It's not often a brand new genre of game comes around. And while battle royale-style titles like PUBG and Fortnite have gotten a ton of attention and countless clones in recent years, there's another new type of game — especially for fans of strategy and tactics games — that deserves your attention: auto battlers.

Now before anyone gets hysterical about auto battlers already having been around for some time, let's get one thing clear. While the genre can trace its lineage back to Warcraft 3 mods like Pokemon Defense, the category as a whole didn't really get mainstream attention until 2019 thanks to titles like Dota Autochess (which is now just Autochess), Teamfight Tactics, Hearthstone's Battlegrounds and Dota Underlords.

However, since those games have characters and abilities based on existing titles (e.g. Dota and League of Legends), their counterpart auto battlers are kind of intimidating for new players to pick up. I know because, despite it becoming one of her favorite games as of late, I played Teamfight Tactics for almost a year on my own before successfully convincing my wife to give it a shot. And on PC, both Teamfight Tactics and Battlegrounds are only available within the launcher for their parent games. That makes them seem more like expansions rather than a brand new game type, which is admittedly somewhat confusing. But that's where Super Auto Pets comes in.

By taking the basic auto battler formula and then adding a roster of cute, cuddly animals, Super Auto Pets has become the perfect intro to the genre, while still being surprisingly deep. The game's general mechanics are simple. Every turn you start with 10 gold. You then use the gold to buy pets or food for three gold each (or one gold in the case of the pill), while trying to assemble the strongest five pet squad you can muster. If you combine three of the same pet, it'll turn into a stronger level 2 version. And if you combine a total of six of the same creature, you'll get a top-tier level 3 animal.

Alternatively, if you see a pet you like but can't afford at the moment, you can freeze it to save it for later. After that comes the battling. It's just you versus someone else's squad, with each getting a silly auto-generated team name. If you win you get a trophy. If you don't, you lose some hearts (up to three depending on the number of rounds). Your ultimate goal is to eke out 10 victories before all your hearts are gone. And the rounds keep coming until you win or die trying.

Team Wood Games

Now I know I'm glossing over some of the game's finer mechanics. But they're not hard to pick up and will be immediately familiar to anyone who has played a trading card game like Magic: the Gathering or Hearthstone. And with over 80 pets already in the game (and more on the way), there are a lot of nifty interactions that are a blast to learn.

Take the parrot, who copies the ability of the pet in front of it. Or the skunk, who reduces the health of the enemy team's tankiest pet. And then there's the lovable turtle (who looks like a dead ringer for the old blob-style Android emoji) that gives fellow pets armor after it faints. Each pet's ability is a callback to the creature's personality, adding both flavor and strategy to the game. And I haven't even mentioned the deer's ability, which is downright hilarious. But you're going to have to check it out for yourself because I'm not spoiling it here.

But my absolute favorite thing about Super Auto Pets is how easy it is to pick up and put down whenever I want. I had my first kid six months ago, so it probably won't surprise you when I say I don't have quite the same amount of time for games as I used to — let alone titles like Teamfight Tactics which typically last 20 to 30 minutes or more per match. In contrast, not only is Super Auto Pets available on pretty much anything with an internet connection (Android, Steam, web browsers, and most recently iOS thanks to a recent patch), I can quit at a moment's notice in the middle of a run with zero consequences.

That means I can throw my phone down with haste if I need to change the kid or give him a bottle. Then later, when he goes down for a nap, I can hop back in where I left off. And thanks to cross-platform support, it doesn't even have to be on the same device. It's almost the perfect mobile game, that is, aside from needing an internet connection, which means I can't really play it on the subway.

Team Wood Games

And because the game is free-to-play, there's essentially no barrier to entry. The game's 59 core pets are available from the start, while another 22 pets are available for $5 as part of an expansion pack. That's more than reasonable, especially since the expansion animals don't really feel like an upgrade in power. It's more like different flavors than a slimy pay-to-win cash grab. All other in-app purchases are completely cosmetic, and most of them can be bought with points that are easily acquired just by playing the game. There's even a 64-player versus mode, though for obvious kiddo-related reasons I haven't really tried it out.

For me, Super Auto Pets is the rare game that's just as engaging on desktop as it is on mobile, due to its adorable art style and simple, but deep mechanics. It doesn't prey on my wallet (I've spent a grand total of $5 dollars over countless hours of gameplay), and it fits into my schedule without infringing on my more pressing real-life responsibilities.

So even though there's no shortage of new titles I'd love to drown myself in like Elden Ring, Triangle Strategy, and others, Super Auto Pets is one of the select few games I actually have the time to play. I appreciate that it lets me keep in touch with a hobby that's been largely pushed aside, and it's a great way to try out a fun twist on more traditional strategy games. And even though I achieved the incandescent high of getting my first win long ago, I can already tell this is going to be a game I'll keep in my pocket for a long time coming.

After kicking off the year with a bunch of new laptops back at CES 2022 followed by more recentupdates at MWC, Lenovo is finally capping off its refresh cycle this spring with improved components for the ThinkPad X13 and L-series lines. 

The focus of Lenovo's latest updates is to provide faster performance featuring new processors (both Intel and AMD, depending on the specific model), improved video conferencing thanks to Dolby Voice and better connectivity via Wi-Fi 6E. Also, every new ThinkPad X13 and L-series notebook is getting a 15 percent larger touchpad and can be configured with 4G LTE, with the ThinkPad X13 getting an upgrade to sub-6Ghz 5G as well. And to reduce the company's impact on the environment, Lenovo is switching to new packaging made from 90 percent recycled material along with more components like speaker housings and AC adapters being made from post-consumer recycled plastics. 

