Author Archives: Aki Ukita

Nothing Phone (4b): Not Exciting, But Hard to Fault

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PROS:


  • Distinctive design that still feels recognizably Nothing

  • Large 120Hz AMOLED display is good for the price

  • Solid all–day battery life

CONS:


  • No telephoto camera

  • Noticeable bezel

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

Not especially thrilling, but thoughtfully balanced, the Nothing Phone (4b) is an affordable phone that knows its priorities.

It’s no secret that rising memory prices have become a major challenge for tech companies of every size. Some brands have responded by simply raising prices. Others have had to rethink their product strategy entirely. You know the situation is serious when a company decides not to release a successor to one of its most popular series because it cannot build a phone that feels good enough for its target audience at the right price.

With no CMF phone upgrade arriving this year, the Nothing Phone (4b) becomes the company’s new affordable entry point. Rather than pushing ahead with a compromised CMF successor in a difficult market, Nothing has brought that mission back under its main label. It is an entry-level phone by positioning, but one that still tries to carry the visual character and brand personality that make a Nothing device feel distinct. Of course, affordability in a market like this never comes without tradeoffs. The question is whether Nothing has chosen the right ones. Has it cut back in ways most users can accept, while still delivering a phone that feels stylish, capable, and true to the brand?

Designer: Nothing

Aesthetics

Nothing has built its reputation on a strong and instantly recognizable design identity. That identity first emerged with the Nothing Ear (1), the company’s debut wireless earbuds, whose transparent look immediately gave the brand a distinct visual signature. When Nothing later expanded into smartphones, it introduced the Glyph design as a new defining element of its phone lineup. Since then, the company’s design language has continued to evolve, sometimes through refinement, sometimes through experimentation, but never by standing still.

At a glance, the Phone (4b) still feels part of that family. It carries over familiar cues such as exposed screw details, geometric panel treatment, and a transparent-inspired camera bump that gives the rear a sense of structure rather than mere decoration. The phone is offered in White, Black, and Blue, and its unibody design helps the overall form feel more cohesive. All three colorways use black buttons, which create a subtle contrast, especially on the lighter finishes. The rear itself has a dual-tone look, with a more solid lower section and a transparent-inspired camera bump above it. On that bump, two vertically stacked cameras sit alongside the flash and a Glyph Bar that echoes the Phone (4a).

It is not as fun or as visually exciting as some other Nothing phones, especially the earlier ones. The design feels more restrained, with less of the playful boldness that once made the brand’s devices feel genuinely surprising. Even so, for a budget phone, Nothing has balanced design ambition and cost control well, preserving enough character to keep the Phone (4b) from fading into the background.

Ergonomics

Measuring 164.4 x 78.2 x 8.6 mm and weighing 210 g, the Nothing Phone (4b) is very much a modern big-screen budget phone. Its unibody construction helps it feel solid and cohesive in the hand, and the weight distribution is even enough that it does not come across as awkward or top-heavy. The matte texture is a nice touch visually and helps the phone avoid looking overly glossy, though it does not completely translate into a secure grip.

For me, the biggest issue is the width. At 78.2 mm, it is just a bit too wide to handle comfortably with one hand, especially when trying to reach across the display for interface elements or app icons. The handling can also feel a little slippery at times, so simple actions such as pulling down menus or tapping controls near the opposite edge can require a grip adjustment. As a result, the Phone (4b) feels more natural in two-handed use than in quick one-handed moments.

The fingerprint scanner placement does not help much either. It sits near the bottom of the display, which makes the unlock motion feel less seamless than it should. Once the phone is unlocked, your thumb is already positioned too low, so moving directly into navigation feels less natural than it would with a scanner placed slightly higher. It is a small ergonomic detail, but one that becomes easier to notice in everyday use.

Performance

The Nothing Phone (4b) is powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4, paired with 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage. That places it firmly in the lower mid-range rather than the true bargain-bin tier, and in daily use, that positioning feels about right. This is not a phone that tries to impress with raw speed or benchmark theatrics. Instead, it aims for a level of performance that feels dependable enough for the people most likely to buy it.

In everyday tasks, the Phone (4b) holds up well. Navigating the interface, switching between common apps, browsing the web, replying to messages, and scrolling through social media all feel smooth enough that the phone rarely calls attention to its limitations. Gaming is where its limits become clearer. Casual titles should run without much trouble, and lighter 3D games are likely to be perfectly playable, but this is not a device built for demanding graphics or long sessions at high settings. Heavier games will almost certainly require reduced visual quality to maintain consistency, and even then, this is not the sort of phone that feels eager to push beyond its class.

The software experience plays a big role in making the Phone (4b) feel more polished than its hardware might otherwise suggest. Nothing’s interface has generally been one of the company’s strengths, and that remains true here. Notably, Nothing has not held back too much on software features, with AI tools and Essential Space both making their way to the Phone (4b). The software is also relatively clean, with only a small amount of pre-installed bloatware, something that remains surprisingly rare at this end of the market.

The Glyph interface is still here, though in reduced form as the rear Glyph Bar rather than the fuller system found on more expensive Nothing phones. It supports practical functions such as timers, charging progress, notifications, recording indicators, and one of my personal favorites, the camera countdown, so it is more than just a visual gimmick. Still, this pared-down implementation feels more like a modest nod to Nothing’s identity than a feature that adds much excitement to the experience.

The Phone (4b) features a large 6.77-inch AMOLED display with a 1080 x 2344 resolution, a pixel density of 381ppi, and a 120Hz refresh rate. Nothing also claims a peak brightness of 2,000 nits and 1,300 nits in outdoor brightness mode. It is a solid display package for the segment, offering the kind of size and fluidity that most users will immediately appreciate in daily use.

Visually, the panel does not do much to surprise. The bezels are relatively thick all around, with a more noticeable chin at the bottom, so it lacks the sleek edge-to-edge impression of more expensive phones. Even so, this is still a good screen for the price. The AMOLED panel gives the Phone (4b) the contrast and richness you would hope for, while the 120Hz refresh rate helps the interface feel smoother and more modern.

Main Camera, 2x

Main Camera, 1x

The speaker quality follows a similar pattern. It is still not especially impressive, but it is better than merely acceptable. The stereo speaker setup gives the Phone (4b) a more balanced audio presentation, and the sound avoids becoming muddy. It is not a standout for richness or power, but for everyday listening, the result is solid for the class.

Main Camera 2x (B&W Film Filter), Main Camera 2x (Normal)

Main Camera 2x (Portrait Mode)

The camera system is another area where expectations need to stay grounded. On the back, the Phone (4b) pairs a 50MP main camera, using a 1/2.76-inch sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and OIS, with an 8MP ultra-wide camera that uses a 1/4-inch sensor and an f/2.2 aperture. Up front, there is a 16MP selfie camera. This is a fairly typical camera setup for the segment, with the main sensor doing most of the meaningful work.

Ultra-wide 0.6x

Main Camera 1x

In good daylight, the results are generally solid. The main camera captures decent detail, pleasing contrast, and images that are more than good enough for social sharing. The phone can zoom up to 10x, but image quality starts to fall off noticeably beyond 2x, so that upper range is more there for flexibility than for genuinely reliable output. Low-light performance is also fairly good overall, though white balance can become a little wonky in certain scenes. For video, the main camera can record at up to 4K 30fps, while the ultra-wide and front-facing cameras are limited to 1080p, with the former capped at 30fps and the latter able to reach 60fps.

Main Camera 2x

Main Camera 5x

Main Camera 10x

Battery life should be one of the Phone (4b)’s more dependable strengths. The global version packs a 5,200mAh battery, and when paired with a relatively modest chipset and efficient software, the phone is clearly tuned for endurance rather than excess. In my use, it lasted a full day easily, which is exactly what most buyers in this category will want. Charging is less exciting. Wired charging tops out at 33W, which is not especially fast by current standards, but the inclusion of 5.5W reverse wired charging is still a welcome extra.

Sustainability

Sustainability is rarely a major talking point in the smartphone market, which is why Nothing deserves credit here. The company puts details such as the Phone (4b)’s carbon footprint and packaging composition directly on the product page instead of burying them elsewhere. That kind of transparency is still uncommon, and it makes the sustainability effort feel more concrete.

There is also a practical side to the story. The Phone (4b) has an IP64 rating for dust and splash resistance, while its unibody construction should help with structural strength. Software support is solid, with three years of Android updates and six years of security patches.

Nothing lists the Phone (4b)’s carbon footprint at 54.7 kg CO₂e, and says more than 99 percent of the packaging is plastic-free, excluding the PET-paper composite label. These are not the kind of details most buyers will focus on first, but they are useful to have. More importantly, this level of disclosure is worth praising and reflects a company that is at least willing to treat environmental responsibility as part of the product conversation.

Value

At £299, or about $400, the Nothing Phone (4b) is not trying to be the absolute cheapest option. Instead, it aims to offer a more polished and distinctive experience than many budget phones at this price. That gives it a slightly different kind of value proposition.

That mostly works in its favor. You get a recognizably Nothing design, a large 120Hz AMOLED display, clean software, stereo speakers, solid battery life, and dependable everyday performance. The phone is not without compromises, especially in its chipset choice and the lack of a telephoto camera.

The Phone (4b) may not be the obvious bargain pick, but it still offers solid value. It feels less like a phone built to win on one headline feature and more like one shaped by careful compromise. For buyers who want an affordable phone with personality and few major weaknesses, it makes a convincing case for itself.

Verdict

The Nothing Phone (4b) is a sensible response to a difficult market. Rather than forcing out a compromised CMF successor, Nothing has created a new affordable entry point under its main brand. The result is a phone that feels carefully judged rather than boldly ambitious.

It is not an especially exciting device, and some compromises are easy to notice. The chin bezel, modest chipset, and limited camera versatility all remind you where costs have been kept in check. Even the Glyph Bar feels more like a restrained nod to Nothing’s identity than a standout feature.

Still, the Phone (4b) gets the fundamentals right. It offers a good display, clean software, solid battery life, stereo speakers, dependable everyday performance, and a design that still feels recognizably Nothing. For buyers who want an affordable phone with personality and few major weaknesses, it makes a convincing case for itself.

The post Nothing Phone (4b): Not Exciting, But Hard to Fault first appeared on Yanko Design.

