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Cue the theme songs for Stranger Things, The Last of Us, Andor and more this year.

Alignments of five or more planets are rare—there will be two more featuring five or more planets this year, but after that the next won’t happen until 2040.

• Motorola has announced refreshes for its Moto G and Moto G Power budget phones
• The new handsets aim to bring an enhanced entertainment experience, with large displays and 5000mAh batteries
• The Moto G launches on January 30, while the Moto G Power launches on February 6

Motorola has released the newly refreshed Moto G and Moto G Power budget smartphones, bringing flagship-level features to highly affordable handsets.

Both phones are refreshes of existing models, but in both cases they bring a number of high-quality features at very low price points – in fact, the new Moto G costs just a few cents more than a quarter of the price of a new iPhone 16.

The new Moto G features a 6.7-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1000 nits of maximum brightness, protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The phone sports a water-resistant design (no IP rating given yet) that resembles the previous generation Moto G.

As for internals, the phone comes with a MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset, a midrange platform that can also be found powering budget phones from Oppo and TCL. The Moto G comes equipped with a 50MP main camera and a 2MP macro camera, too.

The new Moto G (pictured) features a 5000mAh battery (Image credit: Motorola )

The Moto G Power is a slightly upgraded version of the Moto G, with a few choice improvements. The display is bumped up from 6.7 inches to a 6.8-inch panel, and the phone has received dual IP68 and IP69 ratings, offering complete dust and water protection. It packs the same MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor as its smaller sibling.

Furthermore, the Moto G Power is rated at the MIL-STD-810H certification for durability, offering extended protection against extreme temperatures and drops of more than three feet.

Additionally, the Moto G Power gets an 8MP ultra-wide camera alongside the 50MP main and 2MP macro cameras found on the standard Moto G.

Both phones have the same 5000mAh battery capacity, with support for 30W wired charging (the Moto G Power gets 15W wireless charging, too). Additionally, both phones have had their speaker systems retooled, with support for Dolby Atmos and hi-res audio, as well as a proprietary bass boost technology, and both offer support for 5G connectivity.

The Moto G will launch on January 30 at a retail price of $199. The Moto G Power will launch on February 6 for $299. We've reached out to Motorola to check on UK and Australia pricing and availability and will update this article in due course.

If you can’t wait until the new Moto G phones release, be sure to check out our lists of the best Motorola phones and the best cheap phones.

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• The Connectivity Standards Alliance teased an update to the Zigbee protocol
• The update will let Zigbee devices like Hue lights work as occupancy sensors
• We don't yet have a timeline for when the feature might be rolled out

Your Philips Hue lights could soon get a lot smarter thanks to a free firmware update that would let them do double-duty as occupancy sensors. It involves an update to the Zigbee wireless protocol, and could allow your bulbs and lamps to detect your presence without the need for any extra hardware.

When you connect your smart lights, switches and other devices to a Philips Hue Bridge, it creates a mesh network using the Zigbee protocol. This allows all the devices to communicate with the Bridge and one another, and receive over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates to fix bugs and add new features.

This week, the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), the organization behind Zigbee, announced a new feature called Ambient Sensing that will let Zigbee devices like Hue lights sense whether you're home without any extra hardware. It will be available for both new and legacy devices, and will be rolled out via an OTA update.

In a short video, the CSA explained that Ambient Sensing will "unlock new user experiences such as autonomous lighting control and home security, all while enjoying the privacy of running 100% locally without adding occupancy sensors in every room."

When is it coming?

As Mike Robinson of TechCrawlr explains, it's still early days for Ambient Sensing. The CSA hasn't offered a timeline for when it will roll out, and Signify (the company behind Philips Hue) hasn't given any indication of whether it'll be available for Hue bulbs and lamps. Nevertheless, it seems like a natural addition to the Hue system, and could even replace the Philips Hue Intelligent Indoor Motion Sensor.

Fabian of Hueblog.com (a reliable source of early information on Philips Hue) claims to have insider information on the subject, including some details of requirements for Ambient Sensing.

"According to the information available to me, the Philips Hue function requires at least three light sources in a room, which must be placed at a certain distance and in a suitable shape," Fabian says. "A permanent power supply to the light sources is of course essential. It should also be possible to set the intensity of the motion detection."

Signify already has some interesting plans for the coming year, including an AI assistant that will create custom lighting scenes for you using voice commands, but this sounds like a more practical, and potentially more useful feature. I'll keep my ear to the ground for more news and keep you updated as soon as I know more.

