DISPLAY: 14.2-in mini LED (3024 x 1964), ProMotion (120Hz) | CPU: Apple M3/Pro/Max | RAM: 8GB/18GB/32GB/128GB | STORAGE: 512GB/1TB/2TB/4TB/8TB SSD | OS: macOS 14.1 Sonoma | Camera: 1080p FaceTime HD camera | MISC: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, 2/3x USB/Thunderbolt, HDMI 2.1, SD card, headphones | Weight: 1.55 /1.62kg
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M3): Overview
Apple’s latest MacBook Pro 14 is here, bringing a wider range of chip options, a surprising price drop, and a sleek new black colorway. But it’s not just about aesthetics – this upgrade promises even greater performance and battery life to keep you productive on the go.
Starting at £1,699 (€1,999/US$1,599/AU$2,699), it’s still not exactly a budget buy. But a welcome £450 reduction compared to the previous model makes it significantly more accessible to a wider audience.
The familiar design remains, blending retro charm with modern sophistication. The aluminum construction is as sturdy as ever, exuding a quality feel that justifies the price tag. The port selection stays consistent, thankfully including the much-appreciated HDMI port and full-size SD card slot for seamless connectivity.
The display continues to be one of the best in the laptop world, delivering a sharp, smooth, and incredibly bright experience for all your tasks, whether it’s working on documents or enjoying vibrant HDR content.
And it gets even better – the brightness has been boosted by 20% compared to its predecessor, making it easier to work even under the harshest winter sunlight.
But the real magic lies under the hood. The new chip options ensure you have the perfect balance of power and efficiency, tailored to your specific needs. And when it comes to battery life, prepare to be amazed – this MacBook Pro can keep up with your busy day without breaking a sweat.
So, whether you’re a creative professional, a demanding student, or simply someone who appreciates the finer things in tech, the upgraded MacBook Pro is worth considering. With its enhanced performance, improved battery life, and more affordable price tag, it’s a compelling proposition that promises to elevate your computing experience.
Unveiling the New Space Black
Apple’s 2023 refresh introduces a stunning new color option for the MacBook Pro 14: Space Black. While technically a very dark grey, it’s as close to black as anodized aluminum can get, offering a sleek and sophisticated aesthetic.
But it’s not just about looks – the new finish also repels fingerprints more effectively than previous models, keeping your MacBook Pro 14 looking sharp and pristine. However, this dark beauty comes with a slight caveat. The Space Black option is reserved for the mid-and high-end configurations of the machine, starting at a price point of £2,099 (€2,499/US$1,999/AU$3,499).
So, if you crave a MacBook Pro that exudes both power and elegance, the new Space Black color might just be the perfect choice. Just be prepared to pay a premium for this exclusive touch of darkness.
Apple Unleashes the M3 Chip
Apple has once again pushed the boundaries of laptop technology with its latest M3 family of chips. These cutting-edge processors are built on a process inaccessible to other manufacturers, resulting in impressive performance gains alongside reduced power consumption and heat generation.
The new MacBook Pro 14 lineup welcomes the M3 chip as its entry point, offering a significant 20% performance boost compared to the M2 chip found in the MacBook Air and other models. This translates to a remarkable 40% leap in performance compared to the original M1 chips released in 2020.
However, the base model M3 configuration comes with limitations. It supports only a single external monitor and ships with a standard 8GB of RAM, which may suffice for now but could become inadequate in the future. Upgrading memory requires an upfront payment of £200 and cannot be done afterward.
For those who demand more power, additional ports, and the ability to connect multiple external displays, the M3 Pro chip offers a compelling solution. This powerful processor effortlessly handles demanding tasks and is likely the ideal choice for professionals using the MacBook Pro for work.
At the pinnacle of performance sits the M3 Max chip. This powerhouse delivers an unprecedented level of power within a laptop form factor. While overkill for most users, it will undoubtedly be embraced by those seeking workstation-level performance and willing to pay a premium for it.
With the M3 family of chips, Apple has once again redefined the landscape of laptop performance and efficiency. Whether you’re a casual user or a power-hungry professional, there’s an M3 chip perfectly suited to your needs.
Apple’s M3 Powerhouse
Apple’s M3 chips are not only at par with their Intel counterparts in PCs, but they also boast significant performance increases compared to Macs released three to five years ago. However, Apple’s true advantage lies in power efficiency.
This translates to double or more battery life compared to rivals, allowing you to work unplugged without compromising performance. Unlike competitors, who experience performance drops when not plugged in, Apple’s M3 chips maintain their peak performance even on battery power.
This makes the M3-powered MacBook Pro a true champion of efficiency, ideal for those who demand both power and portability.
Even when pushing the limits with the most powerful M3 Max configuration, you can expect a remarkable 16 hours of productive office work. This includes word processing, browsing, note-taking, and spreadsheet wrangling.
That’s more than an hour longer than last year’s model and double the endurance of most competitors. The M3 chip models can reach an astonishing 20 hours of similar work, while the M3 Pro models fall somewhere in between.
Need to tackle demanding photo editing tasks? No problem! The battery can still deliver around 12 hours of editing power on a single charge. When it’s time to refuel, the included 96W adapter can fully charge the battery in about 90 minutes, reaching 50% in just 30 minutes.
So, whether you’re a busy professional or a content creator on the go, the M3 MacBook Pro offers the battery stamina to keep you powered through your day.
The Sustainable Choice
Apple prioritizes sustainability with the MacBook Pro, incorporating 32% recycled materials, including aluminum, rare earth elements, tin, gold, and plastic. Their environmental report provides a detailed breakdown of the computer’s eco-impact, demonstrating their commitment to responsible manufacturing.
The MacBook Pro is designed for repairability, with available repair manuals and battery replacements offered by Apple for £245.
While repair specialists like iFixit praised its modular design, they criticized the use of software locks on replacement parts, which restrict third-party repair options and earned the machine a four out of ten repairability score. To further promote sustainability, Apple offers trade-in programs and free recycling schemes, even for non-Apple products.
The Price of Performance
The starting price for the MacBook Pro 14 is £1,699 (€1,999/US$1,599/AU$2,699) with an M3 chip, 8GB RAM, and 512GB storage. Upgrading to models with the M3 Pro chip begins at £2,099, while the M3 Max configurations start at a steeper £3,299.
To put it in perspective, the M2-powered MacBook Air starts at a more affordable £1,149. In comparison, Windows laptops that offer similar performance to the new MacBook Pros, like the Dell XPS 15, sit around £2,000. Other contenders include the Razer Blade 14 at £2,499 and Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Studio 2, which starts at £2,069.
Ultimately, the price of the MacBook Pro reflects its cutting-edge performance and efficiency. While it may not be the most budget-friendly option, it offers a compelling value proposition for professionals and power users who demand the best in portable computing.
Verdict
The 2023 MacBook Pro 14 lineup presents a wider array of options than ever before. The lower starting price of £1,699 is a welcome change, albeit still a significant investment.
However, the base model’s M3 chip, while undeniably fast, might lack the raw power for professional work. Additionally, the limited 8GB RAM further restricts its appeal.
This makes the base model a difficult sell compared to the exceptional MacBook Air, especially for Apple users. But the M3 Pro and Max configurations are a different story. They continue Apple’s dominance in delivering unparalleled power and efficiency, unmatched by any other manufacturer.
The 14-inch size remains the ideal balance in the laptop world, further enhanced by the stunning display, best-in-class trackpad and keyboard, and a solid port selection. While not cheap, it’s one of the absolute best work laptops available for those not specifically requiring Windows 11.
And let’s not forget the sleek new black color – a truly eye-catching addition.
Comparatively speaking, the cult-classic original Alan Wake makes little more than a sloppy initial version to the excellent survival horror sequel, Alan Wake 2.
The single-player adventure Alan Wake 2 deftly switches from slow-burning psychological dread and frenetic survival-horror combat, to exquisitely rendered game environments. It also shifts from exquisitely powerful full-motion video sequences, and gruesome investigations to jaw-dropping symphonic shocks.
It’s insane, gory, and, for the most part, excellent. It continues to shine brilliantly like a newly shot signal flare even at the conclusion of an incredible year full of incredible games. Even with a significant increase in complexity, Alan Wake 2’s nearly 17-hour tale, which spans two very different realms, is significantly more logical than the first.
In the present, you play an FBI Agent named Saga Anderson, who has been assigned to the sleepy lakeside town of Bright Falls to look into the newest victim of a string of ritualistic killings. A body is discovered next to Cauldron Lake with a large hole where the heart used to be.
Saga is a charming addition to the bizarre universe. Her dedication to her work is balanced by her enjoyment of lighthearted banter with another Special Agent named Alex Casey.
These first few hours of procedural investigations give the story a realistic foundation before darkness descends and every peaceful hillside turns into a terrifying hellscape.
The case board in Saga’s metaphysical “mind place,” which can be accessed at any time with a button press, plays a big part in making the primary serial killer mystery and its many subplots in Alan Wake II so simple to follow.
To keep everything organized and your attention on the investigation, you have to physically arrange every new piece of evidence, character profile, and foreboding manuscript page that you find in Bright Falls and its environs into a branching tree of red rope and palm cards that are pinned to the wall.
I enjoyed having this built-in way of verifying the facts because, let’s face it, I couldn’t watch a season of True Detective (at least, not the good ones) without keeping one eye on TV.
Early in Alan Wake 2’s narrative, Saga’s inquiry uncovers more disturbing details than it does answers. For example, why do so many people act as though they have known Saga for years?
And why did that body just up and drag its nude behind into the woods from the morgue? Alan Wake 2’s tone is always set to a tense one, even if the difficulty level may be changed to three different settings.
A Survival-Horror Tale
When Alan Wake washes up on the edge of Cauldron Lake, talking wildly about the Dark Place and shocked to hear that he’s been absent for the previous 13 years. The mystery only becomes deeper. Alan Wake 2 then deviates significantly.
From this point on, the viewpoint alternates between Alan’s desperate attempts to flee his doomed Dark Place dimension and Saga’s quest for the truth in Bright Falls.
Both sides gradually blend into one another in increasingly strange and disorienting ways, to the point where I found it difficult to tell fact from fiction then, after a long while, coming to a perfectly crafted gut-punch of a conclusion that cleanly wraps up the most of the tale strands while tantalizingly leaving a few hanging.
While the lakeside shores of Bright Falls offer some breathtaking sunset scenes and detail-rich forest surrounds, it’s the gritty, neon-soaked New York plaza setting of Alan’s stages that really showcase the enormous skill of Remedy’s team of artists. The seductive power of its contrasting settings only serves to heighten its mystery.
From the graffiti-covered construction areas to the menacing expanse of subway tunnels that lie beneath its surface, this rotten slice of the Big Apple is a haunting otherworld that I found consistently compelling to explore. It resembles the kind of nightmare you might have after spending 24 hours eating cheese and watching Taxi Driver and Mean Streets on repeat.
Alan’s stages also included some entertaining environmental challenges, which activated a different area of my brain. Alan can literally change his surroundings and establish new avenues for progress by using a paranormal table lamp to absorb light from one source and channel it to another. This allows him to not only create a new, lighted safe haven from the dangers that lurk in the shadows.
It’s an amazing trick that makes you think of pulling the cord on the light switch to make the Oceanview Hotel blink in and out from The Oldest House in Control. The trick gets more difficult as you go along because you have to figure out the proper order to manipulate multiple light sources, which makes unlocking each new area to explore more difficult.
The dense meta-mystery of Alan Wake 2 is akin to a jigsaw puzzle trapped inside a Rubik’s Cube wrapped in sudoku puzzles. It’s an odd and amazing journey filled with more unexpected turns and repetitive loops than an agitated Uber driver.
Survival Gameplay
In fact, Alan Wake 2 has an equal number of corpses and more plots than a cemetery. Combat has greatly improved, but the basic mechanics are still basically the same as the entertaining flashlight-fueled battling of the original.
Once more, enemies are only shadows of their former selves. The best way to eliminate them is to blast obscene amounts of exposed flesh off their bones with your growing arsenal of weapons and use the boosted beam of your flashlight to burn away their murky darkness shields.
This time, enemies will occasionally display glowing weak points on their bodies. If you can successfully target these areas, you can deal a lot more damage and preserve a few valuable ammo rounds, which felt like a nice reward for taking the extra moment to carefully line up my shots.
For those who are accustomed to running-based games, this won’t be a huge problem, but if you’re returning to Alan Wake with me, this is great. The fact that Saga and Alan can run indefinitely is a significant improvement over the always whiny Alan from the original, who could barely run ten yards before collapsing like an asthmatic who accidentally turned into a smoker’s lounge.
The dodge button feels snappier and lets me duck under swinging pipes or pickaxes more reliably. It even functions on the ground if you get knocked off your feet, allowing you to quickly roll out of harm’s way and avoid any potential follow-up attacks. Our protagonists are generally more nimble than other characters.
However, Remedy has not overlooked the fact that the original’s attraction stems from its difficulties. Even though Alan and Saga are quicker on their feet in Alan Wake 2, batteries and ammo are still in short supply.
In terms of adversary diversity, it doesn’t quite match Resident Evil 4, but there are still enough dark and menacing creatures to keep me on my toes. I could never quite predict which kind of shadow warrior would attack me at any given turn.
Alan Wake 2 constantly shuffled its deck to keep my head on a swivel and my thumb nervously twitching over the fast choice weapon selection, from burly brutes with sledgehammers to darting wolves and weird, multi-limbed mirror creatures that I can’t quite put my finger on.
Some attackers may even launch darkness projectiles at you, which you will need to avoid or carefully catch with the beam of your flashlight, much like the countermeasures of a fighter plane. This kind of shade hasn’t been witnessed since the previous Eminem diss single.
There are also some highly intense and unique boss fights, such as one in which I had to desperately burn away in an arena full of dark blobs while trying to avoid having my head torn from my shoulders by an enemy’s rifle shots from a distance.
Another boss fight took place later in the game and was set in a dimly lit, close-quarters battle with a raging reanimated corpse that was determined to cave in my chest with the sharp end of a torn-off tree branch.
Strangely enough, though, I discovered that in Alan Wake 2, the opponent I dreaded the most was also the one who, most of the time, couldn’t even harm me. There are many whispering apparitions in Alan’s world, but if you shine your spotlight on them, they usually disappear into wisps of smoke nine times out of ten.
You should be concerned about the tenth occurrence, though, since it may be a real physical threat lurking in plain sight to attack you after you’ve been tricked into believing all is OK. I began questioning every human-shaped shadow I had created, even my own, which felt exactly in line with Alan’s own mental disintegration.
The Good and Bad
Not everything in this situation is as robust as it may be, including Alan’s mental health. The two playable characters’ distinct arsenals each have benefits of their own, such as Saga’s crossbow’s increased stopping power and reusable bolts and Alan’s flare gun’s wider area of impact, but the way each character’s skill trees are implemented seems a little uneven.
Saga’s upgrades are limited to just three buffs for each firearm in her inventory, and each comes at such a high cost of the collectable manuscript scraps hidden around Bright Falls that by the time I’d reached the end credits, I’d only invested in a handful of them. In contrast, Alan’s “Words of Power” skill tree features 21 different skills that can each potentially be upgraded up to three times over.
To be honest, they didn’t seem all that required on the easy difficulty setting, but maybe they’ll be much more helpful when Alan Wake 2’s Nightmare mode is introduced after launch.
Furthermore, Saga is frequently burdened with a few too many survival-horror clichés, such as fuse boxes to fix and combination locks to figure out. This contrasts with Alan’s impressive environmental remixing.
The lack of new Night Springs episodes to watch on the televisions in Bright Falls also disappointed me a little bit, but even so, the commercials that took their place—which featured the hilariously bizarre Koskela brothers as local entrepreneurs—were so funny that I still made an effort to locate every in-game idiot box I could find.
However, the plethora of other things that Alan Wake 2 does correctly makes whatever problems I had with it vanish like an out-of-town visitor in Cauldron Lake. Without a doubt, it draws heavily from cinema and television, incorporating the greatest elements from True Detective, Seven, Inception, and other shows into the original’s Twin Peaks meets The Twilight Zone framework.
However, it also includes some homages to some of the greatest modern video game moments, shocking you with really unsettling fourth-wall tricks akin to Inscryption and creepy full-motion video scenes reminiscent of 2022’s found-footage horror flick, Immortality.
It even briefly turns into an interactive musical in one truly amazing early game moment. It’s as if the Remedy team saw the “Jump Up, Super Star!” level from Super Mario Odyssey and decided to appropriate it in the most extravagantly bizarre way imaginable.
Alan Wake 2 has me smiling like a crazy man from the opening riff to the last fiery guitar solo. For about twenty blissful minutes, it sounds more like a Rocky Horror Picture Show than a survival-horror computer game.
Even while Alan Wake 2 is plenty of spine-tingling moments, it’s times like this that demonstrate how fearlessly Remedy handled the actual design of its much anticipated sequel.
Final Verdict
The survival horror plot in Alan Wake 2 is among the most inventive of other horror games such as Silent Hill 2, and it’s presented with consistently flawless art direction and audio design. The series’ trademark light-based shooting is also revitalized, as if it were loaded with brand-new batteries.
I found Saga’s plot to be perpetually intriguing, often terrifying, and continually unexpected, despite the fact that its skill-upgrade systems seem a bit unnecessary and there were a few recurring tropes that annoyed me. Comparatively speaking, the cult classic Alan Wake makes little more than a sloppy first draft to this excellent survival-horror sequel.
If you like this review, please leave a comment at the bottom of the post, along with questions you may have. This helps us a lot and motivates us to continue to deliver awesome content. So if you in to survival-horror games, then grab a copy of Alan Wake 2 here.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is a premium package that offers great performance and impressive battery life. All this under a decent price which definitely improves the value of the mobile device.
Li-Ion 4500 mAh, non-removable | 25W wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE – Overview
I was pleasantly impressed by how quickly the phone set up my web sites, apps, and ‘Settings’ when I initially got it. This is mostly because to the phone’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, which is still quicker than the chip in the Galaxy A54 5G smartphone, even though it is over two years old.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is available with Samsung’s Exynos 2200 processor internationally, however the US variant gets the Qualcomm Snapdragon processor.
I saw personally how beneficial it may be to pay a little bit more on a phone with more premium features like reverse wireless charging. With the feature, the S23 FE let me charge my other devices because I had forgotten my USB-C power adapter. I couldn’t have accomplished it with the less expensive Galaxy A54 5G.
Like the now US$800 Galaxy S23, the S23 FE has a 50-megapixel primary camera and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera. These cameras performed well in all conditions from daylight to less light. In addition to that, the phone has a telephoto camera—a capability often seen exclusively on Samsung’s more costly models—which was useful for getting close-up pictures.
To be clear, if you’re searching for the newest and finest specifications at a lower price, this isn’t the Galaxy S23 model to purchase. However, the Galaxy S23 FE is a great entry-level flagship that offers access to Samsung’s higher-end capabilities without coming at the same price if you’re thinking about getting a less expensive Android phone.
Design
The Galaxy S23 FE features the same elegant appearance as the flagship S23 series. At 6.4 inches, it is in the middle of a manageable size range. The S23 FE has a noticeable amount surrounding the screen, similar to its midrange cousin, the Galaxy A54, while its siblings have bezels that are thinner. I didn’t find it problematic, but this is where Samsung starts to show its limitations.
The floating camera island on the rear is identical to that of the S23 series. Rather than using Victus 2, it is composed of glass and protected by Gorilla Glass 5. The only thing that bothers me is that the glossy rear of the device attracts a lot of fingerprints and smudges, therefore it’s best that you get yourself a phone cover to protect it, and to improve your grip because it slides around a lot.
The second microphone is on the opposite end from the top-mounted SIM and MicroSD card slots. Its aluminum frame houses the power button and volume rocker on the right side, while the left side is empty. The USB-C connector, the two primary microphones, and the bottom-facing speaker are located at the bottom. The headphone jack is absent.
There includes face unlock as well as an optical fingerprint reader located at the lower half of the display. Both worked great for getting to my phone immediately. The phone is certified IP68. A 6.4-inch AMOLED panel with a refresh rate of 120 Hz, support for HDR10+, Vision Booster, and a maximum brightness of 1500 nits dominates the front. The screen is a decent size, and it had adequate brightness when I was out and about. And For protection, Gorilla Glass 5 is used.
The Dolby-Atmos-tuned speakers and screen of the S23 FE are great for watching multimedia material. With its vibrant colors and striking contrast, the display is amazing, and I had fun binge-watching the newest horror movies. Its quick refresh rate is in helpful not only for online browsing and social media scrolling, but also for engaging with the phone’s UI and gaming.
The speakers are quite exceptional. When the volume is raised, they remain loud without experiencing distortion. Whilst taking a shower, I could definitely listen to music without any issues. Playlists and podcasts were also enjoyable for me to listen to. For clear phone calls, the three microphones perform well.
