TechSpurt - Tech Reviews, Unboxing Videos

Unboxing the Oppo Reno 8 5G, a mid-range smartphone with lesser camera tech and specs vs the Pro model. Still, you’ll save almost £200 in the UK on the Oppo Reno 8 5G compared with the Pro, and still get respectable gaming performance, that feature-packed ColorOS experience etc. It's a rival for the Pixel 6a, Realme 9 Pro Plus and more! For the optics, you once again have a Sony IMX766 camera sensor, but no Marisilicon this time around. So while the Reno 8 5G can capably shoot everyday shenanigans, night photography (and video) isn’t as hot. The Pixel 6a is certainly a stronger mid-range smartphone in that respect. Gaming on Genshin Impact is fun on the Oppo Reno 8 5G, with gamer modes and features to help you cruise to victory. Battery life seems respectable and you have 80W wired charging to power back up again in a jiffy. ColorOS also adds a lot of extra juice to Android, as well as an unfortunate amount of crapware. But overall I liked the Oppo Reno 8 5G, even if the Pro is a more satisfying experience and the Pixel 6a and Nothing Phone offer a more rounded smartphone overall. Oppo Reno 8 5G Unboxing Chapters: 0:00 - Skip this bit 0:53 - What’s in the box? 1:16 - Design 2:28 - ColorOS & features 5:11 - Display & audio 7:15 - Performance & gaming 8:50 - Battery life 9:29 - Cameras 12:11 - Byyyeeeee

Unboxing the Murena One, a privacy-focused smartphone that shuns Google to keep your sensitive bits safe, from the Fairphone chaps. This hands-on review shows off the Murena One's /e/OS setup and Google-alternative apps and services. However, that hardware isn't as modern as many mid-range phones while the App Lounge may not be a great Google Play alternative. Android already offers some great built-in privacy tools and you can always load a custom ROM if you want to try something different. Meanwhile the Murena One gives you a Murena.io email address and 1GB of cloud storage, plus a range of apps so you can backup files and work online. Naturally you can pay more if you want a bit of extra storage. There's also a super-privacy mode that can block trackers and fake your location, although this seems to slow everything down. As far as the specs go, you have a basic 50MP camera slapped on the back of the Murena One phone, plus a 32MP selfie snapper. Both are poor compared with similarly priced rivals. Performance is juddery and that IPS screen is also not as good as OLED alternatives. So, what's your thoughts on the Murena One? Let us know what you think of the anti-Google privacy smartphone below! Murena One Unboxing & Review Chapters: 0:00 - Choose FREEDOM 0:50 - What's in the box? 1:39 - Design 2:26 - Setup 3:33 - eOS 4:20 - Advanced Privacy 5:14 - Apps 6:45 - Murena Cloud 7:23 - App Lounge 9:24 - Display & audio 11:09 - Performance 11:45 - Battery 12:04 - Cameras 13:29 - Byyyyeeeee!

Reviewing Amazon's All-New Kindle 2022, the budget-friendly eReader costing under £100 in the UK. This 6-inch model is more compact vs the Paperwhite and Oasis, and the best option if you want a highly portable reader. But the All-New Kindle 2022 is also missing many of the frills of those more expensive models. Amazon has still packed in most of the regular tools, including dictionary shenanigans, front-lighting and a dark mode. You'll have to manually tweak the Kindle 2022's brightness, but that's a small price to pay for that lower cost. Just remember to spaff out an extra tenner if you don't want ads on yours. The Amazon Kindle 2022 is smaller than the Paperwhite and Oasis and yet still boasts decent battery life. I got almost 20 hours of reading time, with the lighting constantly active. When it's time to recharge, this all-new eReader can be powered up via Type-C USB. So the Kindle 2022 is certainly one of the best budget options if you want a reader to take on the road. Check out my coverage of the other Amazon options, Paperwhite and Oasis, if you want to see how they stack up. Amazon Kindle 2022 Review Chapters: 0:00 - Waffle 0:56 - What's in the box? 1:42 - Design 4:03 - Display 6:49 - UI and features 7:41 - Kindle store 8:15 - WiFi & performance 9:11 - Audio books 9:34 - Battery life

Reviewing the best stock Android smartphones of Winter 2022, including the top handsets for camera tech, gaming and everyday fun times, all with a clean UI. My favourite stock Android phones before 2023 include the Google Pixel 7, Pro and 6a, as well as the Nothing Phone 1, Moto G82, Nokia X30 and the Zenfone 9. Best Stock Android Smartphones Chapters: 0:00 - Oh god get on with it 0:41 - Pixel 6a 2:25 - Pixel 7 & Pro 3:25 - Asus Zenfone 9 4:52 - Nothing Phone 1 6:08 - Motorola Edge 30 Ultra 7:24 - Motorola Edge 30 Fusion 7:58 - Motorola Edge 30 Neo 9:11 - Motorola RAZR 2022 9:48 - Motorola Moto G82 10:51 - Motorola Moto G62 11:42 - Nokia X30 5G 12:59 - Nokia G60 5G If you want a completely untouched Android smartphone then the Pixel 7 series and that affordable 6a are the way forwards. Especially as you get Google exclusive features and some of the best camera phone action in 2022. The Nothing Phone 1 is a strong rival on a budget however. While the Pixel 6a is slightly better for the camera action, this smartphone offers wireless charging and some other cool features for the price. Likewise the Moto G82 and Nokia X30 are good value for money. I’m also a massive fan of the Asus Zenfone 9, one of my favourite and ultimately best mobiles of 2022. Watch out for my round up of the greatest phones of the year, coming soon!

