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Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15-inch Review: Far From The Cutting Edge


Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15-inch review: Far from the cutting edge


Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15-inch review: Far from the cutting edge

Deja vu. Just like last year's Microsoft Surface Laptop 3, the 2021 Surface Laptop 4 indistinguishes itself by its utter averageness. It's still not particularly light, or fast or feature-packed. It's not inexpensive or full of cutting-edge tech and it doesn't have an especially long battery life. It's faster and has better battery life than the older model, but so does every other laptop updated for 2021. But it's also still reasonably portable, sufficiently fast, pleasantly sleek looking, durable, somewhat upgradeable, and backward-compatible with previous power supplies and Surface Connect accessories sold by Microsoft. 

Very little has changed for this generation. It's been bumped to the 4000-series of the AMD Ryzen 7 mobile processor and 11th-gen Intel Core i7-11875G7, plus storage and memory increases and newer Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Given the rote upgrades, it's a bit annoying that Microsoft chose to use the last generation (Zen 2) of the AMD CPUs rather than the current and faster 5000 series (Zen 3), though that's probably due to the timing of the laptop's release. It's also par for the course: the Surface Laptop 3's AMD CPU was also an older-than-current generation.

Like

  • Retains the thin, sleek look
  • Solid performance and battery life

Don't Like

  • Screen still has wide-ish bezels
  • Too few ports
  • Can't upgrade memory

The Ryzen 7 4980U processor in the 15-inch system is dubbed the Ryzen 7 Microsoft Surface Edition. That made sense last year when the processor differed from the rest of its siblings by the addition of an extra graphics core (compute unit) its Vega 9 integrated graphics. But this year's CPU is effectively identical to the Ryzen 7 4800U, albeit with clock speeds a mere 200MHz faster, and in fact its Vega 8 integrated GPU has one CU less than the chip in the Surface Laptop 3

Note that this year's AMD model will always outperform last year's simply because the older model used a lower-end Ryzen 5, not a Ryzen 7, and the AMD model will likely outperform the Intel model, at least on multicore-intensive tasks, simply because it has 8 cores compared to the Intel's 4. 

The 3:2 aspect ratio, 201 pixel-per-inch display is the same as before; nothing to get excited about unless you're upgrading from an old laptop with a dim screen. It's fine for work, but somewhat washed out for Netflix. There are two color profiles which come with it, a standard sRGB and an "Enhanced" mode, but the latter seems to be the native screen profile and looks like it just increases the contrast. It retains the same old sufficient 720p webcam and the paucity of ports -- one each USB-A and USB-C plus an analog headphone jack. 

Read moreMeet Microsoft's new Modern family of work-from-home audio accessories

The under-the-hood-only updates mean much of what we liked and disliked about the Surface Laptop 3 remain the same, from the slim and sleek design to the insufficient number of ports and soldered memory. This year I'll toss in the somewhat stodgy looking  screen bezels because it uses the same screen in the same chassis as before; even Apple finally overcame bezel inertia for the MacBook Pro a few years ago. 

microsoft-surface-laptop-4-2021-023

Still slim and still Microsoft Surface Connector powered.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Down to business

Microsoft offers only AMD processors in its consumer-focused models, but both AMD and Intel for its Surface Laptop 4 for Business line. The two sales channels differ by the variety of configurations and version of Windows they offer -- Windows 10 Home versus Windows 10 Pro. The biz prices are about $100 higher.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 (15 inch)

Price as reviewed $1,700, £1,649, AU$2,699
Display 15-inch 2,496 x 1,664 (201 ppi, 3:2 aspect ratio) pen and touch display
PC CPU 2.0GHz AMD Ryzen 7 4980U
PC Memory 16GB 4,267MHz LPDDR4
Graphics AMD Vega 8
Storage 512GB SSD
Ports 1 x USB-C, 2 x USB-A (1 in power brick), headphone jack, 1 x proprietary (Surface Connect port)
Networking Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6 AX200, Bluetooth 5.1
Operating system Microsoft Windows Home (2H20)
Weight 3.4 lbs/1.5 kg

The pricing for the 15-inch model starts at $1,300 (£1,469, AU$2,499) for AMD and $1,800 (£1,799, AU$2,849) for Intel, but the AMD base models have only 8GB of RAM. You really can't run Windows 10 very well in 8GB except for maybe lightweight cloud-based applications and possibly enterprise remote PC software like Citrix Desktop. The flip side is that 32GB is overkill for most software you'd be running on this laptop. So if you're going to opt for the 15-inch Surface Laptop 4, I recommend the 16GB memory, 512GB SSD models.

That's still a lot to pay for what you get compared with competitors: Laptops like the Lenovo Yoga 9i, a 2-in-1 which is smaller at 14 inches but superior in almost every other way for hundreds less. On sale, it might be a different story. That model even has discrete graphics for gaming; there's not a ton of graphical muscle here with the integrated Intel Iris Xe or AMD Radeon Vega 8 graphics. The heavyweight multiplatform shooter Outriders was choppy even at the lowest graphics preset, but lightweight Hades, the recent award-winning indie game, ran perfectly. 

Overall, the Surface Laptop 4's AMD CPU performed very well for its size class. At 11-12 hours, battery life was much improved over the previous generation, to the tune of about 2.5 hours, and quite competitive for its size. 

Toss in some wonky USB-C and touchscreen behavior I experienced -- they both stopped working until a random reboot fairy sprinkled some magic dust on them -- and it's hard to place the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 in the top tier of models we've tested over the past couple of years. But you'll probably be perfectly happy with it, especially if your IT department buys it for you.

Geekbench 5 (multicore)

Surface Book 3 (15-inch)

Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch Intel)

Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482

Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch AMD, 2021)

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance.

Cinebench R20 (multicore)

Surface Book 3 (15-inch)

Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch Intel)

Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482

Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch AMD, 2021)

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance.

3D Mark Fire Strike Ultra

Surface Book 3 (15-inch)

Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch AMD, 2021)

Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch Intel)

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance.

Video streaming battery test

Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch Intel)

Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch AMD, 2021)

Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482

Surface Book 3 (15-inch)

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance.

