But having a massive battery doesn't always mean that you'll get the sort of endurance you may expect from it. How efficiently the phone uses that capacity can make a big difference in everyday usage. So, we put the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max and OnePlus Nord 6 through a series of tests covering streaming, gaming, and regular daily usage to see how they actually compare.

Read on to find out which phone delivers longer battery life.

Battery capacity and charging speed

Winner: Redmi Note 17 Pro Max

When it comes to raw battery capacity, the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max has the clear advantage. It packs a massive 10,000mAh battery with support for 100W charging, while the OnePlus Nord 6 gets a 9,000mAh cell and 80W charging.

[comparative-benchmark type="4000" products="42075,41555,,," ][/comparative-benchmark]

The OnePlus, however, does have a slight advantage when it comes to charging speed. It took around 65 minutes to go from 20 to 100 per cent, compared to around 77 minutes for the Redmi. The difference isn't huge, especially considering the Redmi is charging a larger battery.

If we look at how quickly each phone can replenish every 1,000mAh, the Nord 6 takes roughly 8.1 minutes, while the Note 17 Pro Max takes around 7.7 minutes. So, while the OnePlus finishes its full charge a little quicker, the Redmi is actually marginally more efficient in terms of charging time per 1,000mAh.

PCMark battery benchmark

Winner: Redmi Note 17 Pro Max

For our first battery test, we used PCMark's battery benchmark, which puts the phones through a series of demanding tasks until their battery levels drop below 20 percent. We started both phones at 100 per cent battery and kept the display brightness at 80 per cent to maintain the same conditions.

[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="42075,41555,,," ][/comparative-benchmark]

The test gives us a good idea of how a phone may perform in the hands of a moderate to heavy user, where multiple tasks are running over an extended period.

The OnePlus Nord 6 managed roughly 21 hours in the test, which is already an impressive result. The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max, however, went on to last around 24 hours, making it the highest score we've recorded in this test to date. That's a very impressive result and gives the Redmi a clear lead in this round.

YouTube streaming 

Winner: Tied

For our YouTube streaming test, we kept the display brightness at 80 per cent and volume at 50 per cent on both phones to keep the conditions as balanced as possible. After one hour of streaming, both the OnePlus Nord 6 and Redmi Note 17 Pro Max dropped by 4 per cent, making this round a tie.

The Redmi has a larger 10,000mAh battery, so that 4 percent represents roughly 400mAh, compared to around 360mAh on the OnePlus. However, since both phones lost the same percentage of battery, there isn't an actual advantage for either device in this test, and both delivered equally good streaming endurance.

Gaming performance

Winner: Tied

Gaming is one of the most demanding tests for battery life, so we tested both phones with Call of Duty: Mobile and BGMI. In both cases, we used the highest FPS settings supported by each phone, putting more load on the hardware and giving us a better idea of how they handle extended gaming sessions.

In Call of Duty: Mobile, the OnePlus Nord 6 dropped by 5 percent after 40 minutes, while the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max dropped by 6 percent. The OnePlus has a slight advantage here, although the difference isn't particularly significant.

The results flipped in BGMI, where the Redmi dropped by 5 per cent after 40 minutes, compared to 6 per cent on the OnePlus. Once again, the difference is small enough that both phones can be considered closely matched.

Overall, neither phone has a clear advantage in gaming battery life. Both managed to handle the highest supported FPS settings well, and the battery drain remained fairly close across the two games.

Conclusion

After looking at the results across all our tests, the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max (review) emerges as the clear winner for battery life. Its 10,000mAh battery delivered the highest PCMark score we've recorded, while it also stayed close to the OnePlus Nord 6 in our streaming and gaming tests. The Nord 6 puts up an excellent fight and is by no means a poor performer when it comes to battery life.

The choice ultimately comes down to what you value more in your smartphone. The OnePlus Nord 6 (review) is slightly cheaper at Rs 46,999 and packs a much more powerful Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor, making it the more performance-focused option. The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max, meanwhile, is the clear choice if battery life is your biggest priority. Both are fairly bulky phones, so you will have to decide whether you want the extra longevity or higher performance.

How we test

Our camera comparison is based on hands-on testing rather than just looking at the specifications. We shot identical images with all three phones across different scenarios and compared the results directly.

For each image, we looked at a few key areas:

• Colour and detail: How accurately the phone reproduces colours, along with sharpness and detail across the frame.
  
• Portraits and selfies: How well it handles skin tones, facial details and subject separation.
  
• Low light: How well it manages detail, noise, stray light and lens flares in challenging conditions.

For each scenario, including daylight, ultrawide, portrait, selfie and low light, we compared the phones across these parameters before arriving at an overall result. This gives us a more consistent way to judge their camera performance beyond what the specifications suggest.

Daylight

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

On their own, all three phones are excellent daylight shooters, with vibrant colours, good sharpness and plenty of detail across the frame. For comparison, however, it is worth looking more closely at what each phone does better or worse.

The Pixel 11 Pro XL, in our opinion, has the best colour science. It renders the scene most faithfully, with good exposure and a balanced mix of warm and cool tones. The iPhone 18 Pro Max goes for a warmer look, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra has a cooler profile that adds more depth to the scene.

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When it comes to detail and sharpness, the Galaxy S26 Ultra comes out on top, with the iPhone close behind and the Pixel at a distant third. The Galaxy also manages to retain more detail at higher zoom levels, while the iPhone loses some definition when you zoom in.

Overall, the Galaxy S26 Ultra delivers the most consistent daylight images, with strong detail and colours that enhance the scene without looking too artificial. The iPhone follows closely, while the Pixel should appeal more to users who prefer realistic colours over outright sharpness.

5x Zoom

Winner: Pixel 11 Pro XL

Since these are flagship offerings, it is only natural to compare their zoom performance, an area each claims to dominate. We chose 5x zoom because it remains usable without introducing some of the problems associated with extreme zoom shots. For reference, you'll also find images from each phone at 1x. Keep note of how the colours and overall scene change when moving to 5x.

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We noticed the biggest colour shift in the Pixel's shot, with the 5x image introducing a little haziness and duller tones compared to its 1x image. The iPhone 18 Pro Max maintains roughly the same colour science at 5x, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra slightly increases the exposure, although it still remains lower than the Pixel 11. 

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Moving on to detail and sharpness, the Pixel 11's shot remains the most consistent and shows no major issues compared to the other two. Both the iPhone and Galaxy introduce slight noise at around 70 per cent zoom, while the Pixel maintains a cleaner image with minimal noise and detail loss.

Since colours can be adjusted in post-processing, but details and clarity are much harder to recover, the 5x zoom round goes to the Pixel 11 Pro XL as per our judgement.

Ultrawide

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

Next up is the ultrawide shot, which we took indoors in a well-lit environment. The Galaxy S26 Ultra's native zoom level in this mode is 0.6x, which is lower than the 0.5x zoom offered by both the iPhone and Pixel.

Let's start with colour science, where the Pixel 11 Pro XL once again shows its dominance. It delivers the closest representation of the actual scene, followed closely by the Galaxy S26 Ultra. The iPhone 18 Pro Max sticks to its usual warmer profile, which has its appeal but makes the car's colour look richer than it is.

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When it comes to detail and overall clarity, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is the weakest of the three. While the shot initially looks appealing, zooming in reveals that the image starts to fall apart around the edges and towards the sides of the frame, with slight noise and fuzziness also visible.

The Pixel 11 Pro XL does a better job of preserving detail, but the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the best performer of the three in detail level. It maintains detail and sharpness better than its rivals, while also delivering good colours. Overall, we believe the Galaxy S26 Ultra offers the best ultrawide performance of the trio.

Portrait

Winner: iPhone 18 Pro Max

Portrait shots are one of the most common use cases for a phone camera and help show how each device handles human subjects. We took each shot at the respective phone's optical zoom level, which is 5x for both the Pixel and Galaxy and 4x for the iPhone. We matched the scene so that the frames look identical, making it easier for both you and us to compare the results.

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At first glance, all three phones take very appealing shots. The Pixel 11 Pro XL continues to lead in terms of colour science and does the best job of replicating the actual scene, while the iPhone and Galaxy stick to their preferred colour tones. There is one big difference, however, and it works in the iPhone's favour. While the Galaxy S26 Ultra has some trouble separating the subject from the background and the Pixel's separation is slightly iffy, the iPhone 18 Pro Max nails the bokeh effect.

In terms of detail, the Galaxy S26 Ultra delivers the best results even at 60 per cent zoom, followed closely by the iPhone 18 Pro Max. The Pixel 11 Pro XL struggles to capture facial details as well as its competitors. Looking at the overall results, including detail and how well each phone handles the bokeh effect, this round goes to the iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Selfie

Winner: Pixel 11 Pro XL

The selfie scenario was a surprising one, with some unexpected results as we tested the three phones. The Galaxy S26 Ultra had a lot of trouble avoiding lens glare when we tried shooting in the same spot or areas where we took selfies with the other two phones.

As a result, it produces a rather harsh glare towards the top right of the image, which takes it out of the race. Facial details and sharpness remain good, but the overall result is marred by the glare.

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That leaves us with the Pixel and iPhone, and even this comparison was easier than we expected. The iPhone 18 Pro Max does a good job of balancing exposure and produces a decently detailed image without sacrificing too many finer details. The subject's face is a little smoother and more likeable as a result. We found the image a bit too warm for our liking, however, which takes away from the natural look of the environment.

The Pixel 11 Pro XL was the dark horse of this round and surprised us in a good way. It managed exposure extremely well and delivered a stunning selfie, with rich facial details, authentic colours and an overall very likeable image. As a result, the Pixel is our winner choice in the selfie scenario.

Lowlight

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

This is arguably one of the hardest scenarios for any phone camera. For the low-light test, we chose a scene with plenty of light sources, distant objects and humans to see how each device performs. Let's first talk about colours, and as you may have guessed, the Pixel 11 Pro XL is once again ahead of its competitors when it comes to authenticity. It delivers the closest representation of the scene to what you'd see with the naked eye.

The Pixel's image, however, isn't as competitive in other areas. It struggles to capture as much detail as both of its competitors and doesn't do as good a job of managing light flares and ambient light. The light bleed around the sources is quite evident and makes the scene look slightly hazy.

[gallery link="file" td_select_gallery_slide="slide" size="full" ids="716745,716746,716744"]

The iPhone 18 Pro Max does a better job of managing stray light and flares and also delivers better detail than the Pixel. It enhances colours as well, with a deeper blue sky and more vibrant yellows and greens. Its picture, however, is not as sharp as some of its peers, and you can observe some softness once you zoom in closer. 

The Galaxy S26 Ultra sits somewhere in the middle. While it also enhances colours and makes them appear more vibrant, it does a better job of managing light flares and bleed around objects. It handles stray light better and, in turn, brings out more detail from the environment, particularly in the ground and distant objects, and delivers a sharper image. All these factors make it the best low-light shooter among the three based on our metrics.

Conclusion

After putting all three phones through the same set of scenarios, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (review) comes out as the overall winner in our comparison. It delivered the most consistent results, particularly in detail, sharpness, and handling difficult lighting conditions. Its ultrawide performance was excellent, while its ability to manage light flares and retain details in low light gave it an edge over the other two. If you want a device that consistently takes good images no matter the scenario, the Galaxy S26 Ultra will suit your needs the best. 

The Google Pixel 11 Pro XL (review), meanwhile, was best for colour science. It consistently produced the most natural-looking colours and did particularly well in the selfie test. Its 5x zoom performance was also impressive, with a clean image and minimal noise. If you like natural colours and zoom farther often, the Pixel is a more suitable camera phone for you. 

The iPhone 18 Pro Max follows closely, with its own strengths. It delivered pleasing colours, good detail, and the best portrait performance of the three, especially in subject separation and the bokeh effect. Its colour consistency at 5x zoom was also better than what we saw from the other two phones. If you take a lot of images with human subjects, the iPhone is a great performer in this scenario and is a better buy for you. 

If you're in the market for a flagship camera phone right now, the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Pixel 11 Pro XL and iPhone 18 Pro Max all offer capable camera systems and should comfortably last for several years. If you're not in a hurry, however, waiting for the next generation like the upcoming Galaxy S27 Ultra is worth it, especially if you want to see what Samsung plans to improve with its upcoming flagship.

Design and build

It's slim and lightweight, just about 5.3mm at its slimmer point, and weighs just under 300 grams, so you can easily slip it into your backpack and take it with you. The anodised aluminium base helps make it sturdy. And when work calls, and you need to get into hustle mode, fish out your phone or tablet, power the E9050L keyboard on, and get cracking.


The keyboard is compatible with a bunch of different devices and operating systems, so you can use it with your Android phone or iPhone, your tablet, your smart TV, and when the situation calls for it, even your MacBook or Windows laptop. Plus, it can work over Bluetooth 5.0 or 2.4GHz RF, and a USB dongle for the latter is provided in the box. However, there's no onboard storage for the dongle, and can be misplaced easily if you are not careful. While using the keyboard in Bluetooth mode, you can switch between three different devices seamlessly using the hotkeys.

My review unit comes clad in a Mumbai Indians theme, so it's decked up in white, while the row of function keys on top is blue. The letters "M" and "I" on the keyboard are also blue, and there's a Mumbai Indians logo on the space bar, along with a Rapoo logo. On the top left edge, behind the Escape key, you'll find a Type-C port for charging, along with a three-way slider key. Moving this key towards the left turns on Bluetooth, while moving it to the right switches the keyboard to RF. Moving the slider back to the middle turns it off. The base of the keyboard has rubber feet to ensure it doesn't slip during usage, but the typing angle can't be adjusted. There are no folding legs available.

Usage

Pairing the keyboard with your devices is a breeze — it works plug and play in RF mode, while Bluetooth pairing is also a simple, quick process. The 78-key layout includes 12 function keys which double up for multimedia playback and common functions. The low-profile keys offer ample travel and, despite the compact size of the keyboard, don't feel cramped. Typing is intuitive and comfortable, with the chiclet keys working quietly and reliably for text input. The 500mAh battery is rated to up to 90 days of use, and while I didn't get that long to verify this, I can confidently say that battery life on this keyboard does seem quite good.

Verdict

The Rapoo E9050L Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard is listed at Rs 2,250 online and, for its asking price, offers a bunch of features that make it a useful accessory. It's not perfect, of course, and the fixed typing angle and lack of storage for the RF dongle are the main gripes. However, the multi-device capability, support for different operating systems, option to use Bluetooth or RF, all combine with its sleek form factor, long battery life and comfortable typing to result in a device that makes for a worthwhile purchase.

Editor's rating: 8 / 10

Pros:

• Sleek & lightweight
• Support for multiple devices and operating systems
• Comfortable to type on
• Good battery life

Cons:

• No storage for the USB dongle
• Fixed typing angle

The MA320UG has been tailor-made for creators who use a Mac, which, as anyone who has walked into a co-working space lately can confirm, is a very large and fast-growing group, in India as much as anywhere else. It also lands in an interesting spot. Apple refreshed its Studio Display in March this year, but it still comes only in 27 inches, and it discontinued the 32-inch Pro Display XDR at the same time. Apple currently sells no 32-inch display. That makes the MA320UG an extremely appealing option for anyone who wants a large, high-resolution screen that works seamlessly with Apple devices.

While the MA320UG has been designed with professionals in mind, after using it for a couple of weeks, I am inclined to say it is equally suitable for gamers and cinephiles. Let me explain why.

First, the price. The BenQ MA320UG sells for Rs 82,998 in India. That is a substantial sum, but the comparison that matters is what Apple charges for a smaller (though higher-resolution) screen.

