Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 vs. Galaxy Tab S3: Android Tablet Showdown

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Hear the word tablet, and you’ll probably think of Apple’s iPad. Android tablets are few and far between these days, and companies like Huawei and Samsung are among the few that consistently release high-end models. This stems largely from Google not encouraging developers to create tablet-friendly apps, so Samsung took things into its own hands with its latest tablet, the Galaxy Tab S4. Samsung has built its DeX interface into the Tab S4, so whenever you connect the tablet to a keyboard, the Android desktop mode will launch. This makes the device much more productivity friendly.

But before we start comparing the Tab S4 to competitors like the iPad Pro, how does it stack up against its predecessor? We pit Galaxy Tab S4 versus Galaxy Tab S3 to find out.

Specs

Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3

Size
249.3 x 164.3 x 7.1 mm (9.81 x 6.46 x 0.27 inches)
237.3 x 169 x 6 mm (9.34 x 6.65 x 0.24 inches)

Weight
482 grams (17 ounces)
429 grams (15.13 ounces)

Screen size
10.5-inch Super AMOLED display
9.7-inch Super AMOLED display

Screen resolution
2,560 x 1,600 pixels (265 pixels per inch)
2,048 x 1,536 pixels (264 pixels per inch)

Operating system
Android 8.1 Oreo
Android 8.0 Oreo

Storage space
64/256GB

32GB

MicroSD card slot
Yes, up to 512GB
Yes, up to 512GB

Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820

RAM
4GB
4GB

Camera
13MP rear, 8MP front
13MP rear, 5MP front

Video
Up to 4K at 30 frames per second
Up to 4K at 30 frames per second

Bluetooth version
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 4.2

Ports
3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C
3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C

Fingerprint sensor
None
Yes (front mounted)

Water resistance
No
No

Battery
7,300mAh

Fast charging

6,000mAh

Fast charging

App marketplace
Google Play Store
Google Play Store

Network support
Verizon (Cellular version only), more carrier support to come later this year including Sprint, AT&T, and US Cellular
All major carriers (Cellular version only)

Colors
White, Black
White, Black

Price
$650-plus
$550

Buy from

Samsung, Amazon, Best Buy, Verizon

Samsung, Amazon, Best Buy

Review score
Hands-on review
3 out of 5 stars

Performance, battery life, and charging

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Galaxy Tab S3’s performance was one of its stronger points, with the Snapdragon 820 processor easily handling most of the tasks we threw at it. That chip was a generation behind when the Tab S3 launched, and it’s a similar story with the Tab S4, which will launch with the Snapdragon 835 processor. It’s the same processor that ran the last generation of smartphones, like the LG V30 and the Samsung Galaxy S8. It’s still a great chip though, and we naturally expect stronger performance from the Tab S4 over the Tab S3 as a result.

Both devices come with 4GB of RAM and the option to expand storage by MicroSD. The Tab S4 has also seen an upgrade in storage, with 64GB available in the base model, and 256GB of storage available for an extra $100.

The Tab S4 is also packing a larger 7,300mAh battery. The Tab S3’s 6,000mAh battery held up well, lasting over 10 hours in our moderate to high use testing. Expect the extra capacity on the Tab S4 to last even longer, with Samsung touting 16 hours of video playback. Neither tablet supports wireless charging, but both have Samsung’s fast charging built in.

There’s an obvious winner here — the Galaxy Tab S4 is a clear upgrade.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Tab S4

Design and durability

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Tab S3 had a boring, barely-changed design, and a glass back that didn’t win it any durability favors. While the glass is apparently here to stay (Gorilla Glass 3 on the front and back), there are quite a few design changes on the Tab S4. Samsung has shrunk down the bezels on the newer tablet, refreshing the look and giving us something that isn’t just an enlarged Galaxy S5. Despite the larger 10.5-inch display, the Tab S4 is nearly the same size as the Tab S3. Samsung has also removed the home button — there’s just a power button and volume rocker at the top — and that also means there is no fingerprint sensor. The Samsung logo has gone with it too, giving the front of the tablet a cleaner look.

The lack of a fingerprint sensor is a step back, as it will make the user experience a little more frustrating in tablet mode. Both are similar durability-wise, with glass you’ll want to avoid smashing, and zero water resistance.

The Tab S4’s refreshed design wins this round, and while the Tab S3 had a fingerprint sensor, we encountered a few problems with it in our review.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Tab S4

Display

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Samsung is known for producing some of the best screens, and both the Tab S3 and Tab S4 uphold Samsung’s strong reputation. The Tab S3 has a 9.7-inch Super AMOLED display running a 2,048 x 1,536 resolution, while the Tab S4 goes in for a larger 10.5-inch Super AMOLED display, with a 2,560 x 1,600 resolution. Both displays are similarly sharp, and the OLED technology means they both show deep blacks and vibrant colors.

Because the bezels have been slimmed down, the bigger screen on the Tab S4 doesn’t mean the tablet is bigger than the Tab S3 — they’re similar in size. That’s a win-win in our book, and the Tab S4 takes the win.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Tab S4

Camera

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Camera technology isn’t really worth all that much in tablets, but it’s nice to have the option to take snaps (we recommend not taking photos with your tablet outside). You’ll find similar 13-megapixel lenses around the back of both devices,and both can capture video at 4K resolutions.