Overall, the design of the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is impressive. The build quality is good. It has the premium look to it with a great choice of colors to choose from.
Display
The 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED display on the Galaxy S23 FE has a refresh rate of 120Hz and a resolution of 2340 x 1080. When there is a lot of activity onscreen, your screen in adaptive mode will scale up to 120Hz to even things out. Otherwise, it will remain at a 60Hz pace.
That’s a little different from the Galaxy S23’s varied 48Hz to 120Hz rate, but if you choose the FE, you probably won’t notice the difference. The screen is rated for a maximum brightness of 1,450 nits, so it didn’t bother me too much. On a reasonably sunny day, I was able to shoot pictures outside without having to squint in order to see the viewfinder or the controls.
However, I did found that it was useful to off adaptive brightness when playing games in order to prevent the on-screen action from being too faint. In my opinion, the Samsung S23’s color punch is greater than that of the Galaxy S23 FE. The eerie dark moments in from horror movies felt a little murkier than they did on other recent phones.
Though it’s a brighter video, everything appeared better when watching YouTube videos. I believe it’s safe to say that, whereas the Galaxy S23’s display is one of its greatest qualities, the Galaxy S23 FE’s is just passably good.
Performance
Instead of using the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, Samsung chooses to use the Exynos 2200 chipset to power the S23 FE foreign variants of the phone. This suggests that the Exynos 2400 processor will replace the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in the future S24 series.
In addition, you receive 128GB of storage, 8GB of virtual RAM, and 8GB of onboard RAM. Along with Android 13 and OneUI 5.1 Android operating system, Samsung guarantees five years of security updates and four years of Android OS upgrades for the S23 FE.
For the foreign S23 FE models, Samsung chooses to use the Exynos 2200 chipset rather than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 to power the phone.
It multitasks quickly, making it easy to swipe between apps. Games ran smoothly, even at their maximum visual settings, with no frame drops. Long sessions may cause it to become warm; in that case, the vapor chamber, which is bigger than the one in the base S23, helps cool the phone.
Overall performance is excellent, and the S23 FE is a simple choice thanks to the software support that Samsung has planned.
Battery
One aspect of the Galaxy S23 FE with its Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 CPU that worries me is how long the phone’s battery lasts. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 had a bit of a patchy history when it came to power management, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is incredibly efficient—just take a look at the number of phones powered by that chipset that made it onto our list of the best phone battery life. The Galaxy S23 FE, at least, has a large 4,500 mAh battery that should help it last longer.
We can’t tell you whether the S23 FE outlasts the typical smartphone by surviving longer than 10 hours since we haven’t completed our bespoke battery test, in which we have the device browse the web continually via cellular until it runs out of juice.
I am aware that the battery indication dramatically dropped when I played several visually demanding games and ran various tests on the phone, but it doesn’t truly represent use in the real world.
The charging speed of the Galaxy S23 FE is 25W, which is also the charging speed of the Galaxy S23. I wouldn’t exactly call it a reason to celebrate, as that’s one of the slower charging rates, but at least you’re not giving up quicker charging in favor of a less expensive phone. The Galaxy A54 does not support wireless charging, however the S23 FE does.
Camera
The S23 FE sports an 8MP telephoto lens with a 3x optical zoom and a 12MP ultrawide lens, along with the same 50MP primary camera with OIS and VDIS (advanced digital image stabilization) as the S23.
Additionally, a 10MP selfie camera is included. The S23 FE’s front-facing camera records 4K videos at 60 frames per second, while the primary cameras can capture up to 8K videos at 24 frames per second. Useful features like object remover, color correction, and filters are included in the Gallery app.
The camera system is good overall and processes data quickly. Whether taken in the daytime or at night, the pictures had an amazing quality. They were crisp, detailed, had a strong contrast, were colorful, and had a good dynamic range. Selfies are excellent, and the S23 FE does a great job with bokeh.
You should definitely purchase this phone for your night outings, like I did, and record and take pictures of Kenyan Swifties having the best time ever dancing and singing before and after the Eras Tour showing. The videos were amazing, especially in low light.
Verdict
If the S23’s exorbitant cost deterred you from buying one, the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE’s reasonable pricing will win you over. With only a few small concessions, it offers the power and performance of the S23 series, all at just under $100,000.
Impressive construction and appearance combine with flawless flagship-quality camera performance. The majority of you will also wonder if you should hold off until the S24, to which I would respond that it will be a lengthy wait and that the phone will still cost more while having only marginally different features from the S23.
Compared to other foldable flip phones like the Motorola Razr+ and Galaxy Z Flip 5, the Motorola Razr (2023) costs $300 less, and it’s obvious where Motorola made compromises to bring down the price. However, this is the first foldable phone that is a good choice for a wider range of price points if you don’t require a strong processor or a larger cover display.
The Motorola Razr (2023) has arrived to cater to those intrigued by foldable phones without wanting to break the bank. In a landscape where a almost US$1000 foldable phone was once considered a relative bargain, the new Razr disrupts the narrative by significantly reducing that price.
To achieve this more affordable cost, Motorola had to make certain compromises. The most notable one involves downsizing the phone’s exterior display from the expansive 3.6-inch panel on the pricier Motorola Razr+ to a more modest 1.5-inch strip. Additionally, this budget-friendly Razr opts for a less powerful chipset, and specifications for storage and display refresh rate are scaled back compared to the Plus model.
The question emerges: Is the decreased price of the Motorola Razr justified in exchange for the compromises on a foldable flip phone? Or does the reduction in features render any potential value obsolete? This Motorola Razr (2023) review seeks to answer precisely that.
Design
Motorola has once again impressed with the design aesthetics of the Razr (2023). The premium build quality and carefully chosen materials give it a sleek and sophisticated appearance. The device feels sturdy in hand, and the attention to detail in design is evident.
The foldable design is where the Razr (2023) truly shines. Motorola has refined the folding mechanism, making it more robust and durable. The device folds seamlessly, and the hinge feels reliable, addressing concerns from the previous model.
Display
The display of the Razr (2023) is impressive, both in terms of size and resolution. The ample screen real estate, coupled with a high-resolution display, enhances the overall viewing experience. Whether you’re watching videos, browsing, or multitasking, the display delivers vibrant and sharp visuals.
Motorola has incorporated advanced display technology in the Razr (2023). The foldable OLED screen provides rich colors and deep contrasts. The display adapts well to different lighting conditions, ensuring a consistent and enjoyable viewing experience.
Performance
Under the hood, the Razr (2023) is powered by a robust processor. The device handles multitasking with ease, and the performance is commendable for daily tasks and even demanding applications. Whether you’re navigating through apps or engaging in gaming sessions, the processor delivers a smooth experience.
With various RAM and storage configurations available, users can choose the one that suits their needs. The ample RAM ensures efficient multitasking, and the storage options cater to users with varying media and app requirements.
Camera
The camera capabilities of the Razr (2023) add to its appeal. The device captures detailed and vibrant shots, showcasing improvements in image processing. The camera system benefits from Motorola’s expertise, offering a versatile shooting experience. The front and rear cameras provide versatility in capturing moments. Whether it’s selfies or landscape shots, the Razr (2023) excels in delivering quality images from both perspectives.
Battery Life
The battery performance of the Razr (2023) is noteworthy. The device efficiently manages power consumption, resulting in extended battery life. Users can go through a full day of usage without constantly worrying about running out of charge.
The charging capabilities align with the modern user’s needs. The fast-charging feature ensures that you spend more time using your device and less time waiting for it to charge.
Verdict
In conclusion, the Motorola Razr (2023) lives up to the hype surrounding foldable smartphones. With a stunning design, impressive display, robust performance, and capable camera system, it’s a device that appeals to those seeking innovation and style. While it comes with an affordable price tag, the overall package makes it a worthwhile investment for tech enthusiasts looking to stay on the cutting edge.
The Motorola Razr (2023) succeeds in blending form and function, offering a glimpse into the future of smartphones. If you’re ready to embrace the foldable revolution, the Razr (2023) is a strong contender in the market.
If you have any comments please leave them here below, and if you have questions leave them below as well and I will get back as soon as I can. Check out more reviews and articles on your favorite gadgets right here on wildbreaktech.com.
Even though it was among the first to boldly attempt to recreate FromSoftware’s lightning in a bottle, the 2014 original Lords of the Fallen fell short of expectations. There’s probably never been a better moment for a sequel to take a go at it than now, over ten years later, and a million soul-like imitators later.
Thankfully, this new, confusingly identically named Lords of the Fallen successfully delivers its blow. Its dual reality environment is really fascinating to explore, the build crafting options are varied and intricate, and the combat is so seamless and fulfilling that I’m prepared to overlook all the ways it borrows ideas from other games.
This newest push isn’t quite a death blow due to some rather serious performance issues and glitches, as well as shockingly easy boss battles, but even so, I anticipate to spend a lot more time impaling foes and searching every crevice of its neatly partitioned universe for treasures.
Another game in the action-RPG souls-like genre, Lords of the Fallen has a spooky fantasy background, other people joining you in cooperative or PvP action, and lots of death. It uses the same kind of lethal third-person fighting system, complete with dodge rolls, posture meters, and extreme disrespectful emoting over defeated foes.
There are many references to FromSoftwares’ classics, such as Dark Souls, Demon Souls Remake, just to name a few, but there are also a lot of original elements to look forward to. This includes things like some very awesome tricks involving multiple realities or a mystical light that enables you to literally flay the souls out of your foes.
And look, I know I usually complain about how overly saturated this genre is with new releases when I review one of these things, but it really is worth saying again. These days, there are a number of these games.
Even if playing more of a genre I like isn’t always a negative thing, it may be discouraging to start a new game and feel like I already know how 90% of it will end because everyone is utilizing the same methods and cliches.
For instance, it’s somewhat strange that I can look at a distant pile of boxes and think, “Ah, can’t wait for a monster to leap out from behind those and attack me,” or that I can go into a swamp and know for sure that I’m going to be jumped by animals who try to poison me.
I can no longer remember which game’s healing items are called Estus Flasks, Dragon Hearts, Flasks of Crimson Tears, Pulse Cells, Healing Gourds, and so on and so forth, for all eternity. If any of those names sound familiar to you, prepare for a lot more déjà vu.
Fallen Lord’s Lore
If the game name sounds familiar to you too, that’s because it has the same name as the 2014 video game developed by Deck13. However, as the absence of a “2” or any other comparable symbol may imply, this Lords of the Fallen is more of a complete reboot or remake than a sequel.
Although new developer Hexworks only utilized the most fundamental components from the previous version, those who played the original will undoubtedly hear NPCs refer to some familiar setting terms like “The Rhogar” and “Adyr” or see some really cool and familiar sights like the giant outstretched hand from the ground in the distance.
The good thing is that the world feels much more fully realized and the new tale, which is being told with some renovated, dusty sections, is far superior than its predecessor.
Even though the interesting characters, lore, and world building are occasionally overshadowed by a sea of common dark fantasy jargon, there are still plenty of these elements to enjoy as you come across different factions to support or oppose.
Lords of the Fallen clearly takes inspiration from other games in the genre, its most innovative concept is also its greatest one. The ability to switch between two different realms at any moment.
With the use of a magic lantern, you can enter Umbral, a ghostly realm of eerie creatures and grotesque eyes, which sits atop Axiom, the actual world as most people know it.
You’ll need to traverse both as you go about taking out monsters and pushing scrubs off of cliffs, adding a truly interesting new aspect to the environment’s exploration.
In the real world, you might come across a broken bridge, for instance, but if you dive into Umbral, you can use an organic, gray platform that is only visible and tangible when you enter the eerie world of darkness.
This kind of reminds me of the unsettling plane that Frodo enters when he puts on the ring in ‘Lord of the Rings’, but it’s much more useful and less out of focus.
This mechanic has a significant impact on almost every aspect of Lords of the Fallen, including exploration since each area essentially has two versions, meaning you should play through a section more than once to see what you missed, and combat where normally imperceivable enemies become a serious threat when you enter Umbral.
The ability to interact with the Umbral realm without going inside is even more awesome. All you have to do is hold your handy lamp to have a little portion of it appear in front of you.
By doing this, you can catch a glimpse of what could be concealed on the other side before fully crossing over and do things like walk past physical obstacles that don’t exist in the other world.
Exploration becomes less about getting from point A to point B and more about taking your time, learning about each place, and searching for mysteries as you switch between worlds and use your lamp to illuminate the differences between them.
It’s also fairly amazing because if you are ever killed by the enemy, you will be unintentionally drawn into Umbral, where you will have one final opportunity to live.
You must locate totems buried around this dark environment in order to escape or return to a checkpoint for a break, but the longer you stay, the more formidable foes spawn and pursue you.
Gameplay
Unfortunately, Lords of the Fallen has some very significant performance problems when attempting to support its cross-dimensional goals, thus it doesn’t exactly seem to be able to handle them technically. I frequently had stuttering and lost frames, especially after extended sessions.
Every player I played with had the same difficulties, which occasionally caused such severe eye strain that I had to restart my computer in the hopes that things would get better, if only temporarily.
It’s particularly annoying when my co-op buddies get murdered during multiplayer since their game turned into a slideshow and I end myself getting hits that I might have avoided otherwise.
Although I don’t generally complain about performance benchmarks or subpar framerates, these were so constant that I had to deal with them. It was like having a great dinner accompanied with a sharp toothache and a cut on the roof of my mouth. While I hope that these kinds of issues will be resolved soon, it is now hard to overlook such serious issues.
Fortunately, these locations—from the dangerous stairs of a mountain monastery to the flaming ruins of the city of Calrath—remain incredibly entertaining to explore when game’s framerate cooperates.
With intriguing and stunning locations, a ton of mysteries to uncover, and a ton of distinct opponents to take down—one at a time via mini-boss encounters spread over the nearly 40-hour campaign—the level design is among the greatest of the genre in recent memory.
Lords of the Fallen also clearly takes inspiration from the original Dark Souls, particularly in that it makes a concerted effort to link every region of the map to a central hub and offers plenty of chances to find shortcuts and alternate routes. However, this comes at the expense of being irritated by roughly fifteen doors that are locked from the side you’re on approximately once every hour or so.
Even if that dance feels quite traditional at this point, taking down legions of hideous skeleton abominations is a vibrant maelstrom of swords and flails being swung and parried, making it play more fluidly than the great majority of its counterparts.
You can be a swift and accurate Bloodborne guy, a brawny bruiser with a trusty sword and board, or any of a variety of ranged magic users with impressive but generic skills like dousing levels in fire and lava or bestowing upon you and your friends health-regenerating benefits.
You may increase the build crafting variation even more by upgrading your spells, weapons, and equipment by adding runes and other upgrades to give them unique modifications.
One of my favorite things about action-RPGs is how much space there is for replay-ability and a number of different playstyles, especially with nine beginning character classes to pick from (plus four more that can be acquired later).
It’s also wonderful that a lot of the sections you’ll battle your way through are genuinely difficult; they’re frequently populated with elite adversaries that swarm you with powerful blows in cramped spaces where there are plenty of chances to lose your life.
Entering the Umbral world presents a thrilling and exhilarating experience, but it also brings more opponents and danger. The only real problem is that adversaries are as stupid as a sack of hair, which isn’t particularly unusual for the genre, but it’s still funny to watch these ninnies struggle to figure out the geometry of the environment and then stand there while you hit them with lightning balls over and over again.
Your magical lamp and its connection to the parallel Umbral realm are not only fantastic for exploration but also quite helpful in battle. This is mainly because you can use its Soul Flay ability to rip out an enemy’s soul, stopping them in their tracks and giving you plenty of time to deal damage.
If you’re feeling very nasty, you may even cast their soul over a cliff, causing them to plummet to their death when their body eventually catches up. This is a very handy way to get rid of annoying people who would be dumb enough to approach you close to a cliff.
Additionally, certain foes will have near-invincible supernatural protection. The only way to neutralize this protection is to shine your flashlight on a concealed eyeball nearby to destroy it. The awesomeness of the dual-reality shifting feature is brought to light when players find ways to play with it during combat.
Of course, no souls-like would be complete without spectacular boss battles against repulsive monsters, and Lords of the Fallen features some awesome ones, like a monstrous dragon that appears to pursue you throughout your journey and a gigantic crow that tries to bury you in ice.
Unfortunately, they’re not at all difficult, in contrast to the levels that came before them. Death is not common while facing bosses since they all attack you with telegraphed, sluggish moves, and surprisingly adequate health bars.
The basic AI also allows for lots of gaps in the action for healing. A lot of these bouts are relatively ordinary, serving more as a means of introducing a new elite adversary that will also be employed more frequently later on.
The Good and Bad
This otherwise fantastic bundle is surrounded by a fair amount of bugs. A few game crashes occurred to me, several awesome combat confrontations were destroyed by adversaries who were immobile in the surroundings, I was unable to execute some button instructions, like blocking, for extended periods of time, and more.
Additionally, there are a few strange non-bug quirks, such as the fact that the loading screen appears each time a player rests at a checkpoint and that Lords of the Fallen occasionally retains the unattractive original Dark Souls energy.
Some of those rough edges become much more apparent while playing with a buddy since it brings in other dubious features, such as the teleportation of co-op partners that happens when they go too far and is followed by a loading screen.
But these loading screens frequently take just enough time for the host to have moved out of view by the time you load back in, which results in an additional loading screen.
The strange absence of any sort of in-world sign guiding you in your friend’s direction also makes it impossible to determine where the host is, making it simple to lose sight of them and get split apart.
However, playing with a buddy is still enjoyable and offers the helping player a ton of resources and equipment along the road, unlike FromSoftware titles that frequently send them back to their own realm after every boss fight. My group and I are eager to revisit some of the locations and adversaries in fresh Game+ based on what I’ve played so far.
There’s fresh mythology, a whole new skill tree to try out, and, of course, more challenging monsters to defeat. It’s unfortunate that none of the boss fights have yet proven very difficult due to the increased level, but the sections in between are still well worth the trip.
Final Verdict
Lords of the Fallen is a fantastic souls-like game, and its revolutionary concept of switching between two different worlds to defeat opponents and solve puzzles is a brilliant way to make it stand out from the competition.
Although poor boss battles and a plethora of extremely frustrating technical bugs hamper that notion, amazing explorable locations and excellent buildcrafting more than make up for it. In spite of the obvious glut of action-RPGs out there, if, like me, you can’t get enough of good ones, then this relaunch is well worth your time.
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280W Power Supply, 6-Cell 83 WHr Battery, Up to 8hours battery life
INPUT PORTS
HDMI, 2x USB 3.2 Type-C, Headphone/Microphone Combo Jack
MISC
802.11ax Wifi, Bluetooth 5.3, Ethernet LAN (RJ-45) connection | Color: Shadow Black
PROS
Stylish design
Good display with acceptable brightness
Excellent performance with great graphics
Good battery life
Decent price
CONS
Tends to get warm
Mediocre keyboard
HP Omen 16 Gaming Laptop – Overview
In the market for a reliable gaming laptop at a fair price? Your best option could be the HP Omen 16 gaming laptop. With its Ryzen 9 7940HS and RTX 4070 components, the Omen 16 delivers a potent combination. Complete the package with a respectable 16.1-inch display and long-lasting battery. What then is the catch? Although it has a poor keyboard and can become a little warm, its biggest flaw is that it doesn’t really shine in any one area. It isn’t a star, but it is okay overall.
Over the years, Omen laptops have seen several redesigns. In 2023, HP decided for a very understated style. Choosing to move away from the busier or more gaudy styles of the previous ten years, it’s a contemporary and appropriate option for the laptop market today.
The HP Omen 16 gaming laptop of today is a sleek slab with a hint of metallic sheen. Although the official color is Mica Silver, which is a dark gray, it is also available in black and white, both of which have a sleek appearance. The logo, which has a straightforward reflecting diamond above the Omen name and an overall rather clean design, is even more appealing than previous iterations.
Though it doesn’t have an overly large footprint, the Omen 16 is still far from the lightest gaming laptop available at 16 inches. The Omen 16 weighs 5.3 pounds (2,4 kg). The laptop feels heavier, maybe due to its density, but the entire set is somewhat portable when required.
There’s no shortage of space for productivity and gaming with the 16-inch display. Especially in midrange to high-end gaming laptops, it’s been popular over the past year and offers a pleasant halfway ground between 15.6- and 17.3-inch computers. For people who like to shift their gaming laptops sometimes, the Omen’s medium weight and thin design make it a good option.
The display specs are really simple. It combines a 144Hz refresh rate with full HD (1,920 by 1,080-pixel) resolution, which is virtually the standard for contemporary gaming systems. This is a significant improvement over the typical 60Hz refresh rate of consumer laptops, and playing games at high frame rates is easier with the 1080p resolution.
At this price, it’s understandable to be dissatisfied that the screen only goes as far as full HD, or at the very least, that the refresh rate maximum isn’t greater. Other Omen 16 variants with a refresh rate of 165 Hz or 1440p are available from HP.
