Apple might not make AirPods for computing devices that they don’t manufacturer, but in many instances their Beats brand is the better bang for buck buy.
Build Quality
The design has been refined and updated with a studier headband (the gaudy beats branding removed ☺️), metal hinges where the headphones fold and touch/swipe controls.
They fold inward to store in the Beats-branded pouch that comes with the headphones, which also has two pouches for the included USB-C and 3.5mm cord for analog connection. You can also listen to Hi-Fi Audio through the USB-C cord, which will simultaneously charge the headphones.
The Beats Studio Pro stands at the top of the Beats headphones hierarchy – offering the most powerful audio drivers and the largest feature set. The Noise Cancelation is some of the best in the market and uses the same algorithms as the AirPods Max – as they both have the
AirPods Max for Android?
The Beats Studio Pro’s are compatible with Android Fast Pair, so they connect like AirPods would to iPhones.
The Beats app is the hub where you handle the settings of your headphones, like adjusting EQ or setting up features like the Noise Cancellation or Transparency modes.
The Studio Pros are rich in lows, with broad mids and tamed high frequencies. The high end doesn’t sound muffled or muted, but the subwoofers in the headphones there to dominate the frequency spectrum. The color and warmth of the sound the Beats Studio Pros produce is reminiscent of Subwoofer based car audio systems built to showcase bass heavy music like Hip-Hop or Reggaeton. They are good set of reference headphones for audio engineers working with similar genres of music, which is where the USB-C and 3.5mm connections are invaluable. There are also three personalized sound profiles for USB-C audio through its built-in DAC (Digital to Analog Converter).
Conclusion
We’re doing a in-depth comparison of the Beats Studio Pro, in Pro Audio environments like Recording and Mastering Studios; As well as comparisons to the top Over-The-Ear headphones in the market and will conclude this review shortly.
Gamer-centric computer brand Razer is throwing their hat into the mobile gaming market with their first mobile gaming device, the Razer Edge. It comes in two flavors, a Wi-Fi variant more widely available – and the Verizon exclusive 5G model. In this review we’re going to take a look at the Razer Edge 5G.
It’s an inconspicuous looking tablet, that could easily be mistaken for a smartphone, but there are no telephony capability (text and calling features) on the device. One hint that the device isnt a phone is that there are no cameras on the back, which is even rare for a tablet.
But the back is sleek and smooth, with only a Razer logo on the back.
Specs
Razer Edge 5G
Screen
6.8-inch FHD+ AMOLED Display (1080 x 2400 Pixels) with Corning Gorilla Glass 5, 20:9 Aspect Ratio, 144Hz Refresh Rate, HDR10+
The Razer Edge has no shortage of gaming options, with the Google Play Games, EA Play, Parsec, and XBox platforms content accessible from the Razer Nexus app. All games downloaded from any of the aforementioned platforms show up here. There’s also settings to tweak the controller settings, like button layout and haptic feedback.
The Razer Nexus Gaming Interface.
Gaming feels as seamless and console-like as the Nintendo Switch, with the added ability to use your tablet like a full-on Android device outside of your Gaming sessions. And while the Razor Edge has nothing comparable to the Nintendo ecosystem on the Switch, all of the prior mentioned Platforms available on Razer’s gaming console makes it hard to miss the restrictive OS on the Switch.
There are other competitors closer to Razer’s product than Nintendo – Logitech and Valve’s gaming devices come to mind. But the build and separate controller makes it a more sleek and lighter device that the current options in the market.
Conclusion
While it definitely does what it’s marketed to do really well, disconnected from the Razer Kishi Pro controller bundled, the tablet is a dull affair. With no back camera, a selfie camera placed so you can only take pics in landscape orientation, and a compact size that makes it smaller than a Galaxy s23 Ultra – and it’s a moot tablet.
For version 2, Razer should make a stronger effort to implement exclusive features or even map out the hardware spec a bit more. As of now, without anything to make it stand out in a highly competitive industry – the Razer Edge comes off like a prototype concept. The Kishi Pro controller (that isn’t sold separately at the time of this article) is a great product on its own – maybe wait until it can be bought separately and use it with the smartphone you currently have.
Vimage is an interesting app. It’s not exactly a video editor, but the types of edits it allows you to make to photos add video like motion to pictures in a unique way.
Make your images pop with motion editing in Vimage.
