Now that systems with NVIDIA's 40-series mobile GPUs are finally hitting the market, there's a fresh generation of gaming laptops promising even more bombastic performance. And with the 2023 version of ASUS' ROG Zephyrus M16 packing a 13th-gen Intel CPU and an RTX 4090, we should be in for unmatched gaming prowess. This year, ASUS also upgraded the laptop's display to a stunning new Mini LED panel, and by bringing over the AniMe Matrix lid, the notebook looks better too despite the rest of its chassis being largely unchanged. But the big question is that with our fully loaded review unit costing a whopping $3,500, is this system really delivering the same value back?

Design

Featuring a relatively slim matte black chassis that weighs just over five pounds, the Zephyrus M16 does a great job at retaining a bit of portability alongside all that performance. And while it looks almost exactly the same as last year's model, the AniMe Matrix LED lid (which we first saw on the Zephyrus G14 line) adds a bit of extra style without screaming about your power level. That's because when you prefer to be more discreet, you can easily turn off the lights using ASUS's Armoury Crate app and then just flip them back on when you want to surprise some nosy Saiyans.

Inside, the Zephyrus features RGB backlit keys and stereo speakers on the left and right. Typing feels good, though I wish the actuation felt a tiny bit stiffer, and it would have been nice if the deck was a little better at resisting fingerprints. I would have also liked to see a finger scanner integrated into the power button. It's a feature widely available on non-gaming laptops, including those from ASUS, but for some reason, manufacturers think gamers don't care as much about the convenience and security a built-in sensor provides.

And when it comes to connectivity, the M16 has plenty of ports including multiple USB jacks (both Type-A and Type-C), a full-size HDMI socket and even a microSD card slot. The one port ASUS didn't keep from last year's model is an Ethernet jack, which might be a deal breaker for some, but in 2023, I'm not that bothered.

Display

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

As for visuals, the M16's 2560 x 1600 screen is arguably a more important upgrade than its new CPU and GPU. Not only has the refresh rate been bumped up to 240Hz, because it's a Mini LED panel, you also get way more dimming zones which help cut down on blooming. Its brightness is way better too. In normal use, the display tops out at around 600 nits, but thanks to its VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification, things look even better when you're playing games or watching movies. It's an absolute treat.

My one gripe, and this is something that applies to all laptops with Nvidia's Optimus tech, is that when switching between integrated graphics and the discrete GPU, the screen flashes and blacks out, which is just kind of clunky. On top of that, depending on your specific settings, when it changes modes you may need to reenable things like HDR or specific color profiles. This can get kind of tedious after a while, especially if you have Optimus set to switch automatically depending on if you're plugged in or running on battery. So in the end, I set it to stay connected to the GPU all the time and never touched it again.

Performance and thermals

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While the M16's performance is anything but slow, ASUS stopped just short of delivering truly top-notch performance. That's because instead of an HX-series chip, you get a slightly slower Intel Core i9-13900H CPU. Meanwhile, ASUS limits the RTX 4090 in the M16 to 145 watts (or 150 watts according to the NVIDIA control panel), which is less than the 175-watt cards you get in some competitors like the Razer Blade 16.

Granted, this may feel a bit nitpicky because it's not like the M16 is sluggish, particularly when you factor in its 32GB of RAM and speedy 2TB SSD. But when you're spending this much on a laptop, it's weird to see ASUS leave a little bit of extra performance on the table. In PCMark 10, the M16 posted a score of 8,624, which is more than 20 percent higher than what we got from last year's Razer Blade 15 (i7-12800H/RTX 3080 Ti). That's a pretty significant jump, though we're still waiting for a wider range of systems to arrive so we can get a more thorough comparison for 2023.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

But more importantly, the M16 solidly beat the Blade 15 in games like Shadow of the Tomb Raider when it hit 144 fps at 1920 x 1080 on highest settings compared to just 124 fps for the Razer. Additionally, in Metro Exodus the M16 exhibited a similar lead when it hit 101 fps on Ultra at full HD versus 86 for the Blade 15. Furthermore, if you want to enjoy the Zephyrus' native 2560 x 1600 resolution, the laptop has more than enough oomph to maintain a rock solid 120 fps with all the graphical bells and whistles turned on in Far Cry 6.

One downside of putting all this power in a relatively thin chassis (0.9 inches) though is that this thing runs hot. Temps don't go into the danger zone, but you're definitely not going to want to be doing any gaming on your lap, even casual titles. Heck, just resting your hands on the deck can make them sweaty after 10 or 15 minutes. Furthermore, the M16's fans are pretty loud, and in performance mode, there's simply no ignoring them. Thankfully, ASUS also gave the Zephyrus some rather beefy speakers so it's pretty easy to drown out the fans, that is if you don't mind making a ruckus for anyone else in the room (or possibly the next room over). And if you're OK with a bit of reduced performance, there's also a silent performance mode in the Armoury Crate app when you want to be less rambunctious.

Battery Life

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The other con with a system this brawny is very mediocre battery life. When using the less power-hungry integrated graphics (which is what the system defaults to when Nvidia's Optimus tech is set to automatic), the M16 lasted just 5:18 on our local video rundown test. That's a bit better than something like the MSI's Stealth 15m's time of 4:15, but slightly worse than the 2022 Blade 15's mark of 5:42. And to little surprise, things are even worse when you rely entirely on the discrete GPU, with the M16 conking out after less than three hours (2:50).

Wrap-up

All told, while it doesn't look much different from last year's system and its battery life is far from ideal, there's a lot to like about the Zephryus M16 too. It's got a slick and surprisingly understated design with a bit of hidden flash, and its new 240Hz Mini LED display looks awesome. It also has plenty of ports and, in a very welcome upgrade to general quality of life, ASUS even increased the resolution of its webcam to full HD. With the system supporting a 13th-gen Core i9 chip and up to RTX 4090 GPUs, practically anything you do runs super smooth. I just wish ASUS hadn't stopped short of including the most beastly versions of Intel and NVIDIA's top-specced mobile silicon. When you're already paying $3,500 for a fully loaded model, you might as well toss a couple hundred more to ensure there aren't any compromises on performance.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

That said, for my money, I'd rather go with one of the M16's more affordable configs, which starts at $1,950 for an i9 chip and an RTX 4070 card. You still get that brilliant Mini LED screen and AniMe Matrix lid along with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. This way you'll have a system that won't bust your budget or make your back sore if you decide to carry it around, without putting a damper on your ability to game in style either.

Just a few months ago Lenovoannounced updates to its high-end Legion gaming PCs. But now the company is back to introduce some fresh budget-friendly fare as part of its new “value-oriented” LOQ line. Though they aren’t quite as powerful as their more expensive siblings, after checking them out, I like how these new devices don’t feel cheap despite their lower prices.

