Category: Thunderbolt vs USB-C

We fully test our laptops before inclusion to ensure they’re perfect for animation.

The best laptops for animation need to boast some pretty powerful specs and solid design decisions to keep pace with the needs of modern animators, but they don’t come cheap, so making the right choice is essential. Whether you’re a professional, amateur or entry-level animator, it’s worth investing in the right machine for your craft.

We’ve assembled this list of top-class devices to help you choose, looking out for powerful processors, solid graphics cards and ample RAM capable of running demandinganimation softwaresuch as Blender, Maya andAfter Effects. We’ve tested every model against industry standard benchmarking tests as well as our own experience to make sure they all fit the bill, while also looking out for other important aspects like a vibrant display with accurate colour reproduction, plenty of storage space for large files and reliable battery life.

The best laptop for animation overall

01. ASUS ProArt P16

The best laptop for animation overall

Specifications

CPU:AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 + NPU: AMD XDNA 50 TOPS

Graphics:NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU

RAM:32-64GB

Screen:16in OLED Resolution 3840×2400 60Hz Colour gamut 100% P3

Storage:2TB SSD

Reasons to buy

+Very power
+Such screen
+Much creative

Reasons to avoid

-Smudge City
-Not the prettiest design

Need to know:With its 16-inch OLED touchscreen and highly capable components, the the ASUS ProArt P16 is our top choice today for animators seeking a powerful and versatile laptop. Featuring handy AI-powered like StoryCube and MuseTree in its ProArt Creator Hub, workflows and file organisation is a breeze.

Design:Despite its powerful components, the ProArt P16 maintains a relatively slim profile and weighs around 5.3 pounds, making it reasonably portable for on-the-go animators. It also boasts a stunning 16-inch 4K OLED touchscreen display with 100% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage, ensuring vibrant and accurate colors crucial for animation work – though it is prone to smudging. Our reviewer also enjoyed using its innovative ASUS Dial: a physical control that allows for precise adjustments in creative applications, which is very handy when scrubbing through animation timelines or fine-tuning brush sizes.

Performance:This Windows laptop is a fast worker, thanks to an Intel Core i9 processor andNVIDIARTX 3070 graphics, providing ample power for rendering complex animations and running demanding software smoothly. The laptop’s 32GB of RAM and spacious 2TB SSD storage further enhance its performance and multitasking capabilities. Our reviewer was especially impressed with the results of our standard Handbrake test, where we encode a 10-minute 4K animation.

Battery:Considering its power-hungry components, we were fairly impressed that the ASUS ProArt P16 still offers up to 10 hours of usage on a single charge.

Buy it if

✅ You want top-tier performance:Its powerful components deliver fantastic speed for animation.
✅You value colour accuracy:Its 4K OLED screen with 100% P3 coverage ensures your animations look flawless.
✅You want innovative controls:The ASUS Dial offers intuitive control in a variety of creative software.

Don’t buy it if:

❌You’re on a budget:Unsurprisingly, a laptop this powerful comes at a premium price.
❌You need a high refresh rate:With just a 60Hz display, ultra-smooth motion isn’t on offer here.

The bottom line

🔎The ASUS ProArt P16packs a powerful CPU, paired with a stunning 4K OLED touchscreen that makes it a fantastic choice for animators who like using a touchscreen. ★★★★½

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The best budget laptop for animation

02. HP Envy x360

The best budget laptop for animators

Specifications

CPU:AMD Ryzen 7 5700U – 8 Cores

Graphics:Radeon Vega 8 (APU)

RAM:16GB

Screen:13.3″ diagonal FHD WLED-backlit touch screen (1920 x 1080)

Storage:1 TB PCIe SSD

Ports:1 x USB Type-C (Power, Display, Data), 2 x USB Type-A, 1 x HDMI 2.0b, 1 x SD media card, 1 x AC Smart Pin, 1 x 3.5mm combo jack

Reasons to buy

+2-in-1 design
+Bang & Oulfsen speakers
+OLED screen
+Exceptional battery performance

Reasons to avoid

-No stylus dock
-Disappointing storage space
-Can feel clunky when in tablet mode

Need to know:If you’re looking to keep your spend under a grand, the HP Envy x360 stands out as a premium 2-in-1 laptop that’s very capable and versatile, making it a solid choice for animation on a relatively limited budget. Its rather lovely 13.3-inch OLED touchscreen is complemented by a powerful 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB of RAM for smooth multitasking.

Design:With its 360-degree hinge, this laptop smoothly transforms its 13.3-inch OLED screen from laptop to tablet mode in no time, offering excellent versatility. The lack of dedicated pen storage and the attached keyboard add up to a slightly clunky tablet experience, however.

Performance:While the 512GB SSD storage capacity is limited, you get a generous array of ports, including Thunderbolt 4, USB-A, and a headphone jack. The included tilt pen facilitates pen input (excellent for animators), and the Bang & Olufsen speakers enhance the multimedia experience.

Battery:During our testing, we were very impressed to see the marketing claims of up to 17 hours and 30 minutes of battery life proved true. Of course, peak performance settings will drain it faster, but the HP Envy x360 can comfortably last a full working day and beyond on one charge. Plus, its fast charging means you can recover roughly 50% battery in just 45 minutes.

Price:There are a few configurations with this machine, starting at $1219.23, which is excellent value for a device that can operate both as a laptop and a tablet in oneanddeliver decent power.

Buy it if

✅ You’re on a budget:While it’s not the most powerful, its approachable price point makes it a solid choice.
✅ You value versatility:The HP Envy x360 can be used as both a tablet and a laptop.
✅You want a beefy battery:Offering up to 17 hours and 30 minutes of battery life, the HP Envy x360 is great for long shifts.