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• A blog post hinted that the free Windows 11 upgrade might only be available for a limited time
• Microsoft has taken down that blog post
• The software giant clarified in no uncertain terms that the free upgrade does not have any time limit attached

The free upgrade to Windows 11 won’t be canned when Windows 10 runs out of support, as a recent hint dropped by Microsoft seemed to indicate might be a possibility.

This stemmed from a blog post written about the free upgrade to Windows 11, where in the headline, the author had noted that this offer would run “for a limited time only.”

If you recall, I discussed this at length earlier this week, concluding that it seemed unlikely Microsoft would close the door on those who want to move from Windows 10 to Windows 11. But that at the same time, it certainly represented a hint that this could happen, backed up by the fact Microsoft has always had a caveat in place with the freebie upgrade, that it “reserves the right to eventually end support for the free offer.”

Well, it seems that any worries about this were misplaced, as Microsoft has removed the blog post in question.

Windows Latest picked up the ditching of the article, and also heard directly from Microsoft that it was taken down because it contained incorrect information. Indeed, Microsoft clarified that the free upgrade to Windows 11 is “not a limited-time deal” putting any doubt out of the minds of Windows 10 users who aren’t yet ready to make the leap (but are planning to eventually).

Furthermore, this blog post also told us that Microsoft 365 apps would stop working on Windows 10 when its support expired in October 2025, which isn’t true, the software giant separately confirmed.

(Image credit: Shutterstock - Wachiwit) Analysis: A throwaway line in a now-thrown-away post

It seems we can all rest easy about any vague possibility of Microsoft canning the free upgrade, then. Although never say never, I guess, particularly as there is that caveat mentioned above, but if the offer is ever taken off the table, it probably won’t be for a long time yet.

Naturally, Microsoft still wants to push Windows 11 adoption, as the numbers of Windows 10 users migrating across to the newer operating system have been well below what the software giant doubtless expected.

Compared to the pace of Windows 7 and 8 users transferring over to Windows 10, the move from that OS to Windows 11 has been woefully sluggish. (Although gamers have embraced Windows 11 with more enthusiasm, to be fair, and it is actually more popular than Windows 10 now, at least on Steam).

So, what happened with the now-deleted blog post? It seems like a simple mistake, and a possible theory is that it was a throwaway line added at the last minute (maybe by an editor). I say that because there was no mention of any time limit for the Windows 11 free upgrade anywhere in the body text of the article – it was only referred to in the headline, and that always seemed odd.

If you’re running Windows 10, and have been putting off upgrading – as opposed to being ruled out of Windows 11 by the steeper hardware requirements – I’d suggest you start getting your house in order regarding the move now. Before you know it, January will be over, and then February, and then… let’s put it this way, you’ll be facing down October 2025 (when Windows 10 support ends) before you know it.

Start the planning now, in terms of finding out what you might have to do (such as enabling TPM 2.0 in the BIOS of your motherboard, which is one of the common hurdles preventing upgrades – but it’s easily overcome with the flick of a switch in the firmware).

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• Garmin has released its Q1 public beta
• It includes software upgrades for the Forerunner, Venu, and other popular Garmins
• Strength training workouts are now included in existing coaching plans, and there's a Body Battery upgrade too

Garmin has just rolled out its Q1 public software beta for the best Garmin watches on the market, bringing enrolled users a slew of new software upgrades to start the year.

Garmin's public beta program gives enrolled users automatic software updates containing features not yet available to the public, for the purposes of testing and feedback.

The Q1 release is no different, and is an exciting look at the free software upgrades other Garmin users can expect later this year. While not every upgrade is available for every model, there's at least one upgrade for every major device, including the premium Fenix and Epix models, the Forerunner range, and everyday models like the Garmin Venu 3 and Garmin Lily 2.

The Q1 headline is an upgrade to strength workouts, which are now included in existing running and cycling programs, rather than just as standalone plans. It means runners and cyclists training for a specific goal can incorporate strength and conditioning into their workout, with options for full gym access or bodyweight-only workouts. Here's the full breakdown.

Garmin's Q1 beta upgrade

(Image credit: Garmin)

There are five main upgrades in the Q1 Garmin beta cycle. As mentioned, the strength workouts incorporated into Garmin Coach running and cycling plans is the main upgrade for Coach. These will be available on the Garmin Fenix 8, Garmin Enduro 3, Forerunners 255/265/955/965, and the Edge 540/840/1040/1050/Explore 2 ranges of cycling computers.

The Q1 beta also adds workout execution score improvements to the Garmin Fenix 8, Enduro 3, Fenix 7, Pro, Epix, Enduro 3, Tactix 7, and Quatix 7.

