Asus ROG Phone 5 Review: The Next Gaming Phone Masterpiece

If you haven’t heard about the Asus ROG Phone 5, then you need to catch that train, cos if you’re looking for a good quality gaming smartphone, then this is it. 

With so many other good quality smartphones nowadays able to support gaming apps is it really worth the purchase? Let’s see from this review if the ROG 5 gaming smartphone has the power yet again top the charts. 

Asus ROG Phone 5

Front & back of the Asus ROG Phone 5

Overview

For those who are curious, the Asus ROG 5 is a smartphone made especially for gaming. The past Asus gaming smartphones released (such as the Asus ROG Phone 3) have gained fame and great success over the years.

The latest release promises to deliver on past successes with better graphics, and better performance. This year, here are a few things to note. Firstly, there will be two more model variants: the ROG Phone Pro and the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate.

Next, there will be three memory/storage variants: 128GB 8GB RAM; 256GB 12GB RAM; and the 256GB 16GB RAM. For now, the new ROG Phone 5 has been released and promises to deliver a better gaming experience.

In the box, you get the usual manual with a 65W power adapter, a USB-C cable, and a protective case. 

What’s to Like

First, it’s the large, bright 6.78-inch OLED display. It’s a full HD with a 1080p screen resolution and includes a 144Hz refresh rate. It all means that it’s a clear view, has good color accuracy, and smooth scrolling. Overall, it comes with a large screen, and the display looks gorgeous.

Next is the design. There are two color variants to choose from: Phantom Black, and Storm White. It’s a dual nano sim with a 3.5mm headphone jack. The stunning RGB ROG logo at the back looks gorgeous. Overall, the Asus ROG phone 5 has a great design.   

Storm white variant of the Asus ROG Phone 5

The third thing on the list, the phone comes with a 6000mAh battery. It supports fast charging with a 65W charger, and reverse charging. For a full charge, it takes a little over an hour with a 65W charger.

Average battery life, you’re looking at 22 hours a day. Depending on which refresh rate your choose, the lower, the more battery life. So there you have it, a phone with a big battery and a long battery life.

Next is the sound. The Asus ROG Phone 5 comes with two front-facing stereo speakers. The sound output sounds great overall. The loudspeaker plays a clear and rich sound.

The other good news is that the phone includes a headphone jack on the bottom, for those who still like to plug in headphones. Overall, the Asus ROG phone 5 delivers great sound.

Next is the camera. For a gaming phone, the camera quality is great. It takes great quality pictures and records up to 8K videos in great detail. There’s even a ‘Pro’ mode for customization. Overall, the Asus ROG Phone 5 comes with a great camera setup. 

Lastly, it’s the performance. Phone performance is amazing. The smooth scrolling, the quality of the images and videos look great. The overall OS looks and performs well.

The gaming performance is just at another level. There’s an app included helping optimize the phone for games, whether you prefer gameplay performance or better graphics. Perfect for a gamer on the go.

What’s Not to Like

The Asus ROG phone 5 is a great phone indeed, but it’s not perfect. here are a few things you need to know. 

Firstly, no MicroSD slot for the expanded storage. Of course, there is plenty of storage onboard, but it wouldn’t help to have more. 

Secondly, the ROG 5 is quite a heavy phone. Compared to the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus which weighs 200 grams (0.4 lb), the ROG 5 weighs 238 grams (0.5 lb). the big battery can contribute to the weight as it takes the major space in the phone.

Thirdly, no IP68 rating, meaning it’s not water or dust resistant. So it’s not a good idea to go dunk it in water.

Front, side & back of the phantom black Asus ROG Phone 5

Verdict

The Asus ROG Phone 5 is a powerful smartphone indeed. It may be capable for games, but also for daily uses as well. You can make also make calls, browse the internet, take high-quality pictures and videos, and other common phone functions.

Should I buy it?

Well, if you’re a gamer and looking for a gaming smartphone that guarantees an excellent gaming experience, then yes. If you’re looking for a good performance smartphone that competes with other top brand smartphones, then yes. 

With so many good features and minor bad features, it’s standard to say that for a gamer, I recommend the Asus ROG Phone 5. It’s one of the best gamer phones to come out in 2021. And with its great reputation, it is going to be hard to beat.

So what are waiting for? If you have the strength to handle this bad boy of a gaming smartphone, then get it now and start gaming.

The Phantom Black Asus ROG Phone 5

Closing off

Thank you so much. It’s greatly appreciated that you have come this far in this review.

So how do you feel about the Asus ROG Phone 5? Is it your next smartphone to get? Are you going to wait for the other two models? Do you have a gaming phone now? How’s it working for you so far? If you have any comments or questions, please leave them here below. I will get back to you as soon as I can. Stay safe until next time.  

