Author: GizNews

  • Lenovo’s AMD ThinkPad P14s Gen 5: Unequal Features Explained

    Lenovo’s AMD ThinkPad P14s Gen 5: Unequal Features Explained

    When a laptop company puts out a model featuring both Intel and AMD CPUs, they often utilize the same parts for both versions. This approach makes sense financially, as creating unique components can be quite costly.

    Lenovo’s Unique Approach

    Interestingly, Lenovo takes a different path with its ThinkPad P14s Gen 5. This compact mobile workstation comes with either the AMD Ryzen 8000HS or Core Ultra 100H CPUs, but the two versions are quite distinct. The ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 Intel (available on Amazon) boasts a 14.5-inch display, a 75 Wh battery, and a dual-fan cooling system. In contrast, the ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 AMD features a smaller 14-inch screen, a 52.5 Wh battery, and a single-fan cooling setup.

    Design Choices Behind the Models

    The differences arise because Lenovo adopts the design from the ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 for the AMD variant, while the Intel model is equipped with its own uniquely designed chassis.

    In our detailed review of the ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 AMD, we found that this version isn’t the best option: The battery is quite small, causing the OLED display to drain it rapidly. Furthermore, the performance edge over the more efficient T14 Gen 5 AMD is minimal.

    A Better Option Could Have Been

    This situation could have been different: If Lenovo had based the AMD version on the P14s Gen 5 Intel, it would likely be a superior choice. Currently, potential buyers might find it more advantageous to opt for the ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 for a lighter and more energy-efficient laptop or the ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 Intel for higher performance. The P14s Gen 5 AMD seems a little out of place between these two options.

  • Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Beats iPhone 16 Pro Max in GPU Test

    Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Beats iPhone 16 Pro Max in GPU Test

    At the debut of the Galaxy S25 series, Samsung highlighted the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy’s ability to deliver improved gaming experiences. While the company didn’t specify figures at that time, now that the flagship devices are launched, numerous new benchmark tests are emerging.

    Benchmark Showdown

    One such test compares the Galaxy S25 Ultra to the iPhone 16 Pro Max using the 3DMark Steel Nomad Light benchmark. If you’re not familiar, this benchmark evaluates the GPU’s performance under non-raytraced workloads and is widely seen as a reliable measure for how well a smartphone can manage rasterization tasks.

    Performance Insights

    Referring back to this benchmark comparison, the image shared by @Techinfosocials on X indicates that the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy outperforms the Apple A18 Pro by about 36%. Specifically, the S25 Ultra achieved a score of 2,617, whereas the iPhone 16 Pro Max scored 1,922 points.

    In terms of average frames per second (FPS), the Galaxy S25 Ultra recorded an average of 19.39 FPS during the test, compared to the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s 14.2 FPS. It appears that the overclocked Snapdragon 8 Elite is giving the Samsung flagship a slight advantage over other devices that use the standard version of the chip.

    Cooling and Performance

    For instance, the Xiaomi 15 equipped with the regular Snapdragon 8 Elite achieved around 2,530 points, with an average FPS of approximately 18.74. It’s also likely that the enhanced cooling system in the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra contributed to its performance in this benchmark test.

    It’s important to mention that the 3DMark Steel Nomad Light does not put any strain on the CPU. However, this benchmark analysis hints that the Galaxy S25 Ultra could be a more favorable choice for mobile gaming.

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  • Beelink SER9 Pro: AMD Ryzen 9 365 Mini-PC Launch Discount

    Beelink SER9 Pro: AMD Ryzen 9 365 Mini-PC Launch Discount

    Beelink has been in the market with its SER9 mini-PCs for some time, offering them for sale since September. At first, the SER9 series came with AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 (currently priced at $999 on Amazon), which is now also seen in gaming handhelds like the Ayaneo 3.

    New Addition to the SER9 Series

    Recently, Beelink has updated the SER9 lineup by introducing a more affordable Ryzen AI 9 365 variant. This model is housed in a compact 135 x 135 x 44.7 mm design and weighs 780 g. While the Ryzen AI 9 365 is one of AMD’s stronger Strix Point APUs, it possesses 25% fewer Zen 5c CPU cores and four less threads than the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, leading to a performance drop of nearly 20%. The performance differences extend to their integrated GPUs as well, despite the 25% disparity in unified shaders.