XPENG L03 Brings Ex-Ferrari Designer and 520 km Range to Europe

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Xpeng picked Munich for the L03’s big moment, and that setting says almost as much as the car itself. Unveiled on July 17, the L03 arrives as a global-facing SUV coupe that mixes sleek design, family-friendly practicality, and a heavy dose of software-first ambition. For Xpeng, it is more than just another model launch. It is a clear statement of intent for Europe.

Xpeng calls the L03 a next-generation AI SUV coupe, and the design leans hard into that promise with a low, flowing roofline, flush detailing, and a drag coefficient of 0.228. Developed by a global design team led by former Ferrari exterior design chief JuanMa López, the L03 is clearly meant to look more polished and aspirational than a typical mainstream family SUV. At 4,650 mm long with a 2,850 mm wheelbase, it sits in a sweet spot that should give it broad appeal across urban buyers, young families, and tech-minded upgraders. Xpeng is also giving buyers a broader visual palette than usual, with five nature-inspired exterior colors: Phantom Purple, Rock Gray, Arctic White, Midnight Black, and Silver Frost, plus a Global Black Edition with full black body color, darkened calipers, and darker wheels.

Designer: Xpeng

Inside, Xpeng is trying to make the L03 feel more lounge than machine. The cabin centers on a 15.6-inch display and layers in 256-color ambient lighting, AI-enabled climate control, and active noise cancellation, while the seating package aims squarely at comfort with ventilated, heated, and massage-equipped front seats. The rear bench folds in a 40/20/40 split, and practicality looks like a genuine strength rather than an afterthought, with 539 liters of rear luggage space including underfloor storage, a 102-liter front trunk on EV variants, and a further 102-liter rear underseat drawer.

That usefulness extends beyond the cabin. Xpeng says the L03 has been designed with expansion and adventure in mind, featuring eight flush magnetic attachment points, five 1/4-inch threaded mounting points for accessories such as action cameras, and front passenger expansion docks for added flexibility. The company also says the system supports roof racks, helping position the L03 as something more versatile than a style-led urban crossover. Towing capacity is rated at up to 1,500 kg with an optional market-specific manual tow hook.

The bigger story, though, is software. Xpeng is using the L03 to showcase its latest XOS 6.0 cockpit platform and a more advanced intelligent driving pitch built around VLA 2.0 and NGP. The L03 also brings direct Google Maps integration, adding a familiar layer of usability to Xpeng’s latest cockpit experience. Xpeng said it plans to bring its next-generation assisted driving technology to Europe in early 2027, making the L03 not just a new model but an early marker for the brand’s next software chapter in the region.

Xpeng is also casting a wide net on powertrain choice. The battery-electric version is rated for up to 520 km of WLTP range, while the EREV version stretches to more than 1,000 km of combined range. Fast charging is another headline figure, with Xpeng claiming a 10 to 80 percent top-up in around 20 minutes under 3C charging conditions. That helps the L03 look less like a niche style play and more like a serious attempt to cover multiple use cases with one global product. With its current pricing, the L03 looks strikingly competitive in Europe, particularly given its range, technology, and day-to-day usability.

Taken together, those elements make the L03 more than just another new model. It is a statement car for a brand that wants to prove it can speak the language of European design, global software, and everyday usability all at once. In Munich, Xpeng did not just unveil a new SUV coupe. It unveiled a model designed to carry its international ambitions much further.

The post XPENG L03 Brings Ex-Ferrari Designer and 520 km Range to Europe first appeared on Yanko Design.

Honor Watch 6 Review: Great Endurance, Not Quite Perfect

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PROS:


  • Excellent battery life

  • Great AMOLED display

  • Unique soccer and badminton sports mode

CONS:


  • Honor Health app lacks polish

  • Twilight Brown leather strap feels stiff

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The Honor Watch 6 pairs a gorgeous display with excellent battery life, even if its software and leather strap feel less refined.

With the Watch 6, Honor has given the series a complete visual reset. After the square-faced Watch 5, this new model arrives with a round case that feels more in step with the look of a traditional wristwatch. That redesign is backed by a fairly clear set of priorities. The Honor Watch 6 focuses on the things users are likely to notice first, such as a bright, attractive display and battery life that can stretch beyond a month.

After spending time with it, the Watch 6 comes across as a smartwatch built around practical strengths rather than bold innovation. The hardware makes a solid first impression, and the core experience is clearly aimed at people who want something dependable and easy to live with. At the same time, a few details, from the software experience to the quality of the leather strap, keep it from feeling quite as refined as it initially suggests.

Designer: Honor

Aesthetics

The Honor Watch 6 leans heavily into the visual language of a traditional wristwatch, and that gives it an immediate sense of familiarity. Its round face, sculpted lugs, and restrained detailing make it feel more like an everyday timepiece than a piece of sporty tech. That approach gives it some welcome versatility, allowing it to fit easily into casual or more polished settings.

At the same time, the design also feels a little too safe. There is nothing awkward or unattractive about the Watch 6, but there is also very little that feels surprising or distinctly memorable. It is clean, balanced, and easy to like, yet it stops short of making much of a visual statement.

Honor offers the Watch 6 in two versions. The Twilight Brown model I received pairs a silver-colored 316L stainless steel body with a brown leather strap, giving it the more classic look of the two. The Shadow Black version uses a black aluminum alloy body with a matching black fluoroelastomer strap, which feels more understated and fitness-oriented.

The leather strap on the Twilight Brown unit is where the aesthetic story loses some of its polish. From a distance, it looks fine and complements the silver-toned case well, but up close, it feels stiff and a little synthetic. Thankfully, it uses a 22mm quick-release system, so swapping it out for something better is easy.

Ergonomics

With its 46.5mm case and 10.8mm thickness, the Honor Watch 6 sits squarely within the familiar modern smartwatch zone in terms of size. It is large enough to feel substantial on the wrist and give the display room to shine, yet it never looks ridiculously bulky, even on my relatively small wrist. There is a definite presence here, but it is handled with enough restraint that the watch does not feel visually overwhelming in daily wear.

The Shadow Black version comes in at 41 grams, while the Twilight Brown model weighs 50 grams, both figures excluding the straps. That makes the Watch 6 relatively light for something this large, though not dramatically so. You are always aware that you are wearing a sizable device, but it does not become overly cumbersome during normal daily use.

The physical controls are straightforward and familiar. On the right side of the case, Honor places two buttons in a layout that will feel instantly recognizable to most smartwatch users. The top control is a rotating crown that lets you scroll through apps, while the lower button serves as a shortcut to the workout menu. The crown is responsive, and the haptic feedback is satisfyingly strong.

Gesture navigation is equally easy to grasp. Swiping down brings up the quick menu, swiping up reveals notifications, and swiping left or right cycles through panels. The touch experience is not completely foolproof. I noticed a few instances where a scroll gesture was interpreted as a tap instead, which led to accidental selections. It is a minor frustration, but it chips away at the sense of polish.

Performance

The Honor Watch 6’s display is easily one of the best parts of the entire experience. It uses a 1.4-inch AMOLED panel with a 464 x 464 resolution, and the result is exactly what you would hope for from a modern smartwatch screen. The bezel is not especially thin, but colors look rich, and text appears crisp, giving the display a bright, polished quality that stands out in everyday use. Brightness is another major advantage. With a peak brightness of 3000 nits, the display remains clearly visible even under bright sunlight, which makes a real difference during outdoor use.

The Watch 6 covers the broad health tracking essentials that most mainstream users actually want. It handles heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen monitoring, sleep tracking, step count, and general day-to-day wellness features in a way that feels accessible and easy to understand. Nothing here feels especially groundbreaking or deeply specialized, but that could also be part of the appeal. Honor has focused on delivering a practical set of features rather than overwhelming users with more data than they are likely to need.

The same can be said for the fitness experience. The Watch 6 does not try to present itself as a hyper-technical performance tool for elite athletes, but it does offer enough depth to keep active users engaged. The data is presented clearly, the core features are easy to access, and the overall experience feels designed for people who want useful feedback without having to decode a mountain of analytics.

There is also a healthy amount of variety for exercise tracking. The watch includes 122 sports modes, which should be more than enough for most people, whether they are casual walkers or more active users looking for something specific. If you are inspired by the World Cup, there is a professional soccer mode that adds a little more personality than the usual generic workout presets. During exercise, you can view step count and distance in real time, while post-workout data includes top sprint speed, average speed, and even a heat map.

Another unusual addition is the badminton mode, which goes beyond simple calorie tracking and actually tries to capture the rhythm of play. Here, you can check swing count, swing speed, shot power, forehand to backhand ratio, and stroke type. Features like these do not transform the Watch 6 into a specialist sports device, but they do make it feel more considered than a smartwatch that simply piles on empty exercise labels.

Other smart features include notifications, the ability to make and answer phone calls, and a remote shutter function. If the watch is connected to an Android phone, you can also control music playback. When paired with an Honor phone, it can be used as a voice recorder as well. Honor also says NFC support will roll out to available markets in July, which should add a little more convenience depending on where you live.

On the software side, the Watch 6 is functional but not especially refined. It works with both Android and iOS through the Honor Health app, which is good news for users who do not want to be locked into one ecosystem. Pairing and everyday syncing are straightforward enough, and the app gives you access to the usual health data, settings, and customization tools.

Still, the interface does not feel especially sophisticated. It gets the job done, but it lacks the polish and clarity found in the better smartwatch companion apps. Some of that lack of refinement shows up in the workout menu as well. Instead of grouping activities with the kind of color coding seen on many rival smartwatches, Honor presents them in a much plainer way. It gets the job done, but it makes the interface feel less intuitive and less thoughtfully designed.

That lack of refinement becomes especially noticeable when you start looking for watch faces. There are plenty of options available, which is great in theory, but the browsing experience could be much better. Instead of organizing faces in a way that helps users quickly narrow down what they want, too much of the selection feels thrown together. Compared to other smartwatch apps that sort faces into clearer styles or categories, Honor’s approach feels less curated and more cluttered. It is not a deal-breaker, but it does make personalization feel more cumbersome than it should.