Don’t buy it if:

❌You need maximum power: As a budget option, the HP Envy x360 can’t deliver like a more premium workhorse.
❌You value neat ergonomics:With no dedicated pen storage and the fixed keyboard, it can be a little clunky in tablet mode.

The bottom line

🔎The HP Envy x360is a sleek 2-in-1 laptop and tablet combination with a 360-degree hinge and touchscreen capabilities. Packing a 12th generation Intel Core i7 processor and with a generous 16GB of RAM it’s a solid budget choice for animation ★★★★½

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The most portable laptop for animation

03. HP Omen Transcend 14

The most portable laptop for animation

Specifications

CPU:Intel Core Ultra 9 185H (up to 5.1 GHz with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology, 24 MB L3 cache, 16 cores, 22 threads)

Graphics:NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU (8 GB GDDR6 dedicated)

RAM:32GB LPDDRX5

Screen:14in OLED, 2.8K (2880x1800p), 120Hz

Storage:1TB SSD

Ports:2x USB-A, 1x Thunderbolt (DP support), 1x USB-C, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x combo audio

What you need to know:The brand-new-for-2024 HP Omen Transcend 14 is a sleek, relatively lightweight bundle of portable, powerful joy. When we tested it, we appreciated that it’s another in a new generation of gaming laptops that don’tlooklike gaming laptops; aka the holy grail for creatives.

Design:The 14-inch OLED screen is a joy, with 500 nits peak brightness (sounds average but the OLED tech makes it seem brighter) even in HDR mode. And it’s got the trendy 16:10 aspect ratio, too, all without falling into the classic “gamer aesthetic” which can be offputting in professional environments. Plus, at just 1.63kg and 1.79cm thickness, it’s highly portable – especially considering the level of performance it offers.

Performance:The top-spec model is magnificently powerful for the size, price and build, achieving some excellent benchmarks during our testing across creative tasks from 3D to photo editing – all of which you might need in your animation workflow. The AI tech is to thank for that, as it gives a boost to the already capable combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and NVIDIA RTX 4070 graphics. Multitasking is smooth, owing to its 32GB of RAM, too.

Battery:Despite all that power, the battery life was ample. We got around seven and a half hours with a moderately heavy workflow.

Buy it if

✅You need a portable powerhouse:Offering both performance and portability, it’s a great option for nomadic animators.
✅ You want a great screen:The 2.8K OLED display offers sharpness and excellent color accuracy.
✅ You value battery life:For a high-performance gaming laptop, over eight hours battery life is impressive.

Don’t buy it if:

❌ You prefer a larger screen:Its 14-inch display might be too small for detailed animation work.
❌ You’re on a budget:High-end performance comes at a high-end price, making the HP Omen Transcend 14 pretty pricey.
❌You need upgradability:While it’s robust enough to last a few years, you won’t be able to upgrade this laptop for longevity.

The bottom line

🔎HP Omen Transcend 14is an excellent workstation for the nomadic animator who values both power and portability. Its OLED display and long battery life (well, for a performance laptop) are great, but the smaller screen size may not suit all. ★★★★½

The best MacBook for animation

04. MacBook Pro 16 (M4 Pro, 2024)

The best MacBook for animation

Specifications

CPU:Apple M4 Pro chip, 14-core CPU with 10 performance cores and four efficiency cores

Graphics:M4 Pro, 20-core GPU

RAM:24GB configurable to 36GB or 48GB

Screen:16.2-inch (diagonal) Liquid Retina XDR display2; 3456-by-2234 native resolution at 254 pixels per inch

Storage:512GB-4TB

Ports:SDXC card slot, HDMI port 3.5-mm headphone jack MagSafe 3 port, Three Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) ports

Reasons to buy

+Outstanding performance
+Excellent battery life
+Thunderbolt 5 connectivity

Reasons to avoid

-Very expensive
-Maybe overkill if you don’t do 3D work
-Limited upgrade options

What you need to know:The MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024) is a dream machine for animators, excelling in both 2D and 3D workflows. Whether you’re crafting complex motion graphics or rendering high-resolution frames, this laptop delivers industry-leading performance with style.

Design:Apple’s classic unibody design remains a hallmark of quality. The 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display is a standout, offering vibrant colours, deep contrasts, and up to 1600 nits brightness for HDR content. The slim yet durable chassis makes it a perfect companion for on-the-go animators. Ports include MagSafe charging, Thunderbolt 5, and an SD card slot.

Performance:The M4 Pro/M4 Max chips are tailored for heavy animation workloads. Tests with industry-standard software like Blender, After Effects andCinema 4Dshow remarkable fluidity, even during complex simulations and rendering. Unified memory options up to 128GB ensure seamless multitasking.

Battery:A major highlight of our testing was the 22-hour battery life for media playback and 10-12 hours of intensive animation work.

Buy it if

✅You prize mobility:The lightweight, portable design makes it a great choice for travel.

✅You need exceptional performance:The M4 Pro and M4 Max chips can handle demanding animation software.

✅You’d like a stellar display:The colour-accurate Liquid Retina XDR is perfect for detailed work.

Don’t buy it if:

❌ Your software ecosystem is Windows-exclusive:Some animation tools remain tied to Microsoft’s OS.

❌ You’re light on cash:The base model is pricey, and higher configurations get very expensive.

