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mardi 1 décembre 2020

Xiaomi Mi 11, OPPO Find X3, and Realme “Race” confirmed to launch with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888

Qualcomm on Tuesday partially detailed the Snapdragon 888 and confirmed that 14 OEMs will build devices equipped with the new processor. Some of those OEMs, including Xiaomi, OPPO, and Realme, wasted no time confirming plans to launch new smartphones with the Snapdragon 888 onboard.

Xiaomi Mi 11

Following Qualcomm’s announcement, Xiaomi confirmed its Mi 11 series will launch with the new chip. We expected this turn of events. When the Snapdragon 865 was announced in 2019, Xiaomi quickly announced its flagship Mi 10 series would launch with the chip, and it did the same thing this year.

Although Xiaomi hasn’t revealed too many details about the Mi 11, there have been a few leaks. The pro model in the series will allegedly feature a display with a QHD+ resolution panel at up to 120Hz refresh rate. The display is also expected to support a number of picture-quality enhancements, including MEMC, SDR-to-HDR up mapping, and AI upscaling.

OPPO Find X3 Series

OPPO also confirmed in a press release that its upcoming Find X series, set to be released in Q1 2021, will be powered by the Snapdragon 888 processor. Just a few weeks ago, OPPO revealed some early details about its Find X3 series, saying it’ll include end-to-end 10-bit color support. According to OPPO, the Find X3 series will feature the company’s new “Full-path Color Management System”, which they claim is the first color management system on an Android device to support the full DCI-P3 wide color gamut and 10-bit color depth from capture, storage, and display.

“Qualcomm Technologies’ latest Snapdragon 888 5G Mobile Platform offers huge improvements to 5G, imaging, and AI experience,” said Alen Wu, OPPO Vice President and President of Global Sales. “We are excited to be one of the firsts to release [sic] flagship smartphone featuring Snapdragon 888 in the first quarter of 2021.”

Realme “Race”

Finally, Realme confirmed its upcoming flagship smartphone code-named “Race” will also include the Snapdragon 888 processor when the device becomes available next year. While Realme doesn’t share any details about the mysterious smartphone in the press release beyond the fact that it’ll include Qualcomm’s new chipset, multiple members of the media and analysts were sent a render of the device and a screenshot of the phone’s “About Phone” page. The device will supposedly feature Realme UI 2.0 based on Android 11, 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and launch under the model name RMX2202.


The Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 was only just announced and already there’s some really good support behind it. These devices are expected to launch in the early part of 2021, so it won’t be much longer until we learn more. For now, you can learn more about the Snapdragon 888 by visiting our initial coverage from today but stay tuned for tomorrow as we’ll have the full details on Qualcomm’s new platform.

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The OnePlus Buds are starting to fail for some people

The OnePlus Buds are some of our favorite true wireless earbuds on the market, and their price makes them a cheap alternative to the Apple AirPods. But beware: Some OnePlus Buds owners have encountered an issue that might make future owners think twice about buying them.

Several users on the OnePlus community forums (via Android Police) have apparently encountered an issue where the left earbud fails for no reason, and there’s seemingly no way to bring it back to life. These users claim the left earbud simply stopped playing audio after just a few days of usage. Touch gestures continue to work, but they no longer play sound. Resetting the OnePlus Buds doesn’t appear to remedy the issue.

It’s difficult to say what’s going on. One user was apparently able to get their left earbud working again by turning their phone’s Bluetooth off and then on again. But that doesn’t sound like it’s a universal fix. It could be something to do with software, in which case an update would fix the issue. Here’s hoping it’s not hardware related, because if that’s the case, that’s a pretty major defect.

OnePlus is allegedly issuing replacements to those encountering the issue under warranty. However, one OnePlus Buds user said even their replacement exhibited problems. That doesn’t bode well for the potential longevity of the earbuds, especially when there’s seemingly no rhyme or reason behind their failure.

When a new product is released, we always expect there to be some level of failure. But there appear to be enough complaints about the same issue that suggests a pattern is emerging, and it’s worrying.

To be fair, in our review of the OnePlus Buds, we didn’t encounter any such issue, and found that the earbuds offer excellent sound, especially for the price. We reached out to OnePlus regarding this issue and were offered the following statement: “OnePlus is aware of this issue and we are investigating.” Once we have a better idea of what’s going on, we’ll be sure to update this post.

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Nintendo Switch vs Nintendo Switch Lite – Which one is better?