The Tab S4 picks up some extra points with improvements to the front-facing camera — upping the lens to 8-megapixels from the meager 5-megapixel lens on the Tab S3. Since you’re more likely to use the front-facing camera on such a device, it wins the Tab S4 the round here.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Tab S4

Software and updates

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

You’ll find Android 8.0 Oreo on the Tab S3, and Android 8.1 Oreo on the Tab S4 — 8.1 brings a few additional improvements to the operating system.

But the biggest difference between the two tablets in terms of software is that when you connect the Tab S4 to the keyboard cover, Samsung’s DeX mode will launch. It’s basically a desktop Android mode, with support for multiple app windows, Bluetooth mouse support, resizing app windows, right-click functionality, drag-and-drop, and more. It elevates the Tab S4 into a true productivity machine, making it a more viable laptop replacement.

In terms of OS updates, it’s likely the Tab S4 will get upgraded to Android P first, but the Tab S3 should eventually receive the upgrade as well. The Tab S4 will likely be updated for a longer time than the Tab S3 at this point.

The Tab S4 wins this round solely for its DeX interface.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Tab S4

Special features

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Tab S3 had good speakers for a tablet, with audio tuned by Samsung-owned audio company AKG. That same partnership continues on the Tab S4, with Samsung making even bigger improvements to the overall audio quality with Dolby Atmos Sound support. In our brief tests, the keyboard cover muffles the sound, but it sounds solid otherwise.

You’ll also find similar S Pen support on both models, though the Tab S4’s S Pen has some upgrades, including some of the Note 8’s best features. You can create Live Messages, where you can draw on photos and turn them into animated GIFs; hover over text to translate them; and take notes with the screen off.

The Tab S4 simply has more features, so it takes the cake.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Tab S4

Price

You can grab the Tab S3 right now from Amazon, with prices starting at $550 for the Wi-Fi only model. The LTE model is no longer sold by Samsung, but you can pick it up from Best Buy for $700 — though that model only works on Verizon’s network. To grab a version that works with GSM networks like T-Mobile or AT&T, you’ll have to import an international version from Amazon. At this point, we’re not sure if anyone should spend this much on the Tab S3. At $550, you may as well spend $100 more to nab the improved Tab S4.

The Wi-Fi model of the Galaxy Tab S4 will be launching on August 10, and it costs $650 for the 64GB model, and $750 for the 256GB model. You’ll be able to pick those models up from Amazon, Best Buy, and Samsung. The LTE version of the tablet will also launch August 10, but it will be exclusive to Verizon, with models for other networks arriving in the third quarter of the year.

Overall winner: Samsung Galaxy Tab S4

With improvements being made in almost all areas, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Galaxy Tab S4 walks away with the prize here. While we’re waiting to properly put the Tab S4 through its paces, it seems that Samsung has definitely left last year’s blues behind, and might be set to give the Android tablet world the shake up it needs.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 is a tablet and computer rolled into one
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 hands-on review
• Samsung Galaxy S8 vs. Galaxy S8 Plus: Which galactic star should you pick?
• What to expect at Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event in August
• OnePlus 6 vs. Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus: Which big phone is better?

Need some tunes when you’re offline? Here’s how to download songs from Spotify

Spotify is clearly the best music streaming service out there — err, at least according to us. Its premium service is relatively affordable, it offers more than 30 millions songs, and it will allow you to download specific songs and playlists to listen to when you’re offline. Downloading music directly from Spotify is easy, too, and can be done on both your mobile device and desktop machine.

If you’re unclear on how to go about doing it, however, we’ve put together a simple tutorial on how to download songs from Spotify. The one caveat — if it even is one — is that you can only download 3,333 songs on each device, and can only do so on up to three different devices. You’ll also need Spotify Premium and an internet connection to make it happen.

Desktop

Step 1: When viewing a playlist you’d like to download, click the button marked Follow, which is located directly to the right of the Play button. Otherwise, the download option will not be available.

Step 2: Next, toggle the Download slider in the upper-right corner of any playlist. The playlist will start to download, but keep in mind that it may take a little while depending on how large the playlist is.

Once saved, the playlist will be accessible from within the “Playlists” pane on the left. Sadly, unlike on mobile, you currently cannot download albums or podcasts on your desktop — only playlists.

Setting your desktop to Offline Mode

You can listen to your downloaded music whenever you lose connection to the internet, but if you want to manually set your desktop to Offline Mode, follow the steps below.

MacOS

Launch Spotify.
Click Spotify in the application toolbar.
Select Offline Mode from the drop-down menu.

Windows

Launch Spotify.
Click the three horizontal dots in the upper-left corner.
Scroll over File.
Select Offline Mode.

Mobile

To download an album or playlist

Toggle the the Download slider in the upper-right corner of an album or playlist, directly above the song list. Once downloaded, your music will be accessible from within the Playlists or Albums pane on the left.

Note: You don’t have to be following a playlist or an album in order to download it on your mobile device.

