Huawei MateBook X Pro review: A polished yet quirky laptop

Laptops are exercises in compromise, with companies sacrificing what they deem to be unnecessary features on the twin altars of portability and longevity. The decisions on what to keep and what to ditch will ultimately be how the hardware is judged in the real world. Huawei’s fourth traditional laptop, the MateBook X Pro, manages to avoid most of the pitfalls around cramming decent hardware in a slender, good-looking body. In fact, it might even be good enough to make laptop buyers think twice about simply running back to the usual cluster of brands.

Hardware

Huawei’s MateBook X Pro illustrates the curious way that we talk about laptop sizes (and other screens), defining them by their display measure. It’s 11.97 inches wide but packs a screen that measures 13 inches from corner-to-corner, making it a 13-inch laptop. Huawei has further compounded the confusion by inserting a 13.9-inch display into a chassis that measures just 11.96-inches wide. So, basically, it’s a 14-inch laptop in a 13-inch body.

Huawei has never paid attention to the critics who say that its devices crib too many design features from Apple. Last year’s MateBook X was a, uh, loving homage to Apple’s suffix-less MacBook, and the Pro clearly draws plenty of inspiration from its Californian namesake. But Huawei wasn’t content to simply rip off Jonathan Ive’s work and pass it off as its own: The company has also done its best to improve upon it.

On the left-hand side, you’ll find a 3.5mm headphone jack and a pair of USB-C ports; one for power, the other Lightning-compatible. Down the right side, however, is a traditional USB-A port that just about fits without breaking the device’s clean lines. It’s a wonderful little addition for all of us who don’t want to spend big on replacing all of their existing USB accessories.

Bigger laptops, like Lenovo’s new X1 Carbon still come with USB-A and HDMI-out ports, for sure, but it’s a testament to Huawei that it included the port on a device measuring just 14.6mm thick. And it’s one in the eye for Dell’s new XPS 13, which is surely the first machine people think about for a 13-inch ultraportable. Sure, there are different trade-offs to consider with that machine, because at 11.6mm, it’s so much thinner. But we still live in a USB A world, so I like having at least one port on my work machine.

Weighing in at 2.9 pounds means that you’ll just about feel its weight when carrying it around, but it’s certainly not the heaviest machine you’ll ever use. Build-quality, too, seems about right for a machine that’s expected to be taken on the road — and while I’d try not to drop it, it feels solid enough that it can take some punishment.

Display and sound

It won’t be long before all laptops ship with bezels so thin that they are no longer worthy of comment, thanks to companies like Dell and, now, Huawei. The skinny bezels around the MateBook X Pro are how the company has crammed a 14-inch display into such a small space. And it does make a difference. It feels like you’re basically gazing at your work (or TV show) rather than something in a bulky frame.

The X Pro’s 3K touchscreen is very, very pretty, with eye-popping colors and crisp font reproduction that you’ll enjoy staring into for hours at a time. The 450 nit backlight is very strong, although the reflective coating on the screen means that you’ll struggle to use it in very bright sunlight. But then, the same could be said for pretty much any laptop at this price.

In the sound and vision stakes, the Huawei MateBook X Pro really does punch well above its weight. The laptop’s stereo speakers have been tuned with Dolby Atmos 2.0 and it really does make a huge difference compared to other small laptops. Close your eyes and you could easily believe that you were listening to a dedicated soundbar rather than tinny laptop speakers. At higher volumes, you’ll get the odd rattle when the bass (or low-talking dialogue) gets too much, but otherwise, I’m impressed.

The laptop does ship with a touchscreen, but since you can’t flip it into either a stand or tablet mode, its utility is limited. Unless you’re really, really into getting smeary fingerprints all over a glossy laptop screen when you’re trying to work and can’t be bothered to use the touchpad.

Keyboard and trackpad (and camera)

If there’s one thing that a laptop like this needs, it’s a rock solid keyboard — especially if you spend your days typing and editing documents for a living. Huawei chose not to reinvent the wheel here, opting for a chiclet keyboard that is generously-sized and spaced with short, but decent, amounts of travel. There’s a satisfying click at the bottom of each keypress that lets your fingers know you’ve successfully typed each letter. Coming from a 2013 MacBook Air, there was precisely zero learning curve to getting on this keyboard, and that’s a good thing. Nestled above the delete key on the right-hand side is a fingerprint sensor for Windows Hello that worked pretty well most of the time.

