An Immersive Bedtime Experience.

The Aura smart sleep mask combines total blackout with integrated sound and light to create an immersive wind-down experience. The sunrise alarm clock offers a gentle wake-up, while the buildable soundscape provides customization options. However, the high price tag is hard to justify, especially as it’s not a particularly user friendly design.

Pros

• +Blocks out all light
• +Stays in place overnight
• +Sunrise alarm function
• +Large sound library
• +Immersive meditation

Cons

• -Limited app functionality
• -Awkward button placement
• -Not suitable for front sleepers

AURA SMART SLEEP MASK: TWO-MINUTE REVIEW

The Aura smart sleep mask uses light and sound to transform a basic eye mask into a mindful, immersive experience. I tried sleeping with the Aura mask for a week, and as someone uses an eye mask every night, I was excited to see whether a smart upgrade really could improve my rest.

Crafted with integrated speakers and an in-built ‘glow’ light, the sleep mask connects to the Aura app to provide a customizable sleep experience. You can mix and match ASMR sounds, guided meditations, and nature soundscapes to craft a meditative wind-down routine, while in the morning, the sunrise function gently wakes you up with light and sound.

The basic design of the Aura mask is excellent. The sculpted interior ‘Hug’ cushion keeps the pressure off your face and blocks light completely, while the anti-slip straps hold the mask in place even over restless nights. Back and side sleepers should be able to get comfortable, but stomach sleepers are likely to find the mask presses into the face.

Thanks to the blackout effect and calming sounds, it’s easy to get immersed in the Aura experience. If you’re struggling to find a mindful headspace before bed, the Aura separates you from the outside world while encouraging relaxation. And with a lightweight build and easy charging method, you can take the Aura’s calming techniques with you when you travel.

However, it’s expensive for a sleep mask, and I’m not sure the features entirely justify the price. There are some issues with the user experience and the app is basic, which seems at odds with the price tag. The Aura is a product like no other, and if you want a more mindful bedtime routine (especially on the go) it might be worth the money. But if it’s just better sleep you’re after, a basic eye mask is probably the better starting place.

I tested the Aura smart sleep mask in Midnight Black, which is available for pre-order and will be released 14th March. The Aura smart sleep mask original was launched in November 2023. and is available for purchase from Aura.

Buy the Aura Smart Sleep Mask in Midnight Black from Aura

AURA SMART SLEEP MASK: PRICE

• MSRP US$358 / £285 / €339.95, often discounted to US$229 / £182 / €218.95
• Aura app is free to use
• 1 year warranty for the mask, Hug insert has a 3 month warranty

The Aura smart sleep mask has an MSRP of $329, although it’s regularly discounted, so don’t expect to pay full price. Aura has previously discounted the original sleep mask by up to 40 per cent, taking it down to $199.

Even at a discount, this is an expensive buy, especially considering a basic sleep mask is only a few dollars. However, the Aura is pretty unique. While blackout masks, sleep masks with integrated speakers, and sunrise alarm clocks exist separately, as far as I can tell the Aura is the only one that combines all three.

Aura offers a one year warranty for the mask, while the interior insert has a three month warranty. The app is free to download and doesn’t require a subscription to use it. This gives you access to the full range of features at no extra cost – a welcome bonus, as you can’t use the mask without the app. It’s not unusual for smart products to charge an app subscription cost on top of the original price, so I certainly appreciate that the Aura doesn’t require this.

Is the Aura mask worth it? Thinking of it less as a sleep mask with some added features and more as a sunrise alarm clock with a speaker, a blackout design, and excellent portability, the cost is somewhat justified. There are limited uses to the Aura, but for those after improved mindfulness before bed, the mask delivers.

AURA SMART SLEEP MASK: DESIGN

• Magnetic 3D Hug insert relieves pressure at the eye area
• Velcro strap for a secure fit
• USB-C charger included

The Aura looks like a bigger, bulkier version of a standard sleep mask, but the simple design hides everything interesting happening underneath. Available in two colors – gray and black – the Aura has a sleek appeal. A few interesting colorways would be welcome, especially considering the price, but the overall look is stylish.

Inside sits a detachable 3D Hug band. This is a sculpted, cushioned band that sticks to the interior of the mask with a magnet, taking the pressure off the face while blocking all light. The outer material and the interior Hug are both soft against the skin, and the 3D effect prevents the mask from damaging the eyelashes. Straps at the back use velcro for an adjustable fit, with an anti-slip design to prevent the mask from moving around in the night.

The interior of the Aura smart sleep mask, including hug cushion and glow bar.

Hidden inside the mask is a set of ultra-slim speakers. Because the speakers aren’t set directly over the ears, there is some sound leakage – if you share a bed, your partner is likely to hear what’s coming from your mask, although not clearly.

Sitting just in front of the eye line on the interior of the mask is a small ‘glow’ bar. This is a gentle light, but when the mask is closed, it does flood the space. It’s also not visible from the outside when wearing the mask.

Aura claims the battery lasts for seven nights of normal use, which I found accurate. However, the battery life does depend on usage – if you choose a particularly long soundscape, expect the battery to drain quicker. A light on the mask indicates when the battery is running low, and you can check battery life by connecting to the app. As the Aura charges directly via the cable, you can’t comfortably use the mask when it’s charging.

Weighing 4.59oz (130g), this is heavier than your average sleep mask, but feels surprisingly light on the face. It’s also light and compact enough to travel with. The Aura does come with a small bag that I assume is for traveling, but it’s very hard to actually get the mask in there, so it might serve some other purpose I’m not aware of. (Aura reached out to me to explain that this bag is a laundry bag for the Hug cushion, to keep it protected during a machine wash. Even without the bag, I maintain it would be easy to travel with the Aura.)

The interior Hug band is removable and can be machine or hand washed with mild detergent. Leave it to dry completely before reattaching to your mask. The mask itself is spot clean-only, and you should avoid getting it wet.

AURA SMART SLEEP MASK: FEATURES

• 100 per cent blackout eye mask
• Integrated speakers play customizable soundscapes
• Glow light provides a sunrise alarm effect

At a basic level, the Aura is a 100 per cent blackout sleep mask. Thanks to the thick fabric and molded shape, no light can get in from any side, leaving you in total darkness. While it does rely slightly on the contours of your face roughly matching the Hug insert, for most people, the Aura should block essentially all light.

But this is the simplest function of the Aura. The Aura is a smart sleep mask, able to connect via Bluetooth to the Aura app to play sound, light, and act as an alarm. As well as white noise for sleep, the Aura offers guided meditations, nature soundscapes, and ASMR, which you can schedule and customize depending on whether you’re waking up, going to sleep, napping, or meditating. Because it uses Bluetooth, you can also play your own music through the Aura…  although I wouldn’t recommend it, as I’ll discuss in the performance section below.

The glow bar on the inside of the Aura smart sleep mask, surrounded by the 3D hug cushion

As well as soundscapes, the Aura also contains a sunrise light. This gentle glow bar is located on the interior of the mask, and it pulses along with certain meditations and noises. It also acts as a sunrise alarm clock, with the light gradually increasing at your chosen wake-up time, for a gentle start to the morning.

The Aura app has its own set of features, but it’s primarily used to control the Aura. While there’s a small sleep diary, its functions are minimal, and it primarily tracks your chosen wake-up and sleep times. The app also sends occasional notifications, indicating it’s time to nap, get ready for bed. These need a bit of fine tuning – I received a wake-up notification several minutes after the alarm had gone off, when I’d already disconnected the Aura and closed the app, for instance.

AURA SMART SLEEP MASK: PERFORMANCE

• Comfortable fit that stays in place during the night
• Immersive experience from blackout design and speakers
• App is basic and not particularly user-friendly

First, let’s talk about the Aura as a sleep mask. It’s soft against the face, with the velcro strap allowing you to create a close and secure fit. The inner Hug cushion is sculpted to the eye area and even with the straps as tight as they would go, it’s comfortable and won’t press against your eyes. An anti-slip coating prevents the Aura from moving during the night if, like me, you toss and turn.

