Quick verdict

The POCO M8x stands out with a huge 6.9-inch screen, stereo speakers, days-long battery life, and four generations of Android updates. It is also one of the heaviest phones in this range, and its camera outputs underwhelming results in low light. That said, at Rs 20,999, the handset is a solid pick if battery life and software support matter most.

Design: bulky to carry around

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The POCO M8x weighs a hefty 232g and measures 8.8mm thick, which may make it hard to wield with one hand during extended use.
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The POCO M8x design feels more premium than it should for the price, at least the Leather Green colour variant, which we received for review. As the name suggests, this variant of the M8x flaunts a leather back panel that is not only smooth to the touch but also adds grip for long-term use without the bundled case.

On the contrary, the POCO M8x is considerably heavy at 232g and measures 8.8mm in thickness, making it heavier and thicker than both iQOO Z11 Lite (review) and Realme P4R. Add to that the large bezels and bottom chin, and the M8x may not be an ideal smartphone for users with short hands. The extremely rounded corners are a great addition that don't dig into the palms during extended use.

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Some worthy additions to the POCO M8x include a secondary speaker and a 3.5mm headphone jack at the top, giving users multiple audio output options. For durability, POCO has deployed an IP64 rating and Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protection on the display.

Display: near tablet-sized display

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The 6.9-inch HD+ LCD display panel outputs sufficient vibrancy, though the contrast levels and dark tones may not look as rich as AMOLED panels.
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The POCO M8x features one of the largest smartphone displays I've tested. Measuring 6.9 inches, this is an HD+ IPS LCD panel with up to a 120Hz refresh rate. Jumping straight into the real-world experience, as with most LCD displays, the panel outputs sufficient vibrancy, but the contrast levels and dark tones don't look as rich as on AMOLED panels. But since most sub-Rs 25,000 phones in 2026 use LCD panels, there's little to complain about here.

While the 720p resolution gets the job done, don't expect sharp details when viewing text or video-based content. Speaking of which, on YouTube, the POCO M8x is limited to 1080p quality, which could be a processor limitation, since various phones with the MediaTek Dimensity 6300/6400 that we've tested previously offer the 1440p option on YouTube. The 120Hz refresh rate helps smooth daily performance, but you may notice instances where the screen doesn't reach the peak refresh rate, such as in third-party apps.

The phone supports a standard brightness of 675 nits and a High Brightness Mode (HBM) peak brightness of 825 nits. Indoors, the screen is perfectly legible even at 60 to 70 per cent brightness, while outdoors, direct sunlight makes the screen hard to read.

Performance: gets you through basic to medium-level tasks

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The Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 processor in the POCO M8x suits basic to medium-level tasks like calling, watching YouTube videos, and playing casual games, though you may notice occasional hiccups on social media apps when scrolling through posts.
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The POCO M8x uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 processor, the first smartphone in India to do so. Based on an octa-core architecture and a 4nm fabrication process, it carries up to 2.4GHz clock speeds and the Adreno 613 GPU. While our review unit has 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, the M8x is also available with a 4GB RAM and 128GB storage option, both featuring UFS 2.2 ROM speeds and LPDDR4X memory.

In benchmarks, the Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 scores better than the Dimensity 6400, while the Dimensity 7100 or Dimensity 7400 found in higher-priced phones perform significantly better.

[comparative-benchmark type="1" title="AnTuTu score" caption="AnTuTu assesses a smartphone's CPU, GPU, memory, and overall user experience (higher is better)" highlight="product_1" products="42370,41838,42105,41913," ][/comparative-benchmark]

[comparative-benchmark type="10" title="Geekbench single-core score" caption="Geekbench assesses the efficiency of the CPU's single and multiple cores (higher is better)" highlight="product_1" products="42370,41838,42105,41913," ][/comparative-benchmark]

[comparative-benchmark type="11" title="Geekbench multi-core score" caption="Geekbench assesses the efficiency of the CPU's single and multiple cores (higher is better)" highlight="product_1" products="42370,41838,42105,41913," ][/comparative-benchmark]

On to the actual experience, since the POCO M8x runs a light version of HyperOS (more on this later), its day-to-day performance remains largely suitable for basic to medium-level tasks, such as calling, watching videos on YouTube, and playing casual games like Clash Royale at 120FPS. On social media apps like Instagram and X, you may notice occasional hiccups when scrolling through posts, but that could be attributed to the processor's limited capabilities.

While our 6GB RAM variant of the POCO M8x held three to four apps in memory at a time, only time will tell how the 4GB RAM model fares over time. Overall, the smartphone will deliver sufficient performance for basic tasks; however, if you're seeking a more capable device, you may need to raise your budget for higher-priced alternatives like the iQOO Z11x (review) or OnePlus Nord CE 6 Lite (review).

Battery: charge and forget

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The POCO M8x's 7,900mAh battery can deliver impressive backup, potentially lasting days on a single charge with casual to medium use. As for charging, the phone tops up fairly quickly, taking around 70 minutes to juice up from 20 to 100 percent.
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With a massive 7,900mAh cell, the battery life is easily the most impressive aspect of the POCO M8x. In our in-house PCMark Battery drain test, the phone clocked an incredible runtime of over 22 hours from 100 to 20 percent, the highest we've achieved so far this year on a sub-Rs 25,000 phone.

[comparative-benchmark type="3" title="PCMark Battery score (in hours)" caption="PCMark battery test measures phone battery life from 100% to 20% (higher is better)" highlight="product_1" products="42370,41838,42105,41950," ][/comparative-benchmark]

This test mimics tasks someone would regularly do on a smartphone, including playing videos, reading documents and presentations, browsing the internet, and even editing videos. So the test should give you an idea of how the POCO M8x performs in terms of battery life. But if that's not enough for judgement, we also used the M8x with a SIM card installed as a secondary device, and the phone lasted around seven days on a single charge. Most of the tasks we did on the phone included using Instagram, taking photos, watching YouTube videos, and playing games.

Charging the phone from 20 to 100 percent remained a non-issue, as the 33W bundled adapter fully topped up the phone in around 70 minutes in our testing. Given the battery size, it charges impressively quickly.

Software: nerfed but carries nifty features

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While the phone misses out on advanced blur effects and textures found on high-end HyperOS-based phones, it comes with one of the longest software support periods in its price class of four OS upgrades and six years of security patch updates.
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On the software side, the POCO M8x boots on HyperOS 3, which is based on Android 16. Just after a few minutes of use, it's clear the software has been stripped of the advanced effects and details found on high-end HyperOS-based phones. This is likely to give the processor enough headroom to deliver smooth, flowing performance over time. For instance, there's no blur in the quick settings panel, volume panel, or Recents app page, and the animations aren't as seamless as on more powerful POCO phones like the X8 Power.

On the other hand, the software includes the usual nifty HyperOS 3 features, such as Xiaomi Hyperisland for displaying information or the current status of functions like the timer, stopwatch, devices connected to Hotspot, Xiaomi Interconnectivity features for easy file transfers, and more. You also get a certain selection of lockscreen clock styles, which you can customise. While it comes with several third-party apps and games pre-installed, you can remove most of them.

Lastly, the device is promised four years of major Android upgrades and six years of security patch updates, which is one of the longest software support in its price class.

[comparative-benchmark type="3000" products="42370,41838,41950,," pias="75,50,67,,"][/comparative-benchmark]

Camera: above-average results, struggles in low light

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As with most budget and midrange smartphones, the POCO M8x struggles to deliver decent results in low light, while daylight and portrait shots are just above average.
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The POCO M8x features a 50MP primary camera with an f/1.8 aperture and PDAF, plus an auxiliary rear lens, while the front features an 8MP selfie unit. Like previous POCO smartphones, it includes multiple camera modes, including Film Camera, Night mode, Auto night mode, Portrait mode, Time-lapse, and Dual Camera recording. Furthermore, video recording is capped at 1080p at 30FPS.

As for real-world performance, the camera delivers above-average results. In terms of detail and clarity, these aspects look fine on the phone's 720p-only display, but on higher-resolution panels it becomes clear the output lacks high clarity, which is to be expected from a midrange smartphone. At times, darker areas of images may show noise and grain because the sensor can't capture much light.

In terms of colour and vibrancy, the POCO M8x doesn't go overboard with saturation and delivers eye-pleasing tones in daylight. While it can struggle to control whites, highlight control and dynamic range usually stay balanced. In low-light or night scenarios, the images turned out soft and lacked detail. Since it lacks OIS, you have to hold the phone very steady when taking photos; otherwise, the results will be blurry.

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To determine how the cameras of the POCO M8x fare against the competing phones, we compared its camera results with those of the iQOO Z11 Lite in various scenarios:

Daylight

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/POCO-M8x-daylight-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/iQOO-Z11-Lite-daylight-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="POCO M8x" after="iQOO Z11 Lite"]

In the daylight comparison above, the iQOO Z11 Lite completely changes the scene by adding heavy cool tones to the image, taking away the realism. The POCO M8x, on the other hand, delivers a more natural, accurate output with slightly better detail. In dynamic range, the iQOO Z11 Lite exposes the darker areas a bit better.

Portrait

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/POCO-M8x-portrait-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/iQOO-Z11-Lite-portrait-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="POCO M8x" after="iQOO Z11 Lite"]

Both smartphones deliver different-looking images, with the POCO M8x retaining natural sunlight, while the iQOO Z11 Lite almost completely lets go of it. Once again, the detail levels remain the same, while the POCO M8x has noticeably better edge detection.

Selfie

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/POCO-M8x-selfie-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/iQOO-Z11-Lite-selfie.jpg" offset="0.5" before="POCO M8x" after="iQOO Z11 Lite"]

In selfies, the iQOO Z11 Lite delivers better detail and a more neutral, realistic colour balance. However, it fails to control excessive sunray highlights, making the POCO M8x's image more appealing, even though it adds a slight red tint to the face.

Night mode

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/POCO-M8x-night-mode-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/iQOO-Z11-Lite-night-mode-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="POCO M8x" after="iQOO Z11 Lite"]

In night mode, the iQOO Z11 Lite delivers a noticeably better image with sharper details, less blur, more contrast, and colours that match the actual scene more closely. The POCO M8x falls apart, with blurry output and blown-out colours.

Final verdict: should the POCO M8x be your pick under Rs 25,000?

The POCO M8x makes a statement with its humongous display. Even though the LCD panel is limited to 720p resolution, the large screen still gives you more real estate, something many people may prefer for watching content daily. The stereo speakers are a cherry on top, since competing phones like the iQOO Z11 Lite and Realme P4R do not have them. Then there is the exceptional battery endurance and long software support, the key highlights of the POCO M8x, ensuring the device lasts long on a single charge and keeps getting new Android upgrades for up to four generations.

On to the downsides, at 232g and 8.8mm thick, the POCO M8x is one of the bulkiest phones in its price class. A case further adds to the heft. In this regard, the iQOO Z11 Lite, Realme P4R, and OnePlus N6x fare better. They may not all pack a 7,900mAh battery, but they offer a more balanced weight with respectable battery capacities.

Moreover, as with most budget and mid-range phones, the POCO M8x's low-light camera performance is underwhelming, while daylight shots are usable, with natural tones and just enough sharpness.

For Rs 20,999, the POCO M8x is a worthy buy if you prioritise software longevity and great battery life, while the display, performance, and software experience remain usable for most casual users.

Editor's rating: 8.2/10

Reasons to buy

• A large display for watching content on the go.
• The battery lasts for days on a single charge with casual to medium use
• Extensive software support with up to four Android upgrades and six years of security patch updates.
• Stereo speakers, which rivalling smartphones miss out on.

Reasons to skip

• Bulky to carry around and put in pockets.
• Camera struggles to deliver decent results in low light.

The Mijia Smart Air Purifier 6 is priced in India at Rs 19,999, and it isn't just limited to removing harmful PM2.5 from the air. Read on to find out everything that the Mijia Smart Air Purifier 6 can do and how it fits into the room in this review.

Design

The Mijia Smart Air Purifier 6 resembles the Xiaomi Air Purifier 4 Lite in design. However, it has a more modern look, with rounded corners instead of flat ones, giving the device a sleek, minimalist feel. The purifier also feels more approachable in the room, easily fitting into a corner or a centre setting. While it may not be ideal for everyone, the purifier can also be placed on a TV cabinet as a showpiece if there is enough space. 

The Mijia Smart Air Purifier 6 features a squarish form factor, measuring 250mm in both depth and width, making it almost a foot across. At 550mm tall, it is roughly the height of a carry-on suitcase. Xiaomi recommends leaving at least 20cm of clearance on all four sides for optimal performance. Small air-intake pores cover the bottom half of the device, drawing in polluted air from the surroundings, while clean air is expelled through the top edge.

The front of the device features a small display in a circular housing, while the back has a large magnetic flap that houses the filter. All the sensors are hidden behind a small cap, just above the flap.

Controls and app connectivity

Before operating the Mijia Smart Air Purifier 6, remove the filter from its plastic packaging and place it back in the same slot. Then, put the large magnetic flap back in place. Connect the cable provided in the box to the purifier and plug the other end into a socket (a 16A socket works).

The display lights up, showing the filter's remaining health as a percentage. Below the display are two capacitive buttons: one to power the device on or off and the other to cycle through its modes, including Sleep, Auto, and Manual. That's about it for the device's controls.

For additional controls, you can download the Xiaomi Home app on your iPhone or Android smartphone. After a quick login, the app pairs the Mijia Smart Air Purifier 6 with your smartphone. I had the device connected to my Pixel 11 Pro, letting me manage it remotely and switch between fan speeds and modes. The app also records PM2.5, Dust, and PM1 levels across days, months, and half-years, so you can revisit them, find the average value, and see when air quality hit its worst.

Other app controls include customising the UV light, negative ion function, display brightness, notification sounds, operating schedules, and child controls. The app also actively displays information such as filter life, purified air quality, temperature, humidity, and PM2.5, PM10, and dust levels. While the app feels intuitive and easy to use, with a user-friendly UI and no ads, I wish it offered an option to customise the control layout, moving bottom-placed controls up for quick, easy access.

The app has several other features that require a separate article, but for controlling the Mijia Smart Air Purifier 6, you have everything you need to know. It's worth noting that I had v11.7.704 installed on my Android smartphone, and it didn't crash or freeze at the time of reviewing the air purifier.

Functioning, coverage area

The Mijia Smart Air Purifier 6 by Xiaomi is designed to function efficiently in an area up to 940 sq ft. While I can't vouch for whether it can clean an area as large as a 2BHK, I've tested the air purifier in both my living room (which extends to the dining room and kitchen) and my bedroom.

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Xiaomi-Mijia-Smart-Air-Purifier-6-review13.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Xiaomi-Mijia-Smart-Air-Purifier-6-review09.jpg" offset="0.5"]

The latter measures 10 x 15 ft and has a standard ceiling height. The Mijia Air Purifier was quick to bring the room's AQI down from poor, and at times very poor, to excellent. In Auto mode, the air purifier can take close to 20 minutes to cleanse the air. It is also worth noting that I used the purifier mostly with a 1.5-ton AC in the room, which could have helped clean the air by trapping lint.

However, the air purifier can independently trap PM2.5, PM1, and dust particles from the air. Xiaomi claims the Mijia Smart Air Purifier 6 can remove harmful elements from the air within three and a half minutes when run at maximum fan speed, and that was indeed the case. The purifier runs at maximum capacity when air quality is above 150 in auto mode, or users can manually switch to this mode via the app or the device display.

The Mijia Air Purifier 6 uses a Xiaomi High Efficiency filter, positioned just after the primary filter, that traps pet dander, pollen, and dust, rather than the traditional TrueHEPA filter for tiny PM2.5 air pollutant particles. The OEM claims that its filter removes 99.98 percent of 0.3μm fine particle pollutants. The efficiency seems to be on par with a HEPA filter.

The Mijia Air Purifier backs its filter with an activated carbon filter to trap foul odours, such as those from cooking. The purifier also comes with a UV light that helps prevent bacterial growth on the inner surface of the display, along with negative ions that help neutralise airborne particles such as dust, pollen, and smoke, causing them to settle on the ground. You can turn both off, but it is recommended you don't if you want a pleasant-smelling environment without bacteria.

When discharged, the negative ions are said to make the purifier a bit louder to operate, but I didn't find that to be the case during my usage. I could sleep comfortably with the air purifier on without sleep mode, which further optimises the Mijia Smart Air Purifier 6's performance by disabling the display light and reducing noise levels. Additionally, the machine supports 'Child lock' mode, which disables touch control on the display so that infants don't end up tweaking the settings. It can be enabled and disabled both via the app and the display with a long-press of the refresh-lookalike button on the device.

Maintenance and filter life

The Mijia Smart Air Purifier 6 requires minimal maintenance, most of which can be done by the user. The outer surface can be cleaned with a gentle, damp wipe, while the air duct and fan blades should be cleaned with a dry cloth or brush to remove accumulated dust. You can access the duct and blades by removing the top cover, which is secured by a screw located behind the small flap on top.

The filter also requires some maintenance. Brush it, not wash it, once every 30 days of use to remove pollen and other particles that may accumulate on its surface, helping maintain optimum performance. Xiaomi claims the filter can easily last between 6 months and 12 months, depending on usage and the air quality. The filter's health dropped from 100 percent to 97 percent after a month of use.

You can monitor filter health in the app or on the device itself. You also receive a notification when the filter health drops below 10 percent. A replacement unit costs Rs 1,499 and can be purchased via the company's official website. You can easily install it by removing the flap at the back of the purifier. This is the only component that requires regular replacement.

The filter also has an RFID tag, which the air purifier detects whenever it is removed or put back in place. This also applies to the back panel, which stops the air purifier from functioning when removed.

Verdict

The Mijia Smart Air Purifier 6 may not be the most aggressively priced option in its segment, but it makes up for that with a feature-rich package. It stands out with smart connectivity, a five-stage filtration system, and extensive coverage, while its minimalist design blends seamlessly into your home. Its relatively compact footprint also makes it easy to position around the room.

Besides lowering AQI levels, the Mijia Smart Air Purifier 6 can also remove odours and disinfect bacteria, helping keep your home's air cleaner. The air purifier is fairly easy to maintain, while the claimed 6–12-month filter life should help keep running costs in check.

There are a few shortcomings. The app could offer more flexibility in arranging its controls, and the purifier gets noticeably louder at maximum fan speed. These are relatively minor compromises, though, and don't take away from what is otherwise a well-rounded air purifier that combines effective performance with plenty of smart features.

So, if you're looking for an air purifier that combines effective purification with smart controls, detailed monitoring, and relatively easy maintenance, the Mijia Smart Air Purifier 6 makes a compelling case.

Editor's rating: 8.5/10

Pros

• Effective air purification
• Detailed air-quality monitoring
• Minimal maintenance
• Long filter life

Cons

• Takes longer to purify the air in Auto mode
• App controls cannot be customised
  

Realme 16 Pro Harry Potter Edition in-box content

The Realme 16 Pro Harry Potter Edition smartphone arrives in a replica of a Harry Potter trunk, which the company claims will be produced in limited numbers (5,000, to be precise). The custom edition phone is packed inside, along with a matching case, charger, and cable. Even the SIM ejector pin has been customised to match the theme.

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Realme has also introduced a customised Buds T500 Pro Harry Potter Edition to ensure you are fully immersed in the theme. The TWS arrive in a Hogwarts-inspired bag, along with a lanyard so you can easily carry it around your neck. Other thoughtful touches include an acceptance letter, train ticket, Hogwarts crest, bookmarks, character postcards, and Harry Potter's owl, Hedwig, keychain.

Check out our unboxing video to find out everything that you get with the Realme 16 Pro Harry Potter Edition.

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Realme 16 Pro Harry Potter Edition design

The Realme 16 Pro Harry Potter Edition is designed to celebrate the first season of the series, which welcomes students, including Harry Potter, to Hogwarts. Hence, you will find several Hogwarts-inspired elements, along with Harry Potter. The trunk has a leather finish, and so does the phone packed inside. The Realme 16 Pro Harry Potter Edition boasts a brown-shaded leather finish at the back, along with an argyle pattern inspired by the Wizard's Chess scene.

Additionally, a large Hogwarts crest is etched into the centre of the back panel, featuring the symbols of all four houses. The crest is accompanied by a familiar ribbon bearing the text "Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus," which Harry Potter fans will recognise as meaning "Never tickle a sleeping dragon." The crest may appear bland at first, but take it out under the sun, and you will notice the colours changing to those of the official crest.

It's a nice touch, but it comes across as a novelty if you are planning to use the phone with a case. Even the official TPU brown-coloured case doesn't have an opening for the crest. While you do get the Hogwarts crest etched on the case, it doesn't change the colour. Moving on, the back panel of the phone also features 'Harry Potter' text etched in the trademark font style, below the crest along with 'realme'.

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The brown shade on the back panel is nicely contrasted by the golden accent camera module and edges, which also have some thoughtful touches. If you focus on the camera module, you will find the camera rings shaped like Hedwig's eyes (Harry Potter's owl). The right spine has 'Welcome to Hogwarts' etched, exuding a sense of belonging.

The flat edges, 192 grams weight, and ports continue to be the same as the regular version of the Realme 16 Pro, which was launched earlier this year.

Realme 16 Pro Harry Potter Edition UI

The Realme 16 Pro Harry Potter Edition runs Android 16-based Realme UI 7.0 out of the box. The software features remain the same as the other Realme smartphones with the said version of the UI, but there are some visual changes. Realme has implemented a customisable theme, which has Hogwarts Castle as a wallpaper and app icons inspired by the objects in the Harry Potter's world, like a red telephone booth for the phone app, Hogwarts crest for Phone Manager, quill for Notes, chess icons for Games, and more.

That said, the theme doesn't seem to apply to all apps, including Google's, which affects the overall experience. Realme has managed to tweak the experience where it can, like the Harry Potter clock style and 'H' for the fingerprint scanner on the lock screen. I wish it also had some magic animations to complete the Harry Potter experience.

Realme 16 Pro Harry Potter Edition specifications

The Realme 16 Pro Harry Potter Edition specifications are identical to the standard model. These include:

• 6.78-inch 144Hz AMOLED display
• MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Max SoC
• 12GB RAM + 256GB storage
• 200MP OIS + 8MP dual rear cameras
• 50MP front camera
• 7,000mAh battery + 80W fast charging

Thoughts...

The Realme 16 Pro Harry Potter Edition feels more like a collector's piece for Harry Potter fans than a fundamentally different smartphone. From the Hogwarts-inspired trunk and accessories to the leather-finish back panel and customised UI, Realme has made a genuine effort to carry the theme across the unboxing and phone experience.

However, the Harry Potter touches are largely cosmetic, with the hardware and core software experience remaining identical to the standard Realme 16 Pro. You can read about how good the smartphone really is in real-world usage in our full Realme 16 Pro review.

The buying decision for this special-edition smartphone ultimately comes down to how big a fan you are of the Harry Potter franchise. The custom design and extensive accessories make this edition considerably more interesting than the regular model. The Realme 16 Pro Harry Potter Edition smartphone is priced in India starting at Rs 62,999.

Design and hardware

The headline spec is its size: 2.99mm thin and roughly credit-card sized, thin enough that it's easy to forget you're carrying it until you need it. A 0.95-inch AMOLED display handles the basics, recording status, battery level, and mode, and by most accounts it's bright and legible enough to read even outdoors, which is a nice touch for a screen this small. The body is finished in a matte aluminium alloy that feels considerably more premium than the plastic recorders this usually competes with, and the single button keeps the physical interaction dead simple: press to record, everything else happens in the app.

