Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 Review: Is it Worth the Price?

You must feel frustrated all the time when you work on your laptop, knowing that it will take you hours to finish typing a simple 1-page document. Don’t get me wrong. Budget laptops tend to perform well at first, but after a while, they tend to get slower and start to freeze most of the time, which affects the performance. If that’s your case, you are not alone. Let me introduce to you the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2. It’s Microsoft’s budget-value laptop that can do everything you need without you paying so much. But is it really worth it? Let’s see from this review.

 

Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2

Introducing the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2

Laptop specs

Display 12.4” PixelSense™ Display | 1536 x 1024 (148 PPI) | Aspect ratio 3:2 | 10-point multi-touch screen
Processor Quad-core 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7 Processor
Graphics Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
Memory (RAM) 4GB, 8GB or 16GB LPDDR4x RAM
Storage Removable2 drive (SSD) options: 128GB, 256GB
Operating System (OS) Windows 11 Pro or Windows 10 Pro | Preloaded Microsoft 365 Apps| Microsoft 365 Business Standard, Microsoft 365 Business Premium, or Microsoft 365 Apps 1-month trial
Battery Life Up to 13.5 hours on moderate device usage
Input ports  1 x USB-C® | 1x USB-A | 3.5 mm headphone jack | 1 x Surface Connect port
Other Features 720 HD webcam (front-facing) | Dual far-field studio Mics | Omnisonic® Speakers with Dolby® Audio™ Premium | Wi-Fi 6: 802.11ax compatible | Bluetooth® Wireless 5.1 technology | Ambient light sensor | 2.48 lbs (1,127 g) weight

Reason to Buy

  • Large and fast storage 
  • Good performance
  • Great battery life
  • Bright touch screen
  • Other great features

Reason not to Buy

  • High price
  • No backlit keyboard
  • Low memory from entry model
  • Limit input ports available

Overview

 

The new Surface Laptop Go 2 from Microsoft is a slim, lightweight, and touchscreen budget laptop that has been improved from its predecessor. It comes with an 11th Gen Intel Core i5 processor with integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, storage options starting from 128GB to 256 GB, and memory options starting from 4GB up to 16GB of RAM.

On the outside, all models come with a 12.4-inch PixelSense touch screen, with slim display bezels, small keypad buttons, and a touchpad. All this is encased in a combination of an aluminum-plastic body that makes weighs 2,5 pounds (1,1 kg). In the box, you get the Surface Go 2 laptop with a 39W power supply.

   

What’s to Like

 

Large and fast storage

The entry model starts you off with a better, fast-loading solid-state drive with 128GB of storage rather than the 64GB from the older model. That’s awesome because it helps to provide faster loading of Windows and other apps installed in the system.  

 

The front and side view of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2

 

Good performance

The best thing about the Surface Laptop Go 2 is that it comes with an upgraded 11th Gen Intel i5 processor. It’s not the best but it provides all the necessary power to perform fast and help you get the job done. I have not experienced any performance problems thus far here.

Between opening tabs, and minimizing apps, the performance remains constant which is a good thing. The Intel Iris graphics also performs well with light casual gaming and video editing. Keep it to the minimum. Open one or two apps, and you’ll have no performance issues.     

 

Great battery life

Another great thing is the battery life. Upon testing, the Surface Laptop Go 2 managed to go up to 15 hours on a single charge. That to me is really amazing. 

  

Bright touch display

As for the display, the Surface Laptop Go 2 comes with a 12.4-inch touch screen that displays vibrant colors and good brightness. The sad thing is that the screen resolution is 1536 x 1024, which means it’s not full HD, so it’s not as detailed. But the screen still looks good though and works well.  

 

Other great features

There are other great features you need to be aware of. Firstly, if you’re a freelancer or like working on the go, then this laptop is perfect for you. It’s really slim, lightweight and portable so you can carry it where ever you go. With the long battery life, you won’t need to carry a power supply with you.

Another feature is the sound quality of the laptop, which is not bad either. You won’t see any speaker grilles as they are hidden underneath the keypad, but the sound comes out clear, not great but good enough to hear. If you’re not satisfied with the sound, you can always insert headphones as the laptop does include a headphone jack.

 

Side view of the slim and lightweight Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2

 

The next feature, for those who work remotely, the laptop comes with a 720p webcam from the previous model but comes with better contrast and color saturation. At least it’s better than the older model, and it also works well. 

Another great feature to mention is the system’s fan noise has been greatly reduced. On daily moderate use, the Surface Laptop Go 2 works quietly, even for daily tasks such as typing or browsing the internet. But it will start to roar if you decide to do a lot more multitasking.      

 

What’s not to Like

 

High budget price

The entry model starts at a price range between US$600 and US$700. That’s a high price for a budget laptop if you ask me. But with all the great features you’re getting, it’s worth it.   

 

No backlit keyboard

The fact that it does not have a backlit keypad is quite disappointing. You’re going to need to constantly work inside a well-lit room plus it would look even awesome. Yet budget laptops do come with compromises, and this is one of them. 

 

The front view of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2

 

Low 4GB RAM Memory

If it’s better performance you’re looking for with a budget laptop, I suggest getting the 8GB RAM model. Yes, it will be more expensive but the laptop will perform better for you. So upon purchase, make sure that it’s the 8GB RAM Surface Laptop Go 2. 

 

Limit input ports available

If you’re looking for a budget laptop with many input ports, you won’t find it here. They may be few but you get the essential input ports here. If it’s not enough you can always get a USB hub that provides more input ports.   

 

Verdict

 

So, lemme ask this question once more, is the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 worth the price? In my opinion, I think it is worth it. Looking at what you are getting, you’re getting a great-performance laptop, with good storage and memory, great battery life, a good-looking HD touch screen, and good looks as well. Fact that it’s a budget laptop, there are going to be some compromises but in this instance, the good outweighs the bad. That’s why recommend this laptop to you. 

 

Back and side view of the white Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2

 

If you’re a student, a freelancer, or just like working on the go, then this is the perfect laptop for you. It has all the performance, power, and everything you need to help you meet all your daily needs.

 

Click here to see the best budget laptops on offer right now! 

 

Now that you know a lot more about the Surface Laptop Go 2, what’s your take on this new laptop? Is it a laptop worth saving for? What other budget laptops are you looking to get? Please comment below with answers or even more questions. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

 

Xiaomi Redmi K50 Gaming Edition Review: Is It Worth Buying?

When I first heard of the Xiaomi Redmi K50 Gaming Edition, I imagined a gaming phone with top hardware similar to other top gaming phones from top brands. But was blown away because of its great features, like great performance, battery life, and the amazing price of the phone. If you don’t believe me, then check out my review of the Redmi K50 Gaming Edition smartphone.  

 

Xiaomi Redmi K50 Gaming Edition

All design colors from Shadow Black, Ice-Chop, Silver-Wing Gray and AMG F1

Phone specs

Display 6.67 inches, OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits, 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio
Storage, Memory 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM
Chip Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) | Octa-core (1×3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3×2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4×1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | Adreno 730
Operating System Android 12, MIUI 13
Main Camera, Video 64 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/1.73″, 0.8µm, PDAF | 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide) | 2 MP, f/2.4, (macro) | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 720p@960fps, HDR
Selfie Camera, Video 20 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/2.0″, 0.8µm | 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@120fps, HDR
Battery Li-Po 4700 mAh, non-removable | Fast charging 120W, 100% in 17 min (advertised) | 
Other Features Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, compass, color spectrum | Black, Gray, Blue, AMG | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot | Bluetooth 5.2, A2DP, LE | 210 g (7.41 oz) | 
Release 2022, February 16
Retail Price Click Here!

Reason to buy

  • Snappy gaming performance 
  • Unique design
  • Most affordable gaming smartphones
  • Large display with 120Hz
  • Large battery
  • Decent JBL-powered quad stereo speakers
  • Great heat management
  • Takes decent pictures

Reason to avoid

  • No water resistance
  • No MicroSD slot
  • No headphone jack
  • The highest storage available is 256GB

Overview

This is the Xiaomi Redmi K50 Gaming Edition, the gaming smartphone that comes with a 6.67-inch OLED 1080p display with a 120Hz refresh rate, 64 MP triple camera lens, and a flashy design that makes it look unique and authentic. 

Under the hood, it includes a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, 8 or 12 GB of RAMset, 128 or 256GB of storage, and a large 4700mAh battery. All this runs on an MIUI 13 based on the Android 12 OS. In the box, you get the Redmi K50 GE smartphone, a USB-C cable, a 120W phone charger, a quick-start guide, and a plastic phone cover. 

 

What we like

Unique Design

The design is flashy but overall nice to look at. It looks unique with its two-color variants at the rear, especially the blue. If you’re looking for a more simple, casual color scream then the silver and back are more for you. It’s protected by a strong Gorilla Glass Victus in front, with a glass back, and encased with an aluminum frame.

Overall, the design looks great and caters to all who want either something flashy or a more casual look. The Redmi K50 GE is available in four flashy colors: Ice-Chop Blue, Silver-Wing Gray, Shadow Black, and a color called the “AMG F1”. 

 

Rear side view of the Redmi K50 Gaming Edition

 

Stunning Display

The display is large at 6.67 inches. It comes with an OLED Full HD screen resolution, good brightness, and a 120Hz refresh rate. You can expect some stunning visuals in great detail, good color accuracy, and smooth performance as you glide your finger between menus.      

 

Fast Performance

The Xiaomi Redmi K50 Gaming Edition is a gaming phone after, so yes, it has to perform at its peak when it comes to gaming. And yes it does. The graphics look awesome here. The Adreno 730 GPU really shows off the graphics of games with clear, detailed, and great color accuracy. The gameplay is also fast and snappy thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate. The phone does get hot after prolonged gaming sessions but is controlled by a cooling system 

 

Decent Camera

The overall camera takes decent pictures and videos. The main 64MP camera takes stunning photos taking great detail and color. The ultrawide camera looks okay but not as detailed as the main camera. Portraits come out great as well especially if you like taking selfies.  The K50 GE records up to 4K videos at 60fps, which looks great overall and the selfie as well takes great videos as well.

 

Battery Life

The Redmi K50 GE smartphone comes with a 4700mAh battery that supports fast charging. Included in the box is a 120W charger that can charge up the phone from 0 to 100% in less than 25 minutes. Now that’s fast charging compared to other brands. No worries about battery life because you 

 

Price

This top-performance gaming smartphone has all the specs of other top brands. The starting price of the Redmi K50 GE (8GB RAM, 128GB) ranges between US$500 and US$550. It’s quite expensive but not as high as other top-brand gaming smartphones. That’s great value, making it one of the least expensive gaming smartphones.  