The bottom line

🔎MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024)is a powerhouse for animators, boasting the best of Apple Silicon, a top-notch display, and great portability. ★★★★½

The best OLED laptop for animation

05. Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i gen 9

The best OLED laptop for animators

Specifications

CPU:Intel (R) Core Ultra 2.30GHz

Graphics:NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Series graphics

RAM:64GB RAM

Screen:16″

Storage:1TB SSD

Ports:HDMI 2.1, USB-C Full Function, USB-C Intel Thunderbolt 4.0, 3.5mm headphone jack, a full-sized SD card reader, two USB-A 3.2 ports.

Reasons to buy

+Extremely powerful
+Highly portable
+Exceptional battery life
+Robust, sleek design

Reasons to avoid

-Limited ports

What you need to know:It’s a close call between the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i gen 9 and our overall top pick, the ASUS ProArt P16. In our review, we called it a ‘must-have’ for creatives, especially thanks to its beautiful display combined with the AI-boosted CPU – and the fact that it’s a little more affordable than some of its similarly-specced competition. Plus, it features some useful AI tools, too.

Design:Lightweight and sleek by design, its aluminium chassis and solid hinge ensure that it’s durable while still being portable. The keyboard ergonomics are fantastic, but the real hero is its 2.3K HDR 16-inch display, which has 1600 Mini-LED dimming zones that make it fantastic for animation. Unlike many modern laptops, the Lenovo Yogo Pro 9i gen 9 also offers a wide array of connectivity ports including a full SD slot.

Performance:Depending on which configuration you opt for, the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i gen 9 can get pretty powerful, making it plenty capable for animators. The model we tested proved plenty capable at handling heavy creative loads, and the AI-boosted CPU certainly helps in this department. Also of use is Lenovo’s Creator Zone, which features AI tools specifically included with creatives in mind, from optimising your creative tools to offering generative image creation that can actually learn your personal visual style.

Battery life:Alas, the battery life is the concession made by this otherwise excellent all-rounder. In our gaming test (which emulates creative loads), we got only two hours of battery life. When streaming with a slightly dimmed screen, that upped to eight hours.

Buy it if

✅ You want a crisp, expansive display:The 16-inch screen is beautiful, with plenty of real-estate for animation.
✅ You like AI:If you’re ready to jump on board the AI train, this machine’s AI tools and optimisations are a big draw.
✅ You need a powerful workhorse:For heavier workflows, this powerhouse is near unmatched.

Don’t buy it if

❌ You need long battery life:Especially if you often animate on the road, the batrtery life will disappoint.
❌ You’re on a budget:While it’s comparable to its competition, this laptop is still pretty pricey.

The bottom line

🔎Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i gen 9is a rival to the devices that top our best for animation list, let down mostly by its disappointingly short battery life. Otherwise, it will impress with its gorgeous display, ample power and excellent AI features that boost power and optimise your workflow. ★★★★½

The best larger laptop for animation

06. Dell Precision 7780

A powerful, big-screen laptop for animation

Specifications

CPU:13th Gen Intel Core i7-13850HX

Graphics:NVIDIA RTX 3500 Ada 12GB GDDR6

RAM:32GB, 1x32GB 5600MT/s CAMM, non-ECC

Screen:17.3-inch

Storage:1TB, M.2 2280, Gen 4 PCIe NVMe, SSD

Reasons to buy

+Super powerful Intel CPU
+Large 17.3-inch display
+Plenty of connectivity options

Reasons to avoid

-Poor trackpad placement
-Heavy and not portable
-Display lacks 4K resolution

Need to know:If you’re looking for pure power and have money to spend, thisDellis a great option, marketed as Dell’s most powerful mobile workstation. Designed with creative professionals in mind, this 17-inch beast has a seriously powerful GPU and upgrade options that give extremely good benchmark scores across heavy creative tasks. It will be too much power for 2D animators, but those working in 3D and with video will find it very capable.

Design:While the build quality is solid, with thoughtful inclusions like the 180-degree hinge for flexible viewing angles, this model is heavy at 3.05 kg and quite bulky, so it isn’t our recommendation for mobile working. Its off-centre trackpad may prove contentious, and another drawback is there’s no 4K display here, and the aspect ratio is 16:9 rather than the 16:10 often favoured by creators. But our reviewer was pleased as it means a slightly slimmer chassis – and we also thought the Full HD display looked great.

Performance:Packing an Intel Core i7-13850HX and NVIDIA RTX 3500 Ada GPU, you can expect fantastic performance from the Dell Precision 7780. During our benchmark testing, it even managed to outperform some Intel i9-equipped competitors in certain tasks.

Battery:The 93 Wh battery offers a pretty dire lifespan – we only managed three hours of creative work – so it’s best to keep it near a power supply.

Buy it if

✅You need display real estate:The roomy 17.3-inch display offers plenty of space for animation.
✅You need ample power:The Intel i7 and NVIDIA RTX 3500 are plenty capable of handling demanding animation tasks.
✅You use multiple peripherals:This machine offers a solid array of ports to support a wide range of peripherals and multi-monitor setups.

Don’t buy it if:

❌You need a portable device:It’s weighty at 3.05 kg, making it ill-suited for those who work on-the-go.
❌You’re value ergonomics:The off-centre trackpad isn’t for everyone, and might take some getting used to.