The Nintendo Switch is a great little piece of hardware and something that just screams that Nintendo uniqueness we’ve come to expect over the years. Being both a handheld device and a console, the Switch may not be as powerful as the newest Sony and Microsoft consoles, but it has its own unique place in the console gaming pantheon.

It’s hard to argue against the Switch’s library, which is the home of first-party Nintendo properties and interesting indie titles. Where the question and confusion lie instead are the two different, distinct models of the Nintendo Switch–the normal Switch model, which is $300, and the colorful Nintendo Switch Lite, which is $200. Which is the better console to pick up? We pit the two consoles head to head below!

Please note that we use the HAC-001(-01) model of the Nintendo Switch in our comparison, which is better known as just the “newer Switch model”. The original launch Switch shouldn’t be sold new anymore, and the (-01) version of the Switch has a few hardware improvements that provide a better experience.

Spec Comparison

Specification Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch Lite
Model Number HAC-001(-01) HDH-001
Dimensions & Weight
  • 4.7 x 9.4 x 0.55 inches
  • 0.66 lbs alone
  • 0.88 lbs with Joy-Cons attached
  • 3.6 x 8.2 x 0.55 inches
  • 0.61 lbs
Display
  • 6.2-inch, 1280×720, multi-touch capacitive touch screen
  • Capable of 1080p in TV mode
  • Capable of 720p in Handheld Mode
  • 5.5-inch, 1280×720, capacitive touch screen
  • 720p
CPU/GPU NVIDIA Custom Tegra processor NVIDIA Custom Tegra processor
Storage 32 GB internal storage, upgradable with microSD 32 GB internal storage, upgradable with microSD
Battery & Charging
  • 4310mAh Lithium-ion battery
  • Lasts between 4.5 to 9 hours
  • Charges in about 3 hours
  • Charges via USB-C
  • 3570mAh Lithium-ion battery
  • Lasts between 3 to 7 hours
  • Charges in about 3 hours
  • Charges via USB-C
Audio
  • Stereo speakers
  • Compatible with 5.1ch Linear PCM output
  • 3.5mm 4-pole stereo headphone jack
  • Stereo speakers
  • 3.5mm 4-pole stereo headphone jack
Price $299.99 $199.99

Nintendo Switch vs Switch Lite: Look and Feel

nintendo Switch and Switch Lite, backside, outside

You can easily see the fingerprint oil on the original Switch.

In the specs department, it seems like the normal Switch is the real winner here, but numbers aren’t everything. When it comes to looks, the Switch Lite definitely has a more striking appearance. The Switch is available in a total of four colors, and three of them are bold and bright colors that stick out from the crowd of typically darker colors of electronics. The Switch Lite definitely catches your eye.

The Switch Lite’s general design is made even better with the matte finish. It feels less likely to slip out of my hands, and the finish means that fingerprints won’t be a problem on the back. The regular Switch has a smooth, black finish, and it definitely has problems with collecting unsightly fingerprints when I’m playing in Handheld Mode.

The normal Switch does have some ability to customize its looks with the Joy-Cons controllers. You can mix and match pairs of Joy-Cons to make a striking appearance like I did with my Switch. But, it’s a little hard to justify spending $80 on a new pair of Joy-Cons just to make your Switch look good, and regardless of Nintendo’s claims, a single Joy-Con doesn’t make for a great standalone controller.

Another huge factor in the Switch Lite’s favor is its weight. The weight difference might seem minimal on the spec sheet, with the Lite being 0.61 lbs and the Switch being 0.88 lbs, but when holding it you can immediately feel a difference between the two devices. When first getting my Switch Lite, I noticed the difference in weight before even noticing that the Lite is a bit smaller than the original Switch! If you like playing a lot while on the go, you’re going to appreciate the Switch Lite’s lighter weight.

Finally, the thickness on both the Switch and Switch Lite are the same. The thickness is comfortable for me to play less action-intensive games, but anything that requires a lot of twitch reactions can make my hands cramp. Depending on your hand size, playing a Switch may feel worse, or even better.

All in all, the Switch Lite looks like a fun, inviting console to play, and feels like it too. The normal Switch looks and feels a bit unwieldy, even if it works. It kind of reminds me of the Game Gear, more than anything, and that’s not much of a compliment.

Display

Nintendo Switch with Sonic Mania title screen switch lite with Sonic Mania title screen

In terms of the screen, the Switch has a slightly bigger screen than the Switch Lite, with a difference of just about an inch. However, the aspect ratio is the same on both screens, so you won’t have any strange stretching happening with the games themselves.

