Level Up Your Mobile Gaming with this Snap-On Ergonomic Game Controller Concept!

Google may have killed Stadia, but smartphone gaming isn’t going ANYWHERE. If anything, it’s just begun, with Sony rumored to be thinking of debuting a new handheld PlayStation this year. Meet the SnapJoy, a set of ergonomic controllers that snap onto the corners of your phone (quite like this wild Xbox Cloud mobile gaming concept from a few years ago), turning it into a handheld console quite similar to the Switch or Steam Deck. Unlike the Switch or Steam Deck, however, the SnapJoy turns your trusty smartphone into a comprehensive gaming setup, with easy-to-grip controllers that have all the buttons you need, and a curved design that actually does a precious job of not blocking any part of your screen. The best part? Discreet bumper stickers that you apply to your phone allow it to snap securely onto the SnapJoy controllers, so there’s never any chance of them disengaging during intense gameplay.

Designer: Zak Boardman

Designed by Zak Boardman, the beauty of the SnapJoy controllers are the fact that they exist independently as left and right devices that occupy hardly any space, making them easy to carry around in a bag with you wherever you go. Unlike the Steam Deck, which is a pretty massive piece of hardware, these controllers are the size of ergonomic mice, and snap to the phone in your pocket.

The way the SnapJoy controllers attach to your phone is quite brilliant. A rail guides the controllers onto the sides of the phone, with a tight tolerance for a great fit, and a set of powerful magnets help the controllers snap into place, helping them hold their position even if you’re gaming while lying down in bed.

Once snapped in place, they connect to your phone using BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) to work just the way regular wireless controllers do – although there’s a debate about whether that’s wiser than using a WiFi connection, which is a little trickier, but offers much lower latency.

The controllers themselves are fashioned with all the buttons needed for great gameplay, including two joysticks, a D-pad, action buttons, and all four L1/L2 and R1/R2 shoulder buttons. An internal battery in each controller supplies them with power, and a quick glance below also gives us a look at the internal components, which also include a vibration module for haptic feedback during gaming.

As per Boardman’s vision, the SnapJoy controllers come packaged with their own charging case, which holds four controller devices that enable two people to play games at the same time. Contact points within the case help charge each individual SnapJoy controller, and a backlit battery indicator in the case helps you gauge how much juice your controller has.

The SnapJoy controllers are conceptual for now, although Boardman has shown some progress with building 3D mock prototypes of the controller to judge their ergonomics and reliability. Let’s hope we see these in markets soon!

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Google Pixel 7A lands with 90Hz adaptive refresh rate, wireless charging and potent camera module

The long-anticipated Google Pixel 7A smartphone has now been officially introduced at the I/O 2023 annual developer conference’s keynote event. Keeping in mind the competitive landscape with strong contenders such as Galaxy A54 5G and OnePlus 11R. Google had to offer something compelling and that’s what they’ve done with the new value-oriented Pixel smartphone.

The device is hard to distinguish from the Pixel 7 that was released last fall with its aluminum camera island and metallic side rails. Only if one notices closely, the camera bump on this one is a bit thinner. Most importantly the new release is quite a few levels increment over the Pixel 6A and that too at a $100 lower price bracket. Along with this Google also announced the Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet at the event, so quite a lot to look forward to for prospective buyers.

Designer: Google

For starter, the Pixel 7A has a 90Hz refresh rate screen option for a smoother user experience. A very common complaint that Pixel 6A users and critics shouted out loud since it is a basic feature nowadays. The device also comes with wireless charging capability and face unlock feature that should lure more buyers into the Google ecosystem.

Another added perk is the presence of Tensor G2 processor that also powers the guts of the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro flagship costing $599 and $899 (unlocked version) respectively. That means the Pixel 7A will have same software trickery up its sleeve like voice-to-text, image Real Tone processing and Photo Unblur features.

The phone gets IP67 water and dust resistance rating and the 6.1-inch 1080p OLED display gets Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection. This size is just right for small-handed people as compared to the 6.3-inch Pixel 7. The camera setup on the smartphone is impressive as predicted with a 64MP primary sensor and a 13MP ultrawide shooter. Pixel devices are known for their camera prowess and 7A ups the ante with a higher resolution than the Pixel 7. The front-facing camera is also better with 13MP resolution.

The 128GB storage and 8GB of RAM could have got any other variant in 256GB configuration but we aren’t complaining. Google bringing many premium features at a lesser price tag of $499 to its devices is a clear sign it wants to compete for the bigger chunk of the market.

