them while in use.
(Image credit: Future)
The hair dryer is made from plastic and offers a good grip; I was able to hold the handle of the hair dryer comfortably. It also comes complete with a grill that’s triple-coated in ceramic infused with coconut oil, to help create a smooth and shiny finish to hair.
A hanging hook can be found at the top of the cable, making the hair dryer easy to store on display. While the 1.8m cable is ample, I’d have liked a little more length. I was previously using a hair dryer with a 3m cable, and a bit more room to maneuver with the Revlon SmoothStay would have been welcome.
In the box, you’ll also find a concentrator comb nozzle and a volumizing diffuser. I found the comb nozzle a little stiff – it required quite some force to snap it into place, although I’m sure it will ease over time. The shape of the nozzle is well designed, since you can use it like a comb to help guide the airflow for a smoother finish. The volumizing diffuser is also large enough to gather long hair.
(Image credit: Future)
The removable end cap of the dryer is a nice touch, since it protects your hair while in use, but can be removed easily for cleaning. The diffuser can also be cleaned in warm, soapy water and rinsed when required. I used argan oil on my hair and managed to get some onto the body of the hair dryer, which resulted in noticeable fingerprint marks. Thankfully, these were easily wiped off with a damp cloth and buffed dry to remove all trace of the oil.
Design score: 4 out of 5
Revlon SmoothStay hair dryer review: performance
Ceramic tourmaline ionic technology for smooth results
Volumizing diffuser included in the box
Coconut-oil infused grille to limit frizz and add shine
Having recently had my wavy, mid-length hair dyed a shade lighter than natural, it was left rather more dry and frazzled than usual and in desperate need of taming. When I first used the Revlon SmoothStay hair dryer, I was surprised by its power and pleased with how smoothly it dried my hair.
As mentioned, there are three heat and two speed settings to choose from, with a cool shot close to hand, too. Unlike some hair dryers I’ve tried that take a while to get to temperature, the Revlon SmoothStay hair dryer reaches the desired temperature, whether hot or cold, instantly. It's good to know that while the hair dryer can get very hot, it does include a safety feature that will cut the power if the temperature exceeds the optimum drying level.
The benefit of it getting hot quickly is that it produces fast results. When using the dryer on my own hair, I used the hottest level; but found this temperature a tad too hot when drying my 10-year-old’s hair, so I selected a more comfortable and steady level 1. Using the Decibel Meter App, I measured noise levels at 81.3dB on the hottest setting, which is around average.
(Image credit: Future)
The hair dryer features ceramic tourmaline ionic technology, which is designed to reduce static and frizz, and enhance shine. My hair felt smooth after use and had a nice weight to it – possibly the result of the coconut-oil infused grille, which also helps to achieve sleek results. While I still had to resort to using my hair straightener after drying to further tame my wavy hair, the Revlon SmoothStay definitely made my hair feel more manageable.
My favorite feature of this hair dryer has to be the concentrator comb nozzle. It helped to evenly guide the airflow to smooth and straighten my hair. Used alongside a wet brush, it offered greater control over the final result.
Performance score: 4 out of 5
Should you buy the Revlon SmoothStay hair dryer?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Revlon SmoothStay hair dryer review: alternatives to consider
How I tested the Revlon SmoothStay hairdryer
I have tested a wide range of hair dryers over the past few years, as well as speaking to a number of hair stylists to find out what matters to them when choosing a hair dryer to use in their salons. With this in mind, I feel that I have gathered good insight into what makes for a decent hair dryer.
I have medium-length, wavy hair that’s prone to getting very frizzy when it dries naturally. I was keen to see whether the Revlon Smoothstay could calm my hair as it dried and leave it feeling salon fresh. I used it over the course of a month with the concentrator nozzle and a wet brush to blow-dry my hair. I also used it on my kids' hair – I was keen to see how well it could tackle the very straight flyaway hair of my young daughter and whether she found the noise levels comfortable.
The Xiaomi 14 is unquestionably in the running to be one of this year's top compact flagships, even if it is a little larger than the iPhone 15 and Samsung Galaxy S24. The phone boasts Qualcomm's best and brightest Snapdrgon 8 Gen 3 chip, a camera system that's been developed in collaboration with Leica, and a sizable battery with impressively fast 90W charging.
Xiaomi was actually first to market with an 8 Gen 3-powered phone, with the Xiaomi 14 series first debuting in China back in October 2023. As of February 2024, the company confirmed that both the Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi 14 Ultra would be going global (the Xiaomi 14 Pro isn't getting an international release, but that's not as much of a loss as you might think), with the phones touching down in late February and mid-March, respectively.
There's more than a passing resemblance between this phone and the Xiaomi 13 – both phones have a prominent square main camera bump, and they have near-identical dimensions, with the new phone's fractional weight increase a result of the larger rear camera system and bigger battery. Xiaomi's fit and finish is up there, but the mirror-polish straight-sided design is decidedly more iPhone 14, than iPhone 15, which won't be to everyone's taste.
The 6.36-inch display has received a gamut of nice upgrades – there's a resolution bump between generations, while the move to an LTPO panel facilitates a true 1Hz to 120Hz variable refresh rate for greater power efficiency. It's a significantly brighter panel too, also trumping the figures promised by Apple and Samsung's latest.
This marks the fifth generation of flagship phones (if you include the company's mid-year 'S' refreshes) on which Xiaomi has collaborated with optical specialists Leica. For the most part, the user experience offered up by the camera remains much the same as last year's– including the ability to shoot in Leica Vivid or Classic color profiles, but the underlying hardware has been upgraded significantly, with a larger 50MP main sensor sporting a wider aperture, and backed up by two additional 50MP sensors (an ultra-wide and a 3.2x telephoto), which collectively deliver better light, detail, dynamic range, and color reproduction than previously.
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
Even without flicking the 'high performance mode' toggle on, the Xiaomi 14 benchmarks among the top tier of the current Android pile, which translates to excellent real-world performance, whether multi-tasking or gaming. For all the raw grunt and software optimization the 14 clearly serves up though, the refreshed HyperOS user experience still falls foul of the same convolutions found in the previous MIUI; quirks that newcomers to the brand, and even some veteran Xiaomi users, would likely scratch their heads at when trying to perform certain actions or find particular features.
With this being 2024, there are also a raft of AI features that debut on the Xiaomi 14 series – from AI-generated portraits to semantic search in the gallery app – however, at the time of writing these features remain in beta, with access to them requiring approval from the Xiaomi Community admins, meaning most users won't be able to enjoy these new features and enhancements out of the box until later in the year.
Battery life is a highlight: for all that the Xiaomi 14 delivers, the increased capacity year-on-year also means the phone offer impressive longevity, surpassing the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S24 in terms of screen-on time, and leaving mainstream rivals in the dust when it comes to a full recharge, which takes a matter of minutes, rather than hours.
It's true that Xiaomi's new flagship starts at a higher asking price than both Apple's and Samsung's comparable models, the iPhone 15 and the Galaxy S24, but it also comes with twice the storage, meaning in like-for-like comparisons (using UK pricing for the 256GB model in each case), it's actually the best-value compact flagship of the bunch. One caveat is that despite having been given an 'international' launch, the Xiaomi 14 – like all of the company's phones – remains unavailable in the US and Australia, with third-party retailers or import being the only real way to get ahold of Xiaomi handsets in those countries.
Xiaomi 14 review: Price and availability
Priced from £849 / €999
Released October 2023 – China only, February 25, 2024 – internationally
Limited to no availability in US and Australia
Every time Qualcomm announces a new flagship mobile chipset, I'm always curious to see which phone maker will be first to market with a phone toting said cutting-edge silicon. In the case of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, it was Xiaomi, with the Xiaomi 14 and 14 Pro first debuting in China back in October 2023. However – as with previous generations of Xiaomi flagship – international audiences would have to wait.
It wasn't until a dedicated event in Barcelona in February 2024, ahead of MWC 2024 that we'd have a clear picture of the 14 series' international rollout. This event also served as a release announcement, with the phone being made available on February 25 across various markets, including the UK and Europe.
The Xiaomi 14 Pro didn't make it beyond China, but the gap between the 14 and 14 Pro in terms of specs and features is far smaller than it was with the previous 13 series, making the Pro's absence from the international stage far less of an issue this generation, especially with the Xiaomi 14 Ultra also available.
Despite throwing around words like 'international' and 'global' at the phone's February announcement though, Xiaomi's presence in the US and Australia only extends to smart home and lifestyle products, with its smartphones remaining distinctly absent. This means that, outside of importing or purchasing from fringe third-party retailers, you won't readily be able to pick up the Xiaomi 14 locally, and that's before taking into account whether it supports the carrier bands for local networks.
As for pricing, while a starting price in the UK of £849 places it well above the baseline price of key rivals like the iPhone 15 ($799 / £799 / AU$1,499) and Samsung Galaxy S24 ($799 / £799 / AU$1,399), those phones both come with just half the amount of storage (128GB).
