The ACEMAGIC F9A packs AMD’s Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 chip and up to 128GB of unified memory into a 2-liter case, built for AI development, video editing, and gaming performance.

• Local AI power: The XDNA 2 NPU hits up to 50 TOPS, and paired with up to 128GB of unified memory, it runs AI models with up to 120 billion parameters locally.
• Expandable graphics: A full-bandwidth Oculink port connects an external desktop GPU, letting you switch between a quiet workstation and a gaming rig.
• Fast connections: Dual USB4 ports at 40Gbps and dual 2.5GbE LAN support external NVMe drives and up to four 8K displays, useful for heavy video editing work.
• Built-in conferencing: A four-microphone far-field array with noise reduction and dual speakers handle video calls, and a dedicated Copilot key summarizes meetings instantly.

The F9A turns a 2-liter case into a workstation for AI developers, video editors, and gamers alike.

The post ACEMAGIC F9A Mini PC appeared first on Gadget Flow.

The JBL Pulse 6 combines deep, distortion-free JBL sound with a customizable 360° lightshow that syncs to your music, turning any room, patio, or party into a glowing show.

• AI Sound Boost: Upgraded acoustics deliver deeper bass and fuller sound, and AI Sound Boost keeps it loud and distortion-free.
• 360° Lightshow: A customizable lightshow flows across the speaker body and its integrated handle, with patterns that shift from lively parties to calm evenings.
• 12-Hour Battery and IP68 Protection: Play up to 12 hours on one charge, and take it anywhere since the IP68 rating handles water and dust.
• Auracast Speaker Linking: Link it with other Auracast-enabled JBL speakers, including PartyBox units and PartyLight Sticks, to share the sound and the glow.
• Sunset Mode and Tap Light: Sunset Mode fades the sound and light into a warm glow at bedtime, and a double-tap turns on a soft night light anytime after.

With deep sound, a colorful lightshow, and all-day battery, the JBL Pulse 6 turns up any gathering.

The post JBL Pulse 6 Portable Speaker appeared first on Gadget Flow.

The HARIO Matcha Latte Frother turns the sift, whisk, and froth routine of a matcha cafe into one simple step at home.

• Automatic whisking: The motor handle spins the whisking shaft to blend matcha smooth, so clumps break up without hand-whisking.
• Built-in milk frother: The same whisk froths milk into light foam, so you can build a latte or cappuccino on top.
• Heatproof glass mug: The HARIO glass bowl holds a practical 350 mL and resists sudden heat changes, moving from hot water to the fridge safely.
• Volume markings: Lines on the glass mark out each pour, so you can measure matcha, water, and milk without a separate cup.
• Easy cleanup: The glass mug is dishwasher-safe and does not hold onto odor or color, so it stays ready for the next drink.

With its glass mug and electric whisk in one, it turns cafe-quality matcha into a daily habit at home.

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Rovex is a handheld thermal imaging camera from Nocpix Nature, built for birdwatching, wildlife spotting, and outdoor exploration in low light or dense cover.

• 384×288 Thermal Sensor: The F0.8 lens gathers 56% more light than an F1.0 lens, so Rovex spots a bird-sized heat source from 90 meters away.
• AI Smart Tracking: A neural network frames likely bird heat signatures, red for high confidence, orange for a possible find.
• 5-Inch Open-View Screen: The 1280×720 display works with glasses on, and R+ Super-Resolution sharpens the image to 768 for clearer detail.
• Birding Mode: One of three touchscreen modes, it highlights hidden birds, while Rain & Fog Mode cuts moisture noise in rough weather.
• Rugged, Connected Body: An IP66 metal shell survives a 1-meter drop, and the Wi-Fi app streams the view live to a phone.

Rovex turns faint body heat into a clear picture, so hidden birds and wildlife stop hiding on your next walk.

The post Rovex Handheld Thermal Camera appeared first on Gadget Flow.

Ground Truth is a device that clips onto a Citi Bike and changes pedal resistance in real time, based on hyperlocal rent burden data for wherever you’re riding.

• Location-based resistance: A GPS module tracks the bike’s position and adjusts pedal tension block by block, based on local rent burden data.
• Real census data: Resistance levels come from American Community Survey figures on rent burden, so each ride reflects actual local housing costs.
• Tool-free mount: A 3D-printed housing, shaped from a scan of the bike’s front fork, hooks on by hand in seconds.
• Rider stays in control: The bike’s own brake levers always override the servo, so the resistance stays smooth and never stops the bike.
• No internet connection: All data is stored locally on an SD card, and the device never saves or transmits your location.

Ground Truth makes rent burden something you feel with every pedal stroke. Explore the project and its interactive map online.

The post Ground Truth Bike Device appeared first on Gadget Flow.

Ascentiz H Ultra is a wearable leg exoskeleton built for hikers, runners, and commuters who want extra power and less fatigue on tough terrain.

