The iPad is great for art, games and movies. Apple wants it to be more

The iPad is great for art, games and movies. Apple wants it to be more

When my family and I moved across the country about a year ago, we decided to retire our decade-old basic HD TV and kit out our home with a fancy new 4K Roku-powered one. After mounting it on the wall, I tested it out with Star Wars (well, The Mandalorian). After marveling at all the visual eye candy my TV offered, I left it to gather dust.

Instead, I've joined the millions of Apple customers who use their $329-starting price iPads for entertainment. It's been my movie machine and what let me binge Netflix's Tiger King documentary when the coronavirus pandemic began. It has helped me organize photos of my adorable children. And it's where I've rediscovered old favorite games like 2001's bullet-time noire action game Max Payne.

But the one thing I haven't done on my iPad is work. Every time I need to file a story on deadline, I open up my MacBook Pro laptop or jump on my Hackintosh.

I'm not alone. Surveys broadly show that the iPad's most popular for surfing the web, watching videos and playing games. And it underscores the challenges Apple faces in convincing consumers that the iPad can handle more intensive tasks than a mere portable TV. 

On April 20, Apple will once again make its case, and it's expected to debut new iPads featuring better screens, faster chips and -- hopefully -- longer battery life. The company's also rumored to announce new 

But beyond those upgrades, the iPad seems to have fallen into a rut all popular tech eventually does, with minimal incremental updates. Every once in a while, we get big changes, like when Apple supersized its tablet to 12 inches for the iPad Pro line or when it introduced a stylus that charges magnetically. (The company prefers to call it an Apple Pencil.) But most years, companies roll out refinements to fix common complaints, like when Apple made it possible to read photos and other files off a thumb drive.

Read more:  How to watch Apple's April 20 product event

Don't expect to be blown away by the improvements to the latest iPad. 

"I don't know what else they could do," said Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at Creative Strategies. She's an avid iPad user herself, singing the praises of its battery when traveling (back when that was a thing). Her teenager, meanwhile, uses it to draw.

But both of them switch to computers when it comes to work and school these days.

"For a small number of people, the iPad is a main computing device -- a very small number," she said. "It's a consumption device."

Apple's Magic Keyboard brings the iPad that much closer to being a Mac.

Scott Stein/CNET

When the iPad was first announced back in 2010, the hype was spectacular. Book publishers were going gaga over the big screen. Game developers were dreaming up titles more ambitious than ones for the smaller iPhone.

"Last time there was this much excitement about a tablet, it had some commandments written on it," a Wall Street Journal article opined at the time.

And when Apple released the iPad that April, it also offered up its Pages, Numbers and Keynote productivity apps to stretch what it could do.

Read more:  Apple's M1 MacBooks got good reviews. The iMac faces more demanding hurdles

But it was the entertainment bit that stuck. Two years later, Business Insider released a survey showing that the most popular thing people did on iPads was surf the web, followed by using communications apps, watching videos and playing games. In 2014, Tennessee-based consulting firm Smarty Parts found that the iPad had become a more popular brand among children than Disney, Nickelodeon, YouTube and Netflix. 

Apple CEO Tim Cook made a pitch for iPads in education during a 2018 event in Chicago.

James Martin/CNET

Apple is still trying to turn it into more of a work device too, though. In 2017, it released an ad showing a girl using her iPad to draw art, write a homework assignment and take pictures around the city. At the day's end, someone asks what she's doing on her computer, and she responds, "what's a computer?"

It's also designed its entry-level iPad for schools, even going so far as to work with app makers and accessories companies to help integrate the device into teachers' curricula.

The iPad's even found a home among some professionals. It's become a popular replacement for pilot operations books in aircraft. And the president of the United States has received daily briefing documents on one.

"The iPad is definitely a great device for specific types of usage," said Mikako Kitagawa, a longtime tech industry analyst at Gartner. She noted that with its starting price of $379, schools are more likely to afford it than the $999 entry price for a MacBook Air laptop.

All that's helped make the iPad a good business for Apple. In the company's last fiscal year, Apple rang up $23.7 billion in iPad sales. That makes the iPad slightly bigger than the $23.5 billion Starbucks made selling coffee, food and items like mugs around the globe during the same time.

