Today at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Samsung announced Galaxy Z Fold7, a device that brings together the best of Galaxy design, camera functionality and AI innovation in the thinnest and lightest Galaxy Z Fold series to date.

It delivers the premium performance and experience of an “Ultra” smartphone, while unlocking new levels of efficiency and productivity with a larger, more immersive display when unfolded. And with the new One UI 8 as its foundation, it seamlessly integrates intelligent, multimodal agents optimised for the foldable form factor.

“Galaxy Z Fold7 combines Galaxy AI with powerful hardware to deliver our most advanced smartphone experience yet,” said TM Roh, President and Acting Head of the Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics.“ This next chapter of foldables brings together design and engineering, with AI built specifically for the foldable form. It gives people the ultra experience they want— powerful, immersive, intelligent, and portable all in one.”

Galaxy Z Fold7 is crafted for those who want the everyday portability and intuitive feel of a traditional smartphone, combined with the enhanced power and flexibility of a larger, unfolded display – all in one device. With its ultra thin and light design and wider cover display, Galaxy Z Fold7 delivers a seamless on- the-go experience that makes typing and browsing effortless when it is folded. At just 215 grams, Galaxy Z Fold7 is even lighter than Galaxy S25 Ultra. It is just 8.9 mm thick when folded and 4.2 mm thick when unfolded.

The device comes with 6.5-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x cover display, a wider screen with a new 21:9 aspect ratio. When unfolded, Galaxy Z Fold7 becomes more than just a smartphone. It transforms into another device entirely and revealing an expansive screen that expands the workspace for editing, multitasking and immersive viewing – and for getting more out of Galaxy AI.

The main display on Galaxy Z Fold7 is 11% larger than the previous generation, providing even more screen real estate for content editing and multitasking across multiple apps.

The 8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x main display offers ultra-rich contrast, true blacks and vibrant detail that make everything pop — from movies to tabs open while multitasking. With Vision Booster and up to 2,600 nits of peak brightness, Galaxy Z Fold7 stays brilliantly visible even in direct sunlight.Thin and light, Galaxy Z Fold7 is built to move with users, confidently.

The Armor FlexHinge is thinner and lighter, thanks to an enhanced water droplet design and newly implemented multi-rail structure that reduces visible creasing. The cover display is made with Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic, a new glass ceramic that has crystals intricately embedded within its glass matrix. This secures the screen’s durability and crack deflection capabilities and delivers protection in a remarkably thin form factor.

The main display is restructured to be thinner and lighter – yet stronger. This was achieved by implementing the Titanium plate layer. Additionally, Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG) was increased to be 50% thicker, making the display tougher.

Under the hood, Galaxy Z Fold7 is powered by the best-in-class processor used in Galaxy devices. It’s uniquely customised and makes on-device AI processing tasks – like real-time language translation and Generative Edits – faster and more seamless.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy delivers performance boost of 41% in NPU, 38% in CPU, and 26% of GPU compared to the previous generation. This power fuels Galaxy Z Fold7’s ability to process more AI experiences on-device without compromise.

Galaxy Z Fold7 now brings the best of the Galaxy’s pro-grade camera experience to a foldable, combining advanced hardware with intelligent processing for consistently stunning results. Its high-resolution camera captures incredible detail, vibrant colour and rich texture, pulling users back into every moment. AI-enhanced imaging automatically optimises lighting, detail and realism, so photos and videos stay sharp and vivid, even in low light settings such as milestone dinners and late-night café scenes. Featuring the first 200MP wide-angle camera in the Galaxy Z series, it captures 4x more detail. The 10MP 100° camera on the main display expands the frame, so when users unfold their phone, it’s easy to capture group selfies, valuable moments and more of the world in a single shot.

Samsung’s next generation ProVisual Engine processes images faster, enabling every photo and video to be more crisp, vibrant and full of detail. With Night Video, intelligent motion detection now separates moving subjects from still backgrounds to reduce noicses. 10-bit HDR provides more colour depth. The result is videos with richer colour, deeper contrast and more lifelike detail, no matter the time of day.

Galaxy Z Fold7 puts a pro-grade creative studio in users’ pocket, with AI-powered tools optimised for its large display. Users can capture stunning photos and videos and then edit with ease. From cleaning up clutter in product shots to removing background noise from café recordings, studio-quality enhancements can be done in a few easy steps. The intuitive and intelligent features on the Galaxy Z Fold7 make it effortless to transform photos and videos into pro-level content, with no extra tools required.

Shots look flawless with Photo Assist, 11 which moves, erases or enlarges objects and adjusts angles and fills in backgrounds with AI-powered precision. Users can seize vibrant expressions, including pet profile with Portrait Studio and refine their photos using Galaxy’s enhanced Generative Edit. The ability to seamlessly remove distractions and fill in backgrounds has made Generative Edit a fan favourite, and now it’s even smarter. It offers proactive suggestions with the new Suggest Erases , which automatically detects passersby with the tap of a button. Side-by-Side Editing and Show Original enables real-time comparison of original images and edited versions on the large screen, making it easier to decide what to modify and what to keep.

Audio Eraser has also been upgraded to be more intelligent and convenient. There’s a new toggle in Gallery, and it now proactively detects and removes unwanted background noise like wind or traffic from video recordings.