• 1100W Peak Boost: The motor adds up to 40% less effort on steep climbs, so tired legs go further before they wear out.
• 31-Mile Range: Two swappable batteries double the range from about 15 to 31 miles, so long trips do not need a charger stop.
• AI OmniTerrain: The system reads how you move and adjusts support within 0.2 seconds across walking, running, hiking, and other motions.
• 5.5 lbs, Library-Quiet: It weighs less than a laptop and runs at 35 decibels or quieter, staying comfortable and unnoticed all day.
• Ti-Carbon Armor: Titanium and carbon fiber construction carries an IP54 rating for dust and splashes, built for rough trails and changing weather.

Ascentiz H Ultra turns steep trails and long days into easier ones, without adding bulk or slowing you down.

The post Ascentiz H Ultra Exoskeleton appeared first on Gadget Flow.

The Keychron C100 8K is a giant macro pad with 100 completely blank keys, so instead of a fixed layout, you build every function, macro, and shortcut yourself from scratch.

• Blank-slate programming: Every key starts empty, and Keychron’s QMK firmware plus the Launcher web app let you build macros and shortcuts without extra software.
• Hot-swappable Apex switches: Pull out any switch and drop in a new one without soldering; the included Apex switches use a pre-lubed POM stem for smooth, precise keystrokes.
• 8000Hz polling rate: The pad reads input eight times faster than a standard keyboard, cutting lag for fast typing or gaming macros.
• Per-key and Mix RGB lighting: Color each key individually, or split the pad into two zones with separate effects, all visible through the transparent ASA keycaps.

With no fixed layout or presets, the C100 8K lets you design a macro pad that matches how you work.

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The Rockford Fosgate PMX-6BB is a hide-away marine receiver that mounts out of sight and puts audio control on your boat’s display or a wired remote.

• NMEA 2000 control: Built-in CAN-bus support connects the PMX-6BB to your boat’s multi-function display, so you control audio without an extra adaptor.
• Dual zone audio: Zone 1 and Zone 2 each have separate volume and EQ, so cockpit and tower can sound different at once.
• Independent sub level control: You adjust the subwoofer’s volume on its own, so bass stays balanced without retuning the other speakers.
• Built-in 200W amplifier: A four-channel amp powers up to 8 speakers, so the system runs without a separate outboard amp.
• Bluetooth streaming: Stream music from a phone with A2DP and control playback with AVRCP, plus view track and artist info right on the display.

With weatherproof Element Ready construction, the PMX-6BB brings reliable, hide-away audio control to any boat setup.

The post Rockford Fosgate PMX-6BB Marine Digital Media Receiver appeared first on Gadget Flow.

The Nework E-Series is a 4K interactive whiteboard built for classrooms and training rooms, giving teachers one screen for writing, casting, and video apps.

• 4K anti-glare display: The screen stays sharp and glare-free from any seat, with a 178-degree viewing angle for clear sightlines even at the back of the room.
• 50-point multi-touch: Up to 10 students can write and move objects on the board at once, so group work keeps moving instead of waiting for a turn.
• Fast, natural writing: A 5 ms touch response feels close to pen on paper, and AI recognition cleans up handwriting and rough sketches automatically.
• Wireless casting: Connect up to 16 devices and annotate directly over slides, PDFs, and videos without switching tools.
• Android 14 with Google EDLA: Google Workspace, Classroom, Zoom, and Kahoot! run natively, and automatic security updates keep IT from managing each board by hand.

The Nework E-Series turns any classroom into a connected teaching space, at a lower cost than most alternatives.

The post Nework NewBoard E-Series 4K Smart Whiteboard appeared first on Gadget Flow.

The HOTO SNAPBLOQ is a cordless soldering iron built for makers, repair techs, and hobbyists who need real power without being tied to an outlet.

• 140W Peak Power: The iron reaches 140W plugged in or 60W cordless, handling heavy joints and quick repairs alike.
• 3-Second Heat-Up: A C245-KU knife tip reaches working temperature in about 3 seconds, cutting the wait before you start soldering.
• Stable Temperature Control: A PID algorithm holds the tip within 2% of the set temperature, which protects sensitive components on circuit boards.
• Flexible Charging: It charges from USB-C PD, DC power, a power bank, or a tool battery, so you can recharge with what you have.
• Three Saved Presets: One paddle switches between three stored temperature settings, letting you move between tasks without resetting the dial each time.

The SNAPBLOQ combines fast heat-up with steady temperature control, making it a solid choice for repair work and DIY electronics.

The post HOTO SNAPBLOQ Cordless Soldering Iron appeared first on Gadget Flow.

The Delta Children Smart Sleep Baby Monitor pairs a 2.5K camera with an adjustable floor stand, giving parents a clear, no-subscription way to watch over a crib, bassinet, or play yard from anywhere in the house.