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus smartphone is not more powerful than the entry-model, the Samsung S21. Yet it takes the title of bigger & better with a bigger screen and a bigger battery. Either than the good looks, the feel and the power it’s taken from the S21, the S21 plus still makes its mark as the better smartphone to buy. But the question is, is it worth the cost? Let’s find out from the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus 5G review.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus

DISPLAY: 6.7-inch, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, 1080 x 2400 | OS: Android 11, OneUI 3.1 | CHIP: Exynos 2100 (5nm) – Global / Snapdragon 888 (5nm) – USA/China | STORAGE MEMORY: 128GB 8GB, 256GB 8GB | CAMERA: Triple sensor main camera, 12MP (wide), 64MP (telephoto) 3x optical zoom, 12MP (ultrawide) | SELFIE: Single sensor, 10MP (wide) | VIDEO: up to 8K at 24fps main camera, up to 4K at 60fps | BATTERY: 4800mAh | WEIGHT: 200g

Overview

So what is this Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus? Well, it’s a high-tier smartphone, a really good one, that comes with a 6.7-inch FHD screen, a three-lens main camera, and comes with a unique smartphone design with three ‘Phantom’ color choices.

Under the hood, it packs an Exynos 2100 or a Snapdragon 888 chipset. It includes 8GB of RAM and is available with your choice of storage from 128GB to 256GB. The battery is bigger at 4800mAh which means you get more battery life. In summary, it’s a top-range smartphone in the Samsung S21 series, with a bigger screen and a bigger battery than the entry model. 

Display

So what can be said about the display? Let’s see: it’s 6.7 inches tall. It comes with a 1080p screen resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate. The screen technology used is Dynamic AMOLED.

It just means that the display looks really really good. The colors come out with good brightness, sharp, accurate, and smooth scrolling between views. The screen specs are the same when you compare it to the S21. Expect the same great quality views from both models. The only difference is the size of the screen, which is 6.2 inches for the S21, and 6.7 inches for the S21 plus. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus smartphone has a great display, taller than the S21, but comes with the same quality views.

Design

Next is the design. On the screen, there’s a single tear-drop sensor for taking selfies and video calls. Hunched at the back there are three camera sensors. On the left side, there’s the standard volume key and the side key. On top, there’s one speaker, and at the bottom the USB-type C connector and the other stereo speaker. No earphone jack and no micro SD slot. 

The casing is made of a combination of glass and aluminum frames. It also comes with water and dust resistance making it a durable smartphone to have. The choices of colors include violet, silver, or black with the ‘Phantom’ prefix added. Again, not much difference here as the S21 plus looks exactly the same as the S21. The only differences are the weight gain, and the use of premium materials.  To sum up, the overall design of the S21 Plus looks great. It comes with a good choice of colors, and good durability, and is made of premium materials.  

Performance

Let’s look at the specs. There’s the 8-core Snapdragon 888 processor chip for the US and the Chinese market, then there’s the Exynos 2100 for everybody else. And with storage, you’re looking at choosing between 128GB and 256GB. Note that the hardware specs on the S21 and the S21 Plus models are the same (which means similar performance). The top-range Samsung S21 Ultra also has similar but comes with more storage and more system memory.

For normal use, the Samsung S21 Plus performs really well. You will notice how smooth the Android OS responds to your touch and the fast loading of apps. For gaming use, the graphics look great and the gameplay behaves smoothly with no signs of lag. Overall, the performance of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus smartphone is great. It’s great for normal use and even better for gaming. Although it does have a similar hardware spec compared to the S21, they both perform well enough to serve all your needs.

Camera

Moving on to the camera functions of the S21 Plus. The main camera comes with a triple-lens sensor: 12MP (wide); 64MP (telephoto); and a 12MP (ultrawide) sensor.

Taking pictures does take a while to get used to if you are interested in understanding the overall software, especially the Pro model. There are many modes to play around with here, but once you start taking pictures, you’ll be amazed.

Day pictures are stunning, especially with wide and ultrawide modes. It takes in all the details and colors into one great picture. At low light, pictures do come out stunning as well. Using the night mode option really brightens the image.

If you like taking videos, then the S21 Plus is the phone for you. The video quality looks great. The S21 Plus produces good-quality videos. You can record up to 8K quality videos. There’s a pro mode to help you achieve professional-looking videos. There’s also a video stabilizer, and much more to play with. To sum up, both video and picture quality is great.

Other features

Battery

The S21 Plus is powered by a 4800 mAh non-removable battery that supports fast charging, wireless, and reverse wireless charging. The battery life is excellent. You get 30 hours of talk time, 14 hours of web browsing, and close to 19 hours of video playback. And charge speed? With a 25-watt adapter, you can get more than 50% in 30 minutes and less than 70 minutes full charge. No charging adapter is included in the box.

Sound

The phone comes with a two-stereo speaker system: one on the earpiece, and the other at the bottom. The sound quality is surprisingly good. It’s not as good as a powerful Bluetooth speaker system but it delivers. 

Software

There are a lot of apps installed on this phone. A lot. The AR Zone is one of my favorite apps. It lets you create your own humanoid sprite and use it in all sorts of augmenting reality functions with the camera. There are a lot of customization options, and they work. It’s crazy what you can do with the phone. In summary, the S21 Plus is more than just a smartphone. Either than the great battery life and great sound quality, there are fun apps to explore. 

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus is really a great smartphone to use. It has many software features to play around with, and a good hardware spec to optimize performance. The Plus features are mostly the bigger battery, the larger screen, the premium materials, and the added weight. Most of the other specs like the hardware, camera, display tech, and other features are similar to the S21 smartphone. So if you can’t afford the S21 Plus, don’t fret. Get the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G instead. You won’t be missing anything out really.