In like-for-like comparisons against the £849 (equivalent to $1,070 / AU$1,640) 256GB base Xiaomi 14, both Apple's and Samsung's 256GB rivals actually cost more, at £899 and £859 respectively.
Value score: 5 / 5
Xiaomi 14 review: Specs
Xiaomi 14 review: Design
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
Color choice affects finish
Squared, polished aluminum alloy frame
IP68-certified against dust and water
Fans of the Xiaomi 13 will appreciate what the company has done with the design of its successor – or rather what it hasn't done. The overall look of the two phones is much the same, although the 14 sports a hardier build, with tougher Gorilla Glass Victus and IP68-certified dust and water resistance, but elsewhere the dimensions to weight have remained consistent (a larger main camera system and battery have added a couple of grams).
Versus those aforementioned mainstream rivals, Xiaomi's latest is a little thicker and heavier by comparison, but is still small and comfortable enough to be considered a 'compact' flagship, and while the iPhone 15 series has embraced more rounded sides this generation, the Xiaomi 14 retains the iPhone 14 Pro line's straight-sided, mirror-polished aluminum surround, for better or worse, depending on your taste (I like the look but hate the fingerprints).
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(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
The Clous de Paris guilloché detailing around the Xiaomi 14's camera
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(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
A close-up on the Xiaomi 14's Jade Green glass back
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(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
The Jade Green variant featured in this review is the most head-turning colorway on the international stage, with the white model featuring a tasteful silver frame and the black option serving up textured – instead of polished – color-matched rear glass, which better repels fingerprints at the expense of a little grip. The only color that appeared in China but is missing from the global gamut of colorways is 'Snow Mountain Pink.'
Despite its similarities to the last model, Xiaomi has added interest around that new larger rear camera, with what it's dubbed a Clous de Paris (that's a hobnail pattern to you and me) to add a little interest. While it's not the only phone maker that has turned to classic analogue watch styling for design inspiration, this particular adornment is one I wouldn't every expect to find on a phone, and it serves as an aesthetic through-line with the recently-release Xiaomi Watch S3, too.
The flat 6.36-inch 'CrystalRes' C8 AMOLED fronting the Xiaomi 14 is a new panel of company's own design (manufactured by TCL), offering across-the-board upgrades over the same-sized screen on the Xiaomi 13, while also keeping it competitive against 2024 competitors.
First and foremost, it's sharper than the display on its predecessor, pushing past Full HD+ to a 1200 x 2670 resolution at the same size, upping pixel density from 414ppi to 460ppi, and making it as pin-sharp as the iPhone 15's Super Retina XDR OLED panel. It's also brighter – a lot brighter – with a peak of 3,000 nits (the Xiaomi 13 peaked at 1,900 nits) supports the Dolby Vision and HDR10+ standards. There's also a quoted full-panel high-brightness mode of 1,400 nits (up from the 13's 1,200 nits), which in real-world use ensures the screen is still comfortably visible against a bright sky. I just wish every phone adopted the reduced reflectivity of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra's display.
Regardless, the hits don't stop, with the move to an LTPO panel greatly improving power efficiency, as the refresh rate can now scale far more dynamically, depending on what you're doing on your phone. For context, the Xiaomi 13 could only switch between 60Hz, 90Hz, and 120Hz, so its successor's ability to rove anywhere between 1Hz and 120Hz is a welcome upgrade.
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
The screen serves up pleasing visuals across photos, video streaming, and gaming, and Xiaomi includes a wealth of controls for tinkering with the display experience. By default the phone is set to 'Original Color Pro', but there are additional color profile presets like 'Vivid' and 'Saturated' alongside the ability to force the display to operate in the DCI-P3 gamut or sRGB, and that's before you touch the independent sliders covering things like RGB values, hue, saturation, contrast, and gamma.
There are arguably too many display control on offer as, alongside the above, you can also tweak color temperature, toggle adaptive color temperature adjustment, which adjusts the color temperature relative to ambient lighting, toggle DC dimming for more comfortable low-light viewing, choose between multiple reading modes, add texture and color temperature controls to a grayscale viewing experience, and even have AI step in to upscale videos, enhance photos in your gallery, add HDR viewing to SDR content, and add frames to certain video content for smooth playback.
Display score: 4.5 / 5
Xiaomi 14 review: Software
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
First phone to debut HyperOS out of the box
Runs on top of Android 14
4 years of OS + 5 years of security updates
MIUI is out and HyperOS is in, with the Xiaomi 14 series being the first of the company's phones to debut this revitalized user experience out of the box. If you watched the phone's launch, you'd be forgiven for assuming that HyperOS is something totally new, but in real-world use you'll be hard-pressed to spot any major differences with MIUI at a glance.
Xiaomi says that HyperOS follows a new 'Alive' design philosophy, boasting real-time rendering on certain graphical elements, alongside a color palette "based on natural hues" and while it's unquestionably more consistently fluid and responsive, the general look and feel still feels decidedly MIUI.
Nevertheless, that performance uptick across load times and animations might have something to do with the fact that despite its similarities to MIUI, Xiaomi has rebuilt HyperOS almost entirely. Not only does it take up almost a third less space on-device than its predecessor, it has new underpinnings to enable greater cross-platform interconnectivity with the company's wider product ecosystem, from its wearables and tablets, to its newfound push into automotive – even its debut car, the Xiaomi SU7, comes running its own build of HyperOS.
Back to the Xiaomi 14 though, and as before the user experience is feature-packed and serves up a decidedly different form than a lot of other smartphones out there. By default, there's no apps drawer, notifications and quick settings live behind swipe-down gestures from the top left and right corners of the screen, respectively (very iOS), swiping down on your home screen summons a device-wide search, while swiping up reveals Content Center, featuring links to news and YouTube video. There's a lot going on.
The Security app on the Xiaomi 14 does a lot more than just keep your device secure. (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
Provided that you're willing to put in some time to learn, HyperOS serves up a lot of flexibility and practically endless personalization too, although it's easy to get lost in disparate controls and settings screens. There's also a degree of bloat out of the box, with various third-party apps – like Booking.com – which can be uninstalled but ideally wouldn't be there to begin with. As for first-party apps, plenty of those could be considered bloat too, with multiple ways to perform seemingly the same action. The App Vault, Cleaner, Game Center and Security apps, for example, all help boost memory performance. Why do users need four different ways to access this feature, Xiaomi?
There are, of course, welcome additions too, like Game Turbo, which handles notification suppression, as well as relevant device controls (over things like brightness), when gaming and even includes a voice changer. Meanwhile HyperOS' Gallery app offers Google Photos integration native, which is a rare and handy bonus.
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
Of course, this wouldn't be a 2024 flagship phone without some AI functionality thrown in, and Xiaomi has promised everything from generative fill when expanding the canvas of images to AI portraits, AI-generative subtitles, semantic search in the Gallery app, and more. Notice I said Xiaomi has 'promised' this suite of AI features, as at launch they remain in beta, meaning you have to sign up to be given access to unfinished iteration of what is one of the Xiaomi 14's headline upgrades.
There's good news, though – I did sign up for the beta once I'd mostly done testing the phone, and the AI features I tried worked as advertised and seemed stable (although wait times on processing for the AI Portrait feature surpassed an hour). So far Xiaomi has, unlike Samsung, made no mention of charging for the use of any AI functionality, although that's a policy that likely won't last forever.
To round things out, HyperOS on the Xiaomi 14 runs atop Android 14, with the company promising four years of update support and five years of security update support. That's behind market leaders like Apple, Google and Samsung, but should prove more than ample for the average smartphone user in 2024, ensuring that the Xiaomi 14 will continue to gain new features and remain secure for the duration of your time with it.
Software score: 3.5 / 5
Xiaomi 14 review: Cameras
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
50MP f/1.6 Xiaomi Light Fusion 900 main sensor with OIS
50MP f/2.2 ISOCELL JN1 ultra-wide with 112-degree FoV
50MP (32MP effective) f/2.0 ISOCELL JN1 3.2x telephoto with OIS
32MP f/2.0 front camera with 89.6-degree FoV
While the camera system on the Xiaomi 14 isn't without its flaws, it looks to have the edge over compact rivals like the latest iPhone and Galaxy, with an across-the-board sensor upgrade compared to the Xiaomi 13, and ongoing input from optical specialists Leica.
You'll find an impressive-looking trio of 50MP sensors on the back, fronted by the new custom Xiaomi 'Light Fusion 900' (a tuned OmniVision OVX9000 sensor, with input from both Xiaomi and Leica), along with ISOCELL JN1 sensors for the ultra-wide and telephoto, collectively offering a focal range from 14mm to 75mm (although the telephoto's effective resolution is actually cited at 32MP and appears to kick in at 2.5x, which would suggest a shorter max optical range than Xiaomi claims).