• Adjustable Floor Stand: The ASTM-certified stand adjusts to five heights up to 73.3 inches, so the camera looks straight down into a crib or bassinet instead of at an angle.
• Sharp Video and Night Vision: 2.5K QHD video and built-in infrared night vision keep the nursery visible in full detail, day or night.
• Motion Tracking and Full Pan/Tilt: Motion tracking follows the baby automatically, while 360-degree pan and 45-degree tilt let parents adjust the view by hand from the app.
• No-Subscription App Alerts: The free Delta Children Connect App sends motion and sound alerts, tracks nursery temperature and humidity, and lets parents talk to the baby through two-way audio, with no monthly fees.

With local recording via microSD, strong encryption, and support for up to 20 users, it covers a whole household’s nursery monitoring needs.

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A total of 68% of Americans say home energy costs, including electricity and natural gas, have put pressure on their household budgets. Add Goldman Sachs’ prediction that the AI infrastructure boom could push electricity costs up by 6% between 2026 and 2027, and concerns around rising bills become easier to understand. The good news? Smart thermostats can cut heating and cooling costs by around 8%. 

Whether you end up choosing Nest or ecobee, you’re already taking a step toward lower energy bills and a home that takes a little less effort to keep comfortable.

Quick verdict

Last winter, I had to wear a hoodie just to sit in my bedroom without a blanket. Today, I’m typing on my MacBook and thinking about grabbing the remote because the room feels too warm. With my bedroom staying cold in winter and overheating in summer, ecobee’s included SmartSensor, which tracks both occupancy and temperature, should make a difference.

Nest suits you better if you want a thermostat that learns your habits without much effort. After about a week of small adjustments, it starts building a schedule on its own. It’s also a natural choice if you already use an Android phone or other Google devices.

Evening out the cold bedroom

Most homes don’t have the same temperature in every room. Instead, there’s usually one bedroom that’s always too cold or one office that gets too warm, while the thermostat sits somewhere else and never notices. Both ecobee and Nest offer wireless sensors you can place in problem rooms, and both charge extra if you want additional sensors. The difference is what each sensor measures.

ecobee’s SmartSensor tracks both temperature and occupancy. In other words, the system prioritizes the room where someone is present. 

Nest’s Temperature Sensor measures temperature only, so you either average readings across rooms or create schedules that tell the thermostat which room matters at different times of day. That extra occupancy data gives ecobee an advantage if one room always feels uncomfortable while another sits empty.

How much setup work falls on you

Nest is for people who don’t want to spend time programming a thermostat. You adjust the temperature for about a week, and it starts picking up your routine to create a schedule on its own. It won’t get everything right immediately, but most homes can reach a comfortable routine within a few days.

ecobee requires more input at the beginning. Its Schedule Assistant also learns from your habits, but it gives you suggestions that you need to approve. Some of the more advanced settings are also easier to access through the web browser instead of the mobile app.

Keeping the automation from overruling you

Did you know your savings can change based on your climate, comfort preferences, daily routine, and HVAC system? Aggressive automation is how a smart thermostat backfires. Both brands chase savings with setbacks, letting a home drift cooler overnight in winter and warmer in summer. A setback that goes too deep can leave a heat pump or a radiator system running all day trying to catch up, wiping out the savings.

Some Nest owners run into a frustrating issue where the thermostat changes their settings to save energy. Figuring out why it happened can mean checking geofencing, Eco mode, and Home and Away routines to see which feature changed the temperature. 

ecobee takes a different approach. It uses humidity readings to adjust comfort without needing to lower or raise the temperature as much, and it waits for your approval before making schedule changes. If you prefer a thermostat that gives you more control, ecobee is the better choice because it suggests changes instead of making them for you.

Voice control and smart-home fit

ecobee’s top model also works as a smart speaker, with a built-in microphone and support for Siri or Alexa. It can play Spotify and stream audio over Bluetooth straight from the thermostat. Nest skips the speaker and microphone, which some people see as a benefit. 

A voice assistant mounted on your wall is either useful or something you’d rather avoid, and your preference depends on how comfortable you’re with having another smart device listening at home.

On platform reach, the two run closer than the branding suggests. ecobee covers Apple Home, Alexa, Google Assistant, and SmartThings while the current Nest works through Google Home, Apple Home, or any Matter-compatible app. Call it ecobee on breadth and Nest on restraint, then let the microphone question settle the criterion for you.

Wiring and what your HVAC will accept

ecobee’s Premium model works with over 95% of systems and puts the Power Extender Kit in the box for homes with no common wire. Nobody enjoys discovering a wiring gap with the furnace already switched off.

Google’s newer Nest units lean on Power Sharing to run without a common wire in most homes, and the cheaper Nest Thermostat is rated for around 85% of systems. Owners of older or zone-controlled setups still end up requesting a power accessory after the fact, and sensitive modern HVAC gear is happier with a proper wire anyway.

Living with the brand for a decade

Installation quality, climate, and maintenance habits all affect how long a thermostat lasts, but the company behind it matters too. A thermostat should be something you install, set up, and forget. The question is whether ecobee and Nest make that possible.

ecobee has a strong track record with older models. The company still supports its first-generation hardware, continues sending software updates to older thermostats, and includes a three-year warranty. Longevity is easy to ignore until the day a device stops working or loses support.