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Google Pixel Fold is officially here: what you need to know

It’s fascinating to see how mobile devices constantly evolve year after year, providing users with a broader range of options to suit their needs. The Google Pixel Fold is a perfect example of this, as it combines smartphone and tablet technology to push the boundaries of innovation in the Android market. Foldable smartphones have risen in recent years, and Google is finally getting into the game with the Pixel Fold. This device offers a versatile form factor that seamlessly transitions between folded and unfolded states, meeting the demands of users who want the best of both worlds, powered by the rawest form of the Android operating system.

Designer: Google

The Pixel Fold has an exceptionally proven camera system that takes full advantage of its distinct design, providing a smooth experience on both screens. The phone’s rear camera has a 10.8 MP ultrawide lens, a 48 MP primary camera, and a 5X telephoto lens. Additionally, the inner camera has an 8 MP lens.

The Tensor G2 and Android, combined with AI, make the Pixel Fold a powerful phone that transforms into a compact tablet. When folded, it reveals a slim 5.8-inch front display that easily fits in your pocket, making it the thinnest foldable on the market.

Experience a larger-than-typical smartphone display with the Pixel Fold. Simply unfold it to reveal a spacious 7.6-inch screen. Its custom 180-degree fluid friction hinge ensures a flat and crease-free display. Plus, the Corning Gorilla Glass Victus provides scratch resistance, and its IPX8 water-resistant design safeguards it against the elements.

The Pixel Fold is incredibly slim, with a thickness of only 0.5 inches. When closed, it measures 3.1 inches in width and 5.5 inches in height. Once it is unfolded, its overall size is 6.2 inches. Amazingly, it only weighs 10 ounces.

Despite its size, this device’s battery is smaller than its competitors and other Pixel phones, with only 4821 mAh. However, Google assures users of a battery life of more than 24 hours or up to 72 hours with Extreme Battery Saver mode on. Unfortunately, the fast charging feature requires a separate purchase of a 30W USB-C charger.

As a globetrotter, one feature I’m most excited to try out is the dual-screen interpreter mode for real-time translation and all the personal AI features expected from a Pixel device, including safety speech and call assist. This is also an excellent entertainment device, with a “tabletop mode” for optimized video playback and the ability to switch displays within an app.

1

You can now place a preorder for the Pixel Fold, which will be shipped next month. As a bonus, if you preorder, you can receive a free Pixel Watch. The Pixel Fold is a high-end device that Google has put a lot of effort into creating. It starts at $1,799 for the 256 GB model and goes up to $1,919 for the 512 GB model, which is only available in Obsidian. However, the Porcelain model only comes with 256GB and is exclusively sold in the Google Play store.

Considering that the Pixel Fold is a first-generation device, the cost charged by Google better come with a long-lasting build. We’re excited to test out the design and usability of the device once we get our hands on it.

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Huawei’s latest flagship P60 Pro with a fully upgraded camera system hits Europe and UK markets

Huawei is raising the mobile photography bar with its latest P-series flagship smartphone, HUAWEI P60 Pro. Released in March this year in China and now available in Europe and UK, the newest flagship smartphone from Huawei features a fully upgraded camera array, durable Kunlun glass, and premium aesthetics.

P60 Pro boasts a triple camera setup on its rear, comprising a 48MP main, a 48MP telephoto which can be used as a macro, and a 13MP ultrawide, which can also take micro photos. Flip to the other side, and there is a 13 MP selfie camera.

Designer: Huawei

The main camera is equipped with a physical aperture that can be set to ten different stops ranging from f/1.4 to f/4.0, just like HUAWEI Mate 50 Pro. Combined with a high transmittance lens group is an RYYB SuperSensing sensor with OIS. According to Huawei, P60 Pro’s main camera can capture three times more light than its predecessor, producing photos with high dynamic range.

The redesigned 48MP telephoto camera features the world’s first multi-lens groups and an f/2.1 aperture, the largest in the industry. The telephoto camera also features a RYYB sensor with OIS and is capable of 3.5x optical zoom. In addition, Huawei claims the telephoto camera with 13 MP Ultra-wide camera uses a RYYB sensor with an f/2.2.

For P60 Pro, Huawei steered away from the giant camera module trends we’ve seen from other brands’ camera-focused flagship smartphones. Instead, P60 Pro adapts a more subtle camera bump. The camera module design Huawei calls “The Eye of Light” features a rectangular camera bump that matches the back panel color. The main camera is housed in the middle of the camera module, accompanied by the ultrawide camera on one side and the telephoto camera on the other side.

For the global market, P60 Pro comes in two colorways – Rococo Pearl and Black. Rococo Pearl finish produces distinct patterns on each phone, making your device unique and elegant.

P60 Pro sports a 6.67-inch OLED display with 1-120Hz adaptive LTPO, ensuring smooth image during intensive tasks while conserving battery during less demanding workloads. New to the P series is the Quad-Curve Display with Huawei-exclusive Kunlun Glass. Weigh a mere 200g, P60 Pro’s slightly curved four sides wedded with more round edges provide a more comfortable grip and immersive display. In addition, the device has an IP68 dust and water-resistant rate.

