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About our REDMAGIC 3 review:

This review was written after testing the device for one week. The handset was unlocked and was tested on O2’s network in the UK. The REDMAGIC 3 review unit was supplied by nubia.

The big picture

What’s in the box?

Charger

Phone

Instruction manual

Design

171.7 x 78.5 x 9.7mm, 215g

Metal build

RGB LED Strip

Shoulder buttons

Built-in cooling fan

Dedicated game mode switch

The REDMAGIC 3 is one huge piece of phone and a very noticeable pocket-bulger. It also rocks wildly when placed flat on a table, and may be prone to slipping off things.

However, this isn’t a case of form over function. The design here accommodates the serious cooling going on inside. For the first time on a nubia phone we have a physical fan, making the large, presumably empty space a very logical choice. That also means it’s easy to get a good grip on it while gaming.

Also around the back is the gem-shaped fingerprint sensor, diamond-shaped camera lens, a bulky vent, the REDMAGIC logo (evocative of Ferrari or MSI), and tons of color accents. On the sides are the shoulder buttons, a switch for entering Game Space, and a pin connector.

Perhaps the most notable thing here is the inclusion of the capacitive “shoulder triggers.” I tried these triggers on the REDMAGIC Mars and found them totally underwhelming, being far too flush with the device to find while gaming. I’m very happy to report they are now slightly recessed into the side of the REDMAGIC 3, which significantly improves usability.

Thanks to very smart software implementation, the buttons are also surprisingly useful. You can map literally any point on the screen to the shoulder buttons in seconds, and save the settings on a per-game basis. Games like Metroid Prime or Mario Sunshine on Dolphin go from being exercises in frustration to actually quite playable with those accessible triggers. However, they can still be a little tricky to reach, and they don’t quite sit comfortably under my fingers.

The large connector for peripherals sits on the other side of the phone. It isn’t the most attractive thing, but is certainly intriguing. Right now, you can get an “esports” dock that provides charging and extra ports — probably useful for playing with a controller. The software also hints of an upcoming “REDMAGIC Handle” which appears to be a Switch-style extension to provide more physical buttons. That is very interesting.

The fingerprint sensor works just as you expect it to — it’s very quick, though the shape feels weird. Of course, you do miss out on the likes of water resistance and wireless charging, but these are sensible omissions to keep the device so affordable. What stings a little more is the lack of NFC.

There’s a lot going on in the design department, but there’s a good reason for mostly everything here. Whether or not you like it very much depends on how you feel about the “gaming” aesthetic generally. The REDMAGIC 3 certainly has a somewhat aggressive, futuristic appeal for the right audience.

The REDMAGIC 3 comes in a black, red, or camo color scheme. The black version is arguably the least ostentatious, though that’s not saying much.

Display

6.65 inches

AMOLED

2,340 x 1,080

90Hz refresh rate

Performance

Snapdragon 855

Adreno 640

128/256GB storage

8/12GB RAM

Active liquid-cooling

Internal cooling fan

Camera

48MP rear camera

f/1.79 aperture

8K video capture

16MP front-facing camera

The camera isn’t the best out there by any stretch, but it is at least in the conversation at this price point

The front camera is far less interesting, though perfectly serviceable. It’s a 16MP shooter that doesn’t have a portrait mode, but otherwise produces nicely detailed images. Exposure is again an issue on occasion. Also, remember to turn off the beauty mode, which is on by default — it does weird stuff to babies! However, even with the beauty mode turned off, it still seems to be smoothing out my wrinkles.

Apparently beauty mode is off!

To summarize, the REDMAGIC 3’s camera isn’t the best out there by any stretch, but it is at least in the conversation at this price point. This isn’t a complete afterthought, and that’s impressive enough on its own.

Software

Near-stock Android 9.0

Dedicated “Game Space”

Battery

5,000mAh

27W fast charger

Audio

Dual front-facing speakers

Headphone jack

4D intelligent vibration

The stereo separation could help you to better orient yourself in a firefight

It’s nice to have nonetheless, and the haptic feedback when typing or receiving notifications is actually very pleasant. This is a small quality-of-life thing, which I personally appreciate.

REDMAGIC 3 specs

REDMAGIC 3 8GB RAM/128GB storage – Black – $479/479 euros

REDMAGIC 3 12GB RAM /256GB storage – Camo – TBA

Almost inarguably, the REDMAGIC 3 is extremely good value for money at $479 or 479 euros. I was impressed to find a Snapdragon 855 in a device this affordable, but to also find a 48MP camera, a built-in fan, up to 12GB of RAM, and shoulder buttons? That puts the REDMAGIC 3 firmly into “crazy value” territory (it’s a magical place filled with POCOphones and Kindle Fires).