 

Other Features

Other features to mention. First, the pop-up magnetic gaming trigger buttons sit on the right side of the phone. There’s a switch that makes the triggers pop up whenever you are ready for gaming. It’s no gaming smartphone if it doesn’t have those button triggers. Next are the JBL-powered stereo speakers that deliver good decent sound.  

 

What we don’t like

There is no headphone jack included, no microSD slot to expand storage, and no water resistance so it’s not a good idea to immerse it into water. The highest storage available is 256GB, so no 512GB or 1TB models. 

 

Verdict

At this great price, you get the awesome Xiaomi Redmi K50 Gaming Edition, with a good-looking display, fast and snappy performance for daily use and gaming, long battery life and takes good overall photos and videos. The design is a nice touch, but not everyone will find it appealing. And let’s not forget you get a 120W phone charger in the box.

 

Front view of the Redmi K50 Gaming Edition

 

Most smartphones nowadays don’t have the headphone jack and microSD slot, especially the top smartphones. But since the movement is Bluetooth-connected earphones and access to online cloud storage it’s not really a bad thing.

Yet overall, the Redmi K50 Gaming Edition is in line to be one of the best gaming smartphones ever released this year, and one I definitely recommend to all gamers who like to game on the go.   

 

Close-off

So if you are a gamer, and gaming is your thing, and don’t wanna spend too much more, then the Redmi K50 Gaming Edition is the gaming smartphone for you. Thank you for checking out my review of this awesome gaming smartphone. If you have any comments to add, or questions to ask, then leave them below and I will answer them as soon as possible. 

So you’ve seen the review and like what the Redmi K50 offers. Don’t waste any more time.  Click here or click the button on top to find out more, see what is on offer, and buy it if you so desire.   

 

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G Review: Is It Really Worth Your Money?

 

Have you wasted hundreds of dollars, or even euros on top flagship smartphones only to use not even half of their features? Do you want an affordable one that’s simple to use and costs you less? If so, welcome. You’ve come to the right place. Let me introduce to you the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G smartphone. It’s affordable, fast, and lasts days on a single charge. But is it worth your money? Let’s find out more about this smartphone from this review.

 

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G

Front & rear view of the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G

 

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G Specs

Display 6.5″ Super AMOLED, 120Hz, 1080 x 2400 pixels
Processor Exynos 1280 (5nm), Mali-G68 GPU
Storage, RAM 128GB 4GB, 128GB 6GB, 128GB 8GB, 256GB 6GB, 256GB 8GB
Operating System Android 12, One UI 4.1
Main Camera, Video Quad sensor | 64MP, f/1.8 (wide) | 12MP, f/2.2 (ultrawide) | 5MP, f/2.4 (macro) | 5MP, f/2.4 (depth) | up to 4K video at 30fps and 1080p at 60fps
Selfie Camera, Video 32MP, f/2.2 (wide) | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | HDR
Battery Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable, fast charging at 25W
Other Specs Black, White, Blue, Peach Colors | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot and Bluetooth 5.1, A2DP, LE | weighs 189 g / 6.67 oz / 0.42 pounds | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection 
Released 17 March 2022
Retail Price Click here!

Reason to Buy

  • Large 5000mAh battery
  • Fast & snappy performance
  • Good design with a great choice of colours
  • Delivers decent gaming graphics
  • Water & dust resistance
  • Good quality display
  • Expandable storage available
  • Takes good pictures & videos

Reason Not to Buy

  • Slow charging speed
  • No charger in the box
  • No headphone jack
  • Price quite high

 

 

Overview

So what is this so-called Samsung Galaxy A53 5G smartphone? Well, It’s a mid-range smartphone that comes with a gorgeous 6.5-inch touchscreen with a teardrop front-facing camera on top. On the back, it includes a quad-camera lens with a flash and a hard plastic back cover. All are encased in a hard plastic frame.

 

Rear view of the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G

 

Inside, the Galaxy A53 is the 8-core Exynos processor powered by a large 5000mAh battery. You can choose from the 128GB storage 4GB RAM model, up to the 256GB storage 8GB model. Did I mention you can expand storage using microSD? I guess not. Well, the A53 includes an optional microSD slot to increase your storage. So what do you inside the box? Well, you get the Galaxy A53 smartphone, the quick user guide, the ejector pin, and the USB-Type C charger cable. No charger.

  

What we like

Good Battery Setup

So the Galaxy A53 comes with a large 5000mAh battery that gives you a battery life of up to 4 days and 17 hours on moderate use on a single charge. That’s pretty good if you think about it.

 

Good Performance

The Galaxy A53 performs great overall. As you navigate and move between menus with your finger, it feels smooth and really snappy. Overall, the A53 performs well and is a good device for daily use. If you like to play mobile games then the A53 is also for you. The overall graphics and gameplay on 3D games look and feel decent for a quick gaming session.     

 

Display and Design

The Galaxy A53 comes with a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 1080 x 2400 pixels screen resolution. Overall, the display looks stunning. The screen delivers good quality HD images and videos in stunning detail, with vibrant colours, and good accuracy. In terms of the phone design, it looks good overall with a good choice of colours for you to choose from. The build material used is plastic but it’s very durable with the tough Gorilla glass in front, and the water/dust resistance.     

 

Other Features

The Galaxy A53 has other great features worth mentioning. Firstly, the smartphone has an IP67 rating meaning that it is water and dust-resistant. The last feature is the smartphone includes a MicroSD slot which means that you can expand your storage by inserting a nano SD card.    

 

Front and Back view of the Blue Samsung Galaxy A53 5G

 

Good camera 

The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G smartphone comes with a 4-sensor main camera that includes:

  • 64MP (f/1.8) wide camera
  • 12MP (f/2.2) ultrawide camera
  • 5MP (f/2.4) macro camera
  • 5MP (f/2.4) depth camera

Overall, the photos from the main camera look decent. The detail is good, colours look bright, and vibrant, especially from taking day photos. Switch to the 64MP camera, and the photos look much finer and sharper.

For video recording, the Galaxy A53 delivers 1080p videos at 30 to 60 fps (frames per second), and 4K quality videos at 30 fps. The overall quality is good. The videos are in good detail, especially from 1080p videos at 60 fps. 

Do you like taking selfies? Good cos this phone comes with a 32MP (f/2.2) wide camera and videos up to 4K quality videos at 30 fps. As for the photos and videos, they look decent overall with good detail.

Although the camera produces great photos and videos, the zoom function is there but loses detail after 2x. And nighttime photos are lacking in detail. But I guess there are compromises if you decide to get a mid-range smartphone.

 

 

What we don’t like

Slower Battery Charge

The Galaxy A53 may have a large battery, a good battery life, and supports fast charging, but the charging speed isn’t that great. Charging the A53 smartphone, you are looking at a full charge, from zero to 100%, taking roughly 1 hour 30 minutes using a 25W charger. It’s not bad but compared to other charging speeds on other phones like let’s say a Galaxy S22 smartphone, on a 25W charger, it takes roughly 1 hour to fully charge. Maybe because it’s a mid-range smartphone. 

 

High Price

The Galaxy A53 comes with a price range between US$330 (R5000) and US$450 (R6999). That’s starting from the 4GB 128GB base model, which is still a good performer. But I recommend getting the 6GB 128GB model as it has good memory and there is always the option to increase storage with a microSD. If you want to consider alternatives because of the price, then try the Galaxy S20 FE or the Redmi Note 9S. They are much cheaper, have decent performance, and have great battery life as well.     

 

Front & side view of the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G

 

No Phone Charger 

Nowadays it’s normal for Samsung to not offer a charger and headphones when you buy any Galaxy smartphone. Even iPhone does not as well, but you can use your older charge or purchase a new one. 

 

Verdict

So what can I say about the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G? Well, it’s a great mid-range smartphone overall. The design is flashy and stylish. The display produces great views. The camera takes great daytime photos and videos. The performance is solid and it has great battery life.I like that it comes with an expandable storage slot too. With these great features, it’s a smartphone worth recommending.

But let’s not forget. It’s a mid-range smartphone, so the phone will come with compromises. To me, the price may be high but it’s a fair price for what you are getting. If it’s expensive or above your budget, then consider looking at alternatives.

 

Front & rear view of the White Samsung Galaxy A53 5G

 

Is it worth your money? I most definitely think so. Is it the best mid-range smartphone ever? Nope. Not really. It does have good specs but not enough to be the best. If you want a simple yet trendy smartphone that can do most of what other top-range smartphones can do, then the Galaxy A53 is for you.       

Wow. That was a lot, I know. But I hope you have a pretty good idea of the good and the not-so-good features, and things you can do with the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G smartphone. If you’ve decided to try this mid-range smartphone, why not click here or the button above to find out more, such as the price and purchase options? But before you do that, I would like to know your thoughts on the Galaxy A53, after reading the review. Is it worth your money? Do you like the features on offer? If you have any questions or views, please comment on the post below and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

 

Sniper Elite 5 Review: Is it Really Worth Your Time?

So when last did you play a sniper elite game? The last release was back in 2017 with Sniper Elite 4. Now this year we have Sniper Elite 5, the latest release of the sniper elite series in 2022. It promises to be fun, with more customization options and other gameplay features. Let’s see more from the review. 

 

Sniper Elite 5

Available on PC, PS5, PS4, and Xbox Series X/S/One

 

 

Overview

 

 

You once again play Karl Fairburne, an elite sniper soldier who’s on a mission to uncover a top-secret project by the German Nazis called Operation Kraken. For those who are new to the series, it’s a third-person espionage/shooter where you use the environment such as load noises to kill your foes using your trusty sniper rifle.

There’s a lot waiting for you to experience in this game, which includes:

  • An expansive campaign using real-world locations
  • More realistic and better kills thanks to the trademark x-ray kill cam 
  • Ease of traversal from using zip lines, to shimming along ledges
  • Weapons customization at workbenches to upgrade weapons
  • Invade another player’s campaign or co-op in multiplayer mode

The overall story took me about 20 hours to complete, and even more if you replay the missions to uncover and unlock missed objectives and rewards. 

 

Get into cover shooting Nazis in Sniper Elite 5.

 

My favorite aspect of the game is the immense gameplay and overall graphics of the game. It’s fun to kill Nazis soldiers and see their bodies taking damage from the bullet passing through their heads, or rupturing their hearts or lungs or other body parts. Note the game is rated M for mature with a 17+, so it’s definitely not for kids. If you wanna see more, check out the gameplay clip. 

  

 

What We Like

 

Great gameplay

The best thing about Sniper Elite 5 is the gameplay, from the spectacular and gory sniper kill cams to the fluent movements of our sniper protagonist. The sniper kills look even more spectacular on the PS5. They are surprisingly detailed and fun to watch. If it’s too gory, you can easily disable it in the options menu.