A slight upgrade from its predecessor, P60 Pro packs a 4815 mAh battery which supports 88W wired charging, 50W wireless charging, and 7.5W reverse wireless charging. Not the biggest battery or fastest charging speed, but it should last a whole day easily. And if you need to quickly top-up, Turbo mode can charge the device to 50% in just 10 minutes. Huawei does not cut corners with the charger either. P60 Pro comes with an 88W dual-port charger that lets you charge devices via USB-C or USB-A.

P60 Pro runs the latest EMUI 13.1 operating system out of the box. Improved UI for the software includes a zoom scroll bar and an easily accessible camera menu, making it easy to shoot photos with one hand.

Black will retail for 1,199 EUR or 1199.99 GBP and comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Rococo Pearl is priced at 1,399 EUR or 1,299.99 GBP and comes with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.

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Galaxy Z Flip 5 might have a unique but slightly questionable design change

Although it was never really the only game in town, Samsung’s lead in the foldable phone market is starting to narrow down. There are now plenty of competitors, both in the book style and clamshell designs, and some of them are even scoring higher than Samsung on some points. Despite the growing rivalry, Samsung’s response so far has been modest or even downright disappointing. That might finally change with this year’s generation of foldables, with some big changes rumored to already be in the works. Based on unofficial 3D renders, it seems that the biggest change will be seen on the Galaxy Z Flip 5, though that much-anticipated upgrade still leaves a few questions unanswered.

Designer: Steve Hemmerstoffer (via Mediapeanut)

Unlike with a large, horizontal book-type foldable phone like the Galaxy Z Fold, you don’t really expect to be able to use the Galaxy Z Flip as a regular smartphone when it’s folded shut. Samsung, however, took that to the extreme and provided only a small window into your phone with a screen that’s barely larger than the two cameras beside it. Not only was it barely usable, but it was also a huge missed opportunity, something that the likes of the Motorola Razr and the new OPPO Find N2 Flip took advantage of.

It was probably only a matter of time, and the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 5 might finally try to get ahead of the race with what may be the biggest Cover Display for clamshells, a good 3.4 inches if the leaks are to be believed. This is only a tiny bit larger than the OPPO Find N2 Flip, which we reviewed a few months back, but it’s plenty big for plenty of content. It almost covers the entire upper half of the phone’s back, which suggests it will have a more comfortable user interface compared to the cramped Galaxy Z Flip 4.

The shape that Samsung chose, however, is quite odd and might not bode well for the experience that people can expect from it. It has a tab-like cutout to make room for the camera, similar to the notch on the first Galaxy Fold. This would suggest that the Galaxy Z Flip 5 will still use a custom UX for this external display, and it is unlikely that it will support the use of regular apps, unlike the Motorola Razr.

It’s admittedly a small nitpick compared to finally having a large external display. What the renders don’t show, however, is whether the Galaxy Z Flip 5 will be able to fold shut completely flat. That would require a change to the hinge technology that might, in turn, bring undesired regressions, like the loss of water resistance that only Samsung is able to confidently promise.

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TECNO PHANTOM V Fold Foldable Phone Review: When The Price is Right

PROS:


  • Eye-catching and distinctive design

  • More usable outer Cover Screen

  • Great value for its price

  • Large and fast-charging battery

CONS:


  • Hinge doesn't support intermediate angles

  • Limited global availability

  • Missing features like HDR, IP rating, and wireless charging

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

A beautiful phone with shockingly good performance, the TECNO PHANTOM V Fold's aggressive pricing is enough to make you overlook its minor flaws.

You know that foldable phones have really hit mainstream when even relatively lesser-known brands start launching one. Although it has been serving markets like Africa for years now, TECNO has only recently started to spread its wings globally. This year, it made its most ambitious move yet, launching a phone in a market that is still considered niche and a luxury that few could afford. The TECNO PHANTOM V Fold, however, has a trump card that almost no other of its kind dares to use: a significantly lower price tag. But at what cost does that price cut come, and is it enough to give the PHANTOM V Fold the upper hand? We give the latest foldable phone a spin to find out.

Designer: TECNO

Aesthetics

The TECNO PHANTOM V Fold immediately stands out among its peers the moment you lay your eyes on it. Its large internal screen is nearly crease-free (we’ll get back to that later), and its external cover display is along normal aspect ratios in contrast to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4’s uncomfortably tall and narrow version. What really catches the eye, however, is the rear design, including the camera bump, which is thankfully more than just a pretty face.

