A couple weeks ago, Sega did something it doesn’t normally do: it gathered up a bunch of its studios (Atlus, Amplitude, Sega of Europe and others) and put together a showcase highlighting a number of titles coming out over the next few months.

Sonic Superstars (Release date: October 17)

Like a lot of people, I have a love-hate relationship with Sonic. While the original games on the Genesis produced iconic levels like the Green Hill Zone and unforgettable characters like Tails, Knuckles and the lovable blue hedgehog himself, more recent titles often miss the mark (to put it politely). Sonic the Hedgehog ‘06nearly broke me and the Sonic Boom series was a particularly dark period for fans of speedy protagonists.

But Sonic Superstars feels like a return to form, expanding on the breakneck 2D gameplay the franchise was best at, while adding a super crisp art style that doesn’t rely on 16-bit nostalgia. Stages like Cyber Station Zone offer fun twists on the formula by letting you transform into voxelized squids or rockets as you traverse the level. In a lot of ways, it feels like Sega is finally giving side-scrolling Sonic games the overhaul they’ve needed for more than a decade, similar to what Nintendo is doing with Super Mario Bros. Wonder.

Furthermore, Sega has added multiplayer co-op to a 2D Sonic game for the first time, and not coincidentally, it plays a lot like a modern Mario title. Health, or in this case rings are shared between all the players, so as long as your party possesses a single shiny loop, you can revive your friends (except for during boss fights). The one small issue is that due to the pace of the game, if you die you might get stuck in a floating bubble for a bit until things slow down and your friends get a chance to break you out.

Persona 5 Tactica (Release date: November 17)

This is probably the game I was most excited to try out, and even with high expectations I did not come away wanting. Not only is it a treat to hear more riffs on one of the greatest video game soundtracks in recent memory, there are so many mechanics from the JRPG franchise that transition seamlessly to the tactics genre, I’m kind of surprised it took Atlus this long to make a Persona spin-off like this.

Right away the game introduces concepts like team attacks and knockdowns that had me thinking about how to take down enemies in the fewest moves. And instead of Persona’s traditional elemental affinities, Tactica introduces new cover mechanics that make the game feel like a mix between XCOM and the Mario + Rabbids series. The chibi-style art is also fun and expressive without being too kawaii.

Also, while it’s always nice to have played Persona 5 for the added context, the title is a self-contained story featuring new characters, so you don’t need to spend 50+ hours playing P5 before diving into this.

Persona 3 Reload (Release date: February 2, 2024)

I don’t have much to say about Persona 3 Reload aside from I’m thankful that this game is finally getting the remake it deserves. The original basically paved the way for the last 15+ years of Persona RPGs. It’s kind of a shame Atlus isn’t including some of the extra content from Persona 3 FES and the PSP port (notably the female protagonist), but with discs for the original PS2 game becoming harder and harder to find, it’s nice to have a great looking and more widely available version coming in early 2024.

Endless Dungeon (Release date: October 19)

While I’m familiar with some of Amplitude Studio’s previous titles, the latest entry in the Endless series might be the most pleasant surprise I encountered at the showcase. It’s a twin-stick shooter with squad-based gameplay that’s layered on top of rogue-lite mechanics that allow you to unlock things like new weapons, characters and abilities. You can choose to go it alone and control up to three heroes at the same time (with some automated assistance) or play co-op (both local and online) with friends. Either way, the game is refreshingly challenging.

As you explore and open doors, you’ll unleash waves of enemies, collect items and upgrade skills. When you reach the final room, you’ll face a huge horde and even with one of the devs giving me pointers, we didn’t survive. But that merely highlighted the depth of the game’s strategic elements. From what I played, Endless Dungeon has exactly what I look for in a rogue-lite: deep mechanics and solid replayability (with engaging co-op as a bonus).

But my favorite thing is that, despite Sega’s long history on consoles, all of the games above will also be available on PC. This is a move the publisher said it wanted to embrace after seeing strong sales on Steam during the pandemic. Regardless, whether you’re an old-school 2D platformer junkie or someone who just wants more tactics games, there’s a lot to like from Sega’s growing family of studios. And that’s even with me running out of time to check out some of Sega’s other upcoming releases like Total War: Pharoah or Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name.

Every now and then, a device comes along and challenges you to consider the viability of an entirely new product category. That’s precisely what Lenovo is doing with the Yoga Book 9i. By replacing the traditional physical keyboard with a second display, the company is rethinking what a laptop can do. In tight confines, you can rely on a virtual keyboard or an included magnetic alternative. But when space isn’t a concern, you can prop the whole system up on its custom folding cover to create an engaging dual-screen workspace. It’s like a miniature all-in-one PC that’s incredibly easy to carry around. And while its software still needs work and it costs twice as much as a standard clamshell, the Yoga Book 9i is proof that it’s worth exploring this new branch of the laptop’s evolutionary tree.

Design and displays

There’s a profound elegance to the Yoga Book 9i’s design. Though the laptop’s bottom half is a bit thicker than the top, it feels like Lenovo has boiled the device down to its most basic components: two halves (in this case, screens) joined by a hinge in the middle. The dual 13.3-inch displays (2,880 x 1,800) look great too, boasting OLED panels with rich colors and a tested brightness just shy of 400 nits.

Around the outside, the Yoga Book features a polished metal frame with three Thunderbolt 4 ports, which is nice to see on a system this size. Unfortunately for fans of wired audio, you don’t get a 3.5mm audio jack. Thankfully, Lenovo’s 5-megapixel IR webcam is sharper than what you get on most competing devices, and holding everything together is the company’s signature speaker bar hinge, which is impressively loud and punchy. All told, despite being slightly heavier than a typical 13-inch ultraportable due to that second layer of glass, it’s still very easy to carry around.