At launch, the LOQ family (pronounced “lock”) will consist of either a 15 or 16-inch laptop and a 17L desktop PC. The LOQ 15 and 15i will be the least expensive of the bunch starting at $900 for either an AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS or Intel Core i7-13700 chip, while the LOQ 16 and 16i (the “i” denotes an Intel-based config) will go for just a bit more at $960 and $1,150, respectively. Finally, for people who don’t need to move their gaming rig around, the LOQ tower will be priced at a reasonable $980.

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But more importantly, while Lenovo is trying to keep costs down, it doesn’t feel like it cut too many corners with its new machines. Not only do they have similar styling to the Legion line, they also have solid specs with the laptops offering support for up to NVIDIA RTX 4060 GPUs. And like the premium Legion line, you also get rear IO to help keep wires from getting too cluttered.

The main differences between Lenovo’s LOQ and Legion gaming notebooks are that instead of an aluminum chassis, the LOQ line features a plastic body, with either a white or a four-zone RGB backlit keyboard (instead of per-key). The new machines also carry slightly smaller batteries (either 60 or 80Whr depending on the model). And while the LOQ line doesn’t support super fast 240Hz refresh rates, you can still get 165Hz displays going up to 2,560 x 1,600 with variable refresh rate support (both G-Sync and FreeSync), as well as 350 nits of brightness. All told that’s not too shabby, especially when you consider that Lenovo’s cheapest Legion Pro laptop currently starts at just over $1,600.

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Now, in person, the smaller LOQ 15 came off a bit chunky, and I swear it felt heavier than Lenovo’s 5.3-pound listed weight, while the LOQ 16 is even heftier at 5.7 pounds. However, I appreciate that even on Lenovo’s budget gaming laptops, the company still included a full HD webcam and an electronic shutter switch to disable it.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for something a bit more powerful that’s still easy to carry around, today Lenovo also announced two additions to the Legion family in the Slim 7/7i and the Slim 5/5i.

At just 0.78 inches thick and weighing 4.4 pounds, the Legion Slim 7 and 7i are the more portable of the two. It also packs Intel Core i9-13900H or Ryzen 9 79040HS chips, up to NVIDIA RTX 4070 graphics and up to a 3.2K 165Hz display or a 2,560 x 1,600 240Hz screen. You can also get optional per-key RGB lighting and a big 99.9 WHr battery, along with an aluminum frame in either storm gray or glacier white. So while I like the price of the new LOQ line, the Legion 7 Slim laptops would make me think long and hard about shelling out some extra cash for the sleeker design.

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Meanwhile, the Legion 5 Slim models still feature solid specs, including the same CPUs and a slightly wider range of graphics options (RTX 4050 up to RTX 4070 depending on the specific config). And unlike the 7 Slim which is only available as a 16-inch model, the 5 Slim will come in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes.

The new LOQ 15i is slated to go on sale first sometime in April, followed by LOQ 15 and the larger LOQ 16i in May. The AMD-based LOQ 16 will arrive in June. Meanwhile, the Legion Slim 5i and 7i are expected to go on sale in April starting at $1,350 and $1,770, with the Slim 5 and Slim 7 arriving later in May starting at $1,200 and $1,770, respectively.

It seems like every major developer is working on an open-world shooter with co-op and RPG elements. But with Redfall, by drawing inspiration from a number of its previous titles, alongside other standouts in the genre, Arkane Studios has added fun new twists to the typical fps survival game. After getting a chance to go hands-on with a preview build of the game, I’m really excited to see more of how Arkane is adding its own flavor to that formula.

Set in the fictional island town of Redfall, Massachusetts, your goal is to cleanse the land of the growing vampire invasion. However, these aren’t your standard bloodsucking ghouls. Instead of ancient monsters, these vampires are the result of a science experiment gone wrong. This gives high-ranking vampires powerful psionic abilities that elevate them to near god-like status, which they’ve used to convert some of the surviving townsfolk into a cult. But more importantly, the mashup of sci-fi and supernatural in a contemporary setting has some really neat impacts on gameplay as well.

That’s because, in addition to your standard range of pistols, shotguns and sniper rifles, you’ll have to rely on updated interpretations of iconic vampire killing weapons too, especially since bullets only weaken vampires before you properly finish them off. So alongside your trusty stake, you’ll also have access to things like stake launchers, flare guns and even a high-powered UV beam rifle which adds a new dimension to typical gunplay. On top of that, as a looter shooter, there’s a variety of weapon rarities (from standard to unrivaled) with bonus traits like being able to reload faster or having increased accuracy while moving. And if you’re a fan of a particular combo, you can also craft and customize weapons to suit your playstyle.

Sadly, while I didn’t have a chance to play them all, Redfall’s cast offers a lot more personality than your typical roster of vampire slayers. There’s robotics engineer Remi, who uses her mechanical companion Bribon to distract enemies while she blasts away. Alternatively, there’s mercenary Jacob who slays foes from afar using his sniper rifle, cloaking device and mystical “Undead Eye,” or Layla, who has special telekinetic abilities that she can use to create shields or launch herself (or party members) into the air for elevated attacks. However, I spent most of my time playing as Devinder, who holds the curious role of being an occult influencer in “cryptozoology”, while also having an interesting mix of both melee and AOE attacks thanks to his electric spear and UV staff that stuns any vampires in its range.

Bethesda

Then there’s the world itself, which feels alive and fleshed out in a way that many open-world games fail to. Not only does the town of Redfall look like a realistic seaside town (you know aside from the crimson skies and vampires flying around), it's also spooky and atmospheric, and actually gave me chills and goosebumps. In one mission, I even had to resort to smashing all the TVs in a house because the vampires use them to broadcast creepy propaganda to convert more cultists to their side. I mean really, who likes hearing nosferatu whisper in your ear about drinking your fluids?

Then there are other things like vampire nests, which you can clear out to get loot and experience. That said, if you choose to ignore a nest, you could be in for a tough time later as its influence spreads to cover more ground, while also making enemies harder to kill. And while Redfall’s map isn’t the biggest, it’s really dense, with tons of sidequests ranging from finding a popcorn machine to boost the morale of other survivors, to unlocking bunkers and strongholds hidden throughout the town.

Bethesda

In a lot of ways, Redfall has clear ties to the stealthy combat in Dishonored, though it actually reminds me most of another franchise: Borderlands. The main difference is that its pacing is a bit less frenetic, opting instead for a slightly slower, more tactical style of combat, similar to what we got in Prey. There’s a nifty skill tree that lets you enhance a character's abilities, so you can choose if you want to play more offensively by adding extra damage and range to your attacks, or you can play a support role by focusing on healing and recovery skills. And though my preview was restricted to single-player, I feel like the most fun way to play will be with friends, where you can combo multiple characters' skills in a four-person squad to create some surprising team attacks. I’m not going to lie, having a buddy watching my back would have made the game way less scary, which is a testament to Arkane’s success at creating an eerie atmosphere.