From there, the displays look pretty much identical. When testing, the Switch, and the Switch Lite simply looked the same. The brightness, highs, and lows of the backlight looked the same, and the screen had the same level of anti-glare (which is to say, not a lot and not very noticeable when in-game). While I wasn’t able to look at the Sonic Mania title screen side by side due to oddities with Nintendo Accounts, loading them both up and taking the pictures in the same place around the same time shows that the display is practically identical, aside from the size.

The real problem with the display doesn’t come from the hardware but from the software. Some developers did not make their games with portable capabilities in mind, and this can lead to problems, particularly with text size. The slightly larger screen of the original Switch can help a little bit, but either way, with a poorly optimized game, you’ll have some difficulties regardless of the model you have.

The only place that the regular Switch has a leg up on the Switch Lite is in terms of the fact that you can dock it. In Docked mode, graphics are upscaled to 1080p, and the display will be dependent on your TV as opposed to the Switch screen. But, more on that later.

Nintendo Switch vs Switch Lite: Performance

switch and switch lite on max brightness, next to each other

The Switch and Switch Lite have the same brightness levels

Both the Switch and the Switch Lite appear to have the same CPU and GPU, a custom-built NVIDIA processor. In testing, I picked a game in my library that had a load time at the very start of the game and timed how long it took for the two systems to get to the title screen. The results were negligible, with the Switch Lite loading less than a second faster. It’s close enough to be able to chalk it up to me just not pressing the timer button at exactly the same time.

What that means is that any real difference in loading times and performance in Handheld mode isn’t going to boil down to Switch hardware, it’s going to depend on the type of microSD card you use. Neither system has a lot of internal memory, so buying a MicroSD is practically a must to be able to store multiple games. But, if you get a microSD that has poor read speeds, you can have difficulties with game loading and stuttering. While my two microSD cards are different brands, they have the same read speed, and thus load games in about the same amount of time.

What’s strange is that both consoles tend to get hot. From my experience, it does feel like the Switch Lite gets hotter faster than normal Switch, but with no easy way to test, I can’t say for sure. The problem of the Switch getting hot in Docked mode is also well known, and while the heat isn’t enough to worry about the internal hardware, it’s definitely more noticeable than any Nintendo handheld I’ve had in the past.

Unfortunately, though, identical hardware doesn’t mean an identical playing experience, in this case. As mentioned in the display section, some games have issues in Handheld mode, and these issues can sometimes go beyond the tiny text. Some titles have performance issues in Handheld or Docked mode, depending on the title, which can be frustrating for someone that mainly plays one way or the other. On top of that, some titles make heavy use of either the touch screen or detaching and using the Joy-Cons in specific ways which lend the game to being played in a specific mode.

With the normal Switch, the problem can be alleviated by switching modes, which can be annoying, but not too bad. The Switch Lite cannot dock or hook up to a TV, however. If a game has issues in Handheld mode or favors a TV in some way, you’re simply out of luck. It’s a huge disadvantage against the Switch Lite, especially when one of the selling points of the Switch was the ability to… well, switch between Docked and Handheld mode.

Battery Life

nintendo switch and switch lite, topside, outside

Nintendo Switch vs. Lite

Most of the hardware within the Switch and Switch Lite is identical, but one thing is different between the two–the battery. The HAC-001(-01) model of the Switch, specifically, has a 4310mAh battery, while the Switch Lite has a 3570mAh battery life. The increased battery is one of the major things that separates the (-01) model from the launch model of the Switch, which had a poor battery that didn’t last long at all.

The battery life depends on how resource-intensive the game you’re playing is, but the Switch can now last up to nine hours, while the Switch Lite can last up to seven hours. Of course, in practice, I’ve never seen either system last that long when actively playing games. I don’t have any hard numbers, but I’d say my Switch lasts about 5 hours playing a graphically intensive game in Handheld mode, and the Switch Lite will last about 3.5 hours.

The fact that the Switch Lite, meant to be a fully portable device, having worse battery life feels like a big oversight on Nintendo’s part. I can only begin to speculate why this is, but the fact of the matter is that the normal, bigger Switch is better set up for long handheld sessions than the Switch Lite is. It sort of undermines the entire point of the Switch Lite in the first place!