I'm still holding out hope Apple will make the magical iPad-MacBook hybrid that's a Mac when plugged into a keyboard and an iPad when detached. 

In the meantime, I'll be eagerly planning to watch the Matrix 4 when it arrives later this year -- on my iPad.

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Texas Bitcoin Miners Power Down as Grid Struggles With Summer Heat

Texas Bitcoin Miners Power Down as Grid Struggles With Summer Heat

A crypto mining setup takes a lot of energy to run, and right now energy is something the state of Texas doesn't have a lot of. The state's power grid operator has asked businesses to conserve energy because a heat wave is pushing the limits on how much power is available. 

On Monday, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas asked Texans to reduce their power consumption to avoid rolling blackouts across the state. Crypto mining companies that operate in Texas followed suit, even though it means a loss of profits, according to Bloomberg. 

ERCOT says there aren't any requirements for mining companies to conserve energy, but it hopes businesses will heed its request. 

Mining for cryptocurrency is energy-intensive . Companies have computer-filled warehouses, also known as mining rigs, running nonstop to complete complicated calculations required for transactions. A rig that completes the computation for the bitcoin blockchain, for example, can receive 6.2 bitcoins, or about $123,000 at current prices. 

"Currently, 100% of the machines located in Texas have been powered off to provide support for the ERCOT grid," Core Scientific CEO Mike Levitt told Bloomberg.

ERCOT expects Texas crypto mining companies to require 6 gigawatts of power by mid-2023. That's enough energy to power the entire city of Houston. It sent another power conservation appeal to businesses on Wednesday to avoid outages in the state. 

Bitcoin prices, as well as those of other cryptocurrencies, have been on the decline for most of 2022. Last November, one bitcoin was worth more than $67,000, but the value dropped significantly, falling below $18,000 last month. A combination of record inflation and a downturn of the global economy prompted crypto holders to sell off their digital coins, causing the values to tumble. US regulators and legislators are also putting their foot down on certain cryptocurrency practices, while states are looking to stop or reduce crypto mining. 

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Samsung One UI 5.0 Beta Goes Live For Some Galaxy S22 Owners

Samsung One UI 5.0 Beta Goes Live For Some Galaxy S22 Owners

Samsung's giving early adopters a first look of its next operating system update with the One UI 5.0 beta, but it's only available in Germany so far, according to reports.

What's more, only owners of the Samsung Galaxy S22 series released earlier this year can access the One UI 5.0 beta, as SamMobile reported, stymying older Samsung handset owners. 

One UI 5.0 brings new features set to come out in the upcoming release of Android 13 later this year. The beta will eventually be available to users in China, India, Poland, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States, according to the beta's official website. It's unclear when the beta will expand to these countries, though it could be in the coming days as 9to5Google predicts. It's also not apparent if other Samsung phones will be included in the beta.

Interested users can register for the beta program in general within the Samsung Members app available on the Google Play Store and Galaxy Store -- once registered, they'll be able to download the free beta update using the usual OS route (Settings > Software Update > Download and Install).

Samsung did not respond to request for comment by time of publication.

Read more: Download the Final Android 13 Beta on Your Phone Right Now

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2022 Honda Civic Si debuts, features the Type R's rev-matching system

2022 Honda Civic Si debuts, features the Type R's rev-matching system

The all-new 2022 Honda Civic Si debuted today, blending the improvements of the 11th-generation Civic sedan with a touch of extra performance spice. The new model improves over the previous generation with upgrades and refinements aimed at making the sports sedan more fun and engaging to drive.

While the track-focused Type R is the wild-child of the Civic lineup -- both dynamically and stylistically -- the Si is traditionally targeted at drivers looking for something just a little hotter than the average Civic. The performance is aimed more at daily driving flexibility, while the design plays it a bit closer to the vest. Personally, I think Honda may have gone a touch too conservative with the new Si's appearance. Aside from the new rear spoiler, Si badges and dual exhaust tips, you'd be hard-pressed to tell the Si from a regular Civic Sport at 100 paces. 

That may not be a bad thing for drivers looking for a sleeper -- flying under the radar without a massive wing certainly has its advantages. Plus, the standard Civic sedan is already a very handsome ride. Those who do a double-take will note the Si's sportier stance, enlarged brakes and standard matte-black 18-inch wheels -- as opposed to the glossy black Civic Sport wheels -- shod in all-season performance rubber or optional summer tires. Listen closely and you may also note that the aforementioned dual-exhaust flows more freely and, thanks to its coil-style design, should also sound better on the road.