From the MediaTek Dimensity 9200 smartphone SoC to the Pentonic 1000 TV platform, the 2022 MediaTek Summit had lots of big launches. And who better to report on it all than a drunken jet-lagged slaphead from Sunderland? Here's the big facts on the Dimensity 9200, Pentonic 1000, T800 laptop modem and all of the biggest tech - plus a surprise PSVR 2 announcement! All a week before the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is launched, how exciting. The MediaTek Summit 2022 kicked off with that mobile chipset, which should power some of the biggest and best smartphones of the next few months. I already covered the Dimensity 9200 in a different video, so go check that out for all of the CPU, GPU etc info! MediaTek's Pentonic 1000 is another interesting launch as it means 4K TVs of the near future could offer 8 video streams simultaneously. You also get impressive AI features for improving the picture quality, and a heap of other bonuses. Stay tuned next week as Chris boozes his way from the MediaTek Summit over to Qualcomm's Snapdragon event in Hawaii. We're expecting the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 to emerge at that one, so will it smash the Dimensity 9200 for mobile smarts? And will that volcano shoot its load before our intrepid alcoholic roving reporter can drain the island of all alcohol? Tech Spurt Weekly Ep131 Chapters: 0:00 - Disclaimer 1:18 - MediaTek Summit 2022 1:30 - Dimensity 9200 3:06 - T800 3:46 - Pentonic 1000 4:45 - PSVR 2 5:34 - Viewer comments 14:05 - Next week

Unboxing the Samsung Galaxy A23 5G, a budget Sammy smartphone with a sub-£300 UK price tag, 50MP camera and some decent gaming grunt. This hands-on review of the Samsung A23 5G tests the optics, runs through the OneUI features and shows off the everyday experience. Sadly the camera tech on this budget Galaxy phone struggles compared with rivals like the Pixel 6a. That shutter speed is slow and photo quality quickly dips when lighting isn't great. Video tops off at FHD resolution too, while many of the Galaxy A23's rivals can capture 4K footage. Gaming is perfectly possible on this smartphone, with Call of Duty, PubG etc playing with a respectable frame rate. Even Genshin Impact can kind of play alright on the lowest detail settings. But the Samsung Galaxy A23 5G does stumble and judder a lot with everyday shenanigans. Battery life is thankfully superb and OneUI 4.1 offers up lots of decent features. But when it comes to media chops, there's only a mono speaker setup and no OLED screen. So the Samsung A23 5G does disappoint vs rivals like the Moto G82 and Oneplus Nord 2 CE. Check out my reviews of the best £300 and under budget phones for more ideas. Samsung Galaxy A23 5G Unboxing Chapters: 0:00 - Get on with it! 1:00 - What's in the box? 1:32 - Design 2:49 - OneUI 4.1 5:04 - Display & audio 7:20 - Performance & gaming 9:27 - Battery life 10:09 - Cameras 12:24 - Byyyeeeee!

Reviewing Google's Pixel 6a smartphone after the Android 13 upgrade, including a full camera test, gaming prowess, battery life, best new features and beyond. The Pixel 6a is one of the best phones of 2022 at this mid-range price, especially for amateur photographers after an easy-to-use camera experience. Here's my longer term thoughts on a blower that's improved since my unboxing, although isn't quite perfect. Gamers will be happy to hear that Genshin Impact plays more smoothly now, although the Game Dashboard has vanished with the Android 13 update. Still, the Pixel 6a's battery life seems to have got even better, while the slick UI now boasts improved lock screen and notification widgets. Media fans will love the OLED display, although the lack of 90Hz refresh is a shame - and the Pixel 6a's stereo speakers are pretty weak sauce. I adore that compact design however, and this is certainly one of the best mini smartphones of 2022. Especially if you're after a dependable camera, which is stress-free for everyday snaps. Have you been using this Google handset as your own? Let us know your own thoughts below! Google Pixel 6a Review Chapters: 0:00 - Too many phones 0:45 - Design 2:03 - Android 13 & features 3:38 - Screen & audio 5:05 - Performance & gaming 5:56 - Battery life 7:23 - Cameras 10:00 - Verdict