Conclusion: The Nintendo Switch easily beats the Lite

nintendo switcvh with joy-cons detached, outside

Nintendo Switch with the Joy-Cons detached

The Nintendo Switch thrives on its functionality and versatility. Being able to seamlessly move from a docked console to a perfectly playable portable device was the whole selling point of the Switch. It’s pretty ingenious, especially in multi-person households with limited TVs… you basically never have to stop playing.

So, when the Switch Lite removes the functionality to create a system that is fully portable, is it worth it? In short, no. In terms of hardware, the Switch Lite is completely hamstrung by the fact that it doesn’t have as good of a battery as the (-01) model of the Switch. If the whole point of the Switch Lite is to provide a great portable experience and the new model of the Switch is better at that, then why exactly would you go with the Lite, looks aside? For the price, maybe, but that is not as strong of an argument with just a $100 difference.

If the whole point of the Switch Lite is to provide a great portable experience and the new model of the Switch is better at that, then why exactly would you go with the Lite?

If Nintendo decides to revisit the Switch Lite and place a better battery in it, then we’d have an actual case on our hands. But as it stands, the only thing the Switch Lite has going for it is the price, being $100 less than the normal Switch. But when the Switch offers full functionality, a better battery, and is regularly bundled with accessories or games, there’s really no argument to be had here. It’s worth the upcharge, and then some.

    Nintendo Switch HAC-001(-01)
    Get yourself the Nintendo Switch and enjoy gaming on the TV and as a handheld! For $300, you can pick grey Joy-Cons, or the Neon Red and Blue set.
    Nintendo Switch Lite
    Available for just $200, the Nintendo Switch Lite allows you to game portably and in style. Available in four colors, pick your favorite and get to gaming!

I may love the look of my Coral Switch Lite, but it’s very clearly inferior to my bigger, more versatile Switch.

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NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the company’s new mid-range GPU for just $399

After launching three models under its new RTX 30 series, NVIDIA is today introducing the fourth member of the series. The new GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is here after a series of leaks and rumors. As the name suggests, it slots in below the RTX 3070 that launched in late-October. Thanks to the new architecture, the new RTX 3060 Ti is claimed to be faster than the previous generation GeForce RTX 2080 Super and offers excellent performance for 1080p and 1440p gaming.

The RTX 3060 can be seen as a replacement for the RTX 2060 Super, but in terms of specs, it is a toned version of the RTX 3070. It supports real-time ray tracing, DLSS (Deep learning super sampling) as well as support for NVIDIA’s RTX apps. The new GPU includes 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM and a 256-bit memory interface. The card is clocked at 1410Mhz, with a boost clock of 1665Mhz. The GPU also includes 4,864 CUDA cores (double of the RTX 2060 Super), 152 Tensor cores, 38-second generation Ray Tracing cores, and 152 texture units. a base clock of 1410Mhz, and a boost clock of 1665Mhz.

nvidia rtx 3060ti vs nvidia rtx 2080 super benchmark

Overall the founder Edition card is similar to the RTX 3070 featuring a dual-slot design with two fans, one for intake and one to blow out hot air. It also comes with a new 12-pin power connector that NVIDIA has been pushing on all of its new GPUs for no good reason. It can draw 200W of power and a 600W power supply is recommended for this card.

nvidia geforce rtx 3060 ti founders edition

As per NVIDIA’s numbers, the RTX 3060 Ti can go toe-to-toe with the RTX 2080 Super from last year. Notably, it is priced at $399 or  35,900 in India for the Founders Edition version. Board partners including ASUS, Colorful, EVGA, Gainward, Galaxy, Gigabyte, Innovision 3D, MSI, Palit, PNY, and Zotac are expected to start shipping units starting tomorrow, December 2. Let’s hope that this time NVIDIA can maintain stocks and tackle scalpers unlike how it did with the other RTX 30 series cards. We are expecting board partners to price the new RTX 3060 Ti anything from $400-$600. It will also be interesting to see how consumers react to the new card in light of AMD’s Radeon RX 6000 GPUs.

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Qualcomm teases the Snapdragon 888 and confirms 14 OEMs will build smartphones with it

Qualcomm is expected to unveil its latest flagship chipset at the ongoing Snapdragon Tech Summit Digital event in San Diego, California. Ahead of the official unveiling, the company has shared a teaser for the new chipset and named 14 OEMs who will be launching devices featuring the chipset next year. As per the teaser, the company’s latest flagship chipset is called Snapdragon 888, not Snapdragon 875, and it will include the following features:

Snapdragon X60 5G Modem

The Snapdragon 888 5G will include the 3rd generation Qualcomm Snapdragon X60 5G Modem-RF System, which will offer both mmWave and sub-6 5G compatibility across all major bands worldwide. The modem will also support 5G carrier aggregation, global multi-SIM, 5G Standalone, 5G Non-standalone, and Dynamic Spectrum Sharing.