The Pro model gets four MEMS beamforming mics, replacing the fewer mics on the original Note, and Plaud claims a pickup range of up to 16.4 feet in the higher-quality mode. This means the device should pick up audio clearly even in busy, crowded meetings with people sitting farther away. I'll get to the actual performance in a bit.

Battery life is one of its stronger points. Plaud quotes up to 50 hours in a lower-fidelity "Endurance" mode without beamforming, and around 30 hours in the higher-quality "Enhanced" mode most people will actually use. In real use, that translates to barely denting the battery over several meetings, and standby time is long enough that you can genuinely go weeks without thinking about charging.

One thing to know upfront: charging happens over a proprietary magnetic pin rather than USB-C, so if you lose that cable on a trip, you can't just borrow one from someone else's bag. It's not MagSafe-compatible out of the box either, though Plaud includes a dedicated magnetic case in the box that lets you attach it to an iPhone MagSafe-style, so it's a workaround rather than a built-in feature. This makes sense given the device's ultra-slim profile.

Software, transcription, and AI connectors

Under the hood, Plaud uses OpenAI's Whisper for transcription and ChatGPT to generate summaries, covering up to 112 languages, with reported accuracy in the 90 to 95 percent range for English. The real strength, though, isn't the raw transcript; it's what you can do with it. Rather than a flat summary, you get multidimensional templates: key decisions, action items with names attached, or entirely custom formats pulled from a shared template library. It also gets smarter the more you use it, learning to recognise individual speakers after you label them once, and you can teach it custom vocabulary for local names or jargon it keeps getting wrong.

In July, Plaud announced a one-click MCP connector for Claude and ChatGPT. This is separate from the in-app transcription and summarisation; it's about pulling your Plaud recordings directly into Claude or ChatGPT as a connected data source, so you can ask either assistant to act on what was said. Setup takes under two minutes with no API keys or IT tickets involved, and it works with other MCP-compatible tools like Cursor or VS Code too, not just Claude and ChatGPT. For anyone whose job involves turning meeting talk into follow-up action, this closes a real gap that most recorders leave you to solve manually.

There's also an automation layer for the recordings themselves: you can set a keyword trigger, like a specific meeting type mentioned in the first few minutes, that automatically kicks off transcription, summarisation, and even emails the results to attendees without you touching the app. It's a genuinely powerful idea, though anyone who's sat through a meeting full of tangents and off-topic chatter will understand the instinct to keep a manual review step before anything gets auto-sent.

Real-world performance

The Plaud Note Pro is really meant for in-person, multi-speaker meetings. Comparing it against a more manual workflow - recording on a phone, uploading to a transcription service, then feeding that into ChatGPT or Claude separately to clean up - the difference in speaker separation was night and day. Mumbled contributions from across a room came through clearly enough that I wasn't left guessing who said what. Once you've been through that kind of comparison, going back to relying on a phone's built-in mic feels like a tedious step backwards.

It works well for phone calls too, capturing audio directly through the handset without any beep alerting the other party, and clarity is reportedly strong there as well. But it's clearly not the primary use case Plaud designed around, and it shows in small ways: you need to manually switch modes in the app depending on whether you're recording in-person or over a call.

In really loud environments like a public event where the speaker's voice isn't distinct or loud enough compared to others in the room, the Note Pro struggles to capture accurate transcripts. I ran into this issue at Xiaomi's debut showcase at IFA Berlin this month, where the announcement happened in the middle of a crowded, loud hall. I checked the transcript after the event was over and couldn't make heads or tails of it. But a separate, more intimate interaction with some members of the Xiaomi team in a quieter environment gave me a drastically better result. What I loved was that it could give me a transcript with clearly defined speakers in the Sources section, while the Notes section offers a well-structured AI-generated summary with sub-heads and bullet points, a conclusion paragraph at the end, and suggestions for additional questions that could have been asked during the interaction. 

Where the Note Pro doesn't add much is online meetings. If most of your calls happen over Zoom, Meet, or Teams, those platforms increasingly have their own built-in AI summarisation, and a dedicated hardware recorder doesn't meaningfully improve on that. Third-party apps like Granola, which I use personally, do a great job summarising meetings, so I never felt the need to use the Plaud Note Pro in these situations.

Subscription plans and India pricing

The Plaud Note Pro costs Rs 20,999 in India. That price includes 300 minutes, i.e. six hours of free transcription every month, which is a generous free tier and enough for moderate, regular meeting use without ever paying more. If you need more, the Pro plan offers 1,200 minutes for Rs 1,999 a month or Rs 9,900 annually, and the Unlimited plan offers unlimited transcription minutes for Rs 2,999 a month or Rs 24,900 a year. Moreover, if you don't want to commit to a monthly or yearly plan and just want to top up minutes during a busy month, you can do that too, with prices starting at Rs 299 for 120 extra minutes.

Importantly, no features are locked behind the paid tiers; the only difference is how many transcription minutes you get, which is a fairer structure than most subscription-gated hardware offers.

AI note-taking devices are still a niche in India, and Plaud is one of the early movers in this space. There is no direct rival to the Note Pro at the moment, but Plaud does have cheaper devices such as the NotePin, which can be clipped to a shirt or worn around the neck. The Neosapien Neo 1 is a rival we reviewed earlier this month. The Neo1 has no storage of its own and leans entirely on a paired phone and an internet connection to process anything, whereas the Note Pro and NotePin can at least record offline and sync later.

Should you buy the Plaud Note Pro

If your work regularly puts you in the room for multi-person meetings, and you need more than a passable summary afterwards, such as a searchable transcript and clear action items, the Plaud Note Pro does what it sets out to do. It's not that the results are dramatically better than what a smartphone and a combination of apps could eventually produce; it's that everything lives in one place and doesn't need an hour of your own time to clean up afterwards.

It's a harder sell if most of your meetings happen online, where existing tools already cover the same ground - I personally use Granola for virtual meetings, and it gets the job done without paying anything - or if the proprietary charging cable and eventual subscription fee feel like more friction than they're worth for occasional use.

Editor's rating: 8.5 / 10

Pros:

• Genuinely useful AI summary templates, not just flat transcripts
• New Claude and ChatGPT connectors turn recordings into actionable follow-ups
• Strong battery life and a generous free transcription tier

Cons:

• Proprietary magnetic charging cable instead of USB-C
• Adds little value for online meetings where you can use tools like Granola or Meet AI
• At Rs 20,000, it is an expensive AI note-taking device in India

Apart from that, it comes with a 120Hz AdaptiveSync panel, TÜV-certified low blue light, and an ErgoStand that covers pretty much every adjustment you could ask for at this price. Priced at INR 10,999, it targets home offices and everyday multitaskers rather than creative professionals. After spending time with it on my desk, here's how it holds up.

Design and build: Plastic, but thoughtfully put together

The B277 G doesn't try to look premium, and it doesn't need to. The all-plastic chassis keeps costs down, but Acer has clearly thought through day-to-day use. Around back, the panel keeps things clean, housing a DC-In port alongside HDMI 1.4, DisplayPort 1.2, and even a 3.5mm audio out. Apart from the chin, the other three bezels are slim, leaving the front unadorned and focused entirely on the screen.

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Where the plastic construction actually works in the monitor's favor is ergonomics. Height adjustment is smooth enough to manage with one hand, without needing to brace the panel with the other. Switching between landscape and portrait orientation has just the right resistance and friction to keep it locked in place once you've rotated it, without fighting you on the way there. The ErgoStand, along with a cable manager, also includes a 60-degree swivel on either side, a genuinely useful feature for dialling in your ideal viewing angle, rather than settling for whatever your desk layout allows or blocking part of your desk with a tilted base.

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The nicest surprise, though, is around the back. Instead of a row of unmarked buttons you have to learn by trial and error. Acer has fitted a four-directional D-pad-style joystick next to the power button. It sits exactly where your fingers expect it to, and navigating the OSD menu becomes muscle memory within minutes rather than a guessing game every time you want to tweak a setting.

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Display quality: Solid for work, not built for colour-critical tasks

The 27-inch Full HD IPS 8-bit panel is tuned for comfortable, all-day use. The matte anti-glare finish on the screen works well irrespective of how your room is lit; there are no distracting reflections whether you're near a window or under a tube light. The trade-off, as with most matte coatings, is that colors don't have quite the same pop and punch you'd get off a glossy panel. If you want vibrant, saturated visuals, this isn't the finish for that. For everyday tasks like spreadsheets, browsers, video calls, and documents, it does the job well and looks sharp enough at this resolution.

But if you're a creative professional working with photos or video, the colour accuracy isn't quite where you'd want it; this panel is better suited to regular office and personal work than to anything that relies on precise colour reproduction. The panel can hit a peak brightness of 250 nits, which is fairly good for the price range, but when you enable maximum brightness mode (disabled by default to meet ENERGY STAR efficiency standards) hidden under settings, the panel gets bright enough for the human eye.

Viewing angles are largely dependable. Viewed along the horizontal axis, the picture holds up well until you push toward the extreme edges, and Acer's claimed 178-degree viewing angle feels about right in practice. Being an IPS panel, it has its share of downsides, and one angle where it's less convincing is from directly above: tilt your head and look down at the panel, and you'll notice a bit of blackness creeping into the image. It's the standard IPS contrast shift/brightness roll-off, which isn't exactly specific to this monitor, so no complaints there.

On the eye-comfort side, the B277 G leans heavily on Acer's VisionCare 2.0 suite: BlueLightShield Pro, flicker-free backlighting, low-dimming, and ComfyView work together, backed by TÜV Low Blue Light certification. For anyone putting in long hours at a desk, that combination genuinely helps reduce the strain of prolonged screen time. The 120Hz refresh rate with AdaptiveSync also makes everyday scrolling, casual gaming, and window movement feel noticeably smoother than on a standard 60Hz panel.

Speakers: There, and that's about it

The built-in speakers are best described as adequate. They get the job done for a quick YouTube video or a call in a pinch, but they sound a touch small and can get muffled when you turn the volume up. Having usable speakers on board, even middling ones, beats having none at all, especially if your desk setup doesn't already include external speakers.

Verdict: A well-rounded, budget-friendly work monitor

The Acer Vero B277 G isn't chasing color-accuracy bragging rights or gaming credentials; it's built to make a work-from-home or office setup more comfortable without stretching the budget. The ErgoStand's height, swivel, tilt, and pivot range are genuinely excellent for the price; the joystick control is a small but welcome usability win, and the VisionCare suite makes it an easy monitor to spend a full workday in front of. The matte finish and color accuracy mean it isn't the right pick for creative professionals, and the speakers are a "nice to have" rather than a highlight, but neither is a deal-breaker at this price.

If you can stretch your budget to INR 15,000, the high-resolution Lenovo LOQ 27Q-10 (review) is a better fit for gaming, while the Lenovo L24D-4C (review) offers superior color accuracy and more connectivity options.

However, if your priority is a comfortable, flexible, eye-friendly monitor for everyday work rather than color-critical creative tasks, the Acer Vero B277 G makes a strong case for itself for INR 10,999.

Editor's Rating: 8.5/10

Pros:

• Highly flexible ErgoStand for tilt, swivel, pivot, and one-handed height adjustment.
• Convenient D-pad joystick control.
• Matte display with good viewing angles.
• Strong eye-comfort suite.
• Smooth 120Hz AdaptiveSync for everyday use.

Cons:

• Colour accuracy isn't suited to creative, colour-critical work.
• Matte coating trades away colour pop and punch.
• Speakers sound small and can get muffled at higher volumes.
• Limited to HDMI 1.4 connectivity

Yup, Apple is late to the party, as most other smartphone brands already have offerings in the foldables space, and some, like Samsung have been in the foldables business for about 8 years now. But when Apple does something, the world sits up and takes notice. The iPhone Duo has elicited strong reactions and for good reason.

Design and displays: familiar, but very different

Lay your eyes on it at you"ll see a compact, D-shaped device (maybe Apple should've called it D2 instead of Duo, just saying), with the black one looking more sedate than the white. Those are the only two hues it'll be available in.

Pick it up, and you'll notice the workmanship Apple is known for — the device feels very well put together and exudes premiumness. The frame and hinge feature Grade 5 titanium, while Ceramic Shield protects the front and back. The Duo (calling it just that without the iPhone prefix sounds odd) boasts IP68 water and dust resistance, making it the only other foldable in India with that rating apart from the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold to do so.

The passport-style device sports a 5.4-inch display on the front, with a selfie camera sitting in a punch hole on the top right. The device opens up, with the display showing a mesmerising fade-out animation, to reveal the main display that measures 7.6-inches across. The inner display has a nano-texture coating that cuts glare, and you'd barely be able to make out the crease, if at all. The nano-texture coating makes the screen feel like paper, and Apple is even adding support for the Pencil. So that should make the iPhone Duo a compelling option for artists, creative professionals, those who love handwritten notes, and others who need to annotate documents… but prefer a pocketable device.

At first glance, it looks like there's no front-facing camera on the main display, till the time you launch the camera app, switch to selfie mode, and the under-display shooter reveals itself. With up to 3,000 nits peak brightness and wide-angle OLEDs that promise better viewing angles, the Super Retina XDR main display does look extremely capable. And that should make it great for entertainment and gaming.

And when you fold it back, you'll notice how smoothly the hinge works and the satisfying click sound it makes when the two halves come together.

A lowdown on rest of the hardware

There's a dual battery, which is par for the course for most book-style fladables I think,
promising a full day's worth of usage. It can be charged 50% in 20 minutes, as per Apple.
There's wireless charging too, and Apple has even managed to integrate magnets to enable
MagSafe charging -- another feature the iPhone Duo shares with the Pixel 11 Pro Fold.

For shooting, you get a pair of dual snappers on the back, comprising a 48MP main and a
48MP ultrawide sensor. There's no telephoto on offer. And while I'm on the subject of features that are noticeably missing, let me also tell you that the iPhone Duo doesn't feature Face ID, and instead relies on a Touch ID fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button on the right. The telephoto camera and Face ID would be two features iPhone users would miss the most on this device I think.

With the new 2nm A20 SoC under the hood, Apple is promising up to 20 percent gains in CPU performance, 40% in GPU prowess, and a 2x faster neural engine, as compared to the A19 Pro chipset that powers the iPhone 17 Pro series. So the Duo definitely packs more than enough grunt for the day-to-day stuff, no doubt. The device also boasts the new C2 modem, promising better connectivity and efficiency. Worth mentioning that this phone only accepts eSIMs and doesn't have a SIM tray, so you won't be able to use physical SIM cards.

The software play: makes it unique

Hardware is just one part of the story, though- one half of this Duo, so to speak. The other bit is software, and that's where Apple has done quite a few interesting things... like that opening animation I mentioned before. While overall, the usage of the Duo should theoretically be similar to a regular iPhone when closed and an iPad Mini when open, (with a matching software experience), there are a few things Apple has done differently here. The dock for instance, which is normally located on the bottom of the screen on iPhones, has now been pushed to the right.

Multitasking on the main display is also handled very intelligently, so you basically just swipe up from the bottom of the screen when an app is running, and drag it to either side to split the screen. Another app can then be launched on the other side. Two apps can be run side by side in this manner, and you can even drag and drop content between the two, if supported.

App pairs can also be made simply by tapping on the little ‘handle' in the middle, and you can come back to the same pair of apps later via Recents or by tapping either of the app icons. It's all very fluid and seamless, at least on first-party apps and a few others Apple showcased. Hopefully third-party app developers will pick up the cues from Apple and ensure their apps run well too.

Using the Books app to read an eBook not only gives you a Kindle-like experience but the page-flipping animation is also very cool. I also love the Netflix app which has been custom-made for the iPhone Duo. The interface has received a makeover to suit the aspect ratio, and there's a new video preview feature that lets you scroll through previews just like Instagram Reels.

Another interesting feature is Standby, which basically turns the device into a bedside clock. The iPhone Duo doesn't need to be connected to power to activate Standby, and all you need to do is to just open it up partly, prop it up in tent mode, and Standby appears. In the same scenario, if you switch the orientation to vertical and then place the phone half open, Standby moves to the inner display, with one half of the screen showing the clock and the other half showing your photos. Of course, this is just from the demo I saw, and I'm sure there would be options to customise this the way you want.

And while I couldn't check this out myself, I'm told that if you've propped up the iPhone Duo on your bedside in tent mode and the alarm goes off, the inner displays emit a gentle orange glow with increasing brightness to wake you up. Can't wait to try that out for myself. There are other tiny things in the UI which specific to the Duo, and in that aspect, the software feels fresh. For example, the way the signal and Wi-Fi indicators are placed looks interesting. There's even a Flex mode on offer, which works on a few apps and displays additional options and controls when you have the decide propped up laptop-style.

In terms of the base platform, the Duo runs iOS27 which brings with a ton of new features and improvements, including Siri AI, a cleaned up Clean Up feature (pun intended), and lots more.

Closing thoughts

Based on my limited time checking out the iPhone Duo, I can say that for me, the takeaway is how Apple is using the device's form factor and folding capabilities to elevate the user
experience via the UI. The Netflix app, the multitasking features, the little things that help make Standby so useful and interesting, even small things like the folding animation, all combine to make it a compelling device. I confess I went into this demo session expecting an iPhone that can fold, but what I experienced is a different beast, one that promises to be a handy everyday companion.

As far as the Rs 3 lakh price tag is concerned, I admit it's heart-stopping, but there are two ways to think about it: One, I'm sad it costs 3 lakh. And two, I'm happy it doesn't cost 4
lakh. (Referring to the starting price of course). I choose to go with two, given how prices have been going North. The iPhone Duo will be available in India a few weeks from now, and that's when I'll get a chance to try it out properly.

I have been using the Alienware 15 for almost a month as a work and gaming machine, and at roughly Rs.1.5 lakhs, it enters an extremely competitive segment. It is not the most aggressively specced machine for the money, but after spending considerable time with it, I found that the Alienware 15's appeal lies elsewhere: it feels like a reasonably mature gaming laptop that happens to sit at the more affordable end of the Alienware family.

Design and build quality: The Alienware DNA survives the budget cut

The Alienware 15 immediately makes it clear that this is not one of the company's ultra-premium machines. It does not have the same lavish feel as something like the Alienware 16X Aurora, and there are obvious places where Dell has kept costs under control. However, calling the laptop cheap would be doing it a disservice.

In fact, the build quality surprised me. At around 2.25kg, the Alienware 15 is heavier than I would have liked for a 15.3-inch gaming laptop, but that weight also contributes to a reassuringly solid feel. The chassis does not come across as flimsy, and it feels considerably more substantial than the hard-plastic construction found on many entry-level gaming machines. The design itself is fairly restrained.

There are the familiar Alienware touches, along with subtle curves, and a dark finish, but it does not scream gamer from across the room. That is something I personally appreciate. The machine looks perfectly at home on a work desk and can transition into gaming mode once the headset goes on.

Port selection is also well sorted. There are two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, HDMI 2.1, RJ45 Ethernet, and a 3.5mm audio jack. One of the USB-C ports supports DisplayPort output and up to 100W Power Delivery. There is enough here to plug in a gaming mouse, headset, external display, and other peripherals without immediately reaching for a dongle.
The rear-oriented layout also keeps thicker display and power cables reasonably out of the way, which is particularly useful for a machine that will probably spend much of its life sitting on a desk.

Display and audio: Fast, fluid but a little short on colour

The 15.3-inch IPS panel is one of the more sensible components on the Alienware 15. It has a 1920 x 1200 resolution, a 16:10 aspect ratio, and a 165Hz refresh rate. The 16:10 format is particularly nice for everyday use. There is a little more vertical space for browser windows, documents, and timelines, while games still get the wide horizontal view expected from a modern gaming laptop.

The 165Hz refresh rate then takes care of the fun part. Scrolling is smooth, animations feel fluid, and games that can push high frame rates look considerably more responsive. I also did not encounter any noticeable input-latency problems during my testing. Fast-paced games felt responsive, and motion remained reasonably clean.

Colour reproduction is where the panel starts showing its budget credentials. With around 62.5% sRGB coverage and 300 nits brightness, this is not a display designed for colour-critical creative work. Colours can look somewhat muted compared with the wider-gamut panels available on more expensive gaming laptops.

That said, for gaming, browsing, watching videos and general productivity, I found it perfectly usable. Considering the hardware underneath, I would rather have a 165Hz 1920 x 1200 panel than an unnecessarily demanding high-resolution display that puts additional pressure on the RTX 5050. The stereo speakers are similarly functional. They are perfectly fine for YouTube, casual gaming, and general media consumption, but a gaming headset remains the obvious choice for competitive play and immersive single-player titles.

Keyboard and touchpad: Made for work and play

The keyboard follows the same philosophy as the rest of the machine: straightforward rather than extravagant. Key travel and feedback are comfortable enough for both typing and gaming, and the keyboard deck feels sturdy. I spent plenty of time writing on the Alienware 15 during my month with it, and it never became something I actively thought about, which is generally a good sign.

The layout is also easy to adapt to, with the WASD keys naturally becoming home base once a game starts. The white backlight is less flashy than per-key RGB, but it keeps the keyboard readable without turning the laptop into a miniature nightclub.

As for the touchpad, it is responsive and handles Windows gestures without any obvious issues. Gamers will obviously connect a proper mouse, but for everyday use, there is little to complain about.

Performance: Solid grunt, without breaking a sweat

The Ryzen 7 260 is an 8-core, 16-thread processor, and paired with 16GB DDR5 RAM, it gives the Alienware 15 enough muscle to handle everything from everyday office work and browsing to heavier multitasking without breaking a sweat. On the GPU front, the RTX 5050 is configured at 95W TGP, which is pretty decent for a laptop in this segment. There's also a 512GB PCIe Gen 4 SSD, which managed sequential read speeds of over 7,000MB/s in my testing. That's pretty much what I would expect from a good Gen 4 SSD, so no complaints there.

There is one small caveat, though, and that is the initial setup experience. Like most Windows laptops, the Alienware 15 can feel a little sluggish during the first few hours, with Windows updates, background indexing and Dell's bundled software all doing their thing at the same time. Give it some time to finish setting everything up, and things settle down considerably. Once that initial housekeeping is out of the way, the laptop feels smooth and responsive in everyday use. I also ran it through our usual suite of synthetic benchmarks, and as the results show, the Alienware 15 puts up good numbers across both CPU and GPU testing.

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We haven't tested a whole lot of RTX 5050 laptops at 91mobiles yet, so there isn't enough data for a meaningful apples-to-apples comparison just yet. However, I did compare it with its bigger brother, the Alienware 16 Aurora AC16250, which packs an Intel Core 7 240H and a more powerful RTX 5060 GPU. As expected, the Alienware 16 comes out ahead, but the gap isn't quite as dramatic as one might expect, particularly when it comes to GPU performance. Considering the Alienware 15 is the more affordable machine, that's actually a pretty encouraging result.

At the end of the day, the RTX 5050 is a decent 1080p gaming GPU, and that is exactly how I would recommend using it. Older and competitive titles such as Valorant and Apex Legends can make good use of the 165Hz display, while more demanding AAA games will generally require a mix of Medium and Low settings to maintain smooth frame rates. Thankfully, being part of NVIDIA's RTX 50 series means DLSS and frame generation are available, and these can make a sizeable difference in supported games. So while this isn't a machine built for maxing out every AAA title, getting a comfortable 60fps experience in most modern games is very much achievable with the right settings.

Thermals, upgradability, and battery life

The Alienware 15's cooling system does a pretty good job of keeping things under control. Air is pulled in through the chassis and pushed out from the rear, and even after extended gaming sessions, I didn't notice any major performance drops or thermal throttling. Yes, the fans get pretty loud when the RTX 5050 is being pushed hard, but that's hardly a surprise on a gaming laptop. When the laptop is rendering a demanding game for hours, it sounds like a gaming laptop. Put on a headset and carry on.