I have fewer kind things to say about the trackpad, which is generously-proportioned but more than a little bit frustrating. No matter how much I messed with the sensitivity settings, I couldn’t get the damn thing to work as well as I wanted. Switching between browser tabs often saw the pad misinterpret my drags as taps, meaning that I wound up dragging tabs out of windows. Palm rejection is another issue, and grazing my (admittedly meaty) hand across the pad often sent the cursor lurching up my documents. The company is concerned that it may be a production issue on this early hardware, and so will be sending over a replacement. If the problems go away, I’ll update this section accordingly.

Ordinarily, discussions of a laptop’s built-in webcam would be placed in the hardware section for good and obvious reasons — or ignored entirely. But if the MateBook X Pro is known for one thing, it’s for a pop-up webcam sited in the middle of the keyboard’s function row. Placed between the F6 and F7 keys, users have to push the dedicated key down to see the one-megapixel unit pop up into view.

The webcam is small and pleasingly dinky, with the usual green light to warn you when the lens is in use. Unfortunately, the lens is fixed in one place, and you can’t even make small angle adjustments to its placement or position. That means it’s still less useful than Dell’s implementation, which embedded the webcam in the bottom bezel of its display.

Armchair commenters have already said that the camera’s angle, which is low and pointed toward your face, is inevitably going to be unflattering. This is true, but only in part, because you can avoid showing the world your double (and triple) chin by sitting a bit further back. Although you won’t be able to do some sneaky typing, midcall, without the person on the other end of the line seeing it.

If you’re used to seeing your paranoid colleagues sullying their laptops with stickers to block their built-in webcams, then the pop-up camera is a welcome development. Even if it’s activated without your consent, the worst thing it’ll be able to see is the black darkness inside its own housing. On one hand, that should make it harder for hackers, and the feds, to spy upon you. On the other, if you’re paranoid about the CIA and FBI, you’re probably also nervous about the supposed close relationship between Huawei and China’s government.

Performance and battery life

PCMark 7
PCMark 8 (Creative Accelerated)
3DMark 11
3DMark (Sky Diver)
ATTO (top reads/writes)

Huawei MateBook X Pro (2018, Core i7-8550U, 16GB RAM, GeForce MX150)
6,167
4,147
E5,622 / P3,670 / X1,235
8,289
2.96 GB/s / 4.60 GB/s

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2018, Core i5-8250U, Intel HD 620)
6,298
5,002
E3,701 / P2,062 / X493
4,706
2.96 GB/s / 1.97 GB/s

Dell XPS 13 (2018, Core i7-8550U, Intel UHD 620)
6,438
4,918
E3,875 / P2,166 / X526
4,901
3.1 GB/s / 527 MB/s

Surface Laptop (Core i5, Intel HD 620)
5,075
4,279
E2,974 / P1,702 / X429
3,630
658 MB/s / 238 MB/s

Lenovo Yoga 910 (2.7GHz Core i7-7500U, 8GB, Intel HD 620)
5,822
4,108
E2,927 / P1,651 / X438
3,869
1.59 GB/s / 313 MB/s

Razer Blade (Fall 2016) (2.7GHz Intel Core-i7-7500U, Intel HD 620)
5,462
3,889
E3,022 / P1,768
4,008
1.05 GB/s / 281 MB/s

ASUS ZenBook 3 (2.7GHz Intel Core-i7-7500U, Intel HD 620)
5,448
3,911
E2,791 / P1,560
3,013
1.67 GB/s / 1.44 GB/s

Razer Blade Stealth (2.5GHz Intel Core i7-6500U, Intel HD 520)
5,131
3,445
E2,788 / P1,599 / X426
3,442
1.5 GB/s / 307 MB/s

My MateBook X Pro review unit is the top-of-the-line model, with a Core i7-8550U clocked at 1.8GHz, 16GB RAM and a GeForce MX150 graphics. It cold boots in about 10 seconds and was able to handle pretty much everything I threw at it without stuttering or slowing down. Running Edge and writing in Google Docs with only a couple of other tabs open was, however, enough to make the machine run a little warm. Not so much that it would burn you, but warm enough that you’d struggle to use this on your lap for long periods of time.

Benchmark-wise, the device certainly stands toe-to-toe with its peers and packs enough of a punch, although it’s worth remembering that this isn’t really designed for intensive video editing or high-end games. I did fire up Steam and play a few titles and, in a pinch, the unit would do for a quick game of Arkham Origins (don’t judge me) or Overwatch, so long as you weren’t maxing out the settings.