Galaxy Z Fold7 harnesses the power of the foldable display to amplify the power and convenience of AI, delivering experiences that are instinctive, adaptive and effortlessly efficient. The new One UI 8 is context- aware and naturally responsive, optimised for Galaxy Z Fold7’s flexible format and expansive screen offering a more intuitive and immersive way to interact with AI. There’s less jumping between apps and screens and more frictionless creativity and productivity happening seamlessly in one place.

Designed as a true multimodal agent, One UI 8 seamlessly combines large-screen multitasking with intelligent tools that understand what users type, say and even see. And with an AI-powered camera and privacy built into every layer, Galaxy Z Fold7 becomes a smart and secure personal assistant, ready to help anytime, anywhere.

Launching with the all-new One UI 8 on Android 16, Galaxy Z Fold7 debuts Samsung’s latest AI- powered platform on foldables, delivering the latest Android experience straight out of the box. Gemini Live is now enhanced with multimodal AI that understands what users see, say and do, making it possible to seamlessly type or speak contextual questions and get answers without having to toggle back and forth between apps. And with screen sharing on Gemini Live or camera sharing on Gemini Live, you can simply show Gemini what users are looking at on the screen or on the camera, then ask questions to get instant insights.

With Circle to Search, gaming tips appear exactly when and where you need them. Just circle an item on screen and get instant results, tips or tactics in a floating view that ensures a smooth, uninterrupted experience.

With Galaxy AI Optimised for Large Screens, Galaxy Z Fold7 delivers experiences that maximise the benefits of the expansive foldable display to boost productivity. AI Results View displays results from AI features in a separate Split View or in a Floating View, so the user’s original content remains unobstructed and visible. Users can be more efficient with Drag & Drop AI-generated content, including images and text, directly from Multi Window. With tools like Drawing Assist or Writing Assist, it’s easier than ever to move ideas and visuals, enabling a smoother creative process.

As mobile experiences grow ever more intelligent and interconnected, Samsung is reinforcing the foundations that protect them – unveiling new protections for on-device AI, expanding cross-device threat detection and enhancing network security with quantum-resistant encryption. One UI 8 brings enhanced privacy to personalised AI experiences with the new Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection (KEEP).

KEEP creates encrypted, app-specific storage environments within the device’s secure storage area, ensuring each app can access only its own sensitive information and nothing more. With One UI 8, Samsung is advancing Knox Matrix to deliver more proactive and user-friendly protection across the Galaxy ecosystem. Furthermore, as part of its ongoing commitment to quantum-safe security, Samsung is integrating post-quantum cryptography into Secure WiFi. This enhancement secures the key exchange process at the core of encrypted connections, helping ensure robust privacy even over public networks.

The Galaxy Z Fold7 will be available for pre-order starting  July 10, with general availability beginning July 25, 2025. The Galaxy Z Fold7 comes in Blue Shadow, Silver Shadow, Jetblack and Mint (online exclusive) colour options.

The post Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 Raises the Bar appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

OPPO has just  announced that their OPPO Find N5 will be launching this month (February 2025) across Asian markets.

Delivering unrivalled experiences with its thin and light design, the largest inner screen of any book-style foldable, class-leading battery life and next-generation AI-powered performance, Find N5 redefines foldable excellence.

The OPPO Find N5 is the world’s thinnest book-style foldable, measuring just 8.93mm and weighing only 229g. It combines premium design with a secure, tailored grip, featuring flat sides and a contoured metal frame. The Cosmos Ring design highlights the Hasselblad Master Camera System. Offered in Cosmic Black and Misty White, it is the first foldable with IPX9 water resistance. Its 7000-series aluminum alloy frame and ultra-durable nanocrystal glass enhance structural integrity and drop resistance.

The OPPO Find N5 features the largest inner display of any book-style foldable, measuring 8.12″ when open, and a 6.62″ cover display with a 20.7:9 ratio when closed. Its Dual Shielded Flexible Screen offers nine layers, increasing impact resistance by 70%. With a smooth 1-120Hz refresh rate, over 2000 nits peak brightness, and TÜV Rheinland’s Minimized Crease Certification, the Find N5 provides an immersive, high-performance experience. Additionally, the device supports OPPO Pen for enhanced creativity.

The OPPO Find N5 boasts the best battery life of any foldable phone, thanks to its 5600mAh dual-cell battery and next-gen OPPO Silicon-Carbon Battery. With 80W SUPERVOOCTM and 50W AIRVOOCTM charging, it charges quickly, providing hours of usage in minutes. Wireless charging is supported with an OPPO magnetic case.

The first foldable to launch with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform, Find N5 boasts exceptional AI performance with a 45% boost from its Hexagon NPU. Its versatile Hasselblad Master Camera System includes a 50MP periscope camera for tele-macro shots, while Hasselblad Portrait Mode and Dolby Vision 10-bit video ensure stunning photography and video quality.

Launching with Android 15, Find N5 will receive five years of security updates for long-lasting peace of mind and will be powered by ColorOS 15, bringing the latest generation of OPPO experiences and AI capabilities to foldables. It features Boundless View for multi-tasking, AI Search for efficient searches, AI Call Summary for transcribing and summarizing calls, and dual-screen translation for seamless communication. With AI tools like AI Eraser, AI Clarity Enhance, and AI Unblur, photo editing is easier than ever.