He has abilities at his disposal, such as a Focus ability (much like Last of Us) where you can spot enemies through walls, and also find tools like crowbars, bolt cutters, and satchel bombs to use during missions. You can even upgrade your skills using a 3-tier skill and learn new abilities such as increased health, equip more items or increase in ammo slots, or even move quicker while crouched in Focus mode. 

Our protagonist, Fairburne, is more enjoyable to control since he is now more agile and daring than before. Despite the fact that every stalk through a heavily guarded area begins with a silent crouch-walk, once the noise level increases, you are now capable of moving quickly over low walls and through windows, gaining some distance with a zipline, climbing vines and rope netting, or sliding down slopes to break the line of sight and regroup for a counterattack.

The open-level design generally made it such that I was less of a sitting duck and more of a sniping Spider-Man, even if there were times when I was forced to shoot my way out with my back to the wall.

 

Hold your breath as you ready your aim and take a shot.

 

The real shooting experience is much the same as in Sniper Elite 4. To bring these Nazis to a bloody end, you may still use binoculars to identify your targets, modify generators to mute the sounds of your gunfire, and take advantage of natural dangers like exploding barrels. Additionally, Sniper Elite 5 contains more unsightly headshots thanks to the X-ray kill cam that looks shockingly more realistic.

Each stage’s distinct assassinations are significantly more memorable, even if they occur accidentally. Instead of killing a target with your sniper rifle, you can also release and drop a chandelier from the ceiling or dip poison into the target’s drink and watch him die from it.

Killing targets with these actions reward you with more weapon customization options when next you find a workbench. Nevertheless, I appreciated the chance to engage targets with my holstered weapon, and I wished each map included more than one of these distinctive targets.  

One disappointing thing to note is that objectives in one mission tend to be recycled into the next. I can’t remember how many times I had to lay satchel charges on AA guns, snap wires to knock down radio towers or flip similar sets of pressure valves to shut down several industrial facilities. Once I saw how identical all of Sniper Elite 5’s side objectives felt, I lost interest in completing them all. 

 

Good-looking graphics

The game graphics look good overall. From the grounds and extravagant interior of the ‘Chateau de Berengar’ mansion to the majestic cathedral atop a heavily guarded spy academy to the depths of the menacingly molten production areas of a Nazi war factory, Sniper Elite 5 is home to some truly expansive architecture that are each fascinating to explore.

There are certainly some amusingly lighthearted surprises to stumble across along the way, despite the nonstop killing and 2nd World War themes. I especially enjoyed pausing to hear and observe a group of Nazis struggling to learn how to speak like Americans — before I crept up to assassinate them.

 

New multiplayer features

I was able to try out both the new counter-op Axis Invasion game and the campaign co-op in multiplayer mode. Co-op synchronized kills are just as much fun as they were in Sniper Elite 4, but this time you and your teammate can work together a little better since you can exchange ammunition, medkits, and other mission-specific goodies like special room keys.

There is no doubt a compelling case to be made that playing Sniper Elite 5’s campaign in a two-player co-op is another great option.

 

Take down enemies undetected using either lethal or non-lethal kills.

 

The Axis invasion option, opened up new multiplayer options, such as playing as a Nazi sniper. Instead of using binoculars like the other player, the invading sniper may command other AI foes to temporarily increase their awareness by telling them to “look sharp.”

Although it would be convenient to be able to take a lift in one of the transport trucks that constantly roam around many of the maps rather than have to walk everywhere, based on the small taste I’ve had so far, I’m definitely eager to try out the mode more after launch. The sheer scale of Sniper Elite 5’s maps can make it difficult at times to track down your target.

 

 

What We Don’t Like

 

Minor game glitches

Sniper Elite 5 is a lot of fun. The gameplay is smooth and quick but it’s not a perfect game. There are minor glitches in the game such as enemy AI appearing stuck in walls, and stage objectives done but not being tracked. But these can be resolved with updates, as soon as you get your copy I recommend you download and install the latest update of the game.     

 

Get into the action and survive the fight in this action-packed Sniper Elite 5

 

Mediocre storyline

If you’re looking for a great storyline then you won’t find it here in Sniper Elite 5. It’s not that it’s bad, it’s just that the story is not engaging enough for players to really enjoy it (unless you like to see historical videos of the 2nd World War). The game cutscenes are satisfactory. The actions and voice acting are not groundbreaking but it’s there at least. Rather stick to enjoying the gameplay because that’s the main strength of Sniper Elite 5.

 

 

Verdict

 

Sniper Elite 5 feels like the series needs to start setting its sights a little higher and find ways to avoid repeating the same handful of objectives so frequently. The story isn’t really engaging and there are minor but noticeable glitches.

But with Fairburne’s upgrade in agility and abilities, improved gameplay and co-op, weapons customization options, and the Axis Invasion multiplayer mode, Sniper Elite 5 is a satisfying game that still holds 1st place for grossly killing Nazis from headshots down to their nether regions.

So what’s your opinion of this game? Is it worth picking up? Please leave your comments below, and if you have any questions then leave them below as well and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. If the Sniper Elite 5 grabs your interest, then do yourself a favor, click the link here or the button above to learn more about it, and purchase it if you want.       

 

Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus Review: Bigger & Better

Thinking of getting yourself the new Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus smartphone? If you’re looking for more info before you buy, then you’ve come to the right place. It promises to be better than the Samsung S22 and older Samsung S21 Plus. Does it really meet up to your expectations? Let’s find out more from the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus review. 

Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus

 

Front and rear view of the Phantom Black Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus

Specifications

Display 6.6 inches Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1750 nits (peak), 1080 x 2340 pixels
CPU, GPU Exynos 2200 (4 nm) CPU, Xclipse 920 GPU – Europe | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) CPU, Adreno 730 GPU – International 
RAM, Storage 128GB 8GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM
OS Android 12, One UI 4.1
Main Camera, Video 50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56″, 1.0µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS | 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.94″, 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom | 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55″ 1.4µm, Super Steady video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS
Front Camera, Video 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24″, 1.22µm, Dual Pixel PDAF | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps
Battery Li-Ion 4500 mAh, non-removable | Fast charging 45W | wireless charging 15W | Reverse wireless charging 4.5W
Other Build: Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) | Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Dual SIM (2 Nano-SIMs + eSIM, dual stand-by) | Fingerprint (under the display, ultrasonic) | Colors: Phantom Black, White, Pink Gold, Green, Graphite, Sky Blue, Violet, Cream

Reason to Buy

  • Larger 6.6-inch screen
  • Larger 4500 mAh battery
  • Faster & better performance
  • Nice range of colors
  • Great camera features

Reason to Avoid

  • Pricey
  • Same design as the predecessor

 

Overview

 

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus is the next entry into the S22 series of smartphones. It comes with a 6.6-inch Full-HD display, with 1080p screen resolution, and a 120Hz refresh rate.

Each S22 Plus either comes with 128GB 8GB or 256GB 8GB. It also includes a 50MP Triple-lens camera to take high-quality pictures and 8K videos, a large 4500 mAh battery, and a good collection of colours such as Phantom Black, White, Pink Gold, and Green (more trendy color options when ordering online).

So what do you get in the box? You get the:

  • S22 Plus smartphone
  • Quick start user guide
  • USB Type-C cable
  • Ejector tool

Phone chargers are sold separately. 

 

 

What We Like

 

Gorgeous Display

Firstly, there’s the large 6.6-inch display with Full HD and a 120Hz refresh rate, which makes scrolling the S22 Plus menus smoother. The screen looks amazing. It has good color accuracy with crisp, and sharp images and clear HD videos. It really looks good, although the same screen tech as the S21 Plus but a little brighter.

 

Large Battery

Next, the phone is powered by a 4500 mAh battery that supports fast charging, wireless charging, and reverse charging. Upon testing, we have concluded that the phone’s battery life goes up to 4 days and 1 hour on moderate usage. Not bad for the S22 Plus.

 

All the colours available for the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus

 

Phone Colors

There’s a great range of colours to choose from when purchasing the S22 Plus. Even more of them are available on the Samsung website upon purchase. At retail colors are Phantom Black, White, Green, Pink Gold, and Green. The others are Graphite, Sky Blue, Violet, and Cream which are online available for purchase on the Samsung website.

 

Fast Performance

The Samsung S22 range of smartphones is running the same processing 4nm chip, with European countries getting the Exynos 2200 with the Xclipse 920 GPU, and the rest of the world getting the Snapdragon 8 Gen chip with the Adreno 730 GPU. Compared to the S21 Plus, which includes a 5nm chip, the S22 Plus has a better, and faster chip which improves the overall performance.        

 

Triple Camera Upgrade

Lastly, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus has a new camera setup with a 50 MP wide camera, a 12 MP ultrawide camera, and a 10 MP telephoto camera with 3 times optical zoom, which is an upgrade from the S21 Plus of 12 MP. Expect even more good quality pictures and videos here which upon testing the S22 Plus produces excellent high-quality pictures are video. 

 

 

What We Don’t Like

 

High Price

If you’re looking to buy this phone expect to pay a lot of money for it. The S22 Plus starts at the price range of between US$749 – US$1000. That’s a steep price. So start saving up some money now or get the Samsung S22 or the Samsung S21 Plus. Check out my reviews. 

 

The back and side view of the Pink Gold Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus

 

Phone Design

The S22 Plus uses the same design as the older S21 Plus, which still looks good. The different new colors also add to the flare as well but in the end, there’s no big change in the design department. If the design is more your thing then rather look at the new S22 Ultra, which has a whole new design in the S22 series.  

 

 

Verdict

 

Phantom Black Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus

 

In many ways, the Samsung S22 Plus is a great phone. Compared to the S22, it comes with a bigger display, and a bigger battery that delivers longer battery life, and better performance. Making it the upgraded and more powerful Samsung S22.

Compared to the older Samsung S21 Plus, the S22 Plus takes the cake thanks to the upgraded camera features and the overall better smartphone performance. Everything else leaves us consumers asking questions.   

Let me explain. The S21 Plus has a bigger screen which is not really an issue (as it produces the same high-quality display), and it also has a bigger 4800 mAh battery, which means it has more battery life. For this sake, I would recommend you get or keep your existing S21 Plus. For the performance and the camera features, I recommend you get the new S22 Plus. It all depends on what works for you. Not to forget to mention how expensive it is now.  

If the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus is not your expected smartphone of choice, then look at and consider these great alternatives: iPhone 13 ProSamsung Galaxy S21 Plus; and the Samsung Galaxy S21 FEBut if this is most definitely your smartphone of choice, click here to find out how to purchase it

Thank you for checking out my review of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus. If you have any questions or wish to add comments, then scroll down below and leave them here below. I will try my hardest to answer your queries as soon as possible. All the best to you. Keep well and stay safe until next time.  

