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Asus ROG Strix XG16AHP-W Review: A Souped-Up Portable Gaming Monitor for iPad Air Price

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Asus ROG Strix XG16AHP-W Review: A Souped-Up Portable Gaming Monitor for iPad Air Price

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The Asus ROG Strix XG16 portable gaming monitor — now available in India, a year on from its international launch — is built for a very specific purpose. To be fair, its name says as much. Not just once, but twice in fact. ROG, or Republic of Gamers, is the moniker Asus uses — as you can guess — for devices that cater to gaming audiences first and foremost. Add to that the other important keyword, “portable”. The Strix XG16 is, essentially, a primary or secondary monitor for gaming on the go. Asus would hope that you pair it with an ROG laptop, and keep it within the family. Of course, you are free to use it with a Steam Deck (basically a PC) or a Nintendo Switch (which I mostly did).

But no matter what route you take, its ergonomics get in the way. There’s two ways for the Asus ROG Strix XG16 to stand — either on its own using the built-in kickstand, or with the help of a fancy, adjustable tripod that’s bundled along. You can use any camera tripod thanks to the standardised mount on the back, though there’s little point to it since you’ve got a specialised one in the box. This is a bigger decision outside India, where Asus sells two variants: one with the tripod and one without (the technical names are XG16AHP-E and XG16AHP-W, respectively). In India, Asus is only selling the latter version. That does mean you’re forced to pay for the tripod even if you don’t care for it.

Asus ROG Strix XG16AHP-W review: design and specs

Whether you use the kickstand or the tripod, the Asus portable monitor’s footprint is huge. With the wafer-thin kickstand — it tilts from five to 27.5 degrees — the ROG Strix XG16 never really feels on stable footing. I tried to use it on the backseat of a car, but it wobbled no matter what position I put it in. And even when it’s not wobbling, it’s nearly impossible to get it in an ideal viewing position. (Because the XG16 has an IPS panel and not OLED, the viewing angles aren’t great either.) Either the top half of the display feels too far from the bottom half, as you increase the tilt angle. But on lower tilt angles, the 15.6-inch display feels small, as you need to push it away from yourself to decrease viewing angles.

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Asus ROG Strix XG16 tripod Asus ROG Strix XG16

The Asus ROG Strix XG16 looks comical on the ROG tripod
Photo Credit: Akhil Arora/Gadgets 360

Asus ROG Strix XG16 specifications

  • Dimensions (WxHxD): 28.6 cm x 21 cm x 1.2 cm
  • Dimensions (with stand unfolded): 28.6 cm x 21 cm x 22.5 cm
  • Screen size: 15.6-inch
  • Resolution: 1920 x 1080
  • HDR: No
  • Local dimming: No
  • Refresh rate: 144Hz
  • VRR: Yes
  • Nvidia G-Sync: Yes
  • Speakers: Yes
  • Battery: 7,800 mAh
  • Ports: Micro-HDMI, USB Type-C x2, 3.5mm audio out

The tripod has its own problems. For one, it’s fairly heavy. Two, it needs as much space as stands for much larger monitors. On my daily work desk, the ROG Strix XG16 tripod took up as much room as the built-in stand for my 24-inch Dell monitor. That’s crazy. Owing to this, the 15.6-inch display also looks comical on the tripod, more so if you use it on the tallest setting. And while most monitors have buttons on the front, the XG16 has them on the top of the display. It was awkward to use them, especially when I had it on the tripod. Lastly, there’s no easy way to take it with you. While you can tuck the display into a neat sleeve, provided by Asus, there’s no carrying case for the tripod.

Asus ROG Strix XG16AHP-W review: performance

When it comes to the gaming monitor aspects, I have no complaints. The ROG Strix XG16 boasts of 144Hz refresh rate and Nvidia G-Sync support out of the box. I didn’t have any sources that could output that, but I did test 120Hz with my PlayStation 5. As with all things 120fps, you can’t feel the jump from 60fps. You definitely feel it going from 30fps to 60fps, but it’s not the same when you double it again. The colours are fantastic — in fact, Asus is so sure about the XG16’s colour accuracy that it includes a very nerdy calibration report sheet in the box. I love it. The ROG Strix XG16 is fantastically tuned right out of the box, though with a bit of calibration, you can get it to look even better.

And while the Asus portable monitor is definitely bright enough for indoor use — I never pushed it over 50 percent brightness — it’s nowhere near bright enough to outshine the sun in India. To be fair, most displays aren’t.

Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about the built-in speakers. They are simply not loud enough, even when the background sound was just the din of rain across an open window. You are better off connecting to a pair of headphones. The ROG Strix XG16 surprisingly sports a 3.5mm audio jack, in case you’ve still got a pair of old school earbuds lying around. Either way, I would’ve liked volume buttons on the Asus monitor itself. It’s a pain to dive through the menus and make the adjustments every time, more so given the buttons are awkwardly placed, as I said before.

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Asus ROG Strix XG16 kickstand Asus ROG Strix XG16

With the kickstand unfolded, the Asus ROG Strix XG16 takes up a lot of space
Photo Credit: Akhil Arora/Gadgets 360

Since it’s built to be used on the go, the ROG Strix XG16 sports a 7,800 mAh battery, with Asus claiming a battery life of up to three hours. I didn’t put it through a stress test — 144Hz output at max brightness — though, as that has little relevance in the real world. What matters more is how it performs in day-to-day tasks. While watching a full-screen live video at 50 percent brightness, the ROG Strix XG16 lost about a fifth of its battery over a period of 45 minutes. Deployed as a secondary monitor at 30 percent brightness and with just a Slack window open, the Asus monitor’s battery went from full to zero in four hours.

Speaking of using it as a secondary display, I found more use for the ROG Strix XG16 in that department, rather than a gaming display. During work hours, I could move my TweetDeck tab to it and keep an eye on incoming news, while I wrote in a document or watched a TV show I’d to review on my primary Dell monitor. At other times, I flicked Wimbledon or Commonwealth Games streams onto the ROG Strix XG16, while I could browse the Internet on another display. And though I don’t edit videos much these days, managing an Adobe Premiere Pro timeline is definitely easier when you can shift the preview and a bunch of controls over to a second screen.

But even when the ROG Strix XG16 is used in this fashion, it doesn’t make for the most elegant of setups. Owing to the built-in kickstand on the back and the fact that the monitor can stand on its own, the ports have been pushed to the left side. That means the wires — you always need one cable for input, and a second one when the battery needs charging — jut out to the left. I’m not too picky about seeing cables on my desk, but it’s still not a nice look. I tried to hide the cables by placing the ROG Strix XG16 side-to-side with another monitor, but the positioning of the ports meant the wires would clash with the other monitor. There’s no way around it.