Recommendations

Here are reasons to buy:

Here are reasons not to buy:

So if you have the extra money, and want a little more than what the Samsung S21 offers, then get yourself the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus.

Closing Off

Thanks for checking out my review of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus. If you have any questions or comments, you are welcome to leave them here below. I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Feel free to explore the rest of the website to your heart’s content. There are many more reviews, and articles to sink your teeth into. Otherwise, be safe. Stay safe. Take care until next time. 😀  

Looking for an affordable smartphone that has great features? Then let me introduce to you the Xiaomi Redmi 9C smartphone.

It’s one of the most affordable smartphones released in 2020, with great features such as a stunning, large display, a big battery, and a great design. 

But is it a great value for money? Will it compete with other affordable smartphones? Let’s see in the Xiaomi Redmi 9C review.

Xiaomi Redmi 9C

Xiaomi Redmi 9S | DISPLAY: 6.53-inch IPS LCD, 720 x 1600  | CPU: MediaTek Helio G35 (12 nm) | STORAGE MEMORY: 32GB 2GB, 32GB 3GB, 64GB 3GB, 64GB 4GB | OS: Android 10, MIUI 12 | CAMERA: Triple-lens, 13MP (wide) + 5MP (macro) + 2MP (depth), single-lens selfie, 5MP (wide) | BATTERY: 5000 mAh | WEIGHT: 196 g | RATING: 3.8 out of 5

Overview

What is this Xiaomi Redmi 9C, you ask? Well, it’s an affordable smartphone that was released in mid-2020. It comes with a large display with a single-lens dot camera on top, a rear-mounted triple camera, and a fingerprint scanner.

It’s powered by a  large battery that offers a long battery life, a standard processor, memory starting at 2GB up to 3GB of RAM, and range between 32GB and 64GB of storage (depending on the choice of model). All this in a matte design finish with a choice of three bright colors.

Display & Design

Starting with the display, the Redmi 9C includes a 6.53-inch display with IPS LCD technology, and 720 x 1600 screen resolution. The screen looks good overall. It has great colors, with clear and crisp views. Brightness is not all that great as it gets dim when you are outside.

Next is the design. The Redmi 9C comes with a matte finish that feels comfortable and helps to grip the phone. There are three colors available, which are Midnight Gray, Sunrise Orange, Twilight Blue. There’s no IP68 rating, meaning it’s not dust or waterproof.

Color Models of the Xiaomi Redmi 9C

Overall, even though it has low durability, and lacks adequate brightness for the outdoors, the Redmi 9C comes with a good design and a good display at its price range.

Performance

The performance is decent. The processor and memory work together well to achieve standard performance. It’s decent enough to perform standard phone functions, browse online, visit social media, and light gaming.

It’s run by a MediaTek processor, ranging from 2GB to 3GB of RAM, and storage ranging from 32GB to 64GB. They are rather small but there’s a micro SD slot to expand up to 500 GB storage.

The memory is pretty low as well, so if you tend to minimize apps, it fills up the memory. As it gets used, the overall performance of the phone starts to slow down.

The operating system is MIUI 12, based on Android 10. It runs the apps and overall phone functions well.

With the Xiaomi, Redmi 9C expects a decent performance smartphone. It’s powerful enough to run normally with adequate RAM and you have options to increase storage. Just don’t overload the memory when you minimize apps and you’ll be fine.

Camera

Next is the camera. The Xiaomi Redmi 9C includes a rear-mounted triple-lens camera and a single-lens selfie camera on top of the phone. At the back, we are looking at a 13MP wide camera, a 5MP macro sensor, and a 2MP depth sensor.

The overall pictures are decent. They come out in good detail and good colors during the day. The same goes for selfie photos but not as detailed. At night and in low-light areas, the pictures are not that great.

Front, back, and side view of the sunrise orange Xiaomi Redmi 9C

The Xiaomi Redmi 9C records 1080p videos in full HD quality. They come out detailed, with crisp and good colors. There’s no feature to stabilizer the video.    

With the Xiaomi Redmi 9C, the overall camera works well taking decent pictures and videos. Although it lacks top-class detail, a not-so-great night mode, and a video stabilizer, it’s expected for budget smartphones to not have these features.

Other Features

The Xiaomi Redmi 9C has other great and not-so-great features to mention.

Firstly, the phone comes with a large 5000 mAh battery. A battery this bigger offers up to two days of battery life. As this is a budget phone there’s no fast or wireless charging support here. 

Second, the phone comes with a fingerprint sensor at the back and face recognition to unlock the phone. They have a good response time as it unlocks quickly with no lags.

The third is the sound output. The Redmi 9C has a single stereo speaker at the bottom end of the phone. The sound is decent.

The sound from the loudspeaker works well and the music is passable. To hear richer sounds, there’s a headphone jack on top of the phone or connect it to Bluetooth speakers.

Overall, the Redmi 9C does have great features for a budget phone. The battery life is great, it unlocks fast, and the sound output is decent. This is a great phone for budget-conscious users. 

Verdict

Twilight blue Xiaomi Redmi 9C

The Redmi 9C has made a lot of compromises to keep the price low. Being that it’s a budget smartphone, these are expected and cater to satisfy a different market segment.