AI Portrait... one of the most ambitious and unsettling AI features I've encountered on a phone to date
Leica's involvement, meanwhile, extends to branded 'Summilux' lenses, the 'Leica Vibrant' and 'Leica Authentic' color profiles the phone can shoot in, and the 'master lens system' of digital focal presets built into portrait mode.
Beyond that, the camera UI seems simple enough at first blush, but like the rest of HyperOS is absolutely jam-packed with features. The breadth of features on offer will be welcomed by those happy to spend the time required to learn of the nuances of the user experience, but will likely prove overwhelming for those who just want to tweak basic settings.
Stills shooting is primarily managed via Photo mode, or Pro mode if you want more control, while for video recording, Video and Movie mode are both on hand. More experimental modes include Short Film, which serves as a template complete with filters in which to capture footage; Director Mode, which lets you connect multiple cameras and even monitors wirelessly to orchestrate a multi-cam recording; plus Long Exposure, Supermoon, and more.
Xiaomi 14 camera samples
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(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
0.6x zoom (ultra-wide sensor)
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1x zoom (main sensor)
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2x zoom (main sensor)
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3.2x zoom (telephoto sensor)
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60x zoom (i.e. maximum lossy zoom range)
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0.6x zoom (ultra-wide sensor)
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1x zoom (main sensor)
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2x zoom (main sensor)
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3.2x zoom (telephoto sensor)
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60x zoom (i.e. maximum lossy zoom range)
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Zoom range comparison: Apple iPhone 15 (top), Xiaomi 14 (center), Samsung Galaxy S24 (bottom)
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Front camera
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Front camera comparison: Apple iPhone 15 (left), Xiaomi 14 (center), Samsung Galaxy S24 (right)
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AI Expanded by 150%
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Artificial lighting
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Artificial lighting
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Front camera
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Low light
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Night mode
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Low light comparison: Xiaomi 14 (left), Google Pixel 8 Pro (right)
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Night Mode comparison: Xiaomi 14 (left), Google Pixel 8 Pro (right)
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In side-by-side tests with the usual suspects (the iPhone 15 and the Samsung Galaxy S24), Xiaomi's distinct photographic look shone through. Leica Vivid (which all the Xiaomi 14 camera samples featured in this review were captured in) served up consistently brighter and and more vibrant results than rivals, with good detail captured across its entire (optical) focal range.
There's a pleasing consistency in terms of color, contrast and detail between shots captured with the ultra-wide and that new primary sensor, while telephoto shots adopt a bolder look, with stronger contrast that still equates to pleasing images, although with an unpredictability that the 14's competitors don't suffer from.
In more challenging scenarios, while the 14's macro capture offers good center-frame detail, chromatic aberrations, or color fringing, around the edge of subjects isn't always welcome, while low-light environments did result in exposure hunting from time to time. On the flip side, taking Night Mode shots results in great final images, with this phone only really falling short of category leaders like the Google Pixel 8 Pro.
The phone's stabilization is shown off to great effect in video footage (beyond the impressive capture controls mentioned earlier), while selfies also shine against similar photos from competitors, provided that you're comfortable with Xiaomi's heavier-handed beauty settings as standard – skin tones are accurately represented, but smoothing and blemish-removal algorithms are also clearly enabled by default. Interestingly, you'd assume that the 32MP front-facing sensor would pixel-bin down to 8MP final images, but the Xiaomi 14 unapologetically captures front-facing shots at the sensor's native resolution, and does so with aplomb.
AI camera features
Using AI Expansion on the Xiaomi 14(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
There are also all of the aforementioned (beta) AI imaging abilities that debut on the Xiaomi 14 (practically all of which are accessed from the native Gallery app after capture). AI Expansion lets you punch out of a shot by up to 200% and have the phone's on-device AI processing try to generate new background content that's consistent with the original image. Each generative fill takes around 15 seconds to complete (with tests at 150%) and the results are hit-and-miss – but the fact that they hit as often as they do is what's surprising.
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Original image...
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...enlarged by 150% using AI Expand on the Xiaomi 14
Then there's AI Portrait, which is undoubtedly one of the most ambitious – and unsettling – AI features I've encountered on a phone. Once you snap around 30 selfies (or at least shots of the same subject with their face visible) and submit them to the AI Portrait creation wizard, it'll use off-device processing to construct an AI-generated simulacrum that – with the help of a written prompt – can be placed into all manner of scenes.
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The processing time to create my (beta) AI Portrait avatar took over an hour...
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...but, once done, individual results with the completed avatar took only minutes to generate.
The developmental nature of the AI features coming (as at the time of review, they're still in beta, remember) to the Xiaomi 14 was made clear when the creation time for my AI avatar was cited at over an hour, but once I had it, prompts took around a minute to generate results, once again with varying degrees of success. The feature automatically served up prompts like 'beach resort' and 'northern islands' of its own accord but did a respectable job coming up with convincing images based on my prompt of 'in a kayak' too, as you can see above.
As for how useful this feature is, it's easy to imagine novel scenarios in which your AI Portrait could feature – hilariously implausible holiday snaps on Instagram, for example – but as with any AI-generated imagery, there remain unanswered and ungoverned ethical quandaries surrounding a technology that is evidently already in peoples' hands and will continue to improve in time.
With regards to Xiaomi's specific AI policies, the phone details which devices use solely on-device processing and which rely on the cloud, while the company's AI white paper goes into greater detail around training data-sets and the like. That said, unlike Samsung's Galaxy AI image tools, there's no obvious watermarking to help people discern which images have and haven't been created or altered by Xiaomi's AI, which is something the company should address in a future update, and on future products with AI-enhanced features.
Camera score: 4.5 / 5
Xiaomi 14 review: Performance
Genshin Impact on the Xiaomi 14 (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC
12GB of LPDDR5X RAM on all models
Impressive thermal performance for a compact phone
Although the Xiaomi 14 has the distinction of being first to market with Qualcomm's latest and greatest flagship mobile silicon in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, its staggered release meant that by the time it made it to international audiences, rivals with that same cutting-edge chipset were already on store shelves. Even so, this remains one of the most capable phones currently on the market.
HyperOS – like MIUI before it – is pretty hands-on with performance management, with overarching power profiles that limit just how much apps and services can ask of the CPU/GPU/NPU; but even without switching 'performance mode' on, in artificial benchmarks the Xiaomi 14 holds its own against many of the other best Android phones right now – including the Samsung Galaxy S24 and Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra – while other flagships like the Pixel 8 Pro score far weaker across compute and graphical tests.
Real-world use shows that, between the processor and the optimizations HyperOS brings over MIUI, the Xiaomi 14 has more than enough clout to handle demanding everyday use, with the AI features being among the few instances where you'll still find yourself staring at a loading bar for a moment or two.
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
Gaming is a dream on the Xiaomi 14 too, as not only does the phone offer a great visual experience by being on the larger side (within the compact flagship space), but the engineering team has done solid work with the thermal management in spite of the phone's relatively small proportions. Even with Genshin Impact's graphical settings at 'overclocked' (namely by forcing 60fps gameplay) the Xiaomi 14 never got more than a little warm, even after 30 minutes of continuous playtime.
There are also the added benefits of Game Turbo, which can prioritize networking latency, touch response input and, of course, boost performance at the expense of power consumption.
Performance score: 5 / 5
Xiaomi 14 review: Battery
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
Larger 4,610mAh battery than predecessor
Up to 90W wired and 50W wireless charging
8.5 hours of screen-on time per charge (using Balanced power profile)
Charging speeds and battery capacity have both received a generous generational upgrade, with the standard Xiaomi 14 now matching the Xiaomi 14 Ultra's impressive 90W fast wired charging and up to 50W wireless charging. This means a pleasingly-rapid full recharge is possible in just 40 minutes, while my tests found the phone consistently passed the 50%-charge mark after just 15 minutes. That's in stark contrast to the likes of the iPhone 15, whose 20W wired charging means a full recharge takes over two hours (based on our tests).
The phone doesn't give you its quickest speeds right out the box (although it's still quick to charge); as well as the (included) 90W 'HyperCharge' power adapter, you also have to enable the 'boost charging speed' toggle in the phone's settings menu. This ensures that maximum 90W speeds are made available, with the phone charging on a logarithmic curve – i.e., the lower your Xiaomi's 14's battery percentage is to start with, the faster it'll charge, slowing as it approaches 100%. This ensures that fast charging is most effective when you realize your battery is low and you only have limited time to charge it, while still protecting battery health over the lifetime of the phone.
As for longevity, the Xiaomi 14 puts in a superb effort – especially for a compact smartphone, doling out 8.5 hours of screen-on time in testing. That equates to up to two day's use; particularly if you're willing to toy with the aforementioned power profiles: Performance, Balanced, Battery Saver and Ultra Battery Saver – which limits apps access and background processes to maximize battery life. This is among the best longevity for its size right now, only falling short of the ever-enduring iPhone 15 (which in our tests mustered over 11 hours of screen-on time), however, the Xiaomi is probably the best compact flagship, when you collectively consider battery life and charging performance.