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Asus ROG Strix XG16 mario kart Asus ROG Strix XG16

See how the cable gets in the way, when the Asus ROG Strix XG16 is placed next to another monitor
Photo Credit: Akhil Arora/Gadgets 360

Verdict

More importantly though, as a secondary display at home, Asus’ 15.6-inch full-HD offering is just unnecessarily expensive. The ROG Strix XG16 was launched at an MRP of Rs. 60,999, but Asus told me that the price would eventually go down to Rs. 48,999, and it’s now selling for less than that. Either way, that is still crazy money — that’s iPad Air money. If you’re in the market for a secondary monitor, you can get 24-inch full-HD monitors for a third of the price. If you want a gaming monitor capable of 144Hz refresh rate, you can get 27-inch full-HD options for less than half the price. Admittedly, none of these will help you on the move, as they need to be always plugged in.

But that’s the kind of position Asus has put itself in. The ROG Strix XG16 is designed for a very narrow use case. Asus has clearly made it for gamers on the go, which explains the prominent ROG branding. (There’s a glowing ROG logo on the back of the monitor too.) Even for those that do find it useful, how often will that happen? Ask yourself, how many times have you wanted a Nintendo Switch display while you’re travelling? How many times have you wanted a secondary display for your laptop on the go? And before you answer those questions in your head, think of the cumbersome and un-ergonomic setup that this involves.

I don’t believe there are 48,999 reasons.

 

Asus ROG Strix XG16AHP-W was launched in India in late June, and first went up for sale in early August. It is currently available via Flipkart.

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She-Hulk Attorney at Law Review: Marvel Legal Comedy Tries Too Hard to Be Likeable

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hitesh
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She-Hulk Attorney at Law Review: Marvel Legal Comedy Tries Too Hard to Be Likeable

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She-Hulk: Attorney at Law — premiering Thursday on Disney+ and Disney+ Hotstar — is the first out-and-out comedy that Marvel Studios has produced. While the Elizabeth Olsen-led WandaVision was ultimately a tragedy cloaked in comedy, She-Hulk isn’t hiding anything under the impenetrable green skin of its superpowered lawyer Jennifer Walters. Speaking of, this is the second Marvel series centred on an attorney after Daredevil. (And after a cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Charlie Cox returns as Matt Murdock/ Daredevil on She-Hulk, as the trailers have revealed.) That said, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law has more in common with Deadpool — and WandaVision’s Modern Family-esque mockumentary-style episode — than Daredevil. Yes, I’m talking fourth wall breaks.

Philips Announces Imminent Departure of CEO Frans Van Houten, Plans to Change Leadership

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Philips Announces Imminent Departure of CEO Frans Van Houten, Plans to Change Leadership

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Dutch health technology company Philips on Tuesday unexpectedly announced the imminent departure of CEO Frans van Houten, in the midst of a massive product recall that has halved its market value over the past year.

Philips said Van Houten would be replaced on October 15 by Roy Jakobs, head of the company’s Connected Care businesses, even though his third term as CEO was not due to end until April.

“The supervisory board and current Philips CEO Frans van Houten have agreed that with the end of his third term in sight, the time is right for the change in leadership,” Philips said in a statement.

“I’m happy with the outcome”, Van Houten told reporters. “It’s always difficult of course to let go, but it is a logical moment to hand over after 12 years. It’s great to be able to hand over to an internal successor with the conviction he will build on the foundation that I have laid.”

A special shareholder meeting will be held on September 30 to appoint Jakobs, who joined the company in 2010, as CEO.

Philips shares were up 2.2 percent in early Amsterdam trading, but are still down more than 50 percent since it shocked investors in June 2021 by recalling 5.5 million ventilators used to treat sleep apnoea.

Foam used for sound dampening can degrade and emit small particles that irritate airways, while gases released by the degrading foam may also be toxic or carry cancer risks, the company said at the time.

Although this blow to Philips’ reputation could have led it to pick an outsider for the top job, supervisory board chairman Feike Sijbesma said Jakobs was the right man to fix the company’s problems.

“He has extensive international experience and he increased the growth profile of the businesses he led”, Sijbesma said.

“He led the ramp up of production following the recall and knows very much about patient safety and product quality, so also from that perspective he is the right person. He can hit the ground running.”

During his almost 12 years at the helm, 62-year old Van Houten led the transformation of the once-sprawling conglomerate into a focused healthcare specialist, spinning off its lighting and consumer electronics divisions.

Philips now focuses on medical imaging, monitoring and diagnostic equipment and competes against General Electric and Siemens Healthineers.

© Thomson Reuters 2022

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Vivo V25 Pro First Impressions: Subtle Improvements

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hitesh
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Vivo V25 Pro First Impressions: Subtle Improvements

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Vivo’s V23 Pro which launched earlier this year sure looked the part. It was a slim and stylish smartphone which looked premium, but only offered mid-range performance. Its party trick was the unique colour-changing back panel that transitioned from gold to blue when exposed to UV light. It was also the only smartphone to offer a curved edge display in its segment which added to its style quotient. But this attention to design came at the cost of average battery life and camera performance.

With the new V25 Pro, Vivo seems to be applying on the same logic as the V23 Pro, but it feels a bit more practical this time. The phone has grown chubbier (with a bigger battery) and comes with an improved processor, a sensible camera, and still offers a curved-edge display to keep it in line with its predecessor. At a glance, Vivo seems to have done alright to justify its asking price.

However, the competition has changed drastically since February this year, with smartphones such as the Nothing Phone 1 (Review) entering this segment that offers clean Android software, a unique take on design, wireless charging, an IP rating and good low-light camera performance. So how does the Vivo V25 Pro stack up? I have been using the phone for a short while and here are my first impressions.

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The Vivo V25 Pro has a polycarbonate frame with an anti-glare glass rear panel

 

The Vivo V25 Pro is available in two variants in India. There’s a base variant with 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage that’s priced at Rs. 35,999, and a second with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage priced at Rs. 39,999. There’s two finishes to choose from, Pure Black and Sailing Blue.