Nevertheless, 1080p gaming works well at 144Hz, which puts the pricing closer to the center of the market than the upper end. Although nothing special, the display quality is adequate in terms of sharpness, brightness, and color.
The remainder of the structure is typical. While there’s nothing really wrong with the keyboard, it’s also not very gratifying. The keys aren’t precisely mushy, but they also don’t provide much feedback. The touchpad, however, is spacious but has a shoddy feel about it. These comparatively little components, which make more sense in the base model than in more expensive variants, presumably aid in lowering the price.
Connectivity is one area where the Omen 16 shines. There are a few ports on each flank, and a few more around the back.
A USB Type-A (5Gbps) port, an Ethernet port, and a headphone jack are located on the left side, while two more 5Gbps USB-A ports are located on the right. The power connector, two 10Gbps USB Type-C ports with power supply, and an HDMI monitor port are located on the back.
Overall, the HP Omen 16 gaming laptop comes with midrange specs that is reflected according to the price. Let’s see in more detail what this midrange gaming laptop is all about.
Design
Once more, the Omen 16 has a sophisticated appearance thanks to its velvety black finish and glossy black Omen logo. The inside is simple black, with a keyboard typeface and 16 logo that seem a touch too gamey. Although the display’s bezels are rather narrow, there is still space at the top for a camera and privacy shutter.
The HP Omen 16 measures 14.5 x 10.2 x 0.9 inches and weighs 5.4 pounds. Like its twin, the keys aren’t clicky; rather, they seem a little spongy and tiny, although they are sufficiently spaced. Although the absence of texture on the keys initially confused me, it wasn’t that horrible after I got used to it.
The keys could need more feedback, though. The WASD keys are located in one of the four key illumination zones on the Omen 16. The Light Studio is located in the Omen Game Hub, but you’ll need to install it because it’s not already there. You may then alter your lighting profile from there.
The HP Omen 16 has ports all over it. Two Thunderbolt 4 connectors and a headphone jack are located on the device’s left side, while one USB Type-A port is located on its right side. The power jack, an Ethernet connector, an HDMI port, and one USB Type-A port are all located on the rear of the Omen. If theses are not enough, you can always get a USB Hub.
Bottomline. The HP Omen 16 gaming laptop comes with a stylish design. It’s not that heavy, has a sufficient number of input ports, and comes with a backlit keyboard that may take awhile to get used to.
Display
You have enough of workspace for gaming and working on the 16.1-inch display. It’s a popular size that falls between 15.6- and 17.3-inch computers, and it’s notably common in mid-range to high-end gaming laptops.
The Omen 16 is a good compromise for individuals who wish to move their gaming laptops at least sometimes given its thin design and middleweight weight.
The Omen 16’s display features full HD (1,920 by 1,080-pixel) resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate, which is virtually the standard for contemporary gaming systems. The latter is a notable improvement above the typical 60Hz refresh rate of consumer laptops, and the 1080p resolution is easier to run games at high frame rates.
At this price, it’s reasonable to be dissatisfied that the screen’s resolution is limited to full HD, or at the very least, that the refresh rate maximum isn’t greater. Other Omen 16 models with 1440p resolution are available from HP.
The pricing is kept in the center rather than at the top end of the market since 165Hz is still a good match for 1080p gaming. Although the display quality isn’t exceptional, it is sufficient in terms of sharpness, brightness, and color.
Overall, the display of the HP Omen 16 gaming laptop does the job well but it would be better. It’s detailed, produces great colors and good brightness, and gaming looks and feels awesome, but 1080p feels standard, and this is not a cheap gaming laptop.
Performance
With its powerful AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, the Omen 16 is powered by a unique combination that is hard to find in other modern devices.
Even while the comparatively meager 16 GB of RAM and the rather modest 512-GB SSD support these components, you may at least more easily update those parts if you want additional memory.
Performance is just amazing. I tested the Omen 16 against almost every benchmark, and it handily outperformed the competition in every one of them, with the only close call being a narrowly missed score on the VRMark Orange Room test, where it just missed the high standard established by other laptops such as the HP Envy 16.
The system performed 2 to 30% better on everything else, and it even surprised me by demonstrating battery life of almost 8 hours while testing full-screen YouTube playing. That’s a huge boost because while testing gaming rigs in the last few years, including earlier Omen models, I was fortunate enough to get two hours of runtime.
Overall, the performance of the HP Omen 16 gaming laptop is impressive. For daily use its works very well, for gaming it also performs well but with a short battery capacity. It’s best that it’s plugged in for longer gaming sessions.
Battery Life
Thanks to its 83Wh battery, the HP Omen 16 has good battery life. In this category, the majority of gaming laptops are powered by 70–80 watts, which gives the Omen the advantage. Exact run times will be greatly influenced by workload and screen brightness.
All of our measurements were made with the brightness at 50%. On medium settings, we were able to attain 10.75 hours of idle runtime, 6 hours of movie playback, and 78 minutes of gaming. Very good figures for a gaming laptop.
Other Features
It’s not terrible, which is impressive for a little 1080p laptop webcam. The test photo from the Omen 16 did a really good job of capturing the hues in my face and clothing, emphasizing my pinkish skin tone and blue shirt.
However, the open window and the weak contrast caused my whole background to be blown out. The image was clear enough to show each of my head’s individual curls.
The HP Omen 16 had strong audio when using a pair of Bang & Olufsen speakers, however occasionally the crucial noises were missed. I turned up Kami Kehoe’s “SLEEP WHEN IM DEAD,” and the song’s opening vocals exploded through the speakers with a powerful punch.
The drums were heavy and the electric guitar was bright, but every now and then the two would blend together in the tune. The voices, however, were clear and prominent throughout.
The conversation and oncoming cars were audibly loud and clear in Cyberpunk 2077. However, occasionally the background music would drown out the conversation, so you would need to change the settings and experiment with sound mixing.
It didn’t sound as thick and weighty as I would have liked it to when I fired my shotgun at the attackers above. Instead, the sound was metallic yet hollow.
It may get hot so be careful where you put it. After playing for 15 minutes, the bottom reached 114 degrees Fahrenheit. The center of the touchpad and keyboard were each at an angle of 75 degrees.
The frightening statistic, however, is the far-rear underside, which measures 133 degrees. When not used for gaming, we have observed the bottom to be 95 degrees, the keyboard to be 89 degrees, and the touchpad to be 80 degrees.
Verdict
The HP Omen 16 gaming laptop isn’t the best gaming laptop in the market right now. However, rather focusing on its drawbacks such as the mediocre keyboard and its tendency to overheat in less than ideal locations, the HP Omen 16 is a good gaming laptop overall and well worth the money it currently costs.
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After all that, if you’re looking for a decent gaming laptop at a mid-range price than look no further than the HP Omen 16 gaming laptop. Click hereto fin out more and to purchase if you desire so.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is a consistently entertaining superhero power trip and offers Insomniac’s strongest story to date, despite its open world falling short.
With Marvel Spider Man 2, Insomniac has the difficult burden of following up two enthralling, heartfelt, and exciting superhero fantasies. Although having an issue like that may sound like a wonderful thing, what happens next? Its response is to intensify its efforts. Boost your Spider-Men efforts. Increase the map’s size twofold. Increase the number of intense action scenes.
In doing so, the studio has created the finest plot in the series’ history as well as another continually thrilling rollercoaster ride. However, when compared to the first Spider-Man game in other aspects, the sequel might appear to be two Spider-Man games heading in the same direction.
Despite the game’s wider geography, the most of the open-world activities available there are in serious need of adaptation. The game’s fantastic combat hasn’t lost any of its freshness, but it is still generally entertaining as before. The end product is a blockbuster in the truest sense of the word—unquestionably exhilarating for extended parts yet formulaic in other instances.
Spider-Man 2’s fighting is quite familiar, even though it has a few new tricks up its sleeve. It no longer has that new suit scent, but it still feels very cozy to snuggle back into.
In addition to seeking high-hit combos to make the battle as stylish as possible, the rhythm of precise dodges, the new flawless parries, and acrobatic finishers are immensely enjoyable. The attacks are crushing and the movement is fluid, like a hybrid of peanut butter that each of your enemies is allergic to.
Enemies are flung around like dolls, juggled in the air, bashed across concrete floors, and hurled into each other like body-armored bowling pins—but, of course, never killed—in a brick-to-the-face dance that combines power and beauty. Even if every organ is ruptured and a bone is shattered in their body, they will undoubtedly continue to live and perpetrate atrocities.
Overall, this time around, stealth encounters aren’t as heavily stressed as they were in Miles Morales or Spider-Man. This new, noisier approach is appreciated by someone who thought the stealth action in the earlier games was a touch too simple and repetitive.
The Gameplay
Spider Man 2 is much more eager for you to get into the action, with many abilities designed to let you group enemies and then deal big damage to all of them at once, rather than spreading them out to pick them off one by one. Of course, there are story missions where Miles or Peter have to slink across ceilings and take out thugs who never look up, but Spider Man 2 is much more eager for you to get into the action.
Playfully incorporating this principle is a new favorite device called the Web Grabber, which draws foes in from a distance and causes them to collide. Peter may now join in on the fun I had using this before launching a powerful burst of Miles’ Venom lightning upon a group of baddies.
It takes a little longer than I anticipated, but once Parker puts on the symbiote suit that has previously been seen in the trailers, the furious capabilities that it confers have a significant impact, giving bouts more of a brawler feel and providing Peter a set of tools to counter Miles’ pleasing electric skills.
They’re equally fun since I have the impression that the suit is attempting to escape from the quaking Dual-Sense controller in my hands. This aggressive playing style is rewarded because the sole method to heal is by filling up your focus bar, which you achieve by hitting strikes and timing precise dodges. It’s also a technique to make sure that the thrilling fighting pace never stops.
You won’t be whacking the same five balaclava thugs with baseball bats anymore thanks to Spider-Man 2’s increased adversary variety, which is one area where Insomniac made changes. You’re kept on your toes by new groups and troops like cultists with flamethrowers that keep you at a distance, flying drones, and hunters who set up laser grids above your head to prevent aerial strikes.
It also provides a fun new twist to battles when some adversaries are weak to specific sorts of assaults, like electric or symbiote attacks. It’s by no means ground-breaking, but it adds a nice layer of complexity that forces you to think about whether Spider-Man or power is optimal for a certain task.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t advantages to being cunning, especially if you’re playing as Miles and employing his invisibility ability to stealthily eliminate adversaries. There are several perch takedown options available, as well as brand-new playthings like the Web Line, which lets you build your own highwires over your opponents to pounce on them from above.
It’s a fun tool that lets you turn the battlefield in the intricately built arenas more to your liking while also redecorating the space with web-wrapped human pinatas. On the other hand, because you clear out foes using much the same strategies as in combat, stealth isn’t that different from the numerous warehouse confrontations you’ll have experienced in the prior games.
Regarding covert operations, the original playable MJ scenes come back, and while they are more involved this time and serve the narrative nicely, they never amount to anything more than straightforward stealth missions or brief bursts of third-person gunfire.
She is definitely not ignored, but it seems like more could’ve been done to make her gameplay parts more interesting or at the very least more consistent with her established persona as an intrepid investigative reporter than the assignments she is assigned here.
With additional spins and flips added to their arsenal, our Spider-Men may now swing around their friendly communities in more spectacular ways than before, giving them a Tony Hawk-like edge. Web acrobatics are still one of the most enjoyable methods to navigate any open area and are quite satisfying.
The new web wings, however, are unquestionably a standout feature. Like Batman before him, Spider-Man can now glide and soar through the city with ease, but there are still limitations. You’ll need to learn how to control your altitude and forward momentum with the help of the city’s windy corridors, which can quickly transport you from one district to the next.
The Story
The narrative gracefully transitions between comical antics and serious introspection. The ability to put on the suit and go into Kratos-like wrath mode, where you press in both thumb sticks and begin one-hitting everything in your way, is unquestionably entertaining, but the authors never once fail to focus on the humanity that exists inside these superhumans.
As Spider-Man 2 explores the motivations behind each character’s actions and the possibility of good lurking in the shadows of evil, the same can be said for both its heroes and villains.
As this is very much a sequel that incorporates both storylines and characters from the earlier games and related DLC, it is helpful to have a quick refresher of both Peter and Miles’ prior adventures accessible for those with fuzzy memories.
Since Spider-Man 2 builds on the original two games in both its gameplay and plot, you won’t want to jump in here for the first time. Of course, there’s little reason not to, given that those games were equally terrific.
To avoid giving anything away, let’s just say that Kraven the Hunter, who is, well, seeking a hunt, is the main character. He’s essentially The Predator, an Apex predator endowed with tremendous strength who has selected New York as his new hunting field, for those who are unfamiliar with the concept. As he sets his eyes on the largest prey imaginable, it’s a wonderful beginning point that upends the city’s hero and villain relationship.
Though they might appear less significant in the context of the general mayhem in the city, the smaller storylines in play feel like they might destroy the world to people who live there.
Both Spider-Men explore a variety of personal concerns, such as strained relationships and grief, that haunt us as humans, no matter how superpowered we may feel. They take on the most extreme examples of attempting to manage a work/life balance you can imagine.
Although somewhat clichéd, it’s the best-written narrative in the series thus far, and the actors provide performances that match the writing. That it covers such a broad range of topics without experiencing tonal whiplash is a true success. The film’s standout scene is a spectacular mission that takes place in front of the glistening amusement park attractions of Coney Island.
It successfully distills the emotional tension of the plot and captures its essence before emphatically crushing it. Spider-Man 2 is mostly a Peter Parker narrative, exploring his relationship with MJ and the reappearance of his boyhood best buddy Harry Osborne.
It’s always interesting to see him struggle with deciding which aspects of the past to let go of and who he wants to be in the future. I couldn’t help but see Uncharted’s influence more strongly than ever in parts of the missions when you play as regular, everyday Peter, both in the storytelling methods it employs and the jaw-dropping action sequences when he dons the suit.
However chaotic the situation becomes, he always has a snappy one-liner prepared to be delivered to perfection by actor Yuri Lowenthal. Even if some of the most intriguing explorations of Miles’ Puerto Rican/African American culture are saved for side objectives, Miles still gets his time in the limelight and has some excellent moments toward the conclusion of the main campaign.
Naturally, the lessons you draw from the narrative and its varied array of people will be particular to you. There are deeper undertones to be found in this story as well; on the surface, it’s just another exciting superhero tale full of shocks, cameos, and Easter eggs.
Themes of adolescence and puberty are addressed in Spider-Man 2 and, to a certain extent, in all great Spider-Man stories. Puberty is a period of uncertainty for even the most typical of youngsters struggling to manage body secretions. We pick off where Miles left off, when his relationships with his family and friends are fraying, and when he is faced with his first significant life decisions.
As we watch a younger Spider-Man develop in front of our eyes, actor Nadji Jeter continues to shine in the role and exhibits all the versatility required. These motifs take on a far more concrete form for Peter. Being in his early 20s, he has already experienced the trying times Miles is going through, but because of the symbiote suit, he is going through further physical changes.
This physical form also serves as a metaphor for the many mental health problems that each Spider-Man has experienced. The main protagonists are shrouded in black as if they are in a state of mourning while Venom looms over them like a specter of sorrow.
The narrative does a fantastic job of subtly examining these themes and how, if not dealt with appropriately, inner demons may consume us and cause us to unwittingly hurt and antagonize others we care about.
Of course, a hero would be nothing without his or her foes, and Spider-Man has an almost unrivaled cast of antagonists. Insomniac has many more tricks up its sleeve than the likes of Venom, Kraven, and Lizard featured in the trailers. The only thing I’ll say about any of these is that Spider-Man 2 begins with a boom and introduces a feeling of scale that hasn’t been there in the series before.
It’s a thrilling return to the franchise that challenges your memory of the combat while also imparting a few new skills. Additionally, it ushers in a fresh optional side-story villain thread. While they don’t provide much in the way of new gameplay mechanics, these do add valuable supplemental plot pieces. They offer these foes additional character depth, elevating them from being one-off boss fight props to whole people.
Speaking of boss fights, that are one aspect of the game that improves significantly from our early tangos with Kingpin, Vulture, and the others. One of the things I found lacking in the original game in Insomniac’s series was how many of the showdowns felt uninspired, with their quick time-heavy confrontations having little effect.
Miles Morales was improved, but in the full-fledged sequel, boss fights are brought to life. Even if you sometimes have to wait a bit too long for them, they never fail to thrill. They are constantly changing brawls full of peril that put your whole skill set to the test. Dodges and parries are essential, as well as making use of the many equipment scattered throughout the arenas.
The last part of the game effectively turns into a boss rush mode that will test even the strongest of thumbs – not necessarily because it ever gets too challenging, but rather because you’ll be pressing the Square button so frequently.
The majority of Spider-Man 2’s thrills, however, come in the latter half of the film because it finally finds its footing and decisively closes a story with enormous emotional depth that never once seems to be waning.
Before I reached 100% of the main tale, it took me around 18 hours to finish. After 27 hours overall, the platinum medal appeared to commend my efforts. Spider-Man 2 will toss you a lot of side activities to complete in order to get that prized trophy, and although not everyone must or should, it serves as a reminder that quantity doesn’t necessarily equate to quality.
This is still, unabashedly, an old-school approach to open-world game design, and nowhere is this more evident than in its optional tasks, despite whatever loftier intentions the tale may have.
To their credit, the right stick feature that allows you to emphasize side goals over simple map symbols is a good improvement. Even without it, you may tell there are activities nearby by looking for foreboding skies or blazing purple roofs.
Although this isn’t necessarily a world that begs for exploration or discovery, it is a step in the right direction toward enhancing immersion and, fortunately, decreasing the amount of time spent staring at the map screen.
Despite this, I couldn’t help but wish that New York had seen a few more glimpses of Gotham City. Although it always cheated by finding methods to keep people off the streets, Rocksteady’s superhero open world seemed more dynamic than what we got here thanks to things like the sudden shock of Man-bat leaping at you out of nowhere.
What’s not so Great
It’s a little disheartening to see Insomniac’s franchise trapped in the past when it comes to its side content and how it presents itself to you, especially when you consider the growth of open-world game design that the Arkham series underwent over the course of the trilogy and its deep villain side missions.
There are lots of standard open-world filler activities here, and that’s one area where Spider-Man 2 hasn’t kept up with the times or demonstrated any ambition. Despite having a few somewhat more intriguing oddities this time around, collectibles, picture opportunities, and very basic street crimes are still there and only very seldom thrill.
The button-mashing from past games is thankfully almost gone, so you’ll frequently be halting the same escapes with the same few button clicks or preventing a break-in by beating up the same few bad guys.
Although these activities now last a little longer before becoming monotonous than they did in the past, there isn’t quite a strong enough twist to make choosing to photograph a few amateur cosplayers over saving a house full of people from a raging fire seem reasonable.
The Brooklyn Visions mascot must be rescued from a rival school by completing a series of light and mirror puzzles. These cute, brief side quests add a touch of fun, but I’d want to see more life added to this world to match its visual magnificence. These people do give the planet and its mainly homogeneous population of NPCs—whom you’re obviously not supposed to look at too closely—a little bit more flavor.
What’s Awesome
However, there are several notable outliers, including a few longer and more intricate questlines that are far more satisfying—almost to the point of becoming a collection of mini-main plot tasks. My favorite quest line was The Flame, which starts out by just aiding the fire department but rapidly develops a complex and enigmatic web.
It stands out from the rest of Spider-Man 2’s optional time trials and straightforward puzzle minigames because it is full of twists, turns, and shocks like a fantastic, brief comic book run.
Rewards for performing these many tasks come in a variety of forms, from simple tech components to increase your powers, to really fascinating tale hints for what’s to come. I did, however, sometimes wonder if these tiny, celebratory tidbits were worth the grind they too usually turned out to be because the activities are frequently so boring and repetitious.
All of this helps New York, a metropolis now twice the size of what we’ve seen previously that includes the lush residential streets of Queens and the busy borough of Brooklyn, battle crime in every neighborhood.
There are 14 distinct districts, and you must accomplish the objectives in each one before you may access that area of the map quickly. rapid travel shouldn’t be easily accessible, but to be honest, I hardly ever used it since swinging and gliding across the city is so much more enjoyable. Despite the fact that load times are nonexistent and the rapid, swooping camera effect of transitioning between Peter and Miles is awesome, I hardly ever utilized fast travel.
Naturally, you’ll want to look your best if you’re going to be catching your ray-traced, 4K reflection so frequently in that glass (assuming you choose the 30fps fidelity setting). Fear not, there are countless outfits to unlock, each with a variety of vibrant skins to choose from. There are surprises in store for Spider-Man fans of all ages, from fresh takes on classics to returning fan favorites.
A clever separation of form and function means that choosing the talents and powers you equip are distinct from your choice of suit, making them all just decorative items as well.
The soundtrack is excellent, and depending on who you’re managing, Miles’ or Peter’s own hallmark songs will play. This is in keeping with Insomniac’s track record.