Huawei MateBook X Pro (2018)	11:07
ThinkPad Carbon X1 (2018)	15:30
Dell XPS 13 (2018)	9:50
Surface Book 2 15-inch	20:50
Apple MacBook Pro 2016 (13-inch, no Touch Bar)	11:42
HP Spectre x360 15t	10:17
Apple MacBook Pro 2016 (13-inch, Touch Bar)	9:55
ASUS ZenBook 3	9:45
Razer Blade Stealth (Fall 2016)	5:36

Huawei claims that the MateBook X Pro can get up to 12 hours of video playback in a single session, and that’s almost true. In our battery-rundown test, which involves looping a local HD video, the laptop lasted for a very impressive 11 hours and 7 minutes. That puts it well ahead of Dell’s XPS 13, and close to the 2016 MacBook Pro, making it ideal for long-haul flights where you need to keep yourself amused. When I used the laptop as my work machine during a trade show, doing tasks like image editing, its life fell to closer to the eight-hour mark.

Pricing and the competition

Huawei hasn’t spoken about US pricing or availability for the MateBook X Pro, probably because America’s political community is waging a war of words against the company. Right now, we have vague assurances that we’ll learn more at some point soon. And even if the X Pro does make it to the US, it may not be sold in many places, thanks to several retailers cutting ties with the brand.

Consequently, we only have European pricing for the base model, which is €1,499 ($1,840) for a MateBook X Pro with a Core i5 CPU and 256GB storage. Whatever the internal options, however, the machine is available in two colors: silver and dark gray.

If the machine ever arrives in the US, its price will likely be much lower thanks to the differences in sales tax compared to Europe. But if we use that figure as a rough benchmark, what are the alternatives?

If you’re looking for a premium ultraportable with a good display and weirdly-placed webcam, then our old friend the Dell XPS 13 is the natural choice. For $1,199.99 you can get a Core i7 with 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD that has been paired with that skinny-bezel display. If you have a little more cash, however, you can push those specs to 16GB RAM, a 512GB SSD and a 4K version of the InfinityEdge screen for $1,999.99.

Another alternative, especially if you’re looking for a laptop from a stronger PC brand, would be Razer’s Blade Stealth. For $1,649.99, you can snag a 13-inch Stealth with a 3,200 x 1,800 display, 16GB RAM, a 512GB SSD and a Core i7 CPU. The Stealth, unfortunately, doesn’t have the option to add graphics options beyond Intel’s integrated system — you need to upgrade to the $1,659.99 Blade to get NVIDIA add-ons.

And, of course, for those users who aren’t tethered to Windows as a platform, you can also pick up Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Pro. The $1,499 model ships packing a Core i5, 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD, not to mention a webcam that sits where all webcams normally sit.

Wrap-up

Because Huawei has been so reticent to talk about US pricing and availability, it’s hard to offer definitive recommendations. After all, it may be hard to find over here and may be available only in limited quantities in Europe, making it an import-only job for hardcore devotees. This is a shame because it really is a nice piece of kit, and one that deserves to be taken seriously as an alternative to other business laptops.

It has a pretty display and, thanks to its small-bezel design, one that’s far larger than you would expect on a device of this size. It solves, at least for now, the issues of backward compatibility as we transition to a new USB standard without being clunky. And, of course, there’s the pop-up webcam, a smart, if weird, solution to the privacy concerns people have regarding their computers.

There’s still the issue with that fussy trackpad, which may be a one-off or a total dealbreaker for some of you. And even if it did come to the US, even with a flawless trackpad, it still needs to be competitively priced. Only when we have firm answers to those questions can we say for sure if it’s worth splashing the cash on.

A live-action ‘Street Fighter’ TV show is in development

According to Deadline, Street Fighter fans should keep an eye out for a new TV series currently in development from Entertainment One. The producers of the new show were previously involved with the web series Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist, and now we’ll find out what they can do for TV. Capcom’s Street Fighter executive producer Yoshinori Ono said: “After a long search, guided by the team behind Assassin’s Fist, we are delighted to be partnering with a company with the outstanding TV experience of Mark Gordon and eOne. They have the credentials to help us launch a faithful adaptation of Street Fighter as a major TV series.”

Stuntman Joey Ansah has come a long way from 2010’s Street Fighter Legacy short, and is one of the executive producers on this project. The new show is based on the plot of the Street Fighter II game, as Ryu, Ken, Guile and Chun-Li chase down M. Bison and become involved in the World Warrior fighting tournament. Fortunately, the team’s track record suggests they’ll be able to give this project the treatment it deserves, so we don’t end up with a Street Fighter: The Movie (The Game) situation.

Source: Deadline

The OnePlus 5T is no longer for sale in North America, making way for the OnePlus 6

OnePlus has stopped selling the 5T to North American customers.

OnePlus has a certain pattern with its phone releases: there is a new release about every six months, and it stops selling the current model before the new one is announced. To that end, OnePlus has stopped sales of the 5T before announcing the OnePlus 6.