As mentioned earlier, the phone has grown chubbier and it’s no longer as slim as the V23 Pro but more in line with OnePlus’s Nord 2T 5G (Review). It’s also heavier which is mainly due to its increased battery capacity as the phone’s frame is still made of polycarbonate with a shiny chrome-like finish. The back panel is made from colour-changing anti-glare glass, which seems really good at rejecting fingerprints. One thing to keep in mind is that only the Sailing Blue finish is capable of changing colour. Also the colour-changing bit isn’t as dramatic as last year’s V23 Pro as the colour only changes from a lighter shade of blue to darker one when exposed to UV light.

The top and bottom edges of the phone are noticeably thicker than the previous model and reminded me of the Vivo X80 Pro (Review), which also had similar design features with a flattened window at the top edge. The rear camera layout does not protrude much (since the phone itself has grown in thickness) and looks a lot more mainstream unlike the V23 Pro’s all-metal module which stood out.

Vivo V23 Pro back design colour ndtv VivoV25Pro Vivo

The Vivo V25 Pro, just like its predecessor, changes colour but the difference is quite mild

 

One detail that looked a bit dated on the V23 Pro was the medium-sized display notch which housed the two selfie cameras. Vivo has now brought that number down to one and has squeezed it into a hole-punch cavity which looks a lot neater and less distracting. The 6.56-inch curved-edge display has thin bezels all around it. It’s an AMOLED panel which supports a refresh rate of up to 120Hz and up to 300Hz touch sampling rate. This is a step up over the V23 Pro’s 90Hz panel and should come in use while playing games.

The Vivo V25 Pro gets a MediaTek Dimensity 1300 SoC which is also available in the OnePlus Nord 2T 5G. This SoC performed well in our tests and I’m expecting similar performance in the Vivo V25 Pro as well. The battery has grown in capacity from 4,300mAh (in the V23 Pro) to 4,830mAh which is nice to have as the V23 Pro did fall short on battery life with day-to-day use. Another thing that’s improved is the charging, which is 66W from the previous 44W.

As for software, the phone runs Vivo’s Funtouch OS 12 which is based on Android 12. During my initial usage I did notice plenty of preinstalled third-party apps but I also noticed some software changes in the Settings app along with the addition of Vivo’s Ultra Game Mode which adds some gamer-friendly software features.

The Vivo V25 Pro’s cameras have also seen some sensible improvements. The earlier 108-megapixel primary camera has been downgraded in terms of resolution to a 64-megapixel unit, but gets optical image stabilisation (OIS), which in theory should improve its low-light performance. The 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera and 2-megapixel macro camera seem to be the same as before. The 50-megapixel selfie camera on the V23 Pro has also seen a downgrade of sorts to a 32-megapixel camera on the V25 Pro, but thankfully retains autofocus.

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The Vivo V25 Pro comes with plenty of preinstalled third-party apps

 

Despite its higher than expected sticker price, Vivo’s latest V series smartphone sure seems to pack a punch. There’s sensible hardware upgrades sprinkled everywhere, whether its the design, processor, cameras or battery capacity and charging speeds. However, these are qualitative improvements and things that one would expect from a premium smartphone to begin with.

Compare these upgrades to other mid-range phones such as the Realme 9 Pro+ 5G (Review) and the more recent Nothing Phone 1 (Review) and it’s easy to tell that the value factor (although present) is still not as strong in terms of add-on features. The V25 Pro does not get an IP rating or stereo speakers, and the Dimensity 1300 SoC will be competing with premium smartphones sporting Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 870 SoC and above such as the Xiaomi 11T Pro 5G (Review) and the iQoo Neo 6 (Review), both of which are also priced under Rs. 40,000 and offer solid raw performance for gaming and very good low-light cameras.

There’s also the OnePlus 10R Endurance Edition (Review) with its MediaTek Dimensity 8100 SoC and 150W charging, which recently received a permanent price cut and now retails at Rs. 39,999.

The Vivo V25 Pro still offers subtle improvements and we will have to put it through its paces to find out if these improvements have made a meaningful difference especially in the cameras and battery life department, and when it comes to overall value. Stay tuned to our detailed review, which will be out soon on Gadgets 360.

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Google Demonstrates AI Robots Fetching Soda, Snacks Using Voice Commands

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hitesh
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Google Demonstrates AI Robots Fetching Soda, Snacks Using Voice Commands

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Google is combining the eyes and arms of physical robots with the knowledge and conversation skills of virtual chatbots to help its employees fetch soda and chips from breakrooms with ease. The mechanical waiters, shown in action to reporters last week, embody an artificial intelligence breakthrough that paves the way for multipurpose robots as easy to control as ones that perform single, structured tasks such as vacuuming or standing guard.

The company’s robots are not ready for sale. They perform only a few dozen simple actions, and the company has not yet embedded them with the “OK, Google” summoning feature familiar to consumers.

While Google says it is pursuing development responsibly, adoption could ultimately stall over concerns such as robots becoming surveillance machines, or being equipped with chat technology that can give offensive responses, as Meta and others have experienced in recent years.

Microsoft and Amazon are pursuing comparable research on robots.

“It’s going to take a while before we can really have a firm grasp on the direct commercial impact,” said Vincent Vanhoucke, senior director for Google’s robotics research.

When asked to help clean a spill, Google’s robot recognises that grabbing a sponge is a doable and more sensible response than apologising for creating the mess.

The robots interpret naturally spoken commands, weigh possible actions against their capabilities and plan smaller steps to achieve the ask.

The chain is made possible by infusing the robots with language technology that draws understanding of the world from Wikipedia, social media and other webpages. Similar AI underlies chatbots or virtual assistants, but has not been applied to robots this expansively before, Google said.

It unveiled the effort in a research paper in April. Incorporating more sophisticated language AI since then boosted the robots’ success on commands to 74 percent from 61 percent, according to a company blog post on Tuesday.

Fellow Alphabet subsidiary Everyday Robots designs the robots, which for now will stay confined to grabbing snacks for employees.

© Thomson Reuters 2022

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Tesla to Launch Humanoid Robot Prototype This Year; Could Be Cheaper Than a Car in the Future, Elon Musk Says

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hitesh
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Tesla to Launch Humanoid Robot Prototype This Year; Could Be Cheaper Than a Car in the Future, Elon Musk Says

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Tesla chief Elon Musk has revealed some details about the company’s humanoid robot. Musk said in an essay that Tesla plans on launching the first prototype of a humanoid robot this year. The Tesla CEO also claimed in the essay that in a decade people will be gifting their parents a robot for their birthday. He further mentions that in the future these robots might cost cheaper than a car. Musk also talked briefly about his other ventures including SpaceX and Neuralink.