The bottom line

🔎The Dell Precision 7780packs a real punch in terms of performance, offering ample screen space for animators who essentially want a desktop PC dressed as a laptop. However, the trade-off is that it’s less portable than other laptops. ★★★★½

The best dual screen laptop for animation

07. Zenbook Duo OLED

A powerful dual-screen laptop for graphic design

Specifications

CPU:Intel Core Ultra 9 185H

Graphics:Intel Arc Graphics

RAM:32GB

Screen:2x 14in 2880×1800 120Hz OLED

Storage:1TB SSD

Ports:Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 2x Thunderbolt 4, 1x HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm combo jack

Reasons to buy

+Futuristic form factor
+Powerful components
+Fun to use

Reasons to avoid

-Kind of expensive
-Two screens can drain the battery
-Picky about chargers

What you need to know:The latest Asus Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED packs powerful components with an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H and could easily handle animation projects in our tests – but most notable of all itstrengths is its dual-screen set-up.

Design:The most eye-catching feature of the Asus Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED is its dual-screen setup – the upgraded 2024 model houses two 14in 2880×1800 120Hz OLED screens, as opposed to a smaller one over the keyboard as with the last model. That second screen gives you space to put apps and tools, so your main screen isn’t interrupted – and you can draw on the second screen with a stylus.

Performance:Housing a powerful Intel Core Ultra processor and 32GB of RAM, this laptop is an absolute beast for multitasking, which can seriously speed up your animation workflow. Paired with its decent integrated graphics (which scored between an M1 and M1 Ultra in our benchmark testing), it’s a pretty powerful machine.

Battery life:The battery life is much improved with this iteration – we saw over 12 hours of use with one screen on. The second screen sucks up the battery faster but it’s not unreasonable so as long as you’re near a plug point at some point in the day

Buy it if

✅ You love the idea of two screens:The two displays are the obvious pull here. If you often need a monitor alongside your laptop for smoother process in your graphic design work, then this is an excellent option. Those screens are gorgeous, touchscreen and compatible, too.
✅ You like medium-high power:This can be quite powerful, but isn’t quite up there with some other new laptops such as the M4 MacBook Pros.

Don’t buy it if:

❌ You need an uber-long battery life:When using the two screens the battery doesn’t last as long as the 12 hours we got when testing a single screen. So if you’re on the go a lot and want to make the most of the displays, you’ll be a bit disappointed.
❌ You want a budget option:This is not cheap.

The bottom line

🔎ASUS Zenbook Duo OLED 2024is one of our favourite laptops ever. It’s not for everyone, as it is a quirky build, but it’s been built with professional creatives in mind. Anyone who uses a additional monitor when at a desk should consider this beauty, which is a brilliant upgrade from the previous iteration. ★★★★★

FAQs

What specs do I need in a laptop for animation?

The specs you will need in a laptop for animation will depend on what software you use, and it’s always worth checking the minimum specs quoted by the developer. In many cases, thee minimum system requirements are not particularly high. For example,CelAction2Dstates a minimum of 8GB of RAM and an Intel i5 CPU, which is fairly standard.

There is a difference, however, between minimum and recommended. To refer to CelAction2D once more, they recommended 16GB RAM and an Intel i7 processor.

Furtherrmore, 3D animation software such as Autodesk Maya, Adobe Animate and Blender, do require significant processing power for complex calculations and renderings. So if you’re using tools like this ,we’d recommend a 10th or 11th generation Intel Core i7 or i9 or AMD Ryzen 7 or 9 series H. We’d also recommend going for a laptop with a dedicated graphics card.

For 2D animation, meanwhile, we recommend at least a GPU with 4GB of VRAM. For 3D animation, 8 GB of VRAM would be preferable. As for RAM, we’d recommend at least 16GB to be able to handle multiple layers and complex character rigs and provide smooth playback. Going to 32GB is likely to provide a smoother experience for extensive rendering and simulation in 3D animation.

You’ll also need enough storage space to store your animation files. Solid-state drives (SSDs) are the way to go for the best read/write speeds, and you’ll probably want at least 512GB.

Finally, you’ll want a display with high-resolution (at least Full HD, 1920×1080) and good colour coverage and accuracy. Some animators like a touchscreen so that they can use a stylus for drawing and sketching, although there’s also the option to use a graphics tablet for this.

Are gaming laptops good for animation?

Gaming laptops are some of the most powerful machines on the market, and increasingly creatives are finding themselves investing in an RGB-clad laptop to handle their processing and rendering needs – we’ve even included a laptop from Razer, famed for its gaming hardware, in our selection of the best laptops for animation above. Most of thebest gaming laptopswill be perfectly capable of meeting an animator’s needs.

Rest in peace, Trackpoint. We barely needed ye. Although a pointing stick — which is apparently the brand-agnostic name for the Trackpoint — was popular on laptops in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the only company to carry the tradition forward has been Lenovo. You’ll find the iconic red Trackpoint on just about every ThinkPad laptop available, but Lenovo is doing away with the design atCES 2025with its new ThinkPad X9.

The Trackpoint is, in 2025, not very useful. Lenovo tells me that the change is to signal a modern approach to the ThinkPad range, the roots of which go way back, to when ThinkPads were branded with an IBM logo. Just a few months back, we looked at theLenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1, which still had the Trackpoint. Now, it’s gone, and seemingly gone for good.

At least the ThinkPad X9 looks like one heck of a laptop otherwise. Out of the gate, Lenovo is offering the new X9 with either a 14-inch or 15-inch display, and both are branded as being among Lenovo’s Aura Edition laptops. Both models are also meet Microsoft’s Copilot+ standards, leveraging an Intel Lunar Lake CPU for both battery life and access to AI features.

Externally, Lenovo is using an OLED display across both the 14-inch and 15-inch model, and both use a haptic touchpad along with the well-known (and loved) ThinkPad keyboard. Under the hood, Lenovo says the laptop is serviceable by removing the bottom covering, allowing you to replace the SSD and battery if you need.