The remaining pieces of the Yoga Book 9i’s kit are its accessories, which include a stylus, a detached magnetic physical keyboard, a folding kickstand cover and even a sleek travel mouse. The keyboard communicates via Bluetooth and has its own USB-C port for charging. Despite its size, it doesn’t feel cramped and offers more key travel than you might expect. During transport, the cover wraps around the keyboard to keep it protected, while Lenovo’s Digital Pen 3 can be stashed in the attached loop. 

The mouse is the odd one out because while it's a handy inclusion, it’s also rather basic (its only noteworthy characteristic is having a toggle on the bottom for quickly switching between two paired devices). Plus, it doesn't attach to the rest of the system in any way. However, what you can create when you put these pieces together is when things get really interesting.

A dual-mode machine

In clamshell mode, the Yoga Book 9i looks and functions like a regular laptop. But of course, it’s missing a discrete keyboard and touchpad, so what do you do when you need them? That’s easy, you just tap eight fingers on the bottom panel and instantly you get virtual stand-ins. And for times when you only need to mouse around, you can use a three-finger tap instead, which summons a floating touchpad that leaves room for Lenovo’s widgets (weather, news, etc.) or anything else you’d like to put down there.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Surprisingly, typing on a touchscreen isn’t as bad as you might think. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still not nearly as fast or accurate as using a physical keyboard. But it’s serviceable, as long as you’re willing to make some adjustments. You can’t slam your fingers down because there are no switches or actual keys with depth to cushion every strike and you need to be more aware of when your hands start to drift lest your sentence devolves into a jumble. But after a little practice, I’m able to hit 60 to 65 words per minute, which is down from around 85 wpm normally. As for mousing, the tackiness of the glass means swiping around isn’t quite as fluid either. But that’s OK, because if you don’t want to rely entirely on a virtual keyboard or touchpad, you don’t have to.

Dropping Lenovo’s keyboard on the bottom screen instantly converts the Yoga Book into a more traditional setup. The magnets inside even help align it properly. From there you can type away on physical keys if you prefer. Just don’t forget to remove the accessory before you close the lid.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

What’s most impressive about the Yoga Book 9i’s is its ability to transform into a portable all-in-one PC when it’s propped up on its kickstand cover. In this mode, there are two options for its displays: a stacked setup with one screen on top of the other and a side-by-side arrangement. Both configurations have their uses. Dual portrait-mode panels are great for quickly referencing materials like spec sheets while writing. Alternatively, the vertically stacked orientation is excellent for keeping an important project open up top while the bottom screen is reserved for email or messaging apps.

Regardless of your preference, simply having the ability to use two displays on a device gives the Yoga Book 9i a unique advantage over pretty much every normal laptop. Sure, you can recreate a similar situation using a bunch of add-ons, but it’s never going to be quite as sleek.

Software

The biggest downside to the Yoga Book 9i is that while its hardware is solid, its software is hit or miss. Lenovo attempts to mitigate this with its User Center, which does a great job of showcasing the laptop’s dual-screen features and is an easy place to adjust settings like display modes, brightness and more.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Unfortunately, even with the extra assistance, it’s clear Windows 11 isn’t designed for laptops like this. Sometimes when launching full-screen apps like a game, the Yoga Book gets confused and puts the window on the wrong panel. Other times, like when you’re installing a program or logging in, a prompt pops up that completely disables the lower display, which is kind of annoying when you’re relying on a virtual keyboard and touchpad. I can understand that it's hard to optimize software when you don’t have a device to test things on. But even so, there’s no hiding that this creates a stilted experience compared to a standard laptop, and if you’re considering buying a Yoga Book 9i, this is a truth you’re going to have to live with (at least for now).

Performance

Packing an Intel Core i7-155U chip, 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, the Yoga Book 9i can handle most productivity needs. Even when multitasking across both displays, performance felt relatively snappy. However, if you’re planning on regularly doing more demanding things like video editing, you’ll probably want a beefier machine. On our video encoding test, the laptop took a minute and a half to convert a one-minute movie trailer from 4K to 1080p. That’s not great when compared to systems with faster chips that can perform the same task in 30 to 40 seconds.

Battery life

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Even with a relatively large 80Wh battery, for a system with two screens, the Yoga Book 9i fared better than expected on our standard video rundown test. It posted a time of eight hours and 12 minutes, which is a couple hours shorter than traditional similarly-sized rivals like the Asus ZenBook S 13 (10:39). But it’s longer than what you get from more powerful thin-and-light gaming notebooks, which often struggle to get north of five hours on a charge.

Wrap up

As the first laptop to feature two displays, the Yoga Book 9i is a rather divisive machine. Starting at $2,000, not only is it really expensive, its performance is also slower than more traditional competitors in this price range. However, for people like me who constantly yearn for more screen real estate when I’m away from home, Lenovo has created something that is more than the sum of its parts. When space is limited, the Yoga Book 9i’s clamshell mode feels right at home on an airplane tray table. But when it's not, it can expand into a portable dual-screen workstation–complete with all the fixings of your desktop at home. And when you need to pack up, everything collapses into a neat, semi-self-contained bundle that fits in the smallest of laptop bags.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

The Yoga Book 9i is a nifty little transformer that’s more engaging than anything Michael Bay has directed in the last two decades. With how little laptops have changed recently, it feels like the Yoga Book has even more room to grow in the years to come. Sure, it’s still a bit awkward, but as the starting point for a new type of notebook, Lenovo’s debut dual-screen convertible has me convinced.

For fans of handheld gaming PCs, 2023 just keeps getting better. Following the release of ASUS’ ROG Ally earlier this year, Lenovo is entering the category with the Legion Go. And, after getting the chance to go hands-on with it, I think some of Lenovo’s twists may end up making a big difference.