Under the hood, the new Si is still powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. The revised engine makes 192 pound-feet of torque and 200 peak horsepower. Interestingly, that's down 5 hp from the last generation's 205 ponies. Honda claims the new powerband is now broader overall and now peaks at a higher RPM, which should improve responsiveness, performance and driveability across a wider range.

The exhaust system features a coiled design for its dual tips, which Honda says improves the tone.

Antuan Goodwin/Roadshow

A 26% lighter flywheel helps to further boost throttle response while mating the four-banger to a six-speed manual transmission. This is the only gearbox available to Si shoppers -- no CVT nonsense here -- and features the rev-matching system from the Civic Type R that can automatically blip the throttle to perfectly match downshifts in around four-tenths of a second. The shifter promises a better in-hand feel thanks to improved engagement, firmer mounting points and a throw that's 10-percent shorter. Finally, power meets the pavement at the front-wheels via a standard helical limited-slip differential.

Obviously, the new Si benefits from the inherent improvements to the 11th-gen Civic Sedan's chassis, which is stiffer overall, has a wider rear track and a longer wheelbase than the previous generation. Specific to the Si are stiffer springs and stabilizer bars, reinforced suspension mounting points and more sport-focused steering. Many of the stiffer suspension bushings and some rear suspension bits -- the upper B-arms, specifically -- have also been borrowed from the Type R. Where the previous model used two-mode adaptive dampers, the new Si features static shocks that are tuned for a better sport-touring balance overall. (Honda justifies this change with claims that many 10th-generation Si drivers never even used the old "too stiff" Sport suspension setting.)

I hope you like rowing your own gears, because the six-speed manual is the only gearbox available.

Antuan Goodwin/Roadshow

Inside, there are new sport seats that are unique to the Si with integrated headrests, improved bolstering and thigh support and embroidered Si badges. Red contrast stitching highlights the seats, steering wheel and shifter, while red trim can be found on the dash and door panels. The cabin tech suite is all gear we've seen previously on the standard Civic Sedan, including a 7-inch combo digital instrument cluster, 12-speaker Bose audio and a 9-inch main infotainment display that features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Additionally, the Honda Sensing suite of active safety tech is also standard, rounding out a solid tech loadout.

Honda calls this the "best-handling, best-equipped and most fun-to-drive Civic Si ever," a bold claim that we're eager to put to the test. Pricing has not yet been announced, but it's a pretty safe bet that it won't stray too far from the previous generation's circa-$25,000 ballpark, where it should compete with the likes of Volkswagen's GTI and the Hyundai Elantra N Line. The 2022 Honda Civic Si hits the road later this year.

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Vivo's X60 Pro Plus has a Snapdragon 888 and a 55-watt charger in the box

Vivo's X60 Pro Plus has a Snapdragon 888 and a 55-watt charger in the box

Vivo is one of China's biggest phone brands, and now it's teaming up with German lensmaker Zeiss to level up its photography game. Those boosted cameras, plus a gorgeous display and impressive battery features, make Vivo's newest phones worthy of your attention.

Vivo unveiled its inaugural global flagship phones for this year, announcing the X60, X60 Pro, and the X60 Pro Plus, on Thursday. Positioning the X60 Pro Plus as a "professional photography flagship," Vivo is flexing its maiden collaboration with Zeiss, which co-engineered the device's image system. Although Vivo is relatively unknown in the West, the Chinese company is one of the world's top 10 phone manufacturers by market share -- and it's used by several Avengers too.

I spent a couple of days with the highest-end X60 Pro Plus, and can say it delivers on a premium Android experience complete with some extra bells and whistles you may not expect. There's a 6.56-inch AMOLED display, a speedy refresh rate (120Hz), the newest Qualcomm processor available (Snapdragon 888), fast charging (55-watt bundled charger) and a periscope-style telephoto camera seen on ultra-premium flagships such as Samsung's Galaxy S21 Ultra.

Apart from the Zeiss collaboration and the incremental upgrades, new to the series is the X60 Pro Plus' so-called extended RAM technology. Vivo claims 3GB of the phone's "idle" storage can be used as RAM to "achieve a +3GB RAM effect," promising to boost the device's performance. 