Upgradability is another area where the Alienware 15 gets a thumbs up from me. There are two SODIMM slots supporting up to 32GB DDR5 RAM, while the M.2 SSD can be swapped out for a higher-capacity drive. The Wi-Fi card and battery are replaceable as well, which means there is some scope to keep the laptop fresh as requirements change. It is always nice to see a gaming laptop that doesn't treat its internal components like a no-entry zone.

As for battery life, the 54Wh battery managed a respectable 6.5 hours in my PCMark 10 Battery Video loop test. That's a solid improvement over many older gaming laptops that struggled to cross the three-hour mark, although newer machines with more efficient Intel platforms can stretch well beyond 10 hours in similar scenarios. Real-world gaming is, of course, a completely different story, so the charger will still be a fairly permanent resident of the laptop bag. For a machine this focused on gaming performance, though, I don't think the battery life is anything to complain about.

Verdict: A sensible Alienware, with sensible compromises

The Alienware 15 is a surprisingly sensible way into the Alienware club. It's a little chunky, the display could use better colours, and 512GB storage feels stingy at Rs.1,55,490, but the fundamentals are sorted. The Ryzen 7 260 is perfectly capable, the RTX 5050 delivers solid 1080p gaming, and DLSS and frame generation give it some much-needed extra horsepower when things get spicy. Add a smooth 165Hz panel, a fast SSD, sturdy build, and decent upgradeability, and after almost a month, I had very little to grumble about.

The competition in India, however, is not exactly sitting around twiddling its thumbs, with excellent options like the Acer Nitro and ASUS TUF series of laptops. The Alienware 15 instead leans into the ownership experience, with a sturdier chassis, straightforward serviceability, and Dell's established support network. So, if raw specs are the only thing being chased, there are alternatives; but if a little extra peace of mind is worth paying for, the Alienware 15 makes a pretty convincing case for itself.

Editor's Rating: 8.2 / 10

Pros:

• Solid, sturdy build quality
• Smooth 165Hz display
• Capable 1080p gaming performance
• Good upgradeability

Cons:

• Heavy for its size
• Display has limited colour coverage

Design (9/10)

The Mercedes-Benz GLC Electric is a fairly radical departure from the EQ-era Mercedes design philosophy. Instead of looking like a rolling aerodynamic experiment, it adds a meaningful 84mm to the wheelbase of the ICE-powered GLC, while hiding an entirely new 800V electric architecture underneath. It is still shaped by the wind tunnel, though, with Mercedes claiming more than 700km of WLTP range and the ability to charge from 10 to 80% in around 22 minutes when connected to a suitably powerful 330kW DC charger.

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The front end is where the GLC really makes its presence felt. The illuminated grille packs 942 individually lit elements, creating animated welcome and farewell sequences around the Mercedes star. It sounds a little theatrical on paper, but looks surprisingly convincing in person, particularly after dark. There is also a frunk underneath the bonnet, which opens by pressing the Mercedes emblem. It is a small touch, but a useful reminder that this isn't simply an existing petrol SUV with a battery shoved underneath it.

Inside, however, is where Mercedes has gone properly tech-heavy. The headline feature is the enormous 39.1-inch Hyperscreen, which is genuinely one continuous display rather than three screens hiding behind one sheet of glass. It runs Mercedes' new MB.OS, powered by four NVIDIA-based computing units, and is effectively the central nervous system of the car.

The interface brings together navigation, infotainment, vehicle settings, charging and connected services, while the voice assistant can call upon ChatGPT, Google Gemini and Microsoft Bing depending on what you ask. I tested it with the admittedly important question of finding the best Butter Chicken in Stuttgart. It came back with recommendations and, rather alarmingly, suggested I have a Lassi with it. German engineering has clearly discovered Indian cuisine.

There is plenty more to geek out over. The panoramic Sky Control roof can be illuminated with different patterns, while the Burmester system gets beautifully machined speaker grilles and, in its 4D configuration, seat-mounted exciters that let you physically feel certain frequencies.

Tech (9.5/10)

If the Hyperscreen is the GLC's most visible bit of technology, MB.OS is arguably the more important one. Mercedes has built the software around a much more centralised architecture, with the onboard computing hardware handling everything from infotainment to vehicle functions and connected services.

The augmented-reality navigation is one of the genuinely useful features. The Google Maps integration can overlay directional information onto a live view of the road ahead, making unfamiliar junctions and turns considerably easier to understand. This is the sort of technology that sounds gimmicky until you actually use it, at which point conventional arrows suddenly seem rather primitive.

The GLC also takes connected-car technology considerably further with Car-to-Car and Car-to-X communication. If another compatible Mercedes ahead encounters a speed bump, pothole or other road hazard, that information can be shared with your car. Your GLC can then prepare for it before you reach the obstacle and pass relevant information onwards to vehicles behind. The data is processed through Mercedes' cloud infrastructure, using the car's onboard eSIM.

ADAS is equally impressive, with a total of 10 cameras feeding the driver assistance systems, and during my drive around Stuttgart they worked eerily well. The GLC maintained distance from traffic, resumed the set speed once the road ahead cleared and recognised road signs reliably, adjusting its behaviour when necessary.

The passenger display is less convincing as a concept. There are obvious questions about what you actually do with a screen that large sitting directly in front of the passenger. I did, however, manage some Angry Birds time. Just because I could and not because I needed it.

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The Burmester audio system, as always, is easy to appreciate. You can configure its presentation from immersive and expansive to more direct and intimate, and it remains punchy, transparent and satisfying regardless of the setting. Mercedes has also managed to bring a new level of craftsmanship to its moulded metal grilles, a new direction compared to the perforated ornaments of the previous-gen Mercs. 15 speakers and plenty of power elevate the experience, especially in the inherently quiet cabin of an EV.

Drive (9/10)

The biggest surprise is the tomb-like cabin.  This insulation and that silence do more for the perception of luxury than another decorative trim piece ever could. I suspect this will become even more apparent when we eventually get it into the 5 pm rush-hour chaos between Gurugram and Delhi, where road noise, horns and general urban mayhem tend to test the limits of any luxury car.

The GLC 400 4MATIC comes packed with serious performance figures too. Twin motor, 489hp, 800Nm and 0-100kph in 4.3 seconds. Acceleration is, in a word, brutal. Around Stuttgart, however, the local speed restrictions meant I could only bury the accelerator for a second or two before the GLC was already heading into illegal speed territory. It has that instant EV shove where your brain takes a moment to catch up with how quickly the scenery is moving, despite its considerable weight.

There are regen paddles behind the steering wheel, allowing you to tailor how aggressively the car slows when you lift off. At the highest setting, motor deceleration becomes aggressive enough to attempt genuine single-pedal driving. It is useful in traffic and also lets you modulate the car's behaviour without constantly moving between accelerator and brake.

Steering is accurate rather than particularly feelsome, which is about what you'd expect from a large, technology-laden luxury SUV. The rear-axle steering helps considerably, though, turning the rear wheels by up to 4.5 degrees in the opposite direction to the fronts at lower speeds, effectively shrinking the turning circle. That could be particularly useful in India's tight mall parking spaces, where large luxury SUVs and badly designed ramps make for a uniquely entertaining combination.

Despite its size and weight, the GLC doesn't feel cumbersome, though. The low-mounted battery keeps the centre of gravity down, while four-wheel drive gives it plenty of traction when you exploit that 800Nm.

Verdict

The GLC 400 4MATIC Electric is important because it doesn't feel like Mercedes simply electrified the GLC and called it a day. This is a new generation of Mercedes thinking, combining an 800V architecture with high-performance computing, AI-assisted software, connected-car communication, advanced ADAS and a cabin that is arguably more interesting than the mechanical hardware itself.

For India, the combination of power and a WLTP range of over 700km makes a strong case on paper. More importantly, the longer wheelbase, exceptional refinement and sheer quantity of technology give it a distinct advantage over the combustion GLC and competition from Munich.

The real question will be price. Mercedes has already indicated that the electric GLC will sit above its ICE counterpart, but if the Indian version manages to preserve most of this technology while delivering anything close to its claimed range, it could be one of the more convincing luxury EVs to arrive here.

Editor's Rating: 9 / 10

Pros:

• Over 700km WLTP driving range
• Amazing Hyperscreen resolution and interface
• Performance and luxury in equal measure
• AI agents work well in the background

Cons:

• Passenger display feels less convincing
• Could be a case of overwhelming tech for some
• Expected pricing sits rather high

Battery sizes in particular have gone well beyond what we're used to, and the POCO X8 Power is the very embodiment of that. But how does a 10,000mAh battery affect the overall experience, and does the rest of the hardware keep up as a whole? In this review, we'll find out how the POCO X8 Power performs in everyday use, how much battery life you can expect and whether it is worth its asking price.

Verdict

The POCO X8 Power is the very embodiment of how much smartphone battery sizes have grown this year. The handset features a massive 10,000mAh cell, along with goodies like a 1.5K AMOLED panel, a Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 processor and more. While the battery is definitely the key feature, the device is rather well balanced for its price point, which makes it more worthwhile than a phone built around battery alone.

Design: doesn't feel like a power bank at all

[pdp-expert-review]
The POCO X8 Power is a slightly heavy but well-balanced phone that manages its massive battery without becoming too unwieldy. Its design is fairly basic, but the good build, IP69K protection and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 give it excellent durability for a mid-range smartphone.
[/pdp-expert-review]

A massive 10,000mAh battery is certainly a reason to boast, but it is also important to make the phone handy enough that the capacity does not become detrimental to comfort. In my opinion, the POCO X8 Power manages to do that rather well. While the phone is certainly heavy and a little dense at 229 grams, the weight is mostly balanced, and you wouldn't think of it as unwieldy. It is also around 8.6mm thick, which is an impressive number.

The phone's flat display and slightly rounded edges make it comfortable enough to hold, and you get used to the weight within a couple of days. While it is technically impressive, the design, I feel, is nothing special to write home about. You get a basic rear panel that comes in two finishes: a matte black variant and a vegan-leather option in the classic POCO yellow colourway. The handset features nice, uniform bezels around the display, which enhance the viewing experience, and the volume and power buttons are comfortably within reach.

[comparative-benchmark type="1000" products="42378,42361,41836,," ][/comparative-benchmark]

The phone doesn't try to impress you with a fancy design, but it is enduring and reliable. The handset boasts IP66, IP68, IP69 and IP69K ratings, so rest assured, it is extremely resistant to both water and dust. Add to that, you get Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the display, which is rare for a mid-range phone and gives you a good level of protection against shattered displays and everyday scratches and scuffs. The POCO X8 Power, thus, sits pretty high in terms of build quality, which is something to appreciate.

Battery: fulfils its promise 

[pdp-expert-review]
The 10,000mAh battery comfortably delivers around two days of use, with excellent streaming and gaming performance. The 100W charger takes around 80 minutes to fully charge the phone from 20 percent, making the X8 Power a good choice for users who prioritise long-lasting battery life.
[/pdp-expert-review]

Let's now discuss what the POCO X8 Power's battery performs like in everyday use. The POCO X8 Power claims up to 3.5 days of battery life, which is a marketing claim and thus something you should not focus on. A more realistic number would be around two days of battery life with moderate usage patterns.

[comparative-benchmark type="3" title="PCMark Battery score (in hours)" caption="PCMark battery test measures phone battery life from 100% to 20% (higher is better)" highlight="product_1" products="42378,42361,41836,," ][/comparative-benchmark]

The phone's result on the PCMark battery benchmark was about 20.5 hours. Before you think that's a low number, even the Realme P4 Power (review), which also has a 10,000mAh battery, scored about 21 hours. Benchmarks tend to be power-intensive, and thus we can equate them to heavy or extremely heavy usage. The actual day-to-day numbers of the X8 Power, however, are pretty excellent.

The phone dropped just 3 percent over an hour of YouTube streaming and about 4.5 percent for every 30 minutes of gaming. That is better than every other phone in this price range and on par with the Realme P4 Power. In my use, I only ended up charging the device towards the end of the second day, and I'm a moderate user with roughly 4-5 hours of screen-on time.

Do keep in mind that this also includes passive Wi-Fi use, as the phone sits in the room, and overnight drain. That is an impressive number in my books, and you'll never really be concerned about the battery life of this phone.

[comparative-benchmark type="4000" products="42378,42361,41836,," ][/comparative-benchmark]

While a big battery is certainly a boon, it does come with reduced charging speeds. To circumvent that, the phone includes a 100W fast charger, and fast charge it does. The POCO smartphone takes only 1 hour and 20 minutes to go from 20 to 100 per cent, and that's a decent number for a phone you'd need to charge only once every couple of days. You've also got 27W reverse-wired charging support, which is helpful if you want to charge your accessories and other devices in a pinch.

The POCO X8 Power more than lives up to its promises in battery life, and I'll recommend it to anyone who wants a phone that lasts days without needing a charge.

Display: as good as it gets 

[pdp-expert-review]
The POCO X8 Power's 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED display is vibrant, sharp and well suited to both gaming and content. HDR10+ and Dolby Vision add to the viewing experience, while the stereo speakers work well. That said, the 400 percent audio boost can adversely affect sound quality.
[/pdp-expert-review]

The phone features a 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, 12-bit colour depth and up to 3,500 nits peak brightness. The POCO X8 Power further enhances the viewing experience with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support. It also features stereo dual speakers, backed by Dolby Atmos, Hi-Res Audio, and up to 400 percent volume boost.

The display is something I've enjoyed a lot on this phone. It is vibrant, sharp and well suited for both content consumption and gaming. While it doesn't have the 144Hz refresh rate seen on some other phones, I don't think it misses out too much, since the higher refresh rate is mostly limited to supported gaming titles. 120fps in a game is still more than enough for most users.

The panel is certainly big, and it remains legible both outdoors and indoors. With HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support, content playback is something you'll enjoy on this phone. Pair that with a good set of stereo speakers, and you have a multimedia champ in your hands.

[comparative-benchmark type="2000" products="42378,42361,41836,," ][/comparative-benchmark]

The phone also offers a 400 percent audio boost feature, but I found that it can distort the output. The 200 percent boost is a better middle ground in my opinion, offering a good bump in loudness without being as brutal on the source audio.

Cameras: surprisingly capable in most situations

[pdp-expert-review]
The POCO X8 Power's camera setup is rather capable for everyday use, with the 50MP primary camera delivering good daylight shots and surprisingly strong low-light performance. The 8MP ultrawide sees a big drop in detail, while the selfie camera's aggressive beautification may not appeal to everyone.
[/pdp-expert-review]

Let's now talk about the cameras, which are not this phone's strong suit but are still quite capable for everyday photography. You get a 50MP primary camera with OIS and an 8MP ultrawide, but it is the former doing most of the heavy lifting.

The primary camera takes pretty decent daylight shots, with a good amount of detail and realistic skin tones. I found the colours to be on the cooler side, but the results are social-media ready from the get-go. There's a 2x zoom available, but it does lead to a loss of detail, so I didn't use it a whole lot.

What surprised me more was the low-light performance. The camera can take a second or two to capture an image, but the results are usually worth the wait, with crisp shots and sharp details. The exposure is enhanced quite aggressively, though, making scenes look much brighter than they actually were and taking away some of the feel of a night shot.

The 8MP ultrawide is my least favourite part since there is a big drop in detail compared to the primary camera. However, colours remain mostly consistent between the two, which is good to see. The 32MP selfie camera is also decent, although the beautification remains quite aggressive even when set to zero, and the skin is smoothed out beyond what I prefer.

[smartslider3 slider=2184]

The primary camera supports 4K30 and 1080p60, while the ultrawide is limited to 1080p30. The selfie camera also supports 4K30 and 1080p60. The primary camera can take decent 4K videos thanks to OIS, although the quality leaves a little to be desired.

Overall, the camera setup is pretty capable, especially in low light. The primary camera does the most, while the ultrawide and selfie camera have their limitations but remain useful for everyday photography.

I compared the phone's cameras against the Realme P4s (review). Check it out.

Daylight

The key difference between the daylight shots of both phones comes largely down to the colour science. The Realme P4s opts for a warmer colour profile and richer greens and yellows, while the X8 Power's colour profile is cooler. The blues and the reds are instead more enhanced. In terms of details and dynamic range, both phones are quite neck and neck.

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/POCO-X8-Power-daylight-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Realme-P4s_daylight-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="POCO X8 Power" after="Realme P4s"]

Ultrawide

The colour science in daylight shots also follows both phones when it comes to ultrawide shots. Both have the same colour styles as the main camera, although the shots are more vibrant compared to the daylight scene. The main difference here is that the Realme P4s has better detail and sharpness compared to the X8 Power.

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/POCO-X8-Power-ultrawide-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Realme-P4s_Ultrawide-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="POCO X8 Power" after="Realme P4s"]

Portrait

The portrait scenarios continue the same colour profiles we saw in the daylight shots of both phones. The other aspects, however, are quite evenly matched for both phones. For instance, the detail and sharpness level of both are on par with each other even when you zoom in closer. The only aspect where there's a key distinction comes down to edge detection - the X8 Power does a slightly better job than the Realme P4s.

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/POCO-X8-Power-portrait-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Realme-P4s_portrait-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="POCO X8 Power" after="Realme P4s"]

Selfie

When it comes to selfies, the Realme P4s is in the definitive lead for me due to a couple of reasons. First up, its skin tones look more realistic compared to the X8 Power, which stylises the subject's face and smooths it out. The P4s preserves more facial detail than its competitor here. The second key reason being the sharpness level on the Realme P4s, which is also better than its peer.

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/POCO-X8-Power-selfie-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Realme-P4s_selfir-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="POCO X8 Power" after="Realme P4s"]

Lowlight

With the dedicated night mode enabled on both phones, the POCO X8 Power's shot does a few things better than the Realme P4s. The former's shot has better details and sharpness all over the frame, while the Realme P4's image turns out a little blurry when you zoom in closer.

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/POCO-X8-Power-lowlight-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Realme-P4s_nightmode-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="POCO X8 Power" after="Realme P4s"]

The P4s also presents some noise around the edges of the image, which isn't the case for the X8 Power. The Realme P4s, however, depicts the actual scene better with controlled lens flare and ambient light.

Performance: sufficient output for most tasks 

[pdp-expert-review]
The Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 delivers more than enough performance for everyday use, with smooth app handling and decent gaming. Demanding games can maintain 60fps on lower settings, while thermals remain reasonable, with around a 5-degree increase after 30 minutes of gaming.
[/pdp-expert-review]

The POCO X8 Power brings the India debut of the Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 Mobile Platform, which offers CPU speeds of up to 2.6GHz. It is paired with up to 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.1 storage. The additional performance and memory make it more than capable for most day-to-day users, including those who regularly juggle multiple applications, large files and content-heavy usage.

[comparative-benchmark type="1" title="AnTuTu score" caption="AnTuTu assesses a smartphone's CPU, GPU, memory, and overall user experience (higher is better)" highlight="product_1" products="42378,42361,41836,," ][/comparative-benchmark]

The higher storage variant (256GB), in particular, uses UFS 4.1, which is up to four times faster than the UFS 2.2 storage found on the base variant. In day-to-day use, I didn't encounter any major stutters or problems, and the phone handles switching between apps and other regular tasks without much fuss.

[comparative-benchmark type="10" title="Geekbench single-core score" caption="Geekbench assesses the efficiency of the CPU's single and multiple cores (higher is better)" highlight="product_1" products="42378,42361,41836,," ][/comparative-benchmark]

Gaming performance is also quite decent, and supported games like BGMI currently offer up to 90fps. The 120fps support is expected to arrive through a future OTA update. Naturally, you cannot push the highest graphics settings in extremely demanding titles such as Genshin Impact and Wuthering Waves, but both games can still maintain a steady 60fps on lower presets.

That should be sufficient for most users, especially considering the phone's mid-range position. If you're looking for a more gaming-focused smartphone, the Realme P4s (review) is the better choice. It comes with a high 144Hz refresh rate, a dedicated gaming chipset and software to improve performance.

[comparative-benchmark type="11" title="Geekbench multi-core score" caption="Geekbench assesses the efficiency of the CPU's single and multiple cores (higher is better)" highlight="product_1" products="42378,42361,41836,," ][/comparative-benchmark]

As for thermals, the phone's temperature increased by around 5 degrees on average after 30 minutes of gaming. That's not a bad result, although it isn't particularly impressive either, since it is on par with other phones around this price. Overall, the POCO X8 Power has more than enough performance for everyday use and can handle gaming reasonably well, as long as you don't expect it to compete with more powerful gaming-focused phones.

Software: capable but riddled with pre-installed apps

[pdp-expert-review]
HyperOS 3 offers plenty of features and AI tools, but with 83 pre-installed apps, it creates unnecessary clutter out of the box. Most can be removed, although cleaning everything up takes time. The four-year OS and six-year security patch commitment, however, is a welcome addition.
[/pdp-expert-review]

On the software front, the POCO X8 Power runs HyperOS 3 based on Android 16 out of the box. The interface is largely similar to what you get on Xiaomi's latest phones, with features such as depth and cinematic wallpapers, smoother animations and HyperIsland for alerts, notifications and live activities for music playback, timers, navigation and incoming calls. You also get a bunch of AI features for writing, transcription, on-screen searches and image editing.

[comparative-benchmark type="3000" products="42378,42361,41836,," pias="83,58,51,,"][/comparative-benchmark]

I, however, found some issues after the initial setup. The biggest problem is the sheer amount of pre-installed software. The handset comes with 83 apps pre-loaded, including 35 third-party apps, which is well beyond any mid-range smartphone I've reviewed lately. It may help keep the price lower, but it absolutely mars the first impression, with the app page, notification panel and other parts of the interface filled with suggested apps and actions.

The underlying software is capable, but there is simply too much clutter that you need to clean up yourself. While you can remove most of them manually, it takes a good chunk of time to clean up the interface and disable the suggestions in the phone's menus. I would recommend skipping the initial prompts to launch most of these apps during setup to avoid this problem.

POCO has promised at least four years of major OS upgrades and six years of security updates, which should keep the phone supported for several years to come. This is also one of the higher software commitments in the segment, which is worth praising.

What is the competition like?

The POCO X8 Power's chief competitors are undoubtedly the Realme P4s and iQOO Z11 5G. Both phones carry a starting price of Rs 34,999 to compete closely with the X8 Power. The Realme P4s (review) is a gaming-focused smartphone with a similarly high-quality AMOLED panel, an 8,000mAh battery and slightly better cameras. However, it doesn't match the X8 Power's battery life or software support promise. The Realme P4s is ideal if you play a lot of games and want a good battery life phone that is still somewhat handier.

The iQOO Z11 5G (review) is a balanced smartphone that offers a more powerful Dimensity 7500 chipset, a slim curved build, a good set of cameras and a decent 7,000mAh battery. Its endurance is naturally lower than the X8 Power's, though, and it doesn't match POCO's software update promise either. The Z11 is more suitable for users who want a more balanced and lightweight everyday phone.

Final verdict

The POCO X8 Power retails at Rs 35,999 for the 8GB + 128GB and Rs 38,999 for the 8GB + 256GB variant. For its price, this is a phone that puts battery life front and centre, and it delivers exactly where it matters. The 10,000mAh cell comfortably gets me through two days of use, while the 100W charging means you don't have to wait too long when it finally needs a top-up. What makes it special, however, is that POCO hasn't compromised too much elsewhere to achieve this.

Furthermore, the smartphone offers a vibrant 1.5K AMOLED display, reliable everyday performance and a rather durable build, making it a pretty well-rounded mid-range phone. The cameras aren't its strongest suit, but the primary sensor is surprisingly good in most situations and more than capable for everyday photography. You also get a long-term software update promise, which should keep the device relevant for years to come.

