Let's Talk Tech
Joining TK for a co-stream on both of our channels!
Unboxing and setting up the Pixel 6A! Our first impressions with a LOT of snark at how some OTHER reviewers have been “critiquing” this new mid-ranger!
Plenty of actual coverage to come soon! Enjoy!
TK Bay on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/tkbay Continue reading “Google Pixel 6a 5G – Unboxing and Initial Impressions (TK Bay & Juan Bagnell)”
Axon 40 Ultra vs Magic4 Pro!
So excited to have both of these brands back in the GadgetLab! Honor vs ZTE has been a classic showdown, with both companies delivering great performance at competitive prices. Which phone takes the win?
Let’s take a look! Continue reading “Honor Magic4 Pro vs ZTE Axon 40 Ultra: Battle of the Resurrected!”
We’re more than halfway through 2022, and it’s time to take a look at premium phone performance!
The Snapdragon 8 Gen1 has been a controversial chip for expensive Android phones. Qualcomm used ARM reference designs to build a powerful System on Chip. Samsung was responsible for producing the chip on Qualcomm’s designs. Then, manufacturers build phones around those power and thermal specifications.
That thermal conversation has been a challenge to track this year. The Snapdragon 8 Gen1 is a powerful chip, but it’s a finnicky performer if thermals and battery life aren’t handled appropriately.
This SOC arrived at the same time as some significant changes to Android. The way Android 12 handles storage reduces performance for numerous apps and services. Years of my benchmarking results on older phones are no longer directly comparable to current phones with Android 12 and newer.
Phones released in the first half of 2022 are a unique group of devices.
More powerful (but hotter) CPU and GPU, balanced against performance sapping software.
The refreshed Snapdragon 8+ Gen1 is starting to ship in new phones for the second half of the year. ARM is improving the power efficiency, Qualcomm is refining the design, and TSMC is replacing Samsung for the chip fabrication.
We’ll see where these companies are improving later in the year. We’ll get to see if the 8+ Gen1 runs cooler. We’ll get to see if app developers are taking better advantage of this SOC performance.
Let’s look at some benchmark scores! Continue reading “Summer 2022 Snapdragon 8 Gen1 Performance Round Up!”
Honor Magic4 Pro review!
I thought this brand might have been lost forever, but they’re back!
Honor phones have always been pretty powerhouse devices. The Magic4 Pro is now a proper premium tier device. While there are still some clumsy bits, are the quirks “charming” or are they deal breakers?
Let’s take look! Continue reading “Honor Magic4 Pro: I’m SO Happy Honor is Back!”
vivo X80 Pro two months later!
This is high on the list as one of the best phones of 2022. The X80 Pro is a monster camera performer, has some cutting edge lifestyle features, and is a POWERFUL premium pocket computer.
Sharing some thoughts on using it for a couple months, it’s been A VERY nice experience.
X80 Camera vid 1 (Intro)
X80 Camera vid 2 (Upgrades)
X80 Camera vid 3 (Showdown)
Continue reading “vivo X80 Pro Follow Up: Two Months with A GREAT Phone”
Moto Edge+ Review!
Now with the folio case and the stylus, we can finish up our look at the TOTAL PACKAGE version of this phone! What do you get when undercut a Galaxy Note 22 by $300? You get one of the most powerful and most flexible phones of the year!
High performance, great specs, the BEST desktop mode, and fun accessories. This is VERY strong competition from Moto. Continue reading “Moto Edge+ 2022 Long Term Review: Now with a Stylus!”
TCL Stylus 5G review!
A good productivity phone shouldn’t break the bank! This is a cheap, often found online for free on contract, that punches well above its price tag. Does it have the right compromises for YOUR needs?
Let’s take a look! Continue reading “TCL Stylus 5G: Save Cash, Get Work Done!”
Poco X4 GT First Impressions!
I’m always happy to play with a new Poco, but the X4 GT is REALLY exciting. This is my first phone with a MediaTek Dimensity 8100! This is an exciting tier of performance for mid-range priced phones!
Let’s take a look!
TK Bay’s look at the Poco F4 is HERE: https://youtu.be/uaIg8AtYy84
Continue reading “Poco X4 GT First Look: Exciting Performance! Dimensity 8100!”