Like a breath of fresh air amid the sparkling or frosted glass of most of today’s smartphones, foldables included, the PHANTOM V Fold adopts a textured back panel similar to faux leather but with a more fibrous appearance reminiscent of craft paper or felt. It’s plastic, yes, but recycled plastic, at least, making you feel good about it in more ways than one.

Although circular camera bumps are no longer unique, TECNO puts a rather interesting spin on it by having the main 50MP camera raised a bit higher and off to the side of the enclosure, visually counterbalanced by the other two circular lenses on the opposite side. It’s an asymmetrical design that quickly calls your attention in a pleasing way, and it might remind you of the moon or, for some Star Wars fans, a certain planet-sized planet-killing machine.

Thanks to the use of that now famed “water drop” hinge, the PHANTOM V Fold can boast of a flatter internal display and a tighter fold. That said, it’s not as invisible as the OPPO Find N2, especially at certain angles, and the fold isn’t completely flat either. It’s still a lot better than the Galaxy Z Fold 4, though, which is quite impressive for a first attempt compared to Samsung’s four generations.

Ergonomics

While the TECNO PHANTOM V Fold might be a joy to look at, you might be taken aback a bit when you finally hold it in your hand. At 299g, it is easily one of the heaviest foldable phones on the market, even among the “horizontal” foldable kind. Thankfully, the textured plastic back helps give it a bit of a grip, but it’s something you should take into account when trying to use the phone for long periods of time.

Unlike most foldables, the PHANTOM V Fold’s outer Cover Display curves down on the right side, similar to the curved edge displays of past flagship phones. Unfortunately, it doesn’t add much to the experience except for a slight visual flair. Some might even find it to be a drawback because of accidental triggers when part of the palm or finger brushes that sloped side. Fortunately, its wider aspect ratio makes it a lot more usable than the narrow and tall oddity of the Galaxy Z Fold 4, but you would still prefer to use it with both hands anyway.

One of the neat tricks of foldable phones is to be able to use them in a half-folded state. It’s a novelty that only works if the apps support what some companies have branded as “Flex Mode,” and that’s sometimes the case with apps like YouTube or the camera. Unfortunately, none of that is possible with the PHANTOM V Fold because it can’t really stay still at any angle except completely opened or closed. It will stay open a bit at an angle but will eventually either open flat or close down. It’s not a deal-breaker considering the relatively small number of uses for Flex Mode, but it’s still a disappointing absence for a foldable.

Performance

Given its price tag, you might presume the PHANTOM V Fold to be the first mid-range foldable phone, and you’d be shocked that it isn’t the case. Granted, it’s not exactly the fastest or the best in class, but it’s far from being the last in the race. The phone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 9000+, which can definitely pull its weight and handle almost anything you throw at it, including games. In terms of benchmarks, it’s on par with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, which was the flagship chipset last year. In practice, you’d be hard-pressed to find something that will make it choke, especially with the 12GB of RAM that can be expanded up to 21GB.

The displays are nothing to scoff at either, both using AMOLED LTPO technology, which gives it a range of 10Hz to 120Hz refresh rates. Images are sharp and colors are vibrant, especially with the internal foldable panel’s higher pixel density. Neither are the brightest in the market, and the larger screen also takes a larger hit in brightness, but they’re usable enough even under bright sunlight. The display isn’t rated for any HDR support, which is quite a bummer in this day and age. Some streaming services might still attempt to play HDR content, though most likely through software processing.

The PHANTOM V Fold rightly has stereo speakers, with grilles located on opposite halves of the phone. The output is loud and serviceable but totally unremarkable in any aspect. You’d be better served by connecting wireless earphones, but the speakers will still do well enough when you really want to blast music out loud.

The theme of “decent but unremarkable” continues with the triple camera setup, led by a 50MP main shooter. Under bright light, shots are actually good with a fair amount of detail, though the colors look a bit washed and dull. The camera falters a bit at night unless you enable the dedicated Night Mode, at which point it actually comes out with impressive output. The 50MP 2x “telephoto” camera does reasonably well, though its zoom level can be considered to be the bare minimum. Jumping from 2x optical to 3x digital zoom immediately reveals a dive in quality. The 13MP ultra-wide is what you’d expect, though it thankfully still comes out with OK shots. None of the cameras advertise OIS, but the ultra-wide camera does have autofocus, which is actually a rarity.

Ultra-wide

Wide

2x Zoom

The internal front-facing camera uses a 13MP sensor and is easily outclassed by the 32MP selfie shooter on the outer display. Just like with most smartphones coming from the region, the PHANTOM V Fold applies aggressive “beautification” post-processing to the point of becoming a tad unrealistic. That’s especially true for Portrait Mode, which may misidentify people and start embellishing facial features and tones.

