OPPO Find X9 Ultra Review: An Exceptional Camera Phone That Gets Everything Else Right Too

PROS:


  • One of the best and most flexible camera systems on any phone today

  • Excellent battery life

  • Beautiful, camera-inspired design in the Tundra Umber

  • Feels like a complete flagship, not just a camera phone

CONS:


  • Heavy and not especially one-handed friendly

  • Lens switching in video could be smoother

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The OPPO Find X9 Ultra proves that a camera-first phone does not have to feel like a compromise. It is one of the most complete and compelling flagships of the year so far.

The OPPO Find X9 Ultra is a true flagship with a clear camera-first identity, but what makes it stand out is how little it sacrifices elsewhere. OPPO has built this phone around photography, yet the rest of the package feels just as considered. The design is distinctive, the battery is huge, the performance is top-tier, and the software experience is polished enough to make the Find X9 Ultra feel like a genuine all-rounder rather than a specialist device.

Many camera-focused phones excel in one area while asking users to accept compromises in others, but the Find X9 Ultra aims to do more than that. It wants to be one of the best camera phones on the market while still delivering the kind of complete flagship experience people expect at this level. And for the most part, it succeeds. The OPPO Find X9 Ultra is not just a phone for photography enthusiasts. It is a premium smartphone that happens to put photography first, without forgetting everything else that makes a flagship great.

Designer: OPPO

Aesthetics

The OPPO Find X9 Ultra makes a strong first impression, shaped by two clearly distinct colorways that carry different design languages. Rather than simply offering the same phone in different shades, OPPO gives the device two visual personalities. One leans into classic camera-inspired warmth and tactile richness, while the other takes on a sharper, more expressive character.

That broader design story is rooted in photography. Tundra Umber is the more classic of the two, drawing inspiration from the Hasselblad X2D 100C Earth Explorer Edition while refining the camera-led design language OPPO established with its Ultra series. Its finely textured, eco-friendly vegan leather back is divided into broad vertical panels, giving it a structured, almost camera-body-like feel. A deep bronze-toned matte surround traces those panel divisions and the oversized circular camera housing before continuing into the side frame, helping the whole design feel cohesive.

The camera influence is visible throughout, from the horizontally aligned OPPO and Hasselblad logos to the orange detailing around the camera ring and Quick Button, both nods to Hasselblad’s iconic orange dot. Tundra Umber feels warm, tactile, and understated, with a sense of luxury rooted more in texture and material depth than in visual flash. Canyon Orange takes the opposite approach. Its aircraft-grade fiber back is finished with a sculpted pattern inspired by canyon formations, adding movement and depth to the surface.

Taken together, the two finishes make the Find X9 Ultra feel more thoughtfully designed than most ultra-premium smartphones. Instead of relying on superficial color variation, OPPO uses material, texture, and framing details to create two genuinely different expressions of the same flagship. That gives the device more character, and more importantly, gives buyers a real choice in how they want that character to be expressed.

Ergonomics

The OPPO Find X9 Ultra is unmistakably a large flagship. Measuring 163.16 × 76.97 mm and weighing 236 grams in Tundra Amber or 235 grams in Canyon Orange, it is a phone that feels substantial from the moment you pick it up. The two finishes also differ slightly in thickness, with Tundra Amber at 9.10 mm and Canyon Orange at 8.65 mm, giving each version a subtly different physical character.

Even so, the difference between the two finishes is worth noting, as it subtly changes how the phone feels in daily use. Tundra Amber is both slightly thicker and slightly heavier, and its eco-friendly vegan leather back gives it the more tactile and forgiving grip of the two. Despite the large camera housing, both versions feel balanced rather than top-heavy, and the oversized module can even serve as a natural resting point for the index finger during use.

Performance

The OPPO Find X9 Ultra brings the kind of hardware expected of a true flagship, but what matters most is how that translates into everyday use. For most people, performance is not about benchmark numbers. It is about whether a phone feels fast, fluid, and dependable, and the Find X9 Ultra appears built with very few compromises.

Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, it ranks among the fastest Android phones of its generation. That means quick app launches, smooth multitasking, fast photo processing, and strong gaming performance, all delivered with the kind of effortless responsiveness buyers expect at this level. Offered in 12GB + 512GB and China-only 16GB + 1TB configurations, it also has the memory and storage headroom to remain smooth over time while supporting its demanding camera system without strain.

The Find X9 Ultra’s 6.82-inch AMOLED display is every bit as flagship as the rest of the hardware. With a sharp 3168 x 1440 resolution, a 120Hz LTPO refresh rate, and peak brightness of up to 2500 nits, it feels bright, crisp, and fluid in daily use. Whether you are scrolling, watching a video, or reviewing photos, it delivers the kind of polished visual experience you would expect from a phone in this class.

Portrait Mode

Macro Mode

The camera system, developed in continued partnership with Hasselblad, is where the Find X9 Ultra becomes genuinely distinctive. OPPO has upgraded the entire imaging setup and expanded it into what it now calls a penta-camera system. The rear array includes a 200MP main camera, a 200MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, a 50MP periscope telephoto with 10x optical zoom, a 50MP ultra-wide camera, and a dedicated white balance sensor.

Ultrawide

Main, 1x

The 200MP main camera, built around a 1/1.2-inch Sony LYT-901 sensor with an f/1.5 aperture and OIS, produces images that are crisp, detailed, and rich in dynamic range, with color reproduction that remains pleasingly natural. The 200MP 3x telephoto camera is just as impressive. Using a large 1/1.28-inch OmniVision OV52A sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and OIS, it delivers similarly detailed results with strong dynamic range and balanced color.

Telephoto, 3x

Telephoto, 10x

The 50MP 10x periscope telephoto is the most technically fascinating part of the setup. Long-range zoom in a smartphone is always constrained by space, and OPPO addresses that challenge with its Quintuple Prism Reflection Periscope Structure, which bends light five times before it reaches the sensor. The result is serious optical reach within the tight confines of a smartphone body, making it one of the device’s most ambitious engineering features. Crucially, it is not just impressive in theory. It also captures excellent 10x shots, giving the Find X9 Ultra a level of versatility that few flagships can match.

300mm, Teleconverter

OPPO also offers an optional Hasselblad Earth Explorer Kit, which includes a Bluetooth camera grip case and a dedicated lens mount. Its standout feature is a 300mm lens attachment that extends the system to 13x optical zoom and up to 200x hybrid zoom. The setup is undeniably bulky, but in situations where extra reach really matters, whether for sports, concerts, detailed architectural photography, or other distant subjects, it can be genuinely worthwhile. Results at the optical end are impressive, while pushing further into hybrid zoom brings the familiar decline in image quality.

13x, Normal

13x, With Teleconverter

The 50MP front-facing camera also performs well, capturing detailed selfies with natural-looking skin tones. The 50MP ultra-wide camera is useful and generally capable, but it is the least convincing part of the rear setup, with images that can look a little softer than those from the main and telephoto cameras.

200x, Normal

200x, With Teleconverter

That flexibility extends beyond the hardware. Portrait mode offers seven focal lengths ranging from 1x to 10x, giving users far more freedom in how they frame subjects than most phones allow. More importantly, the Find X9 Ultra generally processes images with a natural touch, avoiding some of the heavy-handed contrast and tone shaping that still affect many smartphone cameras. For those who want an even more photography-focused look, Master Mode uses a different imaging pipeline that steps away from the aggressive tone mapping common to traditional smartphone processing.

Normal

Hasselblad Master Mode

OPPO also equips the Find X9 Ultra with a very capable video system. All cameras support recording at up to 4K 60fps with Dolby Vision, while the main and 3x telephoto cameras can go as high as 4K 120fps or 8K 30fps. Video quality is generally very good, with strong detail, solid stabilization, and an overall polished look. For users who want a more advanced workflow, Pro mode includes Log recording and support for importing custom LUTs, making the phone more flexible for grading and post-production.

That said, the experience is not flawless. Panning at 3x zoom or beyond can sometimes introduce a touch of jitter, and transitions between lenses could be smoother. These are relatively minor complaints in the context of such a flexible video system, but they are worth noting all the same.

Main, 1x, Night Mode

Telephoto, 3x, Night Mode

Telephoto, 10x, Night Mode

Battery life may be just as important to mainstream buyers as the camera system, and the Find X9 Ultra looks especially strong on that front. It comes with a massive 7050mAh silicon-carbon battery, a capacity that should comfortably support heavy use without the low-battery anxiety that still shadows some premium phones.

Charging is impressive too. With OPPO’s proprietary charger, the Find X9 Ultra supports 100W wired and 50W wireless charging, while USB-PD support allows for up to 55W wired charging with compatible third-party adapters. Reverse wired and reverse wireless charging are both available as well, rounding out a battery setup that feels as flexible as it is powerful.

Sustainability

Sustainability in a premium smartphone should be approached from multiple angles, and in the case of the Find X9 Ultra, durability is clearly where OPPO has placed the greatest emphasis. That does not tell the whole sustainability story, but it does give the phone a solid foundation in the areas that most directly affect long-term ownership. In practical terms, OPPO seems more focused on helping the device last longer than on building a broader environmental narrative around it.

It carries IP66, IP68, and IP69 ratings for dust and water resistance, uses Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front, and has earned an SGS Premium Performance 5-Star drop-resistance certification. OPPO also backs the phone with five major OS updates and six years of security patches, which strengthens the case for keeping the device longer rather than replacing it early. At the same time, OPPO says far less about the broader environmental side of sustainability, so the Find X9 Ultra feels more convincing as a durable long-term device than as a flagship making a wider green statement.

Value

The Find X9 Ultra is priced like a true flagship, and in global markets, it leaves no doubt about that. The 12GB + 512GB version comes in at €1,699.99, or roughly $1,940, while the same configuration in China is priced at CNY 7,999, or about $1,180. That makes the global version undeniably expensive, while the China pricing feels strikingly aggressive by comparison.

What makes the phone interesting is that even at its global price, it still has a real value argument. The camera system is among the very best available today, the battery is exceptionally large for a premium flagship, the design feels distinctive, and the software experience is smooth and pleasant to live with. It is not cheap by any measure, but it does feel like a phone that gives you something memorable in return.

The catch is that this value depends on how much you care about what OPPO is doing differently. If photography, endurance, and design identity sit high on your list, the Find X9 Ultra feels easier to justify. If not, it becomes harder to ignore just how expensive the global model really is.