Of course, there is some competition out there. In particular, the Xiaomi Black Shark 2 comes in at roughly 450 euros or $479 (though prices vary greatly) and offers the same Snapdragon 855 — and more crazy gamer aesthetics. However, for all its value, the REDMAGIC 3 definitely edges it out. For a very similar price, you’re getting physical buttons, a bigger screen, a bigger battery, fan and liquid cooling, and that 48MP camera sensor.

Emulators for Android guide: Can your phone handle these consoles?

Compared to the likes of the ASUS ROG or the Razer 2, the REDMAGIC 3 is leagues ahead. They’re last-gen phones, but even at the time of this writing, they charged much more for then-equivalent specs.

In fact, if nubia made a non-gaming version of this phone and kept these same specs — perhaps swapping in a secondary lens in exchange for the fan cooling — it could have huge popular appeal.

REDMAGIC 3 review: The verdict

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Fitbit Versa 3 Review: A Good Watch With Solid Value

A newer version of this device is now available. The Fitbit Versa 4 introduces Fitbit’s new UI to the Versa line, but it lacks several smartwatch features you’ll find in its predecessor. Read our

The Fitbit Versa 4 introduces Fitbit’s new UI to the Versa line, but it lacks several smartwatch features you’ll find in its predecessor. Read our Fitbit Versa 4 review for full details.

Fitbit Versa 3 review notes: I used the Fitbit Versa 3 for five days, running software version 36.128.4.17 (aka Fitbit OS 5.1.1). I had the device paired with my OnePlus 7 Pro for the entire review period. Since we have already reviewed the Fitbit Sense (which is essentially the same product but with more sensors and health features), we’re going to keep this review short. For many of the fitness functions, I will point you towards our full Sense review.

Update, March 2023: We’ve updated this Fitbit Versa 3 review with new details relating to the company’s latest devices and feature changes as well as competition from other companies.

Fitbit Versa 3 at-a-glance

C. Scott Brown / Android Authority

Versa 3

At its core, the Fitbit Versa 3 is a solid all-around smartwatch. If you are looking for a way to track your overall health, see your notifications, and perform rudimentary tasks without needing to touch your phone, the Versa 3 can do all that and more.

However, the Versa 3 isn’t “the best” from Fitbit. Objectively, the Fitbit Sense line is the best. In that mindset, you can look at the Fitbit Versa 3 in one of two ways. The first is fairly obvious: it’s a kneecapped version of the Fitbit Sense. It looks like the Sense but lacks some of the Sense’s biggest features, including the highly publicized electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring.

The better way to look at it is to see the Sense almost like a “Fitbit Versa 3 Ultra.” The Versa 3 has many features a smartwatch buyer wants: accurate health tracking, sleep monitoring (including SpO2 tracking), built-in GPS with GLONASS, Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa support, battery life that lasts for multiple days, and more. For the average person, the Versa 3 has everything they need.

In essence, the Fitbit Sense line is for people who want their smartwatch to be on the absolute bleeding edge — and are willing to pay much more for the privilege. The Versa lineup is for everyone else. There is a Versa 4 now available, however, we recommend the Versa 3 as the newer model drops key features like Google Assistant support.

Fitbit Versa 3 review: What’s new since the Versa 2?

C. Scott Brown / Android Authority

The 2023 Fitbit Versa 2 wasn’t that much of a step up over the original Versa, but that’s not at all the case with the Fitbit Versa 3. The Versa 3 offers plenty of changes that should make Versa 2 (and especially original Versa) owners interested in upgrading. Below, we list the differences between the two devices. Please note that this is not a complete specs table; this is just the areas where the two devices significantly differ.

SpO2 tracking

The limitation of the SpO2 sensor only working with certain watch faces is gone. The Versa 3 will track your SpO2 readings while you sleep regardless of the watch face you have active. This is significant as sleep tracking is a highlight of Fitbit’s ecosystem. You can view your SpO2 readings at any time on the watch using the Today app (swipe up while on the home screen). You can also see your readings in the Fitbit app on your phone.

On the topic of SpO2 data, you’ll need to subscribe to Fitbit Premium to see long-term stats and read your health recommendations. However, Versa 3 (and Sense) owners can view  week-long view without a Premium subscription. 30-day and longer-term views are off-limits until you pay up, though.