Before we get in too deep, it’s important to mention that the units I tried are very much pre-production samples. You can see evidence of this on components like the shoulder buttons, where one side of the device features metallic paint (which is what you’ll get on retail devices) while the other side is plain black plastic. Lenovo also says that alongside a stock install of Windows 11, it’s planning to equip the Legion Go with a custom app launcher similar to ASUS’ Amoury Crate. But, that wasn’t present on the demo units I used. The Legion’s Go’s body also felt a bit rough in places, so if you spot labels or parts of its shell that don’t look quite right, Lenovo is likely looking to polish those up before its official launch sometime in October.

OK, now that we got that out the way, let’s talk about some of the Legion Go’s highlight features, the most notable of which is its screen. It’s an 8.8-inch 2,560 x 1,600 IPS panel with a 144Hz refresh rate and listed at 500 nits of brightness. So not only is the Legion Go’s panel as fast as what you get from the ROG Ally, it’s also the biggest screen on pretty much any device in this category. On top of that, colors absolutely pop, which makes the device even more appealing than many of its rivals.

The obvious downside to this is that between that big display and a somewhat boxy body, the Legion Go is rather bulky. Measuring 11.8 x 5.15 x 1.61 inches, the Legion Go is much closer in size to the Steam Deck than sleeker rivals like the ROG Ally. As for the rest of its design, you get a familiar Xbox-style button layout in front, with an interesting asymmetrical rear paddle layout in back, with a total of four rear buttons along with a scroll wheel, though I’m not sure what’s the intended purpose for that last component. That said, I’m not going to turn my nose up at additional input methods.

Interestingly, Lenovo is also drawing inspiration from the Nintendo Switch as evidenced by the folding kickstand in back and the ability to detach the Legion Go’s controllers from its main body. However, I did notice that removing the controllers isn’t quite as smooth or easy as it is on a Switch. First, you have to press the button in the back and then kind of tilt and slide at the same time. Granted, I mostly got the hang of it after a few minutes, but it definitely takes some practice.

This kickstand does make it easy to prop the display up on a table while using the controllers remotely, though. And thanks to the two USB 4 ports, you can even connect peripherals like a mouse and keyboard if you want to turn the Legion Go into a tiny desktop. Alternatively, you can use the single touchpad on the right control to mouse around in Windows, which is a nice nod towards general usability, because unlike the ROG Ally, you can’t use the Legion Go’s joysticks to move your cursor.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Another clever feature on the Legion Go is that on the bottom of the right controller, there’s what Lenovo is calling an FPS Switch. If you toggle that and then drop the right controller into an included cradle, suddenly you get what is essentially a vertical mouse that you can drag across a table while playing shooters. That said, I’m not sure I’ll ever prefer this setup over a traditional horizontal mouse or even a joystick.

Finally, with specs including an AMD Z1 Extreme chip, 16GB of RAM, up to 1TB of storage and a 49.2 WHr battery, the Legion Go looks to be just as powerful as the ROG Ally. But what makes this so impressive is that in addition to coming with an included case (which you don’t get from ASUS), Lenovo is being very aggressive with pricing, as the Legion Go will start at $699. That’s the same as the Ally, despite the Legion Go’s bigger screen, bigger battery and more sophisticated controllers.

So while Lenovo still has some polishing to do before the Legion Go officially goes on sale sometime in October, with another big name joining the battle, it’s clear the fight for handheld gaming PC supremacy is just beginning.

It’s hard to believe that the last brand-new 2D Mario game came out more than 10 years ago. That’s not to say I don’t appreciate updates to classics like Super Mario 35 or remixes such as the Super Mario Maker series. But without a fresh entry to the franchise, it felt like there was something missing. However, after getting a chance to go hands-on with Super Mario Bros. Wonder ahead of its official release on October 10th, it feels like the magic is back.

By shifting locations from the Mushroom Kingdom to the Flower Kingdom Nintendo gave itself the freedom to update practically every aspect of the game, while staying true to the core formula that is running, jumping, smashing blocks and collecting everything in sight. There are power-ups like the new elephant suit that lets you bash enemies with your trunk. And while classic items like the Fire Flower are still around, there are refreshing twists like the Bubble Flower that give you the ability to both attack and reach new heights by jumping on the orbs you shoot out.

Nintendo

Super Mario Bros. Wonder also boasts the largest roster of characters in any Mario sidescroller yet, including the 2D return of Daisy along with, Peach, Luigi, Toad, Nabbit and multiple colors of Yoshi (the latter two having some important gameplay implications). Unlike the others, Yoshi and Nabbit can’t transform, but they also don’t take damage from enemies, projectiles or even the environment (like falling debris). Not only does this provide an easy way to adjust game difficulty on the fly, it’s also the perfect way to introduce 2D platformers to a new generation. After all, think about how many kids whose first glimpse of Mario might have been in a movie theater instead of on an 8 or 16-bit console. And if that’s not enough, Wonder even provides individual difficulty ratings for every level.

Mario’s horde of enemies has increased as well. There are Koopas wearing roller skates and herds of angry rhinos to contend with. We’ll even see entirely new genera of foes like Goombrats, which look like Goombas if they were based on tomatoes instead of mushrooms.

Nintendo

Aside from in-game power-ups, there’s also the new badge system which is divided into two types (Action badges and Boost badges), giving you yet another way to customize your gameplay. Action badges like the “Wall Climb Jump” and the “Floating High Jump” can make it easier to reach secrets while Boost badges like the Coin badge and the “Add ! Blocks” badge can change how you traverse a stage. And because you can swap in new badges before starting each level, it adds another measure of gameplay customization and replayability. Unfortunately, my preview didn't show how new badges are earned, so that's something we'll have to figure out when the game officially goes on sale. 