Specs

• Panel: 31.5-inch IPS with LED backlight, Nano Gloss coating
• Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160 (16:9), 140 PPI
• Refresh rate: 120Hz, with FreeSync Premium and VESA MediaSync
• Response time: 5ms (GtG)
• Brightness: 450 nits (typical and peak HDR)
• HDR: HDR10, VESA DisplayHDR 400
• Native contrast: 2000:1
• Colour coverage: 98% P3, 99% sRGB, 1.07 billion colours
• Colour modes: Display P3, sRGB, HDR, M-book, Cinema, Game, ePaper, User
• Ports: 1 x Thunderbolt 4 upstream (96W power delivery), 1 x Thunderbolt 4 downstream (15W, daisy chain), 1 x USB-C upstream (35W), 2 x HDMI 2.1, 2 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps, 7.5W), 1 x USB-C downstream (15W), 3.5mm headphone jack
• Audio: 2 x 3W speakers
• Stand: 150mm height adjustment, tilt (-5 to 20 degrees), swivel (15 degrees each way), 90-degree pivot; VESA 100 x 100
• Weight: 9.64kg with stand
• In the box: Thunderbolt 4 cable (1m), USB-C cable, cleaning cloth

Design: familiar and built for a big screen

The MA320UG carries forward the same design ethos as the earlier MA monitors, and that is a good thing. It feels premium, the build is sturdy, and it offers plenty of connectivity, which matters more than usual here because a 32-inch screen tends to become the centre of a desk rather than an accessory to a laptop.

The bezels are thin on three sides. The frame itself is a touch thicker than you might expect, but that is hardly an issue because it makes room for the built-in speakers, and I would take a pair of speakers over a couple of millimetres of trim any day.

The stand is the same fully adjustable unit BenQ has been bundling across the series, and it deserves a mention because Apple still treats height adjustment as a paid upgrade. You get 150mm of height travel, tilt, a 90-degree pivot into portrait and 15 degrees of swivel in either direction. The swivel is more useful than it sounds on a screen this wide. It lets you angle the panel towards a colleague for a quick review without dragging the whole monitor across the desk, turn it slightly away from a window as the light shifts through the afternoon, or line it up neatly with a second display if you daisy-chain one. Viewing angles are pretty decent too, rated at 178 degrees both ways, so colours hold up when you are looking at the screen from off-centre.

Round the back sits a generous port selection: two Thunderbolt 4 ports (one upstream with 96W of power for the Mac, one downstream at 15W for daisy-chaining a second 4K 120Hz display), a USB-C port with 35W charging, two HDMI 2.1 ports, two 10Gbps USB-A ports, a USB-C downstream port and a headphone jack. One cable handles video, data and charging for a MacBook, and there is still room for a PlayStation and a Windows PC on the side. Daisy-chaining, for what it is worth, needs a Mac with a Pro, Max or Ultra chip, since the base M-series chips only drive one external display.

Features that elevate usage

Every software feature that made the MA270S stand out when we reviewed it in June is on the MA320UG, and it matters just as much on the bigger screen. The starting point is Display Pilot 2, BenQ's companion app for macOS. Most monitor apps are a slower way of reaching the on-screen menu. This one changes how you use the monitor. iKeyboard Control lets the brightness and volume keys on a MacBook drive the monitor directly, so the external screen behaves like a native Apple display rather than something you adjust with buttons under the bezel.

Desktop Partition splits the 32-inch canvas into snap-to zones, which is the quickest way I have found to keep a timeline, a preview and a chat window tidy on one screen. ICCsync changes the macOS colour profile automatically when you switch the monitor's colour mode, so the M-book mode matches the MacBook's own panel without you touching System Settings. The Visual Optimizer sensor adjusts brightness to the room, which sounds trivial at first but then you realise that it casually but effectively removes a common inconvenience.

Then there is Smart KVM. You can plug a Mac into the Thunderbolt port and a Windows laptop into the USB-C port, and one keyboard and mouse control both. Switch on Picture-by-Picture and the two systems sit side by side on the same panel, and you can copy text and files between them. If you edit on a Mac but a client's tools live on Windows, this alone justifies a good chunk of the price. Auto Pivot rotates the picture the moment you turn the screen to portrait, PIP and PBP handle a console or a second machine in a corner of the screen, firmware updates arrive over USB, and BenQ's eye-care set (flicker-free backlight, hardware low blue light, TUV Eye Comfort 3.0 certification and an ePaper mode for long reading sessions) rounds things off.

Display and sound: the blacks are the surprise

The panel is a 31.5-inch IPS unit with 4K resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, 450 nits of brightness, HDR10 support with DisplayHDR 400 certification, 98% P3 coverage, 1.07 billion colours and a 2000:1 native contrast ratio, all behind BenQ's Nano Gloss coating.

I was expecting top-notch colour accuracy, because BenQ never disappoints in that department, and I got it. Colours match my MacBook closely enough in M-book mode that I stopped checking. What I did not expect was how deep the blacks are. That 2000:1 contrast figure is double what a typical IPS panel manages, and the glossy coating stops dark scenes from washing out the way they do on a matte screen. But I never thought I would compare an IPS LED panel with an OLED when it comes to deep blacks, but I stand corrected. This monitor can walk toe-to-toe with OLED monitors in normally lit rooms, and I am not exaggerating.

Peak brightness of 450 nits is decent rather than spectacular, and it should hold up well for most users; indoors I rarely needed it past the two-thirds mark. HDR viewing was immersive too and, importantly, not overly dark, which is a common problem with monitors that carry an HDR badge without the brightness to back it up.

The built-in speakers are a pair of 3W units. They get fairly loud, and while I will always recommend a dedicated soundbar for a fully immersive experience, you can rely on these for decent sound across calls, YouTube, and casual viewing.

Put it all together, and this monitor can easily be your primary media consumption device as well. With its large size, 4K resolution, excellent colour accuracy, and built-in speakers, it is pretty much a complete package on its own.

Day-to-day usage

If you are a creator, whether that means video editing, graphic design or anything in between, a 4K panel spread across 32 inches gives you the perfect canvas for the job. Does that mean the monitor is only meant for those professions? A big no. Most professionals now depend on a multi-monitor setup for everyday multitasking, and the 32-inch panel lets you keep several windows open side by side without the hassle of a second monitor, another stand and the wires that come with it. Add the seamless sync with MacBook controls and the butter-smooth 120Hz refresh rate, which BenQ pairs with adaptive sync, so it behaves much like ProMotion on a MacBook Pro, and regular work feels like a breeze. Scrolling a long document, scrubbing a timeline or dragging windows around all feel closer to the laptop's own screen than any 60Hz external display can manage.

One thing I would like to highlight before you buy this monitor is that at 140 pixels per inch, macOS scales this panel differently from a 5K screen such as the MA270S. Text is sharp, and the default scaling looks right, but if you are coming from a 218 PPI Retina display and sit very close, you will notice the difference.

Gaming

With a 4K 120Hz panel in front of me, I had no way I wasn't going to try gaming on the MA320UG, and as you would expect, the experience was pretty amazing. FreeSync Premium keeps frame pacing smooth from a console or a PC, and the HDMI 2.1 ports mean a PS5 or an Xbox Series X can run at 4K 120Hz without any fuss.

The one thing to note is the 5ms GtG response time. This monitor cannot keep up with dedicated gaming monitors in this price range, several of which are now OLED with response times measured in fractions of a millisecond, so competitive shooters are not what it is built for. If you want a laid-back gaming experience, though, this monitor will not let you down one bit.

Verdict

This monitor fills a gap Apple left in its portfolio: a 32-inch, high-resolution display that works seamlessly with Apple devices. At well under half the price of even the 27-inch Studio Display, which starts at Rs 1,89,900, the MA320UG is the ultimate upgrade most professionals can make to their work setup while staying in the comfort of their own ecosystem, with the laptop and the monitor controlled from the same keyboard.

That said, Rs 82,998 is still a substantial amount of money, and the MA320UG does not do everything. There is no built-in webcam, so Mac mini and Mac Studio owners will need to adjust their budget for one, and the speakers are good rather than great. Neither is a dealbreaker for the people this monitor is aimed at. After a couple of weeks with it, I struggled to think of a 32-inch monitor I would rather have on my desk, and that is a big compliment in itself.

Editor's rating: 8.7 / 10

Pros:

• Excellent colour accuracy and surprisingly deep blacks
• 4K at 120Hz on a 32-inch canvas
• Seamless macOS integration through Display Pilot 2
• Thunderbolt 4, Smart KVM and daisy-chaining
• Fully adjustable stand and built-in speakers

Cons:

• No built-in webcam
• Still an expensive purchase

Putting desktop-class ambitions into a laptop comes with its own set of compromises. A machine this large and powerful needs to justify its size, weight, and price, particularly when there are increasingly capable high-performance laptops that are considerably easier to carry around. The Pro Max 18 Plus therefore raises a simple question: how much workstation performance can Dell deliver in a laptop form factor, and is that performance worth the considerable bulk that comes with it? Let's find out…

Chasing durability and easy maintenance

The Dell Pro Max 18 Plus is a large, serious-looking machine with a dark gray finish and a relatively understated exterior. Like the Dell Pro Max 16 Plus, there are no flashy accents or gaming-inspired design elements either. The lid carries a subtle Dell logo, and the overall chassis has a clean, business-focused appearance. The top and bottom covers are made primarily from recycled magnesium, while Dell also uses recycled plastics in parts of the chassis. The result is a rigid and sturdy machine that is built as a professional tool rather than something designed to impress on a showroom floor. It is also MIL-STD 810H tested and certified to handle typical wear and tear from daily use.

There is no getting around the sheer size of the machine. It measures 402 x 279.95 mm with a maximum thickness of 31.7 mm and a starting weight of 3.25 kgs. Thus, it is more of a desktop replacement that can be moved around when necessary than a laptop you'd want to carry with you everywhere. The large footprint does at least give the laptop a reassuringly planted feel on a desk, and the substantial chassis leaves plenty of room for the hardware inside.

Speaking of which, serviceability is another area where the Pro Max 18 Plus stands out. The bottom panel is divided into two sections, with one of them designed specifically for quick access to the most important upgradeable components. It is held in place by a single screw and a slide-lock mechanism at the top, so removing it is considerably easier than dealing with a conventional laptop bottom cover. Once removed, the panel provides access to the machine's four SSD slots, the battery, and the single 128GB memory module.

Notably, the Dell Pro Max 18 Plus and the 16-inch variant are one of the first products to ship with the new class of CAMM2 RAM in addition to supporting traditional SO-DIMM. Dell is also using its DGFF module (Dell's Graphics Form Factor) so that the GPU can be swapped out easily, while the USB-C ports also feature a modular design. For a workstation that is likely to be used for demanding workloads over several years, having this sort of flexibility is a welcome design choice.

Dell has also taken a practical approach to connectivity. The left side houses the Ethernet port, HDMI 2.1, two Thunderbolt 5 ports, an SD card reader and, depending on the configuration, a Smart Card reader. On the right are another Thunderbolt port, two USB-A ports, the 3.5mm audio jack and a security lock slot. With this many ports built directly into the chassis, the Pro Max 18 Plus is well suited to a workstation setup where users may need to connect external displays, storage, networking equipment and other peripherals without immediately reaching for a dock or USB hub.

A huge screen built for productivity

The Pro Max 18 Plus can be configured up to an 18-inch 2560 x 1600 (QHD+) IPS anti-glare panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. Unfortunately, Dell does not offer the laptop with an OLED panel, which is something that we absolutely loved on the Pro Max 16 Plus. Nonetheless, the sheer size of the screen makes a noticeable difference to the overall experience. You get plenty of room for multitasking, with two application windows sitting side by side. Text and UI elements also look sharp at this resolution, so the large panel does not feel like it is simply stretching a lower-resolution image across a bigger surface.

Image quality is impressive, and the panel gets bright enough for use in well-lit environments, while the matte anti-glare finish does a good job of keeping reflections under control. Dell claims peak brightness of up to 500 nits and up to 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, which is a great match for a workstation aimed at creative and professional workloads. The 120Hz refresh rate is another welcome touch. It makes scrolling, window movement and general desktop interaction noticeably smoother than a conventional 60Hz panel, and it also makes the enormous screen a little more versatile when the machine is used for entertainment or gaming.

Full-size keyboard for a full-size workstation

The Pro Max 18 Plus makes excellent use of its enormous chassis when it comes to the keyboard. There is plenty of space for a full-size layout, and Dell has included a dedicated number pad without making the main keyboard feel cramped. The power button placed on the top right corner doubles as a fingerprint sensor that works fast and accurately. The keys are well spaced and have a comfortable amount of travel, with a firm actuation that makes the keyboard particularly well suited to long typing sessions. It doesn't have the particularly deep or tactile feel of some business-focused ThinkPad keyboards, but the overall experience is comfortable, and I rarely found myself making accidental presses.

The keyboard is also backlit, which is useful when working in darker environments. The overall layout is conventional enough that there isn't much of a learning curve, although users moving between different Dell keyboards may need a little time to adjust to some of the secondary key placements. Given the Pro Max 18 Plus's workstation focus, I appreciate that Dell has prioritised a practical full-size layout over trying to make the keyboard look sleek by sacrificing useful keys.

The trackpad is similarly geared toward productivity. Its large surface provides plenty of room for cursor movement and multi-finger gestures, while tracking is accurate and clicks feel consistent across the surface. The sheer size of the laptop means Dell could arguably have gone even larger with the trackpad, it is nevertheless responsive and comfortable to use.

Plenty of power for professional workloads

The Dell Pro Max 18 Plus is powered by Intel's Core Ultra 9 285HX, part of Intel's Core Ultra 200HX family based on the Arrow Lake architecture. It is a 24-core, 24-thread processor with a 55W base power rating, making it one of Intel's highest-end mobile CPUs for demanding workloads. Our review unit pairs it with 128GB of CAMM2 memory running at 6400 MT/s, providing plenty of capacity for heavy multitasking and professional applications. Storage comes in the form of two 1TB PCIe Gen 5 SSDs configured in RAID, giving the laptop 2TB of total storage while also helping it achieve exceptionally high transfer speeds.

In CrystalDiskMark, the RAID array reached a maximum sequential read speed of around 24,000 MB/s, while sequential write speeds peaked around 23,000 MB/s. Those are extremely impressive figures and considerably higher than what we typically see from a single laptop SSD, although the real-world benefit will naturally depend on the workload.

Moving on to CPU and productivity performance, the Pro Max 18 Plus delivers the kind of performance you'd expect from a machine built around Intel's top-end mobile processor. I compared it against the Dell Pro Max 16 Plus, MSI Titan 18 HX AI, ASUS ROG Strix Scar 16 and HP Omen Max 16, all of which feature similar high-end processors and discrete GPUs. In Cinebench R24's multi-core test, the Pro Max 18 Plus scored 1,785, compared with 1,982 for the smaller Pro Max 16 Plus, 2,140 for the MSI Titan 18, 1,935 for the Strix Scar 16 and 1,928 for the Omen Max 16. Its single-core score of 125 also trailed the other systems, which ranged from 132 to 137.

Interestingly, the Pro Max 18 Plus performs better in broader system-level workloads. Its 10,114 PCMark 10 score was higher than the Pro Max 16 Plus, Strix Scar 16 and Omen Max 16, although the MSI Titan 18 was ahead at 10,853. In PCMark 10 Extended, the Dell scored 13,777, comfortably ahead of all four laptops in the comparison.