My one small complaint is that I wish characters had a dash or roll ability. I often found myself simply circle-strafing while I waited to reload for my abilities to come off cooldown. While Devinder is able to teleport by throwing out a beacon in front of him, it takes a while to do, which makes it feel like it’s better suited to traversing terrain like bridges or cliffs than dodging attacks in the heat of battle.

Redfall isn’t reinventing the genre, but it feels like Arkane has taken the best elements from previous games in the category and mashed them together, while adding its signature blend of polish and creativity. And I am really looking forward to playing more when it comes out on Xbox and PC later this spring on May 2nd.

Unlike the iOS ecosystem, where Apple is the only game in town, one of the best things about the Android phone market is the wide range of different devices and manufacturers to choose from. That said, when it actually comes time to upgrade, that wealth of options can make it a bit more difficult to choose the right handset for you. If you’re looking for a new phone and don’t know where to start, we’ve got you covered with a selection of the best Android phones for every budget.

What to look for in a new Android phone

Performance

When it comes to picking our favorite Android phones, the main things we look for are pretty straightforward: good performance (both compute and AI), a nice display, solid design, sharp cameras, long battery life and a significant commitment to ongoing software support. For performance, not only do we look at benchmarks and other metrics, but we also evaluate phones based on responsiveness. Regardless of whether you’re reading, browsing social media or playing a game, no one wants a device that feels sluggish.

Display

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When it comes to displays, we generally prefer OLED panels that can produce rich, saturated colors with at least 600 nits of brightness, though many of our top mid-range and high-end phones can hit 1,000 nits or more. And more recently, most of our favorite devices also support screens with fast refresh rates of 90Hz or 120Hz, which adds an extra level of smoothness and fluidity.

Design

Now we will admit there is a bit of subjectivity when deciding which phones look the best, but there are other design aspects like dust and water resistance or screen durability that can make a big difference to long-term survival. It’s also important to consider things like support for wireless charging, power sharing (aka reverse wireless charging) and UWB connectivity, which can have an impact on how your phone interacts with your other devices.

Cameras

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Obviously, for photos we’re looking for sharp, colorful shots in both bright and low-light conditions. And we want video clips with high dynamic range, rich audio and smooth image stabilization. Extra cameras for ultra-wide and zoom lenses are a plus. It’s also important to consider features like dedicated night modes, support for various video recording resolutions, and additional photo modes like timelapse, slow motion and more.

Battery and software

Finally, in terms of battery life, we’re looking for all-day longevity on devices that also delivered great results on our local video rundown test (at least 16 hours on a charge, but more is obviously better). And with people holding onto their phones longer than ever, we like to see companies commit to at least three years of software support and regular security patches.

Best Android phone overall: Google Pixel 7 Pro

The Pixel 7 Pro and the standard Pixel 7 might not be the absolute fastest phones on the market, but what they lack in pure performance they make up for with thoughtful software. Thanks to Google’s Tensor G2 chip, the Pixel 7 series features powerful AI and machine learning capabilities that support things like on-device language recognition and real-time translation. You also get gorgeous OLED displays and the best overall camera quality of any smartphone available today. And with the standard Pixel 7 starting at just $600, Google’s latest flagship is an incredible value too. The main differences between the two are that the Pixel 7 Pro has a larger 6.7-inch screen and features a third rear camera with a 5x optical zoom. But regardless of whether you prefer a smaller or larger device, you can’t really go wrong with either the Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro.

Best mid-range Android phone: OnePlus 11

For those who want a phone with a big screen, solid cameras and great performance, but for less than a traditional flagship, the OnePlus 11 strikes a good balance between budget phones and more premium devices. In a lot of ways, the OnePlus 11 is like a more affordable Galaxy S23+. Not only do you get a similar 6.7-inch 120Hz display, it also features a speedy Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip and a big 5,000 mAh battery. Meanwhile, thanks to OnePlus’ blazing 100-watt wired charging, it juices up faster than any phone from Google or Samsung. And on the camera side, the company’s ongoing partnership with Hasselblad has resulted in notable improvements in image quality.

The main shortcomings of the OP11 are that its IP64 rating for dust and water resistance falls short of what you get from competing devices, and the camera’s 2x optical zoom lens feels a bit on the short side. But with OnePlus adding wider carrier compatibility and committing four years of OS upgrades and five years of security patches, the OP11 is a well-equipped option that costs significantly less than its rivals.

Best budget Android phone: Google Pixel 6a

If you just want a simple phone for a good price, the Pixel 6a can’t be beat. Starting at just $449, you get a vibrant 6.1-inch OLED and Google’s Tensor chip along with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. But the thing that separates the Pixel 6a from other budget phones are its cameras which, thanks to Google’s superior image processing, produce pictures that are sharper and more accurate than competitors twice its price. Meanwhile, Google’s commitment to software updates means you should get at least three years of OS support and five years of security patches. And thanks to all of the Pixel-specific software features like Call Screener, Hold For Me and the Pixel Recorder app, you can get a very affordable device with a ton of smarts.

Best premium Android phone: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Starting at $1,200, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is very expensive, but it has practically everything you could ever want or need in a smartphone. It has a huge 6.8-inch OLED display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, a total of five cameras (main, ultra-wide, 3x zoom, 10x zoom and a selfie shooter) and a built-in S Pen for drawing and note-taking. It also features a huge 5,000 mAh battery that delivers some of the longest runtime we’ve seen on any phone. And with Samsung’s renewed commitment to software support, you can expect a minimum of four major OS upgrades and five years of regular security patches.

Best foldable Android phone: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4

While the Galaxy Z Flip 4 is arguably the most stylish and compact phone on the market, the bigger and more expensive Z Fold 4 is like three devices in one, which makes it a unicorn among mobile devices. When you just need to respond to a text or look up an address quickly, its 6.2-inch exterior cover screen makes that a cinch. But when you want to sit down to watch a movie or play a game, you can open up the Fold to reveal a stunning 7.8-inch flexible display. It’s compact when you need it to be, while providing an immersive viewing experience when you don’t. And thanks to support for stylus input, you even can use one of Samsung’s S Pens designed specifically for the Fold to quickly draw or jot down a note. On top of all that, its OLED display makes the Z Fold 4 great for reading books and comics. And unlike practically any other non-Samsung foldable, the Fold also has an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. In a lot of ways, this thing is the Swiss Army knife of phones. Sure, it’s a bit bulky, and at $1,800 it’s not what anyone would call affordable. But its ability to serve as a phone, a tablet, an e-reader and more depending on the situation puts the Z Fold 4 in a category of its own.

Thanks to the latest wave of handheld PCs like the Steam Deck and the Ayaneo 2, taking your games on the go has never been easier. That said, those devices are far from pocketable. But with the rise of cloud gaming, there's a newer breed of mobile machines like the Razer Edge that are trying to make things even more travel-friendly. Instead of relying solely on local performance, the Edge runs Android for lightweight apps while services like GeForce Now and Xbox Cloud gaming provide the computing power for more demanding titles. And for those who can't live without access to their games no matter where they are, there's even a model that supports 5G connectivity. But the question is: even with a relatively low starting price of $400, is a cloud gaming handheld something you really want or need?