>>>L23D3P75 Battery for Lenovo ThinkPad L22M3PG1 SB11H56305 5B11H56404

And, of course, you can’t have a laptop released in 2025 without a little dose of AI. It’s called Lenovo AI Now, and the company describes the feature as an “advanced on-device AI assistant that brings powerful, real-time intelligence to users.” It’s similar to something like Nvidia’s Chat RTX, as it uses a large language model (LLM) to provide a chatbot that only knows about your local files. Lenovo built the assistant with Llama 3.0, so hopefully it will work well.

It has some interesting features outside of searching for documents. Lenovo says the AI assistant can work across devices, allowing you to search for things regardless of the device you’re on. Lenovo AI Now isn’t exclusive to the ThinkPad X9, either — it’s available to download on several supported Lenovo machines.

>>>L23D3P76 Battery for Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5

Although it’s disappointing to see the Trackpoint bite the dust, the ThinkPad X9 looks fantastic. Both the 14-inch and 15-inch models will be available beginning in February, starting at $1,399 and $1,549, respectively.

This small update is the first Android patch for Pixels of the new year.

What you need to know

• The January 2025 security patch for Pixels is rolling out to Pixel 6 and newer devices now.
• A support page from Verizon preemptively revealed that the patch would be available today.
• There are bug fixes for the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 series, but the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series only get security improvements.

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The first Google Pixel security update of 2025 is rolling out to Pixel 6 and newer phones and tablets now with bug fixes and security improvements. Earlier today, asupport pagefrom Verizon preemptively revealed that the January 2025 security patch was rolling out for Pixels, Jan. 7. Now, that update is hitting Pixel phones in all regions, with separate builds for Global, Telstra, and EMEA.

The over-the-air update is available for the following Pixel phone models, listed beside their corresponding globalAndroid 15build numbers:

• Google Pixel 6:AP4A.250105.002
• Google Pixel 6 Pro:AP4A.250105.002
• Google Pixel 6a:AP4A.250105.002
• Google Pixel 7:AP4A.250105.002
• Google Pixel 7 Pro:AP4A.250105.002
• Google Pixel 7a:AP4A.250105.002
• Google Pixel Tablet:AP4A.250105.002
• Google Pixel Fold:AP4A.250105.002
• Google Pixel 8:AP4A.250105.002
• Google Pixel 8 Pro:AP4A.250105.002
• Google Pixel 8a:AP4A.250105.002
• Google Pixel 9:AP4A.250105.002
• Google Pixel 9 Pro:AP4A.250105.002
• Google Pixel 9 Pro XL:AP4A.250105.002
• Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold:AP4A.250105.002

>>>GZE8U Battery for Google Pixel 7

 SincePixel phones and tablets received a feature drop last month, this suggests the current security patch is a minor update.

For the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 series, the January 2025 update includes a few bug fixes. The patch “addressed audio delay and stability issues when using certain apps” and “addressed a camera stability issue when switching to a connected camera under certain conditions.”

The update for the Google Pixel 9 series specifically fixed a few display and UX issues, like screens flashing lines in certain conditions and problems with Pixel Launcher theming.

For all other Pixel devices, including the Pixel 6 series, Pixel 7 series, Fold, and Tablet, the update simply includes the latest security patches. You can download and install the January 2025 update over-the-air by opening theSettings app, tappingSystem, and thenSoftware Update.

It only took the LineageOS team three months to add Android 15 support.

(Image credit: LineageOS)

What you need to know

• LineageOS 22.1 is here for over 100 devices, based on Android 15 QPR1, with two new system apps.
• Twelve is a new default music player that replaces Eleven, one of LineageOS’ oldest apps.
• LineageOS 22.1 supports devices as old as the Pixel 2 series and as new as the Pixel 9 series.

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LineageOS, an Android custom ROM project that aims to support both new and old smartphones, is already adding support for Android 15. The teamannounced, that LineageOS 22.1 is rolling out based on the latest Android 15 QPR1. It was able to bringAndroid 15to LineageOS quicker than expected due to the breakthroughs made adapting Android 12 through Android 14, according to the blog post.

“This is far-and-away the easiest bringup cycle from a device perspective we have seen in years,” wrote Nolen Johnson, the developer relations manager for LineageOS, in the blog post. “This means that many more devices are ready on day one that we’d typically expect to have up this early in the cycle.”

Aside from the system improvements brought by Android 15, LineageOS 22.1 includes a few new features and additions. For starters, security patches as recent as November 2024 have been merged to LineageOS 19.1 through 22.1. There are also two new apps: Twelve and Camelot.

Twelve is a brand-new music player that replaces the prior music player, Eleven. As one of the oldest LineageOS apps, the team explained that it was time for a replacement. Eleven was becoming noncompliant with new Android guidelines due to its older codebase, and Twelve is an improved replacement.

>>>G011A-B Battery for Google Pixel 2

(Image credit: LineageOS)

Some of the new app’s highlights include Material You design language and support for tablets and landscape mode. It’ll integrate with major music server protocols, like Subsonic, OpenSubsonic, and Jellyfin. On top of that, there’s better search, improved Android Auto support, and new support for streaming protocols — such as HLS, DASH, and SmoothStreaming.

Camelot is a basic PDF viewer that aims to fill the gap left by LineageOS’ Jelly and WebViews, which can’t open PDF files. It’s described as a simple app based on Google Chrome and Files by Google releases.