PCMark 10 Pro Edition (complete)

Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch Intel)

Surface Book 3 (15-inch)

Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch AMD, 2021)

Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance

System configurations

Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482 Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 2.8GHz Intel Core i7-1165G7; 8GB DDR4 SDRAM 4,267MHz; 128MB Intel Iris Xe graphics; 512GB SSD
Microsoft Surface Book 3 (15-inch) Microsoft Windows 10 Home (1909); 1.3GHz Intel Core i7-1065G7; 32GB DDR4 SDRAM 4,267MHz; Intel Iris Plus Graphics and 6GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q design; 512GB SSD
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch, Intel) Microsoft Windows 10 Home (1903); 1.3GHz Intel Core i7-1065G7; 16GB DDR4 SDRAM 2,667MHz; 128MB (dedicated) Intel Iris Plus Graphics; 256GB SSD
Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch, AMD, 2021) Microsoft Windows 10 Home (2H20); 2.0GHz AMD Ryzen 7 4980U; 16GB LPDDR4 SDRAM 4,267MHz; tkGB (dedicated) AMD Radeon Vega 8 Graphics; 512GB SSD

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Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15-inch Review: Far From The Cutting Edge


Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15-inch review: Far from the cutting edge


Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15-inch review: Far from the cutting edge

Deja vu. Just like last year's Microsoft Surface Laptop 3, the 2021 Surface Laptop 4 indistinguishes itself by its utter averageness. It's still not particularly light, or fast or feature-packed. It's not inexpensive or full of cutting-edge tech and it doesn't have an especially long battery life. It's faster and has better battery life than the older model, but so does every other laptop updated for 2021. But it's also still reasonably portable, sufficiently fast, pleasantly sleek looking, durable, somewhat upgradeable, and backward-compatible with previous power supplies and Surface Connect accessories sold by Microsoft. 

Very little has changed for this generation. It's been bumped to the 4000-series of the AMD Ryzen 7 mobile processor and 11th-gen Intel Core i7-11875G7, plus storage and memory increases and newer Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Given the rote upgrades, it's a bit annoying that Microsoft chose to use the last generation (Zen 2) of the AMD CPUs rather than the current and faster 5000 series (Zen 3), though that's probably due to the timing of the laptop's release. It's also par for the course: the Surface Laptop 3's AMD CPU was also an older-than-current generation.

Like

  • Retains the thin, sleek look
  • Solid performance and battery life

Don't Like

  • Screen still has wide-ish bezels
  • Too few ports
  • Can't upgrade memory

The Ryzen 7 4980U processor in the 15-inch system is dubbed the Ryzen 7 Microsoft Surface Edition. That made sense last year when the processor differed from the rest of its siblings by the addition of an extra graphics core (compute unit) its Vega 9 integrated graphics. But this year's CPU is effectively identical to the Ryzen 7 4800U, albeit with clock speeds a mere 200MHz faster, and in fact its Vega 8 integrated GPU has one CU less than the chip in the Surface Laptop 3

Note that this year's AMD model will always outperform last year's simply because the older model used a lower-end Ryzen 5, not a Ryzen 7, and the AMD model will likely outperform the Intel model, at least on multicore-intensive tasks, simply because it has 8 cores compared to the Intel's 4. 

The 3:2 aspect ratio, 201 pixel-per-inch display is the same as before; nothing to get excited about unless you're upgrading from an old laptop with a dim screen. It's fine for work, but somewhat washed out for Netflix. There are two color profiles which come with it, a standard sRGB and an "Enhanced" mode, but the latter seems to be the native screen profile and looks like it just increases the contrast. It retains the same old sufficient 720p webcam and the paucity of ports -- one each USB-A and USB-C plus an analog headphone jack. 

Read moreMeet Microsoft's new Modern family of work-from-home audio accessories

The under-the-hood-only updates mean much of what we liked and disliked about the Surface Laptop 3 remain the same, from the slim and sleek design to the insufficient number of ports and soldered memory. This year I'll toss in the somewhat stodgy looking  screen bezels because it uses the same screen in the same chassis as before; even Apple finally overcame bezel inertia for the MacBook Pro a few years ago. 

microsoft-surface-laptop-4-2021-023

Still slim and still Microsoft Surface Connector powered.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Down to business

Microsoft offers only AMD processors in its consumer-focused models, but both AMD and Intel for its Surface Laptop 4 for Business line. The two sales channels differ by the variety of configurations and version of Windows they offer -- Windows 10 Home versus Windows 10 Pro. The biz prices are about $100 higher.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 (15 inch)

Price as reviewed $1,700, £1,649, AU$2,699
Display 15-inch 2,496 x 1,664 (201 ppi, 3:2 aspect ratio) pen and touch display
PC CPU 2.0GHz AMD Ryzen 7 4980U
PC Memory 16GB 4,267MHz LPDDR4
Graphics AMD Vega 8
Storage 512GB SSD
Ports 1 x USB-C, 2 x USB-A (1 in power brick), headphone jack, 1 x proprietary (Surface Connect port)
Networking Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6 AX200, Bluetooth 5.1
Operating system Microsoft Windows Home (2H20)
Weight 3.4 lbs/1.5 kg

The pricing for the 15-inch model starts at $1,300 (£1,469, AU$2,499) for AMD and $1,800 (£1,799, AU$2,849) for Intel, but the AMD base models have only 8GB of RAM. You really can't run Windows 10 very well in 8GB except for maybe lightweight cloud-based applications and possibly enterprise remote PC software like Citrix Desktop. The flip side is that 32GB is overkill for most software you'd be running on this laptop. So if you're going to opt for the 15-inch Surface Laptop 4, I recommend the 16GB memory, 512GB SSD models.

That's still a lot to pay for what you get compared with competitors: Laptops like the Lenovo Yoga 9i, a 2-in-1 which is smaller at 14 inches but superior in almost every other way for hundreds less. On sale, it might be a different story. That model even has discrete graphics for gaming; there's not a ton of graphical muscle here with the integrated Intel Iris Xe or AMD Radeon Vega 8 graphics. The heavyweight multiplatform shooter Outriders was choppy even at the lowest graphics preset, but lightweight Hades, the recent award-winning indie game, ran perfectly. 

Overall, the Surface Laptop 4's AMD CPU performed very well for its size class. At 11-12 hours, battery life was much improved over the previous generation, to the tune of about 2.5 hours, and quite competitive for its size. 

Toss in some wonky USB-C and touchscreen behavior I experienced -- they both stopped working until a random reboot fairy sprinkled some magic dust on them -- and it's hard to place the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 in the top tier of models we've tested over the past couple of years. But you'll probably be perfectly happy with it, especially if your IT department buys it for you.

Geekbench 5 (multicore)

Surface Book 3 (15-inch)

Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch Intel)

Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482

Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch AMD, 2021)

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance.