Verdict

The OPPO Find X9 Ultra stands out by knowing exactly what it wants to be. It is a camera-first flagship with one of the best imaging systems available today, backed by excellent battery life, polished software, and a design that feels more distinctive than most ultra-premium rivals.

There are still compromises. The ultra-wide camera is not quite on the same level as the rest of the setup; some video behavior could be smoother, and the global price is undeniably steep. Even so, for buyers who value photography and want a flagship with real personality, the Find X9 Ultra is one of the most compelling choices on the market.

The post OPPO Find X9 Ultra Review: An Exceptional Camera Phone That Gets Everything Else Right Too first appeared on Yanko Design.

Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro Review: More Than Its Slim Design Suggests

PROS:


  • Excellent battery life

  • Bright, vivid display

  • Lightweight and slim design

  • Strong sports and health tracking features

CONS:


  • App ecosystem is still limited compared to WatchOS or Wear OS

  • Some features are restricted by region or work best with a Huawei phone

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro blends style, comfort, and serious fitness features into a smartwatch that feels more capable than its slim design suggests.

Huawei has launched the Watch Fit 5 series, continuing the evolution of a product line that now feels far more ambitious than its name might suggest. The Watch Fit 5 Pro is only the second Pro entry in the series after the Watch Fit 4 Pro, but it makes a strong case for why that upgrade matters. Rather than simply offering a slightly nicer version of the standard model, Huawei is using the Pro label to push the Fit line into more premium territory.

That shift is immediately clear in the hardware, but it goes beyond looks. The Watch Fit 5 Pro combines a slim and comfortable design with higher-end materials, stronger health tracking, and a deeper set of sports and outdoor features than you might expect from something this light. After spending time with the Orange version, I found myself appreciating not just how much Huawei has added, but how well the watch still holds onto the easy-wearing character that made the Fit series appealing in the first place.

Aesthetics

The Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro is largely identical to its predecessor in overall shape, and that familiarity works in its favour. It continues Huawei’s Apple Watch Ultra-like approach, with a squared display, a rotating crown, and a secondary button on the right side, but slimmer and sleeker in execution. Rather than reinventing the formula, Huawei has refined it, giving the Watch Fit 5 Pro a cleaner and more polished presence than the Watch Fit 4 Pro.

Huawei offers the watch in three colour versions, Orange, Black, and White, and each gives the design a distinct mood. The Orange version pairs a subtle warm gold-toned body with a vivid orange woven strap, along with an orange accent line around the bezel that stands out more clearly than on the other two models. The Black version is the most understated of the trio, with a black body, a black fluoroelastomer strap, and a matching black accent line around the bezel that blends in much more subtly. The White version is the most distinctive, using what Huawei calls Aerospace-Grade Nanoceramic Metal, where the surface is treated through oxidation technology to create a ceramic-like texture while also improving hardness and stain resistance. It too has a matching white accent line around the bezel, but like the black model, it is more understated than the orange version.

Part of what makes the Watch Fit 5 Pro feel more premium is its material mix. Huawei uses 2.5D sapphire glass, a titanium alloy bezel, and an aluminium alloy body, which gives the watch a stronger sense of quality than most slim fitness-focused wearables. Even if the silhouette remains familiar, the finishing does a lot of heavy lifting. The watch looks more elevated than a typical rectangular sports tracker, and that added material richness helps justify the Pro positioning.

I received the Orange version, and while I like the overall design, I am less convinced by one specific detail. The subtle warm gold tone of the body looks great, and I especially like the brushed metal texture, which gives the finish a bit more depth. The woven orange strap also gives the watch plenty of character without feeling cheap. But I am not a fan of the orange accent line around the bezel. I understand the intention, since it adds contrast and a more dynamic feel, but for me, it also makes the front of the watch look busier than necessary. It is still an attractive watch, but that accent slightly interrupts an otherwise polished design.

Ergonomics

One of the most impressive things about the Watch Fit 5 Pro is how little bulk Huawei seems to have added despite how much the watch offers. It measures 44.5 × 40.8 × 9.5 mm and weighs just 30.4 g without the strap, which helps it feel surprisingly manageable for a smartwatch with features like ECG, golf maps, trail tools, and diving support. On paper, it sounds like a device that could easily become too much for everyday wear. In practice, it does a good job avoiding that trap.

Comfort is not only about weight. It is also about how easily a watch disappears into your routine. A model with this many features would be far less appealing if it felt awkward at a desk, uncomfortable in bed, or distracting during a run. Thankfully, the Watch Fit 5 Pro remains slim and light on the wrist, while the crown and side button are neatly integrated into the frame. I found the watch, especially with the breathable fabric strap, comfortable enough for all-day wear, even on a small wrist, which makes a real difference over longer stretches of use.

The smaller details are well handled, too. The rotating crown and side button are both responsive, and the haptic feedback on the crown feels pleasantly precise. The screen has a slight curve at the edges, so swiping in from the side never feels sharp or awkward against the finger. The fabric strap is also easy to put on and take off, while staying secure once fastened. Altogether, the Watch Fit 5 Pro feels like a watch designed not just to look sleek, but to stay comfortable and easy to use throughout the day.

Performance

Huawei has upgraded the display to a 1.92-inch panel with an 83 percent screen-to-body ratio, evenly slim borders, and peak brightness of up to 3000 nits. Compared with the Watch Fit 4 Pro, which had a 79 percent screen-to-body ratio, the new model feels more immersive and more expansive at a glance. The slimmer borders make the interface look cleaner, while the brighter screen makes a real difference outdoors. For a watch built around workouts and activity, that matters more than raw numbers on a spec sheet. A bright and easily readable display is one of those things you notice every single day.

The Watch Fit 5 Pro is compatible with both iOS and Android, though you need to install the Huawei Health app, either through a QR code or directly from Huawei’s website. The watch runs HarmonyOS 6, and its smart features feel fairly basic by smartwatch standards. Notifications are supported, and you can reply using preset messages, emoji, or the on-screen keyboard. There is also Bluetooth calling, along with a remote camera shutter feature, though opening the camera remotely still requires a Huawei phone. You can also install third-party apps through Huawei AppGallery, but the overall app ecosystem remains more limited than what you get on Apple’s watchOS or Google’s Wear OS. Huawei also offers plenty of watch face designs, which adds some welcome personality and makes the watch easier to tailor to your taste. AI voice assistance is available too, but only for Huawei phone users.

The interface is generally easy to navigate. Swiping down or rotating the crown downward brings up the quick menu, while swiping up or rotating the crown upward opens notifications. Swiping in from the right brings up the widget panels. Pressing the side button once opens the workout menu, and this can also be customized as a shortcut, which adds a bit of flexibility to the experience. That said, pressing the side button twice is assigned to the Wallet shortcut, and this cannot be changed. This feels less useful if contactless payment is not supported in your region, which limits part of the watch’s convenience.

The sports side is where the Watch Fit 5 Pro starts to feel much more serious than a typical slim fitness watch. Huawei has added a richer set of cycling metrics, including virtual power, virtual cadence, and real-time grade, while trail running gets route navigation, off-course alerts, map zooming, split elevation, and estimated distance to markers. Golf is another major differentiator, with support for more than 17,000 course maps, up from 15,000 on the Watch Fit 4 Pro, alongside vector layouts, green view, custom distance measurement, and live scorecard features. There is also support for 40-metre free-diving. Taken together, these features make the Watch Fit 5 Pro feel less like a stylish wellness watch with extra modes and more like a genuinely capable sports companion.

Huawei is also pushing the watch harder on health tracking. The Watch Fit 5 Pro supports ECG analysis, arterial stiffness detection, pulse wave arrhythmia analysis, sleep breathing awareness, emotional well-being tracking, and the Diabetes Risk Study. That is an ambitious set of tools for a watch in this category, and it shows that Huawei wants the Pro model to do more than count steps and monitor heart rate. Some of these features are region-dependent, which is worth keeping in mind, but the overall package still feels notably broader than what the Fit line used to offer. It gives the Watch Fit 5 Pro a stronger sense of purpose beyond fitness alone.

Even if you are not into cycling, golf, free-diving, or most of the 100-plus workout modes, the Watch Fit 5 Pro still offers plenty of practical reasons to care. One of the more charming additions is Mini-workout, which includes 30 guided movements designed to help you exercise anytime and anywhere, complete with playful panda animations. I appreciated this because I tend to shy away from regular exercise, and it encouraged me to fit in quick stretches and more movement throughout the day. I do wish Mini-workout were easier to access, as it is tucked under “Courses and Plans” in the Workout menu. If you use the dedicated Mini-Workout Panda watch face, you can also open it directly from the home screen.

In daily use, the upgraded Huawei Sunflower Positioning System also proved accurate for GPS tracking. Sleep tracking is detailed, and I especially appreciated the easy-to-understand sleep report in the app. Huawei Health also lets you manually add sleep records, which came in handy on nights when I went to bed without wearing the watch.

Battery life remains one of the Watch Fit 5 Pro’s biggest strengths. It uses a 471 mAh battery, with Huawei claiming up to 7 days of typical use, 10 days of light use, and as much as 25 hours in trail run mode. It also supports 60-minute wireless fast charging. Those figures matter because a watch with a bright display and this many sensors could easily become high maintenance, yet Huawei still seems focused on making it practical for daily use. In my experience, the real-world performance comes close to those claims. That makes the Watch Fit 5 Pro far more convenient than smartwatches that demand charging every day or two. I do wish the included magnetic charger used USB-C rather than USB-A.

Sustainability

Sustainability is not a major part of Huawei’s pitch for the Watch Fit 5 Pro, and unfortunately, that seems to be true for most smartwatches on the market. There is little emphasis on recycled materials, repairability, or broader environmental commitments. As a result, this is not a watch that stands out as an especially sustainability-focused product.

What it does offer is durability and a bit of long-term flexibility. With sapphire glass, a titanium alloy bezel, and an aluminium body, the Watch Fit 5 Pro feels better built than many lightweight fitness watches. The strap is also easily replaceable without any extra hardware, which is a small but meaningful advantage if the original band wears out or if you simply want to change the look over time. It is also compatible with both iOS and Android, which adds a bit of flexibility if your phone platform ever changes. That does not make it a sustainability leader, but it does suggest a product designed to stay useful for longer rather than be quickly replaced.

Value

At £249.99, the Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro feels competitively priced rather than aggressively cheap, and that is what makes its value proposition work. Huawei is not trying to win purely by offering the lowest price. Instead, it is offering a slim and comfortable watch with premium materials, a bright display, strong battery life, broad health tracking, and a surprisingly serious set of sports and outdoor features. That combination makes it feel more substantial than many rivals that sit somewhere between a basic fitness band and a full smartwatch.

