Tag Archives: Smartphones

Nubia Z80 Ultra Review: Style, Stamina, and a 35mm Camera Edge

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PROS:


  • Stunning "true full-screen" experience

  • Eye-catching Van Gogh-inspired Starry Night design

  • 50MP camera with 35mm optical lens gives a more natural "human eye" output

  • Dual-stage physical button mimics tactile camera experience

CONS:


  • Not available in markets like the US, UK

  • Ultra-wide camera has no OIS

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The nubia Z80 Ultra delivers the rare combination of professional 35mm optics, multi-day battery stamina, and a truly notch-free display in a design that refuses to blend in.

Flagship smartphones have become predictable, with most settling into the same design language, camera arrays, and battery compromises that force users to choose between power and portability every year. The nubia Z80 Ultra breaks from that pattern with a phone that bets big on three things other flagships often sacrifice: a truly immersive, notch-free display; a massive 7200mAh battery that lasts days; and a 35mm optical lens that brings a professional photographic perspective to smartphone photography.

Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, the nubia Z80 Ultra targets users who want a device that excels at gaming, photography, and endurance without forcing compromises. Available in Black, White, and a limited Starry Night Blue edition, the phone blends bold design with technical innovation, aiming to stand alongside the best from Samsung and Apple while carving its own path through unique features and design philosophy. But does it deliver its promises beyond the juicy spec sheet? We take it for a spin to find out.

Designer: nubia

Aesthetics

The Z80 Ultra’s design immediately sets it apart from the sea of glass-and-metal rectangles dominating the flagship space right now. The review unit in black showcases a soft stardust matte finish that resists fingerprints and feels warm to the touch rather than cold and clinical. The luminous red ring encircling the main camera creates a visual anchor, drawing the eye without overwhelming the minimalist rear panel’s clean geometry.

The camera module occupies slightly less space than previous-generation nubia flagships, giving the back a more balanced, less top-heavy appearance. The arrangement of three lenses, flicker sensor, and laser autofocus module within the raised island feels considered and symmetrical. The DECO area occupies just 13 percent of the back, leaving plenty of room for the nubia branding and the distinctive red physical button on the right edge.

The four-sided curved bonding process and subtle arc edges give the nubia Z80 Ultra a refined, ergonomic profile. The 2nd-generation Longxi glass front is smooth and flat with a 2.5D flexible display that curves gently at the edges, creating a seamless transition between screen and frame. The crystal fiber body feels substantial and premium, while the rounded corners prevent any sharpness or discomfort during extended holding periods.

The Blue Starry Night edition takes the aesthetic in a dramatically different direction, with a Van Gogh-inspired swirling pattern across the entire back panel. This artistic approach makes the phone feel like a collectible statement piece rather than just a communication device. The black variant reviewed here offers understated elegance for those who prefer subtlety, while the white version provides a clean, modern alternative for minimalists.

Ergonomics

Despite the large 6.85-inch display, the Z80 Ultra manages to feel balanced and manageable in daily use. The curved back and tapered edges nestle comfortably in the palm, distributing the 227-gram weight evenly across the hand. The device never feels unwieldy during extended gaming sessions or prolonged photo walks, thanks to the thoughtful weight distribution and grip-friendly curves that encourage natural hand positioning.

The dual-stage physical camera button on the right edge provides tactile control that touchscreen shutters simply cannot match. Half-pressing focuses and locks exposure, while a full press captures the shot with satisfying mechanical feedback. For mobile photography enthusiasts who miss the feel of dedicated cameras, this button brings back the ritual of deliberate shooting. The button’s placement is natural for index finger access during landscape shooting.

Button placement follows a logical pattern, with the power button and volume rocker positioned for easy thumb access during normal holding. The ultrasonic fingerprint sensor embedded in the display responds instantly, unlocking the phone in well under a second. The customizable shortcut key can be programmed for quick camera access, flashlight activation, or any frequently used function, adding convenience without cluttering the minimal design.

The phone slips into jeans pockets without excessive bulk, though its width may challenge smaller pockets or hands. The slim 8.6mm profile helps offset the large footprint, and the matte finish prevents the phone from sliding on smooth surfaces when placed face-up on tables or desks during meetings and meals.