The theme that follows Kraven, however, is a standout since it strongly resembles Howard Shore’s Uruk-hai battle march from The Lord of the Rings soundtrack. Even when played in performance mode at a reliable 60 frames per second, as I did for the most of my playtime, it creates a really beautiful environment.
In actuality, Spider-Man 2 as a whole is a technological wonder. With the exception of the very odd NPC getting trapped somewhere they shouldn’t, everything fits together beautifully, from the nearly immediate load speeds to the ability to pick a fast-travel spot and be there in a flash.
I can’t claim that over the many hours I spent playing, I ever saw a dropped frame. This enables Spider-Man 2 to shine at its most breath-taking moments, of which the main plot delivers many. The screen is filled with exploding action, glittering electrical effects, and appropriately nasty symbiote action.
Final Verdict
Marvel Spider Man 2 is a sequel to a fantastic franchise that is both fortunate and cursed. Its two Spider-Men tale is a blast to play through and a Spidey fan’s fantasy as comic book pages are brought to life, deftly balancing light humor and deeper issues.
While doing this, Insomniac adjusts and adds just enough new skills and modifications to the combat and web-swinging formulas to take them to enjoyable new heights without fundamentally altering any of them.
The open environment of New York City, which has been grown larger but not better, with an exhaustive checklist of largely repetitive side activities, feels like it genuinely required a dramatic rethink. Although its open world falls short, it’s still a consistently enjoyable superhero power trip.
It’s safe to say that this is yet another exhilarating Spider-Man journey that provides Insomniac’s strongest story to date. And what about that? Ignore it. I actually experienced a Spider-Man-like feeling.
If you like my review, please leave a comment below, along with questions you may have. If you’re interested in starting your web slinging journey, then click here to purchase the game.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 smartphone is one of the best to release this year. But with a high price tag and visible crease on the larger display may leave many potential buyers looking elsewhere.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 is a seamless device with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy processor and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and back. However, the foldable market might make a significant jump from the little move taken by the Fold range.
The gap-free body of the Galaxy Z Fold5 finally matches the competition and solves one of the lineup’s biggest problems: the ugly and unusable V-shaped gap when folded shut. With its IPX8 certification, it is still only equaled by the Huawei Mate X3, whose Armor metal frame and Victus glass exterior are the most reliable on the market.
For the Galaxy model, the processor has been improved to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with faster CPU and GPU speeds, and storage has been increased to UFS 4.0.
The remainder is copied and pasted from Fold4. The 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOELD 2X screen with 373ppi, 120Hz dynamic refresh rate, and HDR10+ is still a foldable AMOLED panel. It supports S-Pen input and includes a sophisticated 4MP camera hidden behind the display to prevent disruptions. Despite not being a component of the phone itself, the new, smaller S-Pen cover may be one of the most significant enhancements we receive this year.
The same 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED panel with 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ is available externally. While there is no S-Pen support, there is a punch hole here.
Another feature that was directly copied from the Fold4 is the back camera configuration. The new Snapdragon chipset will be hoped to assist the 50MP OIS main, 12MP ultrawide, and 10MP OIS 3x telephoto combination in enhancing image quality with its processing power.
Battery life is another area that can only be improved by the new chipset as the Fold5 has a 4,440mAh battery with 25W wired and 15W wireless charging capability.
It was undoubtedly written on the wall in the Fold5 R&D labs, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Although the unsightly gap is gone, the Fold5 still appears to be a makeover rather than a completely new design. Imagine a Galaxy Fold 4s.
Could there possibly be more to this new phone than first appears? Has Samsung concentrated on internal changes that enhance the user experience but don’t appear on the specifications sheet? Let’s investigate by taking a look inside the box.
Design
Thinner, lighter and easier to hold
Same design as previous model
Comes with water resistance
Build using quality materials
The design of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is clearly the result of iterative development. It shares a lot of similarities with the Galaxy Z Fold 4 at first appearance, but there are also significant and, in my opinion, positive distinctions.
With a weight reduction of about 11 grams over the previous generation, the Z Fold 5 is much lighter. Additionally, it weighs 30 grams less (252 g) than the substantial but superb Google Pixel Fold (402 grams).
More significantly, the glass-covered frame made of polished aluminum and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 can now be folded flat. When folded, the smartphone is substantially lighter and slimmer thanks to it and the millimeter of body thickness. It also feels good in your hands.
Samsung redesigned the hinge and the way the flexible display is bent inside it when you close the phone. However, the sweeping technology that was added to the hinge mechanism a few years ago to keep out crumbs and dust is still present.
The flexible display crease seems to have become significantly less obvious thanks to its improved hinge. Although it’s still visible and perceptible, it seems a little less obvious.
Most button and port locations are the same. On the top and bottom edges of the phone, there are speaker grills that are marginally smaller than those on the Z Fold 4. On the bottom, near to a microphone connector, is a USB-C port.
A single air vent and two microphones are located on the top. If the phone is open and the main screen is facing you, the physical SIM slot is on the left edge, while the power/fingerprint reader and volume rocker controls are on the right.
The fingerprint reader is one of two reliable biometric security choices, by the way. You may use the fingerprint reader or register your face to unlock. It’s simple to setup the security features with your face or pin code, and unlocks your phone quite quickly.
The hardware of the cameras, all five of them, has not changed from the Z Fold 4, however the back camera array has undergone a minor aesthetic adjustment. Samsung appears to have removed some metal from the aluminum island that encloses the three back lenses. The LED flash has also been relocated from the island and put close to the lens array.
Otherwise, nothing has changed. In comparison to the Fold 3, I loved the previous design and was pleased to see that Samsung was able to significantly widen the cover screen without expanding the phone chassis.
As soon as I open the Z Fold 5, I can clearly see the edge-to-edge screen, and it appears to be bigger. Samsung’s primary camera is cunningly concealed behind the primary foldable display and only becomes visible as a cutout when in use.
The way the hinge works is strong and slick. Despite hundreds of instances of opening and closing, the phone still felt secure when I first used it and still does. This Android phone is wonderfully made. In reality, I can attest from personal experience that Samsung is thorough and does not tolerate flaws in its Galaxy devices.
Without a doubt, the Z Fold 5 smartphone is beautiful from an aesthetic standpoint, with its polished, color-coordinated frame reminding one of a fancy bag or briefcase’s clasp. My favorite and the Fold 5’s distinctive color is Icy Blue. Other colors are available, such as Phantom Black, Cream (exclusive from Samsung.com), Gray, and Blue.
You can see sandwiched, polished aluminum, colorful glass on the back, and a big cover screen when it is folded shut. Despite having more thickness than a typical candy bar smartphone, it feels sturdy without being heavy and fits well in virtually any pocket.
One of the most robust foldables, it can withstand being submerged in water for 30 minutes thanks to its IPX8 certification. But that only applies to fresh water, not the salt water found at beaches. If you do take it to the beach, try not to drop it in the sand because it isn’t especially dust-resistant and the moving components won’t like it.
I ran my Galaxy Z Fold 5 under the faucet, but I didn’t entirely immerse the phone. It was fully undamaged after I dried it off. The overall design of the Z Fold 5 is not anything new, but it does have better features.
Display
Impressive displays both cover and main
No changes to resolution, screen size and refresh rate
Crease on main display is hardly noticeable
The 6.2-inch AMOLED (2316 x 904) outside display has a selfie camera with a punch-hole. It is responsive, bright, and angular. This cover screen has a customizable refresh rate of 48-120Hz, much like its predecessor.
The stated screen size can be a little deceiving. Yes, it is wider than the 6.12-inch display on my iPhone 14 Pro, measuring 6.2 inches diagonally, but it is also smaller. My iPhone 14 Pro and the Pixel Fold are both noticeably (almost half an inch) bigger.
Because of the tiny cover screen, this phone is still easy to carry even when it is folded to be twice as thick as the normal iPhone. But when compared to other smartphones, particularly the roomy Google Pixel Fold cover screen, it frequently feels constrained in usage.
Although the Pixel Fold showed me what was possible, I can no longer live with thumb typing on the too-narrow display of the Z Fold 5’s cover screen. And this is significant because, despite the fact that this is a dual-screen gadget with lots of productive potential, I spent a lot of time on the road with it folded shut.
The cover screen should be just as functional as the main screen, as it is on the Pixel Fold, but it isn’t, at least not in comparison.
When you unfold the phone, a stunning 7.6-inch small tablet display is revealed. Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel, 2176 x 1812 resolution (374ppi), and 1-120Hz adjustable refresh rate are its perfect specifications and resolution. Having said that, this is an excellent display for browsing websites, checking email, and perusing social media.
While utilizing the display to play games, watch Netflix, shoot photographs (using it as your big-screen viewfinder), and manage numerous applications at once, you won’t notice the flexible screen crease (even if it appears a little less obvious).
Even though it has a slightly lesser resolution and pixel density (the Pixel Fold has a 2208×1840 OLED at 380ppi), this screen is more than comparable to the Pixel Fold’s. I like how the Z Fold 5’s screen extends all the way to the edge and how Samsung chose to conceal the internal front-facing camera behind a sparse patch of pixels that it can switch off when not in use rather than utilizing a larger bezel.
I don’t understand why Samsung chose to stick with the 4MP camera rather than switching to a better resolution sensor (like what you’ll find on the Pixel Fold), but at least the 7.6-inch foldable display is excellent.
The display’s advertised 1,750nit peak brightness (our lab testing hit 1,350nits in HDR mode), which I frequently used outside, was more than adequate of blocking out direct sunlight.
The phone’s displays are both touchscreens, of course, but the folding display has the advantage of accepting pen input via Samsung’s S Pen stylus. Samsung provided the new $99 / £99 Galaxy Z Fold 5 Slim S Pen cover, which is itself a pretty interesting feat of engineering, as the phone doesn’t come with one. Just above the stylus, there is a tiny S Pen release. I just depress the button to release it, and the S Pen emerges from the casing.
If I’m being really honest, I don’t like how thin the newest S Pen is. Having saying that, I liked using it on the primary display. With applications like Sketchbook, it’s fantastic for taking notes quickly and even sketching. There isn’t a better option, in my opinion, if you’re considering purchasing a case for your new Z Fold 5, than one that also contains this pen.
On the huge primary display, everything appears to be in fantastic condition. It’s ideal for my passion with Asphalt 9: Legends and for viewing movies on the train. Its flexibility also makes it versatile.
With a screen the size of a tablet, multitasking is an option. I had no issue dragging and dropping up to three applications into place to launch them. I can press the ellipsis in the middle of my trio of applications to switch between the three places.
You might wish you could open more applications at once, but I believe three is sufficient for readability and functionality. Drag and drop operations between these two displays are similarly simple. In this case, having one app on the left and another on the right makes sense (for example, mail on the left and photos you want to drop in on the right).
Soon after receiving my review sample from Samsung, I made the decision to rely only on the Galaxy Z Fold 5 to direct me as I walked from a restaurant back to my hotel in Seoul. I launched Google Maps on the 7.6-inch display after unfolding the phone and started looking for my accommodation.
Maps located it and could pinpoint my location and travel direction with a small blue dot. Because Maps couldn’t produce walking instructions in South Korea, that was useful. I only needed to stroll while keeping an eye on my blue dot on the large screen. I was back in my hotel room in fifteen minutes.
I can sit the phone on the table, fold the screen 90 degrees, and watch movies on one side of the screen while scrolling through my photographs and videos or use Flex Mode to shoot shots by waving at the screen. The Z Fold 5 also functions as a tripod by itself.
I would set it down on a chair, table, or other flat surface, point the back cameras at my subject (people, the sky, the stars), and then use the settings on the screen to snap the picture either right away or, if I didn’t want to take the chance of moving the phone, on a timer. Hyperlapses of stars moving over the night sky and groups of people passing by are both fantastic subjects for this kind of video.
There isn’t a “Tent Mode” on this device as there is on the Pixel Fold, which would allow you to half unfold the phone and play content horizontally on the Cover screen. Given how little that monitor is, this is definitely reasonable.
Camera
No drastic changes from Z Fold 4
Impressive photo and video quality
I can see the plan with the Z Fold 5 even though it’s rare for a phone maker like Samsung to keep all of its cameras the same from one model to the next. Few individuals own foldable phones or have purchased the Z Fold 4. Do you see many individuals sporting them at the park or on the train as you look around? Exactly.
Samsung has a point when it says that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 (or its sexier sibling, the Galaxy Z Flip 5) may be customers’ introduction to foldable phones. With one exception, the Z Fold 4’s camera collection was pretty strong. It’s doubtful that you won’t like what Samsung has to offer in this area.
Given the fact that options for foldable phones are expanding at an exponential rate, there is obviously a concern. Don’t even get me started on the abundance of folding alternatives available to customers in the UK and Europe (entry from Oppo, Honor, and Huawei come to mind); it’s been a while since I evaluated the Z Fold 4. Google introduced the Pixel Fold since I last reviewed the Z Fold 4, and it does, in some respects, surpass the Z Fold 5’s photographic capabilities.
With a 5x optical zoom compared to Samsung’s 3x magnification, Google excels above Samsung in this specific area. Although Samsung may brag about its remarkable 30x spatial zoom capabilities, images shot with that digitally enhanced feature don’t hold up all that well when compared to other cameras. Additionally, part of the graphics combines actual images with what AI knows about your subject. That, in my opinion, is not true photography.
Nevertheless, I had a great time utilizing the Z Fold 5’s cameras. In certain circumstances, the images and portrait mode photographs are amazing. The tendency of Samsung to intensify the colors largely works in its advantage. I do enjoy a sky that is even more spectacularly blue and more purple flowers. Although authenticity may not be Samsung’s strong te, I believe everyone will like your Galaxy Z Fold 5 pictures.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 delivers superior picture processing, which I saw on exhibit in the great low-light night photography, despite the fact that Samsung didn’t alter the sensors. The pictures are pretty good, whether they were taken in a restaurant where a 20-course Korean meal was being served or of the lovely Seoul cityscape.
Even when taking pictures in portrait mode, the camera is quick. I photographed several people who were learning to juggle, and I was astounded by the primary 50MP camera’s ability to not only capture the jugglers in action but also to recognize the balls in flight and bring them into focus alongside my subject.
My argument is that, if you have a decent lens and sensor, sometimes all you need to do to improve speed and image processing is upgrade the silicon. I took the majority of my Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 photos with the phone closed, utilizing one of the three rear cameras as my viewfinder and the cover screen as a flash.
The main screen is accessible if I open the phone, but it’s a little cumbersome. I could utilize the greatest cameras on the phone, the 10MP cover display camera (recommended), the 4MP folding display camera (not recommended but fine for video conferencing), or both for a selfie.
I did this by unfolding the phone and choosing the “Cover Preview Screen” icon in the camera app’s upper right-hand corner. Due to the back camera array facing me, I was able to utilize the cover screen as my viewfinder. By moving the lock icon on the cover screen to the left or right, I could even have complete control over all photographic functions.
This is because, whether you’re shooting conventional photos or selfies, you can shoot using the phone’s greatest camera system. Although it’s a good feature, I didn’t like photographing with my phone unfurled in general since I was afraid of dropping it.
I also recorded some video, up to 8K 30fps, and was happy to see that there was no stuttering while recording or playback. However, I do believe that the playback of the 4K 60fps video is a little bit more buttery smooth. In either case, this phone can record some excellent films.
The auteurs among us have the option of shooting in Pro video mode, which offers them full control over the camera’s settings, including focal point, speed, and microphone (omnidirectional rather than simply front or rear, or even an external microphone).
Even while Samsung sometimes tucks away useful features inside the “More” menu, its Camera app is generally richer than Apple’s. You may select “Pro” (under More) for manual control. Additionally, you may capture 12MP stills (by merging four pixels at a time) or 50MP raw pictures with the free Samsung Expert Raw program.
You can adjust every manual option on your camera with it as well. Although it’s still a mystery to me why these phones don’t come with Expert Raw pre-installed, at least it’s available.
Compared to Apple, Samsung often provides you more control over camera functions. Similar to Apple’s Timelapse, Hyperlapse has six settings and explains how to utilize each one (300x is ideal for observing the stars, for instance).
Performance
Same chipset from the S23 series smartphones
Impressive performance
Base model starts at 12GB of memory and 256GB of storage
Impressive gaming graphics
Samsung may not have made many changes to the cameras or other parts of the Galaxy Z Fold 5, but it changed the important parts. There is the still-new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 ‘for Galaxy’ SoC, which is now also included in the complete Galaxy S23 series. This slightly overclocked version of the CPU.
Twelve gigabytes of (LPDDR5X) RAM support that. Together, they contributed to a simple and enjoyable user experience.
According to the results of our Geekbench 6 testing, Qualcomm’s silicon outperforms the Tensor G2 CPU in the Google Pixel Fold in terms of single-core performance (2050 vs. 1179) and multi-core (5302 for the Z Fold 5 vs. 3759 for the Pixel Fold). The Z Fold 5 fared nearly twice as well as the Pixel Fold in one of our OpenGL tests that measures graphics performance.
The majority of top-tier mobile chipsets, however, are more than quick enough for almost everything you might imagine doing with a smartphone. In other words, while most common and more demanding video and picture editing operations seemed similarly quick on the Z Fold 5 and Google Pixel Fold, it is in prolonged usage that the extra overhead provided by the Samsung device shows out.
I raced around San Francisco in Asphalt 9: Legends while playing Call of Duty Warzone Mobile at the maximum visual quality and framerate possible without any tearing or stuttering. I also used PowerDirector to simultaneously edit multiple 4K video streams (I notice that most mobile video editors are unable to edit the 8K footage). This portable is equipped to handle almost everything.
This is a 5G phone, so it goes without saying that I experienced strong connections and quick downloads in areas with decent coverage. Both an eSIM and a conventional SIM are supported. Excellent performance in the workplace and at home as well as decent future-proofing were made possible with Wi-Fi 6e support.
Battery Life
No change to battery from the Z Fold 4
Supports fast wired, wireless, and reverse wireless
Samsung didn’t adjust the battery size between the Z Fold 4 and Z Fold 5. The Pixel Fold has a battery capacity of 4,727mAh and weighs 30 grams more than the Z Fold 5; this means that 4,400mAh is less than the Pixel Fold.
Samsung claims its devices would have all-day battery life, and I regularly experienced this. On most days, it was used for at least 15 hours.
The phone is compatible with Samsung’s version of “Super Fast charging,” which recharges 50% in 30 minutes. In our experiments, a 65W power adaptor allowed us to recharge to 56% capacity in 30 minutes.
However, just the USB-C cable is included in the package, so if you want to charge your device as quickly as possible, you’ll need to purchase one of those appropriate 65W or 45W adapters.
On several Qi wireless chargers, I was also successful in charging my device. When activated in Settings, the phone also enables wireless PowerShare, allowing you to stack Samsung phones on top of one another to transfer battery power between them (or to earphones or a compatible timepiece).
Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a significant improvement to the Z Fold 4, giving the foldable smartphone formula a flatter and lighter design. It has sufficient power, adaptability, and premium parts and materials.
However, the identical features to the older model, the Z Fold 4, such as the battery, chipset, the camera system and the little cover screen fall short when compared to the considerably broader competitor, such as the Google Pixel Fold. At least it’s better than the older Z Fold 4.
Should you buy it? Yes you should, if you can afford it. Although the Z Fold 5 is coming at a high price, it tick all the right boxes. So if you work in corporate, then this your ideal smartphone.
Any comments are welcome here below. If you also have questions then, leave them also below and I’ve get back to you soonest. If you want to find out more about this amazing smartphone, click here.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is an amazing phone for those seeking a compact 6.7-inch smartphone that maximizes space efficiency. It’s also perfect for anyone in search of an entertaining and distinctive device.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is the smallest phone in Samsung’s foldable series, which also includes the larger Galaxy Z Fold 5 . While the Z Fold 5 turns a regular-sized phone into a tablet, the Z Flip 5 focuses on making a big screen smaller, more enjoyable, and easier to fit in your pocket.
The Fold is designed for power users and opens like a book, while the Flip bends at the waist and is designed for casual users who want a sleek, powerful phone that can be flipped closed for maximum mobility.
The Flip 5 is slightly better than the Z Flip 4, with some minor spec improvements and the ability to fold completely flat (just like the $999.99 Motorola Razr+). The new hardware is not only stunning but also durable, with an IPX8 rating and Gorilla Glass Victus 2. Samsung claims that the new hinge is even more robust than before.
One notable upgrade is the increased size of the exterior display, which enhances its usefulness. Samsung and Motorola have different approaches to utilizing their front screens, and this is what sets these phones apart the most. Depending on what you’re looking for in a modern flip phone, either the Z Flip 5 or the Razr+ will meet your needs.
So, if you’re after a compact and stylish phone that can easily fit in your pocket, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a great choice. It offers a fantastic folding experience and some impressive features. However, if you prefer a different design and user experience, the Motorola Razr+ is also worth considering. Ultimately, it all comes down to your personal preferences and priorities.