Engadget reports that the stock shortage is due to higher-than-expected demand, and the company does not intend to manufacture any more of the current model. This isn’t bad news for the company though: the North American market accounts for 25% of the company’s total online sales, after a 139% growth in North American sales compared to the previous year.

OnePlus has long kept lean stock of its phones, which lead to the invite system in early years. Less inventory on the shelf means less costs to OnePlus, which is part of why its phones are cheaper than comparable devices. Still, it’s unfortunate for potential customers that need a device in the next couple months. For those that really want a OnePlus 5T, Amazon does have them in stock, but for $50 over MSRP and without a warranty. If you can wait a couple more months, we expect the OnePlus 6 will ship in June of this year.

Are you going to wait for the OnePlus 6, or just purchase a different device? Let us know down below!

OnePlus 5T and OnePlus 5

• OnePlus 5T review: Come for the value, not the excitement
• OnePlus 5T specs
• Should you upgrade from the OnePlus 3T?
• OnePlus 5T vs. Galaxy S8: Beast mode
• All of the latest OnePlus 5T news
• Join the discussion in the forums

OnePlus
Amazon

Spielberg doesn’t think Netflix should win Oscars

In an interview, Steven Spielberg stated that content on Netflix should be considered television…and ineligible for Oscars. “Once you commit to a television format, you’re a TV movie,” he said on while chatting to ITV news during a tour promoting his upcoming film Ready Player One.

Spielberg responded to a direct question about Netflix’s threat to the cinematic form by criticizing studios for preferring tentpole blockbusters to making smaller movies, which have been subsequently driven to streaming services. Television (presumably including streaming content) is thriving with quality and art, he said, but it endangers film as a form because creators won’t brave the indie awards scene and just go to SVOD providers instead. But once you do, the creation crosses a Rubicon to become television, and shouldn’t be considered for an Academy Award.

Others in the old guard of the film world similarly reject content on streaming services. Cannes banned Netflix from competition this year after last year’s uproar over allowing Okja and The Meyerowitz Stories to run for awards. The festival head Theirry Fremaux changed the rules to require entering films to be screened in theaters, which Netflix refused to do. In his ITV interview, Spielberg likewise said films shouldn’t qualify for Oscars if they only run in cinemas for a limited time. Ire for Netflix rose in the weeks leading up to this year’s Academy Awards as members complained about whether streaming movies should be considered films — and up for competition against traditionally-released fare.

Via: io9

Source: ITV News (YouTube)

Yet another security vulnerability afflicts India’s citizen database

India’s Aadhaar database is a national system that contains personal data and biometric information on over 1.1 billion Indian citizens. While joining is technically voluntary (for now, at least), enrollment has become necessary for things like opening bank accounts and applying for loans, filing tax returns and buying or selling property. But Aadhaar has been rife with security issues and ZDNet reports that another, currently unaddressed, problem is exposing Indian citizens’ information.

ZDNet is withholding details about the security lapse because it says Indian officials haven’t done anything about it. Karan Saini, a New Delhi-based security researcher, spotted the vulnerability and says a data leak in a state-owned utility company’s system is letting anyone retrieve information on any Aadhaar member. Names, Aadhaar identity numbers and bank information are all exposed.

ZDNet spent over a month trying to get in touch with Indian authorities and after receiving no replies, it contacted the Indian Consulate in New York. ZDNet spent two weeks describing the problem, but it remained unaddressed. It said the vulnerability was still accessible at the time of publication.

Aadhaar has experienced a number of other security issues in the past. Earlier this year, reporters at Indian publication The Tribune were able to buy an Aadhaar administrator ID and password from an individual through WhatsApp. It cost less than $8, took 20 minutes and they were able to enter any Aadhaar ID number and access that person’s name, address, photo, phone number and email.

Aadhaar has attracted a lot of criticism for the repeated security lapses it has suffered over the years and the country’s Supreme Court is currently assessing Aadhaar’s constitutional validity.

Source: ZDNet

Proposed law would insist on work-life balance for New Yorkers

With all of us connected to our phones day and night, it’s pretty easy to respond to work requests after official office hours are over. European countries like France have passed laws allowing employees to ignore employers after hours, giving citizens the right to disconnect. Now New Yorkers may have a similar freedom if a new bill proposed by the city council passes.

The New York Times notes that the average New Yorker works more than 49 hours per week, which is longer than those in other large cities across the US. In addition, the Times reports that workers spend an extra eight hours per week managing email after work, according to a 2017 survey.