Battery life, on the other hand, is impressive. The Watch 6 packs a 980mAh battery, and Honor claims it can last for up to 35 days. That figure is only possible if you turn off features like automatic blood oxygen detection, automatic stress detection, and raise to wake, while limiting exercise to light weekly activity. Even so, the claim gives a good sense of what the watch is aiming for, which is endurance far beyond what most smartwatches in this category can offer.

Honor says regular usage should deliver around 17 days of battery life, and based on my experience, that sounds believable. I have been wearing the watch for about 10 days and still have 55 percent battery left, so I have little reason to doubt the company’s estimate. When it is finally time to top up, charging is handled through the included magnetic pin charger.

Sustainability

Sustainability is rarely a headline feature for smartwatches, but the Honor Watch 6 does make a few sensible moves. Its IP69 and 5ATM ratings suggest it should hold up well against sweat, water, dust, and the wear of everyday use. In practical terms, that simply means it is built to take more abuse before becoming a problem.

Honor also says the watch uses recyclable aluminum alloy, which adds a small but welcome nod toward material responsibility. Paired with the excellent battery life, the Watch 6 feels like a device designed to stay in use rather than one that constantly asks for attention. It does not do anything groundbreaking on the sustainability front, but for a smartwatch, it makes a decent case for itself.

Value

At £229.99 for the Shadow Black version and £249.99 for the Twilight Brown model, the Honor Watch 6 sits in the upper mid-range part of the smartwatch market. That works out to roughly $295 and $320, respectively. It is not exactly cheap, especially for a smartwatch that does not offer the most polished software experience, but it does bring a few strengths that help justify the asking price.

The strongest part of its value proposition is that Honor has clearly invested in the features users will notice most often. The display is gorgeous, the battery life is genuinely excellent, and the core health and fitness features are broad enough for most people. At the same time, the stiff leather strap on the Twilight Brown version and the merely functional software keep it from feeling like a complete home run. The Watch 6 offers solid value if your priorities are battery life and screen quality, but it is a little harder to recommend purely on refinement alone.

Verdict

The Honor Watch 6 succeeds by keeping its priorities simple. It delivers a lovely display, excellent battery life, and a broad enough set of health and fitness features to satisfy most people who want a smartwatch for everyday use. Just as importantly, it wraps those strengths in a design that feels far more wearable and familiar than the square-faced direction Honor took before.

At the same time, it does not feel like a fully polished package. The software works, but it lacks the refinement and thoughtful organization that would make the experience feel truly premium. The leather strap on the Twilight Brown version also lets the hardware down a bit, since it looks better from a distance than it feels in the hand or on the wrist.

That leaves the Watch 6 in an interesting spot. It is not the most exciting smartwatch in its class, and it is not the one I would point to as the benchmark for software or overall finesse. But if your priorities are a gorgeous screen, long battery life, and a classic watch-like design, Honor gets a lot right here. The Watch 6 may not be the most memorable smartwatch of the year, but it is an easy one to live with.

The post Honor Watch 6 Review: Great Endurance, Not Quite Perfect first appeared on Yanko Design.

ASUS Zenbook A16 (UX3607OA ) Review: Big screen, Surprisingly Light

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PROS:


  • Exceptionally light for a 16-inch laptop

  • Beautiful 3K OLED display

  • Great battery life

  • Strong everyday performance

CONS:


  • Touchpad clicks feel firm

  • Only one color option

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The ASUS Zenbook A16 gets something surprisingly right. It makes a 16-inch laptop feel light, easy, and genuinely pleasant to carry, without losing the kind of performance most people actually need.

Big laptops usually ask for a compromise. You get the roomy screen, but you also get the extra weight, the larger footprint, and the feeling that you are carrying a little too much machine around every day. The ASUS Zenbook A16 UX3607 takes a different route, giving you a 16-inch canvas in a body that is startlingly light for the size, at around 1.3 kg, or 1.2 kg depending on the version.

What makes it stand out even more is that ASUS pairs that light build with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite platform, which still feels relatively rare. The result is a slim, polished laptop that makes a larger display feel easy, casual, and genuinely portable, while still delivering strong everyday performance. With a 16-inch 3K 120 Hz OLED panel and Snapdragon X2 Elite hardware in the latest refresh, it is clearly built for people who want comfort, battery life, and speed in one very travel-friendly package.

Designer: ASUS

I spent about a month with the laptop, including three international trips. That gave me a good sense of how it felt not just at a desk, but in transit, in hotel rooms, and in the kind of everyday situations where a large laptop usually starts to feel less convenient. Over that time, the Zenbook A16 made a strong case for itself as a big-screen machine that does not ask you to live around it.

Aesthetics

The Zenbook A16 has a clean, minimal design, but it does not feel cold. That is an important distinction because a lot of slim laptops, especially larger ones, can come across as a little sterile. This one feels softer and more inviting, with a look that is polished without being severe.

A lot of that comes down to ASUS’ patented Ceraluminum finish. ASUS gives the chassis a surface that feels less harsh than typical metal, which helps the laptop look warmer and more tactile in person. It still feels premium, but in a more relaxed and approachable way.

The details are subtle, but they give the laptop some character. A silver ASUS Zenbook logo sits centered on the lid, adding just enough contrast without disturbing the clean look. Open it up, and the full-sized backlit keyboard in a darker greige finish brings a bit of depth to the interior, while the stylized “A” above the right side of the keyboard adds a small touch of personality.

The color helps too. The review unit I received came in Zabriskie Beige, which was the only color option for this variant. It suits the Zenbook A16 especially well, giving it a softer and more distinctive look than the usual sea of silver laptops.

Ergonomics

What I liked most about the Zenbook A16 was how easy it was to live with. On paper, the dimensions and weight are impressive for a 16-inch laptop at 35.35 × 24.24 × 1.65 cm and around 1.3 kg (2.87lbs), but what stayed with me more was the overall feel of using it. It never felt awkward or demanding, which is not something I can say about every large laptop.

The lid is a good example of that. I could open it easily with one hand, and the hinge felt smooth and well-balanced. It is a small thing, but details like that shape your impression of a laptop very quickly. In this case, it made the Zenbook A16 feel immediately more comfortable and better resolved.

I also really liked the texture of the chassis. The Ceraluminum finish has a smooth, pebble-like texture that feels warm and pleasant under the hands. It helps the Zenbook A16 stand apart from the colder, more clinical feel that metal laptops often have. That tactile quality gives the laptop a more relaxed and welcoming character in everyday use.

The keyboard was another highlight for me. The keys are very comfortable to type on, and that became more obvious the longer I used it. Whether I was writing, replying to emails, or working through longer stretches of text, it felt like a laptop that stayed out of the way in the best sense.

The touchpad is generously sized, which suits the scale of the laptop, but I did find that it needed a bit more force than I expected to click. It was not a major issue, and I got used to it, but it did stand out at first. On a laptop that otherwise feels so easy and light in use, that slightly firmer click felt a little less effortless than the rest of the experience.

This reads well already. If you want, I can do one very light polish pass to make it sound a touch more natural and less repetitive without changing your meaning. For example, I would probably trim phrases like “what stayed with me more” and “made a difference” just to make the rhythm feel a little cleaner.

Performance

The review unit I received is the ASUS Zenbook A16 UX3607 with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite processor, paired with 48GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. That is a fairly premium configuration, and in everyday use, it felt quick, quiet, and consistently easy to rely on. It handled the usual multitasking of writing, research, email, an unruly number of browser tabs, streaming music, watching video, and light photo and video editing without ever feeling like it was running out of breath.

The Zenbook A16 (2026) runs Windows 11 and is part of the Copilot+ PC category. That places it firmly in Microsoft’s new AI PC push, though in daily use, the more noticeable benefit is still the machine’s general speed and efficiency. It feels modern and responsive in a very straightforward way, without constantly calling attention to the AI angle.

Although compatibility has clearly improved from Snapdragon X1 to X2, I still think it is something some buyers will worry about. Snapdragon X2 Elite gives the laptop much of its efficiency and responsiveness, but it also means this is still an ARM-based Windows machine. For general use, that was not a problem for me, but if your workflow depends on niche programs or you are into gaming, it is still worth checking that everything you need works properly before buying.

The display is one of the best parts of the Zenbook A16. The unit I tested comes with the touch-screen version of the 16-inch 3K OLED panel, and it gives the laptop a richness that you notice right away, whether you are working, streaming, or simply scrolling through photos. The 120 Hz refresh rate gives everything a welcome smoothness, while 500 nits of typical brightness, up to 1100 nits in HDR, 100% DCI-P3 coverage, and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio help the screen look vivid, punchy, and properly premium.

Audio is another pleasant surprise. The six-speaker array sounds full and clear, and Dolby Atmos support helps give movies, music, and even casual video watching a little more scale and dimension. I also liked that MyASUS lets you switch between sound modes like Dynamic, Game, Movie, Music, and Voice, or create up to three custom Dolby Atmos equalizer settings, which makes it easier to tune the sound to whatever you are doing.

Battery life was also a strong point for me. I kept the laptop in balanced mode, and it easily lasted a full workday with eight hours or more of continuous use, which made it easy to trust when I was out and about. The included 130W charger is fast and still easy enough to carry, so the overall setup remained travel-friendly.

I also appreciated the port selection. ASUS includes two USB4 ports, a USB-A port, HDMI, a headphone jack, and an SD card slot, which makes the Zenbook A16 feel practical in a way many thin premium laptops no longer do. The SD card slot in particular is one of those small features that ends up being genuinely useful more often than you expect.

Sustainability

Sustainability is not the first thing the Zenbook A16 draws attention to, but it is part of the story. ASUS says its Ceraluminum material is made using pure water and electricity, without added organic compounds, strong acids, or heavy metals. That gives the finish a bit more substance than a purely cosmetic talking point.

There is also a more practical side to this. Battery replacements are doable, which is a plus, but the storage is not removable or serviceable. That makes the Zenbook A16 a somewhat mixed story on sustainability, with thoughtful material choices but limited repairability.

Value

The touch-screen version I tested is the Best Buy model, priced at $1,699.99. That puts the Zenbook A16 firmly in premium laptop territory, so it is not a machine that gets by on novelty alone. At this price, it needs to justify itself through the full experience, not just one or two standout specs.

