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iPhone 16 Pro vs. Xiaomi 14 Pro: Which is Better and Why?

Choosing between flagship smartphones often comes down to subtle differences in features, performance, and design that significantly influence the user experience.

In this comparison, we’ll explore two of the latest high-end smartphones: Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro and Xiaomi’s 14 Pro. We’ll break down their design, display, media, software, performance, battery, and cameras, and see which phone provides a better overall experience.

iPhone 16 Pro vs Xiaomi 14 Pro: Características y precios, ¿cuál es mejor? | MVS Noticias

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SPECS OVERVIEW

Category	iPhone 16 Pro	Xiaomi 14 Pro	Best Specs
Design	– Glass front and back (Corning-made glass)- Titanium frame- IP68 water/dust resistance (6m)	– Glass front and back- Aluminum / titanium frame- IP68 water/dust resistance (1.5m)	iPhone 16 Pro
Display	– 6.3-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED- 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision- 2000 nits (HBM)	– 6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED- 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+- 3000 nits (peak)	Xiaomi 14 Pro(larger, brighter screen)
Performance	– Apple A18 Pro (3nm)- Hexa-core CPU (2×4.04 GHz + 4×2.X GHz)	– Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm)- Octa-core CPU (1×3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3×3.2 GHz)	iPhone 16 Pro(superior chipset)
Battery	– 3582 mAh- 25W wireless charging (MagSafe)- 15W wireless (Qi2)- 4.5W reverse wired	– 4880 mAh- 120W wired, 100% in 18 min- 50W wireless, 100% in 40 min- 10W reverse wireless	Xiaomi 14 Pro(larger battery, faster charging)
Camera (Main)	– Triple:48 MP (wide)12 MP (periscope telephoto, 5x optical zoom)48 MP (ultrawide)TOF 3D LiDAR scanner	– Triple:50 MP (wide)50 MP (telephoto, 3.2x optical zoom)50 MP (ultrawide)Leica lens	iPhone 16 Pro(better telephoto zoom)
Camera (Selfie)	– 12 MP (wide) with SL 3D depth sensor	– 32 MP (wide)	Xiaomi 14 Pro(higher resolution)
Charging Speed	– 25W MagSafe, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wired	– 120W wired, 50W wireless, 10W reverse wireless	Xiaomi 14 Pro(faster charging)

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Design
Features:

The iPhone 16 Pro sitting on a wooden rail with the camera app open and some vivid vegetables on display

The iPhone 16 Pro features a premium build with a glass front and back protected by Corning-made glass, encased in a Grade 5 titanium frame. It’s also IP68-rated for water and dust resistance, allowing it to survive submersion in up to 6 meters of water for 30 minutes. The device is available in multiple SIM configurations, including a dual eSIM setup in the U.S. and a dual Nano-SIM model in China.

On the other hand, the Xiaomi 14 Pro offers a similarly premium design with a glass front and back, surrounded by either an aluminum or titanium frame. It also holds an IP68 rating, though it’s only water-resistant up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes, making it slightly less durable in extreme conditions compared to the iPhone.

Similarities:
Both phones feature premium materials like glass and titanium, ensuring a sturdy yet elegant build. They are IP68-rated, meaning both devices offer solid protection against water and dust. Neither phone includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, a feature that has become rare in modern flagship phones.

Differences:
The most significant difference lies in the water-resistance depth, with the iPhone 16 Pro able to survive greater submersion. Additionally, the iPhone uses Apple’s proprietary Ceramic Shield glass, which is known for its durability. Meanwhile, Xiaomi employs its custom Longjing Glass, which may offer similar protection but lacks the same brand recognition.

Advantages:
The iPhone 16 Pro has a clear advantage in terms of water resistance and the use of Corning-made glass for its build. Xiaomi’s 14 Pro, with its more affordable titanium variant, offers flexibility in materials, which might appeal to different user preferences.

Which is Better?
For those who prioritize durability, the iPhone 16 Pro takes the lead with its stronger water resistance and more established protective glass. However, Xiaomi’s flexible design options might be appealing to those who want choices in their premium experience.

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Display, Media, and Software
Features:

The iPhone 16 Pro comes with a 6.3-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED display. It supports HDR10, Dolby Vision, and a 120Hz refresh rate, with brightness levels reaching 2000 nits for outdoor visibility. The screen is protected by the new Ceramic Shield Glass (2024 gen) and offers an always-on display feature. Apple’s iOS 18 powers the phone, offering a refined, secure, and exclusive software ecosystem.

The Xiaomi 14 Pro features a larger 6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED display, also supporting Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and a 120Hz refresh rate. Xiaomi edges out Apple in brightness, with peak levels reaching an impressive 3000 nits. The display is protected by Xiaomi’s Longjing Glass. The phone runs on Android 14 with Xiaomi’s new HyperOS, blending customization with performance and offering users an open-source software experience.

Similarities:
Both devices deliver top-tier AMOLED displays with 120Hz refresh rates, Dolby Vision, and high brightness levels. They also come with always-on displays and support a wide color gamut for enhanced media consumption.

