Apple will reportedly use a scaled-down version of the A14 Bionic on the iPhone 12 Mini

An earlier leak suggested that Apple is planning on releasing the world’s first-ever ‘mini’ iPhone this year. We can expect it to be priced at the US$500 mark, making it an ideal entry-level iPhone. The bigger question here is, will it run the A14 Bionic. The rumor mill seems to agree for the most part, but one leaker paints a different picture.

Sources have told Twitter user MauriQHD that Apple is working on a mid-range chip (tentatively) called the B14. It is expected to make its debut alongside the iPhone 12 Mini and future iPhone SE devices. In all likelihood, the so-called B14 could very well be an underclocked A14 Bionic that focuses on efficiency rather than raw power. Several users accused Apple of underclocking the iPhone SE 2020’s A13 Bionic. While its Geekbench score suggests otherwise, the existence of toned-down Apple silicon is both a good and a bad thing.

It will let Apple make headway into the hypercompetitive mid-range smartphone market, which is essential to capture audiences in several regions like India. However, one of the iPhone SE 2020’s key selling points was that it allowed users to get an A13 Bionic-powered for as little as US$400. Regardless of the silicon used, cheaper Apple phones will be universally welcomed by fans and enthusiasts alike.

Hands-on: Motorola Edge with Snapdragon 765G

The Motorola Edge is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G variant of the company’s new Edge range. It aims to strike a balance between premium design and performance while occupying a more affordable price point than Snapdragon 865-powered handsets like its own Edge+. For many people, it could be all the smartphone you need.

Intro:

The Motorola Edge is Motorola’s sub-premium mid-range handset. It sits below the more expensive and more powerful Motorola Edge+ that is designed to compete with Android flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S20. The Motorola Edge is targeted at that next tier of handsets down range including devices such as the LG Velvet. Like the LG Velvet, the Motorola Edge is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G but features high-end looks and finish. If you’re getting sick of coughing up top dollar for high-end smartphones, the Motorola Edge could be what you’re looking for.

The Hardware:

The Motorola Edge centers on a 6.7-inch 2340×1080 FHD+ OLED display with a 90 Hz refresh rate. Although not 120 Hz as is the case on some top-tier Android flagships, this is still a noticeable step up from 60 Hz panels, particularly when scrolling through apps like Twitter, Facebook or a webpage. It also supports HDR10+ content and, when combined with its relatively powerful stereo speakers, makes for an excellent content viewing experience regardless of price. Its dramatic waterfall display with almost 90° curvature looks futuristic and has excellent touch rejection and we didn’t experience any undesired touch inputs during use.

The Motorola Edge keeps things ticking along nicely with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G mated to 6 GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128 GB of expandable storage. The Snapdragon 765G, fabricated on a 7 nm process, combines two high-performance Arm Cortex-A76-based cores with four high-efficiency Arm Cortex-A55 cores, which gives more than adequate performance for everyday use and multitasking. Its Adreno 620 GPU is not quite as competitive but will be more than adequate for most 3D games, if not delivering the high frame rates possible on competitive e-sports titles like Fortnite or COD.

This is all kept juiced by a large 4,500 mAh battery that is the same size as Samsung has packed into its flagship Galaxy Note20 Ultra flagship. Motorola claims up to two days charge on it, which is backed up by a 15 W quick charger. While you won’t see that sort of battery life with heavy use, you will certainly get a full day out of it. As a cheaper device, it unsurprisingly skips wireless charging which is hard to begrudge. 

The Cameras:

The Motorola Edge uses a very competent triple rear camera set-up supplemented by a time-of-flight sensor. The main rear camera is a 64 MP module with f/1.8 aperture and quad-pixel binning for an effective pixel size of 1.6 µm, which goes a long way to capturing more light (but also potentially more producing more image noise). Its ultra-wide angle and macro vision camera uses a 16 MP module and has an f/2.2 aperture and a 117-degree field of view. The telephoto shooter uses an 8 MP sensor with f/2.4 aperture and supports 2 x high-res optical zoom and 10x digital zoom. 