Improvements to the Design
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a stunning and sophisticated device that exudes durability, all while weighing a mere 6.6 ounces. This puts it in the same weight range as the Motorola Razr+, which weighs between 6.5 and 6.7 ounces (depending on the model), and significantly lighter than the 8.9-ounce Galaxy Z Fold 5.
While the Flip 5 boasts a smooth exterior that can sometimes feel slippery, the Razr+ offers a back panel with either a matte surface or vegan leather, both of which enhance grip.
When closed, the Z Flip 5 measures 3.4 by 2.8 by 0.6 inches (HWD), making it taller yet thinner than its predecessor, the Z Flip 4 (which measures 3.3 by 2.8 by 0.7 inches). On the other hand, the Fold 5 is substantially larger, with dimensions of 6.1 by 2.6 by 0.5 inches. The Z Flip 4 features a slightly wedged design due to the space between its halves, measuring 0.63 inches at its narrowest point. In contrast, the Flip 5 collapses flat without a wedge, showcasing its incredibly slim and sleek design.
The two parts of the phone are securely connected by Samsung’s new hinge, which can sometimes require a bit of effort to open due to its tight fit. The Z Flip 5 also has a small depression between its two sections, which can cause fingers to occasionally slip on the exterior metal frame when attempting to separate them.
On the other hand, the Razr+ has more rounded corners that make it easier to open, as they provide a firmer grip on either side.
Unless you possess exceptional dexterity, I would not recommend attempting to open either phone with just one hand. The redesigned hinge not only makes the phone more compact but also enhances its ergonomics, making it more comfortable to.
The hinge on the phone is a crucial component, and it’s important to find the right balance. If the angle is too low or too high, the hinge might automatically open or close the phone. However, we’ve discovered that the phone can still function even when opened less than 75 degrees.
On the flip side, if the angle falls below 45 degrees, the phone will shut on its own. To address this, the hinge has been redesigned and is now rated for 200,000 folds, just like the Z Flip 4.
The Z Fold 5 has also undergone similar changes to its hinge. Now, when the phone is shut, there is no longer a wedge-shaped gap between the two parts. It’s a small but significant improvement. When you open the phone, the two halves of the metal band come together seamlessly, providing a satisfying tactile experience. Samsung states that the standard angle when fully opened is approximately 178.5 to 181.5 degrees.
This means that the Z Flip 5 may or may not be completely flat when opened, but that’s perfectly normal. In everyday use, the Z Flip 5 resembles a traditional candy bar phone from most angles, similar to the Razr+. On the other hand, the Fold 5 has a more square, tablet-like shape.
When folded, the Flip 5 measures 6.5 by 2.3 by 0.3 inches. The inner screen is 6.7 inches and has a resolution of 2,640 by 1,080 pixels, a pixel density of 426ppi, and a refresh rate of 120Hz. Unfortunately, there are no improvements over the Z Flip 4 in terms of screen specifications. If you look closely, you can spot the folding crease, although it’s not very noticeable in most situations.
When you’re checking out photos, videos, and text on this device, you probably won’t even notice the curved section of the screen. It’s just like using a regular flat phone. Oh, and by the way, you can still see a 10MP camera at the top of the screen, but it’s not super obvious or anything.
Both displays on the Z Flip 5 are super bright and offer excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. The inner screen has a peak brightness of 1,200 nits, while the outer screen goes up to a maximum of 1,600 nits (more on that later). On the other hand, the Fold 5 boasts a large 6.1-inch exterior display and a spacious 7.6-inch inside display.
When it comes to durability, the Z Flip 5 has the same IP rating as its predecessor, the Z Flip 4. That means it’s completely waterproof, but not officially dustproof. The front and rear panels are protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which should survive falls of up to 6.5 feet on surfaces like asphalt. However, the Gorilla Glass Victus+ panels used in the previous Flip version are slightly less sturdy.
On the left side of the phone, you’ll find the SIM slot, while the volume rocker and power button/fingerprint sensor are located on the right. The combination button is a bit recessed, which makes it easier to place your finger on the sensor, but it’s not exactly ideal. When you hold the closed Z Flip 5, be careful as accidental touches can easily trigger the sensor.
If you fail to unlock the device five times in a row, the sensor will be disabled for 30 seconds, and you’ll need to enter your PIN or password to regain access. Luckily, there’s a nifty option in the settings that allows you to require a press instead of a touch to activate the fingerprint sensor (go to options > Fingerprint Always On).
This feature helps prevent the problem of unintentional sensor triggers. So, with its sleek design, the Z Flip 5 is a solid choice for those seeking a reliable and stylish smartphone.
The Gorgeous Displays
The Flip 5’s outside display (also known as the cover screen) is 3.4 inches across and has a resolution of 748 by 720 pixels, which is a significant improvement over the Flip 4’s 1.9-inch, 512-by-260-pixel display. It has an acceptable refresh rate of 60Hz, albeit I would have like it to match the inner screen’s 120Hz rate.
When you close the Flip, Samsung believes you’re done with your phone and closes whatever app you’re using. The always-on display is usually visible through the cover; you must unlock the phone to interact with it again.
The cover screen has interactive widgets by default, but no applications. To enable applications on the screen, navigate to Settings > Advanced Features > Labs and turn on “Apps allowed on cover screen.” When the toggle is turned on, you may press the text to choose from a selection of only six applications that will appear in the cover screen apps widget.
The displays in these apps have some (but not much) continuity. For example, if you open a text string on the cover screen and then open the phone, you’ll be immediately placed in the same thread. If you then navigate to another text string on the inner screen and then to the outer screen, the phone quits the program and you must reload it, but you will resume where you left off.
If you’re viewing a YouTube video on the outer screen, it will play on the inner screen as well. If you’re viewing a video from the inner screen and then close the phone, you’ll have to reload YouTube from the cover screen.
However, if you’re only exploring a piece of YouTube on the outer screen, that state appears to vanish when you open the phone—you’ll still receive YouTube, but a new instance of the app will be launched.
Then there’s Samsung’s Good Lock, which allows you to install any program under the Good Lock widget. Based on the number of steps required, this does not appear to be something Samsung wants everyone to complete.
Download Good Lock from the Galaxy App Store, then press the Life Up option at the bottom, install MultiStar, open MultiStar, select I Galaxy Foldable, and then pick Launcher Widget. You may then insert any app into that widget.
Some apps, however, may not operate on the cover screen and may prompt you to open the phone instead. Reading applications like Kindle, Comixology, and Scribd, as well as Chrome, Instagram, and X (aka Twitter), performed admirably on the front screen. MultiStar also contains a game widget, which gives you access to a library of 12 games that work nicely on the small screen.
In this size factor, Motorola’s cover/inner screen software continuity on the Razr+ is the gold standard. The quantity of things you can do on the Razr+’s front screen makes utilizing the inner screen feel like a luxury. It is optional to open the Razr+, not required.
In contrast, the Z Fold 5 has a fully working cover screen. The Fold 5’s exterior display is as powerful as any conventional Android smartphone, despite its large aspect ratio. Furthermore, the Fold 5’s continuity features vastly outperform those of the Flip 5.
Many programs smoothly move from the outside screen to the inside display and back again. Given the Fold 5’s enhanced continuity features, the Flip 5’s restrictions are all the more annoying.
Fast Performance
The Z Flip 5’s standard model comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, but you can pay more to double the latter. Both models are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy processor, which debuted in the Galaxy S23 range earlier this year. The Fold 5 features the same chipset but more RAM (12GB) and a 1TB storage capacity.
The Flip 5 comes with Android 13 and is expected to receive four years of OS upgrades and five years of security fixes. It uses Samsung’s One UI 5.1, so it doesn’t deliver the same stock Android experience as Google’s Pixel smartphones, but it comes close.
Apps loaded swiftly in testing, response was snappy, and there was no perceptible lag while running a large number of apps at the same time. The Flip 5 had a single-core Geekbench 6 score of 1,940 and a multi-core score of 4,895. In comparison, the Razr+, which is powered with a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 CPU, scored 917 and 2,916 in the single- and multi-core tests, respectively. It should be noted that Geekbench only measures the CPU.
The Flip 5 scored 14,377 on the PCMark Work 3.0 test, which measures general mobile workloads, which is extremely excellent but falls short of the Razr+’s 15,416. Genshin Impact performed admirably on medium settings at 60 frames per second. The Flip 5 handled many characters on the screen at the same time with ease, however we did notice intermittent slowdowns while traveling from one land to another.
When the settings were set to high, a warning message appeared that read, “Current performance load is too high, which can lead to overheating and serious lagging.” The Flip 5 became moderately warm to the touch after a short gaming session, but not uncomfortably so.
The processor-friendly Alto’s Odyssey ran well; there were no frame dips, and the phone remained cool. We anticipate that the Fold 5 will deliver comparable performance, however the additional RAM allocation may make a minor impact in specific use cases, such as multitasking.
Better Battery Life
The Z Flip 5 features a 3,700mAh battery with the same capacity and 25W wired charging speed as its predecessor. In our battery testing, which included streaming HD video at full brightness over Wi-Fi, the Z Flip 5 lasted roughly 10 hours and 5 minutes, falling short of the Razr+’s 14 hours (with a 3,800mAh battery) but improving by about 40 minutes over last year’s model.
The Flip 5 does not come with a charging brick, but with a strong charger, it can charge from 0 to 100% in 1 hour and 45 minutes. In testing, a short 15-minute charge brought the phone up to 19%. The Z Fold 5 has a bigger 4,400mAh battery, but it is powering significantly larger screens, and its battery performance has yet to be properly evaluated.
The Flip 5 supports 15W Qi-based wireless charging and 5W reverse wireless charging. Because of the minor angle generated by the camera bumps, I discovered that if the Z Flip 5 is closed on a level surface, a smooth item, such as the charging case of the Galaxy Buds Live, can slowly slip off the charging coil and the phone itself. To avoid this, open the Z Flip 5 and set it face down, or locate a case that will balance the phone when closed.
Other Features
The phone has Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 radios, both of which are small improvements over the previous generation. It also supports mmWave and sub-6 5G, as well as the desired C-band spectrum, and has one nano SIM and one eSIM. Peak download speeds on the Flip reached 492Mbps while connected to a Wi-Fi 6 access point in testing, with uploads topping out at 16.4Mbps (the sluggish upload speed is due to the ISP rather than the phone).
When tested at the same location, the Razr+ achieved 459Mbps down and 20.4Mbps up. When I moved the Flip 5 as far away from the access point in my flat as feasible, the speeds plummeted to 39.5Mbps down and 8.91Mbps up, while the Razr+ achieved 23.4Mbps down and 13.8Mbps up.
The Flip 5 achieved exceptional speeds of 780Mbps down and 86.4Mbps up on T-Mobile’s network in New York. When tested in the same location, the Razr+ achieved 721Mbps down and 62.2Mbps up. In other words, the Flip 5 is a strong 5G performer, and we anticipate similar outcomes from the Fold 5.
The phone uses a downward-firing speaker and an earpiece speaker to provide stereo audio. When holding the smartphone in landscape mode, it is easy to cover up the down-facing speaker by accident, but it is more difficult to do so with the earpiece unless you want to do so. The speakers don’t go very loud, but the music is clear regardless of level. We discovered a lack of bass when testing the speakers with the music “Silent Shout” by The Knife.
When the speakers were switched to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman,” they achieved a maximum level of 94.8dB. Even at maximum volume, the highs remain clean and free of distortion. A unique feature of the design is that when you play music on the Z Flip 5, you can feel the vibrations through the cover screen. If you wish to hear the sounds from the Z Flip 5, we recommend utilizing Bluetooth headphones.
In testing, call quality was fairly high, with the earpiece speaker reaching 85.9dB, making it easy to hear the caller even in noisy environments. During conversations, the highest output of the downward-facing speakerphone was 72.8dB, which is still rather loud.
Excellent Camera Quality
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 has three cameras in total. The exterior display holds two cameras: a 12MP ultra-wide sensor with a 123-degree field of view and a 12MP wide-angle shooter with optical image stabilization and a smaller field of view. The cameras are the same as those found in the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4.
The rear cameras can record video in 4K quality at 60 frames per second. The camera on the inner screen includes a 10MP sensor and can record video at up to 4K quality at 30 frames per second. The Fold 5 retains its cameras, however the main shooter has a 50MP sensor and a 10MP telephoto camera is added to the mix.
Outdoor images taken with the rear cameras on a sunny day looked nice, with details like foliage retaining crisp in testing. Colors were, however, oversaturated by default (as is customary for Samsung cameras), resulting in an artificial shine. Color images taken with the Razr+’s 12MP primary camera and 13MP ultrawide camera were more accurate.
The Z Flip 5’s ultrawide camera has a bigger field of vision (123 degrees) than the Razr+’s (108 degrees), so you can see more of the world in your shots. It handled both dark and bright regions effectively, retaining detail in both. Apart from saturation, the cameras on the Moto Razr+ and Z Flip 5 yielded identical results.
The interior camera provided photographs with more realistic color and detail than the rear shooters. When compared to other cameras, images shot in portrait mode produced a more realistic blur around the subject. When utilizing the primary rear camera, portrait mode was a little more harsh with the background blur, but portrait photographs can be changed in the Gallery app after you snap them.
Because Samsung promotes the Z Flip 5 as a phone for creators, we examined its video quality. Recording 4K60 footage while walking at a moderate pace resulted in some visual bounce. Lowering the frame rate to 30 frames per second resulted in better stable video. The bounce was decreased even more at 1080p/60fps.
Color reproduction appeared more lifelike in movies than in stills. The microphones captured audio nicely. Also, because the Z Flip 5 can display the camera’s viewpoint on the cover screen, we discovered that when individuals could see themselves ahead of each shoot, they seemed to smile wider and become more lively.
Low-light photography at 1x worked well in a very gloomy environment. Colors were visible in the picture testing. Images shot at 0.5x in low light, on the other hand, were completely black, with nothing visible. The Z Flip 5 outperforms its major opponent, although any of the normal Galaxy S23 variants or Pixel 7 phones capture superior photos overall.
Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a wonderful phone for anyone searching for a 6.7-inch smartphone that takes up as little room as possible, as well as anyone looking for something entertaining and unique. The Flip 5’s hardware is elegant and gorgeous, and the two displays are of exceptional quality, yet Motorola’s Razr+ offers significantly more capability on the outer screen.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5, on the other hand, has a more durable design and a quicker CPU, perhaps making it a better pick for someone who wants to keep their phone for at least a couple of years.
Finally, both of these foldables are simple to suggest alongside more traditional favorites such as the $999.99 Galaxy S23+ and the $899 Google Pixel 7 Pro. While we’re still evaluating it, the larger and more costly Z Fold 5 appears to be your best pick if you’re looking for a phone that combines the power of a high-end flagship with the productivity abilities of a tablet.
Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, Ultra Wideband 2 (UWB) support, Emergency SOS via satellite (SMS sending/receiving), COLORS: Black, Blue, Green, Yellow, Pink
Overview
Since announcing the four models in the iPhone series, beginning with the launch of the 2020 iPhone 12 mini, Apple has struggled to make that fourth model popular with consumers in the same way as its siblings.
The sales of each batch of iPhones over the past three years have consistently been led by the Minis and Pluses. The new iPhone 15 Plus, like last year’s iPhone 14 Plus, offers a well-rounded experience combined with a lengthy battery life.
The iPhone 15 Plus receives a few tweaks that make it appear more like a member of the club than its predecessor did. It includes enhancements that also make it more alluring to potential purchasers of big-screen smartphones. The iPhone 15 Plus launches with the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
All models in the iPhone 15 series, including the 15 Plus, now feature softer, more rounded edges, although maintaining the flat sides of the previous few iPhone generations.
This may be crucial for the 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Plus as the previous models have been difficult to operate with one hand and this minor design change has a significant effect on the hand-feel, comfort, and usability.
You still get a 6.7-inch 60Hz OLED display with the iPhone 15 Plus, but it now has the Dynamic Island that was only available on the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max last year, in place of a notch.
The phone is powered by the more formidable A16 Bionic processor produced by Apple, while the A17 Pro chipset was upgraded for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Also, say goodbye to Lightning; the iPhone now charges using USB-C, much like Galaxys, Pixels, and pretty much all other phones.
Regarding the crucial camera setup, there are still two lenses in a diagonal layout, but the main sensor has increased from 12MP to 48MP.
This change results in better still image quality in a variety of situations, including low light, when zooming in, and when taking portrait shots.
Although the image sensor on the iPhone 15 Plus (and iPhone 15) isn’t exactly the same as the one found in the Pro variants, it does support the majority of the cool new photo features seen on its more costly stablemates.
This features a boost in base output image resolution to 24MP and the capability to turn practically any photo into a Portrait shot.
The iPhone 15 Plus is available in 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB variants due to Apple’s decision to discontinue a 64GB storage option a few generations back. The new color-infused glass backs on all five iPhone 15 hues are available.
This, in my opinion, makes the green Plus (and the black iPhone 15) one of the most attractive iPhone finishes in recent memory.
The iPhone 15 Plus comes pre-installed with iOS 17, giving it all the advantages we’ve been hoping to try out for months (ever since Apple first demoed the feature at WWDC 2023 in June).
Longtime iPhone fans will value the quality-of-life improvements on the iPhone 15 Plus, like Contact Posters, Interactive Widgets, and even StandBy (formerly thought to be a feature reserved to iPhones with always-on displays, which the Plus currently lacks).
Fortunately, despite all the additional features, Apple has kept prices mostly unchanged in the US this year. In contrast, prices have decreased substantially in the UK and increased somewhat in Australia. As of Friday, September 22, the iPhone 15 Plus is accessible.
Design
Similar design to previous iPhone 14
IP68 Water/dust resistant
Corning-made glass front and glass rear with aluminum frame
Weighs 201g
The iPhone 15 Plus appears to be extremely similar to the iPhone 14 Plus at first glance. A closer look reveals a freshly designed metal frame, however, which softly buffs away the jagged edges and makes it considerably more comfortable to grip than the 14 Plus.
Additionally, it is three grams lighter (201g) than before.
This year’s iPhone 15 Plus (and iPhone 15) color options include five finishes (black, blue, green, yellow, and a truly stunning pink), all of which highlight new color-infused glass, with the camera bump effortlessly rising out of the back panel.
If you prefer pastels, you might appreciate these options. It has a nice appearance and is arguably the most elegant iPhone finish ever.
You should be able to charge with only one cable if you already own a contemporary MacBook and/or iPad, as the latter finally did away with Lightning on its base iPad 10.9 (2022) model last year.
Additionally, that aluminum frame now houses a USB-C port where there was once a Lightning port.
You’ll notice that it lacks the useful new Action button if you choose this non-Pro iPhone 15 variant. No, the ring/silent switch is still present on the 15 Plus and iPhone 15.
I don’t have anything against this aging component, but it’s clearly not as handy as an Action button (you can use accessibility tricks like Back Tap to mimic this behavior, though).
A diagonal dual camera system is still housed on the back of the phone, despite changes to the materials and colors. Where the notch formerly was on the front, you’ll now discover a Dynamic Island that resembles the iPhone 14 Pro, shielded by Apple’s Ceramic Shield.
Apple still provides some of the greatest IP-rated protection available, citing numbers that just barely outperform its IP68 certification for resistance to dust ingress and guaranteed water resistance.
The phone is also made entirely of recycled components, from the battery’s 100% recycled cobalt to the 75% recycled aluminum frame. Although the iPhone 15 Plus is a first step in this direction, Apple has plans to make all of its phones carbon-neutral as well.
Long-time iPhone users will also notice the port is slightly different from how they may be used to it; it is a larger pill-shape with a center strip of contacts. Finally, an iPhone has USB-C instead of a Lightning port.
Although it is commonly known that Apple made this decision before the European Union began to enforce it, that doesn’t make it any less innovative.
It was a minor joy the first time I was able to use the 3.5mm to USB-C converter, which had previously only been used with the Android phones I was testing at the time, to connect the aux cord in my car.
It’s exhilarating to be able to charge your MacBook, iPad, and iPhone with only one connection, especially if you travel frequently.
Display
6.7-inch OLED display
60Hz refresh rate
Improved brightness
Even though the bezels are not as narrow as they are on the slimmer 15 Pro and Pro Max, I find the larger 6.7-inch screen on the iPhone 15 Plus to be rather appealing and expansive.
But despite boasting a superb Super Retina XDR OLED screen, the iPhone 15 Plus (and iPhone 15) are still constrained to a 60Hz refresh rate, in contrast to the Pro models’ slick 120Hz ProMotion panels.
It’s now a nearly absurd feature of Apple’s most current non-Pro iPhones. Every generation, I think to myself, “surely, this’ll be the year they move past 60Hz,” but the business keeps defying my dreams and expectations.