I think it mostly does. You are getting a very light 16-inch laptop with a beautiful OLED display, strong battery life, a high-spec configuration, and a design that feels thoughtful in both look and feel. Still, $1,700 is enough money that buyers are right to think carefully about software compatibility and long-term flexibility before deciding it is the right fit.

Verdict

The Zenbook A16 ended up winning me over in a quiet way. It is not the kind of laptop that shouts for attention, but the longer I used it, the more I appreciated how thoughtfully it fits into everyday life. The light weight, the large and beautiful display, the warm feel of the Ceraluminum finish, and the overall ease of using it all added up to something that felt genuinely enjoyable.

What stayed with me most was how little friction there was to living with it. I liked being able to carry a 16-inch laptop without feeling weighed down, and I liked that it still felt polished and comfortable once I opened it up and got to work. The comfortable keyboard, strong battery life, good speakers, and practical port selection all helped make it feel like a machine designed by people who had actually thought about daily use.

It is not perfect, and I would still tell buyers to think carefully about software compatibility if they rely on niche programs or want a laptop for gaming. The firmer touchpad click also stood out on a machine that otherwise feels so easygoing. Even so, I came away with a lot of affection for the Zenbook A16, because it manages to feel both special and easy at the same time.

At $1,700, it is a serious purchase. But for someone who wants a premium laptop with a big OLED screen, long battery life, and a design that feels lighter and warmer than most, I think the Zenbook A16 makes a strong case for itself. It is one of those laptops that feels nicer the longer you live with it, and that may be its best quality.

The post ASUS Zenbook A16 (UX3607OA ) Review: Big screen, Surprisingly Light first appeared on Yanko Design.

Xiaomi Watch S5 46mm Review: Looking Good, Lasting Longer

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PROS:


  • Stylish and premium design

  • Bright, vibrant display

  • Excellent battery life

CONS:


  • Limited app ecosystem compared with Wear OS

  • Sleep tracking can miss naps

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The Xiaomi Watch S5 46mm feels well judged. It is stylish, comfortable, and impressively long-lasting, even if the software still leaves some room to grow.

The Xiaomi Watch S5 46mm looks less like a gadget trying to pass as a watch and more like a watch that happens to be smart. That distinction matters because design still shapes how often a wearable actually ends up on your wrist. Xiaomi seems to understand that, and the Watch S5 leans hard into premium materials, a traditional silhouette, and a feature set built around daily usability.

Beyond the styling, there is a solid hardware pitch here, too. Xiaomi is promising a bright 1.48-inch AMOLED display, updated health tracking, new cycling features, and battery life of up to 21 days under light use. If those claims hold up, the Watch S5 could be appealing for people who want a smartwatch that feels less demanding and more natural to wear. I spent some time with the Watch S5 to see whether that mix of style and practicality actually comes through in daily use.

Designer: Xiaomi

Aesthetics

That design-first approach is obvious the moment you see the Watch S5. It sticks with a classic round shape, but the detailing keeps it from blending into the crowd. The slim bezel and minute markings make it feel closer to a proper wristwatch than a lot of smartwatches that still come off as generic or overly sporty. Combined with the forged stainless steel frame, the design has a solid sense of polish without trying too hard.

The lineup itself is well judged, too. The black and silver versions are the standard models, both using the stainless steel frame and a cleaner, more understated finish. The Ceramic Blue version is clearly the dressier option, with a zirconia ceramic bezel, enamel-filled markings, and a leather strap that gives it a more tailored look. The Jungle Green model I received takes a sportier approach, swapping in a forged carbon bezel and a hybrid strap that make it feel more rugged and outdoorsy. It is a smart spread of styles, and it gives the Watch S5 range more character than a simple color refresh would have.

Ergonomics

At 46mm, the Xiaomi Watch S5 is not a small watch, but it wears better than that number suggests. I used the Jungle Green version, and even on my small wrist, it never felt bulky or awkward. Xiaomi lists it at 46 x 46 x 10.99mm and 46g without the strap, so it is still very much a full-size smartwatch, but in day-to-day use, it comes across as lighter and easier to wear than I expected.

A lot of that comes down to how the watch sits on the wrist. It has enough presence to feel substantial, but it never feels clunky or uncomfortable. The hybrid strap on the green model helps, too, since it feels secure and practical for longer wear. That sense of ease carries over to the controls. The rotating crown and side button are both responsive, which makes the watch straightforward to use, though I would have liked slightly stronger haptic feedback from the crown.

Performance

A lot of the Watch S5’s appeal comes down to how easy it is to use, and the display does a lot of the heavy lifting there. It uses a 1.48-inch AMOLED panel with a 480 x 480 resolution and up to 2500 nits of peak brightness. The bezel is slimmer too. Xiaomi says it measures 2.6mm, which is 40 percent narrower than the previous generation, and that helps the screen feel more open and modern. In use, it looks sharp, vibrant, and bright enough to stay readable outdoors without much effort. That alone goes a long way on a smartwatch, since a dim screen can get annoying very quickly when you are checking the time or glancing at notifications on the move.

Fitness and health tracking are a big part of the Watch S5, even if I am not really the target user for the more training-heavy side of it. I am not someone who works out intensely or spends much time digging through performance metrics during exercise, which happens less often than I would like to admit. That is partly why I found the Watch S5 surprisingly approachable. It gives you some flexibility over what data shows up on the watch, so it does not have to feel like a wall of numbers every time you start moving.

Most of my time with it was spent on walks and a light hike rather than anything especially demanding, but I still found the tracking useful. Being able to glance down and see things like heart rate, distance, and workload made the experience feel a bit more engaging, especially during the hike when I was already feeling tired. I would not suddenly pretend this turned me into a training-focused person, but it did make the data feel more motivating than I expected.

The Watch S5 uses the same heart-rate sensor setup found in the flagship Xiaomi Watch 5, with 4 LEDs and 4 PD, alongside L1 plus L5 five-system GNSS and 5ATM water resistance. There are also more than 150 sports modes, so the watch clearly has a much broader fitness toolkit than the small slice of it I used. Sleep tracking is a bit more mixed. Xiaomi claims its updated sleep algorithms improve fall-asleep and wake-up detection by 11 percent, with sleep-stage tracking improved by 14 percent. In my use, though, it still had a tendency to miss naps. That does not make the feature useless, but it is a reminder that health tracking claims on paper do not always translate perfectly in everyday use.

Beyond health and fitness, the software experience is mostly straightforward, too. The Watch S5 runs Xiaomi HyperOS 3, and for the most part, it is easy enough to get around. The interface is straightforward, and it does not take long to figure out where everything is. Swiping down brings up notifications, though your options are fairly limited once you are there. You can dismiss them, but you cannot quickly reply to messages, which makes the experience feel a bit more passive than on some rival smartwatches.

The rest of the navigation is a little uneven. Swiping up opens widget cards, while swiping right lets you cycle through the watch faces stored on the device. Swiping left, though, does nothing at all. I found that a bit frustrating, especially since I do not change watch faces very often. It feels like Xiaomi could have made better use of the side gestures here, or at least given users the option to customize them.

Pressing the rotating crown opens the app list, while the side button brings up the control center. That all works as expected, but the software does feel more limited once you look beyond the basics. Since the Watch S5 does not run Wear OS, there is no access to the Google Play Store, and Xiaomi’s own app selection for HyperOS 3 is still quite limited. On the phone side, the Mi Fitness companion app covers the essentials and also gives you access to plenty of free watch faces, which is a nice way to add some variety even if the wider software ecosystem remains fairly basic.

Battery life may be the Watch S5’s most practical strength. Xiaomi rates it for up to 21 days of light use from the 815mAh battery, which it says is a 68 percent jump over the previous generation. In my case, with Always On Display turned on and all the health tracking features enabled, it lasted about six days. That is genuinely impressive, and it makes the Watch S5 feel far less needy than many smartwatches. Charging happens through the included proprietary magnetic pogo-pin charger, which works fine, though it does mean dealing with yet another device-specific cable.

Sustainability

Sustainability is not a major part of Xiaomi’s pitch for the Watch S5, though to be fair, that is true of most smartwatches. There is no clear emphasis here on recycled materials or repairability, so it is hard to give the watch much credit on environmental grounds alone. What it does offer, though, are a few practical touches that could help with longevity.

The 5ATM water resistance also helps on the longevity front, especially for a watch that is meant to handle swimming as well as everyday wear. The use of standard 22mm quick-release straps is another plus, since it makes the watch easier to refresh over time without being locked into one specific band. That may sound like a small thing, but replaceable straps can help a device stay in use longer, especially when comfort or style preferences change. The stainless steel frame and the more premium material options should also hold up well over time. For now, the Watch S5 feels built to last, even if it does not make much of a sustainability case.

Value

The Xiaomi Watch S5 makes a pretty strong case for itself on value. At £149.99, or about $205, for the black and silver versions, and £169.99, or roughly $232, for the Blue and Green models, it sits in a price range that feels competitive for what you are getting. The stainless steel frame, bright AMOLED display, strong battery life, and broad fitness feature set already give it a solid hardware foundation, and the more premium Blue and Green finishes do at least look like they justify the small step up in price.

That pricing also helps make some of the watch’s limitations easier to accept. The software is straightforward but not especially deep, and the app ecosystem is still quite limited compared with Wear OS alternatives. Even so, the Watch S5 is not really trying to compete as the most app-rich smartwatch in its class. It feels more like a well-rounded option for people who care about design, comfort, battery life, and fitness basics, and at these prices, that balance is easier to appreciate. For the money, Xiaomi is offering a lot of watches.

Verdict

The Xiaomi Watch S5 succeeds by focusing on the right things. It puts design, comfort, battery life, and the kind of fitness features that are useful without becoming overwhelming at the center of the experience. That makes it easy to recommend, especially for people who want something that looks more like a proper watch and less like a tiny gadget strapped to the wrist.

The trade-off is that Xiaomi HyperOS 3 still feels fairly limited once you look past the basics. You are not getting the depth or flexibility of a Wear OS device, and that will matter to some buyers. Even so, the Watch S5 gets enough right to stand out where it counts. At £149.99, or about $205, for the standard versions and £169.99, or roughly $232, for the Blue and Green models, it offers a lot without asking too much in return.