ColorOS 15 also introduces Circle to Search with Google. Just circle to search anything on your phone, without switching apps. And with the Google Gemini app, your AI assistant from Google, you can get help learning in new ways, writing emails, planning events and more.

OPPO bridges the gap between MacOS computers and Find N5.

With the O+ Connect app for Mac installed, seamlessly share photos, videos and files with super fast speed across devices. O+ Connect even supports remote access, so you can easily pull files from your computer to your Find N5 remotely, or take control of your Mac interface when on the go and your Mac is miles away. Touch to Share also delivers one-touch sharing and receiving from iOS and iPadOS devices with your ColorOS smartphone.

OPPO Find N5 will be available starting February 28, 2025, with a 16GB RAM + 512GB storage configuration. The device will initially launch in Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong China, with more markets set to follow shortly.

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A classic icon is back but this time you won’t need to bedazzle it with stick-ons.

Motorola have released a very much updated Razr, a flip phone that is just as functional folded or unfolded.

The Motorola Razr 50 Ultra has a full cover screen coming in at 4 inches, where with swipes you can perform most tasks that you can when the smartphone is unfolded.

There’s even cover screen games.

Unfolded you’re looking at a 6.9 inch AMOLED with a 165Hz refresh and Dolby Vision. It’s sharp.

But there has been little attempt to ‘hide’ the center crease. It’s very visible both when the screen is on or off. But hey, we are talking about a foldable, right. Of course there’s a crease.

Motorola’s Razr Ultra 50 doesn’t only impress on its visuals, it brings the camera specs that knock out other foldables.

The internal (selfie) camera is 32MP with the rear seeing a dual 50MP set up. Most likely you’ll use the rear lenses more than the 32MP, as you can take Insta-worthy selfies with the phone folded.

There’s even a wrist flick gesture to open the camera app. This never worked for me though, and I can also imagine a few Motorola Razr 50 Ultra’s being flung across the room with this as well.

The Motorola Razr 50 Ultra is also bringing sexy back, well, a sexy back – the lower half of the rear casing is vegan leather. Nice.

Spec wise, the Motorola Razr 50 Ultra doesn’t disappoint.

Storage has you at 512GB coupled with 12GB RAM, but no RAM Booster.

Crunching the data is a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3.

To get you through a day, well actually, more than a day, the Motorola Razr 50 Ultra has a 4,000mAh battery packed in to it, with wireless charging.

Low, yes, but it somehow works and it seems to last longer than other flips.

Potentially this is due the front cover screen being fully functional and useable, so you’re not needing to unfold all of the time.

The front cover screen is truly where it’s at, Motorola have already added the bedazzling for you.

If there is any downside to the Motorola Razr 50 Ultra, it is the price point, being more expensive than any of its competitors.

A fun, pocketable smartphone that’s ready to go when you are and go everywhere with you. The Motorola Razr 50 Ultra is what a flip / foldable phone should be.

The post Motorola Razr 50 Ultra Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Mobile communications leader, Motorola, is shaking up the market in New Zealand, releasing its all new motorola razr 50 ultra, 20 years after the groundbreaking launch of the RAZR V3.

The motorola razr 50 ultra offers customers the perfect fusion of nostalgia, cutting-edge design, and forward thinking technology. Featuring the largest, most intelligent external display of any flip phone1 at 4.0”, and is seamlessly powered by integrated AI technology all throughout, the motorola razr 50 ultra offers Kiwis a new way to interact, capture, and create -all without flipping the phone open.

Kurt Bonnici, Head of Motorola Greater Asia Pacific said, “We’re thrilled to be expanding our presence in New Zealand. After launching the moto g range earlier this year, followed by our flagship motorola edge family in July, Kiwis can now finally experience the innovation of our motorola razr 50 ultra.

“As the pioneer of the flip phone, no one knows more about foldable devices than Motorola. Twenty years ago, Motorola redefined how people viewed and used mobile phones – the razr became the first device to be a true fashion accessory, and who could forget the satisfying snap of flipping it shut at the end of a call? Now, two decades later, we are reintroducing this iconic device to the New Zealand market and challenging the status quo to redefine the smartphone experience.”

The motorola razr 50 ultra continues to tap into Motorola’s pool of outstanding global partnerships, featuring a Pantone-accredited Midnight Blue colourway in the brand’s distinctive vegan leather finish. For the first time ever, razr users will also be able to have access to Google’s Gemini app2 from their external display, offering a more personalised, functional and creative experience.

Kurt Bonnici added, “This release is extremely significant for Motorola as we look forward to deepening our commitment in New Zealand and elevating our offering even further in the months and years ahead.”

The flip phone that changed everything is doing it again. Introducing the motorola razr 50 ultra powered by moto ai, giving you new ways to interact, capture, and create. Featuring the largest, most intelligent external display of any flip phone , you can do it all without flipping the phone open.

Capture next-level photos and videos with the dual 50MP camera system and telephoto zoom lens. Explore your creativity with Flex View, whether using motorola razr 50 ultra like a camcorder or stepping into your own photo booth. And when you want to view things on a bigger screen, just flip open for an ultra-smooth, incredibly vivid 6.9″ pOLED display.