To download a podcast

Step 1: When viewing a podcast like Trends with Benefits, tap the three horizontal dots in the upper-right corner — or the three vertical dots, if using an Android device — to access the info pane.

Step 2: Next, tap Manage Downloads.

Step 3: A download icon will appear beside each episode, allowing you to pick and choose which you’d like to download. You can also tap the three horizontal dots to the right of individual episodes and select Download if you prefer a quicker method.

Setting your mobile device to Offline Mode

You can listen to your downloaded music whenever you lose connection to the internet, but if you want to manually set your smartphone or tablet to Offline Mode, follow the steps below.

Tap Your Library in the bottom-right corner of Spotify.
Tap the Setting cog in the upper-right corner.
Tap Playback.
Toggle the Offline slider at the top.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Tight on space? Here’s how to transfer photos from an iPhone to a computer
• A slimmer Spotify? Music streamer tests a ‘lite’ version for Android
• Everything you need to know about Google’s Chromecast and Chromecast Ultra
• Here’s how to easily log in to multiple Gmail accounts at once
• Here’s how to download podcasts and listen to them on Android or iOS

Need some tunes when you’re offline? Here’s how to download songs from Spotify

Spotify is clearly the best music streaming service out there — err, at least according to us. Its premium service is relatively affordable, it offers more than 30 millions songs, and it will allow you to download specific songs and playlists to listen to when you’re offline. Downloading music directly from Spotify is easy, too, and can be done on both your mobile device and desktop machine.

If you’re unclear on how to go about doing it, however, we’ve put together a simple tutorial on how to download songs from Spotify. The one caveat — if it even is one — is that you can only download 3,333 songs on each device, and can only do so on up to three different devices. You’ll also need Spotify Premium and an internet connection to make it happen.

Desktop

Step 1: When viewing a playlist you’d like to download, click the button marked Follow, which is located directly to the right of the Play button. Otherwise, the download option will not be available.

Step 2: Next, toggle the Download slider in the upper-right corner of any playlist. The playlist will start to download, but keep in mind that it may take a little while depending on how large the playlist is.

Once saved, the playlist will be accessible from within the “Playlists” pane on the left. Sadly, unlike on mobile, you currently cannot download albums or podcasts on your desktop — only playlists.

Setting your desktop to Offline Mode

You can listen to your downloaded music whenever you lose connection to the internet, but if you want to manually set your desktop to Offline Mode, follow the steps below.

MacOS

Launch Spotify.
Click Spotify in the application toolbar.
Select Offline Mode from the drop-down menu.

Windows

Launch Spotify.
Click the three horizontal dots in the upper-left corner.
Scroll over File.
Select Offline Mode.

Mobile

To download an album or playlist

Toggle the the Download slider in the upper-right corner of an album or playlist, directly above the song list. Once downloaded, your music will be accessible from within the Playlists or Albums pane on the left.

Note: You don’t have to be following a playlist or an album in order to download it on your mobile device.

To download a podcast

Step 1: When viewing a podcast like Trends with Benefits, tap the three horizontal dots in the upper-right corner — or the three vertical dots, if using an Android device — to access the info pane.

Step 2: Next, tap Manage Downloads.

Step 3: A download icon will appear beside each episode, allowing you to pick and choose which you’d like to download. You can also tap the three horizontal dots to the right of individual episodes and select Download if you prefer a quicker method.

Setting your mobile device to Offline Mode

You can listen to your downloaded music whenever you lose connection to the internet, but if you want to manually set your smartphone or tablet to Offline Mode, follow the steps below.

Tap Your Library in the bottom-right corner of Spotify.
Tap the Setting cog in the upper-right corner.
Tap Playback.
Toggle the Offline slider at the top.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Tight on space? Here’s how to transfer photos from an iPhone to a computer
• A slimmer Spotify? Music streamer tests a ‘lite’ version for Android
• Everything you need to know about Google’s Chromecast and Chromecast Ultra
• Here’s how to easily log in to multiple Gmail accounts at once
• Here’s how to download podcasts and listen to them on Android or iOS

You know that brain-training app you downloaded? It’s probably worthless

The idea of brain-training apps able to improve our cognitive abilities by playing games seemed like the perfect middle finger to everyone who ever told us to stop playing Sega and get on with some homework. Sadly, a new piece of research suggests that maybe we should have listened to our parents after all. According to a recent study from neuroscientists at Canada’s Western University, brain-training apps are great at … making you good at playing that particular brain-training app.

The researchers in the study examined whether playing one brain-training app for a period of several hours would make someone good at another brain-training app, utilizing the same part of the brain. Should this be the case, they theorized it would show that such apps can indeed improve a person’s working memory, which is crucial for countering memory loss and helping us better retain information.

This isn’t what they found, though. Instead, high scores racked up in the first game had no impact whatsoever on performance in the second game. In fact, scores were pretty much identical to those attained by a control group who hadn’t had the benefit of training on the first app.

“We hypothesized that if you get really, really good at one test by training for a very long time, maybe then you’ll get improvement on tests that are quite similar,” Bobby Stojanoski, a research scientist in the Owen Lab at Western’s Brain and Mind Institute and lead author of the paper, said in a statement. “Unfortunately, we found no evidence to support that claim. Despite hours of brain training on that one game, participants were no better at the second game than people who tested on the second game, but hadn’t trained on the first one.”