This contoured fit prevents light from leaking in around the edges of the mask, creating a 100 per cent blackout effect. With the mask on, it’s honestly hard to tell if it’s day or night. As someone who struggles to sleep with even small amounts of light in the room, this is a real bonus. But this close fit did come with a slight downside – it could get warm. However, this is an issue with many eye masks.

The 3D cushioned Hug mask, removed from the Aura smart sleep mask.

With the Aura you get the basic benefits of a sleep mask, plus a lot more additional features. Using the Aura app, I designed a series of soundscapes for meditation and to help me fall asleep. With white noise, meditation tracks, ASMR, and nature sounds to choose from, there’s enough variety to suit the majority of sleepers. It was fun to craft these soundscapes, and while I normally kept my sessions under the 30 minute mark, you could push it much longer if you wanted sounds to last for most of the night.

The in-built speakers gave the Aura something of a surround sound effect which, combined with the total blackout, made for a deeply immersive experience. I often struggle to concentrate during meditation – the urge to peek is just too strong. With the Aura, it was much easier to get into the serene headspace and stay there. Plus, because the mask was already on my face and the alarm was set, at the end of the soundscape, I simply had to lie down and go to sleep. No disruptions to my calm mood.

That’s at the start of the night. For the morning, you can use the app to set an alarm for your chosen wake-up time. When the time comes, the ‘glow’ light will gradually illuminate, simulating a sunrise, before the sound kicks in.

The Aura Smart sleep mask in the box it came in.

The wake-up is impressively effective, with the light and sound coming together to create the feeling of a natural beginning to the morning. I did find it a little slow at waking me up, but that’s by design – this isn’t the jarring alert of a standard alarm. However, I always set the alarm to start a few minutes before I actually wanted to wake up, so it had time to work.

Aura claims the mask is side sleeper-friendly, and I found this largely accurate. Sometimes it took a minute of adjustment to get my head, the mask, and the pillow just right, but after that, the mask stayed comfortably in place.

I also found it much easier to get comfortable when I switched my pillow. I usually sleep on a medium-firm, all-foam pillow. The foam gently contours to your head, but it doesn’t have a huge amount of give (read my Levitex pillow review to learn exactly what it’s like). When I used a feather pillow with more yield, there was less pressure from the mask overall. If you’re interested in the Aura, consider what’s the best pillow to suit this smart mask.

The tester using the Aura sleep mask while lying on their back.

Back sleepers shouldn’t have any issues with the mask, however, it’s not recommended for stomach sleepers. The sides of the mask press into the face, so unless you twist your neck all the way around, it’s pretty uncomfortable in this position.

Connecting the Aura to the app was easy, although I question why the power button is in the middle of the face, rather than along the top bar with the rest of the buttons. With the mask on, it’s hard to locate just where the button is. I spent the first part of any mindfulness session randomly pressing my face and hoping for the best. It’s easier to find when you don’t have the mask on, but then it’s a rush to get comfortable before your soundscape starts.

As it uses a Bluetooth connection, you can also use the Aura to listen to your own music or meditations. However, I don’t recommend it. While the speakers are fine for meditations and white noise, there are some obvious issues with sound quality when listening to music. It’s definitely not good enough to replace a set of headphones.

The buttons at the top of the Aura smart sleep mask.

The app itself has room for growth. There’s a sleep diary with space to record my wake up time and sleep time, plus an emotion and a gratitude prompt. It doesn’t record any additional information about sleep quality – you’ll need one of the best sleep trackers for that – but this isn’t a major downside, as the mask isn’t equipped to note that sort of data. The bigger issue is that the sleep diary function is limited and not particularly intuitive. Overall, the app could be more user-friendly – the design seems to prioritize minimalism over navigation, which did not put me in a very mindful place. However, I appreciate that this is a free app, and as the Aura is a relatively new product, there’s plenty of time for development in this area.

The mask isn’t the most user-friendly design and it has limited uses. For example, while the immersive experience is great for meditation, the blackout effect means it’s no good during yoga.

But used before bed, the Aura has some real benefits. The combination of blackout and sunrise light allows you to really tap into your circadian rhythms. At night, I could drift off in darkness, while in the morning, natural-seeming light helped gently wake me up. For meditation, the Aura can improve concentration for anyone with wandering thoughts, and I could see the same benefit if you’re struggling to sleep from stress or anxiety. By balancing mindfulness with real-world features, the Aura can be a helpful addition to the pre-bed routine.

AURA SMART SLEEP MASK: SHOULD I BUY IT?

Buy it if…

You’re sensitive to light: Sleep masks are excellent at blocking light in the evening, making it easier to fall asleep. However, that same blackout effect can be problematic in the morning, when you need light to wake you up. The Aura navigates this issue by incorporating light into the mask itself, waking you up with a natural seeming daylight.

You struggle to concentrate during meditation: As someone who gets distracted easily during meditation, the Aura sleep mask helped me add some mindfulness to my bedtime. Surrounded by sound and with a total blackout, you’re pretty much forced to concentrate. And with the velcro straps keeping the mask close to your face, there’s no temptation to peek.

You travel frequently: A lightweight build makes the Aura easy to travel with, while the total blackout effect and immersive soundscapes can help you relax even in unfamiliar, noisy, and bright environments. And thanks to the glow effect alarm, early morning flights might feel less disruptive (there’s even a pre-flight anxiety meditation).

Don’t buy it if…

You’re on a tight budget: You could buy a lifetime’s supply of standard sleep masks for the same price as the Aura. Of course, you won’t get the light and sound functions that make this smart mask standout, but if you just want a darker night, it’s not worth the money. And if only one of the smart features appeals to you (for example. Integrated speakers) there are cheaper options available.

You sleep on your stomach: The sculpted face of the Aura sleep mask presses into the face in most stomach sleeping positions, requiring multiple adjustments to get comfortable. Whether you spend the entire night on your front or you’re a combination sleeper who moves around, there are some sleep positions that just don’t work with the Aura.

You want all your sleep tracking in one place: The Aura app is free but basic and the sleep diary is bare bones. While I didn’t expect the app to track my sleep, I would have appreciated a little more functionality. Overall, it’s not the most intuitive design to use, and it seems like a missed opportunity. A functioning sleep diary plus more space to record your thoughts and mood would have really added to the experience.

AURA SMART SLEEP MASK: HOW I TESTED

I tested the Aura smart sleep mask for a week, using it both before bed as part of my wind-down routine and in bed to help me sleep and wake me up in the morning. I tested during a mild spring in Wales, in a room without blackout curtains. I also used the Aura around other people, to see how much sound traveled.

The post Aura Smart Sleep Mask Review appeared first on Review Products.

A fiery design and surprising gaming chops.

Even for Motorola, the champion of cheap Android phones, the Moto G84 is an above-average handset. It excels above its weight class for gaming power, its battery lasts ages, it has some surprisingly top-end features and, if those traits weren’t all enough, it comes in an eye-catching and vibrant red tone that we can’t get enough of.

Pros

• +Lively red color
• +Impressive performance for price
• +Snappy fingerprint scanner

Cons

• -Two other colorways are dull
• -Unimpressive cameras
• -Very similar to cheaper G73

MOTO G84 TWO-MINUTE REVIEW

Another day, another Moto G phone…

…and as usual, the Moto G84 is a surprisingly adept and reliable Android handset from one of the world’s most dedicated phone manufacturers, with Motorola continuing its forcible takeover of our round-up of the best cheap phones.

The latest entry in Motorola’s ever-growing G-line of low-cost mobiles, the G84 brings a few clear and concise arguments as to why it should be your next purchase, as well as a few wardrobes that it hopes you won’t be checking for skeletons.