Lenovo

The new ThinkPad X13 Yoga 2-in-1 supports up to a 12th-gen Intel Core i7 CPU, with the more mainstream clamshell X13 getting additional support for AMD Ryzen Pro 6000 chips with Radeon 600M graphics. Lenovo is also introducing optional FHD IR cameras to the mix, which work with Windows Hello facial recognition while including a dedicated camera shutter for increased privacy. The standard X13 offers two different batteries: a default 41Whr power pack, and a larger 54.7 Whr cell that Lenovo says boosts longevity by up to 40 percent. 

One the ThinkPad L line, all three sizes (13-, 14-, and 15-inch models) can be equipped with up to 12th-gen Intel i7 processors or AMD Ryzen 5000 Pro CPUs, up to 32GB of RAM, and 1TB PCIe SSDs. The smallest ThinkPad L13 and L13 Yoga will also be available in either Thunder Black or a new Storm Grey paint job, with Lenovo updating both L13s with slightly taller and brighter 16:10 500-nit displays. And for people worried about people peeping over their shoulder, the L13 even supports an optional Privacy Guard screen.

Lenovo

As for the ThinkPad L14 and L15 Gen 3, the company has redesigned their chassis with thinner bezels, which reduces weight and increases the system's overall screen-to-body ratio. And unlike their smaller siblings, you get a total of three battery sizes: 42 Whr, 57 Whr, and 63 Whr.  

So while it's not a complete overhaul, both the ThinkPad X13 and ThinkPad L lines are getting some very handy boosts for 2022, especially for people looking for better mobile productivity. The ThinkPad L-series is slated to go on sale beginning in April with prices starting as low as $799 for the L13, with the X13 following later in June starting at $1,119.

Following a plea from Ukrainian vice prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov for gaming companies to cease operations in Russia and Belarus last week, Niantic announced it would be shutting down support for Pokémon Go in those countries. 

Niantic says downloads of Pokémon Go have already been disabled in those regions, with gameplay set to be suspended "shortly". The move by Niantic comes amidst a wave of similar decisions from fellow gaming companies that have decided to suspend business or services in those countries after Russia's invasion of Ukraine late last month. 

Sony has already suspended sales of both games and consoles in Russia, with Microsoft halting all sales in the country. Last weekend, Nintendo turned off sales of digital games on its eShop after disabling transactions in rubles, and more recently, announced that it would stop shipping products including the Switch to the country.

And while some game publishers like Bungie continue to provide limited service for its titles by continuing to support the free base version of Destiny 2, players in Russia no longer have the ability to buy DLC content, cosmetics, or Silver (Destiny 2's in-game currency). Meanwhile, other gaming companies including Epic, Ubisoft, CD Projekt Red, Take-Two, EA and others have stopped selling their games there entirely. 

Currently, it's unclear how long Niantic's suspension of service in the region will last. But with the company making this decision to encourage a "rapid resolution to the violence and suffering in Ukraine," there won't be any online monster catching happening via Pokémon Go in Russia or Belarus until some kind of peace agreement can be brokered.

After almost a year and a half since its last refresh, the iPad Air is finally getting an update. And while its design hasn't changed a ton, new features on Apple's fifth-gen mid-range tablet include a brighter display, optional 5G connectivity and a huge boost in performance.

With the previous iPad Air being Apple's first tablet to feature an edge-to-edge screen, a power button with an integrated TouchID sensor and the flat-sided chassis Apple has used on subsequent iPads (e.g. the iPad Pro and iPad Mini), the device's exterior didn't need much of a facelift. So for 2022, Apple focused more on equipping the latest iPad Air with revamped components, both inside and out. 

The iPad Air’s front-facing ultra-wide camera has gotten a new sensor that supports Center Stage, which uses machine learning to automatically track and follow your head and keep you properly in frame during FaceTime calls. Meanwhile, for people who need fast mobile data, the new iPad Air can also be configured with optional 5G connectivity. 

But on the inside, the biggest upgrade is the addition of Apple's M1 chip, which should give the iPad Air a major boost in performance, putting it on the same level as the more expensive iPad Pro line. Thanks to its new processor, Apple claims the new iPad Air is now twice as fast as a similarly priced Windows laptop. Unfortunately, it seems the tablet's storage hasn't gotten an upgrade in size, as the base model still comes with a relatively small 64GB SSD. 

The iPad Air will be available in five colors starting at the same price as the previous model: $599. Pre-orders will go live this Friday, with official sales beginning on March 18th. 

This story is still developing so check back soon for more info...

Catch up on all of the news from Apple’s Peek Performance event right here!

While the Pixel 6 had a rocky finish to 2021 after its December software patch was pushed back to January, Google is looking to get back on track with the release of its 10th feature update for the company's line of phones.

Rolling out today on the Pixel 3a to the Pixel 5 followed by another wave of updates for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro later this month, Google's newest feature drop includes new stickers for messaging in Gboard, Live Sharing in Google Duo, expanded support for Live Caption and Live Translation and more. 

Google

For mobile photography enthusiasts, Google is adding support for Night Sight directly in Snapchat. That means you'll no longer need to switch between camera apps when trying to capture pics in low-light environments. 

Meanwhile, Pixel phones are also getting the ability to share their screen with others during video calls in Google Duo similar to Apple's SharePlay in iOS 15. Previously, Live Sharing was an exclusive feature first introduced on Samsung's Galaxy S22 phones, but now Google is opening up that functionality to Pixel devices as well.