Geekbench 6 produced a somewhat mixed picture where the Pro Max 18 Plus scored 2,891 in single-core and 19,751 in multi-core, with the latter putting it ahead of the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 16's 16,540 but behind the Pro Max 16 Plus and MSI Titan 18. Its OpenCL result of 248,606 was also the highest among the five machines tested, narrowly beating the Titan 18 at 241,274 and the Pro Max 16 Plus at 239,234. In professional creative workloads, the Pro Max 18 Plus also performed well in PugetBench for DaVinci Resolve, scoring 10,444 compared with 9,179 on the Pro Max 16 Plus, 10,869 on the Titan 18, 9,205 on the Strix Scar 16 and 10,747 on the Omen Max 16.

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The graphics benchmarks show that the Pro Max 18 Plus is no slouch either. Its RTX Pro 5000 Blackwell is configured with a 175W TGP, putting it in the same power class as the RTX 5090 in the MSI Titan 18 and RTX 5080 GPUs in the Strix Scar 16 and Omen Max 16. In 3DMark Time Spy, the Pro Max 18 Plus scored 21,344, behind the Titan 18 at 22,823 but ahead of the Strix Scar 16 at 20,377 and Omen Max 16 at 20,528. Time Spy Extreme followed a similar pattern, with the Dell scoring 11,466, compared with 11,973 for the Titan 18, 10,707 for the Strix Scar 16 and 10,653 for the Omen Max 16. In Fire Strike Extreme, however, the Pro Max 18 Plus managed 27,948, ahead of the Strix Scar 16 and Omen Max 16 but behind the Titan 18's 29,327.

The Pro Max 18 Plus isn't really a gaming laptop, and that's not what Dell designed it to be. However, a 175W professional GPU with this level of performance means it can certainly handle games when required. In GTA V at 1080p, the laptop averaged 186.46 FPS, essentially matching the MSI Titan 18 HX AI at 187 FPS in the same test suite. So while gaming is unlikely to be the primary reason anyone buys the Pro Max 18 Plus, the machine has more than enough graphics horsepower to deliver a smooth gaming experience when work is done.

Endurance takes a back seat

Despite its much larger chassis, the Pro Max 18 Plus uses the same 96Wh battery as the smaller 16-inch model. In typical use, you can expect around five to six hours of battery life, which isn't particularly impressive for a laptop of this size but is understandable given the high-performance hardware inside. This is still a workstation that makes the most sense when plugged in during demanding workloads.

In our PCMark 10 Video Loop Benchmark, tested with the Balanced power profile and display brightness set to 80%, the Pro Max 18 Plus lasted 6 hours and 56 minutes. That's remarkably close to the 7 hours and 7 minutes recorded by the Pro Max 16 Plus, despite the 18-inch model's larger display.

Dell ships the laptop with a 280W USB Type-C power adapter, which is a nice touch for a workstation with this level of performance. The brick is understandably large, but using USB-C for charging is more convenient than relying on a proprietary connector and gives the Pro Max 18 Plus a more modern approach to power delivery.

Verdict

The Dell Pro Max 18 Plus is a workstation in the truest sense. The top-of-the-line hardware gives it the performance and expandability that demanding professional workloads require. Add in excellent connectivity, a comfortable full-size keyboard and unusually good serviceability, and Dell has built a machine that is remarkably practical for users who need serious computing power on the move.

At over 3.2kg before factoring in its large 280W power adapter, the laptop is closer to a portable desktop than a conventional laptop. Battery life is another compromise, with roughly five to six hours in typical use and just under seven hours in our video-loop test. The lack of an OLED option is also a notable omission, particularly given the creative focus of this class of machine.

Ultimately, the Pro Max 18 Plus makes the most sense for professionals who value performance, screen real estate and long-term upgradeability over portability. It doesn't try to disguise its size or make compromises to become a more conventional laptop. Instead, Dell has embraced the desktop-replacement approach and built a powerful, highly serviceable workstation around it. If that is what you need, the Pro Max 18 Plus delivers a compelling combination of performance and practicality. 

Editor's Rating: 8.5 / 10

Pros:

•  Top-tier performance
•  Impressive upgrade potential
•  Large screen real estate
•  Heavy-duty construction 

Cons:

• Bulky to carry around
• No OLED panel option

Durable build, charming AMOLED display

The OPPO K14 Plus arrives in two colourways, Star White, which we received for review, and Solar Orange. Built entirely from polycarbonate, both options flaunt a smooth finish with a marble-like texture, housed in a boxy chassis with flat sides. The smartphone retains the K14 series' identity with a pill-shaped camera module reminiscent of the vanilla OPPO K14 and K14x. Despite its beefy 8,000mAh battery, the phone feels relatively light in hand, weighing 208g.

While the rounded corners are a nice touch for comfort during extended use, the back panel is prone to slipping out of your hands if you don't hold it tightly. Fortunately, OPPO bundles a transparent TPU case to give the device a firm grip. As for durability, much like several previously released OPPO phones, the K14 Plus is protected using a 360-degree Armour Body that is claimed to mitigate the damage caused by drops, while the IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings ensure the phone can withstand heavy jets of water and submersion.

Upfront, there's a flat 6.7-inch 1.5K AMOLED display with up to a 144Hz refresh rate, 1,800 nits high brightness, and 3,600 nits peak brightness, paired with the support of Splash Touch for interacting with the screen even with wet fingers. This seems to be a capable display for sharp visuals and smooth and fluid experience while scrolling.

Optimistic performance and endurance

Running on the MediaTek Dimensity 7360 MAX, the OPPO K14 Plus isn't chasing top-tier performance. Instead, it offers a solid level for most use cases, like medium-intensive gaming and multitasking, while delivering strong battery endurance with an 8,000mAh cell on board. While we haven't run benchmarks yet, OPPO claims the smartphone can score over 1 million on AnTuTu, which is a tad higher than the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 found in the similarly priced POCO X8.

The processor is paired with a 5,000mm2 vapour chamber, UFS 3.1 storage and LPDDR4X RAM, all of which should work in tandem to deliver a smooth, flowing experience in the long run. The phone comes in three storage variants, including 6+128GB, 8+128GB, and 8+256GB. With the display supporting up to a 144Hz refresh rate, the OPPO K14 Plus should deliver a satisfactory gaming experience with no hiccups or stutters.

As mentioned above, with an 8,000mAh battery, the OPPO K14 Plus is built to last, providing hours of gameplay, video watching, and app use on a single charge. The smartphone is claimed to last over 12 hours of continuous BGMI gameplay at 60 frames per second and over 20 hours of YouTube on a full charge. Stay tuned for the full review to find out the real-world endurance of the smartphone's battery.

Latest Android version with capable camera hardware

On to the software, which is a rather interesting bit, the OPPO K14 Plus runs ColorOS 16.5 based on Android 17, making it the first OPPO smartphone in India to release with the latest Android version out of the box. You get the usual ColorOS niceties, such as the vast lockscreen clock and homescreen customisation options, and an AI suite that features tons of imaging and productivity features, such as AI Recompose, AI Eraser, AI Portrait Glow, AI Writing and Translation, and more.

On the camera front, the OPPO K14 Plus features a 50MP 1/2-inch Smartsense SC532HS main sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and OIS, paired with a 2MP monochrome rear camera. A 16MP selfie camera sits in the display's circular punch-hole for selfies and vlogs. On paper, that main sensor looks stronger than the Realme P4s' 50MP 1/2.88-inch unit and POCO X8's 1/2.76-inch sensor, which should, in theory, lead to better real-world shots.

Closing thoughts

Starting at Rs 29,999 for the base 6GB RAM with 128GB storage variant, the OPPO K14 Plus directly rivals the POCO X8 and is slightly more affordable than the Motorola Edge 70 Fusion. While the smartphone may not have an in-built fan like last year's K13 Turbo, it still seems capable enough to deliver an enjoyable gaming experience with a 144Hz refresh rate, a large vapour chamber, and fast UFS storage speeds.

Like most smartphones, the OPPO K14 Plus' battery remains one of its biggest highlights, making it a worthy phone for all types of use cases, and the 1.5K AMOLED display is a great addition for binge-watchers and heavy social media users. Given the specifications, the OPPO K14 Plus could be a good catch for performance enthusiasts.

On the optics, though, the K14 Plus misses out on an ultrawide lens. That said, a full review of the OPPO K14 Plus will be up on 91mobiles very soon with detailed findings, so stay tuned.

Quick verdict

The Lava Virat V1 Pro is well suited to users looking for a capable 5G smartphone on a low budget that can handle daily tasks reliably while offering bloatware-free software. The handset also features one of the highest RAM and storage combinations in its range, so users can store more media for viewing on the phone's tall LCD display. The cameras and software design, however, still need some improvement.

Design: nothing extraordinary

Starting with the design, the Virat V1 Pro sports a typical reflective rear panel with a matte finish, unlike its younger sibling, Virat V1 5G (review). The only highlight is the squarish camera module, which includes a 50MP primary camera, an LED flashlight, and an auxiliary lens, all divided by two pill-shaped housings. While our review unit came in the blue Sikkim Midnight colourway, the Virat V1 Pro is also available in the silver Spiti Forest shade.

As for handling and comfort, it's a considerably tall phone because of its thick chin, while its 207g weight and 8.68mm profile make it mostly manageable to hold for long periods once you get used to it.

Like most Lava phones released in the past, the Virat V1 Pro is IP64-certified for protection against water and dust exposure. Additional perks include a 3.5mm headphone jack at the bottom, which should make up for the lack of stereo output from the speakers. The SIM card slot also includes a dedicated microSD card slot for storage expansion of up to 1TB. Lava also bundles a transparent soft TPU back cover that gives the device extra grip.

Display: outputs sufficiently vivid tones

With a 6.75-inch IPS LCD display featuring a U-shaped cutout, HD+ resolution, and a 120Hz refresh rate, the Virat V1 Pro offers a visual experience nearly identical to that of the Virat V1 5G, given their identical specifications. The colours are sufficiently vibrant and don't distort much when viewed from the side. As for details, casual viewers may find the 720p resolution decent enough for everyday use, while power users may find the clarity limiting.

Thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate, certain casual games like Clash Royale offer smooth interaction, while the system and apps also take advantage of the high refresh rate for seamless scrolling. Though I did notice the screen stutter when opening or closing apps, likely due to the restrictive hardware and unfinished software optimisation. On YouTube, the phone can make the most of a video's bitrate by supporting up to 2160p (4K) resolution.

Performance and software: requires some refinements

Performance is an area where the Lava Virat V1 5G and Virat V1 Pro differ little, since both use the 6nm Unisoc T8200 processor with clock speeds of up to 2.3GHz and a Mali-G57 MC2 GPU. The Virat V1 Pro should fare better in the long run, since it packs 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, giving users more memory and storage capacity to load apps, while the Virat V1 5G comes in a single 4GB RAM and 64GB storage variant.

The phone scores over 5 lakh on AnTuTu and 1,810 on Geekbench's multi-core test, giving it a fair advantage over the similarly priced Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro 4G (review).

[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="42381,42392,41369,," ][/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="42381,42392,41369,," ][/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="42381,42392,41369,," ][/comparative-benchmark]

As stated in the display section, the phone may not always deliver a smooth scrolling experience, but that's mostly limited to opening and closing apps. Other tasks, such as loading social media feeds, playing videos, browsing the web, and playing light games, are handled well without many hiccups.

As for the software experience, like the standard Virat V1 5G and Shark 2 5G, the Virat V1 Pro runs a custom skin based on Android 16 with no third-party apps by default. The phone builds on the aforementioned phones by adding a dedicated "AI Smart Services" section in Settings, featuring nifty functions like AI Translate, AI Text Assistant, AI Pets, and AI Agents, which we previously saw on Lava Agni 4.

[gallery link="file" columns="2" td_select_gallery_slide="slide" ids="716775,716776"]

While the features work as intended, the user interface looks bland and dull. Speaking of which, other prominent areas of the UI, such as the lockscreen, About phone page, and certain pop-up menus, carry an outdated interface.

On the other hand, I am happy to report that Virat V1 Pro includes one of the most essential AI features for Android users: Google's Circle to Search, which allows you to easily look up content on the screen by circling the area. Then there's the usual set of features, such as call recording without announcement, three-finger screenshot, a sidebar to open apps from the edge of the screen, Anti-Peeping that greys out specific parts of the display, and more.

As for updates, the Virat V1 Pro will be upgraded to Android 17 and receive two years of security patch updates, which is pretty standard for the segment.

[comparative-benchmark type="3000" products="42381,42318,41369,42392," pias="31,34,32,60,"][/comparative-benchmark]

Battery: offers great endurance

With a 6,000mAh cell, the Lava Virat V1 Pro doesn't disappoint in the battery department, at least compared to its close competitors. In our in-house PCMark Battery Drain test, which emulates daily tasks such as watching videos, opening and reading documents, browsing webpages, rendering mp4 files, and more, the phone clocked over 14 hours of runtime from 100 to 20 percent.

[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="42381,42392,41369,," ][/comparative-benchmark]

These numbers are significantly higher than those of the HMD Vibe 2 (review), which also has a 6,000mAh battery, and the Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro. Standby drain is low, with the phone lasting over four days on a single charge while also handling tasks like playing Clash Royale and CODM, scrolling through Instagram, capturing and viewing photos, and more.

In our tests, the Lava Virat V1 Pro took just over two hours to charge from 20 to 100 percent, which is much faster than the HMD Vibe 2. Overall, the Virat V1 Pro's battery should suit most use cases, lasting at least a day with light gaming and 5G usage.

Camera: usable results, but may need work

The Lava Virat V1 Pro has a 50MP primary camera on the rear, while the front features an 8MP unit in the display's notch cutout for selfies and video calls. Key camera modes include Night Mode, Beauty, Document Correction, Dual-View Video, GIF, Pro Mode, Motion Photo, Panorama, Slow Motion, Time Lapse, and multiple filters.

In real-world use, the Virat V1 Pro delivers usable results, with colours kept on the natural side to the point that some may find them dull. Nevertheless, a bit of editing and touch-ups can bring out the vibrancy in images. What editing can't change, though, is the level of detail, which, as expected, is on the lower end due to the small camera sensor size. Even though the phone does a decent job keeping the sky and background colours natural in daylight, challenging scenes where the sun takes up most of the frame still blow out highlights and the sky's blue.

In selfies, even with ample sunlight on the face, the Lava Virat V1 Pro adds blue-greenish hues, making the image appear artificial and unappealing. At night, the images turned out soft and noisy, while the colours aren't accurately represented.

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To further assess the cameras of the Lava Virat V1 Pro, we pitted it against the Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro:

Daylight

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/tecno-daylight-1-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/IMG_20260917_163901_990-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro 4G" after="Lava Virat V1 Pro "]

In daylight, while the Lava Virat V1 Pro captures more detail, the Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro delivers accurate colours and retains the sky's colour instead of blowing out the highlights. Furthermore, the Lava handset leans more towards the contrasty side, which some may prefer over the Tecno's almost flat look. 

Portraits

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/tecno-portrait-1-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/IMG_20260917_163739_008@1687943464-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro 4G" after="Lava Virat V1 Pro "]

Portraits are where the Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro impresses. It captures more accurate skin tones and colours, resulting in a natural-looking image. The handset also delivers better detail and clarity compared to the Lava Virat V1 Pro. Edge detection is more evenly matched, with the Tecno handling hair better, while the Lava does a slightly better job around the clothes. The bokeh effect is similar on both phones, with little to separate them.

In portraits, both smartphones look evenly matched at first glance, but on closer inspection, the Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro edges out the Virat V1 Pro in detail and colour retention, while the edge detection and bokeh are identical on both.