The post Xiaomi Watch S5 46mm Review: Looking Good, Lasting Longer first appeared on Yanko Design.

Unihertz Titan 2 Elite Review: Finally a QWERTY Phone Done Right

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PROS:


  • Excellent QWERTY keyboard

  • Thoughtful software features

  • Sharp 4.03-inch AMOLED display

CONS:


  • 33W charging feels a little slow

  • Cameras are unremarkable

  • Mono speaker lacks depth

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The Titan 2 Elite is not a keyboard phone for the sake of nostalgia. It is a thoughtfully modern take on a niche form factor that still offers something genuinely different.

Retro tech is back in fashion, and few categories capture that shift quite like the return of the QWERTY keyboard phone. With the market dominated by edge-to-edge glass slabs that all seem to blur into one another, the appeal of something tactile, distinctive, and a little nostalgic feels stronger than ever. But Unihertz is not simply chasing that renewed interest. The company has spent years building unusual smartphones around overlooked form factors, and the Titan 2 Elite feels more like a continuation of that mission than a sudden throwback play.

Since launching in 2017, Unihertz has focused on unusual and highly niche smartphones, often revisiting ideas that larger brands left behind long ago. The first Titan arrived in 2019, establishing the company’s QWERTY keyboard line and laying the groundwork for a series of devices aimed at enthusiasts who wanted something outside the touchscreen mainstream. The Titan 2 Elite feels like the clearest expression of that identity so far, combining Unihertz’s keyboard phone formula with more modern features like a 4.03-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, 5G, NFC, eSIM support, and dual 50MP cameras.

Designer: Unihertz

Aesthetics

The Titan 2 Elite makes a much stronger first impression in photos than you might expect from a niche keyboard phone. In black, it looks clean, understated, and surprisingly modern, with the glossy display flowing neatly into the keyboard below. The shape still carries that familiar BlackBerry-inspired DNA, but it feels less boxy and less utilitarian than its predecessors. The front has a nice sense of balance, with the display and keyboard split in a way that looks intentional rather than cramped.

It also feels like every brand is suddenly on the orange phone wave, and Unihertz is clearly not sitting that one out. Still, I cannot really complain when the result looks this good. The orange finish gives the Titan 2 Elite a more playful, more attention-grabbing personality, and it suits the phone’s retro-leaning concept surprisingly well. Paired with the sculpted keyboard and rounded corners, it gives the device a bolder, more expressive look that stands out immediately. Where the black version feels sleek and safe, the orange one feels much more full of character.

From the front, the Titan 2 Elite feels cohesive in a way some keyboard phones do not. The keyboard looks properly built into the design rather than tacked on as an afterthought, which helps the whole phone feel more intentional and visually balanced. Flip it over, though, and some of that charm fades. The large rectangular camera bump sticks out quite a lot, especially on the orange model, and the back just does not feel as refined as the front. I do like how subtle the Unihertz logo is, but overall, the rear design feels more ordinary and less resolved.

Ergonomics

The whole experience of using the Titan 2 Elite comes down to the keyboard. If you have been away from physical keys for years, there is definitely a short adjustment period, but once your fingers settle in, the appeal becomes easy to understand. Typing feels more deliberate, more tactile, and more engaging than tapping away on glass, even if, for me, an on-screen keyboard is still the faster option. That is worth saying because speed is not really the point here. The appeal is the feel of it, and the way it changes your interaction with the phone.

The keys have a faceted, slightly angled shape that makes them surprisingly comfortable to type on. In fact, this is one of the most comfortable QWERTY keyboards I have tested on a phone. The layout feels well judged, and while it still takes some adjustment, it does not come across as cramped or awkward in the way some smaller keyboard phones can.

At 117.8 × 75 × 10.4 mm and 163g, the Titan 2 Elite is compact in height and width, but it is definitely a thick phone by modern standards. You feel that extra depth the moment you pick it up, especially compared with today’s thin slab phones. Still, the weight is fairly modest, so it does not come across as heavy or cumbersome. If anything, the thicker body makes sense for this kind of device, giving the keyboard and overall shape a bit more substance in the hand.

The rest of the button layout is pretty straightforward, but there are a few details worth noting. On the right side, you get the power button, which also doubles as a fingerprint scanner, along with Unihertz’s signature red programmable button. On the left, there is the volume rocker and the SIM tray, which supports either two SIM cards or one SIM card and one microSD card. It is a practical setup, and the red shortcut key in particular adds a bit of extra personality while giving power users one more tool to customize the phone around their habits.

Performance

The Titan 2 Elite is not the kind of phone you buy for raw speed, and I think that is important to establish early. If your priority is benchmark numbers, heavy gaming, or the kind of power you would expect from a mainstream flagship, this is probably not where your money should go. The appeal here is much more about the overall experience than outright performance, which feels perfectly in line with what this phone is trying to be.

It is powered by the Dimensity 7400, paired with 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of storage. In everyday use, that is more than enough for the kind of tasks this phone is clearly built around. Messaging, email, web browsing, note-taking, and general app navigation all feel smooth and reliable, and at no point did the phone feel like it was struggling to keep up.

That same sense of practicality carries over to the software. The review unit runs Titan 2 Elite_V02 based on Android 16, and thankfully, there is no bloatware to get in the way. A lot of the customization revolves around the keyboard and extra controls, which makes sense for a phone like this.

You can assign both short-press and long-press actions to keys, and there are also options to use the keyboard surface for scrolling, cursor control, or a combined touchpad and cursor mode. Better still, these can be set on an app-by-app basis, which gives the phone a level of flexibility that feels genuinely useful rather than gimmicky. The keyboard is also backlit, and the brightness can be adjusted, which is a small but genuinely helpful detail in lower light.

The 4.03-inch display also deserves some credit. On paper, it sounds small, and it is, but it is a surprisingly good panel with a 1080 x 1200 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, 401 PPI, up to 1600 nits peak brightness, and 2160Hz PWM dimming. It looks sharp, bright, and much more modern than the phone’s form factor might suggest.

Where the screen becomes more complicated is in day-to-day use. The issue is not the quality of the panel itself, but the amount of space you have to work with. Some apps feel poorly formatted, and there are times when you simply want to see more vertical content at once. Unihertz tries to solve that with a Mini mode that switches the interface to a more traditional vertical aspect ratio, and it does help. I ended up setting a shortcut for it, and being able to switch quickly turned out to be genuinely useful.

Main, 1x

It also changed the way I used the phone. I spent less time mindlessly scrolling, and that is not because the phone is uncomfortable to hold or awkward to use. If anything, it is the opposite. The Titan 2 Elite just makes you a bit more intentional.

Telephoto, 2x

That more focused experience also shapes the rest of the phone. Audio, for example, is fine but unremarkable. The mono speaker gets loud enough for casual video watching or speakerphone use, but it lacks the fullness you would want for music or anything more immersive. It does the job, but not much more.

Main, 1x

Telephoto, 2x

The same goes for the camera setup. It is fairly limited, but that probably will not be a dealbreaker for the kind of person who would enjoy this phone in the first place. You get a 50MP main camera, a 50MP 2x telephoto camera, and a 32MP front camera. Image quality is good enough for quick shots and everyday moments, but it is not a camera system that stands out. Colors tend to look vivid and slightly overexposed, though still perfectly usable for casual snapshots.

Main, 1x

Telephoto, 2x

Battery life is better than the 4050mAh capacity might suggest. On paper, that number does not sound especially large, but because I spent less time idly using the phone, it still got me through a full day without much trouble. Charging is less impressive. At 33W, it feels a bit slow by today’s standards, especially when plenty of phones in this price range now refill much faster.

Sustainability

Sustainability is not a major part of the Titan 2 Elite’s pitch, but there are still a few positives worth mentioning. Unihertz says the phone uses an aerospace-grade aluminum mid-frame, offers IP54 protection, and promises five years of OS updates and security patches.

That is not the same as a full sustainability strategy, especially since there is no clear emphasis on recycled materials or repairability. Still, durability and longer software support do matter. If the Titan 2 Elite holds up well over time and stays secure for years, that gives owners more reason to keep it longer instead of replacing it early.

Value

At $489, the Titan 2 Elite is not cheap, but it also feels more thoughtfully made than a novelty device cashing in on nostalgia. Beyond the physical keyboard itself, you can tell Unihertz has put real thought into the overall experience, from the programmable keys and backlit keyboard to the display quality and software features built around this unusual form factor.

That is really where the value starts to make sense. You are not just paying for a keyboard stuck onto an Android phone. You are paying for a device that feels purpose-built for a certain kind of user, and one that tries to make that experience work in a modern way. It still will not be for everyone, but for people who genuinely want a keyboard phone and appreciate the care that has gone into making it usable day to day, the $489 price feels much easier to justify.

Verdict

The Unihertz Titan 2 Elite works because it does not try to compete like a normal smartphone. Instead, it fully embraces its niche, offering a physical keyboard experience that feels polished, distinctive, and genuinely enjoyable to use. Backed by a sharp display, thoughtful software features, and reliable everyday performance, it feels much more considered than a simple nostalgia play.

The trade-offs are still there. The cameras are only decent, the speaker is forgettable, and the small display can feel restrictive in some apps. Still, if you miss physical keys or just want a phone that feels more intentional and different from the crowd, the Titan 2 Elite makes a strong case for itself. It will not be for everyone, but for the right user, it is one of the most appealing niche phones you can buy.

The post Unihertz Titan 2 Elite Review: Finally a QWERTY Phone Done Right first appeared on Yanko Design.

Motorola Edge (2026) Review: Beautiful, Brilliant, and an Acquired Taste

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PROS:


  • Excellent compact form factor

  • Stylish and calm design

  • Sharp, vibrant 120Hz display

CONS:


  • 128Gb storage feels limiting

  • Software support is shorter than many rivals

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The Motorola Edge 2026's compact size, clean software, and thoughtful design give it a charm that many rivals simply do not have, though it might not be the right fit for everyone.

Motorola’s comeback story is about more than nostalgia. The brand may still benefit from a familiar name and a long history in mobile, but its recent momentum has not come from recognition alone. Rather than simply trading on memory, Motorola has been building devices that feel stylish, approachable, and increasingly self-assured in a market that rarely makes room for second chances.