First up, the Moto G84 is the company’s latest collaboration between Motorola and paint company Pantone, with one of its three colors designed by color experts. This is the Viva Magenta one that you can see pictured above, adorned in the shade that Pantone decided was its Color Of The Year 2023.

It’s a distinctive shade (which may put some people off), and we’re big enough fans to add the vibrant and striking look to the ‘Pros’ list above. But for some reason, Moto decided to release two other color options, silver and black, which look pretty boring by comparison.

We go from one of the phone’s touted selling points to something Motorola is barely mentioning: the G84 is a powerhouse for gaming. While I’ve been disappointed by other mobiles brandishing the same Snapdragon 695 chipset used here, the Moto chews through gaming and other intensive tasks. If you’re a gamer on a budget, this is definitely a solid pick.

It’s at this point in the review (less than a minute into the ‘two-minute review’, so pretty early on) that I should mention the Moto G73. This mobile, released in early 2023 and still ranged by most retailers including Moto itself, has lots of specs in common with the G84.

It has a lower price and the same camera array, same rough design, same software, same battery size, same charging speed and same screen size. Admittedly it’s screen quality is worse, it doesn’t have an under-display fingerprint scanner, it’s less powerful and it doesn’t catch the eye quite like this Viva Magenta-clad beast. But if you want to save some cash and don’t mind these tweaked features, it’s a very real competitor that may sway your attention.

‘Close competition’ is nothing new for Moto phones, given how many similar-looking budget mobiles it releases each year. Neither is my other major gripe with the handset: its cameras are anything but impressive, with photos that look a little dull and unexciting.

Picking up a Motorola phone and being surprised that its cameras aren’t amazing, is like picking up a dumbbell and being surprised it’s heavy – that trait is just par for the course. The cameras aren’t terrible either, they just won’t suit passionate smartphone-centric photographers.

And overall, the Moto G84 is a terribly impressive phone, when you consider its feisty look, gaming power and low price; it’ll just fit some users better than others.

MOTO G84 REVIEW: PRICE AND AVAILABILITY

• Released in September 2023
• Costs £249.99 (roughly $315, AU$475)
• Not for sale in US or Australia

The Moto G84 was released in the UK in mid-September 2023, after coming out in India and Europe in the weeks prior. It was joined by the low-end Moto G54 and premium-leaning Moto Edge 40 Neo.

You can pick up the phone for £249.99 (roughly $315, AU$475), which lodges it firmly in the category of ‘cheap Android phone’, perfect for people on a budget who want a reliable mobile. That’s Moto’s whole schtick, after all. There’s no information on a US or Australian launch, but they seem unlikely even several months after the phone’s release.

Rivals at that price include Samsung’s Galaxy A23 5G, Redmi’s Note 12 5G, OnePlus’ Nord CE 3 Lite and several of Motorola’s own mobiles, like the Moto G73 5G and Edge 40 Neo, which are all at roughly the same price point. But for its price and the performance it offers, the G84 is solidly good value.

Value score: 4 / 5

MOTO G84 REVIEW: SPECS

The Moto G84 has many traits in common with other budget phones, but it exceeds its class in a few areas too.

Moto G84 Specs:

• Dimensions: 160 x 74.4 x 7.6mm
• Weight: 166.8g
• Screen :6.5-inch 20:9 FHD+ (2400×1080) 120Hz p-OLED
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 695
• RAM: 12GB
• Storage: 256GB
• OS: Android 13
• Primary camera: 50MP, f/1.9
• Ultra-wide camera: 8MP f/2.2
• Front camera: 16MP f/2.5
• Audio: Stereo speakers, 3.5mm headphone jack
• Battery: 5,000mAh
• Charging: 30W wired
• Colors: Viva Magenta, Marshmallow Blue, Midnight Blue

MOTO G84 REVIEW:DESIGN

• Vibrant Pantone-designed red shell
• Repositioned under-display fingerprint scanner
• 3.5mm headphone jack and USB-C port

Motorola isn’t exactly in the business of revolutionizing smartphone design (well, at least for its budget mobiles, though you can say what you like about the Moto Razr). So if you’ve seen a Moto G in the last few years you’ve seen the G84.

It’s a standard Android mobile measuring 160 x 74.4 x 7.6 mm – a few years ago we could’ve called it “a little on the big side” though you could probably consider it average now. It’s surprisingly light at 166.8g, which means the phone sits a little comfier in the hand than most phones with a flat edge.

You’ve got the usual accouterments of a Moto: a USB-C port and 3.5mm headphone jack underneath, a power button and volume rocker on the right edge. But Motorola has made one big adjustment in its budget phones of late, and that’s in replacing the side-mounted fingerprint scanner with a more premium under-display one. And it’s a great change too, as unlocking the phone is much easier than in previous Motos. The scanner is a bit lower down the phone than on most others, but it’s something I got used to.

There are three different color options for the Moto G84: a silver and a black option, and also an eye-catching red version called Viva Magenta. This latter was created by paint company Pantone, and it’d make the phone very attractive if it wasn’t for the big Pantone-logo color swatch on the bottom. You can’t remove this, it’s part of the phone.

Still, if the G84 was in a line-up of 10 random other phones, it’d be the most attractive one the vast majority of the time – its red is a little richer than Apple’s Product Red and the glossy alternatives some Chinese phones offer.

In terms of protection, you’re looking at IP54: it’s partly dust proofed but not against all solids, and is splash-proof but can’t be dunked in water. That’s all to be expected at this price.

Design score: 3.5 / 5

MOTO G84 REVIEW: DISPLAY

• Big 6.5-inch screen
• FHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh
• Automatic brightness issues

The Moto G84 has a 6.5-inch display, which is pretty average for a smartphone these days, but the Moto’s specs are anything but average.

The phone packs an FHD+ display (that’s 1080 x 2400) and a 120Hz refresh rate, which means the display updates its image 120 times per second, over the old standard of 60Hz. Lots of budget mobiles tout this spec now but certainly not all of them, and it brings a marked improvement when you’re scrolling around the menus.

Another unusual trait is the use of the DCI-P3 color gamut with over 1 billion colors – this was designed for use in movies and it makes videos look that little bit better than on another budget phone.

One other display feature worth flagging is that the punch-hole that houses the front-facing camera is very small, reducing the amount of screen space you’re losing from it.

A small issue I had with the phone was with its display and the automatic brightness features. Often, the phone would default to a screen brightness that was just too low, and I frequently had to manually adjust it to be able to make out the display.

Display score: 3.5 / 5

MOTO G84 REVIEW: SOFTWARE

• Stock Android 13 is clean
• Useful Moto Actions return
• Plenty of customization options

When you boot up the Moto G84, it’ll come running stock Android 13 – that was the current OS when the mobile launched, though Android 14 started rolling out just weeks later. The G84 is only confirmed for one software update too, so Android 14 is all you’ll definitely get, though you’ll be able to enjoy at least three years’ security updates.

Stock Android is always fairly clean, at least compared to some other Android forks, but some bloatware has snuck into the Moto. There’s TikTok, LinkedIn and three simple games – it’s nothing too offensive, and if you’ve used one of the budget phones from another brand you might have used something a lot worse, but it’s still not ideal.

Moto phones have always been great for software customization, even before Google made it an official Android feature, and there’s no difference here. You have plenty of choice in terms of font, color scheme, icon shape, animations and more – if you like diving into the settings and then tweaking the nitty-gritty of how your phone looks, you’ll love this phone.

A returning feature exclusive to Moto phones are Moto Actions, which are easy navigation tricks that I find myself using a lot. Examples include a double karate-chop motion to quickly turn on the torch and a twisting shake to open the camera app. They take a little getting used to, but once you’ve got the knack for them, they’re incredibly handy.