Google

For messaging, Gboard has gotten an update allowing it to convert text (English only for now) into custom stickers on the fly, so your chats will look a bit more lively. Alternatively, for those who cannot or prefer not to speak during phone calls, the Pixel's Live Caption feature will let you type a response that will be converted from text to speech for the recipient. 

On the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, Live Translate is also getting an upgrade allowing you to activate Interpreter mode in three new languages: French, Spanish, and Italian. Furthermore, Google's latest flagship phone will be able to automatically detect Spanish in videos and other media, allowing you to translate audio into English, French, Italian, German and Japanese (beta).  

Google

Other changes to language support on the Pixel 6 include the ability to transcribe Italian and Spanish in the Recorder app, along with new support for Assistant Quick Phrases in Spanish, French and Italian. 

The Pixel's At a Glance feature is also getting an update thanks to new widgets that will display the battery levels of connected Bluetooth devices like wireless earbuds. Google says the feature will also surface helpful info such as alarm reminders, safety check countdowns, and even earthquake alerts more frequently on the phone's home and lock screens when appropriate.

Finally, Google is adding a new line of curated wallpapers celebrating Internation Women's Day from artist Manjit Thapp, while older Pixel phones (from the 3a and up) are also getting support for Direct My Call and Wait Time.

There are two kinds of Android tablets: Samsung's Galaxy Tab S line and everything else. That's because while most Android slates don't rise above being simple media browsing and casual gaming machines, Samsung is doing more than any other company to transform Android into a true multitasking platform. And even though Samsung is approaching the limits of what Google's mobile OS can do, the combination of Dex mode and high-end hardware makes for a premium tablet that sits in a class of its own.

Hardware and design

Featuring a 12.4-inch OLED display, the $900 Tab S8+ is the middle child of Samsung's new Tab S8 lineup, sitting in between the $700 11-inch Tab S8 and the $1,110 Tab S8 Ultra, which boasts a massive 14.6-inch screen.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Without deviating too much from previous entries, Samsung has trimmed down its latest high-end tablet yet again, leaving the Tab S8+ with the slimmest of bezels. And measuring just 0.22 inches thick and weighing 1.24 pounds, the whole thing is very sleek. Meanwhile, there's a new Armor Aluminum frame that Samsung claims is 33 percent harder than what it used on the Tab S7 line. The Tab S8+ also has quad speakers with Dolby Atmos located on each corner of its chassis, so no matter which way you hold it, audio sounds rich and full.

The Tab S8+'s highlight feature is really its 2,800 x 1,752 screen, which delivers rich, punchy colors and a 120Hz refresh rate that makes scrolling through websites and flipping between apps feel smooth. My one complaint is that I really wish Samsung had opted for a wider 3:2 aspect ratio display instead of sticking with 16:10.

If all you do is watch movies or play games, 16:10 makes a lot of sense. But when it comes to productivity, the extra vertical screen space you get from a 4:3 or 3:2 display makes multitasking or having two windows open side-by-side a lot more usable. With Apple and Microsoft already having long since moved to 4:3 and 3:2 screens on iPads and Surfaces, I question why Samsung hasn't done the same.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

The Tab S8+ also features good performance thanks to the inclusion of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, along with 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage. And, unlike Samsung's flagship Galaxy phones, you even get a microSD tray for additional storage. The downside is that there's no headphone jack, which is rather frustrating because it's hard to believe that Samsung really couldn't find room for a 3.5mm port on a device this big.

Finally, Samsung rounded out the Tab S8+'s design with a magnetic strip around back for charging the stylus; a strip of pogo pins on one side for attaching keyboard covers; and a speedy in-screen fingerprint sensor that outperforms side-mounted options.

Dex mode

While Android tablets at large are still waiting for Android 12L to receive a number of much-requested multitasking features, the Galaxy Tab S8 line has a custom solution in Dex. By touching the Dex button in the Tab S8's Quick Settings (or using a CMD + W keyboard shortcut), you can switch from the standard Android UI to a more powerful desktop-like view complete with a taskbar and multi-window support. There's also a system tray for easily accessing features like WiFi and Bluetooth connections, while the Android App Drawer is located behind a handy icon in the bottom left.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

I used the Tab S8+ to write large parts of this review, and after booting into Dex mode, I found myself feeling almost immediately at home. I was able to snap windows to each side of the screen just like on a Windows PC, with the Tab S8+ also supporting a number of familiar keyboard shortcuts. You don't get the full range of commands that you would in Windows or macOS, but a number of the basics like Alt-Tab and Alt-F4 are there.

Now, I wish I didn't need to toggle between Dex and the standard Android layouts. And in less popular apps that haven't been optimized for the Tab S8's big screen, you can run into some clunky and awkward experiences, with apps that can't be maximized or games that don’t run properly in the background.

The biggest thing that stops the Tab S8+ from feeling like a laptop is Samsung's $160 book cover keyboard, which doesn't have a built-in touchpad. Touching icons to open apps is fine in short bursts, but if you're considering serious productivity, you'll want to get the more expensive $230 book cover keyboard, which does have an onboard trackpad.

But for the most part, while it might take a little getting used to, Dex mode on the Tab S8+ does an admirable job of turning a traditional tablet into a much more powerful 2-in-1.