There are some compromises, however, to keep in mind. The phone is still on the heavier side, and the plethora of third-party apps is something POCO needs to address. The ultrawide and selfie cameras also leave some room for improvement. Having said that, if battery life is high on your list of priorities, the POCO X8 Power is an easy phone to recommend on that metric alone, and it offers much more than that.

Editor's Rating: 8.2/10

Reasons to buy:

• Massive 10,000mAh battery delivers around two days of use
• Vibrant 1.5K 120Hz AMOLED display with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision
• Excellent build with IP69K and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection
• Reliable everyday performance and gaming

Reasons not to buy:

• Software is cluttered due to multiple third-party apps
• It is slightly heavy and takes time to get used to
• The ultrawide camera could be better

Then you run the benchmarks, and something more interesting happens.

We have tested two other laptops carrying this exact processor. Both post multi-core numbers that this one does not come close to. After a week with the Swift Neo, that stopped reading like a fault and started reading like a decision. Acer built a machine that stays light, stays quiet, and lasts most of a working day, and it paid for that with some performance headroom.

Whether that is the right trade depends entirely on what you were planning to do with it. Here is how it holds up.

Design and build

The Swift Neo arrives in Steel Gray, and Acer has kept the styling deliberately quiet. There is no logo theatre, no accent trim, nothing that announces itself when you pull it out in a meeting room. For a machine aimed at people who carry a laptop between office, home, and the occasional cafe, that restraint seems like the right call.

At 1.25kg, this is light for a 14-inch Windows laptop, and it is roughly 50 grams under the Acer Aspire 5 A514-54H (review) we reviewed with the same processor inside.

The dimensions of the laptop are: 17.2mm thick, 316.2mm wide, and 216.8mm deep. This is not the thinnest 14-inch machine on the market, and Acer has clearly used some of that depth for cooling and for the port selection. Acer builds the Swift Neo line around a metal body, and the SFN14-55 follows that. It feels considerably more solid than the plastic chassis you usually find around this price.

The hinge holds position without the wobble that plagues cheaper thin-and-lights, and the lid opens with one hand, which is a small thing until you are doing it a dozen times a day. There is some give in the keyboard deck if you press down hard in the middle, but nothing that shows up during normal typing.

Display and audio

The panel is a 14-inch WUXGA IPS running 1920 x 1200 at 60Hz, rated for 300 nits with 170-degree viewing angles.

The 16:10 aspect ratio is the one that will show up every day. Documents show more lines before you scroll, spreadsheets show more rows, and a browser window docked beside a video call will not feel cramped. Once you have worked on 16:10, going back to 16:9 feels like a bit of a challenge.

Three hundred nits is a bit of a compromise for this good aspect ratio. Indoors and under office lighting it is perfectly usable, with enough brightness for documents, spreadsheets and streaming. Take it outside, or sit with a window directly behind you, and it runs out of headroom quickly. This is a screen you work on rather than one you watch films on. Worth noting that Acer's own Swift Neo SFN14-54H carries a 400-nit OLED with full sRGB coverage, so the panel here is the clear step down within the same family.

The webcam shoots at 1080p, which still counts as a win at this price point since half the laptops here stick with 720p. Video calls look clean in decent light, muddy in dim rooms, and there's no privacy shutter, which we feel is a bit of an oversight.

Acer fits its FineTip keyboard here, a full-size 83-key layout with white backlighting. The keys are well spaced across the 14-inch deck, and the backlight matters more than it sounds on a machine built for people who work on trains and in hotel rooms. There is no number pad, but you're on par with any laptop with a 14-inch panel.

The trackpad supports the full Windows Precision gesture set, including two-finger scrolling, pinch-to-zoom, and multi-finger gestures for switching apps and opening the Action Centre. It is a glass-smooth surface of the size you would expect on a 14-inch chassis.

Ports and connectivity

This is the Swift Neo's quiet strength, and it is unusual for a machine this thin.

You get five USB ports in total. Two are USB Type-C with full functionality, and three are Type-A: one USB 3.2 Gen 1, one USB 3.0 and one USB 2.0. Alongside them sits a full-size HDMI 2.0 output.

In an era where thin-and-lights routinely ship two Type-C ports and a dongle bag, three Type-A connectors on a 17.2mm chassis are pretty useful. Plug in a mouse, a USB drive, and a wireless receiver at the same time, and you still have both Type-C ports free for charging and a display.

The compromises are in the details rather than the count. HDMI is 2.0 rather than 2.1, so 4K output caps at 60Hz. There is no card reader of any kind, which will irritate anyone pulling footage off a camera. And wireless runs Wi-Fi 6 with Bluetooth 5.2 rather than the Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 that rivals are starting to fit at this money.

For most people, none of that will matter as much as not having to carry a hub.

Performance

Our review unit runs the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H, a 14-core, 18-thread Meteor Lake chip clocking to around 3.6GHz, paired with 16GB of LPDDR5 memory and a 512GB NVMe SSD. Graphics come from Intel Arc, with 128MB dedicated and just over 9GB shared from system memory. It shipped on Windows 11 Home build 26200 with Arc driver 32.0.101.8517.

Day to day, it feels quick. That is not a throwaway line, because the benchmark data supports the impression while complicating it in a way that needs some explaining.

Benchmark table

Let's start with the good news. In PCMark 10 Extended, which simulates a working day rather than a synthetic loop, the Swift Neo scored 6,557. Break that apart, and the Productivity sub-score of 14,295 is the standout, with Essentials at 9,457 and Digital Content Creation at 7,521. Put plainly: launching apps, moving between spreadsheets and browser tabs, joining calls, editing documents, all of it happens without the machine getting in your way. That 6,557 total sits within a whisker of the 6,589 the Aspire 5 A514-54H managed with the same chip, and well ahead of the 5,520 from the Aspire Go 14 (review).

CrossMark reads similarly, with a caveat. An overall score of 1,297 splits into 1,183 Productivity, 1,477 Creativity, and 1,160 Responsiveness. The Creativity figure is the healthiest of the three, but the overall number trails the 1,552 from the Aspire 5 and the 1,536 from the Dell 15 D15260.

Now the part that needs explaining. Cinebench R23 returned 6,081 multi-core and 1,694 single-core, at an MP ratio of 3.59x. Cinebench 2024 gave 377 multi-core and 96 single-core. Cinebench 2026 came in at 1,560 for multiple threads, 558 single-core, and 393 single-thread.

Those multi-core figures are low. Not marginally low. The Aspire 5 A514-54H, running the identical Core Ultra 5 125H at 28W, scored 9,350 in Cinebench R23 multi-core. The Aspire Go 14 with the same chip scored 11,533. The Swift Neo gives up between 35 and 47% against laptops carrying its own processor.

Single-core tells a completely different story. At 1,694 in R23, the Swift Neo edges past the Aspire Go 14's 1,640 and sits within touching distance of the Aspire 5's 1,709. The chip clocks properly. What it cannot do is hold those clocks across every core through a sustained render, which is what you would expect from a 1.25kg chassis with limited room for cooling.

Geekbench 7 fills in the shape at 1,921 single-core and 4,906 multi-core, with 20,667 in OpenCL and 18,106 in Vulkan. Worth noting that we ran Geekbench 7 here while our earlier comparison units were tested on Geekbench 6, so those figures are not directly comparable across our archive.

In practice, this splits cleanly. Short bursts of work, which is what almost everyone actually does, run smoothly. Long sustained loads finish noticeably slower than the same silicon manages in a thicker machine. Documents, browsing, calls and light creative work will never trouble it. Twenty-minute video exports and heavy compiles will.

Storage is the one area that the laptop falls simply behind. CrystalDiskMark returned sequential reads of 2,717.68MB/s and writes of 1,895.79MB/s at Q8T1, with Q1T1 at 2,572.36 and 1,883.41. Random performance came in at 421.46 read and 549.87 write for RND4K Q32T1, dropping to 61.70 and 148.96 at Q1T1. For context, the Aspire 5 A514-54H hit 7,040MB/s sequential reads, and even the Aspire Go 14's slower Gen 3 drive managed 3,479MB/s. This is the slowest of the four. You will feel it during large transfers and app installs rather than in daily use, but it is a visible corner cut.

On the AI side, Geekbench AI produced three runs. The CPU pass through the ONNX runtime scored 1,317 single precision, 631 half precision and 3,141 quantized. The OpenVINO CPU pass improved to 2,486, 2,389 and 6,158. A third run posted 1,216 single precision but jumped to 6,845 half precision and 11,446 quantized, a profile consistent with the workload running on the GPU or the NPU rather than the CPU cores.

Set against the field, the ONNX quantized score of 3,141 is the lowest of the four machines here, behind the Aspire 5's 4,944 and the Dell 15's 7,152. The OpenVINO quantized figure of 6,158 recovers to sit ahead of the Aspire 5's 5,770, though still short of the Dell's 10,404.

Graphics and gaming

Intel Arc handles what you would expect from integrated graphics, then does slightly better than the synthetic scores suggest.

In 3DMark, Time Spy returned 1,856 with 1,743 graphics and 2,942 CPU. Time Spy Extreme dropped to 952, with 900 graphics and 1,419 CPU. Fire Strike scored 3,873, splitting into 4,284 graphics, 9,079 physics, and 1,502 combined. Fire Strike Extreme managed 1,963 and Fire Strike Ultra 1,036. Night Raid, the test actually built for integrated graphics, came in at 13,704 with 23,520 graphics and 4,073 CPU.

Against the other Core Ultra 5 125H machines, the pattern from the CPU results repeats. The Aspire 5 A514-54H scored 2,450 in Time Spy and 18,327 in Night Raid. The Aspire Go 14 managed 2,274 and 17,551. The Dell 15 D15260, on the newer Core Ultra 5 225H, hit 2,592 and 20,298. The Swift Neo sits under all three.

Real games told a better story. Running the built-in GTA V benchmark at 1920 x 1080 with shadows and reflections dialled back, MSAA off and FXAA on, the Swift Neo averaged 56.5fps across five passes, with individual passes ranging from 44.9 to 63.9. Pushed to the panel's native 1920 x 1200 at the same settings, it averaged 53.2fps, holding between 47.3 and 55.5.

Frame consistency held up too. At 1920 x 1200, better than 99% of frames landed under the 33ms mark across the four longest passes, meaning the experience stayed above 30fps almost throughout rather than lurching between smooth and stuttering.

Those are respectable numbers for integrated graphics, and they land ahead of what we recorded from the Aspire 5 and Aspire Go 14 with the same chip, though our settings profile here leans conservative, and that gap should be read with the settings in mind. What it means practically: esports titles run comfortably at 1080p, older AAA games are playable with settings turned down, and anything demanding from the last two years is off the table.

Battery life

This is where the Swift Neo earns back what it gave away. In the PCMark 10 video loop test at 80% brightness, it ran 9 hours 54 minutes, draining from 99% to 3%. For a 14-inch Windows laptop with an H-series processor inside, that is a strong result. It is a better one when you notice the battery is only 52Wh, smaller than the 55Wh cell in the Aspire Go 14 and the 53.8Wh unit in the Aspire 5. Acer rates this machine at up to 8 hours. It beat that by nearly two hours.

Context makes it look better, as the Aspire Go 14, with the same processor, managed 7 hours 47 minutes. The Dell 15 D15260 on the newer 225H managed 5 hours 5 minutes. Only the Aspire 5 A514-54H beat it, at 11 hours 15 minutes. Against most of what sits at this price, close to ten hours means leaving the house without the charger and not spending the afternoon hunting for a socket.

It also reframes the performance figures. A chip held at lower sustained power runs cooler, runs quieter, and drains slower. The Swift Neo is not underperforming so much as spending its power budget somewhere else, and battery life is where it lands.

Charging runs over USB Type-C with a bundled 65W Power Delivery adapter, which is small enough to live in a bag permanently and doubles as a phone charger. That is one less brick to carry, and on a machine sold on portability it counts.

Verdict

The Acer Swift Neo SFN14-55 is a machine with a clear personality, which is more than most laptops in this bracket manage. It is light, it lasts, and it stays out of your way through a normal working day. The 16:10 panel is properly useful, the productivity scores are strong, and close to ten hours of tested battery is the sort of number that changes how you use a laptop rather than just how you feel about it. GTA V running near 57fps at 1080p is a bonus nobody buying this machine will have expected.

What you give up is headroom. Multi-core performance sits well below what this same Intel chip delivers in thicker machines, the SSD is one of the slowest we have measured in this segment, and the 300-nit IPS panel gives up ground to the OLED screens rivals now ship at similar money. None of that matters for email, documents, browsing, and calls. All of it matters if you edit video, compile code, or push the machine hard for stretches at a time.

So the recommendation splits cleanly. If you want a light, long-lasting 14-inch laptop for everyday work, and you value the charger staying at home over benchmark bragging rights, the Swift Neo makes a straightforward case for itself. If you want the full performance this processor is capable of, Acer's own Aspire 5 A514-54H delivers noticeably more of it, along with faster storage and better battery, at around Rs 76,999.

On price, Acer currently lists the laptop for Rs 69,990 in the 8GB configuration, which is what most people should actually consider. Our 16GB review unit sits above that. At roughly seventy thousand rupees, a 1.25kg metal-bodied 14-inch laptop with five USB ports, a 1080p webcam, a fingerprint reader, and close to ten hours of tested battery life, the Acer Swift Neo is a sensible buy.

Editor's Rating: 7.5 / 10

Pros:

• Close to 10 hours of battery in our video loop test
• Light 1.25kg body that disappears into a bag
• Handles everyday productivity work without hesitation
• 16:10 panel gives genuinely useful vertical space

Cons:

• Sustained multi-core performance trails other Core Ultra 5 125H laptops
• Slow SSD Speeds
• IPS panel struggles outdoors

The Redmi Note 17 Pro carries the same TÜV SÜD 5-Star Titan Quality certification as the Pro Max, along with SGS Premium 5-Star certification for 3-metre drops onto granite, and IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings tested to 2 metres of water immersion for 72 hours. Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 also protects the front panel. The phone will be available in three colourways: Cloud Blue, Purple Vibe and Stealth Black.

The Redmi Note 17 Pro gets the same 6.83-inch flat AMOLED panel Xiaomi uses on the Pro Max: a 1.5K resolution display with 12-bit colour depth, a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, and a claimed peak brightness of 3,500 nits. It supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+, and the panel carries triple TÜV Rheinland certification, plus 3,840Hz PWM dimming to reduce flicker at low brightness. On paper, this is a genuinely high-end panel sitting on a mid-range phone. And this year, many other brands have struggled to offer an AMOLED display on a Rs 30,000 phone. I'll share more about the display's quality and outdoor brightness in my full review.

The one area where the Pro visibly trades down is the chipset. Instead of the Pro Max's Snapdragon 6 Gen 5, the Redmi Note 17 Pro runs on the Snapdragon 6s Gen 4, an efficient 4nm octa-core chip that Xiaomi is pairing with 8GB of RAM across 128GB and 256GB storage options. The higher-storage variant gets UFS 3.1, while the lower one steps down to UFS 2.2, paired with LPDDR4X memory. None of this will compete with a proper flagship chip, but Xiaomi is positioning it as tuned for smooth everyday use across gaming, streaming, and video calls rather than chasing benchmark numbers. My brief time with the Redmi Note 17 Pro showed a decent out-of-the-box experience, though it didn't feel as snappy and fluid as I would have hoped from a Rs 37,000 phone.

The Redmi Note 17 Pro ships with Android 16 and HyperOS 3, and Xiaomi is promising four years of OS updates and six years of security patches, support that's meant to run until 2032. That's a genuinely long commitment for this segment, where three OS updates and four years of security patches is still more common. The software also brings Xiaomi's HyperAI suite on-device, including an AI interpreter for offline translation, live speech transcription, and an AI writing assistant, along with kilometre-level offline messaging for situations with no network coverage.

Xiaomi is also including a two-year warranty, one free screen replacement, and battery replacement coverage if health drops below 80 percent within two years, which is a solid ownership package on top of the update promise.

The rear camera setup is unchanged from the Pro Max: a 50MP main sensor with OIS at f/1.8, paired with an 8MP ultra-wide. Xiaomi's portrait processing includes High Dynamic Portrait for backlit scenes and a dedicated Night Portrait mode, and video tops out at 4K 30fps with OIS and EIS stabilisation on the rear. The same AI Creativity Suite from the Pro Max is here too, covering glare removal, reflection removal, object erasing, and AI-assisted frame expansion, along with an underwater shooting mode for casual use in shallow freshwater.

While a telephoto lens would have been nice to see on a phone over Rs 35,000, this is, unfortunately, the norm this year. Stay tuned for my full review where I'll talk about the Redmi Note 17 Pro's camera performance in detail.

Battery is where both the Note 17 Pro phones stand out. The Redmi Note 17 Pro gets a 9,000mAh silicon-carbon battery while the Pro Max offers a massive 10,000mAh cell. This should mean two days of battery on a single charge on both devices, with the Pro Max likely to deliver marginally better endurance. Charging tops out at 67W on the Redmi Note 17 Pro instead of 100W, which Xiaomi says takes the phone from empty to full in around 80 minutes.

Xiaomi's own claims put this at over 3.5 days of light use on a single charge, translating to figures like 112 hours of music playback or 25 hours of watching reels. The same TÜV SÜD battery certification from the Pro Max carries over too, rated to hold 80 percent capacity past 1,600 charge cycles.

On paper, the Redmi Note 17 Pro looks like it's making very few compromises against its more expensive sibling, keeping the display, main camera, durability certification, and software promise identical while stepping down on battery capacity, charging speed, and raw chip performance. Whether that translates into a genuinely strong value proposition depends entirely on where Xiaomi prices it, which hasn't been announced yet at the time of writing.

Verdict

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold brings noteworthy upgrades as compared to its predecessor, offering improvements in AI and multitasking. The IP68 rating remains a key highlight, and while the new HiLight feature doesn't seem very useful in its current state, the seamless integration of Gemini AI and the undiluted Pixel platform help elevate the overall experience. Overall, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold comes across as a solid entry in the foldables space and is worth a look.

Design and displays

Overall, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold's design language isn't much different from the predecessor, though the camera module on the back is a tad smaller this time. The new phone is also slimmer by a few millimetres, which might not seem like a huge deal, but the reduction in weight from 258g to 239 grams is more noticeable. The IP68 rating stands out as well, especially since other foldables in the market can't match it, at least till the iPhone Duo comes out. The new olive shade on the Pixel 11 Pro Fold looks nice and elegant, and the rear panel has a smooth, satin feel, and the overall fit and finish is excellent. The D-shaped look when the phone is folded results in a more uniform shape with four rounded corners as you open up the phone, and for some reason, the two halves of the phone aren't the same thickness. However, the difference is imperceptible and only visible when you observe closely. The hinge seems solid, and while the phone opens and shuts smoothly, you do need to apply a bit of force.


The 6.5-inch cover display is nice and vibrant. The 120Hz OLED display supports HDR, a peak brightness of 3600 nits, and is a treat to use. Unfolding the device reveals the 8-inch main display, which is almost square and is equally adept. The expansive real estate is great for productivity, though videos appear letterboxed with wide black bands on the top and bottom — something that's par for the course for book-style foldables like this. The one thing that doesn't impress is the crease. The crease in the middle of the main display is fairly noticeable, both visually as well as while running your finger across, and that's something Google should address in the next generation as rivals have raced ahead in this regard.

Cameras

The camera setup seems mostly unchanged from the previous-gen model in terms of hardware — you get a 48MP primary camera which is mated to a 10.5MP ultra-wide and a 10.5MP telephoto that can handle 5x optical zoom. The main screen and cover screen have 10MP selfie cameras. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold takes great photos in most lighting conditions, though when it goes head-to-head with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, it falls slightly short. Here are a few samples.

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Overall though, most casual users would be fine with the shots the Pixel 11 Pro Fold churns out. AI tools such as Magic Capture and Magic Eraser help elevate the shooting and editing experience further. And since this is a foldable, you can use cover screen preview to get the primary cameras to shoot selfies too. A feature called "Made you look" is quite interesting, as it displays animated cartoon characters on the cover display as you use the main display to frame — it's a fun option to ensure you have your little one's attention as you go trigger-happy shooting their reactions.

Software

The software experience has been a key differentiator for the Pixel series, and the Pixel 11 series carries that legacy forward nicely. The 11 series brings with it a bunch of noteworthy features, such as Rambler, Magic Captures, Teleprompter, and more. I won't go deep into each one since we've covered them in detail (so feel free to check them out here and jump back into this review), but I do find Rambler and Magic Capture quite useful. Rambler is integrated into Gboard and is a voice-to-text tool, using AI to clean up the text as you speak. Magic Capture, integrated into the camera app, shoots short videos and pulls out a few moments as still shots, giving you both photos and videos of special moments. Using Gemini Intelligence, App Automation can work across over 40 apps and stitch together commands, such as picking up a photo of a landmark from the gallery and then getting an itinerary prepared from a travel app. This isn't brand new, and getting it to work can be a hit-or-miss affair, but it could be the beginning of something that could significantly impact how we use apps in the near future.


Multitasking features on the Pixel 11 Pro Fold are also quite interesting, and very useful too. In addition to the usual split-screen option that lets you run two apps side by side on the inner display, you also get a feature called Bubbles. This allows you to run additional apps as mini windows that can be docked on either side of the display. Multiple apps can be run on top of each other this way, and you can minimise them onto a small dock at the bottom by swiping downwards. An app from this dock can be opened up again, restoring it back it to its original mini window state. When you fold the device, the same dock and the app icons on it turn into a bubble, which can be dragged to any position on the screen. Tapping the bubble opens up the most recent app in windowed form, and gives you the other running apps on a bar on top, allowing you to switch between them easily. It's a nifty, intuitive way to multitask and have a bunch of apps running together at once, and hopefully, other Android platforms will replicate it for their foldables too.


The feature that didn't quite hit the mark is HiLight. A multi-coloured LED on the camera island where the flash is usually found, this light glows when you invoke Gemini, and when assigned to a favourite contact, indicates said contact is calling by flashing the specified colour. The use cases are a tad limited for now, so there's definitely scope here to do more. The hardware is already there, so all it requires is a software patch to add more functionality.

Performance and battery

It seems to me that Google has never really chased numbers, especially benchmark numbers, and therefore, its Tensor chips haven't topped many benchmarks in the past. That continues with the latest Tensor G6. Tuned more for AI and efficiency, it churns out smooth, reliable performance across the board. Benchmark scores might not look amazing, but it delivers where it counts, and in real-life usage I never faced any issues.

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The 4,800mAh battery is a small downgrade as compared to the predecessor, and doesn't match close rivals like the Galaxy Fold8 Ultra and Motorola Razr Fold in terms of capacity either. However, it holds up to daily use well and lasted a day comfortably with my medium usage. With heavier use and longer utilisation of the inner screen, you might need a top-up charge by evening. However, the 30W wired charging speed isn't very impressive, taking an hour plus 20 minutes to move the needle from 20 percent to 100 percent. You also get 25W wireless charging, and handily, the device is equipped with magnets that enable wireless magnetic charging via compatible chargers.

Final verdict

Google has priced the Pixel 11 Pro Fold in India at Rs 1,86,999, with only a single 16GB + 512GB variant being sold on our shores. The pricing is not surprising considering it's a premium foldable smartphone, and given that prices have gone up across the industry. The question really is, how good it really is and whether it's for you. My review tries to answer the first bit. Whether it's for you or not depends on how strongly you support the Pixel mantra. The direct rival comes in the form of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra (review), which is priced higher but is also better in a few aspects such as weight and thickness, pure performance, charging speeds etc. The Pixel mantra, however, uses its better IP68 rating, seamless Gemini integration, and the Pixel software experience that only Google can offer to attract those who conform. If that's what you relate to, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold fits the bill.