This doesn’t conclusively prove brain-training apps are useless, of course. It doesn’t act as a qualitative study of all brain-training apps, for one thing. It would also be interesting to see a follow-up which examines whether these apps could play a role in stopping the decline of neural function in older groups of people, similar to how people report doing crosswords or sudokus to keep their mind active.

For most of us, though, it seems that *sigh* we’re better off eating healthier, exercising regularly, and doing our homework on time in order to really train our brains.

A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal Neuropsychologia.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Zapping your brain while you sleep could actually improve your memory
• The best tablets you can buy
• Awesome Tech You Can’t Buy Yet: Hologram generators, growing shoes, and more
• The Best Minivans You Can Buy
• The best SUVs you can buy

You know that brain-training app you downloaded? It’s probably worthless

The idea of brain-training apps able to improve our cognitive abilities by playing games seemed like the perfect middle finger to everyone who ever told us to stop playing Sega and get on with some homework. Sadly, a new piece of research suggests that maybe we should have listened to our parents after all. According to a recent study from neuroscientists at Canada’s Western University, brain-training apps are great at … making you good at playing that particular brain-training app.

The researchers in the study examined whether playing one brain-training app for a period of several hours would make someone good at another brain-training app, utilizing the same part of the brain. Should this be the case, they theorized it would show that such apps can indeed improve a person’s working memory, which is crucial for countering memory loss and helping us better retain information.

This isn’t what they found, though. Instead, high scores racked up in the first game had no impact whatsoever on performance in the second game. In fact, scores were pretty much identical to those attained by a control group who hadn’t had the benefit of training on the first app.

“We hypothesized that if you get really, really good at one test by training for a very long time, maybe then you’ll get improvement on tests that are quite similar,” Bobby Stojanoski, a research scientist in the Owen Lab at Western’s Brain and Mind Institute and lead author of the paper, said in a statement. “Unfortunately, we found no evidence to support that claim. Despite hours of brain training on that one game, participants were no better at the second game than people who tested on the second game, but hadn’t trained on the first one.”

This doesn’t conclusively prove brain-training apps are useless, of course. It doesn’t act as a qualitative study of all brain-training apps, for one thing. It would also be interesting to see a follow-up which examines whether these apps could play a role in stopping the decline of neural function in older groups of people, similar to how people report doing crosswords or sudokus to keep their mind active.

For most of us, though, it seems that *sigh* we’re better off eating healthier, exercising regularly, and doing our homework on time in order to really train our brains.

A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal Neuropsychologia.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Zapping your brain while you sleep could actually improve your memory
• The best tablets you can buy
• Awesome Tech You Can’t Buy Yet: Hologram generators, growing shoes, and more
• The Best Minivans You Can Buy
• The best SUVs you can buy

Best Cheap Android Phones in 2018

We’re a virtual company made up of tech experts from across the globe. We live and breathe Android phones, and use nearly every one to find the best budget picks for you.

The Motorola Moto G6 currently offers the best combination of performance, features and value. It overshadows the competition with its wide availability, fast performance, and support for nearly every network in the world, beating out a number of rivals from Nokia and Honor.

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Our Pick

Moto G6

Amazon — $235

• $235 from Amazon
• $249 from Motorola

The best budget Android phone for most people.

A winner in every respect, from the modern design to the dual camera setup and excellent performance, the Moto G6 represents the pinnacle of Motorola’s dominance in the budget phone space.

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Who should buy this phone

Not everyone needs a big, expensive Android phone — especially if they’re looking to buy it outright. At $249 (or less from Amazon’s Prime Exclusive program), the Moto G6 provides 90% of what flagship devices offer at a third of the price. This phone is for anyone coming from an older budget phone, or just looking to simplify and downsize, without losing the core Android experience.

Read our full Moto G6 review to learn more about the phone!

Is it a good time to buy this phone?

Yes. As of July 2018, the Moto G6 is brand new and will continue to be supported and updated by Motorola for two years or more. And because it’s a budget phone already, the price is unlikely to drop dramatically over the course of its life, so anyone looking for an inexpensive Android phone, now is a great time to pick up the Moto G6.

7 reasons to buy

• Great build quality and design for the price
• Excellent main rear camera
• Good battery life
• Compatible with all major U.S. and international carriers
• Moto Display adds tremendous value
• USB-C fast charging
• Available as Amazon Prime exclusive

2 reasons not to buy

• Moto G line isn’t known for swift software updates
• Lacks NFC

Most people don’t need to spend a lot on a phone anymore

Flagship phones like the Pixel 2 and Galaxy S9 series can be up into the $700 or $800 range, and many of the features that come with them, like wireless charging or waterproofing, aren’t fundamental to a device’s enjoyment. They’re bonus features.

The best Android phones you can buy

Increasingly, you’re paying so much more for those bonus features that the Law of Diminishing Returns comes into play. At its core, the Moto G6 offers 90% of phones double and triple its cost. A few years ago, that delta would have been a lot more, but the prices of budget components have dropped so much, and retained so much of their more expensive counterparts’ characteristics, that it’s often not worth recommending those expensive flagships anymore.