Qualcomm AI Engine

Qualcomm’s latest flagship offering will also include the new 6th generation Qualcomm AI Engine with a completely re-engineered Qualcomm Hexagon processor. The new AI Engine is capable of 26 tera operations per second (TOPS), and it will offer significant performance and power-efficiency improvements compared with the previous generation. The AI platform is further enhanced by the 2nd generation Qualcomm Sensing Hub, which incorporates lower-power always-on AR processing for new intuitive and intelligent features.

Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite Gaming

The Snapdragon 888 will also feature the new 3rd generation of Snapdragon Elite Gaming, which will significantly upgrade Qualcomm Adreno GPU performance over previous generations.

Qualcomm Spectra ISP

The new chipset will also offer better computation photography performance, thanks to the faster gigapixel speed Qualcomm Spectra ISP. The new ISP will allow users to capture photos and videos at 2.7 gigapixels per second or roughly 120 photos at 12MP resolution, which is up to 35% faster than the previous generation.

During the keynote, Qualcomm also demonstrated the 5G capabilities of the Snapdragon 888 through a radio-controlled race car connected by mmWave 5G. In the demonstration, drivers controlled two race cars from a mile away using a live video feed of the track over 5G. The demonstration was enabled by a private 5G network built in collaboration with Verizon and Ericsson. It made use of a reference design Snapdragon 888 and Snapdragon X60 5G modem.

As mentioned earlier, Qualcomm also confirmed the names of 14 OEMs who will be launching Snapdragon 888-powered devices in the coming months. These include ASUS, Black Shark, Lenovo, LG, Meizu, Motorola, Nubia, realme, OnePlus, OPPO, Sharp, Vivo, Xiaomi, and ZTE.

We expect to learn more about the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 and upcoming devices featuring the new SoC during the two-day event. So, make sure to stay tuned to our coverage of the Snapdragon Tech Summit Digital 2020.

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Amazon debuts macOS instances on its cloud for Apple developers

If you’re an Amazon Web Services (AWS) EC2 user, here is a potentially handy update for you. The company has announced the general availability of Elastic Compute Cloud Mac instances for macOS, allowing app developers in Apple’s ecosystem a way to run on-demand macOS workloads in the cloud. Previously, Amazon offered this service only for Windows and Linux.

Unlike typical virtualized instances, the new EC2 macOS instances are built on top of actual Mac Mini machines, which is certainly a big plus. Note that you’re not getting the latest Apple M1-powered variant until 2021. For now, Amazon is using the previous generation Mac Mini featuring Intel’s 8th generation Coffee Lake Core i7-8700B processor with 6 physical/12 logical cores and and 32 GB of RAM. The processor normally clocks at 3.2 GHz but goes up to 4.6 GHz in turbo mode. Developers will be able to choose between macOS 10.14 Mojave and macOS 10.15 Catalina, while macOS 11.0 Big Sur support is coming soon.

AWS Chief Evangelist Jeff Barr describes the Mac instances as something that gives Apple developers “…the ability to quickly & cost-effectively build code for multiple targets without having to own & operate your own hardware”. The premise here is simple: think of a full-fledged macOS development rig, but on AWS. You will get to benefit from the elasticity, scalability, security, and reliability provided by EC2.

AWS utilizes the Mac Mini’s high-speed Thunderbolt 3 ports to connect them with its Nitro System for 10Gb/s VPC network bandwidth and 8Gb/s storage bandwidth. The instances are accessible via VNC with a graphical interface, which means you can run Xcode and Swift development tools on them and create apps for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Safari. SSH access is also there for command line aficionados.

It is worth mentioning that EC2 Mac instances come with a minimum tenancy period of 24 hours, which means they cannot be part of an automatic scaling group. The macOS instances are available now in the US East (N. Virginia), US East (Ohio), US West (Oregon), Europe (Ireland), and Asia-Pacific (Singapore) regions, with other regions coming soon.