In an essay written for the China Cyberspace magazine, a publication of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), Tesla CEO Elon Musk has revealed some details about a bipedal humanoid robot. The English translation of the essay was posted by BeijingChannel via Substack. In the essay, Musk has highlighted that Tesla plans to unveil the first prototype of the humanoid robot this year, with the company aiming to improve intelligence of the robot and also providing a solution for large-scale production.

Musk claims that the usefulness of a humanoid robot will increase with time as production increases and costs fall. He also estimates that in the future a home robot could be more affordable than a car. The Tesla chief believes that people will start buying a robot for their parents as a birthday gift in less than a decade.

The company is looking at harnessing the “power of robots” by creating an abundance of goods and services, Musk writes. “Perhaps the only scarcity that will exist in the future is for us to create ourselves as humans (translated),” he added. He also called today’s cars “smart, web-connected robots on wheels”.

Tesla CEO also briefly talked about his other ventures, SpaceX and Neuralink. He said that Neuralink’s brain-machine interface will aim at curing brain injuries in the coming years. It could help restore sensory and motor functions for patients with spinal injuries and mental disorders. He also mentions the possibility of quadriplegics to operate desktops and smartphones using their brains.

While talking about SpaceX, which was founded with the intention of making interplanetary travel for commoners feasible, Musk said that the company plans to build at least 1,000 Starships to send groups of pioneers to Mars to create a “self-sustaining city”. He also highlighted that SpaceX has successfully reused 79 rockets to deliver cargo this year. He also said that electrification of rockets could be more difficult, but the propellant of the rockets could be manufactured from sustainable energy sources.

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Mivi DuoPods F50 TWS Earphones With 13mm Drivers, 50 Hours of Playtime Launched in India: Price, Specifications



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Oppo Enco X2 True Wireless Earphones Review: Flagship Performance, Sensible Price

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hitesh
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Oppo Enco X2 True Wireless Earphones Review: Flagship Performance, Sensible Price

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Mainstream true wireless earphones typically fall in the price range from around Rs. 1,000 to well over Rs. 20,000. Naturally, spending more will get you better audio performance and advanced Bluetooth codec support, as well as features such as active noise cancellation and wireless charging. Recent months have seen many budget and mid-range focused brands offer serious value for money with their launches, making it possible to get flagship-grade performance and features at reasonable prices. The product I’m reviewing here promises exactly that.

Priced at Rs. 10,999 in India, the Oppo Enco X2 has a dual-driver setup with dynamic and planar magnetic drivers, advanced Bluetooth codec support, and tuning in collaboration with Danish loudspeaker maker Dynaudio. On paper, this should be a capable offering for the price that challenges the premium TWS segment in a big way, but can it deliver the value it promises? Find out in this review.

oppo enco x2 review open Oppo

The Oppo Enco X2 has active noise cancellation and wireless charging, apart from app support

 

Oppo Enco X2 design and features

Unsurprisingly, the Oppo Enco X2 draws much inspiration from its predecessor, the Oppo Enco X, but there are subtle changes that set the two headsets apart. Some of these changes mean that the earpieces of the X2 strongly resemble the Apple AirPods Pro, particularly the contrasting black accents around the inner and outer microphones. Additionally the controls are now partly force-touch, much like the controls on the AirPods Pro, and the stems of the earpieces are also roughly the same length.

With the rather obvious design cues out of the way, the Oppo Enco X2 does have some notable features which are true to its identity. The ‘L’ and ‘R’ markings on the earpieces are actually cutouts of the casing like on the Oppo Enco Air 2 Pro with the inside microphones placed in the gaps. Although there are no Oppo logos on the earpieces, there is a distinct one on the charging case, along with the Dynaudio badge that is a notable characteristic of the headset.

The earpieces of the Oppo Enco X2 have force touch controls, which I found to be far more precise than the simple touch controls on the Enco X headset. These controls are customisable through the app for the Enco X2. The fit of the ear buds are comfortable for long listening sessions, and offer decent noise isolation. The headset is available in two colours in India, white and black, and is IP54 rated for dust and water resistance.

The charging case of the Oppo Enco X2 is somewhat wide, but fairly slim and easy to keep in your pocket nonetheless. The USB Type-C charging port is at the bottom, the pairing button is on the right side, and there are indicator lights at the bottom and under the lid. There is Qi wireless charging, but this oddly requires you to place the charging case on its front with the Dynaudio logo facing up. This took a bit of learning for me, but wasn’t really inconvenient on the whole.

When it comes to features, the Oppo Enco X2 is quite impressive for a true wireless headset in this price range. Apart from the core features of active noise cancellation and app support, there is interestingly also bone conduction technology for the microphones for voice pick up, Dolby Audio binaural recording when using the Enco X2 as the recording microphone, and dual-device simultaneous connectivity. The sales package has a charging cable and a total of three pairs of silicone ear tips of different sizes, for a customisable fit.

Oppo Enco X2 app and specifications

As with many other Oppo and OnePlus true wireless headsets, the Enco X2 works with the HeyMelody app. Usefully, the app supports the earphones on both Android and iOS, unlike on the Enco X which only worked with the Android app. Interestingly, when used with certain devices from Oppo and OnePlus, the Enco X2 doesn’t need the app at all as all app-based settings and customisation features are visible in the system Bluetooth settings for the earphones.

In my case, I used the app for connectivity with an iPhone, and was able to access the native settings when the Oppo Enco X2 was connected to a OnePlus 9 Pro (Review). The latter had all the settings available in the app, and was in fact better presented through the native Bluetooth settings on the smartphone.

oppo enco x2 review app Oppo

On select Oppo and OnePlus smartphones, the Enco X2’s settings are natively built into the Bluetooth menu itself

 

Coming to the functionality itself, there are various ways to tweak the experience on the Oppo Enco X2. This includes three modes of intensity for the ANC, transparency mode, sound customisation, dual connection, and customisation of the controls, among other things. Individual functions can be assigned to s single, double, or triple squeeze on each earpiece, as well as the slide gesture.

It’s possible to create a setup to simultaneously control playback and volume, invoke the voice assistant, and toggle between ANC and transparency modes, all through the earpieces. There are also four equaliser presets, including three by Dynaudio, to set the sonic signature according to your liking. I didn’t like the Dynaudio presets too much, and preferred the Classic Enco X preset which ensured balanced and detail-oriented sound.