Performance

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, paired with up to 24GB LPDDR5X RAM and 1TB UFS 4.1 storage, delivers flagship performance that handles everything from intensive gaming to rapid photo editing without breaking stride. App launches are instantaneous, multitasking between dozens of apps feels seamless, and sustained gaming maintains stable frame rates thanks to the advanced cooling architecture working quietly in the background.

The REDMAGIC CUBE Gaming Engine optimizes power delivery and thermal management during gameplay. Running demanding titles like Genshin Impact at maximum settings with the 144Hz display active, the phone maintains smooth performance with minimal frame drops. The AI Super Frame Stabilization keeps motion fluid even during fast-paced action, while the 3000Hz touch sampling rate ensures every tap and swipe registers immediately for competitive advantage.

The advanced composite liquid metal and oversized 3D Ice Steel vapor chamber cooling system represents a significant upgrade, increasing cooling area by 35 percent over previous models. This thermal management prevents the performance throttling that plagues thinner flagships during sustained loads. During extended gaming sessions lasting over an hour, however, the phone got a little warm to the touch, but not so much to be uncomfortable.

The 6.85-inch BOE X10 AMOLED display is the star of the show, offering a truly immersive, notch-free viewing experience. The 1.5K resolution (2688×1216) delivers sharp text and detailed imagery, while the 144Hz refresh makes scrolling and gaming feel buttery smooth. Peak brightness of 2000 nits means the screen remains visible even in direct sunlight, and the 100 percent DCI-P3 color gamut ensures photos and videos look vibrant and accurate.

The under-display camera technology hides the 16MP selfie camera beneath the screen, preserving the seamless visual experience. While selfie quality in challenging low light doesn’t quite match dedicated punch-hole cameras, the trade-off for an uninterrupted display feels worthwhile for content consumption, gaming, and the overall visual aesthetic. Outdoor and well-lit selfies remain sharp and detailed, making the compromise reasonable for most users.

The triple camera system built around the 35mm f/1.7 main lens offers a perspective that feels natural and professional compared to the wider 24mm or 26mm lenses most flagships employ. Street photography, portraits, and documentary-style shots benefit from the reduced distortion and beautiful subject isolation that 35mm provides. The focal length matches human vision more closely, making compositions feel intuitive and authentic rather than artificially wide or compressed.

The 50MP ultra-wide and 64MP telephoto round out the system, providing versatile coverage from macro close-ups at 5.5cm to 85mm equivalent for portraits and distant subjects. The dual-stage camera button, combined with over 21 creative filters and Pro mode controls, makes the nubia Z80 Ultra feel like a dedicated camera that happens to make phone calls rather than the other way around. Strangely, while both main and telephoto cameras tout optical image stabilization or OIS, the ultra-wide shooter doesn’t.

The massive 7200mAh silicon-carbon battery delivers multi-day endurance that surpasses virtually every flagship competitor. Moderate use with mixed gaming, photography, and streaming easily stretches to two full days, while lighter use can push three days between charges. The 80W wired charging reaches 50 percent in about 20 minutes, and the 80W wireless charging (with nubia’s wireless charging kit) offers cable-free convenience without sacrificing speed.

Sustainability

Build quality inspires confidence from the moment the phone comes out of the box. The crystal fiber construction feels solid and resistant to flex, while the Longxi glass front shows excellent scratch resistance during daily use. The matte back finish hides minor scuffs and maintains its appearance even after weeks of handling without a case, though the included magnetic case adds protection without bulk.

The IP68 and IP69 ratings provide exceptional durability for real-world conditions. The phone survives accidental spills, rain exposure, and even high-pressure water jets during testing scenarios, emerging unscathed and fully functional. This level of protection adds confidence for daily carry in any weather, at the beach, or during outdoor photography sessions where conditions can’t always be controlled. The robust sealing around ports and buttons maintains integrity without compromising accessibility.

Value

The nubia Z80 Ultra positions itself as a flagship alternative that offers premium features without commanding the absolute highest prices in the market. The combination of the 35mm optical lens, 7200mAh battery, truly full-screen display, and advanced cooling system creates a value proposition that stands out from competitors who often sacrifice one or more of these features for slimness or cost savings.

For photography enthusiasts, the 35mm lens alone justifies consideration. Where most flagship cameras default to wider 24mm perspectives that distort faces and architecture, the nubia Z80 Ultra’s 35mm provides the “humanist eye” perspective prized by professional photographers for natural, pleasing compositions. The dual-stage physical button and extensive manual controls add value for users who want creative control rather than purely computational photography.