S Pen

The other big selling point for the Tab S8 line is Samsung's included S Pen, which includes an expansive range of first-party drawing and annotation apps. By reducing the Tab S8's input latency from 9ms down to just 2.8ms, Samsung has essentially eliminated any sort of lag, and frankly, it feels fantastic.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Samsung Notes is your default choice for jotting down quick thoughts, while its handwriting-to-text conversion features allow you to save more legible copy for easier viewing later. And if you need more support for translating text, annotating slideshows or PDFs, or simply making funny doodles to send to friends, there are dedicated apps for that too. Samsung has all the basics covered out of the box, though if you're a hardcore artist, you'll find more sophisticated drawing and sketching apps on Apple's App Store.

Cameras

The photography experience on tablets is often an afterthought because let's be honest, who wants to be the person pulling out a 12-inch device to snap pics at a concert or ballgame? So even though the Tab S8's cameras aren't anywhere near as good as what you'd get on a Galaxy S phone, Samsung threw in not one but two rear cameras that are more than serviceable. That includes a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera and a 6MP ultra-wide cam in back, as well as a 12MP selfie shooter up front. In bright light, images are sufficiently sharp and colorful, though you’ll start to notice noise creep in pretty quickly as the conditions get dimmer.

Battery life

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

It's hard for a screen this big to not suck up a lot of juice, especially if you have the brightness turned up. But even so, the Tab S8+ posted a respectable time on our local video rundown test of 9:21, which isn't a far cry from the 10 hours we got from the iPad Pro. However, if you're playing games or multitasking, just be aware that you can drain the Tab S8+'s battery a lot faster than that. In more mixed use cases, I typically got closer to six or six and a half hours on a charge. Oh, and while the Tab S8+ does support 45-watt fast charging, you'll need to buy a power brick that supports those speeds on your own, because Samsung doesn't include a charger in the box.

Wrap-up

The big question I've been asking myself is, compared to something like Lenovo's $630 P12 Pro, is the Galaxy Tab S8+ worth 50 percent more? And you know what, actually yes. That's because while they might have similar designs and screen sizes, the Tab S8+'s display is brighter, it has noticeably faster performance and its quad speakers sound richer and fuller. Little luxuries like its in-screen fingerprint reader make it easier to use on a daily basis. And Samsung's S Pen and stylus apps are more sophisticated than anything you'll find on a rival Android slate. It's just an all-around more premium device.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

But what elevates the Tab S8+ above rival Android tablets is Dex mode. With the touch of a button, the Tab S8+ switches to a more desktop-like UI that makes multitasking and doing work actually a feasible idea, instead of struggling with productivity like you do on so many traditional Android tablets. In fact, the consumer version of the P12 Pro isn't even scheduled to get Android 12 until the end of March, let alone whatever happens to Android 12L.

Even so, despite all the work Samsung has done, the Tab S8 still isn't quite as powerful or accommodating as an iPad Pro or even a Windows-powered detachable like a Surface Pro 8. And with a total price of at least $1,000 once you factor in Samsung's keyboard cover, the Tab S8+ doesn't offer much in the way of savings versus Apple or Microsoft. But both of those devices run on different OSes, and depending on your situation, switching might be a nonstarter. That said, if you need support for Android apps but still want something suited for productivity, a Chromebook is also worth considering. But if you're dead set on a high-end multi-purpose Android tablet, the Tab S8 line should be at the top of your list.

Unlike Apple’s M1 MacBooks, ARM-based Windows on Snapdragon laptops haven’t enjoyed quite the same level of success or popularity. But Lenovo is hoping to change that – at least for enterprise customers – with the new ThinkPad X13s.

The ThinkPad X13s’ secret weapon is its Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 chip, which Lenovo says is the first time Qualcomm’s newest laptop processor has been featured in a commercial device. By leveraging improved energy efficiency and a low-power 400-nit 13.3-inch display, Lenovo says the ThinkPad X13s can last up to 28 hours on a single charge. That said, I’m going to want to confirm this myself, because I’ve definitely been burned by shorter-than-expected longevity on previous Windows on Snapdragon machines.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

In keeping with the ThinkPad X13s’ focus on mobile productivity, the laptop also features a fanless design while weighing just 2.5 pounds, with top and bottom panels made from 90 percent recycled magnesium. And to make sure you have a speedy internet connection wherever you go, the laptop also supports 5G (both sub-6GHz and mmWave) and WiFi 6E. Other specs include up to 32GB of RAM, up to 1TB of PCIe storage, and two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports (but no Thunderbolt 4, cause that’s an Intel thing).

Inside, the laptop comes pre-installed with Windows 11 Pro, with Lenovo relying on a number of Qualcomm’s collaboration features like AI-based auto-framing for its 5MP webcam and intelligent noise suppression that works with the laptop’s triple microphone setup. There’s even a human presence detection feature that can automatically dim or turn off the laptop’s display when it detects that you have looked away to protect sensitive data from prying eyes.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Now I know I’m not exactly Lenovo’s target audience for the ThinkPad X13s, and I probably wouldn’t buy a Windows on Snapdragon laptop for myself since they often struggle to run games (even casual titles). But even so, during my brief hands-on time with the device, I found that there’s a lot to like. Its design is quite sleek even by ThinkPad standards, while its magnesium chassis adds durability without a significant increase in weight. And of course, there’s that claimed 28 hours of battery which should last for days of real-world use (assuming the laptop can live up to Lenovo’s figures).