Fenix 8 and Enduro 3 users also benefit from a new update keyboard that promises simpler and more efficient typing, including QWERTY alphabet and symbols layout, autocorrect, predictive takes, and switching between different keyboard layouts.

Finally, Garmin's Body Battery now supports TrueUp, which means your Garmin Body Battery score will draw on data gathered from multiple activity trackers. Metrics taken into account now include Calories, Floors, Intensity Minutes, Steps, and Step distance traveled.

This is great news for dedicated Garmin owners with more than one watch, perhaps a dedicated running watch as well as an all-rounder. This feature is available on every Garmin smartwatch available to enrol in the beta: all of the aforementioned models, plus the Venu 3, Garmin Vivoactive 5, and the Garmin Forerunner 165. You can see the breakdown below.

(Image credit: Garmin)

You can sign up for the Garmin public beta on the company's website, enrolled devices should get the Q1 public beta automatically as a software update.

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• A new rumor suggests the OLED MacBook Air has been delayed until 2029
• OLED tech could push the price up, so a delay isn’t the worst news
• By 2029, OLED could be much more affordable

Apple’s MacBook Air packs in a surprising amount of quality considering it’s the company’s most affordable laptop, with a blazing-fast chip and superb build quality making it feel far more premium than it should. Yet it’s always lacked a truly flagship feature – an OLED display – and a new rumor suggests that we’ll now be waiting until 2029 to see that tech make its debut in Apple’s laptop.

That’s according to leaker Jukanlosreve on X, who cites Korean outlet The Elec to claim that the apparently poor sales performance of the OLED iPad Pro has led Apple to push back the OLED MacBook Air’s release date. It’s not the first time we’ve heard of a delay to the OLED MacBook Air, and it might sound strange to hear it, but I’m actually glad that there’s more evidence it’s been postponed.

That’s not because I’m some partisan OLED hater – no, I would love to see an OLED panel one day grace the MacBook Air. But I’m concerned that adding OLED would compromise the MacBook Air’s best feature: its price.

OLED is a costly addition to any computer, and there’s no doubt that bringing it to the MacBook Air would push up its price. Right now, you can buy an M2 MacBook Air for under $1,000 / £1,000, with the speedy M3 model costing just $100 / £100 more. How long would we be able to continue saying that if OLED was part of the equation?

Still the best Apple laptop for most people

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

After all, the MacBook Air is not a laptop designed for Apple’s most demanding users – that’s a role fulfilled by the MacBook Pro. Instead, the MacBook Air is for everyone else, and its combination of fair price and a sprinkling of quality features means that in most cases, it’s the best Apple laptop for most people.

I’d be willing to bet that the majority of Apple’s MacBook Air customers care a lot more about the price than they do about their laptop’s display tech. After all, they’re not demanding pros who need the best of the best – they just want a solid laptop that performs well enough for their needs and lasts them years. The MacBook Air fulfils that role superbly right now. Would it be able to if it got a high-end upgrade that its users don’t need and a price rise that they definitely don’t want?

Ultimately, the report from The Elec doesn’t say that Apple will never bring OLED to the MacBook Air, just that it’s been delayed until 2029. By that point, OLED costs might have fallen enough that the price impact will be minimal, in which case we could have our cake and eat it, too.

That would be a great time to introduce OLED to the MacBook Air. Right now, though, keeping the price low is probably what most MacBook Air fans care more about.

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• A new scam is circulating on Steam that could risk your account
• It takes the form of a phony play test invite
• Protect yourself by not clicking any suspicious links

PC gamers beware, a new scam is circulating on the highly popular Steam platform that could very well compromise your account and risk your entire game library.

As spotted by some eagle eyed Reddit users, it takes the form of a phishing link sent via direct message. It purports to be an official playtest invitation, in this example allegedly for the upcoming game Mafia: The Old Country. The text accompanying the link states that “You have been invited to join a Steam Playtest!” and need to “Visit the invite link below to add it to your Steam Library!”

The link preview shows the logo of the game and reaffirms that “You have been invited to join the open playtest for Mafia: The Old Country.” At first glance, the link looks pretty legitimate, with the first half of the official Steam store URL, but if you’re paying close attention you can spot some extra text added on that reveals it is not the genuine domain.

Thankfully, it looks like the page from this specific scam has already been taken down, but it’s not difficult to imagine what it could be. You should, of course, never click any dodgy links, but if you did it would likely lead to a fake login page that would then harvest your Steam account details or potentially even initiate a download for some malicious software to hijack your PC.