The Edge 2026 reflects that progress, even if it does not fully embody it. This is a phone with a clear sense of what it wants to prioritize, namely comfort, portability, and day-to-day ease, but it enters a crowded midrange field where those strengths have to work harder to justify the price. That makes the Edge 2026 easy to appreciate in some ways, but harder to justify in others. The real question is whether Motorola’s priorities here line up with what buyers at this price actually want.

Designer: Motorola

Aesthetics

There is something very Motorola about the way this device presents itself. The brand has become increasingly confident with phones that blend fashion-minded styling and mainstream usability, and the Edge 2026 continues that direction with ease. It looks premium without trying too hard, which is often one of the most difficult tricks to pull off in this category.

That confidence comes through clearly in the details. The back panel uses a twill-inspired finish in Pantone Martini Olive, and it gives the phone a softer, more composed visual character than the usual glossy midrange formula. Paired with the brushed gold camera bump, the centered Motorola logo, and the brushed finish frame, the whole design has a calm, almost zen-like quality. It feels restrained, but not plain, and that balance works in its favor.

It also looks strikingly close to Motorola’s flagship Signature, which is not currently available in the U.S. That resemblance gives the Edge 2026 a more elevated presence than its price might suggest, even if it also makes the phone feel a touch less distinctive on its own terms. Unlike the Signature, which comes in both Pantone Carbon and Pantone Martini Olive, the Edge 2026 is limited to just this one color option, though some buyers may wish Motorola had offered a bit more variety.

Ergonomics

This is one of the most defining parts of the Edge 2026 experience. Motorola shrank the Edge from 6.7 inches to 6.3 inches, and that change has a bigger impact than it might seem on paper. With its more compact body, the phone feels noticeably easier to manage than many of the larger devices around it in this price range. The difference may sound small in theory, but in daily use, it changes a lot.

The Edge 2026 is genuinely pleasant to hold. It is easier to grip, easier to reach across, and easier to use one-handed without constantly adjusting your hold. In fact, it is one of the most pleasant phones I have tested in a very long time. The finish also helps in everyday use, because it does a good job resisting fingerprint smudges and light scratches, which makes the phone easier to keep looking clean over time.

Personally, I do not mind a bulkier phone if that extra size delivers the best possible experience. I know not everyone feels the same way, though, and that is exactly why a phone like the Edge 2026 makes sense. What we want from smartphones is different, and for people who care more about getting the basics right in a device that feels super portable and genuinely comfortable in the hand, this one feels very well judged.

The one clear ergonomic drawback is the fingerprint scanner placement. It sits a little too close to the bottom edge, which can make it feel slightly awkward to reach at first. It is not a major flaw, and it becomes easier to adapt to over time, but it does stand out on a phone that otherwise feels so carefully shaped.

Performance

On paper, the Motorola Edge 2026 does not sound especially aggressive for the money. It runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 7450 chipset with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage in the U.S. model. While the chip is a modest upgrade over the previous generation, the drop from 256GB to 128GB feels less welcome.

In daily use, performance is solid without being especially impressive. Apps open quickly enough, scrolling feels smooth, and everyday tasks rarely cause much friction. For lighter users, 128GB should still be manageable, but anyone who takes lots of photos and videos, plays large games, or downloads media may run into storage limits sooner than expected.

Motorola’s software remains one of the phone’s more appealing strengths. The interface feels clean, light, and relatively uncluttered, and it was refreshing to use a phone that does not come buried under bloatware. I also liked Motorola’s added gestures and shortcuts, especially the double chop to turn the torch on and off, the double twist to quickly open the camera, and the option to flip the phone over to enable Do Not Disturb.

The company’s added features feel more useful than intrusive, which makes the software easy to settle into from the start. That said, I do wish Motorola included its own gallery app with built-in editing tools instead of relying entirely on Google Photos. Google Photos works well enough, but it does not feel as tailored or as seamless as a dedicated first-party gallery experience.

The 6.3-inch display is a big part of what makes the Edge 2026 feel great to use. With a resolution of 1216 x 2640 and a 120Hz refresh rate, the panel looks sharp, vibrant, and smooth, while the smaller size helps the phone feel more manageable without making the screen feel cramped. It also supports 1 billion colors and HDR10+, which gives content a richer and more lively look.

Colors have plenty of punch, and the display is enjoyable for everything from reading to streaming video. Audio is surprisingly rich and loud for such a compact phone, which adds to the overall media experience. Together, the screen and speakers make the Edge 2026 feel more immersive than its size might suggest.

Main Camera, 1x

The camera setup seems largely unchanged from its predecessor. The main camera uses a 50MP 1/1.56 inch Sony LYT 710 sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and OIS, while the 10MP telephoto camera offers 3x optical zoom with an f/2.0 aperture and OIS. The LYT 710 should bring modest improvements in light sensitivity and noise reduction over the sensor used in the previous model.

Main Camera, 1x

Main Camera, 2x

Main Camera, 3x

There is also a 50MP ultra-wide camera with a 122-degree field of view and an f/2.0 aperture, and it doubles as the macro camera. On the front, Motorola includes a 50MP selfie camera with an f/1.95 aperture. All cameras can record video at up to 4K at 30fps.

Ultra-wide

It is a well-rounded setup overall, and I was pleasantly surprised by it. It is not on the same level as a true flagship camera system, of course, but I found the color tuning more pleasing in some situations. The main camera handles dynamic range well enough to feel reliable for everyday use.

Main Camera, Portrait Mode (24mm)

Main Camera, Portrait Mode (35mm)

Telephoto Camera, Portrait Mode

The telephoto camera adds some welcome flexibility, even if its limitations become more obvious once you push beyond 3x. The phone automatically switches between the main and telephoto lenses depending on the scene, and while the telephoto camera is not especially detailed, it tends to get exposure right even in difficult lighting. Low light performance is solid too, though the shutter speed can be frustratingly slow even outside of Night mode, which makes it easier to end up with blur if your subject moves or your hand is not perfectly steady.

Telephoto Camera, 3x

Telephoto Camera, 3x

Main Camera, 6x

The battery has been reduced from 5200mAh on the previous model to 5000mAh, which is not especially exciting on paper. Even so, the phone remains efficient enough to last a full day comfortably, and light users may even be able to stretch it into a second day. That fits well with the Edge 2026’s broader focus on comfort and everyday ease.

Charging is solid, too. The 68W wired charging is quick enough to feel genuinely convenient, and 15W wireless charging adds a welcome bit of flexibility. Neither feature is especially headline-grabbing, but together they make the phone easy to live with.

Sustainability

The Motorola Edge 2026 makes a solid case for itself on durability. It is rated IP68 and IP69, uses Corning Gorilla Glass 7i, and also meets MIL-STD-810H standards. Motorola says it is designed to survive drops from up to 1.22 meters and handle extreme temperatures and high humidity.

That toughness helps its long-term appeal. The software support, however, is less impressive. Motorola promises two major OS upgrades and three years of security updates, which falls short of what many rivals now offer at this price.

Value

At $599.99, the Motorola Edge 2026 sits in a competitive part of the market, but its value becomes easier to understand once you look beyond the spec sheet. This feels like a phone aimed more at lighter users, especially with 128GB of storage, and its compact form factor is a big part of the appeal. The size, comfort, and ease of use give it an everyday charm that many rivals simply do not have.

That said, value is also shaped by how long a phone is likely to feel current. Motorola only promises two major OS upgrades and three years of security updates, which is not especially generous at this price. If you tend to keep your phone for many years, that shorter support window may matter more, even if the hardware itself feels pleasant and durable enough to last.

Verdict

The Motorola Edge 2026 knows exactly what it wants to be. It prioritizes comfort, portability, and everyday ease, and that gives it a clearer identity than many midrange phones. Its compact form factor is easily one of its best qualities, and for people who want a phone that simply feels great in the hand, it is a strong contender.

That said, it is not without compromise. The 128GB storage feels limiting, the software support is shorter than some rivals, and the performance is solid rather than standout. Still, for the right user, especially someone who values portability and comfort above all else, the Edge 2026 remains an appealing option.

The post Motorola Edge (2026) Review: Beautiful, Brilliant, and an Acquired Taste first appeared on Yanko Design.

Infinix GT 50 Pro Review: Gaming Greatness With a Catch

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PROS:


  • Distinctive design with LED accents and visible liquid-cooling

  • Strong gaming performance

  • Useful GT triggers and bundled MagCharge cooler


CONS:


  • Stereo speakers can sound slightly muffled at times

  • Price has gone up noticeably from the GT 30 Pro

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

Distinctive, capable, and clearly built with gamers in mind, the Infinix GT 50 Pro delivers a focused experience, even if tougher competition makes the value story less straightforward.

The Infinix GT 50 Pro continues a formula the GT series has followed since its debut with the GT 10 Pro in 2023. This has always been a gaming-focused smartphone line, both in how it performs and how it looks. With the GT 50 Pro, Infinix stays true to that identity while adding stronger hardware, a few thoughtful extras, and a more refined overall package.

There is plenty here that stands out immediately, from the Dimensity 8400 Ultimate and 144Hz AMOLED display to the GT triggers and bundled MagCharge cooler. At the same time, the GT 50 Pro arrives in a more competitive market and at a higher price than its predecessor. That makes it a more interesting phone to evaluate, because the question is no longer just whether it performs well, but whether it still does enough to stand out.

Designer: Infinix

Aesthetics

Ever since the GT 10 Pro debuted in 2023, Infinix has kept the GT series firmly anchored to one identity. This has always been a gaming phone line, and importantly, it has always looked the part. The GT 50 Pro continues that tradition with complete confidence, and the consistency gives the series a stronger sense of character.

Flip the phone over, and there is no mistaking what it is. The rear panel embraces an aerodynamic, almost mechanical aesthetic, combining angular detailing, a carbon-fiber-like pattern, customizable LED accents, and a transparent section that showcases the liquid-cooling system underneath. There is a lot happening visually, but it feels controlled. Rather than coming across as excessive, the design feels cohesive and deliberately built around the phone’s gaming-first identity.

The camera module follows the same approach. Its two rear cameras are placed on a raised platform in the top-left corner, with each lens individually framed within a square border. It certainly adds to the industrial, structured look of the back, though I have never been particularly fond of this kind of layout since the separate frames tend to collect dust more easily and make the area slightly more annoying to wipe clean.