Cinebench R20 (multicore)

Surface Book 3 (15-inch)

Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch Intel)

Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482

Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch AMD, 2021)

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance.

3D Mark Fire Strike Ultra

Surface Book 3 (15-inch)

Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch AMD, 2021)

Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch Intel)

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance.

Video streaming battery test

Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch Intel)

Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch AMD, 2021)

Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482

Surface Book 3 (15-inch)

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance.

PCMark 10 Pro Edition (complete)

Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch Intel)

Surface Book 3 (15-inch)

Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch AMD, 2021)

Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance

System configurations

Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482 Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 2.8GHz Intel Core i7-1165G7; 8GB DDR4 SDRAM 4,267MHz; 128MB Intel Iris Xe graphics; 512GB SSD
Microsoft Surface Book 3 (15-inch) Microsoft Windows 10 Home (1909); 1.3GHz Intel Core i7-1065G7; 32GB DDR4 SDRAM 4,267MHz; Intel Iris Plus Graphics and 6GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q design; 512GB SSD
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch, Intel) Microsoft Windows 10 Home (1903); 1.3GHz Intel Core i7-1065G7; 16GB DDR4 SDRAM 2,667MHz; 128MB (dedicated) Intel Iris Plus Graphics; 256GB SSD
Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch, AMD, 2021) Microsoft Windows 10 Home (2H20); 2.0GHz AMD Ryzen 7 4980U; 16GB LPDDR4 SDRAM 4,267MHz; tkGB (dedicated) AMD Radeon Vega 8 Graphics; 512GB SSD

Source

Tags:

Galaxy Watch 3 Review: A Stunning Smartwatch With SpO2 Tracking And ECG


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Galaxy Watch 3 review: A stunning smartwatch with SpO2 tracking and ECG


Galaxy Watch 3 review: A stunning smartwatch with SpO2 tracking and ECG

Samsung's Galaxy Watch 3 has a lot working in its favor. It's one of the best-looking smartwatches out there, with a physical rotating bezel and bright, circular AMOLED display. It also brings new health and fitness tools such as a running coach, better sleep tracking than earlier models, blood oxygen monitoring and an electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG). But at $399 (or higher) it's on the pricier end of the smartwatch spectrum, and battery life on the smaller version is disappointing. 

Read more: Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Samsung aims for the ultimate Android watch

Looks go a long way with this watch 

I was already a fan of the original Galaxy Watch with its round face and physical rotating bezel, and the Watch 3 looks even nicer. It has a bright, beautiful AMOLED screen that's easy to read even in broad daylight. It's also useful if you're on a run and need to quickly check your stats during a workout. The screen can always be on if you need it, although it'll cost you in the battery department (more on that later). I like navigating the interface with the rotating bezel instead of smudging the screen with my fingers. 

Gazing at the Watch 3 on my wrist, I think it could almost pass for a traditional analog watch thanks to its classic design. The smaller bezels mean the screen is bigger than the original's even though the body of the watch has gotten smaller. It still bulges out from under the stainless-steel frame, however, making it thicker than I'd like and not as comfortable to wear at night as the Galaxy Watch Active. 

I tried out the bronze 41mm version (the watch also comes in a 45mm size), with the tan-pink leather straps -- a welcome step up from the silicone straps on the original Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Watch Active series. The bronze is a lot less flashy than the gold of the original Galaxy Watch, and it looks softer and more flattering on my wrist. If you're planning on using it for working out or swimming (or, in my case, bathing small children), you may want to invest in a sports strap as well. I can see the leather getting worn after a while due to frequent contact with water.

A staggered rollout of its health features

Aside from its looks, what really made the Galaxy Watch 3 stand out for me was its impressive list of new health features. It has ECG, an SpO2 app that measures oxygen saturation in the blood, a blood-pressure monitor, fall detection, advanced sleep tracking, period tracking and a detailed post-run analysis. But I have to admit I was a little skeptical as to whether Samsung could deliver on all of these promises. The Galaxy Watch Active 2, for example, also launched with an "ECG feature" which is still pending over a year later. The blood-pressure feature from the original Active was unreliable at best when we tested it and calibrated it against a blood-pressure cuff. 

Samsung has since received FDA clearance for its ECG feature  which can also screen for signs of atrial fibrillation (AFib), and rolled out the feature to both the Watch 3 and the Active 2. But blood pressure that's still pending FDA clearance in the US. (Blood pressure is only available in South Korea at the time of writing.) 

Tracking blood oxygen levels on the Galaxy Watch 3 

Samsung has had SpO2 tracking on past Galaxy devices like the S10, but I was excited to test it out on the watch to see how it had improved. Apple's new Apple Watch Series 6 also tracks blood oxygen levels on demand,  while other smartwatches from Fitbit and Garmin use blood oxygen levels for sleep analysis or to determine VO2 max during exercise.

Tracking blood oxygen has become especially important during the coronavirus pandemic. People with COVID-19 can experience shortness of breath and serious dips in blood oxygen. 

Doctors and hospitals use pulse oximeters placed on the tip of the index finger to measure blood oxygen levels, but these have become a hot commodity during the pandemic as many patients experiencing shortness of breath have turned to these small sensors to determine whether or not to head to the emergency room. 

To test accuracy of the SpO2 app on the Galaxy Watch 3, I took a side-by-side reading using a medical-grade pulse oximeter and both gave results within a few points of each other (98 and 99). It also took a few minutes more to get a read on the Watch 3 and you have to position it correctly on your wrist for it to work. 

Because my oxygen levels were within the healthy range, it's hard to know whether the Watch would be as accurate as the pulse oximeter in the lower ranges as well. It's also important to note that any watch or consumer tech device should only be used as a starting point, never in place of a physician and medical care. 

Like its predecessor, the Watch 3 can monitor stress levels using your heart-rate data. The test takes a few seconds and requires you to keep your arm still. Once it has the information it needs, it'll grade levels on the stress spectrum and give you the option to go through a minute of breathing exercises to help get your rating down.

I took my stress test while on deadline writing this review and it detected very low levels, so I'm a bit skeptical about its accuracy. 

It's also added menstrual cycle or period tracking: You enter the data in your watch and it syncs with the Samsung Health app, which can give you information about your next period and predicted fertility window. The feature isn't native to Samsung and is powered by the Glow app, which was already a relatively established name in the menstrual health tracking category and one I'd used before. 