That value does come with some limits. The smart features are still fairly basic by broader smartwatch standards, the app ecosystem remains more limited than what you get from Apple or Google, and features like Wallet will matter less in regions where support is restricted. Even so, I think Huawei has judged the balance well. At its price point, the Watch Fit 5 Pro does not need to be the smartest watch in its class to feel like good value. For the right user, especially someone who wants a sleek, lightweight watch with serious fitness and outdoor ability, it is a well-judged package at a fair price.

Verdict

After spending time with it, the Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro feels like a smartwatch that understands. The Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro strikes a convincing balance between style, comfort, and capability. It takes the slim and approachable Fit formula and elevates it with better materials, a brighter and more immersive display, stronger sports and health features, and battery life that remains comfortably practical. Just as importantly, it still feels light and easy to live with, which is not something every feature-packed smartwatch manages to achieve.

It is not perfect. The smart features are still fairly basic by broader smartwatch standards, the app ecosystem remains limited, and some functions become less useful depending on your region or phone. But if your priorities lean more toward fitness, health tracking, comfort, and design than deep app support, the Watch Fit 5 Pro makes a very strong case for itself. It is not trying to be the smartest watch you can buy. It is trying to be a sleek, capable, and highly wearable one, and in that role, it succeeds.

The post Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro Review: More Than Its Slim Design Suggests first appeared on Yanko Design.

vivo X300 FE Review: The Compact Flagship That Earns Its Keep

PROS:


  • Compact, comfortable, and premium design

  • Powerful 50MP main and telephoto cameras

  • Large battery with fast wired and wireless charging

  • Long-term software support

CONS:


  • Mediocre 8MP ultra-wide camera

  • Uncommon horizontal camera design

  • A bit pricier than most "small flagships"

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The vivo X300 FE proves that a compact phone doesn't have to feel like a lesser one.

Premium smartphones have been trending bigger, heavier, and more visually imposing for years. It’s reached the point where “flagship” is almost synonymous with large, and carrying one all day feels less like convenience and more like a commitment. The compact phone hasn’t disappeared, but finding one that doesn’t sacrifice performance, battery life, or camera quality in exchange for a smaller footprint has been genuinely difficult.

That’s the gap the vivo X300 FE is aiming to fill. It pairs a 6.31-inch flat display with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, a 6,500 mAh battery, and a ZEISS co-engineered camera system, all within a compact design that stays remarkably light for its class. On paper, it reads like a phone that shouldn’t be this compact. But does it actually work in practice? We give it a spin to find out.

Designer: vivo

Aesthetics

The X300 FE follows a flat-design language that’s become increasingly standard among more expensive flagships. There aren’t any curved glass edges or aggressively contoured surfaces, just a clean, rectangular form with ultra-narrow bezels, an aerospace-grade aluminum frame, and a front face that looks symmetrical and composed. The centered punch-hole is small and unobtrusive, and those slim borders give the display a neat, purposeful presence that doesn’t need theatrics to feel premium.

Our review unit came in white, which turns out to be a great choice for a phone this carefully considered. The matte rear panel uses vivo’s Metallic Sand AG glass treatment, giving it a soft, slightly chalky texture that resists fingerprints well and picks up ambient light in a way that shifts subtly between warm and cool tones. It doesn’t try to be eye-catching; it just looks well-made.

The flat aluminum frame wraps cleanly around the body, with edges that make it comfortable to grip without feeling sharp or slippery. The white model measures 8.10mm thick and weighs 192g, a hair more than the other colorways, but those differences don’t register in hand. What does register is the overall sense of a phone that’s been assembled with genuine attention to detail.

The camera module deserves its own mention. Rather than going for the oversized circular island that’s become visual shorthand for “serious camera phone,” vivo opted for a horizontal bar that spans the upper portion of the back. Three lenses are arranged neatly across it, with a ZEISS badge centered between them. It’s recognizable and distinctive without domineering the rest of the design. Admittedly, it’s going to be a divisive design, but it at least lets the vivo X300 FE easily stand out from the competition.

Ergonomics

At 150.83mm tall and 71.76mm wide, the X300 FE sits firmly in one-handed territory. It isn’t trying to be a miniature phone. It’s simply sized more sensibly than most flagships on the market. You can reach across the screen without adjusting your grip, slip it into a front pocket without thinking, and hold it for extended periods without the wrist fatigue bigger phones tend to bring.

The 192g weight for the white model falls in a range that feels present without being burdensome. There’s enough substance here to reinforce the premium feel of the materials, but not so much that you’re constantly aware of it. The 8.10mm profile isn’t exactly wafer-thin, though that’s a reasonable trade-off for a 6,500 mAh cell packed inside a frame this compact.

The flat-sided frame also contributes more to the ergonomic experience than it might seem. It gives your palm a stable, consistent surface to press against during typing and scrolling, which feels more controlled than on rounded-edge designs. The compact footprint, flat back, and balanced weight distribution all work together to make this a phone that feels designed around how it’s actually used.

Performance

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 inside doesn’t need much introduction. It’s a flagship-class mobile processor, and the X300 FE puts it to good use. The 12GB RAM, expandable with another 12GB taken from the generous 512GB storage, clearly marks it as a class above your typical mid-tier compact phone. It runs Origin OS 6, based on the current Android 16 release, embracing a more minimalist and flat aesthetic that perfectly matches the phone’s design.

Day-to-day tasks feel completely effortless, from switching between apps and browser tabs to occasional gaming sessions, and nothing about the experience suggests the compact body is in any way holding the hardware back. Thermals are pretty impressive, given the vivo X300 FE’s size, but its compact form factor might work against it when it comes to how you hold it during those long periods.

Thankfully, the display backs that up well. It’s a 6.31-inch LTPO AMOLED panel with an adaptive refresh rate of 1 to 120 Hz, a 1.5K resolution at 460 PPI, and a local peak brightness of 5,000 nits. The 2,160 Hz PWM dimming also makes prolonged reading and scrolling noticeably more comfortable on the eyes, a detail that matters far more than most spec sheets would have you believe.

Then there’s the battery, arguably the X300 FE’s most impressive engineering accomplishment. A 6,500 mAh cell in a phone this slim and light isn’t something you see every day, and in practice, that capacity means genuine all-day endurance with room to spare. The 90W wired and 40W wireless charging mean you’re rarely stuck waiting long when it runs low, at least with the appropriate chargers.

The camera system is led by a 50 MP ZEISS main camera and a 50 MP ZEISS super-telephoto camera, with an 8 MP ultra-wide rounding out the rear. The main and telephoto cameras handle portraits, street photography, and concert scenes with real confidence. An optional telephoto extender accessory also exists for those who want extended reach, though it’s firmly in niche territory.

The results are impressive, especially when starting to zoom in on subjects. Even without the telephoto extender, you can enjoy clear and detailed shots, even at night. The 8MP ultra-wide, though usable, is a bit of a letdown, but vivo had to cut some corners to bring down the price and differentiate this model from its more powerful and more expensive siblings. You do have a ton of settings to tweak to get your perfect shot, but even the defaults are good enough to make fleeting moments more memorable.

Sustainability

The X300 FE carries IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance ratings, alongside an SGS five-star drop resistance certification, giving it a reassuring level of durability for daily use. It also carries an SGS five-star drop resistance certification, which gives it more formal durability credentials than most phones in its class. Together, those ratings make a convincing case for a phone built to survive daily life without requiring any particularly careful handling.

Software longevity is where the X300 FE makes its strongest long-term case. On that front, vivo is committing to five years of OS upgrades, seven years of security maintenance, and a five-year smooth experience promise. That support window is competitive with the best in the Android space, and it signals that this phone is meant to be genuinely used for years, not replaced the moment something newer comes along.

Value

At around €1,000, The X300 FE isn’t a budget phone, and it doesn’t try to be. It competes in the premium compact flagship space, where the particular combination it offers is harder to find than you’d expect. A current-generation chipset, a genuinely large battery, fast wired and wireless charging, ZEISS-branded imaging, and a durable premium build in a package that remains notably light for a flagship is a rare and coherent offering.

The person this phone is designed for isn’t shopping for the biggest or most spec’d-out device available. It’s someone who wants a phone that keeps pace with their life without dominating it, one that fits in a jacket pocket, lasts a full day, and still takes genuinely good photos. Frequent travelers, urban commuters, and anyone who’s tired of unwieldy flagships will feel right at home here.

Verdict

The vivo X300 FE is the kind of compact flagship that doesn’t feel like a compromise once you’re actually using it. The design is restrained and coherent, the battery is frankly impressive for the size, the chipset handles everything you throw at it, and the camera does its best work in exactly the situations most people find themselves in, out in the world rather than on a lab bench.

What the X300 FE offers is a phone that’s easy to carry, genuinely long-lasting, and capable enough for the photography and day-to-day demands you’ll actually encounter. It’s well built, well supported, and clearly designed with a specific kind of person in mind. That clarity of purpose is refreshing, and for the right buyer, it’s exactly what makes this phone worth serious consideration.

The post vivo X300 FE Review: The Compact Flagship That Earns Its Keep first appeared on Yanko Design.

vivo X300 FE Review: The Compact Flagship That Earns Its Keep

PROS:


  • Compact, comfortable, and premium design

  • Powerful 50MP main and telephoto cameras

  • Large battery with fast wired and wireless charging

  • Long-term software support

CONS:


  • Mediocre 8MP ultra-wide camera

  • Uncommon horizontal camera design

  • A bit pricier than most "small flagships"

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The vivo X300 FE proves that a compact phone doesn't have to feel like a lesser one.

Premium smartphones have been trending bigger, heavier, and more visually imposing for years. It’s reached the point where “flagship” is almost synonymous with large, and carrying one all day feels less like convenience and more like a commitment. The compact phone hasn’t disappeared, but finding one that doesn’t sacrifice performance, battery life, or camera quality in exchange for a smaller footprint has been genuinely difficult.

That’s the gap the vivo X300 FE is aiming to fill. It pairs a 6.31-inch flat display with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, a 6,500 mAh battery, and a ZEISS co-engineered camera system, all within a compact design that stays remarkably light for its class. On paper, it reads like a phone that shouldn’t be this compact. But does it actually work in practice? We give it a spin to find out.