The large display comes with a lower than average screen resolution and low brightness. The design looks great and adapts to the latest color and trends, but with low durability. The storage options are smaller than average with low memory.  

But the positive and notable features increase the value of the Redmi 9C and is worth recommending. I say if you looking for an affordable smartphone that has a great battery life, takes decent pictures and videos, and other great features, then the Xiaomi Redmi 9C is for you. 

Recommendations

To summarize, here are the reasons to buy:

Here are the reasons not to buy:

This is a great phone for students looking for an affordable device. Recommended to those who also want to start video editing or recording, or photographers, but can’t afford a good digital camera. Recommended to those who are budget conscious and need a phone to perform simple tasks.

Not recommended for those looking for top features, and definitely not for tech savvies. A model to recommend is the 64GB 3GB model. If you can find it, get the 64GB 4GB model. It has decent storage to start you off and enough RAM to run. They are affordable and the best models of the Redmi 9C to choose from.

Another smartphone I recommend is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S. It’s a little more expensive but a better option if you want better at a low price. Check out more of these other affordable smartphones released in 2020.  

Last Word

The last thing to say is to thank you so much for checking out my review of the Xiaomi Redmi 9C. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them here below and I’ll get them back to you as soon as possible. 

That’s all from me. Keep well. Take care of yourself until next time.

New Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max 5G Review: Great with Powerful Additions

Introducing the bigger Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max 5G. The top range model of the iPhone 12 series smartphones. This one promises a bigger screen, bigger battery, better performance, more features, more everything. The name really says it all. 

The iPhone 12 Pro Max is one of the top dogs of smartphones but is it great enough to stay there. There are other great top-rated smartphones competing for the same top spot with similar, if not better, features and qualities. Let’s see how great the new Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max 5G is from this review. 

Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max 5G

Image credit: newegg.com

Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max | DISPLAY: 6.7-inch, Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, 1284 x 2778 pixels  | CPU: Hexa-core, 5G, Apple A14 Bionic (5nm) | OS: iOS 14.1 | STORAGE/MEMORY: 128GB 6GB, 256GB 6GB, 512GB 6GB | CAMERA: Quad-lens, 12MP (wide), 12MP (ultra wide), 12MP (telephoto), 3D LiDAR depth scanner, Dual selfie, 12MP (wide), depth scanner | BATTERY: 3687 mAh | WEIGHT: 228 g | RATING: 4.6 out of 10

Overview

The Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max 5G is the top-tier model available in the Apple iPhone 12 series. Compared to the iPhone 12 Pro, it comes with similar features but with the following improvements: (1) a larger screen, (2) a bigger battery, and (3) an improved quad-lens camera system. 

From the iPhone 12 Pro, it inherits the same hardware spec that offers fast performance, premium looks and design, and great durability. But it’s not a perfect smartphone. Let’s see more from the review below.     

Display & Design

The iPhone 12 Pro Max 5G includes a 6.7-inch display, with a Super retina XDR OLED technology, HDR10, and a full HD+ (1284 x 2778 pixels) screen resolution.

This is the biggest in the series and offers a stunning overall display, with rich and accurate colors, good brightness and contrast, and satisfying views of pictures and videos. The refresh rate is a standard 60Hz.

Not much more to say here. Compared to the iPhone 12 Pro, the screen technology is the same but with a larger screen, and can handle more pixels. To conclude, the iPhone 12 Pro Max certainly is larger and includes excellent screen tech and views.

Graphite Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max 5G

Next is the design. The iPhone 12 Pro Max is encased with a ceramic glass in front, a frosty-textured glass at the back, and a stainless steel frame. The glass is pretty strong and offers great durability from scratches and is shatterproof.

It also comes with an IP68 rating, meaning that it’s resistant to dust and water. You can even submerge it up to 6 meters underwater, and it will still work. The design is the same here as the iPhone 12 Pro as well as the durability feature.

Overall, the design looks good. It uses the same premium look and offers great durability as the iPhone 12 Pro.     

Performance

The Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max 5G comes with a great hardware spec, which includes Apple’s own 6-core A14 Bionic chip. It’s the fastest performance chip right now and offers fast and smooth performance for daily use.

In terms of storage, the models range from 128GB to 256GB, and 512GB being the highest. They each come with 6GB of RAM that helps with multitasking.

The Apple GPU offers great performance for games. The gameplay is smooth and gaming graphics are well-detailed. Compared to the other great gaming phones, the iPhone 12 Pro Max isn’t a gaming phone, so don’t expect any GPU tweaking apps. But the hardware specs support games like PUBG and Fortnite.

The iOS 14 preinstalled works well with new improvements such as floating windows, improved widget management, and the overall smoother experience, thanks to the hardware.  

The hardware spec and the overall performance can also be experienced in the iPhone 12 Pro as well. Overall, the performance is insane, gaming is a blast, the new iOS performs great, and is an excellent phone for daily use.  

Camera

Quad camera of the Pacific Blue Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max 5G

The Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max 5G comes with a quad-lens camera that takes excellent photos and records stunning high-quality videos.

First, there’s the 12MP (wide) camera, which takes stunning pictures with rich and accurate colors, and great detail. It equally takes great pictures at night and in low light areas.

Second, is the 12MP (ultra-wide) camera. It takes the widest pictures possible, producing accurate and rich color pictures. The photos do lack some detail.