>>>G011B-B Battery for HTC Google Pixel 2 XL

LineageOS will use a decimal integer system moving forward to match Android’s quarterly platform releases (QPRs). LineageOS 22.1 is based on Android 15 QPR1, and a future Android 15 QPR2 update would eventually lead to LineageOS 22.2.

Of course, LineageOS is best known for supporting older devices, and support is excellent out of the gate. You can find more information on the LineageOS Wiki, but over 100 devices are eligible for the latest upgrade on day one. That includes older devices like the Google Pixel 2, and newer ones like the Google Pixel 9 series.

Google researchers turn Android devices into scientific ionosphere tools

• Phone-based maps outperform the traditional Klobuchar ionospheric model globally
• Underserved regions like Africa benefit from enhanced ionosphere data
• Geomagnetic storms are tracked with high precision using smartphone networks

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Mapping the ionosphere is critical for improving the accuracy of navigation systems, but existing methods face significant limitations. While ground-based GNSS stations provide detailed maps of ionospheric total electron content (TEC), their coverage is uneven, leaving large gaps in underserved regions.

Now, researchers fromGoogleResearch, Mountain View, CA, USA, have demonstrated an innovative solution utilizing millions ofAndroid smartphonesas a distributed network of sensors in a study published inNature.

Despite being less precise than traditional instruments, these devices effectively double the measurement coverage, offering accurate ionosphere data and addressing longstanding infrastructure disparities.

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The Ionosphere’s influence on navigation

The ionosphere, a layer of ionized plasma extending from 50 to 1,500 km above Earth, significantly impacts Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals by introducing positioning errors. However, traditional ground-based GNSS stations, while precise, suffer from limited spatial coverage and leave underserved regions vulnerable to inaccuracies.

The research from Google Research capitalizes on the billions of smartphones equipped with dual-frequency GNSS receivers to address coverage gaps. Unlike conventional GNSS stations, smartphones are mobile, widely distributed, and capable of capturing vast amounts of data.

By aggregating and averaging measurements from millions of devices, researchers achieved accuracy comparable to dedicated monitoring stations, even resolving phenomena like solar storms and plasma density structures.

Android’s GNSS API facilitated the collection of satellite signal data, such as travel times and frequencies, which were then used to estimate the ionospheric total electron content (TEC).

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The study showed that while individual phone measurements are noisier than those from monitoring stations, their collective data provided robust and reliable results.

Comparisons showed the phone-based TEC model outperformed existing methods like the Klobuchar model, widely used in mobile phones.

Using data from Android phones, the researchers doubled the measurement coverage of the ionosphere compared to traditional methods, and were able to map plasma bubbles over India and South America and storm-enhanced density over North America during a geomagnetic storm in May 2024.

They also observed mid-latitude troughs over Europe and equatorial anomalies – a phenomena previously inaccessible due to sparse station coverage.

Notably, regions like India, South America, and Africa, often underserved by traditional monitoring networks, benefited significantly from this approach, which produced real-time, high-resolution TEC maps.

Before Samsung launched theGalaxy S24series in January, there were rumors that the new phones would include satellite messaging, similar to the feature available on Apple’s newer models. While this feature was not included at the launch, it’s now finally rolling out for some users.

According toSamMobile, some Galaxy S24 andGalaxy Z Fold 6users in the U.S. are now starting to receive this feature.

Before getting too excited, however, this news comes with a caveat. It’s only available to T-Mobile customers who applied to test the company’s T-Mobile Starlink service. T-Mobile announced that feature in August 2022, and earlier this month, it (finally)announcedthat satellite messaging beta registration would soon be available for direct-to-cell satellite service. It doesn’t require a fee; you must have a postpaid account. You cansign up to test the feature now.

For users with supported devices, navigate to Settings > Connections > Satellite Networks to find the listing. Once set up, you can send and receive messages in areas without nearby cellular network coverage.

The T-Mobile Starlink service remains in beta. When released to the public, it should be available on any T-Mobile Android phone with LTE connectivity.

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Android 15introduced satellite messaging support to Android phones for the first time, potentially enhancing communication capabilities in remote areas where traditional cellular networks are unavailable. This feature enables users to send texts for emergencies and other important messages via satellite, ensuring connectivity even in the most isolated environments.

However, carrier support and compatible devices are required to utilize this functionality entirely. Unfortunately, most manufacturers are still integrating this capability into their devices.

Meanwhile, since the iPhone 14 series, Apple iPhones have supported satellite messaging.

My kingdom for an alien turtle

(Image credit: Google)

Thanks to iOS 18.2,Apple Intelligencehas pretty much arrived on iPhones, and based on our own reportingGenmoji is proving a hit. Genmoji, a portmanteau of generative and emoji, is an artificial intelligence-powered feature that combines two emojis to make a custom one.

I’m not a fan of Genmoji. Maybe it’s the fact that the resulting emoji sport that creepy veneer of all AI-made images; maybe it’s my Android fanboyism’s natural aversion toApple… or maybe it’s the fact that I absolutely love Android’s own version of Genmoji.

Yes, Android has its own version of Genmoji, and true Android fashion, Google actually introduced it way ahead of Apple; in 2020 to be exact. This feature is called Emoji Kitchen, and far too few people have heard of it (possibly because of that strange name).

Emoji Kitchen, like Genmoji, lets you select pick two emoji and have them combine into a new one. Smiley face plus pineapple equals smiling pineapple, crying face plus cat equals crying cat, you get the picture.

As a tech reporter, I downloaded Emoji Kitchen as soon as it was made available and have been using it ever since. In fact, I absolutely love it and use it all the time, and with Genmoji potentially making Android users green with envy, it’s time to revisit this far superior alternative.