Google Assistant Bluetooth calls

This feature essentially turns your Versa 3 into a Bluetooth-connected speaker for phone calls. You can talk to your watch during the call and hear the caller’s answers through the watch’s speaker. Since you can also accept/end calls from the watch and initiate calls through Google Assistant, you could feasibly use your watch for all your voice calls without ever touching your phone. Of course, you’d still need the phone nearby for the Bluetooth connection since there’s no LTE version of the Versa 3.

Fitbit Versa 3 vs Fitbit Sense: Which is the better buy?

C. Scott Brown / Android Authority

Ignoring minor details, there are only three things the Fitbit Sense offers that the Versa 3 lacks:

Electrodermal activity (EDA) monitoring (Basically your stress levels)

Electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring (How healthy your heart is)

Skin temperature (Abnormalities here can be linked to various ailments)

Other than those three tests, there’s nothing the Sense can do that the Fitbit Versa can’t. With that in mind, the difference in price between the two watches is $70. In essence, your choice between these two devices hinges on a single question: are those three metrics above worth $70? My guess is that the average person would answer “No” to that question. If you find yourself in that camp, then the Versa 3 is the better buy.

However, don’t completely write off the Fitbit Sense. Fitbit puts its devices on sale quite often, so there’s a good chance you could grab a Sense for far less than its $299 MSRP. Obviously, if the Sense is on sale, though, the Versa 3 likely is as well. This is even more likely as each line now has a younger sibling available. But if you have a strict budget of $250 and you want to get the most smartwatch you can, you could likely find a Sense for that price. If you want to spend as little as possible, though, the Versa 3 will do you just fine.

After comparing the Versa 4 vs Versa 3, we’d still recommend getting the Versa 3 for the best Fitbit smartwatch experience without breaking the bank.

Fitbit Versa 3

Fitbit Versa 3

Decent battery life • Accurate health tracking • Built-in GPS

MSRP: $229.95

The best value Fitbit smartwatch

The Fitbit Versa 3 carries all the smart features you could want on a mid-range smartwatch, including Google Assistant support, voice replies, and reliable health tracking. It’s effectively a Fitbit Sense without the pricier specialized sensors.

See price at Amazon

Save

$59.95

See price at Best Buy

Save

$30.00

Out the Google umbrella there are plenty of Fitbit alternatives up for grabs. For iPhone users, we suggest the Apple Watch SE 2 ($249). It offers an unrivaled app library and seamless iPhone integration. For Android users, there’s not much on the market in the Versa 3’s price range that can top its collection of features. No matter which competitor device you choose, you’re going to lose something to gain something and vice versa. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 ($199 at Amazon) is arguably the best middle ground. You’ll find better app support and ECG smarts, but worse battery life.

You can also consider the original Garmin Venu Sq, now available for well under $200. You won’t get the app support provided by the likes of Samsung but will gain Garmin’s wealth of fitness and health features that arguably trump Fitbit’s offerings. Garmin also launched a newer Venu Sq 2 ($249.99 at Amazon)if you want a larger AMOLED screen and improved battery life.

If you decide to go with the Fitbit Versa 3, remember that you’ll need a Fitbit Premium account to unlock certain features. Honestly, the Premium feature set isn’t essential, so foregoing it would be fine for most people. If you do want it, though, you’ll need to factor the $9.99-per-month cost (or $80 annually) into your decision.

The bottom line here is that the Fitbit Versa 3 is one of the best all-around smartwatches Android users can get for the price, even with the Versa 4 now in play. You could find a better smartwatch from Garmin, but you would spend a lot more money. You could also grab a Fitbit tracker for a lot less cash but lose out on many smartwatch features. The Versa 3, though, is right in the middle and is probably the best bang-for-your-buck watch for most people reading this.

Top Fitbit Versa 3 questions and answers

The Fitbit Versa 3 is still a solid option for anyone deeply committed to the Fitbit ecosystem. It packs reliable fitness tracking and stellar sleep tracking. On the other hand, it doesn’t house as many smart features and some competitors.

You can accept for reject calls on your phone from the Fitbit Versa 3 but you cannot take or place calls from your watch alone.

The Fitbit Versa 3 features a 5ATM water resistance rating.

Yes, the Fitbit Versa 3 does support contactless payments through Fitbit Pay.

If you’re looking for smartwatch features, the Fitbit Versa 3 is the better purchase. If you crave a more modern UI with a slightly improved build and hardware button, the Fitbit Versa 4 is for you.