Add to that a soft and durable vegan leather finish, underwater protection, and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, and it’s easy to see why motorola razr 50 ultra is our most intelligent flip yet.

The motorola razr 50 ultra is available in Midnight Blue.

The post An Icon Returns: motorola razr 50 ultra appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

This year’s Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 is here, and it not only brings the AI smarts, it’s slimmed down and super light.

The innovative foldable, with a 6.3 inch AMOLED cover screen and a tablet sized 7.6 inch 120Hz foldable brings the best of both worlds in to one.

Folded the Galaxy Z Fold6 is easily pocketable, but still I find the cover screen a little too narrow for daily use.

Opening it up is where it’s at, and where you’ll get more use with split screen apps, mobile gaming, excellent mobile photography and more.

Under the hood the model in this review has 256GB storage, 12GB RAM, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and 4400 mAh battery.

The rear facing triple cameras come in at 50MP wide, 10MP telephoto and a 12MP ultrawide. For your selfies you have two options, the cover screen pin hole camera is 10MP while the 4MP one is hidden under the foladable display.

It’s fair to say here that while the photo’s that the Fold6 takes are clear, detailed Samsung has held back a bit on the mega-pixel count for it’s lenses in the Fold series.

Video recording does have 8K, which matches their other flagships in the S Series.

The 120Hz refresh is brilliant for high end mobile gaming and as always having that pixel perfect foldable tablet display takes your game to the next level.

The Galaxy Z Fold6 has the goods for some serious Triple A games on Android and Xbox Cloud.

Given the more screen real estate you can multi-task like a pro. The prior mentioned split screen apps allow you to work on one side while streaming media on the other.

Combine this with Samsung’s new AI, where you can circle and search, edit your pics like a professional getting AI to do the tricky stuff, translate languages and more, the Galaxy Z Fold6 is a one stop smartphone / tablet hybrid that does everything… except last the distance.

On average use you’ll definitely a full day on a full charge. While battery life always depends on what you use your smartphone for, when mobile gaming, the Fold6 battery just wasn’t able to keep up. From full charge and two hours of Diablo Immortal the phone was almost drained.

This said, the graphics and gameplay were stellar on the fold screen.

And while I’ve mentioned that the Galaxy Z Fold6 is thinner and lighter than previous models, it’s also very pleasing to see that when folded the phone is flush without any gaps.

If you’ve jumped on the foldable screen bandwagon already then the Fold6 is a definite and worthy upgrade. However, if you’re still on the fence about owning a fold device, this year’s model is likely to be the one to give you that push in to the phone / tablet category.

Slim, light and with enough screen for anything you want to do on a phone, the Galaxy Z Fold6 is mastery when it comes to foldables.

The post Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

OPPO’s Find N3 foldable comes super spec’d and ticks pretty much every box you’d want in a phone / tablet hybrid.

A killer camera array, a large enough front display when folded so that it is actually usable, and a larger tablet display when unfolded, with a UI that makes it simple to window apps on the 7.8 inch 120Hz AMOLED flexible screen.

I’m not going to do a run down of the specs again, we covered that off in our phone review here.

So what does all that inner goodness really mean when it comes to some quality mobile game time on the OPPO Find N3?

I was keen to find out.

Whether you like to shoot, loot, pillage, race or battle there’s enough console quality titles available on the Google Play store.

From retro to present day, we put the OPPO N3 through its paces and see how it handles.

If you’re the same as me, older games still hold a special place, and Android is the platform to replay them via emulators, or remasters.

Sure these take no processing power whatsoever, and being a foldable, you can play like an Arcade, half folded with your touch screen controls on the lower screen.

Still worthy of a play these 90s classics are going to keep you reminiscing and gaming for literally hours.

Time for some heavier stuff.

The OPPO Find N3 has a generous 16GB RAM coupled with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Whatever you have running on this, there’s enough specs to go around.

Diablo Immortal is one of my go-to’s.

Graphically stunning and gameplay immersive, I can spend a few hours with Immortal, usually until the battery warning pops up.

With other smartphones I have used and tested for gaming, I’ll generally get around 5 or 6 hours of play time before I need to charge up.

The OPPO Find N3 was longer. A lot longer. While the play time was broken up, in total on a full charge I was able to get a total of 11 hours.

The OPPO Find N3 has a 4805mAh battery, and with the ColorOS’ gaming function, the way the the N3 distributes and uses power is definitely paying off.

Call of Duty Mobile is usually super greedy on smartdevices. From a full charge and a 5 hour play, continuous, I still had around 70% charge.

The likes of Immortal and Call of Duty Mobile really do benefit from that larger screen – as does a personal fav of mine – Pascale’s Wager, a full length RPG title specific to mobile.

On any game played, the OPPO N# did not skip a beat. No lag, no graphical glitches, just smooth, vivid and fluid, with impressive audio from the smartphone’s speakers.

If you’re a racer, you’ll be sorted too. Wreckfest and Asphalt gave blistering high octane action and vehicle carnage on screen as fast and fluid as the games were able to render the graphics.

And if you’re an Xbox gamer, get your remote play on real easy.