The repercussions of falling for this kind of phishing attack could be severe, locking you out of your account or risking exposing your personal details to cyber criminals. Always treat any message that contains a link with suspicion, even if it comes from someone you trust - their account could have been hacked. Steam will thankfully also warn you if you try to open an external page, which should prompt you to think twice.

The platform does have its own play test invite system, but it is rarely used and any such invitations will appear in your Steam notifications tab rather than in the form of a message.

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• The iPhone 17 series could add vapor chamber cooling
• It would reduce overheating and improve performance
• The iPhone 16 has had fewer heat issues than the iPhone 15

While the launch of the iPhone 17 is still some way out, there's already plenty in the way of leaks and rumors to get stuck into – such as a report that the new smartphone series will get a vapor chamber cooling system to head off any overheating issues.

This comes from supply chain sources speaking to MyDrivers (via Wccftech), and their prediction is that all four models will get vapor chamber heatsinks. It's something we've seen in numerous Android phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S24.

We have seen a few complaints about overheating with the iPhone 16, though the issue doesn't seem to be anywhere near as widespread as it was with the iPhone 15, with some users seeing the problem persist for several months.

This is reflected in the report from MyDrivers, which says heat management has been improved on the iPhone 16 but adds that there are still lingering issues, particularly with the A18 Pro chipset fitted inside the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.

What's a vapor chamber anyway?

Phones like the Galaxy S24 already have a vapor chamber (Image credit: Future | Roland Moore-Colyer)

You can think of vapor chambers as next-level cooling for smartphones (and other gadgets). They contain small amounts of liquid that evaporates when it heats up, before cooling and condensing to release the heat.

The addition of liquid means heat can be carried away from overloaded components – chiefly the phone processor – more efficiently. These chambers do take up more room than conventional cooling systems, though, which may be why Apple hasn't used one before.

If chipsets can stay cooler they're less likely to crash, and they can hit higher performance levels more often; the principle is the same in a phone as it is in a desktop computer. It should mean the iPhone 17 handsets can offer big improvements in speed.

We can expect lots more in terms of upgrades when the iPhone 17 series arrives later this year, including upgrades to the cameras, a subtle redesign, and perhaps a brand-new model called the iPhone 17 Air.

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• OneStream report finds CEOs and CFOs recognize data is overwhelming workers
• Despite this, leaders also know data-based decision-making is crucial
• AI-enhanced unified data systems can help unlock new insights

Britain’s push to “mainline AI in [its] veins” could be overloading businesses with data, effectively hampering businesses’ abilities to leverage AI effectively, new research has claimed.

More than two-thirds (69%) of CFOs now state that overwhelming data volumes are preventing them from being able to prioritize growth, findings from OneStream have claimed.

Three-quarters (74%) of CEOs and CFOs (and 72% in the UK) acknowledge data-based decision-making is among the key determinants of organizational success, with the same percentage of CFOs believing that AI and automation will “completely” reshape organizations’ finance functions in the next decade.

We’re overloaded with AI data

However, several challenges lay ahead. Seven in 10 CFOs say that silos restrict the flow of information between departments, and even more say that legacy systems (72%) and skills gaps (78%) are preventing them from being able to grow.

"In today’s evolving environment, UK CFOs are facing a double-edged sword when it comes to data," commented OneStream CFO Bill Koefoed. "While the vast amounts of information at their disposal hold tremendous potential, the overwhelming volume makes it difficult to gain critical insights and drive timely decision-making.”

Furthermore three-quarters (76%) of CEOs believe their CFOs are struggling to prioritize business growth due to an overwhelming volume of data and information.

Ironically, the report reveals how AI- and ML-enhanced unified data systems can help businesses consolidate their data in order to further benefit from artificial intelligence in daily operations and decision-making.

“To turn this challenge into an opportunity, CFOs must leverage technology to create a single source of truth within the organisation to make the process of using data easier and drive sustainable growth," Koefoed concluded.

The news comes amid a troubling outlook for the UK in the year ahead – a turbulent economy is threatening the nation with slower GDP growth, inflation and jobs market challenges.

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• The Nintendo Switch 2 could avoid its predecessor's stock shortage issues
• The company is expected to supply around 20 million units in year one
• That's likely enough to cover first year demand worldwide

The Nintendo Switch 2 is expected to be readily available when it launches later in 2025, with analysts predicting a huge improvement to supply over the original Switch console.

As reported by Bloomberg, analysts are expecting Nintendo's suppliers to ship around 20 million units to retailers in the console's first year on the market. This appears to be a big jump from the original Nintendo Switch console, which was infamously difficult to find stock of worldwide in its first year.