Differences:
Xiaomi’s 14 Pro has a slightly larger display, higher resolution (1440 x 3200 pixels compared to the iPhone’s 1206 x 2622 pixels), and a significantly brighter screen with a peak brightness of 3000 nits. The iPhone’s display, while smaller, provides a more compact and refined viewing experience. In terms of software, the difference lies in the ecosystems: Apple’s iOS 18 offers more security and optimization, while Xiaomi’s HyperOS provides more freedom in customization.

Advantages:
For media consumption and outdoor visibility, the Xiaomi 14 Pro holds a slight edge due to its larger, brighter display. However, if software smoothness, security, and app optimization are priorities, the iPhone 16 Pro remains the better option with its seamless iOS experience.

Which is Better?
For media lovers and those who value a bright, immersive display, the Xiaomi 14 Pro wins this round. However, for users deeply invested in Apple’s ecosystem and who prefer a more optimized software experience, the iPhone 16 Pro may be the better choice.

Performance and Battery
Features:

The iPhone 16 Pro is powered by the Apple A18 Pro chip (3 nm), with a Hexa-core CPU and Apple’s custom 6-core GPU. Paired with 8GB of RAM, it ensures top-tier performance for gaming, multitasking, and demanding applications. The battery capacity stands at 3582 mAh, with wired PD2.0 fast charging and up to 25W wireless MagSafe charging.

The Xiaomi 14 Pro utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm), featuring an octa-core CPU and Adreno 750 GPU. It is available with up to 16GB of RAM, making it a powerhouse for multitasking and gaming. Its 4880 mAh battery supports ultra-fast 120W wired charging, which promises a full charge in just 18 minutes, and 50W wireless charging.

Similarities:
Both devices offer cutting-edge processors, ensuring smooth performance in daily tasks and high-demand scenarios. Neither phone supports expandable storage, although they offer substantial internal storage options.

Differences:
The Xiaomi 14 Pro comes with a significantly larger battery and much faster charging capabilities. The 120W wired charging speed is one of the fastest in the industry, while the iPhone 16 Pro, though offering solid charging options, lags behind in terms of raw charging speed and battery size.

Advantages:
If you’re seeking a phone with outstanding battery life and the ability to quickly recharge, the Xiaomi 14 Pro is the better option. However, Apple’s A18 Pro chip remains one of the most efficient and powerful processors on the market, which could mean better long-term performance for iPhone users.

Which is Better?
For sheer power and battery management, the Xiaomi 14 Pro stands out. However, the iPhone 16 Pro may still appeal to those who value efficiency and the long-term reliability of Apple’s chips.

Cameras
Features:

Photo is from：iPhone 16 Pro

The iPhone 16 Pro is equipped with a triple-camera setup, featuring a 48 MP main wide sensor, a 12 MP periscope telephoto with 5x optical zoom, and a 48 MP ultrawide lens. It also has a TOF 3D LiDAR scanner for depth sensing. Video capabilities are exceptional, with 4K recording at up to 120fps, Dolby Vision, and 3D spatial video.

TheXiaomi 14 Proalso boasts a triple-camera system, including a 50 MP wide-angle lens with variable aperture, a 50 MP telephoto lens with 3.2x optical zoom, and a 50 MP ultrawide sensor. It features Leica optics and advanced video recording options, including 8K at 24fps, 4K at up to 60fps, and gyro-EIS.

Similarities:
Both phones offer triple-camera systems with wide, telephoto, and ultrawide lenses. They also support advanced video recording technologies like Dolby Vision and high frame rates.

Differences:
TheiPhone 16 Profeatures a more advanced LiDAR sensor for depth and spatial video recording, while Xiaomi’s14 Prooffers a unique variable aperture on the main lens for greater control over exposure. Xiaomi also supports 8K video recording, which Apple currently lacks.

Advantages:
For photography, theXiaomi 14 Prooffers more control with its variable aperture and advanced Leica optics, while theiPhone 16 Proexcels in depth sensing and video recording, particularly with its 3D spatial video feature.

Which is Better?If photography is your priority, theXiaomi 14 Prooffers more flexibility and customization. For videographers and those invested in Apple’s ecosystem, theiPhone 16 Prois a better fit.

Which is the Better Buy?
Both the iPhone 16 Pro and Xiaomi 14 Pro are exceptional flagship devices that cater to different audiences. The Xiaomi 14 Pro shines in terms of display quality, battery life, charging speeds, and flexibility in photography. Its aggressive pricing compared to the iPhone makes it a strong contender for users seeking value without sacrificing premium features.

The iPhone 16 Pro, however, offers unmatched software optimization, stronger water resistance, and long-term performance, making it a better choice for users already integrated into the Apple ecosystem. Its camera features, particularly for video and depth sensing, are also more advanced.

Our Opinion: If you’re an Android enthusiast who doesn’t want to break the bank and need good battery and charging speed, then Xiaomi 14 Pro is the best option. However, if you’re invested in Apple’s ecosystem and value software reliability, then go for the iPhone 16 Pro.