Design

Unlike Logitech's rival game streaming handheld – the G Cloud – the Razer Edge is based on a two-piece design. There's the Edge itself which is a somewhat plain matte black slab that houses a 6.8-inch 144Hz OLED display and combines with an included detachable controller.

Anyone familiar with Razer's other mobile gaming products will immediately notice that the Edge's gamepad looks a lot like the Kishi V2, and that's because it's basically the same thing with a couple of tweaks. Technically, the controller that comes with the Edge is called the Kishi V2 Pro, and it features an identical arrangement of buttons and triggers and joysticks. The two additional features are some added haptics and a 3.5mm audio jack, which is important because the only port on the Edge is a USB-C connector. That said, you do get a microSD card tray that's a very welcome inclusion in a world where expandable storage is becoming a rarity.

Meanwhile, the exterior of the Edge is rather plain. It's got a plastic body that's a bit bigger and thicker than a Galaxy S23 Ultra. Combine that with a boxy frame and some rather large bezels, and you're left with a chunky slate that's not quite a tablet but not quite smartphone-sized either. You also get stereo speakers on each side of the device along with a handful of vents in the back for the internal fans. The other departure compared to a standard handset is that, to better support livestreaming while gaming, there's a 5MP front-facing camera mounted on the long side of the Edge.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

All told, it's a rather understated device that's focused solely on function over form. Heck, there's not even any RGB lighting, which just seems a bit weird from Razer. That said, one thing I wish the company had included was some kind of fingerprint sensor, because without support for face unlock, being forced to enter a PIN, swipe or password all the time definitely gets a bit tedious. If this thing had an in-screen fingerprint sensor, it would be so easy to move your finger away from the right joystick real quick to unlock it. So how about it Razer, something to consider for the Edge 2?

Gameplay

When it's finally time to sit down and game, the Edge is rather easy to set up. The gamepad extends so you can easily fit the Edge inside, and then all you have to do is line up the USB-C port on the right before letting the controller snap back into place. Razer thoughtfully included some small cutouts so the Edge's stereo speakers don't sound muffled and, despite not being anchored in on the left side, the whole setup feels relatively secure. Yeah, there's a little wiggle room if you press hard enough, but I was never worried about things falling apart.

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After going through the initial setup, you're greeted by the Android 12 homescreen, which has been tweaked with some green accents and a colorful wallpaper by Razer. From here, you can launch games and services as you'd expect by tapping on their respective icons, but if you want to take full advantage of the Edge, you'll need to tap the button on the gamepad below the right joystick. This summons Razer's Nexus app, which serves as both a launcher for quickly booting into games and as a place to tweak settings for the Edge's controller remapping, livestreaming, and haptics features.

One of the nice things about the Edge is that when connected to the Kishi V2 Pro, it automatically detects games that feature controller support, so in titles like Diablo: Immortal or Streets of Rage 4, you can just jump right into the action. But perhaps more importantly, thanks to a recent update to the Nexus app, the Kishi V2 Pro can also remap touchscreen controls to the gamepad's physical buttons and joysticks. This makes playing games like Genshin Impact and others that don't have official controller support much more enjoyable, especially if you're like me and prefer physical buttons over virtual ones.

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However, activating the Edge’s touchscreen remapping can be a bit tricky at first That's because new owners will need to manually update the Nexus app in the Google Play Store before enabling the virtual controller feature by toggling on an accessibility setting. And even then, I still had to restart the device a couple times before everything started working. It's a good thing this is a one-time process, so after you get it set up, you won't have to do it again for every app.

When you launch a game, you’ll see a little semicircle icon at the top of the screen. Tap that and you can access a handy menu that allows you to map physical buttons to their respective virtual controls. It's pretty simple and only takes a minute or two depending on the game, and when you exit out, it'll even save your virtual layout so you don't have to redo it next time. However, it's important to mention that this only works when you launch a game via the Nexus launcher. If you tap an icon from the Android homescreen or the app tray, it won't activate.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

This can make some titles much more accessible, but it's not a cure-all. Not only is the virtual controller feature still in beta, it doesn't do much to address things like menu buttons that don't line up with a game's virtual controls, which is something I experienced while trying out Mega Man X Dive. That means you'll still need to stretch your fingers over to the screen from time to time. Furthermore, while the virtual controller feature can be very handy, it doesn't do much to enhance traditional mouse and keyboard games. So while technically you can stream Civ 6 to the Edge from a nearby computer using the Steam Link app, it's still not a great experience. In the end, I found this made me stick more to standard Android apps or console games from Xbox Game Pass instead of trying to play more complicated PC titles.

Thankfully, despite its petite dimensions, the Edge's gamepad feels solid. Buttons are nice and clicky while the joysticks are tight and responsive. You even get bonus controls on the shoulders for Mouse 1 and Mouse 2, along with additional buttons for taking screenshots, opening menus or accessing the general Android settings.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the Edge's screen, which sports big rounded bezels and an extra-wide 20:9 aspect ratio. The lack of additional vertical screen space can make the Edge feel cramped, especially when trying to use its hilariously squat keyboard. I've made way more typos trying to enter text on the Edge than I do on my phone, and that's saying something because my daily driver is a Z Fold 4 and the keyboard on its exterior Cover Screen is tiny. I really wish Razer had gone with a taller aspect ratio, because that would make pretty much every game look and play better. That is, aside from regular touchscreen apps like Marvel Snap, where the sheer width of the Edge makes it feel awkward in portrait mode. Granted, it’s hard to make both landscape and portrait games play well on a mobile device, but the balance feels off.

Also, while I appreciate that there's a version with cellular connectivity, the current state of 5G coverage means you don’t often have access to peak speeds. That's OK, because even on 4G, your connection is probably fast enough for most things unless you live way out in the sticks. But when you combine that with the fact that the 5G model costs $200 more and is a Verizon exclusive, I feel like the standard Wi-Fi-only model is the better option for most people.

Performance

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Now before we talk about performance, I think it's important to sort out the Edge's specs first because there's been a bit of confusion. Initially, both the standard Wi-Fi-only model and the 5G model were listed with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. However, Razer has since clarified that the Wi-Fi version only comes with 6GB of memory while the 5G version gets the full 8GB. Furthermore, while some also thought that the Edge’s Snapdragon G3x chip features an Adreno 730 GPU, it actually has Adreno 660 graphics. This means the Razer Edge may not be quite as powerful as you expected, which sort of carries over to real-world performance.

In tests like Geekbench 5, the Edge posted a multicore score of 3,410 compared to 4,921 for the new Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. And in 3DMark's Wild Life Extreme test, that gap was even bigger with the Edge hitting 1,424 versus 3,809 for the Samsung. That means you're basically looking at a device with performance similar to a flagship phone from 2022, which isn't bad, but it isn't all that impressive either (though it's way more powerful than the Logitech G Cloud).