The Moto G6 and its other budget counterparts on this list have awesome, high-resolution touchscreens, reliable software, and great cameras. Some features, like NFC, drive up manufacturing costs, so you have to weigh whether you need NFC-enabled features like mobile payments. And the Moto G6 also lacks the same graphical power as its more expensive competitors, but most games play without issue, even at medium or high settings, because Android games are designed to function on hardware of all sizes and prices.

The Moto G6 has all the major features you need from a modern smartphone, and the ones it lacks you can easily live without.

Motorola has had five years of practice making the Moto G line into a budget powerhouse; when it designed the first Moto G back in 2013, it eschewed expensive materials like metal and glass and focused instead on the core experience. Starting in 2016, Motorola began finding ways to add important features like fingerprint sensors, and last year, in 2017, the company transitioned the Moto G line to metal. With the sixth-gen lineup, that includes the cheaper Moto G6 Play and more expensive Moto G6 Plus, it’s back to a combination of plastic and glass, it’s a nice visual improvement over previous models.

At the same time, Motorola understands its audience, which is why it added a dual camera setup to the Moto G6. The second camera adds depth effects like portrait mode without sacrificing the excellent pedigree of the main 12MP sensor.

Finally, if you’re in the U.S., the Moto G6 is one of the few sub-$300 phones to work on all four U.S. carriers, and it’s even sold at directly at a couple of carriers, another advantage of Motorola’s long-standing relationship with companies like Verizon.

Alternatives to the Moto G6

Motorola isn’t the only player in town when it comes to cheap phones. In recent years, Honor, a subsidiary of Huawei, and HMD Global, which has reinvigorated the Nokia brand, have kept Motorola on its toes in the budget space. Then there’s Alcatel, which continues to bring down the cost of phone ownership with its new Android Go-powered devices.

Runner-up

Nokia 6.1

See at Amazon

Nokia’s lineup of inexpensive Android phones has received an impressive refresh for 2018, and the $250-ish Nokia 6.1 is the best of the lot. It’s made of a single piece of Series 6 aluminum, which should hold up better than the Moto G6’s glass back, and its Snapdragon 630 processor is quite a bit more powerful. It also runs Android One, which means the updates come directly from Google, so they’ll be more timely, and the Nokia 6.1 will receive Android P before the Moto G6.

Everyone knows the Nokia brand, so we were cautiously optimistic when HMD Global, which is made up of a bunch of former Nokia engineers and executives, debuted a full line-up of Android-powered phones. With its second-generation lineup, which includes the inexpensive Nokia 2.1 and beautifully-designed Nokia 7 Plus, the company has hit it out of the park.

We love the Nokia 6.1 because it hits the right sweet spot between performance and value. On the other hand, the phone only works on T-Mobile and AT&T in the U.S., and doesn’t have the same caliber of camera as the Moto G6. And given that it’s running Android One, it lacks some of the value-added software features like Moto Display that we love on the Moto G6.

The top carrier option

Moto E5 Plus

A larger, more battery-focused version of the Moto G6 is the Moto E5 Plus, which has a massive 5,000mAh battery inside. This phone is sold at carriers in the U.S., including T-Mobile, Sprint, Cricket, and Boost Mobile, so you can’t buy it outright, but it’s also one of the best values in smartphones today. Featuring a 6-inch HD screen and a 12MP camera, the Moto E5 Plus is a fantastic option if you’re going the carrier route.

See at T-Mobile

If you’re locked into the carrier ecosystem, or want to get your phone with a low-cost financing option, getting the Moto E5 Plus from T-Mobile is likely your best bet. At just $9/month for 24 months, the $225 phone is huge and powerful, and retains the same excellent software and camera experience of the Moto G6. Its rear fingerprint sensor is built into the phone’s logo, too, for some extra style.

A battery that keeps going

Honor 7X

Another great option in the budget space is the Honor 7X, which features a beautiful, tall 5.93-inch 18:9 screen, a really powerful Kirin processor and, best of all, a 3,340mAh battery, all for $199. Honor, which is owned by Huawei, is able to keep its costs low because it sells more phones than Motorola and Nokia combined. The Honor 7X lacks the nuanced software of either of the above recommendations, but its metal frame covers some really powerful internals.

See at Amazon

Honor is one of those companies that, because of Huawei’s problems in the U.S., hasn’t really received its fair share of coverage, and that’s a shame. The Honor 7X is a tremendous phone, especially for its $199 price, and there’s very little it does badly. In other markets, the more expensive Honor 10, takes everything we love about the Honor 7X and improves upon it, while U.S. customers can also enjoy the confusingly-named Honor View10, which shares a lot of the Honor 10’s best traits.

Value pick

Alcatel 1X

No one thought it was possible, but you can now buy a great Android phone for just under $100. The Alcatel 1X is the latest in the company’s budget lineup, and it’s the first to run Android Oreo Go Edition, Google’s suite of apps and software optimizations to make Android run well on inexpensive hardware.

See at Amazon

With the 1X, you lack a lot of the amenities of even the $250 Moto G6 — it’s all plastic, for starters, and only has 1GB of RAM — but if all you need is a basic smartphone to make calls, browse Instagram, and take a few photos, the Alcatel 1X is a fantastic option.