The new bill won’t make it illegal to ask employees to check email or other electronic communications after work hours, but would allow employees to ignore such missives with no threat of retaliation. “This bill would make it unlawful for private employees in the city of New York to require employees to check and respond to email and other electronic communications during non-work hours,” says the bill’s abstract. The law would apply to any business with 10 or more employees doing business in the municipality. If it passes, other cities could potentially look at similar legislation, freeing us all up from having to stay connected, even after the workday is over.

Via: The New York Times

Source: The New York City Council

Huawei is reportedly in talks with Sirin Labs to build a ‘blockchain smartphone’

It looks like Huawei may soon embrace the blockchain trend. According to a new report from Bloomberg, the company is considering building a phone using Sirin OS, a mobile operating system developed by Sirin Labs that’s capable of running blockchain applications. The report notes that the operating system would run alongside Android.

While no agreement is in place just yet between the new companies, Huawei could be the first major smartphone manufacturer to adopt blockchain technology if a deal is made.

There are a few advantages to using blockchain. It’s basically a ledger that records every single transaction chronologically. This ledger is decentralized, meaning that there’s no one corporation or organization that holds all of its information. Instead, the information is stored across all devices. The technology has been mostly adopted in the cryptocurrency world — but it could easily be applied to other areas. It has also has yet to become a mainstream concept — though adoption by companies like Huawei could help change that.

Sirin Labs has been developing its blockchain-based operating system for about a year now, and it’s aimed at allowing users to access blockchain-based apps, such as cryptocurrency wallets. It has even built its own phone, called the Finney phone, which it plans to sell for $1,000 in the second half of the year. The phone will offer features such as an embedded cold storage cryptocurrency wallet, which allows for the storage of cryptocurrency offline.

Huawei and Sirin Labs have reportedly been in talks for about two months. As reported by Bloomberg, a caption under an image posted by Sirin Labs in a Telegram group chat reads: “Amazing meeting just concluded between Sirin Labs and Huawei. Among other things discussed was the possibility of cooperating together to bring blockchain technology to the masses in a secure way.”

It will be very interesting to see what comes of the talks between the two companies, if anything. Either way, we’re likely to see blockchain technology start bleeding into consumer consciousness, though whether it’s in the form of a phone or something else remains to be seen. For now, blockchain technology is largely limited to cryptocurrencies.

Editors’ Recommendations

• What is a blockchain? Here’s everything you need to know
• Microsoft will use a blockchain to decentralize data for better control
• XRP’s value rises amid rumors that Western Union may adopt the blockchain
• 5 tech trends you’ll be talking about in 2018
• DT Daily at MWC 2018: Sony Xperia XZ2 phones, Android Go slims down, lifi lights up

Instagram is messing with the news feed again, and more changes are coming

Instagram

Instagram may not be going back to chronological order but the network is working to keep those weeks-old images from popping up in your feed. On Thursday, March 22, Instagram shared a news feed update that will boost newer posts, along with testing a button that will allow users to choose when to refresh the feed. The changes are the first in what Instagram says are some news feed improvements that will happen “over the next few months,” and follow an update allowing linked hashtags and profiles in the bio.

The date on the post has always played a role in Instagram’s feed, becoming part of the algorithm when Instagram moved away from the chronological feed. While the date was always factored in, Instagram is moving the date higher up the ranks in how the algorithm decides what to include where, which means newer posts will start popping up earlier in the feed.

Instagram says the change is based on user feedback. “With these changes, your feed will feel more fresh, and you won’t miss the moments you care about,” the official blog post reads.

The second potential change is a refresh button — but so far, the tool is just a test. A “new posts” button will allow users to choose when to refresh the feed, avoiding losing your spot with an automatic refresh when, say, you move out of the app to send a text and come back a few minutes later. Doing nothing will save the spot in the feed, while hitting the new post button will take users back to the top of the feed.

That is not all the changes coming to the Instagram news feed, however. “Over the next few months, we’ll be sharing more about improvements we’re making to feed,” the post says. “Our goal is to be the best place to share and connect with the people and interests that matter most to you.”

The change comes one day after Instagram announced the ability to created linked hashtags and mentions inside bios. The update allows you to create clickable hashtags or links to other profiles. Users will be notified if a link to their profile pops up in another users bio and will have the option to remove the link, which still leaves the text intact.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Despite rumors, Instagram isn’t going back to a chronological feed
• From grit to sparkle: How to clean up your Instagram account
• Instagram is changing your feed again, this time with ‘recommended’ posts
• With Mosaic, you can redesign your Instagram grid without the commitment
• Social Feed: Regrams join Stories, YouTube bans guns, Pinterest expands shopping

Galactic battle: How the Galaxy S9 Plus camera compares to Samsung predecessors

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Samsung’s Galaxy S9 Plus fares extremely well in low-light camera tests, rivaling top contenders like the Google Pixel 2 and the iPhone X. But, how does it compare to previous Samsung Galaxy phones? Many people looking at the S9 Plus are likely upgrading from the phone’s predecessors, like the Galaxy S6, S7 Edge, and maybe even last year’s S8 and Note 8. In our latest camera shootout, we’re pitting Samsung’s newest phone against the Galaxy S8, Galaxy S7 Edge, and the Galaxy Note 8 to mark the differences in the camera, and to see if it’s worthy of an upgrade.