One significant limitation affects the Z80 Ultra’s global value proposition: regional availability. The phone is not officially sold in some countries, such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, or Japan, limiting access for many potential buyers. This limited availability means warranty support, software updates, and customer service may be challenging for buyers outside official markets. Network band compatibility and potential import costs could also affect value for those considering gray-market purchases.

Verdict

The nubia Z80 Ultra delivers on its promise of blending style, stamina, and photographic substance in a package that stands apart from mainstream flagships. The combination of a truly immersive notch-free display, professional 35mm camera optics, and exceptional battery life creates a phone that excels at the things that matter most for daily use: consuming content, capturing memories, and staying powered throughout extended days without constant charging anxiety.

For design-conscious users who value innovation over brand familiarity, nubia the Z80 Ultra offers a refreshing alternative with its bold aesthetic choices, tactile controls, and technical features that prioritize user experience over spec-sheet bragging rights. While limited regional availability may restrict its audience, those in supported markets will find a flagship that confidently competes with the best while carving its own distinctive identity through thoughtful design and engineering choices.

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REDMAGIC 11 Pro Review: Watch Liquid Cooling Flow Like Sci-Fi

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PROS:


  • Eye-catching visible liquid cooling design

  • Water- and dust-proof mini turbo fan

  • Has a rare 3.5mm headphone jack

  • Flat back design with no protruding camera bump

  • Impressive overall performance

CONS:


  • Gamer aesthetic won't appeal to everyone

  • Visible liquid cooling is only available on more expensive transparent designs

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The REDMAGIC 11 Pro makes cooling beautiful with visible liquid pulsing through its transparent body.
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Gaming smartphones have become a category unto themselves, but most either sacrifice design for performance or deliver great specs with boring looks that blend into the sea of generic slabs. For anyone who wants a phone that feels as exciting to hold as it is to use during competitive matches or daily tasks, the market has been surprisingly limited, forcing compromises that feel unnecessary given modern manufacturing capabilities and design possibilities.

The REDMAGIC 11 Pro enters the scene with a bold promise that challenges those compromises directly: flagship gaming performance wrapped in a design you’ll actually want to show off to friends and fellow gamers. With visible liquid cooling, a flat-back transparent body, and specifications that deliver the processing power, it’s a phone that promises visual impact as well as winning matches and dominating leaderboards. Let’s take a deeper look inside to see how well it actually performs in real-world use.

Designer: REDMAGIC

Aesthetics

The REDMAGIC 11 Pro’s design is unapologetically futuristic, especially in the Nightfreeze and Subzero transparent versions that showcase some of the phone’s internal engineering like a piece of wearable art you can carry. The flat rear panel eliminates the camera bump entirely, creating a sleek profile that sits comfortably on desks without wobbling and feels balanced in hand during extended gaming sessions that stretch for hours.

The most arresting detail is the visible liquid cooling system, particularly the circular Time-Space Ring window that reveals the AI server-grade fluorinated coolant pulsing through laser-cut microchannels beneath the transparent metal body. Watching the ice-blue liquid flow as the phone cools itself during intense gameplay creates a kinetic, sci-fi effect that’s both functional and mesmerizing, turning thermal management into visual theater that never gets old.

Dynamic RGB lighting frames the visible cooling loop and extends to a side strip that can be customized through software for different effects and colors. The transparent metal construction showcases intricate craftsmanship, revealing some of the components through the premium material. The effect is industrial yet refined, appealing to both gamers and design enthusiasts who appreciate engineering on display rather than hidden behind opaque shells.

Material choices reinforce the premium positioning throughout the device from every angle you examine it. Corning Gorilla Glass protects the display from scratches and impacts, while the aluminum alloy mid-frame provides structural rigidity without excessive weight that would make extended gaming uncomfortable. The matte Cryo version offers a more subdued look for those who prefer understated elegance, but the transparent models are where REDMAGIC’s design philosophy truly shines.

Ergonomics

Despite its futuristic looks and transparent internals packed with visible technology, the REDMAGIC 11 Pro remains remarkably practical for daily use and extended gaming sessions without causing discomfort. At 230 grams, the phone has a substantial feel without being uncomfortably heavy during one-handed use, and the weight distribution keeps it balanced during two-handed gaming grips that competitive gamers favor during intense matches requiring precision control.