 

Samsung Galaxy S22 Phone Review: The Faster Galaxy S21

Nowadays we all wonder if it’s a good idea to change our smartphones every single year, as newer and better ones are released with better specs every time. But if consistency is more to your liking, and also sticking to your preferences, then switching from the Galaxy S21 to the new Samsung Galaxy S22 phone is a great idea.  

Why do you ask? Well, the Galaxy S22 promises to deliver better performance, a better camera, and a better display than its predecessor. The thing is there are usually slight improvements which one begins to question if it’s worth the buy or not. To answer that, let’s look at the review of the Samsung Galaxy S22. 

 

 

Samsung Galaxy S22

Front and back view of the green Samsung Galaxy S22 phone

 

Specs

Display 6.1 inches, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak), 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio
CPU & GPU CPU: Octa-core; Exynos 2200 (4 nm) – EUR; Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) – International; GPU: Xclipse 920 – EUR; Adreno 730 – International
RAM & Storage 8GB 128GB; 8GB 256GB
OS Android 12, One UI 4.1
Main Camera Triple sensor, 50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56″, 1.0µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS; 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.94″, 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom; 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55″ 1.4µm, Super Steady video
Front Camera 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24″, 1.22µm, Dual Pixel PDAF
Video 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS
Battery Li-Ion 3700 mAh, non-removable, fast charging 25W, USB Power Delivery 3.0, fast wireless charging 15W, reverse wireless charging 4.5W
Colors Phantom Black, White, Pink Gold, Green, (Graphite, Sky Blue, Violet, and Cream available online purchase)
Misc Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame; Single or Dual Nano Sim; IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins); weighs 168g

(Source: GSMArena.com)

 

Reason to Buy

  • Fast performance
  • Comes in really nice colors
  • Good quality display
  • Great camera experience with photos & videos
  • Good durability

Reason to Avoid

  • Smaller display
  • Short battery life
  • No microSD, headphone jack & charger
  • Same design as the S21

 

Overview

The Samsung Galaxy S22 phone is the new entry-level model in the S22 series, which consists of two other models: Galaxy S22 Plus, and Galaxy S22 Ultra. The phone comes with a 6.1-inch display, with a 10MP teardrop camera at the top, and a 3-camera sensor at the back. It also includes a strong glass front and back with an aluminium frame. The design of the Galaxy S22 is taken from the Galaxy S21, which still looks awesome. Great colors too.  

Inside it comes with the latest and fastest Snapdragon or Exynos processor (depending on whichever region in the world you’re in), with 8GB of RAM, storage starting from 128GB up to 256GB, and a 3700mAh battery. What you get inside the box is the Galaxy S22 5G smartphone, a quick start guide, an ejection pin, and a USB Type-C data cable. No earphones. No charger. 

 

 

What’s to Like

 

The colors available with the Samsung Galaxy S22 phone

 

There’s so much to like about the new Samsung Galaxy S22 phone. Firstly. It’s fast. What I mean is, that it comes with a fast processing chip. Not only can it handle normal daily phone functions but also smooth scrolling between menus and website browsing.

Secondly. It comes with durable features such as a stronger glass front and back, water and dust resistance, and a strong aluminium frame. Next is the design. Sure the design is not the wow factor with entry models these days but the choice of colours, namely Phantom White, Green, Pink Gold, and Phantom Black makes the phone look good. I prefer the Phantom Black. 

Next is the camera. There are some improvements for you to note: 1) a 50MP wide camera; 2) enhanced picture quality for nighttime; 3) 3x optical zoom, and 4) video recordings at up to 8K quality. The S22 produces great pictures overall with excellent detail and lively colors. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S22 comes with great new features from the fast processor, to enhanced durability, to the camera features. 

 

 

What’s not to Like

 

Front and rear view of phantom black Samsung Galaxy S22 phone

 

The Samsung S22 comes with a smaller 6.1-inch display. Some of you may not like that, but the specs and technology are pretty much no different from the Samsung S21. So expect a similar quality display that delivers stunning views.  

The S22 comes with a smaller 3700mAh battery. Normally, you would expect a shorter battery life, and that would normally be the case. Yet still, you get a decent amount of battery life (up to 3,5 days on moderate usage). The problem is that other phones provide a bigger battery that offers even more battery life.

Lastly, there’s no drastic change in the design from the previous Galaxy S21. It looks the same. So if you’re expecting a drastic design, it’s not here. Luckily the colors make the phone look good. 

Overall, if the smaller battery, the smaller screen, and the design don’t appeal to you then try the older Galaxy S21 or the newer and improved Galaxy S22 Plus. Yet the Galaxy S22 is still a solid smartphone.   

 

 

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S22 phone is indeed the updated version of the Galaxy S21. The new features and improvements are there but are not groundbreaking, and innovative. I would say that Samsung is sticking to what works for this market segment, and maintaining consistency, which is a challenge in the consumer electronics market.

The only major thing worth noting is the drop in battery size to 3700mAh. The others are just minor faults that are easily overcome thanks to the overall phone’s quality features. That’s why I don’t recommend the Galaxy S22 for its battery life.

But everything else is still intact. I’m talking about the fast performance, the good camera features, and the excellent quality display. All these contribute to the overall improvements of the new Samsung Galaxy S22 phone. That’s why I recommend it.

Looking for great alternatives? Check out my reviews of the Samsung Galaxy S21, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Fan Edition, the iPhone 13, or the iPhone 12.  So what’s left for me to say is, that if you are looking for the latest and fast-performance entry-level smartphone, then look no further than the Samsung Galaxy S22. If you have any questions or comments then leave them here below at the bottom. I will respond to you as soon as I can. If everything else, click here to find out more and how you can get this amazing Samsung Galaxy S22 phone.

 

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 2022 Review: The Next Galaxy Note

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 2022 has finally arrived. With its hot new design and upgraded specs, it hopes to finish first place in the race against many other top-range smartphones. Speaking of other top-range smartphones, is better than its predecessor?  Is it really as great as we hope it to be? Before we can truly say that, let’s check out my review of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. 

 

 

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

 

Front and back view of the green Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 2022

 

 

Specifications

DISPLAY 6.8 inches, dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1440 x 3088 pixels
BUILD, WEIGHT, DIMENSIONS Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame | 229 g (8.04 oz) | 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9 mm (6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in)
CPU & GPU Octa-core, Exynos 2200 (4 nm) – Europe, Qualcomm SM8450 / Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) – International |  Xclipse 920 GPU – Europe / Adreno 730 – International   
RAM & STORAGE 128GB 8GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM | 512GB 12GB RAM | 1TB 12GB RAM
OPERATING SYSTEM Android 12, One UI 4.1
MAIN CAMERA & VIDEO Quad camera | 108 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.33″, 0.8µm, PDAF, Laser AF, OIS | 10 MP, f/4.9, 230mm (periscope telephoto), 10x optical zoom | 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 3x optical zoom | 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), Super Steady video | features LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | up to 8K@24fps video, HDR10+
FRONT CAMERA & VIDEO Single-camera | 40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide) | features Dual video call, Auto-HDR | up to 4K@30/60fps video
BATTERY Li-Ion 5000 mAh, non-removable | Fast charging 45W | Fast wireless charging 15W | Reverse wireless charging 4.5W
MISC COLORS – Phantom Black, White, Burgundy, Green, Graphite, Red, Sky Blue | CONNECTIVITY – Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot | Bluetooth 5.2 | USB Type-C 3.2, USB On-The-Go | features IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) | features Stylus, 2.8ms latency (Bluetooth integration) | Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Dual SIM (2 Nano-SIMs + eSIM, dual stand-by)

(Source: gsmarena.com)

Reason to Buy

  • Note 20 successor
  • Stunning design
  • Includes S Pen
  • Battery life is pretty good
  • Great camera features with great zoom
  • Great looking display 
  • Fast performance

Reason to Avoid

  • A tall 6.8-inch smartphone that may not fit in your pocket
  • Expensive
  • Slower fast charge
  • Less battery life than predecessor

 

Overview

 

 

I’m surprised that Samsung didn’t call this new top-tier smartphone a Note S22 (or something similar) because it definitely looks like one. I’m sure they have their reasons, but I guess they like the name ‘Ultra’, so they sticking to it. This is the top-range smartphone in the Galaxy S22 series. This one also comes with most of the top features and specs, just like the Galaxy S21 Ultra did last year in the S21 series.

On the outside, you will see a 6.8-inch display, with a single teardrop 40MP camera. At the back, there’s the 108MP main camera with four lenses to take pictures and videos. The exterior is covered in a tough glass covering back and front and encased in an aluminum frame. There’s also a new slot at the bottom section of the phone where you can pull out the S Pen. Pretty neat.  

Under the hood, is an 8-core 5G processor from Exynos or Snapdragon (region depending), a range choice of 8GB or 12GB of memory, and a range choice of 128GB to 1TB of storage. What you get in the box is the S22 Ultra smartphone, the S Pen stylus, a USB-Type C data cable, and an ejection pin. No brick charger plug and no earphones. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 2022 has some good specs that rival the other top-range smartphones in the market today. but what makes it tick? What do we like about this phone?      

 

 

What’s to Like

 

  • Stunning design
  • Includes S Pen
  • Battery life is pretty good
  • Great camera features with great zoom functionality
  • Great looking display 
  • Fast performance

 

Green, white, phantom black, and red Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 2022

 

We like the design of the S22 Ultra, even though it looks and feels like Samsung’s previous Note models. I guess you can say this is the new ‘Note S22’. It comes with round edges on the side, giving it a more premium look. It’s covered with tough glass and a strong aluminum frame exterior to improve durability. The phone includes 7 choices of colors to choose from. Overall. Great new design. Nice choice of colors. Great durability. 

Performance-wise, the S22 Ultra comes with the latest performance chips. As expected, the display moves seamlessly and smoother, with fast loading of apps, a fast load of web browsing, and an attractive user interface. From testing and benchmarking, the performance is fast, fluid, and smooth, which has become a  standard top-range feature for top-tier smartphones. 

Battery life is pretty good with the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Upon testing, at moderate use, you’re looking at about 4 days and 12 hours before the battery runs flat. That’s pretty good battery life. Next is the display. So the S22 Ultra comes with a 6.8-inch screen, with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 1440p FHD+ screen resolution. You can’t help but be amazed.

The screen comes with good brightness, displaying detailed and sharp images and video, and good color accuracy. It makes it a joy to look at high-quality videos and images. Overall. Stunning display. In terms of the camera, the overall experience has been wonderful. During the day the pictures on a normal wide camera are detailed, with bright colors and great detail. The ultrawide images are good but there is some loss of detail.