Software score: 4 / 5

MOTO G84: CAMERAS

• 50MP main and 8MP ultra-wide cameras
• Some extra features like Spot Color
• 16MP front-facing camera for selfies

The camera department is an area that Motorola phones rarely excel in, and there’s no exception here. The phone uses up its ‘color’ budget on its exterior shell and there’s none left for its photos…

The main snapper is a 50MP f/1.9 unit and it’s joined by a single 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide companion. On the front, you’re looking at a 16MP f/2.5 selfie camera. That’s not exactly a revolutionary combo for Moto, which used the exact same line-up in the Moto G73 from earlier in the year.

Pictures taken on the main camera looked fine – that nondescript word is the best way to describe them – with fair sharpness but a lack of vibrancy or color that made me miss Samsung’s or Xiaomi’s handsets.

Flip onto the ultra-wide camera and you’re getting pretty grainy pictures – it’s an 8MP sensor, what did you expect – though not straight away. No, the secondary snapper was surprisingly slow to focus when I pressed the icon in the camera app, and I often found myself waiting a few moments for it to sharpen the image.

You can also use the ultra-wide camera for macro (close-up) shots, but this suffers from the issue that all wide-angle-macro phone photos do: it’s rounded and distorted thanks to the lens type. No thanks!

There’s no zoom lens on the Moto G84, so you have to use its 8x digital zoom to get closer to a subject. But I’d really recommend you don’t, unless you want your photo to be as grainy as spot art.

Grainy is also the word to use for pictures captured on the front camera, which is a surprising twist as some Motos redeem themselves on their selfie abilities. They’ll be fine for sending between phones, especially with bokeh working well in Portrait mode, but if you look at selfies on any bigger screen you’ll see the pixels clearly.

When capturing video, you can shoot at 1080p, with no 4K option. There’s also a slow-mo option as well as dual capture (front and back cameras at once) and Spot Color, which lets you isolate a single color in your recording. These latter two options are also available for photography.

MOTO G84: PERFORMANCE AND AUDIO

• Snapdragon 695 chip exceeds expectations
• 12GB RAM and 256GB storage
• 3.5mm headphone jack and Bluetooth 5.1

The Moto G84 packs the Snapdragon 695, and anyone who’s used a phone using this chipset knows what to expect: fine everyday performance, but a lackluster showing when used for gaming or intensive processes. That’s how this exact same chip worked in the recent OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite, and gaming was a slog.

In a pleasantly surprising plot twist, the G84 bucks expectations: it runs a lot faster than you’d think. In fact, through our rigorous gaming tests, it proved itself as one of the most reliable low-budget phones for gaming.

When playing titles like Call of Duty: Mobile and PUBG Mobile, the phone could be relied on to get through a match without lags, stutters or freezes – in fact, the G84 beat many gaming phones in that it didn’t even overheat!

This may be thanks to the 12GB RAM you’re getting, a surprising amount for a phone at this price. The 256GB storage is also laudable – this is a phone that’ll last you a long time, and even if you do manage to fill the device’s onboard storage, the microSD card slot will keep you going for even longer.

If you’re into your facts and figures, a benchmark test through Geekbench 6 returned a multi-core average score of 2,037. That middling score shows that this phone is no supercomputer that’ll land a spaceship on the sun or predict the future, but for the price, I was very surprised.

Onto audio – this is par for the course for a Moto phone. There’s a 3.5mm headphone jack for wired music and Bluetooth 5.1 for wireless. The onboard stereo speaker is nothing to write home about, but it’s not so tinny that voice calls or memos are affected.

Performance Score: 4 / 5

MOTO G84 REVIEW: BATTERY LIFE

• Large 5,000mAh battery
• Over a day’s use from a single charge
• 30W charging isn’t particularly fast

If there’s one thing a Motorola phone can be relied on to have, even more than a confusing name, great customization or that distinctive sound when you first boot it up, it’s a long-lasting battery life.

No surprise, then, that the Moto G84’s 5,000mAh battery lasts a long time. You can use it to get through a day of use with no issue, and in our tests it lasted well into a second day before the charging cable needed to come out.

That charging cable gets you powering at 30W, so it’s not particularly fast, not when rival budget mobiles hit 50W, 67W or higher. You’re looking at charging times just shy of an hour, or more if you’re using the thing as you power it.

There’s no wireless charging here, but at that price, no-one should be surprised.

Battery Score: 3.5 / 5

HOW I TESTED THE MOTO G84

Review test period = 2 week

Testing included = Everyday usage, including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback

Tools used = Geekbench 5, Geekbench 6, Geekbench ML, GFXBench, native Android stats

As you can tell from my review and the images, I tested the Moto G84 in its Pantone-endorsed Viva Magenta colorway. It felt fitting to test this festive-looking mobile during winter, hence the Christmas baking images!

Before true testing commenced I set up the phone to let the battery use settle, then used it as a standard mobile for two weeks. This included all the tasks you’d use your mobile for: social media, photography and streaming.

I also used it for gaming a lot. In fact, it was so snappy and fast for this task, alongside its lovely display, that I was loathe to move onto the next handset I’m testing for TechRadar!

My tech review history spans five years for TechRadar, and more for other brands. I used to work as an editor and writer for the site, covering phones, tablets and wearables (as well as a wide range of other gadgets), and continue to write freelance reviews across many types of gadget.

The post Motorola Moto G84 Review appeared first on Review Products.

When Nathan W. Pyle started posting his Strange Planet web comic series on his Instagram profile in early 2019, he probably didn’t expect to see it adapted into a web series in a few years. The comics, following a species of blue beings on a different planet very similar to Earth, has the beings describe their very human-like experiences in literal terms, to humorous effect. The Strange Planet web series is fabulously true to the source material, in both aesthetic and dialogue.

The series, co-created by Pyle with Dan Harmon (known for his work on Community and Rick and Morty), is available to stream now on Apple TV+. Three episodes are available to watch now, with new episodes dropping every Wednesday (in India) till the 10-episode run for the first season is completed. Each episode is under 30 minutes long, and is packed with its own unique stories and situations; read on for my spoiler-free review.

Just like the comics, the dialogue in Strange Planet is the key to the show, with the blue beings describing everything in technically accurate and literal wording. That’s not to say that the dialogue is emotionless or too straightforward – in fact it’s the opposite. Fans of the Instagram comics might have read out the words in a fairly robotic manner, but the characters are more human-like than you might have expected.

The Strange Planet series is based on the web comics by Nathan W. Pyle

This over-the-top literal dialogue makes for plenty of laugh out loud moments, such as referring to confetti as ‘tiny trash’ and alcoholic drinks as ‘mild poison’. The characters are also incredibly blunt about their emotions and feelings, and the lack of pretence and sarcasm is an excellent way to demonstrate to the viewers how complicated our interactions have become, and how sometimes reading into things isn’t as easy as it seems.

Whenever a literary source is adapted – either in the form of animation or live action – the artists get to take some creative liberties in how the aesthetic is defined. With Strange Planet being a comic, the aesthetic has already been set in stone, and fortunately the web series sticks to the now iconic looks and expressions of the world. This includes not just the blue beings themselves, but also the creatures, with subtle touches such as three-eyed pigeons and dogs.

For obvious reasons, the comics weren’t as detailed in showing the world around – comic panels tend to focus on the characters. Strange Planet has rightly taken some liberty here, and if you’ve watched Rick and Morty you’ll find the artwork quite familiar. It blends rather well with the established art from the comics; this collaboration between Pyle and Harmon is clearly well thought out and executed.

Each episode of Strange Planet features its own unique stories and scenarios exploring very ‘human-like’ topics of emotion, such as fear, sadness, loneliness, and anxiety. Friendships and romantic relationships exist, as do the pressures of employment and enjoyment. Just like the comics, nothing gets too complicated – the focus is firmly on the dialogue, and the emotion that can be portrayed with being excessively literal and giving figurative expressions a skip.