The third is the 12MP (telephoto) camera that helps with the 2.5x zoom feature. Equally the pictures are excellent, the zoom works well, producing well-detailed images.

The fourth camera is the ‘LiDAR sensor’ that helps the phone in a few ways: (1) it scans objects with a laser and shows it 3D in an augmented reality interface, (2) it helps to improve focus and accuracy when taking pictures and videos at night.

The dual selfie camera takes stunning pictures and videos as well. The cameras come with a 12MP wide camera and a depth sensor to help with ‘FaceID’ scanning. You can expect the same picture and video quality to the rear main wide camera.

In terms of videos, the iPhone 12 Pro Max can produce up to 4K quality videos capping at 60fps. It includes a video stabilizer to help keep videos rigid when recording.

The difference here compared to the iPhone 12 Pro is the improved telephoto 2.5x zoom feature. Everything else is the same. The image and video quality remain the same. But overall, the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max 5G comes with a quad-lens camera, that produces excellent pictures and records good high-quality videos.

Other Features

The Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max 5G comes with other features to see and consider before purchase.

First, the audio output is excellent. Listening to the music from the smartphone, you can hear the rich sounds, good delivery of bass, and treble. Speakers are located at the bottom of the smartphone as well as the top section of the display.

The second is battery life. The iPhone 12 Pro Max comes with a big 3687 mAh battery, the biggest in the iPhone 12 series. This offers you more battery life. Charging the phone with a 20W charger, you can get a full charge in an hour or a little less.

There’s no iPhone charger in the box. You will either need to buy one or use your existing iPhone charger. And yes, it does support wireless charging but is the charging method as it’s slower. 

Unboxing of the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max 5G

The third is the security features. For those new to the iPhone series, there is the passcode then there’s the ‘FaceID’ unlock feature which quickly scans your face to unlock the iPhone. It’s one of the best features in for iPhone but will come with challenges.

Since we are wearing face masks, the FaceID function won’t work well with our face masks on. So to unlock your phone you’ll need to take off your mask or unlock using your passcode. No fingerprint sensor here.

Overall, the iPhone 12 Pro Max comes with good features, but compared to the iPhone 12 Pro, it retains similar challenges as well. The bigger battery is a welcome feature but compared to other top smartphone brands, they have even more battery life at the same price. 

Verdict

Here are some points to note before reaching my final verdict. Firstly, the screen is bigger than the iPhone 12 Pro but maintains the same tech quality. It does look even better and that large-size screen is a welcome addition to the Pro Max model.

The issue is the 60Hz refresh rate. Other top brands include higher, between 90Hz or 120Hz, refresh rates, which offers better quality views and a smoother OS navigation experience. This is not a major issue. The screen does look great, but tech phone users would expect more from an iPhone. I guess we must make do with what we have.

The second is the battery. It’s much bigger, meaning more battery life, meaning more time to use to phone before it runs out of power. But compared to other smartphone brands, they range between 4500 to 5000 mAh on top-tier phones. Something to think about before considering a top-tier smartphone with the best battery life.

The third is the performance, the stunning phone design, the camera, and the other nice features. No problems with these but they are so much similar to the iPhone 12 Pro.

The only things improved are the battery, the camera, and the screen size of the phone. They are great additions but does anyone really need extra features. Depends on the market, I guess.

My final verdict, if you’re looking forward to getting the new Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max, because of the extra additions, then so be it. But know that it’s going to cost you so much more money. If your budget says no, then get the iPhone 12 Pro instead of the previous iPhone 11 Pro Max, as it will be cheaper. 

Recommendations

I recommend you buy the new Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max 5G, as it includes the following:

The Apple iPhone 12 series of smartphones

Though the iPhone 12 Pro Max is a great phone, there are reasons why you should not get it:

As I said before, the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max is cheaper now and worth the look if you seek an alternative. The iPhone 12 Pro is also on to consider as it has most of the features. 

Another one for the creatives like video producers, editors, and photographers. College students and budget phone users not recommended. iPhone fans and those who can afford it will enjoy using this phone.

Close Off

So what are your thoughts on this awesome Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max 5G smartphone? Is it the best top tier smartphone? What do you like about it? Do you currently have one?

If you have any questions or comments, please leave them here below the review. I will respond to them as soon as I can. 

To see how good and similar the iPhone 12 Pro is, click here to check the review. 

Thank you for your attention thus far. I hope you enjoyed the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max 5G review.

That’s all from me. Take care. 

Keep safe until next time.

New Apple iPhone 12 Pro Review: Powerful and Better

Introducing the new Apple iPhone 12 Pro smartphone. The next new top-range smartphone is the Apple iPhone 12 series. It promises more features, better performance, more everything.

With so many more top-rated smartphones out there, does it have the will, that special feature to fully compete and win the top spot in the smartphone market? Let’s take a look at this review of the new Apple iPhone 12 Pro.   