Of course, if you're streaming games from the cloud, local performance isn't nearly as important, and the Edge has more than enough horsepower to ensure titles on GeForce Now and Xbox Live run smoothly and stutter-free. And in Android games like Genshin Impact, I didn't run into any major hiccups either.

Battery life

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As for longevity, the Edge definitely has an advantage compared to beefier handheld PCs. On our local video rundown test, it lasted over 15 hours (15:22). However, when you're gaming, you're looking at more like seven or eight hours depending on the title, and even less if you're using cellular data. But in most situations, that's still significantly more than what you'd get from a Steam Deck (which typically conks out after three or four hours).

The one quirk with the Edge is that while its controller features passthrough charging via USB-C, juicing it up that way is actually slower than plugging a cable into the slab itself. Using a USB power meter, I found that when connected directly to the Edge using its included 45-watt power brick, charging speeds top out at around 25 watts, but if you use the pass-through charging on the Kishi V2 Pro, things slow down to around 15 watts. Granted, this disparity might not make a huge difference if you're plugging the Edge in overnight, but it can be annoying to have to disassemble the Edge's components when you need to recharge it faster. And if that’s not speedy enough, Razer says the Edge can handle power adapters of up to 65 watts.

Wrap-up

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OK, let's get back to my original question: Is the Razer Edge something you really need? Starting at $400 for the Wi-Fi model, you get a device with performance similar to one of last year's flagship phones and an included controller add-on, which is actually a pretty good deal. You also get active cooling to help keep thermals in check, while Razer's Nexus app helps you play both touchscreen-only apps and more intensive games from the cloud with ease. Not too bad so far.

But at the same time, the Edge is basically a chunky phone with an add-on that you can buy on its own for $100. And if you remove the slab from the equation, you even have the option of getting either Android or iOS versions of the Kishi V2. So if you've got a relatively recent phone with good performance, you're probably better off doing just that. This way, you get all the perks of having a dedicated gamepad but with the upside of having fewer devices to manage and carry around. Alternatively, you could spend the same $400 on a Steam Deck and get a device that's a bit bigger, but has the power to stream games from the cloud and play AAA games using local hardware.

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However, if you have an older phone and don't plan on upgrading for a while, the Razer Edge could be a decent device to hold you over until you do. And if you're the kind of person who's constantly on the go and can really take advantage of a speedy cellular connection, the Edge 5G might actually be a good fit for you. Or if you really want a dedicated gaming device that’s not your main phone, the Edge presents an interesting value proposition.

But as someone who is trying to reduce the number of gadgets in my life, it feels like these situations may be a bit niche. Sure, there are other tasks the Edge can handle pretty well like emulation, but that's sort of an off-label use. And honestly, the Steam Deck is better at that too. And while the popularity of cloud gaming continues to grow, I'm still not convinced that most people need a dedicated device for apps like GeForceNow or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. One of the best things about cloud gaming is that it works on any modern gadget regardless of specs, so while the Edge is a more than passable first attempt, I think there's a fair bit of room for improvement as devices like this continue to evolve.

Back at CES, most of the big TV makers like LG and Samsung announced their upcoming high end TVs. But one major company was missing: Sony. Now it’s finally ready to show off its latest flagship sets, and after getting a chance to see them in person, I can say it was worth the wait.

Sony’s 2023 line of Bravia XR TVs, are all powered by the company’s Cognitive Processor XR. That means they share the same underlying tech and processing including support for stuff like Sony’s XR Clear Image tech, which allows for adaptive noise reduction, auto HDR tone mapping and more.

For 2023, Sony is trying to take as much of the guesswork out of setup as possible by making its TVs look great right out of the box in the standard video or cinematic modes. That means you shouldn’t have to fuss around with various settings or need to get your TV professionally calibrated. Granted calibration is still the way to go if you want to get the very best image quality, but for people who don’t have a colorimeter at home or don’t want to pay someone else to do it – which I think is pretty much everyone – this is a welcome upgrade.

Sony has also made a few design tweaks including new tweeters that are built into the frame of select models. While you can’t really see them, they help deliver richer and more expansive audio, particularly when paired with one of the company’s high-end soundbars with center sync audio. Sony is also introducing an updated stand for most of its new sets, which allows for a bit more flexibility when trying to accommodate external speakers and soundbars.

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Finally, Sony also added new Gaming and Eco dashboards, so it’s easier to find and adjust various settings. For gaming, you have options like VRR, motion blur reduction and more. And for FPS fanatics, there’s even a setting for adding a permanent crosshair to the middle of the screen, complete with various reticle choices. Alternatively, the Eco Dashboard includes a simple walkthrough to help you choose power-saving settings, including a happy little tree that grows when you do things like reduce the brightness or enable shorter idle power-off times.

While Sony hasn’t released exact pricing just yet, the X90L will likely be the most affordable of the bunch, as it’s positioned as the entry-level option in the Bravia XR family. It’s the replacement to last year’s X90K, and sports a full-array LED panel with improved Clear Image upscaling and significantly reduced blooming. And while Sony doesn’t publicly disclose the exact number of dimming zones, the company says the X90L has up to 60 percent more dimming zones while also being up to 30 percent brighter than before.

Sam Rutherford

This model is also getting a new aluminum bezel instead of the plastic one on the X90K, and with the addition of a massive new 98-inch model, the X90L is the biggest TV in Sony’s 2023 Bravia XR lineup.

Next, when it comes to OLEDs, we have the A80L and A95L. Not only do both models boast improved contrast, when viewed side-by-side with rivals like the LG C2, I noticed Sony’s OLEDs definitely did a better job at preserving details in shadows. The A95L was particularly impressive thanks to its QD-OLED panel and Cognitive Processor, with Sony claiming brightness that's now two times higher than last year's model. This is big because for a long time, the brightness of OLED TVs has generally lagged behind that of more traditional LED sets. But now, Sony says the A95L is brighter than basically all but the most high-end LED rivals. And as someone who loves the super vibrant colors you get from OLED displays, the A95L might be my favorite of the entire line.

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Speaking of high-end, Sony’s X93L and X95L are the company’s two super premium flagship options. Both sets feature Mini LED displays with the main difference being that the X93L doesn’t come with Sony’s XR Clear Image tech. Meanwhile, the X95L offers similar peak brightness with 30 percent more local dimming zones. The downside is that the X95L is only available as an 85-inch model, so if you need something smaller, you’ll have to go with the X93L.

That said, when I compared the X93L and X95L to one of Sony’s super expensive reference monitors in a room with typical lighting, both did a great job of preserving details while also delivering extremely accurate colors. In certain scenes, Sony’s TV’s almost made rivals like Samsung’s QN90B look washed out. Admittedly, things like film grain were a bit more noticeable on the X93L because it doesn’t have Clear Image tech, but for film aficionados who really care about watching movies that look as close as possible to what the director intended, these are the sets to get.