Battery score: 5 / 5
Should you buy the Xiaomi 14?
Buy it if...
You want a compact powerhouse The Xiaomi 14 outpaces the big-name compact phones currently on the market in terms of both value and hardware prowess, so long as you're okay with the slightly shorter update support roadmap, compared to Apple and Samsung's rivals.
You like trying new things The Xiaomi 14's hardware and software offer near-endless degrees of customization and functionality. HyperOS takes a very different approach to most Android-based smartphone user experiences, but if you put in the time it demands it's an incredibly rich offering.
Battery life and fast charging are high priorities The Xiaomi 14 probably strikes the best balance of battery longevity and fast charging on the market right now, especially for a phone of its size.
Don't buy it if...
You want the stylish smartphone Sure, aesthetics are subjective, and while the Xiaomi 14 isn't bad looking, it's squared design feels dated and unexciting. That's not to say it isn't well built and durable, however.
You like a clean easy-to-use OS experience HyperOS might be far better optimized than MIUI ever was, but many of its predecessor's worst traits persist. The Xiaomi 14 has features upon features, and layers upon layers of menus, and while the breadth of functionality makes it a powerful and versatile phone, not everyone will want to spend time learning its seemingly convoluted way of doing things.
You want AI functionality, right now! At launch Xiaomi promised a wealth of AI features destined for the Xiaomi 14 series, and while you can get your hands on some of them with a little tinkering, they're still in beta at the time of writing, and not easily accessible if you don't know how to unlock them.
Xiaomi 14 review: Also consider
The Xiaomi 14 has some clear strengths, but also some clearly-defined shortcomings. If you've got this far and think something else might be more your thing, why not consider one of these alternatives.
Apple iPhone 15 The iPhone 15 doesn't exactly need an introduction, but if you like elements of Xiaomi's HyperOS or just want a slimmer, smaller but equally-capable compact flagship, this might be your next phone.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Samsung and Google are arguably the biggest phone makers shouting about AI features right now, and the standard S24 condenses the company's suite of Galaxy AI functions into its most compact flagship form. A slim design, decent cameras and a killer display don't go amiss either.
How I tested the Xiaomi 14
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
Review test period: six weeks
Testing included: everyday use including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
Xiaomi was able to provide me with a sample of the Xiaomi 14 just ahead of its international launch, giving me plenty of time to get to grips with the hardware, software, generational upgrades and so on. With the abundance of time available, I've throughly tested the phone while using it as my daily driver over a course of weeks, taking it to social events for camera testing, using it for navigation in my car, gaming around the house and other general smartphone use, from smart home control to social media and web browsing.
It took longer to gain access to some features – namely its promised AI functionality – which I was only able to do once I signed in with my Xiaomi account to the brand's forums and registered for beta access, which then had to be approved, but after that I felt like I was fully able to experience what the Xiaomi 14 promised.
Benchmarking apps is never the be-all-and-end-all, but the results do at least provide an empirical indication of performance that some find useful as a comparison tool. As the user has control over the power state the phone operates in, these benchmarks were carried out in both Balanced and Performance modes, although numerous scores out-paced rivals with the need for Performance mode.
Having reviewed smartphones for well over a decade, including numerous Xiaomi phones, as well as devices from the company's key competition, I felt more than comfortable reviewing this latest Xiaomi flagship, in order to balance its strengths and weaknesses against the market in which it competes.
Samsung's Galaxy A35 and A55 became official last month, and Samsung decided not to bring the A55 to the US, despite the fact that its predecessors have been available in the States. So that leaves the A35 out of the two, and it's now available in the US, at Samsung's own online store, as well as major carriers and retailers such as Amazon.
You'll need to pay $399.99 for one, and you can pick from Awesome Navy and Awesome Lilac in terms of colorways. If you buy yours from Samsung.com, for a limited time you can grab a pair of Galaxy Buds FE alongside it for 30% off. If you trade-in your...
If you’re the kind of runner who prefers to head out to the trails for hours as opposed to tackling the same stretch of pavement, the Nike Ultrafly is made for you.
The Ultrafly is designed to handle up to ultra distances including racing, grabbing elements from Nike’s best running shoes like its ZoomX foam and a carbon plate, which on paper makes it sound like a Vaporfly for the trails.
I’ve used a bunch of Nike’s trail shoes including the long distance, off-road focused Nike Wildhorse 8 and the ZoomX-packing Nike Zegama Trail. While I’ve enjoyed my time in the new Ultrafly, it’s not quite the shoe I thought it would be: it's not zippy and quick like the Vaporfly is on roads, but it is a workhorse.
Nike Ultrafly: Specifications
Nike Ultrafly: Price and availability
Priced at $250 in the US
£229.95 in the UK
AU$330 in Australia
The Nike Ultrafly launched in July 2023 in limited quantities before going on wider release in August, priced at £229.95 / $250 / AU$ 330.
That put it around the same price as Nike’s Vaporfly road running shoe and also makes it pricier than standout trail shoes like the Hoka Speedgoat 5 and the Nike Wildhorse 8, another Nike trail shoe designed for long distance running.
Value score: 3.5/5
Nike Ultrafly: Design
(Image credit: Michael Sawh)
Vaporweave upper
Vibram Megagrip outsole
Nike ZoomX foam
While the Ultrafly is built for the trails, it definitely has the look of one of Nike’s road shoes. There’s just the two colourway options, both with a mostly white upper that thankfully hasn’t become caked in mud as the trails I’ve tested them on have been mostly the dry and hard kind.
Dealing with the key specs, it’s got a 8.5mm drop: that’s 38.5mm at the heel and 30mm at the forefoot, so it’s a chunky shoe. For comparison, the ultra-focused Nike Wildhorse 8 has an 8mm drop coming in at 35.5mm at the heel and 27.5mm at the forefoot.
Nike uses an upper made from Vaporweave, which is built from a mixture of plastics and is similar to the upper material used on its road running shoes like the Zoom Fly and the first generation Vaporfly. While the upper looks pretty low volume, there’s a nice bit of stretch to it and it’s nice and roomy up front, making it ideal for going long where feet can swell and you need that extra space.
While the Ultrafly opens up at the toes, it narrows at the midfoot and at the heel to offer a good lockdown with not overly generous padding at the heel collar to offer some comfort further back. The laces are the standard kind that sit on top of a skinny tongue that offers some padding on top to make sure you don’t feel those laces if they’re tightly tied.
For the midsole, Nike is using the ZoomX foam it uses on its successful Vaporfly, Alphafly and Invincible road shoes. That midsole is wrapped in fabric to protect the foam and is designed to make it feel more stable than Nike’s road shoes. Nike also places a Carbon Flyplate between that ZoomX and fabric-wrapped midsole to help deliver smoother transitions.
In an interesting move from Nike, it included a Vibram Megagrip outsole to deliver off-road grip. Nike typically uses its own outsole technology, which I’ve had mixed experiences with. The decision to go with Vibram on the Ultrafly seems like a wise move as it’s the same outsole technology featured on other standout trail shoes including the Hoka Speedgoat 5.
Weight-wise, the Ultrafly weighed in at 282g in my UK size 8, which is lighter than something like the Nike Wildhorse 8, which weighed in at almost 320g in a UK size 8. While not super-light, it definitely didn’t feel heavy during runs and was comfortable enough to walk around in as well.
Design score: 4/5
Nike Ultrafly: Performance
(Image credit: Michael Sawh)
Smooth, stable and consistent ride
ZoomX isn’t bouncy like Nike road shoes
Outsole works well on moderate trails and roads
If you’re hoping that the Ultrafly is going to give you that feeling of running in one of Nike’s carbon racing shoes, then that’s simply not the case here. This isn’t an aggressive, speed shoe that delivers an extremely bouncy feeling. It’s different, but in a good way.
I haven’t run an ultra in it, instead focusing on getting as much time on my feet as my current state of running fitness permits, maxing out a couple of hours on a mixture of trail surfaces. I’ve also been mixing in some road time and taking in some lighter, more challenging trail terrain. The first thing you notice about the Ultrafly is that it doesn’t feel built like Nike’s other trail shoes. That’s largely down to the roominess of that toe box.
The ZoomX foam typically delivers a very bouncy ride, just like it does in the Vaporfly and Invincible, but things are slightly more tempered here. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t deliver the same lively ride. What it does instead is provide comfort and that’s really what you need over longer distances.
As a package, it’s smooth and stable. It’s certainly not one that feels equipped for all-out speed and is better suited to cruising and moving at slightly more up-tempo speeds. It’s not super light or nimble, but it’s not overly heavy either to make it a taxing shoe to have on your feet as you roll through the miles.
It’s great to see that Nike has opted to plant on a Vibram outsole, which features on some of the best trail shoes in the business and feels like a step up in general on Nike’s trail shoe outsoles. The 3.5mm lugs aren’t exceptionally deep, which makes handling some road time in them absolutely fine, and in general, the grip was good across a mixture of terrain including mud, rockier surfaces, and tackling some hills. I do feel like on more technical trails and likely muddier ones, you’re going to want something a little more aggressive in the outsole department though.