Vimage give you the ability to add 3D animation to photos.
Cinematography is Vimage’s forte, combining complex effects like animating the sky or movement to water in your images, allowing you to create truly stunning visuals in the process.
Working as a tech analyst and getting high-end, flagship level smartphones to review on a regular basis can do one or two things for you. It can make you a spoiled, out of touch tech consumer who picks up an expensive habit of blowing money on the latest and greatest gadgets of the new year; or it can make you a shroud and analytical buyer who’s not bedazzled by the newest marketing slogans aimed at getting you to part with your hard-earned dollars.
While I admit to being guilty of swaying to both extremes, I can proudly declare I’ve settled into the “Unlocked, directly from the manufacturer” bunch. I whole heartedly shun carrier subsidized devices, which I believe are designed to keep you locked into long term relationships with one company – regardless of the newest specials or offers by competitors at any given time. This hunt for the best smartphone value has led to the discovery of a global brand known as Xiaomi.
Xiaomi’s devices are not readily available in US stores (since the closure of Fry’s Electronics) and can only be reliably purchased from third-party sellers on Amazon, or online vendors like Wireless Place, where I purchased my Xiaomi 11T .
I settled on this device looking for an powerful, unlocked smartphone that had flagship features and a midrange price. At the time of purchase, the Xiaomi 11T had $1000 flagship specs for less than half the price. I thought to myself, “This should be a smart buy, even if I update my phone in a year and it doesn’t get consistent updates.” But when I received the device in the mail and held it in my hands for the first time, I was impressed at how the build gave the impression I was holding a true flagship. Especially when I saw the display come to life for the first time.
It’s the Display for ME 💜💪🏾
Although the excitement settled, admittedly due to the distractions of new devices arriving in our offices and being bombarded by their million-dollar marketing campaigns – after a week or two I recall always coming back to the Xiaomi 11T, the ONE device that I actually spent $450 to buy myself. There was always that ONE FEATURE that the latest iPhone, Galaxy or Pixel didn’t have, that led me to putting my personal SIM card back into the 11T. And while I do admit I always get a kick out of getting a new smartphone for review, when I was greeted with a surprise update to Android 13 on the 11T earlier this week, I came to the realization that the China-based company was more dependable for Android updates than most domestic smartphone manufacturers.
Xiaomi 11T’ update to MIUI 14/Android 13 was a sweet way to ask to be my Valentine’s 💜
Top Features
My trusty Xiaomi 11T, over a year of loyalty
Xiaomi’s flavor of Android is called MIUI (Me UI) and it’s current version rests at 14, which is parallel to Android 13. It’s known for packing a lot of extra features in Android, such as a robust theming engine and Xiaomi’s own app ecosystem. One cool feature that enhances the look on and feel of the 11T is Super Wallpapers.
One thing you must be cautious of, is making sure the carrier you’re using has 5G and 4G bands supported when purchasing an international version of a Xiaomi device to the US. While you’re pretty much ok with ATT or T-Mobile or any of their pre-paid MVNOs (Metro by T-Mobile,Mint, etc.) Verizon’s cellular network doesn’t accept Xiaomi devices at all, even though some of their bands are supported.
Camera
The 108MP Main Rear camera on the 11T is as full-featured as camera apps come, offering just the right amount of modes and features without being too overwhelming.
(Camera Samples Pending)
Standard photoPortrait PhotoLeft Image: Standard 1X zoom | Right: Macro 10X zoom
All-Around Well Rounder
I have used the Xiaomi 11T to create all sorts of content, from B-roll footage, music compositions, professional photography, to video editing. It has never failed, and always stood toe-to-toe if not exceeding the results produced by more popular brands. It is the one device that has given me confidence that I could create content that met the standard threshold of quality of the recording industry and professional media with one device.
All of my mobile music production workshops for Labfreq have been produced and demonstrated on the Xiaomi 11T. Every other device that I’ve tried to use has ran into a limitation at some point in the process before completion. That’s the main reason why this device has had so much staying power over the last year or so.
Conclusion
The Xiaomi 11T has left a lasting first impression of what Xiaomi has to offer, and they do have lots of products with feature packed value available. While there are many great options in the smartphone market, none encapsulates what I look for in a device in one place the way the 11T does. Even in 2023, it still moves like a high-scoring rookie of the year.