The Oppo Enco X2 has a dual-driver setup, with one 11mm dynamic driver a second 6mm planar magnetic driver in each earpiece, which is quite unique for a true wireless headset. The earphones have a frequency response range of 20-40,000Hz. As mentioned earlier, Oppo has collaborated with Danish loudspeaker manufacturer Dynaudio to tune the sound on the Enco X2.

For connectivity, the Oppo Enco X2 uses Bluetooth 5.2, with support for the SBC, AAC, and LHDC Bluetooth codecs. During my review, a firmware update for the earphones also introduced LDAC Bluetooth codec support to the headset, but when used with my OnePlus 9 Pro, the Enco X2 favoured the LHDC Bluetooth codec for high-resolution audio operation. Apart from multipoint connectivity for up to two devices simultaneously, there is also Google Fast Pair support on the Oppo headset.

Oppo Enco X2 performance and battery life

The Oppo Enco X2 is priced in the mid-range segment, and you wouldn’t be wrong to assume it competes with options such as the OnePlus Buds Pro and Samsung Galaxy Buds 2. However, Oppo’s audio department has typically pushed the boundaries of value and what you can expect at a certain price, and the Enco X2 far exceeds expectations when it comes to sound quality.

This is, in large part, thanks to the novel driver setup, as well as the advanced Bluetooth codec support which is rare to see at around Rs. 10,000. When used with the OnePlus 9 Pro and with the LHDC Bluetooth codec in operation, the Oppo Enco X2 delivered audio performance that matched what I’ve heard on flagship headsets such as the Sony WF-1000XM4 and Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3, both of which cost considerably more money than the Enco X2.

oppo enco x2 review earpieces Oppo

The dual-driver setup and advanced Bluetooth codec support make for very good sound quality, particularly given the mid-range pricing of the Oppo Enco X2

 

The sonic signature on the Oppo Enco X2 was balanced for the large part, giving sounds across the frequency range due attention. However, the dual-driver setup did make for a very audible split in the sound, and I tended to hear a fair sense of separation in the lows. This ensured tight bass, particularly when listening to fast tracks such as The Great Divide (Soundprank Remix) by Velvetine. The attack felt firm and strong, yet never too much; the planar magnetic driver almost seemed to be in healthy competition for attention.

This brings me to the rest of the frequency range, particularly the mids and highs. Although the punchy beats and sparkling highs fought for bragging rights, there was plenty of room for the upbeat vocals to be heard cleanly in this fast electronica track. This was the case even with tracks with vocal-focused sound, such as Stay With Me by Calvin Harris. Halsey’s rather catchy hook and Justin Timberlake’s sheer energy and nuance in the track sounded impressive, and largely on par with what I’d hear on flagship true wireless earphones.

The presence of two drivers in each earpiece also meant that the Oppo Enco X2 had no trouble working with the additional data on offer thanks to the LHDC Bluetooth codec. The earphones felt fast-paced, cohesive, and entirely capable of handling even the most challenging assignments.

All of this came through with impressive levels of detail; the mystifying and beautifully put together Wherever You Go by The Avalanches was handled superbly by the Oppo Enco X2. The earphones offered a punchy, yet refined and calculated reproduction of the track, slowing down and picking up the pace and energy almost intuitively.

Active noise cancellation on the Oppo Enco X2 wasn’t quite as ‘segment-defying’ as the sound quality, but was decent for the price nonetheless. Although there are three separate ANC modes of varying intensity, I found barely any discernible difference between them, and tended to stick to just the ‘Max’ level.

oppo enco x2 review ear Oppo

Although active noise cancellation is decent on the Oppo Enco X2, flagship options from Sony and Apple deliver considerably better ANC performance

 

ANC performance was better indoors than outdoors, showing particular effectiveness against air conditioning and the general hum of the office space. Outdoor sounds weren’t as effectively blocked out, although it did make a fair difference when when walking on the street as listening to music was a bit easier.

Call quality and voice recording on the Oppo Enco X2 were very good, as the microphones did a particular good job of capturing clear audio. Connectivity was stable even with the LHDC codec in operation at distances of up to 4m between the earphones and the paired smartphone.

Battery life was acceptable for me, with the earphones running for around four hours on a single charge with ANC on, moderate volume levels, and the LHDC Bluetooth codec in operation. The charging case added three additional charges to the earpieces, for a total run time of 16 hours per charge cycle.

Verdict

Oppo’s approach to the TWS segment has been adventurous and path-breaking to say the least, and the Enco X2 is an impressive pair of true wireless earphones in many ways. The design, feature set, and performance of this headset are all exceptional for the asking price, and the Enco X2 is a legitimate competitor to flagship true wireless headsets at around half the price. Apart from somewhat average battery life, there isn’t much else to complain about here.

Although many might want to consider options from Samsung and OnePlus in this price range, the superior features and codec support puts the Oppo Enco X2 ahead of similarly priced competition. Similarly, iPhone users won’t really benefit from the codec support, but good tuning and app support does cover for it to an extent. If you’re an Android user, there really is no better pair of earphones under Rs. 15,000 than the Enco X2 that you can buy right now.

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Oppo Pad Air Review: Built for Basics

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hitesh
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Oppo Pad Air Review: Built for Basics

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The budget tablet market in India is currently flooded with plenty of options, but most of them are from manufacturers such as Samsung and Lenovo. These products offer enough power to get the basic job done and nothing more as their focus is generally on offering a big display with a big battery, but not so much on performance. There is clearly a market for these budget machines and the recent pandemic has turned tablets from being just portable media consumption devices to essential learning tools for education, a means of video conferencing, and so on.

The new Oppo Pad Air is the company’s first tablet in India and it has decided to focus on offering superior build quality. At a glance, the Pad Air offers all the bare essentials that one would expect but with a hint of style. However, is it enough to take on the competition in its segment? I’ve used this tablet for a couple of weeks and here’s what I think about it.

Oppo Pad Air Price in India

The Oppo Pad Air is available in two configurations in India. The base variant that I received comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage and is available at Rs. 16,999. The second variant offers 128GB of storage but with the same 4GB of RAM, and sells for Rs. 19,999. The tablet is only available in a single grey colour. 

Oppo Pad Air design

For a budget tablet, the Oppo Pad Air definitely looks more premium than its asking price. It feels quite solid and well-built and seems like it should be able to survive a few drops. The Pad Air utilises a unibody design with a metal case which has a nice anodised finish to it that surprisingly does not feel slippery. The sides are flattened with rounded corners and the build quality is quite impressive with no sharp or rough edges.