With short episodes, this is the perfect series to watch quickly or during short breaks or phases where you need something funny to lighten the mood. If you’re a fan of the comics like I am, you don’t want to miss this. Even if you haven’t stumbled upon this Internet sensation previously, Strange Planet is easy enough to enjoy for everyone.

The post Strange Planet Web Series Review: Cute, and True to the Source Material appeared first on Review Products.

Oppo’s Enco lineup of true wireless earphones has been a relatively quiet success for the company, and has received largely positive feedback from the community, including myself. While the premium Enco X2 headset is among the best that you can guy for around Rs. 10,000 or so, the Enco Air series is a bit more of a hit-or-miss situation. While the regular ‘Air’ variants haven’t quite matched up to the hype, the ‘Pro’ headsets have generally been good picks when it comes to features and performance for the price.

Following up on the somewhat ordinary Oppo Enco Air 3 (which was launched in early 2023) is the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro. The successor to the Enco Air 2 Pro is considerably more expensive at Rs. 4,999, but promises big improvements in the specifications sheet and performance to make up for the increase in pricing, including advanced Bluetooth codec support and bamboo-fibre diaphragms for the drivers. Is this enough to help the Enco Air 3 Pro retain Oppo’s perceptional leadership of the budget true wireless segment in India? Find out in this review.

The case of the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro has a USB Type-C port for charging

Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro design and features

We don’t often see massive design changes in generational updates when it comes to true wireless earphones, and that’s indeed the case with the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro. Apart from minor changes, the Enco Air 3 Pro largely resembles the Enco Air 2 Pro to the point where it’s hard to tell the two apart. The newer earphones are available in a new green colour option which isn’t available on the Enco Air 2 Pro, though.

The earpieces of the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro have a stem design with rounded out sides all around, and distinct ‘L’ and ‘R’ indicators cut into the earpieces for easy visibility. Unlike the basic Enco Air earphones which have an outer-ear fit and no ANC, the Enco Air ‘Pro’ lineup features a proper in-canal fit, which allows for effective active noise cancellation. The earphones are light and comfortable, and come with a charging cable and three pairs of silicone ear tips of different sizes in the box.

As before the controls are touch sensitive, with lightly indicated areas near the top of each earpiece stem. It’s less than ideal, because the small size of the touch area makes it easy to make mistakes. You can set various gestures to control various functions of playback, noise cancellation, voice assistant, and volume, with different gestures capable of being mapped to different functions.

It’s a reasonably detailed set with plenty of room for customisation, but given the propensity for touch miscues, you might want to keep it a bit simple and deactivate certain gestures such as single-tap entirely. While I’m not entirely against touch controls, the zone definitely needs to be bigger than what’s on the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro earphones.

Oppo Enco Air 2 Pro True Wireless Earphones Review

The Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro earphones are IP55 rated for dust and water resistance, so you’ll be able to use them for workouts safely, and even in somewhat wet conditions such as light rain. The charging case of the headset has the Oppo logo at the front, an indicator light just below the logo, the USB Type-C port for charging at the bottom, and no pairing button.

You can put the headset into pairing mode with a long-touch gesture on both earpieces at the same time. Additional features on the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro include support for Google Fast Pair, app-based features such as Oppo Alive Audio (virtualised Spatial surround sound) and Golden Sound (customised frequency compensation based on the specific hearing of each user).

Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro app and specifications

The Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro expectedly features app and feature customisation support, but how it appears and is accessed depends on the device you’re using. If you’re on a supported OnePlus or Oppo smartphone, you’ll see the ‘app’ appearing in the Bluetooth settings of the phone, making for easy access that visually matches the user interface completely. If you’re using other devices, the HeyMelody app offers access to the full feature set on both iOS and Android.

oppo enco air 3 pro review app Oppo

On some OnePlus and Oppo smartphones, app features for the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro appear within the Bluetooth settings menu

Within the app and settings, it’s possible to access various features and customisation options such as equaliser presets, ANC levels and personalisation, enable multi-point connectivity for up to two devices, locate the earbuds with a loud noise, and conduct a fit test. You can also go through the process and enable or disable Oppo Alive Audio (spatial surround sound virtualisation) and Golden Sound (tailored sound profile based on your specific hearing characteristics).

Best Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) Headphones and Earphones in India

Multi-point connectivity worked well on an iPhone and Android device simultaneously. Bluetooth codec selection maxed out on both devices and pleasantly allowed LDAC support on the Android smartphone, unlike on many other similar headsets which limit the codec to AAC when connecting two devices simultaneously. Connectivity was stable on the whole even with this enabled.

Notably, the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro uses a bamboo fibre diaphragm for the drivers, unlike the typically metal diaphragms used on most earphones. The headset has 12.4mm dynamic drivers, a frequency response range of 20-40,000Hz, and a sensitivity rating of 107dB. For connectivity, the earphones use Bluetooth 5.3, with support for the SBC, AAC, and LDAC Bluetooth codecs.

Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro performance and battery life

While Oppo’s budget lineup has typically been device agnostic in terms of performance, the Enco Air 3 Pro takes a big step in setting itself up as made for certain devices. Support for the LDAC Bluetooth codec is fairly wide across Android devices, and this ensures a considerably different sound quality experience when using the earphones with an Android smartphone. Although the sound isn’t bad with the AAC codec (on iOS), there’s an audible difference here.

Understanding Bluetooth Codecs on Wireless Headphones and Earphones

The Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro’s bamboo fibre drivers are touted as a major factor in improving the sound quality on the earphones, but I didn’t really perceive this as being the reason for the improvement in performance. Sound quality with the AAC codec and software enhancements switched off seemed largely on par with what I’ve heard on similarly-priced true wireless headsets.

The Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro has bamboo fibre diaphragms for the drivers, along with support for the LDAC Bluetooth codec

Instead, it all comes down to the software implementations, in my opinion; LDAC Bluetooth codec support and the Golden Sound customised profile seemed to make a more notable difference in improving the sound quality, as compared to the competition. Indeed, there aren’t too many options with LDAC support at under Rs. 5,000, so the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro stands out in this regard.

Oppo Enco Air 3 True Wireless Earphones Review

Coming to the sound quality and performance itself, the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro uses its software tricks and codec support to deliver a reasonably balanced and detailed sound that is admittedly rare in the budget space for true wireless earphones. Competing products typically use a reasonable level of tuning alone to make a compelling pitch (heavy bass and the like), making Oppo’s approach a bit more unique.

The detail levels come as a result of the obviously superior bandwidth handling capabilities of the advanced Bluetooth codec, combined with a rather good soundstage that provides a decent amount of spatial virtualisation. Listening to Dua Lipa’s Dance the Night with the LDAC Bluetooth codec in operation, the sound felt spacious and enjoyable, never pushing too hard even at high volumes. Instead, the sound was encouraging, almost as if it was getting me to try and pick out the elements.

The Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro is IP55 rated for dust and water resistance

This cheerful disco-inspired track from Barbie sounded neither too aggressive, nor to forward, instead striking the right balance between drive and comfort. The lows didn’t hit too hard, but this was only a good thing in a segment that is dominated by earphones that come with typically punchy and attacking bass.

Much of this detail is helped along by the Golden Sound enhancement, which conducts a listening test to tailor the sound for specific hearing characteristics of the wearer. Once completed, the sound changes a bit with the profile enabled; it sounded a fair bit more luxurious and open-feeling when enabled, and I usually kept it on after that.

Switching up to the slower but more hard-hitting Am I Dreaming by Metro Boomin’ from the Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse soundtrack, the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro was able to adapt and deliver a bit more rumble when needed. However, it also highlighted the very audible U-shaped sonic signature, with the mid-range considerably lower in response than the lows and highs.

Speaking of the highs, the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro seems to push these frequencies a bit too much. I didn’t tend to notice it much at low volumes, but the sharpness was a bit tiresome at high volume levels. This largely depends on what you’re listening to — Dance the Night revealed this, while Am I Dreaming didn’t quite sound as harsh because of the track’s nature.