20 million is a pretty impressive amount considering the original Switch managed worldwide sales of 13.12 million in its first year, according to Statista. Of course, there may still be shortages in some regions based on how this initial batch of stock is distributed across the globe, but it does point to the console being much easier to get your hands on overall.

Even though Nintendo has now officially revealed the Switch 2, there are still plenty of unknowns with the upcoming hardware. We don't know how much it will cost (though we are expecting it to be pricier than the 2017 console and possibly even the Nintendo Switch OLED), and we don't have a more concrete release window than a vague '2025.'

Still, with the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct airing on April 2 and with in-person Switch 2 Experience events happening between April and June, we're not convinced it'll make the first half of 2025. That could give Nintendo more time to manufacture stock that's more in line with demand. And now, following the massive success of the Switch, the company will no doubt have a better idea when it comes to overall demand.

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• Allianz survey finds cybersecurity is the most common business concern
• Businesses are also worried about interruptions and new technologies
• AI could help give us better data analytics and insights

Insurance giant Allianz has revealed cyberattacks such as data breaches, ransomware and other IT disruptions, are now considered to be many businesses’ primary concern.

The news comes as the number of cyberattacks continue to rise globally amid ongoing geopolitical fallout and advancements in artificial intelligence, which has increased the accessibility of malware to more attackers.

Other noteworthy factors seen to be putting companies at risk include business interruption (31%), changes in legislation and regulation (25%) and new technologies (10%).

Businesses are worried about cybersecurity

Cited as a primary concern for 38% of global survey participants, cyber incidents are a bigger cause for concern in the UK, where 41% of companies expressed anxiety. A further 19 countries cited cybersecurity as their main concern, including France, Germany, India and the US.

Moreover, the second-most popular concern, business interruption, could also include the consequences of cyber incidents, which makes the risk even larger than the figures suggest.

“For many companies, cyber risk, exacerbated by rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), is the big risk overriding everything else. It is likely to remain a top risk for organizations going forward, given the growing reliance on technology," noted Allianz Commercial Global Head of Cyber Risk Consulting Rishi Baviskar.

Around halfway through 2024 we saw how our reliance on technology can cause major disruptions – a faulty Crowdstrike update caused an outage which took millions of Windows Server devices offline.

Looking around, conflict in the Middle East, Ukraine and Southeast Asia is continuing to affect larger organizations; the category also made its first appearance in the top 10 list of threats faced by small and medium-sized businesses.

Allianz says that, although rapid technological developments can be frightening, they can help deliver “better data analytics, predictive insights and more agile response capabilities.”

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Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Two-minute review

Honor's Magic 6 Pro made a splash last year, debuting at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) expo in February with a massive battery, a unique camera system, and some novel software features. Now, the brand is back with its flagship offering for 2025, and it's hoping to one-up itself in every department.

The Honor Magic 7 Pro has adopted a more boxy design for 2025, as is the trend, and it now has flat side rails and subtle symmetrical ‘micro curves’ at the edge of its display. The camera bump is less outlandish, too, and the ‘squircle’ bezel has been toned down to make less of a statement. Overall, I think it's an improvement.

The camera hardware is mostly the same, but the telephoto has a few more megapixels and can now get you even closer to distant subjects. These cameras can take fantastic photos, but the image processing is a little inconsistent, and I got more blurry images than usual. Hopefully, this will be tweaked in future firmware updates. The Studio Harcourt portrait mode, developed in collaboration with the legendary Paris photography studio, never failed to impress, at least.

(Image credit: Future)

The battery on this model is even larger than the one in the Magic 6 Pro, and this is easily one of the longest-lasting flagship phones I’ve tested. You can get two days on a full charge without trying particularly hard, and when it's time to charge you can get topped up in a flash, with the Magic 7 Pro supporting up to 100W charging with a cable and 80W with the right wireless charger.

Performance is exceptional. You get the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, plus a suite of software enhancements and an NPU (neural processing unit) co-processor to keep games running smoothly. Honor's Magic OS 9 adds some useful features like Magic Portal, as well as relatively new AI features that have already become familiar favorites, like Circle to Search and Google Gemini.

Overall, this is a superb phone, with a great balance of specs and features that make it a pleasure to use. The software won't be to everyone's taste, and the camera could use some tweaking, but otherwise, this is easily one of the finest flagship phones available today.

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

• Costs £1,099.99
• Available in the UK and Europe, but not the US or Australia

The Honor Magic 7 Pro is available to order now in most regions. As usual, though, the list excludes the US and Australia, so our stateside readers will need to import if they want to get in on the action.