    Features of the SER9 Pro

    On the other hand, the newly introduced SER9 Pro comes with two M.2 2280 slots that are compatible with PCIe 4.0 SSDs and features 32 GB of quad-channel LPDDR5X RAM, running at 8,000 MT/s. Beelink also includes modern connectivity options such as DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.1, and USB4, allowing users to connect to an external monitor with support for resolutions up to 4K and refresh rates of 240 Hz. You can pre-order the SER9 Pro directly from Beelink for $949, which is a savings of $250 off its suggested retail price of $1,199.

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  • Sony to End Production of Recordable Blu-ray Discs in February

    Sony to End Production of Recordable Blu-ray Discs in February

    Blu-ray is fading away, and Sony just took another step towards its end.

    This week, Sony Japan released a brief announcement stating that it will stop making recordable Blu-ray discs starting in February. Alongside this, the company will also halt the production of MiniDV cassette tapes, recordable MiniDiscs, and MD-Data discs next month.

    The Future of Blu-ray

    It’s important to note that while Sony is ceasing the production of recordable Blu-ray discs, standard Blu-ray discs used by retailers for movies, games, and other media will continue to be manufactured. Thus, the format isn’t completely disappearing just yet. The major change is that consumers will no longer have the option to buy new recordable Blu-rays for personal data storage (i.e., discs for burning media or information).

    The Shift Away from Physical Media

    This decision is part of a larger trend among manufacturers moving away from physical media. LG recently announced they would stop making or selling Blu-ray players by December 2024. Although Sony still produces Blu-ray players, along with a few other companies, it appears that physical media is nearing its conclusion. Given the swift increase in media streaming and the focus on platforms like PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, which are leaning heavily into streaming, the decline of physical formats like Blu-ray isn’t really shocking.

    Consumers can still find recordable Blu-ray discs from brands like Verbatim, which offers various storage options on Amazon (such as a 50-disc spindle of 25 GB discs, currently priced at $41.90). Yet, it’s uncertain how much longer these will be available; it seems many users prefer external hard drives and similar devices (which are less vulnerable to scratches and other environmental issues) for data storage instead of optical media.

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  • Doogee S200X: Rugged Phone with Dual Screen & Night Vision Camera

    Doogee S200X: Rugged Phone with Dual Screen & Night Vision Camera

    The S200X from the well-known brand Doogee is now more accessible in various regions through Amazon. This smartphone is priced at $500, but a discount coupon of $100 is currently available. Even though the item is sold by a third-party seller, Amazon takes care of the shipping, so you can expect your order to arrive quickly.

    Rugged Design and Features

    The Doogee S200X is designed to be a durable phone with a large battery. Its robust structure helps it resist damage when it comes into contact with water. The manufacturer claims that the device can endure drops from a height of up to 1.5 m (4.9 ft). However, the phone is quite weighty and bulky, with dimensions of 179.5 x 82.5 x 16 mm (7.1 x 3.2 x 0.6 in). Inside, it has a powerful 10,100 mAh battery that supports fast charging.

    Performance and Storage

    With 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage, the S200X runs on Android 14 and is driven by a MediaTek Dimensity 7050 SoC, enabling 5G connectivity. Users can insert two SIM cards into the device, as long as one of the slots isn’t occupied by storage expansion. The rear camera setup includes a 100 MP main camera along with a 20 MP night vision camera. Additionally, there’s a secondary screen on the back that provides various functions, such as showing notifications and controlling music playback.

    Shipping and Availability

    Amazon, Doogee’s trusted partner for retail, ensures a smooth purchasing experience for customers looking to buy the S200X. With the current discount, this rugged smartphone becomes an attractive option for those in need of a reliable and long-lasting device. Don’t miss out on this chance to grab a quality phone at a reduced price!

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  • Redmi K90 Pro Price Expected to Reach 5,000 Yuan, Leak Reveals

    Redmi K90 Pro Price Expected to Reach 5,000 Yuan, Leak Reveals

    According to a recent leak from a trusted Chinese source, Digital Chat Station, the forthcoming Redmi K90 Pro is expected to see a significant price increase. This is somewhat unexpected, given that the K Pro model had just received a notable price bump with the launch of the new K80 Pro.