New Apple iPhone 12 Pro

(Image credit: newegg.com)

New Apple iPhone Pro | DISPLAY: 6.1-inch, Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, 1170 x 2532 pixels | PROCESSOR: 6-core 5G Apple A14 Bionic (5nm) | STORAGE/MEMORY: 128GB 6GB, 256GB 6GB, 512GB 6GB | OS: iOS 14.1 | CAMERA: Triple camera, 12MP (wide), 12MP (ultra wide), 12MP (telephoto), dual-selfie, 12MP (wide), depth sensor | BATTERY: 2815mAh, supports fast & wireless charging | WEIGHT: 189g | RATING: 4.5 out of 5

Overview

The new Apple iPhone 12 Pro is a top-range smartphone that comes with a new look design, great durability features, and a great hardware spec that delivers insanely fast smartphone performance. 

It also includes a quad-lens camera at the back and a dual-lens camera in front, that delivers stunning high-quality photos and videos.

The iPhone 12 Pro includes a battery that supports fast and wireless charging and a rich audio experience. To see what this smartphone has in more detail, let’s take a closer look.

Display & Design

With the display, the iPhone 12 Pro comes with a 6.1-inch screen with Super Retina XDR OLED technology, HDR10, 60Hz refresh rate, and HD+ (1170 x 2532) screen resolution.

It has the same screen technology and screen size as the iPhone 12 though, so expect the same great view quality with great detail, accurate colors, good contrasts, and brightness.

Many other top-range smartphones using higher refresh rates like 90Hz or 120Hz as it makes the overall navigation and scrolling smoother. The iPhone 12 Pro will be left behind in this instance as it sticks to 60Hz.     

Overall, the iPhone 12 Pro comes with a stunning display. Though the overall quality is the same as the new iPhone 12, I guess Apple sticks to what works best. 

In terms of design, the new Apple iPhone 12 Pro is made of a combination of ceramic glass and a stainless steel frame. The steel frame gives it that nice premium look and provides even more protection, better durability such as resistance to scratches, dust, and water. Perfect for the outdoors.

Not much more to say about the design either as it is the same as the iPhone 12, except that it uses an aluminum frame.

In short, the iPhone 12 Pro comes with better durability and looks better compared to the iPhone 12.  

Performance

Inside the iPhone 12, Pro is a 6-core 5G Apple A14 Bionic chip, which is currently the fastest performance chip.

With storage, the models start from 128GB with 6GB of memory, 256GB storage with 6GB memory, and the highest available is 512GB with 6GB of memory. So that’s three models to choose from.

No micro SD slot here to expand the memory, but there’s plenty of it to store in the iPhone 12 Pro.

As a side note, the iPhone 12 has the same performance chip but comes with 4GB memory in its three models. The higher memory just helps to manage multi-tasking. 

The performance here is impressive. The A14 chip really does the job here in delivering fast, smooth and responsive performance for daily use and gaming. Speaking of which, the Apple GPU works well to deliver great detailed graphics and smooth gameplay.

Next is the new iOS 14. It really works well with new features and improvements from older iOS. It merges well with the hardware, providing smooth navigation and scrolling for daily use.

Overall, the performance of the new Apple iPhone 12 Pro is amazing. It’s fast and fluid for daily use, great-looking iOS and gaming is a blast. Not that this is a gaming phone but it has the hardware for it.      

Camera

(Image credit: newegg.com)

Moving on to the camera, the new Apple iPhone 12 Pro comes with a quad-lens camera and a dual-lens camera in front.

One is a 12MP wide camera. Next is the 12MP ultra-wide camera. The third is the 12MP telephoto camera which helps mostly with the zoom function. The fourth is a 3D depth sensor.

There’s also a small 3D depth sensor called the ‘LiDAR scanner’ that helps with a lot of functions. 1) To scan objects and displays them in 3D augmented reality on the iPhone 12 Pro, and 2) It helps to improve focus and accuracy when taking pictures or videos at night.

Apart from that, the new main wide camera takes great realistic photos taking all the great detail, colors, and accuracy. It takes the best quality photos overall of the three, even in night mode.

The ultra-wide camera also works well, fitting as much detail into a wide image. It equally takes good pictures, creating realistic photos, great colors, and accuracy. The image detail is not ground-breaking but passable as average.

Telephoto photos come out great with great details and good color accuracy, especially with the 2x zoom functionality. They are just as realistic as the other two and works well.

The dual-lens selfie camera works equally as well taking great photo portraits and videos in great detail. Not much to say here as it has the function and features of the iPhone 12. 

The Apple iPhone 12 Pro can record 1080p and 4K high-quality videos and includes a great video stabilization function. 

The short, the new Apple iPhone 12 Pro has a much more improved camera system compared to the iPhone 12. It takes excellent photos and high-quality videos. Much of the features and functions are similar except for the added telephoto-lens camera.

Other Features

As with the other Apple iPhone 12 smartphones, the Pro is no different. 

The audio output is excellent. You can really hear the quality of the sound as it plays from your phone, along with the bass and treble. It’s one of the best features of the new Apple iPhone 12 Pro. No earphones in the box upon purchase.

The iPhone 12 Pro comes with a 2815 mAh battery, which is also included in the Apple iPhone 12. It supports fast and wireless charging. Compared to the Apple iPhone 11 Pro that comes with a 3046 mAh battery, the predecessor wins in terms of longer battery life, which is disappointing.

(image credit: newegg.com)

No charger is included in the box, just the smartphone, and the USB-C cable. If you get this smartphone, get a 20W charger as it can charge it from 0 to 59% in 30 minutes. Wireless charging is another option, using the ‘MagSafe’ feature on all iPhone 12 devices, but is slower at charging.