Having the larger screen that you can fold to fit in to your pocket and game on the go is perfect, providing the device itself has enough guts to be able handle the gaming goodness you throw at it. The OPPO Find N3 most definitely can.

Battery life wise, the OPPO Find N3 outlived the mobile gaming dedicated ASUS ROG 7 Pro phone that I have.

Currently OPPO has outdone themselves with the OPPO Find N3.

A large foldable that comes with everything, a power brick, a case and enough juice to keep you gaming at home and on the go.

The post OPPO Find N3 Mobile Gaming Feature appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

OPPO are making their seriousness in the foldable market known.

Having released their Find N2 earlier this year (2023) we now have the bigger, beefier option of a full sized foldable in the OPPO Find N3.

And what a beast it is.

If you’re already familiar with foldables, then you’ll know that they are essentially a smartphone and tablet in one.

Until now there had only been one contender in the ring for foldables, but now there’s some very big competition.

The front OLED screen takes on a slightly wider form, at 6.3 inches. This extra space allows you to use your foldable phone more effectively when closed.

The spacious front screen has an excellent UX when typing out a message on a not-so squishy keyboard.

Opening the OPPO Find N3 up also opens up a near-to full sized tablet.

Coming in at a whopping 7.8 inches the 120hz refresh OLED Dolby Vision screen is a visual masterpiece, with your apps already split over the two sides of the screen.

It’s here you can be as productive as you like. Split window apps, have floating apps on screen and stream your fav shows on that large display. Of course the OPPO Find N3 is excellent for gaming too.

Built on Android, OPPO’s ColorOS is overlayed with little bloatware, and anything preinstalled is easily removable.

Under the hood, the specs far out-weigh any foldable competitor especially when you factor in the price point.

A Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 takes care of all of the data crunching. This is coupled with 16GB RAM. Yep, 16GB.

You’ll have no sluggish or slow performance here no matter how much of a multi-tasker, or gamer you are.

There is one storage option, 512GB and no microSd expansion. For most 512GB is ample space, even for me.

But OPPO didn’t stop their kitting out with high specs at just the phone. The camera’s are more high spec’d than some of the current flagships out in market right now.

The rear cameras have a very large roundel housing. As if to say ‘we’ve added some serious camera’s here!’.

You’ve got three in total, 48MP wide, 64MP telephoto and a 48MP ultra-wide.

Front facing when unfolded sees a 20MP ultra-wide pinhole and when closed the front camera weighs in at an impressive 32MP. All using professional grade Hasselblad colour correcting.

The OPPO Find N3 records in 4K and there’s Movie mode, Dual Video and more.

You have a diverse menu of snapping options, including Night and Portrait. The 120x digital zoom, while impressive in it’s own right, does not do so well on clarity. But stop at 50x and your pics turn out just fine.

Audio on the Find N3 needs a mention. All of OPPO’s smartphones have paid close attention to personal audio, for streaming music and media. The Find N3 is no exception, with OPPO adopting spatial sound (although you do need to have a compatible headset or earbuds for this to work).

When folded the OPPO Find N3 is flat with a near-to zero gap between the two sides of the phone.

It’s super light too. At only 245g.

Battery is good for a day or two on a full charge up. The 4805mAh powercell was able to get me through two full days on normal usage. Gaming for a couple of hours chomped this back to a full day. If you’re caught short, a quick charge up for 15 minutes will usually get you around 50%.

Now OPPO could have easily stopped here. The highly spec’d professional grade camera’s could have been enough. Right? Well, no, OPPO wanted you to know that you’ve got the most elite foldable smartphone there is. The box itself when opened, trays out like a presentation – and you also get a colour matching protective case (and yes OPPO still include the AC power brick too).

The OPPO Find N3 foldable smartphone is the ultimate in it’s class. Undercutting it’s competition on price and bringing way more to the table than ever expected.

If you’ve been using foldables before and looking to upgrade, or if you’re new to the foldable range and keen to jump in, the OPPO Find N3 is absolutely the smartphone you need to go for.

The post OPPO Find N3 Foldable Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

OPPO has announced the global launch of its Find N3 foldable smartphone.

The Find N3 delivers breakthrough experiences across imaging, design, and usability, empowering customers to expect more from their next foldable.

“Our goal at OPPO is to create the best, and that’s what we’ve done with Find N3. A big-screened foldable should always be a pleasure to use, so Find N3 has two clear, bright, comfortable, rich-looking displays; neither screen is a compromise. We also believe that premium smartphones should have incredible cameras. So, the Find N3 can capture life’s precious moments without missing the fine details. Underpinned by flagship performance and features that matter most to our customers, Find N3 is ready to empower creativity, productivity, and self-expression, unlocking a new level of foldable excellence.” stated Pete Lau, SVP and Chief Product Officer.

OPPO Find N3 combines a thin and light design with an elevated aesthetic. Its two flagship screens are the sharpest and brightest of any foldable and it’s the first foldable to feature a pro-grade imaging system. Its advanced cameras, new stacked pixel technology, along with Hasselblad tuning and functions that combine with ColorOS 13.2’s next-generation capabilities for PC-level productivity in your palm.

Add uncompromising performance, battery life, and charging speeds, and Find N3 delivers a best-in-class two-in-one experience in a striking-looking, slimline package.