Nest has a more complicated history. Some early owners have reported losing features over time, while the move from the original Nest app to Google Home frustrated people managing multiple thermostats across different homes. 

Where Nest wins

Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen)

Get it for $279.99$249.00-11.1%

You install a Nest thermostat, spend a week correcting small mistakes, and then let AI automation take over. That works well for homes with an open floor plan, steady temperatures, and owners who don’t want to keep adjusting settings. Think about choosing a thermostat for your grandmother, who isn’t the right candidate for changing geofencing settings.

If you’ve ever walked from room to room turning the heat or AC on and off, you know the feeling of leaving the house and wondering if you forgot something. Your Nest thermostat lowers the temperature when you leave for work and warms the house before you return—the kind of “set it and forget it” experience you want, right?

The hardware itself is also easy to appreciate. The twist-and-push ring feels natural, and the display wakes as you walk by, showing information like the weather from across the room.

Google’s ecosystem is another reason to choose Nest. Doorbells, speakers, and smoke detectors can work together without extra setup. For example, a routine can turn off the HVAC system when a smoke alarm detects a problem, helping reduce airflow during an emergency.

Where ecobee wins

ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium

Get it for $259.99

ecobee makes more sense if every room in your house feels different. My living room catches plenty of sunlight, so during winter it stays warmer than the rest of the house and doesn’t need as much heat from our gas boiler. My bedroom, meanwhile, gets very little sunlight, so I often turn on an electric space heater before I can step inside.

A single thermostat in the hallway can’t account for differences like that. ecobee’s SmartSensors measure both temperature and occupancy, so the system pays attention to the rooms people are actually using instead of only the room where the thermostat is mounted.

It’s also a better choice if you want to stay in control. Instead of changing your schedule on its own, ecobee suggests adjustments and lets you decide whether to accept them. Eco+ also considers humidity, which can help your home feel comfortable without changing the temperature as much.

If you live in an older house, ecobee has another advantage. It includes a Power Extender Kit in the box, so you may not need extra hardware if your home doesn’t have a C-wire.

My final verdict

ecobee is the better buy for most homes, and occupancy sensing is the reason. 

Uneven temperatures are the complaint that drives people to a smart thermostat in the first place, and ecobee answers with a sensor that knows whether anyone is in the room. 

Nest earns the nod when you want zero involvement and already run a Google household, and there’s no shame in choosing the quieter path. 

The move to avoid is buying the flagship of either range for a small, well-insulated apartment where one sensor already gauges the whole place just fine.

The post Is Nest or ecobee better for most homes? I weigh occupancy sensors, setup effort, HVAC wiring, and a decade of software support to decide appeared first on Gadget Flow.

The Pixelsnap Charger uses Qi2 magnets to snap onto the back of your Pixel phone, lining up on its own and starting the charge without hunting for a coil.

• Magnetic snap-on fit: Qi2 magnets pull the charger into place on your Pixel phone, so it lines up correctly instead of hunting for the coil.
• Charges up to 25W: Paired with a 35W or higher USB-C adapter, it charges a Pixel 10 Pro XL at up to 25W, so the battery fills faster.
• Built-in cable: A 1m USB-C cable is integrated into the charger, so there is one less cord to manage on your desk.
• Works beyond Pixel: It follows the Qi2 standard, so it also charges thousands of other Qi2-certified phones at up to 15W.
• Light and compact: At 1.9 oz and 2.2 in across, it is small enough to toss in a bag on the go.

At $39.99, the Pixelsnap Charger turns wireless charging into a one-second snap, on your desk or nightstand.

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Comu Action Pro is a pocket recorder with a dedicated AI button. Press it during a meeting or call, and it turns your words into slides, emails, and action plans.

• AI Button: Press it after a call or meeting, and Comu turns the recording into a slide deck, email draft, or action list automatically.
• Six-Mic Array: Six built-in microphones adjust to the room, from quiet chats to crowded meetings, and label who is speaking.
• Unlimited Free Transcription: Every recording gets a full transcript and summary at no cost, plus translation into 113 languages.
• 70-Hour Battery: One 120-minute USB-C charge lasts up to 70 hours, and a built-in magnet lets it clip on without a case.
• Data Security: Comu is GDPR, HIPAA, and SOC 2 compliant, and it never sells your recordings or uses them to train AI.

With free transcription, long battery life, and one-button AI output, Comu Action Pro turns talk into finished work.

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The Insta360 X6 is a flagship 360 camera with a larger 1-inch sensor, a faster triple-chip processor, and native Dolby Vision for sharper, more detailed footage.