For security, the iPhone 12 Pro uses the standard FaceID and passcode to unlock. It works really well especially the FaceID as it unlocks the phone fast. Since we are wearing face masks thanks to the current pandemic, the FaceID function won’t work at all when it scans our faces with masks. 

Overall, the new Apple iPhone 12 Pro has similar features compared to the iPhone 12. Compared to the previous model, the battery life is shorter but the audio is excellent.

Verdict

Before I say my verdict, here are a few things to note. 1) The short battery life is disappointing. 2) The fact that we need to buy a charger for the iPhone 12 Pro is also a major shock. 3) The issue with the FaceID not working when we wear face masks. These are the major drawbacks of owning an iPhone 12, worse the iPhone 12 Pro.

The better iPhone here is the iPhone 11 Pro in terms of long battery life. The current model is shorter but there are reasons for that. The current 5G chip, although it promises fast connectivity and better upload or download speeds, it consumes more power off the battery. Luckily with the iPhone 12 Pro, you can switch to 4G/LTE, which uses less power, which increases battery life. But that does not really make up for the small battery. I’m sure Apple has its reasons.

The issue with the charger is also something to note. Seeing the price of the iPhone 12 Pro, it’s an expensive phone. The fact now we must buy our own charger is a shock. Yes, I’m sure there are those of us who have older iPhones and still have their chargers but what if they don’t work anymore. You will still need to buy a charger.

The challenge with the FaceID feature is not one to stress. Yes, the unlock function is great and fast but now we must resort to enter our passcode, or take a risk and take off our face mask to unlock the phone. Not much to say here.

My final verdict, the new Apple iPhone 12 Pro is a great smartphone. It comes with an improved premium design, better durability, comes with a great camera that takes stunning photos and videos, good audio output, and top-rated hardware that guarantees fast performance. But it has a short battery life and limited accessories on purchase. 

If you a fan of Apple iPhone smartphones then this is for you. if you get a charger at home, you are safe. if you still have an iPhone 11 Pro keep it. Don’t get rid of it as it’s still a great smartphone to have. 

Recommendations

I recommend the new Apple iPhone 12 Pro because of the following reasons:

Here are reasons why you should not get the iPhone:

Recommended by the true-loved fans of the iPhone series. Also for video editors, photographers, and creatives who want a smartphone to capture photos and record videos. Not really one for college students or budget users. 

Close-off

Thank you for reaching here thus far. I hope you found my review of the new Apple iPhone 12 Pro informative, thought-provoking, and casual.

So does more mean better? How do you feel about the charger not being available in the box?

If you have any questions, comments, or anything you want to say please add them here below the review. I will respond to them as soon as I can. To see how similar the iPhone 12 is to the iPhone 12 Pro, please click here to check the review. 

That’s it from me. Stay safe. Keep well until next time.

Introducing the smaller yet powerful New Apple iPhone 12 Mini. It’s the first entry-level model in the series and packs a punch. With so many other mid-range smartphones to choose from, is the phone worth your investment? Let’s dive right into the review of the new Apple iPhone 12 Mini. 

2020 New Apple iPhone 12 Mini

Apple iPhone 12 Mini | DISPLAY: 5.4-inch, Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, 1080 x 2340 | PROCESSOR: Apple A14 Bionic (5nm), Hexa-core | OS: iOS 14.1 | STORAGE/MEMORY: 64GB 4GB, 128GB 4GB, 256GB 4GB | CAMERA: Dual-lens, 12MP (wide), 12MP (ultra-wide), Dual-lens selfie, 12MP (wide), depth sensor | BATTERY: 2227mAh, supports fast and wireless charging | WEIGHT: 135g | RATING: 4.25 out of 5

Overview

The new Apple iPhone 12 mini is a much smaller smartphone device, with a smaller 5.4-inch screen, with a smaller battery but lighter in weight. But don’t be discouraged, as it comes with the same hardware spec as the new Apple iPhone 12. Click to see the review. Similarly, it comes with great durability, a dual-lens camera, and the new iOS 14 preinstalled. Overall, it’s a smaller, more compact version of the Apple iPhone 12. 

Display & Design

The iPhone 12 Mini comes in a new design, encased in a glass aluminum frame. The glass front comes with a special coating to prevent unwanted scratches from unforeseen accidents. It has an IP68 rating meaning that it’s dust and water-resistant. You can dive in with it for up to 6 meters underwater for 30 minutes, and it will still work. In short, the iPhone 12 Mini comes with good durability features and a new design.    

In terms of the display, the iPhone 12 Mini comes with a 5.4-inch display with Super Retina XDR OLED technology, and Full HD (1080 x 2340) screen resolution. As you start the smartphone and watch it load, you can really see how clear, sharp, and accurate the colors are. The pictures and movie clips look stunning on a small screen, with well-managed brightness and contrasts. Overall, the display is one of the best parts of the iPhone 12 Mini in the series. It may be smaller and of lower quality but manages to retain the stunning Full HD quality.

Performance

Before we get into the performance, let’s see underneath the hood. The Apple iPhone 12 Mini comes with Apple’s own A14 Bionic 5G processor (which is currently the fastest processor to date), and a choice model storage from 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. Normally, there’s no micro SD to expand storage here. The performance here is impressive. The A14 processor really does the job of delivering fast, and responsive performance for daily use and for gaming.