Selfies

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/tecno-selfie-1-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/IMG_20260917_163812_495-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro 4G" after="Lava Virat V1 Pro "]

The Lava Virat V1 Pro adds strong cool tones to the overall image, including the face despite the scene having strong sunlight. In this regard, the Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro does a much better job of depicting the actual scene while also retaining slightly more detail.

Low-light (night mode)

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/tecno-night-mode-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/IMG_20260918_223157_223_NIGHT-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro 4G" after="Lava Virat V1 Pro "]

With night mode enabled on both smartphones, the Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro does a better job of controlling the light sources, resulting in fewer flares, while the Lava Virat V1 Pro retains slightly more clarity.

Final verdict

The Lava Virat V1 Pro is another 5G offering from Lava, with many similarities to the standard Virat V1 5G, including the 6.75-inch HD+ LCD display, Unisoc T8200 processor, 6,000mAh battery, and familiar clean software experience. Priced Rs 1,500 more than the Virat V1 5G's 4GB + 128GB variant, the Virat V1 Pro adds 6GB of RAM and a high-resolution primary camera, while also bundling several software perks, such as a full-fledged AI suite and Circle to Search.

So, if you prioritise AI features in your daily use, spending the extra on the Virat V1 Pro could be worthwhile. Additionally, the 6GB of RAM should help the device handle added workloads down the line. On the other hand, the Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro 4G, priced at Rs 15,999 for 4GB + 128GB of storage, delivers more polished software and capable cameras but lacks 5G. Alternatively, the HMD Vibe 2 5G is equally capable, but it doesn't offer as much battery life as the Virat V1 Pro.

Ultimately, if you can overlook minor software inconsistencies and sub-par cameras, the Lava Virat V1 Pro, at Rs 15,999, is worth considering for casual users or those upgrading from feature phones or 4G devices.

Editor's rating: 8/10

Reasons to buy

• The large LCD display delivers enough vibrancy for everyday content viewing.
• The software is devoid of bloatware, resulting in a fairly clean interface out of the box.
• The 6,000mAh battery easily delivers a working day's worth of backup on a full charge
• It offers one of the highest RAM and storage capacities in its price range.

Reasons to skip

• The cameras lack details and vibrant colours.
• Several parts of the UI features an outdated design and inconsistencies.

Verdict

Like most phones this year, the Note 17 Pro couldn't escape the memory chip crisis, so sub-Rs 30,000 pricing was never on the cards. What it does deliver is a genuinely stellar battery and a sharp AMOLED display, enough to make it worth considering if you're upgrading from an older Redmi Note, though Note 15 Pro owners can safely skip it. For raw performance under Rs 40,000, the POCO X8 Power, Vivo T5, and iQOO Z11 are the better picks, but the Note 17 Pro counters with class-leading battery life, Pro Max-grade durability, and a software update promise that beats some rivals.

Design and display: impressive inside and out

[pdp-expert-review]
As for design, the Redmi Note 17 Pro offers a solid build and impressive durability with IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K dust and water resistance, though its weight might cause wrist fatigue for some. The AMOLED display on the Redmi Note 17 Pro leaves little to complain about, though its 120Hz refresh rate might sound underwhelming compared to 144Hz panels you can find in this segment.
[/pdp-expert-review]

The Note 17 Pro weighs 226g and carries IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K certification, protection against dust, immersion, and high-pressure water jets that is a rare sight even in this price segment. It's not the lightest phone in its class; the Vivo T5 undercuts it by nearly 30 grams, but that weight buys genuine peace of mind, as it feels solid in the hand. That said, at 226 grams, it may cause wrist fatigue for those who prefer one-handed use. Xiaomi has carried the same durability certification over from the pricier Pro Max, which is nice to see.

The 6.83-inch AMOLED display supports up to a 120Hz refresh rate and a claimed 3,500 nits of peak brightness. It's a strong panel for the price, but it's not the fastest screen in its segment. The Vivo T5 pushes to 144Hz, and if buttery scrolling is what you care most about, that's worth knowing. But the Note 17 Pro's brightness claim holds up, as the screen delivered good visibility outdoors in bright sunlight. 

The display on the Redmi Note 17 Pro leaves little to complain about. The panel delivers enough sharpness and vibrancy to make browsing and watching content a pleasing experience. 

Performance and software: chooses longevity over speed

[pdp-expert-review]
Overall, the Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 powering the Redmi Note 17 Pro isn't the fastest chipset under Rs 40,000, but Xiaomi has optimised it well to deliver better sustained performance than rivals. Moreover, its 4+6 years software support promise is admirable and should allow you to keep the phone for a long time, provided the chipset holds up well.[/pdp-expert-review]

The Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 powers the Note 17 Pro. It's a reliable processor, but not the fastest in its price bracket. In our testing, it posted an AnTuTu score of 949,300 and Geekbench scores of 889 single-core and 2,691 multi-core, numbers that trail the POCO X8 Power (by a small margin), OnePlus Nord CE6 and the Vivo T5 (by a big margin). If you're chasing raw horsepower, you might want to look at the OnePlus, Vivo, and POCO phones instead of the Redmi Note 17 Pro.

[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="42262,42378,42128,42000," ][/comparative-benchmark]

What's more encouraging is how the chip behaves once you push it for a while. Our burnout test, which measures how much performance a phone retains under prolonged stress, had the Note 17 Pro holding onto 67.3 percent of its peak output, ahead of the POCO X8 Power and Vivo T5 and just behind the OnePlus Nord CE6. That's the kind of result that should translate to steadier frame rates in a long gaming session, rather than a phone that looks fast for the first five minutes and then tapers off. A separate CPU throttle test showed 31 percent under sustained heavy load, which was better than all its rivals. 

[comparative-benchmark type="888" title="Burnout Score" caption="Burnout assesses CPU throttling and sustained performance under heavy load (higher is better)" highlight="product_1" products="42262,42378,42128,42000," values="67.30,56.70,44.60,69.80,"][/comparative-benchmark]

Gaming frame-rate capture didn't run cleanly on our review unit during testing, so I can't speak to exact average FPS in Call of Duty or BGMI, but nothing about day-to-day use suggested the phone was struggling to keep up.

The Note 17 Pro ships on HyperOS 3. Xiaomi promises four years of major OS updates and six years of security patches, which is a solid promise for a phone at this price and beats what Vivo is offering on the T5.

Overall, the Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 powering the Redmi Note 17 Pro isn't the fastest chipset under Rs 40,000, but Xiaomi has optimised it well to deliver better sustained performance than rivals. Moreover, its 4+6 years software support promise is admirable and should allow you to keep the phone for a long time, provided the chipset holds up well.

Battery: best endurance in its class

[pdp-expert-review]
Battery life is where the Redmi Note 17 Pro stands out. Its 9,000mAh battery delivers exceptional real-world endurance and even scored close to 22 hours in our synthetic PCMark battery test, outlasting every other phone tested in this segment this year. You won't have to reach for a charger frequently, which is a good thing given it charges relatively slowly at 67W.
[/pdp-expert-review]

This is where the Note 17 Pro actually stands out. The 9,000mAh silicon-carbon battery ran for 21 hours and 55 minutes in our overnight PCMark test, the best result we recorded this year for a phone under Rs 40,000. It even pulled ahead of the POCO X8 Power's 10,000mAh battery at 20 hours 45 minutes despite that phone's larger cell, and comfortably beat the Vivo T5's 14 hours 42 minutes. A 60-minute YouTube streaming test backs this up at a smaller scale, just a 4 percent battery drop, essentially matching the POCO and beating the Vivo T5's 5 percent. In practice, that means a phone that comfortably lasts two days before you need to reach for the charger.

[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="42262,42378,42128,42000," ][/comparative-benchmark]

That's good because charging is the one place this advantage comes with a trade-off. The Note 17 Pro's 67W wired charging took 96 minutes to go from 20 to 100 percent in our testing, noticeably behind the POCO X8 Power's 100W charging at 79 minutes for a similar top-up. Neither phone offers wireless charging.

Cameras

The Redmi Note 17 Pro gets the same 50MP main and 8MP ultrawide rear camera setup as its pricier sibling. The difference lies in the front camera, with the Note 17 Pro getting a 16MP sensor and the Pro Max getting a higher-resolution 32MP sensor. The primary camera performs well enough in daylight, capturing pleasing stills with good colour reproduction and detail. The ultrawide and front camera deliver passable photos, nothing more.

[smartslider3 slider=2195]

To show how the Redmi Note 17 Pro fares, I compared it with the Realme P4s, which features an identical camera system.

Daylight

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/redmi-note-17-pro-daylight.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/realme-p4s-daylight-1.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Redmi Note 17 Pro" after="Realme P4s"]

In daylight scenes, the Redmi Note 17 Pro captures slightly better dynamic range, and it leans toward a warmer tone. The Realme P4s delivers punchier colours and marginally better sharpness when zooming in. I prefer the Redmi phone's more natural colour output compared to Realme here.

Ultrawide

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/redmi-note-17-pro-ultrawide.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/realme-p4s-ultrawide.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Redmi Note 17 Pro" after="Realme P4s"]

What the Redmi phone does well is offer consistency in colours when switching between the main and ultrawide cameras. And while you can only expect so much from an 8MP sensor, the Redmi Note 17 Pro retains better clarity, especially in the leaves of the trees on the left, compared to the Realme phone when zooming in.

Portrait

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/redmi-note-17-pro-portrait-1x.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/realme-p4s-portrait-1x.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Redmi Note 17 Pro 1x" after="Realme P4s 1x"]

The Redmi Note 17 Pro delivered surprisingly better portrait results than the Realme phone, in both 1x and 2x crop. In 1x, the Realme phone's portrait shot looked soft and almost like a water-colour painting, whereas the Redmi phone retained better sharpness throughout and good subject separation.

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/redmi-note-17-pro-portrait-2x.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/realme-p4s-portrait-2x.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Redmi Note 17 Pro 2x" after="Realme P4s 2x"]

Low-light

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/redmi-note-17-pro-lowlight.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/realme-p4s-lowlight.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Redmi Note 17 Pro" after="Realme P4s"]

Low-light is where things get interesting. The Realme P4s performed better than the Redmi Note 17 Pro in my test. In the image above, you can see the Note 17 Pro's main camera letting in a lot more light and blowing out the image, which sacrifices the shadows and overall mood of the scene. The Realme P4s does a much better job of capturing the warmth of the fairy lights and controlling the light to keep the darker areas dark while maintaining the exposure and colour of the leaves in the foreground.

Selfie

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/redmi-note-17-pro-selfie.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/realme-p4s-selfie-portait-final.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Redmi Note 17 Pro" after="Realme P4s"]

In selfies again, both the Realme and Redmi phones deliver almost the same level of sharpness. The choice comes down to which colour profile you like more. The Realme P4s leans towards a more saturated look, punching up the colours, while the Redmi Note 17 Pro chooses realistic colours, which can sometimes look dull in comparison.

It's clear that the Redmi Note 17 Pro isn't a camera-first phone. Both the Redmi models, in fact, lack a dedicated telephoto lens, which feels like a real miss, especially on the Pro Max variant given its price. But the reality, at least in the sub-Rs 40,000 segment, is that most phones that have come out this year offer a similar 50MP+8MP setup, with some exceptions being the Motorola Edge 70 Pro (review) with its 50MP rear and front cameras and Tecno Camon 50 Ultra (review), which offers a telephoto lens. With that 50MP+8MP setup, the Redmi Note 17 Pro does a decent job in daylight, but it still leaves you wanting more.

Final verdict: should you buy the Redmi Note 17 Pro?

Like many phones launched this year, the Redmi Note 17 Pro is a victim of the ongoing memory chip crisis, so it doesn't get the sub-Rs 30,000 pricing potential buyers might have hoped for. Still, I think it makes more sense than its Pro Max sibling priced at Rs 50,000. The Redmi Note 17 Pro delivers on what it sets out to do: offer a stellar battery backup and an impressive AMOLED display. If these are your main criteria, the Redmi Note 17 Pro will not disappoint. I wouldn't recommend that Redmi Note 15 Pro users upgrade to the Note 17 Pro, but older Redmi Note users should consider this device for its segment-leading battery life.

If you're looking for a high-performance phone under Rs 40,000, the POCO X8 Power, Vivo T5 and iQOO Z11 are better options out there. However, the Note 17 Pro wins in battery life and a durability rating that matches the more expensive Pro Max. It also gets a software update promise that beats Vivo's. All of this adds up to a reliable, all-round smartphone.

Editor's rating: 8/10

Pros:

• Stellar two-day battery life despite not having the largest capacity in the segment
• Better sustained performance than its rivals
• Solid durability with IP66/68/69/69K certifications
• Four years of OS updates and six years of security patches

Cons:

• Not the fastest chipset in the segment
• Slower to charge than some rivals, such as the POCO X8 Power
• 120Hz refresh rate when rivals like Vivo T5 and iQOO Z11 offer 144Hz panels

Practical design

Unlike the Ultra Thin Magnetic Power Bank, the Xiaomi Magnetic Power Bank 10000mAh features a boxy design that may not be pocket-friendly but is still easy to carry around. It weighs 238 grams, which is lighter than the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and comes with a built-in 19cm Type-C cable. The cable has a dedicated housing that forms a loop when not in use, making it convenient to carry the power bank around.

The built-in cable can be used to charge devices and even juice up the power bank using a PD charger. There is also a separate Type-C port on the power bank, which supports both input and output. The added port allows you to charge two devices simultaneously. Moreover, the power bank comes with Qi2.2 support to magnetically attach to and wirelessly charge iPhones and other compatible smartphones such as Google Pixel 11 series.

The Xiaomi Magnetic Power Bank 10000mAh features a button on the right spine to check its battery status. There are four LED lights next to the cable that indicate the battery level. All four light up when the battery is at 100 percent, with the number of illuminated LEDs reducing to one as the battery level drops. Once there is no juice left, you are notified with a blinking white light. An LED light on one side of the power bank lights up when it is wirelessly charging a phone.

My only real qualm with the power bank's design is its colour. While the matte finish looks good, the white shade can pick up stains easily and may be difficult to clean.

Features

• 10,000mAh capacity
• 25W Qi2.2 wireless charging
• 45W wired fast charging
• 30W self-charging capability
• Charges three devices simultaneously
• 16 advanced battery safety technology

Charging

You can refer to the image above to check out all the safety features of the power bank. It can be used to charge your smartphone, tablet, accessories, wearables, and even laptops. The maximum Qi2.2 wireless charging speed is compatible with only select models in India, including the iPhone 16 and later models, Pixel 10/11 series, and the latest Motorola Edge 70 Max.

If you own any of these smartphones, the Xiaomi Magnetic Power Bank 10000mAh can fast-charge them at up to 25W. The charging speed drops to 20W, 15W, 7.5W, or 5W for non-Qi2.2 devices, depending on the supported charging standard. Simultaneously, also making the power bank less convenient to carry around. I used the Qi2.2 magnetic wireless charging to charge my iPhone 16, which took almost 60 minutes to go from 0 to 80 percent.

The power bank's magnets are strong enough to hold on to my device, making it more convenient to carry it around. The Xiaomi Magnetic Power Bank also supports PD3.0/2.0, PPS, and Qualcomm quick charge through wired charging. It can fast-charge a range of devices at up to 45W. A phone with a 5,000mAh battery should achieve a full charge in roughly an hour. Xiaomi claims that the power bank can charge an iPhone 17 Pro Max to 45 percent, Redmi Note 15 Pro+ to 30 percent, Google Pixel 10 Pro to 35 percent, and Samsung Galaxy S26 to 37 percent within 30 minutes with wired charging. 