The most impactful new mechanic though is Wonder Flowers, which can completely turn a level on its head. Suddenly, warp pipes are crawling around on the ground like worms while Super Stars fall from the sky. Day becomes night and in some levels you might even find yourself floating through the sky. The effect of Wonder Flowers on each stage is different, but no matter what happened, I found myself smiling at the delightful subversion of my expectations.

Nintendo

On a more granular level, I love all the little details and animations Nintendo has added. This is easily the most expressive 2D Mario game yet. Mario’s face changes the faster he runs while his hat flaps around in the wind. Meanwhile, small gouts of flame pop off your feet every time you jump with a Fire Flower equipped. And in the background, there are happy little flowers that cheer you on as you speed by. Everything looks sharp and snazzy to the point where I feel like I’d be happy just sitting there watching someone else play. It’s a real treat for the eyes.

Finally, while it’s not as big a part of the game as in something like Super Mario Maker, I enjoyed Wonder’s online multiplayer. You can play with up to four people online (or up to two locally with another two online) in two different modes. There’s a straightforward race mode similar to time trials in Mario Kart with ghosts (or in this game, shadows) that show the progress of other players as you zoom through levels. There’s also a more collaborative mode that allows you to see how other players tackle certain challenges, but more importantly, they can even help you out by hitting checkpoints so you don’t have to go all the way back to the beginning of a stage if you die.

Nintendo

With Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Nintendo has managed to reinvent its platformer for a new generation while keeping all the charm and playfulness that made the series a classic almost 40 years ago. And, even though I only got a quick preview of what’s in store, Nintendo’s next 2D sidescroller already feels like an instant buy.

Since it hit the roads last year, the Platinum edition has been Ford’s top-spec trim for the F-150 Lightning. But sometime in early 2024, Ford is releasing the first “buzz” vehicle for its electric truck which boasts an all-new color scheme that transforms the company’s flagship heavy-duty EV into a truly menacing (but still stylish) machine.

Limited to a run of just 2,000 vehicles with individually numbered badges, even though the Platinum Black edition is largely an appearance pack, it gives off a very different vibe than a regular model. The biggest change is the use of a matte black exterior wrap, which Ford says is the first of its kind on any of its production vehicles. However, the commitment to a new color scheme doesn’t stop there, because Ford tweaked a ton of little elements to drive the design home.

In front, Ford smoked out the Platinum Black’s headlights to add a little extra drama. The company also updated basically all of the truck's badges, eliminating the blue background on the traditional Ford emblem along with the blue detailing on the Lightning logo on the bed, the tailgate and elsewhere. One small but notable design change from the standard model is that on the Platinum Black, Ford also got rid of the fake charging port on the right side of the vehicle, which is something I can get behind. If we can all agree that EVs don’t need fake grilles in front, that’s a pretty logical next step. After all, most ICE cars don’t bother adding faux gas covers for the sake of symmetry, so EVs shouldn’t either.

Some small departures to Ford’s matte color scheme are the use of glossy Agate Black paint on the side mirrors, door handles and running boards, which hide fingerprints better than flat black. Meanwhile on the inside, the F-150 Platinum Black features Nirvana black upholstery (with heated and cooled seats), which is exclusive to this trim. But what really completes the look is the Platinum Black’s wheels which, as you’ve probably guessed, are also matte black including their matching black lug nuts.

The rest of the car shares the same underlying tech and features as the standard Platinum model, which includes upgraded motors that deliver 580 horsepower and 775 pound-feet of torque along with Ford’s extended battery that provides up to 300 miles of range. You also get the 15-inch touchscreen infotainment system, premium 18-speaker B&O sound system, support for Ford’s Blue Cruise hands-free highway driving feature and more.

The only real downside is that in addition to being limited to just 2,000 vehicles, the new top-spec version of Ford’s flagship EV truck also commands a very premium price of $97,995. But if you have the funds and want to try to put your name down on the order sheet, you’re going to have to pay close attention to Ford’s website when pre-orders for the Platinum Black F-150 Lightning go live sometime later this year.

In 2019, Samsung released the original Galaxy Fold, the first phone with a flexible display (not counting pretenders like the Royole Flexpai). And even though it had more than its fair share of flaws, you could see its potential. Over the next couple of years, Samsung refined its flagship foldable with things like IPX8 water resistance, a more durable design and native stylus support. More recently, however, the pace of innovation has started to slow as more iterative improvements and fewer major upgrades have come to fill out the spec sheet. It's a similar situation on the new Galaxy Z Fold 5: While many of its upgrades including the brighter main screen are nice to have, they’re also kind of superfluous. Even the one big change for 2023 – Samsung’s new Flex hinge – doesn’t really change the way you use the device; it just makes it a bit thinner. When you consider that the price still sits at $1,800, it feels like Samsung’s Z Fold line – and possibly the category as a whole – is losing momentum.

Design and display

The Z Fold 5 was built on the same basic blueprint as its predecessors. It packs a skinny but tall exterior Cover Screen and opens up to reveal a big main display with a fingerprint sensor built into its power button. The major change this year is Samsung’s Flex hinge, which is based on a two-rail internal structure that’s not only smaller than before, but also eliminates the gap between the phone when closed.

This is something Z Fold users have been requesting since the original. In addition to slimming the phone down to just 13.4mm, losing that gap also reduces the chance that dust or rocks can get inside and ruin that fancy flexible screen. But that’s not all. Samsung says its Flex hinge creates a new waterdrop-shaped crease that puts less stress on the display, which is good for long-term durability. It also helps keep the factory-installed screen protector in place, which was an issue on previous models.