For a brilliant view whether open or closed, Find N3’s two large, comfortable-to-use screens are the clearest and brightest of any foldable. Building on Find N and Find N2’s Golden Ratio displays, Find N3’s screens are taller, creating a 6.3” outer screen, and a 7.8” unfolded screen. When closed, Find N3 is a traditional smartphone, and when open, it becomes an immersive tablet.

Both of Find N3’s screens display over 425 pixels per inch for flagship clarity, and 1440Hz PWM dimming ensures they are comfortable to use, even for long periods. LTPO technology makes a smooth 1-120Hz dynamic refresh rate possible for fluid scrolling and gameplay, and with up to 2,800 nits peak brightness, even in direct sunlight, Find N3’s screens are easy to see. By adding a self-healing layer to smooth out scuffs, Find N3’s unfolded screen is almost crease- free for an uninterrupted view.

Three powerful speakers make left and right-channel stereo sound possible, whether Find N3 is held horizontally or vertically. It’s also 30% louder than its main competitor, with 100% superior bass reproduction for a richer sound, while Spatial Audio from its powerful speakers or headphones ensures Find N3 is the ultimate smartphone for immersive experiences.

OPPO’s third-generation Flexion Hinge lies at the core of Find N3’s thin, light body. Despite being smaller than the previous generation hinge, it’s more durable. In addition to IPX4 splash resistance, Find N3 is the first phone to be Independently tested to withstand 1 million folds by TÜV Rheinland.

Complementing this world-class durability, Find N3’s premium design is elegant and thin at 5.8mm when open and 11.7mm when closed. Weighing just 239g in vegan leather, it’s also lighter than some traditional bar flagships, and with its easy-to-grip flat sides and curved corners, feels perfectly natural to hold and use.

Find N3’s confident, axisymmetric design looks magnificently balanced, with its camera echoing Find X6’s iconic Cosmos Ring design, and it’s available in two colours: Champagne Gold (glass back), and Classic Black (vegan leather back).

OPPO changes the face of foldable photography with Find N3’s three pro-grade cameras, covering three popular full-frame equivalent focal lengths: 14mm, 24mm, and 70mm. Debuting Sony’s 48MP1 LYTIA-T808 sensor on foldables, this two-layer stacked CMOS image sensor creates more space to receive light, resulting in reduced noise, superior dynamic range, and richly detailed photos and videos.

Find N3’s 48MP ultra-wide camera is powerful and versatile. Its sensor is over 100% larger than the ultra-wide sensors in other flagship foldables, and with autofocus, captures dynamic macro shots as well as expansive landscapes and group shots.

When you need to zoom, Find N3’s ultra-thin periscope telephoto camera combines a 64MP resolution with a fast f/2.6 aperture for shots loaded with detail whether taken in the day or night.

Portrait photography is at the heart of Find N3, with both phones enhanced with Hasselblad Portrait Mode. OPPO Computational Photography engine also underpins both phones’ class- leading quality, balancing excellent dynamic range with natural-looking results.

Running Android 13 with ColorOS 13.2, Find N3 will receive four years of software updates and five years of security updates. This is all part of OPPO’s commitment to delivering a long- lasting, quality experience, both in terms of hardware and software.

OPPO has also reimagined the big-screen foldable experience for Find N3.

The Global TaskBar with App Library and File Pocket ensures recent files and apps are always within easy reach, and for PC-level productivity in your palm, OPPO pioneered Boundless View.

This empowers users to flow effortlessly across two full-screen apps on Find N3’s 7.8” screen.

With Boundless View for three apps, it’s easy to work across three tall apps, with two appearing on screen alongside one another, and a third off-screen. Simply tap the off-screen app to bring it into view.

15” Boundless View displays all three apps with a 7.8” tablet view for maximum focus on one app at a time, while still multitasking naturally between all three. Easily access an interactive overview of your active apps with a four-finger pinch, for a 15” view in your palm.

OPPO puts privacy at the core of the Find N3 experience, with Sound-Sealed Call preventing anyone nearby from hearing phone calls, and a dedicated security chip protecting files at a hardware level. Find N3 user data can only be accessed by its user.

Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform, it delivers 35% improved performance and a 40% boost in overall efficiency versus last-generation chipsets, and with 512GB UFS 4.0 storage and 16GB LPDDR5X RAM, expect true flagship gaming and multitasking. Find N3 can also keep over 40 apps running in the background thanks to OPPO’s Dynamic Computing Engine.

A large 4800mAh battery ensures reliable day-long power, and with class-leading 67W SUPERVOOCTM fast charging, Find N3 won’t keep you waiting when you need to top-up and go. A 30-minute charge delivers 80% power, and it charges to 100% in just 42 minutes.

The OPPO Find N3 is available now.

The post The OPPO Find N3 Launches Globally appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

This year’s Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 ticks a lot of boxes for me.

Thinner, lighter and a complete and flush fold when closed.

We all know that the Z Fold series is a phone a d tablet hybrid and one of the more unique and elite Android smartphones you can own.

A bigger screen gives you the advantage of split-screen apps, or just a larger screen for you to work a d play on.

And yes, this year’s Galaxy Z Fold5 is excellent for mobile gaming.