The zoom function, however, is a great feature. you can zoom up to 3 times or even 10 times and the image quality still looks great. At low light, the camera takes stunning pictures with excellent detail. For video recording, the S22 Ultra can record up to 8K videos at 24fps. If you’re worried about storage then 4K videos are better off or FHD as they are even more smooth and more detailed. Overall. Impressive pictures and videos. 

    

What’s not to Like

 

  • A tall 6.8-inch smartphone that may not fit in your pocket
  • Slower fast charge
  • Less battery life than predecessor

The Samsung S22 Ultra comes with stunning features, but there are a few things that we must note about it. So here’s a list of what we don’t like about this phone. 

 

Front and side view of the sky-blue Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 2022

 

The S22 Ultra is a nice and tall phone. But it may be too large to fit in your pocket. If you like keeping it stored safely in your pocket, then this phone is not for you. Rather get a separate pouch to keep it safely stored on you. The battery life may be great with the S22 Ultra smartphone but the charging speed isn’t. With a 25W charger, in 30 minutes the phone is charged 61%, whereas with a 45W charger the phone is charged 60%. Not much difference there. It’s just disappointing that a 45W charger performs this way as we expected a faster charge speed than the 25W.

Sticking to the battery life, with the S22 Ultra you can get a good 4 days and 12 hours of battery life, whereas with the older S21 Ultra, on moderate use, you can get up to 4 days and 18 hours of battery life. You may be thinking it’s only a few hours difference but a few hours difference goes a long way.      

 

 

Verdict

 

Front and back view of the white Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 2022

 

All I can say is, well done Samsung. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is by far the best-looking, best-performing, and best features smartphone of 2022 so far. If this phone is the apple of your eye, or you plan to get it any time soon, then you’ve made a great choice. It would be nice to know there’s a 45W charger out there that outperforms the existing 25W charger in terms of charge speed. And the battery life difference between the S22 Ultra and the S21 Ultra may not seem much but it helps to have more. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is a great smartphone to buy. I highly recommend it. Get it now, while stocks last.    

There are other great alternatives out there like the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. It’s last year’s model, but still the best. There’s also the older Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. It’s 2 years older but a lot cheaper. Click on the links to check out my reviews. Thanks for checking out my review of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 2022. If you have questions, or you wish to leave a comment, please do so below. So if you like what you see, click here to check more, and experience one of the best smartphones of 2022.

 

Bandai Namco Elden Ring Review: Bigger, Fearsome, Better

Introducing Bandai Namco Elden Ring, the biggest, most terrifying, but also one of the best video games ever created by FromSoftware. If you’re familiar with game titles such as Demon Souls, Bloodborne, and the Dark souls gaming franchise, you’ll have a better idea as to what you’re getting yourself into. A challenging but rewarding gaming experience.

For first-time players getting into the action RPG and souls genre, it’s a good idea for you to know what exactly what you’re getting yourself into. The developers from FromSoftware are known for making challenging video games, that test you mentally, and emotionally, and Elden Ring is no different. With that being said, I bring you my review of Elden Ring. 

 

 

Bandai Namco Elden Ring

 

Available on PS5, PS4, PC, and Xbox One / Series X

 

Reason to Buy

    • Open-world exploration to find dungeons, defeat foes & bosses
    • Awesome new gaming mechanics
    • Stunning graphic visuals with detailed environments & landscapes
    • Smooth & fluid gameplay with 80+ hours of gaming

Reason to Avoid

    • Challenging with no difficulty options
    • Occasional performance issues and bugs on PC version

 

 

Overview

 

 

You are Tarnished. You start off in a tomb after character creation and a beautiful intro cinematic. You encounter a mini-boss that kills you, then you wake up deep in a dungeon, where you go through a quick gaming tutorial then you fight another mini-boss. You win the fight.  You find a way out of the dungeon, then you finally see the vast world you need to explore.  What’s next is up to you. 

It’s an open-world, souls-genre, action RPG, where you explore this vast world, battling enemies,  and monsters, to get stronger. It comes with a deep storyline, with lots of dialogue, good cinematics, and new gaming mechanics. Those who have played previous gaming titles may spot similar gaming elements, like the same character animations, and the same character leveling system. But those are some of the many things that make FromSoftware such a great gaming developer. 

It promises plenty of hours of gameplay, lots of weapons and magic spells to find and defeat your foes, and a massive map to explore.     

 

Fight lesser foes and bosses to learn spells and get legendary weapons.

 

There’s also an online multiplayer mode, where you can invade other characters’ worlds to battle or join them to help them fight tough enemy bosses. Overall, it’s a tough action RPG. It includes great graphics, great gameplay, and long hours of gameplay, and comes with newer gaming mechanics which will come later on. 

 

 

What We Like

 

So what’s to like about this? Well, lots of things. Firstly, Elden Ring is available for next-gen consoles and PC.  From my playthrough, I was blown away by how good-looking the graphics were. From the detailed day-to-night sky to the detailed NPCs and enemy AI, the graphics look stunning with awesome visuals, detailed landscapes, and environments.

Next is the gameplay. I was amazed at how fluid and the smoothness of the gameplay were, especially the overall character, enemy, and other gaming animations. The music and sound effects are livelier than ever. It just made boss battles more epic. 

Then there are the new gaming mechanics that include:

  • Open-world to exploration using a magical mount
  • Crafting items on the go to help you in combat
  • More weapons, magic, and accessories to discover
  • More epic boss fights to beat & strengthen your character

 

Explore and encounter massive ground and flying beasts.

 

And lastly, the game will take you more than 80+ hours to complete. I’ve played for over 50 hours and am still nowhere close to the finish. There’s just so much to explore, so many enemies and bosses to defeat, and not to mention there are so many powerful items to find. If you like this type of game, then, believe me, you’ll enjoy every minute of Elden Ring. In short, this is one of the best looking, best gaming experiences I’ve ever had, and you’ll also as well. With all the good things of Elden Ring, there are things you must know.  

 

 

What We Don’t Like

 

Firstly, Elden Ring is a really hard game.  There are no other difficulty options.  Enemies can easily overpower and kill you if you’re not careful, and the game works on a limited stamina system. In other words, if your stamina bar is 0, you become vulnerable.  So going in there to fight guns blazing is not a good idea.  

  

Prepare for battle as you fight massive foes on your magical steed.

 

Next, there are performance issues and bugs on the PC version,  even if you have a 3080 RTX gaming PC. From my playthrough on PC, the frame rate drops often affecting the performance, glitches that got me stuck on rocks, and the enemies plus your mount appear invisible at times. I was not impressed.

However, the game runs well on consoles. From playing on the PS5, I experienced very minor issues but I had no problems with gaming performance and graphics. The bottom line is if you have a next-gen console, get the console version.

Unless stated otherwise like a patch for the PC to fix the performance and graphic issues, I suggest that you do not buy the PC version yet. The game is also hard but it’s a lot of fun. It’s really not a game for everyone but if you can handle it, then go for it.

 

     

Overall Verdict

 

Bandai Namco Elden Ring is a great game. It comes with a huge but beautifully detailed map to explore. It has challenging enemies, and hard bosses to defeat.  There are so many skills, magic abilities, weapons, and crafting materials to find, that are geared to strengthen your character. 

 

But I don’t recommend you play Elden Ring. 

 

It’s very challenging. It’s not for everyone. The enemies are brutal.  Your character will die a lot, and if you don’t watch yourself, you’ll end up frustrated, then you end up tossing and breaking your controller. 

 

Explore the massive lands of Lands Between and uncover its secrets.

 

But it’s all about finding good gear, finding and defeating lesser foes over and over again then leveling up to get stronger, and executing different tactics to defeat stronger foes. Then you’ll feel satisfied and more confident and want to take on stronger foes.  

 

And that’s why I recommend you play Elden Ring.  

 

There are plenty of helpful strategies, guides, and videos online that you can use. I’m no expert either and I make use of online guides to help me get through the game.  You can also seek help online by summoning other players to help you fight bosses.       

With that said, if you’re new to this gaming franchise and feel up to the challenge, then buy Elden Ring.  You’ll have a hard time playing this game, but once you get into it, you’ll yearn for more and more.    

If you like my review of Bandai Namco Elden Ring, please add your comments below. All that’s left for you to do is to click here, purchase or rent Elden Ring, and give it a try. That’s all from me. Stay safe until next time. 

 

Horizon Forbidden West Review – A masterpiece, almost

To think that Horizon Zero Dawn was a great game, comes Horizon Forbidden West, the sequel to 2017’s epic PlayStation exclusive. Exclusive to the PlayStation, the game promises fans a good storyline, more hunting of new machines with better weapons and gadgets, and new gameplay features and mechanics. With the game finally released, let’s check out the review and see if it’s worth the play.

 

 

Horizon Forbidden West

 

Exclusive to PS5 and PS4

 

Reasons to Buy

  • Great detailed graphics
  • Smooth gameplay in Performance mode
  • Well acted & deep storyline
  • More weapons & gadgets
  • Good character progression system

Reasons to Avoid

    • Minor glitches & bugs
    • Knowledge of the older game
    • More challenging overall

 

 

Overview

 

Game sequels are expected to be more story-driven with an engaging story, more fun and entertaining, bringing something new to the gaming title franchise, and in most cases continue to bring the things that made the previous title great to a whole new level. Horizon Forbidden West is that sequel that seeks to put you once again into the role of our warrior outcast, Aloy, who fights to save her land from an unknown enemy that threatens all life. 

 

Explore the world with a new glider gadget.

 

If you have played 2017’s Horizon Zero Dawn, then you will feel at home here. You begin your adventure searching for a solution to the growing crisis, meet up with familiar friends, and come across beasts both old and new. But then you start to level up and see the new skill tree pack with new skills and acquire new gadgets to help navigate the world or give you an edge in combat. 

For those new to the franchise, it’s a single-player open-world action game, where you play Aloy, a warrior who uses a bow-and-arrow and a spear as a weapon to fight against monster machines, explore the world, engage in missions and side quests to get stronger, and acquire weapons, armor, and gadgets. It’s a good idea to play the previous game, not that it’s a must but will get you into the swing of the game. 

 

 

What We Like

 

The great thing about this game is that there’re a lot of things to like about it. Firstly, it comes with a new leveling and character progression system.  You complete quests, you level up, you receive points to use to get new skills and abilities. 

There are six traits to choose from: hunter, trapper, warrior, survivor, infiltrator, and machine master. From here you can stick to one or two traits that can help you achieve your play style. Now that’s a great character progression system. 

 

Try out new weapons with new elements to combat new monsters.

 

The next thing is the gameplay. When I first started playing, the game seemed slow and clunky. I opened the menu and switch it to performance mode in the gameplay menu. Suddenly the gameplay was faster and smoother, yet the graphics were still good. Moral of the story. The gameplay in Performance Mode is better.   