There are three color options, and each one changes the mood of the design. Black Abyss unit I received, paired with green liquid-cooling accents, looks the most understated while still retaining that gaming edge. Silver Glacier, with blue liquid cooling, comes across as the most futuristic of the lot. Red Blaze is easily the boldest finish here, and it is the variant for those who want the GT 50 Pro to attract attention instantly.

What ultimately stands out is the restraint behind the boldness. The GT 50 Pro is distinctive enough to feel special, but it never crosses into the kind of excess that would make it awkward to use in everyday life. More than anything, it feels like a more refined and self-assured evolution of the GT design language rather than a dramatic reset.

Ergonomics

For a phone that leans this heavily into gaming aesthetics, the Infinix GT 50 Pro is surprisingly manageable in the hand. It measures 162.44 x 72.33 x 8.15 mm and weighs 198g, which firmly places it in large-phone territory, but it never feels unnecessarily bulky or awkward. The proportions are well judged, and the phone carries its size with more balance than the numbers might suggest.

The flat sides do help with grip, especially during gaming or extended video sessions where a more secure hold matters. Paired with the glossy back, the GT 50 Pro still feels steady in the hand rather than overly slippery. The rear panel does pick up fingerprints quite easily, but thanks to the carbon-fiber-like pattern and the liquid-cooling visuals underneath, smudges are less obvious than they would be on a plain glossy surface. The included case, on the other hand, feels quite plasticky, though you will likely want to use it anyway if you plan on attaching the bundled MagCharge cooler, which I will get to later.

One of the more distinctive ergonomic features here is the pair of GT triggers. These customizable pressure-sensitive triggers add something genuinely useful to the physical experience of the phone, especially for gaming. In supported games, they can make actions like aiming, firing, or switching controls feel quicker and more tactile than relying entirely on the touchscreen. Even outside gaming, the fact that they are customizable gives them some practical value and keeps them from feeling like a one-note gimmick.

The rest of the layout is otherwise fairly standard. The power button and volume rocker are easy enough to reach, but the fingerprint sensor sits a bit too close to the bottom edge for comfort. It works quickly, but it is not the most natural placement. Overall, the GT 50 Pro feels built more around grip, control, and gaming comfort than one-handed ease, and that feels entirely appropriate for what it is.

Performance

The Infinix GT 50 Pro is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8400 Ultimate, paired with 12GB of RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of storage. On paper alone, that already puts it in a very comfortable position for a phone in this segment. In day-to-day use, the experience lives up to that promise. Animations are smooth, apps open quickly, and there is enough headroom here that the phone rarely feels like it is under any real strain, even when several things are happening at once.

Gaming is where the hardware starts to make the most sense. The GT 50 Pro handles demanding titles with the kind of confidence you would expect from a device built around this purpose. Frame rates feel stable, touch response is quick, and the GT triggers add a layer of physical control that makes certain games feel more intuitive than they do on a standard touchscreen-only phone. It is not just about having enough power to run games well. It is also about making the whole experience feel more deliberate and more enjoyable.

The bundled MagCharge cooler is part of the experience, too. Not everyone will need it all the time, but it does make the GT 50 Pro feel more complete as a gaming device. In my use, an hour of playing Delta Force at the highest settings kept the phone below 40 degrees Celsius, which is a reassuring result for extended sessions. It also works as a wireless charger while attached, so you can game for longer without having to put up with a cable jutting awkwardly out of the phone. The built-in lighting effects are a nice touch as well, and they fit neatly with the rest of the GT 50 Pro’s gaming-focused identity.

Software plays a major role in shaping that experience too. Running XOS 16 based on Android 16, the GT 50 Pro offers a wide range of gaming-focused features that fit the phone’s identity well. There is also a growing library of AI tools built into the system, though their usefulness will vary depending on how much you actually rely on those features in daily use.

The GT 50 Pro features a 6.78-inch AMOLED panel with a 1.5K resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate, and it is one of the phone’s biggest strengths. Everything looks sharp, motion is fluid, and the high refresh rate makes a difference not just in games but also in everyday scrolling and navigation. With a claimed peak brightness of 4,500 nits and 1,600 nits in high brightness mode, the screen is generally easy to see even under harsh sunlight. That said, I did run into a few moments where automatic brightness felt a little too conservative, leaving the display dimmer than expected until I adjusted it manually.

The audio experience is less convincing. The stereo speakers are decent enough for casual use, but they do not leave much of an impression. At times, some sounds come across as slightly muffled, which takes away a bit from the otherwise immersive gaming and media experience. It is not a deal-breaker, but it is one area where the phone feels less polished than its display.

Ultra-wide, 0.6x

Main, 1x

Main, 2x

The camera system on the Infinix GT 50 Pro is more practical than ambitious, which feels fitting for a phone like this. You get a 50MP main camera with OIS, an 8MP ultrawide, and a 13MP front camera. The main camera does most of the heavy lifting, and in good lighting, it is capable of producing sharp, pleasing shots for everyday use.

Main, 1x

Main, 2x

Up to 2x zoom, image quality remains decent, but beyond that, the limitations become more obvious. The phone can go as far as 15x, though that upper range feels more like a bonus than something genuinely useful. Color processing also tends to lean warm and vibrant, which gives photos a lively look even if they are not always the most natural.

Main, 1x

Main, 2x

Battery life is another area where the GT 50 Pro benefits from its gaming-first priorities. Depending on the market, the phone comes with either a 6,150mAh or 6,500mAh battery, and either way, that is a generous capacity by current standards. The unit I received came with the 6,500mAh battery, and its endurance is impressive, easily lasting a full day even with a couple of hours of gaming mixed in. Charging support is also solid, with 45W wired charging and 30W wireless charging adding a welcome layer of convenience.

Sustainability

Sustainability is not always the first thing people look for in a gaming-focused phone, but it still matters, especially for a device that is likely to be used heavily over time. With the Infinix GT 50 Pro, the discussion is less about environmental branding and more about durability and software longevity. Those may not be the most exciting parts of the package, but they are often the ones that shape the ownership experience in the long run.

On the hardware side, the GT 50 Pro uses Corning Gorilla Glass 7i for added screen protection and carries an IP64 rating for dust and splash resistance. That does not make it a rugged device, and it is still worth being cautious around water since the protection is limited to splashes rather than full immersion. Even so, these are useful safeguards for a phone that is likely to be handled often and used intensively.

Software support strengthens the picture further. Infinix promises three years of Android OS version updates and five years of security patches, which may not lead the class but still counts as a meaningful commitment at this level. It gives the GT 50 Pro a better shot at remaining secure, relevant, and worth holding onto for longer.

Value

Value is where the Infinix GT 50 Pro still holds up well, but it is also where the conversation gets a little more complicated. In the Philippines, the 12GB + 256GB variant is priced at PHP 25,999, or roughly USD 427, while the 12GB + 512GB version comes in at PHP 29,999, or about USD 493. That is a noticeable jump from the GT 30 Pro, whose 12GB + 256GB version launched at PHP 19,999, or roughly USD 328.

To be fair, the GT 50 Pro still offers a lot for the money. You are getting a Dimensity 8400 Ultimate chip, a 144Hz AMOLED display, GT triggers, a bundled MagCharge cooler, and a large battery, which makes it a well-equipped gaming phone at this price. The challenge is that the improvements over its predecessor feel more incremental than transformative, and it now enters a market with tougher competition. So while the pricing is still reasonable, the GT 50 Pro may not feel quite as disruptive as the GT line once did.

Verdict

The Infinix GT 50 Pro is a capable gaming phone with a clear identity. It offers strong performance, a sharp and fluid display, useful gaming features, and dependable battery life, all wrapped in a design that feels distinctive without becoming impractical.

Its compromises are fairly clear, too. The camera system is decent rather than exceptional, the speakers could be better, and the higher price means it no longer feels quite as disruptive as earlier GT models did. Even so, if your priorities are gaming, display quality, and overall performance, the GT 50 Pro remains a compelling option in its class.

The post Infinix GT 50 Pro Review: Gaming Greatness With a Catch first appeared on Yanko Design.

Honor Magic V6 Review: Big battery, slim body, refined experience

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PROS:


  • Slim and comfortable design

  • Bright and crisp internal and external displays

  • Outstanding battery capacity, backed by fast wired and wireless charging

  • Great main and telephoto camera for a foldable

CONS:


  • Feels more like a small upgrade over the Magic V5 than a major generational leap

  • Ultrawide camera is decent, but not as impressive as the main and telephoto cameras</li?

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

Honor may not have radically changed the formula, but the Magic V6 shows just how far thoughtful refinement can go.

Honor unveiled its latest foldable, the Honor Magic V6, at MWC 2026 back in March. Now, three months later, the phone is starting its global rollout in Malaysia and Singapore. That shift from launch event to retail availability is where the real test begins, because foldables have reached a point where being thin or flashy is no longer enough on its own.

The Magic V6 does not completely rethink what Honor has already been doing with its book-style foldables. Instead, it builds on a formula that already worked well, pushing it further with a bigger battery, a slim and comfortable design, and a hardware package that feels unusually complete for a foldable. After spending time with it, the Honor Magic V6 feels less like a dramatic reinvention and more like a careful refinement of what Honor already got right.

Designer: HONOR

Aesthetics

Foldables still have a habit of looking oddly cautious. For devices built around one of the most dramatic ideas in modern consumer tech, they often arrive in the safest shades possible. Black, grey, silver, maybe a muted blue if a brand is feeling adventurous. The color choice itself is usually limited, which can make many foldables feel more sterile than stylish. Honor is one of the few brands that has tried to bring a little more personality into the category, and the Magic V6 sticks with that idea.

At first glance, the Magic V6 looks very similar to the Magic V5. The overall silhouette is familiar, the octagonal camera module is still there, and even the color direction feels like a continuation rather than a reset. This is clearly not a redesign for the sake of it. Honor seems comfortable with the look it has established for the Magic V line, so the V6 feels more like a polished follow-up than a fresh visual statement.