The new hinge also makes the device more pleasant to use and hold. The thinner hinge fits better in your hand when the phone is closed and it opens more smoothly, too. I just wish it hadn’t taken five generations to get here. Meanwhile, Samsung managed to increase the brightness of the main display to 1,750 nits, which is the same as the S23 Ultra and brighter than the Pixel Fold (1,450 nits). So while the flexible display on Google’s foldable is good, the Z Fold 5’s is better. It’s the perfect size and orientation for reading ebooks or browsing comics, and I’d argue that Samsung’s flagship foldable is the best device for playing Marvel Snap. You can still use a stylus to draw or take notes and the Z Fold 5’s new S Pen is 40 percent thinner than before. But since there’s still no room inside the phone to stash it when it’s not in use, you’ll probably want to pair it with one of Samsung’s new Slim S Pen cases.

Performance and multitasking

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Last year’s model was far from slow, but thanks to a new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip, the Z Fold 5 is now even faster. In traditional benchmarks, it posted notably higher multicore scores in Geekbench 6 than the Pixel Fold (5,362 vs 3,226). The Z Fold 5 feels incredibly responsive and in games, graphics and animations are downright silky. That means if you’re the kind of power user who demands an abundance of speed regardless of what you’re doing, the Z Fold 5 is the better pick over the Pixel Fold, whose Tensor G2 chip reserves more horsepower for AI tasks.

Samsung has also enhanced mobile productivity in three ways. To make it faster and easier to launch into side-by-side app mode, a new gesture lets you swipe in from the side of the screen with two fingers to instantly switch into dual-pane mode. Alternatively, if you want to turn a full-screen app to a windowed one, just swipe diagonally down from one of the top two corners. Both gestures are super handy and they’re a breeze to use. But they’re not on by default, so remember to activate them in the Advanced features tab in settings.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

The other update is that the Z Fold 5’s taskbar can now show up to four recent apps instead of two. It’s a simple but straightforward change that takes better advantage of the width of the Z Fold 5’s big main display. My only gripe is that the expanded taskbar and the added gestures are software updates, so we didn’t need a brand new device to get them. That said, compared to the Pixel Fold, which takes a more streamlined approach to multitasking, Samsung’s desktop-like taskbar remains the best for anyone who wants to use their phone like a PC. And don’t forget that Samsung’s handy Dex mode is still around, too.

Cameras

The Z Fold 5 has the same imaging setup as its predecessor: a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide and a 10MP telephoto with a 3x optical zoom in the back, plus a 10MP selfie shooter and a 4MP camera beneath the main display. In a vacuum, they’re more than capable of taking a good picture in practically any environment. However, when you consider that the S23 Ultra costs $600 less and comes with a 200MP main sensor and a 10x optical zoom lens, that puts Samsung’s most expensive phone in a weird position.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

What makes things even more awkward is that the Pixel Fold sports a longer zoom (5x vs 3x) and better overall image processing. In my testing, that made the Pixel the more adept shooter across a variety of conditions.

In bright light, the Z Fold 5 captured images with Samsung’s typical rich, saturated color profile. The downside is this sometimes results in a small loss of detail, occasional blown-out highlights and slightly less accurate hues. Meanwhile in low light, Samsung’s Night Mode does a good job of improving exposure without a ton of side effects. That said, thanks to Google’s Night Sight, photos from the Pixel Fold are often just a touch brighter and sharper. A good example is a shot I took of some flowers at night, in which the Z Fold 5’s picture boasts more vivid colors while missing some of the finer texture on the petals.

Battery life

Despite having a smaller battery than the Pixel Fold (4,400 mAh vs 4,800 mAh), the Z Fold 5 lasts longer. In our video rundown test, Samsung’s phone lasted 19 hours and 48 minutes when using its main display and an impressive 23:10 with its Cover Screen. On both counts, that’s better than Pixel Fold, which posted a time of 15:22 with its internal screen and 22:21 with its exterior panel.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

The Z Fold 5’s charging speed has stayed the same with 25-watt wired charging, 15-watt wireless charging and 5-watt power sharing (aka reverse wireless charging). That’s serviceable, but once again, the less expensive S23 Ultra can do better, with the ability to go up to 45 watts when plugged in.

Wrap-up

As someone who’s still optimistic about foldable devices and has owned the last three generations of Samsung’s flagship flexible phone, I can't help but like the Z Fold 5. It’s faster and sleeker, with a brighter main display and even longer battery life than before. The question I wrestle with is how many tweaks and updates should we really expect from a device now in its fifth generation. 

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

The Z Fold 5 has matured a lot since that initial concept device came out back in 2019, and Samsung’s new Flex Hinge is an important milestone that people like me have been waiting for. But in the end, there’s not a ton the phone can do now that it couldn’t before. It’s just a bit leaner, as if the old model spent the last 12 months in the gym. And with a price that’s still extremely high, I don’t think the Z Fold 5 is doing enough to woo anyone who's not already sold on foldables.

When Samsung released the original Galaxy Fold, it was about as durable as a Fabergé egg. But over the years, the company has made a number of changes to reduce the fragility of its flagship foldable phone. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 featured a redesigned hinge that prevented dirt from getting inside, while the Z Fold 3 added IPX8 water resistance and a stronger Armor Aluminum Chassis. And last year, the Z Fold 4 brought a more durable main screen and a new adhesive designed to keep its factory-installed screen protector more firmly in place.

That last one is a biggie because after owning a Z Fold 2 and a Z Fold 3, I found that the screen protectors on both phones started bubbling after six to eight months. This weakness is a concern for anyone thinking about buying an $1,800 foldable phone – especially when you consider that Samsung recommends that any repairs are done by an authorized service center. But as some who really likes foldable phones, I bought my own Z Fold 4 anyways and used it for a year. Here’s how well it held up.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

I should mention that I’ve never put the phone in a case or used any other protective accessories like skins or sleeves. Despite being naked the whole time, the phone has done a decent job of withstanding typical daily abuse. Sure, there are some scratches and bare spots where paint has flaked off and a few dents from the phone being dropped or falling out of a pocket. But that’s sort of expected for a phone with no additional protection and both the front and back glass still look great.