Editor's rating: 8 / 10

Pros:

• Solid build & IP68 rating
• Seamless Gemini integration
• Useful multitasking features
• Seven years of software support

Cons:

• Not the thinnest or lightest book-style foldable
• HiLight module doesn't do much
• Can't match rivals in pure number crunching
• Slow charging speeds

We got to experience the new SoC's capabilities on a reference device running Android 17 at MediaTek's office in Noida, India. The device wasn't backed by an OEM and lacked an active cooling system, giving us an early look at the chipset's capabilities before it makes its way into commercial smartphones. MediaTek is confident the final devices will perform like the reference device.

Here's everything you need to know about the MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro SoC.

Key specs

• Process: TSMC 2nm (N2P line)
• CPU cluster: 2 + 3 + 3
• Memory and storage: up to LPDDR6 and UFS 5
• Cache: up to 34.5MB total system cache
• GPU: 12-core Mali G2 Ultra NX

Smaller node, bigger gains

The MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro is the first in-house SoC to be built on TSMC's 2nm process node. This is an upgrade from the 3nm process used by its predecessor, the Dimensity 9500 SoC, allowing the new SoC to pack more transistors and support the new architecture. The MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro features MediaTek's fourth-generation All-Big-Core CPU architecture, but takes it a step further with two ultra-high-performance Prime Cores.

• 2x C2 Ultra Prime cores at 4.55GHz
• 3x C2 Pro performance cores at 4.35GHz
• 3x C2 Pro efficiency cores at 3.1GHz

The dual-Prime-Core configuration is a first for MediaTek and marks a departure from the single Prime Core design used on the previous-generation chipset. This provides additional performance headroom for demanding workloads while retaining the efficiency benefits of the remaining CPU cores.

This was apparent in Geekbench scores, which measure a smartphone's processing capabilities.

MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro Geekbench performance

The move to a smaller process node and the new CPU architecture translate into higher performance, at least according to MediaTek's early benchmark results. On Geekbench 6, the Dimensity 9600 Pro showed roughly an 18 percent increase in single-core performance and a 16 percent improvement in multi-core performance over the Dimensity 9500.

[caption id="attachment_714892" align="aligncenter" width="1510"] Geekbench 6[/caption]

Early testing on the latest Geekbench v7 also points to an advantage in both single-core and multi-core performance over the Dimensity 9500. However, the difference is less pronounced at roughly 13 percent compared to the Geekbench 6 results. This is likely due to the revised scoring methodology and heavier workloads in the latest version of the benchmark. This doesn't change the Dimensity 9600 Pro's overall performance advantage.

[caption id="attachment_714900" align="aligncenter" width="1510"] Geekbench 7[/caption]

The performance gains aren't limited to synthetic benchmarks. MediaTek highlights 13 percent faster task completion in the 2.5W workload category, which covers everyday workloads such as UX scrolling and video playback, on the Dimensity 9600 Pro. The mid-tier 5W category delivers a claimed 12 percent improvement over the Dimensity 9500, while the 10W category gets a 10 percent performance boost for heavier workloads such as 4K video recording and intensive gaming.

AI at its cores, graphics, and more

With AI becoming an increasingly important smartphone selling point, MediaTek is putting more emphasis on the chipset itself. With the Dimensity 9600 Pro, the chipmaker is taking a more integrated approach to AI, bringing AI capabilities beyond the dedicated NPU and into the SoC's major processing blocks. The company calls this its Native AI Architecture, which brings hardware and software together to enable more on-device AI capabilities.

The architecture integrates AI across four key areas:

• AI Compute Fusion Architecture: The CPU and NPU work together to handle computing workloads and support MediaTek's Dimensity Sensing Foundation and NeuroPilot SDKs.
• Neural Graphics Architecture: The GPU and NPU work together to bring AI acceleration into the graphics pipeline, enabling AI-assisted graphics processing and rendering.
• AI Imaging Fusion Architecture: The ISP gets its own AI integration through dedicated blocks such as the Semantic Analysis Engine, True Colour Engine, and Fast-Focus Engine, which are designed to improve computational photography.
• Connectivity + AI: AI is also integrated into the connectivity stack to optimise modem and data paths, aiming to maintain more stable, low-latency connections.

The Dimensity 9600 Pro also uses a dual-NPU setup comprising the Super-efficient eNPU 2.0, which includes an integrated SensorHub, and the 10th-generation Super Performance NPU 1090.

MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro AI benchmark score

[caption id="attachment_714894" align="aligncenter" width="1510"] AI-Benchmark[/caption]

The AI improvements of the MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro are also reflected in its ETH Zurich AI benchmark results. The test evaluates AI performance across factors such as speed, reasoning, and accuracy through a series of workloads. While the overall Device AI score stands at 31,232, the SoC managed to achieve 20,455, which is roughly 18 percent higher than the Dimensity 9500's SoC AI score.

The higher score can also be attributed to the chipset's native INT4 acceleration.

INT4 acceleration

The INT4 acceleration is another major highlight of the Dimensity 9600 Pro SoC. It's a native four-bit integer precision format for on-device AI computation, which halves the bit-width compared with the previous-gen INT8 and roughly one-quarter that of FP16, for on-device Agentic AI and GenAI workloads such as image generation and real-time text generation.

INT4 uses lower-precision data to reduce the amount of memory and computational resources required to run AI models. MediaTek backed this with its TTFT (Time Taken First Token) test on a sample smartphone, which evaluates on-device Large Language Models (AI) by measuring how long it takes to output the first word or character after a request is sent. When contrasted with standard INT8 or FP16 tasks in Llama2 running at 12.7ms per token, the INT4 test drops initialisation times to under 10 milliseconds.

MediaTek says the Dimensity 9600 Pro can handle on-device Mixture of Experts (MoE) LLM inference, and its native INT4 support improves the efficiency of running these models on the device. The company claims up to 51 percent faster LLM performance and 40 percent better power efficiency.

For users, the bigger takeaway is that more AI processing can happen directly on the smartphone rather than relying entirely on the cloud. This could translate into faster responses and greater privacy for supported AI features, while the efficiency improvements should help limit the impact on battery life.

Gaming, ray tracing, and solar ray tracing

[caption id="attachment_714895" align="aligncenter" width="1510"] 3DMark Steel Nomad Light[/caption]

For flagship SoCs, one of the biggest challenges is handling demanding workloads like gaming over extended periods. To test the Dimensity 9600 Pro's graphics performance, we used the 3DMark Solar Bay Extreme and Steel Nomad Light tests, which are designed to showcase improvements in graphics performance and hardware-accelerated ray tracing.

[caption id="attachment_714901" align="aligncenter" width="1510"] 3DMark Solar Bay Extreme[/caption]

Both tests showed a notable improvement over the Dimensity 9500, with the Dimensity 9600 Pro scoring around 15 percent higher in Solar Bay Extreme and 26 percent higher in Steel Nomad Light. The tests also favour the new flagship SoC in terms of frame rates, which should translate into a smoother gaming experience. Based on our early testing, the Dimensity 9600 Pro appears capable of delivering on that promise.

The SoC features a 12-core Mali G2 Ultra NX GPU and Neural Graphics Architecture, with support for hardware-accelerated ray tracing. The aim is to deliver higher frame rates while also improving the quality of lighting, shadows and reflections in supported games.

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We tried a few games on the reference smartphone, which, notably, did not have an active cooling solution. The results were promising, with the Dimensity 9600 Pro sustaining maximum frame rates in demanding titles for 30 minutes or more. BGMI and Hitman Absolution maintained a consistent 120fps for an hour and 30 minutes, respectively, while Genshin Impact and Wuthering Waves remained locked at 60fps during their 30-minute sessions.

Neural upscaling and 4K 240fps slow-mo video recording support

MediaTek is also using AI to address one of the biggest challenges in mobile gaming: balancing visual quality with performance and power consumption. Through its Neural Graphics Architecture, the Dimensity 9600 Pro can use dedicated AI acceleration to upscale lower-resolution game renders. For instance, a game could render at 540p and then upscale to 1080p output, reducing the GPU workload while maintaining a sharper image.

As a result, the games, with the MediaTek chipset, should deliver higher visual quality without requiring the GPU to render every frame at the target resolution. It could also help reduce power consumption and thermal load during extended gaming sessions. MediaTek claims that the Dimensity 9600 Pro's power consumption is 24 percent less than its predecessor.

Furthermore, the MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro can handle more advanced computational photography and video-processing workloads. The SoC supports 4K 240fps slow-motion video recording, thanks to its upgraded ISP, AI processing capabilities, and memory architecture.

Thoughts...

The Dimensity 9600 Pro represents a major shift in the flagships MediaTek will power next year. By moving to TSMC's 2nm process, using a dual-Prime-Core setup, and adding larger caches, MediaTek aims to deliver better performance and efficiency. With the addition of the dual-NPU setup and Native AI Architecture, the SoC also puts greater emphasis on on-device AI.

Our experience with the reference smartphone also suggests that the chipset has the performance headroom needed for demanding gaming and other intensive workloads, even without active cooling. However, the final experience will ultimately depend on how smartphone manufacturers tune the chipset, manage thermals and optimise their software.

With support for next-generation memory and storage standards, advanced ray tracing, on-device AI and high-frame-rate video capture, the Dimensity 9600 Pro is shaping up to be a substantial upgrade over the Dimensity 9500.

Dressing your table

The 15-degree diamond-cut bevel on the front panel isn't just for aesthetics, although the fully CNC-machined aluminium chassis does give it a hefty and serious stance. It tilts the 4.0-inch full-colour touchscreen toward the user, making it easier to read and operate whether you're seated or standing over the desk. One of the X9's most alluring party tricks is its wide selection of VU meter styles, from classic analogue needle displays to modern real-time spectrum visualisations, each reacting instantly to the music. Swiping between them is a lag-free experience, but the app gives a birds eye view of all the styles in a single screen, making it my preferred choice.

Geek-friendly

Designed to be a Swiss knife for a head-fi aficionado's desk, its core hardware justifies the confidence. Two AKM chips handle everything from native DSD512 and PCM up to 32-bit/768kHz, and the signal runs through a fully differential balanced circuit from the conversion to the output stage. It also boasts of 128dB S/N ratio which is one of the best in the business and the only real chink in its armour compared to the competition on the spec sheet is the slightly low power output of 4W/pc in balanced mode. It also has a unique volume control implementation through a discrete R2R resistor ladder rather than a conventional potentiometer, moving in 0.5dB steps with a claimed 0.1dB left/right channel accuracy, accompanied by an audible relay click that sounds tactile and reassuring rather than distracting.

Ports ahoy!

Around the front, you get 6.35mm single-ended, 4.4mm balanced, and 4-pin XLR outputs. The rear is equally well-appointed, featuring USB-B, USB-C, coaxial, optical, HDMI ARC for TV setups, RCA line-in, dedicated subwoofer outputs, and balanced XLR outs. Despite its laundry list of features, the underlying ethos of the Luxsin X9 is to make life less complicated for the desktop music lover. Auto-impedance detection is one such useful engineering flourish that detects a pair of headphones into either the 6.35mm or balanced 4.4mm output and measures impedance and recommends the correct gain stage across three tiers (16, 32 and 300 ohms) without degrading the signal path. Sitting alongside that is Luxsin's comprehensive HP-EQ system, a hardware-level correction engine with a database of over 2500 headphone models, each tuned toward a Harman-style target curve. Other filters are available, or you could go full custom if you're adept at handling parametric EQs. Crossfeed, Soundstage Width and depth controls and a personalised Hearing Compensation mode are just some of the other useful additions accessible through the app. You can dial in the kind of sound you prefer for a particular kind of music genre, either expansive or intimate, and it never feels "wrong", even as a purist. This really is the audio equivalent of a spice cabinet in an Indian kitchen.

[gallery link="file" columns="2" size="medium" td_select_gallery_slide="slide" ids="714518,714517"]

World's first AI-enabled EQ

The real headline, though, is the AI-enabled EQ control layered on top of all that. Rather than dragging bands on a parametric EQ or picking a preset, you simply type, or speak, what you want into the Luxsin Controller app, phrases like "warmer with more bass" or "airier top end", and the X9's DSP interprets that description in real time, generating and applying a matching EQ curve on the fly. It removes the need to understand frequencies, Q values or filter shapes entirely. Billed as a world-first for a headphone amp/DAC, it's a genuinely novel way to let non-technical listeners tune their own sound, and it works well enough in practice that it stops feeling like a gimmick within a few sessions.

Sonic fireworks

Using both the Focal Utopia and the Meze Audio Empyrean II headphones, the presentation was transparent and had the requisite sense of wide space and pinpoint imaging you would expect from top-tier cans. Despite the low power on paper, everything I threw at it, from IEMs to over-ear headphones, never felt like it was holding back on transient attack or dynamics. The only real point of note in terms of its sonic quality is that with the HP-EQ off, it tends to sound overtly soft and polite, so don't expect the "flat" or neutral sound to entertain you. If you want to get the most out of your headphones, you will have to deploy the full power of the X9's arsenal. But once you do, you will be rewarded with a revealing midrange, natural vocals and real texture to instruments. Of course, it's easy to under or overcook things depending on your comfort level with handling complex EQ controls, but the upside is that your ears are still connected to your brain. So find a sound you like and don't fuss about accuracy if you find the music connecting to you.

[gallery link="file" columns="2" size="medium" td_select_gallery_slide="slide" ids="714520,714519"]

When you get it right, though, it stops being a gadget and starts acting like a high-end studio monitor. Take a track like 'Limit to Your Love' by James Blake and the sub-bass notes hit with that tight, snappy decay instead of the lingering, muddy warmth you get from lesser gear. In the midrange, it's ruthlessly clean, which really shines on vocals like those in Radiohead's 'No Surprises' where the separation is immediate and intimate. Whether it's the last word in desktop DACs or headphone amps depends on how intimately you want to get to know it, and it may take a while until you can extract the best out of it. Even then, sonic subjectivity is always up for debate.

Who is it for?

The Luxsin X9 packs in some of the most daring DSP and software tricks the personal audio space has seen in years. The AI-enabled sound tuning is not just genuinely useful but alludes to a whole new revolution in the AV world if more brands and consumers take to it. I think it's a matter of when and not if.  For audiophiles who miss vintage Japanese hi-fi, the X9 delivers serious eye candy and adds genuine personality to a desktop workspace. At Rs.1,16,900, it's not for everyone and certainly not for TWS owners, but if you do want to take the next step into the deeper end of desktop hi-fi, the X9 feels like having a personal mastering engineer on call.

Editor's rating: 8 / 10

Pros

• Innovative AI sound tuning
• Transparent sonic character
• Aluminium chassis build is excellent

Cons

• Slightly low balanced power output
• Soft sound without EQ active
• Carries a high price tag

Design and build: Simple, but with enough gaming flair

The ED340CUR X0 doesn't try too hard to look like a gaming monitor. The front is fairly clean, with slim bezels and a large curved display doing most of the talking. Turn it around, though, and the red accents on the rear add just enough gaming character to the otherwise understated design. It isn't covered in RGB lighting or aggressive styling, and I quite like that approach.

The stand is where things are less impressive. You only get basic tilt adjustment, from -5 to 20 degrees, and there is no height adjustment. For a screen this large, some additional flexibility would have been welcome. I also didn't find the stand as sturdy as I'd ideally like, particularly when considering the size and weight of the monitor. It isn't a deal-breaker, but if you're planning to keep this monitor for years, a VESA arm could be a worthwhile investment.

Connectivity is fairly straightforward. You get DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.1 ports, and a 3.5mm audio output, but no USB ports. That's fairly normal for a monitor in this price bracket, so I wouldn't consider it a major omission.

Interestingly, HDMI topped out at 100Hz in my testing, while DisplayPort unlocked the full 200Hz. Acer does include an HDMI cable in the box, which feels a little odd for a monitor aimed at PC gaming, although that's fairly standard at this price. The HDMI 2.1 ports are theoretically capable of more, but bandwidth limitations over HDMI's TMDS interface at 3440 x 1440 mean DisplayPort is the better choice here if you want the full 200Hz experience. This isn't a cable fault, and I'd recommend DisplayPort for PC gaming anyway.

Display quality: Big, sharp, and wonderfully spacious

The star of the show is obviously that 34-inch 3440 x 1440 panel. The resolution is sharp enough to make text and UI elements look clean, while the 21:9 aspect ratio gives you loads of horizontal space for multitasking. I could comfortably keep multiple windows open side by side without everything feeling cramped.

A picture-by-picture mode would have made this even more useful, especially for people who regularly work with two systems, but I wouldn't really count its absence as a serious drawback at this price.

The 1500R curvature also works well here. It's noticeable without being excessive, and it pulls the edges of the large display into your peripheral vision. In games, that translates into a genuinely immersive experience, particularly in racing and open-world titles.

The panel uses VA technology, bringing the usual mix of strengths and compromises. Acer claims 99 percent sRGB coverage, but colour accuracy isn't quite on par with a good IPS panel, something you'll notice if you're used to more accurate displays. That said, VA's biggest advantage is contrast: with a static contrast ratio of around 3,500:1, the ED340CUR X0 delivers deeper blacks than most IPS monitors.

However, the limited 250-nit peak brightness and basic HDR implementation hold it back in darker content. Shadow detail can look somewhat flattened, making dark games such as Resident Evil Requiem lose some of their atmospheric impact. Movies face a similar limitation, although brighter and more colourful content still looks perfectly enjoyable.

200Hz gaming: Smooth and immersive

Gaming is where the ED340CUR X0 feels most at home. Once you've got 3440 x 1440 running at 200Hz through DisplayPort, games feel extremely smooth, provided your GPU can actually push the required frame rates.

The monitor also supports AMD FreeSync Premium, while Acer's 1ms VRB mode uses backlight strobing to reduce perceived motion blur. I found this particularly useful in fast-paced games such as Apex Legends, where the extra clarity during movement can make the action feel noticeably cleaner.

Of course, 200Hz doesn't magically eliminate every limitation of a VA panel. You can still encounter the sort of motion characteristics associated with VA technology, particularly in darker scenes. But for general gaming, the combination of high refresh rate, ultrawide resolution, and VRB makes for an enjoyable experience.

One thing to remember is that not every game supports ultrawide properly. Valorant, for instance, doesn't make full use of the 21:9 aspect ratio, so you'll have to play with black bars on either side. That's a limitation of the game rather than the monitor, but it's worth knowing if competitive shooters are your primary reason for buying an ultrawide.

Speakers that punch above their weight

The ED340CUR X0 comes with dual 2W speakers, and they're actually better than I expected. They're certainly not going to replace a dedicated speaker setup or a good pair of headphones, but they get loud enough and sound decent for casual YouTube watching, streaming, and general entertainment. For a monitor at this price, I'd happily take having usable built-in speakers over having none at all.

Verdict: A lot of monitor for the money

For under Rs. 25,000, the Acer Nitro ED340CUR X0 makes a compelling case for itself. Its 34-inch UWQHD panel, 200Hz refresh rate, 1500R curvature, and FreeSync Premium combine to deliver an immersive gaming experience, while the expansive ultrawide canvas makes multitasking considerably more comfortable. The built-in speakers are another pleasant bonus, making this a well-rounded monitor for both work and entertainment.

It isn't without compromises, with the basic stand, 250-nit brightness, and IPS-beating colour accuracy leaving some room for improvement. But at this price, those trade-offs are easy to overlook. The sub-Rs. 20,000 asking price is ultimately what justifies its score: if high-refresh-rate ultrawide gaming is your priority, the ED340CUR X0 delivers an awful lot of monitor without asking you to spend a fortune.

As for alternatives, the closest rival is the Samsung Odyssey G5, but it costs closer to Rs. 28,000. LG's similarly priced 34U511A offers a lower resolution and tops out at just 100Hz, while the 34WR55QK adds USB-C and otherwise matches Acer's feature set, but costs a hefty Rs. 33,000 and still caps at 100Hz. Put into context, the Acer is clearly the value pick for anyone who wants a high-refresh-rate 34-inch ultrawide without stretching the budget.

Editor's Rating: 8.3 / 10

Pros:

• Sharp 3440 x 1440 ultrawide display with smooth 200Hz refresh rate
• Immersive 1500R curvature
• Surprisingly good built-in speakers
• Great value under Rs 25,000

Cons:

• Stand lacks height adjustment
• HDMI limited to 100Hz in testing
• Colour accuracy isn't as strong as a good IPS panel

What is the Neosapien Neo1 and what can it do?

The Neo1 is a compact plastic device that looks just like a USB flash drive and is about the same size. Weighing a mere 20g, it features a Type-C port at the bottom for charging and a hook on top through which you can loop the bundled metal chain and hang it around your neck. Available colours include copper, black, silver and gunmetal. An inverted U-shaped light on the front glows when the device is active, and you can also double-tap below it to toggle between active and sleep modes. The light glows white when the device is active, and orange when it's charging. A couple of small slits on the side look like they let sound in to feed the internal mic. The mic can record audio within a range of 2 meters. 


The device has a built-in battery that can be charged via the Type-C port, and a Type-C to Type-C cable is included in the box. The cable closely resembles the white braided one that Apple has been including with its iPhones. It's just something I noticed and found worth mentioning, though it doesn't have a bearing on this review in any way. The Neo1 doesn't have any built-in storage, and relies on a smartphone paired over Bluetooth to work. Which brings me to the app…

How's the app experience?

The Neo app is available on Android and iOS, and works as the central hub for using the Neo1. The app experience, therefore, is crucial. I'm glad to report that the app doesn't disappoint — it's intuitive and is well designed. The app layout is divided into four sections, labelled Home, Ask Neo, Memories, and Reminders, which are all mostly self-explanatory. You can also view the remaining battery level of the paired device on the top right, and a button next to that gives you access to your account, device firmware details, and settings. There's also a desktop app for macOS and Windows that lets you record online meetings, and that's designed well too. 

How well does it work

The overall premise is simple. If you have the device hanging from your neck and it's activated, it'll keep listening to conversations, feed that audio into its AI model via the companion app running on the paired phone, and process the information to give you summaries and reminders.


You need to train it with your voice during the setup process, after which it'll label your side of the conversations with your name. The AI processing happens on the cloud, which means your phone should be connected to the internet for it to work. While there's no built-in storage, the Neo1 can still capture audio and store it on the paired smartphone even when the latter isn't connected to the internet, and process the conversations later when the phone goes online. And just in case you forget the Neo1 device at home or if it runs out of battery, you can use the app on your phone directly to capture conversations and meetings. The app can sync up with your calendar once you give it the necessary permissions, and then display upcoming meetings on its home page too.


Each processed conversation is termed a memory, and the cloud processing takes a few minutes. The recording continues as long as the device/app detects ongoing audio conversation, and once that stops, it uploads the audio to process it and eventually show you the corresponding memory, which is essentially an AI-generated summary. If the AI detects any actionable points in the conversation, it suggests and lists them as reminders, and you can choose to accept them if they look relevant. You can go into the three-dot menu at the top and see the full transcript of the conversation. Over 140 different languages are supported, and in my experience, randomly switching between Hindi and English while conversing was handled reasonably well. In case the conversation or meeting has breaks in between, the segments get processed as separate memories, but the app allows you to merge different memories together for easy reference. There's also an option to connect the app to the AI tool of your choice (ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude), and take advantage of the memories/intelligence you might have built up in your usage over time.