    Pricing and Specs Overview

    The K90 Pro made its debut in China last November, being one of the first devices to feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. The starting price for the base model, which includes 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, is set at 3,700 yuan—up from 3,299 yuan for the K70 Pro.

    Anticipated Price Increase

    Now, Digital Chat Station indicates that Redmi intends to implement an even larger price hike for the K90 Pro. The source suggests that the company aims to reach the 5,000 yuan price range by 2025. The K90 Pro is projected to fall between 4,000 and 5,000 yuan. Even at the lower end of that spectrum, it would represent an increase of about 22% compared to the K70 Pro.

    Redmi has positioned the K-series as its top-tier lineup ahead of the K80 Pro’s launch, and it appears the brand is firmly sticking to that approach. If this information is accurate, the once budget-friendly flagship might lose its affordability.

    What We Know So Far

    It remains unclear how Redmi plans to justify this price hike, but early leaks indicate that the K90 Pro could come with some impressive enhancements. One of the primary rumors suggests it will feature a 50MP periscope telephoto camera.

    Additionally, the device is expected to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 chip, which is an incremental upgrade from its predecessor. Meanwhile, Redmi might continue using a flat 2K OLED display, maintaining the familiar design.

    The K80 series is still quite new and has yet to be introduced outside of China, whether as a standalone model or rebranded. This means we are still several months away from an official announcement regarding the K90 series. However, as always, anticipate more leaks and rumors before Redmi makes any official statements.

  • Samsung Galaxy A56 5G Nears Global Launch After FCC Approval

    Samsung Galaxy A56 5G Nears Global Launch After FCC Approval

    After the launch of the Galaxy S25 series smartphones, Samsung is set to broaden its Galaxy A series by introducing the Galaxy A56 5G in various markets, including India. Recent certifications and database entries have shed light on important specifics regarding the new smartphone.

    Certification Details

    The Galaxy A56 5G, recognized by its model number SM-A566E/DS, has recently passed FCC certification, as noted by MySmartPrice, which confirms its connectivity capabilities. The device will be compatible with a wide array of network technologies such as GSM, WCDMA, LTE FDD, and 5G. The 5G bands supported are n1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, and 78. Moreover, the smartphone will come with Bluetooth, NFC, GNSS, and Wi-Fi (802.11.b/g/n/a/ac/ax) features.

    Charging and Battery Specs

    The FCC certification also tested the Galaxy A56 5G with the EP-TA800 adapter, which allows for 25W charging. Nevertheless, both the FCC and previous TENAA certifications confirm that the device will support 45W fast charging through wired connections. The smartphone will boast a battery rated at 4,905mAh.

    Performance Expectations

    Beyond the aforementioned details, it is anticipated that the Galaxy A56 5G will be driven by Samsung’s own Exynos 1580 processor, available in configurations of 8GB/128GB and 12GB/256GB for RAM and storage. The device was also recently discovered on Geekbench, displaying its potential performance. It will launch with Android 15 pre-installed, enhanced with Samsung’s One UI 7.0, which is expected to include the latest features driven by AI.

    Additional Innovations

    In related news, Samsung teased the ‘Project Moohan’ XR headset, which marks their entry into the world of extended reality, operating on Android XR. This device will incorporate eye tracking, hand gestures, and voice controls. It will feature OLEDoS displays, the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chip, and Google’s Gemini AI, with an estimated price of over $2,000 and a release date set for 2025.


  • Apple Analyst Reveals Dynamic Island Changes for iPhone 17 Series

    Apple Analyst Reveals Dynamic Island Changes for iPhone 17 Series

    Apple is still some time away from unveiling the iPhone 17 series. Current insights suggest that the company won’t be updating the iPhone 16 Pro Max (currently priced at $1,179 – refurbished premium on Amazon) or its less expensive models until at least mid-September. In the interim, there are expectations for the upcoming iPhone SE, which may be introduced this quarter as the iPhone 16e, featuring smaller dimensions than anticipated.