Speaking of graphics, the third thing we liked is the graphics of the game. The game looks stunning. The monster machines are just so incredibly detailed. The NPCs are equally detailed. The environment such as the sky, the cliffs, and the mountains look absolutely gorgeous. So in the graphics department, the game takes the cake. 

Next are the new features in Horizon Forbidden West. There are a lot more weapons to use. There are more items to scavenge to use to craft items, upgrade weapons and armor.

There are even gadgets to find and use such as the glider to glide from high peaks, and a mouthpiece to help you navigate underwater. Bottom line: there are a lot of new items to find in Horizon Forbidden West.     

Then lastly, the storyline in Forbidden West is much improved from the previous game. The cut-scenes are more engaging, with more depth as you explore and uncover interesting things like new characters, and new enemies.

 

 

What We Don’t Like

 

With video games, as much as we want to believe, they’re not perfect.  As gorgeous as the graphics, smooth gameplay, and discovery of new things, there are glitches and bugs in the game. 

 

A new world to explore underwater filled with many dangers.

 

Luckily the day one patch fixes most of them, so when you get the game, I encourage you to download the update. The game does come with challenging elements such as harder monsters, bosses, and human enemies. There is the option to change the difficulty so it’s not much of a bad thing. Just know that, if you like a challenge, go for it. You do have the option to change the difficulty. 

 

 

Verdict

 

Guerrilla Games has done yet another great job with Horizon Forbidden West. The combat is challenging but thrilling and exciting. The character designs overall, from the NPCs to the mechanical monsters, look stunning. The open-world exploration and new gaming features make it one of the best games to play and to get.

But with minor but occasional glitches makes the game the one reason why it’s not rated top marks.  As time goes by, updates will be available to fix them, but with the day one update, the game should run smoothly with no issues overall. If you want one of the best games that really shows the power of the PS5, then Forbidden West is one of them. A game that really showcases the power of the PS5.

So what are your opinions of Horizon Forbidden West? Is it better than the PS4 classic? How do you find the gameplay and the visuals? Leave your comments below, along with questions if you have any. That’s all from me. Stay safe and keep on gaming.

 

Dying Light 2: Stay Human Review

Dying Light 2 Stay Human is one of the most hyped games in recent years.  With a story promising you more survival action, more ways to deal with zombies, more weapons, and crucial decision-making that can change the whole course of the game. Does this next game release live up to its promises?  Is this a worthy successor to Dying Light?  Let’s find out more from this review. 

 

 

Dying Light 2: Stay Human

 

Dying Light 2 Stay Human launches on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.

 

 

Reason to Buy

  • Rich detailed open-world
  • Great gameplay & combat system
  • Lots of loot and XP to gain
  • Day and night sequence
  • Up to 80 hours of game time

Reason not to Buy

  • Co-op mode has many bugs & technical issues

 

Overview

 

 

You play Aiden, a pilgrim in a post-apocalyptic world.  You can run, jump from one building to another, climb, fight zombies and other threats. 

You start in a forest, then you end up in a massive city called Villador, where you do story missions, and side quests in hopes of finding a long-lost relative.

As you explore, you get access to:

    • Meet up with NPCs
    • Explore an open world with a day-and-night cycle
    • Fight enemy bandits, zombies, and other monstrosities 
    • Get access to melee weapons, and armor in the form of clothes
    • Craft materials to build bombs, accessories, health, and immunity items
    • XP to level up and a progression tree to learn new skills 

Dying Light 2 Stay Human is rated M for mature.  There’s gore as well so if you can stomach that, then you’re set.

 

 

What’s to Like

The detailed world with awesome graphics

As I played Dying light 2, I noticed how detailed the game world looks.  From the trees in the forest, the rocks on cliffs, to the city buildings and clouds in the sky. 

 

 

The graphics and texture of the game look great. even the NPCs of the game look good.  Overall, Dying Light 2 has some awesome graphics. 

 

Fast gameplay

The combat system looks quite brutal but is simple to execute.  You can slash or wound enemies with melee weapons such as axes. katanas, baseball bats, machetes, etc.

You can block, dodge, jump over enemies to attack other enemies, parry attacks, and execute finishing maneuvers. All this with a limited stamina gauge.  The performance mode works best with framerates up to 60fps. 

 

Explore a vast city with different environments.

 

In short, you will have so much fun with the combat in the game.  Great animations.  Your character executes great combat moves.  definitely one of the best reasons you must play Dying Light 2.

 

Long hours of game time

This game has tons of missions and even more side quests to keep you going.  On average you are looking at up to 80 hours of game time.       

 

 

What’s not to Like

Not-so-good storyline

The story is well-acted.  The characters are well-voiced and have some good action scenes and sequences. 

 

Challenging but scary enemies await.

 

The story though is the least good aspect of the game.  The main storyline is not very interesting.  The story decisions you make are not as impactful, and the character you play is not very interesting. So if you looking for a captivating story, you won’t find it here. 

 

Bugs & glitches

When you get Dying Light 2 Stay Human, make sure you download the update or patch, otherwise, you’ll be playing a game with a lot of glitches, bugs and game crashes.  After installing the update, the game is a lot better to play. 

 

Chase down enemies as you run and jump on rooftops.

 

There are some minor issues like the character getting stuck, but the game is still fun.  So before you play the game, download the update.  

 

Verdict

Dying Light 2 Stay Human is a great game. It has good graphics, a great combat system, a great leveling, and progression system, and long hours of gaming.  What more do you want from a zombie, open-world, action-adventure game?  

 

Choose your support factions wisely, or they become your enemies.

 

With the dull storyline and the occasional glitches, it won’t make it to the best game awards.  But it’s still fun to play.  So yes.  I do recommend you get Dying Light 2 Stay Human. That’s it for the Dying Light 2 Stay Human review. If you have any questions, comments, or opinions of the game, you can leave them here below and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.  Stay Safe. 

 

Pokemon Legends Arceus Review: Looks Average but Fun

Pokemon Legends Arceus is the next new Pokemon game released early in 2022, exclusive to Nintendo Switch. With a whole new spin on the world-renowned turn-based action RPG title, Game Freak has taken a different turn this time, with new gaming mechanics, whilst preserving the familiar game we’re all familiar with. With the new gaming mechanics, is Pokemon Legends Arceus going to be better than previous titles or is it going to fall flat? Let’s check the review.       

 

 

Pokemon Legends Arceus

 

The main cover art of the Pokemon Legends Arceus

 

Reason to Like

  • New gameplay features
  • Many more ways to catch pokemon
  • New combat system to master
  • 30+ hours of gameplay 

Reason not to Like

  • More challenging gameplay
  • World graphics not looking so great

 

Overview

 

 

Pokemon Legends Arceus is a single-player, open-world, action RPG game that takes you to a world before all the technology you’ve experienced in other Pokemon games. You can say pretty much it’s a prequel.

Instead of a digital Rotom Pokedex, you get a notebook. Instead of popping into a Pokemon Center to store and heal pokemon, you take them to pastures such as the Jubilife village. 

You begin by choosing from three starter pokemon: fire-type Cyndaquil; grass-type Rowlett and water-type, Oshawott. As you progress in the world you get to collect more pokemon from normal battles, and from stealth by throwing Pokeballs.   

 

Your starter Pokemon: Cyndaquil, Rowlett and Oshawott.

 

There’re missions to complete, sub-missions to strengthen your pokemon, a new combat system to battle wild Pokemon, and long hours of playtime. 

 

 

What’s to Like

 

There are lots of things here to like. Firstly, there are new pokemon to find, and familiar ones as well.

Next, there’s a new battle system for you to learn and master. Choose an attack, then the style of attack from the “strong style”, a more powerful but slower attack, to the “agile style”, which is a faster attack but does less damage. This adds to the challenge and strategy of the game.

 

The new combat interface.

 

Thirdly, in older pokemon games you catch pokemon in battle after getting them weak. With Arceus, you can take the stealthy approach and throw the Pokeball while exploring.

Next, there are new gaming elements to dive into. For instance, apart from playing through the main story, you get side missions as well to strengthen your pokemon.

You can even make your own Pokeballs from materials you get from the world. There are boss fights with stronger pokemon, what I’m trying to say is, there’s just so much to do in this game.Lastly, you get more than 30 hours of gaming, even more after completing the main story. 

With so much to experience and so much to do, you will have your hands full here. Overall, this is a very well-done adaptation of the game.

With new pokemon to fight and catch, a new but challenging battle system, and a whole new gaming approach, makes Pokemon Legends Arceus a game worth trying. 

 

 

What’s not to Like

 

Here are a few issues to note before you get into the game. First. The game is more challenging than other pokemon games. Pokemon can attack you, especially Pokemon bosses that are bigger and can do much more damage to you.  

 

One of the Pokemon bosses fights in Pokemon Legends Arceus.

 

Next. The overall gaming environment looks okay. The graphics from the world you explore, look pretty decent, but in a lot of places, they do lack details to make the game great. The water reflections on rivers, beaches, and lakes look dull. Mountains and cliffs also look dull. But the sky looks good though.

 

 

Verdict

 

Pokemon Legends Arceus is a great new introduction to the great Pokemon franchise. With new gameplay features such as a new battle system and more ways to catch pokemon, you’re sure to have tons of fun even after you complete the main story. The game is a lot more challenging, but that’s not really an issue.

 

Encounter with a Hisuian Braviary

 

The issue is the world you get to explore. It’s not impressive. The mountains in the background look dull, and the water detail is not as captivating. Overall, the lack of detail feels empty, makes the world look dull. Maybe an update will be released to fix these issues but for now, it’s something worth noting.    

I recommend you get Pokemon Legends Arceus if you feel you want to experience a totally new pokemon adventure. If not, why not try the Pokemon remake Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl

That’s all from me, for now.  I’ve given you my likes, dislikes, and my opinions of the game. Now let’s hear from you how you feel about the game. Do you have the game? What is your overall experience? Leave your comments here below. If you like the game, click here to find out more about it and purchase it, if you wish.

 

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G Review: The Next Fan Edition

 

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is the new and improved smartphone made to best its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5GIt comes with a better display, better performance, and a better camera package. With all the new features, can it compete with the current smartphone greats? Is it that good of a smartphone? Let’s find out more from this review of the Samsung S21 FE 5G smartphone. 

    

 

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

 

Main and rear view of the Graphite Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G.