Here’s my problem with the new Snapdragon 8 Elite platform

Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset in a box, sitting on a tropical beach
Qualcomm announces Snapdragon 8 Elite platform with Oryon CPU and much-improved power efficiency – here’s why I’m not thrilled
At its annual Snapdragon Summit in Maui, Qualcomm finally put to bed the discussion about what its new flagship chipset will be called by unveiling the Snapdragon 8 Elite. This new smartphone System on Chip (SoC) has plenty of flashy features and impressive benchmarks to talk about, which I’ll get into below, but my first reaction was to think back to 2021.

A little under three years ago, I was covering the latest chipset from Qualcomm and discussing its new name. It was the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, heralding a new naming system that was designed to demonstrate a clear hierarchy among Qualcomm’s increasingly cluttered lineup of mobile platforms. Things looked good when it was succeeded by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and then Gen 3, but somewhere in the mix, the message of clarity was lost, with the likes of the 7s Gen 2 and 8 Plus Gen 3 muddying the waters.

And now we have the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which could either be a grand finale for the 8-series ahead of the Snapdragon 9 Gen 1 launching next year, or yet another tier in the increasingly convoluted Snapdragon family. Before we get too into the weeds with my concerns, let’s go over what exactly the Snapdragon 8 Elite is and what new features it brings to the table.

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Snapdragon 8 Elite: What’s new?
The Snapdragon 8 Elite appears to just be the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 by another name. It’s a top-of-the-line flagship mobile chipset that will likely be the most sought-after platform for many of the biggest phones of 2025. The name change is no coincidence, either, as it uses a version of the Oryon CPU that features in the Snapdragon X Elite PC platform.

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The Adreno GPU is also getting an upgrade, with a new sliced architecture, 12MB of local memory and, in a first for mobile, support for the Unreal Engine 5.3 and the Nanite Virtualized Geometry system. According to Qualcomm, the new GPU will deliver performance up to 40% better than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, with 35% improvements to ray-tracing and up to 40% better power efficiency.

Rounding out the chipset is the improved Hexagon NPU (Neural Processing Unit), which handles all things AI. This upgraded NPU is said to deliver 45% improvements to both performance and performance per watt, compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, making the multimodal Gen AI more adept and efficient at addressing your queries. Qualcomm’s AI engine can also now accept much longer token inputs – examples used were entire book chapters or technical documents – allowing it to digest more complex tasks.

The AI upgrades carry over to photography, too, with the AI Image Signal Processing (AI-ISP) capable of “limitless” segmentation, splitting images into over 250 separate layers (that still sounds to me like there’s a limit…) and adjusting each one individually. It also claims to be able to capture and replicate natural skin tones in even the most challenging conditions – though we’ll have to see how that pans out when we test phones that run on the Snapdragon 8 Elite. Speaking of which…

Snapdragon 8 Elite: What phones will use it?
As part of the announcement, Qualcomm teased several manufacturers that would soon be incorporating the Snapdragon 8 Elite in their upcoming smartphones. Brands such as Honor, Motorola, OnePlus, Oppo, Samsung and Xiaomi are all poised to release devices powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite in the “coming weeks”. Unless certain release schedules are drastically different to previous years, weeks might be a stretch, but here are a few that we will likely see within the next few months.

Honor Magic 7 series – This one is dead cert because Honor took the stage at the Snapdragon Summit to announce that its upcoming Honor Magic 7 series will make use of the 8 Elite. The follow-up to the Honor Magic 6 Pro is launching in China on October 30th.

OnePlus 13 – The OnePlus 13 has long been rumoured to be the first phone to use 8 Elite but Honor has beaten it by a single day. The OnePlus 13 has a launch set for Halloween, and once again you can expect it to come to the NZ in the first couple of months of 2025 – the OnePlus 12 arrived in late December, for reference.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra – In the past, Samsung has used Snapdragon for all of its S-series flagships, but this past year, only the Galaxy S24 Ultra used it, so it’s anyone’s guess what they’ll do next year. Either way, the S25 Ultra is all but certain, and this will likely launch towards the end of January 2025.

Xiaomi 15 series – While rumours have it launching in China as soon as 23 October.Last year, the Xiaomi 14 launched in Europe at the end of February, so we can expect the 15-series to follow a similar schedule in 2025.

Snapdragon 8 Elite: What’s the problem?

Qualcomm Debuts Snapdragon 8 Elite, Dubs It “World's Fastest Mobile CPU” | Geek Culture
The fact that the Snapdragon 8 Elite exists is not a problem – it’s a natural upgrade to the 8 Gen 3 and has plenty of exciting features that could make next year’s flagships formidable in both the performance and power efficiency stakes. My issue is that Qualcomm’s attempts to keep naming simplified – to a point where a layperson could easily parse the lineup and quickly understand whether a chipset was better or worse than those around it – have been abandoned in less than three years.

It’s messy enough right now but I’m wondering what’s going to happen next year. Will we see a Snapdragon 9 Gen 1 join the fray? Or will it be Snapdragon 9 Elite, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 or Snapdragon 8 Plus Elite? Will we see a slightly underclocked Snapdragon 8s Elite? It’s exhausting even thinking about it.