Despite its newness, the Versa 4 is a stripped-down smartwatch lacking third-party app support, music storage, and Google Assistant support. It also features a sub-par heart rate monitor and GPS performance. However, it does reintroduce the physical button and features a more refined design with a new UI.

Table Value – A Common Structured Value In Power Bi

This tutorial will discuss about table value. It’s one of the most common structured values that you can encounter in many Power BI data reports. You’ll learn how to build tables using different expressions in order to obtain specific information and make your report insightful.

Think of tables as a list of records. The hash or pound table function can be used to construct a table value from a list of column names and a list of the record field values.

Input the following code and press Enter. You can then see the table icon beside the query name inside the Query pane.

If you want to create a number of columns without specific column names, you can enter a number as the first parameter followed by a list of record field values.

The formula created 5 columns with 2 records. The two records are lists with values from 1 to 5, and 6 to 10 separated using a comma. If you input 4 values instead of 5 in the second record, you’ll get an error.

But if you change the number of columns to 4 and press Enter, the first record now returns an error.

Most of the time when constructing a table, you want to include the column names. In this syntax, you can see that the column names are a and b. You can also see two records with values 1 and 2, and 3 and 4.

You’ll also notice that column icons have ABC123. It’s because the lists with record field values can obtain both primitive and structured data types.

It’s possible to declare data types when constructing a table. The first parameter will no longer be a list of column names, but a declaration of a table type that includes both column name and the column type.

In the formula, the first column is called a and has a number type. The second column is called b with a text data type. There are also 3 record values containing a number and a text. You can also see each column icons with their associated types.

If you change the field value of the second record from {2,“two”} to {2,2}, you won’t get an error message and the field name two will be changed to 2 in the column. Even though 2 is a number, there is no type validation occurring. However, if you pass this field into a function that expects a text value or load this query to the data model, it will be evaluated and a mismatch error will occur.

There are other ways to create tables. You can use M functions that return tables from lists or records, or you can manually add a table using the Enter Data option on the Home tab. But most of the tables that you’ll be dealing with inside Power Query are the results of connecting to an external data source.

When it comes to accessing elements from a table, you can access both rows and columns by referring to its zero-based index position. You can use the positional index operator, which is a set of curly brackets ({ }).

If you want to access the first item in the sample table above, input curly brackets at the end of the formula and write 0 inside the brackets. The formula will then return the first value.

Accessing the first item in a table returns the entire row as a record value. You can also perform the optional item selection by adding a question mark. This changes the not-found behavior from returning an error into returning a null.

So if you want to access the fourth item, change the index operator to 3 and press enter. Then, add the question mark at the end of the formula. The syntax will then return a null.

Tables also support field selection, which is the field name in square brackets.

The syntax returns the first column by adding square brackets at the end. Column a is then written inside the brackets to pull out the first column.

A column can contain more than one value so this returns a list in an ordered sequence of values.

Combination and equation operators can be used with tables. Tables can be appended using the combination operator, ampersand (&).

You can compare tables with the equal or not equal sign. It can be helpful to remember that a table is a list of records. Tables are considered equal if they meet all four criteria:

They have the same number of columns.

They have the same number of rows.

All column names or record field names are present and equal in both tables.

All record field values match.

Here is an example:

The formula contains two tables with two columns each. The first table has columns a and b, and values 1 and 2. The second table has columns b and a, and values 2 and 1. This formula yielded TRUE because the order of the field or column name is irrelevant when comparing tables.

Most Power BI reports have tables that consist of various data inside rows and columns. These tables are the main data-generating entities inside Power BI. They show information in a table form, which makes your reports look compelling.

Melissa

Motorola Edge 30 Neo Review: Good Value In A Compact Package

Pros

Dependably fast charging

Nice size and shape

Great display

Cons

Feels cheap in the hand

Poor camera quality in low light

Extra branding on the rear

Our Verdict

The Motorola Edge 30 Neo is a likeable handset that gets a lot right. Nicely sized, with a great display and decent cameras it makes a good impression and makes a case for more sensibly-sized phones. If it wasn’t for the cheap design and poor low-light camera performance, it would be an easy recommendation.

At now over a decade in, various trends in smartphone design have come and gone – we have been through a multitude of building materials, ethos and shapes over the years. As manufacturers are trying to constantly guess the next new trend, this will only continue.

But some ideas are stubborn and refuse to die, sometimes even when the evidence is piled against them, and one such idea is the ‘small’ phone. Sony has tried, LG tried, Samsung tried, even Apple tried and the public has yet to take the bait, with larger and larger phones now seemingly a rule of nature.