• Bigger 1-Inch Sensor: Dual Sony custom sensors are 33% larger than the X5’s, so the X6 gathers more light and reaches up to 14.5 stops of dynamic range.
• Triple AI Chip System: A new Qualcomm 4nm chip works with two dedicated imaging chips, so stitching and stabilization run faster while noise drops in low light.
• Native Dolby Vision: The X6 is the first 360 camera with in-camera Dolby Vision, giving accurate contrast and color straight out of camera.
• InstaFrame 2.0: InstaFrame 2.0 tracks people, pets, or objects and outputs flat 4K video, so you get smooth, gimbal-like framing without carrying a gimbal.
• Long Battery Life: The Xtreme Battery gives 140 minutes of 8K recording, and Star-Ridge cooling keeps the camera running without overheating.

The Insta360 X6 pairs a bigger sensor with Dolby Vision and AI editing for detailed, ready-to-share 360 footage.

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The Rogbid VisionW is a pair of AI smart glasses built around one electronic temple that snaps into three frames, covering workouts, daily errands, and office hours.

• Three interchangeable frames: Clear lenses and two sunglasses styles snap onto one electronic temple, so you switch looks for exercise, daily life, or office days without carrying extra glasses.
• Open-ear speakers: Built into the stems, they play sound near your ears without blocking outside noise.
• Dual 200mAh batteries: Split across both arms, they give about 9 hours of continuous audio playback and up to 30 days of standby time between charges.
• AI voice assistant: Ask ChatGPT, Grok, and other AI models by voice, without reaching for your phone.
• UV and blue-light protection: The lenses filter both, and a magnetic 4-pin connector on the stems recharges the glasses fast.

The Rogbid VisionW turns one pair of smart glasses into three, pairing all-day audio with a built-in AI assistant.

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The ASUS Oxiis E250G1 is a friction-drive motor that clips onto a bike’s seat post and turns pedal power into electric assist, no gear or brake changes needed.

• Adaptive power boost: The motor senses hills as you ride and adds power automatically, so climbs take less effort and flat roads stay steady.
• Anti-slip drive wheel: The friction wheel presses against the tire with automatic pressure, so power transfers without slipping even on wet roads.
• Removable battery: The 158 Wh battery pops out for charging or swapping and reaches full charge in two hours with a 100W USB-C charger.
• Wireless cadence sensor: A sensor mounted near the pedals tracks your cadence without wires, which keeps installation simple and the ride clean.
• Smart taillight: The taillight detects braking and brightens automatically, adding visibility and safety at night.

The Oxiis E250G1 turns almost any bike into an e-bike in minutes, without tools or extra wiring.

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The nubia Neo 5 Max is a gaming phone built around a 7.5-inch 1.5K display, a massive battery, and controls made for long play sessions.

• Bigger Screen, Better Aim: The 7.5-inch Max Display shows enemy outlines up to 40% larger than smaller screens, so you spot targets sooner.
• Cooling That Holds Steady: A 30,000mm²+ cooling area, the largest in its class, keeps the phone at just 38.4°C under load.
• Faster Triggers, Faster Shots: 990Hz Neo Triggers 5.0 respond in under 4.7ms and boost aim-down-sights fire speed up to 10x.
• Battery Built to Last: The 7100mAh dual-cell battery runs up to 13.4 hours of gaming, and 45W charging refills it in 70 minutes.
• An AI Coach in Your Pocket: The Demi 2.0 AI Copilot gives real-time coaching and gameplay Q&A, keeping you focused on the match.

With a big screen, steady cooling, and long battery life, the Neo 5 Max suits dedicated mobile gamers.

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I’ve spent two years arguing that foldables were one good closed screen away from going mainstream, and last month Samsung proved me right. The Galaxy Z Fold8 folds down into a squat 5.5-inch slab at 10:16 (which is the first time a Fold hasn’t felt like a TV remote in my pocket). Google’s Pixel 11 Pro Fold took the opposite bet, keeping the tall 6.5-inch cover screen and a boxy 8-inch panel inside.

Related: Phablets and clamshells worth considering for your next buy

Both land at $1,899, which is the part I find maddening. Nobody should feel slow for stalling on the Pixel 11 Pro Fold vs. Galaxy Z Fold8 decision, because the two phones disagree about what a folding phone is even for. My job below is to break the tie, and I’ll admit up front that Google wins two rounds I care about a lot.

Quick verdict

I’d buy the Galaxy Z Fold8. Samsung fixed the one flaw that kept me recommending foldables with an asterisk, and it did so without charging extra.

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold makes more sense if you shoot at distance, spend summers around sand, or can’t stand One UI. After all, last year’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold led DXOMark’s camera rankings for foldables.

Head to head

The width of the closed phone

Aspect ratio sounds like the driest possible place to start a comparison. It’s also the whole ballgame here, because 10:16 means the Fold8’s keyboard comes out laid like a normal phone’s instead of stretched into a narrow strip. Width is what my thumbs want at a bus stop, and Samsung finally gave it to them.

Fold8 owners keep saying that the on-screen keyboard eats enough of that 5.5-inch panel to bury the conversation they’re replying to, and resizing it only shuffles the problem around. Samsung still takes the closed-phone round, though the Pixel’s taller cover screen remains the better surface for anyone who writes paragraphs by text.