I also used the power bank to provide backup to my MacBook Air while it was in use. Although Xiaomi hasn't specifically designed it for laptops, I was pleased to see it keep my MacBook running for longer and even add some charge at its own pace. While not a reliable charging solution, it can come in handy during emergencies.

The Xiaomi Magnetic Power Bank 10000mAh, meanwhile, feels more than capable of handling accessories and wearables. I used it to charge my Pixel Watch and earphones, sometimes both simultaneously. It's worth noting that if you plan to charge more than one device simultaneously, the charging speeds will drop. You can also use Qi2.2 wireless charging alongside the USB Type-C ports. However, this further reduces the charging speeds, making the feature feel rather gimmicky. The power bank also requires an additional step (a long press of the battery check button) to use Qi2.2 charging alongside a wired connection.

The Xiaomi power bank lacks a USB Type-A port, making it less convenient for charging wearables that use a Type-A charging cable. As with any power bank, there is some power loss during charging. In this case, the loss is roughly 15 percent, which is fairly standard, meaning the power bank can realistically deliver around 8,000mAh of usable capacity between charges.

To recharge the power bank, you can use the built-in cable with a PD charger or connect it via a USB Type-C cable. It supports up to 30W of input power, allowing the Xiaomi Magnetic Power Bank 10000mAh to reach a full charge in around 90–100 minutes when paired with a compatible charger.

Verdict

What makes the Xiaomi Magnetic Power Bank 10000mAh stand out is its 45W wired charging capability, an area where most magnetic power banks in this segment compromise. It is also among the few to offer up to 25W wired charging solution, with strong magnets for added convenience.

However, Xiaomi could have done better in a few areas. Its boxy design makes it less pocket-friendly, and the lack of a magnetic ring on the power bank means non-Qi2.2 devices can't attach as easily. The absence of a USB Type-A port can also be inconvenient for some accessories.

Nevertheless, for its asking price of Rs 3,999, the Xiaomi Magnetic Power Bank 10000mAh is a versatile backup charger that gets most things right. Its combination of 45W wired charging, 25W Qi2.2 wireless charging, a built-in Type-C cable, and support for charging multiple devices makes it useful for more than just topping up a smartphone.

Editor's rating: 8.5/10

Pros

• 25W Qi2.2 wireless charging
• Strong magnets
• 45W wired charging
• Built-in Type-C cable

Cons

• Lacks USB Type-A port
• No magnetic ring for non-Qi2.2 devices

Reasons to buy the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max

The 10,000mAh battery is the biggest selling point

The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max's biggest advantage is its 10,000mAh battery, and it delivers exactly what you'd expect. The phone managed 24 hours in our PCMark battery test, which is the highest score we've recorded in this test so far.

[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="42075,41800,42053,41555," ][/comparative-benchmark]

Real-world usage is equally impressive. Even with moderate to heavy usage, the phone can comfortably last two days. Heavy users who spend a lot of time gaming, streaming or browsing should also be able to get through a day and a half without much trouble.

The 100W charger takes around 77 minutes to charge the phone from 20 to 100 per cent. You also get 27W reverse wired charging, which can be useful for topping up accessories or another phone.

The 1.5K AMOLED display is great for content

The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max gets a large 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 12-bit colour depth. It also supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, making it well-suited for watching films, shows, and other content.

The panel is vibrant and sharp, and the 120Hz refresh rate keeps scrolling and animations smooth. It is not the brightest display in this segment, and some rivals offer better outdoor visibility, but there is still plenty to like here.

The stereo speakers support Dolby Atmos, Hi-Res Audio, and a 400 per cent volume boost. I found the output a little underpowered compared to some competing phones, while the highest volume setting can also introduce some distortion.

It is built to last

The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max may be large and heavy at 229 grams, but Redmi has done a good job with durability. The phone comes with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and gets IP66, IP68, IP69 and IP69K ratings.

That gives it strong protection against water, dust, scratches, and accidental drops. You'll notice the weight, but I found the phone fairly comfortable to use once I got used to it.

The design itself is fairly simple, especially in the black finish, although the other colour options add more character. If durability matters, the Redmi has plenty going for it.

Long software support

The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max runs HyperOS 3 based on Android 16 and offers four years of OS updates along with six years of security updates. That should keep the phone supported for several years.

The software experience is fairly easy to use, with features such as HyperIsland, smoother animations, depth, and cinematic wallpapers, as well as a range of AI tools.

[comparative-benchmark type="3000" products="42075,41800,42053,41555," pias="62,30,46,53,"][/comparative-benchmark]

There are 62 apps pre-installed, including 20 third-party apps, which is still a little more than I'd like to see. However, the third-party apps can be removed during the initial setup, making the experience much less cluttered than some other phones in this segment.

Reasons to skip the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max

It is expensive for what it offers

The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max starts at Rs 49,999, which puts it in a very competitive part of the market. At this price, you can find phones that offer better cameras, better performance, or a more balanced overall package.

The huge battery is certainly a major advantage, but it also feels like the phone is asking you to pay a premium for it. If you don't particularly need two-day battery life, some of the compromises elsewhere become harder to overlook.

The cameras don't quite match the price

The 50MP primary camera with OIS can take good daylight shots with likeable colours and decent detail. However, the overall camera setup doesn't feel quite as strong as what some rivals offer at this price.

[smartslider3 slider=2192]

Human subjects, especially in portrait shots, can sometimes look a little soft, with less facial detail than I'd like. The 8MP ultrawide is also nothing special, with a noticeable drop in detail compared to the primary camera.

The cameras are perfectly usable for everyday photography, but if taking good photos is a priority, there are more capable options at this price.

Performance falls behind the competition

The Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 is perfectly capable for regular use. Switching between apps, browsing, and other everyday tasks don't cause many problems, but the limitations become clearer once you start doing anything demanding.

[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="42075,41800,42053,41555," ][/comparative-benchmark]

Games such as Genshin Impact and Wuthering Waves can run around 60fps on lower settings, while supported titles such as BGMI can reach 90fps. However, the phone is still among the less capable performers in this price segment.

This is perhaps the biggest hardware compromise on the phone. You won't spend your day dealing with lag, but the performance gap becomes noticeable when you push the device harder.

Should you buy the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max?

The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max (review) does a lot of things well, especially if battery life is your biggest priority. The 10,000mAh battery is very impressive, while the display, durability, and software support make it a capable everyday phone.

The problem is its Rs 49,999 starting price, since the competition in this segment is also pretty strong. Some alternatives offer better cameras, performance, or a more balanced hardware package.

The Note 17 Pro Max could become a more appealing deal with discounts or offers, particularly for buyers who really value its huge battery. At its current price, however, you need to ask yourself how much that extra battery life is worth and whether it makes up for the compromises elsewhere.

Verdict

The Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro stands out with its durable design, high-refresh-rate display, and the added convenience of bundled Type-C earphones. However, its lack of 5G support and weak performance hold it back from being a more well-rounded budget smartphone. Those looking for stronger performance or future-ready connectivity may want to consider other options.

Design, display: stylish and durable 

[pdp-expert-review]
The Spark Go 3 Pro stands out with its stylish design and strong durability credentials, including IP68/IP69 ratings and SGS-certified drop resistance. The 120Hz display is good for everyday use and entertainment, although limited brightness leaves room for improvement.
[/pdp-expert-review]

The Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro has a good-looking design for its price. It features a large camera plateau on the back, which bears some resemblance to the iPhone 17 Pro models, although it doesn't look out of place. The phone is available in four colours: Basalt Titanium, Burgundy Red, Eclipse Black, and Sunrise Orange, giving buyers plenty of options to choose from.

Durability is one of the phone's key highlights. The Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro comes with IP68 and IP69 ratings for dust and water resistance, making it one of the few phones in this price segment to offer this level of protection. It also has SGS-certified drop resistance of up to 1.5 metres, adding another layer of durability for everyday use.

On the display front, the phone features a large 6.78-inch HD+ IPS LCD panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate, and up to 580 nits of brightness. These specifications are fairly standard for the segment, although the display doesn't offer anything particularly standout. The brightness, in particular, could have been higher, as the screen can be difficult to view under direct sunlight.

That said, the display is good enough for everyday tasks such as scrolling, browsing, and watching videos. Its large size also makes the Spark Go 3 Pro well-suited for entertainment, particularly when watching content for longer periods.

Performance, software: not for power users

[pdp-expert-review]
The Helio G81 is adequate for everyday tasks but falls behind similarly priced rivals in performance. Social media, streaming and casual gaming are fine, but demanding games aren't the phone's strongest suit, which is understandable. HiOS 16.3 offers a smooth and customisable experience with useful AI features.
[/pdp-expert-review]

The Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro is powered by the MediaTek Helio G81 4G chipset, paired with 4GB of LPDDR4X RAM and up to 128GB of UFS 2.2 storage. Performance is one of the phone's weaker areas, which is reflected in its relatively low AnTuTu and Geekbench scores. The phone is also visibly not very snappy, but nothing too unmanageable. This becomes more apparent when compared with similarly priced phones such as the Lava Virat V1 Pro 5G and HMD Vibe 2 5G, which deliver better benchmark results.

[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="42392,42381,41369,," ][/comparative-benchmark]

That said, the Spark Go 3 Pro is adequate for everyday tasks. Social media browsing, WhatsApp, streaming videos, web browsing, and other routine activities are handled reasonably well. The phone can also run games such as COD Mobile and BGMI, but you'll need to stick to lower graphics settings for a smoother experience. Overall, the Spark Go 3 Pro is better suited to users looking for a phone for basic use rather than demanding gaming or performance-intensive workloads.

On the software front, HiOS 16.3 comes with around 60 pre-installed apps, most of which are games. Thankfully, you can uninstall them if you prefer a cleaner interface. Beyond this, the UI is intuitive and generally smooth. The app drawer has a search bar at the bottom, while apps are neatly categorised based on their usage, making them easy to find.

Some of the wallpapers and the clock style also have a strong iOS-like resemblance, making the inspiration quite noticeable. If you can look past that, there's plenty of customisation to explore, along with several fun themes that let you personalise the phone. The software also includes several AI features, including Circle to Search, AI Caption, Translation Assistant, and AI Writing. These tools can be useful in everyday scenarios and are a welcome addition on a phone in this price segment.

Cameras: better than expected

[pdp-expert-review]
The Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro's 13MP primary camera is limited on paper but performs better than expected, particularly for portraits and selfies. Daylight images are decent, while low-light photography remains average. 
[/pdp-expert-review]

For photography, the Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro 4G features a 13MP rear camera with autofocus and an 8MP front camera. The setup is fairly standard for this price segment, although some rivals offer more capable hardware. For instance, the Lava Virat V1 Pro packs a 50MP primary camera, while the HMD Vibe 2 5G offers a dual-camera setup.

Nevertheless, the Spark Go 3 Pro is capable of handling everyday photography reasonably well. Its portrait shots are particularly impressive, with good detail and colour retention, while daylight photos also turn out decent in well-lit conditions. However, the camera setup doesn't offer much beyond the basics.

To get a better idea of its camera performance, we compared the Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro 4G with the Lava Virat V1 Pro.

Daylight

In daylight, the Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro's 13MP primary camera holds its own against the Lava Virat V1 Pro's 50MP sensor. The Lava captures slightly more detail, but the Tecno does better with colour accuracy and retains the sky's natural colour, which appears blown out in the Lava's shot. Both phones are closely matched in dynamic range and exposure, although the Tecno has a slight edge in these areas.

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/tecno-daylight-1-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/IMG_20260917_163901_990-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro 4G" after="Lava Virat V1 Pro "]

Portraits

Portraits are where the Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro impresses. It captures more accurate skin tones and colours, resulting in a natural-looking image. The handset also delivers better detail and clarity compared to the Lava Virat V1 Pro. Edge detection is more evenly matched, with the Tecno handling hair better, while the Lava does a slightly better job around the clothes. The bokeh effect is similar on both phones, with little to separate them.

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/tecno-portrait-1-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/IMG_20260917_163739_008@1687943464-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro 4G" after="Lava Virat V1 Pro "]

Selfies

Selfies are another area where the Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro comes out ahead. The difference is noticeable at first glance, with the Lava Virat V1 Pro adding what appears to be a ring-light effect even in bright outdoor conditions. This results in less accurate skin tones and colours compared to the Tecno. The Lava's image also looks more oversharpened, while the Tecno produces a more natural-looking selfie with better detail and clarity. Dynamic range is fairly similar on both phones, although the Tecno does a slightly better job. 

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/tecno-selfie-1-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/IMG_20260917_163812_495-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro 4G" after="Lava Virat V1 Pro "]

Low-light (night mode)

Neither phone is particularly reliable for low-light photography, which is understandable given the price segment. For comparison, however, the Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro handles light flares and exposure better than the Lava Virat V1 Pro. Both images have noticeable noise, although the Lava captures slightly more detail. However, the Tecno does better with colour accuracy and realism, while the Lava struggles to reproduce some colours accurately.

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/tecno-night-mode-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/IMG_20260918_223157_223_NIGHT-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro 4G" after="Lava Virat V1 Pro "]

Battery life: reliable enough

[pdp-expert-review]
The 5,200mAh battery delivers around a day's usage, but endurance is weaker than some rivals. Heavy users may want to look at phones with larger batteries and faster charging.
[/pdp-expert-review]

The Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro 4G packs a sizeable 5,200mAh battery with support for 15W charging. However, the battery capacity is relatively modest for this price segment, where several competing phones offer 6,000mAh batteries or larger. On the PCMark battery test, the phone lasted 10 hours and 36 minutes, which is in line with what we'd expect from its battery capacity.

[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="42392,42381,41369,," ][/comparative-benchmark]

In everyday use, the Spark Go 3 Pro 4G should comfortably get you through most of a day, while its standby time is reasonably good. However, the 15W charging support is on the slower side, and the phone also appears to have room for improvement in terms of battery optimisation. It lost 7 percent battery after 60 minutes of YouTube streaming, which is slightly higher than what we observed on some competing phones. The battery drain was also higher than rivals after 30 minutes of BGMI and COD Mobile.

As a result, while the battery should be sufficient for regular usage, heavy users may find the Spark Go 3 Pro 4G's endurance and charging speeds underwhelming compared with some of its rivals.

Final Verdict

The Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro 4G gets several important things right for an everyday smartphone. Its stylish design, IP68/IP69 protection, 120Hz display and useful software features make it an appealing option for buyers who prioritise durability and everyday usability. The cameras are also better than the specifications might suggest, particularly for portraits and selfies.

However, its limitations become harder to ignore at Rs 15,999. The Helio G81 SoC isn't particularly powerful, and the battery is smaller than what several rivals offer. The biggest consideration, though, is the lack of 5G connectivity. At this price, there are alternatives such as the Lava Virat V1 Pro 5G and HMD Vibe 2 5G (review) that offer 5G alongside stronger performance or different hardware advantages.

The Spark Go 3 Pro therefore makes more sense for buyers who prioritise design, durability, a large 120Hz display and decent cameras over performance, charging speeds and 5G.

Editor's rating: 7.7/10

Reasons to buy

• The smartphone has a good-looking and durable design with IP68 and IP69 ratings for dust and water resistance. 
• Despite having modest cameras, the phone manages to capture better-than-expected photos, especially portraits and selfies.
• The Tecno phone has a large display with HD+ resolution but you get a 120Hz refresh rate, which helps improve the overall experience. 

Reasons to skip

• The phone doesn't support 5G, which feels lacking even at this price point.
• The chipset is quite underwhelming, delivering low benchmark scores and not being suitable for heavy usage.