The Moto G100 is the latest addition in Motorola’s mid-range lineup. It’s got the specs, the look, and a vibrant display. Does that give it enough to stand out in a competitive mobile space?
Motorola is marketing the latest Moto G as the most powerful and speediest to date. Equipped with a Snapdragon 870 processor, 8GB of Ram, a 5000 mAh battery with a rear Quad-Camera set-up it certainly appears to meet those standards in the specs department. The Snapdragon 800 series processor is present to power some high-end features – like Motorola’s Ready For platform and even compatibility with the ThinkReality A3 Glasses platform. For the scoop on how it fares in day-to-day use, read more below.
Build Quality
The Moto G has a vibrant 6.7″ LCD display, with a 90Hz refresh rate, HDR10, and DCI-P3 color space. It will satisfy all but the most technical user who is accustomed to the deep blacks and bright contrast of an AMOLED display. The typical causal smartphone owner can’t tell the the difference. The display is more narrow than average, with a 21:9 aspect ratio that Motorola dubbs ‘CinemaVision’. It’s protected by Gorilla Glass 3.
Back view of the Iridescent Ocean Moto G100
The back has a plastic rear housing, which comes in either White or Iridescent Ocean – our review unit came in the latter. It gives off a two-toned look that gradients from sky blue to violet depending on the amount of light shining on the back. The phone also has polycarbonate rails (plastic). It’s not IP-certified, but it does have a splash-resistant coating to protect it from moderate moisture and occasional splashes.
A near-stock version of Android, and a minimal amount of apps come pre-installed on the Moto G100 – no carrier subsidized bloatware – and the usual Moto-favorites like chop for flashlight and twist to launch the camera are still present.
There are a few new additions to the Moto Setup, like Styles which is a part of the Android Skin Motorola calls MyUI – which let’s you customize the look of the User Interface.
The Specs
The G100 is the most powerful Moto yet, touting the rarely seen Snapdragon 870 SoC, which sits right under Qualcomm’s 888 chip. It only comes in the 128GB config, but it has an SD card slot for external storage expansion. With 8GB of RAM finishing off the internals, it runs smooth, with very few stutters or delays.
For photography, the Moto’s Quad Camera set-up has a 64MP main lens, 16MP ultra-wide, a 2MP depth camera, and TOF Advanced Laser Autofocus. The main lens used Quad Pixel technology to merge four high-res 16MP photos out of the 64MP sensor for better overall photo quality. The selfie cam comes in at 16MP.
Operating System
Android™ 11
Storage
128GB (Internal), Up to 1TB expandable with microSD card
The Moto G100 comes with a USB-C to HDMI cable ( a whole dock if you’re in the UK), that allows for some big-screen functionality with the Ready For platform. Ready For, allows you to expand your phones experience to TVs and external displays – and there’s an HDMI cord included in the box. With four dedicated modes, the mobile desktop platform gives access to Mobile Desktop, TV, Game, and Video Chat – you can keep your laptop at home or skip the desktop in your home office altogether.
While the Ready For platform does have some resemblances to Samsung’s Dex platform, Motorola does go the extra mile by organizing your device’s apps by use-case in four nice categories – each with its own custom software enhancements. Check out the Mobile Desktop mode below:
The Moto brand of smartphones has gone through quite a bit of transformation over the years. What started as Motorola’s flagship smartphone ended up being outsold by its more budget counterparts, and eventually was delegated two tiers down from the cutting-edge Razr 5G foldable AND the more premium built Edge/Edge + flagship series. That would mean the Moto G100 – while being the most high-end Moto and the 3rd most powerful handset from Motorola in 2021 – is not what you would categorize as a flagship. But when you factor in the specs, features, and compatibility with the ThinkReality A3 Glasses – most would be hard-pressed to tell the difference. The Moto G100 provides a reliable, trouble-free user experience – but it’s the little details that remind you that you’re not using the best that Motorola currently has to offer.
The V40 is the latest and most powerful smartphone LG has released to date. But is that enough to warrant a serious consideration from the shoppers looking to upgrade their devices?
I have been testing the V40 for three months now, and I’m surprised to find that LG managed to make improvements to it’s V series- even if the upgrades are incremental.