In terms of protection on the trails, there doesn’t seem to be a huge amount going on here and plays into the idea that this is one best suited to lighter and more moderate routes as opposed to the more technical kind. Yes, the upper looks great and uses material that’s designed to prevent rips, but Nike does go pretty light on the protective features here.
Overall though, it’s a shoe that I’ve enjoyed spending time in. It does feel like a bit of a cruiser of a shoe that’s comfortable enough to wear outside of runs, and prioritizes offering a consistent feel from a not-too-heavy design that makes it ideal for long distance runs. It feels like a good start for the Ultrafly line with room to tweak things and for it to evolve to be a truly standout trail shoe to justify picking it up over other trail shoes that cost less.
The GameSir Nova Lite is a much better controller than its ultra-low price suggests. Yes, it’s a little on the basic side, lacking fancier premium features like RGB lighting and additional remappable buttons; but it makes up for this by simply being a very solid, long-lasting controller that's available at a fantastic price.
Despite the GameSir Nova Lite’s low price, the build quality is very solid, and the textured grips on the rear are a welcome addition. What’s more, the inclusion of Hall-effect thumbsticks help to give the controller a much longer lifespan by effectively eliminating the risk of stick drift, and while this is to be expected for the brand’s products, as we see with the GameSir T4 Kaleid and GameSir X2s Type-C, it’s very welcome at this price.
It’s not the most feature-rich controller, nor does it have the highest-quality modules. It is, though, excellent value for money, which makes the GameSir Nova Lite well worth considering if you’re looking to purchase a new (or spare) PC, Nintendo Switch, or Android controller without breaking the bank.
(Image credit: Future)
Price and availability
$24.99 / £29.99 (around AU$40)
One of the cheapest controllers we’d actually recommend
US and UK availability
The GameSir Nova Lite is available now for $24.99 / £29.99 (around AU$40) either from the brand’s official website or its Amazon store page. While US and UK availability is plentiful, folks in Australia may need to look at importing one, as it’s not officially available there at the time of writing.
It's easy to be suspicious of a controller with such a low price tag. However, in our testing across multiple products, we’ve found GameSir to be an highly reputable brand that consistently puts out some of the best Nintendo Switch controllers and best PC controllers.
So, while the Nova Lite sheds some advanced features in service to keeping its price point low, you can still expect to find a quality product here. That said, if you’d prefer a step up in quality and more robust features, we can also recommend the excellent GameSir T4 Kaleid ($41.99 / £41.99), though this is a wired-only option.
Specs
(Image credit: Future)
Design and features
There’s admittedly not much to discuss in terms of features for the GameSir Nova Lite; it’s a bare bones product by design. But at this price point, that’s to be expected. And the Nova Lite still impresses with its overall design and, albeit limited, feature set.
Build quality, while certainly not as sturdy as the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro or the 8BitDo Ultimate, is nonetheless impressive given the bargain price. Here, you’re getting a solid build that doesn’t feel overly hollow, and it rests nicely in the hands thanks to effective textured grips on the rear of the gamepad.
Buttons and modules are pretty serviceable across the board, with some rather nice-feeling membrane face buttons and triggers. However, the bumpers and d-pad leave something to be desired, feeling slightly chunky and not particularly satisfying to press. As a result, it’s not recommended for games that make liberal use of the d-pad, such as the best fighting games or menu-heavy RPGs.
As we’ve come to expect from GameSir products, though, the Nova Lite’s thumbsticks greatly impress. These are Hall-sensing thumbsticks, which you’ll now find in many third-party gamepads as the design helps to greatly reduce the risk of stick drift. This greatly extends the lifespan of the controller, and they’re a welcome addition here, especially considering the Nova Lite’s low price tag.
(Image credit: Future)
Performance
While straightforward in terms of design, GameSir has still provided the Nova Lite with a few nifty tricks up its sleeve. Chief among these is the robust function button, which again is surprisingly versatile for its budget price tag. The button, situated between the d-pad and right analog stick, can accomplish several things through various button macros.
For instance, holding the function button while pressing up or down on the d-pad lets you adjust the controller’s vibration intensity. You can also adjust each thumbstick’s dead zone by holding the button, moving a stick, then releasing. Lastly, you can switch the Nova Lite between XInput, Nintendo Switch or Android compatibility by holding the function button and pressing the Start and Select buttons simultaneously – though do note that the controller needs to be connected via USB-C in order for this last one to work.
Otherwise you’re getting unremarkable yet solid performance from the GameSir Nova Lite. I found it to be an excellent fit on PC, playing a range of games in my Steam library including Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania, Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection and Dark Souls 3during testing. It’s perfectly responsive via Bluetooth, too, and the controller felt at home with many of the best Nintendo Switch games, including Princess Peach: Showtime!and Super Mario Odyssey.
The only major drawback to note with the GameSir Nova Lite is its battery life. Via 2.4GHz, I managed just 10-11 hours of playtime from full charge, which lines up with GameSir’s own estimates. However, if you’d rather opt for Bluetooth connectivity via Nintendo Switch or mobile devices, you may be able to squeeze in up to 15 hours, which is slightly more palatable.
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the GameSir Nova Lite?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Also consider
Want to learn about a broader range of top PC controllers? Consider the following options, which are some of our favorite alternative picks.
How I tested the GameSir Nova Lite
Tested for 15 hours
Tested with PC and Nintendo Switch games
Compared with other recommended and affordable PC controllers
I tested the GameSir Nova Lite for roughly 15 hours, mixing wired and wireless play across Nintendo Switch and PC. I made sure to test the controller with a range of game genres, from fast-paced fighting games to slower, more deliberate platformers, puzzle games and RPGs.
I also compared the Nova Lite up to some of its budget-friendly peers, including the GameSir T4 Kaleid, Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and 8BitDo Ultimate. While the Nova Lite didn’t quite stack up to any of these options in either features or battery life, it still provided adequate performance given its ultra-low price tag.
Given that Xiaomi's T-series phones are normally considered 'mid-range' devices, you'd be forgiven for thinking that the Xiaomi 13T Pro's capabilities would be limited, its hardware poor, and its experience lacking, however, this is frankly no longer the case. The 13T Pro will, for many, provide the flagship experience you'd expect from devices sometimes twice the price, but will not only set you back significantly less, it will also, surprisingly, surpass them in many areas of day-to-day use.
Straight away, the visuals of the Xiaomi 13T Pro bear a striking resemblance to more premium competition; featuring a glass or vegan leather rear panel – both of which are more appetizing to look at than most – even if you disregard the enormity of the camera bump also present on the device.
Xiaomi chose to tailor the 13T Pro towards efficiency and performance improvements, and these couldn't have worked much better. The MediaTek Dimensity 9200 Plus ensures the Xiaomi 13T Pro sets the benchmark for what supposedly mid-range phones can achieve when pushed. Providing not only impressively smooth performance during gaming but also minimal battery drain; the performance of the 13T Pro is one of the most notable among phones in this price bracket.
This performance tailoring hasn't left the 13T Pro slacking in other areas, however, as Xiaomi's partnership with Leica proves. The Xiaomi 13T Pro boasts an impressive and authentic camera, featuring great detail and customizability to ensure a reliable experience in day-to-day usage. This does, however, mask some issues surrounding the night and selfie capabilities, which seem to have been somewhat left behind.
Rounding off its performance tailoring nicely is the 13T Pro's almost expected battery superiority; with a 5,000mAh battery, 120W wired fast charging, and numerous battery performance-based improvements over predecessors. Despite these initial wins for the 13T Pro though, it is let down by a surprising lack of wireless charging, even if the immense speeds of its wired charging do a good enough job of making up for this.
If you're able to take the Xiaomi 13T Pro's quirks as exactly that, and instead focus on the impressive performance across the majority of the device, it's easy enough to learn to love this phone and appreciate what can be possible in the mid-range market.
Xiaomi 13T Pro review: Price and availability
Unavailable in the US
256GB variant unavailable in the UK
Price impressively undercuts competitors
One of the biggest limitations of the Xiaomi 13T Pro – and the Xiaomi brand as a whole – is the availability of the device. Unfortunately, Xiaomi – alongside most other Chinese brands – is not sold in the US (when it comes to the company's smartphones at least). Alongside this, Xiaomi phones are not sold via any mainstream seller in Australia either (despite numerous attempts), limiting international availability to other countries across APAC, LATAM and EMEA, including the UK. That said, even there the cheaper 256GB + 12GB RAM model remains out of reach.
If you're not in a primary region for the 13T Pro but still curious about pricing, the 512GB model would cost approximately $880 / AU$1,350, based on the UK model's £699 asking price.