The tablet feels quite light at 440g and has a nice compact footprint given its smaller display. It’s comfortable for one-handed use, but you will still need two hands to operate it. The only protrusion around the back is the camera, but it does not make the tablet wobble when placed on a flat surface. There is a plastic strip which takes up a quarter of the space on the back and has a nice wave-like pattern. This should also help with signal reception when it comes to connectivity.

The buttons for power and volume controls are located around the top left corner (when held horizontally). There is a small pull-out tray on the top edge, but it’s only for a  microSD card as the Pad Air is only offered as a Wi-Fi model.

Oppo Pad Air back design ndtv OppoPadAir Oppo

The Oppo Pad Air has a unibody design that’s made out of metal with a plastic strip running through the back

 

The display has a thin bezel for a tablet, with rounded cutouts around the corners that match the curvature of the tablet’s frame. There are four speaker grilles on either side (when held horizontally) and the USB Type-C port sits on the right. Oppo only offers a single accessory for the Pad Air called the Oppo Life Smart Stylus Pen and is sold separately at Rs. 3,999.

Oppo Pad Air specifications and software

The Oppo Pad Air has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 SoC which is built using the 6nm fabrication process. You get 4GB of LPDDR4X RAM and a maximum of 128GB of UFS 2.2 storage but Oppo also lets you use up to 3GB of storage as extended RAM, which in theory should help deliver better performance while multitasking. 

Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.1, but no GPS (uses Wi-Fi connectivity for positioning). Thankfully, the basic sensors such as an accelerometer, ambient light, gyroscope and magnetometer make it here. The tablet is powered by a 7,100mAh battery which can be charged using the bundled 18W PD charger. There’s no support for LTE and the tablet does not offer a fingerprint reader, but only a 2D face unlock system which did not always work reliably. Despite offering two storage options, Oppo also supports expandable storage for cards up to 512GB.

The tablet runs Oppo’s ColorOS 12.1 software which is based on Android 12. From the looks of it, the software feels no different from the ColorOS 12.1 used on Oppo’s smartphones such as the Reno 8 Pro 5G (Review). Surprisingly, Oppo has retained plenty of static wallpapers and several live wallpapers, which is nice to have but these seemed a bit heavy for the system to handle.

There’s also plenty of customisation options in the personalisations section that even includes the wallpaper colour picking feature for auto-theming the interface with matching colours for widgets, the accent colour, and keyboard whenever you choose a new wallpaper. While all of this is nice to have on a budget tablet, this version of ColourOS eats up about 14GB of the internal storage (plus up to 3GB of extended RAM) which leaves about 47GB of space for apps, games and photos. The only third-party presinstalled app was Netflix.

Oppo Pad Air front software ndtv OppoPadAir Oppo

The Oppo Pad Air can run two apps simultaneously thanks to the floating window feature

 

I managed to dig out a floating window feature called Flexible windows, under Special features in the Settings app. It worked quite well on the Oppo Pad Air, letting me open the supported apps in a smaller floating window and it even let me resize the windowed app. It all works quite smoothly but is limited to just one windowed app with the second being displayed in fullscreen in the background. There’s also a split screen feature called Dual windows but I could not adjust the size of the window to what I wanted. Forcing apps into split-screen mode from the recents menu did get the job done and it all worked well from there on.

Oppo Pad Air performance

Software performance was decent at best on the Oppo Pad Air, with some expected lag from time to time. Multi-tasking wasn’t ideal, but the expanded RAM function did help keep a few apps open in the background. Simply put, every fourth app I retrieved from the recents menu restarted, but these loaded quickly.

As for synthetic benchmarks, the Oppo Pad Air performed as expected with unimpressive results especially in the graphics tests. The phone managed 2,53,080 points in AnTuTu and 384 and 1,618 points in Geekbench’s single and multi-core tests respectively. GFXBench saw underwhelming scores of 37fps, 14fps and 7.6fps in the T-Rex, Manhattan 3.1 and Car Chase tests respectively.

Oppo Pad Air front display ndtv OppoPadAir Oppo

The Oppo Pad Air’s screen is quite reflective when viewed outdoors

 

While this tablet isn’t exactly designed for gaming, I did try out Asphalt 9: Legends. At the default settings the textures looked quite pixelated but the game was playable with plenty of skipped frames and some stuttering. Casual games like Subway Surfers ran better.

The Oppo Pad Air has a 10.36-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 2,000×1,200 pixels. It is nice to see a decently high resolution in this segment as most manufacturers tend to offer 720p panels. The display is sufficiently sharp and both text and images appeared fine and the colours looked natural when using the tablet indoors. The display did not fare well outdoors under daylight, as colours appeared a bit washed out. The cover glass is also quite reflective making it a bit hard to watch movies in direct sunlight.

The Pad Air has Widevine L1 certification which is good for full-HD video playback. Standard definition content appeared quite sharp, but the black levels leave a lot to be desired. The quad-speaker system sounded loud and was good enough to make me forget that the tablet was missing a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Oppo Pad Air back camera ndtv OppoPadAir Oppo

The Oppo Pad Air has a single rear-facing camera

 

Camera performance from the 8-megapixel rear camera was below average, with photos looking dull and lacking detail even in daylight. Selfies from the 5-megapixel camera came out a lot better in comparison, making it decent for video calls. Video recording quality from the primary camera was quite poor.

Oppo Pad Air daylight camera samples: (Top) Primary camera, (bottom) Selfie camera (tap to see full size)

 

Since gaming was mainly limited to casual titles and the camera was not all that useful either, I ended up using it mainly for watching movies, browsing the web and the usual social media applications. With such usage, the Oppo Pad Air typically lasted me a day and half, or up to two days if all I did was watch movies on it, offline. In our HD video loop test, the Pad Air lasted 18 hours and 40 minutes which was impressive for a tablet this small. Charging the battery using the 18W charger took about two hours and 34 minutes which was decent.

Verdict

Oppo’s first attempt at releasing a tablet for the Indian market seems like a decent one. It has managed to offer a decent budget machine that delivers average everyday performance at the right price, along with good build quality. It’s missing 4G/LTE radios, a headphone jack, but the provision for expandable memory and a 128GB storage option kind of makes up for it. Overall, it fits the bill if all you want to do is watch movies, browse the web, or check email, but it isn’t intended for gaming or productivity.