Motorola is no ordinary manufacturer, however, having been exceptionally experimental in the past, and the Edge 30 Neo is its latest offering. At 155g and with a 6.2in screen, it feels like a toy compared to the likes of the iPhone 14 Pro Max, and the question is whether this will prove to be either enough of a strength to stand out, or a reason to avoid. Is the ‘small’ phone ready for a long-due comeback?

Read on for our full review.

Design & Build

Easy to use one-handed

Some issues with the finish

Feels sturdy in use

What defines a ‘small’ phone depends heavily on the context of the moment, for anything ‘small’ can only exist as the opposite of something ‘big’. Ten years ago, the first Galaxy Note at 5in was deemed ungainly and massive, and surely something that would never catch on. With a screen that stretches 6.2in the Motorola Edge 30 Neo is therefore not as small as the likes of the iPhone 13 Mini (5.4in), but compared with the likes of the average 6.6in plus flagship device it is positively minuscule.

Sean Cameron / Foundry

Aided by the thin 20:9 aspect ratio, this means that the Neo is a device that can easily be used one-handed, which is a real lifesaver in situations that deny the use of two hands such as when holding an unruly toddler. Weighing in at 155g it feels like a phone from another era, back from a time when smartphones didn’t add bulk every year but subtracted.

The positive impressions end with the construction however. There are a lot of good things to be said about the use of plastic as a building material, however when not done quite right its use can leave a device feeling a bit ‘cheap’, and that is unfortunately the case with the Neo.

Though it is sturdy and seems as though it could take a few knocks without issue, the slightly rough pattern on the rear doesn’t provide the same grip as it ought to, which coupled with the plastic frame and thin buttons mean that the overall impact is negative. It feels a little toy-like and insubstantial, lacking some of the ‘heft’ that might be associated with being premium.

That it is made of plastic also means that there is no tendency, as there is with some phones, to dive off of any available surface with impunity, which is only a positive.

Sean Cameron / Foundry

The included under-display fingerprint sensor proved to also be quick and efficient in everyday use, offering no false positives.

Screen & Speakers

Excellent OLED 120Hz display

Good stereo speakers

1080p resolution

But the Edge 30 Neo’s display is only small in a certain sense, as it is over 6 inches it still offers enough screen real estate to provide a comfortable viewing experience. It has also been the focus of much TLC on the part of Motorola and doesn’t disappoint as a consequence.

Sean Cameron / Foundry

Firstly, as an OLED panel, it exhibits all of the bold colours and inky contrast that are to be expected, and happily it also has enough brightness to combat strong sunlight – something that isn’t a given for the price class. With a 120Hz refresh rate and a 240Hz touch sampling rate it feels smooth in general use, and at 1080p it has enough resolution to make most content look sharp, from video to gaming. 

In all, if you spend a lot of time reading on your phone, watching video or indeed most anything else, the screen on the Edge 30 Neo doesn’t disappoint.

The picture yet improves (no pun intended) with the included speakers, which are stereo and very loud. Though they won’t challenge the likes of a real stereo setup, for a smartphone they offer some depth and bass, not a given, and as such are a success.

Specs & Performance

If the general design and display were clear areas of focus for the Edge 30 Neo, performance was not. This isn’t to say that the device can’t keep up, but the picture is somewhat complicated.

The Edge 30 Neo runs the new Snapdragon 695 processor, which is paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and in most general usage feels smooth. That is to say, when swiping through the interface or using social media, it won’t break a sweat, but this is the minimum to be expected in 2023.

Sean Cameron / Foundry

Benchmarks reveal an interesting story, and show that the Neo doesn’t have the same horsepower as much of the competition. With a multi-core of 1380, it lags behind the likes of the Realme 9 Pro and much of what the likes of Xiaomi offers, often for lower price points. As synthetic tests often don’t reflect the experience of using a device, this won’t matter for many, but for those who put an absolute premium on power, the Edge 30 Neo might not be the best option.

That will of course mostly mean those who game a lot on their smartphones. Though the Neo can certainly run the likes of PUBG and Fortnite, it gets hot under the collar while doing so, and doesn’t provide either the best frame rates or the best visual fidelity. 

Benchmarks we need are below:

Cameras & photography

Has Optical Image Stabilisation on the main sensor

Main camera has 64MP resolution, outputs 16MP images

Ultrawide camera is 13MP

The Motorola Edge 30 Neo offers something of an interesting camera situation, blending a seeming lack of ambition with nonetheless solid delivery. 