Speaking of gaming, the GPU helps to produce detailed graphics and smooth gameplay. So if you’re a gamer, and have time to kill, look no further than the iPhone 12. Not that it’s a gaming phone, like the Asus ROG Gaming Phone 3, but it does have the hardware to support games, like Battlegrounds and Fortnite.

The new iOS 14 included is also a great addition. It’s fast, fluid, and responsive thanks to the hardware. I like how it responds to touch, and how smooth it moves effortlessly. It really is indescribable and worth you trying it out. To close off, the iPhone 12 Mini is an excellent smartphone because of its top-notch performance. It has a great hardware spec and performs well for daily use and gaming. It’s best that you give it a try to truly appreciate it.

Camera

The iPhone 12 Mini comes with a dual-lens camera at the back and a dual-lens in front. They each take excellent quality pictures and record 4K videos effortlessly. The main camera comes with a 12MP (wide) camera and a 12MP (ultra-wide) camera. The wide camera does a good job in taking incredible pictures, that are detail, producing accurate color and sharpness.

The ultra-wide does a good job as well but lacks some detail. It also does a great job at night but there will be traces of loss in detail especially in low-lit areas. The selfie camera works great, taking in much-needed detail, color, and sharpness, and produces stunning photos. 

Lastly, the iPhone 12 Mini is a great tool for recording videos. Do you want to record 4K videos at 60fps? the iPhone 12 does that. Do you want to record a full HD video at 120fps, the iPhone 12 does that too. All in all, the iPhone 12 Mini is another powerful smartphone with an excellent camera, takes incredible photos in high-quality, and high-quality video clips.

Other Features

Starting with the audio, the speakers produce incredible sound. The ringtones and music that play, are crisp, and clear. You can really hear the bass and treble. There are stereo speakers at the bottom of the phone and at the top section of the screen. It would be a good idea to listen to it to really hear the beats. On a negative note, no headphones are included in the box upon purchase.

The battery life of the iPhone 12 Mini is great but comes with trade-offs. One, since it’s 5G, so you can expect better connectivity, and faster uploads, and downloads, but uses a lot of battery power. Switching to 4G lower connectivity but increases the battery life. Two, the iPhone 12 Mini comes with a smaller 2227 mAh battery. It is a contributing factor to battery life.

Three, no iPhone charger in the box. If you get the iPhone 12 Mini, make sure you buy a charger too. The best you get is an Apple’s 20W charger, (which can boost battery charge up to 58% in 30 minutes), or you can a wireless charger, but is much slower in charging the phone.

The security of the iPhone 12 Mini is the standard FaceID and passcode unlock. But with us having to wear face masks due to the present COVID-19 pandemic, it does not work very well. The only alternative is the passcode unlock. No fingerprint sensor here.

Overall, the iPhone 12 Mini comes with a lot of additional features, but these mentioned are the main drawbacks. The battery life is average and has trade-offs, and the security features are limited, but the audio quality is great.

Verdict

So you are thinking of getting the new Apple iPhone Mini? It’s an impressive smartphone, you can count on that. But there are a few things to mention before I give my verdict. One, no charger nor headphones in the box. It’s disappointing that we need to purchase our own basic accessories especially the charger. Maybe they have their own reasons but these two items should at least be included in the box.

Second, the FaceID unlock does not work well with the fact that we have to wear face masks when we go out and about. But that’s not a problem as we can use our passcode to unlock. Though the FaceID feature is a much quicker way to unlock your phone. I guess for now there is no other way than to lower your face mask to use the FaceID to unlock the Apple iPhone 12 Mini.  

The battery of the iPhone 12 Mini is tiny, as there are budget smartphones out there that have bigger batteries, produce longer battery life, and are more affordable. Something to think about. My official verdict, the new Apple iPhone 12 Mini is a powerful smartphone. It may be more compact and comes with its compromises but it works well, has great performance, and best of all has the looks, color, and great features to play around with. If I was looking for an iPhone, then I would consider this one as an alternative, but I’d wait until the price drops or take my chances on an iPhone 11. 

Recommendations

The Apple iPhone 12 Mini is a smartphone  that I recommend for the following reasons:

The iPhone 12 Mini is a great smartphone but not perfect. Here are things to consider before purchase. 

The choice is on you now. If you want the iPhone 12 Mini then you need to get your own charger. If you are lucky, you can find one and use an older phone charger but if it’s not 20W, it’s going to charge slower. If you can get that at least, then you’re safe.

There are many retail outlets available to get a charger and good quality headphones, so don’t stress about it. Best for users who prefer a smartphone with top-range features and are willing to compromise. This is a cheaper alternative in the series, yet more expensive than other affordable smartphones. Click here to see more. So it’s a no-go zone for students or those who want a simple phone that does daily functions… unless you can afford it.

Close-Off

So what do you think? Is the new Apple iPhone 12 Mini worth your investment? If you do, then click on the link here to get yourself one. Overall, I thank you for reaching this far. If you have questions, and comments, please leave them here below. Let’s open up the floor and discuss what we like or dislike about the new Apple iPhone 12 Mini. That’s all from me for now. Stay safe. Keep well until next time.