Coming to the meat of the matter — how well does the Neo1 work? In my experience, the device microphone seems quite sensitive, and picks up conversations in close proximity quite well. This was the case even when I chose not to wear the device around my neck, but kept it in my shirt pocket instead. From a privacy perspective, though, it'd be better to wear it around your neck and let the glowing LED alert others that their voice is being recorded. In most cases, the so-called memories prove to be quite useful, and since they're searchable, they become a memory bank that you can go back to while trying to remember who said what. Of course, for this to work as intended, you should have the device on you and in active mode, so that it records the conversations. In addition, you also get a summary email at the end of the day to an email ID you specify, giving you a bird's-eye view of what transpired during the day instead of having to scroll through various memories in the app. 

On the flip side

In my experience, I think the Neo1 works best for structured conversations, such as meetings. If you keep it active with you all day, it tends to pick up a lot of chatter around you and create a ton of memories which won't be of any use to you. Another downside is that you need to engage actively with the app often to sift through the collected memories, remove the unwanted ones, merge the ones that need to be joined together, and so and so forth. The battery lasts about a day if you keep it active all day, so expect to charge it on a daily basis. You can also stretch it to a couple of days if you just keep it active for a few meetings and then put it to sleep, but that means having to remember to toggle between active and sleep modes before and after each meeting. Also, I think that integrating built-in storage so it could store conversations locally would go a long way, since that could enable offline usage. 

Is it for you?

Now that's something you have to decide after reading this review. At Rs 12,999, it's not really an impulse purchase, but it's not atrociously expensive either. I think it holds a lot of promise as a showcase of how AI can help increase productivity, though as you can guess, it's best suited for working professionals and those who spend a lot of time in meetings. Areas of improvement include battery life and enhancing the AI to a point where it can separate the chatter from useful conversations, and possibly automating the on/off modes. I find it quite useful in its current state — seems like a step in the right direction for sure.

Editor's rating: 7.7 / 10

Pros

• Compact & lightweight
• Sensitive mic
• Useful conversation summaries, transcripts & reminders 

Cons

• No built-in storage
• Need to engage with the app constantly
• Can collect random chatter if left on

Short verdict

The Realme P4s is a well-rounded mid-range smartphone that gets most things correct. The excellent AMOLED display, reliable battery life and capable cameras make it a good everyday phone, while the quirky design gives it some character. The phone's low-light images, however, can be slightly noisy, and the stereo speakers lack depth. Overall, the P4s is a pretty decent all-rounder for users who want a good mix of features without major compromises.

Design: quirky, but in a good way

[pdp-expert-review]
The Realme P4s has a bold, quirky design with its faux internals and stripes. I tested the Titanium Grey version, which looks more subtle but still stands out. The 208g phone feels comfortable despite the 8,000mAh battery, although it is slightly top-heavy. The flat metal frame and well-placed buttons add to the ergonomics.
[/pdp-expert-review]

The Realme P4s takes a pretty bold approach to design, and whether you like it or not will largely come down to personal preference. The rear panel has a quirky design with its square camera module, exposed faux internals and stripes across the top. I don't think the design looks bad by any means, but it is certainly not subtle. I can see younger users being drawn to it, while older buyers may prefer something a little more subtle.

I got the Titanium Grey version for review, the more subtle of the two colours; the other is Electric Cyan. The glossy rear panel picks up fingerprints easily, although it adds to the phone's overall look. Despite its 208g weight and large 8,000mAh battery, the P4s feels comfortable in the hand, with good overall weight balance. It is slightly top-heavy, though, which becomes apparent when using it one-handed for longer periods.

[comparative-benchmark type="1000" products="42361,41836,42000,42378," ][/comparative-benchmark]

The flat metal frame also gives the phone a good feel, while the power and volume buttons sit comfortably within reach. The device also has IP66, IP68, and IP69 dust and water resistance, which makes it pretty durable against the elements. Overall, Realme has done a good job with the ergonomics, considering the battery size. The design won't appeal to everyone, but if you like phones that look somewhat different, the P4s certainly does that.

Battery: more than enough for most users

[pdp-expert-review]
The Realme P4s' 8,000mAh battery easily lasts around a day and a half, although two full days may be a stretch. Its 20-hour 30-minute PCMark score is reasonable considering the bright display. The 80W charging took 66 minutes from 20 to 100 percent, which is decent. Overall, I'm quite satisfied with the battery life.
[/pdp-expert-review]

The Realme P4s has an 8,000mAh battery, and my experience with it has been mostly positive. The phone can comfortably last about a day and a half with regular use, and I never worried about running out of battery by the end of the day. You may not get two full days from it, but I don't think that's a problem when 1.5 days of use is easily achievable.

[comparative-benchmark type="3" title="PCMark Battery score (in hours)" caption="PCMark battery test measures phone battery life from 100% to 20% (higher is better)" highlight="product_1" products="42361,41836,42000,42378," ][/comparative-benchmark]

The PCMark battery test may look a little low for an 8,000mAh phone; however, the P4S also has a rather bright display that can draw more power. The result is also in line with other phones with similarly sized batteries that we've tested. In everyday use, I found the battery endurance more than good enough, and charging it once every other day isn't an issue.

Realme supports 80W wired charging, and the P4s took 66 minutes to charge from 20 to 100 percent in our testing. That's a decent result based on our charging logs and faster than most of its rivals.

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I'm quite satisfied with this phone's battery life. It may not last as long as I expected from an 8,000mAh cell, but a day and a half of reliable use is still more than enough for most people, and I have no complaints about its endurance.

Performance and software: nothing to complain about

[pdp-expert-review]
The Dimensity 7400 Ultra with 12GB RAM handles everyday use and gaming well, although the phone gets warm during longer gaming sessions. Performance isn't class-leading, but it makes sense at the current price. Realme UI 7.0 feels familiar, while reduced bloatware is a welcome improvement.
[/pdp-expert-review]

The Realme P4s gets almost everything right when it comes to performance. It uses the MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Ultra with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage, and I didn't run into any major issues during everyday use.

[comparative-benchmark type="1" title="AnTuTu score" caption="AnTuTu assesses a smartphone's CPU, GPU, memory, and overall user experience (higher is better)" highlight="product_1" products="42361,41836,42000,42378," ][/comparative-benchmark]

For gaming use, BGMI ran pretty smoothly at the default graphics settings, and I enjoyed gaming on the P4s, especially with its excellent display and 144Hz refresh rate. COD: Mobile also ran pretty well, although the phone does tend to get warm during longer gaming sessions (think over 2 hours of continuous use).

[comparative-benchmark type="10" title="Geekbench single-core score" caption="Geekbench assesses the efficiency of the CPU's single and multiple cores (higher is better)" highlight="product_1" products="42361,41836,42000,42378," ][/comparative-benchmark]

You'll mostly notice it warm up around the camera module before it spreads to the frame, despite the large vapour chamber cooling system.

[comparative-benchmark type="11" title="Geekbench multi-core score" caption="Geekbench assesses the efficiency of the CPU's single and multiple cores (higher is better)" highlight="product_1" products="42361,41836,42000,42378," ][/comparative-benchmark]

I think the Dimensity 7400 Ultra makes more sense in the current market than it might have a year ago. Gone are the days when we could expect near-flagship performance from a phone at this price, especially with memory prices constantly increasing. The Realme P4s doesn't offer the best performance out there, but it delivers more than enough for everyday use and gaming at its current price.

[comparative-benchmark type="3000" products="42361,41836,42000,42378," pias="58,51,54,83,"][/comparative-benchmark]

On the software side, the phone runs Android 16 with Realme UI 7.0. The interface feels familiar if you've used a recent Realme phone, but there are fewer pre-installed apps this time around, which is a good improvement. Realme promises 3 major OS upgrades and 4 years of security patches, which is decent but lower than some rivals in the price bracket.

Cameras: decent all-round performance

[pdp-expert-review]
The P4s' 50MP main and 8MP ultra-wide cameras perform well during the day, with good detail, colours and realistic portraits. The ultra-wide is useful for wider shots, while low-light photos can get noisy. The 16MP selfie camera also produces natural-looking results without excessive skin smoothing.
[/pdp-expert-review]

The Realme P4s has a 50MP main camera paired with an 8MP ultra-wide camera. This is a fairly common setup in the mid-range segment, but the P4s does a good job with it in daylight. The main camera captures plenty of detail with punchy colours. It also preserves shadows and highlights well, and the HDR processing is satisfactory.

The ultra-wide camera also performs well enough for wider scenes. You do lose some detail when you zoom in, but that's not a major issue, as other similarly priced phones do the same. I also like the portrait shots from this phone. The skin tones look realistic, the edge detection is good, and the camera doesn't smooth things out excessively.

Low light is one area where shots can get a little noisy, although the colours are still vibrant enough. Night mode helps in darker scenes, but it doesn't fully resolve noise or low detail.

[smartslider3 slider=2183]

The 16MP selfie camera is pretty decent, and it renders skin tones realistically. It also avoids skin whitening and doesn't smooth out textures, which gives selfies a more natural look.

I compared the phone's cameras with the iQOO Z11 (review) to see how they stack up. Check it out below.

Daylight

The Realme P4s' and iQOO Z11's daylight images are pretty distinct at first glance. The latter's image has much higher contrast, and the darker areas are far more pronounced. The Realme P4s's image is more balanced here and preserves both the darker and lighter areas well. In terms of detail and colour, the P4s is slightly better than its rival and produces results closer to the actual scene.

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Realme-P4s-daylight-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/iQOO-Z11-daylight-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Realme P4s" after="iQOO Z11"]

Portrait

In portrait scenarios, you'll clearly note how the Realme P4s renders the subject's skin tone more realistically. The iQOO Z11's image adds a red tint to the subject's skin, and even the overall environment looks much darker. While the iQOO phone is a little messy with colours and exposure levels, its detail level is better than the Realme device, and the overall image is significantly sharper.

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Realme-P4s-portrait-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/iQOO-Z11-portrait-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Realme P4s" after="iQOO Z11"]

Selfie

The key differences between the selfies of both phones once again boil down to the colour science. The iQOO Z11 continues to render darker tones and outputs a contrast-heavy image, while the Realme P4s does a better job balancing the colours and brightening up the scene. The iQOO Z11, however, continues to lead in terms of detail and sharpness level when you zoom in closer.

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Realme-P4s-selfie-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/iQOO-Z11-selfie-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Realme P4s" after="iQOO Z11"]

Lowlight

Taking images at night is challenging for either phone, but with night mode enabled, both deliver good results. The Realme P4s's image has better sharpness and detail when we zoom into the shrubs at the front and the foliage towards the back. The iQOO Z11 has the advantage in managing lens flare and stray light. Both phones are pretty evenly matched here.

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Realme-P4s-nightmode-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/iQOO-Z11-nightmode-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Realme P4s" after="iQOO Z11"]

Display: excellent colours and visibility

[pdp-expert-review]
The Realme P4s' 6.78-inch Samsung M14 AMOLED display is easily one of my favourite features, with 1.5K resolution, 144Hz refresh rate and excellent brightness. It looks sharp and vibrant, making videos, gaming and scrolling enjoyable. The stereo speakers are loud enough but sound a little shrill and lack depth compared with some rivals.
[/pdp-expert-review]

The display is undoubtedly my favourite aspect of the Realme P4s by far. The Realme P4s uses a Samsung M14 AMOLED panel with a 1.5K resolution (2772 x 1272) and a 144Hz refresh rate. The 6.78-inch display looks sharp and vibrant, with good colours and plenty of detail.

I thoroughly enjoyed using it for watching YouTube and gaming, but reading text and scrolling through social media also felt great. The 144Hz refresh rate enhances the experience, making scrolling and animations feel smooth, and the touch response is also very good.

[comparative-benchmark type="2000" products="42361,41836,42000,42378," ][/comparative-benchmark]

The display can also get very bright, with Realme claiming up to 6,500 nits of peak brightness and 1,400 nits in HBM. It remains easy to see outdoors, even under direct sunlight, which makes a big difference when using the phone outside. For me, the display is easily one of the P4s' strongest features.

The only thing I wished were better was the stereo speakers. While the current setup is decently loud, the soundstage itself felt a little shrill and lacked depth compared to some rivals like the POCO X8 Power.

How does it compare against the competition?

The Realme P4s' chief competitors include the iQOO Z11 (review) and POCO X8 Power, currently priced at Rs 34,999 and Rs 35,999, respectively. The iQOO Z11 targets users who want a phone that can do a bit of everything, with a slightly better Dimensity 7500 chipset, a smaller 7,050mAh battery, and a curved AMOLED panel. It also offers similar software support. While it has a slight advantage in performance and cameras, the P4s offers better battery life, and some users may prefer its flat display.

The POCO X8 Power takes a more specialised approach with its massive 10,000mAh battery. It uses the Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 chipset, UFS 4.1 storage on the 256GB variant, and longer software support with four OS upgrades and six years of security updates. It targets a similar audience, focusing on battery life, performance, and long-term use. The P4s still has an advantage in cameras, although the POCO does offer more on the hardware and software front at a similar price.

Final verdict

The Realme P4s is a well-rounded phone that gets most of the important things right. It currently retails for Rs 34,999 for the 8GB + 128GB variant, while the 8GB + 256GB and 12GB + 256GB variants cost Rs 37,999 and Rs 41,999, respectively.

The Samsung M14 AMOLED display is easily its biggest strength, with excellent colours, sharp visuals, and a smooth 144Hz refresh rate. The 8,000mAh battery also delivers around a day and a half of use, while the cameras are good enough for everyday photography, particularly in daylight. The design is subjective, but I like that Realme tried something different while keeping the phone comfortable for everyday use.

There are a few areas where the P4s could do better. The phone gets a bit warm during longer gaming sessions, and low-light images can look a bit noisy. The stereo speakers also lack some depth. Overall, the Realme P4s is a decent buy at its current price if you're looking for a well-balanced smartphone for everyday use.

Editor's Rating: 8.4/10

Reasons to buy:

• The P4s looks different from most phones in its price range and remains comfortable to use despite the large battery.
• The 1.5K AMOLED panel delivers sharp, vibrant and smooth visuals, making videos, gaming and scrolling enjoyable.
• The Dimensity 7400 Ultra handles everyday tasks and gaming without any major issues.
• The 8,000mAh battery comfortably lasts about a day and a half and recharges reasonably quickly.

Reasons not to buy:

• Low-light images can get noisy at times, and night mode doesn't completely fix it.
• The stereo speakers are decently loud, but they lack depth and can sound a little shrill.

All-in-one

While some may pontificate on separates being the ultimate expression of high-end head-fi, HiFiMan has other plans. Instead of trying to squeeze high-res audio through Bluetooth's narrow pipe, HiFiMan crammed an entire desktop audio chain directly into the earcups of their benchmark planar headphones. While it may sound like a cheap Chi-Fi trick, the Arya Wi-Fi is a product that makes this feel less like a gimmick than it has any right to.

It carries the same NEO Supernano (NsD) planar diaphragm and Stealth Magnet construction as the wired Arya line, wrapped in a new Gen 2 self-adjusting composite headband, but each earcup hides a Hymalaya Mini R2R DAC paired with a custom Class AB balanced amplifier. HiFiMan rates frequency response at 8Hz to 55kHz, so even House and Hip/Hop fans need not shy away. Format support runs from 44.1kHz to 768kHz PCM and native DSD up to 512, with Bluetooth handled through SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD and LDAC whenever Wi-Fi isn't an option.

Not-so-portable

You'll have to bear in mind that these are open-back planar headphones, so don't expect them to perform well on a Metro ride. Sound leaks out as much as it leaks in and they are built for untethered domestic sessions without dragging a spaghetti-junction of cables behind you. Battery life is claimed to be  23 hours in Bluetooth mode but falls to 6.5 to 7.5 hours once Wi-Fi streaming kicks in. Again, not a deal breaker if you use them the way they're intended to.

Inspired by home hi-fi

HiFiMan wants listeners to skip the stack of desktop electronics, and the ongoing trend is skewing towards skipping the desktop altogether. Astell&Kern has put four vacuum tubes inside a DAP small enough for a jacket pocket. FiiO sells an R2R ladder converter in a player thinner than a stack of cards. FiiO, Shanling and Cayin all now build disc players with Bluetooth and USB DAC modes bolted on. Every one of these products chases listeners who have stopped accepting "wireless" as shorthand for "compromised."

Head-Fi has not been this imaginative in years, even though it draws heavily from home hi-fi. The Arya Wi-Fi may be the cleanest argument yet that convenience and fidelity no longer have to be sold as separate purchases. While we await the launch and pricing estimate for the Arya Wi-Fi in India, currently, other versions of the Arya, like the Stealth and Organic wired versions, are already on sale, featuring similar driver technology. 

That's what I keep coming back to about Xiaomi's approach to cameras. I wrote about this back in March after experiencing the Xiaomi 17 Ultra in Vietnam, where Xiaomi argued that better hardware should mean AI barely needs to get involved. The Xiaomi 17 isn't an Ultra; the main camera drops to 50MP without the 1-inch sensor or continuous telephoto zoom. However, the Leica colour science and the in-camera filters carry over. And in a city as visually layered as Berlin, with glass and concrete, colourful walls and grand domes sitting next to Cold War-era relics, that's exactly what I wanted. I didn't want a phone to fix my photos after I took them; I wanted a phone that let me choose how the scene felt right there in the viewfinder.

[caption id="attachment_695098" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Xiaomi 17[/caption]

A Memorial preserved in black and white

The first stop in our photowalk was the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, a field of 2,711 grey concrete pillars (stelae) of varying heights. No amount of colour grading would make that scene feel like anything other than what it was: heavy, deliberate, disorienting on purpose. I switched to the Leica BW and BW HC filters before I took a single shot here, and it was the right call. Stripped of colour, the stelae stopped being individual blocks and started appearing as one continuous, uneven grid, the kind of composition that photographs itself once you find an angle where the rows recede into each other.

I went back a few minutes later and shot the same corridor in colour, partly to see what I'd be giving up. The colour version (as shown below) brings in the apartment building beyond the memorial, glass and stone against the weathered concrete, and it's a genuinely interesting contrast, especially with a child running right in the middle (had to really wait to capture this, but it was worth it). While I liked both outputs, I kept coming back to the black-and-white versions. It's not a filter doing something artificial to the scene, but rather how the place actually felt to walk through.

Cinematic for everything that wasn't trying to be a postcard

Most of my week in Berlin wasn't spent at landmarks; it was spent walking between them, and that's where the Cinematic filter earned its keep. A man in a blazer cycling past the edge of Tiergarten on an overcast afternoon isn't a dramatic shot on paper, but the desaturated, slightly flattened colour palette Cinematic applies gives it a quiet, observational quality that a straight, punchy colour shot wouldn't have had. The greens of the trees hold back just enough, the grey sky doesn't blow out, and the whole frame feels like it belongs to a specific, slightly grey Tuesday rather than a generic sunny day anywhere.

It's the same filter I reached for walking along the Spree, watching a tour boat pass under one of the old stone bridges with passengers cramped along the top deck. The Cinematic filter doesn't try to make ordinary moments look extraordinary. It just makes them look considered, which is a different thing entirely, and closer to what I actually wanted from these shots.

The vintage VW camper vans parked just outside the hotel I was staying at got the same warm, slightly vintage colour treatment using the Cinematic filter, which felt appropriate given the subject. Reds, teals, and oranges on decades-old paintwork needed a phone that wouldn't try to cool everything down into something more neutral, and this one didn't.

Leaving colour alone when the scene already had it

Not every shot needed a mood applied to it. The Berliner Dom on a genuinely clear morning, its green domes against a sky doing all the work already, is a scene where I left the processing close to default and let the primary sensor's dynamic range do its job. The pink oleander flowers in the foreground hold their saturation without tipping into anything unnatural, and the sky keeps its texture instead of blowing out to a flat blue, which is the kind of restraint I appreciate from a phone camera at this price. The Fernsehturm needle rising in the background of one of these Dom shots is a nice bit of framing I didn't even plan, just a benefit of shooting wide enough to let the city do its own composition.

The TV Tower itself, shot in Leica Authentic from directly underneath against a sky full of moving clouds during golden hour, is another example of just letting the camera capture what was already there. No added filter or anything, just a wide dynamic range doing the unglamorous work of holding onto detail in the clouds and the tower's texture at the same time.

Of dimly lit scenes and ice creams

[block-highlights] A phone camera producing a scene like this without stacking five frames together, or asking me to type out what I wanted the shot to look like, is still impressive to me. [/block-highlights]

Berlin isn't only memorials and cathedrals, and by the end of most days I was more interested in documenting ice creams and Negronis than another skyline. The picture above was shot indoors, in low light, with the only source coming from a single overhead lamp on the table. The amber warmth in the drink and the orange peel garnish come through without the shot turning muddy or over-sharpened, and the shallow depth of field falls off naturally toward the blurred lamp and the QR code coaster behind it. It's a small, unglamorous test of a camera: a dim table in a bar. But it's also the kind of shot most people actually take on holiday, and the Xiaomi 17 handled it without needing a dedicated night mode to save it.

The exact opposite of a moody low-light scene was this outdoor picture of an ice cream against the parlour, with some people and coloured bottles in the background. I could have used the AI eraser to remove the people, but that wouldn't have looked real to me. Besides, the primary camera did an excellent job creating a natural bokeh effect that kept the focus squarely on the chocolate ice cream cone.

When I wrote the Xiaomi 17 Ultra piece in March, I said AI images won't create a core memory for you, and a week in Berlin with the standard 17 only reinforced that for me, just with a different toolkit. In the Ultra's case, the hardware and sensors were good enough that software barely needed to step in. The 17 doesn't have that same 1-inch main sensor or continuous zoom, so it leans a little more on Leica's colour science and its own set of in-camera filters to do the emotional work. But the principle holds. Every mood in these photos- the solemn grey of the memorial, the quiet grey-green of a cycling commuter, the warm amber of a cocktail glass- was a choice I made before the shutter clicked, not a slider I dragged afterwards.

That's the real case for filters over AI. An AI edit is something you apply to a photo you've already lost faith in. A filter, chosen in the moment, is just how you saw the scene in the first place. Berlin gave me plenty of both kinds of moments this week. I only needed the camera to keep up with the second kind.

Disclosure: The writer attended Xiaomi's debut IFA 2026 showcase in Berlin on Xiaomi India's invitation.

Rambler

First up is Rambler. While it is not entirely a new feature - Nothing did it first with its Essential Voice feature, Rambler can turn naturally spoken speech into clean, easy-to-read text. The feature is integrated into Gboard, which means it is compatible with almost every app. Rambler is powered by Gemini's AI model, which identifies speech and transcribes it while removing filler words such as "um" and "uhh", as well as fumbles.

Furthermore, it is smart enough to understand the meaning and context of words like instead of transcribing "new paragraph", it will actually create a new paragraph. Similarly, if you ask the Rambler to put something in brackets or in bullet points, it will do so. Rambler supports as many as 11 languages, including Hinglish, making it more convenient to use than typing on that on-screen keyboard.

The feature requires an active internet connection to work seamlessly and takes a couple of seconds to process the information. There is support for offline mode as well, but that is simple voice-to-text, only fixing punctuation and capitalisation wherever it is deemed necessary. Google claims Rambler has usage limits and refrains from transcribing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), harassment, and hate speech.

Other highlights of the feature include transcribing answers to questions when asked, translating the spoken language, emoji support, and remembering the message for a short while. You would need to give a few necessary permissions, such as access to the microphone and Gemini to analyse the text. The data is never saved, stored, or shared, and it's deleted immediately after your text is delivered, said Google in its blog.