The only issue I noticed during my brief time with the notebook was a touchpad that felt softer and spongier than I’d like. Though since it’s a ThinkPad, you can always use Lenovo’s iconic TrackPoint nub instead. Thankfully, the X13s’ keyboard felt crisp with plenty of key travel, so there shouldn't be much of a learning curve for ThinkPad diehards.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

For a low power display, the laptop’s screen is admirably bright, and the auto-framing camera worked like a charm, even if it was a touch too aggressive zooming in and out when I moved my head back and forth. You even get built-in IR cameras for facial recognition and Windows Hello face login. And thanks to the App Assure program, enterprise customers can get help directly from Microsoft to ensure all of a company’s corporate software runs smoothly on the X13s’ Arm-based processor.

So despite a bumpy reception for previous Windows on Snapdragon machines, between the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 and Lenovo's willingness to put that chip in a ThinkPad for the first time, we could be looking at a new era for ARM-based Windows notebooks.

The ThinkPad X13s is slated to go on sale sometime in May starting at $1,100.

Catch up on all of the news from MWC 2022 right here!

A lot of gadgets operate on a "tick-tock" development cycle, with the most well-known being past iPhones that sported fresh designs, only to be replaced 12 months later by more refined but similar-looking S variants. And after Samsung ticked the box with a fresh new design for last year's S21, now the company has returned with the more polished Galaxy S22 and S22+. While they might look a lot like last year's phones, there have been some notable upgrades, especially on the S22's display, performance and camera.

Design

Even though I'm still not sure how much I love Samsung's Contour Cut camera design, the Galaxy S22 very much looks and feels like a high-end device. The outside of the phone features Samsung's Armor Aluminum alloy that's been polished to a near-mirror finish, with the S22 also being one of the first phones equipped with Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus+ to protect the phone from drops and scratches — both in front and in back.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

To add a little spice to the mixture, the S22's backside sports a lovely matte texture – which does a surprisingly good job of resisting fingerprints. And for 2022, Samsung also spruced up the S22's color options with new shades of green, pink and white, along with good ole black.

Like previous Galaxy S phones, the S22 comes with an ultrasonic in-screen fingerprint reader, and after years of tweaking its algorithm and improving the tech, this time it feels seriously fast. In my experience, unlocking the phone was practically instant, and I never really ran into recognition issues unless my fingers were legit wet or greasy. (Keep your grubby hands away from my phone if you're eating pizza, k thnx.)

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

The one thing avid movie watchers should be aware of though is the color-matched frames on the pink and white models. If you're the kind of person that might be bothered by a glint or sparkle around the edge of the phone while watching videos, you may want to go with one of the darker color options.

And while it's not really a surprise at this point, the S22 doesn't feature a microSD card slot or a headphone jack. With the Galaxy S line now being three generations removed from the last device to include both of those features, it's pretty clear they're not coming back.

Display

Samsung has had a lock on the crown when it comes to making the best mobile displays in the business for a while now. But on the S22, the company has outdone itself once again with displays that can hit a peak brightness of 1,300 nits on the S22, or an astounding 1,750 nits on the S22+. Suffice to say any fears of the S22's screen being hard to read even in direct sunlight are unfounded.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Then, to make things look even better, Samsung created a new feature called Vision Booster designed to amp up things like contrast and color saturation in very bright or dim conditions. While there's no indicator or pop-up that lets you know it's working, I found the effect most pronounced when I used the phone outdoors, with more subtle changes in the dark when compared to phones like the Pixel 6 Pro. I found Vision Booster made dark scenes easier to parse, but even when viewed side-by-side, I basically had to press my face up against the phones to really see the differences.

But regardless of where you are, the end result is a display that lives in technicolor, pumping out vivid shades and hues, along with the perfectly dark inky blacks that make OLED screens so enthralling. Plus, thanks to a 2,340 x 1,080 resolution and a variable 120Hz refresh rate, everything from photos to gifs look sharp and crisp.

Performance

The Galaxy S22 line is one of the first phones to feature Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, which when combined with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage (or 256GB if you opt for the upgrade) results in a phone that feels blisteringly fast. In my experience, there isn't really anything you can throw at the S22 that makes it even sweat, aside from stuff like hardcore multitasking when connected to an external monitor via Samsung Dex (which is still very much a thing).

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

And while some reports claim that Qualcomm's Snapdragon Gen 8 Gen 1 has a proclivity for running hot, S22's built-in vapor chamber cooling system seems effective at keeping throttling to a minimum. Compared to the S21 FE, which features an older Snapdragon 888 chip, our S22+ posted scores in Geekbench 5's Compute test around 25 percent higher (4,708 vs 5,999). And while the gap wasn't quite as large in Geekbench 5's CPU test, the S22+ still posted a significantly higher single-core score of 1,213 compared to 1,061 for the S21 FE.

As for wireless connectivity, all versions of the S22 and S22+ support all the important flavors of 5G, including Verizon and AT&T's new C-band spectrum.

Cameras

After recent advancements from competitors like the iPhone 13 and Pixel 6, Samsung is now playing catchup to Apple and Google in the camera department. And while Samsung is touting a bunch of new camera features for the S22 and S22+ like Adaptive Pixel and various "Nightography" improvements, the real upgrades are the S22's new sensors — particularly the one for its 50MP main cam.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Thanks to that significantly higher resolution (up from 12MP on the S21), photos from the S22's main wide-angle camera are just flat-out sharper than before. But more importantly, the S22's primary camera offers wider dynamic range and big improvements for low-light photos. In darker scenes, the S22 uses a four-to-one pixel binning technique that combines four adjacent pixels into one big pixel, which allows for improved light sensitivity. The result is brighter photos with richer colors, especially at night. And even though Google's Night Sight still has a slight advantage over Samsung's Night Mode, the S22 has seriously narrowed the gap.