Admittedly, this likely won’t be much of a problem for a lot of people, as not everyone pays close attention to exactly what chipset is tucked away inside their new phone, but I still find this kind of obfuscating setup to be inherently anti-consumer. When the options are so chaotically laid out, how is anybody supposed to easily assess them and make an informed decision?

Regardless of my feelings on the Snapdragon naming systems, I’ll be getting my hands on all of the above-mentioned devices soon, so be sure to check back in then to see if Qualcomm’s claims about the Snapdragon 8 Elite hold up.

Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 15 Pro revealed to be launching on October 29 with Hyper OS 2.0 in new leak

A new leak has revealed the alleged launch date for the Xiaomi 15 series. Reportedly, the Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 15 Pro will arrive in under a week’s time with Hyper OS 2.0 to boot.

The Xiaomi 15 series may be official in under a week’s time. (Image source: Xiaomi)

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Xiaomi has had a rather busy week regarding the Xiaomi 15 series, even if it has not revealed any specifics about its forthcoming flagships yet. To recap, the company confirmed during Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Summit that the Xiaomi 15 series would be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite.

Following that, it began accepting reservations for the series in China, albeit without revealing full pricing or even a launch date. However, it seems that the latter may now be official, assuming recent reports are accurate.

Specifically, an official-looking poster is now floating around online that the likes of SmartPrix and Xiaomi Time have reposted citing the Xiaomi Community App as its source. Based on the image contained within the image, it would appear that the Xiaomi 15 will debut on October 29 at 11:00 UTC (19:00 CST).

Moreover, Xiaomi’s ‘see every light’ event is also slated to showcase HyperOS 2.0, which will likely come pre-installed on the Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 15 Pro at launch. Unfortunately, we cannot find the original image within the Xiaomi Community App at this stage. Thus, it remains to be seen whether it is accurate or an elaborate fake.

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(Image source: via SmartPrix & Xiaomi Time)

Source(s)
via SmartPrix & Xiaomi Time

YouTube Music’s ‘Now Playing’ widget may arrive on Galaxy Z Flip cover screens

More support for Samsung’s “Flex Window,” after it was clear that it needed to be more flexible.

What you need to know

A discovery in the YouTube Music app’s code suggests the company is working on bringing “Flex Window” support to Samsung’s clamshell foldable, the Flip.
The widget will likely give users quick playback controls like play/pause and skip forward/back buttons.
When Samsung debuted “Flex Window” in 2023, it was clear that it needed some work as users were limited through this “curated, optimized experience.”

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YouTube Music could be working on support for clamshell foldable phones to refine its user experience.

According to Android Authority, the YouTube Music mobile app’s latest version (v7.24.51) holds clues that point toward a “FlipWidgetProvider.” The publication conducted an APK teardown of the app and found a string that directly mentions a widget for a “flip” device, which is reportedly confirmed to be Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip series.

The post states the app’s code shows that the “music player” widget can be enabled via Settings > Cover Screen > Widgets once YouTube rolls it out. Users may find this useful as such a widget isn’t supported on the Flip series. However, it is on your standard slab phone like the Galaxy S24 series for the home screen. The widget gives options like play/pause, skip forward/back, and thumbs up/down options.
With its expected arrival on the Flip series’ cover display, users can have enhanced access to their music without opening the phone. Considering the size of the Galaxy Z Flip cover display, this widget will give users more mileage. Speaking of, it’s unclear which devices will grab YouTube Music’s widget support.

The widget will likely debut on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Flip 5; however, it’s unclear how far back Samsung is willing to go.

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Samsung dubbed the larger screen of its Flip series the “Flex Window” when the Flip 5 launched in 2023. It was clear from the beginning that the “window” needed to be more flexible. Users couldn’t open any app they wanted on the cover display. Samsung implemented a “curated, optimized experience,” limiting your options. Originally, the Flip 5’s cover screen supported the following apps: Google Messages, Samsung Messages, WhatsApp, YouTube, Netflix, and Google Maps.

The ability to open more apps was tucked behind Samsung’s Good Lock app launcher. The launcher gave users control over almost every app they had. This YouTube Music widget with Flex Window support will likely give users a more refined music control experience.
In other news, YouTube Music was busy rolling out a Gemini Extension for desktop and Android users. Users will find a series of suggested commands for the AI for music lookup, album discovery, or specific radio genre. After Gemini locates the song, users are thrown into YouTube Music for the playback or continuous radio stream.

Forget iPhone Flip — Samsung just tipped to launch tri-fold phone in 2025

Samsung is gearing up to expand its foldable lineup with a new tri-fold smartphone, potentially launching in 2025. The device, featuring a screen that folds twice, has already seen its components developed, indicating readiness for commercialization. However, the final decision rests with Samsung’s Mobile eXperience division led by TM Roh.

Samsung’s tri-fold could be the first tri-fold for global market

Currently, Huawei’s Mate XT is the only tri-fold on the market, currently limited to China. If Samsung releases this model globally, it could be the first tri-fold available worldwide. The new form factor would transform from a tablet-sized display to a compact phone, providing versatile usage for various scenarios.