Designer: vivo

Aesthetics

The X300 FE follows a flat-design language that’s become increasingly standard among more expensive flagships. There aren’t any curved glass edges or aggressively contoured surfaces, just a clean, rectangular form with ultra-narrow bezels, an aerospace-grade aluminum frame, and a front face that looks symmetrical and composed. The centered punch-hole is small and unobtrusive, and those slim borders give the display a neat, purposeful presence that doesn’t need theatrics to feel premium.

Our review unit came in white, which turns out to be a great choice for a phone this carefully considered. The matte rear panel uses vivo’s Metallic Sand AG glass treatment, giving it a soft, slightly chalky texture that resists fingerprints well and picks up ambient light in a way that shifts subtly between warm and cool tones. It doesn’t try to be eye-catching; it just looks well-made.

The flat aluminum frame wraps cleanly around the body, with edges that make it comfortable to grip without feeling sharp or slippery. The white model measures 8.10mm thick and weighs 192g, a hair more than the other colorways, but those differences don’t register in hand. What does register is the overall sense of a phone that’s been assembled with genuine attention to detail.

The camera module deserves its own mention. Rather than going for the oversized circular island that’s become visual shorthand for “serious camera phone,” vivo opted for a horizontal bar that spans the upper portion of the back. Three lenses are arranged neatly across it, with a ZEISS badge centered between them. It’s recognizable and distinctive without domineering the rest of the design. Admittedly, it’s going to be a divisive design, but it at least lets the vivo X300 FE easily stand out from the competition.

Ergonomics

At 150.83mm tall and 71.76mm wide, the X300 FE sits firmly in one-handed territory. It isn’t trying to be a miniature phone. It’s simply sized more sensibly than most flagships on the market. You can reach across the screen without adjusting your grip, slip it into a front pocket without thinking, and hold it for extended periods without the wrist fatigue bigger phones tend to bring.

The 192g weight for the white model falls in a range that feels present without being burdensome. There’s enough substance here to reinforce the premium feel of the materials, but not so much that you’re constantly aware of it. The 8.10mm profile isn’t exactly wafer-thin, though that’s a reasonable trade-off for a 6,500 mAh cell packed inside a frame this compact.

The flat-sided frame also contributes more to the ergonomic experience than it might seem. It gives your palm a stable, consistent surface to press against during typing and scrolling, which feels more controlled than on rounded-edge designs. The compact footprint, flat back, and balanced weight distribution all work together to make this a phone that feels designed around how it’s actually used.

Performance

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 inside doesn’t need much introduction. It’s a flagship-class mobile processor, and the X300 FE puts it to good use. The 12GB RAM, expandable with another 12GB taken from the generous 512GB storage, clearly marks it as a class above your typical mid-tier compact phone. It runs Origin OS 6, based on the current Android 16 release, embracing a more minimalist and flat aesthetic that perfectly matches the phone’s design.

Day-to-day tasks feel completely effortless, from switching between apps and browser tabs to occasional gaming sessions, and nothing about the experience suggests the compact body is in any way holding the hardware back. Thermals are pretty impressive, given the vivo X300 FE’s size, but its compact form factor might work against it when it comes to how you hold it during those long periods.

Thankfully, the display backs that up well. It’s a 6.31-inch LTPO AMOLED panel with an adaptive refresh rate of 1 to 120 Hz, a 1.5K resolution at 460 PPI, and a local peak brightness of 5,000 nits. The 2,160 Hz PWM dimming also makes prolonged reading and scrolling noticeably more comfortable on the eyes, a detail that matters far more than most spec sheets would have you believe.

Then there’s the battery, arguably the X300 FE’s most impressive engineering accomplishment. A 6,500 mAh cell in a phone this slim and light isn’t something you see every day, and in practice, that capacity means genuine all-day endurance with room to spare. The 90W wired and 40W wireless charging mean you’re rarely stuck waiting long when it runs low, at least with the appropriate chargers.

The camera system is led by a 50 MP ZEISS main camera and a 50 MP ZEISS super-telephoto camera, with an 8 MP ultra-wide rounding out the rear. The main and telephoto cameras handle portraits, street photography, and concert scenes with real confidence. An optional telephoto extender accessory also exists for those who want extended reach, though it’s firmly in niche territory.

The results are impressive, especially when starting to zoom in on subjects. Even without the telephoto extender, you can enjoy clear and detailed shots, even at night. The 8MP ultra-wide, though usable, is a bit of a letdown, but vivo had to cut some corners to bring down the price and differentiate this model from its more powerful and more expensive siblings. You do have a ton of settings to tweak to get your perfect shot, but even the defaults are good enough to make fleeting moments more memorable.

Sustainability

The X300 FE carries IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance ratings, alongside an SGS five-star drop resistance certification, giving it a reassuring level of durability for daily use. It also carries an SGS five-star drop resistance certification, which gives it more formal durability credentials than most phones in its class. Together, those ratings make a convincing case for a phone built to survive daily life without requiring any particularly careful handling.

Software longevity is where the X300 FE makes its strongest long-term case. On that front, vivo is committing to five years of OS upgrades, seven years of security maintenance, and a five-year smooth experience promise. That support window is competitive with the best in the Android space, and it signals that this phone is meant to be genuinely used for years, not replaced the moment something newer comes along.

Value

At around €1,000, The X300 FE isn’t a budget phone, and it doesn’t try to be. It competes in the premium compact flagship space, where the particular combination it offers is harder to find than you’d expect. A current-generation chipset, a genuinely large battery, fast wired and wireless charging, ZEISS-branded imaging, and a durable premium build in a package that remains notably light for a flagship is a rare and coherent offering.

The person this phone is designed for isn’t shopping for the biggest or most spec’d-out device available. It’s someone who wants a phone that keeps pace with their life without dominating it, one that fits in a jacket pocket, lasts a full day, and still takes genuinely good photos. Frequent travelers, urban commuters, and anyone who’s tired of unwieldy flagships will feel right at home here.

Verdict

The vivo X300 FE is the kind of compact flagship that doesn’t feel like a compromise once you’re actually using it. The design is restrained and coherent, the battery is frankly impressive for the size, the chipset handles everything you throw at it, and the camera does its best work in exactly the situations most people find themselves in, out in the world rather than on a lab bench.

What the X300 FE offers is a phone that’s easy to carry, genuinely long-lasting, and capable enough for the photography and day-to-day demands you’ll actually encounter. It’s well built, well supported, and clearly designed with a specific kind of person in mind. That clarity of purpose is refreshing, and for the right buyer, it’s exactly what makes this phone worth serious consideration.

The post vivo X300 FE Review: The Compact Flagship That Earns Its Keep first appeared on Yanko Design.

HONOR 600 Review: Looks Premium, Lasts all day, and Doesn’t Cost a Fortune

PROS:


  • Beautiful, minimalist design

  • Gorgeous screen with narrow bezels

  • Strong hardware performance and battery life

  • Impressive 200MP camera

CONS:


  • 12MP ultra-wide and no telephoto camera

  • No wireless charging

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The HONOR 600 is quietly refined, impressively enduring, and priced like it knows exactly what it's doing.

Smartphones are starting to look increasingly alike. The flat-edged aluminum frame, the polished glass back, the minimal bezels; these have become the default visual language of every phone that wants to be taken seriously. The differences between competing designs are getting harder to spot, and choosing between them often comes down to specs rather than any genuine sense of aesthetic preference. That leaves a lot of phones feeling pretty forgettable.

HONOR’s response to that trend with the HONOR 600 is to squeeze as much premium character as possible into a phone that doesn’t demand a premium sacrifice from your wallet. On paper, it looks like a solid upper-midrange device. In person, though, it carries a kind of quiet refinement that feels well above its price class, and that difference is worth paying attention to. Read on to learn why.

Designer: HONOR

Ida Torres contributed to this review.

Aesthetics

The HONOR 600 will draw inevitable comparisons to Apple’s current design direction, and that’s not an accident. The overall silhouette, the straight display, and the deliberately restrained detailing all read from the same design vocabulary. But where Apple tends to keep things cool and clinical, the HONOR 600 manages to feel warmer and somehow more luxurious, which is a rather ironic achievement for a phone that costs this much less.

A lot of that warmth comes from the back panel, which is made from a translucent composite fiber material that looks remarkably like frosted glass. It has a clean, understated quality that doesn’t try too hard. The matte metal frame features a satin-like finish that shifts subtly under light. And it’s available in Black, Orange, and Golden White (our review unit), all of which feel right for this design. It’s a design that doesn’t scream for attention but still manages to make you look twice either way.

Not everything lands quite so elegantly, though. The raised camera module, which houses the 200MP main lens and ultrawide camera, looks a bit like an acrylic plate sitting on top of an otherwise seamless body. It’s only an optical illusion, though, as it really is a unibody structure as advertised. Additionally, that area picks up fingerprints and smudges with remarkable enthusiasm, which shows up even more conspicuously on the glass-like material.

The front of the phone, though, tells a very different story. The display framing is, in a word, stunning. HONOR uses a sub-1mm bezel around the screen that makes the border all but disappear, creating a front face that looks incredibly clean and modern. Certified by TÜV Rheinland as the narrowest black bezel among all global straight-screen phones currently on the market, it gives the phone a near-borderless look that you’d normally expect from something much more expensive.

Ergonomics

Picking up the HONOR 600 for the first time is a small but pleasant surprise. At 185g with a 6,400mAh battery packed inside a 7.8mm body, it feels lighter than you’d expect, without ever feeling cheap or flimsy. There’s a genuinely satisfying substance to it, the kind of weight that communicates quality rather than bulk, and the flat profile makes it comfortable to slip in and out of a pocket.

The flat edges of the aluminum frame, also on par with today’s design trends, have a satin-like finish that adds some texture to your grip. Along with the matte texture of the composite fiber material on its back, the Honor 600 offers a satisfying and confident hold that won’t make you feel like you’re precariously carrying some fragile luxury item.

One-handed use is generally comfortable, though there are a couple of small quirks worth mentioning. The camera bump introduces a slight wobble when the phone rests on a flat surface, which is par for the course with most phones these days. The under-display fingerprint sensor also sits a little lower than feels natural, requiring a small but noticeable stretch that takes a few days to get used to.

Performance

The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 at the heart of the HONOR 600 isn’t branded as a flagship-grade processor, though it promises 27% CPU and 30% GPU performance improvements over its predecessor. That said, it handles daily tasks with smooth, unfussy reliability, from jumping between apps to editing photos in a gallery packed with AI tools. Gaming is no issue either, and the phone doesn’t grow unbearably hot during its use.