Bottom line

There’s no shortage of awesome Android phones these days, whether you want to spend more than $700, less than $300, or even $100. The above phones represent the best of a set limitation — that of not wanting to overspend on a product that, inevitably, will need to be replaced in a couple of years.

But that’s the beauty of a device that costs a third of what you’d spend on a Galaxy S9 or Pixel 2. It offers 90% of what those phones cost and can be replaced more easily. While you may miss out on some of the more advanced features like waterproofing and wireless charging, and you may not receive as many updates, or for as long, these phones represent a new breed of budget devices you can feel confident in buying. The Moto G6 is the best of the bunch but they are all great in different ways.

Updated July 2018: This guide was updated to add the Moto E5 Plus, which is a great option if you want to buy through a carrier.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Andrew Martonik is the Executive Editor, U.S. at Android Central. He has been a mobile enthusiast since the Windows Mobile days, and covering all things Android-related with a unique perspective at AC since 2012. For suggestions and updates, you can reach him at andrew.martonik@androidcentral.com or on Twitter at @andrewmartonik.

Jerry Hildenbrand is Mobile Nation’s Senior Editor and works from a Chromebook full time. Currently he is using Google’s Pixelbook but is always looking at new products and may have any Chromebook in his hands at any time. You’ll find him across the Mobile Nations network and you can hit him up on Twitter if you want to say hey.

Daniel Bader is the Managing Editor of Android Central. As he’s writing this, a mountain of old Android phones is about to fall on his head, but his Great Dane will protect him. He drinks way too much coffee and sleeps too little. He wonders if there’s a correlation.

These New Smart Displays include Google Assistant

Smart Displays are coming first from JBL, Lenovo, LG, and Sony.

One of the big trends from CES 2018 was Google’s response to the Amazon Echo Show. In 2017, Google matched the Amazon’s Echo Dot with the Google Home Mini, and this year it took aim at the Show with its new smart displays with Google Assistant built in.

Smart Displays are Google Assistant-powered speakers that also feature screens, and while we likely won’t see a Google Home-branded one until later in the fall, there are already four companies that have announced Smart Displays of their own. Let’s take a look at what we know so far.

• Lenovo Smart Display
• JBL Link View
• LG ThinQ View WK9
• Sony’s yet-to-be-announced Smart Display

Lenovo Smart Display

The first of these gadgets announced was the Lenovo Smart Display. You’ll be able to get Lenovo’s Smart Display with either an 8-inch or 10-inch display, and while the 8-inch model opts for a traditional plastic back, the 10-inch unit has a gorgeous bamboo one.

Both models have an odd wedge on the back, and this allows you to position the Lenovo Smart Display either vertically or horizontally. There are buttons for adjusting speaker volume, and there’s even a switch that places a physical lens cover over the front-facing camera that’s used for video calls.

Lenovo will sell the 8-inch Smart Display for $199, and upgrading to the larger 10-inch one will cost you $249. It’s on sale starting July 27.

See at Lenovo

JBL Link View

JBL’s Smart Display goes by the name of the Link View, and while it serves the same general purpose as the Lenovo Smart Display, its design is quite a bit different. JBL has only announced one version of the Link View and it comes with an 8-inch screen. There’s a 5MP camera above it, a JBL logo at the bottom, and both the left and right side are flanked by two 10W stereo speakers that are paired with a passive radiator on the back to enable “rich, deep bass.”

The body as a whole favors an oval shape versus the rectangular nature of the Lenovo Smart Display, and while you won’t find any bamboo back here, it’s arguably the sleeker of the two thanks to the all-black paint job. Along with this, there’s also support for Bluetooth, Google Cast, and IPX4 splash resistance.

Pre-orders for the JBL Link View are live right now for $249.95 and shipments are currently set to go out on September 3.

See at JBL

LG ThingQ View WK9

LG’s first foray into the world of Smart Displays comes in the form of the LG ThinQ View WK9, and while we’ll have to get hands-on time with the device before we can make any final judgments, it currently looks like the most underwhelming of the Smart Displays we’ve seen so far.

The large, boxy design looks boring and not all that aesthetically pleasing, and while the 8-inch touchscreen display itself should be fine, the fact that there’s no tilt to it like there is on Lenovo and JBL’s options could make for some difficult viewing angles.

Speaker tuning from Meridian Audio still has us interested, however, and this paired with the two front-facing stereo speakers will likely create a solid audio experience. Similar to the other Smart Displays on this list, you’ll also find Chromecast support.

LG simply says that the WK9 is “coming soon” with a hefty price of $299.99.

Sony’s yet-to-be-announced Smart Display

Google confirmed that Sony will be releasing a Smart Display, but a month on from CES and we still know literally nothing about it. Neither specs or renders for the speaker have been released, and as such, there’s not a whole lot we can say about it right now.

As soon as details are released, we’ll be sure to share them with you!

Might Google Assistant and the Lenovo Smart Display be the whole-home hub the Echo Show isn’t?

Updated July 2018: Added the latest information available.

Get these games free with your PlayStation Plus membership this August!