As you can see from the photos embedded below, the Motorola Edge produces high-quality photos. In addition to RAW photo support, it also offers a Night Vision mode and modes for long exposure shots. It is a versatile camera setup that will keep most users quite happy and even those who want to dig deeper into photo processing with applications like Photoshop. When you look at how much more you need to pay for a Snapdragon 865-powered flagship device with better camera optics (including Motorola’s own Edge+), you are still getting a more than acceptable overall imaging result for much less.

The Operating System and Usability:

The Motorola Edge comes preinstalled with Android 10 and we are using the most recent update that includes the August 1 security patch. Motorola’s Android skin is called My UX, but it is in all respects a stock Android device, which is a massive plus in our view. In our recent experience with the Exynos 990-powered Galaxy Note20 Ultra and the Snapdragon 865-powered Oppo Find X2 Pro, which both feature relatively heavily customized Android skins, system lag in certain apps was noticeable at times. By comparison, the bloatware-free My UX running on the Motorola Edge feels much smoother and delivers a more consistent software experience. At the same time, My UX gives users the opportunity to tap right into the customization features built into Android 10 to make it your own should you want to customize it further.

Conclusion:

This new class of Snapdragon 765-powered Android handsets like the Motorola Edge provides a genuine alternative to high-end Android flagship smartphones. One of the key advantages that the Motorola Edge offers over its competition is a near stock Android OS that offers an almost flawless Android user experience as a result. In all other key areas it also delivers thanks to its excellent display, its high-quality audio experience and its very good cameras. It also offers a contemporary design with looks that would easily pass for something much more expensive. It might not offer absolute top shelf performance, but it is more than good enough across all departments that it poses a serious question about the value of paying more for a Snapdragon 865-powered handset.

Leaked 85-inch Surface Hub 2S product images confirm specifications of 2020-bound interactive whiteboard

WalkingCat has revealed that Microsoft plans to release a new version of the Surface Hub. Microsoft released 55-inch and 84-inch versions of the Surface Hub five years ago, but it opted to only bring a 50-inch edition of the Surface Hub 2S to market last year. However, it did announce an 85-inch model last April, which may be the version that we are looking at here.

According to the two images, the device has an 85.6-inch Pixelsense display that operates at 4K. The display also has a 16:9 aspect ratio and is coated anti-glare glass. It is only a 60 Hz panel though, unlike the 120 Hz ones that Microsoft offered with the original Surface Hub. Additionally, the screen has 32 mm thick bezels, which appear to be uniform.

The device itself measures 1130 x 1960 x 85 mm and weighs 85 kg. Moreover, Microsoft has included VESA 600 x 600 mounting screens, which can be seen below. The device also has USB Type-A and Type-C ports, along with Source, Volume and Power buttons. 

It is unclear if Microsoft will ever bring this version of the Surface Hub to market. The company postponed the Surface Hub 2X earlier this year, although Windows Central claimed that it would eventually ship with another variant of Windows Core OS, codenamed Santorini. Mary Jo Foley stated in February that Microsoft still planned to release the 85-inch version of the Surface Hub 2S in 2020, so there may still be hope for the project yet. As for a price, we expect Microsoft to launch the device for at least the cost of the 84-inch Surface Hub, which started at US$22,700. 

Xperia 1 II to receive Android 11 when the Xperia 5 II launches in Q4 2020

Android 11 has already arrived for some handsets, but the Xperia 5 II has joined the Xperia 1 II in being launched on Google’s previous OS. Sony is yet to announce plans to upgrade either device to Android 11, although AndroidNext apparently has inside information on proceedings. According to the Japanese website, Android 11 will arrive on the Xperia 1 II and Xperia 5 II when the latter officially launches, which is not until October.

However, the Xperia 5 II arrives in the US on December 4, so it remains to be seen whether these Android 11 upgrades will be timed regionally. Alternatively, Sony may have a day one upgrade ready for US customers who pre-order the Xperia 5 II.

OEMs have been shipping smartphone with older versions of Android for years, possibly to avoid providing prolonged software support. AndroidNext also claims that Sony will deliver three OS upgrades to the Xperia 5 II though, as we reported earlier this month. The Xperia 1 II will also receive three OS upgrades, which would be a rarity save for Pixel and OnePlus devices.