As mentioned earlier, the display matches the phone’s stunning rear design, boasting a bright 6.57-inch 120Hz AMOLED display with a resolution that sits comfortably above FHD+ resolution. The true test of its brightness comes in its Sunlight mode, pushing it to around the advertised 8,000 nits, allowing you to capture moments and videos even under bright sunlight.

Battery life is where the HONOR 600 makes its most compelling argument. The European review unit packs a 6,400mAh cell, while other regional variants go up to 7,000mAh, and either way, you’re getting genuinely impressive endurance. Heavy days involving a lot of photography, video streaming, and social media don’t bring the battery to its knees before bedtime, and lighter days make two-day stretches perfectly achievable.

Charging comes via an 80W wired HONOR SuperCharge connection that tops the phone up quickly when you need it, though wireless charging isn’t part of the package here. That’s one of the few features reserved for the Pro tier. Disappointing but not all too surprising, given some corners HONOR had to cut to reach this price point. The HONOR 600 does make use of that ample battery for 27W reverse charging, though it’s really unclear who still uses such a feature these days.

Portrait (Studio Harcourt)

The 200MP main camera on a 1/1.4-inch sensor is the standout on the back, delivering 16-in-1 pixel binning with an equivalent 2.24μm super pixel size and 24% greater light sensitivity. CIPA 6.0-certified optical image stabilization keeps handheld night shots sharp in a way that many phones in this category can’t match, almost to the point that a dedicated night mode feels redundant, let alone an AI-enhanced one.

Normal

Night Mode

Night Mode, AI Enhanced

Unsurprisingly, the HONOR 600 performs admirably in this department, producing impressive, vibrant, and detailed shots even without setting anything up. And there are tons of knobs and dials you can turn to tweak your photo to your liking. You can, for example, select between Vibrant, Natural, Authentic “Classic” filters, though the differences are sometimes subtle.

Vibrant (Default)

Natural

Authentic

Beyond that, however, the HONOR 600 descends into the mid-range category. The 12MP ultra-wide shooter is decent but basic. There’s also no dedicated telephoto lens, though, so anyone with a serious interest in zoom photography might notice the gap most. The 50MP front camera, however, is perfect for selfies and vlogs, earmarking the phone for a very specific market.

0.5x (ultra-wide)

1x, 27mm

1x, 35mm

2x

4x

There’s no shortage of AI features, of course, most of which lean towards creative use for generating or editing images. There are also the staples like translation, search, and, with a bit of irony, a feature that detects deepfakes and voice cloning. There’s a dedicated AI Button that can be configured to a range of predefined shortcuts, making frequently used functions easier to reach. Unfortunately, you can’t even set it to launch an app of your choice.

Sustainability

The HONOR 600 isn’t marketed on sustainability credentials, but it’s built to last, which is arguably more meaningful. IP68, IP69, and IP69K water and dust resistance ratings, tested under controlled laboratory conditions, are complemented by an SGS 5-star Premium Performance Certification of Drop and Crush Resistance. More than just stickers on a spec sheet, they represent a phone that can handle the knocks and spills of daily life without drama.

HONOR promises six years of OS updates, which is a meaningful commitment that helps justify holding onto the phone for longer. The rollout timing isn’t always perfectly predictable, but the intention is solid. On the packaging front, there’s no charger in the minimalist and extremely compact box, which has become standard practice across the industry and is unlikely to inconvenience most buyers who already have an 80W-compatible charger at home.

Value

The HONOR 600 starts at €649.90 in Europe (around £549.99 in the UK, or roughly $700 in the US) for the 8GB RAM, 256GB storage configuration. That puts it squarely in premium territory, well above casual midrange pricing and nudging into the lower end of the proper flagship bracket. For context, it’s the kind of money where expectations are high, and compromises get noticed quickly.

Given what you’re getting, though, the asking price holds up well. The combination of premium design, a genuinely impressive main camera, outstanding battery life, a bright and comfortable display, and triple water resistance creates a package that feels more expensive than it costs. For buyers who prioritize how a phone looks and how long it lasts over raw performance or camera versatility, there’s real value here.

The one thing worth factoring in is how close the standard model sits in price to the Pro. The upgrade brings the Snapdragon 8 Elite, marking the first time the N Series featured that Elite-tier chipset, along with a dedicated telephoto lens and wireless charging, with 12GB of RAM as standard. For avid mobile photographers who want optical reach for zoom shots, that gap might feel more significant than the price difference suggests. For everyone else, the standard 600 covers most of what matters.

Verdict

The HONOR 600 is a phone with a clear sense of purpose. It’s slim, refined, and built with the kind of care that tends to show in daily use rather than on a spec sheet. The battery lasts, the display shines, the main camera performs, and the overall package carries itself with a quiet confidence that’s surprisingly rare at this price.

If you’re looking for a beautiful everyday phone with serious battery endurance and a genuinely premium feel that won’t push you into flagship pricing, the HONOR 600 is hard to overlook. The missing telephoto and the lack of wireless charging are worth knowing about beforehand, but they’re far less central to the daily experience than everything this phone gets confidently right.

The post HONOR 600 Review: Looks Premium, Lasts all day, and Doesn’t Cost a Fortune first appeared on Yanko Design.

moto g stylus 2026 Review: Accessible Pocket Productivity and Creativity

PROS:


  • Stylus with pressure and tilt sensitivity

  • Beautiful, minimalist design

  • Bright and vibrant screen

  • Headphone jack and microSD card slot

CONS:


  • Short software support period

  • Relatively higher price compared to peers

  • Not much hardware upgrades from last-gen

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The moto g stylus - 2026 analog handwriting and digital freedom in a striking minimalist design that you can finally afford.

Despite and in spite of the growing number of screens and disembodied artificial voices around us, there remains a strong culture and argument for handwritten words. But while there might be plenty of benefits to putting ink to paper, there’s no denying that paper doesn’t provide the benefits of digital artifacts such as files, photos, and videos. For years, the stylus has been trying to bridge the best of both worlds, but it has so far been only within the reach of those who can afford it.

Since 2020, Motorola has been working to provide that kind of experience to more people through its Moto G Stylus line, but there have always been compromises. Ironically, most of those revolved around the very feature that gave the product line its name. With the moto g stylus – 2026, however, the brand is making its most daring leap forward yet, aiming for a title held only by the most luxurious of Samsung’s (non-foldable) handsets. So does it fly or does it fall? Read on to find out.

Designer: Motorola

Aesthetics

The moment you pull the moto g stylus – 2026 out of the box, you are immediately struck by how different it is from most phones of this generation. It doesn’t scream for attention with a ridiculously large camera module, nor does it attempt to dazzle your eyes with tricks of color and light. It is, in a nutshell, a minimalist lover’s dream.

The back of the phone, which is always the most expressive side of the design, is covered with a vegan leather-inspired material that gives the phone both visual and tactile texture. Continuing its partnership with PANTONE, those covers are available in subtle Coal Smoke (our review unit) and Lavender Mist colors, with the flat edges matching the hue. Other than the iconic “Batwing” logo and minuscule markings around the LED flash, the design is bare and plain, a refreshing change from the active and noisy rears of most smartphones these days.

The camera bump follows that same pattern, rising from the back plate with a gentle slope. There’s no separate structure caging the lenses, creating a seamless and unbroken surface that almost has a calming effect, especially when your finger starts to glide over the textured surface. There’s almost a sense of Zen, so to speak, which is almost how many pen and paper lovers describe their favorite notebooks.

Of course, the front is the polar opposite, but only because of its bright and vibrant screen. The thin and almost symmetrical bezels and the flat glass, however, serve to provide balance that keeps that liveliness in check. All in all, the moto g stylus – 2026 is both simple and sublime. It doesn’t call attention to itself with some fancy visual or material gimmick, but you can’t help but pay close attention to its minimalism just the same.

The stylus is cut from the same cloth, with a design that might be familiar to those who have held a Samsung “Ultra” flagship. It’s basically a somewhat flat stick, with a spring-loaded rear that easily resembles the (addictive) clicky ends of retractable pens. But unlike the small but stubby nibs of its predecessors, there is now a proper tapered, conical tip. Of course, it’s not just an aesthetic change, as we’ll get to in a bit.

Ergonomics

Another thing you’ll notice the moment you lift the moto g stylus – 2026 out of the box is how light it is. At only 192.3g, even with the 4.7g stylus inside, it’s easily one of the lightest phones in the market today. Given that it has a 6.7-inch screen and a large 5,200mAh battery, that’s even more surprising.

That lightness, however, is a double-edged blade. On the one hand, it might make the phone feel a little flimsy, almost like it could easily fly out of your hand. It almost makes the vibration haptics feel hollow, as if there’s not enough substance in there.

On the other hand, it strains your hand less when holding it for a long time, especially as you might find yourself constantly scribbling or doodling on it. The phone’s textured back and flat edges also help deliver a more confident hold. It just won’t accidentally slip from your hand that easily. A protective case almost feels redundant if grip is your only reason for putting one on.

One thing to note about the camera module is that although it is thin and subtle, it still lifts a single corner of the phone when you put it on a flat surface. That means it will wobble, which can be pretty annoying when you’re writing with a stylus. Funnily enough, that might actually be a more pressing reason to put a case on, just to create a balance. Unfortunately, you do lose out on feeling the phone’s textured surface.

Performance

The Specs

The moto g stylus – 2026 makes no qualms about its specs, clearly marking it for the mid-range smartphone market. There’s only 8GB of RAM, which can be expanded up to 24GB with RAM Boost, which basically eats up some of the already modest 128GB or 256GB of storage. Thankfully, you can also expand that storage with a microSD card of up to 1TB capacity, definitely a rare sight these days, even among phones on the same tier.

The biggest disappointment is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor, which is a holdover from last year’s moto g stylus. In fact, if you look closer, you’ll see plenty of similarities between the 2025 and 2026 models, from processor to cameras. It’s not always a bad thing, but given the price hike, you’d be forgiven for expecting a bit more.

Make no mistake, though, the moto g stylus – 2026 is plenty capable. It won’t win trophies on benchmarks, but it does get the job done without breaking too much of a sweat. It’s even surprising how it can handle a game like Warframe on high settings. It doesn’t get too warm, either, and the vegan leather material probably helps make it feel a little less warm as well.

And that’s perfect because the moto g stylus – 2026 has such a gorgeous screen to play and watch on. The 6.7-inch 2712 x 1220 AMOLED display boasts a peak brightness of 5000 nits, definitely one of the brightest in the market, making it easily usable under sunlight. The rounded corners are also less curved, so UI elements are not obstructed, especially in games. Plus, the 3.5mm headphone jack, another rare sighting, can perfectly complement the visuals with hi-def wired audio.