Missing in the X60 Pro Plus are things like an IP rating for water resistance, which many phones of this class have, and expandable storage. That will be forgivable for most since the one variant of this phone has 256GB storage.

At the time of this writing, Vivo didn't share how much these phones will cost internationally, but we can look at the X60's pricing in its native China as a reference point (although prices tend to vary depending on country). The base X60 Pro starts at 4,498 yuan (converts to about $690, £500 or AU$910), and the X60 Pro Plus starts at 5,998 yuan (about $920, £670 or AU$1,210). Unfortunately, Vivo currently has no US rollout plans, but it shouldn't be too difficult to import. It's being released in more than 20 markets worldwide including the UK, India, the Middle East and Europe over the next few months.

The X60 Pro Plus has periscope lens bragging rights

The Vivo X60 Pro Plus has four rear cameras, consisting of a standard lens, ultra-wide lens, portrait lens, and a periscope-style telephoto lens (just like its predecessor). Huawei's P30 Pro was the first phone to include a Periscopic lens, which allows for insane long zooming, and it's since been picked up by Samsung on its Ultra phones. Apple is rumored to adopt the technology late next year. Compared to regular telephoto cameras that offer 2x or 3x optical zoom, periscope-style cameras can typically do 5x or even 10x optical zoom by using more than one lens along with the camera sensor. For its part, the X60 Pro Plus boasts 5x optical zoom, and 60x digital zoom.

Last year, I showed you how far you can zoom in with 60x zoom on the Vivo X50 Pro, so you can take a look at that to get a sense of this phone's digital zoom capabilities. 

The X60 Pro Plus has a periscope-style telephoto camera capable of 10x optical zoom and 60x digital zoom.

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

Vivo X60 Pro Plus cameras in action

Whether I was attempting to snap the perfect portrait of my dog napping in our living room or action shots of Rocky running on a hiking trail, the five cameras on this phone, along with the many accompanying modes, made it easy to take wonderful and versatile shots. Night-time imaging was impressive too, with the X60 Pro Plus taking crisp, detailed photos. There is also night mode for video on the main camera.

Even when I took pictures facing bright, sunlit windows, the camera managed to capture punched-up images of the indoor surroundings. Below you can see what I'm talking about, especially when juxtaposed with iPhone 12 Pro Max photo, which took more true-to-life, albeit less saturated photos. Whatever you prefer is likely a matter of personal preference. I realize this might not be an apples-to-apples comparison (pun intended), but my hope is that it gives you an indication of where the X60 Pro Plus stands on the spectrum of phone cameras. 

Taken with the Vivo X60 Pro Plus. The furniture looks more saturated here than in the image below taken with the iPhone 12 Pro Max below. 

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

Taken at night.

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

Portrait mode example.

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

Taken on default settings.

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

X60 Pro Plus has a 'vegan' leather finish

The X60 Pro Plus features a design similar to a number of high-end Android phones we've seen in recent years. On the front is a curved display with a centrally located punch-hole notch, and on the back there's a "vegan" leather rear that reminds me of last year's Oppo's Find X2 Pro.There's a camera bump on the back and a blue Zeiss label emblazoned on its right side. I realize Vivo wants to flex its partnership with the 175-year-old German lensmaker, but I think it could have achieved a similar result with more subtle labelling.

Speaking of the display, the X60 Pro Plus relied on a high-res AMOLED display (made by Samsung). It has a speedy refresh rate of 120Hz, but you can dial it back to 60Hz if you want to save on battery life. Most phones have refresh rates of 60Hz, which means the screen refreshes 60 times in a second. 120Hz displays can look a lot smoother when scrolling through webpages. 

Vivo

Vivo X60 Pro Plus has 55-watt bundled charger

The X60 Pro Plus astounded me with its blazing-fast charging speeds. In fact, this was probably one of my favorite features because you only need 20 minutes for your phone to get enough charge to last you between a half or full day. Within 20-25 minutes, the 55-watt in-box charger juiced up the phone from 0% to around 70%, and within 45 minutes the 4,200-mAh battery was fully revitalized. 