The other big health feature exclusive to the Galaxy Watch 3 is the trip-detection feature, which I hope I'll never need. If the watch detects that you're not moving after a hard fall, it immediately calls your emergency contact and shares your location. It's not on by default, so you'll have to set it up from the advanced settings option on the Watch 3 and designate an emergency contact. I tried activating it by falling on my bed a few times but I was unsuccessful. The Apple Watch (Series 4 and later) has a similar feature called fall detection that's actually saved lives.

14-samsung-galaxy-watch3-samsung-unpacked-2020.png
CNET screenshot/Samsung

New ways to work out with the Galaxy Watch 3 

Despite its dressed-up exterior, the Galaxy Watch 3 doubles as a fitness tracker. It tracks 40 different workouts, including swimming (both indoors and outdoors) and will automatically detect and track seven of those workouts. Within about 10 minutes of my starting my walk, I received a notification to start a workout and it gave me credit for the 10 minutes prior. 

A heart-shaped dashboard shows you a breakdown of your active minutes, calories burned and stand time during the day compared with your target. 

I took it on my usual 3-mile run alongside the San Francisco Bay without my phone, and I found it to be fairly accurate at displaying my distance, pace and heart rate. 

You'll have to tweak the settings to display the information you want at a glance during your run, because the default doesn't include heart rate, which I personally like to have on hand. But I liked that it showed me a map of my run and a breakdown of my heart rate zones at the end of the run. It told me I had sustained my maximum heart rate for 2 minutes during the uphill portion of my run. You can also access this data after the fact on the Samsung Health app.

It also has a few bonus features for runners. The first is a running coach, the same one that debuted on the Active 2, which provides real-time feedback about pace and form during a run. Instead of starting a normal run, I selected the running coach on the watch and plugged in my earbuds. A robotic female voice told me to start my warmup. The voice gave me pace alerts throughout the run and generic tips about lengthening my stride and landing on the front of my feet instead of the heel. Be warned that using the running coach will drain the battery a lot faster than if you are tracking a regular run.

What's new to the Galaxy Watch 3 is a post-run analysis, with details including flight and contact time, asymmetry and stiffness to help identify areas of improvement. It's not as comprehensive as the data you'd get on a dedicated running watch such as the Garmin Forerunner, but it could help if you're training for a race or just looking to get more out of your usual route. 

Apparently my "stiffness" needed improvement. Good to know, but it'd be nice to get this feedback live from the running coach so I could have adjusted during my run. It can also calculate your VO2 max, or maximum oxygen consumption during exercise, to give a sense of your overall fitness and tells you what your percentage is within your age group. This is the same metric you'd get if you were doing a VO2 max test in a lab on a stationary bike or treadmill, wearing a mask that measures oxygen exchange. I'm yet to compare them to determine whether or not the reading I got on the Galaxy Watch 3 was accurate. 

watch5
Mitchell Chang/CNET

Another first on the Galaxy Watch 3 is a feature that lets you sync it with home workout videos you can control from your wrist. I wasn't really a home workout videos kind of person before March, but I think the global pandemic has made us all rethink how we exercise and I've since been doing a lot of Pilates and yoga classes on my TV. Having the workout on my wrist was a big step up from my usual routine. 

I selected an abs program on the Health app, which consisted of three 15-minute workouts during the week, and was able to cast the first of the series on my Samsung TV and and follow along with my watch. The watch vibrated to let me know when it was time to move on to the next exercise and let me pause with a press of the button when I had to readjust my position. Plus it gave me the appropriate calorie credit at the end of it (or at least what I think is appropriate based on similar previous workouts). 

This is not the first watch to offer training prompts from your wrist: Fitbit's Premium account gives workout videos that sync with the Versa, and there are third-party workout apps for the Apple Watch. But it's nice that Samsung offers it natively and for free. My one complaint is that the workout I chose had the same robotic woman's voice as the running coach guiding me through the workouts -- and let's just say she's not exactly motivating when you're trying to hold a plank for 60 seconds. 

Sleep tracking finally makes sense on the Galaxy Watch 3

One of my biggest complaints about the sleep tracking feature on the original Galaxy Watch was that it provided little context about your sleep habits, especially for if you don't know much about sleep to begin with. 

The Watch 3 has learned a lot from the mistakes of its predecessors, and now gives a more comprehensive look at your night. It gives you a full breakdown of the stages of sleep (light, REM, deep), and compares yours with a normal range. It also gives you a score based on these factors. 

I've never found the score to be helpful, but having the context of seeing my data compared with a normal range helped me figure out how to get the most out of my sleep. While my total sleep time was good, I found I wasn't spending much time in "deep" sleep compared with what's typical. I tried going to bed an hour earlier, and though my total sleep time didn't change, I was able to extend my deep sleep time and felt more rested in the morning. 

Samsung

The basic smartwatch features, but no MST for Samsung Pay

I tested the Galaxy Watch 3 with an iPhone 11 Pro and a Galaxy S20 Ultra and, while it worked well on both, some of its features, which include text responses and mobile payments, are only available for Android users. The Watch runs on Samsung's own Tizen operating system, which is easy to navigate and offers a lot more customization than some of its competitors. You can set widgets and rearrange apps right from the watch screen.

You can type, scribble, dictate or doodle a response and take calls from your wrist. It doesn't have a huge selection of third-party apps (Spotify and Strava are among the few), but it does receive notifications from most of them including Facebook, WhatsApp and even CNET news alerts.

With Spotify you get full music control, offline listening for Premium subscribers and streaming over LTE (you'll pay about $50 more for the cellular version of the Galaxy Watch 3). 

The Galaxy Watch 3 has Samsung Pay, but sadly it's NFC-only and the feature will only work at NFC-enabled terminals. The Galaxy phones and Gear S3 have MST technology so you can use them for contactless payment at nearly all credit card terminals with a magnetic strip. 

Battery life is disappointing

Samsung says the battery on the Galaxy Watch 3 will last for up to two days, which it can, but there are a few caveats. For starters, this claim only applies to the larger 45mm version of the watch. I tested the smaller, 41mm version and Samsung says this size will last closer to a day and a half with "normal use." As always, mileage may vary depending on how you intend to use it. 

With the always on display set to auto brightness, tracking a full night of sleep and taking it on a 30-minute jog (without my phone) I only just made it to the 24-hour mark. 

The watch offers some battery-saving tips including turning off the always-on feature, limiting the screen timeout and turning off location data. I made those changes and the watch lasted a day and a half when I didn't have time for a run and had the always-on screen off, but I feel like those features should be factored into Samsung's claim.