There’s no word yet on specifications, but industry patents suggest innovative hinge mechanisms and sensor integration, hinting at a device designed for flexible use cases.

What to expect?

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Based on Samsung’s track record of foldable phones, the premium tri-fold will also likely use the latest Qualcomm flagship, the Snapdragon 8 Elite.

For those curious about the multitasking capabilities, key advancements in the Snapdragon 8 Elite include a 40% boost in GPU performance and a 35% enhancement in ray tracing capabilities as compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 of the existing Galaxy Z Fold 6. These improvements, coupled with a 44% increase in power efficiency, make the chipset ideal for demanding tasks like gaming and multitasking, ensuring a reasonable performance upgrade for the upcoming Samsung tri-fold.

The chipset features an upgraded NPU (45% improvement in AI capabilities), ensuring more complex Galaxy AI features for the tri-fold phone.

However, the tri-fold will also likely need to be slimmer than the existing Galaxy Z Fold 6, so no larger camera sensors are expected inside as well. Readers should expect a camera setup similar to the company’s existing book-style foldable. For reference, the Galaxy Z Fold 6’s camera setup is noted below:

50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS
10 MP, f/2.4, 66mm (telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom
12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚, 12mm (ultrawide), 1.12µm

Sony WH-1000XM6: rumored release date, and possible early leaks

The rumor mill is beginning to grind the sheafs of Sony speculation into the flour of fact

Someone wearing the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones against a green backdrop

If you’re think that the Sony WH-1000XM6 must be due soon, to replace the now-several-years-old current model, you might be right. The Sony WH-1000XM5 rank among the best noise-cancelling headphones you can buy today – but this is an incredibly competitive market and there’s no shortage of contenders for the crown, and Sony’s own headphones are so good that the previous model, the Sony WH-1000XM4, are currently atop our best-buy guide.

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That means Sony needs to keep improving its flagship over-ears if it wants to keep selling new pairs to people. And the rumour mill says that it’s going to do just that, and that the Sony WH-1000XM6 will be with us soon… but not too soon.

Given that the WH-1000XM5 got five out of five stars in our review, which also noted that the WH-1000XM4 were so good that the improvements were “more marginal than before”, what on earth could Sony be planning for the next generation? Here’s what we think we know so far.

Sony’s WH-1000XM6 release date rumors

Sony WH-1000XM6 Headphone
Back in June, GSM Arena reported two key stories: one, the Sony LinkBuds and LinkBuds S would get a 2024 update at tge same time; and two, the WH-1000XM5 and WF-1000XM5 earbuds would not. Instead, Sony was most likely “targeting the first six months of next year” for its flagships.

Given that the first story proved to be exactly correct when Sony announced two new LinkBuds models, and that the second story was from the same source, we’re inclined to think that the prediction of a launch in the first half of 2025 is probably sound too. And another leak on Chinese social media site Weibo said that Sony wants to synchronize the update cycles for the two flagships, which again would mean a 2025 launch, since that’s when the Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds will hit two years and be due an update, under Sony’s usual cadence.

We haven’t seen much leak evidence of this yet, until recently, perhaps. The Sony watchers at The Walkman Blog have spotted a new wireless Sony headset code in import documents. It has the product code YY2984, and according to the blog it “could be” one of the XM6 models. Then again, it’s simply listing some kind of wireless headset with a plastic shell, so it could be anything.

That said, when the current models were about three months from release they showed up in FCC regulatory filings; devices need a lot of paperwork before they go on sale, so it’s not impossible that YY2984 are indeed these future candidates for the best Sony headphones. It’s pretty weak sauce, I know, but that’s the exciting world of headphones for you. It’s the FCC filing you really want to be on tenterhooks for – that will start the countdown. Perhaps that’ll come in in December for March-ish launch.

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Sony’s WH-1000XM6: what we’d like to see
Bose-beating noise cancellation: Sony has gone from being a total leader here to being merely very good. Bose’s latest noise cancelling headphones have exceptional ANC that beats Sony, so let’s see if Sony can reclaim the crown.

Better battery life: Sony has basically dictated the average for this for years now, hitting 30 hours consistently. But when the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless and Cambridge Audio P100 can hit 60 hours, Sony should really offer us more. I’m not holding my breath for this, though.

Water resistance: This is something that’s increasingly common among rivals, and it would be nice to see some official IP ratings.

The return of the fold: The XM5’s revised design made the headphones less portable, which was a surprise – they could return to our list of the best travel headphones with this tweak. The headband could do with a bit more padding too, while I’m complaining.

Dolby Atmos spatial audio: No doubt Sony’s 360 Reality Audio will be here again, but with Dolby Atmos supported by several music services and – even more importantly, all the big movie services, we’d love to see support here. Especially if it comes with Dolby’s own head-tracking, which is excellent on the Sonos Ace and LG Tone Free T90S.

USB-C audio: Easy true hi-res audio from phones and laptops? Many of the best wireless headphones offer this, but Bose doesn’t, so Sony can get one up on its old rival.