The flat back and rounded corners create a comfortable grip that doesn’t dig into palms during marathon sessions lasting several hours. The absence of a camera bump means the phone sits flush on surfaces without rocking annoyingly, making it ideal for desk gaming, table use during video calls, or content consumption on flat surfaces where other phones wobble constantly from protruding cameras.

The phone’s 8.9 millimeter thickness makes it surprisingly pocketable for a gaming device with this much cooling hardware inside, fitting into most pants and jacket pockets without excessive bulk. The flat design actually helps here, distributing the phone’s footprint evenly rather than creating awkward bulges from protruding camera modules that plague most flagship smartphones today and make them uncomfortable to carry.

Button placement is thoughtfully considered throughout the design for both gaming and daily use scenarios. The power button and volume rocker are positioned for easy access, whether you’re gaming in landscape orientation or using the phone normally in portrait mode. The 3D ultrasonic fingerprint sensor works reliably even with wet hands, a practical detail for gamers who get sweaty during intense sessions. The customizable Magic Key on the side provides quick access to Game Space or other functions without interrupting gameplay or requiring menu navigation that pulls you out of immersion.

The 520Hz shoulder triggers are positioned perfectly for landscape gaming, offering tactile, responsive control that feels natural within seconds of picking up the phone for the first time. These physical buttons provide a significant advantage over touchscreen-only controls, especially in competitive shooters where split-second reactions determine outcomes and touchscreen delays can cost matches. The triggers support both landscape and portrait modes for versatility.

Performance

The REDMAGIC 11 Pro’s performance capabilities start with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, Qualcomm’s fastest mobile chipset built on a 3nm process with clock speeds reaching 4.6GHz across its cores. Paired with up to 24GB of LPDDR5T RAM and 1TB of UFS 4.1 Pro storage, this configuration handles anything you throw at it, from graphically demanding games to heavy multitasking across dozens of apps simultaneously without slowdowns.

What truly separates the REDMAGIC 11 Pro from competitors is the revolutionary AquaCore Cooling System, the world’s first mass-produced smartphone implementation of flowing liquid cooling technology used in AI servers. This system uses non-conductive fluorinated liquid, circulating it through micron laser-cut channels to draw heat directly from the battery and processor during sustained high-performance use that would throttle most phones.

The cooling system combines four technologies working in concert to maintain optimal temperatures throughout extended sessions. Flowing liquid cooling provides direct heat extraction from hot spots, Liquid Metal 3.0 ensures rapid thermal conductivity between components, and the industry’s largest 13,116 square millimeter vapor chamber distributes heat evenly, and a waterproof 24,000 RPM TurboFan accelerates air circulation without failing in humid or dusty conditions.

Testing with demanding titles like Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail demonstrates the cooling system’s effectiveness in real-world gaming scenarios. The phone maintains consistent 60-plus frame rates with minimal variance over multi-hour sessions, while competing devices show significant performance degradation and frame stuttering as internal temperatures climb. Battery consumption during gaming is noticeably lower, extending playtime significantly beyond what other flagships achieve.

The 6.85-inch AMOLED display dominates the front with minimal bezels at just 0.7 millimeters thick, achieving a 95.3 percent screen-to-body ratio that creates an immersive viewing experience without distractions. The display’s 2688 by 1216 resolution and 144Hz refresh rate deliver fluid visuals for both gaming and everyday scrolling, while the under-display camera technology eliminates notches or punch holes entirely, maintaining clean lines across the entire screen surface.

The screen emphasizes the importance of the touch experience as much as it does the visuals. The Synaptics 3910v chip enables 2,592Hz instant touch sampling, making on-screen controls incredibly responsive and precise during competitive play where milliseconds matter. The new wet-hand mode ensures reliable touch recognition even in rain or immediately after washing hands. The 3D ultrasonic fingerprint sensor works reliably even with wet hands, a practical detail for gamers who get sweaty during intense sessions.

The 7,500mAh battery provides genuinely impressive endurance across all usage scenarios, delivering up to 34 hours of daily mixed use and over 7 hours of Genshin Impact gameplay at maximum settings without charging. The 80W wired and wireless fast charging reaches full capacity quickly enough to top up during short breaks, and the inclusion of reverse wireless charging means you can power up accessories.