I was also disappointed to find that the watch doesn't come with its own USB wall adapter, just a cable with the magnetic charging puck, but the upside is that you can charge it on any Qi compatible wireless charger, or get a quick boost on the go using the Power Share feature on Samsung's Galaxy phones (S10 or later). 

A good-looking smartwatch with great potential

The Galaxy Watch 3 has come a long way in terms of its features and user experience. Starting at $400 for the base 41mm model, you're getting a premium-looking smartwatch that can finally keep up as a fitness tracker. But the Watch 3 won't feel fully finished until it can deliver on all of its health features.

If you're not too attached to the design, or the physical bezel, you might also consider the Galaxy Watch Active 2, which shares a lot of the same features for about $200 less.

First published Aug. 10.


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Buying An IPhone 11 In 2022 Might Make Sense For You


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Buying an iPhone 11 in 2022 Might Make Sense for You


Buying an iPhone 11 in 2022 Might Make Sense for You

Since the debut of the iPhone 11 in 2019, we've since seen the debut of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12. And in a few days, we're likely to see the debut of the iPhone 14 at Apple's next event on Sept. 7. The iPhone 11 may be over two years old, but it might still be a good choice, especially since Apple discounted it to $499 last year. While we recommend that you wait for the next Apple event before buying any iPhone at all, especially since prices for current iPhone models will likely decrease afterward, the iPhone 11 does have a lot to like as a phone that's under $500.

For instance, do you mind using an iPhone that feels a bit dated? Or do you think saving several hundred dollars is more important than carrying the latest phone? What about 5G -- how important is that to you? If you're shopping on a budget, the iPhone 11 is still a great choice. Although you'll be missing out on some newer features, the iPhone 11 gives you all the basics you'd want from an iPhone, including battery life that's on par with the iPhone 12, a great dual-lens camera that includes night mode and a processor that's still fast enough for everyday tasks. 

Read more: Here's how the iPhone 11 compares to the iPhone 12 and how the iPhone 13 compares to the iPhone 12.

But if you have some wiggle room in your budget, here are some questions to ask yourself. (For the purposes of this article, I'm going to assume that you are currently using an iPhone.) And if you're still mulling over your decision after that, here's how the iPhone 13 compares to the last five years of iPhones as well as our list of the best iPhones. Plus, check out all the differences between the iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max.

5G connectivity: iPhone 11 doesn't have 5G. But do you really need it right now?

One of the iPhone 11's biggest missing features compared to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 is 5G connectivity. The iPhone 11 is an LTE-only device, and if you don't care for the next-gen wireless tech just yet (service is patchy in the US after all), then the iPhone 11 should suit you just fine. Remember that 5G debuted on the iPhone 12 lineup and getting access to faster bands of 5G depends on where you live, so going for the iPhone 12 makes your purchase more future-proof

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Angela Lang/CNET

Display quality: You won't get a 120Hz refresh rate on an iPhone 11 (or iPhone 12)

The iPhone 11 uses a crisp LCD screen that refreshes at 60 frames per second, or 60Hz. Apple traded up in the iPhone 12, equipping it with an OLED screen, though it kept the display at 60Hz just like most phones. OLEDs are typically more vibrant than their LCD counterparts, with richer contrast and inkier blacks. If you watch a lot of videos on your iPhone and want a superior viewing experience, an OLED screen might make more sense for you. The iPhone 13 also boasts an OLED panel too, though Apple bumped up the refresh rate for the Pro models to 120Hz. The faster refresh rate will translate to smoother, snappier scrolling through apps and websites. 

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Apple's Wallet app will be able to store driver's licenses in iOS 15. 

Screenshot by CNET

Software support: How long will the iPhone 11 get iOS software updates? 

Apple's latest operating system, iOS 15, is supported on many older iPhones, and the oldest is the 2015 iPhone 6S (Here's how to download the new OS, but you may want to wait.) Based on that and some quick mental math, we can deduce that Apple plans to provide iPhone support for up to six years from launch. As a result, with the iPhone 11, unveiled in 2019, you can rest comfortably knowing that you can expect updates through 2025. 

Read more: iOS 15's biggest new features: FaceTime, Apple Wallet and Notifications get new tricks

Durability and water resistance: How durable do you want your iPhone to be?

If you do opt for the iPhone 11, you will miss out on a few durability features that are available on the newer iPhone models. One of the iPhone 12's big improvements is the material of its display. Apple calls it "ceramic shield" glass. Made by Corning, the ceramic shield glass covering the phone's display is apparently harder than most metals. Indeed, we can confirm that the iPhone 12's ceramic shield is tough. Our iPhone 12 drop tests show it protected the hardware from drops as high as 9 feet. (CNET's iPhone 12 Mini drop tests yielded similar results.) The iPhone 13 also has the same ceramic shield glass on its display.

So if you're a big klutz and are prone to slips and drops, springing for the iPhone 13 or iPhone 12 is a wise move (or just get a really nice iPhone case). Keep in mind, the iPhone 11 isn't a delicate darling, either. It also survived CNET's drop and water tests and earned a CNET Editors' Choice Award. You can read our iPhone 11 review for more details. 

Read more: Farewell iPhone case: The case for the caseless phone

Price and budget: How much do you want to spend on an iPhone?

As I said earlier, Apple is selling the nearly two-year-old iPhone 11 for $300 less now than when it first launched, making it a great choice for those shopping on a budget. But, as also mentioned previously, the iPhone 11 could become even cheaper once Apple debuts its 2022 line of iPhone models. Also of note, the current iPhone 12 and 12 Mini might come down in price and hit that $499 level, as typically Apple lowers the price of existing iPhone models once the newest model goes on sale.

It's also worth considering carrier deals from Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T, all of which may subsidize the price of an iPhone in exchange for committing to a cellular service plan. Last year the three companies offered hundreds of dollars off with those contracts, and possibly pay off the phone entirely with a device trade-in. Just keep in mind that there are plenty of caveats to those deals, like commitments ranging from 24 to 36 months.

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Apple's getting ready for a Sept. 7 event , which is very likely to be the moment we learn about the company's next iPhone line. 

The newest version, expected to be called the iPhone 14, is rumored to include an always-on display similar to what's on the Apple Watch now, allowing for constant glanceable information without ruining battery life.

