By the Benchmarks Budget Showdown! OnePlus Nord N10 vs TCL 10 5G UW!

It’s time for a showdown! FIGHT FOR BLOOD! Psh! Psh! Psh!

(Those were supposed to be the punching sounds from my old showdown videos.)

Budget hardware is brutally competitive these days. The daily driver experience found near $400 is formidable, and we’re getting more options for different features. Adding 5G to the mix, these are the phones that will help move 5G forward in the Android space. More reasonably priced, but not compromising too much from the upper mid-range tier.

OnePlus has represented the idea of  low price and high performance since the brand started. 2020 was a strong year for TCL coming out of the shadows with their own label on phones.

These two phones are primed for a battle!

Let’s see how some subtle differences effect performance! Continue reading “By the Benchmarks Budget Showdown! OnePlus Nord N10 vs TCL 10 5G UW!”

OnePlus 8T By The Benchmarks: Does Android 11 Degrade Performance?

OnePlus is a fascinating company to cover as a reviewer. Half year hardware refreshes and aggressive software updates keep you on your toes. Really using a OnePlus means following a conversation around refining a product after its launch.

As we close out the year, it’s worth taking a second look at a premium OnePlus, to see if these refinements improve performance over the phones launched earlier in the year. Especially looking at hardware scores from an older version of Android, as the 8T is one of the first phones to launch with Android 11 out of the box. Continue reading “OnePlus 8T By The Benchmarks: Does Android 11 Degrade Performance?”

OnePlus 8T Review: The Right Compromises For You?

This phone rocks.

The mission of a snappy, quick, high performance phone is alive and well at OnePlus. There are no tragic deal breakers here. There are no critical missteps.

The mid-season refresh for OnePlus this year delivers in all the areas we should expect from the brand. The only “issue” is more aggressive competition from other manufacturers.

Where does the 8T fit into this market? Is it the right fit for you? Let’s take a look! Continue reading “OnePlus 8T Review: The Right Compromises For You?”

OnePlus Nord N10: Not for me, and that’s ok!

The evolution of OnePlus is complete.

Once a darling enthusiast brand, not this label has grown up into a mainstream consumer option. Releasing several phones this year at different price points, the Nord N10 is not a phone built for me. That makes it kind of an exciting option this year… Continue reading “OnePlus Nord N10: Not for me, and that’s ok!”

OnePlus 8T: One small change makes me SO happy!

OnePlus is back at it with the 8T!

A refresh from the phones released earlier in 2020, how does the 8T stack up against the 8?

This ONE design change makes me REALLY happy!

(Spoiler: It’s the screen!) Continue reading “OnePlus 8T: One small change makes me SO happy!”

Android 11 Desktop Mode! Can the OnePlus 8 Replace a Computer?

The OnePlus 8 is a monster powerful performer, but what can you do with all that power?

Our phones are capable computers, but we need good software! A quick look at Android’s desktop UI, it’s still pretty raw, but we are seeing some improvements. Let’s see what’s new! Continue reading “Android 11 Desktop Mode! Can the OnePlus 8 Replace a Computer?”

OnePlus 8 Pro Camera Conclusion: OnePlus’ Most Important Camera

Two months in. Several updates later. Has OnePlus finally arrived at a true flagship grade camera? The hardware on tap is formidable, but does the software back it that hardware up?

Nothing to it, but to do it!

Let’s chat flagships, premium phones, and what makes for a good camera! Continue reading “OnePlus 8 Pro Camera Conclusion: OnePlus’ Most Important Camera”

OnePlus 8 Pro Review: Two Months with a True Flagship

It’s not a flagship killer. It’s a killer flagship!

There was much gnashing of teeth over price increases this year, and OnePlus took a lot of flack for the 8 Pro. Yet, when we really break this phone down, it wins a LOT of fights against top premium brands, while also maintaining a budget advantage.

This is premium territory, so we have to grade it by that price. Let’s see where this phone succeeds! Continue reading “OnePlus 8 Pro Review: Two Months with a True Flagship”