The camera system handles daily photography needs competently without pretending to be a dedicated camera phone, which is perfectly fine for a gaming-focused device. The 50MP main sensor with optical image stabilization and anti-glare coating captures sharp, stable shots in good lighting, while the 50MP ultra-wide lens handles group photos and landscapes with natural perspective. The 16MP front camera, tucked beneath the display, delivers selfies enhanced by AI processing that keeps skin tones natural and details clear during video calls or casual shots.

Sustainability

The REDMAGIC 11 Pro approaches sustainability through durability and longevity rather than disposability, building a phone designed to remain relevant and functional for years rather than requiring replacement. The aluminum alloy mid-frame and Corning Gorilla Glass construction create a robust foundation that withstands daily wear, accidental drops, and the rigors of travel without showing excessive damage or requiring replacement after minor incidents.

The IPX8 water resistance rating and unique dust-proof design protect the phone’s internals from environmental damage that would compromise cheaper devices, extending its practical lifespan significantly. The waterproof and dust-proof mini fan is a REDMAGIC industry first, ensuring the active cooling system continues functioning reliably even in dusty or humid environments where conventional fans would fail or degrade rapidly, maintaining cooling efficiency.

The visible liquid cooling system, while visually striking, also serves a crucial sustainability purpose by preventing thermal degradation of internal components over time. By maintaining lower operating temperatures consistently during heavy use, the phone’s processor, battery, and other heat-sensitive components experience less thermal stress, extending their functional lifespan and maintaining performance consistency across years of heavy gaming.

Value

The REDMAGIC 11 Pro’s pricing positions it strategically within the high-end smartphone market, especially considering what you receive for the investment in terms of hardware and design. The transparent Nightfreeze and Subzero versions start at $849 for 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, while the top configuration with 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage comes in at $999, offering flagship specs without flagship pricing.

When you compare these specifications and prices to other gaming phones and premium non-gaming flagships currently available in the market, the value proposition becomes compelling. Many similarly specced devices with advanced cooling systems, high-refresh displays, and large storage capacities often cost significantly more, sometimes well over the $1,000 mark, and frequently lack the visual flair, gaming-focused features, or transparent design aesthetic that makes the REDMAGIC 11 Pro distinctive.

When you factor in the visible engineering, waterproof active cooling, and gaming-specific features like shoulder triggers and dedicated gaming chips, the value equation tilts heavily in REDMAGIC’s favor. Throw in the 3.5mm headphone jack, 80W wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging, and you’re essentially getting desktop-class gaming performance in a pocketable form factor at prices competitive with conventional flagships.

The rare combination of visible engineering, industry-leading cooling technology, and thoughtful design choices makes the REDMAGIC 11 Pro stand out in ways that raw specifications alone cannot capture. You’re not just buying processing power and storage capacity; you’re investing in a device that celebrates its capabilities visually and functionally, making every gaming session and daily interaction feel intentional and exciting rather than routine.

Verdict

The REDMAGIC 11 Pro delivers on its promise to blend cutting-edge gaming performance with a futuristic design that turns heads and starts conversations wherever you use it publicly. The visible liquid cooling system is genuinely innovative beyond its aesthetic appeal, providing tangible thermal management advantages that translate to sustained performance during the gaming sessions that matter most to competitive players. Combined with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, massive battery, and thoughtful gaming features, it’s a phone that respects your competitive aspirations.

For gamers, power users, and design enthusiasts who want their technology to look as advanced as it performs during daily use, the REDMAGIC 11 Pro offers a compelling package. The transparent design, waterproof cooling fan, and flat-back profile demonstrate that gaming phones can be both powerful and beautiful, setting a new standard for what’s possible when engineering and aesthetics receive equal priority in product development without compromise.

The post REDMAGIC 11 Pro Review: Watch Liquid Cooling Flow Like Sci-Fi first appeared on Yanko Design.

Motorola Edge 70 Is 5.9mm Thin But Somehow Lasts 50 Hours

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Flagship phones keep getting pricier and chunkier, making it easy to feel left out if you want a device that’s both stylish and practical without emptying your wallet or your pockets. The latest Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge and Apple iPhone Air are everywhere, but their price tags and premium positioning aren’t for everyone who just wants a good-looking phone that works reliably without costing a month’s rent.