Check out our Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus reviews to learn more about the new phones themselves, as there’s a lot more new than just a re-imagined camera. What exactly is new with the S9’s camera? Read all about it in our guide explaining variable aperture.

Camera app

The S9 and S9 Plus’ camera apps are a departure from those in the Galaxy S7 Edge, S8, and Note 8. With previous generations, the camera app is quite similar. You swipe to the right to access different camera modes, and swipe to the left for filters. The Note 8 has dual cameras, so it offers a 2x optical zoom, and it also has a Live Focus mode, which adds a blur behind subjects (like Apple and Google’s Portrait Mode). The S7 Edge, S8, and Note 8 camera apps have a clean interface, and are very easy to use.

With the S9 and S9 Plus, all the different camera modes — including Live Focus on the S9 Plus — are now accessible by swiping left or right throughout the camera app, similar to the iPhone’s camera experience. You can customize the layout of these modes in the camera settings. To access filters, just tap the wand icon near the shutter icon. It’s just as easy to use, though we’ve repeatedly and accidentally swiped into another photo mode, which can be annoying when trying to quickly snap a photo.

In this comparison, we’re focusing specifically on the Galaxy S9 Plus. Both phones will take the same photos — though the Plus has the edge with the second camera offering Live Focus and 2x optical zoom. Note that we used Auto mode for all our photos, as that’s what most people use.

Plaça Espanya

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Samsung Galaxy S8

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

We start with the Plaça Espanya in Barcelona.

The Note 8’s photo is a little blurry, which may be due to some shakiness when taking the photo. We’ve gone through several other photos (not seen here) with the other phones on this list of the same subject, and all showed some blur in one photo or another — from the Galaxy S7 Edge to the Galaxy S9 Plus. The Note 8 and the S9 Plus have dual optical image stabilization that should mitigate this, but we haven’t found it to be as useful as we’d like in low-light.

The Galaxy S7 Edge manages to produce a solid photo, but its biggest weakness is in color. The lighting is too red, producing a photo with a uniform and bland hue. Barring the blurry Note 8 photo, the S7 Edge’s image is also the least sharp. Zoom into the arches of the arena in the background, and you’ll see fuzzy details.

The S8 and Note 8 photos have similar color schemes, and the Galaxy S9 Plus’ photo is a tad more saturated. The S9 Plus photo is undoubtedly the sharpest, offering great detail even on the communication tower on the arena. We’re impressed at the detail the S8’s photo offers — it’s second to the S9 Plus, and we think the Note 8 would sit right here as well if the photo didn’t come out blurry.

Look at the sky on the S9 Plus photo, and you’ll see Samsung’s image processing in action thanks to the reduced noise. The other photos all show far grainier skies. Where the S9 Plus loses points is the uniform and unnatural yellow hue, kind of like how the red hue on the S7 Edge’s photo. The S8 and Note 8 seem to have a little more depth here, as the sky and arena don’t seem to be draped in incandescent light.

Verdict: The S9 Plus wins for its great photo details and noise reduction, but Samsung’s previous phones put up a valiant fight.

Food

Samsung Galaxy S9

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Samsung Galaxy S8

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

We all love taking photos of our food, but often times mood lighting in restaurants isn’t adequate enough to light up these shots. That’s still evident here, as all these photos are relatively dark (the S7 Edge photo isn’t the same as the other three, we admit, but it’s close). The S7 Edge and S9 Plus photos shine here for detail, and the S8 and Note 8 photos aren’t as sharp. The S9 Plus does a great job with color correction, as the plate is accurately white. The S8, S7 Edge, and Note 8 all make the whole photo very yellow (with slightly redder tones on the S7).

Verdict: While the meal itself was delicious, it’s tough for any camera to make it look appetizing. The Galaxy S9 Plus’ color accuracy and solid details come the closest, so it takes the win again.