The Magic 7 Pro costs £1,099 in the UK, the exact same price as its predecessor. This means it's more expensive than the Oppo Find X8 Pro and Apple iPhone 16 Pro, but a little cheaper than the Pro Max or Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. That said, the latter phone can currently be purchased for the same price, as it’s been on the market for a while.

Given such premium pricing, Honor will need to impress on all fronts if it’s to remain competitive, and thanks to a pretty stacked spec sheet it could well justify that lofty sum. Plus, Honor always has bundle offers on its devices, so nabbing a few freebies could make the price more palatable.

• Value score: 3 / 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Specs

Here's a look at the Honor Magic 7 Pro's key specs:

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Design Image 1 of 5

(Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 5

(Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 5

(Image credit: Future)Image 4 of 5

(Image credit: Future)Image 5 of 5

(Image credit: Future)

• Velvety-feeling matte glass back
• Breeze Blue, Black, and Lunar Shadow Grey options
• IP68/IP69 dust- and water-resistant

The Honor Magic 7 Pro follows the recent design trend that we've seen with devices like the Vivo X200 Pro and Oppo Find X8 Pro. It ditches the lateral curves of its predecessor in favor of a boxier design. The side rails are completely flat, with beveled edges, while the front and back are mostly flat, with symmetrical ‘micro curves’ on all sides.

The result is a phone that feels a little thicker than Magic 6 Pro, but at the same time it feels premium and confidence-inspiring. It's a similar size to its predecessor, just less curvy, and if you've used any other recent Android flagship, you'll feel right at home.

The global version is available in three colorways: Breeze Blue, Black and Lunar Shadow Grey. There are no vegan leather variants this time around, with all options featuring a velvety-feeling matte glass rear. The Lunar Shadow Grey option is the most striking in my opinion, with a marble-like texture running across the back panel that becomes more visible as the light catches it.

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future)

There's still a large circular and centrally-placed camera island, and it's still surrounded by a ‘squircle’-shaped bezel. However, this time the bezel is decidedly more circular, and it looks a little less outlandish than the Magic 6 Pro did.

The Honor Magic 7 Pro is rated IP68/IP69 for dust and water resistance, which means that as well as being able to handle submersion in freshwater, it can also withstand jets of hot water up to 176F / 80C. I'm not sure when that would ever come in useful, but hey, if you want to scroll Instagram in the shower, your phone should survive it.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Display Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future)

• 6.8-inch quad-curved 120Hz OLED display
• 4320Hz PWM dimming
• 5000 nits peak brightness

The Honor Magic 7 Pro has a 6.8-inch display with a dynamic refresh rate that can shift from 1Hz to 120Hz as needed. It's a mostly flat panel, and the curves only start around the bezels of the display. The result is a screen that resembles an over-filled glass of water.

I’ve never been a huge fan of curved screens – they can invite accidental touches, and cause odd reflections and color shifts at the edges. There's no denying that they feel nice under your fingertips when using gesture controls, though. These new ‘micro curve’ displays offer the best of both worlds, as you get the smooth feel of a curved display without the usual drawbacks. I'm a convert.

The display is covered with Honor's NanoCrystal Shield glass, and after spending months with the Honor Magic 6 RSR (that’s the Porsche Design version of the Magic 6 Pro) last year, I'm confident in saying it's one of the most scratch-resistant coatings in the business. It's also supposedly 10 times more drop-resistant than traditional glass screens, and while I haven't tested that, it's good to know, especially as there's no case included in the box.

A new addition to this model is a layer of circular polarization, which makes the screen slightly less reflective and is easier on the eyes. In theory, according to Honor, it can reduce eye fatigue by up to 16%.

When it comes to brightness, the Honor Magic 7 Pro has lumens to spare. It can peak at a whopping 5000 nits in certain conditions, which means HDR content looks exceptional, and you'll never have trouble seeing it.

As usual, the brand has put plenty of effort into eye-care features. The PWM (pulse-width modulation) dimming rate is one of the highest I've ever seen, topping out at 4320Hz. You'll never have to worry about flicker on this panel, and if that's not enough you can activate eye comfort and low-blue-light modes to keep your peepers feeling fresh.

There's a 3D ultrasonic fingerprint sensor under the display, and a pill-shaped camera cutout housing a 3D face unlock camera. Apparently, this is the first phone to come with both, and it's very convenient. I especially like being able to log into banking apps using my face, and for me that's worth the slightly larger camera cutout.