For instance, Google’s normal Pixels have featured 90Hz displays since 2019; this year’s Pixel 8 joins its Pro sibling, with a 120Hz display. Samsung’s comparably priced non-Ultra flagships made the switch to 120Hz starting with 2020’s Galaxy S20 and S20 Plus.
Even though 60Hz at a phone of this price is far slower than the industry norm, Apple continues to hold non-Pro iPhones to this level.
Maybe existing iPhone owners who upgraded from earlier non-Pro iPhones don’t realize what they’re missing; you don’t question 60Hz unless you see and experience high refresh rates for yourself.
The Always-On Display feature is another Pro-only feature that is present on the majority of competitors; nevertheless, in my opinion, Apple’s execution is the finest (for a more detailed explanation, see my review of the iPhone 15 Pro). The Plus’s absence is at least mitigated by the device’s carefully honed tap-to-wake and raise-to-wake behaviors.
It’s difficult to disagree with the existing hardware, even though I still believe that this expensive handset deserves display improvements like a faster refresh rate and always-on capabilities.
Even if competitors have crisper displays, I haven’t argued about the iPhone’s resolution in years, and the 460 ppi pixel density is the same as it was before. Additionally, with a substantially higher ceiling this year — a 1,200-nit peak has increased to 2,000 nits — the business has now pushed brightness to be among the best on the market.
You will not miss the notch, and the ordinary iPhone 15 models also get the Dynamic Island from the 14 Pro range. Although it technically extends further into the display than the fourth notch, it is a more useful feature, even though I believe Apple could have done more with it in between generations.
The iPhone 15 Plus can now do everything the Dynamic Island could (keep track of directions, music, and your Uber), and iOS 17 should eventually add more features as well.
Camera
Dual camera with a 48 MP (wide), and 12 MP (ultrawide)
Captures excellent quality pictures
Records up to 4K quality videos at 60fps
The iPhone 15 Plus’ camera configuration has a huge secret, even though it shares the same design as the iPhone 14 and 13 series before it.
The primary camera, which has previously clocked in at 12MP, is upgrading to a 48MP sensor with sensor-shift OIS (optical image stabilization), borrowing a page from the iPhone 14 Pro’s playbook.
The regular iPhone’s photographic recipe now includes pixel binning for the first time, coupled with superior shooting in all lighting conditions, including low light, and better quality 2x zoomed and portrait photos. Not to mention improved video and stills stabilization.
More significantly, the iPhone 15 Plus (and iPhone 15) now automatically record 24MP photographs. The best 12MP of information is combined with the full detail of the new 48MP sensor to achieve this (this tends to result in image file sizes from the main camera being substantially greater than previous-generation.
Additionally, you receive an effective 2x optical zoom, which is not a zoom lens but rather extracts the center portion of the entire 48MP sensor, just like the 14 Pro’s camera did.
Although the front-facing camera is now hidden behind the Dynamic Island, the iPhone 15 Plus’ ultra-wide sensor and front-facing camera both retain their previous megapixel counts of 12MP, so you’re shooting with capable sensors everywhere.
Performance
Includes older A16 Bionic chip
Apple GPU (5-core)
Excellent overall performance
With the iPhone 14 series, Apple widened the gap between its base models, the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus, and its higher-end models, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, which had exclusive access to the A16 Bionic, which was more potent and power-efficient.
The two-tier CPU tradition will continue in 2023 with the iPhone 15 Plus (and iPhone 15) being able to use the A16 Bionic chip from last year’s 14 Pro models while the 15 Pro models this year use the even more powerful A17 Pro.
There was little evidence to suggest that the iPhone 14 Pro’s incorporation into the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus would do anything to lessen its potency since it was still absolutely flying and outperforming numerous current-generation Android flagships in fake benchmarks.
That is especially true when using a modest 60Hz display to power (as opposed to the adaptive 120Hz panel used in the Pro series), and sure enough, that is the case. During my time with the 15 Plus, the A16 Bionic demonstrated that it could handle just about anything.
There is also plenty of headroom that assures this phone will age gracefully, making it excellent for anyone looking for a long-term smartphone.
In terms of gaming, the large, bright display and the A16’s powerful graphics make for a capable pair that can handle even the most demanding games. Games, like Genshin Impact, runs smoothly at default settings (high) at 60 frames per second with only minor warming on the Plus’ back.
Concerning heat, as of this writing, a number of independent publications have expressed worries about a more serious heat build-up issue that appears to affect the entire iPhone 15 line.
While I didn’t have this problem while testing the Plus, I did when I was testing the iPhone 15 Pro for my review. It doesn’t seem to be related to carrying out high-performance jobs. Fortunately, this problem appears to be temporary because Apple has promised to fix it through software upgrades without affecting speed.
Storage options are the same as they were last year. It starts at 128GB, going up to 256GB, and ends at a high of 512GB. The Pro models start at 128GB, and the Pro Max model starting at 256GB.
The only significant reason for worry, as noted in the camera section, is the increase in picture resolution and the resulting rise in file size. A small modification like this might build up, even though a few more MBs on a single image might not seem like much.
Battery Life
4383 mAh battery
Up to 23 hours of battery life on moderate use
Fast charging not quick enough
We have a new battery champion, so blow the trumpets and throw some confetti! Last year’s iPhone 14 Plus dazzled with its battery life, but the iPhone 15 Plus takes things to new heights.
With a record (by our own testing) screen-on time of 10.25 hours, it surpasses devices like the Motorola Edge 40 Pro / Edge Plus 2023 (5.25 hours of screen-on time) and even Apple’s own iPhone 15 Pro (5.5 hours of screen-on time).
This translates to up to two days of use per charge, though I’d advise consumers to expect a day’s use with confidence and without checking the battery level.
Despite being the first Plus to include USB-C charging in favor of Lightning, there has disappointingly been no improvement in charging speed compared to the previous model.
Apple continues to claim that a device will reach 50% charge in 30 minutes with the same 15W and 7.5W wireless charging speeds for Qi and MagSafe, respectively.
However, during testing, the Plus charged at a high 20W and reached 53% in 30 minutes before reaching 100% in 1:53 using Apple’s 30W USB-C charger (available separately).
Verdict
Overall, the display, battery life, performance, primary camera, and charging of the iPhone 15 Plus are all significantly better than those of its predecessor.
This year’s chipset, the optical zoom camera, the autofocus on the ultra-wide camera, the 120Hz high-refresh-rate screen that comes with Always-On Display, or the new programmable Action key are all features that are still absent from the Pro series.
The absence of some of these can be a deal-breaker for you depending on your preferences.
But more crucially, by positioning the 15 Plus in a precarious position where it has the feature set of the entry-level iPhone but is priced dangerously close to the Pro-tier iPhones, Apple may have hurt the 15 Plus’s chances of succeeding in the market, just as it did with the 14 Plus.
The iPhone 15 Plus has no intrinsic flaws; if it were used alone, we’d be pleased to give it our entire endorsement. But regardless of whether you are comparing it to current or previous-gen iPhones or Android devices, market realities indicate that it will be difficult to sell at its present pricing.
This places this particular device in a difficult situation and gives us reason to be pessimistic about the Plus portfolio as a whole.
The USB-C charger is just one of many advancements over the iPhone 14 that make the iPhone 15 a genuine update even if it isn’t sufficiently distinctive to shock the world.
4K at 24/25/30/60fps, 1080p at 25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision | SELFIE: 4K at 24/25/30/60fps, 1080p at 25/30/60/120fps
BATTERY
3349 mAh, Wired, 50% in 30 min (advertised), 15W wireless (MagSafe), 7.5W wireless (Qi), 4.5W reverse wired
MISC
NETWORK: 5G, Wi-Fi 802.11, Bluetooth 5.3 | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, Ultra Wideband 2 (UWB) support, Emergency SOS via satellite (SMS sending/receiving) | COLOR: Black, Blue, Green, Yellow, Pink
Overview
After using the new Apple iPhone 15 for a while, I can state that Apple should have switched to a USB-C charger years ago.
Not having to continually carry separate chargers for the iPhone and whatever other devices I’m carrying around has been a tremendous improvement, even though it’s not the largest feature on offer here given the incredibly outstanding cameras, great performance, and lovely hues.
Because of this, the iPhone 15 is now among the best smartphones available, especially if you’ve been waiting for Apple to do away with its ten-year-old Lightning cord. The iPhone 15 makes switching to iOS easier than ever before if you’ve been using one of the greatest Android smartphones.
Design
The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus initially resemble the iPhone 14 almost exactly, right down to the aesthetic profile of the camera. But if you look a little closer, you can see differences.
The most significant of these is that, in its place of the inferior Dynamic Island that was only available on the iPhone 14 Pro in the previous generation, you now have the far better Dynamic Island.
This is essentially a tiny island in the display that is always completely black, though some notifications and statuses may display a small icon. These gadgets, like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, can use a selfie camera underneath the display without interfering with your image.
This island also houses your front-facing cameras. Although it appears that Apple may be moving in this direction as well, the Dynamic Island is a far better option for storing the front-facing cameras while the firm works out how to accomplish it to its own standards.
The iPhone 15 has varied glass all around its back. This time, Apple was able to permanently incorporate the color into the glass. Realistically, most people won’t care much about this, but it should stop any stains from developing over time as dirt and grime become trapped behind the glass.
Naturally, in practice, this means that the new iPhone looks fantastic without a case, but Apple’s cellphones have always been like this.
Of course, the new USB-C port at the phone’s bottom is the greatest difference. The iPhone 15 is limited to USB-C 2.0, which is significantly slower than pretty much every other phone currently on the market, while the iPhone 15 Pro receives USB-C 3.0, a technology that has been available for 15 years.
It makes little sense to equip the iPhone 15 with such an antiquated USB spec in 2023, but I realize that consumers who transfer a lot of data to and from their phones will choose the iPhone 15 Pro anyway.
Even so, all USB-C 3.0 devices are backwards compatible, so using an older standard won’t have any impact other than on speed, but it’s still a mistake I wouldn’t have imagined from Apple.
Regarding the camera upgrade, the iPhone 14 still has a two-lens setup, but both lenses have undergone major improvements. You’ll still have to put up with a camera bump, which seems inevitable these days, but I like that Apple was able to enhance the camera’s capabilities without altering their design.
Other Features
I received a green iPhone 15 Plus and a pink iPhone 15, but there are actually many other color options available, including blue, yellow, and black in addition to pink and green.
Although the colors on both of the phones I tried are exquisite, they are weirdly muted this time around, with the pink hue frequently appearing white. Bright hues must be in opposition to Apple’s sense of style. How silly.
The last safety feature that Apple has included is very handy if you either live in a remote region or frequently go hiking. Nowadays, you can request assistance via satellite, whether you need roadside assistance or something more urgent.
This implies that you can still call for assistance in an emergency even if you don’t have cell service. You don’t need to upgrade if you already own an iPhone 14 because Apple discreetly supports the functionality for you as well.
You can discover the program in your settings by simply selecting Emergency SOS, as Apple explains in a help page. Additionally, a demo is available so you can test it out before a potentially fatal circumstance arises.
Camera
When it comes to the camera, the iPhone 14 was sort of screwed. Even though Apple’s normally superb image-boosting algorithms helped its 12MP primary sensor perform well, it lagged considerably behind the iPhone 14 Pro.
Even though the iPhone 15 Pro still has a great camera, the iPhone 15 is in a much better position this time around. A 48MP main camera and a 12MP telephoto lens are combined in the iPhone 15’s two-camera array on the back of the device to produce very amazing photographs.
The front camera is a 12MP TrueDepth one, which is effectively the same as the selfie camera in the iPhone 14. It’s adequate for taking beautiful selfies, and portrait mode is still the best feature of any iPhone camera, of course.
So it’s wonderful that the iPhone 15 automatically switches to Portrait mode whenever the camera detects a human or animal in the frame. This is made possible by the depth sensors in the camera array, which can determine whether or not you are taking a picture of a person instantly.
The phone does assume that you prefer portrait orientation by default out of the box, but I struggle to think of a reason why you wouldn’t. But what surprises people is how quick it is in actuality. Opening the camera app and getting a shootable image happen simultaneously and without any hiccups.
Performance and Gaming
With it pursuing AAA console games like Resident Evil Village, the iPhone 15 Pro appears to be going all out to be the de-facto gaming phone these days. The new Apple iPhone 15 is still a covert choice for mobile gamers, however.
The A16 Bionic is a capable processor despite not having the A17 Pro’s 6-core GPU. A 6-core CPU with 2 performance cores, 4 efficiency cores, and a 5-core GPU is what we’re talking about. It might not officially support the high-end games coming to the Pro, but given how impressive the performance is, I wouldn’t be surprised if support was on the way.
The iPhone 15 can seamlessly switch between them in the mobile games I frequently play, such as Marvel Snap, Diablo Immortal, and Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes. What’s more striking is how little effect gaming appears to have on battery life.
Even though I frequently play games on my phone, I have only needed to charge the iPhone 15 three or four times in the past week or so of use. Almost regardless of what you’re doing, you can typically anticipate that the phone will last all day.
The USB-C 2.0 connection, however, prevents your phone from charging as quickly as some of its Android competitors. To play games, however, you can do a lot with that USB-C connection.
These days, the majority of controllers not only accept USB-C, but there are also a ton of controller adapters for smartphones, like the Razer Kishi. I use that particular gadget to play games on the phone, and since it is a USB-C model, you won’t have to switch to a separate controller attachment if your phone type changes in the future.
Even if it’s a tiny gesture, refusing to spend an additional $100 on something you already own says a lot. However, you might want to get the Plus if you know you’ll be playing a lot of games on your phone.
In comparison to the other two phones, the iPhone 15’s larger 6.7-inch display makes it much simpler to understand what is actually happening. The A16 Bionic chip is the same regardless of the model; nevertheless, the additional half-inch of display space makes a significant difference.
Display
Speaking of displays, Apple has once again outdone themselves. With a resolution of 2,556 x 1,179 for the iPhone 15, it may not appear to be the most stunning on paper, but Apple has once again calibrated the display to be incredibly bright and color correct.
Let’s be clear: There are smartphones with better resolutions and phones with crazily high refresh rates, but Apple has somehow figured out how to make a display look faultless.
Even though I frequently use devices with larger displays, I frequently reach for my phone to watch YouTube videos or read comic books since the iPhone 15’s display is so excellent.
Blacks are incredibly dark thanks to the mind-blowing 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, while brighter parts of any movie literally jump off the screen with to the peak brightness of 2000 nits outside.
Many things have been said about HDR and how it can genuinely change the content you watch, but when you have a screen that displays HDR video as well as the iPhone 15, it actually stands out in a class of its own.
Battery Life
The iPhone 15’s battery capacity is 3349 mAh. That’s a little bit more than the 3279 mAh battery found in the standard iPhone 14 and the 3200 mAh battery found in the iPhone 14 Pro model from the previous year. Since last year, Apple has reportedly added to its optimization efforts for both hardware and software.
The new Apple iPhone 15 performs admirably throughout, with a 21 hour battery life on moderate use. Given that the iPhone 15 and iPhone 14 Pro both feature identical A16 Bionic chipsets and extremely similar batteries, that makes the latter significantly superior than the former.
In the offline video playback test, the new iPhone 15 performed noticeably better. In order to corroborate our conclusions, we had to repeat the test a few times. Maybe Apple’s new display this year is much more effective. This would also account for the extra hour or two that the iPhone 15 was able to use Wi-Fi for web browsing.
The iPhone 15 does not charge exceptionally quick. The stock iPhone 15 can charge using a standard 20W power charger, just like earlier iPhone models. As a result, the phone goes from 0 to 32% in 15 minutes and from there to 58% in 30 minutes. The battery may be charged to 85% capacity in about one hour. That’s really not all that bad.
However, wattage begins to quickly drop down after that in the charging cycle. following a 95% charge. The iPhone 15 uses only about 4W of electricity, which accounts for why it takes 1 hour and 50 minutes to fully charge. That’s a little slower than the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13, but it’s still within striking distance.
The iPhone 15 is compatible with both conventional Qi wireless charging and MagSafe wireless charging at up to 15W. Additionally, the new Type-C connection supports reverse-wired charging at a maximum power of 4.5W.
Verdict
The new Apple iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus resemble the iPhone 14 almost exactly. However, this similarity conceals actual advancements in the phone’s cameras, display, and even back glass.
Additionally, the introduction of USB-C for the iPhone cannot be overstated because it greatly reduces the number of connections you’ll need to bring about every day, especially if you use several different devices.
4441mAh | Wired, 50% in 30 min | 15W wireless (MagSafe) | 7.5W wireless (Qi), Reverse wired.
MISC
Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | stereo speakers | Ultra Wideband 2 (UWB) support, Emergency SOS via satellite (SMS sending/receiving) | Connectivity: 5G, eSIM, Dual SIM, Wi-Fi 6e, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC | Colors: Natural Titanium, Black Titanium. Blue Titanium | 221g | OS: iOS 17
Overview
Introducing the all new Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max. Apple’s top-tier smartphone of 2023. It has all the top features, the best performance, the best camera, the best display and the best battery life.
When compared to the 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max, holding the iPhone 15 Pro Max is a noticeably different feeling because it is lighter and has a slightly warmer titanium finish. However, Apple has also made a modest, yet noticeable alteration to the frame, eliminating just enough metal to provide curved edges all around.
It’s not just the titanium. One of the simplest yet most significant design adjustments I’ve ever noticed a smartphone maker make completely alters how the device feels in the hand.
One of the most gratifying and practical developments is Apple’s decision to remove the silence/ring button from its products. It converts a plain, one-use analog feature into a modern, reversible button that can be practically anything you want it to be.
The adoption of the USB-C port in favor of the Lightning port, however, will be the biggest change for some iPhone enthusiasts. I’m aware that the shift has caused some annoyance (all those now-useless wires in your house, workplace, and car), but it has no effect on how the phone works, and at least Apple provides you with a woven USB-C-to-USB-C connection. The old port will be missed, but I think we’ll all soon forget about it.
With Apple’s brand-new A17 Pro silicon chip, this phone is substantially more powerful than the iPhone 14 Pro Max and, for the first time ever, offers console-quality gaming to the iPhone range. Even Apple’s high-definition Super Retina XDR OLED panel, which has a 6.7-inch display, wasn’t built for console games like Resident Evil: Village, but at least that display now has the tiniest iPhone bezels I’ve ever seen.
The triple-camera system on the iPhone 15 Pro Max appears to be identical to that on the iPhone 14 Pro Max, but appearances can be deceiving because the phone has undergone both internal and external improvements that contribute to one of the best photographic experiences you’ll find on any phone.
Apple essentially redesigned its image processing pipeline even though it appears to have used the same 48MP primary camera sensor as in last year’s Pro Max. A new 24MP default image size cleverly combines 12MP of pixel-binned image data with 48MP of full-sensor information to produce pictures that are, for the most part, impressive.
However, the iPhone 15 Pro Max would let you down if you were looking for a 10x optical zoom on an iPhone. Since the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has a fantastic 10x optical zoom in addition to the crazy, AI-assisted 100x Space Zoom, I was disappointed when Apple announced that it had only increased the maximum optical zoom on its largest smartphone to 5x.
Due in large part to the fact that the image quality at that expanded focal length is just fantastic, rivaling and occasionally surpassing Samsung’s greatest camera, Apple does a remarkable job of competing with just half that zoom range.
Although your experience will depend on how you use the iPhone, the combination of its innovative 3nm chipset, a display that can stop down to a power-sipping 1Hz, and clever power management may account for exceptional full-day or longer battery life.
Overall, this is my favorite iPhone of all time. It’s lighter and smaller than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which combined with the new curved edges makes it feel comfortable in my hand. Normally, I don’t like Apple’s largest iPhone, but you can be sure that this phone will be at the top of our list of the best phones when you combine it with its amazing photography, quick performance, and virtually limitless potential.
Premium Well-Designed
Tough “Corning-made” glass (front and back)
Tough titanium body with contoured edges
Lightweight & somewhat compact
IP68 dust/water resistance
Colors include Natural Titanium, Black Titanium & Blue Titanium
Includes USB-C port at the bottom
If you didn’t know, the brushed titanium frame of Apple’s new iPhone Pro & Pro Max has replaced the device’s former beautiful stainless steel frame. It’s resilient to corrosion. It’s strong and it’s lighter and somewhat smaller so it fits well inside your pocket.
Beyond updating the exterior metalwork, Apple did make a few additional tweaks that offer the phone a fresh look and feel. The new contoured edges come first. Although this iPhone may initially appear to be nearly identical to the iPhone 14 Pro Max, closer examination reveals that the sides have been rounded.
It gives the device a softer appearance and making it considerably more comfortable to hold, especially given its size. Additionally, a substantially thinner bezel gives the Super Retina XDR display (and the Dynamic Island) the appearance of being larger.
Due to the differences in size and weight, the new iPhone 15 Pro Max feels different. It measures 76.7 x 159.9 x 8.25mm in comparison to the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s 77.6 x 160.7 x 7.85mm dimensions. That indicates that it’s slightly smaller than the previous generation.