 

Specifics

Display 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1080 x 2400p
CPU 8-core, Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5G) – Version 1 | 8-core, Exynos 2100 (5nm) – Version 2
GPU Adreno 660 – Version 1 | Mali-G78 MP14 – Version 2
OS/Software Android 12, One UI 4
Storage/RAM 128GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 8GB |  256GB 8GB
Camera Rear: 12 MP (wide) f/1.8, 26mm, 1/1.76″, 1.8µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS | 12 MP (ultrawide), f/2.2, 13mm, 123˚, 1/3.0″, 1.12µm | 8 MP (telephoto), f/2.4, 76mm, 1/4.5″, 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom | VIDEO: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, gyro-EIS

Selfie: 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74″, 0.8µm | VIDEO: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS

Battery 4500mAh; Fast charging 25W, 50% in 30 min (advertised), Fast wireless charging 15W, Reverse wireless charging, USB Power Delivery 3.0.
Misc Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); NFC; Bixby natural language commands and dictation, Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified).

 

Reason to Buy

  • Excellent screen quality & colour accuracy
  • Superb performance
  • Great design
  • Water resistance
  • Great battery life
  • Good quality speakers 
  • Excellent camera
  • OS with great features

Reason to Avoid

  • Expensive smartphone
  • No phone charger
  • No dynamic refresh rate
  • No headphone jack
  • No microSD slot
  • Shorter battery life than predecessor

 

 

Overview

 

 

Samsung has released another great Galaxy smartphone called the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G. Compared to the S20 FE 5G, it comes with a 6.4-inch display, a Snapdragon 5G or Exynos 5G processor (depending on which region), and an option to get one of three models that range from 128GB to 256GB internal storage, or the 6GB to 8GB of RAM.

The design matches the current Samsung Galaxy S21/S21 Plus models with a triple camera lens at the rear and a selfie camera in front. It comes with a 4500 mAh battery that supports fast, wireless, and reverse wireless charging. Next are the colours. There are four colors to choose from White, Graphite, Lavender, and Olive.

Overall, this is the new S21 FE smartphone. It has great new features for us to see and explore below. To see my review of the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G smartphone, click here. For those who don’t know, the FE means the ‘Fan Edition’.  

 

 

What’s to Like

Excellent screen quality & colour accuracy

The Samsung S21 FE comes with a smaller 6.4-inch dynamic AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1080p screen resolution. The screen looks great. With sharp, clear, and accurate colours, it’s able to show 1080p pictures and videos very well.

 

Main and rear view of the White Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

 

Scrolling between apps, the OS interface, and webpages feels smooth with no signs of slowing down or lag. Overall, the S21 FE comes with an excellent-looking display.

 

Superb performance

The performance is one of the best features of the S21 FE. The international version comes with a Snapdragon SD888 5G chip, which is one of the best in performance. It’s an 8-core chip and includes an Adreno 660 graphics GPU. 

You get to choose between three versions: 6GB of RAM with 128GB storage; 8GB of RAM with 128GB storage, and 8GB of RAM with 256GB storage. Sadly, there’s no microSD to expand storage. Overall, if you get the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G, you will have no issues with performance. 

 

Great design

If you look at the overall design of the S21 FE, it looks very similar to the Samsung S21 and S21 Plus models. So don’t too get excited.

 

Graphite, White, Lavender and Olive colours of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

 

The design colours look awesome. The colours available are White, Graphite, Lavender, and Olive. Overall, Great design.

 

Great battery life

The S21 FE includes a 4500mAh battery that supports fast charge, reverse charge, and wireless charge.  Upon testing with a 25W charger, I managed to get a 50% full charge in 30 minutes. That’s fast charging. Note that it’s not included upon purchase.

With the battery life, if you’re using the S21 FE moderately, i.e. for making and receiving calls, you’re looking at up to four days of battery life. With that said, the S21 FE has got good battery power, comes with numerous charging capabilities, and is capable of lasting you a lot of days.     

 

Excellent camera

The S21 FE comes with a triple camera sensor at the rear of the phone, which consists of 12MP (wide), 12MP (ultrawide), and 8MP (telephoto) camera sensors. With videos, you can record up to 4K videos at 60 frames per second.

 

Rearview of the Lavender Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

 

With the front camera, it comes with a single 32MP (wide) sensor and also takes up to 4K videos at 60 frames per second. The main camera takes excellent quality pictures, even in ultrawide mode, zoomed up to 3x optical, and in night mode. The detail is excellent, with great contrasts, taking all the detail, and a fair degree of sharpness. Taking selfies with the S21 FE comes out great with good colours and sharpness. 

 

Other features

Great sound output, thanks to the two speakers on the top behind the screen and at the bottom with a bit of a kick in the bass. The loudspeaker comes out clear but lacks in loudness. Overall, it’s not that loud, nor is it powerful, but the S21 delivers good sound.  

 

 

What’s not to Like

 

Expensive smartphone

Expect to pay close to US$700 for the S21 FE smartphone. That really is a high price. 

 

No phone charger

Nowadays if you buy a smartphone, especially a top range, expect not to find a phone charger in the box. You going to have to purchase one separately. 

 

No dynamic refresh rate

It’s great that the S21 FE comes with a 120Hz refresh rate, as it improves the overall phone experience, but with every app, you use it sticks to the same refresh rate. Not that it’s a bad thing, but it ends up shortening the phone’s battery life. 

 

No headphone jack, no microSD slot

Wireless accessories are the way to go nowadays. If you want to listen to music or connect hands-free, then you will have to get a Bluetooth headset or earbuds. If you want more storage space, rather get a better phone than the S21 FE like the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G. It was more expensive though. 

 

Shorter battery life

Other reviews say the S21 FE will last close to four days of battery life, whereas the S20 FE will last over four and a half days of battery life. Note that they both have a 4500mAh battery, under moderate usage, and with both displays set at 120Hz refresh rate. 

Overall, the battery life is not bad for the S21 FE, it’s just that for a newer model you’d expect a better phone with longer battery life. Unless you switch the refresh rate to 60Hz. That will prolong the battery life of the phone.    

 

Verdict 

I recommend the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G smartphone for the following reasons. Firstly, the smooth scrolling and fast performance is excellent. Next, the camera package delivers awesome pictures and video. Thirdly, the good long battery life. And lastly, screen quality and design. 

 

Front and side view of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

 

Yes, it may be expensive, but it’s a powerful smartphone capable, reliable, durable with water resistance and protective glass, and fun to have. If price is a factor, rather wait until it comes down, or you can check out the Galaxy S20 FE  or other Samsung Galaxy smartphones.   

If you have any questions, comments, or personal opinions about the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G or any Samsung Galaxy smartphone in general, you can add them here below, and I will respond to them as soon as possible. So if you like the S21 FE, why not click here to find out more and see what’s more in store for you? 

 

2022 Acer Chromebook Spin 311 Review: Budget Chromebook

The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 is not like any Chromebook, it’s also a flexible 2-in-1 wonder. It works and functions as both a laptop and a tablet. So you will quickly get familiar with it. Another reason is that it’s cheap, portable, quite durable and adaptive, and user-friendly. But will this budget Acer Chromebook meet your everyday needs? Let’s find out from the review of the Acer Chromebook Spin 311.    

 

Acer Chromebook Spin 311

The main view of the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 3H plus stylus

 

2022 Acer Chromebook Spin 311 3H | DISPLAY: 11.6-inches HD IPS, 1366 x 768, 2-in-1 Touchscreen | CPU: MediaTek MT8183C, 2.00GHz, 8-core | STORAGE: 64GB eMMC | RAM: 4GB LPDDR4X | OS: Chrome OS | GPU: ARM Mail-G72 MP3 Integrated | INPUT: 1 x USB Type-C ports USB 3.1 Gen 1 (up to 5 Gbps) Display Port over USB Type-C & USB Charging, 1 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x 3.5mm combo jack (headphone/speaker) | OTHER: Webcam, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, weighs 2.65 lbs (1.2 kg)

REASONS TO BUY

  • Budget 2-in-1 Chromebook
  • Portable & durable
  • Great for web browsing, emails & video streaming
  • Long battery life
  • Includes access to cloud storage
  • Includes USB-type C & USB 2.0 ports
  • Responsive keyboard & touchpad
  • Includes stylus pen

REASONS TO AVOID

  • Mediocre storage
  • Mediocre performance
  • Comes with a small, low res HD screen
  • Few input ports
  • No backlit keyboard

 

Overview

So what is this Acer Chromebook? Well, the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 is a 2-in-1 laptop, that functions as both a laptop and a tablet. It comes with an 11.6-inch touchscreen display, including a keyboard and touchpad. You can open it up to 360 degrees and use the touchscreen as a tablet. The hinges attached are pretty firm and keep the Chromebook screen from flipping backward. 

It also includes a MediaTek CPU, with 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal storage. And lastly, it comes Chrome OS operating system, and up to 15 hours of battery life, as advertised. Overall, these are typical specs you will find in most budget laptops and Chromebooks. Expect to get it at an affordable price under the US$300 range. Let’s see what makes this laptop tick.     

 

What’s to Like

So what makes the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 so special? Firstly, the Chromebook weighs 2.65 pounds (1.2 kg). It’s really lightweight and portable so you can carry it whenever and go where ever you, please. 

 

Tent-fold view of the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 3H

 

Next. It’s a very nice tool to use for basic computer functions such as internet browsing, and video streaming, and great for daily working activities. Thirdly. The Acer Chromebook comes at an affordable price. Yep. Right now it costs less than US$250. Good price for a budget Chromebook. Next. It has fewer input ports but a good mix of USB 2 and USB-C ports. It comes with a strong silver plastic build, strong hinges, and protective glass for the screen, which makes it more durable.  

Lastly. It was advertised that, with the Acer Chromebook, you can get up to 15 hours of battery life. Upon testing, I can say it doesn’t really hit that mark, but I was satisfied when it lasted for about 12. Not bad for battery life.

 

What’s not to Like

As much as this Chromebook comes with good perks, here are a few things you need to know. Firstly, it comes with a small, low-resolution HD display and thick screen bezels. Not that it’s a bad thing, it’s just not as good as a 1080p screen. It still offers good-quality views. 

 

Keyboard & touchpad view of the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 3H

 

Next. The MediaTek CPU inside is not a powerful processing chip, but it manages to get the job done. As long as you don’t open a lot of apps at once, you will not have performance issues or deal with system crashes.

Next. I know 64GB of internal storage is not much, but alternatively, you can access cloud storage online, giving you even more gigs to store files and media. Just make sure you have a good internet connection.  Lastly. The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 does come with a comfortable and responsive keyboard and mouse pad, but no backlit keyboard here.     

Verdict

If you’re in the market for a basic Chromebook, the Acer Spin 311 is a great choice. It offers excellent value for money, and will likely appeal to any users who are looking for an affordable 2-in-1 portable computer that can be used for web browsing and other everyday tasks.