If you are interested in the Xperia 5 II, then we have published a list of prices, along with pre-order and launch dates. It is worth checking out our coverage on the device’s specifications too, if you have not already done so. 

Nvidia Advanced Optimus is finally coming and Eluktronics will be one of the first to offer it

First teased to appear on the Lenovo Legion 5i and Legion 7i, Nvidia Advanced Optimus promises both G-Sync and Optimus in one machine simultaneously without impacting performance. In contrast, all existing G-Sync and Optimus laptops thus far have been mutually exclusive save for a small handful of models where reboots would be required to switch between the two. For whatever reason, however, the aforementioned Lenovo laptops silently began shipping without Advanced Optimus to the chagrin of Nvidia fans excited for the mobile feature.

Eluktronics CEO has posted on the company’s official Reddit board claiming that it will soon offer Advanced Optimus on both of its MAX-15 and MECH-15 15.6-inch gaming laptops. Each system will pair a 144 Hz BOE Panel with a GeForce RTX 2070 Super starting at $1799 USD. Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut paste and the new Core i7-10870H CPU will come standard alongside options for DDR4-3200 RAM.

The catch to Advanced Optimus is that rollout will likely be very slow due its unique requirements. Most notably, special hardware including new multiplexer switches and ICs are needed that specific panels must be certified for. This extra step will invariably make Advanced Optimus more difficult to integrate on a wider range of laptops especially since G-Sync laptops in general are already a minority. There’s no timeline yet as to when the feature will come to other OEMs or even screen sizes, but it’s good to see Eluktronics making the jump before everyone else.

The CPU in the Acer Aspire 3 A317-51G is slowed down

The Acer Aspire 3 A317-51G is a multimedia all-rounder in the 17.3-inch format. The test device provided to us is the current top model of the series. It’s available for just under 1,000 Euros (~$1,185). However, you won’t find any high-quality case materials despite the high price point. The chassis is completely made of black plastic. The massive case and the mediocre battery life reveal that the laptop is primarily intended for use on a desk.

The laptop is powered by a Core i7-10510U processor and a dedicated GeForce MX250 graphics core. Together, they bring most of the games in our database smoothly onto the screen. However, you have to accept some compromises in terms of resolution and quality level – this is especially true for modern titles.

Users who need as much CPU power as possible would be making a wrong choice here, though. Acer slows down the processor a bit because the power consumption of the entire laptop needs to remain within the energy budget provided by the 65-watt power adapter. The purchase of a Core-i7 Aspire is, therefore, not worthwhile. Compared to the Core-i5 processors, the CPU is supposed to offer higher Turbo clock speeds, but it doesn’t manage to deploy them. However, this can look different on Aspire models that lack a dedicated GPU.

The port configuration isn’t particularly generous. The laptop has three USB Type-A ports (2x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1). There’s no USB Type-C port. A memory card reader has been completely forgone as well – a questionable decision. An external monitor can be connected via HDMI.

The display (Full HD, IPS) scores points with a matte surface, stable viewing angles, good contrast, and decent color reproduction. The maximum brightness and the color-space coverage are too low for a device in this price range, though.

More information and many benchmark results can be found in our review of the Acer Aspire 3 A317-51G-72MD.

New Redmi K40 Pro leak reveals major performance and camera improvements over the Redmi K30 Pro

The Redmi K30 Pro was launched earlier in the year and it appears Xiaomi already has its sights set on the successor to that phone, the Redmi K40 Pro. New information has now surfaced about the K40 Pro, painting a picture of a device that’ll handily outperform the current Redmi K30 Pro across the board.

According to tipster Digital Chat Station, the Redmi K40 Pro will offer a Snapdragon 875. Massive surprise. The Redmi K20 Pro and Redmi K30 Pro were powered by the Snapdragon 855 and Snapdragon 865 respectively, so this was always expected. In any case, the Snapdragon 875 will be built on Samsung’s 5nm manufacturing node, so should be considerably more powerful and efficient than the Snapdragon 865 on the Redmi K30 Pro.