Unfortunately for Oppo, the Realme Pad (Review) offers a similar form factor and core specifications at a lower price. It also has a 4G/LTE variant which starts at Rs. 15,999. Realme’s software experience is snappier in comparison to the Oppo Pad Air as it’s better optimised for a tablet. If you are willing to shell out a bit more money, Lenovo’s Yoga Tab 11 (Review) offers a much better design with a built-in kickstand, and is built for entertainment with very good speakers that are loud enough to fill a small room.

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Xiaomi Unveils CyberOne, a Humanoid Robot That Can Sense Human Emotions

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hitesh
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Xiaomi Unveils CyberOne, a Humanoid Robot That Can Sense Human Emotions

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Xiaomi unveiled its first humanoid robot named CyberOne alongside the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 during a live event on Thursday. The robot can listen to human interactions and is capable of recognising individuals and their emotions. The CyberOne is 177cm tall, weighs 52kg, and has an arm span of 168cm. It is claimed to be capable of perceiving 3D space. The CyberOne comes equipped with technologies to recognise 85 types of environmental sounds and 45 classifications of human emotion. Xiaomi also has a quadruped robot called CyberDog, which was unveiled at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2022 in February.

During the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 launch event on Thursday, Xiaomi unveiled the CyberOne. The humanoid robot handed a flower to the company’s Chief Executive Officer Lei Jun on stage and showcased some movements.

“CyberOne’s AI and mechanical capabilities are all self-developed by Xiaomi Robotics Lab. We have invested heavily in R&D spanning various areas, including software, hardware, and algorithms innovation,” said Lei Jun in a statement.

CyberOne comes with arms, legs, and supports bipedal motion and is said to reach a peak torque of up to 300Nm. It has an OLED module to display facial expressions and can see the world in 3D.

Developed by Xiaomi’s Robotics Lab, the CyberOne features a matte white colour finish with dark joints. Lei Jun says it can move at a speed of 3.6km/hour. Further, The robot measures 177cm in height and 52kg by weight, with an arm span of 168cm.

Xiaomi says the CyberOne supports up to 21 degrees of freedom in motion and has a real-time response speed of 0.5ms. A motor with a rated output torque of up to 30Nm powers the upper limbs of CyberOne. Further, the robot is claimed to hold up to 1.5kg in weight with single hand.

Xiaomi has packed a Mi Sense system combined with AI algorithm in the new device that allows CyberOne to recognise individuals and their gestures. It is also said to recognise 85 types of environmental sounds and 45 classifications of human emotion.

The CyberOne is still in development and may get updated with new features before the final release. “Xiaomi is making its first steps in the field, and CyberOne is constantly adding new capabilities. We think that intelligent robots will definitely be a part of people’s lives in the future,” said Lei Jun.

The CyberOne is the second product from Xiaomi’s Robotics Lab following the CyberDog released earlier this year. It is powered by Nvidia’s Jetson Xavier AI platform and has 11 high-precision sensors including touch sensors, cameras, and GPS modules to sense and interact with its environment. The Xiaomi CyberDog comes with 128GB of SSD storage and it can respond to voice commands. It recognises wake-up commands and can be controlled using the bundled remote or a connected smartphone app.

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Philips SpeedPro Aqua Wet and Dry Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Review: Machine Mopping

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hitesh
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Philips SpeedPro Aqua Wet and Dry Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Review: Machine Mopping

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Cordless vacuum cleaners have made dry cleaning a breeze, with premium options from brands such as Dyson and Samsung delivering both ease of use and effective cleaning performance. Wet mopping on the other hand, is still something that most do by hand, using traditional methods such as a mop and a bucket of water. Although robot vacuum-mops do offer the ability to mop while vacuuming, a handheld device should naturally offer much more precision when it comes to wet mopping. The device I’m reviewing here promises to do just that.

Priced at Rs. 35,999, the Philips SpeedPro Aqua is a cordless, handheld vacuum cleaner with the ability to simultaneously vacuum and mop your floors. A special water tank and mop fitting enables this, and the device also promises good battery life and capabilities when it comes to regular vacuum cleaning. Is this the most versatile and easy to use handheld cleaning device for your home? Find out in this review.

philips speedpro aqua review hand Philips

The Philips SpeedPro Aqua goes up against competition in the premium segment for cordless vacuum cleaners from brands such as Dyson and Samsung

 

Philips SpeedPro Aqua design and usage

Some of the more popular premium cordless vacuum cleaners have interesting designs, with options from Dyson and Samsung featuring styling that seem to be inspired by science fiction. In comparison, the Philips SpeedPro Aqua looks less like a space weapon, and more like a watering jug.

This isn’t a bad thing though, and the blue colour actually looks quite nice. The Philips SpeedPro Aqua is entirely made of plastic, with a removable transparent dustbin, and a fixed 21.6V battery pack encased within the vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner weighs 2.1kg and has, what the company calls, a PowerBlade motor with PowerCyclone technology that’s rated for airflow of up to 800 litres per minute.

The handle is right at the back, and offers a decent, balanced grip over the vacuum cleaner when in use, even with the pipe and fittings attached. The nozzle at the front where fittings can be attached is conveniently shaped for standalone use (without any fittings attached) as needed, to quickly pick up dirt or dust from tables, counter tops, and the like.

Using the Philips SpeedPro Aqua is fairly simple, with a single slider switch to control the power setting. There are two power modes — low and high — while the position closest to you when normally holding the device turns the vacuum cleaner off. Above the switch is a light indicator for the battery level and further above that is the release switch for the dustbin. At the bottom are the magnetic contact points for the charger to latch on.

philips speedpro aqua review dustbin out Philips

The dustbin of the Philips SpeedPro Aqua needs to be fully removed and opened to empty out dust and dirt

 

The dustbin of the Philips SpeedPro Aqua has a two-chamber design and a total capacity of around 0.4L. This isn’t a lot, and indeed I had to clean it out a lot more often as compared to the Samsung Jet 90 Complete. Cleaning it does require a fair bit of effort; the dustbin has to be removed and the lid opened to empty it out. Often, I had to even reach in to untangle certain messes, such as hair and the odd plastic bits.

There is an air filter at the bottom of the dustbin, which ensures that only clean air is exhausted out of the vents at the bottom of the Philips SpeedPro Aqua. Both the filter and the dustbin can be washed as needed, but you’ll need to ensure that they are completely dry before fixing them back onto the vacuum cleaner.