The moto g stylus – 2026 runs the latest Android 16, and given Motorola’s history, the skin is pretty minimal and non-invasive. It’s probably the closest you can get to a Pixel experience outside of Google Pixel phones, which is light, fast, and probably barebones if you’re coming from other brands like Samsung and Xiaomi. There’s almost no bloatware, unless you count the dozen or so pre-installed Google apps, which would be the same situation on a Google Pixel phone anyway.

The Pen

There’s no beating around the bush: the only reason you’d even give the moto g stylus – 2026 is because of its stylus. For the first time, that stylus is no longer just a very thin stub standing in for your finger tip. For the first time, it is supporting pressure and tilt sensitivity, features that only Samsung offers at nearly three times the price.

The older stylus designs were practical and usable, but this new pen opens the door to even more possibilities, especially when it comes to creative activities like drawing, designing, and editing photos. It gives you much better control and precision, while also offering more styles in terms of pen width, brushes, and the like.

The stylus is also crucial in some productivity workflows, like when dragging images to a note in split-screen mode, highlighting and copying text to a note, or for sketching a crude representation of a cat and using AI to turn it into a photorealistic masterpiece. Part of this upgraded experience is made possible with the Moto Notes app, which supports drawing on an infinite canvas that can then be embedded into notes.

The new stylus also has a button that can be mapped to some actions depending on whether you press or long-press it, though the actions are not that varied. The pen now also has to be charged, which is how it’s able to pull off that pressure sensitivity stunt, and you can only charge it when it’s inside its silo.

The Cameras

The moto g stylus – 2026’s camera story is rather underwhelming. On the hardware side, it doesn’t exactly differ from last year’s cameras, which include a 50MP Sony LYTIA 700C sensor and a 13MP Ultra-wide shooter that doubles as the Macro camera. In a nutshell, these are serviceable and decent, but they wouldn’t be something you’d want to rely on if you were planning on being a professional shutter bug.

The main shooter does a pretty good job of capturing detail, but its dynamic range seems to be on the narrower side, making subjects look a little flat. The AI-enhanced Signature Style can try to compensate, but it also oversaturates the output.

Normal

Signature Style

Normal

Night Vision

Nighttime photography is what you’d expect, as there wouldn’t be enough light information to work with. Night Vision Mode definitely kicks things up a notch, brightening things up enough to make out the details. This is one of those moments where the difference is, pardon the pun, night and day.

Ultrawide (0.5x)

Wide (1x)

Zoom (2x)

Given the hardware, ultra-wide shots are naturally less impressive but still get the job done for a quick panoramic picture. There’s no dedicated telephoto lens, so it does double duty as the macro camera. Unfortunately, it doesn’t make much of a difference. Portrait shots are pleasant and accurate, though, and you can select from 24mm, 35mm, and 50mm focal lengths.

Macro

Macro

The Battery

One of the few upgrades this year is the moto g stylus – 2026’s larger 5200mAh battery. It still supports 68W wire Turbo Charging and 15W wireless charging, the latter with no magnetic tricks. With the right power brick, you’re promised a full charge in just 44 minutes, but even a 65W charger managed to top the phone off in just a little over an hour.

That charging won’t happen frequently though, as the phone can last more than a day with normal use, including browsing the web, social media, and even watching videos on that bright, large screen. With less frequent use, it can actually extend to two days, though you’ll want to be on Wi-Fi rather than cellular to pull that off. Needless to say, it’s a reliable daily partner that won’t have you scrambling for a charger before you head home.

Sustainability

Motorola has been pretty vocal about its sustainability efforts, but the moto g stylus – 2026 is a bit of a hit and a little miss. The compact, plastic-free packaging is superb in that regard, ditching the redundant charging brick as well. Motorola also boasts about longevity, given the IP68, IP69, and MIL-STD-810H certifications.

Where the story takes a sad turn, however, is in the software upgrades. Only two years of Android upgrades and three years of security updates, figures that would have sounded generous almost a decade ago. This lags way behind the likes of Xiaomi, notorious for its short software support cycles, and is quite disappointing for an Android user experience that is almost as pure and unencumbered as the Google Pixel.

Value

There’s no going around the fact that the moto g stylus – 2026 has a price tag that’s a little difficult to swallow. It’s more than a $100 jump from last year’s model, and at $500 or $600, for 128GB and 256GB storage, respectively, other brands might give you better specs for the same price. Granted, Motorola often throws in bundles and discounts to sweeten the deal, but the initial price shock is unavoidable.

That said, that price could be a bit justifiable, especially if you factor in how electronics prices are going up these days anyway. For that amount, you get a solid, reliable, and beautiful phone that is almost literally a digital Field Notes notebook in your pocket. Considering that the closest competition is actually a $1,300 Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, then there’s almost no contest. Sure, it doesn’t have the glamorous bells and whistles, but neither would a trusty notebook.

Verdict

More than any mainstream smartphone in the market today, the moto g stylus – 2026 is clearly aimed at a particular audience: people who don’t want their productivity and creativity to be hampered by not having their notebook or their computer around. They say the best tool is the one that you have with you, and almost everyone has their smartphone in their pocket. And what better way to capture fleeting inspiration or sketch inspiring vistas than by whipping out your phone and pulling out the stylus?

By no means is the moto g stylus – 2026 perfect. In fact, you might even call it dated if you judged it by its specs alone. But with a talented stylus, a gorgeous screen, a reliable battery, and a beautiful minimalist design, it is definitely worth every penny. There is no perfect productivity tool or notebook, but the moto g stylus – 2026 comes pretty darn close.

The post moto g stylus 2026 Review: Accessible Pocket Productivity and Creativity first appeared on Yanko Design.

Lymow One Plus Review: The Tank Got an Engineering Degree

PROS:


  • LiFePO4 battery rated 2,000+ cycles outlasts all lithium-ion competitors

  • Heated cameras eliminate morning fog and dew navigation issues

  • 1,785W motor handles thick, wet, overgrown grass without bogging

  • Cyclone Airflow deck lifts flattened grass for a cleaner cut

  • Self-cleaning tracks and redesigned hub motors reduce long-term maintenance

CONS:


  • Blades, batteries, and chargers not cross-compatible with Gen 1

  • Pre-order starts at $2,699, $300 more than the Gen 1 launch price

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The Lymow One Plus is the robot mower that finally makes traditional mowing obsolete.

When I reviewed the original Lymow One last August, I called it nimble, powerful, and reliable. It was the first robot mower I had tested that did not just shave my lawn with tiny razor discs. It actually mowed. Real rotary blades, tank treads, and the kind of cutting power that could handle thick St. Augustine grass without flinching. On my property, with 32 massive oak trees creating GPS dead zones and physical obstacle courses that make other robot mowers throw in the towel, the Lymow One earned its spot.

But first-gen hardware always comes with rough edges. The bottom-mounted charging contacts turned into mud magnets. The cameras fogged up during early morning dew. If you cranked the speed to maximum in a treed section, this thing would literally try to climb the trunk. I learned that lesson the hard way. It is those exact war stories that made the mapping and setup process for this new One Plus the very first thing I scrutinized. I began by mapping my 6,777 square foot property via the app, which serves as the foundation for the performance results that follow.

Designer: Lymow

Click Here to Buy Now: $2699 $2999 ($300 off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!

Lymow collected feedback from the entire first production run and, instead of shipping a minor refresh, completely re-engineered the machine for its CES 2026 debut. The result is the Lymow One Plus: same tank-track DNA, same dual rotary blade philosophy, but with targeted fixes for every friction point Gen 1 owners identified. I have been running the One Plus on the same property, same 32 oaks, same slopes, and same thick grass, for several weeks now. This is not a fresh review. It is a direct continuation from someone who knows exactly where the Gen 1 fell short.

How I’m Testing the Lymow One Plus

To give this mower a proper workout, I started with the wire-free setup and mapping process. Since this system does not require a perimeter wire, the initial installation is relatively straightforward. I began by driving the mower like a remote-control car to define the boundaries of my 6,777 square foot property, which served as the foundation for the weeks of testing that followed. My test property in central Texas features 32 mature oak trees that create GPS dead zones across roughly half the yard and exposed root systems that have defeated every wheeled robot mower I have tested.

Design/Ergonomics

The transition from a traditional mower to a robot requires a shift in how you think about your yard. As I noted in my original Lymow One review, the setup is the most critical part of the user journey. For this review, I mapped my 6,777 square foot property entirely via the app.

LySee 2.0: The Cameras Can Finally See in the Morning

My property is the worst-case scenario for robot mower navigation. Thirty-two mature oaks with canopies thick enough to block satellite signals across half the yard. The original Lymow One’s RTK-VSLAM hybrid handled this better than any GPS-only mower I had tested, seamlessly handing off between satellite positioning in the open sections and visual navigation under the canopy. The transition was nearly invisible.

The weak spot was early morning. Texas humidity and morning dew would fog the stereo cameras during those pre-dawn sessions, and the visual system would degrade until the lenses warmed up. I noticed occasional “drift” under the heavy canopy during early runs that corrected itself once the sun burned off the moisture.

The One Plus addresses this directly with integrated heating elements in the camera housings. The lenses maintain a temperature above the dew point. This prevents condensation from forming in the first place. During my testing, the cameras stayed clear even in high humidity conditions.

The obstacle avoidance system has undergone extensive training to improve its real-world performance. Instead of just identifying objects, the mower now uses a combination of AI vision and ultrasonic sensors to determine how to handle obstacles. For smaller items like garden hoses or sprinkler heads, the AI recognizes the object and steers clear. For more complex terrain challenges like large oak roots or uneven ground, the ultrasonic sensors provide precision distance data that allows the mower to navigate the crossing safely without getting stuck. While the cameras identify everything from yard clutter to pets, it is important to note that all image processing happens locally on the mower. No video data is sent to the cloud, providing a layer of privacy for your home.

Interactive Status Display

The One Plus features a built-in LCD screen that provides real-time status updates directly on the machine. By separating this display from the LySee camera system, Lymow has made it easier to check battery levels, connection status, and current operation modes at a glance without needing to pull out your phone.

Heated cameras are not something you can isolate in a single controlled test. Fog, dew, and humidity vary day to day, and the real proof shows up over weeks of early morning sessions, not one dramatic before-and-after. I will be updating this section as I accumulate more pre-dawn runs throughout the spring, comparing the One Plus’s FPV clarity and navigation confidence to what I experienced with the Gen 1 under similar conditions. Obstacle avoidance around oak roots, garden hoses, and yard clutter will get the same ongoing treatment. Check back for updates as testing continues.