Active noise cancellation on the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro is fairly basic, and suitable primarily for indoor use to cancel out basic household sounds and make listening just a bit easier. It’s helped along by reasonably effective noise isolation through the in-canal fit, and customisable ANC modes also help in optimising the performance for specific settings. I found the mild mode to be the most balanced and effective indoors; the other modes didn’t particularly help in noisy outdoor scenarios.

Call quality is decent indoors and satisfactory outdoors, but I didn’t find the voice and microphone quality good enough to want to use the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro for very long calls or online meetings.

Battery life is acceptable enough for a headset in this price segment; I got around 4 hours of listening on the earpieces and a little over three charges from the case, when using ANC and the LDAC Bluetooth codec, with the volume at around the 50-60 percent level. This translated to a total run time of around 17-18 hours of listening per charge cycle — not exceptional, but not too bad either.

Verdict

Oppo is among the best in the budget true wireless segment right now, and the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro largely lives up to the reputation created by the brand’s wide range of affordable TWS products. That said, at Rs. 4,999, it’s a fair bit more expensive than earlier products in this segment, and only just about classifies as a budget product based on reasonable definitions and price segmentation. The performance and features on offer do justify the pricing, so it’s worth a recommendation.

While you do get a fair bit more on the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro than what competing products offer for the price, I wouldn’t go as far as to call it revolutionary or exceptional. Nonetheless, it’s easily my pick for the best pair of true wireless earphones for Rs. 5,000, although I’d be more inclined to suggest options such as the Oppo Enco Air 2 Pro and OnePlus Nord Buds 2, which offer a bit more bang for your buck.

The post Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro Review: Same, but Different (In the Right Ways) appeared first on Review Products.

The Redmi 12 5G has been officially launched in India. The new 5G smartphone from Xiaomi is making its global debut in India, and is currently the company’s most affordable 5G smartphone starting at just Rs. 10,999. The device brings some class-leading features such as a glass back panel, new Snapdragon SoC, and more. Is the Redmi 12 5G the real deal? While we work on the full review, here is our first impressions of the phone.

Starting with the unboxing, the Redmi 12 5G comes with all the necessary accessories bundled such as a SIM tray, translucent case, and some documents. The box also packs a 22.5W fast charger and a USB Type-A to Type-C cable.

Redmi 12 5G 4 Redmi 12 5G

Moving on, the Redmi 12 5G comes in three colours. Xiaomi sent us the Moonlight Silver colour which has a shimmery finish for the glass back and produces prism-like colours when light falls on. The phone also comes in Classic Black and Pastel Blue options.

The Redmi 12 5G feels quite hefty mainly due to the big battery and the glass back design. Xiaomi has managed to keep the weigh under 200g while maintaining a thickness of 8.17mm. To offer some extra protection against drops and scratches, the Redmi 12 5G has a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass on the back.

The Redmi 12 5G sports a tall 6.79-inch full-HD+ IPS LCD with a 90Hz refresh rate support. The screen is claimed to offer 450 nits of peak brightness. Indoors, the display gets amply bright to consume content. We have not been able to test the display’s performance in outdoor conditions mainly due to the Mumbai rains but do stay tuned for our full review.

There is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 SoC under the hood. The base variant comes with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage which is priced at Rs. 10,999. The one with 6GB of RAM is riced at Rs. 12,499, while the top-end variant with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage is priced at Rs. 14,999. The phone also packs a 5,000mAh battery and supports 18W fast charging.

The Redmi 12 5G features a dual-camera setup on the back with a 50-megapixel primary camera and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. The handset has an 8-megapixel front camera inside the centrally-aligned hole-punch cutout of the display. To make the camera experience more fun, Xiaomi has added some filters which are based on its learnings from its Leica partnership.

In terms of software, the Redmi 12 5G boots the latest MIUI 14 based on Android 13. The software does offer many customisation and personalisation options. However, there are a few bloatware apps preinstalled. Other specifications include a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, AI-based facial recognition, an IR emitter, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity.

The post Redmi 12 5G First Impressions: An Affordable 5G Experience appeared first on Review Products.

Digital signage for education.

TrilbyTV is a digital signage platform with a variety of features for education and businesses. It has good features, and a choice of support methods, but it could also offer more options for plans, and also improve its self-help support options.

Pros

• +Free 30 day trial
• +Choice of support options
• +Annual discount on business plan
• +Supports multiple OS
• +Sign in with existing account credentials

Cons

• -UK only number for phone support
• -Single business plan offered
• -Educational plans are expensive
• -No discount on business plan for multiple screens until it exceeds 25

UK based TrilbyTV has over 30 years of experience in education, which drives them to build whole-school communication, boost community cohesion, and enhance parental engagement. The TrilbyTV platform is an easy and cost-effective way to grow the digital signage estate and #SwitchOnYourSignage. TrilbyTV makes it simple to add and manage content so that even the busiest school can easily keep its screens up-to-date.

TRILBYTV: FEATURES

TrilbyTV is a digital signage solution for education that allows you to share and showcase your own content on your screens. It offers plans for both education, which looks to be its greater focus, and also business.

Some notable features of TrilbyTV are:

Unlimited screens: You can connect as many screens as you like and start sharing your content with your school community (on educational plans).

Your content on your screens: You can upload videos, slideshows, web content, title slides, social media feeds, and more from any device via the web app or the dedicated iPad app.

Manage and schedule: You can create playlists and set schedules to control what content to show and when. You can also use the TrilbyTV Announce app to broadcast urgent messages on all screens, which is useful to get a message out quickly.

Familiar hardware: TrilbyTV can playback your content on all common devices, such as Android, iOS, tvOS, macOS, Windows, and more.

Content catalog: You can access a collection of pre-made content and templates from hand-picked partners, ready to use on your digital signage.

Integrations: You can login with your Google, Microsoft, and Apple IDs and upload content from Powerpoint, PDF, Google Slides, Word, Publisher, YouTube, RSS, and more.

Multisite: If you work in a multi-academy trust, a group, or a school district, you can have an administrative overview of your TrilbyTV sites, and share content to one or more schools with a few clicks.

Overall, TrilbyTV offers a number of attractive features, with support for a wide variety of platforms, content, and ease of sign in credentials, making this a reasonable choice for your school or business.

TRILBYTV: PRICING

TrilbyTV has a few plans to choose from, but they are not divided into tiers with additional features as most do in this segment. Rather they are divided by the use case: educational, or business. Also of note, while there is no free plan, there is a free 30-day trial to decide on it.

On the educational side, there is a choice of two plans, the first for a single site, and the second for a multisite deployment. The single site plan can be deployed at a single school site for a cost of £1200/year (about $1495) (+ £240 VAT), and includes 50 GB of storage, and an unlimited number of screens. Then there is the multisite plan, which starts at £1800/year (about $2242) for the first site (+ £360 VAT), with each additional physical location costing an additional £600/year (about $747). There are unlimited screens on either of these plans, with each site getting its own 50 GB of storage.

The lone business plan is priced a little differently, as it is by the screen. For a single screen, it costs $36.85/month +VAT when paid monthly, or when paid annually there is a 30% discount to bring it down to $25.41/month +VAT. It can be priced for additional screens, but each additional screen comes at the same price, until it reaches 25, and then company contact is required for a “Bespoke quote;” furthermore each screen comes with 5 GB of storage.

TRILBYTV: SUPPORT

Thankfully, TrilbyTV offers numerous support options, and we also appreciate that they are laid out in a “Support and Training” section of the website.

We always like to see the direct option for phone support, as some issues simply are easier to deal with via a direct conversation, and we are glad that this option is present. However, the number is only for the UK so it will be international long distance if present outside of Great Britain, and there are no days or hours of operation listed, but we queried the company and was told that phone support is offered 8:30 am to 6 pm Monday through Friday (UK time).