DISPLAY
6.4 ” QHD+ OLED Display
(3120 x 1440, including notch); 538 ppi
MEMORY
64GB internal memory microSD™: supports card up to 2 TB
CAMERA
Rear:12MP Telephoto Zoom 16MP Super Wide-Angle
12MP Standard
Front:5MP Wide 8MP Standard
PROCESSOR:
Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 845
up to 2.8 GHz x 4 + 1.7 GHz x 4 Octa-Core
BATTERY
3,300 mAh Non-Removable
The display is an 6.4 inch OLED with resolutions up to 3120×1440,and it’s HDR10 certified . The display’s ratio comes in at 19:5:9. It’s an awesome display, with deep blacks, pure whites and beautiful,vivid colors.
What say ye, of the triad of camera lenses on thee backside of thy V40 ThinQ? They’re pretty neat: they have the ability to work in conjunction with one another and separately, and neither of them are useless gimmicks. The 1st main camera is a 12MP 78 degree lens with an f/1.5 aperture OIS (Optimized Image Stabilization) and PDAF (Phase Detection Auto Focus),the 2nd Camera lens is a 16MP, wide angle 107-degree lens with 1-micron and f/1.9 aperture,and the 3rd Camera lens is a 12MP,1-micron, f/2.4, 45-degree lens with 2x optical zoom. But enough geekspeak, let’s look at some sample photos and video below.
We will take a deeper look at the camera and it’s three lens setup later on in the review to see if LG stacks up with another innovative first or useless lenses…
Build Quality
Conclusion
LG’s V -series has always been a multimedia powerhouse, and LG has made all of the necessary adjustments and upgrades to keep the V-40 in the premium smartphone best-of club. The Only real concern is if the 3300 battery is enough to last you a day.
LG V30+ released in October of last year (2017) isn’t exactly a brand
new phone, hitting right at seven months since it’s release but that’s
not at all old either by smartphone cycle standards.
The February to mid-April update to Android Oreo has brought it
(almost) up-to-standard in the latest Google-ly features, but LG has
also brought in it’s ThinQ software; This brings the V-series into LG’s
A.l. for loT and smart appliances ecosystem.
The LG V30+ has a lot going for itself, although the only difference
between it and the original V30 is the latter has twice the amount of
internal storage and comes with LG Quad Play headphones in the
box. With double the storage over the original variant and new A.I.
features, how does the V30+ hold it’s own in 2018?
Answer: Like A Boss.
Display
The 6-inch, QHD+ OLED Full Vision Display packs in 5xx pixels at 2880
1440 resolution that can be bumped down to 1080p to consume battery
life. It retains the same 18:9 aspect ratio that LG brought to the industry
with the LG G6, although the V30+ is a bit wider and taller though
thinner and lighter-
Blacks are deep, with the navigation
bar blending into the otherwise thin
bezels flawlessly. Colors pop with
true to life vibrancy, but the “cool”
calibration tends to give whites
bit of a blue hue:
Really?
I personally prefer a cooler color
profile rather than warmer
smartphone screens tend to either
lean towards blue others red (like
Samsung) which tends to favor
screen burn-in on AMOLED screens
anyway. LG phone displays tend to
have this character trait” as seen
in the Pixel 2 XL, through the screen
in the V30+ is clearly a generation
or two improved.
And It’s worth mentioning that the
secondary screen that the V series
was known for is replaced by what
LG is calling the Floating Bar:
software version of the actual
second screen of the V10 and
V20 that’s tucked away to the
side by default
The Floating Bar gives you access to a few otherwise
inaccessible tools like Extended Screenshot
and GIF Creator
The four panes of the floating bar allow you to assign up to
five shortcuts to your most used apps, Contacts and even
answer calls and access music controls.
All in All, the floating bar retains
the functionality of the missing
secondary screen while keeping
the display true to the 18:9 ratio.
It provides more functionality,
while taking up less space than
Samsung Edge Display for
example. When activated, you can
also swipe to answer calls.
Hardware: Glass and Metal Sandwich, Dual-Wide Lens Camera, Quad DAC Audio
The internals are nothing to scoff
at either, the V30+ comes armed
with the Snapdragon 835, 4GB Ram,
and 128GB of internal storage. This
time of the year, smartphones (like
the G7 ThinQ) are being shipped
with a Qualcomm Snapdragon
845 so the V30+ may seem a bit
behind the curve but the 835 is no slouch at all. It introduced features like smallerz more energy-efficient cores and faster gigabit LTE speeds – the 845 is to the 835 what the Snapdragon 821 is to the 820 (an overclocked version of the same chip). The looks are fairly unitarian, with the usual metal band sandwiched between the Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back of the device. The glass curves and meets the metal band, creating a unibody design.