Source: Amazon AWS

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These are the Best Android Phones to buy in 2020

As 2020 comes to a close — thank God! — we have a more finalized idea of the entire Android landscape for this year. And it’s been a good one, with slab phones arguably reaching an apex in fluidity and screen-to-body ratio, while brands also pushed out adventurous new form factors that bend or swivel.

No matter if you have $1,400 to spend or $600, there is a very capable Android phone that will meet all your professional and personal needs. We here at XDA have the privilege of testing just about every new release, and here are the best Android phones you can buy right now:

Navigate this guide:

Best Android Phone Overall: Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra

Best Android Phone – Galaxy Note 20 Ultra

There were several worthy contenders for this spot. However, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra edges out some tough competition – don’t worry, we still honored them on this list in other categories – by checking more boxes. The most powerful Android chipset around? Check (if you’re buying the Snapdragon 865+ version, that is). Capable cameras that let you zoom in far or take a step back and go ultra-wide? Check. Premium, unique design, and the best screen possible? Check and check! Heck, the Note 20 Ultra even throws in a stylus to boot, which offers even more functionality most smartphones can’t claim.

Sure, we can nitpick if we want — the zoom cameras here aren’t quite at the Huawei P40 Pro+’s level; it charges much slower than the Xiaomi Mi Ultra, the boxy corners make the phone less comfortable to hold for some hands — but ultimately, no phone this year packs as much in one package with no noticeable glaring flaws.

    Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
    If you're looking for the most capable and feature-packed smartphone and not quite ready to jump to the cutting-edge foldable category yet, then look no further than the Note 20 Ultra. It has everything you'd need out of a smartphone, including a stylus!

Best Android Phone for most people: Samsung Galaxy S20 FE

 

Best Android Phone – Samsung Galaxy S20 FE

While the Note 20 Ultra is, in our opinion, the best slab smartphone money can buy, the just-announced S20 FE is likely the phone for most people as it still gives you much of what makes a Samsung flagship great. This includes that 120Hz Super AMOLED display, a responsive and well-thought-out UI, and well-performing cameras — except the S20 FE is half the price of the Note 20 Ultra.

You’ll have to make do with a plastic body and just Snapdragon 865 instead of the 865+, but these are concessions we think most would take to save $600-$700.

    Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
    If you're a fan of Samsung's flagships but have found the four-digit prices hard to stomach, the Galaxy S20 FE is for you. Compromises are far and few between in this sleek and powerful mid-ranger with a 120Hz Super AMOLED screen!

Best Samsung Galaxy Phones for every budget and need (updated December 2020)

Best Android Phone for software and speed: OnePlus 8 Pro

Best Android Phone – OnePlus 8 Pro

OnePlus is a brand that’s always been all about speed, and the 8 Pro is once again the fastest phone on the market. Everything – from the way apps launch at rocket speed to how the notification panel whips up and down along with your finger swipes – in the UI here has been optimized for speed. The effect looks extra fluid this year thanks to a 120Hz panel too.

When it comes to OnePlus’ UI, OxygenOS, it’s not just about speed: it’s also, in my opinion, the best Android skin around, with plenty of customization and shortcut gestures galore. Want to use multiple different icon packs on one home screen? Or change the accent color scheme of your app drawer? Or hide apps in plain sight with a simple swipe? OxygenOS offers more ways to use Android, even more so than Google’s stock UI.

The rest of the hardware is top-notch, too, although the phone looks a bit boring due to the recycled back design. For the first time in a OnePlus phone, the 8 Pro gets wireless charging and IP68 water resistance. These new additions go well with the improved camera system and the beloved alert slider hardware button.

    OnePlus 8 Pro
    OnePlus phones have always been able to go toe-to-toe with the big boys in terms of overall performance, and this year's 8 Pro is no exception. A large 120Hz AMOLED screen, Snapdragon 865, and a 48MP ultra-wide-angle camera provide more details than the less pixel-dense ultra-wides seen in many rivals. But ultimately, what sets the 8 Pro apart is its unrivaled speed and clean yet fully customizable UI.

Best point and shoot camera phone: Google Pixel 5

Best Android Phone – Google Pixel 5

Google’s Pixel series, even back when it was aspiring to be a premium flagship, never really fully got hardware right. Whether it was the original Pixel’s outdated bezels, Pixel 2 XL‘s display problems, Pixel 3 XL‘s giant, unsightly notch, or the Pixel 4’s mediocre battery life and wonky facial recognition system, every generation of Pixel has had a glaring hardware flaw. But despite that, many reviewers and tech enthusiasts still gladly carried a Pixel over the years, because Google’s camera software processing was that good.