Elsewhere, you also get a solid 12MP ultra-wide camera with a 120-degree field of view, and a 10MP telephoto camera with a 3x optical zoom, the latter of which is important because neither the standard iPhone 13 or Pixel 6 comes with a dedicated zoom lens. So once again, the base S22 is the most well-rounded camera phone for the money. And in front, the 10MP selfie camera captured crisp pictures of my face including my many pores and blemishes, though you can always play around with Samsung's beauty settings if you want to put on a smoother face for social media.

Where things get frustrating is that some of the S22's new camera features are often hard to use, or even tell when they're working — with the main offender being Samsung's Adaptive Pixel feature. Adaptive Pixel uses multi-frame image capture to shoot pics using the main sensor's full resolution along with lower-res pixel-binned shots, before merging them together to create a higher-quality composite final image. The issue is that Adaptive Pixel isn't turned on by default, and searching the phone's settings for it doesn't return any matches.

To even activate this, you need to first make sure Samsung's scene optimizer is on, then you have to turn on the camera app's full 50MP capture mode, make sure the Detail Enhancer setting is disabled, and then point the S22 at a dark scene and hope Adaptive Pixel kicks in. And I do mean hope, because there's no pop-up or notification that lets you know when the feature is activated. Even when you do get it to work, while the pictures are a bit sharper and feature a more neutral color profile (which is better for anyone who wants to edit their pics later), Adaptive Pixel doesn't really produce magically superior images like Samsung's marketing may have led you to believe.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

That's kind of a shame after all the attention Adaptive Pixel got during the S22's debut at Samsung's recent Unpacked event. Thankfully, other new camera features like Auto Framing work as advertised, allowing the phone to track up to 10 people's faces when capturing video, while Samsung's Advanced OIS ensures that your clips look smooth and shake-free. The company's AI Stereo Depth Map technique also makes the phone a bit better at differentiating between your subject's face and the background in portrait mode, though you may have to do some serious zooming in to really see the difference.

In short, I like a lot of the changes Samsung has made to the S22's camera setup, raising its general photo prowess, even if some of the phone's new software don't quite live up to expectations.

Software

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The Galaxy S22 line comes with Samsung's One UI 4.0, which is based on Android 12. That means because it has long supported features like scrolling screenshots, the main upgrades in Samsung's latest Android skin are the new Privacy Dashboard and customization options for your home screen, app icons and the phone's UI. Similar to what's available in Google's Pixel phones, the customizations allow you to set a consistent color palette across your phone's menu, while new mic and camera notifications make sure you know when apps are accessing critical hardware components.

Other software upgrades include Live Sharing in Google Duo, which is a Samsung-exclusive feature that lets you share your screen during video chats. It's simple and effective, even if it's not quite as full-featured as Apple's SharePlay in iOS 15. And for those looking to keep better track of digital documents like your ID, credit cards, and even digital car keys, Samsung also made a new Digital Wallet that can securely store all those things in one place.

Battery life

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Featuring 3,700 and 4,500 mAh batteries respectively, both the S22 and S22+ have respectable longevity. But if lasting a long time between charges is really important for you, the S22+ is definitely the better pick as it lasted 17 hours and 33 minutes on our local video rundown test, compared to just 14 hours and 47 minutes for the standard S22. And thanks to its 45W wired charging (up from 25W charging on the S22), the S22+ juices up way faster too. In both cases though, you'll need to make sure you have the proper power brick, as neither phone comes with a charging adapter in the box.

S22 vs S22+

Aside from the obvious differences in screen size (6.1 inches vs. 6.6 inches) and overall dimensions (5.8 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches and 5.9 ounces vs. 6.2 x 2.9 x 0.3 inches and 6.9 ounces), there are a few other features that separate the S22 and S22+. The S22 is limited to 25-watt wired charging while the S22+ gets 45-watt wired charging, with both phones also featuring 15W Qi wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging (aka wireless power share).

Other differences include slightly faster WiFi speeds on the S22+ thanks to support for WiFi 6E (compared to standard WiFi 6 for the S22). The S22+ also has built-in UWB connectivity, which isn't available on the S22. UWB is one of many protocols used to send files to other devices wirelessly via Nearby Share, though that's not really a big deal since Nearby Share still works, albeit less swiftly, over WiFi and Bluetooth. The other consideration is that for people looking to use digital car keys from automakers like BMW and others, those often work better and have longer ranges using UWB compared to NFC, which might make the S22+ a better choice for more tech-savvy new car buyers.

Wrap-up

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The Galaxy S22 isn't a huge improvement or departure from last year's phone, but just like an "S-year" iPhone, Samsung has tweaked and elevated all the phone's most critical components. You're getting a more refined design, improved performance, a sharper main cam with better low-light photography and an even brighter screen. And that's saying something from the king of mobile displays.

Sure, some features like Vision Booster and Adaptive Pixel are more subtle or harder to use than I'd like, but putting all this in a chassis sporting excellent build quality and other premium features like IP68 dust and water resistance, reverse wireless charging and more is a formula that's hard not to like. And with a starting price of $800 for the standard S22, you're getting more phone for the money than anything you can buy from Apple or Google.

Following its release back in 2020, the Moto G Stylus quickly became one of the company’s most popular phones. But now, Motorola is stepping up its ambitions with the new Edge+, which is essentially a more affordable take on a Galaxy Note.