Apple hasn't really said what it plans to announce at its event, only sending out a cryptic invitation to the press, with an Apple logo seemingly set in a night sky, suggesting potential camera improvements or last year's rumored satellite emergency calling. The image looks like something we might see from the James Webb Space Telescope, whose stunning photos have already begun changing how we view the cosmos since first being released earlier this summer. In its announcement, Apple included the teaser words "Far out." 

Read more: Apple Makes 'Far Out' iPhone Launch Event Official For Sept. 7

The iPhone 14 launch will also mark the 15th year since the original iPhone's debut, in June of 2007. Back then, the device wasn't the sure hit it is today. Many tech industry watchers were enthusiastic about Apple's prospects of course, but it hadn't proven it can build reliable phone technology before then. It was also up against massive competitors such as Microsoft, Palm and Research in Motion, whose Blackberry devices ruled the business world at the time. Within a decade though, Apple -- as well as Google's popular Android software -- had bested all three companies.

While the iPhone will be a key product we see at Apple's event this year, and likely what most people focus their attention on, the company's expected to hold other events later this year with other devices to show off. Those include new Mac computers with upgraded chips and new iPads.

Read moreEverything We Know So Far About the iPhone 14

When is the Apple event?

Apple's online-only event will be Sept. 7 at 10 a.m. PT, which is 1 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. BST and 3 a.m. AEST. (Sorry, Australia.) Here's a handy time zone converter to help find what time it'll be where you are.

Where can I watch Apple's livestream?

You'll be able to stream Apple's event straight from the company's website. Meanwhile, we'll be reporting on the event live here at CNET.

What can we expect, besides the iPhone 14 launch?

Apple's digital events are fast paced and slickly produced. And even though Apple's now trying its hand at in-person events again as coronavirus pandemic-era health concerns slowly recede, the company still seems to be applying what it's learned about how to make its events more compelling. During its last event, the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, Apple held a livestream but then offered in-person demos for the press afterward


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Pixel 6 Pro Review: Google's Flagship Is Still A Top IPhone Rival In 2022


Review of google pixel 6 pro google pixel 6 and 6 pro reviews pixel 6 google review google 6 pixel pro review google pixel 6 pro review camera google pixel 6 pro user reviews google pixel 6 pro camera review pixel 6 pro case pixel 6 pro 128gb pixel 6 pro vs iphone 13 pro pixel 6 review
Pixel 6 Pro Review: Google's Flagship Is Still a Top iPhone Rival in 2022


Pixel 6 Pro Review: Google's Flagship Is Still a Top iPhone Rival in 2022

Editors' note: The Google Pixel 6 Pro's solid all-round performance and excellent camera make it a superb high-end Android phone that's well worth your money, which is why we've given it a CNET Editors' Choice award. The original review follows. 


When it launched late in 2021, I said the Pixel 6 Pro isn't just the best phone Google has ever made, it's also one of the best phones you can buy. Half a year later, I stand by those words and strongly recommend you consider this phone if you're looking for a great all-round experience at a more reasonable price. Its strong performance, great software additions, unique design and excellent camera system make it the biggest rival to Apple's iPhone 13 Pro and Samsung's Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Sure, the Galaxy S22 Ultra has a few more bells and whistles. The S Pen stylus, for example, not to mention that incredible 10x optical zoom that blows both the Pixel 6 Pro's 4x zoom and the iPhone 13 Pro's 3.5x zoom out the water. The S22 Ultra is faster on benchmark tests, too. But at $1,200 it also costs a lot more than the Pixel, meaning you've really got to be dedicated to having only the most cutting-edge tech in your pocket to want to splash that extra cash.

The Pixel 6 Pro manages to offer its winning combo of specs and design at a price that undercuts its main rivals. The 6.7-inch base 128GB model costs $899 (£849, AU$1,299), a sizable chunk less than the 6.1-inch iPhone 13 Pro's $999 price and even more off the $1,099 Apple wants for the larger 6.7-inch iPhone 13 Pro Max. Sure, $899 might not be "cheap" but it represents good value when compared against the prices of other flagship phones.

Google's earlier Pixel 5 was best seen as a midrange phone with some higher-end touches, while the Pixel 6 Pro is premium all the way. From its glass and metal design to its high-resolution display and its superb triple camera, there's a lot to like here. Then there's the Tensor processor, a chip custom-made by Google for the phone, which provides ample power for all of your daily needs, better security features, 5G connectivity and a slick Android 12 interface. Battery life is good -- certainly above average -- but not great, with the iPhone 13 Pro putting in a stronger performance.

Its biggest Android rival right now is the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, which does have some neat camera additions (that 10x zoom, for one thing), but it costs more and the Pixel 6 Pro offers a more user-friendly experience. The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max offer superb all-round use, but come at a higher price and if you're already entrenched in the Android ecosystem, it's likely not worth switching and buying all those apps again. 

Those looking for the best all-round Android experience should absolutely look toward the Pixel 6 Pro. 

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Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Pixel 6 Pro or Pixel 6?

The stepdown $599 (£599, AU$999) Pixel 6 packs the same Tensor processor and lovely Android 12 software for $300 less than the Pro, but there are a few compromises it makes in order to come to that cheaper price.

It has a smaller and lower resolution 6.4-inch display that lacks the curving finesse of the Pro. Its battery is smaller, it has 8GB rather than 12GB of RAM and it lacks the 4x telephoto zoom lens found on the Pro. 

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The Pixel 6 Pro has a 6.7-inch display while the Pixel 6's measures 6.4 inches.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

But it's still a great phone that's well worth considering. It provides many of the same perks of the Pixel 6 Pro at a much lower price, especially if you don't care about the top-end performance offered by the flagship. As my colleague Patrick Holland put it in his review of the phone, "For the price, I can't think of a better phone to recommend right now."

A fresh design that stands out 

I didn't love the look of last year's Pixel 5. The matte, rubberized back gave the phone a more budget feel than its $699 price tag suggested. The Pixel 6 Pro is worlds apart. The rear is all glass -- toughened Gorilla Glass Victus, in fact -- that curves at the edges to meet the 100% recycled aluminum frame. 

The glass curves at the edges on the front, too, as does the display beneath it, making it not only look more premium, but feel like a truly flagship device when you hold it in your hand. It's big though, packing in a 6.7-inch display, which will make it more cumbersome for some than the 6-inch Pixel 5 or 6.4-inch Pixel 6. That glass makes it slippery, too, so consider one of Google's protective cases if you're nervous about dropping it. 