Garden

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Samsung Galaxy S8

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

We peeked our phones through a fence to to capture this interior garden that was decently-lit. It’s an easy win for the Galaxy S9 Plus, thanks to good color, great detail, and it brings out a lot more of the archways closer to the foreground than the other cameras. The Note 8 and S8 photos are incredibly similar, though the Note 8 is a little blurry, likely due to slight movement (or perhaps even wind). They both light up the garden well, but the color is much cooler than what it was in reality. The right side of the photo is completely dark, unlike the S9’s photo, where you can see some more brickwork. We think the detail between the S8 and the S9 photos is almost equal, but the S9 Plus trumps both.

Verdict: Galaxy S9 Plus. We finally see the S7 Edge dip in quality drastically here. The whole photo is completely red, the details are fuzzy, and the surrounding archways are completely dark.

Arches

Samsung Galaxy S9

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Samsung Galaxy S8

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

The arches on the Barcelona Cathedral are just about the only part of the building that’s lit up at night. All these phones do a decent job of bringing out the archway’s surrounding, though it’s evident the S7 Edge is the weakest here. Zoom into the statues on the arches, however, and it’s impressive at the detail these phones can capture. The S7 Edge does a solid job, but its angels aren’t as sharp as those on the Note 8 and S8. The S9 Plus photo is indeed detailed, but it’s a little fuzzy once you zoom all the way in. We love the colors offered by the S9 Plus photo here though, as it’s accurately whiter than the rest, while still retaining a slightly warm ambiance. That’s not to say the yellower tones on the Note 8 and S8 photos are bad, but they do dull the photo’s atmosphere. All these cameras do a great job of not overexposing the statues at the bottom of the archway too much.

Verdict: These photos are all impressive, but the S9 Plus gets the win yet again for its color balance. However, we do think the Note 8 offers the best detail here.

Barcelona Cathedral

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Samsung Galaxy S8

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

It’s astounding how well these phones have captured the Barcelona Cathedral and the surrounding scene. Even the Galaxy S7 Edge’s photo here is impressive, considering how little light the sensor had to work with. While these are all shareable photos, zoom in and it’s easier to spot a few differences. The sky, namely, looks fantastic in the Galaxy S9 Plus photo. The clouds were moving fast, and the S9 Plus photo makes it look incredibly lifelike, with very little noise. It’s also surprising how little noise there is in the S7 Edge photo’s sky — whereas there’s plenty of noise on the S8 and Note 8 photos.

The S9 Plus offers the best blacks with great contrast, giving the cathedral a lot of depth. It also has rich, warm tone that’s very close to the tones in the S8 and Note 8 photos. The S7 Edge loses out here as the whole photo looks a little washed out with muted colors. We do prefer the archway on the S7 Edge and the S9 Plus here, though, as they look the most detailed; they’re a little blurry on the Note 8 and S8 photos.

Verdict: We like the S9 Plus photo here, but the S8 and Note 8 do come very close behind.

New York

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Samsung Galaxy S8

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

Our next comparison moves away from the dark streets of Barcelona and into New York during the day. These photos are very difficult to discern from one another. The S9 Plus manages to stand out for a slightly less blue sky, which is more accurate to what we saw in real life. The other phones seem to pump up the blue. However, the S9 Plus is the only blurry photo. It’s tough to see, but zoom into the water tower towards the left of the photo. The S9 Plus is the only one of the lot that’s ever-so-slightly blurry. Again, it’s not immediately noticeable, but there’s no reason the photo should be blurry in these lighting conditions — and we were very still when taking all these photos. The S7 Edge’s photos have a little more contrast, so the brickwork on the buildings are slightly more defined, which we think looks better.

Verdict: We’re surprisingly giving the win to the Galaxy S7 Edge here. The sky isn’t as blue as the S8 and the Note 8, which gives it a more realistic look, and it’s impressively the sharpest photo. We’re not sure why the S9 Plus photo is a little blurry, but it would take the win if it wasn’t because it has the most accurate-looking sky, and also has the same defined brickwork we see on the S7 Edge.

2x optical zoom

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Here we can see the dual-camera system in action on the Galaxy S9 Plus and the Galaxy Note 8. These phones have a second lens that offer 2x optical zoom. That means it’s not digitally zooming in the photo, which hampers the image quality. We’ve zoomed in close to multiple parts of the photo, and we’re having a difficult time deciding a winner for details. Both photos are sharp. The differences are in color — the Note 8 is a little more saturated. While we think the sky in the Note 8 photo is too blue, we do think it does a better job accurately showing off the colors of the buildings. The S9 Plus photo has a more realistically blue sky, but it pares down the color in the rest of the photo in its attempt to white balance everything. The small, white building in the left corner of both photos, for example, should be beige instead of white. The Note 8’s photo is a tad more accurate.