The Motorola Edge 70 is Motorola’s answer to those flagships with a phone that looks the part, feels great in hand, and packs a battery that goes the distance without constant charging. It’s designed to compete with the big names visually and functionally, but takes a slightly different approach under the hood with mid-range specs. The Edge 70 offers style and stamina where others demand deep pockets and constant charging anxiety.

Designer: Motorola

The Motorola Edge 70 is impossibly thin at just 5.9mm, making it the slimmest in its class and lighter than most competitors at only 159 grams. The matte finish, rounded corners, and Pantone-certified color options like Lily Pad and Bronze Green give it a premium vibe that stands out in a sea of black rectangles flooding the market. The aerospace-grade aluminum frame adds durability without compromising the slim profile.

Up front, you get a 6.7-inch pOLED display with a buttery-smooth 144Hz refresh rate and Pantone-validated color accuracy for authentic visuals. It’s bright at 4500 nits peak, vibrant, and smooth for scrolling, streaming, or editing photos on the go. The screen-to-body ratio of 96.32 percent delivers edge-to-edge immersion that rivals the best flagships on the market today.

Under the hood, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chip, 12GB LPDDR5X RAM, and 512GB UFS 4.0 storage handle daily tasks, social media, and light gaming with ease and reliability. While it won’t out-muscle the Galaxy S25 Edge or iPhone Air in benchmarks, it’s more than capable for most users who aren’t pushing hardcore gaming or intensive video editing. The specs are mid-range, but performance feels premium for everyday life.

The Motorola Edge 70 sports a triple 50MP camera setup, including main, ultra-wide, and telephoto lenses, plus a high-resolution selfie camera for social sharing and video calls. Moto AI brings smart features like auto-capture, scene optimization, and instant note-taking from photos without complicated menus or settings. The camera system is versatile for everyday snaps, portraits, and 4K video recording, though it’s not aiming to dethrone dedicated camera phones at higher price points.

Where the Motorola Edge 70 really shines is battery life and charging speed that outpace many flagships. The 4800mAh silicon-carbon cell and 68W TurboPower charging mean you can go up to 50 hours on a single charge with moderate use, and top up in just 15 minutes when you’re running low. This battery performance beats many flagships that sacrifice capacity for thinness, making the Edge 70 ideal for heavy users.

Shipping with Android 16, IP68 splash resistance, 5G connectivity, Wi-Fi 6E, and stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos, the Motorola Edge 70 is a well-rounded package at £700. For anyone who wants flagship style, exceptional battery life, and everyday performance without the flagship price or constant charging anxiety that plagues thinner competitors, it’s a compelling alternative worth serious consideration.

The post Motorola Edge 70 Is 5.9mm Thin But Somehow Lasts 50 Hours first appeared on Yanko Design.

vivo X200 Series Hands-On: For Concerts and Nature Adventures

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Smartphones have pretty much become more than just communication tools, at least in the traditional sense. We still use it to connect with others, especially via the Internet, but we do so more through images and multimedia, whether they’re the ones we capture ourselves or generated by an app. Cameras and AI have become the focal points of these devices today, no pun intended, and vivo is pressing three new smartphones under its X200 series, all equipped with the latest and greatest innovations promising the ultimate user experience.

Designer: vivo

Design: Nature-inspired, Classic Looks

If you simply compared them with the X100 phones at the start of the year, you might walk away disappointed. That said, the vivo X200 opted to ignore flashy novelties that wear off in a few weeks, preferring designs that stand the test of time. And what better way to embrace evergreen designs than taking a page from the most evergreen design of all: nature.

The vivo X200 Pro’s new Sapphire Blue colorway, for example, has patterns that seem to recreate the enchanting ocean waves on the back of your phone. The vivo X200 Pro mini’s Light Pink, on the other hand, is a nod to the romantic colors of cherry blossoms. Whichever color you pick, you will have a stylish and elegant phone in your hand.

The vivo X200 Pro mini adopts the current design trends with its flat 6.31-inch screen and flat edges, giving it a more modern personality. In contrast, the vivo X200 and X200 Pro stick to tradition with a “Quad Curved Screen” and gentle slopes on all sides and corners. All models of the X200 series are enhanced with ZEISS Natural Color, expanding the collaboration between brands beyond cameras.