How your apps cope with those shapes

An odd screen shape costs you nothing until software refuses to play along, and the Fold8 has been collecting those complaints since day one. Owners describe apps chopping off the bottom of their own interfaces on the cover panel, Instagram rescaling in ugly jumps on the 4:3 inner display, and Samsung’s own shop app flatly refusing to rotate into landscape.

Google isn’t clean here either, since its square-ish inner screen has always produced a handful of apps that behave folded and fall over open. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold wins app compatibility for the least glamorous reason available, which is that its cover screen uses a shape developers already build for.

Reach past 2x

Samsung gave the Fold8 two 50 MP cameras, wide and ultra-wide, and then stopped. Optical-quality zoom tops out at 2x, the digital crop is capped at 10x, and owner reports agree on where the image gives up, which is the moment you pinch in at all. I’m not much of a photographer, aside from taking photos at the gym to track my progress, but I can see the benefit for someone who does a lot of concert photography on a phone. Without a telephoto lens, though, you’d need to be much closer to the stage.

Google’s answer includes a dedicated 10.8 MP telephoto, a 30x Super Zoom mode, and a new 48 MP main sensor the company rates at 56% better light sensitivity than last year’s.

Where you can take it

IP48 and IP68 look like near neighbors until you read the middle digit, and the gap it hides is my single biggest problem with Samsung’s phone. Samsung’s rating covers a dunk in fresh water while admitting the phone is vulnerable to very small particles, so beach sand and building dust remain a live threat to a hinge full of moving parts.

Google held onto IP68 on the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, and I’d argue that alone justifies the boring design. A festival field or a week by the sea stops being a gamble, so dust resistance goes to the Pixel by a distance no other round matches.

What happens 15 minutes into a game

Samsung dropped the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy into the Fold8, and on peak pace nothing Google’s silicon has produced comes close. 

Cooling ruins the party. A 4.5 mm unfolded chassis has nowhere to put a vapor chamber, and owners report demanding titles cooking the phone inside 10 to 15 minutes, plus the screen dimming outdoors on warm days.

Google’s Tensor G6 promises up to 20% better power efficiency and about 15% faster app launching, which sounds to me like a company managing expectations. Samsung wins the benchmark and loses the long session, so I’d treat both as brilliant streaming machines and casual gaming ones.

Getting back to full

Samsung’s 45 W wired charging takes the 4,800 mAh cell to 63% in about half an hour, against 30 W and 50% on the Pixel across the same window. Yeah, on paper, easy win… but in my kitchen at 11 PM, less so. I just need enough charge to get through the next day, not another cable to dig out.

Google puts Qi2.2 magnets in the Pixel 11 Pro Fold for up to 25 W wireless charging. Fold8 has no magnetic alignment, and owners already trade workarounds for chargers that miss the coil. (That would drive me nuts.) When I’m charging at night, I want to drop the phone onto a pad and walk away, not check the screen to make sure it’s charging.

Where the Pixel 11 Pro Fold wins

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold

Preorder it for $1899.00

I’d hand someone the Pixel when their phone goes places phones shouldn’t. IP68 turns the beach and the muddy festival field into an ordinary Saturday, and the telephoto means you can shoot your kid on stage from row 12 rather than cropping a wide frame into porridge.

The software makes the case even stronger. Seven years of updates and a clean Android setup mean less time spent cleaning up an already expensive phone. Add Qi2 magnets and sign-to-text on the outer display, and the Pixel feels like the foldable I’d rather live with day after day.

Where the Galaxy Z Fold8 wins

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8

Get it for $1899.99

Samsung’s phone earns its money the moment you stop opening a fold out of obligation. At 201 g and 4.5 mm unfolded, the Fold8 stays lighter in the pocket even after Google shaved about 10% off last year’s Pixel, and the 4:3 inner panel suits a novel or a film far better than a square does.

The cover screen is my deciding argument, though. Samsung built a folded phone I could work one-handed all day, which is precisely the complaint that dogged every tall foldable, Google’s very much included. Add a 7.6-inch inner display running to 3,000 nits with an anti-reflective finish, and the Fold8 becomes the better machine for reading and watching by some margin.

My final verdict

The Galaxy Z Fold8 is the one I’d choose. What matters most to me is that, when folded, it still feels like a phone I’d want to use every day—without giving up much in camera quality or battery life just to get a tablet-sized screen.

Samsung still leaves an obvious gap in durability. The HONOR Magic V6 has IP68 and IP69 protection, while the Pixel 11 Pro Fold also gives you better protection against dust. Add the Pixel’s telephoto camera, and Google has some compelling hardware advantages. But if I’m choosing one foldable, I’m going with the phone that gets the basic phone part right.