Magic Capture

Live Photos was a handy feature, but it had a few limitations in terms of duration, timing, and quality. Magic Capture on the Pixel 11 series is Google's attempt to address those shortcomings. You can tell how significant the feature is by its placement, with a separate tab next to the Photos button in the camera app.

Its purpose is to record a video of up to two minutes, pick the right moments for you, and use AI to process and further enhance the results. Both the video and photos are saved on the phone, so you don't miss out on either motion or static moments. Magic Capture is particularly useful for occasions or subjects that don't stay still, such as kids, pets, or even a flower swaying in the wind. I wouldn't call it perfect, but the feature gets most things right.

I was able to get some acceptable shots of my dog, who, I believe, has a bit of a camera phobia and would not stay still as soon as you point a camera at him. The Magic Capture was able to solve that thing for me, to some extent, not getting the perfectly stable shot every time, but much better than the regular shots taken.

[caption id="attachment_713158" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Captured and stylised by Magic Capture on Pixel 11[/caption]

The feature is backed by Gemini AI, which is said to analyse roughly 500 frames and automatically pick the best shots (max 5): one with a smile, laughter, or action. It only works with the primary camera for now, meaning the subject has to be at a safe distance (not too close and not too far either) for the sensor to focus. The quality is respectable: 12MP HDR+.

The Magic Capture works even without an internet connection and doesn't necessarily require a backup on Google Photos. It's powered by the Tensor G6 SoC and on-device Gemini Intelligence.

Teleprompter

Part of the Google Pixel 11 series' Creator Suite, Teleprompter lets you read a script while recording videos. It works with both the front and rear cameras and uses AI to automatically scroll through the script based on the speaker's pace. The feature also highlights the words being spoken, making the script easier to follow. While the teleprompter text cannot be repositioned on the screen, it sits right atop the screen, so you maintain eye contact with the camera for a more natural look.

Moreover, the text is positioned against a semi-transparent background, allowing creators to keep an eye on the viewfinder while reading the script. Apart from adjusting the text size and choosing 'Dynamic' scrolling, the Teleprompter's customisation options remain limited. That shouldn't be a deal-breaker, though, considering how seamlessly the feature works and how handy it is for recording videos with voice-overs.

The teleprompter works natively within the camera app, so there's no need to download a third-party application. It also doesn't require AI or an internet connection to work, meaning your script stays on the device, helping keep your data private and secure.

Social Media Grid

Addressing the cliché that "we are living in the social media age", Google Pixel 11 has added a social media grid to its video recording interface. And why not? Almost everyone is now sharing moments on social media. To help them, the Social Media grid feature on the Pixel 11 series allows users to frame videos according to the requirements of the social media platforms. It adds a virtual box to the camera viewfinder, encouraging users to keep the subject within it and treat anything outside the box as a dead portion of the frame.

This ensures that the important elements of the video remain visible and are not hidden by the standard icons, text and other interface elements that social media platforms overlay on content. The Social Media Grid only needs to be enabled once from the 'Creator' section within the video settings of the camera app, rather than every time you record a video. Another positive aspect of the feature is that it works alongside other camera settings, including different Grid Types, and across all camera lenses.

Concluding...

The Google Pixel 11 series also comes with a handful of other features, including Live Translate, which works with videos on YouTube and select third-party platforms, besides calls and texts. The feature remained a bit finicky during our testing, failing to show up on some videos. Even when it did, there was a slight latency, with the translation taking a fraction of a second to appear in your local language.

Next up is Proactive Suggestions, which is essentially contextual awareness. The feature takes cues from what is on your screen, with the required permissions, and suggests relevant actions. For instance, it can suggest opening Google Maps when a location is shared via text message. At the time of writing, I found the feature to be compatible mainly with Google's suite of apps, and it doesn't always work as seamlessly as advertised in some scenarios.

The Gemini Intelligence, meanwhile, offers cross-app support across 40 and counting apps, enabling hands-free control for a range of tasks. For instance, you can ask your smartphone to prepare a list of ingredients for a meal and then ask Gemini to pull up a video or recipe to help with the preparation. 

Both Gemini Intelligence and Proactive Suggestions are not exclusive to the Pixel 11 series. You will find the latter in some form or another on other smartphones, incuding iPhones, as well, while Gemini Intelligence is expected to be compatible with other smartphones, at least high-end ones, running Android 17.

If other Android manufacturers can find a way to implement Pixel 11 series features such as Rambler, Magic Capture, Teleprompter, and Social Media Grid in the same way, or even a version of them, that could be the cherry on top.

At first glance, a tandem OLED display, quad speakers, and a sleek, lightweight design look compelling. But is it good enough to beat the competition, or does ASUS have a lot to catch up to bridge this decade-long gap? That's what we are here to find out in this ASUS Pad (T3201) review. 

What's in the package?

Starting with what's inside the package, costing INR 45,990 for the 128GB model or INR 49,999 for the 256GB model.

• ASUS Pad (T3201)
• 45W charging adapter
• Type-C to Type-C cable
• Protective transparent folio case
• User Manual

Design and Build: lighter on the wrist

Design is highly subjective, and ASUS, being a renowned name in the PC space, understands it well. Instead of going for a full metal build like tablets from OnePlus, Xiaomi, Samsung, or Apple, they opted for a plastic build to keep it lightweight at just 523g in a slim 6.5 mm chassis, whereas most similarly sized tablets weigh upwards of 600g.

The subtly curved frame makes the tablet comfortable to hold, and its lightweight build makes it portable and handy, without putting stress on your wrist during extended use when reading on the go. Carrying it alongside a laptop felt effortless too; it's so sleek that I could fit it in my completely stuffed backpack without worrying, so it never felt like extra baggage. And if you prefer to set it up on a dock rather than keep it handheld, the included folio case doubles as a stand, similar to the Zenbook Duo series.

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However, one thing to note is the lack of color options: the ASUS Pad is available only in pure white. I hope we do get to see more options in the future. Moving to the ports, towards the right, you get a microSD card slot, volume rocker and power button, and two microphone holes, which remain unobstructed regardless of orientation. At the bottom is a USB 3.0 port supporting DisplayPort™ 1.4 / PD 3.0, paired with two speaker vents at the bottom and top.

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Display and Audio: Entertainment Entertainment Entertainment

The major highlight, or USP, of the ASUS Pad is its display for two reasons: firstly, a tandem OLED screen and a non-conventional 12.2-inch size, and the bezels are the slimmest on a tablet I've ever seen. In 2026, finding an OLED tablet is itself a daunting task, as the entire market is filled with IPS tablets, and those with an OLED panel cost upwards of INR 80K. The fact that ASUS offers an OLED display under INR 50,000 makes it a compelling option; the 2.8K resolution, 144 Hz refresh rate, 92% screen-to-body ratio, typical brightness of 600 nits, and peak brightness of 2000 nits are icing-on-the-cake features that even top-end tablets from Apple and Samsung can't match.

The 3:2 aspect ratio comes in handy when reading, as it provides more vertical screen real estate, and when watching content shot in 16:9, the black bars aren't hideous. I watched Marvel, DC, and other titles, like Project Hail Mary, and I really enjoyed the experience. Since it's an OLED panel, the picture output is very rich in terms of colors, 100% sRGB and 99% DCI-P3 accuracy, and deeper blacks. The TÜV Rheinland certifications for low flicker and low blue light are also welcome. Apart from the reflective screen, I had no problem using it both indoors and outdoors.

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The only gripe I have is that there's no option to tweak the display color profile for regular use in the settings; if ASUS had provided that, it would have been perfect.

The second-best thing on the ASUS Pad is the quad speakers, which get decently loud and offer enough separation to make movies and games enjoyable; Dolby Atmos adds a wider, more immersive presentation. I could sit back with a group of two or three people and enjoy the latest music drops, web series, or movie; I never felt the need to pair it with an external speaker or soundbar.

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Simply switch the Dolby Atmos profile from the Dolby Audio X3 app based on the content, and you are sorted. One thing to note here: it doesn't support hi-res codecs like LHDC or LDAC on the speakers. 

Software and Performance: the base isn't sturdy

This is where the ASUS starts to fall back. It comes with Android 16 out of the box, pretty good actually; it's almost the latest version, right? I get it, but ASUS is silent on its OS upgrade policy; all we know is that the ASUS Pad will receive 3 years of security updates. Spending nearly INR 50K on any device, one would expect a decent software update guarantee, given that OnePlus offers three OS upgrades, Google offers five years of support for the Pixel Tab, and Apple and Samsung offer seven OS upgrades.

Moving past the updates, the UI is fairly stock, with only one extra app, the "ASUS GlideX," that acts as a cross-device bridge between the tablet and PC for screen mirroring or extending, file transfer, shared albums, webcam, remote access, and more. Apart from that, it's a vanilla Android device, with no fancy AI features or customization options; everything is locked to the default Google apps and settings.

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Surprisingly, it doesn't even support floating windows; instead, we have "change aspect ratio," which also doesn't seem to work. Other than that, there are minor glitches, stutters, and UI inconsistencies here and there.

Under the hood, powering this is the MediaTek Dimensity 8300, paired with 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. That's sweet, but if you need headroom for heavy tasks, say video editing or color grading, given the excellent OLED display, sadly all you can upgrade is storage, up to 1TB via MicroSD, or get the 256GB variant; that, too, is still locked to 8GB of RAM. The SoC isn't the best in its segment and can't compete with Snapdragon 8 Elite-level performance, but it can handle most of your needs effortlessly and delivers good thermal performance. Here are some benchmarks for your reference.

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Camera: the supporting actors

There's a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera, which just works. You can take pictures, and they look flat, to be honest. Photography isn't the ideal use case for a tablet, but yeah, you can use it for quick document scanning.

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The front camera is really tiny, and at first glance I didn't even notice it. It performs well in good lighting, but when used against the light, just like most meeting cams, the quality feels like it's from a VGA camera. So don't expect it to match your smartphone's camera. I took a couple of pictures and found the frame to be really tight; if ASUS could have opted for a lens with a wider field of view, that would have been really useful.

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Connectivity and accessories: hard choices

For connectivity, the ASUS Pad is equipped with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3; given that the tab is Wi-Fi-only, ASUS could have opted for a newer-generation wireless adapter, as competitors do, for better wireless performance, but that's not a deal-breaker.

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As for accessories, the included transparent folio case flaps with every wiggle in the air. Only if ASUS had added a few extra magnets to keep it firmly locked to the display, improving display protection and stopping the annoying flip. It also picks up dust quite easily, and there's a high possibility the silicone back can turn yellow after a few weeks. Apart from this folio case, you need to invest in anything else you need. From the ASUS Pen and the Bluetooth keyboard to even a basic screen protector, everything is an additional expense on top of the tablet.

Battery and Charging: mixed feelings

Powering the ASUS Pad is a 9000mAh battery that easily lasts through a day of use. However, in our standard PCMark battery test, it took just 5 hours and 13 mins to drop from 100 to 20 percent, which is below average as per our testing data. The results were indifferent in our YouTube test as well; at 2160p resolution, it hogged 16 percent of the battery in an hour.

[caption id="attachment_714281" align="alignnone" width="2800"] ASUS Pad PC Mark battery test[/caption]

But the good thing is it recharges rapidly; to be precise, the fastest, according to our records, it took just 48 minutes to top up the battery from 20 to 100 percent with the 45W charger, putting most modern smartphones to shame.

Verdict: experienced comeback, but there's a lot to catch up

The ASUS Pad hit the right note with an OLED panel, making it the only option in the sub-INR 50K segment. ASUS could have just stopped there and cashed in on the opportunity, but they delivered it as a complete entertainment package: a 12.2-inch 2.8K dual-layer OLED with a 3:2 aspect ratio, topped off with a 144Hz refresh rate.

However, the mid-range SoC, half-baked software, an uncertain software policy, lack of a stylus in the package, and no pre-applied screen protector are a bit concerning. If you need raw flagship power for heavy multitasking or video editing, the OnePlus 3 (review) and Xiaomi 8 (review) offer a more complete package; if you are purely into reading, consider a Kindle Paperwhite (review) or Huion Ink reader (review).

But if your priorities are clearly a slim, lightweight OLED tablet with quad speakers for in-flight, on-the-go media consumption that can also serve as a second monitor for your setup, or a ready-to-go package for enjoying AAA titles with GeForce Now, the ASUS Pad (T3201) won't disappoint.

Editor's Rating: 8 / 10

Pros:

• Immersive OLED 2.8K display under INR 50K
• Folio case included out of the box
• Dolby Atmos quad-speaker output
• Sturdy and sleek build

Cons:

• Mid-range performance
• Unpolished software
• Uncertain software policy
• Mediocre battery life 

In this overview, I'll take you through what this 3D printer brings to the table, what it can do, and who it makes the most sense for. Check it out.

What's in the box:

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• A2L Base Housing
• A2L Printer Frame
• AMS lite Body
• AMS lite Stand
• AMS lite Rotary Spool Holder
• Spool Holder
• Purge Wiper
• Power cable
• Build Plate
• Unclogging Pin
• Scraper Blade
• Filament Cutter
• PTFE Tube Coupler
• Z-Axis Motor Cover
• Silicone Footpad
• Foam Footpad
• PTFE Tubes
• 20g Sample Filament (white)
• Allen Keys
• Lubricant Grease and Oil

The PLA filaments, available in multiple colours, are sold separately. Up to four individual filaments can be attached to the Rotatory Spool Holder on the AMS Lite machine.

Setup

Setting up the Bambu Lab A2L 3D printer can be a somewhat extensive process. It comes with a variety of parts, both small and large, which are packed separately to ensure safe shipping. A guide walks users through the process; however, we found the YouTube tutorial more helpful.

It took us almost an hour to set up the printer, and if you are doing it yourself, we recommend going slowly and tackling one part at a time instead of everything at once.

Connectivity and calibration

The Bambu Lab A2L 3D printer comes with a small 3.2-inch display, which may not be the brightest or sharpest around, but it gets the job done. Once you have powered on the printer initially, connect it to the available Wi-Fi, and then scan the QR code on the display to pair it with your smartphone using the Bambu Handy app. Register and log in to the app to access the features.

The same credentials can also be used on the Bambu Studio app for laptop/ PC. If you are initiating the pairing process via the laptop/ PC (Windows and Mac) instead of the phone, then ensure both the printer and laptop are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. After the initial pairing, the Bambu Lab A2L 3D printer can be accessed remotely as long as it is connected to a power source.

The features and controls are practically the same on both the smartphone and laptop apps. Once the pairing is done, the printer starts the calibration process, basically ensuring everything is good to go from the printing nozzle to the filament and plate. The process can easily take close to 40-45 minutes, and after that you can start printing.

Printing

The Bambu Lab A2L 3D printer comes with a few models pre-loaded on the included 64GB microSD card, and those can be printed right away. These models provide a good starting point, with basic designs such as a boat available to try. For more complex or personalised designs, users can turn to the app, which allows them to send print commands, customise projects, select the filament, and more.

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Interestingly, the Bambu Lab A2L 3D printer automatically detects the colour of the filament as soon as the spools are installed on the AMS Lite machine. This may not be the case with third-party spools. While you can 3D-print a colourful design by using different filaments layer by layer, you cannot fuse two filaments together by melting them into a single colour. The toolhead, which has the nozzle installed, moves left to right and even upwards to complete the layer, and the base plate goes front to back to create that circular movement.

It's important to place the printer on a stable surface, or the overall quality of the design will suffer. There should also be enough room (approximately 9.8 inches at the back and 4.7 inches at the front) for the plate to move back and forth. It's also recommended to place the printer in an open, well-ventilated space, as melted plastic can produce fumes. We couldn't smell anything in our office; even the air purifier placed next to the printer didn't have to run at full throttle to keep the air clear.

You will need an app to print objects other than the ones saved on the device. There are plenty of models, with public access, on the app, which users can customise with the filament colour, text, dimensions, and more. However, printing a model with a variety of colours depends on whether the creator has given colour separation access or not. Users can further see how the model will be printed with all the support through the Slice Plate option before actually giving the command.

The time and amount of filament used depend on the project. For example, the basic boat used almost 20 grams of filament and took roughly 40–45 minutes to print. The ‘Editorial Bay' nameplate, meanwhile, took more than four hours and used 180 grams of filament. The stated quantity also includes the waste generated by the machine while creating the design. The amount of waste can be higher when multiple colours are involved, as the filaments are printed layer by layer and the toolhead has to clear the previous filament before printing the next one.

Unfortunately, there is no bin provided to collect waste filament, although one can easily be printed using the device itself. The Bambu Lab A2L can also get decently loud while printing, primarily because of its built-in fan, which is essential for cooling the melted plastic and ensuring the model stays in place during printing. Users can also record a time-lapse video of the printing process or remotely monitor the printer's status through the app. However, the app warns that print quality may be compromised when using the time-lapse feature during printing.

Print quality and app support

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Both Bambu Handy and Bambu Studio feel intuitive and offer a good range of controls. The controls across both platforms are easy to locate and cover most of the functions users are likely to need, from selecting models and managing prints to monitoring the printer. However, the large screen of laptop/ PCs makes the app experience relatively easier, helping you navigate the interface, prepare models and adjust settings.

The only major limitation is that one can't create personalised CAD-based 3D models from scratch, so users will need separate CAD or 3D modelling software for that.

The overall print quality largely depends on the 3D model being used, as the level of detail, geometry and complexity can all affect the final output. Most models turn out well, with clean details and an overall acceptable finish. However, the printer isn't entirely free from imperfections, and some models can have rough edges or minor surface inconsistencies. Interestingly, this can be noticed even with some of the pre-loaded designs, which are expected to be optimised for the printer. These imperfections are generally minor and may not be noticeable from a distance, but they become more apparent on closer inspection.

If you don't mind the occasional minor imperfection, the Bambu Lab A2L Combo remains a capable and useful 3D printer for casual usage.

Other highlights and things to keep in mind

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• The Bambu Lab A2L can print multiple models all at once.
• It can resume printing from where it left off if the action is paused, runs into an error, or loses power.
• The device supports two plates: one is a textured PEI metal plate for printing objects, while the other has a light and a hard grip to keep the paper in place.
• The device can also be used to draw on paper, cut out shapes, and make stickers using the optional cutting tool.
• The PEI metal plate can get slightly hot after printing, so avoid touching it immediately after a print is finished. 
• The metal plate also has to be clean and dry for the best results. Don't clean it with your hands; either wash it and let it dry or use regular isopropyl alcohol (sold separately).

The Bambu Lab A2L Combo requires regular maintenance, too. Although during our extensive use, constantly printing one object after the other, we did not have to clean the device once. The box comes with a couple of lubricants to keep the motors running smoothly. The extruder, which prints objects on the hotbed, is one of the most sensitive parts and can either have filament stuck or go through normal wear and tear over extended usage. Again, we didn't face such a concern after over two weeks of usage.

Bambu Lab provides support for parts and accessories, including filaments, which can be purchased through the company's official website and major e-commerce platforms such as Amazon.in. The product comes with a one-year warranty covering the core electronics and structural frame. However, consumables such as build plates, wiper modules, and nozzles, which wear out over time, are not covered under the warranty.

Thoughts...

The Bambu Lab A2L Combo 3D printer is currently selling in India for Rs 53,000, while a 1kg spool of filament typically costs around Rs 1,500. The Bambu Lab store on Amazon.in offers filaments in a variety of colours, including pink, brown, purple, black, white, green, red, and grey.

The price doesn't feel too steep, considering the number of items it can print. If you like decorating your space with figurines, the Bambu Lab A2L 3D printer can be a good investment. The device offers a relatively straightforward printing experience, good overall print quality, and enough features to make it a practical option for hobbyists and those looking to explore 3D printing without requiring extensive expertise.

Reasons to buy Google Pixel 11 Pro

Compact and premium flagship

The Google Pixel 11 Pro is one of the few flagship smartphones that offers Pro-grade hardware in a relatively compact form factor. The handset features a 6.3-inch display, making it easier to handle and pocket than other Pro-style smartphones in the segment. This is particularly useful for users who prefer a phone that can be comfortably operated with one hand without sacrificing features typically reserved for higher-end models.

The premium glass-and-metal construction further adds to its appeal. The phone feels well-built and reassuringly premium in hand. Additionally, the Pixel 11 Pro boasts an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection, adding a layer of protection for everyday use.

Useful AI features

Google continues to use AI as one of the primary differentiators of its Pixel smartphones, and the Pixel 11 Pro is no exception. Rambler is a particularly useful addition, which converts natural speech into clean, ready-to-send text, supporting up to 11 languages, including Hinglish. This can save considerable time when composing messages, particularly for users who frequently dictate rather than type.

There is also Camera Coach, which can help users frame and capture better images, while Magic Capture can identify useful moments from videos and save them as standalone photos. Proactive Suggestions add another layer of contextual assistance, while deeper Gemini integration makes the phone feel more closely connected to Google's AI ecosystem. While these features may not make the Pixel 11 Pro faster or more powerful, they make everyday interactions more convenient.

Promising cameras

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Google has equipped the Pixel 11 Pro with a large 50MP primary sensor and a 48MP 5x telephoto camera, while retaining the same 48MP ultrawide and 42MP front camera as its predecessor. The upgraded sensors help the phone capture good-looking images across different lighting conditions. The images, in general, boast impressive dynamic range, contrast, and realistic appearance. The Pixel 11 Pro also handles skin tones well, particularly with its selfie camera.

The details may not be class-leading, but its consistency makes the smartphone easy to recommend for photography enthusiasts.

Dependable battery life

The Google Pixel 11 Pro packs a 4,850mAh battery, which is actually smaller than the 4,985mAh unit found inside the regular Pixel 11. That's also considerably smaller than batteries found in competing Pro smartphones. However, the smartphone managed to clock a runtime of nearly 18 hours in the PCMark battery test, which is pretty impressive.

[comparative-benchmark type="3" title="PCMark Battery score (in hours)" caption="PCMark battery test measures phone battery life from 100% to 20% (higher is better)" highlight="product_1" products="42296,41259,41298,," ][/comparative-benchmark]

The real-world tests and usage show a decent battery life, if not impressive. An hour of YouTube streaming and gaming consumed an average of 7 percent battery, while the screen-on time on the smartphone during everyday usage remained around six hours.

Users who spend several hours gaming, recording video or consuming media may need to reach for the charger before the end of the day, but the Google Pixel 11 Pro's battery backup seems enough for a typical working day with moderate usage.

Reasons not to buy Google Pixel 11 Pro

Lacks performance for power users

The Google Pixel 11 Pro rocks a Tensor G6 chipset under the hood, which is perfectly capable of handling everyday smartphone tasks. Multitasking, navigating the interface, running applications and using Google's AI features all feel smooth. However, raw performance is not the chipset's strongest attribute.

[comparative-benchmark type="1" title="AnTuTu score" caption="AnTuTu assesses a smartphone's CPU, GPU, memory, and overall user experience (higher is better)" highlight="product_1" products="42296,41259,41298,," ][/comparative-benchmark]

In our AnTuTu testing, the Pixel 11 Pro scored 14,21,232 points. In comparison, the Vivo X300 Pro and OPPO Find X9 Pro, both powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9500, scored 35,36,552 and 34,06,260 points, respectively. This is a substantial gap, making the smartphone less appealing for power users.

There are a few noticeable lags when the smartphone is subjected to demanding tasks such as extreme multitasking, gaming, 4K video recording, and video editing for extended periods.

HiLight has limited scope

Google's new HiLight feature is one of the more unusual additions to the Pixel 11 Pro. It uses the rear LED to provide visual cues during certain interactions, including calls and Gemini-related activity. The purpose is to make the phone interactive even when it is face down to interact with AI and recognise phone calls. However, the problem is that its functionality is fairly limited. The feature cannot be customised or assigned to regular notifications or alerts.