For those located outside of the UK, the chat support is probably a more viable option for most issues. However, when we attempted it, we are disappointed to report that it is more of a contact portal, as you have to provide your email address, and you can expect a response “In a few hours,” so hardly what most folks think of as live chat. While waiting for the delayed response, there are a handful of predone answers to questions, along the lines of a FAQ. We did try it and get an answer in about two hours on the weekend. There is also a direct email address.

There are also a number of self help options, including live webinars, and a demo on getting started. We would have liked to see some other options as well, such as a user forum, access to the previous webinars or other instructional videos, or a larger FAQ or knowledge base.

TRILBYTV: FINAL VERDICT

TrilbyTV is a digital signage platform that offers a variety of features and pricing options for educational and business use. It has a number of attractive features, including support for a wide variety of platforms, content, and ease of sign in credentials. However, its support options could be improved, and it would be helpful to have more self-help options available. Overall, TrilbyTV is a solid option for digital signage, but it may not be the best fit for everyone.

The post TrilbyTV Review appeared first on Review Products.

Smart software for digital advertising boards

Viewneo is a digital signage platform that offers a variety of features, including content creation, scheduling, and analytics. Viewneo is a good option for businesses of all sizes, with a choice of two tiers, and is easy to use and affordable.

Pros

• +Many self support options including a forum
• +Free 30-day trial
• +Generous storage included in each plan

Cons

• -Only direct support option is a contact portal
• -No free tier
• -Limited tiers of plan

German-based viewneo is a company that offers smart software for digital advertising boards. In case you are wondering, yes, they do write the name of the service in all lowercase letters. viewneo is a cloud-based solution that allows users to create and manage digital signage content on various devices. viewneo was founded in 2008 by Adversign Media, a company that specializes in digital signage solutions. viewneo has won several awards for its innovation and quality, and is used by over 20,000 customers, including T-Mobile, McDonald’s, Benq and Toyota, in over 150 countries worldwide.

VIEWNEO: FEATURES

viewneo is a digital signage software that allows you to create, manage, and display content on screens, tablets, or video walls.

It has multiple features that distinguish it from competitors, which includes:

Content creation: You can use over 200 free templates, 1 million+ images and videos, a content designer, and news feeds to create professional-looking slides for your digital signage.

Content scheduling: You can organize your content into playlists and set the time and date for when they will be shown on your screens. You can also use nested playlists and default playlists to automate your content delivery.

Multi-screen support: You can connect and control multiple screens, tablets, or video walls with viewneo. You can also use plugins to create interactive and smart retail installations.

Remote deployment: You can access and update your content from anywhere with an internet connection. You can also use viewneo’s cloud-based solution to store and stream your content.

Content library: You can upload and manage your own images, videos, or MS Office documents in viewneo. You can also use viewneo’s plugins to integrate your social media channels, weather forecasts, video walls, and more.

AI and big data: You can use viewneo’s in-house products such as the viewneo camera system with AI, viewneo RFID Reader, sensory coat hooks, or viewneo Butler to expand the possibilities of your digital signage. You can also use data analysis tools to measure and optimize your performance.

VIEWNEO: PRICING

Taking a quick glance at the options for plans from viewneo rapidly leads to the conclusion that things are certainly simplified. As in there is only a choice of two plans, with the lower one targeted at a smaller business, and the other for a considerably larger organization. If either of these fit your needs, well then great, but we generally prefer a wider choice to pay for the features we need, and not overpay for those that we don’t. Let’s take a closer look, and keep in mind that viewneo offers a full 30-day free trial with all the features enabled to decide if this solution meets your needs- with no credit card required.

The small business plan is dubbed viewneo Professional, and viewneo which costs $21.00 per month, and includes 250 GB free space, 200+ design templates, over 1 million images and videos, news feeds, content designer, unlimited playlists, user management, offline playback, and nested playlists. The support is limited to email only, along with some self help options detailed below. The cost above is for a single screen only, and a separate plan, at the same price is required for each additional screen.

viewneo Enterprise is designed for larger organizations. It costs $280.00 per month as a base fee, plus $17 per month per license for each screen (as far as we can tell even the 1st screen is not included in the plan). It includes all the features of viewneo Professional plus upgrades to 2 TB free space, direct email support, phone support, personal support, multi-client capability, content and playlist sharing, default playlists, white label CMS, and API key.

While we did not find any annual discounts, it can be canceled anytime.

VIEWNEO: SUPPORT

Viewneo offers various ways to get help and support for using viewneo. These start with a single direct support option, to contact the viewneo team via a support portal. However, we did not find a direct phone or email address, nor a real time chat.

There are thankfully more options on the self help side of support. This starts with viewneo Tube where you can watch tutorials, tips, and tricks for your daily work with viewneo on their YouTube channel which has over 150 videos. There’s also viewneo Docs to gain access to the online documentation for viewneo, which covers topics such as installation, configuration, content creation, and troubleshooting. We also like the viewneo Forum to ask questions, share ideas, and get feedback from other viewneo users and experts.

There’s even a viewneo Changelog to see the latest updates and improvements for viewneo and its plugins, and a viewneo API to access the viewneo API documentation and endpoints, which allow you to integrate viewneo with other applications and services. Finally, the viewneo Blog shares news, stories, and insights about viewneo and digital signage.

VIEWNEO: FINAL VERDICT

viewneo is a digital signage platform that offers a variety of features, including content creation, scheduling, and analytics. The platform offers a variety of features for the creation of engaging and effective campaigns. It has two pricing plans, one for small businesses and one for larger organizations. Support is available via email, YouTube tutorials, online documentation, and a forum. viewneo allows businesses to create, manage, and display digital signage content on a variety of devices, including TVs, monitors, and digital signage players. viewneo is a good option for businesses looking for a simple and affordable digital signage platform.

The post Viewneo Review appeared first on Review Products.

The common factor between the OnePlus Nord 3 (Review), OnePlus 11R (Review) and iQoo Neo 7 Pro (Review) is that they are all priced under Rs. 40,000 in India, and focus on providing flagship-grade performance. The premium mid-range segment has witnessed a surge of phone launches lately, and if these options were not enough, there is the new Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G to add to the list. Priced at Rs. 39,999, the Reno 10 Pro 5G sits between the baseline Reno 10 5G and the top-of-the-line Reno 10 Pro+ 5G (Review).

While most of the competition aims at offering value-for-money performance, the Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G has a few tricks up its sleeve to stand out in the crowd. Should you consider buying it? Here is our full review to help you decide.

Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G price in India

The Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G has been launched in India in a single storage option. It comes with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, priced at Rs. 39,999.

Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G design and display

The Oppo Reno 10 Pro has been launched in two colour options — Silvery Grey and Glossy Purple. We have the latter, which looks quite unique compared to most other recent phones launching in shades of green and black. The phone has a curved rear panel and frame. The glass back of the Oppo Reno 10 Pro offers a premium in-hand feel. What contributes to this further is the fairly slim and lightweight build. The Reno 10 Pro is about 7.89mm thick and weighs 185g. That being said, there are times when the phone has slipped out of my hands due to the smooth finish of the back.

The Oppo Reno 10 Pro is quite a looker in my opinion. The choice of colours and design combined make it look like a much more expensive smartphone. The shiny metallic finish also does a good job of hiding fingerprints and smudges. While the rear panel is made of glass, the chassis is made of plastic. The phone has its power and volume buttons on the right edge, which are easily accessible if you have fairly large hands.

On the front, the Oppo Reno 10 Pro has a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a full-HD+ resolution (2412 x 1080 pixels) and a 20.1:9 aspect ratio. Just like the Vivo V27 Pro (Review), OnePlus 11R (Review) and a few affordable options such as the Motorola Edge 40 (Review), the display on the Reno 10 Pro 5G is curved towards the edges. I did not experience any ghost or accidental touches while scrolling or playing games on the phone.