These are the free games you can get right now with your PlayStation Plus membership.

One of the biggest perks of having a PlayStation Plus membership is the free games you get every month. I’ve got a list of the games PlayStation is offering this month, and it includes a Quantic Dream classic. Start downloading these games, and enjoy your free games for the month of August!

PlayStation 4 free games this month

• Mafia III
• Dead by Daylight

PlayStation 3 free games this month

• Bound by flame
• Serious Sam 3

PlayStation Vita free games this month

• Draw Slasher
• Space Hulk

PlayStation VR free games this month

• Here They Lie

Full game line-up

Read on below to see some quick previews of the games you get for free this month!

Mafia III

Dirty deeds and they’re not dirt cheap. In Mafia III you’ll be taking on the role of a man who lost everything and had to forge his own way in life. That… may have lead to some poor life choices. But, alas, we live and learn. Right?

See on PlayStation Store.

Dead by Daylight

Find the perfect hiding spot and don’t breathe too hard. Maybe, just maybe, if you play your cards right you’ll make it out alive. It’s either that or you find your way to the hooks, kid. So, can you survive?

See on PlayStation Store.

Bound by Flame

Become the fighter, ranger and pyromancer you always wanted to be. Here you’ll learn how to wield your blade and the fire of your soul like perfect weapons to destroy your enemy.

See on PlayStation Store.

Serious Sam 3: BFE

Monsters and aliens alike have always attempted to take over the Earth, and this time it seems like they’re close to succeeding. Good thing we’ve got Serious Sam and his groovy sunglasses on our side, though! This first person shooter is bound to be just as interesting as it is silly.

See on PlayStation Store.

Draw Slasher

The graphics of Draw Slasher remind me a lot of Fruit Ninja, and that’s not a bad thing. How you play the game is where things get interesting. Here you are a ninja money and, in order to take out your opponents, you need to swipe through them. It’s a pretty basic game if you’re just looking for something to pass the time with.

See on PlayStation Store.

Space Hulk

Have you ever known what it was like to be a Dark Angel? Would you like to? Try your skills at this turn-based strategy game for the PlayStation Vita for a chance at being a Dark Angel and experiencing all this fun. (Plus, those graphics and weapon skills are truly beyond gorgeous.)

See on PlayStation Store.

Here They Lie

Take on a creepy and terrifying role of investigating an abandoned home for the mystery that lies beneath. Nothing screams a better horror game than playing literally any of them in VR. If you’re a thrill seeker you should totally download this game. There’s only a rare few horror games I’ve regretted when using my VR.

See on PlayStation Store.

Which is your favorite game you’ve gotten for free with PlayStation Plus?

Let us know which game you’ve loved and which one you’re excited about this month! Drop a comment below or shoot me a Tweet and tell me all about it!

Updated August 2018: We’ve added the free games for this month!

PlayStation 4

• PS4 vs. PS4 Slim vs. PS4 Pro: Which should you buy?
• PlayStation VR Review
• Playing PS4 games through your phone is awesome

Amazon

YouTube Music: Everything you need to know

YouTube Music is here — and it’s packing the biggest music library in the world.

YouTube is one of the most-viewed websites on the planet, and by far the most popular video platform today, so it’s no surprise that millions upon millions of users turn to it every day for music. It’s the default platform for music videos — especially viral music videos like This is America and Girls Like You — and it’s also a place to find just about any song, remix, mashup, or fan cover you could ever want. Whether you’re looking for lyrics to a song before karaoke night, music to sleep to, or a new remix to play at your next party, YouTube has what you’re looking for.

Now, YouTube is ready to make another run at a music app built upon their video empire with YouTube Music. It’s a music app with a truly unique interface, an unparalleled selection, and more than a few kinks to work out, but YouTube Music is here to stay and here to compete.

The latest YouTube Music news

August 1, 2018 — YouTube Music plans bi-weekly update schedule, reconfirms some coming features

YouTube Music has a lot of bugs to fix and features to add before it can begin to truly compete with Spotify or begin migrating Google Play Music subscribers over, and while those updates will take time, we at least have something of a timetable for when YouTube Music will be receiving updates.

YouTube Music product manager Elias Roman tells Engaget that the service plans to push out updates for the service every two weeks. Among the changes Roman confirmed:

• An album sorting option beyond recently added
• A drop-down menu option to filter out musicians you follow on YouTube Music from the main YouTube Subscriptions feed
• Low/medium/high audio quality settings for streaming and downloads (coming in a few weeks)

Roman was also quoted as saying that “We are not focused on exclusives. We don’t believe exclusives are good for the industry or good for consumers.” This makes sense for YouTube Music given that everything available on YouTube Music is available on the main YouTube app to both paid and free users, which would make exclusives available to everyone.

July 17, 2018 — Google promises Android Auto support, better sound quality, SD card support, and more with future updates

There are plenty of areas in which Google can improve YouTube Music, and thanks to the team behind the app, we now have a short list of features to expect in future updates.