If you’re into your emulators, Android is the mobile option for you. Play (or replay) the classics from the glory days of cartridge gaming. This is made even better on a larger mobile screen for sure and you can connect an Xbox controller via Bluetooth to get a simulated console experience.

Speaking of… there’s Xbox Cloud.

If, like me you like to drop in and pick up where you left off on your Xbox Series games, the Galaxy Z Fold5 gives you that on a tablet like AMOLED screen.

But how about current mobile gaming?

There’s a few console quality titles on the Google Play store.

Pascal’s Wager, Asphalt Racing, Call of Duty Mobile, Fortnite, PUBG, Diablo Immortal and more.

Can the Galaxy Z Fold5 handle them and how does it impact battery life when you’re gaming on the go?

This year I decided to do something a little different and put the Galaxy Z Fold5 against an actual gaming smartphone, the ASUS ROG Pro 6.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the two devices specs; ASUS ROG Pro 6 has a Snapdragon Gen 1 processor, 18GB RAM and a 6,000mAh battery vs. the Galaxy Z Fold5 having a Snapdragon Gen 2, 12GB RAM and a 4,400mAh battery.

On the face of it you’d think the ROG Phone 6 Pro will be the clear winner… but hold up, the Galaxy Z Fold5 has a few surprises.

First up Call of Duty Mobile.

Now this game can be a power hogger and generally can chomp a fully charged battery in an hour or two of constant play.

The ASUS ROG Pro 6 has X Mode. This routes most of the smartphones resources to gaming. The ROG Pro 6 of course had no issue with COD Mobile, and from a full charge dented the battery life to 70%. For the same amount of play time on the Galaxy Z Fold5 and from a full charge, the Fold5 not only saw a reduced battery down to 55% and the Fold5 got a little warm at the back.

But Diablo Immortal was a bit different.

ASUS ROG Pro 6 handled well as expected, but oddly it lagged a few times in gameplay. Whereas the Fold5 was smooth and crispy, no lag and flawless, rendering in real time during a 2 hour play.

Battery life saw a 20% drop on the ROG Pro 6 and a 22% on the Fold5. And no heating this time.

Asphalt Racing was up next. A game designed by Gameloft to run fluidly on high end through to mid-range smartphones.

Arcade in gameplay, the ASUS ROG Pro 6 played well, real well, but there were moments where loading times seemed a bit longer than expected. Battery from a full charge after a 1 hour play bumped off 15%. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 saw near-to zero load times and even more surprising was 11% was shaved off a fully charged battery for the same length of play.

Both devices were set to 120hz refresh.

So while the comparison was a mixed bag and the ASUS ROG Pro 6 has a Gen 1 processor saw the Galaxy Z Fold5 hold its own with faster processing speeds given it has a Gen 2 Snapdragon processor. RAM didn’t seem to be a thing for both phones and it was more comparative when it came to the battery handling.

The ASUS ROG Pro 6 with the larger battery would seem like it’s the clear winner. It was, but only by a smidgen.

So little was the difference between the two that if you’re using a Galaxy Z Fold5 for mobile gaming, the battery life will get you through no worries.

So, is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 a smartphone you can own as a serious gaming device?

Yup it sure is. It came out shining when pitted against one of the world’s most powerful gaming phones. In some areas it out shines the ASUS ROG Pro 6.

Not only this, you can’t get any better than that large 120hz screen. Gaming becomes more immersive, more intense and more competitive.

If you’re a casual to serious mobile gamer, and have been teetering on the edge of going into the Folds, the Galaxy Z Fold5 has the goods to get you gaming like a pro – and the advantage of that larger screen.

The post Is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 built for Mobile Gaming? appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Samsung has just announced its fifth generation of Galaxy foldables: Galaxy Z Flip5 and Galaxy Z Fold5.

The industry-leading form factors offer unique experiences for every user with sleek and compact designs, countless customisation options, and powerful performance.

The new Flex Hinge makes the foldable experience possible, while offering an aesthetically balanced and solid design. These unrivalled foldable devices unlock extraordinary camera capabilities such as FlexCam to take photos from creative angles. With strong performance and an optimised battery powered by the latest processor, the Samsung Galaxy Z series transforms what is possible with a smartphone – open or closed.

“Samsung is revolutionising the mobile industry with foldables by setting the standard and continually refining the experience,” said TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. “Every day, more people choose our foldables because they offer an experience people want that they can’t get on any other device. Galaxy Z Flip5 and Galaxy Z Fold5 are the latest devices that prove our commitment to meeting the needs of our customers through innovative technology.”

Samsung’s heritage of innovation and dedication to the foldables category has created incredibly versatile devices available. With a strong belief in the potential of the foldable format, paired with world-class R&D and manufacturing capabilities, Samsung has consistently refined and optimised the Galaxy Z series line-up. From content creation on Galaxy Z Flip5’s new Flex Window to seamless multitasking on Galaxy Z Fold5, this series of Galaxy foldables meets and exceeds the distinctive needs of today’s users.

Furthermore, both Galaxy Z Flip5 and Galaxy Z Fold5 are carefully designed to meet durability expectations. Along with IPX8 support, Armour Aluminium frames, and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 applied to both the Flex Window and back cover, Galaxy Z Flip5 and Galaxy Z Fold5 provide the protection consumers expect, enhanced further by Flex Hinge.