Another improvement of the Redmi K40 Pro over the Redmi K30 Pro will be in camera performance. The Redmi K40 Pro has been touted to feature Samsung’s new 108 MP ISOCELL HM2 sensor. That could also be the sensor on the upcoming Mi 10T Pro, actually. The HM2 is, by all metrics, a better-performing CMOS sensor than the 64 MP Sony IMX686 on the Redmi K30 Pro.

The Redmi K40 Pro is also expected to offer a bigger battery and faster charging versus the Redmi K30 Pro.

JAM Audio’s latest wireless headphones offer ANC and a fold-away design for US$60

JAM Audio has announced that it is seeking to bring ANC to the affordable end of the wireless headphone market with its new product. The Travel ANC set is indeed rated for this sought-after spec: its OEM claims that it can even work with its audio switched off for a bit of quiet in crowded or distracting environments.

The Travel ANCs are rated for 18 hours of playback, or 24 with its eponymous function turned off. JAM Audio also claims that the headphones deliver “hard-hitting bass with full-range sound”. Their ear cushions are padded, and they can bend along the headband and pivot at the ear-cups for compact storage when necessary.

The headphones have physical controls for media and calls, and also feature a 3.5mm jack for the option of wired listening (there is also an AUX cable in the box). Next to this port is one for microUSB – which implies a major compromise with these well-priced ANC accessories: in other words, it may take a long time (which goes unspecified by the OEM) to charge them.

Accordingly, the JAM Audio Travel ANC wireless headphones are just US$59.99. They are available from certain US retailers, or from the company’s own website, from now.

Galaxy F41: Details of Samsung’s alleged camera-centric budget phone surface ahead of launch

A few days ago, it was revealed that Samsung would debut a new lineup of phones. This new lineup, the Galaxy F series, is billed to offer camera-centric devices in the budget segment. It appears Samsung will kick off the series with the Galaxy F41 and details of the phone have now surfaced.

According to a report by GSMArena, the Galaxy F41 will be powered by the Exyno 9611. Samsung has thrown that chipset into a whole bunch of its budget phones, with devices like the Galaxy M31, Galaxy M31s, Galaxy A51, Galaxy A50s, and Galaxy M30s all using the same SoC. The phone will also come with 6 GB of RAM.

A leaked user manual of the Galaxy F41 also revealed some important details. For one, the phone appears to sport a waterdrop notch and not a hole punch as one would expect. The display is an FHD+ AMOLED as expected but bezels look to be on the large side—larger than is typical with new phones in 2020.

The Galaxy F41 will offer a triple-cam setup at the back, with a 64 MP main camera joined by an ultra-wide-angle shooter. It’s unknown what the third camera is. Other features include a rear-mounted capacitive fingerprint reader, dual speakers, and a headphone jack.

Supposedly, the Galaxy F41 could be a rebranded Galaxy M31. That looks viable, too, as some features appear to be the same on the two phones. Both phones happen to look incredibly similar, too. 

Surface Pro X 2020 billed to launch in October with custom Microsoft SQ2 processor and 64-bit app support

Microsoft is having another crack at the Surface Pro X, according to Windows Central. The first-generation device arrived just under a year ago, specifically on October 2 2019, so it is about time that Microsoft released a successor. According to Windows Central, Microsoft will unveil the new Surface Pro X alongside the budget Surface Laptop on which we reported last month.

The new Surface Pro X will retain the design of the current model but with one change. Windows Central claims that Microsoft will offer a platinum version of the Surface Pro X, probably alongside the black colour that the company currently sells. The website states that Microsoft plans to bring more Surface Pro X Type Covers to market too. Apparently, these will reflect the colours that Microsoft sells for the regular Surface Pro series.

Perhaps the most significant change for the next Surface Pro X will be the introduction of a new custom processor. In July, Windows Latest spotted a device called OEMSR OEMSR Product Name DV on Geekbench running a processor clocked at 3.15 GHz, albeit one called an Intel Pentium II/III.

Windows Central states that the next Surface Pro X will feature the Microsoft SQ2. The website does not know what changes Microsoft has made from the standard Snapdragon 8cx Gen2, but the Geekbench listing referred to the OEMSR OEMSR Product Name DV running Windows 10 Enterprise 64-bit. Hence, 64-bit support could be on the way to the Surface Pro X. There is no word on 5G connectivity though, nor pricing.