To elaborate, the specifications on paper only match the competition and don’t seek to exceed it. Its first sensor has 64MP, an f/1.8 aperture and optical image stabilisation, and its second has a wide field-of-view and offers 13MP along with an aperture of f2.2. As having more and more sensors becomes the norm it is interesting that ‘only’ two are offered on the Neo, but there is something to be said about doing more with less.

Sean Cameron / Foundry

Moving on to the camera app itself initially, it offers little to disagree with. Sporting the now ‘standard’ Apple layout (vertical swipes to change shooting modes, horizontal to alter details) it is correspondingly easy to navigate and should now be familiar to most. An issue does arise with the speed of said app, which is to say that it is slow. 

Swiping between settings and then getting a focus lock can take a surprisingly long time (i.e. a few seconds), which often makes the difference when it comes to getting an important shot. Moreover, it makes photographing the likes of your average dog an exercise in saintly patience.

It is a good thing then that the results, when they arrive, are positive. Images from the main camera have nice punchy colours, good detail and sharpness plus decent dynamic range for the price class. This is mostly the case too for the wide-angle sensor, though with a requisite drop in levels of detail.

The picture falls apart in low light, where even with the included night mode the images produced are noisy and dull. As the competition continues to make strides in this area, it is unfortunate that the Neo fails to stand out, especially when it has the requisite hardware.

A handful of extra photo modes are included with the Neo, of which spot mode earns a mention as a fun distraction, along with a sometimes useful pro mode that allows the adjustment of various settings on the fly.

The Neo as it stands is not a camera champ, but in most situations, it is capable of turning out respectable images. 

Battery Life & Charging

Charges at 68W

Achieves over 80% of charge in 30 minutes

Battery will generally last all-day

And that is because, as ever, any expectations depend on context. The minimum battery life that any smartphone should last in the present is a full day, with ‘good’ battery life being that which reaches into a second, or sometimes even a third.

Sean Cameron / Foundry

The Edge 30 Neo certainly has the bones to achieve excellent autonomy, its chipset is produced on a modern process that promises to be energy efficient while its 4,020 mAh battery is generous for the size of the device.

In general, we found that, although it couldn’t quite achieve the heights some of its bigger rivals are capable of, it could last all day without issue. That’s with mixed use for messaging, internet, GPS, streaming and video calls – with around 4 to 4.5 hours of screen-on time on average.

Software & Apps

Offers the ‘Moto experience’

Generally laid-back software

Helpful gestures included

Although the general picture has improved in recent years, there is still no guarantee when buying an Android device that the software will be a known quantity. That is to say, there are large manufacturers such as Xiaomi which opt to offer their own twist on the operating system, to often varying results.

Motorola does make adjustments to the ‘stock’ Android formula, but in a way that enhances the overall user experience and never gets in the way. There are the gestures for instance, a double karate-chop activates the torch or a double twist of the wrist will launch the camera – both of which are simple, quick and intuitive to use.

Then there’s the ambient notifications, which quietly activate to give important information with the screen in a semi-sleep state, or Ready For which allows the phone to act as a quasi-desktop when plugged into a screen. All of these generally prove to be pleasant and unobtrusive, adding a little needed flavour to the Android experience.

On the whole, the Moto experience proves to be a value add to the Edge 30 Neo, if not a reason to purchase outright.

Sean Cameron / Foundry

Price & Availability

The Motorola Edge 30 Neo is available now in the UK directly from the manufacturer and major retailers for prices beginning at £349.99 for the 8GB/128GB option. Four colour options are available – Very Peri, Black Onyx, Ice Palace and Aqua Foam – and it’s available right now from retailers including Motorola, Currys and Amazon, along with Carphone Warehouse if you want to go down the contract route.

It’s not available in the US at the time of writing, however, with no word on whether it’ll make it to the States later on.

At £349.99, the Edge 30 Neo comes in against mid-range big hitters like the OnePlus Nord 2T and Motorola’s own standard Edge 30, both of which offer a big improvement in performance with very little extra cost. To see how they compare, take a look at our selection of the best mid-range phones.

Verdict

In 2023 the mid-range smartphone market is especially crowded and it is difficult to stand out to any meaningful degree. With the Edge 30 Neo, Motorola seems to have banked on a small form factor and interesting colour choices being enough to do so, and there’s certainly nothing else comparable design-wise for the price.

It does a lot to impress too, with a great screen, fast charging and a generally capable camera system that makes for a likeable phone overall. If not for poor low-light camera performance and a generally less-than-premium feel, it would be an instant recommendation.