The back of the V30+ is not only a fingerprint magnet, but it is prone to scratches – so get a case ASAP.
The “Aurora Black” LG V30+ is a sleek, unibody union of metal and
glass with one micro flaw…
After around a week of use in the humid
spring climate of Houston, I noticed that
dust particles can get stuck in the seam
where the screen and metal band meets,
and it’s noticeable when the light shines on
the device from certain angles:
Discovering this was frustrating…
The upside is, it’s IP68 certified (waterproof
for up to 30 minutes in 1.5 meters of
water), so I guess you could “bathe” the
V30/V30+, or give it a shower….
More distinctive features are the dual
Wide Angle lenses of the camera and the
Hi-Fi Audio of the 3.5mm headphone jack,
thanks to the phone’s 32-bit Quad DAC
(Digital-to-Analog Converter).
Customize your sound in the Quad DAC settings
Sound Presets view for Hi-Fi Audio
Digital Filtering can add color to your sound,or provide a more
accurate flat sound.
The 32-bit Quad DAC is an ESS 9218P from
ESS Technology, the same manufacturers
who provide D/A converters for companies
like Apogee Electronics’ (Duet, Ensemble,
and Quartet and Symphony) Audio
Interfaces.
It makes for superior audio when listening
through wired headphones or a speaker
setup- and even though the Quad Play
headphones LG included in the box does
decent job showcasing the audio quality
of the V30+, it takes a pair of over the ear
monitors (or AUX connection to a decent
vehicle setup) to really appreciate what the
Quad DAC brings to the table.
CamBam
Everyone has heard about the 16MP and
12MP Dual lens set-up on the V30+, but the
new ThinQ moniker added to the splash
screen after the Android Oreo update
brings Al smarts to the LG flagship.
Activate the Al Cam, and the app begins to identify the contents
within a scene,and choose the appropriate mode for you
Most premium smartphones come with
dual lens cameras, but LG is one of the only
manufacturers to go against the grain and
utilize those dual lenses to provide an wider
field of view 125° to be exact.
The normal 16MP lens offers a 71°
standard view, so the wide angle 13MP
sensor captures over twice the scenery in
your pics.
Standard Angle 71° View
Wide Angle 120 Lens
The dual-lens, wide angle cameras is one of
the best setups available on a smartphone
and when every other phone maker is
going for portrait mode and bokeh effects
dare I say unique?
The only real standout weakness is the
software for the 5MP front facing camera.
I say that because I downloaded third
party software that made all the world of
difference in quality and noise reduction.
Performance, Battery Life, Stability
I have always appreciated the sheer power
and tons of features stuffed in LG flagships,
since the G3. The Nexus 5 have LG the
expertise of delivering a stock Android
experience, and the Pixel 2 XL allowed
them the opportunity to perfect Android
customization. I point this out because that
implies that they know how to minimize
the amount resources their Android skin
takes up on top of the Stock OS. They are
literally one of the few manufacturers that
can layer Android and keep it as smooth as
Google intended it to be.
The LG V30+ hit 1910 single-core and 5814
multi-core in Geekbench 4:
That’s up to par with average flagship
from 2017, but not quite up to snuff with
the latest Snapdragon 845 toting devices
like the Galaxy S9 which scored 2,422
single-core score and 8,351 multi-core
score.
Conclusion
A Lot of people who were livid supporters of
the V series may have been disappointed
to discover the omission of the removable
battery, and possibly the second screen
but the addition of IP68 certification,
Wireless Charging, Quick Charge 3.0 (4.0
with the right Charging Adapter) and
software that somewhat provides the
informative convenience the second
screen once did, are necessary changes to
keep the V-series modern. Everything else
that you come to expect from the brand:
extensive Video Recording and editing
tools, Hi-Fi Audio,Dual wide angle lens
cameras are here with a plethora of
upgrades. The only real standout weakness
is the software for the front facing 5MP
camera. I say that because I downloaded
third party camera apps that made all the
world of a difference.
The LG V30+ makes for a great alternative
to the more popular flagships, remains one
of the better options for general users and
one of the first looks for content creators.