Value score: 3.5 / 5
Xiaomi 13T Pro review: Specifications
Xiaomi 13T Pro review: Design
(Image credit: Future // Rob Dunne)
Comfortable, if slightly long in the hand
Limited color choices, with one standout
Large rear camera bump
Standing out from the mid-range crowd comes in no better form than some of the design choices of the Xiaomi 13T Pro. The device opts for a 20:9 aspect ratio, with semi-rounded edges and a curved rear panel, giving the Xiaomi 13T Pro a comfortable, if slightly long, feel in the hand. With the phone using a 6.67-inch display at this ratio, you may find it occasionally problematic to use the phone one-handed if you need to reach the topmost areas of the display, and it may not be as easily pocketed as some other devices. Most noticeably, however, the curved rear panel does a superb job of making the phone look, and feel, thinner than it is, making the phone appear a much closer comparison visually to its more premium rivals.
(Image credit: Future // Rob)
Coming in three colors, the Xiaomi 13T Pro doesn't offer extensive variety in this department, however, both the black and the green glass paneled options are pleasant to look at and, in the case of the green, a nice switch from traditional colors. The standout option amongst the three available colors, however, is Alpine blue. Coming exclusively in Xiaomi's BioComfort vegan leather, the Alpine Blue variant is a fresh, and fabulous, take on how to make a premium device. The vegan leather not only looks superb on the device, but also provides added comfort over its glass counterparts, as well as significantly reduces the risk of those pesky finger marks, stains, and scratches that are almost inevitable with glass-backed phones.
As with most well-equipped phones in the current market, one of the biggest design talking points of the Xiaomi 13T Pro is the rear camera bump. The device comes with a triple camera setup made by Leica, and on this occasion, with big camera possibilities comes an even bigger camera bump. Although it's well-designed, and definitely not too big an eyesore, the camera bump does pose the phone some issues if you choose to use it without a case, as given its position on the left-hand side of the rear of the phone, as well as its protrusion from the rest of the device, the phone can become rather wobbly on flat surfaces, although this is fixed if you choose to use the free clear case you receive with the device.
Design score: 4 / 5
Xiaomi 13T Pro review: Display
(Image credit: Future // Rob Dunne)
6.67-inch AMOLED panel
Up to 144Hz refresh rate
HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support
The display on the Xiaomi 13T Pro is one of its most impressive attributes. The phone uses a 6.67-inch AMOLED panel at up to a 144Hz (with refresh rate intervals at 30, 60, 90, 120 and 144Hz), and supports both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ standards to create one of the most pleasant and visually appealing displays on a smartphone at this price. The display is capable of reaching a peak brightness of 2,600nits and offers rich color reproduction, meaning it doesn't struggle when it comes to creating superb visuals. That high nit count meant I never struggled with using the device in a full gamut of conditions; the screen even has a sunlight mode to help in especially bright environments. However, in day-to-day use, the visibility and viewing angles available on the phone proved sensational.
The 13T Pro's adaptive refresh rate is enabled by default, but you can also customize this in the settings to lock the screen at 60Hz if this is what you prefer, although I can't imagine many people will want to. When it comes to the capabilities of the adaptive refresh rate, the display copes impressively well with some of the more arduous mobile games currently available.
In testing, we enjoyed high refresh rates and crisp, detailed, and vibrant graphics; making it difficult to not applaud how enjoyable gaming on the Pro is, even without some of the device's additional gaming-oriented options activated. When using the Xiaomi 13T Pro across social media, browsing, and general usage, the phone sits comfortably at between 1Hz and 120Hz, to optimize power consumption, while still providing an impressively smooth experience.
The phone comes with three preloaded color profiles that dictate how visuals appear on-screen: Vivid, Saturated and Original. If you prefer to tinker with more precision though – whether that be for color accuracy or simply personal preference – you can also adjust a number of more advanced settings within the phone's deeper display control menu.
Display score: 4.5 / 5
Xiaomi 13T Pro review: Software
(Image credit: Future // Rob Dunne)
Upgradeable to Xiaomi's latest HyperOS atop Android 14
Small but appreciated generational user experience improvements
Four major Android updates promised from launch
Despite releasing on the company's MIUI 14 atop Android 13, at the time of review, Xiaomi had already upgraded the 13T Pro to its new and improved HyperOS user experience; creating responsive, minimalist environment atop the latest Android 14. Small tweaks across areas such as the main font, app icons and user menus give the Xiaomi 13T Pro a pleasing aesthetic, and improvements in performance over the previous MIUI 14 make sure that you aren't left with intractions that aren't as smooth as the redesign itself.
Personalization is improved but still somewhat fenced-in on the Xiaomi 13T Pro, with improved lock screen options that near-enough mirror the experience on the likes of the iPhone 15. Once past the lock screen, practically all of the visual and interaction tweaks you're likely make will pass through the preinstalled Themes app, which offers an array of different elements to make your device your own; even if the personalization process itself isn't necessarily the best.
One key downside of previous iterations of Xiaomi's user experience has bloatware and the inability to remove many of Xiaomi's own preloaded apps, but with the Xiaomi 13T Pro we see a small but appreciated change to this trend. There are now only eight first-party apps that you are unable to uninstall, which is frankly nothing compared to what we've been inundated with on prior generations.
Like many devices in its weight class, the Xiaomi 13T Pro was promised four major Android updates over the course of its lifespan, which while behind market leaders, should more than long enough based on the average user's upgrade frequency. Add to that improved OS performance and battery management and the Xiaomi 13T Pro is more than likely to last you while remaining a more than capable smartphone at the end of its life.
Software score: 4 / 5
Xiaomi 13T Pro review: Cameras
(Image credit: Future // Rob Dunne)
Camera system tuned in partnership with Leica
Triple rear camera and 20MP selfie snapper
Vast array of more advanced shooting modes
Xiaomi's partnership with Leica on the Xiaomi 13T Pro has resulted in a top-notch camera experience. The 13T Pro runs a triple rear sensor setup, featuring a 50MP main camera, 50MP telephoto camera, and a 12MP ultra-wide camera, whilst the display plays host to a 20MP selfie camera; all in all, a very solid start. The rear cameras can shoot in one of two visual styles, these being 'Leica Authentic' and 'Leica Vibrant,' both of which offer pleasing results under different conditions. Vibrant, as you'd expect, serves up more vivid, contrasting color in scenes, whilst Authentic leverages a more reserved, muted, true-to-life palette, just as we've seen from previous Leica-partnered phones.
Finding a balance between advanced photography controls and satisfying the everyday user is a challenging task, but one which the Xiaomi 13T Pro tackles with aplomb. Yes, there are a large number of menus and options, some of which might never see the light of day under standard usage, but equally, the features you need most are laid out simply and efficiently for quick access in a variety of scenarios. Thanks to both the Pro's large screen and some clever UI placement options, selecting relevant shooting settings is simple enough, even when using the Xiaomi 13T Pro's 'Pro Mode,' which opens up even greater control over conventional photography variables like ISO, exposure and white balance.
Camera samples
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(Image credit: Future // Rob Dunne)
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(Image credit: Future // Rob Dunne)
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(Image credit: Future // Rob Dunne)
The results we saw from the main camera system were impressive, finding a pleasant and effective blend of detail and color accuracy; especially for a device at this price point. The 13T Pro has three optical zoom levels – 0.6x, 1x, and 2x – and was impressive at retaining details and color science consistency throughout. I was positively surprised by the 13T Pro's video shooting from the rear camera, with an impressive level of image stabilization, however, it struggled when trying to zoom during filming, with some notable stuttering and clear color changes when moving from optical to digital zoom ranges; an understandable stumbling block for a phone not necessarily striving to push photographic boundaries. 10-bit LOG video capture is a novel inclusion too, that adds greater post-capture versatility to footage for those looking for an affordable but capable phone for videography.
Other shortcomings noticed during testing included an unnatural level of lighting correction when shooting in dimly lit scenarios, leading to color inaccuracies and limited detail. Detail issues also persisted when using the selfie camera, though this is one area which hasn't received much in the way of generational attention; understandable, if annoying. Overall, however, an the 13T Pro serves up an impressive array of photographic capabilities and provides results that any casual mobile photographer or videographer would no doubt be happy with.
Cameras score: 3.5 / 5
Xiaomi 13T Pro review: Performance
(Image credit: Future // Rob Dunne)
MediaTek Dimensity 9200 Plus chipset
Up to 1TB UFS 4.0 storage
Up to 16GB LPDDR5X RAM
For many, an Android device not running an ever-reliable Qualcomm Snapdragon chip might be a reason to worry, but the Dimensity 9200 Plus SoC powering the Xiaomi 13T Pro does nothing short of an impressive job at letting this phone go toe to toe with even some flagship competition. The intention of the 13T Pro's Plus-branded chip was to improve efficiency and performance over the standard 9200, with a focus on improved gaming performance and battery efficiency in day-to-day use, both of which the Xiaomi 13T Pro appears to excel at with reasonable ease.