Over on the YouTube Music Help forum on Google Support, the YouTube Music team says that the following features will be available in no particular order over the coming months:

• Better audio quality, and ability to select the quality for downloading and streaming
• Sonos support
• Android Auto support
• SD card support for Android
• More obvious shuffle vs. play-in-order options for playlists

It’s unclear when exactly all of this will be available, but the option to save downloaded songs to an SD card is rolling out now.

All the big details

The service starts at $9.99/month — but no one should pay that

There’s no real sugar-coating it: using YouTube Music as a free user on Android is bad. There are ads every three to six songs, and you can’t leave the Now Playing screen, so it hogs your screen and your battery. YouTube Music is worlds better when you unlock its paid features. YouTube Premium is absolutely worth paying for.

YouTube Music Premium, however, is not.

For the love of Duarte, buy YouTube Premium instead of YouTube Music Premium

What’s happening to Google Play Music? Where’s my likes and playlists?

Google wants all of its Play Music subscribers to migrate over to YouTube Music at some point in 2019. That means YouTube Music will be adding most of Google Play Music’s tentpole features — the biggest of which is Google Play Music’s free 50,000 song music locker.

What does YouTube Music mean for Google Play Music

That said, Google Play Music and YouTube Music’s libraries and catalogs at the moment are completely disconnected and there’s quite a bit that has to happen before that can change. The library migration is a long ways off, but in the meantime, Play Music users get two music apps to play with instead of one. So which one should you use?

YouTube Music vs. Google Play Music: Which should you use?

A mixtape full of promise

YouTube Music is built on a gold mine. YouTube is not only the most used video platform in the world, it might be the biggest catalog of professional, semi-professional, and amateur music available in the world. This isn’t the first time Google has tried to capitalize on this, but this time is different. YouTube’s music team has finally gotten its act together and made us all a mixtape full of promises.

But can it follow through on them?

YouTube Music review: A mixtape full of promise

Getting started

YouTube Music is an adjustment from traditional music services — especially because it is based around video rather than audio — but thanks to the Google’s search prowess and downright uncanny predictions and recommendations, getting used to Google’s newest music service should be as painless as possible. And since it’s built around years of your YouTube history, YouTube Music already knows you better than you think.

Getting started with YouTube Music

Going offline

Networks fail. Your plane says it’s going to have Wi-Fi, but nope. You get stuck in the car with your parents in the middle of nowhere, and you’re outside cell range, and the radio stations are nothing but static and muffled AM country. Having music to listen to when you offline is important, and when the music service you’re using is based around video — which eats data like nobody’s business — how you save your music for offline playback is even more important.

How to download music for offline playback in YouTube Music

What is it missing?

YouTube Music is a brand-new service — albeit one built on an old app of the same name — and like most things that are shiny, new, and different, there are a lot of bugs to be worked out. There are a lot features that are still missing — from basic audio quality settings to more complicated endeavours like gapless playback and library management — and we’ve got a handy list of what’s missing and when we could maybe see some of it.

On that note — YouTube Music’s library does not include every video on YouTube, nor does it include every song and album on Google Play Music right now.

What YouTube Music still needs

Making the most of things

YouTube Music is “Early Access” right now, which means the service is essentially a beta and it is definitely buggy. While time and updates will fix some of those bugs, there are some things you can do to make the most of its current state.

6 tips and tricks for using YouTube Music

Also, even if you’ve never used YouTube Music before, it has years and years of your YouTube history to work off of. That means that YouTube Music could already have a good idea what you like, or it could have things completely wrong because you’ve mostly used YouTube to pull up music when your nieces are over or you’re hosting a party for your country-obsessed friends. Here’s how to help YouTube help you with better suggestions.

How to improve YouTube Music recommendations

Can it dethrone Spotify?

Spotify has spent the last decade building up a loyal user base, building algorithms that few companies can even begin to touch, and building up a reputation as the best brand in streaming music. YouTube, however, is one of the most used sites on the internet, period, a selection you can’t find anywhere else — a selection that will be absolutely unbeatable in the future — and Google is bringing its best algorithmic game with YouTube Music.

It’s still early days, but YouTube Music will be enough to dethrone Spotify soon?

YouTube Music vs. Spotify

Updated June 2018: We’ve reorganized and expanded this guide to better organize information for new, old, and prospective YouTube Music users as the service launches in a new batch of countries.

Amazon will give you $10 off when you spend $40 on razors or sunscreen

Stock up and be prepared.

Amazon is offering $10 off when you spend $40 on a selection of summer essentials. Autumn is just around the corner, so stock up on these items now and soak up every last drop of sunshine to make Summer 2018 end on a high note. You don’t need to use any coupon codes to get in on the deal. It’ll be applied automatically during checkout if you have $40 worth of eligible items in your cart. Each item must be sold and shipped by Amazon to qualify.

There are lots of items to choose from, like Schick razors and Bulldog skincare, Wet Ones and sunscreen, and a selection of women’s shave essentials and feminine care products.

Some products are even discounted further thanks to Subscribe & Save, like this Schick Hydro 5 shaving starter kit or a 24-pack of Banana Boat sport sunscreen. The $10 discount stacks with select Subscribe & Save discounts, too, if your subscription totals at least $40. Pack everything in your day bag and hit the beach, the hiking trails, or the backyard. You’ll be covered.

See at Amazon