This new integrated hinge module features a dual rail structure, diffusing external impacts.

Galaxy Z Flip5

The Galaxy Z Flip5 delivers a stylish, unique foldable experience from a pocket-sized device built for self-expression.

The new Flex Window, now 3.78 times larger than the previous generation, offers a wide range of existing and new capabilities. It provides more customisation options, including informative and graphical clocks that can match the face design of a user’s Galaxy Watch6 series, as well as stylish frames. In addition, Galaxy Z Flip5’s new Flipsuit Case provides device protection with a changeable NFC card, so users can match their Flex Window design and case design for even more personalisation options.

Closed, the Galaxy Z Flip5 offers more usability than ever before. From the Flex Window, quickly and effortlessly access useful information. With Widgets, users can check the weather, control music playback and listen to their favourite music with Media Controller, or catch up on the latest global stock market updates with the Google Finance widget.

Simply view all Widgets at a glance and switch between them instantly with a pinch of the screen to activate Multi Widget View. Plus, easily check notifications and access Quick Settings for Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Without ever opening the device, browse through call history to return missed calls, and reply to texts on-the-go using Quick Reply with a full QWERTY keyboard and visibility of chat history. With a quick swipe up on the screen, access QR codes and coupons, as well as boarding passes, membership cards, digital keys and health passes.

With its unparalleled design and form factor, Galaxy Z Flip5 also offers the most versatile camera experience on a Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

Take high-quality selfies with the rear camera thanks to the larger Flex Window. Users can capture stunning hands-free photos from creative angles with FlexCam. It’s quick and simple to view and edit shots in Flex Mode too. Users can review, adjust the colour tone, or delete images easily with the Quick View in the Flex Window.  When taking a photo of a friend, Dual Preview lets them see themselves in the Flex Window so they can make adjustments in real time for the perfect shot.

Users can get a smooth shot on the go with camera-stabilising Super Steady, while Auto Framing ensures that no one is left out.

The Galaxy Z Flip5 adds AI solution improvements to the powerful camera experience, bringing every photo to life. Get creative, even in low light, with improved Nightography capabilities that optimise photos and videos in ambient lighting conditions. The AI-powered image signal processing (ISP) algorithm corrects any visual noise that typically spoils low-light images while enhancing details and colour tone. Even from a distance, photos are clearer with the digital 10X zoom.

Galaxy Z Fold5

Offering an immersive, large screen and a long-lasting battery in the thinnest, lightest Fold yet, Galaxy Z Fold5 is easy to take anywhere, while delivering the most powerful performance in the Galaxy Z series.

The Galaxy Z Fold has been a pioneer in transforming everyday productivity through a robust, big-screen experience, evolving from Multi Window and App Continuity to a wide range of features including Taskbar, drag and drop, and optimisation of third-party apps.

S Pen Fold Edition introduced in the third generation Fold in 2021, has also been fine-tuned to deliver a superior writing experience on Galaxy Z Fold5. These features and tools come together to deliver powerful productivity on a large screen and enable users to complete important tasks from anywhere.

The improved Taskbar enables dynamic productivity by allowing users to quickly switch between frequently used apps. Now up to four recent apps are at the ready for more efficient working. Newly enhanced two-handed drag and drop can also ramp up productivity when moving content between apps and screens. Simply touch and hold an image in Samsung Gallery with one finger and use another finger to open the Samsung Notes app to drag-and-drop the image.

With hidden pop-up, an app can continue running in the background, allowing users to watch video content in full screen and chat with friends in a floating pop-up on the side of the screen.

The new slimmer and more compact S Pen Fold Edition makes real-time annotating and ideation easy while being able to fit more comfortably in the pocket. The Slim S Pen Case is nearly the same thickness as a regular case for the Fold and available in a variety of styles and colours so users can carry their S Pens in style.

Helping users do more on the go, the 7.6-inch Main Screen provides expansive and uninterrupted viewing so users can enjoy their favourite movie in portrait or landscape. Plus, peak brightness has increased by more than 30%, up to 1750 nits for an optimal viewing experience outdoors even under bright sunlight.

Providing users with an immersive gaming experience on the largest Galaxy smartphone screen, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy enhances graphics and uses AI to enable dynamic gaming and multi-game functionality. The Galaxy Z Fold5 can comfortably handle marathon gaming sessions with its advanced cooling system that dissipates heat more intelligently for less lag and no drop in performance.

The Galaxy Z Flip5 and Galaxy Z Fold5 will be available for pre-order in select markets from July 26, with general availability starting August 11th 2023.

Galaxy Z Flip5 lets users express themselves with colours including Mint, Graphite, Cream, and Lavender, as well as a range of accessories including a Clear Gadget Case, Flap Eco-Leather Case, Flipsuit Case and easy-to-carry Silicone Case with Ring to create a more personalised look.

Galaxy Z Fold5 is available in Icy Blue, Phantom Black, and Cream, along with a variety of cases that offer practicality and style including a Slim S Pen Case, Clear Gadget Case, Eco-Leather Case, and a Standing Case with Strap.

The post Samsung Announce Galaxy Z Flip5 & Galaxy Z Fold5 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.