More importantly, its flexible main screen looks practically as good as the day I got it. The screen protector is still sitting flat, there are no dead pixels or other blemishes and the hinge feels as sturdy as ever. All told, I’m pretty impressed considering some of the problems I encountered with previous generations. That said, while the pre-installed screen protector hasn’t started bubbling, there is one tiny spot along the top edge at the crease where you can see that it has started to (ever so slightly) separate from the display. So far, this hasn’t caused any issues. However, if past experience is any indication, this could cause the screen protector to start bubbling down the line.

Still, after claiming it switched to a new, more sticky adhesive to the Z Fold 4’s factory-installed screen protector in place, at least on my phone, Samsung’s tweak seems to have had at least some effect. Is the problem completely solved? No, not quite. Remember, this is just a single example, and it’s hard to account for things like the milder winter we’ve had this year, and chillier weather sometimes caused issues for Z Fold and Z Flip owners.

Also, while my Z Fold 4 has aged rather nicely, the screen protector on Engadget’s executive editor Aaron Souppouris’ Z Flip 4 has not fared nearly as well. He says the screen on his device was basically pristine for the first nine months. But after that, bubbles began to form and grew larger and larger until he removed the protector entirely and began using the phone with its naked flexible display.

It’s important to mention that Samsung instructs Z Flip and Z Fold owners not to use their devices without a screen protector. If you do remove it, you’re supposed to get it replaced as soon as possible. If you’re lucky, that can be as simple as finding a local Best Buy or uBreakiFix location and spending half an hour without your phone, and thankfully, Samsung offers one free screen protector replacement on both the Z Flip and Z Fold lines. Unfortunately, if you live in a remote area or just don’t have a nearby service center, you may need to rely on a mail-in repair, potentially leaving you without a phone for a couple of weeks or more. And for a lot of people, that’s not a reasonable option.

However, after talking to a number of Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold owners who have removed their screen protectors, that seems to be merely a precaution. It’s totally possible to use a foldable phone without a screen protector just like you can on a regular handset. But given the more delicate nature of flexible displays (which are largely made of plastic instead of glass), the risk factor is higher. And with flexible screens costing a lot more to replace – up to $599 depending on the specific model – you don’t need a galaxy brain-sized noggin to understand why you might want to heed Samsung’s warnings. The counterpoint to that is because a foldable phone’s screen is protected by the rest of the device when closed, it’s only really vulnerable when you’re using it, as opposed to when it's simply resting in a pocket or bag.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

So what’s the big takeaway? I think Samsung’s new adhesive has made a bit of a difference because, even in the case of Aaron’s Z Flip, it lasted longer than both of my previous Z Folds before the screen protector started bubbling. Even so, the screen protectors on Samsung’s foldable still require a bit more babying than a standard glass brick. This sort of fragility may be a deal-breaker for some, and understandably so. Thankfully, I live near multiple repair centers and I’m prepared to use my foldable without a screen protector – even though that’s not advised. 

For me, the ability to have a screen that expands when I want to watch a movie or multitask is worth the slightly reduced durability. But either way, this is something you need to consider before buying a foldable phone. In some ways, it’s like owning a car with a convertible roof, because while they're a bit more delicate and costly to repair, there’s nothing like driving around with the top off – or in this case a phone that can transform into a small tablet at a moment’s notice.

Just remember to do the sensible thing and put your expensive foldable phone in a case.

As we slowly shift towards electric vehicles, there’s a growing number of big, fancy battery-powered SUVs. However, for those looking for something smaller, the options are a lot more limited. But with the upcoming EX30, Volvo has created a compact electric SUV with a ton of premium features and a surprisingly affordable price. After getting to check one out in person at its North American debut, it’s clear we need more electric vehicles like this in the market.

Due out sometime in the summer of 2024, a base EX30 will start at just $35,000 for a single-motor setup with around 275 miles of range. Granted, that’s a bit more than a gas-powered alternative like a Honda CR-V (which starts at just under $30,000) or a Subaru Crosstrek (around $25,000). But when you consider the average price of a new electric vehicle is over $53,000, Volvo is definitely helping make EVs a bit more affordable.

On top of that, a base EX30 appears to be well-equipped, with Volvo including things like a 12.3-inch touchscreen based on Android Automotive (with support for wireless Apple CarPlay), cyclist detection, Pilot Assist and rear passenger detection as standard. And as you’d expect from Volvo, you get a very Scandinavian minimalist interior made from a range of recycled and sustainable materials. Now some may take issue with a few of the components Volvo is using like the speckled panels on the dash – which kind of remind me of a fancy gym mat. But in a car sporting a slick modern design, I think it works.

That said, if you don’t mind spending a bit more, the EX30 is also available with an upgraded dual-motor all-wheel-drive configuration that boasts a 0 to 60 time of just 3.4 seconds. Not only does that make the EX30 faster than bigger and more expensive electric SUVs like a Tesla Model Y Performance, it’s also the fastest Volvo ever (across both electric and ICE vehicles).

The EX30 feels rather roomy in the front, with Volvo simplifying its interior by using a soundbar that runs the width of the windshield instead of multiple individual speakers. The company has also moved a lot of common controls for stuff like the windows to the center console to help streamline the interior. And Volvo put an emphasis on storage, with the EX30 featuring a lot of handy cubby holes including a center-mounted glove box and a dishwasher-safe removable tray (with a cute little moose graphic) for rear seat passengers. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of power options for your devices with two USB-C ports in the front, another two in back, and a built-in dual phone wireless charging pad between the driver and passenger seats.