• Display score: 5 / 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Cameras

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• 50MP main (f/1.4-2.0)
• 200MP 3x telephoto (f/2.6)
• 50MP ultra-wide (f/2.0)

Most of the cameras on the Magic 7 Pro share their specifications with its predecessors’. The main camera still has a 50MP 1/1.3-inch sensor, and a mechanically adjustable aperture that shifts between f/1.4 and f/2. The ultra-wide and selfie cameras seem to be unchanged, too. Both have a 50MP resolution and a f/2 lens.

The telephoto, however, has changed more significantly. The Magic 6 Pro had a 180MP 2.5x optical zoom telephoto snapper, while the Magic 7 Pro upgrades that to a 200MP unit with a 3x lens. It's one of the largest telephoto sensors on the market at 1/1.4-inch, and it's also one of the fastest telephoto cameras, with an f/2.6 aperture.

These days I find myself using the telephoto camera on my smartphone as often, if not more, than the main camera, so I'm pleased to see telephoto specs that come close to matching those of the primary snapper.

I'm still not fully convinced that we need so many megapixels, though. The idea is that you can digitally zoom further with less of a drop in quality, as the high pixel count makes up the difference. In reality, though, it doesn't seem to work so well.

I said the same thing about the Honor Magic 6 Pro, and while this model is an improvement (due to the longer optical focal length) zooming past 10x or so delivers middling and inconsistent results.

Honor's solution to this is something called AI SuperZoom, and it kicks in beyond 30x zoom to clean up your images. At times the results can be quite impressive, but the downsides are plain to see. Images tend to have that watercolor-like effect to them, and sometimes details that don't exist in reality are added in.

I've recently been shooting with the Oppo Find X8 Pro, which has an almost identical feature, but it seems to work a little better than Honor's attempt. In fairness, Honor says this feature is in its infancy, and it will mature and improve over time. It's also worth noting that it requires an internet connection to function, while Oppo's equivalent is processed on-device.

Another new feature in the camera department is the addition of the Studio Harcourt portrait styles that we first saw on the Honor 200 Pro. If you like taking portraits, this is a serious upgrade. The color tuning and blur effects are just as stunning here, and they're only enhanced further by the higher-fidelity optics. The only downside is that, as on the 200 Pro, the feature is restricted to the main and telephoto cameras, so you can't use these effects on your selfies.

All in all, this is a very capable camera system, and it can deliver outstanding shots in all lighting conditions. When it hits, it's among the best camera systems on the market, but it's not the most consistent.

Maybe it's just the pre-release software on the phone I’ve been testing, but I got a lot more blurry shots than I'm used to, and the image processing often pushed the sharpening too far, while blues and greens became over-exaggerated, even when using the Natural picture style.

These problems are all fixable, and I hope we see them addressed in future firmware updates. As it stands, the hardware is impeccable, but the inconsistent processing sometimes leaves you guessing as to how your photos will turn out.

• Cameras score: 4 / 5

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(Image credit: Future) Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Performance and software Image 1 of 3

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• Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset
• 12GB RAM and 512GB storage
• Magic OS 9, based on Android 15

The Honor Magic 7 Pro is powered by Qualcomm's most powerful chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Elite, so you would expect impressive performance. There's only one configuration available on the global market, which comes with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, which should be more than enough to satisfy most users.

Honor has taken things a step further with this phone by utilizing the power of its onboard NPU to further improve performance. The phone has something called an AI Predictive Scheduling Engine, and exactly what that does is a little above my comprehension level, but I think it's a bit like DLSS on a gaming PC.

All you need to know is that, with the aid of some new features in the game overlay, you can achieve better image fidelity and higher framerates without adding additional load to the GPU. This means that you can game at higher settings, with less battery drain and lower temperatures.

In practice, it seems to work exactly as advertised. I played Genshin Impact at maximum settings for a couple of hours, and the phone had no trouble maintaining a solid 60fps. It remained shockingly cool under the pressure – cooler to the touch than even the gaming-specific ROG Phone 9 Pro, in fact.

The gaming experience is also enhanced by a very capable set of speakers. They might be the most bassy speakers ever to grace a smartphone, thanks to an integrated subwoofer and ultra-large sound cavity design, and they really add some oomph to in-game sound effects.

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The Magic 7 Pro runs Magic OS 9, a highly customized version of Android 15, and it's a bit divisive. Personally, I've become quite fond of Magic OS, but it's a very different experience from stock Android. The notifications shade and quick settings menu are split, like they are on iOS, and navigating the system can be a little challenging if you're coming from a phone that offers a more traditional Android experience, like a Google Pixel.

Aside from the layout changes, Honor has heaped on plenty of extra functionality. My personal favorite is Magic Portal, which allows you to select text or an image on your screen and drag it into another app for quick sharing or searching. This feature is now even easier to access, as you can circle things with your knuckle to quickly select them.