Overall, the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 is a great value for its price tag. If you are looking for a sturdy 2-in-1 notebook to use primarily for email, web browsing, and some light video streaming, this could be the perfect laptop for you. If you want to do more with it (such as editing spreadsheets, high-quality video streaming, or photo editing), then you may need to consider upgrading the RAM or choosing a more expensive model with better specs. 

however, if you’re looking for a cheap Chromebook that can handle all your essential needs, then this is the one for you. Internal storage is low but if you have a good internet connection you can easily access your files and documents in cloud storage. 

So if you want a new budget release or a laptop for your teens to use at school or college, then this is the perfect laptop for them too. Trust me. It’s a great buy. Click here to find out more and to buy the Chromebook. Thanks for checking out my review of this awesome Acer Chromebook 311.

If you have any questions or comments, then kindly leave them below. All that is left for me to say is to click here to find out more or to purchase the Chromebook. If it’s what you looking for, don’t waste time. Get it. Try it. You won’t regret it. 

 

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl Review

Hello, Pokemon fans. Welcome to the Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Review. This video game is available right now for the Nintendo Switch/OLED console and the Switch Lite handheld. With new colorful 3D graphics, familiar turn-based, and new gameplay features, is this next installment one of the best Pokemon games of 2021? Let’s check out the review. 

 

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and

Pokemon Shining Pearl

 

 

REASON TO BUY

  • Colorful visuals, animations & texture
  • Great overall 3D graphics
  • New gameplay features
  • Great audio & sound effects
  • 40+ hours of gameplay

REASON NOT TO BUY

  • Lots of written dialogue
  • Fewer pokemon

 

Overview

 

 

Get ready for another Pokemon adventure with two new installments, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl. It’s actually a remake of the 2006 release Pokemon Diamond/Pokemon Pearl on the Nintendo DS. You play a young pokemon trainer who travels throughout the Sinnoh region, fighting other pokemon trainers, gym leaders, and other wild pokemon.

You start out with your own pokemon, then you collect more throughout the world, whilst getting them stronger to fight stronger trainers until you reach the elite four, then you become the Pokemon champion. Compared to the older version, it’s a gorgeous game with beautiful 3D graphics, colorful texture excellent visuals, and great overall gameplay.

There are two versions you can buy. Both with the same visuals, most pokemon, and gameplay. But with one or two different pokemon, which you can get from trading online. So It doesn’t really matter which one to buy really. Overall. Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl are great pokemon games, with colorful 3D graphics, and great gameplay, and include new gaming features and mechanics. 

 

What’s to Like

 

So why should you get a copy of Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl? Let’s see here below. Firstly, the game comes with colorful textures and 3D graphics. The original game included 2D sprites and models in a 2D top-down perspective.

Now it’s been modernized with 3D models and sprites, with a nice zoom-in camera when facing other pokemon trainers, great overall animations, and colorful content and visuals. Next are the new gaming features and mechanics. There’s a quick button press to catch pokemon during battles. There’s an underground area where you can explore, and find rare pokemon and rare items.

If you have to save files from other Pokemon games, you can get rare pokemon by talking to NPCs. You can even change Pokemon on the go from your boxes without having to go to a Pokemon Center. There’s so much more for you to discover in both of these games.

 

Pokemon battle with your starter fire-type Pokemon, Chimchar.

 

Thirdly, the games come with an excellent great musical score, including good sound effects and great background music. There’s still no voice acting from NPCs as all speech is dialogue, but the Pokemon still maintain their cries even the Pokemon favorite, Pikachu.

Then lastly, the two games include 40+ hours of gameplay, even long after you’ve completed the main story. There are much stronger and rare pokemon to find, and a separate area for you to explore. Just know that you will spend a lot of hours playing this game. 

 

What’s not to Like

 

As much as the two new games come with great features, there are a few things that you should take before you get the game. Firstly, this is a remake so all the gaming mechanics from the original 2006 release are included. For instance, you still need to find Pokemon in tall grass, except in the underground area. There’s no voice acting so dialogue is written in text. The games still use the top-down view of the original. 

 

One of the many different towns and cities to explore.

 

Next is the two games both come with a shorter pokemon roster. Upon playing the game I was having trouble finding fire-type pokemon as they are very few. So if you want to, choose the fire-type pokemon when you start for an easier gaming experience.

 

Verdict

 

Overall, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl are excellent remakes of the original 2006 versions, of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. Gamefreak has succeeded in preserving the original gaming mechanics, whilst giving both games a modern look, and new gaming features. 

 

Pokemon battle with Shinx.

 

Even though there are fewer Pokemon to find, the two games are great to play and enjoyable for all ages. If you like the older Pokemon games and want one with a modern look to it, then I recommend you get one of these games. 

If you played and liked Pokemon Sword and Shield, you may not really like these two games reviewed here. Rather wait for the newer Pokemon Arceus coming out early in 2022. Thank you for checking out my review of Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl. If you like this review, please leave a comment here below.

Click on the buttons provided to see how you can get yourself one of these awesome pokemon remakes of 2021. So what are you waiting for? If you want to go on another Pokemon adventure, then get yourself a copy of Pokemon Brilliant Diamond or Pokemon Shining Pearl.  

 

Apple iPhone 13 Pro Review: Compact but Powerful

Hi there!  Welcome to the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Review.  This is the middle child of the four siblings in the iPhone 13 series family, but this one closely resembles his big brother, the iPhone 13 Pro Max. It comes with a smaller screen and a smaller battery, making it ideal for users who like smaller smartphones. If you’ve been saving up for it, yet are still not too sure if it’s the best choice for you, then come with me, and let’s check out the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Review.

 

Apple iPhone 13 Pro

 

Side view of the Sierra Blue iPhone 13 Pro

 

Specs

Display 6.1 inch Super Retina XDR OLED | 120Hz | HDR10 | Dolby Vision | 1000 nits (HBM) | 1200 nits (peak) | 1170 x 2532 resolution | 19.48:9 aspect ratio | 460ppi | Wide color gamut | True-tone
Chipset, GPU Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm) | Hexa-core (2×3.22 GHz Avalanche + 4xX.X GHz Blizzard) | Apple GPU (5-core graphics)
Storage 128GB | 256GB | 512GB | 1TB
Memory 6GB | NVMe
OS/Software iOS 15
Battery 3095mAh | Fast charging 23W | 50% in 30 min (advertised) | USB Power Delivery 2.0 | MagSafe wireless charging 15W | Qi magnetic fast wireless charging 7.5W
Camera, Video Main: 12 MP (wide), f/1.5, 26mm, 1.9µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS | 12 MP (telephoto), f/2.8, 77mm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom | 12 MP (ultra-wide), f/1.8, 13mm, 120˚, PDAF | Depth: TOF 3D LiDAR scanner. Selfie: 12 MP (wide), f/2.2, 23mm, 1/3.6″ | Depth: SL 3D.
Video Main: 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 10‑bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, Cinematic mode, stereo sound Selfie: 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS
Other features 146.7×71.5×7.7mm | 204g | Glass front (Gorilla Glass), glass back (Gorilla Glass), stainless steel frame | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 mins) | Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | NFC; Siri natural language commands and dictation, Ultra-Wideband (UWB) support.

Reasons to buy

  • Compact, portable & easy to carry
  • Excellent performance
  • Good design & build
  • Same features as iPhone 13 Pro Max
  • Best price than iPhone 13 Pro Max

Reason to avoid

  • Smaller screen size
  • Smaller battery
  • Short battery life
  • Same design as the predecessor

 

Overview

 

 

So what is this iPhone 13 Pro?  Well, it’s a smartphone that comes with a:

  • 6.1-inch screen with a 1170p screen resolution
  • 3095 mAh fast-charging battery
  • Latest and fast-performance Apple A15 Bionic chip
  • Four-camera lens

But there’s something you need to know.  It’s the smaller model of the Apple iPhone 13 Pro MaxYep. The iPhone 13 Pro is the smaller compact version with just a smaller screen, smaller size, and a smaller battery.  The rest is all the same. Meaning it has the same A15 performance chip, the same camera system, the same overall features, and the same durability features. 

 

What’s to Like

With that said let’s move on and see what to like about the iPhone 13 Pro.

Compact, Lightweight & Portable

The iPhone 13 Pro is smaller which makes it much more portable, lightweight, and easier to carry and handle.  It also fits well into your pockets. So if smaller top-range phones are your thing, then the iPhone 13 Pro is for you.      

 

Front and Back Sierra Blue iPhone 13 Pro

 

Same features as iPhone 13 Pro Max

Specs-wise, the iPhone 13 Pro has the same features as its big brother.  Same display quality. Same overall performance. The 4-lens camera delivers great-quality pictures and videos.  Same as the iPhone 13 Pro Max. It’s also made of premium material that guarantees excellent durability.  Again, same as the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Overall, expect the same phone performance, the same everything as the iPhone 13 Pro Max. 

In this instance, size doesn’t count. It’s how it works!  

Better priced

Another thing to know is that it’s much cheaper than the iPhone 13 Pro Max. For instance, the iPhone 13 Pro (128GB) starts at just over US$1500, whereas the iPhone 13 Pro Max (128GB) starts at US$1800.  That’s quite a gap. So budget-wise. It’s a better idea to get the iPhone 13 Pro.  It may be smaller but it’s better in price.

 

What’s not to Like

With all the good things to say about the iPhone 13 Pro, let’s also look at the many reasons why you shouldn’t buy it.

 

All the colors of the Apple iPhone 13 Pro

 

Same phone design

The overall design looks great, which includes the camera lens positioning and the great colors available.  But with design, it’s not much different from its predecessor. So if you’re expecting a better look, feel, and design, you will be disappointed.  But nowadays electronic brands work with what works.  If people like the design, then keep it going. 

 

Lower battery life

The iPhone 13 Pro comes with a 3095mAh battery that supports fast charging and wireless charging. The problem is that, yes, the battery is smaller, but it also has shorter battery life. If you use the iPhone 13 Pro moderately, you’re looking at most 3 days and 12 hours of battery life. Whereas the iPhone 13 Pro Max has close to 5 days of battery life. Overall, expect shorter battery life for the iPhone 13 Pro. 

 

Verdict

The Apple iPhone 13 Pro may come with a smaller screen, smaller battery, and short battery life, but it also looks good, it’s cheaper, and comes with great features that are similar to the iPhone 13 Pro Max. For those who like compact, lightweight, top-range phones, then the Apple iPhone 13 Pro is the one for you. 

With all the great features, I recommend the Apple iPhone 13 Pro. For those who like bigger things, then check out the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max.  It’s a great phone.  Expensive but better.  Click here to see why. Thank you for checking out the Apple iPhone 13 Pro review. It really is a great smartphone and worth the purchase if you choose to do so. So what are you waiting for?  It’s available right now. Click here. Go and get it while stocks last. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them here below.  Otherwise, that’s it from me. Take care now.  All best.  Cheers!