I even tried taking my older cover from my iPhone 14 Pro Max, to cover the new iPhone 15 Pro Max, only to find out that it was loose inside. However, the iPhone 15 Pro Max weighs 19 grams less than the iPhone 14 Pro Max (221g vs. 240g) thanks to the titanium body.
The new USB-C port is a significant architectural modification that also serves a practical purpose. It’s a little bit bigger than the old Lighting connector, but if you have the correct cable, you can transfer data at up to 10Gbps speeds. Sadly, the cable that comes with the iPhone is not a high-speed cable one.
Apple describes the front and rear panels of the body as being covered in “tough glass-based materials,” and the front of the device also has their Ceramic Shield, which is intended to shield the glass from harm. I don’t regularly drop my phones, so I couldn’t really test its durability.
However, I did submerge the phone in a bowl of water. There were no problems with the phone thanks to its IP68 rating. Although it was only for a brief period, the phone is capable of withstanding 30 minutes of swimming in fresh water up to six feet deep. Just keep in mind that you can’t charge your phone again until it is 100 percent dry after submerging it in water.
The power/sleep/Siri button and the two volume buttons were not altered by Apple, but directly above them is the new Action button, which is exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro.
The long-lasting silence/ring switch is replaced by this small little button. The Action button is programmable using one of Apple’s best-designed utility interfaces ever, replacing the single-function switch.
Instead of a switch, the Action button’s default setting of ring/silent control requires a lengthy press in order to toggle between the two states. Many individuals could decide that everything is fine as it is in this case, but they would be losing out on all the hidden benefit.
The Action button can activate a preferred Focus Mode, turn on and off the flashlight, start voice memos, transform your phone into a digital magnifier, run your favorite Shortcut, provide quick access to accessibility features, start the camera, or even disable all Action button features.
If you don’t have the new Control Center, you may still locate the ring/silent control there. I quickly changed the Action button to operate the camera after testing it out in default mode. From there, I could quickly press to take a picture and then long-press to rapidly open the camera.
The one drawback to this new button is that if you frequently take screenshots by hitting the power and volume up keys at the same time, you can unintentionally touch the new Action button instead as it is now the top button on the left side of the phone. “When you press Action instead of Volume Up” will probably become an iPhone 15 Pro Max meme.
Overall, the iPhone 15 Pro Max design, which has a lighter chassis, smoother lines, a larger screen, and more functional buttons and connectors, in my opinion preserves the best features of the previous model while also bringing the familiar into the future.
Great & Larger Display
Large 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED
Adaptive refresh rate between 1 – 120Hz
Comes with super thin bezels
Brighter screen than previous model
If you enjoyed the 6.7-inch screen on the iPhone 14 Pro Max, you’ll probably enjoy it even more on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. In order to make the Super Retina XDR OLED screen appear larger, Apple removed a few millimeters from the black bezel around it (doing so also makes the Dynamic Island appear smaller). In combination with the newly-curved edges, it appears as though the screen completely encircles the phone.
In order to make the Super Retina XDR OLED screen appear larger, Apple removed a few millimeters from the black bezel around it. In combination with the newly-curved edges, it appears as though the screen completely encircles the phone.
With a maximum brightness of 2000 nits, the screen looks lovely and bright. I had no issues using it outside in direct sunlight. On this display, it’s enjoyable to view anything from images to videos to games, apps, websites, and more.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is capable of managing web page scrolling just as well as videos and games thanks to ProMotion support. Every movement seems fluid. Additionally, the phone can slow down to 1Hz when necessary, consuming less power while still giving you information—perfect for always-on functionality.
I placed the iPhone 15 Pro Max on the Belkin Boost Charge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless charge stand with MagSafe, which immediately activates the new Standby mode in iOS 17, and then I placed the device on my bedside. The Always-On display was just bright enough during the night so that I could glance at it and see the time.
The display on this phone is still amazing, but I have to question why Apple can’t finally support the Apple Pencil on its biggest and best phone given that Samsung’s flagship has an integrated pen and allows stylus input in addition to touch input.
However, I am aware that not everyone requires or desires pen input, and it’s possible that Apple is aware of this as well. What you have essentially is Apple’s amazing screen technology that has been somewhat enlarged and is now complemented by some fantastic new iOS 17 capability.
Top Performance & Gaming
New & faster A17 Pro processor
8GB of RAM upgrade
Amazing graphics & smooth gameplay
With system-on-chips (SoCs) in laptops, desktops, and mobile that challenge and frequently beat the competition, and sometimes even take generational leaps, Apple has been pushing the envelope of what is possible, ever since it released Apple silicon.
The A16 Bionic in the iPhone 14 Pro Max was, in my opinion, a reasonable comparison to the A17 Pro. With a CPU that is 10% quicker and a six-core GPU that is not just 20% faster than the A16 Bionic but also supports on-hardware Ray Tracing, the A17 Pro should be more efficient than the A16 Bionic. It is constructed using an even smaller 3nm technology.
From CPU test done, the new A17 Pro chipset, powering the iPhone 15 Pro Max, runs at 3.78GHz clock speeds, which is more than the previous A16 Bionic (3.46GHz) present in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (3.36GHz) chipset, which runs the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. This means that the A17 Pro is currently the fastest performing processor to date.
Naturally, numbers only provide a partial picture of performance. What I can do with the iPhone 15 Pro Max is what matters to me. Playing native console-quality games is one of the promised experiences. Console gaming is different from mobile gaming, and the two will never collide—that is, until the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
I’m a gamer and console gaming is my go-to for gaming. Seeing the gaming demo on Resident Evil from a recent iPhone 15 show, the visuals look spectacular on the 6.7-inch display. The cut scenes look surprisingly good from the small screen but the Dynamic Island on the side does spoil the view.
Never did the visuals stutter or tear. Early on in the game, I only saw one area with pixelation, when a shadow on the snow wasn’t entirely stable. I wonder whether it’s more about the game’s transition from console to mobile than the A17 Pro since this was a repeating experience.
Other than that, the game was snappy, and the sound was great. I was confronted with a wonderfully engaging and immersive experience when I inserted my AirPods Pro, and it was excellent enough for me to declare that console-quality gaming has finally made it to mobile devices.
Outside of games, the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s responsiveness was exactly what I wanted and anticipated it to be. I used iMovie to edit several 4K 60fps clips, and neither the program nor the output had any problems. The latter’s speed on the A17 Pro wasn’t any faster than it was on the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s A16 Bionic.
Other Features
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max supports 5G. The calls are in great quality. If you have a Wi-Fi 6E router in your house or place of business, the fact that this is Apple’s first Wi-Fi 6E iPhone is good news for you. The iPhone 15 Pro Max routinely outperforms the iPhone 14 Pro (also WiFi 6) and the iPhone 15 that supported WiFi 6.
Additionally, a new Ultra Wide-band chip could aid in precisely locating not just your Apple items but also your pals who are also holding iPhones. Apple is also extending the free (for two years) roadside assistance offered by its integrated satellite services beyond Emergency SOS. The idea is that the system can direct you to connect with an orbiting satellite and then message adjacent road services in places where cell connection is spotty or nonexistent.
Excellent Camera
Tough “Corning-made” glass (front and back)
Tough titanium body with contoured edges
Lightweight & somewhat compact
IP68 dust/water resistance
Colors include Natural Titanium, Black Titanium & Blue Titanium
Includes USB-C port at the bottom
Let’s check out the camera of the new Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max. It differs from the one that debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro Max or the newest iPhone 15. It is bigger and was produced by Sony. Additionally, Apple is utilizing this sensor in novel ways.
Every image taken with the iPhone 15 Pro Max by default is produced at a resolution of 24MP. Yes, that is a new resolution for iPhones. Apple achieves this resolution by first pixel binning 48 megapixels’ worth of data into the best 12-megapixel image, and then fusing that with all of the 48MP sensor’s detail.
The main drawback is that 24MP photos will be roughly a megabyte bigger than 12MP stills. By automatically storing images in HEIF (High Efficiency Image Format) format, Apple helps to reduce the cost of storage a little. You may also take photos in 48MP RAW format for uncompressed, editable images.
The end result is a collection of stunning pictures. The colors are brighter, with striking clarity, and the most realistic I have ever seen on a smartphone. The iPhone 15 Pro Max triumphed even in direct contrast to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. The data I obtained with the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max is superior to what I have in my macros. Skin tones are accurate. Whatever the skin tone, the iPhone 15 Pro Max recognized it and accurately duplicated it.
More professional photographic tools than ever before are available on this iPhone thanks to Apple. You may now select between physical camera-like digital lenses with focal lengths ranging from 13mm to 24mm, 28mm to 35mm, 48mm, and 120mm for the 5x zoom. Holding down on one of the primary magnification settings in the camera app will display these measurements. In the settings, you may also make one of the lenses the default.
I find Apple’s choice to just use a 5x optical zoom to be frustrating, but I can’t really contest the outcome. Beautiful images are captured by the lens, which employs an uncommon tetra prism (four turns of light between the lens and the image sensor). Therefore, even if this is a far cry from 10x optical zoom, I believe Apple aficionados will still be happy with the outcome. Digital zoom allows for far greater magnification, but these images never hold up to close inspection.
The new 3D sensor shift optical image stabilization works in tandem with that zoom and does a considerably better job of maintaining photos steady, especially on digitally zoomed footage. When I was recording a video, I was impressed with the steadiness.
In essence, the entire iPhone 15 line improves portraiture. There is still a certain mode, but you are not need to employ it to achieve the same outcome. You may post-process practically any image, even if it was only taken with the main camera, into a portrait shot as long as the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s cameras can record depth information.
A small “Portrait f” will appear in the top right corner if the camera detects any depth while you are shooting. To check how the image would seem in portrait mode, tap on it and choose Portrait (On or Off). It doesn’t always work because you can’t switch a shot to portrait mode if the camera doesn’t “see” something, such a person or a pet or doesn’t record any useful depth information; in my experience, most photos were convertible, though.
You can adjust the depth of field just as with standard Portrait Mode photos, but now you can also tap on various subjects to switch the focus point. This delivers on its promise and elevates you to the status of a portrait photography deity.
With access to Apple’s Photonic Engine, portrait photography—including that taken with the front-facing True Depth camera—got a significant bump. Now, portrait photography simply looks more authentic and less computational than before.
In terms of low-light and night photography, Apple has made some strides. The image signal processors (ISPs) of the iPhone 15 Pro Max gather more light and utilize it more effectively in all lighting conditions. Although it isn’t noticeably superior to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, I believe Apple has achieved parity. Even better night time photography exists.
Great Video Capture
The iPhone is still a fantastic video capture device because to its many lens choices, ‘Action’ mode for capturing action moments without judder, and ‘Cinematic’ mode for creating videos of auteur-level quality.
The final option, by the way, functions just like portrait mode photography in that you can quickly switch the focus from one subject to another while recording video.
The focus point of the movie may be changed after it has been shot, something you cannot accomplish with conventional film or the iPhone 15 Pro Max. It’s more than just a cool trick, and it can come in handy if you overlook the proper topic during the initial shoot.
Good Battery life
Bigger battery capacity
Power charger not included
Fast charging not quick
Since Apple never discloses the battery capacity, we can only presume that the battery in the iPhone 15 Pro Max is slightly bigger than the one in the iPhone 14 Pro Max. But battery size is just one aspect of the story. Milliampere-hours (mAhs), processor effectiveness, and onboard intelligence, all work together to manage battery life.
I’d say the iPhone 15 Pro Max handles all of this admirably with a 28 hour battery life on moderate use. With an optional 20W USB-C adaptor, Apple claims the iPhone 15 Pro Max can recharge to 50% in 30 minutes. When I charged it, I managed to get a little more, with a battery at 53% after 30 mins. But it took 2 hours for the smartphone to fully charge. This is a drawback and its some Apple needs to work on.
You will utilize the new USB-C connector and the supplied USB-C cable to charge the iPhone 15 Pro Max. I was astonished to learn that the cable is now weaved rather than having the traditional protective jacket made of plastic or rubber. Because of that the cable will last longer than the older ones. Additionally, the phone supports MagSafe charging (and accessories) and Qi.
Verdict
The new Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max sets yet another bar not only for the iPhone family specifically, but for all smartphones as well. Apple’s new large flagship meets your smartphone needs in almost every way, from the newer and lighter materials to some of the greatest smartphone cameras we’ve ever seen.
Due to its high price than the previous generation, the absence of better fast charging, and Apple’s aggravating insistence on portraying 5x optical zoom as the pinnacle of smartphone telephoto technology, it falls just short of being flawless. However, these end up being minor gripes for an all-around fantastic iPhone experience.
Should you buy it? In terms of value its expensive but you get what you paying for. Design wise, the titanium material makes it feel lighter and the rounds feel pleasant to hold. The displays feels bigger and brighter, which overall makes it look better.
The new Apple iPhone 15 Pro smartphone is a major improvement over its predecessor, thanks to even more pro-level camera features, powerful gaming hardware, and the long-overdue removal of the proprietary Lightning cords.
weighs 187g | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | stereo speakers | Ultra Wideband 2 (UWB) support, Emergency SOS via satellite (SMS sending/receiving) | 5G | eSIM, Dual SIM | Wi-Fi 6e, Bluetooth 5.3 | NFC | Colors: Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium
Overview of the new Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Hey, guess what? Apple just showed off their brand-new iPhone 15 series smartphones, and it was pretty much what everyone was expecting. But they also surprised us with some cool stuff for all you gamers and photography lovers out there.
They made a big deal about gaming on-the-go and even brought some awesome games like Resident Evil: Village, Resident Evil 4, Stranding, and Assassin’s Creed Mirage to use on these fancy smartphones. And get this, these phones are so powerful that the GPU supports Ray-tracing. How cool is that?
But hey, let me tell you something cool about the new Apple iPhone 15 Pro! Usually, the new iPhones don’t look all that different from the previous ones, and upgrading every year doesn’t really make a big difference. It’s like, why bother, right? But this year is totally different! And you know why? It’s because it includes USB-C.
You see, Android phones have been using it’s own inputs since 2015, and now Apple finally decided to join the party. It’s like they finally realized that the iPhone should be able to work with any device or charger you want to use. And let me tell you, that’s a big deal! It’s like they set the iPhone free. It’s one of the coolest decisions Apple has ever made!
Lightweight Design
The new Apple iPhone 15 Pro was not significantly different from the iPhone 14 Pro, which was not significantly different from the iPhone 12 Pro. Similarly, if you didn’t look too closely, the iPhone 15 Pro might be mistaken from any of its recent predecessors.
Taking the new iPhone out in public during our testing period drew no interesting glances, and that lack of glitz will be magnified once you put a case on it and hide up practically every visible difference.
Using a case, which no one in their right mind should do, is a shame because the new titanium chassis on the iPhone 15 Pro is stunning. The iPhone 14 Pro features glossy steel sides that attract fingerprints, but the iPhone 15 Pro’s new titanium sides repel them admirably.
The rear panel has a frosted glass finish that resists fingerprints nicely. It covers any scratches that may occur, and overall feels incredibly pleasant in the hand. It’s smooth without being slippery. Apple also managed to cut the size and weight of the iPhone 15 Pro without decreasing their respective 6.1 and 6.7-inch OLED panels. Both reductions are tiny, but I’ll take it.
They’re made from Apple’s Ceramic Shield glass, which was launched in the iPhone 12. It’s so robust that I haven’t used a screen protector in years and haven’t seen even a scratch. The main drawback is that, as with practically every year, the modifications are significant enough that you’ll need to purchase a new case. Not only is the camera module slightly different, but the physical size reduction will exacerbate the problem.
So let’s recap. The new Apple iPhone 15 Pro comes with a titanium casing that leaves no fingerprints. Its water resistant, and comes with a Ceramic Shield glass to improve its durability.
Excellent Display
Both use Apple’s ProMotion to dynamically adjust up to 120Hz, offering accurate colors, haptic touch, and support both HDR and Apple’s True Tone. All of this is similar to the iPhone 14 Pro, but the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are twice as bright, with up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness.
As someone who has never had a problem seeing the iPhone 14 Pro screen in the sun, it appears to be a solution to a problem that didn’t actually exist, but if it was an issue, it’s even less of one now.
The Dynamic Island, first seen on the iPhone 14 Pro, returns to the iPhone 15 Pro, as does the always-on display, which can be turned off if desired. Apple also provides twice the storage capacity on its phones as it did last year – up to 1 terabyte. As well as a much increased iCloud service that can carry up to 12TB more (for $60/month).
If the outside design of the iPhone 15 Pro could be described as innovative it would be Apple’s choice to remove the switch on the side that has toggled between ring and silent/vibrate-only mode since the very first iPhone and replace it with what Apple calls the Action Button.
While you can make that button do the same thing as the previous switch, it can also be assigned to a variety of other tasks. These include: opening the camera, recording a voice memo, turning on the flashlight, activating the zoom function, or even a Shortcut of your choice. It may appear insignificant, yet it is a significant improvement in quality of life.
Other Features
It’s time to talk about the iPhone’s coolest new feature: it finally uses USB-C. I can’t believe we’ve been trapped with this limited, slow cable since the iPhone 5 debuted 11 years ago. It makes no difference whether Apple wanted to give us USB-C or whether new European Union legislation forced its action; the end result is the same. If you plug in your phone or use accessories, this iPhone is far more useable than any before it.
The impact of this single aspect on quality of life cannot be emphasized. I no longer need two cables on my desk to charge my PlayStation 5 controller and my iPhone. When I travel, I can drastically minimize the amount of wires I bring with me. The exact SSDs and microphones that I use on my full-size cameras are now compatible with the iPhone without the need for adapters.
Heck, I can plug my iPhone into my friend’s Google Pixel Fold and they’ll charge each other. However, it does come with a caveat that you won’t see on many current Android phones that use the same port. While the iPhone 15 Pro include USB-C, they lack what most people call fast charging. Apple claims that the Pro Max can charge up to 50% in 35 minutes with a 20W charger or higher.
With the same adaptor, the Pro can be charged to 50% in 30 minutes. That’s reasonably fast, but not as fast as many would anticipate from an Android device. It’s faster than what Google provides but slower than almost everyone else, including Samsung, OnePlus, and Motorola, which all provide between 45W and 150W. Other phones, such as those from Vivo, can reach up to 200W.
Just because it supports USB-C doesn’t imply it’s your only option. Apple reintroduces MagSafe, which debuted in the iPhone 12, enabling wireless charging at 15W (Qi is 7.5W). It also supports a variety of accessories, including a Belkin stand that charges it and transforms it into a bedside or desktop clock when docked. A great merging of hardware and software.
The iPhone 15 Pro also support Wi-Fi 6E and employ a second-generation Ultra Wideband Chip, which Apple claims allows it to connect to other devices with the same chip, such as other iPhone 15 handsets and Airtag trackers, for three times the range.
It also supports what Apple calls Precision Finding, which allows you to discover an iPhone 15-owning friend down to their specific position if they allow it. Importantly, this is simple to disable for privacy reasons. It’s worth noting that Apple intends to be the first smartphone to use Thread radio, allowing it to connect to Thread-enabled devices without the use of a hub.
Finally, the iPhone 15 Pro offers voice-isolation functionality for calls, which makes it easier for the person you’re calling to hear you if you’re in a noisy environment. It works reasonably well and is useful when attempting to hold a conversation while washing dishes or in a crowded market.
Excellent Performance
So much affort and time was spent talking about the gaming capabilities of the iPhone 15 Pro that it felt like Apple was now ready to compete with handheld gaming devices like the Nintendo Switch and the Steam Deck.
Apple promised that not only would its new A17 Pro chip bring AAA games like Resident Evil: Village, but also Assassin’s Creed Mirage as well. The GPU is so advanced that it will have enough power left over to enable Ray-tracing lighting effects.
Apple even went so far as to say in an interview with IGN, “It’s going to be the best game console.” I’m not sure we’re there yet after utilizing it, but that’s not a strange thing to say either. We’ll have to wait and see how developers exploit what Apple claims the A17 Pro can achieve. I hope that becomes the norm, but it will most likely take some time.
While I wasn’t able to push the iPhone 15 Pro to its capabilities during my review time, I was able to play Honkai Star Rail and Genshin Impact, both of which played really well with visual settings and framerates set to the maximum. Because of the compromises developers have had to make to get console-style games running on pocket-sized technology.
Playing both titles on the iPhone 15 Pro felt just like playing on my PlayStation 5 – especially after I connected a Bluetooth controller. Despite using the highest settings, I did not notice any dropped frames or graphical glitches.
Apple’s OLED display shines as well. It’s not surprising that the new Apple iPhone 15 Pro gets warm because they’re capable gaming devices. They don’t usually overheat, but if you’re playing a hard game, it won’t be long before you can physically feel it getting almost unbearably hot in your hand if you’re not using a case. However, it didn’t become as hot as the iPhone 14 Pro did when I tried to play Star Rail with the same settings.