The X60 Pro Plus runs on the Snapdragon 888, Qualcomm's latest processor found in a number of Android flagships including Samsung's Galaxy S21 Ultra and Xiaomi's Mi 11. This chipset is backed by 12GB RAM and 256 GB of storage. Vivo claims 3GB of the phone's storage can be used as RAM, giving you that extra dose of power when multiple apps are running in the background. Vivo claims its new memory management relies on algorithms to lets 3GB of idle storage to "assume the function" of RAM, resulting a boost in memory usage efficiency by 37%. You probably won't notice a difference at first, but in theory it should mean better performance when your phone is loaded with apps.

Vivo X60 Pro Plus vs. X60 Pro

	Vivo X60 Pro Plus	Vivo X60 Pro
Display size, resolution	6.56-inch AMOLED "flexible screen", FHD+ (1080 x 2400 pixels)	6.56-inch AMOLED "flexible screen", FHD+ (1080 x 2400 pixels)
Camera	50-megapixel (main), 48-megapixel (ultra-wide gimbal camera), 32-megapixel (portrait), 8-megapixel (periscope)	48-megapixel (main), 13-megapixel (ultra-wide), 13-megapixel (portrait)
Front-facing camera	32-megapixel	32-megapixel
Dimensions (Millimeters)	158.59x73.35x9.10mm	Midnight black: 158.58x73.24x7.59 mm and shimmer blue: 158.58x73.24x7.69 mm
Weight (Ounces, Grams)	191 grams	177 grams for midnight black, 179 grams for shimmer blue
Mobile software	Android 11	Android 11
Video capture	4K	4K
Processor	Snapdragon 888	Snapdragon 870
Storage	256GB	256GB
RAM	12GB	12GB
Expandable storage	No	No
Battery	4,200 mAh	4,200 mAh
Special features	55-watt fast charging (in box charger), 120Hz, 60x hybrid zoom, 5x optical zoom, dual SIM	33-watt fast charging (in box charger), dual SIM, 120 Hz screen
Price off-contract (USD)	N/A	N/A
Price (GBP)	N/A	N/A
Price (AUD)	N/A	N/A

§

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says in a research note that iPhones will likely get a periscope-style telephoto camera lens in 2022 if lens suppliers Semco and Sunny Optical join the Apple supply chain this year, according to reports from MacRumors and 9-to-5 Mac. This means that a much better camera could be coming to iPhones, with lenses similar to those used in some Huaweiphones today. 

The design differences would likely be minimal, since periscope-style telephoto lenses don't extend out from the body of a phone, but rather within it, according to the reports. Apple previously adopted 2x telephoto lenses in its 2016 iPhone 7 Plus, but a shift to periscope-style lenses could bring that zoom power up to 5x or more. The improved range and depth of the lens would bring its cameras into competition with the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra and Huawei P40 Pro Plus, both of which have cameras with up to 10x zoom.

Kuo said he believes the new lenses will be featured in the iPhone 12 in 2022. 

Apple didn't immediately respond to CNET's request for comment.

Read more: The best phones for 2020

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Asus Zenfone 7 Pro is a flipping cool phone, but you'll have to pay for it

Asus Zenfone 7 Pro is a flipping cool phone, but you'll have to pay for it

Like

• Flipping camera
• Uninterrupted display
• Long lasting battery
• Refresh rates

Don't Like

• Not water resistant
• Phone gets hot
• No support for wireless charging
• Steep increase in price

More than a year after Asus impressed with a flipping camera on its flagship Zenfone 6, the company is back with the Zenfone 7 Pro. The phone's standout feature is a swiveling camera that smoothly flips over the top of the phone to take selfies. It also sports a large uninterrupted display, 5G connectivity, a blazing-fast processor, fast refresh rates and a massive battery. Alongside the 7 Pro, Asus launched a base variant called the Zenfone 7.

With these updated features, Asus bumped up prices significantly from the $499 Zenfone 6 to levels that are tough to justify. The higher-end Zenfone 7 Pro (the phone I received for review) costs approximately $960 (roughly £715 or AU$1,290) when converted from euros, whereas the Zenfone 7 starts at around $840 (about £625 or AU$1,130). Although the Zenfone 7 Pro comes with improved features like Qualcomm's most advanced chipset and a better flip camera, you aren't getting the value for money that made the Zenfone 6 such an excellent purchase. 