If you are in the market for a smaller phone and don’t have the largest budget, this should be your first option. Should you have other priorities, the Edge 30 Neo is worth a look as a mostly charming handset that has a lot to offer, but it will likely not be the best choice for any specific type of buyer.

Motorola Edge 30 Neo specs

Android 12 with Moto experience

6.28in Wide FullHD (2400×1080) P-OLED, 120Hz

Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 processor

8GB RAM

128GB internal storage

64Mp f/1.8 OIS rear camera

13Mp f/2.2 ultrawide

32MP f/2.4 front camera

Under-screen fingerprint scanner

2D Face Recognition

Bluetooth 5.

GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO

NFC

5G

USB-C

4020mAh non-removable battery

68W fast charging

152.9 x 71.2 x 7.8 mm

155g

Launch colours: Very Peri, Black Onyx, Ice Palace and Aqua Foam

Xiaomi Mi 11X Review: Compelling Value With A Few Caveats

Xiaomi Mi 11X (6GB/128GB): Rs. 29,999 (~$400)

Xiaomi Mi 11X (8GB/128GB): Rs. 31,999 (~$425)

What’s good?

Calvin Wankhede / Android Authority

Xiaomi’s marketing for the Mi 11X leans heavily on the phone’s display and performance credentials, and for good reason.

The phone features a large 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED display that produces rich and pleasing colors. The default Vivid color profile setting does not seem excessively saturated and is plenty usable as-is. Still, you can fine-tune aspects like the color temperature and dial in a specific mix of red, green, and blue hues if you so desire. HDR videos look great as well, thanks to the panel’s coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut.

The display also gets decently bright — I had no trouble reading text under direct sunlight. As for the refresh rate, while you get to pick between 60Hz and 120Hz, the latter is dynamically adjusted depending on the content displayed on-screen.

Opening video-focused apps like YouTube and Netflix, for example, results in a drop to 60Hz, regardless of the refresh rate setting. This is likely a battery-saving measure on Xiaomi’s part, since you don’t need the display to refresh at 120Hz for video playback. However, it does also make interaction and scrolling feel noticeably less fluid than other apps. A more elegant implementation would be to only ramp down the refresh rate when a video is playing. That nitpick aside, the display performs well and makes the phone look a bit more premium than its price tag would suggest.

On the subject of odd software behavior, HD and HDR playback in Netflix didn’t work out of the box. I had to delve deep into the phone’s settings, download a new Widevine DRM certificate, and reinstall the app for everything to start working again. A quick search revealed that this isn’t an isolated issue — numerous other Xiaomi customers have reported similar DRM inconsistencies recently as well. While the fix is quick, it’s a workaround that shouldn’t be required in the first place.

The Mi 11X has some egregious software quirks that cheapen the overall user experience.

The Mi 11X has received a few software updates already, including the aforementioned bump to MIUI 12.5. However, Xiaomi hasn’t offered a firm update commitment. Based on past trends, we can assume the phone will get two Android version updates and three total years of security updates. The company did recently promise four years of security updates for the new Xiaomi 11T series, but the 11X will likely not get the same treatment.

Software aside, the cameras don’t particularly stand out either. The primary 48MP shooter is the best of the three sensors available on the Mi 11X. Even then, you’ll only get good results out of it in well-lit environments. There’s quite a bit of post-processing involved too — clearly visible in the excessive sharpening once you zoom in. Night mode becomes essential on this phone once the sun goes down. It improves image quality by a significant amount, but the long shutter time requires patience and a steady hand.

Xiaomi Mi 11X camera samples

Mi 11X

The Mi 11X offers solid performance at a compelling price point, thanks to Xiaomi’s decisions to include a flagship chipset alongside the stunning 120Hz display.

See price at Amazon India

Bluboo Picasso Review: Look Elsewhere For A Budget Phone

Bluboo Picasso Review – Specifications

Model: Bluboo Picasso

Sim Card: Dual SIM

Color:

Capacity RAM: 2GB

ROM: 16GB

Chipset CPU: MediaTek MT6580

CPU frequency: 1.3GHz quad-core

System Android 5.1

Screen Display Size: 5-inch

Resolution: 1280 x 720pixels

Multitouch: Yes

Camera Front Camera: 8MP

Radio 2G: GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900MHz

3G: WCDMA 850 / 2100MHz

Battery 2500mAh removable

Size 142 x 70 x 8.2 mm, 152g

Bluboo Picasso Review – Design

Right off the bat, the Picasso gives an impression of being a very ‘solid’ phone. If you’ve spent time with one of those Cubot phones, it’ll remind you of that. Bezels outside of the screen (on either side) are non-existent, but then there’s the killer black lines under the capacitor which we all have come to hate, and something which manufacturers have come to love.