Xiaomi 15, Honor Magic 7, and more Android phones confirmed to feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite

Android fans have a lot to look forward to in 2025

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra (left) and Honor Magic 7 Pro (right) (Image credit: Future / Honor)
Qualcomm debuted its Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset at Snapdragon Summit 2024, and various phone makers have since come forward to confirm that their upcoming flagships will be powered by the all-new (and all-powerful) mobile platform. Qualcomm flew TechRadar to Hawaii and hosted us at the Snapdragon Summit to hear all of the latest news.

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Both Xiaomi and Honor joined Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon on stage in Hawaii to announce that the Xiaomi 15 and Honor Magic 7 series, respectively, will launch this month (likely in China) with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset.

Asus, too, confirmed that the upcoming Asus ROG Phone 9 will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, and Samsung mobile chief TM Roh also appeared at Snapdragon Summit to reaffirm his company’s ongoing partnership with Qualcomm. Roh didn’t mention the Samsung Galaxy S25 series by name, but you can bet your house that the best Samsung phones we see in 2025 will come packing the Snapdragon 8 Elite (disclaimer: that’s not serious financial advice).

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Xiaomi SVP Adam Zeng announcing the Xiaomi 15 on stage at Snapdragon Summit(Image credit: Future)

Honor CMO Ray Guo announcing the Honor Magic 7 Pro on stage at Snapdragon Summit(Image credit: Honor)

In other words, it’s highly likely that many of next year’s best Android phones will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, with Samsung’s Galaxy S25 series being the first of that number to ship in the US, UK, and Australia (we’re anticipating a January release date). Those aforementioned models from Xiaomi, Honor, and OnePlus will presumably debut in China first, before launching internationally at a later date in 2025.

As for how the Snapdragon 8 Elite stacks up against its predecessor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, it’s the first Snapdragon mobile chipset to feature Qualcomm’s second-generation Oryon CPU, and has been designed to “handle the complexities of multi-modal AI” much more efficiently.

Any phones equipped with Qualcomm’s latest chipset will deliver faster app launches, more seamless multitasking, and more powerful generative AI capabilities than their Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-equipped predecessors, and mobile gamers, too, will benefit from sharper images, smoother gameplay, and longer gameplay sessions thanks to the 8 Elite’s improved Adreno GPU.

iQOO 13 with Snapdragon 8 Elite and RGB halo light launches soon

iQOO 13 will launch on October 30 in China (Image source: iQOO)

Qualcomm has just made the Snapdragon 8 Elite official, and it seems that the iQOO 13 will be the first gaming-focused flagship smartphone to feature it. The company has announced that the phone will be released on October 30 in China.
iQOO has announced the launch date of its new flagship gaming phone, the iQOO 13. Powered by the newly announced Snapdragon 8 Elite, the smartphone will be fully unveiled on October 30 in China. The company has also officially revealed the device’s color options.

This new gaming smartphone will launch in four color options: white, black, gray, and green. They all come with the RGB halo light that leaked a couple of days ago. This light surrounds the rear camera island of the iQOO 13, and it’s a unique design element of the device.

Previously, iQOO confirmed that the gaming phone will come with a 6.82-inch OLED display with 144 Hz refresh rate. It’s a BOE Q10 display, and it will feature an under-display ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, something that the OnePlus 13 is also expected to feature.

The company has also confirmed that the iQOO 13 will pair the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset with an in-house Q2 gaming chipset. This combination is said to offer PC-level super-resolution and allow the smartphone to deliver native-level 144 FPS gameplay.

While the official pictures confirm a triple-camera setup on the back, the company has yet to detail the sensors. However, past reports suggested that the iQOO 13 will feature the same primary camera as the other Vivo flagships. iQOO hasn’t shared the pricing details either. The good thing is that the launch is about a week away, so you don’t have to wait long to find out all about this gaming phone.

iQOO 13 white (Image source: iQOO)

iQOO 13 grey (Image source: iQOO)

iQOO 13 black (Image source: iQOO)

iQOO 13 green (Image source: iQOO)

The Xiaomi 15 Will Launch This Month With the Snapdragon 8 Elite Chip

The first phone with Qualcomm’s new chip will be Xiaomi’s next flagship device.

A man stands on stage in front of a presentation with "Snapdragon 8 Elite Global Debue: Xiaomi 15 Series" on the screen behind him

On stage at Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii, the chipmaker introduced its newest silicon for premium phones, the Snapdragon 8 Elite. Soon after, Xiaomi took the stage to declare that the first device to use this chip would be its own flagship Xiaomi 15, which is coming by the end of October.

Xiaomi senior vice president Adam Zeng made the announcement, detailing the first performance advantages the Snapdragon 8 Elite will bring to phones. The Xiaomi 15 series has a 29.7% decrease in power consumption and runs 3 degrees Celsius cooler at peak temperatures. Given Qualcomm’s emphasis on battery efficiency in the new Snapdragon 8 Elite, this is the first real-world example of how the chip improves phones.

A man stands on stage in front of a presentation showing specs advancements.