When sitting in the rear, things do feel a bit tighter, though that’s somewhat expected for a car that’s only a few inches longer (166) and a couple inches (61) shorter than a Chevy Bolt. As someone who’s six feet tall, there’s very little legroom if the front seats are pushed all the way back. And in the truck, you get a surprising amount of cargo space at 31.9 cubic feet if you include the extra room underneath the load flat floor.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

So while I haven’t had a chance to take it for a drive, all told the EX30 looks to offer a great blend of premium features and decent range in a compact size. Not to mention excellent performance, just so long as you’re willing to pay for it. And coming from someone who lives in the city, the EX30 seems like a great EV for getting around town while still being easy to park on the streets, which is something we need more of among electric SUVs.

Reservations for the EX30 in the U.S. are available today with a $500 refundable deposit before the car arrives at dealerships sometime next summer. 

Today at its Unpacked event, Samsung announced its latest flagship foldable – the Galaxy Z Fold 5 – which features a new hinge, an even sleeker design and a brighter main display. Samsung has also included a handful of new gestures for improved multitasking along with an updated chip. However, after multiple generations without any major design changes and a still extremely high price of $1,800, one has to ask if Samsung’s latest changes are really enough.

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is centered around what Samsung is calling a Flex Hinge, which is said to have a more streamlined design while still boasting IPX8 water resistance. And thanks to that new hinge, Samsung has managed to get rid of the gap between the screen halves while also decreasing its overall thickness to 13.5mm. That’s a nice move toward everyday usability, though it’s thicker than Pixel Fold, which is only 12.1mm.

On the inside, you get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy for increased performance along with 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. However, the Z Fold’s battery is staying pat at 4,400 mAh, so Samsung is really relying on power efficiency gains to deliver longer runtimes. As for its cameras, we’re looking at essentially the same general setup as on the Z Fold 4 highlighted by a 50-MP main camera, a 12-MP ultra-wide and a 10-MP telephoto with a 3x optical zoom. Though, Samsung says it’s added some new processing tricks.

The screens are also essentially the same. You still get a skinny baton-like shape with a 6.2-inch OLED Cover screen along with that big 7.6-inch main display on the inside, both of which sport 120Hz refresh rates. That main screen’s peak brightness is now the same as what you get on an S23 Ultra at 1,750 nits, which is rather impressive for a flexible display. That said, it still has a crease, which may be an issue for some. Those who can ignore the divot though, will find a few new gestures to make multitasking on that expansive screen just a bit easier.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

When you want to quickly get into side-by-side app view, there’s a simple two-finger swipe in from the left or right. Alternatively, if you want to minimize an app into windowed mode, there’s a new diagonal swipe in from the corner of the display. You can also drag and drop files and photos from one app to another without being in multitasking mode by touching and holding on something, and then using a different finger to open a new app from the taskbar. Granted, this feels kind of clunky. Depending on where things are on the screen, sometimes it feels like you’re playing Twister with your fingers. But I like the direction Samsung is going, it reminds me of dragging a file down to the taskbar in Windows which gives you more of a taste of desktop-style productivity. And while the taskbar is largely the same as before, there are now four spots for recent apps (up from just two).

Finally, while there’s still no room for it inside the device itself, Samsung has created a new S Pen for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 that’s around 40 percent thinner than before that works with a revamped and more compact phone case so there’s somewhere to stash it when it’s not being used.

However, my issue with the Z Fold 5 is that while a lot of the changes are nice in a vacuum, for a company that has had such a head start in the foldable phone space, it seems like Samsung isn’t pushing that advantage as hard as it should. On the Pixel Fold, which is Google’s first foldable phone by the way, we got an interesting new design that’s even thinner than the Z Fold 5 while having a similarly sized screen plus a longer 5x optical zoom, not to mention Google’s superior photo processing. And other big foldables from China, like the Oppo Find N2, are doing a better job at eliminating the crease.

But perhaps more importantly, the Z Fold 5 still costs $1,800, which is ludicrously expensive. That’s kind of disappointing because after five generations, you like to see Samsung leverage its size to scale down the price of foldables. And for something like the Z Flip series, Samsung actually has done a decent job of that. The original Z Flip costs just shy of $1,500 dollars at launch, but Samsung has brought that price down to $1,000. Meanwhile, the first Z Fold started at just under $2,000, and has only come down by $200 over five generations.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Price is still by far the biggest barrier to entry when it comes to large flagship foldables. But if Samsung could bring the Z Fold line closer to $1,500 (even though that would still be very expensive), it would give Samsung a huge leg up on rivals like the Pixel Fold. So while I like the Z Fold 5’s sleeker design, brighter screen and improved multitasking, I still kind of feel like Samsung should be doing more.

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 will be available in three main colors: Icy Blue, Phantom Black and cream along with gray and blue options which will be available exclusively from Samsung.com. The Z Fold 5 will start at $1,800 with pre-orders going live today ahead of an official on-sale date of August 11th.

Being a smartphone startup is hard, particularly when you’re up against tech giants like Apple, Google and Samsung. But after selling more than 500,000Phone 1s last year, Nothing has returned with a sequel: the Phone 2. And while it looks similar to the previous model, it feels like Nothing is finally figuring out its groove. Not only does it have a significantly faster CPU, its cameras have been improved, and we’re finally seeing Nothing’s vision of a more thoughtful and deliberate UI. Even the phone’s most distinctive feature – its Glyph interface – offers enhanced customization and added functionality. But perhaps most importantly, the Phone 2 will officially be available in the US. And while this added sophistication comes at an increased cost, it’s still very affordable at $600. In a sea of Android phones that often blend together, getting an eye-catching device for a reasonable price is definitely something notable.