This is the first Bluboo phone I’m testing, and I’m positively surprised with the build on it. The plastic used seems to be of decent quality, and will squeak only under a lot of pressure.

Breaking the design down, there’s the earpiece surrounded by the usual suspects — proximity sensor, light sensor and the soft flash light (which is of no use, to be honest).

Right under that sits the screen, locked on all sides by the black bezels.

Under the screen, there’s the bottom bezel. Surprise surprise, no hardware capacitive buttons here. Only on-screen buttons, which remain to be non-configurable, so you’re stuck with what the factory thought was right!

The ‘chin’ of the phone has a micro USB port (seriously waiting for the time when Type-C is the standard and not a bragging right) with eight holes on either side.

As mentioned before, the rear of the phone has a really nice textured design (that seems to be really popular in China right now) making it easy to hold the phone. Minus the texture, the device looks a bit like the Mi 5. A minimalistic (and rather classy, to be honest) Bluboo logo sits on the upper half, with the camera and dual LED flash on the top left.

All buttons — power, vol up and vol down — sit on the right edge of the phone.

In the end, it’s a plain, simple design — no fancy curved 2.5D glass, although the rear cover does have a bit of a taper to it.

Bluboo Picasso Review – Hardware & Performance

A mixed bag. With all the impressive exterior, Bluboo have cut corners on the insides — and its tough to hide.

Gizchina News of the week

Let’s start off with something nice — the display. It’s a 5-inch 1280 x 720p panel, which for a $65 phone was unimaginable even a year back. That said, Bluboo have done well to source a very nice looking panel for the Picasso. I won’t blow the newest 2K displays out of the water, but (no exaggeration here) — you’ll find it tough to believe its a $65 phone you’re looking at.

Moving on: the sound. It’s quite weak, in all earnest. You’ll have noticed a pattern — most phones under the $100 mark (especially those from smaller brands) have really poor audio. Unfortunately, the Picasso is one of those phones. High treble, no bass… in short, no quality. This doesn’t just apply to the loudspeaker — the earpiece offers a poor experience also.

It’s a bit of a shame to see no configurable on-screen buttons on the Picasso, because that’s what’s come to be the norm of late.

Bluboo claim to ship the Picasso with a 2500mAh battery, and the real capacity doesn’t seem too far off. While its hard to ascertain the exact mAh in there, what I can tell you is that the phone will last you one day. You’d be getting yourself a Picasso only for mail, chat and calls — and a little productivity and social media — and that’s what the phone is made for.

Another downer, a major one for many, is the touchscreen. Bluboo seem to have used a lower-resolution touch panel than normal, and the experience in one word is frustrating. I’d take a smaller capacity battery than what Bluboo ship on the Picasso, but a low-res touchscreen is a strict no.

Performance wise the phone is at par with other $60-80 phones, such as the Rome X. I don’t know if it’s the low-resolution touch screen or what, but somehow the Picasso feels a little laggy compared to the Rome X. Switching between apps can sometimes be an issue, but 2GB RAM helps in this case — at least when you compare it to 1GB RAM phones with the MT6580. You can take a look at the Bluboo Picasso benchmarks for more info.

Bluboo Picasso Review – Camera

The camera is by far the biggest disappointment on the Picasso (it’s rubbish). It’s a really hardly any use. A recent firmware update made is slightly better, but the camera still struggles (big time) in fixing focus, even in daylight. At night the Picasso is as good as a feature phone with no camera — that’s how bad the implementation is.

In a nutshell, the Picasso doesn’t have a camera that will compel you to reach out to your pocket to take a snap of something interesting happening in front of you. It’s far from it.

Bluboo Picasso Review – Gallery Bluboo Picasso Review – Conclusion

The Picasso with its build, style and feel promises a lot, but there are way too many corners cut. The low resolution touch screen is a major issue for me, and I’m sure will be for any Picasso user. The camera is no good, and so is the sound.

The pros of the phone include a very nice build quality, the screen, the price and 2GB RAM. Despite that, I don’t see myself recommending the Bluboo Picasso to anyone despite however low their budget be. UMi’s Rome X is a much better performer for the same budget.

You can purchase the Bluboo Picasso from Geekbuying, which is where this review sample comes from.

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