Related: Made by Google 2026: Pixel 11 Pro gets more storage but less RAM

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Google caught me off guard… putting the whole Pixel 11 lineup on sale in New York on Wednesday, hours before its own Made by Google keynote had even started, and every phone costs $100 more than the model it replaces. The Pixel 11 starts at $899, the Pixel 11 Pro at $1,099, the Pixel 11 Pro XL at $1,299, and the Pixel 11 Pro Fold at $1,899. Pre-orders opened that morning, and retail stock arrives August 20.

Pricing is the headline of the day, and Google isn’t dressing it up. Base Pro and Pro XL configurations fall to 12 GB of RAM from last year’s 16 GB, which the company attributes to a supplier-driven memory shortage across the industry. Alongside the increase, you get Tensor G6, 256 GB of base storage instead of 128 GB, a new rear notification LED called HiLight, and a Pixel Watch 5 that can dial emergency services if you stop breathing.

Memory shortage, meet the price tag

A Google spokesperson described the situation as a severe, supplier-driven RAM shortage and said the company needed to adjust Pixel 11 pricing and RAM configurations while it engineers its way through the problem. I can accept a shortage driving up costs, but as someone looking at the $1,099 starting price, I’m not sure why I should also accept less memory. Google’s answer leaves the cheaper Pro feeling like the wrong one to buy. I’d wait for the 16 GB configuration rather than spend $1,099 and start the year with a downgrade.

The 256 GB base storage makes more sense to me. I’m quite good at managing storage, removing every PDF I check out, and I don’t keep any games besides Call of Duty. However, I’ve lost count of how many times my father has asked me to clean up his phone after years of photos, videos, screenshots, and downloads have piled up. 

A flash that talks: HiLight

For starters, HiLight wraps an array of colored LEDs around the camera flash on the Pixel 11 Pro, Pro XL, and Pro Fold.

I’d use HiLight most when, say, I’m listening to Spotify at my desk and don’t want to keep checking my phone. A rich green glow for Spotify notifications would give the feature some personality and make the rear light feel useful beyond calls. Google limits customization to favorite contacts for now, which, I have to be honest, is a missed opportunity.

I can see the appeal of knowing who’s calling without reaching for the phone, especially when it sits face down while I work. But once I move beyond that use case, HiLight starts to feel like Google is asking a tiny ring of LEDs to do too much. Favorite-contact message alerts are also coming later, making the hardware feel ahead of its use cases. Tom’s Guide called it gimmicky after trying it, and I understand why.

Bigger sensors, and a 120x asterisk

Camera hardware is where the money went. The standard Pixel 11 gets a larger 48MP main sensor Google rates at 56% better light sensitivity, plus 30x Super Zoom off its 5x telephoto. The Pro pair moves to an all-new 50 MP wide camera and a redesigned 48 MP zoom lens with a bigger sensor pulling in 30% more light. Portrait Mode now works at 5x, and Night Sight captures up to four and a half times faster on Tensor G6.

Then there’s Pro Zoom at 120x. That number is AI upscaling at work, so treating it as equivalent to a 120x lens would be a mistake. Magic Capture and Camera Looks interest me more, since one grabs a video plus several stills from a single tap and the other saves reusable film styles you can switch between. Magic Capture, in particular, would come in handy when I’m doing a hands-on review and need to record a video of a gadget while also taking photos.

Tensor G6 arrives with a benchmark problem

Google’s claims for Tensor G6 concentrate on efficiency and AI throughput. The chip promises 25% faster web browsing, 15% quicker app launches, 50% more TPU compute, and on-device Gemini Nano work up to 3.5 times faster while drawing up to 3.5 times less energy. I’ve always said that if you want an Android phone with an iPhone-like experience and a great camera, the Pixel is an excellent choice. For gaming, though, Samsung is ahead. Tensor G6 could help make the Pixel series more competitive there.

Raw speed remains the sore spot. Geekbench listings for the Pixel 11 Pro XL that surfaced ahead of the keynote put the chip at 2,112 single-core and 5,196 multi-core against 2,995 and 8,562 for the iPhone 17 Pro Max and 2,808 and 10,212 for the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Should that multi-core gap hold up in retail units, Google is shipping about half the Galaxy’s throughput at flagship money.

Still tall, still narrow: Pixel 11 Pro Fold

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold

Preorder it for $1899.00$899.00-52.7%

Anyone who follows my foldable takes knows I’ve wanted Google to commit to the passport shape… and it didn’t. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8 went squat and wide, Apple’s folding iPhone will follow suit, and the Pixel 11 Pro Fold keeps the tall, narrow body that opens into a boxy 8-inch panel. Google shipped the wider format on the original Pixel Fold, then walked away from it, and I’d love to know who the mastermind behind that decision was.

I should anyway give credit to the engineering underneath. The Fold is about 1 mm thinner and about 10% lighter than the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, according to Google, with a glass-fiber composite back designed to resist cracking, a gearless hinge that protects the inner display, and a ceramic cover glass on the outer screen. Both displays hit 3,600 nits, a 20% jump, and the company rates the whole package as three times more durable than last year’s model.