In other words, the new A17 pro chip included not only helps with daily phone functions but as a gaming device as well. The GPU comes with Ray-tracing, and supports AAA games similar to the PS5.
Good Battery Life
A 3274mAh battery is included with the new Apple iPhone 15 Pro. We’d hardly call it an improvement with a huge 74mAh greater capacity than the iPhone 14 Pro. Perhaps that’s simply what the engineers were able to fit in the available space this time. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is the preferable choice for optimal lifespan because it has a substantially bigger 4,441mAh capacity.
However, this does not imply that the iPhone 15 Pro is mediocre in this area. When it comes to voice call time, it sort of is because iPhones often do poorly in the test, and the iPhone 15 Pro’s 18-hour battery life is what we’d anticipate. Onscreen testing, however, show that it performs well, about on line with the model from the previous year.
As has been the case with iPhone 12, the new Apple iPhone 15 Pro retails without a phone charger. The claims for charging speed are listed as “with 20W adapter or higher” on the specifications pages of the phones, suggesting that anything more powerful wouldn’t affect the speed.
Upon testing with a 20W Apple adaptor, a full charge on the iPhone 15 Pro took about 1 hour and 33 minutes. Apparently, that’s much quicker than the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and a marginal improvement over the prior version. The new Apple iPhone 15 Pro supports wireless charging with up to 7.5W with Qi-compliant charging pads. There are no listings for numbered iPhone models after the 11.
Overall, the new Apple iPhone 15 Pro has a bigger battery, with more than 90mins until full charge, up to 18 hours of battery life of moderate use, and support fast, wireless and reverse wireless charging.
Great Camera System
The image quality from its 12-megapixel camera is about as expected. Because the design does not allow in as much light as the main camera, I recommend using this lens only in strong light. The telephoto lens on the iPhone 15 Pro is the same as last year, with the exception of new coatings on all three lenses that reduce flare significantly, but most casual users are unlikely to detect the difference.
The main camera shoots 48-megapixel photographs, with 12-megapixel telephotos, and 12-megapixel ultrawide photos. When I take photos, I was impressed with the main camera on the iPhone 14 Pro’s ability to produce photographs that don’t appear like they were taken on a smartphone. The resolution jump to 48 megapixels without sacrificing dynamic range in the iPhone 15 Pro gets my approval.
To be honest, most users will not find themselves using smartphone images in such a way that 48 megapixels will revolutionize their lives, but anyone who intends to edit and otherwise distribute these photos will almost always be satisfied with a greater resolution. At the very least, it allows you to crop in closer without sacrificing quality.
Apple has also made portrait mode the default mode. If the camera detects a person or animal in the picture, it automatically collects a depth map, allowing you to add the depth effect later if desired.
If desired, the depth map also lets you to shift the focus point between two subjects in post-production. I like this adjustment because I don’t always think to utilize portrait mode when taking a photo and then curse myself afterward for not at least attempting it. That is no longer an issue.
Excellent High Quality Video
The iPhone 15 Pro also provide a slew of professional-level video capabilities. Most of them that are noticeable, are all software upgrades allowed by iOS 17. First, the iPhone 15 Pro can now shoot in ProRes Log encoding. This gives video editors more color grading and post-production options. That’s a big benefit for those who want to make the greatest quality video possible on their smartphone.
Second, the iPhone 15 Pro is the world’s first phone-based camera to support the Academy Color Encoding System, or ACES. It’s a global color processing standard, that in summary, makes it easier than ever to match footage from several cameras.
The iPhone 15 Pro can also record in 4K at 60p. This is a function that was implemented primarily because of the speed afforded by the previously mentioned USB-C port. While all other resolutions and framerates can be recorded straight to the iPhone’s internal storage, 4K at 60p necessitates the use of an external SSD.
The good news is that all photos and videos can be easily transferred to and from the external drive at USB-3.0 speeds. This is a significant improvement over previous iPhones, which required either the pitifully slow Lightning connection or the slightly faster AirDrop – provided the recipient is an Apple device.
In short, the new Apple iPhone 15 Pro includes an excellent camera system. With an abundance of software upgrades and improved camera lens, it will makes sure that you take high quality photos and high quality 4K videos every time.
Verdict
Apple’s annual smartphone upgrades have felt notably incremental. The new Apple iPhone 15 Pro looks to have followed suit. Its appealing titanium design, the helpful and customizable Action Button, are relatively inconspicuous to the eye and are the first items to be covered up by a case.
That is, however, misleading. Apple has changed a lot internally to make this year’s phone the most appealing upgrade since the iPhone 11, especially if you’re into photography or video. While the worldwide connectivity and transfer rates of USB-C are the most noticeable upgrades, the enhanced gaming-ready processor, improved camera software, and titanium chassis are all noteworthy. Therefore, I recommend the new Apple iPhone 15 Pro. Its many upgrades may appear marginal but its one of the best smartphones to come out this year.
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The Asus ROG Ally gaming handheld console is an amazing mobile device. Although it presents a short battery life, a lack of touchpads, and a difficult user interface, it excels in stunning visuals, great design and great gaming performance.
Specs
DISPLAY
7-inch IPS Touchscreen, FHD, 1920 x 1080, 120Hz
CPU
AMD Ryzen Z1 Xtreme Zen 4, 2.8GHz
MEMORY
16GB LPDDR5 6400 RAM
STORAGE
512GB/2TB NVMe PCIe 4 M.2 SSD
GPU
AMD Radeon RDNA3 graphics (4GB VRAM)
AUDIO
Dolby Atmos (dual speakers)
PORTS
USB Type-C , headphone jack, MicroSD slot, Asus PCIe port
The Asus ROG Ally gaming handheld is the upcoming competitor in the field of portable PC gaming. With its stunning 1080p screen, 120Hz refresh rate, AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme Zen 4 processor, and its fair price, this new handheld is sure to catch the attention of anybody searching for a genuine Steam Deck rival.
The Z1 Extreme-powered ROG Ally costs between US$800 and US$1000, which is more than the Valve’s Steam Deck gaming handheld. Yet it comes with a ton of technological upgrades compared to Valve’s practical gadget. For better or worse, it is also not constrained by Steam Deck’s operating system which is Linux-based, called SteamOS.
The ROG Ally could be what you’re seeking for if you’ve always wanted a Windows-based portable PC. It really pushes the envelope in terms of functionality, not overly priced, and plays almost all PC games, even Xbox Game Pass games natively on the go.
Design & other Features
When it comes to gaming on the move, the design strategy of the Asus ROG Ally continues to adhere to the majority of industry norms. It doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel when it comes to managing your video games on a portable device with its central 7-inch screen and side-form controls, which are also found on the Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, Ayaneo 2, and other devices.
The face buttons on the Ally handheld have a typical ABXY configuration that is quick and responsive. This is in addition to ‘View’ and ‘Menu’ buttons that resemble those on the Xbox controller.
There are also dedicated buttons geared to launch ROG Armory Crate or a specification configuration menu where you can change performance modes, change the resolution from 1080p to 720p, cap the frame rate, or even change controller settings for the game you’re playing. I thought the circular cross layout of the D-pad to be more practical than individual buttons, but it also gave the otherwise premium-looking gadget a cheap aspect.
Although comparisons between the ROG Ally and Steam Deck are unavoidable, I don’t want to focus this entire review on them, but the Steam Deck’s pressure-sensitive touchpads are something that the Ally lacks.
Many gamers won’t find this to be a significant concern, but it’s still a noticeable missing that may limit your ability to pick the type of game you want to play when you’re on the road. Lacking touchpads here is unquestionably a check in the Steam Deck’s column because they make operating mouse-based games on the Deck much easier, especially when paired with the multitude of community control profiles available.
When you’re not playing games, the joysticks function as a mouse cursor. If you need a little bit more precision, they can support touch controls. Although it doesn’t feel great, this is still extremely good.
Overall, if you want to use it as a regular computer at any time, I advise connecting a wireless keyboard and mouse. You can instantly reach the Windows toolbar on this screen by swiping up at any time, which is quite helpful for constantly navigating the device.
The ROG Ally boasts an exceptionally slim and light design, measuring 280 x 113 x 39 mm and weighing only 608g. While it may not feel completely secure in both of your hands, its slanted sides and slimmer design do help to make it comfy for longer gaming sessions.
In contrast to the Ayaneo 2, another portable rival, the ROG Ally has bezels on every side of its screen. When you initially use it, it might make the playing area seem a little constrained, but as the screen starts up and you become engrossed in its stunning sights, everything is quickly forgotten.
Display
The Ally’s 7-inch LCD touchscreen, which has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 and a brightness of 500 nits, is highly colorful and performs astonishingly well outside or in bright sunlight. Although the screen performs quite well for individuals who prefer to travel on some of the sunnier days of the year, details can occasionally seem washed out.
Many devices find it challenging to handle Full HD+ quality, but the new AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme APU performs an excellent job of dividing its responsibilities between CPU and graphics.
User experience
The operating system is one of the main distinctions between the Steam Deck and the ROG Ally. The Ally uses standard Windows 11, as opposed to the Steam Deck, which runs SteamOS. This is both its strongest point and biggest flaw.
The Steam Deck is confined to Steam games exclusively, whereas the ROG Ally supports any PC game without any problems. You are therefore free to purchase your games from other online retailers, including Epic, GOG, and Xbox Game Pass.
Asus included an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 3-month trial. It’s wonderful to have Game Pass access right out of the box on a gadget like this, and it’s by far my favorite aspect of the portable. You don’t even need a sizable library to get started with instant access to hundreds of titles.
Running Windows, however, has the drawback of preventing the ROG Ally from taking advantage of all the software-based adjustments Valve has made to the Steam Deck. The lack of true hardware/software synergy is still noticeable even if there are certain levels of software tinkering available here. You can change power settings, resolution, and set a framerate cap, for instance, using Armoury Crate.
The ROG Ally’s user interface might be a little intimidating at first. I have to admit, my initial thoughts weren’t exactly positive. I had a few crashes in the first few hours using the handheld. There were a few more times when I felt like a short reset was necessary to get back on course.
Many of the issues were caused by the ROG Armory Crate, which felt awkward. It sometimes stayed on my screen for 10 to 20 seconds after a game launched. As a result, I ended up being disappointed with the mobile device.
Using Steam in the ROG Ally seemed slow, as opposed to using it in the Steam Deck. The Xbox PC launcher is still infamously glitchy, just like on the desktop. The Ally’s inability to pause and restart a game with the press of a button, like the Steam Deck and the Switch, is its major drawback.
This implies that if you wish to stop playing for a longer period of time than a brief break, you must save your game, exit the application, and restart it from scratch. Of course, things work on a desktop in this manner by default.
However, I had a lot of fun once I got past all the riff-raff and started gaming. It was quite pleasant to not need to pull out an online manual and jump through a number of workaround hoops in order to start gaming on the go after switching between all the different launchers, including Epic, GOG, Steam, and Xbox. It is a sight to behold and is definitely worth the cost of admission over the Steam Deck when everything is operating as intended.
Gaming performance
The AMD Z1 Extreme mobile CPU, which is noticeably more powerful than the Steam Deck’s, the AMD Ryzen 7 6800U, is used for the first time in a portable gaming PC with the ROG Ally. When plugged in, the Z1 Extreme’s 8-core Zen 4 CPU and RDNA 3-powered graphics may be turned up to a maximum of 30W. In contrast, the Steam Deck’s 4-core proprietary Zen 2 APU has a maximum power limit of 15W whether it is powered by a cord or a battery.
Although it can also operate at 720p (and there is a convenient toggle that enables you simply switch between the two resolutions), the ROG Ally aims a higher resolution than the Steam Deck – 1080p as compared to 800p.
After benchmark performance testing, the best graphic settings to optimize overall gameplay is to play PC games at ‘medium’ to ‘low’ with the ROG Ally. This is the same for the Steam Deck. The biggest distinction is that, with the appropriate adjustments, you’ll be able to play on the ROG Ally at ‘High’ or even ‘Ultra’ settings, maybe even exceeding 60 frames per second.
Battery life
When it comes to the battery life, the ROG Ally is not its strongest feature. Similar to the Steam Deck, Asus claims a maximum battery life of 8 hours. This is likely to be achieved with the lowest graphics settings, 720p, silent mode, low interior lighting, and a classic side scroller.
You will only be able to play graphics demanding games for a total of no more than two hours. After testing it with a few PC games in performance mode at 1080p with low-medium settings, the maximum playtime was approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Price
The entry model Asus ROG Ally, powered by the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme, retails between US$800 and US$900. Even while the ROG Ally is primarily a mobile gaming device, it’s important to keep in mind that it functions as a small Windows PC. With those specifications in place it justifies the high price.
In terms of overall affordability for portable PC handheld in 2023, the Asus ROG Ally gaming device often falls in the center. With the Ayaneo 2 costing between $1099 and $1499, and the Steam Deck costing less than US$600, it’s not the most lavishing price we’ve heard, yet it really seems very reasonable for what you’re receiving.
Verdict
The Asus ROG Ally gaming PC is an amazing mobile gaming device. You can take it and play it anywhere you want, and experience the best of what mobile gaming has to offer. Yes, it has a short battery life, a clumsy user interface and lacks the touchpads for precision gaming. But it makes up for it in providing amazing graphics, smooth gaming, and a stunning display.
The portable Xbox Game Pass device that many fans have been begging for really feels like the Asus ROG Ally gaming handheld is the better choice. Steam Deck may have a few good perks, but it’s impossible to deny how much fun the ROG Ally handheld is to use when it gets going. It turns out that the ROG Ally is indeed very much a rival to the Steam Deck gaming handheld.
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The specs of the 2023 ROG Strix Scar 17 make it obvious that it’s all about performance. It not only features Nvidia’s top-tier laptop graphics card, but it also has AMD’s most recent mobile processor, so it’s ready to munch its way through all of the current titles at high settings.
That means it’s a big PC with considerable cooling technology to keep temperatures under control, and it’s also incredibly expensive. However, it is not excessive for the quality on offer, and if you’re looking for desktop-level performance in something more portable, this may be a great alternative. After a few weeks of testing this incredible gaming laptop, here are my impressions.
Performance
AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090/4080
32GB DDR5 of RAM
1TB/2TB PCle SSD
Under the hood, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 (2023) packs a punch. Powered by the latest generation CPU from AMD, and the latest GPU from Nvidia, it delivers blazing-fast performance that can handle even the most demanding games and apps with ease. Say goodbye to lag and hello to smooth gameplay and lightning-quick multitasking.
When it comes to memory and storage, the gaming laptop doesn’t disappoint. With ample RAM and vast storage available, you can have all your games, files, and programs at your fingertips. Whether you’re a casual gamer or a content creator, this laptop has the storage capacity to meet your needs.
In benchmark tests, the Strix Scar 17 consistently shines. It surpasses expectations, delivering exceptional performance and impressive frame rates. The laptop’s hardware configuration and optimization make it a force to be reckoned with in the gaming world, ensuring a seamless and immersive experience.
When it comes to gaming, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 truly shines. With its powerful hardware configuration, including the latest processor and graphics card, you can expect smooth gameplay and high frame rates. Whether you’re playing the latest AAA titles or engaging in competitive esports, this laptop can handle it all with ease.
Optimizing graphics settings can sometimes be a cumbersome task, but not with the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17. The laptop comes with software that automatically optimizes game settings, ensuring you get the best balance between performance and visuals. This takes the guesswork out of tweaking individual settings and allows you to focus on enjoying your gaming experience.
For gamers who crave realistic lighting and visuals, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 has got you covered. The laptop supports ray tracing technology, which adds a new level of immersion to supported games by simulating the behavior of light. Additionally, it also supports DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) technology, which enhances performance and image quality by using AI algorithms. These features combine to deliver stunning visuals that bring games to life.
Display
17.3-inch, 240Hz, WQHD, IPS display
2560 x 1440 screen resolution
The display on the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 (2023) is a visual treat. With its high-resolution panel, colors pop and details come to life, offering an immersive gaming experience. The vibrant and crisp visuals make every game, movie, or whatever you viewing an absolute delight to behold.
Color accuracy and brightness are critical factors when it comes to gaming and content creation. The Strix Scar 17 excels in both areas, delivering accurate colors and great brightness levels. This ensures that you see every shade and hue as intended, enhancing your gaming and visual experience.
To further enhance the visual experience, it comes equipped with a high refresh rate and adaptive sync technology. This combination results in ultra-smooth gameplay, minimizing screen tearing and stuttering. Whether you’re engaging in fast-paced action or exploring breathtaking open worlds, the display keeps up with your every move.
In terms of aesthetics, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 (2023) strikes the perfect balance between bold and sleek. Its angular design and matte black finish give it a stealthy appearance that screams gaming prowess. The slim bezels surrounding the display further enhance the overall look and provide an immersive viewing experience.
Constructed with precision and durability in mind, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 (2023) boasts a robust build quality. The laptop feels solid and well-built, with no flex or creaking even under pressure. The use of premium materials adds to its overall sturdiness, ensuring that it can withstand the rigors of gaming on-the-go.
There are some sci-fi-inspired highlights here and there, but for the most part, it’s a really basic approach. And the laptop wouldn’t appear out of place in a professional environment. As long as you switch off the RGB lighting. Because when you turn on the computer, you will be welcomed with a rainbow of colors all over the keyboard and around the underside of the laptop.
The huge ROG logo lights with a white outline on the back, which is a great touch that reminds me of previous MacBook models. Other than that, the RGB lighting looks absolutely excellent; it’s really bright, has rich colors, and has seamless transitions.
It, like most other ROG products, can be connected with various devices using Aura Sync, so your entire desk may light in harmony – or you can turn it off entirely.
As a gaming laptop, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 isn’t the most portable option out there. It’s a bit on the heavier side, which can make it less than ideal for frequent travel.
However, if you’re primarily looking for a powerful gaming machine that you can move around occasionally, the weight shouldn’t be a dealbreaker. The laptop’s solid build quality and powerful performance make up for its slightly bulkier form factor.
Keyboard & Touchpad
The keyboard on the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 is a pleasure to type on, with a well-spaced layout that makes it easy to find your way around. The keys have a satisfying amount of travel, striking a balance between responsiveness and tactile feedback.
Whether you’re typing up a document or engaging in an intense gaming session, the keyboard provides a comfortable and accurate typing experience.
If you’re a fan of flashy aesthetics, you’ll love the RGB lighting options on the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17. The keyboard features per-key customizable RGB lighting, allowing you to create your own unique lighting effects or choose from a range of pre-set options. The lighting is bright and vibrant, adding an extra touch of personality to your gaming setup.
While the focus of the Strix Scar 17 is undoubtedly gaming, the trackpad works on average but not impressive. For normal use it’s fine but it’s best you get a good gaming mouse for gaming sessions.
Heat Control
No one wants their gaming laptop to overheat, and with the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17, you can rest easy. The laptop features a robust thermal design and an efficient cooling solution that keeps temperatures in check, even during demanding gaming sessions. This means you can play for hours without worrying about overheating issues affecting your performance.
While the cooling system does an excellent job at keeping temperatures under control, it’s not completely silent. During intense gaming, you can expect the fans to ramp up and generate some noise. However, it’s worth noting that the noise levels are still within acceptable limits and shouldn’t be overly distracting. Plus, when you’re immersed in the game, you’ll hardly notice the hum of the fans.
Battery life
90Wh Li-Ion battery
330W charger
Given the powerful hardware inside, it’s not surprising that the battery life on the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 is not its strongest aspect. While it can handle light usage and productivity tasks, the battery drains relatively quickly during gaming sessions. If you’re planning on gaming on the go, it’s advisable to keep the power adapter handy.
The power adapter that comes with the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 is capable of delivering ample power to keep the laptop running at its full potential.
It charges the battery relatively quickly, allowing you to get back in the game with minimal downtime. The charging speed is impressive, ensuring you spend more time gaming and less time waiting for your laptop to recharge.
Verdict
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 (2023) proves to be a formidable gaming laptop that excels in both design and performance. With its sleek aesthetics, powerful specifications, immersive display, responsive keyboard, and efficient cooling system, it offers an outstanding gaming experience for enthusiasts.
While its battery life may be a slight drawback for those seeking prolonged portability, the Scar 17’s overall performance and features make it a highly desirable choice for gamers who demand top-tier performance. With the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 (2023), you can elevate your gaming sessions to new heights.
If you’re looking for a top-notch desktop replacement, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 (2023) is the ultimate choice. Although it may not be the most portable or long-lasting in terms of battery life, it more than compensates with its exceptional speed and performance. When it comes to gaming performance, there are very few, if any, machines that can surpass it.
Yes, it’s expensive, but it boasts one of the most well-balanced spec sheets I’ve encountered in this category. This means that your hard-earned money is being invested in the components that truly matter, rather than wasting it on excessive memory or a display that the GPU can’t fully utilize.
If you’re on the hunt for the absolute top-notch option, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 (2023) is a force to be reckoned with and deserves your undivided attention.
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