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After seeing the new TVs, regardless of what type of panel you prefer, all of Sony’s upcoming Bravia XR sets look fantastic. You get way more local dimming zones on the X90L line, while the two times higher brightness on the A95L is absolutely stunning. And with Sony adding larger screen options to basically all of its models, it should be even easier to find the right-size display for your room.

Back at CES, Lenovo showed off a huge portfolio of new devices including a true dual-screen laptop and a desk lamp that doubles as a webcam. But now, Lenovo is back at Mobile World Congress with a few more refreshed notebooks and tablets headlined by two interesting updates to the ThinkPad Z family.

Designed to be ideal companions for hybrid workers, the new ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 and Z16 Gen 2 feature an all-AMD setup. You’ll be able to choose from a range of Ryzen 7000 processors and even an optional Radeon 6650M graphics card on the larger Z16, along with up to 64GB of RAM and 2TB of SSD storage. However, for people who are constantly hopping on and off video calls, the ThinkPad Z13 and Z16’s new communication features might be the bigger draw.

That’s because in addition to new full HD webcams, you’ll also get support for Wi-Fi 6E and Dolby Voice-enabled microphones, so you should look and sound good on Zoom meetings. But my favorite new feature is the TrackPoint Quick Menu that can be summoned by simply double-tapping the company’s signature red nub. This opens a window that lets you quickly adjust things like camera settings, mic volume, voice dictation, noise suppression and more. You can even customize which settings you want to see so you have fast access to the things you tend to change most often and I think it’s a great way of adding new functionality to a classic component like the TrackPoint.

Other specs include up to a 13.3-inch 2.8K OLED display on the Z13 Gen 2 or a larger and higher resolution 16-inch 4K OLED panel on the Z16 Gen 2. Lenovo has also retained handy features like an electronic shutter for the webcam, in addition to dual speakers with Dolby Atmos, two or three USB ports depending on the system, and a dedicated SD card reader on the Z16.

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Meanwhile, to help improve your mousing experience, both the Z13 and Z16 Gen 2 feature a Fusion FX touchpad from Sensel, which adds more sophisticated haptics, better palm rejection and more. On top of being physically larger (120mm across), long-time Trackpoint fans will also appreciate that Sensel’s touchpad supports three virtual haptic buttons that run across the top of the touchpad, so you’ll still have easy access to left and right mouse clicks without having to reach too far.

Finally, the last big change for the Z13 is that alongside the default aluminum finish, as part of its commitment to sustainability, Lenovo is also introducing a new flax fiber lid which is made from waste material collected during the harvesting process. This material is something we’ve seen before on a handful of concept cars from companies like Porsche and Polestar, but Lenovo says this is the first time this reinforced flax fiber material will be available on a consumer electronic device.

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Admittedly, this isn’t for everyone, but I kind of like it because it looks almost like a futuristic take on wood paneling. Not only does this add a bit of warmth to the laptop’s appearance, just like a nice piece of furniture, each flax fiber lid features a unique grain, which gives the whole system a bit of added personality. On top of that, Lenovo says the lid is bonded to a top cover made from 75 percent recycled aluminum.

While their designs aren’t changing a ton (aside from that new lid option on Z13), the addition of speedier components, larger touchpads and better conferencing features should make the second-gen ThinkPad Z-series laptops even better at getting work done – both at home or in the office. And thanks to its optional flax fiber lid, the Z13 Gen 2 might be the most stylish and sustainable ThinkPad yet.

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The ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 is expected to go on sale sometime in July starting at $1,249, with the ThinkPad Z16 Gen arriving a bit later in August starting at $1,749.

The original Xbox Elite controller came out way back in 2015, so it's a wonder why Sony took so long to release its own take on a premium gamepad. But now that the PlayStation 5 is more widely available (kind of), the company is finally ready to show the world what it can do. While the $200 DualSense Edge costs a bit more than its rival, it offers a few nifty features you don't get on Microsoft's controller, combined with one potentially major shortcoming.

Design

For the Edge, Sony didn't stray much from its default template. From the top, the Edge looks almost exactly the same aside from a black D-pad and face buttons and a black touchpad adorned with a subtle pattern featuring the company's signature ▲ ■ ● and ✖ icons. Where things get interesting is when you notice the two little nubs that stick out below the analog sticks, which are function buttons reserved for changing your controller's button assignments.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

In back, there are two switches on either side next to the shoulder triggers for adjusting their pull length, along with slots to accommodate the gamepad's removable rear paddles. The controller comes with two sets of rear paddles: longer, more traditional levers and short stubby half-domes, the latter of which ended up being my favorite. You also get a total of three different joystick nubs (standard, short-stemmed convex and long-stemmed convex) that can be swapped out on the fly, and a cable lock which can prevent the included USB-C cord from getting pulled out by accident.

Both the thumbsticks and the rear paddles attach magnetically, which makes it super simple to test out different layouts before finding a combo you like. The long-stemmed domed thumbstick can be helpful for snipers in shooting games, especially if you prefer playing at lower sensitivities. But I was less concerned with trying to get an edge than I was with making the controller as comfortable as possible.

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One of the Edge's highlight features are those fully replaceable analog sticks. By sliding the release toggle in back, the shroud around the analog sticks lifts off, revealing removable modules that attach via USB-A and can be changed out in seconds. This means when you start to experience some controller drift (which you will, given enough wear and tear), you can simply buy replacement thumbstick modules that cost $20 each. For hardcore gamers that put in hundreds or thousands of hours into their consoles, this can represent huge savings over time. If one joystick starts to get a bit wonky, just switch it out, or replace both sticks at the same time and get almost a brand-new gamepad.

Finally, to round everything out, the Edge comes with a hardshell carrying case that looks and feels like an extra-large space egg. It has a lightly padded interior and a small mesh pocket for any additional accessories you might need (like the included charging cable). There's also a nifty velcro pass-through flap in back that allows you to route a cord inside so you can charge the controller while it remains tucked safely inside the case.

Software and features

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Another big advantage the Edge has over rivals (especially third-party offerings like Scuf's Reflex) is the ability to set custom button configurations. The PS5 supports four quickset options and has the ability to save even more in settings. Switching layouts takes less than a second and is as simple as pressing either one of the function buttons and one face button at the same time. I also appreciate that the PS5 pops up a simple walkthrough on how to set everything the first time you connect the controller. And whenever you want to revisit your button presets, all you have to do is open the console's settings menu.

Other handy features include the ability to customize your joystick sensitivity, adjust their deadzone and even set the actuation point for the triggers. So depending on your preferences, you can tell the controller to ignore shallow pulls to avoid inadvertent presses. This also works in conjunction with the slider on the back of the controller which can change the physical travel distance of the triggers to three distances (short, medium and long), which is nice when switching from a racing game, where you want the full analog feedback, and an FPS, when you want a real hair trigger setup.