Design: tough with a cool factor 

[pdp-expert-review]
The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max is comfortable enough despite its 229-gram weight, but the black variant is rather plain for me. The Secret Sunrise is a much more interesting finish that adds character to the device. You also get great IP ratings and Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which makes the phone extremely durable.
[/pdp-expert-review]

The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max has a difficult job when it comes to design. A 10,000mAh battery naturally adds weight and bulk, so the phone needs to do a good job of distributing that weight. At 229 grams and around 8.6mm thick, it is certainly not a light phone, but it doesn't feel particularly unwieldy either. I got used to the weight after a couple of days of use, so Redmi did a good job here. 

The flat display and slightly rounded edges also make the phone comfortable enough to hold. The black variant I received, however, is rather boring to look at. It has a simple matte rear panel without much going on, so there isn't really anything here that makes the phone stand out.

The Matcha Green version or the Secret Sunrise finish is probably the one I'd have liked to try more. The latter can reveal a scenic pattern on the rear when the phone is exposed to sunlight, which gives the design more character. Alas, I didn't get the chance and thus cannot say much about them. 

The rest of the design is fairly standard, with uniform bezels around the display and power and volume buttons that are easy to reach. It isn't a phone that tries too hard with its looks, but the build quality is where it makes a much better impression.

[comparative-benchmark type="1000" products="42075,41800,42053,41555," ][/comparative-benchmark]

You get IP66, IP68, IP69 and IP69K ratings, along with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the display. That gives the phone a good level of protection against water, dust, scratches and the occasional drop. For a phone built around such a massive battery, I appreciate that Redmi has still managed to give it this level of durability.

Battery: no less than a power bank

[pdp-expert-review]
The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max's 10,000mAh battery delivers exceptional endurance, with a record 24-hour PCMark battery benchmark score and up to two days of real-world use. The 100W charger takes around 77 minutes to fully charge it, while 27W reverse charging is a great add-on to charge your accessories. 
[/pdp-expert-review]

The 10,000mAh battery is easily the biggest reason to consider the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max, and in my experience, it more than lives up to the promise. The phone managed 24 hours in the PCMark battery test, which is the highest score we've recorded in this test to date. Considering that the test stresses the phone quite significantly, that is an excellent result.

[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="42075,41800,42053,41555," ][/comparative-benchmark]

In actual daily use, the battery is just as impressive, if not more. Even with moderate to heavy usage, the phone can comfortably last two days, so you'll never really care about battery life. If you're a heavy user who spends a lot of time gaming, streaming or browsing, you should still be able to get through 1.5-2 days without much trouble.

The 10,000mAh capacity means you won't get the fastest charging speeds, but the included 100W charger makes up for it. The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max took around 77 minutes to go from 20 to 100 per cent. You also get 27W reverse-wired charging, which can be useful for topping up accessories or another phone in a pinch.

[comparative-benchmark type="4000" products="42075,41800,42053,41555," ][/comparative-benchmark]

We've tested plenty of phones with large batteries, but the Note 17 Pro Max has set a new benchmark for endurance in our testing. If battery life is high on your list of priorities, this is easily the phone's best feature.

Display: great visuals, but I'd like it to be brighter 

[pdp-expert-review]
The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max has a vibrant 1.5K AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support, making it well suited for gaming and content. However, it falls behind some rivals in brightness and speaker output, while the 400 per cent audio boost can distort sound.
[/pdp-expert-review]

The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max gets a 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, 12-bit colour depth and up to 3,500 nits peak brightness. You also get HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support, so there is plenty here for watching content and gaming. The panel is vibrant, sharp and generally a pleasure to use.

There is one area, however, where the competition is ahead. Compared to phones such as the Nothing Phone 4a Pro and Motorola Edge 70 Pro+, the display doesn't get as bright as I'd like, especially outdoors. It remains usable, but if you're expecting higher brightness in this segment, the Redmi falls a little short.

The 120Hz refresh rate is more than enough for everyday use and supported games, even though some competitors offer higher refresh rates. Content consumption is also helped by the large screen and Dolby Vision support.

[comparative-benchmark type="2000" products="42075,41800,42053,41555," ][/comparative-benchmark]

The stereo speakers are another weak point when you consider the competition. They support Dolby Atmos, Hi-Res Audio and a 400 per cent volume boost, but I found the output a little underpowered compared to some competing phones. The 400 per cent boost can also distort the sound, so I found the 200 per cent setting to be a better middle ground.

Overall, the display is still one of the phone's better parts, but it doesn't quite top the charts. The panel quality is good, but brightness and speaker output leave some room for improvement.

Cameras: good enough stills, not much else 

[pdp-expert-review]
The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max's primary camera takes good daylight shots with likeable colours, but the 8MP ultrawide and portrait shots can lack detail. So, the overall setup falls short at this price. Some rivals offer better hardware and more detailed results at a similar price.
[/pdp-expert-review]

The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max gets a 50MP primary camera with OIS and an 8MP ultrawide. The primary camera takes pretty good daylight shots, with likeable colours and decent detail. Given the phone's price, though, I expected a bit more from the overall camera setup.

This is where rivals like the Nothing Phone 4a Pro and Motorola Edge 70 Pro+ have an advantage. Both offer better camera hardware, including dedicated telephoto cameras, 50MP ultrawide sensors and larger primary sensors. The difference is quite apparent in the results, with the competition generally producing shots with more detail and better texture.

I noticed the biggest drop in quality with human subjects. The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max can produce pleasing colours, but people, especially in portrait shots, can sometimes look a little soft, with less facial detail than what I'd like to see. The processing isn't bad, but the images don't have the same level of definition that some of its rivals can deliver.

[smartslider3 slider=2192]

The 8MP ultrawide is also nothing special to talk about. There is a big drop in detail compared to the primary camera, and you don't get the same output that a higher-resolution ultrawide can offer. This makes the device feel limited when you want to do more than just shoot with the primary camera. Photography isn't one of the reasons I'd pick this phone.

I directly compared the phone's cameras against the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro to give you a better idea of its performance. Check it out below.

Daylight

When comparing the standard daylight shots of both phones, there are a few differences that are immediately apparent. The (4a) Pro's image is much sharper and more detailed across the frame compared to the Note 17 Pro Max. You can notice it in the tree cover towards the left, the shrubs in the front, and the ground texture. 

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Redmi-Note-17-Pro-Max-daylight-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Nothing-4a-Pro-daylight-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Redmi Note 17 Pro Max" after="Nothing Phone (4a) Pro"]

The Note 17 Pro Max's only advantage in this scenario is that it renders the colours more accurately than the (4a) Pro, which enhances the contrast to make the image have more impact. 

Ultrawide

The same differences that we observed in daylight shots carry over to the ultrawide images. The Note 17 Pro Max's image has better colour continuity with its daylight counterpart, while the (4a) Pro's ultrawide image is even darker than its daylight shot.

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Redmi-Note-17-Pro-Max-ultrawide-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Nothing-4a-Pro-ultrawide-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Redmi Note 17 Pro Max" after="Nothing Phone (4a) Pro"]

Moving on from colours, the (4a) Pro is still substantially better in terms of details and sharpness than its competitor. 

Portrait

The (4a) Pro has a dedicated telephoto lens, but for the sake of this comparison, we shot the scene at 1x, so it's still a comparison between the primary lens of both phones.

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Redmi-Note-17-Pro-Max-portrait.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Nothing-4a-Pro-portrait-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Redmi Note 17 Pro Max" after="Nothing Phone (4a) Pro"]

The Note 17 Pro Max, once again, has better colour science and outputs results closer the actual scene. In all other aspects, namely detail level, edge detection and subject and background separation, the (4a) Pro does things better. 

Selfie

In this particular scenario, the (4a) Pro reproduces the subject's skin tone and colours better than the Note 17 Pro Max. It also manages to preserve better facial details than its competitors while keeping the shot sharp across the frame.

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Redmi-Note-17-Pro-Max-selfie-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Nothing-4a-Pro-selfie-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Redmi Note 17 Pro Max" after="Nothing Phone (4a) Pro"]

The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max manages to output a pleasing shot as well, but it does smooth out the subject's face and brightens up the skin tone. 

Lowlight 

With the dedicated night mode enabled on both phones, you'll immediately notice large discrepancies in both images. The Note 17 Pro Max's shots are slightly hazy, the details are softer, and its lens flare and ambient light correction aren't as good as its competitor. 

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Redmi-Note-17-Pro-Max-nightmode-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Nothing-4a-Pro-nightmode-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Redmi Note 17 Pro Max" after="Nothing Phone (4a) Pro"]

The (4a) Pro manages to output a substantially sharper and better-detailed shot and also addresses the ambient light and lens flares rather well. It also doesn't increase the exposure and keeps the scene quite close to reality, which in turn means a clearer, more appealing image. 

Performance and software: could have been better 

[pdp-expert-review]
The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max handles everyday tasks without much trouble, but its performance is among the weaker aspects of the phone. The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max promises four years of OS updates and six years of security support, which is decent. The device performs sufficiently for everyday use, but demanding games and heavier workloads expose the hardware's limitations. 
[/pdp-expert-review]

The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max uses the Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 chipset, paired with up to 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.1 storage. On paper, this should be more than enough for regular tasks, and in my experience, the phone handles basic usage, app switching and everyday multitasking without much fuss.

[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="42075,41800,42053,41555," ][/comparative-benchmark]

However, performance is one area where the Redmi is a little behind. Even when compared with camera-focused phones or devices that aren't particularly performance-oriented, the Note 17 Pro Max is still one of the less capable performers in this price segment.

[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="42075,41800,42053,41555," ][/comparative-benchmark]

With memory and storage costs pushing up BOM prices, I can understand some of the compromises, but Redmi could have used the budget to improve performance a little more.

[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="42075,41800,42053,41555," ][/comparative-benchmark]

You won't find the phone lagging all the time or struggling with basic tasks, but the difference becomes apparent when you start doing anything demanding. Games such as Genshin Impact and Wuthering Waves can run at around 60fps on lower settings, while supported titles such as BGMI can go up to 90fps. However, you will feel the hardware limitations much more once you push the phone beyond regular usage.

Thermals are pretty decent, with the temperature increasing by around 4 degrees after 30 minutes of gaming. Overall, the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max is very usable for everyday tasks, but performance is one of the areas where I think the phone could have done more, especially at this price.

On the software side, the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max runs HyperOS 3 based on Android 16. The interface is largely easy to use, with features such as smoother animations, HyperIsland, depth and cinematic wallpapers, and a range of AI tools for writing, transcription, searches and image editing.

[comparative-benchmark type="3000" products="42075,41800,42053,41555," pias="62,30,46,53,"][/comparative-benchmark]

The pre-loaded apps count is also not unreasonable, with 62 apps installed out of the box, including 20 third-party apps. That is still on the higher side, but you can remove a lot of the third-party apps during the initial setup, which makes the process less tedious. Redmi also promises four years of OS updates and six years of security updates, which should keep the phone supported for a good few years.

Competition: a lot of good options

The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max finds itself in a very competitive segment, with plenty of phones offering a different take on what a good device at this price should be.

The Nothing Phone 4a Pro (review) is a more camera-focused option. It gets a dedicated telephoto camera and better camera hardware across the board, along with the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset, a cleaner software experience and, in my opinion, a more interesting design. Its 5,500mAh battery is nowhere close to the Redmi's, though, while the software support is also slightly shorter.

The Motorola Edge 70 Pro+ (review) takes a more balanced approach. It is powered by the Dimensity 8500 Extreme chipset and packs a 6,500mAh battery, while also offering good cameras with a dedicated telephoto lens. It also has a better design and cleaner software experience. There isn't an obvious limitation here, which makes it a fairly complete option for someone looking for an all-rounder.

If performance is your main priority, the brand's own Redmi Turbo 5 (review) is another option worth considering. It also uses the Dimensity 8500 chipset and packs a large 7,560mAh battery, while also offering a similar software commitment. It is slightly more compact than the Note 17 Pro Max and has stronger overall hardware, making it a decent alternative if performance matters more.

Verdict

The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max starts at Rs 49,999 for the 8GB + 256GB variant and Rs 55,999 for the 12GB + 256GB variant. There are quite a few things to like about the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max. The 10,000mAh battery offers unmatched endurance, the 1.5K AMOLED display is good for both gaming and content, and the phone has a durable build that should hold up well over time. The software support is also quite good, and the overall experience is reliable for everyday use.

The problem is that the asking price puts it in a segment with plenty of good alternatives, as I mentioned above. Some offer better cameras, others deliver greater performance, and a few offer a more balanced package without such compromises.

The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max could still make sense with the right offline discounts or partner offers, especially for buyers who put battery life above everything else. At its current asking price, though, it is difficult to justify the phone's value on battery life alone. It is a capable and durable device, but whether the huge battery is enough to make up for its compromises is something each buyer will have to decide.

Editor's Rating: 7.8/10

Reasons to buy:

• The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max offers excellent battery life, easily lasting two days even with moderate to heavy use.
• The 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED panel delivers vibrant colours, a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support.
• With IP66, IP68, IP69 and IP69K ratings, along with Gorilla Glass Victus 2, the phone offers a high level of protection.
• Four years of OS updates and six years of security updates should keep the phone relevant for years.

Reasons not to buy:

• The phone isn't a good performer compared to the wider segment.
• The overall camera performance isn't quite as good as the competitors.
• The phone's price is high for the value it currently offers.

Reasons to buy Infinix Hot 70 Pro

Best-in-class durability

The Infinix Hot 70 Pro carries an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, which is still uncommon in this price segment. This gives the phone better protection against dust and water exposure than a typical budget smartphone, adding some reassurance for everyday use.

Sharp FHD+ display

The Infinix Hot 70 Pro stands out with its 6.76-inch FHD+ LCD display, which delivers sharper visuals than the lower-resolution panels increasingly found in this price segment. It also supports a 144Hz refresh rate, although the phone mostly operates at 90Hz in regular use. The display supports HDR playback and FHD resolution on supported streaming platforms, making it well suited for watching videos and other multimedia content.

Reliable everyday performance

[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="41913,42273,42230,42370," ][/comparative-benchmark]

At the core of the Infinix Hot 70 Pro lies the MediaTek Dimensity 7100 SoC, which delivers dependable performance for everyday tasks such as calling, messaging, navigation, streaming, and social media. Its benchmark performance is also broadly competitive with similarly priced smartphones. Moreover, its 6,000mAh battery can comfortably last a full day with regular usage, while 45W charging is included in the box.

Long-term software support

[comparative-benchmark type="3000" products="41913,42230,42273,42453," pias="60,51,41,33,"][/comparative-benchmark]

The Hot 70 Pro runs Android 16-based XOS 16 and is promised three major Android upgrades and five years of security updates. This is longer than the 2+3-year software support commonly offered in this segment, making the phone a more suitable option for users who plan to keep it for several years. Infinix also offers useful AI features such as Context Awareness, Intelligent Suggestions, Circle to Search, and Recording Summary.

Reasons not to buy

Not ideal for heavy users

[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="41913,42273,42230,42370," ][/comparative-benchmark]

The Dimensity 7100 is capable of handling everyday tasks, but the phone starts showing noticeable stutters when multiple demanding activities are performed simultaneously. The 6,000mAh battery also falls behind several rivals that now offer 7,000mAh or larger batteries, while gaming can result in relatively high battery consumption.

Cameras could be better

[gallery link="none" columns="1" size="large" td_select_gallery_slide="slide" ids="715521,715523,715524,715522"]

The Infinix Hot 70 Pro sports standard dual rear cameras with a 50MP primary sensor, which produces usable images. That said, detail reproduction isn't its strongest suit. Colours can also appear oversaturated, while skin tones in portraits aren't always natural. Low-light images retain a reasonable amount of detail, but the camera can overprocess colours, particularly around artificial lighting.