And that camera prowess is why the Pixel 5 cracks this list, despite a spec sheet and hardware craftsmanship that sits a tier or two below other brands’ offerings listed here. But with the Pixel 5, you know you’re getting color science that is always on point, dynamic range perfectly balanced, and the best portrait/bokeh mode around.

And for the first time, we even get an ultra-wide-angle camera in a Pixel. Throw in the usual Pixel perks like the purest version of Android and specific Pixel features, and the Pixel 5 is an easy recommendation.

    Google Pixel 5
    Google's newest brings several new features, but the most important is that Pixel camera with its glorious image processing and dynamic range is back. If you just want to point, tap the shutter button, and expect a great shot, look no further.

Best Cheap Android Phone: Google Pixel 4a

Best Android Phone – Google Pixel 4a

If you want that Pixel 5 primary camera performance but want to save a bit, the Pixel 4a (not to be confused by the larger and more expensive Pixel 4a 5G) is one of the cheapest options on this list.

You lose out on the ultra-wide-angle camera and 5G connectivity, but you still have virtually the same primary camera as the Pixel 5. If it’s just standard 1x point-and-shoot photos, the Pixel series is hard to beat. If you want to see other choices on a budget, check out our guide to the best cheap android phones!

    Google Pixel 4a
    The Google Pixel 4a brings virtually the same main camera as the Google Pixel 5, which means it's got one of the very best cameras on the market. Everything else about the phone is solid if unspectacular -- but when at this price, and with a camera performance this next level, it's hard to complain.

Best overall camera phone: Huawei P40 Pro+

Best Android Phone – Huawei P40 Pro Plus

While the Google Pixel 4a’s primary camera is arguably the king due to its color science, dynamic range, and unbeatable portrait mode, the Huawei P40 Pro+ is inarguably the most capable and versatile camera system of the year. Let’s start with the Periscope zoom lens. Other phones like the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, Oppo Find X2 Pro, or Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra offer a 5x optical zoom camera — Huawei’s P40 Pro+ doubles that with a 10x, thanks to a couple of extra folds and lenses inside the Periscope hardware. Other ultra-wide-angle cameras see a significant performance drop off at night? Not the P40 Pro+’s ultra-wide, which uses the same RYYB sensor tech Huawei first introduced with the P30 series that allows it to virtually see in the dark. Throw in another short telephoto lens to cover portraits, and the P40 Pro+’s cameras are a few steps ahead of the rest. That primary 50MP main camera is excellent too — it can still pull in light in pitch black scenes better than any camera — though it tends to over-process and over-sharpen, hence why we gave the edge to the Pixel 4a.

Unfortunately, the P40 Pro+ cannot run core Google Mobile Services apps due to the ongoing sanctions placed by the US government, so be sure you weigh the pros and cons before considering one.

    Huawei P40 Pro+
    With a 10x optical zoom camera and an 40MP ultra-wide-angle camera, the Huawei P40 Pro+ has the most versatile and capable cameras on the market. The rest of the package is pretty premium too -- unfortunately, there's the Google ban issue to consider.

Best Android phone for Gaming: Asus ROG Phone 3

Best Android Phone – ASUS ROG Phone 3

If you’re into mobile gaming, then look no further than the Asus ROG Phone 3, which we named “the king of gaming smartphones” in our review. So what makes this a gaming beast? Let’s start with the 144Hz display, which the handset can maintain without micro-stutters. Throw in a massive 6,000 mAh battery to handle that refresh rate without sacrificing battery life. Then add functional shoulder buttons named “AirTriggers” that give extra control to first-person shooters in ways most normal smartphones cannot, and a bunch of optional accessories that add further controls, and you have the most equipped smartphone to handle gaming at a high level.

Of course, when you’re done gaming, the ROG Phone 3 works fine as a regular smartphone too, with a reliable camera system, Snapdragon 865+, and 16GB of RAM, no app will bog this thing down.

    Asus ROG Phone 3
    A stunning 144Hz display, 6,000 mAh battery, Snapdragon 865+, 16GB of RAM and AirTrigger shoulder buttons make this the best phone for playing games.