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The Pixel 6 Pro, flanked by the iPhone 13 Pro (left) and Pixel 5.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

It is IP68-rated for water resistance, meaning it can withstand being in 1 meter (about 3 feet) of water for up to 30 minutes. No, that doesn't mean you can take it swimming, but it does mean it should be able to shake off having the odd beer spilled over it by your clumsy mates. 

An interesting design choice is the large camera bar that stretches across the back. It protrudes from the phone by about 3mm, so it doesn't lie totally flat when you put it on a table, but nor does it rock from corner to corner like phones with camera bumps just on one side. I like the look of the phone and it certainly stands out. One tip though: Get the Sorta Sunny orangey-peachy color, if you can find it in stock. The black-and-gray option, Stormy Black, looks rather dull by comparison. 

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The camera strip protrudes from the phone by about 3mm. As a result, it won't lie flat on a table.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

The rear-mounted fingerprint scanner seen on the Pixel 5 has been removed, replaced instead with an in-screen scanner, which I found worked accurately and quickly most of the time, although Patrick found the Pixel 6's scanner to be much more hit and miss in his review. There's no face unlock ability, which is a bit of a shame.

Three excellent cameras

That big bar on the back hides three cameras: a 12-megapixel ultrawide; a 48-megapixel telephoto that offers 4x optical zoom; and a main camera that uses a larger 1/1.3-inch sensor, which Google says captures 2.5x more light than the Pixel 5. The cameras on the Pixel phones have always been excellent, and this new generation is no different. 

Images from the main camera lens are stunning. They're vibrant, they're packed with detail and there's an amazing balance of exposure, with bright skies kept under control and shadowy areas being easily visible. 

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Pixel 6 Pro, main camera.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

The golden colors of the leaves have been captured beautifully here, with a rich blue sky visible behind. 

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iPhone 13 Pro, main camera.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

And here's the same image taken on the iPhone 13 Pro. There's little to choose between them, but if I was being hypercritical, I'd say that the white balance on the Pixel 6 Pro has resulted in a warmer, more orange tone on the tree trunk, which I think looks better. You can see how the Pixel 6 Pro's camera really stacks up against the iPhone 13 Pro's in my photography shootout.

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Pixel 6 Pro, main camera.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

This scene looking towards the beautiful Edinburgh castle is a challenging shot, with dark shadows and an extremely bright sky beyond the trees. The Pixel 6 Pro has handled it well though, maintaining a lovely exposure overall.

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Pixel 6 Pro, main camera.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

And it's much the same here, with vivid blue skies, superb exposure and plenty of detail. 

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Pixel 6 Pro, ultrawide camera.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Switching to the ultrawide lens, the scene maintains the rich colors and exposure. Zoom closer in and it's clear it has less overall detail, but it's still a lovely shot. 

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Pixel 6 Pro, ultrawide camera.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Another from the Pixel 6 Pro's ultrawide lens. But check out the iPhone 13 Pro's:

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iPhone 13 Pro, ultrawide lens.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

The iPhone's offers a much wider view that lets you capture more in the scene. They're both excellent wide lenses and both do a great job in packing in those beautiful colors, but I'd like to have seen the Pixel offering a slightly wider scene.

The 4x zoom lens is amazing too, providing tons of detail thanks to its high resolution sensor. I think 4x is a great zoom level for a phone as well; it allows you to find compositions that would be beyond the reach of lesser zoom levels, but it's not quite as restrictive as the 10x zoom you'll find on the Galaxy S22 Ultra. It's a zoom level I feel I'd use a lot on my travels and have already taken a few 4x shots with the phone that I'm really pleased with as artistic images.

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Pixel 6 Pro, 4x zoom.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

This zoomed-in image is so pin-sharp I can actually read the headline on the newspaper. It's a really impressive lens that doesn't force you to make any kind of compromise on quality in order to achieve those zoom levels. By comparison, the iPhone 13 Pro's optical zoom maxes out at 3x, so the Pixel 6 Pro is able to achieve a closer-up image. Which, frankly, I'd take any day over a wider-angle view.

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Pixel 6 Pro, 4x zoom.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

It's handy as well for focusing your view on a smaller scene like this, capturing intimate little still-life scenes, rather than grand, sweeping vistas. The fine textures on the leaves here are extremely sharp. 

Google has thrown some extra features in too, including a tool that automatically removes people from the background in an image, which sometimes works well, and sometimes leaves a big splotch where a person once stood. Then there's the long exposure mode, which allows you to create ethereal blurred waterscapes and the Nightscape mode, which does an excellent job of taking shots in the dark. 

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Pixel 6 pro, Nightscape photo.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

I'm seriously impressed with the photography abilities of the Pixel 6 Pro and there's no question that it's among the best cameras you can get on a phone right now. Video quality is excellent as well, with superb dynamic range, excellent image stabilization and plenty of detail thanks to the 4K resolution. 

Does Google's Tensor processor make a difference?

At the heart of the phone is Google's first home-baked processor, named Tensor. It's a significant move for Google to produce its own silicon and it shows a strong commitment to remain in the hardware game -- after all, you don't go to the effort of developing your own processors as a one-off experiment.  

But it's essentially irrelevant once you get the Pixel in your hand, as it functions just like any other phone. It's nippy to navigate around the Android 12 interface, games like Asphalt 9: Legends and Call of Duty play perfectly, while photo editing and video streaming are handled exactly as well as you'd get from any other top-end phone right now. 

Pixel 6 Pro benchmark tests

Google Pixel 6 Pro

Apple iPhone 13 Pro

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

Legend:

Geekbench 5 (single core)

Geekbench 5 (multi core)

3DMark Wild Life Extreme

Note:

Longer bars equal better performance

On benchmark tests like the Geekbench 5 processor test and 3DMark's Wild Life Extreme graphics test, the Pixel 6 Pro doesn't score quite as highly as the iPhone 13 Pro, but it's up there with the Galaxy S21 Ultra (and it edged out the powerful OnePlus 9 Pro on the graphics test too). Benchmarks are by no means a direct indicator of real-life performance, but it's good to at least see that Google's new silicon is operating in the same ballpark as its rivals. 

No, the Tensor chip is not setting a new standard for lightning-fast performance. But it doesn't need to; today's phones already pack way more power than any of us are likely to need on a daily basis. Google's push into chip production goes beyond simply creating a "benchmark beater" and a lot of the real benefits will come over time as the company develops more ways to take advantage of its own hardware.

The Tensor processor is particularly designed with machine learning, AI and speech-recognition applications in mind. There are already speech-recognition functions built into the keyboard (for dictating messages or emails) as well as real-time translation tools and improved visual language translations when using Google Lens via the camera. 