You also get plenty of AI-powered features, of course. There's nothing too novel here, but it's all pretty useful. There's an AI translator, the ability to format and transcribe notes with AI, and an array of AI-powered image-editing tools. At some point soon the phone will also use AI to automatically protect you from deepfake video chats – I can't say I've ever received one, but the extra peace of mind is always nice.

Also new this year is the inclusion of Circle to Search and Google Gemini as the default voice assistant. It's getting to the point where most Android phones come with these features, but they’re still worth mentioning because they're great, and I very much miss them when they're not there.

• Performance score: 5 / 5

• Software score: 3 / 5

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Battery

(Image credit: Future)

• 5,850mAh silicon-carbon battery
• 100W wired charging
• 80W wireless charging

There's a lot to love about the Honor Magic 7 Pro, but for me, the best thing might be the battery life. I tested this phone after spending lots of time with the Vivo X200 Pro, which has a mammoth 6,000mAh battery, so I wasn't expecting to be amazed by this slightly smaller 5,850mAh unit – but I was.

Honor has clearly optimized its software very well, and I was able to manage two days on a full charge without even trying. And I managed that more than once, and that's with lots of screen time, navigating maps, shooting lots of photos, and streaming content. It’s just brilliant.

We’ve seen some Chinese manufacturers dial back their charging speeds for this generation, but not Honor. Here you get an impressive 100W wired charging rate, and a staggering 80W with Honor's Wireless SuperCharger.

Unfortunately, there's no charger in the box, but I happened to have the right kit to charge at max speed, and it makes living with this phone extremely convenient. If you have the requisite charger, a wired charge from flat to full takes less than 35 minutes, while a wireless charge can be achieved in less than 45 minutes.

• Battery score: 5 / 5

Should you buy the Honor Magic 7 Pro? Buy it if...

You want flagship power and long battery life
With most phones, you have to decide between long battery life and raw power, but not with the Magic 7 Pro. It's supremely powerful and can still last two days between charges.

You love taking portrait shots
The Studio Harcourt portrait mode is among the most impressive that I've tried. I loved it when it first debuted with the Honor 200 Pro, and it's just as good here.

You love a nice display
The Honor Magic 7 Pro has easily one of the nicest screens in the business. It's bright, vibrant, extremely scratch-resistant, and has more eye-care features than most.

Don't buy it if...

You love generative AI
Honor has been steadily adding more AI features to its operating system, but they're a little basic compared to some of the competition.

You're looking for the classic Android experience
Magic OS makes so many tweaks and adjustments to Android 15 that it almost feels like a completely different operating system. I quite like it, but fans of stock Android might have a hard time adjusting.

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Also consider

The Honor Magic 7 Pro is an excellent all-rounder with a brilliant camera, but the competition is fierce. If you're not sure this is the handset for you, it's worth checking out these competitors.

Oppo Find X8 Pro

The Oppo Find X8 Pro is a similarly feature-stacked Android flagship with a heavy focus on cameras. It offers an extra telephoto lens, a dedicated camera button and has better consistency with its photos. It has an even bigger battery, but in my experience, the Honor still lasts longer.

Read our Oppo Find X8 Pro review

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Android flagships may have Apple beat when it comes to camera specifications, but for video shooting, the iPhone 16 Pro Max reigns supreme. It has amazing stabilization, ProRes recording, and can shoot 4K slow motion at 120fps. The new Camera Control button is fun to play around with, too.

Read our iPhone 16 Pro Max review

How I tested the Honor Magic 7 Pro

• Review test period: two weeks
• Testing included: everyday use including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
• Tools used: Geekbench 6, 3DMark, GFXBench, native Android stats, Honor 100W charger, and wireless SuperCharge stand

I put my SIM card into the Honor Magic 7 Pro and lived with it as my main phone for around two weeks before reaching any conclusions. I used it exactly as I would any other phone, taking lots of photos, gaming, messaging, working, streaming video, and navigating with Google Maps and Waze.

I also compared the experience of playing graphically challenging games like Zenless Zone Zero, Genshin Impact, and PUBG Mobile to my experience with other Android flagships like the Oppo Find X8 Pro, Vivo X200 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. I also ran multiple benchmarks on the handset using 3DMark, GFXbench, and Geekbench.

I assessed the battery performance based on my real-world usage and charging times were measured using an official Honor 100W wall adapter and cable. I also tested the wireless charging capabilities with Honor’s Wireless 100W SuperCharge stand.

Read more about how we test

First tested January 2024

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