With a starting price of $1,000 (or $900 at launch thanks to a limited-time discount), the Moto Edge+ combines strong performance from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip with native stylus support. That said, unlike a Galaxy Note or the new Galaxy S22 Ultra, Motorola’s Smart Stylus is an optional extra that will come bundled with a folio cover, the latter of which addresses the phone’s lack of built-in stylus storage. Meanwhile, recharging the stylus is taken care of using the phone’s 5-watt reverse wireless charging.

Elsewhere, the Edge+ comes with a number of premium features including a 6.7-inch 2400 x 1080 OLED with a 144Hz refresh rate, 15-watt Qi wireless charging and dual stereo speakers with support for Dolby Atmos. Base specs include 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage and a 4,800 mAh battery, though you can bump that up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage if you like. And while Motorola’s software and security support still doesn’t match what you get from Google or Samsung, the company has committed to two years of Android OS upgrades and three years of bi-monthly security updates.

Motorola

The Moto Edge+ also sports a decent selection of cameras headlined by its 50MP main cam and 50MP ultra-wide cam which also pulls double duty for macro photography, with an even higher-res 60MP selfie camera in front. Unfortunately, because the phone’s third rear “camera” is merely a 2MP depth sensor, that means you don’t get a dedicated zoom lens like you do on Samsung’s latest Galaxy S handsets.

In addition to serving as your mobile drawing and notetaking device, Moto envisions the Edge+ as a part-time work device thanks to support for the company’s Ready For platform. When the phone is connected to a nearby TV or monitor (either over USB-C or wirelessly), Ready For provides a more desktop-like UI similar to Samsung’s Dex mode, while the company’s Thinkshield security platform helps protect any potentially sensitive data.

As an added bonus, the Edge+’s rear cameras can even be used as webcams during video calls when connected to a nearby PC, with Motorola also claiming the device is the first phone to support Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Spaces VR platform when paired with Lenovo’s A3 Think Reality smart glasses.

All told, the Edge+ looks like an intriguing mix of specs and features for the price, especially when compared to the $1,200 S22 Ultra. The one thing I’m not quite sure about its is design, most notably that camera module and its surrounding pebble-like glass housing. But for anyone who’s fancied a Galaxy Note but couldn’t stomach Samsung’s super premium price tags, it’s definitely nice to see Motorola offer a more affordable alternative.

The new Moto Edge+ is available today as an unlocked device from Motorola and third-party retailers including Best Buy and Amazon, followed by wider availability from carriers such as Verizon, Boost Mobile and Republic Wireless sometime later this spring.

For years, Alienware eschewed thin-and-light gaming laptops, opting instead to make slightly bulkier systems with more affordable pricing. But all that changed last year with the introduction of its X-series notebooks. And now, Alienware is pushing its quest for sleekness even further with the new x14, the company's thinnest and lightest gaming laptop yet. To add even more rum to the punch, the x14 is also one of the first gaming laptops available featuring Intel's latest 12th-gen mobile CPUs. And while the x14 isn’t without its quirks, the result is a machine that makes me wish Alienware had gotten into portable gaming rigs years ago.

Design

Sporting Alienware's Legend 2.0 design language, the x14 is without a doubt a striking system, though ultimately you'll need to decide how much you fancy its sci-fi aesthetics. What's not in question is the laptop's thinness, which stands at just 0.57 inches thick while weighing barely more than four pounds. That’s even thinner and almost a pound lighter than the x15 (0.63 inches and 5 pounds), while making Alienware’s more mainstream M15 R7 seem almost bloated (0.8 inches and 5.3 pounds).

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Now I'm not normally the type to lust after a few ounces or tenths of an inch getting shaved off a device, but on the x14, every little reduction matters. That's because while most gaming laptops don't even come close to fitting in my everyday messenger bag that’s not meant to stash anything larger than a 13-inch ultraportable, the x14 actually fits, if just barely.

That means I'm much more likely to bring this thing with me on trips, which is kind of the whole point of a thin-and-light gaming notebook. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate beastly 17-inch gaming rigs, but when my back starts to hurt at the mere thought of carrying one around, in practice those systems often function more like mobile desktops than any sort of travel-friendly gaming machine.

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The main innovation on the x14 is Alienware's new dual-torque which adds strength and stability to the laptop's display, while once again reducing weight and thickness compared to previous X-series machines. And, as you'd expect from Alienware, the x14 comes with customizable RGB lighting on its lid and keyboard. That said, compared to its larger siblings you do lose the extra RGB light ring that would normally outline the system's rear ports. (Fun fact: That pill-like shape is actually called a stadium.) Inside, there's a lovely soft-touch finish on x14's wrist rest, which may feel a bit cramped for people with larger hands.

Display and sound

On the x14 there's only one display option, and it's a good one. The 144Hz 1,920 x 1,080 screen is plenty sharp, while support for NVIDIA's G-Sync helps prevent screen tearing while gaming. But the thing that impressed me most is the way colors pop. At first, I almost mistook the x14's display for an OLED panel. And while its black levels aren't quite deep enough for that, thanks in part to support for Dolby Vision HDR, colors look rich and vibrant regardless of whether you're gaming or watching a movie. And with a tested brightness of just under 400 nits, the x14's screen looks good in both dim and sun-filled rooms (though trying to game outside in direct sunlight is still a challenge).

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Dolby tech is also available on the x14's speakers thanks to support for Dolby Atmos, which adds an extra dimension to audio through the use of extra height channels. Unfortunately, I felt like the x14's audio sounded a bit distant, despite its upward-firing speakers being located right behind the laptop's keyboard. And even though the x14 had no issues turning up the volume, it's almost too much of a good thing, because in certain situations you can hear the x14's chassis rattle when the speakers are set above 80 percent.