While gaming, the phone was not only able to comfortably hold a consistent and high frame rate across the likes of Call of Duty Mobile, Genshin Impact, and Grid Autosport, but it was also able to retain an impressive amount of battery during longer gaming stints both thanks to the hardware – such as the improved Immortalis-G715 GPU – and the integrated performance optimizing software.
During testing, I did note some warmth across the device for the duration of my gaming stint, but nothing that was too uncomfortable or unexpected for the fidelity of games being played, and at no point did thermal throttling impact on competitive performance to any discernible degree.
The Xiaomi 13T Pro also stands as one of the first Xiaomi devices to dip its toe into the waters of AI. With its upgrade to HyperOS adding support for such functionality as an AI eraser tool and background editor – to help add to the already impressive camera capabilities mentioned earlier. What's more, that's only the start, with Xiaomi delivering even more AI enhancement on the Xiaomi 14 series. That said, to what extent of these will reach back to the 13T Pro remains unknown for now.
Performance score: 4.5 / 5
Xiaomi 13T Pro review: Battery
(Image credit: Future // Rob Dunne)
5,000mAh battery
120W wired charging
No wireless charging
One of the most impressive areas of the Xiaomi 13T Pro – on paper at least – is its battery and charging capabilities. The phone boasts a large 5,000mAh battery, with rapid 120W wired charging – when using the power adapter provided. Xiaomi's Surge Battery Management system is also onboard to help improve battery safety and elongate the lifespan of the device over prolonged use too.
Whilst I was unable to replicate Xiaomi's charging estimate of only 19 minutes to 100% when using 120W wired charging (paired with 'boost mode') during testing, the phone was still impressively quick to charge to 100% and was comfortably able to give me over 12 hours of active screen time before beginning to creep closer to needing a charge.
Somewhat strangely, the Xiaomi 13T Pro – whilst powerful in its wired charging solutions – lacks any form of wireless charging; which presumably is a side-effect of the T-series more affordable standing in Xiaomi's extensive smartphone portfolio. Even so, the impressive wired charging speeds possible meant the inability to rest the phone on a wireless charging pad rarely felt like an issue.
Battery score: 3.5 / 5
Should you buy the Xiaomi 13T Pro?
Buy it if...
Don't buy if...
Xiaomi 13T Pro review: Also consider
How I tested the Xiaomi 13T Pro
Review period: one month
Testing included: everyday use, such as web browsing, photography, gaming, calling and messaging, music playback, as well as some benchmarking tests.
True testing of the Xiaomi 13T Pro took place over the course of about a month, with the writing of the review occurring over an extended period afterwards. The Xiaomi 13T Pro reviewed here was a 512GB storage, 12GB RAM, Alpine Blue (with Xiaomi's BioComfort vegan leather) model. The Xiaomi 13T Pro was put through a variety of tests, not limited to daily usage, gaming, photography, streaming of music and video, and, as ever, benchmarking.
Having worked with phones for years – originally on shop floors and later by writing about them on TechRadar (including buying advice surrounding phones in this category) – I felt comfortable reviewing the 13T Pro, safe in the knowledge I had the expertise and context to do it justice.
Instant Pot Pro Plus Smart Multi-Cooker: two-minute review
If you’re looking for a top multi-cooker, then there are plenty of best Instant Pot options to choose from. The Instant Pot Pro Plus Smart Multi-Cooker stands out as a great buy, not just for its 10 settings, but also because of its smart functionality. So, not only can you control the appliance from the touchscreen display on the front of the cooker, but you can start, adjust and stop it remotely via an app on your smartphone as well. This makes it a much more convenient option than your standard Instant Pot.
I really enjoyed browsing the Instant Connect app, which features lots of cooking inspiration. Offering access to over 1,400 recipes, you can search for a recipe to cook using keywords such as “chicken”, “fish”, or any other random ingredient you have to hand. Once you’ve decided what to cook, following the instructions in the app is super simple, and it will nudge you to choose the right cooking mode for the recipe chosen. This is a game-changer, making cooking really quick and speedy, with no need to refer to the instruction manual. It’s also handy when you’re stuck about what to cook and need some inspiration.
(Image credit: Instant Pot)
Provided the device is plugged in, you can turn the appliance on and off remotely, too – which is helpful if you want to keep an eye on the cooking cycle from the comfort of the sofa. This also means that provided you’ve prepped your ingredients correctly, you can turn on the cooker while you’re out – so that the slow-cooked lamb you planned first thing will be ready to eat when you walk through your front door.
In terms of design, the Instant Pot Pro Plus won’t catch the eye. Nevertheless, its timeless black and silver finish will work well in both modern and classic kitchen schemes. Offering 10 useful cooking modes, including those for steaming and making rice and a delay start and keep warm function; if there’s one option I was disappointed not to see, it’s an air fry function.
Instant Pot Pro Plus Smart Multi-Cooker review: price & availability
List price: $199.99 / £199.99
Reasonably priced for capabilities
Available in US and UK
The Instant Pot Pro Plus Smart Multi-Cooker is above average in price for an Instant Pot multi-cooker, setting you back $199.99 / £199.99. At the time of writing, this 6-quart / 5.7-litre design is on sale for $149.95, however.
You’ll be paying that bit more than the average due to its smart capability. For a 6-quart model minus smart features you can pick up the Instant Pot Rio for around $99.99. Or in the UK, you can buy the Instant Pot Duo Plus With WhisperQuiet Multi-Cooker for £99.99, which is currently on offer, down from £129.99.
Value for money score: 4 out of 5
Instant Pot Pro Plus Smart Multi-Cooker specs
Instant Pot Pro Plus Smart Multi-Cooker review: design
6-portion capacity
10 functions accessible via touchscreen
Dishwasher-safe removable pot
In terms of looks, the Instant Pot Pro Plus is rather average; with a sleek black finish and touchscreen display, it’s nothing out of the ordinary. However, what makes it stand out from the crowd is its high-tech smart capability, which allows you to control the multi-cooker not just through the touchscreen panel, but via a smart app on your phone.
Size-wise, it isn’t too intrusive on the countertop, and at 7.05kg it isn’t too heavy either. Its body is curvaceous and sleek, offering a generous 6-quart / 5.7-liter dishwasher-safe stainless steel inner cooking pot with aluminium core that can hold up to six portions. In the box you’ll also find a steam rack and extra sealing ring for when the original wears out.
(Image credit: Instant Pot)
While you won’t need too much room to store this appliance on the countertop or in a large kitchen cupboard, you will need to ensure there’s adequate space around it for good ventilation while cooking. Venting is easy: there are three touchscreen options for natural venting, pulse venting or a quick vent. The display also denotes how much cooking time remains, and highlights the cancel and start buttons for quick access while running.
I found the digital display clear and easy to read, allowing you to choose from the 10 settings available. These include pressure cooking, slow cooking, rice cooking, steaming, sautéing, yoghurt making, canning, sous vide, delay starting and keeping your food warm.
I found the device feels solid and secure on the worktop, with ample cord length to easily plug it in at the socket. The multi-cooker has a lid that’s easy to remove and lock into place when needed. Note that the sides of the machine do get a little hot to touch when it’s on, but nothing out of the ordinary – and the only time the multi-cooker makes much noise is when the steam is being vented. Helpfully, the inner pot comes with handles, which makes it super easy to take out.
Design score: 4.5 out of 5
Instant Pot Pro Plus Smart Multi-Cooker review: performance
Cooks up to 70% faster when pressure cooking
10 cooking functions via touchscreen or app
NutriBoost to lock in vitamins, improve texture
To test out the Instant Pot Pro Plus, I used it over the course of a month to cook a variety of dishes. I downloaded the Instant Connect app and followed recipes such as pressure-cooked Easy Holiday Butternut Squash Coconut Soup, which was made in under 20 minutes. I was keen to see how well this multi-cooker could pressure cook, sauté, steam and cook rice, as well as produce a slow-cooked lamb curry.
I found the digital control panel simple to use, and found that the “easy seal locking lid” clicked into place effortlessly. Pairing the appliance with the smartphone Instant Connect app proved faultless, too. After pressing the Wi-Fi button on the pot, and following the instructions to connect, I was able to use the app to control my recipes.
(Image credit: Instant Pot)
The app itself is actually one of the easiest and most comprehensive I’ve used. I welcome the way you can search for a recipe, and the app delivers step-by-step instructions – from gathering your ingredients to choosing the right settings, adding ingredients and venting the steam – all in real time.
Offering 20% more power than previous models, for faster pre-heating time and 15psi suitable for canning, the Instant Pot Pro Plus Smart Multi-Cooker claims to be the most powerful Instant Pot to date. This design does, in fact, claim to cook up to 70% faster than other cooking methods when pressure cooking, and can therefore help you save on energy bills as a result. I certainly found pressure cooking to be super quick: I was able to cook very tough butternut squash in just five minutes.