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Both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro run the latest Android 12 software.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Android 12 is lovely to use

The Android 12 interface is extremely neat and easy to use. It's my favorite version of Android so far, offering an uncomplicated experience that even Android novices won't take long to get to grips with. One of the bigger features that's (for now) exclusive to the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro is the ability to create custom themes for the phone based on whatever image you have as your background. 

When you choose a new wallpaper (either one of the many built-in ones, or any of your own images saved to your phone), the phone will automatically pick out the dominant color and will use that, and its complementary colors, to change the look of parts of the interface, including some of the default Google app icons on the home screen, such as the Play Store, Gmail and Photos. It's a nice idea, although it probably shouldn't be the main reason you decide to part with your cash.

Security has been given a particular push both on the software and hardware side. The Tensor processor has a dedicated Titan coprocessor that apparently allows for much better on-device security, while Android 12 offers more granular control of your security and privacy settings. That includes a dashboard that shows what apps have used what information recently and handy buttons in the pull-down notification tray that turn off system-wide access to your camera and microphone. 

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Those quick-access privacy buttons might come in handy.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Google has also promised that the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro will receive security updates for five years, which will mean these phones will be safer to use for longer. Many older phones are still perfectly usable from a hardware standpoint, but if they don't have the latest security patches on board then they're susceptible to all kinds of hacking nastiness. From both a cost and environmental perspective, being able to use our phones safely for longer is only a good thing.

Vibrant display, solid battery life and fast charging

The Pixel 6 Pro's 6.7-inch display is pin-sharp thanks to its 3,120x1,440-pixel resolution. It's bright, too, with vibrant colors that do justice to colorful games like Candy Crush Soda Saga or video like Netflix's world-dominating show Squid Game. It has an adaptive refresh rate that can go up to 120Hz when you're playing fast-paced games, but also slows down to only 10Hz when the phone is basically sitting idle. Performance when you need it; power-saving when you don't. 

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The Pixel 6 Pro and perhaps its biggest rival, the iPhone 13 Pro.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

The phone runs on a 5,003-mAh battery, which should be good for a full day of mixed use. After one hour of streaming a YouTube video at max brightness it had dropped from full to 98%. By contrast, the OnePlus 9 Pro had dropped to 90%, while the iPhone 13 Pro dropped to only 99%. After a further hour the 6 Pro had dropped to 89%, while the iPhone 13 Pro was at 93%. You certainly shouldn't struggle to get through the day with it, but as with all phones, you can help it by keeping screen brightness down, avoiding demanding tasks like gaming or video streaming until you're near a plug, and turning off GPS. 

It has Qi wireless charging and it supports fast charging with a 30-watt charger (not supplied), which will take the phone to 50% full in 30 minutes. That's decent, but not really a match for OnePlus's 65-watt fast charging, which will fully charge the device in the same time. Still, it's fast enough to be able to give your phone a quick boost before you head out and about, and the Extreme Battery Saver mode pauses all but your essential apps to preserve the remaining juice.

Google Pixel 6 specs vs. Google Pixel 6 Pro, Google Pixel 5, Apple iPhone 13


Google Pixel 6 Google Pixel 6 Pro Google Pixel 5 Apple iPhone 13
Display size, resolution 6.4-inch OLED; 2,400x1,080 pixels; 60Hz or 90Hz 6.7-inch LTPO OLED; 3,120x1,440 pixels; 10-120Hz 6-inch FHD+ OLED; 2,340x1,080 pixels 6.1-inch OLED; 2,532x1,170 pixels
Pixel density 411 ppi 512 ppi 432 ppi 460 ppi
Dimensions (inches) 6.2x2.9x0.4 in 6.5x3.0x0.4 in 5.7x2.8x0.3 in 5.78x2.82x0.3 in
Dimensions (millimeters) 158.6x74.8x8.9mm 163.9x75.9x8.9mm 144.7x70.4x8mm 147x72x7.65mm
Weight (ounces, grams) 7.3 oz; 207g 7.41 oz; 210g 5.33 oz; 151g 6.14 oz; 174g
Mobile software Android 12 Android 12 Android 11 iOS 15
Camera 50-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel ultrawide 50-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 48-megapixel (telephoto) 12.2-megapixel (standard), 16-megapixel (ultrawide) 12-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide)
Front-facing camera 8-megapixel 11-megapixel 8-megapixel 12-megapixel
Video capture 4K 30, 60fps (rear), 1,080p 30fps (front) 4K 30, 60fps (rear), 4K 30fps (front) 4K HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 4K at 60fps
Processor Google Tensor Google Tensor Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G Apple A15 Bionic
Storage 128GB, 256GB 128GB, 256GB, 512GB 128GB 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
RAM 8GB 12GB 8GB Undisclosed
Expandable storage No No No No
Battery 4,614 mAh 5,003 mAh 4,000 mAh Undisclosed; Apple lists 19 hours of video playback
Fingerprint sensor Under display Under display Rear No (Face ID)
Connector USB-C USB-C USB-C Lightning
Headphone jack No No No No
Special features 5G sub 6 (some carrier models also have 5G mmWave) support, Wi-Fi 6E, 30W fast-charging, wireless charging, Magic Eraser, Motion mode, Real Tone, Face Unblur, Cinematic Pan, 5 years OS security updates, IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, Gorilla Glass Victus (front), Gorilla Glass 6 (back), dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM) 5G sub 6 and mmWave support, Wi-Fi 6E, ultra-wideband, 30W fast-charging, wireless charging, Magic Eraser, Motion mode, Real Tone, Face Unblur, Cinematic Pan, 5 years OS security updates, IP68 rating for dust- and water-resistance, Gorilla Glass Victus (front and back), dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM) 5G enabled; water-resistant (IP68); 90Hz-refresh-rate display; dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); reverse wireless charging; fast charging 5G enabled; MagSafe; water-resistant (IP68); wireless charging; dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM)
Price off-contract (USD) $599 (128GB) $899 (128GB) $699 $799 (128GB), $899 (256GB), $1,099 (512GB)
Price (GBP) £599 (128GB) £849 (128GB) £599 £779 (128GB), £879 (256GB), £1,079 (512GB)
Price (AUD) AU$999 (128GB)
AU$1,299 (128GB)
AU$999 AU$1,349 (128GB), AU$1,519 (256GB), AU$1,869 (512GB)

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