For its first-ever foldable phone, TECNO modified its custom Android experience with plenty of multi-window and multitasking features. Unfortunately, the HiOS 13 Fold user experience also comes with plenty of bloatware, some of which might be completely unfamiliar to most people. There are also some areas that feel rough around the edges, unoptimized, or even downright buggy. This is, fortunately, also the easiest part of the experience to fix, presuming TECNO puts in the work to push out updates quickly and regularly.

This entire experience runs on a 5,000mAh battery, which is admittedly one of, if not the largest for a foldable phone. Given its specs and its two 120Hz displays, however, the uptime practically evens out at the end of the day. The PHANTOM V Fold’s 45W charging speed isn’t exactly the fastest, but it’s almost twice what Samsung has to offer. There’s no wireless charging, though, but that’s also something that only the Galaxy Z Fold has anyway.

Sustainability

Just like any other smartphone these days, the TECNO PHANTOM V Fold doesn’t really score that high in this category. It deserves props for using recycled plastics for its back cover, but that’s a comparatively small part of the whole. The phone, however, takes the biggest hit when it comes to its longevity because it almost feels as if this phone isn’t built to last.

For example, there is no IP rating, not even an assurance beyond something along the lines of using a “splash-proof” coating. The hinge type might be at fault here, but anything that would give consumers some confidence is definitely welcome. Official IP certification definitely costs a lot, but given how fragile these foldable phones already are, it could be something buyers will be willing to pay for.

TECNO also doesn’t have a track record of software updates, at least not yet, and it’s only offering the barest of bare minimum for the PHANTOM V Fold, just two years, in this case. That can and will hopefully change now that the company is trying to play in the big leagues, where Google’s three-year commitment was almost laughed out of the room.

Value

If it hasn’t been apparent yet, the TECNO PHANTOM V Fold seems to have many of these small nitpicks and paper cuts, minor flaws that keep it from getting a perfect score. Granted, no phone is really perfect, even those from much bigger brands than TECNO, but are these drawbacks enough to ruin the overall value of this foldable phone? Fortunately, no.

When looking at the bigger picture, the PHANTOM V Fold offers what market watchers and fans have been asking for for years, an affordable foldable phone that doesn’t come in a clamshell form factor. The $1,100 price tag alone, which is nearly half that of the Galaxy Z Fold 4, is enough to turn heads, but that figure doesn’t mean that the product isn’t up to snuff. It’s less about cutting corners and more about providing the best set of features for that cost. From that perspective, TECNO managed to pull off a miracle and might be the first one to really come out with a flagship foldable phone for the masses. Unfortunately, only those in India will be able to get their hands on this wonder device, at least for now.

Verdict

A lot of smartphone manufacturers are trying to make foldable phones more normal, but filling the market with such devices solves only one part of the problem. By now, many people are already aware of the benefits of such a device, and almost everyone definitely wants to have a larger screen to watch or play on. The only problem left is an affordable option that lowers the risk when buying a comparatively less durable phone.

The TECNO PHANTOM V Fold is the first to really take a step in that direction. In some ways, it is better than the standard that Samsung set, and in other ways, it is at least on par. It is far from being perfect, and there’s a laundry list of flaws to nitpick. In the grand scheme of things, however, the PHANTOM V Fold delivers a solid foldable phone experience that’s well worth the $1,100, presuming you can get your hands on one.

The post TECNO PHANTOM V Fold Foldable Phone Review: When The Price is Right first appeared on Yanko Design.

Motorola Razr 2023 foldable phone might cut some corners for a price cut

The number of brands selling foldable phones has started to rise, but sales of these still niche devices haven’t increased significantly yet. There are a number of factors contributing to this slow adoption, including the hesitation to invest in a still unproven and fragile technology. Perhaps a more important reason, however, is the prohibitive price of these smartphones, with the cheapest going for above your average flagship. Making foldable phones more accessible could also help make them more common, and it seems that Motorola will be attempting to address that problem, but it will be making one critical change to reach that price point, one that loses one of the new Razr’s biggest appeal.

Designer: Steve Hemmerstoffer (via MySmartPrice)

The RAZR is one of Motorola’s most iconic phones, at least for those old enough to remember the original non-smart feature phone. Its razor-thin profile, from which it gets its name, was revolutionary even in the age of flip phones. The company revived that name back in 2019, and it also transformed the design into a foldable clamshell. Although it is hardly the only player in that arena, the Motorola Razr still has one important feature that none of its rivals have.

The new and foldable Razr has one of the biggest external screens as far as clamshells go. More than that, however, that screen can also run the full Android interface rather than a small custom UI with limited functionality. It is indeed cramped, but it at least gives owners the freedom to use it the way they want rather than constricting them to the manufacturer’s vision.