What I did have an issue with was the single-speaker setup. For a smartphone under Rs. 40,000, it is very basic to have a good dual-speaker setup, and it is a total bummer that Oppo chose to only offer a single speaker in the Reno 10 Pro 5G. Plus, there is no 3.5mm headphone jack either. The bright side is that the speaker is quite loud but the audio experience is not as immersive.

The Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G has fairly slim bezels around the display

On the bright side, the 120Hz display offers up to 950 nits of peak brightness while consuming HDR content. There is support for HDR playback on YouTube but not on Netflix at the time of writing this. The vibrant 10-bit display offers support for a billion colours. Oppo has opted for an AGC Dragontrail Star 2 glass, which is said to offer 20 percent improved drop resistance compared to Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

I did not experience any major stutters while scrolling through the user interface when the refresh rate setting was set to Auto Switch. There were some software-related issues though, which we will talk about in the next section.

Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G specifications and software

The Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G features a Snapdragon 778G SoC with an Adreno 642L GPU. The phone packs a 4,600mAh battery and offers 80W SuperVOOC fast charging. It offers connectivity features such as Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, dual-SIM, IR emitter, etc. The Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G comes with 14 5G bands in India.

In terms of software, the Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G runs the latest ColorOS 13.1, based on Android 13. Oppo’s ColorOS has evolved over the years and has been one of the most preferred options for personalisation and customisation. The Reno 10 Pro continues to give users the option to change wallpapers, adjust front shape and size, change icon shape and size, etc.

There is also support for Android 13’s Material You theme, which matches the system and UI colours with the wallpaper’s colours. Also, Oppo also lets users choose when a bunch of featured colour options for the UI and system icons in the Settings app. More details about ColorOS 13.1 have been shared in our Oppo Reno 10 Pro+ 5G review.

While ColorOS 13.1 is feature-rich, it is plagued with app recommendations and ads through the user interface,  be it the set-up screen, bloatware-loaded app drawer and home screen, or app recommendations in the default browser app. There are also a bunch of not-so-popular games and third-party apps preinstalled. App Market, Oppo’s native App Store, also spams you with multiple notifications, suggesting you install certain applications.

Oppo Reno 10 Pro comes with over 50 preinstalled apps

Oppo seems to have taken feedback and has stated that unwanted apps asking for installation permission when first setting up the phone will be removed to provide a better experience in the next software version. However, Hot Games and Hot Apps, which are Oppo’s native app recommendation folders will continue to be available. Users can hide these folders by going to App Market > General > Tap Settings at the top right corner and disabling the toggle for Hot Apps and Hot Games. You can also disable the recommendations spam by long-pressing on one of the notifications, tapping on ‘More Settings’ and disabling the ‘Allow Notifications’ toggle.

However, there seems to be a need for optimisation as I noticed the screen orientation changing automatically even when the Auto-rotate option was disabled. There were times when I noticed minor jitters while going back to the homescreen. Hopefully, Oppo fixes these issues soon. The Oppo Reno 10 Pro is promised to get two major Android updates and security support for three years.

Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G performance and battery life

The Oppo Reno 10 Pro features a mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC, which we have seen in a few smartphones priced at around Rs. 30,000 in India. The Reno 10 Pro 5G is clearly not the most powerful phone in the segment. However, when it comes to routine tasks such as scrolling through social media, messaging, content consumption, app loading, etc, the chipset can still get the job done.

Casual gaming, too, is doable. However, for the price, the likes of the OnePlus Nord 3 (Review), OnePlus 11R (Review) and iQoo Neo 7 Pro (Review) offer far better gaming performance and value. Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) supports ‘HDR’ graphics and ‘Ultra’ framerate settings. I noticed some stutter when playing with the highest settings but the gameplay was slightly better when the graphics settings were dropped to ‘Balanced’ or ‘HD’. Asphalt 9: Legends, on the other hand, ran quite smoothly.

RAM management is quite good and apps continued to load from where I had left them. The Reno 10 Pro also offers support for up to 8GB of virtual RAM, which is borrowed from the 256GB of internal memory.

Oppo Reno 10 Pro’s in-display fingerprint scanner is placed quite low for comfort

I also ran a few benchmark tests on the Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G. It scored 5,89.206 points on AnTuTu (v10). In Geekbench 6, the phone scored 1,013 (single-core test) and 2,669 points (multi-core test). It gets demolished by the competition, with the iQoo Neo 7 Pro scoring 1,263,884 points in AnTuTu (v10). While benchmarks are not the only metric to judge a phone’s performance, it does highlight that raw performance is not the Reno 10 Pro’s forte.

However, when it comes to battery life, the Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G can last a full day. My average screen-on time (SoT) was about 8 hours and 20 minutes. When there was more than two hours of gameplay involved, the phone returned a SoT of about 6 hours and 50 minutes. In our HD video battery loop test, the Oppo Reno 10 Pro lasted for 20 hours and 44 minutes. The 80W SuperVOOC charger refills the battery completely in about 29 minutes.

Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G cameras

The Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G features a triple-camera setup on the back. It has a 50-megapixel Sony IMX890 primary camera with support for optical image stabilisation (OIS). The same sensor is found in the flagship OnePlus 11 (Review) and the Oppo Reno 10 Pro+ 5G. The Reno 10 Pro also features an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera and a 32-megapixel telephoto camera with 2X optical zoom. For selfies, there is a 32-megapixel front camera sensor.

Starting with the primary camera, you get good quality images with true-to-life colours. The dynamic range performance is good in most cases. There were times when the exposure in the shadows was not optimal. Night mode shots were well-exposed with little-to-no noise in many scenarios. The highlights were not blown out while trying to retain details in the shadows. In my opinion, the Reno 10 Pro’s primary camera’s low-light performance is among the best in the segment.

The ultra-wide camera’s colour temperature varies compared to the main camera with slightly warmer tones. There is definitely a lack of details, especially around the edges but the camera does a good job with colours and dynamic range.

Oppo Reno 10 Pro ultra-wide camera sample

You also get a 2X telephoto camera which is not as common in the segment. I really liked the telephoto camera’s performance, although there is room for improvement. You get good details and the dynamic range performance is also quite good. Again, the colour temperature is different as telephoto images are slightly cooler compared to the primary camera’s samples.

Portrait mode’s edge detection is excellent. However, the primary camera’s portrait mode makes human skin look a bit red. The telephoto camera’s portrait mode performance, on the other hand is pretty impressive when it comes to colours, edge detection and details. A thing to note though is that there is a shutter lag while taking portrait mode shots, so you need to keep the phone steady and make sure that the subject does not move until you hear the shutter sound.

Oppo Reno 10 Pro portrait mode camera samples (left column: 1X zoom, right column: 2X zoom)

The front camera does a decent job when it comes to getting the skin tone right. Edge detection in portrait mode shots is a hit or miss as I noticed the algorithm blurring out my ear and hair. Low-light portrait mode shots expose the subject quite well and offer good blur, but the details are slightly soft.

Oppo Reno 10 Pro front camera samples (Photo mode vs Portrait mode)

In terms of video, the Oppo Reno 10 Pro can record up to 4K 30fps videos using the rear camera and 1080p 30fps on the front. The rear camera’s footage offers good stability, details and exposure. Video quality from the front camera takes a hit when it comes to dynamic range performance.

Verdict

Oppo Reno 10 Pro is perhaps one of the best designed smartphones under Rs 40,000. It not only looks good but it is also well-built and has a good in-hand feel. The phone scores big points for its good display and battery life. The performance unit is passable for the price as the competition offers far better value. Where the Reno 10 Pro 5G has a slight edge over the competition is its versatile camera system, which also features a good quality telephoto lens.

However, the one area where it struggles is the software experience, which currently does not match the premium price. The phone is also not IP-rated and only has a single speaker.

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