Best Android foldable phone: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2

Best Android Phone – Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2

This is a landslide win for the Fold 2 in this category, considering the only other real option is the Huawei Mate XS, which is pricier, not on sale officially in the US, can’t run core Google apps, and has a folding-screen-on-the-outside design that looks stunning but raises serious durability concerns. The Fold 2, meanwhile, is widely available, has no software restrictions, and has a firmer folding screen made of “ultra-thin glass” that is protected when not in use.

The device feels the most polished and refined of all foldable phones released so far and has won the hearts of several of us here at XDA already. Other than water-resistance and perhaps a thinner build (neither of which are realistic requests at this time as the technology isn’t there yet), there’s not much you can fault the Fold 2 for.

    Galaxy Z Fold 2
    The most cutting edge phone of the year -- but it will cost you a pretty penny. However, if money is no object and you need to have the very best that Samsung offers, look no further than the Galaxy Z Fold 2. We love it, and so will you!

Best Android phone not sold in the US: Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra

Best Android Phone – Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra

The Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra is the Chinese tech company’s 10th-anniversary commemorative device, but it should be named the Mi 120 because there’s a trio of 120-themed features that make this phone great. It has a 120Hz OLED panel, 120x max digital zoom, and 120W charging speeds. The latter is insanely fast: in our testing, the Mi 10 Ultra can go from 0 to 100 in 23 minutes, or if you’re topping up in the peak charging speed range of between 30 and 80%, expect a five-minute charge to add nearly 24% of juice.

Throw in 55W fast charging (you need Xiaomi’s specific charger to achieve this speed), a Snapdragon 865, unique clear transparent glass back, a versatile quad-camera system, and a very reasonable sub-$800 price, this is a device worth celebrating. It’s worth noting this phone only has a China version, so you’ll have to sideload Google yourself.

    Xiaomi MI 10 Ultra
    A China-only phone with a long list of specs headlined by a 120x zoom, 120W fast charging and 120Hz screen, the Mi 10 Ultra is a powerhouse that doesn't break the bank.

Best Android phone not sold in the US, runner up: Oppo Find X2 Pro

Best Android Phone – OPPO Find X2 Pro
The original Oppo Find X, released in 2018, was a quirky and unconventional smartphone with all of its cameras hidden in an elevating module. While it was a looker, the phone was a bit awkward to use. With the Find X2 Pro, Oppo’s gone a more conventional route, but in return, crafted one of the most well-rounded and polished smartphones of the year.

With a Snapdragon 865, 120Hz OLED display, a Periscope zoom lens that can achieve 5x optical zoom, 10x hybrid zoom, and maximum 60x zoom, the Find X2 Pro has all the specs needed to compete with the best of the best — and if we were compiling this list in mid-2020, this might have well taken the top spot. But in the months since the Find X2 Pro’s 65W fast charging has been surpassed by the Mi 10 Ultra’s 120W, and the display here, while gorgeous, falls a tad short of the new heights set by the Note 20 Ultra (it’s brighter and has a variable refresh rate).

The camera system here is good enough to fill every need, with the 48MP ultra-wide-angle camera producing noticeably sharper images than the ultra-wide-angle cameras of Samsung’s or Xiaomi’s phones. We are also huge fans of the orange leather back, which adds an extra touch of character.

    Oppo Find X2 Pro
    A polished and refined flagship that shows Oppo's prowess in both hardware and software, the Find X2 Pro was arguably the best Android in the first half of 2020, but alas, other releases have edged it in performance and screen brilliance.

Best for multi-tasking: LG Wing, Microsoft Duo

If productivity is paramount, then two screens is obviously better than one. The LG Wing and Microsoft Duo take very different approaches to this dual-screen set-up. The Wing, in “normal mode,” resembles any other slab smartphone — it’s big, tall, curvy, with almost all-screen on its face. But give the bottom left side of the screen a little push and the front screen swivels, revealing a second screen in the back plate.

The Microsoft Duo, meanwhile, is more like two screens connected together by a very premium hinge. The Duo folds and opens like a book, and unlike the Wing, both screens are the same size.

Neither phone carry the most powerful SoC or best cameras, but these are productivity machines first and foremost. To be able to run, say, Slack on one screen while a word document or an email on the other is something most of us remote workers would enjoy.

    Microsoft Duo
    The Microsoft Duo is an amazingly thin dual-screen device that opens and close like a book. While there were some software quirks at launch, Microsoft has fixed enough of it that the device is usable. If you need to run two apps at the same time often, this is one of the best options.

 

The post These are the Best Android Phones to buy in 2020 appeared first on xda-developers.



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