(Image credit: Future)
Following the recipe for pressure-cooked Easy Holiday Butternut Squash Coconut Soup, the app automatically guided me through the natural venting setting at the end, which I found reassuring and easy to follow. The appliance does get quite loud when venting steam, and you’ll need to ensure there’s sufficient space above to avoid covering the kitchen units with condensation. While making the soup, I also clicked on the NutriBoost setting on the control panel, which is designed to make meals healthier by breaking down the food, locking in vitamins and enhancing the flavour. It’s hard to tell if this made any difference to the final results of the soup, but it’s a reassuring addition to the offering.
I found the appliance very quiet in use – particularly when used for making a slow-cooked lamb curry. It was very easy to sauté ingredients such as the lamb, onions and seasoning directly in the pot at the start of the recipe, which saved time and having to wash up a separate pan. I then simply added the rest of the ingredients and switched to the slow cook setting for four hours on high. I like the fact that the sauté setting can be used at the end of the slow cook to reduce liquids directly in the pot if needed, too. The appliance gently beeps to let you know when the food is ready.
(Image credit: Future)
Cleaning was pretty simple; the pot is dishwasher-safe and the base and lid can be cleaned with warm soapy water and wiped down with a damp cloth. For more advice, learn how to clean an Instant Pot.
Performance score: 4.5 out of 5
Should you buy the Instant Pot Pro Plus Smart Multi-Cooker?
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
How I tested the Instant Pot Pro Plus Smart Multi-Cooker
Tested for a month
Used for a variety of dishes
I tested the Instant Pot Pro Plus Smart Multi-Cooker over the course of a month, using it to cook a variety of dishes and to gauge the effectiveness of its different cooking modes, including pressure cooking, sautéing, steaming and slow cooking. I also rated it on ease of use both with its touchscreen and app, as well as factoring in how easy it was to clean.
It’s not often you get a device like the Xiaomi Smart Band 8. It’s a very affordable fitness tracker at just $90 / £60 / AU$95, but it’s also remarkably competent thanks to great battery life and an array of sensors that some much more expensive alternatives are missing.
Not only is it one of the most complete budget fitness trackers we’ve tested, but it even defeats the Huawei Band 7 (a tracker I loved) by offering built-in GPS location tracking, too. That could make it a big worry for the likes of even the best Fitbit, and competition can only be a good thing.
I wore it on one wrist with my Apple Watch Ultra on the other (a considerably more expensive option) and was very impressed by just how accurate the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro is. Xiaomi says it uses “next-generation data algorithms” for things like heart rate and oxygen saturation accuracy, and from my usage its findings were in lockstep with Apple’s own.
In fact, my only real gripe is that of the setup process. Your mileage may end up varying, but it felt like it got me off on the wrong foot with the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro, although thankfully the excellent features and design fixed that nice and quickly.
There are some other omissions, too, like payments, music downloads, and third-party apps, but given the price, those are all things you’d perhaps expect.
(Image credit: Future)
Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro: Specifications
Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro: Price and release date
Available now
Priced at $99.99 in the US
£60 in the UK
AU$95 in Australia
The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro originally debuted in China last August, but it’s taken some time to go international.
Thankfully, it’s available from most retailers now, and at a discounted price of $99 in the US, £60 in the UK, and AU$95 via outlets such as Amazon.
We’ve seen it as low as £50 or $80 in recent weeks, and it’s a steal for that price, which makes it considerably cheaper than its nearest competitors like the Fitbit Inspire 3.
Value score: 5/5
Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Available in black or white with swappable straps
1.74-inch AMOLED display
Lightweight and slim
I find it difficult to get excited about fitness trackers these days because, for the most part, they all look mostly the same. That’s not to damn the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro with faint praise, but more acknowledge that just by looking at it, there’s no way you’d expect it to cost as little as it does.
It has a slick, rectangular chassis, and our white unit has a shining chrome shell. It does collect some fingerprints but not as many as you may expect, and houses a 1.74-inch AMOLED display that’s small enough to sit comfortably on your wrist while also being large enough to convey plenty of information at a glance.
It’s a good balance, and it doesn’t hurt that it’s packing a 336 x 480 px resolution that’s easy to read, and it weighs just 22.5g without the strap (still heavier than the Huawei Band 7, admittedly).
There are no buttons, physical or otherwise, on the sides, so you’ll be doing everything with the touchscreen, while the straps detach easily through a subtle mechanism and click into place in a satisfying way. Our review unit comes with an off-white option, but there’s no second strap in the box; it’s a one-size-fits-all kind of deal, and as someone who usually uses larger straps, I can say it works nicely.
On the back you’ll find a charging port, and while there’s no power brick included in the box, it’s worth noting that the USB-A cable that is here isn’t the longest. Some users will prefer USB-C, as USB-A is starting to look a little dated. Still, for under $100, it's just a charging cable. You get what you get.
Design score: 4.5/5
(Image credit: Future)
Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro: Performance
(Image credit: Future)
Strictly a fitness tracker
Plenty of functions
Smart use of widgets
The folks at Xiaomi have built much of the user interface here with the larger display in mind, which means you can swipe between screens that pack multiple widgets into each, making use of every available pixel. It took a little bit of habit-busting to get into the swing of swiping ‘backward’ rather than Apple's ‘up’ to return to a prior menu, but once I did, I was enjoying its functionality with ease.
You can swipe up from the bottom of the screen to access a sort of “All Apps” list, but that’s about the only time the UI feels a little tricky as you try to prod the right option.
As always (because many still conflate the two), it’s worth remembering this is a fitness tracker and not a smartwatch. The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro won’t pay for your shopping, download music for offline playback, or download third-party apps. It's essentially a single-purpose device, and for that purpose – fitness tracking – it’s great.
I used it to head out for a brisk walk, indoors for a treadmill run, and at the gym. As mentioned in the intro, in all these scenarios, all of its metrics tied up nicely with that of my Apple Watch, which costs around nine times the price of the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro in the US.
(Image credit: Future)
Step counting is accurate, and heart rate data was consistent while awake and asleep. While some have reported inaccuracies with VO2 data, mine synced up with the Apple Watch Ultra nicely.
My favorite thing, though, is the GNSS support for GPS. It’s only a single-frequency connection, so it may struggle in big cities or when surrounded by large buildings, but it works really nicely for a casual run. If you’re a hardcore runner you’ll likely want something with more accuracy or a stronger connection, but then again, if you’re a hardcore runner you probably already own a much more expensive running watch.
When it comes to sleep tracking, things are mainly centered around the stages of sleep you’ll get. That’s fine at a basic level, but outside of that, you’re not going to get as much information as you’d perhaps get with a more fully-featured smartwatch such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6, or a sleep tracker like the Oura Ring Generation 3.
Battery life is great, though, with Xiaomi suggesting you can hit 14 days on a single charge. That is, admittedly, with some functionality toned down (like always-on display and some health notifications), but it’s still impressive in a device at this price point.
Without those concessions, you can still reasonably expect around four-and-a-half days, which is still pretty great – and can easily go past five with light use, a.k.a. fewer workouts.
Performance score: 4/5
Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro: Features
iOS and Android compatible
Don’t expect a lot of analysis on companion app
(Image credit: Future)
I’ll be honest, I feel like the Xiaomi Mi Fitness app and I got off on the wrong foot. Pairing the device with my iPhone was pretty painful; it wouldn’t scan the QR code on the screen, so I had to add it manually via the Bluetooth settings, then that didn’t work on two separate attempts, and then just as I prepared to give up, it sprung to life.
Not a great first impression, sure, and to add to that many of the basic functions of the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro were switched off – including things like sleep tracking.
(Image credit: Future)
Once I switched those on, though, everything was pretty smooth. The Health tab is essentially a dashboard with all of your data for calories, steps, and exercise, as well as sleep and heart rate data, while the Workout tab actually incorporates Apple Maps so you can feasibly use it without needing to switch to Strava to log your routes.
(Image credit: Future)
There’s also a nice marketplace of watch faces you can download with ease and set on your device.
(Image credit: Future)
In fact, the only thing missing is anything close to a deeper analysis of the data collected, which you may expect would be missing at this price.
(Image credit: Future)
The closest thing is the Vitality Score, which is a little like Fitbit’s Daily Readiness Score. This takes into account the activity you’ve done in the last seven days and calculates a score for how ready you are for exercise. It’s a nice idea, but as far as I can tell it’s not pulling extra data like sleep history.
Earlier this week Samsung US offered discounts on the Galaxy Tab S9 series – those are still available, by the way. The 2023 slates received the new Galaxy AI as an update, which brought them into the spotlight again. But grabbing the 2022 Ultra may be a better deal.
The base Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra with 8/128GB configuration (there’s a microSD slot) is down to $700, while the 12/256GB version is on clearance at $750. For comparison, a 12/256GB Tab S9 Ultra is $1,070.
Both slates feature large 14.6” 120Hz AMOLED displays and 11,200mAh batteries with 45W fast charging. Where they...