As a result, it feels more like an interesting showcase of what Google can do with the hardware than a feature that significantly improves everyday usability.

Verdict

The Google Pixel 11 Pro competes with last year's OPPO Find X9 Pro (review) and Vivo X300 Pro (review) in this segment, both of which remain more powerful and offer better battery life. Their successors, expected to launch later this year, could further widen the gap, making the Pixel 11 Pro's performance and battery limitations even more noticeable.

However, the Google smartphone will continue to make a case for itself with its relatively pocketable design, AI features, and Google's software support. The latter includes seven years of Android and security updates, along with regular Pixel Drops, ensuring that Pixel users are among the first to receive the latest features.

Meanwhile, the tablet market is witnessing a resurgence. Almost every major brand, whether a mobile maker or a laptop giant, takes tablets seriously again. With rapid advancements in mobile processors, tablets actually start to make sense as laptop replacements or at least as secondary machines. This raises the big question: is the line between tablets and laptops actually blurring, or is it all just clever marketing? I spent some solid hands-on time with the Omnipad 12 to find out.

Design and Build: Metal, magnets, and a missing flash

Let's kick things off with the design. The Omnipad features an all-metal build. The moment I held it, I knew I was holding something premium. The smooth matte finish paired with a deep navy shade sold me immediately. HP calls this colour Denim Blue, which is our review unit's shade. They also offer another colourway, Meteor Silver, which looks equally awesome.

More on the design: if you ask Gemini to reimagine the HP Omnibook as a tablet, you get this exact HP Omnipad design (yes, I actually tried it). HP opted for a very minimal design here, giving you a central HP logo and a clean single-camera cutout, though no flash. Adding that single flash would have instantly turned this tablet into an iPad lookalike. It features a flat design with rounded corners, which has basically become standard when it comes to tablets and mobile phones alike.

The Omnipad weighs 600 grams on its own and almost 1.2kg with the bundled keyboard (matching the weight of my current daily driver, the M1 Air). It comes in at a thickness of 7.3mm. True story: my first impression was, "Why is it so light? What material is this?" Yet at the same time, this doesn't feel cheap at all. HP really nailed the design and build here, especially the weight distribution.

I know it isn't the slimmest or lightest tablet on the market. For example, you can get a Xiaomi Pad 8, which is my absolute GOAT when it comes to budget tablets. That one measures just 5.8mm thin and weighs a mere 494 grams. But not once did the Omnipad dig into my palm or strain my wrist, even after an uninterrupted 2-hour session of eFootball (yes, I know I'm an addict).

HP makes no mention of any sort of IP rating, nor could I find it listed anywhere on HP's website or e-commerce platforms. That's kind of a bummer considering IP ratings are becoming standard for most tablets on the market. However, during my testing, I exposed it to plenty of dust and water splashes (standard bachelor-pad living experience) and noticed zero hiccups in performance or day-to-day usage.

HP bundles the Omnipad with a detachable keyboard by default everywhere you look, be it the brand's website or any e-commerce platform. This is a very nice addition by HP. The brand mentions that the bundled keyboard uses recycled plastic. The keyboard build features two distinct layers: the keyboard itself and the rear cover baseplate, which consist entirely of plastic.

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Meanwhile, the screen cover and upper backplate come with a rubberised matte finish that has a very nice, smooth texture. Although it captures dust and smudges very easily, you can easily wipe them off with just your bare hand. This feels similar to what we see on the OnePlus 15. The upper half of the back cover folds backwards to become a kickstand. The raised side edges of the cover also feature magnets that attach to the display cover. The magnets aren't super strong, but they stay strong enough to stop the keyboard and screen from slapping together.

The keys are adequately spaced, so I instantly felt at home the moment I started typing. My colleagues and friends shared the exact same opinion. It's a typical tenkeyless keyboard layout that we usually see with tablets out there. The keys feel clicky and feature some very inviting (and in my case, addictive) shortcuts. I want to highlight two of them. First, a Gemini button sits in the exact place where we usually see the Copilot button on laptops. Let's be honest here: who even uses the Copilot key anyway? HP hit the mark with the Gemini button.

Second, a Back key sits in place of the Esc key. After using it for a while with the keyboard, it makes so much sense on a tablet. The keyboard includes many shortcuts that will surely help all sorts of users. You also get a trackpad that works just fine, with no complaints there either. The keyboard connects to the tablet via pogo pins on the bottom centre.

Neither our review unit nor the retail box includes a stylus. If you are a graphic designer or someone who just doodles their way through boredom, you might want to purchase the stylus separately.

Display: No OLED, no problem (mostly)

Let me be very frank and straightforward here: if you're coming straight from an OLED or Mini-LED display, you will feel disappointed. BUT, the LED panel in the Omnipad 12 features 100% sRGB coverage. In practical terms, that means you will see the Odyssey's colours exactly as Nolan intended. I finished Season 4 of The Bear on this, and not once did I feel that the cinematography or the punchy colours of those beautiful dishes looked washed out.

The Omnipad features a 12-inch display paired with a 2000x1200 resolution, which feels a bit underwhelming both on paper and in reality. For the most part, my content viewing experience remained crystal clear and sharp. The lack of sharpness only becomes apparent during heavy graphics-rendering tasks. One example in my case is the loading screen of eFootball. Mind you, this isn't entirely down to display resolution; it also ties back to the GPU, which we'll get to later. Meanwhile, the display supports a 90Hz refresh rate, which makes daily surfing, media browsing, and gameplay feel buttery smooth. The 400 nits of peak brightness got me through indoor chores effortlessly and handled outdoor situations reasonably well unless you stand directly under bright sunlight.

The tab features a 16:10 aspect ratio, and that extra screen space comes in handy for productivity. In my personal usage, reading a book on the Kindle app while chatting on WhatsApp was super easy. The bezels hit a middle ground, "not too thick, not too thin". When holding the tablet to play games or watch YouTube, my thumbs rested comfortably on those bezels without creating accidental touches. However, when working on a desk, I felt the bezels could have been slightly slimmer, especially on brighter frames. It doesn't quite match the latest Asus pad that comes with a 92% screen-to-body ratio (stay tuned for that review). That said, I would personally put this tablet display in the "decent at best, gets the job done" category.

A word of caution: during my testing, I found some backlight bleed. This could be a unit-specific issue, but keep it in mind because it might occasionally hinder your watching experience during darker scenes. This is also quite common with LED displays. Unless you sit in a pitch-black room watching a dark scene, it won't cause any real problems.

Performance and Battery: Last-gen silicon that punches above its weight

Moving on to performance, the Omnipad 12 actually surprised me. The Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 runs the show. It isn't a latest-gen or flagship processor, nor does it try to be, it's a last-gen chip mostly found on mid-range devices. The benchmarks reflect that fact. HP paired it with 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage.

We tested the Omnipad using our standard benchmark suite, which includes CPU, GPU, and battery tests like Geekbench, PCMark, and 3DMark to reflect on-paper performance. Without further ado, it scored almost 9 lakh (900,000) in AnTuTu, 1000+ in Geekbench single-core, and 2500+ in Geekbench multi-core. These scores show decent on-paper power at best. Meanwhile, on the PCMark performance test, which measures how well the device handles multitasking and daily usage, the Omnipad really surprised us with a score of over 12,500.

To put these numbers into perspective, we pitted them against tablets powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, and MediaTek Dimensity 7300. Of course, the 8 Elite performed far better than all these chips, as expected. Against the other two chipsets, the scores aligned closely with each other, apart from GPU performance. But the Omnipad punched above its weight in two key areas: first, PCMark 10 ran neck-and-neck with the 8 Elite; second, in thermal throttling, it either stayed super close or straight-up outperformed the competition. Although tablets dissipate heat far better than mobile phones due to size and form factor plus the all-metal build, this remains very impressive optimisation.

As for real-life performance, from two-to-three-hour BGMI or eFootball sessions to using it as my secondary laptop, the Omnipad proved more than capable. For all the BGMI lovers out there, it supports Ultra HDR graphics at Ultra settings. Additionally, it hits Extreme frame rate settings on HDR graphics. Daily web surfing, checking emails, YouTube streaming, light gaming, reading on Kindle, and light multitasking ran smoothly as butter, no complaints.

Don't just go by benchmark numbers or paper specs; the Omnipad punches well above its weight in real life, especially with daily multitasking and sustained performance.

On the battery front, the Omnipad 12 packs a 31Wh Li-ion battery. On our PCMark battery test, it delivered a runtime of 7 hours and 46 minutes. For a moderate user, this tab will easily last an entire day. In my usage, apart from heavy gaming and series-bingeing days, it lasted almost a full day. HP strategically claims fast charging up to 90% in 90 minutes, with no mention of the starting point (marketing wordplay at its finest). But jokes apart, in our testing, it took 106 minutes to charge from 20% to 100% using the in-box 33W charger. That feels respectable and aligns with what you'd expect from the Omnipad 12.

Software and UI: Clean Android with a desktop trick up its sleeve

Out of the box, the Omnipad runs Android 16. I found the software experience very pleasing and clean, with minimal bloatware or pre-installed apps. The OS features a minimal, modern interface that feels easy to use and master. I asked a non-tech-savvy homie for his opinion (he's a writer), and he immediately noticed how clean and uncluttered it was. When I had him try Desk Mode, he said, "I can see this easily replacing my laptop."

Desk Mode works flawlessly the moment you connect the keyboard via pogo pins. Desk Mode switches to a laptop-like UI. Software bugs do surface occasionally, like right after boot-up or when multitasking across 6-7 open windows, but HP can easily patch them.

Speaking of multitasking, juggling 5 open tabs is easy for the Omnipad, though it isn't my personal style. I prefer split-screen mode with a maximum of three tabs at once. Overall, the software feels snappy, minimal, easy, and familiar.

Audio and Camera: Passable lenses paired with a punchy soundstage

The quad-speaker setup with Dolby Atmos support performs impressively. The sound profile leans toward the bassy side, which most listeners will love. Using the Omnipad as my entertainment hub was a blast. From heavy vocals on Teddy Swims' Mr. Know It All to the crisp audio design in The Bear, everything sounded crystal clear and enjoyable.

The cameras on the Omnipad 12 give you nothing to complain about. The 8MP front camera and 13MP rear camera get the job done. The photo output won't blow you away, but it handles online meetings and family WhatsApp calls easily.

Verdict: Who needs a budget laptop anyway?

A tablet of this size won't primarily serve heavy gamers. Instead, it replaces the need for a dedicated laptop for college students who need to take notes and stream content. It also suits parents who will appreciate the clean, familiar Android OS and sheer ease of use. Finally, it works brilliantly for anyone needing a portable secondary screen alongside their laptop (I fall squarely into this category, alongside plenty of working professionals).

The Omnipad 12 carries a starting price tag of Rs 48,999, which is undeniably expensive on paper. However, established brands usually charge a premium, and a big chunk of that justifies the after-sales network. HP holds its ground well in that department, so the extra cost acts as a bit of a safety net for the long run.

That said, if you want top-tier gaming power or an OLED screen, you should look elsewhere. But if you want a complete 2-in-1 package that includes a great keyboard cover out of the box without blowing your budget, the HP Omnipad 12 delivers incredible value. It bridges the gap between tablets and laptops in a practical, user-friendly way.

Editor's Rating: 8 / 10

Pros:

• Clean, bloat-free Android OS
• Keyboard included out of the box
• Impressive quad-speaker sound
• Sturdy and sleek build

Cons:

• Last-gen processor
• Not the sharpest display for graphics tasks

Verdict

The Google Pixel 11 Pro has been further refined with more dependable hardware and software. While it still doesn't offer enough to justify an upgrade from the Google Pixel 10 Pro, it could convince many buyers considering a Pixel. The AI and camera additions, such as Rambler and Magic Capture, are genuinely useful upgrades that improve everyday use. Furthermore, the cameras show plenty of promise, while performance and battery life feel dependable if not class-leading.

Battery: good, not best

[pdp-expert-review]
The Google Pixel 11 Pro's 4,850mAh battery offers impressive PCMark endurance but higher real-world drain than rivals. It averages around six hours of screen-on time, which is respectable but falls short of today's standard of 7-8 hours.
[/pdp-expert-review]

The Google Pixel 11 Pro packs a 4,850mAh battery, which is smaller than even the vanilla Pixel 11 and trails behind the competition. It's backed by 30W wired charging, which can take close to 90 minutes to fully charge the device with a separately purchased PD charger. The smartphone also supports a Qi 2.2 25W magnetic wireless charger, which must be purchased separately.

Regarding the phone's endurance, the synthetic PCMark battery test shows a runtime of nearly 18 hours, which is remarkable. However, battery drain during our internal 60-minute YouTube video streaming and gaming tests remained on the higher side. The Pixel 11 Pro consumed an average of 7 percent battery, which is 3 percentage points higher than the average consumption recorded by other Android Pro models, such as the OPPO Find X9 Pro and Vivo X300 Pro. This makes the device less appealing for hardcore gamers.

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Gaming isn't the core of the smartphone, anyway. The core USPs of the phone are its cameras and AI features. The handset seems to be nicely optimised for both videography and photography, with roughly a 20 percent drop in battery after an hour-long 4K video recording. Using AI features such as Rambler, Camera Coach, Magic Capture and more also didn't hog too much battery.

I also used the Google Pixel 11 Pro as my daily driver, and the average screen-on time was around six hours, which is okay but falls short of today's standard of 7-8 hours.

Cameras: dependable for most scenarios

[pdp-expert-review]
The Pixel 11 Pro gets a larger 50MP main sensor and 48MP 5x telephoto, improving overall camera performance, particularly in low light. However, processed images can look overly contrasty and lack fine detail, while 120x zoom remains heavily processed. Creator-focused features such as Social Media Grid, Teleprompter and Magic Capture add useful functionality. 
[/pdp-expert-review]

The Google Pixel 11 Pro camera hardware has been upgraded over its predecessor, with a larger 50MP main sensor and a 48MP 5x telephoto lens. The 48MP ultrawide and 42MP front camera remain unchanged. Google has added several built-in filters to capture images with personalised tones, saving you time to edit them later.

The large sensors definitely play a role here, enhancing the overall quality across lighting conditions. I would still say it is not the king of detail, and the colours may not appear accurate, with images maintaining Google's trademark contrasty and punchy tones. Now, I did try the 50MP raw images from the phone, and they looked far more realistic than the processed ones.

The smartphone is also quicker at capturing shots in low light, with a fractionally faster Night mode. Additionally, Google has upgraded the zoom capabilities from 100x to 120x, but the image quality remains largely the same: overly processed, with AI-heavy details and watercolour-like colours.

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The Google Pixel 11 series, in general, even features several modes aimed at creators. Social Media Grid, for instance, helps you frame subjects so they don't get cropped out when posting on Instagram and other platforms. Teleprompter lets you read scripts while recording, while Magic Capture is handy for capturing short video clips. It uses AI to pick out the best moments and save them as standalone photos, which can be particularly useful for capturing celebrations or subjects like pets and children who refuse to stay still.

We also compared the Google Pixel 11 Pro with another 'Pro' Android smartphone, the Vivo X300 Pro, to provide a better perspective on the former's camera quality.

Daylight

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Pixel-11-Pro-daylight.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Vivo-X300-Pro-daylight.png" offset="0.5" before="Google Pixel 11 Pro" after="Vivo X300 Pro"]

In daylight tests using the primary camera, the Google Pixel 11 Pro captures more realistic-looking shots than the Vivo X300 Pro. While the details may not appear as crisp as those from the Vivo smartphone, the Pixel delivers a more impressive dynamic range and contrast.

Ultrawide

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Pixel-11-pro-ultrawide.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Vivo-X300-Pro-ultrawide.png" offset="0.5" before="Google Pixel 11 Pro" after="Vivo X300 Pro"]

The Google Pixel 11 Pro delivers ultrawide shots with consistency similar to its primary sensor. However, its dynamic range isn't as strong, while distortion is more noticeable than on the Vivo X300 Pro. The latter also captures finer details.

Portrait

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Pixel-11-Pro-portrait.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Vivo-X300-Pro-portrait.png" offset="0.5" before="Google Pixel 11 Pro" after="Vivo X300 Pro"]

The Google Pixel 11 Pro continues to struggle with portraits, with untidy subject separation and underwhelming details. The colours and skin tones, meanwhile, are closer to reality. The Vivo X300 Pro's portraits may have oversaturated tones, but have a more natural depth of field and clearer subject separation.

Selfie

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Pixel-11-Pro-selfie.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Vivo-X300-Pro-selfie.png" offset="0.5" before="Google Pixel 11 Pro" after="Vivo X300 Pro"]

Selfies from the Google Pixel 11 Pro appear truer to life. While it can struggle with detail in some areas, the smartphone performs better than the Vivo X300 Pro in dynamic range, skin tones, and facial detail.

Low light (night mode)

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Pixel-11-Pro-night-mode.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Vivo-X300-Pro-night-mode.png" offset="0.5" before="Google Pixel 11 Pro" after="Vivo X300 Pro"]

When the sun goes down, the Vivo X300 Pro outshines the Pixel 11 Pro with better exposure and well-controlled light flare. The Vivo smartphone also captures finer details while keeping noise levels in check. The Pixel, however, has an edge in maintaining a more realistic look overall.

Performance and software: useful AI features

[pdp-expert-review]
The Pixel 11 Pro runs on the Tensor G6 with up to 16GB RAM and 512GB storage, offering a clean, smooth Android 17 experience and useful AI features. However, the chipset falls behind flagship Snapdragon and MediaTek rivals in raw performance, while excellent haptics are a standout.
[/pdp-expert-review]

At the core of the Google Pixel 11 Pro lies the Tensor G6 chipset, paired with up to 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB UFS 4.0 storage. The handset runs the latest Android 17 out of the box - the way Google wants it. While there are a bunch of apps (42) pre-installed, none are third-party, making the overall experience raw and clean. The customisation and personalisation options aren't as dynamic as those on custom ROMs for other Android phones, but there are plenty of ways to make the Pixel 11 Pro match your personality.

We've covered an Android 17 roundup, including everything new in the software; check it out. The Pixel 11 Pro does a few things uniquely, making it more interactive, like the little bounce the volume slider does when pushed all the way up or down, tweaking the clock style, widgets' appearance, and choosing font colours and styles, among other things. Google is also planning to add themes in a future update.

Besides that, there are several AI features, such as the very useful Rambler, which translates natural speech into clean, ready-to-send text. The feature supports up to 11 languages, including Hinglish. The Pixel 11 Pro also comes with Camera Coach to help you take 'perfect' images, Magic Capture to snap beautiful moments from a video, Proactive Suggestions for context-based information, and more.

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All these features, along with software-backed animations and everyday usage such as multitasking, feel smooth on the Pixel 11 Pro, thanks to the new chipset. Nevertheless, Google's Tensor G6 chipset isn't as powerful as the flagship Snapdragon and MediaTek SoCs. Enthusiasts, whether they are gamers or power users, will have to keep their expectations in check.

There are other nice things about the phone too, the most prominent being its haptic feedback. It's strong yet pleasing, making you want to use the smartphone more for typing, interacting with the UI, and more.

Design and HiLight: needs improvement

[pdp-expert-review]
The Pixel 11 Pro retains Google's distinctive design, with a premium but glossy finish and a more prominent camera visor. At 204g, it remains comfortable to hold, while IP68 and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 add durability. However, the limited HiLight feature feels largely redundant.
[/pdp-expert-review]

Google hasn't moved away from its design philosophy with the Pixel 11 Pro, and we aren't complaining, since it still feels unique to the phone and helps it stand out from the crowd. The camera visor has dropped the dual-tone finish and introduced the new HiLight feature on the LED flash, which I'll get to in a bit. That's about it. The in-hand feel remains largely the same: solid and premium, with a glossy aluminium frame and matching finish on the camera visor.

We received the Fog colour variant for review; it looks appealing and features a contrasting chrome finish around the edges. That said, I do wish Google had opted for a matte finish on the frame instead of a glossy one, to improve grip and avoid fingerprints and smudges. Many won't mind it, since they will use the phone with a case.

Compared to the vanilla Pixel 11, which features a camera visor with a relatively thin profile, the Pixel 11 Pro has a protruding one, and it is quite apparent when holding the phone horizontally. For gamers, it could be slightly bothersome. Otherwise, it isn't a deal-breaker and also keeps the phone stable while resting flat on the surface for easy typing.

The Pixel 11 Pro weighs 204 grams, making it easy to hold for prolonged use, and with its 152.7 x 71.9 x 8.4 mm dimensions, you can easily pocket and carry it. The phone is IP68 water- and dust-resistant and features Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection on both the front and back.

As for the HiLight feature, it feels nothing but redundant as of now. We have seen the likes of Nothing and Tecno doing all sorts of things with LED lights on the back panel, but Google limits it to a multicoloured light on the LED flash, reserved only for select contacts and Google Gemini. It seems to be an attempt to make Gemini interactive even when the phone is face down, with the LED light indicating that the tool is listening or thinking. However, it cannot be assigned to other notifications or alerts, rendering the feature useless.

Display and audio: capable

[pdp-expert-review]
The Pixel 11 Pro delivers sharp visuals, vibrant colours and strong contrast, while the slimmer, symmetrical bezels offer a more immersive experience than the Pixel 11. Stereo speakers are loud and clear, and the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner is accurate, if not the fastest.
[/pdp-expert-review]

The display on the Pixel 11 Pro is a 6.3-inch Super Aqua LTPO with FHD+ resolution, up to 120Hz refresh rate, and 3,600 nits peak brightness (2,400 nits for HDR content). The bezels are evenly distributed on all four sides and are slimmer than those on the Google Pixel 11. You get marginally bigger screen real estate on the Pro model and a more immersive experience than the standard Google Pixel 11 when compared side by side.

The other aspects of the phone's display are equally flagship-grade, delivering sharp visuals, saturated colours, and an excellent contrast ratio. The panel remains legible both indoors and outdoors, even when viewing HDR content under direct sunlight. Complementing the display is a set of stereo speakers that get decently loud while retaining impressive clarity, even at maximum volume levels.

The Pixel 11 Pro's display also features an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, exactly where the finger would naturally rest. The scanner is not the fastest, but it unlocks the device accurately and in a fraction of a second.

Final verdict

The Pixel 11 Pro feels competent enough, but not exceptional. Its average battery life, slow charging and the Tensor G6's weaker raw performance prevent it from being a truly complete flagship. The Vivo X300 Pro (review) and OPPO Find X9 Pro (review) offer stronger performance and better battery life at a similar price.

Moreover, the Google smartphone is positioned between the more affordable Pixel 11, which offers nearly the same AI capabilities, and the Pixel 11 Pro XL, which offers better battery life.

Starting at Rs 1,19,999, the Google Pixel 11 Pro remains a compelling choice for users prioritising 'Pro'-grade cameras and a relatively compact form factor. It also benefits from Google's clean software experience, long-term software support, regular Pixel Drops and genuinely useful AI features. Add a bright display, smooth performance and premium design, and the Pixel 11 Pro is worth a second look.

Editor's rating: 8.4/10

Reasons to buy

• The handset is easy to pocket with its compact build and comfortable for prolonged use.
• AI features, such as Rambler and Magic Capture, are genuinely useful.
• The Pixel 11 Pro gets large main and telephoto cameras, improving overall camera performance.
• Dependable enough for a full workday of moderate use.

Reasons not to buy

• HiLight can't be customised or assigned to any other notifications/ alerts.
• Performance is smooth, but lacks the firepower of flagship Snapdragon and MediaTek SoC-powered phones.