Philips SpeedPro Aqua fittings and accessories

While competing cordless vacuum cleaners usually have more than a handful of fittings included in the box, the Philips SpeedPro Aqua doesn’t have too many. There is a motorised roller head with LED ‘headlights’ for standard vacuum cleaning and a second combination head that has both, vacuum suction and wet-mopping, capabilities.

In addition, there is a metal extension pipe that can be used with either of the main fittings, and has an integrated flip-out brush fitting as well. The pipe itself has a fixed length, and is able to provide power to the motorised roller head when connected.

The charger of the Philips SpeedPro Aqua is quite simple, with an adapter to plug into a wall socket on one end and a small, magnetic contact on the other end which attaches onto the bottom of the vacuum cleaner. There is a wall-mounted charging bracket included in the box as well, if you need it. The charging system felt a bit cheap and rudimentary given the price of the Philips SpeedPro Aqua, but I didn’t face any functional issues with the setup.

philips speedpro aqua review mop fitting Philips

The water tank on the Philips SpeedPro Aqua’s mop fitting has a capacity of 0.28L

 

The main vacuum head of the Philips SpeedPro Aqua has a unique design that enables it to capture dirt and dust at a 180-degree angle, so it can also pull in impurities from the sides of the head. Interestingly, there are LED lights which help to illuminate the floor right in front of the fitting, and illuminate any impurities. This worked well both in the dark, as well as in dimly-lit conditions.

The wet-mopping functionality uses a basic, non-mechanical fitting that combines with a simple vacuum head to offer simultaneous wet and dry cleaning. The mop fitting is a water tank with small openings at the bottom to trickle water onto the included mop cloth, and it can be quickly attached and removed using hook-and-loop fasteners. Two mop cloths are included with the Philips SpeedPro Aqua, and can be washed normally when dirty.

When fixed onto the vacuum fitting, the vibrations cause the water to release gradually, which is then spread using your hand movements. It’s a simple but effective way to mop without needing to bend your back too much. The water tank has a capacity of 0.28L, and has a foot pump to speed up water release as needed. Philips states that you can use clear, non-foaming detergent mixed with clear water in the tank, if desired.

Philips SpeedPro Aqua performance and battery life

The Philips SpeedPro Aqua feels a bit underpowered and basic when compared to products from competing brands such as Samsung and Dyson, at least when it comes to vacuuming. However, it’s the wet-mopping functionality that sets the SpeedPro Aqua apart, since most cordless vacuum cleaners available right now offer only dry cleaning. This also puts the device in unlikely competition with robot cleaning devices, since many of these offer simultaneous wet-mopping.

When it comes to the basics of vacuum cleaning, the Philips SpeedPro Aqua did an acceptable job for the most part. The lower, more power-efficient mode tended to be suitable only for the most basic of cleaning tasks, and I usually found myself using the high power mode most of the time, which worked reasonably well for core functions.

Basic cleaning of hard floors for everyday dust and dirt was fine for me, but the vacuum cleaner tended to struggle with more stubborn messes, including food crumbs and paper or plastic scraps. Rugs and carpets usually gave me a hard time with the Philips SpeedPro Aqua, and I had to make multiple sweeps to get them clean.

The lack of a dedicated cleaning head for fabric surfaces meant that I had to use the standard nozzle to clean sofas, and this wasn’t very efficient in pulling out dust and dirt stuck on the surfaces or gaps. The brush fitting is only present on the pipe, which made it a bit difficult to use when cleaning table tops and counters. It was pretty good at cleaning objects on a height, but this wasn’t something I needed to do very often.

philips speedpro aqua review unit Philips

The nozzle on the Philips SpeedPro Aqua is designed for standalone use, to clean up small messes and on tables and countertops

 

The two floor-cleaning heads had a reasonable amount of flexibility, which made steering the head easy enough; twisting the Philips SpeedPro Aqua in either direction was enough to get the heads to turn rapidly in place. However, it still felt a bit clunky and heavy, particularly compared to the much more easily manoeuvrable Dyson Omni-glide. Noise levels were acceptable even at the higher power mode, with the SpeedPro Aqua generating a low-pitched, inoffensive hum while working.

What makes robot cleaners good at wet-mopping is the element of automation; the water is evenly spread across the floor by a device which charts its own path efficiently and effectively. In comparison, the Philips SpeedPro Aqua needs to be operated by hand, but the advantage here is the ability to choose where to focus the cleaning, and put a bit more force into the mopping without too much strain on your back or wrist.

Although the mopping functionality is entirely lacking in any mechanical or electronic aid, it still works fairly well. It was admittedly much more effective and quicker to mop the floors than my 360 S7, assuming I was ready and willing to do the work. While I didn’t often use it to mop my whole house in one go, I did frequently pick it up to do some extra wet-cleaning in specific areas or rooms at a time.

Battery life on the Philips SpeedPro Aqua is largely on par with competing products, but is a bit disappointing when you consider that the competition runs more powerfully while offering the same run time as the Philips vacuum cleaner. I was able to use it for around 40-45 minutes on the low power mode with the main vacuuming head, and for around 50 minutes when using a non-mechanised fitting.

With the high power mode in operation, the device ran for around 20 minutes per charge. This was entirely ordinary, and was enough to realistically clean only two or three rooms at a time rather than my whole 900-square-foot home in one go.

Verdict

At Rs. 35,999, the Philips SpeedPro Aqua is firmly priced in the premium segment, and competes directly with high-end devices from brands such as Dyson and Samsung. However, purely on its vacuum cleaning capabilities, it doesn’t quite deliver the kind of performance I would have expected at this price. Apart from being slightly underpowered, the vacuum cleaner also feels a bit basic, and doesn’t have as many fittings and fixtures like competing devices.

That said, the wet-mopping functionality sets the Philips SpeedPro Aqua apart in a big way, and even makes it worth considering over the competition to some extent. It’s still something you’ll have to do by hand and the device only offers slight aid to the otherwise manual process, but it admittedly makes the job of wet-mopping a lot easier.

Everything considered, it might be worth looking at the Philips SpeedPro Aqua if you definitely want wet-mopping capabilities, but if you’re looking purely at a vacuum cleaning then competing premium options perform better. You might also want to consider a cleaning robot with vacuum cleaning and mopping capabilities, such as the similarly-priced 360 S7.

Price: Rs. 35,999

Rating: 6/10

Pros:

  • Light, easy to handle
  • Fairly effective wet mopping
  • Works well for cleaning hard floors
  • Not too loud

Cons:

  • Ordinary build quality
  • Not as powerful as the competition
  • Not enough fittings and fixtures
  • Average battery life
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