Design

Compared to most phones that are clad in a blank sheet of glass, the Phone 2 (which is available in white or a new gray color) is a stunner. Its transparent Gorilla Glass back reveals a monotone assortment of components, allowing you to see things like its magnetic charging coil, power cables and more. It’s not messy, though. Everything is buttoned up just enough, and there are human touches like arranging some of the components to look like an elephant. I’ve been told there are other creatures hiding as well, but I haven’t spotted them yet. It’s like having a cyberpunk art installation in your pocket.

Of course, there’s also the Glyph interface which consists of a number of LED strips that pulse, strobe and glow. For this model, Nothing more than doubled the number of lights from five to 11, while also adding support for addressable zones, which allows for gradient effects. Unfortunately, there’s still only one color to choose from: white.

As for the rest of the device, it’s very similar to the Phone 1 including a metal frame with flat boxy sides and an iPhone-like button layout for power and volume. The one big change is that Nothing used 2.5D glass with rounded edges in back which sports curves that sit more naturally in your hand without digging in.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Meanwhile, its 6.7-inch OLED display delivers excellent brightness (with peaks of well over 1,000 nits in my testing), rich colors and a speedy 120Hz refresh rate. You also get an in-screen fingerprint reader for simple and secure biometrics which is both fast and accurate.

Performance

The Phone 2 packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, 8GB or 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. Sure, its chip is a year old, but it handled games and editing photos without a hint of lag. When combined with speedy UI animations and a lightweight Android skin, the Phone 2 feels incredibly responsive and snappier than some flagship phones that cost a whole lot more. Additionally, while the phone is only available as an unlocked model, it has been certified to work on both T-Mobile and AT&T’s networks (sorry Verizon folk), so it’s pretty flexible when it comes to bringing it over to your carrier.

Cameras

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Tuning a phone’s cameras and image processing can be extremely difficult when you don’t have the same level of resources as a trillion-dollar megacorp. And while the Phone 2’s 50MP main cam and 50MP ultra-wide cams are decent, they’re still a tier or two below what you get from a Pixel 7. During the day, the Phone 2 captures images with bright, rich colors and good sharpness. It’s only when you zoom to 100 percent that you notice things like color fringing and worse dynamic range. Nothing has a hard time keeping up with Google’s Night Sight mode in low light too, sometimes struggling when trying to nail white balance while also preserving detail. Still, coming from the Phone 1, it’s a big improvement and if you aren’t an avid photographer, the Phone 2 is still serviceable.

Software

Compared to the previous model, the Phone 2’s software may have the biggest number of improvements. This time instead of a barebones version of stock Android, Nothing has included its Monochrome UI which consists of new widgets, wallpapers, icon packs and more that create a distinctive experience that ties into the phone's exterior design. Not only does it look great, you can also make all the app icons grayscale and even remove the name of the app entirely. The idea is that, by making apps a touch harder to find, you’re forced to be more deliberate about how and when you use your phone. That’s a refreshing change from just reflexively doom scrolling through social media every time you have a spare minute.

Nothing also added a new tab in the settings menu for its Glyph interface so you can get more granular control over all those LEDs. Features range from simple things like using its rear lights to show battery status or volume to more sophisticated things like what Nothing calls “Essential notifications.” That allows you to set specific apps to activate LEDs on the back of the phone. This way, you can put the phone facedown on a table and really pay attention to the people you're with. This was convenient for me because since my wife and I seem to be the only people we know that use Google Chat, I set that as my essential notification so I never miss her messages.

And while it’s limited to a single app for now, Nothing is even integrating its Glyph interface with a third-party app in Uber, so you can see a real-time arrival estimate for a car just by looking at the back of the phone. It’s a neat trick that could have a ton of potential. Instead of using a special API, the LEDs are simply getting info from your notifications to update the lights. That makes it easier to develop more custom Glyph integrations without needing to partner with every single app developer. So while third-party app integration is still a work in development, it’s off to an interesting start.

Finally, while it’s not quite as long as what you get from Google or Samsung, Nothing is promising three years of OS updates along with four years of regular security patches.

Battery Life

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

I wasn’t sure what kind of endurance I was going to get from the Phone 2 between its 4,700 mAh battery and slightly older, less power-efficient chip. But on our video rundown test, Nothing crushed it with a time of 24 hours and 25 minutes. That’s the second longest time we’ve seen in recent history, only behind the Samsung’s Galaxy S23+ (25:02). On top of that you get 15-watt wireless charging, 45-watt wired charging and 5-watt reverse wireless charging.

Wrap-up

In a time when new generations of phones never seem quite as exciting as the last, Nothing has still managed to make the Phone 2 stand out. Its eye-catching design captures some of the best qualities of clear plastic gadgets from the ‘90s, like Gameboys and Nintendo 64’s, but in a much more sophisticated way. Meanwhile, Nothing’s Monochrome UI asks users to be more thoughtful about how they use their device while giving them tools like the Glyph interface that can surface info and notifications in novel ways. And even though its specs don’t jump out at you, it never felt slow and it’s well-equipped with handy features like reverse wireless charging.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

That said, for $600, the Pixel 7 is still the better value. It’s got a newer chip along with a much more sophisticated software package which includes features like Call Screener and robust language detection, and its cameras are in a class of their own. But its screen is smaller and its battery life isn’t quite as long. And you know what, that’s totally fine because the Phone 2 isn’t for everyone. It’s a phone that wants you to think differently about how you use your device while giving you the tools to do so. It’s the offbeat choice, and for people who want to be excited by their phone again, it’s definitely an interesting mainstream alternative.