Durability is the argument that tends to win Google customers. IP68 dust and water protection at $1,899 undercuts the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra by $200 while offering better sand- and grit-resistance, and a beach trip stops being a gamble. 

Sign-to-text also debuts here, letting a signer use American Sign Language in front of the outer camera and surface translations on the cover display through Live Transcribe and Gboard.

Satellite ray paths on your wrist: Pixel Watch 5

Pixel Watch 5 arrives at $399 for the 41 mm and $429 for the 45 mm, with a Stephen Curry Special Edition 45mm at $579 due on shelves September 3. Inside is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 Accelerated processor in a dual-chip layout with 50% more RAM and a 12% CPU bump, which Google totals as 20% faster. Battery figures come in at up to 30 hours on the 41mm and 40 on the 45mm.

GPS is the upgrade I keep rereading. Google claims twice the route-tracking accuracy of previous generations in difficult environments by tracing satellite ray paths through the 3D building models behind Google Maps, then correcting readings against a global network of weather and GPS reference stations as conditions change. Raw measurements get compressed on the watch, processed on a server, and returned to the Google Health app.

My grandfather spent his career as a geodesist, so multipath error and atmospheric correction were dinner-table topics in my house long before wearables existed. Seeing a 41mm watch apply differential corrections and urban ray tracing impresses me, and Google claims the result beats both the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro. Independent route testing will settle that claim, but the engineering behind it looks like more than decoration.

Breathing Emergency Detection stops at the US border

The flagship health feature can detect a persistent, dangerous drop in blood oxygen using PPG, accelerometer, and barometer data with an on-device algorithm, then call emergency services and share your location if you don’t respond. Escalation runs in stages, starting with a haptic buzz and a full-screen alert, followed by an audible alarm and a 30-second countdown. To limit false alarms, the watch confirms you’re in a low-motion state without rapid altitude changes and haven’t been asleep for more than 30 minutes.

American buyers won’t get it. The feature hasn’t been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration, so the launch covers ten European countries including the UK, Germany, France, and the Netherlands, and it reaches Pixel Watch 4 owners too. Google also cautions that the feature isn’t intended for people with preexisting respiratory conditions.

Blood pressure trends, insulin resistance trends, and sleep breathing quality trends fill out the new Health Guardian umbrella, arriving later this fall for Fitbit Air and Pixel Watch 3, 4, and 5 as monthly summaries instead of live readings. Google says the insulin resistance model was pretrained on over a trillion minutes of data from 5 million opted-in users and validated against clinical blood tests in a Nature paper. Daniel Jones, a former president of the American Heart Association, notes that no wrist device carries an AHA recommendation for blood pressure monitoring, with arm cuffs still the diagnostic standard.

Cheap, late, and smarter about batteries: Pixel Tag

Google Pixel Tag (1-pack)

Get it for $29.99

Five years after the AirTag, Google decided to give Pixel owners a finder tag of their own. Pixel Tag costs $29, or $99 for a four-pack, and it ships November 11.

Two details raise it above a straight AirTag clone. A physical button rings your phone in reverse, and the tag keeps sending low-battery reminders every two weeks until it dies, which beats the single warning Apple’s tracker offers. Sharing extends to 10 people, Left Behind alerts can be switched on, and unknown tags traveling with you trigger a warning on your phone.

Quieter updates: Pixel Buds Pro 2 and Gemini connections

Pixel Buds Pro 3 will wait another year, as Pixel Buds Pro 2 get an Olive finish and a software refresh instead of a successor, a tactic I’ve come to expect from Sony. 

Dynamic ANC compensates when the ear seal shifts, Gemini handles voice-driven audio settings, and Live Translate supports more than 70 languages, with playback through your phone at near-conversational speed. I’m not much of a Gemini user, so Live Translate is the feature I’m keeping an eye on. I’ll soon decide whether it’s good enough to earn Pixel Buds Pro 2 a spot in my guide to translator earbuds. Orders are now open, with the software update rolling out in September.

Gemini also picks up a batch of connected services over the coming weeks. Granola, Otter.ai, and Wix cover meetings and websites, Fever, Get Your Guide, Localiza, OpenTable in the UK, and Ticketmaster handle bookings, iHeartRadio and Pandora bring streaming, and Angi, Thumbtack, and Zocdoc reach into home services and doctor appointments. Gemini can now place orders and dial businesses on your behalf, with final approval left to you.

What came before, and what’s still unproven

Google’s high-end design language is now in its third year with only the edge-to-edge camera bar glass and fresh colors to distinguish it. Apple revamped its Pro iPhones 12 months ago, and the iPhone 18 series is expected to carry that look into a second generation, while Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra shipped earlier this year with a privacy screen. Familiarity is a fair criticism of a lineup that has raised prices.

The same goes for some of Google’s bigger claims. Tensor G6 efficiency, GPS accuracy, Fold durability, and several health features still need real-world testing, while features such as strength training coaching and HiLight are not available at launch.

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