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How to use Emoji Kitchen on Android

(Image credit: Google)

Back when Emoji Kitchen was introduced, you needed to enrol in a beta to access it. But now anyone on Android can, as long as you’re using the default keyboard option GBoard. Emoji Kitchen doesn’t work on all messaging apps but the key ones are supported includingWhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, Messenger and a few others.

To use Emoji Kitchen, open the chat log and press in the message box, where you type. Instead of typing, press the smiley-face icon to the left of the space bar, which brings up the menu that normally lets you send emoji, gifs and stickers.

Now, pick your first emoji and press it. Instantly, in the space between the keyboard and the messaging log, you’ll see a section appear for Emoji Kitchen, giving you some suggested custom emojis (I think these are based on your most-used emoji but I’m not certain).

To combine two emoji of your choice, find in the emoji list your second choice and press it. Now, the leftmost option of the Emoji Kitchen carousel will be the custom pick. Press it, and your concoction will be sent in the chat as a sticker. Unfortunately, you can’t send them in a message as with standard emoji.

My favorite part of Emoji Kitchen is just playing around with emoji combinations, but if you’d rather know what you’re sending, there’s afull list of options available here.

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(Image credit: Google)

You can use Emoji Kitchen on other devices too

You can also use Emoji Kitchen on a computer, which lets you create emoji quickly and easily and copy-and-paste them into chats.

To do so simply Google search “Emoji Kitchen” and then press “Get Cooking” below the search bar.

A pop-up will appear that lets you choose from a range of emojis to combine, in a mathematical “X + X = X”. To create an emoji, select on the one you want to swap out and then press one of the ones in the list below.

Then to copy and paste your new custom emoji, press the ‘copy’ button (two rectangles, on top of each other) under the right-hand emoji to copy it. Paste it into another document or chat.

Unlocking the full potential of Emoji Kitchen

(Image credit: Google)

I love Emoji Kitchen because some of its resulting creations look silly. Silly but cute. And isn’t the big bonus of Android emoji over iOS ones that they look so much cuter? The veritable army of new cute combos is one of the reasons I keep using the feature.

My absolute favorite is the turtle emoji (some people tell me it’s a tortoise but its primary name according to emoji makers Unicode is “turtle”, take that!), with its hopeful simple smile, and about 75% of the Emoji Kitchen stickers I send nowadays are mash-ups featuring the turt. I spam my girlfriend with it so much that she baked me a gingerbread version of the turtle-alien mash-up, a Kitchen creation I was particularly taken with.

The thing is, the turtle alien emoji was sent because it was situationally relevant to what we were talking about (invasive species of turtles, not extra-terrestrial shelled reptiles), and that’s another aspect I enjoy about Emoji Kitchen. The ability to combine emoji creates so many situationally-relevant stickers to send, that there’s rarely a time I can’t find an emoji I’d like to send.

But my favorite thing about Emoji Kitchen, which is also a dig at Genmoji, is that the stickers simply look better. This is partly my preference but also partly that Genmoji are images made by an AI trying to slam two emoji together, and it tells. Emoji Kitchen, on the other hand, are hand-drawn, something thatGoogle has confirmed itself.

I’m not here to complain about AI, but you can tell that Genmoji lacks that human touch, sitting deep in that uncanny valley (alongside half of the other Apple Intelligence generative tools) while Emoji Kitchen basks in that cartoon cuteness. I need only show some of Apple’s own promotional images to prove this point:

(Image credit: Apple)

So if you’re an Android user, you shouldn’t feel jealous that you don’t have Genmoji. You should feel glad that you can use Emoji Kitchen instead.

Local manufacturers are once again likely to continue their dominance in 2025.

The Asian handset market is very interesting, with a significantly broader range of devices sold in the region than anywhere else. You have the usual Chinese contingent of Vivo, OPPO, OnePlus, Xiaomi, and Honor dominating sales, but Samsung and Google also sell most of their products in Asian markets, and Apple is slowly building momentum with the iPhone.

I used over 70 phones over the course of 2024, and while there were devices that didn’t measure up to their asking price, I didn’t run into any bad phones as such. The one brand that stood out the most to me is Vivo. It delivered truly incredible cameras in theX100 ProandX100 Ultra, and it made heady gains in the mid-range with theV30 ProandV40 Pro, delivering much better sensors.

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Clearly, I’m not the only one who liked the brand’s progress, as Vivo managed to extend its lead in both China and India considerably. Vivo is likely to continue that momentum in 2025 on the back of the X200 Pro. As much as I like the X200 Pro, I’m waiting to see what the X200 Ultra brings to the table. Vivo doesn’t actually need to change much with the device, but if it manages to retain the same set of cameras while making the phone available in at least select regions outside China, it will be a monumental achievement.

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While the V series is stronger than ever, the upgrades with the V40 Pro pushed it closer to value flagships, and Vivo needs to focus on the Y series to maintain its mid-range presence. I’m excited to see what’s in store with the V50 and V50 Pro, and whether they can deliver the same caliber of photos as the X series.

Although OPPO lost ground in China, it solidified its position as the second-largest handset brand in India on the back of the Reno 12, K series, and A series devices. While I enjoyed using theFind X8 Proquite a bit, I don’t think OPPO has the cachet to steal market share from Apple and Samsung just yet, but its introduction in additional global markets should give OPPO a decent platform on which to build. The one issue I have with the X8 Pro is that it doesn’t have the best cameras the brand makes, and that will inevitably debut on the X8 Ultra sometime in Q2 2025. Just like with Vivo, the X8 Ultra needs to launch globally to make the cameras accessible by a wider audience.