Verdict

If performance and cameras matter more to you than everything else, then alternatives such as Moto G77 Power (review) and iQOO Z11x (review) are worth considering. The Moto G77 Power delivers superior camera performance, while the iQOO smartphone outshines the Infinix offering with a more powerful MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Turbo SoC and a 7,000mAh battery for a few extra bucks.

The Infinix Hot 70 Pro, on the other hand, makes sense for users who prioritise display quality, durability, and long-term software support. The handset is priced in India starting at Rs 24,999.

This power bank came to me at the right moment. I've been using last year's iPhone 17 as my primary phone, and its battery health has dropped to 95%. While its battery life was nothing to write home about even at launch, it's only gotten worse over time. I use the iPhone 17 for its compact, handy form factor, and you can read my long-term review here for my detailed thoughts on how its battery has aged. The Xiaomi UltraThin Magnetic Power Bank is almost perfect for iPhones, especially the iPhone 17, since it doesn't add much to the thickness or weight.

It's all about that ultra-thin design

The name says it all. The Xiaomi UltraThin Magnetic 5,000mAh Power Bank is designed to be sleek and compact, so it sits comfortably (and discreetly) in your hand. It's only 6mm thick, making it almost as slim as the iPhone Air, and it ensures the phone and power bank slide into your pocket with ease. It weighs just 98 grams, which Xiaomi says is less than the weight of two eggs (try to imagine holding two eggs in one hand, or better yet, do it and don't blame me if you drop them!).

The body uses an aluminium alloy shell that feels extremely soft to the touch, plus a fibreglass panel on the wireless charging side. Despite its thinness, it doesn't feel flimsy in hand. Xiaomi sells it in three colours, Radiant Orange, Glacier Silver, and Graphite Black, and the orange and silver options happen to line up neatly with Apple's own iPhone colourways if that's the ecosystem you're in.

The magnetic attachment itself is strong once it's properly aligned, holding on even when you pick the phone up one-handed. The one thing worth knowing is that case thickness matters. Xiaomi puts the limit at around 2.5mm before grip strength starts to suffer, so a rugged or heavy-duty magnetic-compatible case on a phone is likely to fight the magnets rather than work with them.

If you remove the Mi branding on the power bank, you might think Apple designed it, given how its curved edges almost perfectly match the corners of the iPhone, iPad, and MacBook. It only proves the power bank was designed with the iPhone in mind, although its charging speed is better optimised for Xiaomi's own flagship. More on that in the next segment.

Convenience over charging and capacity

Xiaomi's UltraThin power bank supports up to 15W wireless output, but (and this is an important "but"), you will only get that full 15W speed on Xiaomi's own Xiaomi 17 series. Every other Qi-compatible phone, iPhones included, tops out at 7.5W wirelessly. Since the power bank isn't MagSafe Certified, the iPhone will charge slowly wirelessly as Apple caps wireless charging speed for anything that isn't certified, regardless of how well it attaches magnetically. To get the full 22.5W this power bank can deliver, you'll need to plug in over USB-C instead.

One thing you need to know is that while the Xiaomi UltraThin is marketed as a 5,000mAh power bank, it delivers a rated capacity of around 3,000mAh. This is typical of all power banks - the actual usable battery (rated) is always lower than the marketing number (typical). This means that a fully charged Xiaomi UltraThin is good enough to juice up the iPhone 17 (with a battery of 3,692mAh) from 20 to 100 percent once, while any phone bigger than that, such as the iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone 18 Pro series, Galaxy S26 Ultra, etc will only charge up to 40-50 percent before the power bank is fully depleted.

Another thing to know is that the power bank can get noticeably warm or hot during charging because of its ultra-slim 6mm aluminium alloy profile, which can cause the phone to heat up and occasionally throttle charging speeds to manage the temperature.

Depending on the wall adapter and cable you use, it will take anywhere between 1.5 to a little over 2 hours to fully charge the Xiaomi power bank.

The Xiaomi UltraThin Magnetic 5,000mAh Power Bank is not designed to compete with bulkier, cable-first power banks. It promises convenience over speed and capacity, and it delivers on that front.

Verdict

I mentioned earlier that the Xiaomi UltraThin Magnetic 5,000mAh Power Bank is perfect for iPhones, but there are two sides to this coin. If you're using a base iPhone like the iPhone 17, the power bank provides almost a full charge before running out of juice, which is enough to last about a day and a half. But if you're using the iPhone 17 Pro or Pro Max, don't expect a full top-up, as the power bank has a rated capacity of around 3,000mAh. Moreover, if you're planning to buy the new iPhone 18 Pro, this power bank makes even more sense, given that the new iPhones are heavier than their predecessors.

The Xiaomi UltraThin Magnetic Power Bank 5000 15W is priced at Rs 5,599 in India, which isn't cheap for a 5,000mAh power bank. You can find slimmer wired options from Xiaomi itself for less, and a 20,000mAh power bank at a similar price if raw capacity is what you're after. Neither of those gets you this form factor, though.

The case for buying this one comes down entirely to what you value. If your priority is charging speed or maximum battery backup per rupee, better options exist at this price, including options from Xiaomi itself, such as the 20,000mAh compact power bank at Rs 2,249 or the new Xiaomi Magnetic Power Bank 10000 45W available for Rs 3,999. But if you want something you can leave attached to your phone all day without noticing it's there, or slip into a pocket for a day out without the bulk of a traditional power bank, the UltraThin Magnetic 5000 makes a genuinely strong case for itself. It's a power bank built around convenience first, and on that specific promise, it delivers.

Editor's rating: 8 / 10

Pros:

• Extremely slim at 6mm and light at 98g
• Strong magnetic grip when paired with a compatible or thin case
• Supports simultaneous wired and wireless charging

Cons:

• Full 15W wireless charging is limited to Xiaomi's own flagship series
• iPhones cap out at 7.5W due to the lack of MagSafe Certification
• Gets warm during charging, which causes the phone to throttle charging speeds

Priced at Rs 79,999 in India, the Galaxy S26 FE enters a competitive segment with several capable alternatives. So, who should consider buying the Galaxy S26 FE? Let's find out in our detailed review.

Verdict

The Galaxy S26 FE gets several important things right, including its premium design, excellent AMOLED display, versatile cameras, and long-term software support. Its performance is capable of handling most tasks, if not extended gaming sessions. Moreover, its 4,900mAh battery may seem smaller than what some rivals offer, but it delivers reliable endurance for casual usage. To sum it up for you, the Galaxy S26 FE makes a compelling case for buyers who prioritise Samsung's software experience, display quality, and cameras.

Display, design: Large, bright and immersive

[pdp-expert-review]
The Galaxy S26 FE offers a premium and durable design with an aluminium frame, Gorilla Glass Victus+, and an IP68 rating. Its 6.7-inch 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED 2X display delivers vibrant colours, slim bezels, and enough brightness for comfortable outdoor use. The stereo speakers further enhance the multimedia experience with loud and clear audio.
[/pdp-expert-review]

As mentioned above, the Galaxy S26 FE shares the same design language as the Galaxy S26 and S26+. In fact, it is similar in size to the Galaxy S26+, giving it a tall and relatively large form factor. Despite its size, the phone feels light in hand and is comfortable to hold. It also carries an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, an aluminium frame, and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection on the front, which together create a sturdy, durable build.

You can read more about the Galaxy S26 FE's design in our detailed first look here. The smartphone is available in three colour options: Blueberry, Graphite, and Pistachio.

Up front, the Galaxy S26 FE features a large 6.7-inch FHD+ (1080 × 2340 pixels) Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 1,900 nits of peak brightness. The display specifications are largely the same as those on the Galaxy S26 and S26+, although the peak brightness is lower on the FE. That said, the panel gets bright enough for comfortable outdoor use.

Samsung's displays have always been a personal favourite, and the Galaxy S26 FE is no exception. The panel delivers vibrant, punchy colours that make not just watching content but even everyday scrolling feel more immersive. The slim bezels also leave plenty of screen real estate, which I particularly enjoyed while reading 'manhwa' (webtoon). The visuals take up almost the entire screen, while the rich colours make the artwork stand out.

The experience is further complemented by the stereo speakers, which get loud without compromising on clarity. The speakers also offer a fairly immersive, surround-sound-like experience, making the Galaxy S26 FE well-suited for watching videos and other forms of entertainment.

Cameras: Consistent and reliable

[pdp-expert-review]
The Galaxy S26 FE offers a versatile camera setup with a 50MP primary, 12MP ultra-wide, and 8MP 3x telephoto lens. It delivers good daylight shots with accurate colours and detail, while also performing strongly in low light. Compared with the OnePlus 15R, the S26 FE offers a more consistent overall camera experience, particularly in colour accuracy, dynamic range, and noise control.
[/pdp-expert-review]

For photography, the Galaxy S26 FE features a 50MP primary camera, a 12MP ultra-wide lens, and an 8MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom and up to 30x digital zoom. For selfies, there's a 12MP front camera. Overall, this is a versatile camera setup that covers most of the key use cases you'd expect from a smartphone in this segment. The handset captures good daylight images with accurate colours and plenty of detail. It also gets a 3x telephoto lens for zoom shots and portraits, although the results can lack some detail and sharpness.

[smartslider3 slider="2185"]

For a better understanding, we compared the Galaxy S26 FE's cameras with the OnePlus 15R, which has a 50MP primary camera, an 8MP ultra-wide, and a 32MP front camera. 

Daylight

In daylight photography, the OnePlus 15R captures images with finer details and superior dynamic range. However, the Galaxy S26 FE does a better job with colour accuracy and contrast, as the 15R tends to produce slightly oversaturated colours. 

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/s26-fe-daylight-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/15r-daylight-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Samsung Galaxy S26 FE" after="OnePlus 15R"]

Ultra-wide

Moving on to the ultra-wide camera, the Galaxy S26 FE's 12MP sensor captures better details and colour consistency than the OnePlus 15R. The latter also tends to overexpose shots, making the sky appear unnatural. While the 15R offers a wider dynamic range, the S26 FE does a better job of controlling distortion.

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/s26-fe-uw-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/15r-uw-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Samsung Galaxy S26 FE" after="OnePlus 15R"]

Selfies

Coming to selfies, the Galaxy S26 FE delivers more natural-looking skin tones and better colour consistency, while the OnePlus 15R produces images that may look more appealing for social media. Both phones capture a similar level of detail, although the S26 FE has a slight edge. The S26 FE also performs significantly better in terms of dynamic range.

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/s26-fe-selfie-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/15r_selfie_10000-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Samsung Galaxy S26 FE" after="OnePlus 15R"]

Portraits

Portraits tell a slightly different story. Although it lacks a dedicated telephoto lens, the OnePlus 15R reproduces natural-looking skin tones and the subject's T-shirt colour better. It also captures slightly better details and clarity, although there is noticeable smoothing. This doesn't detract from the overall natural look, and it preserves shadows well. Edge detection and bokeh are closely matched, but the 15R produces a slightly more natural-looking portrait overall.

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/s26-fe-portrait-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/15r-portrait-1-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Samsung Galaxy S26 FE" after="OnePlus 15R"]

Low-light

The Galaxy S26 FE has a clear lead in low-light photography. It handles light flares and exposure better than the OnePlus 15R, while also delivering less noise and better details. In terms of colour accuracy, the 15R tends to add too much contrast, resulting in a less natural look. The S26 FE, on the other hand, produces colours that appear closer to reality.

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/s26-fe-lowlight-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/15r-lowlight-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Samsung Galaxy S26 FE" after="OnePlus 15R"]

Night mode

With Night Mode enabled, the OnePlus 15R shows a slight improvement in controlling light flares and exposure. However, the Galaxy S26 FE continues to have the edge in noise control and detail retention. Colours also look more natural and accurate on the S26 FE.

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/s26-fe-night-scaled.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/15r-night-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Samsung Galaxy S26 FE" after="OnePlus 15R"]

Overall, the Galaxy S26 FE delivers a more consistent camera experience, particularly in low light and with its ultra-wide camera. The OnePlus 15R has its strengths in daylight details and portraits, but the S26 FE's better colour accuracy, dynamic range, and noise control give it the edge overall.

Software: Latest version with useful upgrades

[pdp-expert-review]
The Galaxy S26 FE offers a polished software experience with One UI 9 based on Android 17, along with seven OS upgrades and seven years of security updates. The latest interface adds subtle visual and usability improvements, including a waveform in the minimised music player, thicker brightness and volume sliders, and a resizable media player. Together, these additions make the software experience feel more interactive and refined.
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When it comes to software, Samsung has always had an edge, offering an intuitive and interactive experience with plenty of customisation options. The brand was also among the first to extend software support to seven years, making its phones a strong choice for long-term use. The Galaxy S26 FE has an advantage here, running the latest One UI 9 based on Android 17 out of the box, with Samsung promising seven OS upgrades and seven years of security updates.

One UI 9 brings some subtle visual changes that add to the overall experience. For instance, the minimised music player now displays the music waveform, adding an interactive touch that is reminiscent of older desktop music players. The brightness and volume sliders are also thicker, making them easier to adjust, while the media player can be resized into a square tile or expanded into a full-length widget. These additions may seem minor, but they make the interface feel more polished and add a little more personality to everyday use.

Performance: good for everyday use

[pdp-expert-review]
The Galaxy S26 FE delivers capable performance with the Exynos 2500, handling everyday tasks, multitasking, streaming, and gaming with ease. It also maintains good frame rates in demanding games, although the phone tends to heat up during extended gaming sessions. Overall, performance is solid, but thermal management could be better.
[/pdp-expert-review]

The Galaxy S26 FE is powered by the Exynos 2500 chipset, the same processor found in last year's Galaxy Z Flip7. Built on a 3nm process, this deca-core chipset delivers respectable performance in our in-house benchmark tests. The phone scored 2,471,984 on AnTuTu, while Geekbench returned scores of 2,346 in the single-core test and 7,911 in the multi-core test. These results indicate that the Galaxy S26 FE is well-equipped to handle everything from everyday tasks to more demanding workloads.

[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="42024,41823,41546,," ][/comparative-benchmark]

In real-world usage, we did not encounter any noticeable performance issues. Our usage primarily involved multitasking, scrolling through social media, streaming content, and some light gaming, all of which the phone handled with ease.

However, the phone does tend to heat up (not uncomfortably) slightly during extended gaming sessions or multitasking. After 30 minutes of playing COD Mobile and BGMI, the average temperature increase was slightly higher than what we recorded on some of its rivals. On the positive side, the Galaxy S26 FE maintains good frame rates in both games, making it a capable gaming phone despite the thermal concerns.

Battery: ideal for casual users

[pdp-expert-review]
The Galaxy S26 FE's 4,900mAh battery may look modest, but it can get through most of a day with regular use. Heavy usage may require a top-up by the end of the day. The phone supports 45W wired charging, which may not be the fastest in the segment but is respectable for a sub-5,000mAh battery.
[/pdp-expert-review]

Battery life is not the Galaxy S26 FE's biggest strength. The phone packs a modest 4,900mAh battery, which is considerably smaller than what many similarly priced rivals offer, with some featuring batteries of 7,000mAh or more. This difference is reflected in both our benchmark results.

[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="42024,41823,41546,," ][/comparative-benchmark]

However, in everyday use, the phone can comfortably last through most of the day. Heavier usage, such as gaming, video recording, or prolonged hotspot use, may have you reaching for the charger by the end of the day. This shouldn't be a major concern, though, thanks to the 45W wired charging support, which is adequate for the sub-5,000mAh battery. You will need to purchase a compatible PD charger separately, but with one, the S26 FE can charge from 20 to 100 percent in around an hour. The smartphone also supports 15W wireless charging.