The finishes do a lot of the work in giving the phone its character. Honor offers the Magic V6 in four colors, and they feel more thought-through than the usual selection in this category. The red version I received is the most striking, with a soft-touch finish, a subtle hairline pattern, a gold frame, and a matching gold camera ring that make it feel a little warmer and more expressive than most foldables. The gold version goes in a different direction with a crisscross pattern that gives the back more texture and a slightly dressier look. If you want something more restrained, the white and black versions are there too.

Honor has also paid attention to the accessories. Each color comes with a matching case with a built-in kickstand, while the optional Special Edition case adds a bit more flair. Designed with Yoni Alter, it uses red aramid fiber and a colorful mosaic-style horse motif, while also adding built-in magnetic support. It is a small detail overall, but it suits the phone. The Magic V6 may not change Honor’s foldable design language, but it does show that the company is still putting real thought into how this series looks and feels.

Ergonomics

The ergonomics feel more like a refinement of the previous model, and I think that is a good thing. To me, the Magic V5 was already the most ergonomic book-style foldable around, so Honor did not really need to rethink the formula. What it has done instead is rework the internal architecture to fit what is currently the biggest battery in a foldable phone while still keeping the Magic V6 among the thinnest in the category.

There are slight differences depending on the color. The white version is the thinnest and lightest, measuring 156.7 x 74.5 x 8.75 mm when folded and just 4.0 mm when unfolded, with a weight of 219g. The other color variants are slightly thicker at 9.0 mm folded and 4.1 mm unfolded, and they weigh 224g.

In use, the Magic V6 still feels like one of the most comfortable foldables around. The hinge feels secure and firm, and opening and closing it feels fluid and well-judged. The frame is now flat, but the edges are ever so slightly curved, so it does not dig into your hand. The volume rocker and the power button, which also doubles as the fingerprint scanner, are placed where they are easy to reach. You can also customize the double press on the power button, which is a nice little touch in daily use.

What I like most is that the Magic V6 does not really feel like a typical large book-style foldable when it is closed. Folded shut, it feels surprisingly close to a regular slab phone, which makes it much easier to use casually throughout the day. It is this kind of refinement that makes the Magic V6 so easy to live with day to day.

Performance

The Magic V6 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which puts it right where a flagship should be in 2026. It is paired with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, although other configurations are available depending on the market. There is no real issue here with multitasking or with playing demanding AAA titles. Apps open quickly, moving between tasks feels smooth, and the phone has the kind of power that lets the larger display feel properly useful rather than overambitious.

Software is often where foldables either come together or start to feel more awkward than they should. The Magic V6 runs MagicOS 10 based on Android 16, and as with Honor’s recent devices, the focus seems to be on giving users plenty of AI features and cross-platform connectivity. Honor is leaning quite hard into interconnectivity with Apple devices. Using Honor Connect, the Magic V6 supports two-way notification sync with iPhones and iPads, while an Apple Watch can display messages and notifications from both devices. Through Honor WorkStation, the phone can also connect to a Mac and act as an extension of the desktop environment, with support for wireless screen casting, content transfer, and one-tap file sharing, including original-format Moving Photo.

On a foldable, though, the more important question is whether the software makes good use of the larger screen, and here the Magic V6 feels well equipped. Multitasking on the V6 is solid. The inner display gives you enough room to run apps side by side without things feeling cramped, and the phone has more than enough power to keep everything moving smoothly. On a device like this, that matters just as much as raw specs, because a foldable only really makes sense if the larger screen feels genuinely useful in everyday use.

Honor has equipped the Magic V6 with a 6.52-inch 2420 x 1080 AMOLED outer screen and a 7.95-inch 2352 x 2172 AMOLED inner display, and both are vivid, sharp, and fluid. Both panels support a 1 to 120Hz LTPO refresh rate, with up to 5,000 nits on the inner display and 6,000 nits on the outer, alongside eye comfort features such as 4320Hz PWM dimming. In use, the displays are excellent. The crease is barely noticeable, though not quite as invisible as on Oppo’s Find N6. The stereo speakers are also plenty loud and punchy, which suits the phone well for video and games.

The Magic V6 comes with a 50MP main camera with an f/1.6 aperture and OIS, a 64MP telephoto camera with an f/2.5 aperture, a 1/2-inch sensor, and OIS, and a 50MP ultrawide. On paper, that is a solid setup for a foldable, especially in a category where cameras have often felt like one of the first compromises.

In practice, the main and telephoto cameras are both strong for a foldable. Images come out sharp, colors are pleasing, and the overall look tends to lean a little on the brighter side. The ultrawide is satisfactory, though it does not stand out in quite the same way as the other two cameras.

Battery life is one of the Magic V6’s biggest selling points. Honor has managed to fit a 6,660mAh silicon-carbon battery into a foldable that is still among the thinnest in its class, while the 1TB version in China goes even further with a 7,150mAh battery. That is a huge battery even by slab flagship standards, never mind in a foldable.

Charging is strong too, with support for 80W wired and 66W wireless charging on the global model. A foldable this slim with this much battery capacity and this level of charging support is still unusual, and it is a big part of what makes the Magic V6 feel so easy to trust as an everyday device.

Sustainability

When it comes to foldables, durability can still be a concern for some people. Honor is clearly aware of that. The outer screen uses silicon nitride-based Nano Crystal Shield glass with up to 5,600 ultra-precise coating layers, while the inner display uses UTG flexible glass and is said to be 33 percent more impact resistant than the Magic V5. It is also rated for 500,000 folds.

The Magic V6 also comes with IP68 and IP69 ratings, which is the kind of protection you would more often expect from a slab flagship than a foldable. Honor is also promising seven major OS updates, which helps strengthen the long-term ownership story. What would make that sustainability angle more complete is greater use of sustainable materials, which is still an area where Honor could do more.

Value

Value is always a tricky part of the conversation with foldables because these devices are expensive by nature. No one is buying something like the Magic V6 because it is a bargain. Honor is beginning its wider rollout in Malaysia and Singapore. In Malaysia, the Magic V6 is priced at RM 7,699 for the 16GB RAM and 512GB storage version, which works out to roughly US$1,920 at a simple direct conversion. At that price, it is still very much a premium purchase, but the hardware does a lot to justify it. You are getting a slim and comfortable design, strong performance, large and bright displays, a huge battery, fast charging, and a durability story that feels more complete than what many foldables have offered in the past.

Value still depends on what you want from a foldable. If battery life, ergonomics, and high-end hardware matter most to you, the Magic V6 makes a very strong case for itself. If software polish is your top priority, some rivals may still feel a little more mature. Even so, the Magic V6 feels like a foldable that gives you a lot of substance for the money, not just novelty.

Verdict

The Magic V6 feels like Honor refining a formula that was already working well. It does not try to reinvent the book-style foldable, but it improves on the parts that matter most. The design still has personality, the ergonomics are excellent, the displays are strong, and the battery is genuinely standout for this category. The main and telephoto cameras are also better than what many people might expect from a foldable, which helps round out the overall package.

It is not without a few caveats, though. The software still does not feel quite as polished as the very best in the category, and the price places it firmly in ultra-premium territory. Even so, the bigger picture is very easy to like. If you want a foldable that feels slim, practical, powerful, and unusually easy to live with, the Magic V6 makes a very convincing case for itself.

The post Honor Magic V6 Review: Big battery, slim body, refined experience first appeared on Yanko Design.

Ovios and Studio F. A. Porsche Just Made Their First Furniture Collection Together

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Ovios introduced Aero Evo at the launch event in California, a new outdoor furniture collection created with Studio F. A. Porsche. The line includes a sofa, lounge chairs, and a coffee table, and it marks the studio’s first outdoor furniture project. The collaboration brings together Ovios’s experience in premium furniture manufacturing and Studio F. A. Porsche’s minimalist, performance-led design approach, with comfort and function treated as part of the design rather than an afterthought.

Seen in person, Aero Evo feels softer and more sculptural than the Porsche connection might suggest. The woven side and back panel give the pieces presence, while the exposed metal frame and open structure keeps them visually open. It does not read like furniture trying to imitate a car. The link is more understated than that, showing up in the control of the lines and the clarity of the structure.

Designer: Ovios x Studio F.A. Porsche

Henning Rieseler, Design Director at Studio F. A. Porsche, said the collection was developed with the American market in mind, particularly California. That lighter, more relaxed mood comes through, but the collection stops short of the usual resort furniture look. The forms are cleaner and more restrained, which gives the pieces a stronger identity.

The woven rope is central to that. It is not there simply to soften the frame. It shapes the way the sofa and chairs are read, giving them texture and volume, while the visible frame keeps the overall profile open. That contrast is where much of the collection’s appeal lies.

Aero Evo works best when the frame and weave are read together. The stainless steel frame gives the collection its outline and support, while the woven rope adds warmth and softness. The raised base and open structure create a sense of airflow that keeps the furniture from feeling too solid. The pieces have enough presence to anchor a space, but they do not feel heavy.

Rieseler said the collection went through several iterations, including adjustments to the height of the back panel and the size of the cushions. The goal was to keep the metal frame and woven back visible while maintaining comfort. That helps explain why the final proportions feel so controlled. The cushions are generous, but they do not cover up the structure or blur the silhouette.

The collection comes in three woven rope colors, charcoal, brown, and beige, along with four cushion color options. The charcoal version brings out a more graphic side of the design, while the brown and beige versions feel warmer and more relaxed. The lighter combinations suit open terraces and poolside settings especially well, while the darker option gives the collection a sharper presence.

Seen together, the sofa, lounge chairs, and coffee table read as a complete outdoor setting rather than a group of separate products. The seating carries most of the visual identity, and the coffee table sits more quietly within the arrangement. That feels right for a collection aimed at terraces, patios, garden lounges, and hospitality spaces, where the atmosphere matters as much as the individual pieces.

Ovios is releasing Aero Evo as a limited collection of 919 pieces worldwide, a nod to the Porsche 919 Evo that informed the project. Even so, the most convincing part of the collection is not the automotive reference on its own. It is the way the design handles structure, texture, and comfort without pushing any one idea too hard. For Studio F. A. Porsche, it is a confident first move into furniture. For Ovios, it is a collaboration that feels well matched. The result is a collection that feels considered, distinctive, and easy to imagine in use.

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The post Ovios and Studio F. A. Porsche Just Made Their First Furniture Collection Together first appeared on Yanko Design.