In-game

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When you get around to actually using the Edge, gaming with it almost feels like having a Swiss Army Knife. Sure, it looks and feels like a standard DualSense, but when you run into an awkward situation, the gamepad always seems to have a solution. For example: Some of my first console shooters were Turok: Dinosaur Hunter and Goldeneye on the N64, so I've always preferred what gamers often call a Southpaw joystick setup, which means aiming with the left joystick and moving with the right. Unfortunately, not every shooter supports this layout. But with the DualSense I can use it in whatever game I want.

Additionally, while the DualSense's deep triggers are great for racing games, that long pull is kind of annoying in fighters or beat 'em ups like Streets of Rage 4. But simply by moving the toggles in back, I can significantly shorten the pull, making things feel snappier and more responsive.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Now I should mention that some other premium controllers like the Xbox Elite Series 2 offer multiple D-pad options, but in my opinion, both of them are worse than Sony's arrow-shaped version. And while I'll probably never use the cable lock, I can see it being useful in tournament settings where you want the confidence of a wired connection but don't want to worry about your USB cable getting yanked out by accident.

My one small complaint is that I wish you could assign custom actions to the little function nubs. Right now they're dedicated to switching button presets and there's no way to change that, which seems like a bit of a waste. There are two nubs, at least let me use one of them as an extra button, especially since I feel like they're in the perfect location for launching grenades in shooters.

Battery Life

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The DualSense Edge's biggest weakness is its battery life, which is somehow worse than the standard PS5 controller. On average I was getting around five to six hours of use on a single charge, compared to six or seven for the regular DualSense. And that's just frustrating because not only does the Edge cost more than twice as much, the type of people that would pay big money for a premium controller are also quite likely to engage in marathon gaming sessions. And there are few things more annoying than having to scramble for a USB cord when your controller dies in the middle of the firefight. Thankfully, the Edge comes with a lengthy 10-foot USB cable, so even if it runs out of juice, you'll probably still be able to plug it in and have the cable reach your couch.

Wrap-up

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While the idea of paying $200 for a fancy controller might seem like a bit much (and it kind of is), after using the DualSense Edge I can see the appeal. It offers a familiar design with a handful of extra features including easy button remapping, multiple joystick nubs, customizable rear paddles and more. And the Edge is actually a tiny bit cheaper than some third-party options like those from Scuf, which doesn’t have replaceable joystick modules. Its short battery life is definitely a downer and I would have liked to see Sony include support for a second pair of paddles in back, like you get on of other premium gamepads. But if I had to choose just one controller to use with my PS5 until it dies, the DualSense Edge would be it.

Samsung's Ultra branding is typically reserved for devices that pack as many high-end features as you can fit in a single gadget. The Galaxy S23 Ultra starts at $1,200 and has a big, beautiful OLED screen, a new chip with even better performance, improved cameras and some revamped software. And, of course, there’s a built-in S Pen for all your drawing and notetaking needs. So while that sentiment still generally rings true for the new S23 Ultra, the company's latest flagship phone doesn't look or function all that differently from last year's.

Display and design: You'll need to squint to spot the changes

While the standard S23 and S23+ got a facelift this year, the Ultra appears to be a carbon copy of its predecessor — unless you look real close. You get a big 6.8-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and a 3,088 x 1,440 resolution. And it looks awesome, even if those specs haven't changed much from the previous model. Colors are dazzling and brightness tops out a stunning 1,750 nits, with a typical max brightness of around 1,000 nits in my testing.

The rest of the phone is a nice combo of Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and Samsung's durable Armor Aluminum. There are a few minor tweaks to the chassis, including slightly less curved edges on the screen to help prevent accidental touches. That said, I never really had an issue with that on last year's phone. The S23 Ultra's frame is also a bit flatter, which makes the whole thing feel boxier. And thanks to Samsung's continued focus on sustainability, small elements of the phone like the lock button are made from ocean-bound plastic. But that's about it. So, unless you're already familiar with the S23 Ultra's new color options (which include cream, lavender, green and black), even when you look at the S22 Ultra and S23 Ultra side-by-side, it's almost impossible to tell them apart.

Performance: New chip means more speed

The S23 Ultra is one of the first phones on the market to feature a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. However, Samsung didn't stop there. It worked with Qualcomm to create a custom version of the processor just for Galaxy phones. So what does that get you? Simply, a wealth of speed. In tests, the S23 Ultra posted multi-core scores in Geekbench 5 that were 40% higher than what we got from last year's phone. That's a huge jump, so it probably isn't a surprise when I tell you that everything feels smooth – apps, games, you name it.

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Now I should mention that the custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy platform that Samsung uses has a clock speed that's only around 150 MHz higher than the standard chip, which honestly, isn't a difference most people (including me) can discern in normal use. However, one of the biggest changes for 2023 is that every version of this year's Ultra will feature a Snapdragon chip, so people outside North America won't be saddled with a less powerful Exynos processor like in previous years. The base model features 8GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage, but if you jump to the 512GB or 1TB storage options you get 12GB of memory.

Software: One UI 5.1 is nice, but not essential

Alongside the debut of the Galaxy S23 line, Samsung is also introducing One UI 5.1 which features some handy tweaks and customizations. That said, a number of additions like the new personalization options on the lock screen or a wider palette for the UI's accent colors are sort of things we've seen before in iOS 16 or Android 13's Material You. You can even do things like add info to the lock screen so it's easier for people to return your device to you if you lose it. However, out of the box, our review unit came with a message that said "Hi help me" which seems more like a cry for attention than an attempt to provide assistance.

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Samsung is also making it easier to create custom stickers from your photos, which you can do by simply long pressing on an object and then dragging it to another app for easy sharing. Unfortunately, some subjects are easier to clip than others. Faces and animals tend to work relatively well, but other things like flowers can often end up looking a bit off, so your results may vary. There's also a new Modes and Routines section in the menu that lets the phone adjust multiple settings for specific activities like exercising or relaxing. But aside from the Sleep mode option, I didn't find this new functionality all that useful. When I work out, all I need to do is find some good music and I'm ready to go.

Unfortunately, while the S23 Ultra comes with an S Pen and a handy storage slot, there aren't really any new notetaking or drawing features, which is kind of a shame. Samsung's top-end handset is still unmatched when it comes to stylus support on phones, so I wish there was something, anything new to mess around with. But I must admit even I'm struggling to think of a major feature I'd really like to see added.

Cameras: More pixels better?

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The biggest upgrade on the S23 Ultra is its new 200MP main sensor, which features twice as many pixels as before. At Samsung Unpacked, the company showed off snippets of short films from not one, but two, big-name directors to really drive home the phone's new cinematic capabilities. It sounds impressive, but in practice, it takes a bit of effort to really make the most of that new sensor.

In normal use, the S23 Ultra uses 16-to-1 pixel-binning to help gather more light and produce sharp, colorful images without the need for extra-large file sizes. And in most situations, it produces better-looking pics too. When I used the S23 Ultra to shoot photos of some pizza (which was extremely tasty might I add), images taken using the default 12MP mode featured more accurate colors and better details than those captured with the sensor's full 200 megapixels. In the right conditions activating the sensor’s full resolution may allow you to capture finer textures on some subjects, but you’ll need to zoom in to see them.