The phone comes with some drawbacks too. For example, it's not water resistant and there's no support for wireless charging. Plus the phone can get uncomfortably hot when charging or performing demanding tasks. If you're dead-set on showing off a flip-camera phone to your friends, then I'd recommend going for the more affordable Zenfone 7. The former looks identical to the 7 Pro and serves up most of its core features, but has less storage (128 GB versus 256GB), a different chipset (Snapdragon 865 versus Snapdragon 865 Plus) and no optical image stabilization in the camera. Meanwhile, the Zenfone 6's launch price was $499. If an IP rating is important to you, the OnePlus 8 Pro is a good Android alternative within a similar price bracket. 

Unfortunately, Asus doesn't currently have plans to officially rollout the phone in the US. But the Zenfone 7 and Zenfone 7 Pro are expected to be released in parts of Europe in late September for 699 euros and 799 euros respectively, so they'll be reasonably easy to import. 

Asus added a third telephoto lens to the Zenfone 7 and 7 Pro (pictured here).

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

Asus doubles down on that flip camera

Since the flip camera influences many parts of the Zenfone 7 Pro's aesthetic, it's difficult to talk about design without first addressing its most distinctive physical feature. The camera unit is composed of three lenses that flip from back to front over the top of the phone (and vice versa) with a click of a button. This allows you to use its higher resolution cameras, which are normally reserved for the back of the phone, as front-facing shooters. Because of this, Asus eliminated the front camera altogether and as a result delivered a completely uninterrupted display, free of any notches or cut-outs that would typically house a lens. 

Like its predecessor, the Zenfone 7 Pro has a notch-less display. 

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

For the Zenfone 7 phones, Asus upgraded the flip-cameras's motor from the Zenfone 6, to one that it says is smoother, more durable and more versatile due to the addition of a new angle sensor. The company says the flip-cam can endure 200,000 flips, lasting you about five years or twice as long as the Zenfone 6. In the week or so that I've spent with this phone, I've had fun using the flip camera. I think it's a creative, clever and well-thought out solution that actually integrates with useful features. But, despite Asus' claims, I worry the constant emerging and re-emerging of the camera unit may make it prone to more wear and tear. For its part, Asus has added an auto-retract protection feature to its flip camera, which can sense when the handset is in a freefall. I tested this by dropping it on to a bed from a height of approximately four feet and can confirm it works. 

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

The Zenfone 7 Pro is bulky, but has a great screen

Apart from the avant-garde flip camera setup, the sheer size and weight of the Zenfone 7 Pro was the next thing I noticed about it. It's one of the heaviest phones I've used and I often found myself navigating it with two hands. The phone I was given for review was entirely black except for the back which featured a dark green sheen. Overall, the color scheme was a bit too dark for my taste, but I can see why people would appreciate this finish. (The bundled charger and cable are black too.) On the right side of the handset, there are two buttons, namely, a volume control fingerprint reader that doubles up as a power button, which can be customised. The side fingerprint worked seamlessly and was easy to get accustomed to, but I do prefer an in-display reader. 

The Zenfone 7 Pro features a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with speedy 90Hz refresh rates. Most phones have a 60Hz display, which means the screen refreshes 60 times a second. But it's not as high as the 120Hz screens on the OnePlus 8 Pro and Galaxy S20. With the faster screen, the animations look smoother, while text and images are crisper. The phone runs on Android 10 out of the box and has a customized skin known as Zen UI. It reminds me of stock Android, but overall I found it clean, simple and easy to navigate.

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

The Zenfone 7 Pro's three cameras

This camera took sharp and vibrant pictures in the sunlight and even in overcast weather conditions. Low light imaging was mostly good too and it did well brightening up some environments, especially when I used Night Mode. At times, however, pictures looked slightly artificially sharpened.

Out of the Zenfone 7 Pro's tri-camera module, it's the telephoto lens that is a new addition. It allows for 3x optical zoom and up to 12x digital zoom. At this level, pictures were blurry and grainy. If you intend on using zoom to capture details of faraway subjects, you won't achieve that with this phone, unfortunately. At 3x optical zoom, photos look crisp in sunny conditions, but tended to look grainy in trickier lighting environments. Overall, this camera definitely wasn't best-in-class, but then again this phone appeals to people who want a flipping camera and not necessarily the best camera.