Performance

LyCut 2.0: The Blades Got Meaner, the Deck Got Smarter

The original Lymow One ran a 1,200W peak motor that I praised for tackling thick St. Augustine at my preferred 3,000 RPM “slow and steady” setting. At that speed, the blades cut clean and the yard looked professional. Crank it to 6,000 RPM for quick touch-ups and the power was there when I needed it.

The One Plus bumps peak power to 1,785W. That is a 50% increase, and the practical difference shows up in the worst-case scenarios: dense spring growth that has not been cut in two weeks, wet grass that clumps and resists cutting, or the thick patches near the base of my oaks where grass grows wild between root systems. The Gen 1 could handle most of this. The Gen 2 should handle all of it without the blade speed dropping under load.

But the bigger story is the new Cyclone Airflow system in the LyCut 2.0 deck. The original cutting deck was a standard floating dual-rotary setup. It worked, but “laid-over” grass, which are blades bent flat by foot traffic, rain, or the mower’s own tracks, would sometimes pass under the blades uncut. You would see patches where the grass was creased but not trimmed.

The redesigned deck creates a vacuum effect that pulls flattened grass upright just before the SK5 steel blades make contact. It is the difference between cutting what is standing and cutting everything. The blades themselves remain the same SK5 tool steel with 50 HRC hardness, now backed by a floating cutting deck that adapts to terrain variations independently from the chassis. Cutting height stays adjustable from 1.2 to 4.0 inches, and the 16-inch width covers serious ground on each pass.

I ran my usual test: I walked a grid pattern across a section of thick St. Augustine to flatten it, then sent the One Plus through. The Gen 1 would leave visible creased patches where the grass had been pushed flat by foot traffic. You would see these sad little stripes where the blades passed right over without cutting. The One Plus left a noticeably cleaner finish on the same test. It is not perfect, because nothing short of a reel mower handles fully matted St. Augustine flawlessly, but the improvement is real. The worst laid-over patches that the Gen 1 would completely miss now get at least partially caught. You can see the airflow pulling blades upright before the cut happens if you watch closely from the side.

What Early Adopters Reported (and What I Actually Found)

Three issues surfaced consistently in early 2026 user feedback: pathfinding “world tours” where the mower takes massive detours between zones, tread scuffing on wet turf during multi-point turns, and an app refresh bug that requires force-closing to see updated battery percentages. I went looking for all three. None of them showed up.

The One Plus navigated between my front and back yards through the narrow side channels without any detours or wasted battery. This model introduces significantly expanded multi-zone capability, allowing you to manage and customize up to 80 or more distinct zones. This is a major plus for complex properties with isolated grass patches or different landscaping requirements. You can set specific schedules and cutting heights for each area individually, which gives you much more granular control than the previous generation.

Tread scuffing was not an issue either. I ran multi-point turns on wet St. Augustine after morning rain, which is the exact scenario early adopters flagged, and saw no tearing or lasting marks. The tracks compress the grass temporarily, but it bounces back within a few hours. On established turf, this is a non-issue.

The app refresh bug is the only one I cannot fully rule out yet. I have not encountered it personally, but I also have not been obsessively checking battery percentages mid-session. I will keep an eye on it, though so far the app has shown accurate, real-time status every time I have opened it.

Sustainability

Self-Cleaning Tracks and Motors Built for the Long Haul

The original Lymow One’s tank treads were its signature feature and they performed exactly as advertised on slopes, roots, and uneven ground. However, over months of daily use, grass clippings and small gravel could accumulate inside the wheel wells. While not catastrophic, this was a maintenance item that added up and was reported by Gen 1 owners as a source of mechanical strain on the hub motors.

The One Plus addresses these concerns with self-cleaning side brushes that sweep debris out of the wheel wells during operation and a detachable track cover that allows for deeper cleaning without tools. Most importantly, Lymow completely redesigned the drivetrain with more robust motors. These improved hub motors feature 200% higher rigidity, meaning they are built to handle the constant stress of climbing 45-degree slopes without the mechanical fatigue that could shorten the lifespan of the machine. In my testing on steep embankments, the drive system felt noticeably more stable and sounded smoother under load.

The Efficiency of the 5A and 10A Fast Chargers

While the 5A charger serves as a more affordable entry point, covering approximately 1.1 acres per day, the high-performance 10A fast charger is the standard for those with larger properties. The 10A unit refills the LiFePO4 battery (15,000 mAh) from 10% to 90% in about 90 minutes. This allows for up to three mowing cycles per day, covering a total of 1.73 acres. Providing both options gives users the flexibility to choose the setup that best fits their yard size and budget.

The LiFePO4 chemistry remains the same, which is the right call. Standard lithium-ion batteries start losing meaningful capacity after two to three years of daily cycling. LiFePO4 at 2,000+ cycles means the battery should outlast the useful life of the machine. At $2,899, knowing you will not face a $500 battery replacement in year three is a real cost of ownership advantage.

The operating temperature range is also worth noting. It allows for 1 degree F to 134 degrees F for discharge and 37 degrees F to 134 degrees F for charging. That covers everything from an early spring morning to a Texas August afternoon without battery management concerns.

Value/Verdict

Is the One Plus Worth It

At a starting pre-order price of $2,699 for the 5A version, which sits $300 above the Gen 1’s launch price, or $2,899 for the 10A model, the Lymow One Plus brings substantial hardware upgrades to the table. That delta buys you the top-mounted charging system that eliminates the single most annoying maintenance task, a 50% power bump that shows up in thick spring growth, heated cameras for reliable early morning navigation, self-cleaning tracks, improved hub motors, and access to a professional-grade 10A fast charger. For anyone upgrading from the Gen 1, Lymow’s exclusive program offering up to 40% off or a trade-in makes the math straightforward. The charging fix and fast charger alone would justify it.

Compared to the competition, the value equation holds up. The Navimow X450 retails for $2,999 and is an AWD powerhouse with a class-leading 17-inch cutting deck. While its 84 percent slope rating is impressive for a wheeled machine, it cannot match the raw mechanical grip of the Lymow tracks on loose soil or 100 percent inclines. It also relies on standard lithium-ion batteries. This means you will likely see capacity degradation years before the Lymow battery shows its age.

The ECOVACS GOAT A3000 is the more budget-friendly pick at $2,099 to $2,499, but you sacrifice significant cutting width and the ability to handle anything beyond a standard suburban slope. Even the Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD, which features a similar tri-fusion navigation system, still uses wheels and standard lithium-ion chemistry. By choosing the One Plus, you are getting nearly triple the battery cycle life because of the LiFePO4 cells. While other packs might require a replacement after five or six years of use, this battery is designed to outlive the mower itself.

The LiFePO4 battery is the hidden value play that most spec comparisons miss. At 2,000+ cycles, you are looking at five to seven years of daily use before meaningful capacity loss. Every competitor in this price range uses lithium-ion chemistry rated for 500 to 800 cycles. Over a five-year ownership window, the Lymow saves you a $400 to $600 battery replacement that the others will eventually require. Factor that into the purchase price and the One Plus is actually the cheapest option to own long-term for properties that need tracked, heavy-duty mowing.

Pricing, Availability, and the Upgrade Program

The Lymow One Plus is available for pre-order at $2,699 for the 5A model and $2,899 for the 10A model, representing a $300 discount off the eventual retail prices. The 5A model covers 1.1 acres per day, and the 10A model covers 1.73 acres per day with faster charging.

US shipping begins April 20 for both versions. Canadian shipping starts April 15 for the 5A and May 18 for the 10A. The box includes the mower, charging station with adapter and 10m extension cable, RTK reference station with antenna and mounting hardware, and documentation.

For existing Lymow One owners, the company is running an exclusive upgrade program with up to 40% off or a trade-in option for the One Plus. One important note for Gen 1 owners planning to upgrade: blades, batteries, and other accessories are not interchangeable between the two models. The One Plus uses redesigned components throughout, so do not count on carrying over spare parts from your original machine.

The Verdict

The Lymow One Plus is what the original should have been. That is not a knock on the Gen 1, which I still think was a genuinely impressive first attempt at a tracked rotary robot mower. But the Plus fixes the things that made daily ownership frustrating: the charging contacts that required constant maintenance, the cameras that could not see through morning fog, and the previous charging limitations. Every major pain point I identified in my original review got a direct, engineered solution.

I will continue updating the heated camera section as spring testing progresses. But the core mowing experience, the cut quality, the terrain capability, and the autonomous reliability are the best I have tested in this category.

FAQ

What changed from the original Lymow One to the One Plus?

The biggest changes are the top-mounted charging contacts (moved from the bottom), 50% more peak cutting power (1,200W to 1,785W), and the Cyclone Airflow cutting deck. Hardware reliability has also been a major focus, with the addition of heated camera housings for all-weather navigation, a self-cleaning track system, and improved hub motors that have been completely redesigned for better long-term durability. Additionally, the One Plus offers a professional-grade 10A fast charger as a new configuration option.

Can the Lymow One Plus handle steep slopes?

It’s rated for 45 degrees (100% incline), the highest in the consumer market. The improved hub motors with 200% higher rigidity are designed to maintain traction without mechanical fatigue on sustained climbs.

Are Lymow One and One Plus accessories interchangeable?

The tracks are actually compatible between the two models, so you can keep those as spares. However, the blades, batteries, and chargers are not interchangeable because the One Plus uses upgraded components throughout the power system.

How long does the battery last?

The LiFePO4 battery provides approximately three hours of runtime per charge and is rated for 2,000+ cycles, significantly outlasting standard lithium-ion batteries.

Does it work without RTK signal?

It can mow small areas (0.025 to 0.037 acres) for up to 10 minutes without RTK, which covers brief signal drops but isn’t intended for sustained operation without the reference station.

Is there an upgrade program for Lymow One owners?

Yes. Lymow offers up to 40% off or a trade-in for original owners. Check the Lymow website for eligibility details and trade-in terms based on your unit’s serial number.

Click Here to Buy Now: $2699 $2999 ($300 off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!