Power: New Ways to Communicate

The vivo X200 series is powered by the newly-baked MediaTek Dimensity 9400 processor, the chipmaker’s first 3nm process, to deliver unmatched power and power efficiency. While that already translates to a huge performance boost, most users will probably be interested in how it greatly improves AI performance across the board, from the usual photography touch-ups to popular applications like AI note-taking and, of course, Circle to Search.

Completely new to the X200 series is a kilometer-level network-free communication technology, a product of its close collaboration with MediaTek. This would allow long-distance communication via Bluetooth even when cellular networks are unavailable but without relying on satellite technology. Sending text messages, making voice calls, or even broadcasting SOS signals in extreme environments like mountains and forests are critical features that will make outdoor adventures safer and more enjoyable using these phones.

Cameras: Zooming to the Scene

Of course, photography is a major piece of the X200 series formula, and it’s where vivo flexes its muscle the most. On the vivo X200 Pro, the roster is led by a Sony LYT-818, a 1/1.28-inch sensor that, paired with an f/1.57 aperture lens, is advertised to rival even larger 1-inch sensors. Together with the custom V3+ Imaging Chip, the X200 Pro is promised to deliver not only captivating still photos but also cinematic videos.

Portrait mode, 35mm

Portrait mode, 50mm

Portrait mode, 85mm

The real star of the show, however, is probably the 200MP ZEISS APO Telephoto camera, capable of up to 100x zoom, making short work of capturing live events like concerts. In addition to 85mm HD portraits, this camera is also capable of the new 135mm portrait focal length as well. A Telephoto Macro feature with a magnification ratio of 20x for stunning closeups of nature.

Macro, 3.5x (85mm)

Macro, 7.4x (170mm)

All in all, the vivo X200 series delivers quite a potent package that tries to serve the sub-$800 market. With impressive photography capabilities, innovative features, and a classic, nature-inspired design, vivo is aiming to strike a chord with an audience that loves living in the moment, whether it’s in concerts, live events, a nature trek, or an outdoor adventure.

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Pixel 9a leaked renders look pretty barren without the distinctive camera bar

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With the Pixel 6 in 2021, Google embarked on a new design language and visual identity for its smartphones. Like it or not, and some definitely didn’t, the camera “visor” has become an identifying mark of the Pixel phones since then, something that no other brand dared to even try. It underwent a few refinements until it was finally replaced by the camera “bar” in this year’s Pixel 9. Some loved it, some despised it, and some even wanted to have the old visor back. It seems that Google isn’t done playing around with the design just yet if these early unofficial renders for next year’s “mid-release” Pixel phone. And if the Pixel 9a is any indicator of the direction that Google will take in the future, it’s bound to split camps yet again.

Designer: Google (via AndroidHeadlines and OnLeaks)

It’s not that hard to understand how divisive the Pixel camera design is. On the one hand, it is big, visible, and distracting, but on the other hand, it is executed elegantly, balances the phone on your desk, and gives your index finger something to rest on when holding the phone. What both camps will probably agree is that the camera visor or bar is an identifying mark of the Pixel phone, and it’s something the Pixel 9a might lack.

Based on the first CAD renders made from leaked information, the next mid-range Pixel phone will ditch the camera bar for a flatter design. Curiously, the cameras aren’t placed closer to the upper left corner of the phone’s back even without the bump, and it seems to be in the exact same position if it did have that bar. It’s almost as if Google just did a magic trick like pulling out the tablecloth from under the cameras, leaving them in the exact same place. At the same time, however, the camera island isn’t completely flush with the rest of the phone’s back as it has a raised lip around the oval, perhaps for protection. Whether it will make the wobble is something that can only be tested with an actual unit.

Other than that, the rest of the Pixel 9a’s design is pretty similar to the Pixel 9, down to having only two cameras on its back. The exact dimensions of the upcoming phone remain undisclosed, so we don’t know yet how bigger or smaller it is compared to the Pixel 9. The bezels around the display, however, do look a little thicker, giving it a less premium appearance overall.

The Pixel “a” series often carries the design from the same generation, so it would be surprising to see this big a change for the phone. It could also be Google’s strategy to further differentiate the Pixel 9a from the Pixel 9, giving it an aesthetic that definitely looks more “mid-range” than the flagship models. You can still see signs of the Pixel DNA if you look hard enough, but other than the position and orientation of the cameras, it’s almost too easy to pass the Pixel 9a over for some more visually interesting mid-tier phones.

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