It seems that the Motorola Razr 2023 will be singing a different tune, though. It might even go by a different name. Based on renders generated from leaked information, this foldable clamshell will do away with the larger cover display. Instead, the dual cameras on its back will sit beside a small rectangular screen no taller than those cameras. Naturally, this would suggest that there will also be a reduction in capabilities, limiting its use to displaying notifications and the like.

Fortunately, this Razr “Lite” is expected to be accompanied by a Razr+ flagship model that would hopefully retain the foldable phone’s key feature. In exchange for that loss in functionality, the Razr Lite is expected to start with a lower price tag. How low that price will be is still unknown, but it better be accessible, or else Motorola will have a dud in its hands.

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ASUS ROG Phone 7 carries a simpler design that belies its power

Gaming smartphones are a bit of an oddity in the mobile market. While all high-end phones are technically capable of running mobile games, these devices pull out all the stops to squeeze out everything they can from the hardware. Most of them also carry designs that are a bit over the top in order to appeal to gamers’ aesthetics and their love for glowing RGB lights. That, however, might have just been the youthful phase of this niche market. After six yearly iterations, it seems that ASUS’ Republic of Gamers brand, or ROG, has started to dial down its designs, pushing forward a ROG Phone 7 Series that hides over-the-top features behind a more moderate appearance.

Designer: ASUS

The ASUS ROG Phone 7 definitely has all the makings of a top-of-the-line gaming phone, starting with its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, up to 16GB of RAM, a large 6.78-inch FHD+ screen, and an extra generous 6,000mAh battery. Like other ROG phones before it, it has gaming-specific features as well, such as touch-sensitive AirTriggers on the phone’s frame as well as a second charging port so that you can keep the phone plugged in comfortably while gaming.

All that power will naturally generate a lot of heat, and this is one area that gaming phones tend to go to extremes to address. In the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate’s case, the extra cooling help comes from the new AeroActive Cooler 7 that latches onto the back of the phone. This accessory introduces a thermoelectric Peltier system to really drag down the temperatures when necessary. This external fan works in tandem with the ROG Phone 7’s AeroActive Portal, which is basically a set of air inlets that direct the cooler’s air onto the phone’s vapor chamber.

Amusingly, that same AeroActive Cooler 7 accessory also brings a feature that’s unheard of on smartphones. The attachment houses a five-magnet super-linear subwoofer that complements the phone’s built-in stereo speakers, though that requires the cooler to be attached. Whether that makes a significant difference, especially when playing out in the open, remains to be heard.

Unlike its predecessors, the design of the ROG Phone 7, both the regular and the Ultimate models, are more low-key. The Ultimate still has that strip of LCD that lets you display symbols and icons as you wish, but the distinct lines that divide the back into separate areas are now gone. The non-Ultimate models have a distinct dual-tone color scheme, with the upper half of the phone using a translucent material. Compared to previous ROG Phones, this year’s generation looks a bit more minimalist, perhaps suggesting that the gaming smartphone market is finally coming of age.

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Nintendo Switch Phone is a capable gaming device and reliable daily driver fused into one

It’s been more than five years since Nintendo made a comeback with its hybrid gaming console dubbed Switch. Little did they know that gaming phones would mildly jeopardize their dominance in the space.

Even though factual arguments would shun the idea of any current gaming smartphone snatching the lion’s share from Nintendo, a capable mobile device could be a real threat in the coming years. So, why shouldn’t Nintendo annihilate any threat before it becomes a major irk?

Designer: Ivan Llaneza

The Nintendo Switch Phone is an idea culminating from the need of having a portable gaming device that doubles as a smartphone when not playing games. For someone like me who appreciates the kind of titles available for mobile gamers, but still craves the next big leap to a Switch, this concept has reasons enough to meet fruition someday.

The IP68-rated device sporting a 7.1-inch OLED display (120Hz LTPO panel) is capable of playing Nintendo’s best titles courtesy the Qualcomm’s latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. That big display and the graphics-intensive titles require a capable power source, hence, the 7000mAh battery paired with a 60-watt fast charger makes complete sense.

While all these above-mentioned specifications might seem normal to a gaming freak, those magnetic Joy-Cons will gravitate interest. When you’re in the mood for gaming, the attachments seamlessly hook onto the phone and instantly turn it into a portable gaming device. The gadget is far better than a gaming phone or modern mobile gaming controllers for powerful smartphones. Both the blue and red Joy-Cons have a system lock at the back to keep the whole unit in one piece as gaming action intensifies. When using the mobile device as a daily driver, the lids conceal the exposed magnetic tethers.

Both aesthetically and functionality-wise, the Nintendo Switch Phone makes complete sense in a world crowded with similar-looking phones, gadgets and the accompanying accessories. While we may never see such a phone released by Nintendo, still it lets us cling to the idea of this concept design!