    Speculation About Changes

    Even though the release is a while off, rumors are already circulating regarding potential changes to this year’s leading iPhone models to set them apart from existing ones. One recent claim suggested that only the iPhone 17 Pro Max would come with a smaller version of the Dynamic Island. However, according to the typically dependable Ming-Chi Kuo, this isn’t accurate at all.

    Analyst Insights

    In a post on X, the seasoned Apple analyst expressed that the Dynamic Island will not see any modifications between the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 17 series. He stated that its design will remain ‘largely unchanged’, despite the introduction of a new ‘Air’ product line. As it stands now, Apple seems unlikely to move away from the Dynamic Island across all iPhone models until the end of this decade.

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  • Benefits of Using Bixby Routines on Your Samsung Galaxy Phone

    Benefits of Using Bixby Routines on Your Samsung Galaxy Phone

    Artificial Intelligence is now a part of our daily lives, providing helpful tools for users on their computers and, more recently, on smartphones too. Samsung has introduced several AI-driven features such as Galaxy AI and Bixby. Although Bixby isn’t very well-known among users, it does offer some cool functions, including Bixby Routine. Here’s why you might want to make use of Bixby Routine on your Galaxy device.

    Understanding Bixby Routine

    Bixby Routines is an impressive tool that enables you to set up a series of actions that happen automatically when certain conditions are met. These conditions can be activated based on various factors, like the time of day, where you are, what apps you’re using, and your connection state, among other things. When any of these situations occur, Bixby Routines springs into action and executes a list of pre-set tasks. This might involve turning on WiFi, opening a specific application, or sending a text message. Let’s explore how it can be beneficial.

    Benefits of Using Bixby Routine

    By automating tasks, Bixby Routine saves you time and effort, allowing you to focus on other important things. Imagine a scenario where your phone automatically switches to silent mode during your work hours or connects to your home WiFi as soon as you step inside. These small conveniences can greatly enhance your device experience, making it feel more personalized and effective.

    In conclusion, Bixby Routine is an excellent feature for Galaxy phone users who want to streamline their daily tasks. By leveraging this tool, you can enjoy a more tailored and efficient smartphone experience, all while relying on the smart technology Samsung provides. So don’t miss out on Bixby Routine’s potential.

  • Lenovo Xiaoxin Pro 14/16 GT AI Laptops Launching February 18

    Lenovo Xiaoxin Pro 14/16 GT AI Laptops Launching February 18

    Lenovo China is gearing up to introduce its Xiaoxin Pro notebook series on February 18, which includes the top-tier Xiaoxin Pro 14/16 GT AI 2025 models. This lineup aims to provide exceptional performance while maintaining a sleek and lightweight form factor.

    Xiaoxin Pro 16 GT Specifications

    According to the information released by the company, the Xiaoxin Pro 16 GT is equipped with Intel’s latest Core Ultra 7 255H and Ultra 9 285H processors, along with 32GB of dual-channel LPDDR5x-8533 RAM. It boasts dual PCIe 4.0 drive bays (M.2 2242+2280) and comes with 1TB of storage right out of the box.

    The notebook features a 16-inch 2.8K OLED display that supports a variable refresh rate ranging from 30 to 120 Hz, achieving a peak brightness of 1100 nits and 100% DCI-P3 color accuracy. This combination guarantees vivid visuals that cater to both professional tasks and entertainment. Even with its powerful components, the device measures just 15.95mm in thickness and weighs a mere 1.72 kg.

    Additional Features and Connectivity

    Among its other impressive features, the Xiaoxin Pro 16 GT includes an 84Wh battery, dual 2W speakers, and a range of ports, which consist of dual Thunderbolt 4, dual USB-A, HDMI 2.1, an SD card reader, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Moreover, the notebook is compatible with Wi-Fi 7 and is equipped with an FHD infrared camera that has a privacy shutter, along with a ToF sensor for enhanced security measures.

    In related news, Lenovo has also unveiled the Erazer S130 2-in-1 tablet in China. This device showcases a 13-inch 3K IPS touchscreen and is powered by an Intel Celeron N100 processor. It can be configured with up to 16GB of DDR5 RAM and offers 512GB SSD storage. The tablet comes with Windows 11 already installed.

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