Xiaomi did the same thing at last year’s Snapdragon Summit when it revealed the Xiaomi 14 would be the first phone to run last year’s leading Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. It was the Xiaomi 14 Ultra released back in April that impressed me with its fast speeds, great cameras and AI features.

Qualcomm says its Snapdragon 8 Elite offers many advancements thanks to its Oryon CPU, which debuted in the company’s PC chips last year. On mobile, this promises higher performance as well as greater efficiency, especially when performing intensive tasks. For example, phones using the chip can game for 2.5 hours longer, Qualcomm says. The new chip also offers more generative AI features.

More phones will use the Snapdragon 8 Elite, including the Asus ROG Phone 9 which is set to launch in November, but the Xiaomi 15 will be the first across the finish line to show what the chip is capable of. We’ll have to wait and see how (and if) it harnesses the additional generative AI and camera capabilities debuting in the Snapdragon 8 Elite.

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The Snapdragon 8 Elite is built to lengthen battery life and boost performance on upcoming premium Android phones.

A person holds a phone sideways to play games.

The new chip will enable even more generative AI capabilities, which became the showcase feature that tech companies scrambled to integrate into their products this year. The smartphone industry had its own competitive race toward generative AI starting with the Galaxy AI-equipped Samsung Galaxy S24 in January, while the iPhone 16 series is set to get parts of Apple Intelligence in a future update. While nascent with only a few standout features thus far, Qualcomm’s next chip aims to support more features that will give users even more reason to buy Snapdragon 8 Elite-equipped phones.

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The Snapdragon 8 Elite builds on the foundation laid by Qualcomm’s previous chip, last year’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which was the company’s first chip capable of generative AI capabilities. The new chip includes even more AI expertise, such as support for an AI assistant to use the camera to recognize objects in real time, and a new trick that generates lighting so that your artificially well-lit face shows up in videos with bright backgrounds. That’s in addition to features that were available on the previous-generation chip, like image generation through Stable Diffusion and expanding photos beyond their original boundaries.

The chip has an improved neural processing unit, with more cores resulting, in what Qualcomm claims, is up to 45% faster AI performance and better power efficiency. The NPU now integrates multimodal generative AI applications on the device, meaning it can handle inputs from multiple sensors and data sources (audio, video, personal info and more) to answer queries.

The 8 Elite can support more than 70 tokens per second, a metric for how many inputs (text, photos and so on) can be considered when answering queries.

A phone held sideways in hand with a night photo exploding out of the frame.

While the previous three years of Qualcomm top-tier chips were Snapdragon Gen 1, Gen 2 and Gen 3, the Snapdragon 8 Elite breaks from its naming convention to signify it’s the best of the best, Qualcomm says. That’s because the 8 Elite is the first of the company’s mobile chips to use the new Qualcomm-designed Oryon CPU. To wit, the company introduced its Snapdragon X Elite PC chips a year ago, which were the first to pack Oryon CPUs.

The 8 Elite uses a second-generation Oryon CPU with a 3-nanometer process (smaller than the 4nm of last year’s Kryo CPU), which helps enable the chip’s 45% greater efficiency. Upgrades in chip architecture have led to 45% better overall performance, but the more interesting benefit is a 62% improvement in web browsing performance — meaning consumers should see websites and web-based apps load faster.

“I think we’ve all experienced one time or another that a website, even though your phone is great, slows down and is labored. So [the Oryon CPU] is going to provide a [browsing] experience that rivals any kind of desktop,” Chris Patrick, a Qualcomm senior vice president and general manager of the mobile handset division, said in a briefing.

This won’t just make it faster to load websites. Many modern apps and software rely on web browsing, so having a CPU designed to speed that up will have knock-on improvements to services consumers use every day.

That improved efficiency applies to high-intensity activities like gaming, and Qualcomm says its new chip enables up to 2.5 hours of additional playtime.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite also improves camera performance, mainly through a new ISP with better AI touches on autofocus, white balance and exposure, all of which happens behind the scenes and should result in better photos. The NPU can also now directly access the camera sensors themselves for real-time enhancements, including for video. Phonemakers can plug their camera algorithms directly into this pipeline.

The 8 Elite also has a round of connectivity improvements mainly due to — you guessed it — AI. The X80 5G Modem uses AI on multiantenna management to better juggle signals for clearer connections, while the FastConnect 7900 integrates Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to reduce latency. This makes it possible for calls leaving Bluetooth range to hand off the connection to Wi-Fi to keep the call going.

We’ll have to wait until new phones with the Snapdragon 8 Elite actually launch to see how much of a difference the new chip makes. But based on Qualcomm’s claims, it sounds like the chip should bring a mix of general and AI-fueled upgrades to the next generation of Android phones.

Hands-On with the Vivo X200 Pro: An Ultra-level Photography Powerhouse with AI Smarts

Vivo launched their flagship product Vivo X200 series in China at Beijing’s famous Water Cube, also known as the National Aquatics Center. We got our hands on the device a few days in advance, so our team had some time to play and test it before going into in-depth review.

In case you were wondering how the phone feels in real life, here’s a quick first impression of the Vivo X200 Pro.