OnePlus, meanwhile, is doing all the right things. Although the manufacturer lost market share in 2024, its device portfolio is stronger than ever, and the imminent global launch of theOnePlus 13should allow the brand to take on Samsung and Google. What I like is that the R series is also sold globally, and with the OnePlus 12R still one of the best mid-rangers available today, I’m intrigued to see what the 13R can deliver. I just want to see the device continue to deliver the same value-focused ethos, and with the manufacturer confirming a class-leading 6000mAh battery, it has the potential to do incredibly well.

Xiaomi continues to do well thanks to its budget-focused portfolio, but that narrative has changed in recent years as it shifted to the mid-range with devices like the Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus. In doing so, Xiaomi is effectively ceding ground to its rivals, and that’s one of the reasons why it is no longer in the top position in India. The brand needs to rethink its strategy and go back to delivering budget phones with strong value — that just hasn’t been the case in the last two years. Honestly, Xiaomi needs to do an overhaul of its devices, and rethink its strategy. That’s the only way it can retain its footing against its rivals, but I don’t see the brand doing so in 2025.

I really like what Honor is doing these days; the Magic 6 Pro and Magic V3 are two of my best phones of the year — with the latter being one of the best foldables around — and the brand is taking a radically different strategy to everyone else, positioning itself as a premium player to stand out. While that may not yield market share, Honor certainly takes up a lot of mind share, and with the brand regaining its foothold in India, 2025 should be a pivotal year for its global ambitions. The Magic 7 Pro is launching shortly, and I’d like to see the device delivering better cameras; while the 6 Pro was great in its own right, it didn’t quite measure up to the X100 Pro, and Honor needs to be on the same level as Vivo.

I usually turn to a Pixel as my daily driver, and that hasn’t changed in 2024. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is a worthy upgrade, and while it costs more, it has meaningful changes across the board and takes brilliant photos. The only issue with the device is that the hardware isn’t on par with its rivals, although that may change in 2025. Google is set to switch away from Samsung’s designs and go with MediaTek, which means that the Pixel 10 should be noticeably better in this regard. The biggest thing that Google needs to change with the Pixel 10 is the internal hardware; the Tensor platform may be good in mid-rangers, but it just doesn’t measure up against what Qualcomm and MediaTek are doing in the high-end category, and Google needs to do better. The latest leaks point to the brand doing just that with the Tensor G5, but I want to get my hands on the device to see how it actually holds up.

As for Samsung, the brand lost ground in India and other Asian markets this year, and that’sdown to its own shortcomings. While it built up an early lead in foldables, the lack of any meaningful innovation has allowed Chinese brands to eat into its market share, and Samsung is losing ground in the mid-range as well. What’s interesting is that the brand is positioning the FE devices as its value-focused models in major regions like the U.S. instead of traditional bestsellers like the Galaxy A55, and I don’t think that’s the best move. While high-end devices contribute to Samsung’s bottom line, it’s the mid-range where the brand sees a bulk of its sales, and it needs to bring its best devices to all regions.

Like much of the last decade, value-focused phones will dominate sales in 2025, but there is a growing demand for mid-range and even high-end devices, and that’s encouraging to see. With all major manufacturers introducing their products earlier than before, we don’t have to wait as long to see what’s in store with the best 2025 phones, and that’s always a good thing.

Google drops Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking, an AI model that thinks on its feet.

What you need to know

• Google’s Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking lets you see how it tackles tough problems, giving you a peek into its thought process.
• Unlike OpenAI’s o1 model, which keeps things hidden, Gemini spells out its reasoning, making it easier to follow and avoid AI mistakes.
• This approach helps Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking handle tougher challenges better than the standard version.
• The model is free to try on Google’s AI Studio, though it has a 32,767-token limit.

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Google has introduced Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking, an experimental AI model that lays out how it tackles tough problems in order to let you peek into its thought process and make it easier to see how it works.

Gemini 2.0Flash Thinking blends Flash tech’s speed with the reasoning chops of OpenAI’s o1 model. The difference is thatGeminispells out its thought process, while o1 keeps things behind the curtain. That clear breakdown makes it a win for anyone needing to follow complex reasoning and dodge surprise AI slip-ups.

This unique approach helps it outshine the standardGemini 2.0 Flashon tougher challenges.

Logan Kilpatrick, head of product for AI Studio, calls this model a big first step in Google’s push for smarter AI reasoning. Unlike most AI systems, these reasoning models can self-check their work, reducing common errors. The trade-off is that it takes a bit longer to get answers—sometimes seconds or even minutes.

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Google DeepMind’s chief scientist, Jeff Dean, showed off on X some capabilities of Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking.

Want to see Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking in action? Check out this demo where the model solves a physics problem and explains its reasoning. pic.twitter.com/Nl0hYj7ZFS

— Jeff Dean (@JeffDean) December 19, 2024

The demo featured the AI solving tough physics problems by breaking them into smaller steps, showcasing its knack for methodical problem-solving and delivering solid, reliable results.

In another demo from Kilpatrick, the model shows off its impressive reasoning skills by combining visual and text data to solve a problem. It highlights how well the model can process and blend info from different sources.

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While early demos have shown some missteps or missed details, it’s important to remember that this model is still in its early stages. Even so, these first impressions highlight the impressive potential of the DeepMind AI architecture.

The new model is free for everyone to try on Google’s AI Studio platform. That said, it has a 32,767-token limit, so it’s a bit capped compared to other versions. Still, it’s impressive how quickly it handles tricky problems that usually leave regular AI models scratching their heads.