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OPPO Find X6 Pro Review: Maintaining the Balance

PROS:


  • Eye-catching but pleasant camera-inspired design

  • Impressive flagship performance

  • All three cameras have nearly equal quality

CONS:


  • Global availability is still uncertain

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

From its symmetrical form to its "Three Main Cameras," the OPPO Find X6 Pro's well-balanced design creates a soothing effect that's perfect for a chaotic modern world.

If you don’t have a design that screams at the viewer, you’re unlikely to get any attention, let alone sales. That seems to have been the unspoken rule in consumer products, especially in the smartphone market, for the past years, giving rise to sometimes eccentric and often impractical designs whose novelty wears off easily. Just like in the larger design field, there seems to be a growing counter-movement in the smartphone industry where phone designs are starting to settle down into something more refined, less obnoxious, and, in some cases, almost minimalist. That said, there’s still plenty of room to make a positive impression with some unique aesthetic that will quickly set the phone apart from its peers. That kind of delicate balancing act is easier said than done, so we take a deep look at the new OPPO Find X6 Pro to see if it manages to pull that dance off with finesse and aplomb.

Designer: OPPO

Aesthetics

Finding a good design that manages to enclose the growing camera sensors in today’s smartphones is a true test of ingenuity and craftsmanship. Some manufacturers seem to be content on just slapping whatever design element is trending these days, though some thankfully give the phone’s second most important feature a lot more thought. It’s not easy to hide the fact that you have multiple large lenses on the back of your phone, and OPPO seems to have decided to simply embrace that fact but present it in a more pleasing manner.

The Find X6 Pro is part of the growing number of phones with a large circular island that encloses the imaging sensors on its back. In a way, it’s not exactly space-efficient because it takes up a lot more area than the sensors themselves. At the same time, however, it spreads out the circular form wider so that it doesn’t look like a wart on an otherwise flat, rectangular back. It also improves the phone’s balance, as we’ll see later.

OPPO’s adoption of a large circular camera design isn’t by accident either. It’s meant to emulate the design of a camera lens from a traditional camera or DSLR, and even the small details were chosen for that purpose. The grooves on the aerospace-grade aluminum bezel around the lens is reminiscent of the grip of camera lenses, while the orange dot on the bottom of that bezel is an homage to the alignment dot found on SLR cameras. Given how cameras have become a core feature of phones, it’s not exactly surprising that some try to look like one as well.

As always, the Find X6 Pro will be available in different colorways, but the one that will attract attention the most will be the brown vegan leather variant. The synthetic material doesn’t cover the entirety of the phone’s back, though, but leaves some room for a metal-like glass surface at the top. This dual-material design is also reminiscent of classic cameras that have some amount of metal at the top, with a different plastic or leather material for the rest of the body. The Find X6 Pro will also be available in Black and Green, both of which employ AG glass that has been polished to the point of looking and feeling like metal.

Ergonomics

High-end flagships these days are usually either too heavy, giving your hand a strain, or too light, giving a bit of anxiety that you might accidentally let go of it. With a 6.82-inch screen and a weight of 218g, the OPPO Find X6 Pro is happily straddling the middle ground and gives owners a sense of confidence when holding the phone in their hand. Beyond those figures, however, the phone’s design also has a few qualities that improve its ergonomics.

The material on the back of the phone, for example, adds to the grip, though that’s mostly true for the brown vegan leather variant. The Green and Black glass models might be a different story, so it’s fortunate that OPPO includes protective cases inside the box. Amusingly, the case for the vegan leather Find X6 Pro mimics the phone’s dual-tone design, even though the material is completely made of TPU plastic.

The large circular camera design also gives the phone a more balanced weight distribution. Rather than having the thicker part of the chassis in a corner, having it in the middle and occupying almost the entire width of the phone’s back spreads the weight more evenly. It also means that the phone won’t wobble on your desk or any flat surface, remaining just as usable when laid down as it is in your hand.

Performance

There is really no fault to find with the OPPO Find X6 Pro when it comes to its specs. It is blazingly fast and responsive, which is what you’d expect from a phone running on a top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with 16GB of RAM, the latter of which can be expanded a bit thanks to virtual memory function. The same can’t be said for the internal storage, though, which is a fixed 512GB in this review unit. There’s a generous 5,000 mAh battery that, thanks to 100W SuperVOOC technology, can charge from zero to full in around 30 minutes. Wireless charging is no less impressive with a 50W AirVOOC that does the same trick in less than an hour.

The 120Hz 2K AMOLED screen is the star of the show when it comes to the front of the phone, and it’s touted to have one of the brightest panels in the market. Your mileage may vary due to settings and environmental factors, but it’s definitely vibrant and crisp under almost any lighting condition. The curved edges of the display may seem more like a holdover from a past generation, though, especially with many flagships now going flat on almost all sides.