Verdict: These photos are very similar, but we like the Note 8’s results here.

Portrait

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Samsung Galaxy S8

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

The most important task we rely on our smartphone cameras for is capturing photos of our friends and family, so it’s important to see how well these phones can capture portraits. In this test, we’re mostly happy with all the results. The Galaxy S7 Edge shows the same reddish hue we’ve seen in previous photos — it works relatively well, though it’s not as realistic. It’s certainly better than the greenish tint in the Galaxy S8’s result, the photo we like the least. The Note 8 photo sits somewhere in between: It’s not as red and not as green, but there’s a nice warm tone. These three phones show off the same amount of detail. It’s solid, but take a look at the Galaxy S9 Plus’ results and you’ll see a stronger overall photo. There’s plenty of rich detail when you zoom in, and the colors are accurate — the subject isn’t as warm as in the Note 8 photo.

Verdict: The Galaxy S9 Plus wins this round, but the Note 8 and the S7 Edge sit close behind.

Portrait with Live Focus

Samsung Galaxy S9

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Both the Galaxy S9 Plus and the Note 8 use the second camera for a mode called Live Focus. Like Apple and Google’s Portrait Mode, it adds a blur behind a subject, creating a cool bokeh effect that places an emphasis on the person or object. The detail in both these photos are similar, though the S9 Plus photo doesn’t look as grainy. The S9 Plus also does a better job with the blur, as the strands of hair at the top of the head are blurred a little, because they are further back from the subject’s face. The Note 8 photo makes it all visible, but if you look at the strand of hair on the right shoulder (left from the viewing perspective), a strand is missing — yet it’s visible on the S9 Plus photo. The Note 8 also cranks up the saturation in this photo, adding a warmer skin tone as well as pumping up the colors on the blouse — even the blurred background has a warm hue.

Verdict: The S9 Plus photo is closer to reality thanks to its white balance, and the less grain makes it the overall stronger photo. It takes the win.

Conclusion

Overall, the Galaxy S9 Plus has the most wins and took the shots we liked the most. A lot of these choices are subjective, though, and you may come to a different conclusion than us. The S9 Plus’ camera shines the most in low light, and we think it’s worth the upgrade on that point alone. Live Focus has also improved over the Note 8, and we think the second camera is worth splurging for over the smaller S9. It’s evident though, that you may not see major changes in some lighting scenarios, particularly in the daytime — even compared with the Galaxy S7 Edge’s camera.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Buying a Galaxy S9? Here’s how to sell your old Galaxy phone
• We put the Samsung Galaxy S9’s camera to the ultimate low-light test
• Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus review
• Here’s how to buy the brand-new Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus
• The Samsung Galaxy S9 has finally arrived — here’s everything you need to know

Latest Apple patents hint at souped-up Apple Pencil that can measure 3D objects

Another week, another set of patents awarded to Apple. Last week, we saw patents from the company related to haptic notifications, the use of enzymes to make a phone more waterproof, and a new coloration technique for titanium. Now, there are two new patents to go over — both of which relate to the Apple Pencil.

Rumors indicate that Apple is working on an improved Apple Pencil for upcoming iPad models, so it’s possible that the technology described in the patents could be unveiled soon. Or, it’s also possible that it could show up in the third-generation of Apple Pencil, or even later. Here’s a look at the two patents, and what they mean.

An Apple Pencil with exchangeable modules

The first patent relates to modules on the Apple Pencil that can be removed and replaced as a way to change the functionality of the device. The newly filed document is actually aimed at claiming the patent from a provisional document filed by Apple in 2016 — companies can file provisional documents that don’t mature into fully granted patents until they file additional documents. That’s what Apple has done here.

Regardless of the document type, the patent is still pretty interesting. There are a few reasons you might want an Apple Pencil with an exchangeable module. The first and most obvious benefit is battery life — if your Apple Pencil’s battery runs out, you can simply screw in an additional module and get a fully recharged device. Apart from that, however, the patent describes that a module could have a small display showing graphical information or virtual buttons, and so on.

Using the Apple Pencil to measure objects

The second patent relates to using the Apple Pencil for measuring things in the real world — not just objects on the display. The patent describes the Apple Pencil calculating positioning data using things like acceleration, the device’s orientation, and more. The patent also notes that the device can be used to create three-dimensional illustrations by using that positioning data.

This patent is also aimed at claiming the benefit of provisional documents filed in 2016.

Both of these new features would be very interesting to see in a new Apple Pencil — but we’ll have to wait and see whether or not they show up. Apple is holding an event on March 27, and rumors indicate that it will be the launch event for some new iPads.

Editors’ Recommendations

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