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The Vivo X200 Pro is Sleek but Chunky
The X200 Pro feels premium right out of the box. With its flat edges and metal frame, it gives us some serious flagship vibes. We’ve got the Blue Sapphire model, which mimics the ocean waves under light. I’m not sure if everyone would love this, but it definitely stands out.

The almost-flat display is a refreshing change from the curved screens we’ve been seeing everywhere. It’s got a nice heft to it, striking a balance between solid and comfortable—that is, until you get to the camera bump.

So let’s address the elephant in the room: that camera island is huge if we still take it as a Pro model. It’s big enough to be called an “ultra,” dominating the back of the phone, especially when we learned that the camera also inherited quite a lot from the X100 Ultra. While it houses a triple-lens setup, there’s an extra ‘lens-like’ circle up top that’s more for show than function. It balances out the look, but don’t be fooled — it’s not a fourth camera.

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vivo X200 Pro in for review - GSMArena.com news

Camera App goes all in on AI
The camera app on the X200 Pro has gotten a serious glow-up. Vivo has added a bunch of AI features that make shooting a breeze. But note that almost all the fantastic custom features were developed for domestic users with various Chinese applications. For overseas markets, the brand has to work with Google’s Gemini. But there’s no doubt that OriginOS 5 intrigues me significantly more.

What if add some AI features to portrait mode? The X200 series gives you the answer. There’re four-season styles plus a Chinese style for auto post-modification. It makes the camera look fun, but only if you wait a minute or two.

Auto mode & AI visual ON in Portrait mode
The portrait mode is smarter than ever, and the landscape mode? It’s like they took the best bits of all the modes related to non-figure photography such as super night mode, pano mode, and star trails mode, and mashed them together. The software manager’s logic I guess is that they want to differentiate the custom modes into two categories, one for portrait and one for landscape. They’re like two folders, with the benefit of being easy to tell apart. The downside is that you have to ‘open’ them first (switch to them) – a step that may already be difficult for average users. One of my favorite features among the upgrades is the Zeiss Perspective Correction. When you look up a bit to shoot certain scenes, especially like architecture, you’ll always be annoyed by the perspective. On the X200 series, it would automatically crop and generate a horizontal perspective for users in real-time. It can instantly enhance the look and composition of your photos.

Further, video capabilities have taken a giant leap forward, especially in dark environments. We’re talking 4K at 120fps and even 8K at 30fps, which are all working well for dark scenarios. And for all you vloggers out there, there’s a new portrait video mode that’s bound to up your game. Initial quality of the videos was quite impressive but we want to test out the camera in detail for our final verdict. More importantly, it has a lot of fun that we couldn’t experience all in a moment.

The main camera is shifted to a brand-new sensor, SONY LTY818, sized at 1/1.28″. It’s claimed to have even better video-shooting capabilities. The 3.7x (85mm focus length & F/2.67) telephoto lens comes with the same setup as the vivo X100 Ultra’s – the impressive Zeiss 200MP APO telephoto lens.

Under the Hood: Dimensity 9400 Powerhouse
Powering all this goodness is the latest MTK Dimensity 9400 chip. We’re still running some benchmarks (Antutu Benchmark: the first mobile chipset exceeds 3,000,000), so stay tuned for the nitty-gritty performance details. But so far, the phone has been very smooth, we can expect the chip to deliver.

One of the coolest features we’ve played with on the phone is the BlueLM AI large model. You can actually download the local algorithm package for offline use, such as Image Stylization and Document Summarization, which is pretty neat. We’ve been having a fun time with image generation, text recognition, and instant translation. Another new software feature that caught my interest is ‘Circle to Search’. Just circle any objects or items on the display to search for their information. It can be triggered in any app while just holding two fingers on the screen for a few seconds. The results? Surprisingly accurate most of the time.

If you missed our X200 launch article, let me remind you that there’s a Pro Mini model as well. It has a very unique placement (compact in size), which is a refreshing change from all the Ultras and the Pro Maxes we’ve been seeing. We also have a detailed article explaining the entire Vivo X200 series, which will be out very soon.

In addition, Vivo and MediaTek have jointly developed and globally premiered the kilometer-level network-less communication technology, which realizes point-to-point and long-distance communication through Bluetooth connection in a network-less and signal-less environment. Supports SOS text broadcasting, one-to-one voice/text intercom, map location display, etc. Within a certain distance, you can form a local network of communication with other Vivo users by turning your phone into a walkie-talkie.

To sum up, the Vivo X200 Pro is shaping up to be a serious contender in the high-end smartphone market. With its focus on photography, powerful chip, and AI capabilities, it’s clear Vivo is gunning for the top spot. Sure, that camera bump is huge and might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re all about that photo and video life, this is definitely a phone to check out.

As for the battery, I would draw my conclusion first here – it feels like the premium phone with the longest battery life I’ve ever used. More details will be revealed in our in-depth review.

Please stay tuned for our full review, where we’ll dive deeper into the benchmarks, battery life, and how it holds up in day-to-day use.

In the meantime, what feature of the X200 Pro are you most excited about?