Final Verdict

The Galaxy S26 FE brings much of what makes Samsung's flagship phones appealing to a more accessible price point. It has a premium and comfortable design, an excellent AMOLED display, capable cameras, and one of the strongest software support commitments in the segment. One UI 9 also adds a polished and feature-rich experience, while the Exynos 2500 delivers reliable performance for everyday use and gaming.

The smartphone comes with some compromises, particularly for power users, in terms of thermal efficiency and battery life. However, it remains a compelling option for those who prioritise Samsung's software experience, display quality, cameras, and long-term software support. If these are your key priorities, the Galaxy S26 FE is worth considering.

Editor's rating: 8.5/10

Reasons to buy

• The handset's display produces bright and punchy colours, while offering a smooth scrolling experience.
• Despite its tall and large frame, the phone is quite lightweight.
• It comes with seven years of software support, making it highly reliable for long-term use.
• The smartphone takes good daylight photos with accurate colours and plenty of detail.

Reasons to skip

• Heavy usage may drain the battery before the end of the day.
• The phone may get slightly warm during extended gaming sessions.

Verdict

The Infinix Hot 70 Pro stands out for its sharp LCD display and long-term software support. The MediaTek Dimensity 7100 SoC and 6,000mAh battery are reliable choices for everyday use, while the cameras could do better in terms of detail. However, if you want a more power-efficient or performance-driven smartphone, alternatives such as the OnePlus N6 and Wobble One may be worth considering.

Design and display: sharp visuals

[pdp-expert-review]
The Infinix Hot 70 Pro offers a stylish design, a sharp FHD+ LCD, and a smooth 144Hz-capable experience. However, its protruding cameras make the phone wobble on flat surfaces, while the 950-nit brightness and limited 144Hz support hold back the overall display experience.
[/pdp-expert-review]

The Infinix Hot 70 Pro is designed identically to the Hot 60 5G+. However, a few touches have been added, like the smooth, glass-like back with a pattern underneath, which shimmers when light hits it at an angle. Furthermore, the cameras are positioned in individual squircle rings instead of a platform. While I admire the looks, the only real problem I see is getting rid of dust, which can get between the closely spaced and substantially protruding camera rings. The protrusion also makes the device wobble a lot when resting flat on a surface.

That said, the phone's flat edges make it easy to hold, although its 204-gram weight may not be comfortable for long periods. It is also tall, measuring just over 166mm, partly because of its large 6.76-inch IPS LCD panel, which has a chunky chin and noticeable bezels all around. Moreover, the smartphone is among the few in the segment to offer an IP68 water and dust resistance rating, protecting it from more than minor splashes.

When it comes to the viewing experience, it may not be as crisp as the AMOLED panel, but it is better than most other smartphones. Rising component costs have forced OEMs to make compromises, like opting for lower-resolution displays. The Infinix Hot 70 Pro, meanwhile, delivers FHD+ resolution with up to a 144Hz refresh rate. The phone supports FHD and HDR resolution on video playback and HD via Netflix and other streaming platforms, making it a reliable choice for multimedia consumption.

While the smartphone may not support stereo speakers, its single bottom-firing speaker sounds decent for indoor use in moderately loud environments. The display's 950-nit peak brightness, however, limits the smartphone's outdoor usability, particularly in direct sunlight. As for the refresh rate, it is mostly limited to 90Hz, despite supporting up to 144Hz. Even the pre-loaded games couldn't reach the peak refresh rate, and the system automatically dropped to 60Hz during inactivity.

Performance and software: strong support

[pdp-expert-review]
The Infinix Hot 70 Pro delivers dependable performance for everyday tasks, although multitasking can expose some stutters. Its three OS upgrades and five years of security updates are a strong advantage, while the AI features and customisable One-Tap Button add useful functionality.
[/pdp-expert-review]

At the core of the Infinix Hot 70 Pro is the MediaTek Dimensity 7100 SoC, paired with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. The chipset, which is totally acceptable in a sub-Rs 25k phone, could be one reason the display refresh rate can't reach its peak. The SoC natively supports up to a 120Hz refresh rate. The smartphone's performance remains on par with its rivals in the segment. The benchmark scores prove it.

[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="41913,42273,42230,42370," ][/comparative-benchmark]

To break down these scores, the Infinix Hot 70 Pro is well suited for basic use. It can handle messaging, calling, navigation, streaming, and scrolling with ease. However, noticeable stutters appear when you run two or three activities at once. If you multitask, you may want to increase your budget. This is how the market has been lately. Nevertheless, the Infinix Hot 70 Pro is broadly on par with its competitors for everyday 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="41913,42273,42230,42370," ][/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="41913,42273,42230,42370," ][/comparative-benchmark]

Software-wise, the Infinix Hot 70 Pro runs Android 16-based XOS16 out of the box, with support for three major OS upgrades and five years of security updates. The software commitment is one of the strongest in the segment, higher than the standard 2+3 years.

The overall experience remains largely the same as that of other Infinix smartphones launched since the start of the year. You can read our Infinix Smart 20 review for more context on XOS 16. The Hot 70 Pro also comes with Infinix AI features, including Context Awareness, Intelligent Suggestions, Circle to Search, and Recording Summary, among others. These features work seamlessly and can be handy utility tools.

The Infinix Hot 70 Pro also boasts a 'One-Tap Button' on the right spine, which you can customise to 8 preset actions. Out of the box, it's set to silence the phone. The button has a texture and an orange shade across colour options.

Battery and charging: decent endurance

[pdp-expert-review]
The Infinix Hot 70 Pro offers reliable all-day battery life for regular use, with impressive standby endurance. However, its 45W charging is relatively slow, while heavy gaming can drain the battery quickly.
[/pdp-expert-review]

The Infinix Hot 70 Pro packs a 6,000mAh battery, backed by 45W fast charging. A compatible charger is provided in the box, which takes a little over an hour to juice up the battery from 20 percent to 100 percent. The PCMark battery test rates the smartphone at 13 hours and 5 minutes, which is underwhelming, but it also packs a smaller-capacity battery than the segment standard of 7,000mAh or above.

[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="41913,42273,42230,42370," ][/comparative-benchmark]

For video streaming on YouTube, the handset consumed 4 percent battery during our internal testing. However, its battery dropped by 15 percent while playing games such as BGMI and COD: Mobile, which is on the higher side. But since heavy usage isn't its primary use case, the handset should easily last a full day for regular users between charges. The standby time is also impressive, better than the bigger-battery Moto G77 Power.

Cameras: could have been better

[pdp-expert-review]
The Infinix Hot 70 Pro's cameras deliver acceptable results, particularly with dynamic range, selfies, and low-light shots. However, image detail and colour accuracy could be better, with oversaturated tones evident across scenarios. The camera setup is adequate for casual photography but not a standout feature of the phone.
[/pdp-expert-review]

In terms of optics, the Infinix Hot 70 Pro features a dual-camera setup comprising a 50MP main sensor and an unspecified auxiliary sensor. The front camera is an 8MP sensor for selfies and video calls. The phone supports 2K video recording, while 1080p recording is standard across its cameras. As for image quality, the Infinix Hot 70 Pro tends to produce slightly oversaturated tones, which may appeal to social media enthusiasts. Detail reproduction isn't its strongest suit, but the dynamic range appears decent.

The good thing is that image quality doesn't drop significantly on the Infinix Hot 70 Pro in low-light conditions. The primary camera does a decent job of controlling light flares and graininess, while retaining a respectable level of detail. For portraits, the skin tones may not appear natural, but the edge detection is acceptable for the price. The selfie camera shows similar behaviour to the primary camera.

[smartslider3 slider=2191]

For context, we compared the Infinix Hot 70 Pro's images with a similarly priced Moto G77 Power across scenarios.

Daylight

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Infinix-Hot-70-Pro-daylight.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Moto-G77-Power-daylight.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Infinix Hot 70 Pro" after="Moto G77 Power"]

In daylight, the Moto G77 Power captures more colour-accurate images than the Infinix Hot 70 Pro. It also delivers better sharpness, although the Infinix smartphone does a good job of preserving a wider range of shades and shadows.

Portraits

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Infinix-Hot-70-Pro-portrait.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Moto-G77-Power-portrait.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Infinix Hot 70 Pro" after="Moto G77 Power"]

In portraits, the Infinix Hot 70 Pro separates the foreground from the background more cleanly than the Moto G77 Power. However, Moto remains a superior choice for finer facial details and near-accurate skin tones.

Selfies

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Infinix-Hot-70-Pro-selfie.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Moto-G77-Power-selfie.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Infinix Hot 70 Pro" after="Moto G77 Power"]

Selfies are where the Infinix Hot 70 Pro pips the Motorola smartphone with more natural skin tones. The handset also does a respectable job of preserving some, if not all, facial details and dynamic range.

Low light (night mode)

[twenty20 img1="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Infinix-hot-70-Pro-low-light.jpg" img2="https://static.hub.91mobiles.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/09/Moto-G77-Power.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Infinix Hot 70 Pro" after="Moto G77 Power"]

The Infinix Hot 70 Pro tends to overprocess colours to control flares from artificial lighting after sunset. The phone also does a decent job of controlling graininess while retaining some details. However, the Moto G77 Power depicts the scene more accurately, with a greyish sky instead of the bluish tone captured by the Infinix smartphone.

Final verdict

The Infinix Hot 70 Pro retails in India starting at Rs 24,999. For that price, you get features that aren't common in this segment anymore. These include a sharp FHD+ LCD display and class-leading software support, offering three major OS upgrades and five years of security updates. Furthermore, the Infinix Hot 70 Pro's 6,000mAh battery provides enough endurance for everyday use, while the Dimensity 7100 delivers performance broadly on par with its rivals.

However, the phone isn't without compromises. The display's outdoor visibility is limited, the 144Hz refresh rate is rarely used, and multitasking can cause noticeable stutters. The cameras are serviceable but could do better with detail and colour accuracy, particularly in daylight and low-light scenarios.

That said, the Infinix Hot 70 Pro seems ideal for users who prioritise display quality, software longevity, and reliable everyday performance over cameras or demanding performance.

Editor's rating: 8.1/10

Reasons to buy

• The handset is IP68 water- and dust-resistant, making it more durable than rivals.
• The handset is among the few in the segment to offer an FHD+ display.
• Performance is reliable for basic everyday use.
• The handset is promised to receive 3 major OS upgrades and 5 years of security updates.

Reasons not to buy

• Heavy users may want more.
• Photos can appear softer than expected, while colours may not always look natural or true to life.

Reasons to buy

The battery delivers what it promises

The biggest reason to buy the POCO X8 Power is obviously its 10,000mAh battery, but the good thing is that the huge capacity isn't just a number on the spec sheet. In my use, the phone comfortably lasted around two days with moderate usage and roughly 4-5 hours of screen-on time. It dropped just 3 per cent during an hour of YouTube streaming and around 4.5 per cent after 30 minutes of gaming.

[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="42378,41761,42000,41836," ][/comparative-benchmark]

The 100W charging also means you don't have to wait around forever when the battery eventually runs low. The handset took around 1 hour and 20 minutes to go from 20 to 100 per cent in my testing. You also get 27W reverse-wired charging, which can be useful for topping up accessories and other devices.

Display is excellent for entertainment

The POCO X8 Power comes with a 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED display that bears a 120Hz refresh rate, 12-bit colour depth and up to 3,500 nits peak brightness. It also supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, making it a particularly good phone for watching content.

I found the panel vibrant, sharp, and well suited to both gaming and content consumption. The stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos also add to the experience, although I would recommend keeping the 400 per cent volume boost turned off since it can distort the audio.

[comparative-benchmark type="2000" products="42378,41761,42000,41836," ][/comparative-benchmark]

Satisfactory everyday performance

The Snapdragon 6 Gen 5, paired with up to 8GB LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB UFS 4.1 storage, gives the X8 Power more than enough performance for everyday use. I didn't encounter any major stutters, and switching between apps and handling heavier tasks was generally smooth.

[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="42378,41761,42000,41836," ][/comparative-benchmark]

Gaming performance is decent enough too. For instance, a demanding game like BGMI can run at up to 90fps currently. Other heavy games such as Genshin Impact and Wuthering Waves can maintain around 60fps on lower graphical presets. It isn't a gaming-focused phone, but there is enough power here for most users who play games occasionally.

A very durable build

Despite its 10,000mAh battery, the POCO X8 Power doesn't feel like you're carrying an actual power bank at all. It is undoubtedly heavy at 229 grams, but the weight is fairly balanced, and the 8.6mm thickness is good enough for a phone with such a large battery.

[comparative-benchmark type="1000" products="42378,41761,42000,41836," ][/comparative-benchmark]

The phone also has IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings, along with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the display. The multiple IP ratings ensure the phone is highly resistant to both dust and water. The Victus 2 is one of the best possible glasses for display protection, which will help secure it against accidental drops. 

Reasons not to buy

Software is very cluttered

This is probably my biggest annoyance with the POCO X8 Power. The phone ships with 83 pre-installed apps, including 35 third-party apps. That's a lot of clutter for a mid-range phone, and it is immediately apparent during the initial setup.

Most of these apps can be removed manually, but you'll have to spend some time cleaning up the interface and disabling app suggestions in search menus. The actual HyperOS 3 software is capable, and POCO promises four years of OS updates and six years of security updates, but the amount of pre-installed software drastically undermines the first impression.

It is still a heavy phone

The 10,000mAh battery comes with an obvious trade-off. At 229 grams and around 8.6mm thick, the X8 Power is not exactly a lightweight phone. The weight is well balanced, and I got used to it after some time, but users who prefer slimmer, lightweight phones may have trouble adjusting. 

The phone comes in a matte black finish or the familiar POCO yellow vegan-leather option, but the design itself is fairly basic. There isn't much here that makes the phone visually distinct. The Vivo T5 and Motorola Edge 70 remain a better option if you are looking for a sleek and relatively lightweight smartphone in the segment.

The secondary cameras could be better

The 50MP primary camera with OIS is surprisingly capable, particularly in low light. The same, however, can't be said for the rest of the camera setup.

[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/POCO-X8-Power-ultrawide-scaled.jpg" offset="0.5" before="Primary" after="Ultrawide"]

The 8MP ultrawide comes with a big drop in detail compared to the primary camera, while the 32MP selfie camera applies fairly aggressive beautification even when you turn it down to zero.

Conclusion

The POCO X8 Power is a phone that does a lot of things well while putting battery life front and centre. The 10,000mAh battery is easily its biggest selling point, but you also get a very good AMOLED display, reliable everyday performance, and a durable build. POCO hasn't sacrificed the rest of the phone's aspects just to fit in a bigger battery.

Naturally, there are also some compromises to keep the costs down. The 229-gram weight takes some getting used to; the software comes with far too many third-party apps, and the secondary cameras could certainly be better. For users who want a lighter phone, cleaner software, or better cameras, there are other options to consider.

But if battery life is your biggest priority, the X8 Power's value is hard to beat. It can comfortably last around two days with moderate use while still offering enough performance and features to work well as an everyday phone. The POCO X8 Power is priced in India starting at Rs 35,999.

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

[pdp-expert-review]
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.
[/pdp-expert-review]

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.

[comparative-benchmark type="1000" products="42370,41838,41950,," ][/comparative-benchmark]

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

[pdp-expert-review]
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.
[/pdp-expert-review]

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

[pdp-expert-review]
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.
[/pdp-expert-review]

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

[pdp-expert-review]
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