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ASUS Zenbook DUO (2026) Review: One Laptop, Two Screens, All Business

PROS:


  • Beautiful, nearly identical 14-inch 144Hz 3K OLED screens

  • Narrower hinge creates a more immersive visual experience

  • Ceraluminum design adds visual and tactile character

  • Powerful Intel Panther Lake performance and impressive battery life

CONS:


  • Quite pricey

  • No built-in card reader

  • RAM is soldered

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The ASUS Zenbook DUO (UX8407) earns its premium with two stunning co-equal OLED screens, a sleeker hinge, and Intel Panther Lake performance built for serious work on the go.
award-icon

For a time, it seemed that foldable and rollable screens would be the future of laptops, just as they are positioned to be where smartphones are going. That was until people realized that what may be good for handheld devices might not work for 14-inch slabs with keyboards. Foldable laptops might still have their day, but they are too impractical and costly for now.

ASUS has chosen to instead design and deliver a solution for today’s needs and problems. Rather than a screen that folds just to save space, the Zenbook DUO has opted to expand the user’s workspace instead, bringing the productivity advantages of dual-monitor setups from desktops to laptops. This year’s ASUS Zenbook DUO (UX8407) does more than just upgrade the spec sheet. It is also adding a touch of style and elegance that makes a power user tool feel more considered.

Designer: ASUS

Aesthetics

The 2026 ASUS Zenbook DUO (UX8407) is quite stunning in almost any form, whether it’s closed shut, opened like a laptop, or especially when it’s wide open. The lid cover exudes not only minimalism but also character, with a reflective “ASUS ZENBOOK” logo engraved against the Elephant Gray “Ceraluminum” surface, creating a simple yet eye-catching visual and material contrast.

That Ceraluminum is, of course, ASUS’s latest material innovation that uses a special oxidation process to give aluminum some ceramic-like properties, particularly durability and higher resistance to scratches. The end result is a material that isn’t just nice to look at but also pleasing to touch, giving the lid a texture that almost feels like stone or, well, ceramic. There is also a certain visual “roughness” to the Ceraluminum surface, setting it apart from the brushed metal or anodized appearances of its peers.

Of course, the real show happens when you open the laptop and lift the keyboard away, revealing two gorgeous 14-inch screens connected together by a hinge, no messy or awkward cables. For this iteration, ASUS poured its efforts into making that connection look even more seamless, not only by shrinking the bezels between the displays but also by developing a new “hideaway” hinge that narrows the gap from 25.31mm down to 7.6mm. Make no mistake, there’s still a very obvious separation between the two, but it is now less jarring, making it feel like you’re working with a screen that just happened to be split into two, rather than two screens stitched together.

With the detachable Bluetooth keyboard resting on the second screen or when it’s closed, the Zenbook DUO (2026) looks almost like a normal laptop. You have a few (literally) ports on either side along with some air vents, and a wide-long grille at the bottom above the built-in kickstand. Your only clue that this isn’t a normal laptop is when you accidentally close the laptop lid without the keyboard attached, creating a very noticeable gap that, unfortunately, would also be an open invitation for small items to come in and scratch the screens.

Ergonomics

At 1.65kg (3.64lbs) with the Bluetooth keyboard attached, the ASUS Zenbook DUO (UX8407) isn’t exactly lightweight compared to other 14-inch laptops in the market, at least the non-gaming kind. That said, it’s not exactly on the heavier side either, especially when you consider that you’re carrying two 14-inch screens, not to mention a 99Wh battery, in a single bundle. In that context, it’s actually amazing how much ASUS was able to reduce the heft without cutting corners.

That said, having two connected displays brings its own ergonomics puzzle, something that ASUS seems to have finally solved almost to perfection. You have no less than 5 ways to use the laptop, from a normal laptop to two screens vertically stacked to the side-by-side “desktop mode”. While the hinge does most of the hard work, the built-in kickstand literally carries the burden, supporting that full weight (minus the keyboard) on its own.

The new kickstand is stronger, sturdier, and stiffer, providing confidence it won’t just suddenly close down. It can open to a maximum of 90 degrees, which is the angle you’ll need for desktop mode. That said, it also means that you only have possible angle for the displays in that mode, unless you have a separate stand to prop it up, which kind of defeats the purpose of having a built-in kickstand.

One thing to note in desktop mode is that you will naturally be sacrificing one side of ports. Thankfully, you can turn the Zenbook DUO (2026) which ever side up, whether you need an extra HDMI and headphone jack, or an extra USB-A port. Thankfully, both Thunderbolt 4 ports are equal in capabilities, so you don’t have to make a sacrifice on that end.

If there’s one thing I found a bit cumbersome in the Zenbook DUO’s design is that the power button sits so flushed against the frame. On the one hand, that means it won’t snag with anything in your bag, nor will it get triggered accidentally. On the other hand, it also makes it harder to locate it without looking or fumbling with your finger sliding across the edge repeatedly.

Performance

The ASUS Zenbook DUO (UX8407) is one of the early laptops to embrace Intel’s new Panther Lake chips, specifically the Intel Core Ultra 3 series. The dual-screen laptops comes in two options, one with an Intel Core Ultra 7 355 and the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H. In terms of CPU alone, these already represent a huge leap not just in performance but also in power efficiency, but the latter configuration pulls an even bigger feat.

The review unit we received comes with an Intel Arc B390 GPU based the latest 3rd-gen Intel Xe graphics. Forget what memories you might have had of integrated Intel graphics, because we’re entering an era where you can actually play games with decent settings on it. Of course, your mileage may vary and benchmarks can only provide some general idea, but that all these specs mean is that the ASUS Zenbook DUO (2026) is built for serious productivity and creative work.

It is, after all, designed for heavy-duty computer users ranging from knowledge workers to creators who need to bring the productivity they enjoy on the desktop to wherever they go. Productivity suites, video editors, graphics programs, 3D modelers, and even games won’t make this flexible laptop break a sweat. And yes, that includes some AI shenanigans, thanks to an upgraded NPU as well.

Of course, this also means that it has enough muscle to support running two screens which, by default, is set to extended (versus mirroring each other). The beauty is that these two screens are nearly identical not just in size but also in capabilities, where other dual-screen laptops skimp on the second screen more often than not. We’re talking two 14-inch 3K (2880×1800) 144Hz Lumina Pro OLED displays. Both support touch and, more importantly, both support the ASUS Pen stylus.

In reality, there are very slight differences between the two screens in terms of full color gamut and maximum brightness, but you won’t notice it too much unless you are actively looking for it. In practice, most people will keep content they’re working on in one of two screens anyway, leaving the other as an auxiliary for references or controls.

The latter is actually an interesting aspect of this dual-screen laptop, making the Zenbook DUO feel almost futuristic. While it does have a detachable keyboard, there might be times when you want to have more direct access to the lower touch screen without having to switch back and forth with the Bluetooth keyboard at the side. With a six-finger gesture, you can summon a half-height virtual keyboard, a half-height virtual keyboard with a virtual trackpad to the right, or a full-screen keyboard with a large trackpad below it, pretty much like the virtual equivalent of the physical keyboard.

Additionally, you can have other virtual knobs and sliders above the keyboard or as floating windows, thanks to ASUS’s Dial & Control app. These controls, which also include a numpad and an area for writing with a pen, can change depending on what app is currently in focus. With a browser window, it can have a button for a new tab or a dial for zooming in and out. Or it could be a knob for volume and a slider for screen brightness.

As for the detachable keyboard, it magnetically snaps into place, with retracting pogo pins creating a more stable connection than Bluetooth, though that is the only way to use it when it’s detached. That said, there are no notches or protrusions along the edges of the keyboard, so prying it away from that strong magnetic hold can take a bit of work. The keyboard charges when it’s lying on the laptop, but it can also be charged separately via USB-C. Key travel is decent, but the keys themselves feel a bit squishy. The large trackpad is sensitive, but the hydrophobic coating gives it too much resistance when gliding your finger across it.

The combination of the more power-smart Intel Panther Lake processor and the 99Wh battery tucked inside gives the ASUS Zenbook DUO (UX8407) quite a long uptime, even with both screens enabled. Even a battery of benchmarks and hours of typing and browsing has left a good 12% of battery left, rounding up to a little over 15 hours of use, just a little below ASUS’s advertised 18 hours (with two screens). The included 100W USB-C charging brick helps mitigate the battery loss, and the fact that you can easily use power banks to top up on the go makes the battery narrative even more compelling.

Sustainability

ASUS didn’t use to speak much about the sustainability of its laptops, but that has changed in recent years. The invention of Ceraluminum adds another level to that story, though a bit indirectly. In a nutshell, the material is meant to increase the durability and longevity of the product by protecting it from small accidents. Whether the ZenBook DUO uses sustainable materials, or at least what percentage of it does, isn’t public information.

That longevity, however, is also affected by how much you can upgrade or even repair the laptop. Given how unconventional its design is, it’s really no surprise that there isn’t much here in the way of upgrade options. You do have easy access to the SSD underneath the kickstand. The Zenbook DUO (2026) can support up to 2TB with a full-sized M.2 SSD. The 32GB RAM, however, is soldered down.

Value

The ASUS Zenbook DUO (UX8407) is a laptop on a mission. It is, in a nutshell, designed for people who thrive and need multi-tasking capabilities that they could only enjoy while chained to their desk (or awkwardly carrying a portable monitor). That actually covers a wide range of professions and industries, including creators, designers, office workers, executives, and, yes, gamers. In that sense, there can probably be no better tool for them than this.

In both performance and flexibility, the 2026 Zenbook DUO offers users the power they need, as they need it. Cramped for space on a plane? Just use it as a single-screen laptop, and no one will be the wiser. Need to collaborate with a team? Lay it out flat on the desk to give everyone the same perspective. Need to reference documents as you write? The book-like desktop mode has you covered.

That said, it’s definitely far from perfect. For a laptop aimed at creatives and professionals, the absence of a built-in SD card reader seems pretty odd. And then there’s the $2,699.99 price for the configuration that has the impressive Intel Arc graphics. That puts it way above most 14-inch ultra-thin laptops and in the range of gaming laptops. But then again, none of those have two 14-inch screens, either.

Verdict

Laptops with foldable screens admittedly look fancy and impressive. The big OEMs, including ASUS, are still playing around to find the formula that will finally make it feel more than just a fancy and expensive experiment. In the meantime, however, people need to get work done, and when it comes to that, nothing really beats using more than two screens.

You could always carry a portable screen along with your laptop, which is awkward, cumbersome, and inefficient, or you could grab the ASUS Zenbook DUO (UX8407). With an improved hinge, beautiful co-equal 14-inch displays, and an Intel Panther Lake processor that can handle almost anything you throw at it, the dual-screen laptop lets you choose the way you want or need to work. And it looks stylish to boot in any form, making sure you’ll be the envy of everyone in the coffee shop.

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