If the phone’s design didn’t make it clear enough, the OPPO Find X6 Pro’s signature feature is, of course, its cameras. While almost all smartphone brands will, of course, make similar claims, OPPO really sets the bar higher with its 2023 flagship. It practically breaks down the wall between the “main camera” and “others” by using nearly the same quality hardware on all three cameras. To be precise, all three shooters use 50MP sensors, though their exact configurations still differ according to their purpose.

The “standard” wide camera, for example, gets a large 1-inch 50MP Sony IMX989 sensor that’s partnered with a 1G+7P element lens. The ultra-wide camera isn’t that far behind, with a 1/1.56-inch 50MP Sony IMX890 and a 110-degree field of view. Even more interesting is the telephoto camera that uses the exact same sensor but paired with an f/2.6 aperture lens, perhaps the largest for a smartphone periscope-style shooter. The telephoto camera can handle 3x optical zoom up to 6x hybrid zoom with little loss in detail. On their own, the cameras can take very detailed images and have no problems with low-light situations. They don’t, however, function just on their own.

There is, of course, OPPO’s in-house MariSilicon X Imaging NPU (Neural Processing Unit) that empowers the Find X6 Pro to deliver even more impressive shots, thanks to high-speed autofocus, intelligent resource management, and low-light processing. There is also OPPO’s proud partnership with Hasselblad that brings a distinct Portrait Mode look that simulates the optics expert’s classic lenses, such as the XCD30 and XCD80, to generate beautiful bokehs and portraits. And to prove that those shots were indeed taken in that special mode, there’s a Hasselblad Watermark function that adds details such as shutter speed, aperture, and the like to truly mark that impressive shot.

All in all, the OPPO Find X6 Pro delivers on what it promises, creating a balance between the three cameras, so you don’t have to make compromises in choosing one mode over the other. Transitioning between wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto is seamless and smooth, losing very little quality or detail in the process. It’s almost like simply switching between modes or lenses rather than sensors, which is the camera-like experience that OPPO is aiming for.

Sustainability

Smartphone makers naturally try to make their products durable and long-lasting in order to protect their reputation, but there always comes a time when disasters do happen. Unfortunately, companies don’t make repairing their own phones easy, except if it’s from official yet pricey channels. A phone’s durability goes a long way in making sure it stays in your keep a lot longer than usual. Its ease of repair, however, goes even further in prolonging a device’s life. Unfortunately, the Find X6 Pro isn’t exactly a shining example in that light.

It isn’t exactly a role model in terms of using sustainable materials, and OPPO has been rather silent about the phone’s composition. Vegan leather isn’t exactly a more sustainable option since it’s pretty much synthetic. It’s definitely a missed opportunity for OPPO to boast of its efforts and gains in this area, setting itself apart not just in its design but also in its concrete actions to protect its customers’ future.

Value

If you simply look at the OPPO Find X6 Pro’s core specs, you might get the impression that it’s just another high-end phone in the market, one that has a fancy design on its back, particularly if it’s one made from vegan leather. That’d be selling it short, of course, because what OPPO brings to the table isn’t just another phone but a phone with a symmetrical design in more ways than one. The well-balanced form of the camera bump and the nearly equal qualities of the three cameras make the phone well-rounded in almost every aspect. Unfortunately, its biggest problem isn’t an inherent flaw but a marketing strategy.

As of this writing, there is no clear statement yet on whether the Find X6 Pro will reach its way to global markets. The 6,999 RMB (roughly $1,020) price tag for the 16GB/512GB model becomes a non-issue because it will be difficult to procure one in the first place. Even if you did get your hands on one, though, the lack of official Google Play Support also makes it a deal-breaker for most Android users anyway. That said, most OPPO Find X models do eventually find their way to other regions, so it’s not exactly a done deal just yet.

Verdict

It’s hard to be attracted to phones with rather obnoxious camera bumps that call attention to themselves by screaming into your face. Admittedly, it’s perhaps harder to create a design that balances the contrasting goals of providing enough space for those cameras while keeping things pleasant and minimal. Very few have managed to succeed so far, and OPPO is perhaps a member of that small club. And it does so by embracing the camera enclosure for what it is while also paying homage to the true cameras that came before it.

The OPPO Find X6 Pro emulates the look and part of the feel of an SLR lens in a tasteful and unobtrusive style. It employs a contrast of elements to create a balance that is not only visual but also ergonomic. It also brings that theme of balance to its hardware, particularly with three cameras that are nearly equal to each other. In an industry that thrives on sensational designs and features, the Find X6 Pro is almost like a reminder not only to keep extravagance in check but also to maintain a well-balanced design for the benefit of the user.

Aki Ukita contributed to this review.

The post OPPO Find X6 Pro Review: Maintaining the Balance first appeared on Yanko Design.