As for video, there was support for up to 8K video at 30 frames per second with EIS. It makes for massive file sizes and isn't a video feature I expect to use much. But thanks to the flip cam, you have the option of making use of this high-tech feature from the phone's front.

Example of ultra-wide shot taken in daylight. 

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

Taken on default settings.

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

Example of 3x optical zoom. The photo turned out crisp, vibrant, and true-to-life.

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

This photograph was captured using the Zenfone 7 Pro's dedicated night mode setting. You can see that it's been brightened compared to the photo below that was taken without night mode.

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

Taken indoors with natural light pouring through the window. The camera did a good job of taking a detailed and color-accurate photo.

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

The Zenfone 7 Pro's 5,000-mah battery lasts well 

Asus prides itself on the "unbeatable endurance" of its Zenfone batteries, so I was looking forward to experiencing its seemingly endless battery life and it didn't disappoint. It lasted me nearly 23 hours with what I would describe as moderate usage. Meaning I used my phone for about an hour of Zoom video calls, WhatsApp messaging, reading news on various social media apps and taking some photos. When I went to bed, I muted the phone and didn't switch on airplane mode, which would have preserved battery life even more. Also, when I continuously played an HD video on Airplane mode for battery tests, the phone lasted for more than 15 hours at 50% brightness.

When the battery did finally run out, it managed to hit a 50 percent charge in 30 minutes and get fully revitalized in 100 minutes or so, which is slightly longer than the quoted 93 minutes. Like the Zenfone 6, Asus decided to stick with a massive 5,000-mAh battery for the Zenfone 7 series. Though the capacity didn't increase with the new iteration, it added more battery-care features and a faster 30-watt charger. What really stood out was the degree of customization Asus provided in terms of battery-care features and charging. One new feature is the option to enable always slow charging, which the company says helps preserve battery capacity in the long run. Another example was the upper limit charging feature, which allows you to limit how much you charge your battery, say to 90% instead of the full hundred. Again, Asus says that's because regularly hitting a 100% charge degrades battery capacity over time.

At the heart of the Zenfone 7 Pro is the new Snapdragon 865 Plus processor, which is supposed to be 10% faster than the 865 processor found on most premium Android phones. In my experience, it was extremely snappy and totally capable. Nothing got in its way. Other fancy phones that use this processor include Samsung's pricier Galaxy Note 20, Note 20 Ultra and Oppo's Find X2 and Find X2 Pro. The Zenfone 7 Pro is backed up by 8GB RAM and 256GB of internal storage, and held up extremely well in benchmark tests.

Zenfone 7 vs. Zenfone 7 Pro

	Asus Zenfone 7	Asus Zenfone 7 Pro
Display size, resolution	6.67-inch AMOLED; FHD	6.67-inch AMOLED; FHD
Dimensions (Inches)	6.49 x 3.04 x 0.37 inches	6.49 x 3.04 x 0.37 inches
Dimensions (Millimeters)	165.08 x 77.28 x 9.6 mm	165.08 x 77.28 x 9.6 mm
Weight (Ounces, Grams)	8.11 oz; 230g	8.11 oz; 230g
Mobile software	Android 10	Android 10
Camera	64-megapixel (main camera), 12-megapixel (ultra-wide), and (telephoto)	64-megapixel (main camera), 12-megapixel (ultra-wide), and (telephoto)
Front-facing camera	None	None
Video capture	8K	8K
Processor	Snapdragon 865	Snapdragon 865 Plus 5G
Storage	128GB	256GB
RAM	6GB/8GB	8GB
Expandable storage	up to 2TB microSD card	up to 2TB microSD card
Battery	5,000 mAh	5,000 mAh
Fingerprint sensor	Side	Side
Connector	USB-C	USB-C
Headphone jack	None	None
Special features	Flip camera, 5G enabled, 90Hz refresh rate, 30W charging	Flip camera, 5G enabled, 30W charging, 90Hz refresh rate
Price off-contract (USD)	$840 (converted from 699 euros)	$960 (converted from 799 euros)
Price (GBP)	£625 (converted from euros)	£715 (converted from euros)
Price (AUD)	AU$1,130 (converted from euros)	AU$1,290 (converted from euros)

First published Sept. 1.

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