Performance

While the x14 isn't quite as powerful as its larger siblings and doesn't have the space to accommodate beefier GPUs, Alienware's thinnest gaming laptop still punches well above its weight. I was able to easily hit 60 fps on high settings in a number of AAA games like Halo Infinite, and you can push things even higher if you don't mind fiddling with a game's graphics settings. And for people more focused on getting a competitive advantage, maxing out the x14's 144Hz display is a cinch in titles like CS:GO on lower settings (which is what you'd probably use anyway).

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In Shadow of the Tomb Raider on the highest settings, the x14 averaged 102 frames per second, with similar results in Far Cry 5 of 96 fps on Ultra. And while the x14 posted a slightly lower average frame rate of 55 fps in Metro Exodus on ultra, lowering the game's texture settings a touch was more than enough to boost frame rates firmly back above 60 fps.

Remarkably, despite limited space inside for cooling, Alienware's proprietary Element 31 thermal paste and vapor chamber (which only come on systems with RTX 3060 graphics) did a good job of preventing throttling from becoming a major issue. The downside is that the x14's fans are quite aggressive, often spinning up the instant you launch a game, while producing a somewhat high-pitched whine that you can't really escape unless you put on some headphones. Thankfully, Alienware's Command Center app supports a number of thermal profiles including a Quiet setting to help reduce fan noise, though depending on the game, that might cause your frame rate to dip a bit.

Keyboard, touchpad and ports

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Trying to cram a full-size keyboard with media controls on a 14-inch laptop is always a bit of a challenge, and while the x14 generally makes good use of space, it ain't perfect. The function keys are half-sized, and even the x14's keycaps are a touch smaller than what you'd get on Dell's non-gaming systems like an XPS 15.

It's a similar situation for things like the Windows key, the Function button, and the Shift key, all of which are smaller than normal. And for those who use the Delete key a lot, watch out, because it's a little too close to the laptop's power button for my liking. On the flip side, I do appreciate the extra row of media control keys on the right, which includes an always useful mic mute button. In short, I wouldn't go as far to say the x14's keyboard is a dealbreaker, it just requires more adjustment time than usual.

As for the touchpad, at 4.5 x 2.15 inches it's definitely on the small side. Though on gaming laptops, having a less roomy touchpad is a bit more forgivable as the vast majority of gamers typically prefer to use an external mouse, even when they're using the laptop's built-in keyboard.

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Meanwhile, when it comes to connectivity, Alienware definitely didn't skimp on ports. The x14 features three USB-C connections (two of which support Thunderbolt 4), one USB 3.2 Type-A socket, HDMI 2.1, a combo audio jack, and even a microSD card slot. While I would have liked to see an Ethernet jack too, my only real gripe with the x14's ports is that they are located around back. Putting all the ports in the rear of the system helps cut down on clutter, but when you just want to quickly insert something like a thumb drive, spinning the laptop around to do so feels clunky (especially if you have any other peripherals plugged in).

Note: Just don't expect much from the x14's 720p webcam. It's fine in a pinch, but the fairly low resolution combined with mediocre image quality means you'll likely want to use an external camera if you plan to show your face while livestreaming.

Battery life and charging

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The x14's battery life varies a ton depending on how you use it. If you're just browsing the web or streaming video, the x14's battery life won't quite last through a full workday, but it's more than serviceable. On our local video rundown test, the x14 lasted just short of eight hours. The bigger issue is that if you have any dreams of gaming without plugging in, you might want to squash those now. I found that while playing Teamfight Tactics (which isn't a demanding game), the x14 conked out after about an hour and 15 minutes.

That said, I do want to credit Alienware for equipping the x14 with a 130-watt USB-C power cable instead of a proprietary charger like so many gaming laptops. Because the x14's power cable is USB-C, you can use it to charge other USB-C devices like a phone or tablet, potentially reducing the number of cords you need to carry around while traveling, Alternatively, you could use a universal USB-PD charger instead, though you'll want to make sure that charger has the required power output and an appropriate cable to properly juice up the x14, as many of Dell's systems can be picky about USB-C charging if you're using old or out of spec accessories.

Configurations

The x14 starts at $1,650 for an Intel Core i7-12700 CPU, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of NVMe storage and an NVIDIA RTX 3050 GPU, with fully loaded systems like our review unit topping out at around $2,300 with 32GB of RAM, 2TB of storage and an NVIDIA RTX 3060. In my opinion, the sweet spot is around $1,800, which gets you 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage and an RTX 3060. Though I should mention that while you can upgrade storage post-purchase, you won't be able to upgrade your RAM as it's soldered onto the laptop's motherboard.

Wrap-up

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The x14 might not be quite as powerful as its bigger siblings, but given its even more portable dimensions, there's a lot to like. When compared to a $1,800 x14 with 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD and an RTX 3060, a similarly equipped x15 costs just $50 less. The main trade-offs being a little less thermal headroom, a more cramped keyboard and a slightly slower 144Hz screen (instead of 165Hz on the x15). That's not a lot to sacrifice for an even more travel-friendly thin-and-light design.

However, if you don't need a new gaming laptop right now, the smart move would be to wait a month or two for some of Alienware's competitors to release updated systems for 2022. Both Razer and ASUS are coming out with refreshed versions of their 14-inch gaming laptops later this spring, and once those become available, we'll have a much better idea of how the x14 fares against its biggest rivals. But if you like the x14’s combination of style and sleekness, this is a slick gaming laptop that’s made to move.