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Now part of this is because it seems Samsung's object detection and optimizer doesn't work in 200MP mode, but there were also noticeable differences in white balance and sharpness. On one hand that makes sense because pro photographers often prefer images with flatter color profiles which makes post-processing a bit easier. But that also means unless you're editing everything you shoot in an app like Lightroom or Photoshop, you're better off sticking with the regular 12MP setting. This is what I mean when I say you need to work to get the most out of the S23's new camera, and it applies to other stuff like Samsung's Expert Raw app too.

Designed for more advanced photographers, Expert Raw has a much wider array of settings and tools to tweak every aspect of your shot, from shutter speed, to exposure compensation and more. You also get a new astrophotography mode so you can take better pics of the night sky, that is unless you live in the city like I do. That's because between light pollution and cloudy skies, I couldn't get a single photo with the astrophotography mode that I was really proud of. And I even used a tripod to make sure things were super stable.

It's a similar story when it comes to video, where the S23 Ultra's improved OIS is a welcome addition for reducing shakes and vibrations while recording. But then there's the new 8K/30 fps mode (up from 8K/24 fps last year) which is nice because there's no more 2X crop like you got on the S22 Ultra. But at the same time, who records home movies in 8K, let alone has the proper display to watch those clips at full resolution? Sure, it's nice to be able to crop in when you want some extra detail. But this feels like overkill, especially when you consider that the file size for a two-minute 8K/30 FPS video is over one gigabyte, which means you're gonna run out of storage real fast.

At least when it comes to selfies, the phone has a new 12MP camera with dual pixel autofocus, and its pics look great despite a sensor that actually features a lower resolution than on the previous model. The 12 MP ultrawide cam and the two telephoto lenses (3x and 10x) are largely the same, which feels like a missed opportunity because that 10x optical zoom is still my favorite lens on the phone.

Battery life: Just great

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While the S23 Ultra's smaller siblings both got upgrades in battery capacity, Samsung's flagship stayed pat at 5,000 mAh. But that's ok because there's plenty of juice to go around. On our video rundown test, the S23 Ultra lasted an impressive 19 hours and 26 minutes, which is similar to the OnePlus 11 (19:45), though not quite as good as the iPhone 14 Plus' 21:17. And that was with the phone's adaptive refresh rate turned on.

In the real world, you're looking at more than all-day battery life. Even on a day when I was doing heavy benchmarking and playing NBA All-World (which really gulps electrons due to constant use of GPS), I still had 25% battery left at the end of the day. And on days with more moderate usage, I often had 40% or more in the tank when midnight rolled around.

All this means you don't really need to worry about the phone dying during the day, which is a good thing because that gives the S23 Ultra leeway to donate some charge to other devices via Samsung's Power Share feature (aka reverse wireless charging). And with 45-watt wired charging, you can refuel the phone in a jiffy too.

Wrap-up

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The tricky thing about recommending the S23 Ultra is that it's everything a super premium phone should be. It's got a gorgeous display, a great build and more power than you know what to do with. However, starting at $1,200, it's also really expensive and it's not that much better than last year's offering. I have no doubt you can film Hollywood-grade movies using its new 200MP sensor. But it's important to remember that even in Samsung's promos, we're talking about a crew with decades of experience, not to mention additional equipment like external mics, camera cages, gimbals and more. The S23 Ultra's camera has tons of potential, but it takes more than just a casual familiarity to make those features glow.

For those wondering if they should trade in their current handset after only a year: No, it's just not worth it. If you're simply looking for a premium device and don't care about taking notes with a stylus, I'd argue that the Pixel 7 Pro is a better value. But if you have an older phone and are looking for a major upgrade, the S23 Ultra is unlike any other Android phone on sale today. And with its fancy new sensor, Samsung's latest flagship might be the closest thing you can get to a pro-grade camera in a phone, just as long as you're willing to polish your content in post.

Even though Bayonetta 3 just came out last fall, there’s already another entry in the franchise due out in March starring everyone’s favorite gun-toting witch. However, for its next release – Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon – instead of a continuation of the story, PlatinumGames has created a prequel featuring a charming new art style and gameplay twists that shed light on a younger version of Cereza, before she became the over-the-top enchantress we know today.

After a short explanation of Bayonetta’s lineage, the game introduces its first major twist when it asks you to control both Cereza and her stuffed cat Cheshire, who serves as a vessel for a recently summoned demon. That’s because instead of switching between each character independently, you’re meant to control both at the same time, with the left Joy-Con responsible for maneuvering Cereza while the right Joy-Con is dedicated to directing her cat. (Don’t worry, you can also play the game with the Switch’s Pro Controller if you prefer.) So on top of the game throwing various puzzles or hack-and-slash encounters your way, you often have to do battle with your own mind as you try to get both sides of your brain on the same page.

Nintendo

For me, this setup drew immediate parallels to one of my favorite games from 2013, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. (Sorry youngins for the somewhat dated reference, but if you haven’t played Brothers, you should really give it a go.) Granted, Brothers is much more of a true puzzle platformer, but even after playing it for less than an hour, Bayonetta Origins delivered the same sort of deeply satisfying solo co-op vibes. Also, while Nintendo claims the title is meant to be a single-player experience, I get the sense that this might be just as fun/frustrating (maybe even more so) when played with a friend, with each person getting a single Joy-con.

Additionally, while the game’s controls are relatively simple and straightforward (due in part to its split controller layout), there’s a surprising amount of depth when it comes to combat and traversing obstacles. Typically, Cheshire serves as the muscle when battling forest spirits or other monsters, while Bayonetta relies on her witch powers to lock down and control enemies. That said, the two can work together, with Cheshire able to shrink down and serve as a grappling hook, allowing the pair to jump gaps and chasms. So despite the game’s slower pace compared to previous entries, getting your left and right hands to work together is still very rewarding. I also have to admit it’s just really cute seeing Cereza snuggle up with a demonic patchwork plushy, who despite its hatred of cuddling, needs to be close to the witch in order to survive.

Nintendo

Another departure from other Bayonetta titles is the game’s art style, which has ditched its anime-inspired origins for a more storybook aesthetic – and it looks absolutely fantastic. When combined with a younger version of Cereza that’s still figuring out her place in the world, the game feels more like a new-age fairy tale than the eccentric action-packed circus we’ve seen in earlier games.

And while I only had a short time with Bayonetta Origins, perhaps my biggest surprise was how quickly I became engrossed in the game. That’s because while the bombastic nature of previous entries in the franchise is more my style, Cereza’s latest adventure offers a very charming and downright wholesome take on the series. So for all of the Bayonetta fans who might have been put off by this installment’s design or visuals, you might want to rethink that stance and give Cereza and the Demon a chance when it officially comes out on March 17th.

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