Reviewing the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, a compact foldable phone boasting premium specs, a capable camera and surprising gaming chops. I've been testing the Samsung Z Flip 4 as my full-time smartphone for over a week so here's my final verdict! Check out my coverage of the Z Fold 4, the alternative bendy Galaxy, for more of this shenanigans. You'll find unboxing and smartphone reviews aplenty here at Tech Spurt, so hit subscribe for more! The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is one of the best compact options from 2022, offering an impressively mini form factor when folded. The camera setup isn't Sammy's greatest, although still perfectly capable, while gamers will appreciate the impressive performance. Battery life however is limited, so you'll likely have to top up during the day if you're a heavy user. So is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 worth that steep UK asking price? Well, if you're sold on the design and you don't mind not having the absolute best camera and restrictive battery life - it's a good one. Let us know what you think of this foldable smartphone below! Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Review Chapters: 0:00 - Don't drink, kiddies 0:49 - Design 2:54 - Software & features 4:22 - Cover screen 5:06 - Display & audio 6:15 - Performance & gaming 7:19 - Battery life 8:06 - Cameras 10:12 - Verdict #ZFlip4 #SamsungGalaxy #GalaxyZFlip4 #SamsungZFlip4

Reviewing the best smartwatches of 2022 to suit any budget, focusing on Wear OS and Android users rather than the Apple Watch. From Samsung's Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and the Google Pixel to the greatest affordable options, here's my top 12 smartwatches right now for fitness tracking, battery life and more. The fresh Google Pixel Watch is certainly one of my favourites for Android smartphone pairing. You've got impressive features like turn-by-turn navigation and that Google Assistant works well. However, the battery runs dry every day, so the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro will suit you better if you're always on the go. Especially as that Sammy smartwatch is more durable. I've reviewed the Pro as well as the regular Samsung Watch 5, plus big rivals like the Huawei Watch GT3 which delivers even better battery life. That's certainly one of the greatest options in 2022 for longevity, along with the Amazfit GTR4. Although their notification support, app selection etc isn't as good as the Pixel Watch or those Galaxy watches. Best Smartwatches 2022 Chapters: 0:00 - The bit everyone skips 0:58 - Samsung Galaxy 5 Pro 2:39 - Samsung Galaxy 5 3:21 - Google Pixel Watch 4:27 - Fossil Gen 6 5:20 - Ticwatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS 6:28 - Oppo Watch WiFi 7:15 - Huawei Watch GT3 & GT3 Pro 8:38 - Amazfit T-Rex Pro 9:20 - Amazfit GTR4 & GTS4 10:21 - Withings Scan Watch

Reviewing the best compact smartphones in 2022, small enough for easy one-handed use, including Google's Pixel 6a, the Asus Zenfone 9, Xiaomi 12 and beyond. They may be mini, but they boast solid specs, dependable camera tech, strong enough performance for gaming (in most cases) and long battery life (except for the Samsung S22). Some links to buy: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4: https://howl.me/chQHmk1ZO6u Samsung Galaxy S22: https://howl.me/chvXd7PA9b9 Moto Razr 5G: https://howl.me/chv12ElSvOX My favourite compact phones so far also include foldable 'bendy' phones like the Motorola RAZR (soon to be updated for 2022) and Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 4, which just launched. Unboxing and review videos are up for most of these compact smartphones, stay tuned for in-depth looks at the Pixel 6a and Zenfone 9! Other notable small phones right now include Samsung's Galaxy S22, Apple's iPhone 13 Mini and Sony's Xperia 5 iii. Although these aren't quite as brilliant as the Pixel 6a, Zenfone 9 or Xiaomi 12, there's a lot to love. In a world of massive mobiles, these compact blowers are perfect for one-hand play. Among the best is Google's Pixel 6a, which boasts one of the greatest smartphone cameras at a mid-range asking price. Samsung's Galaxy S22 is a solid choice in most regards, although the battery life is far from good. If you want a premium compact device with dependable battery performance, flexible camera chops and strong specs, the Xiaomi 12 is a better choice, as is the Zenfone 9. And here's hoping the Pixel 7 will sport a smaller design vs the Pixel 6. If you're more of an iOS fan, check out the iPhone 13 Mini. Apple's small mobile is still easy to use with one mitt despite that brick-like design. Just don't get the iPhone SE 2022 whatever you do. Personally I prefer Sony's Xperia 5 IV, which sports a notch-free 21:9 display, pro camera tech, and some great media smarts. The Moto RAZR 5G is also rather nifty, provided you have the budget for it. That bendy OLED screen means the RAZR folds up super compact, just like Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 4 - one of my favourite foldable smartphones right now. Check out my reviews/unboxings of these mobiles here on Tech Spurt for more info! Best Compact Phones (2022) Chapters: 0:00 - Rambly bit 0:47 - Google Pixel 6a 2:26 - Asus Zenfone 9 3:53 - Motorola Edge 30 Neo 4:58 - Apple iPhone 13 Mini 6:24 - Apple iPhone SE 3 - NOPE 7:08 - Sony Xperia 5 IV 8:28 - Motorola Moto Razr 5G 9:39 - Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 10:33 - Samsung Galaxy S22 11:45 - Xiaomi 12 12:50 - Byyyyeeeee

Google's Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are packed with great new features, from fresh camera tools to upgraded Assistant functionality. Here's a review of some of the best Pixel 7 Pro bits, to help you get started with your fresh new flagship phone. 13 in total, woooh! For one, that camera experience has been boosted with some new settings and options. I'm not a fan of Motion Blur, but the de-blur tool can help to rescue some shonky shots in edit. The Pixel 7 Pro boasts a macro mode now, while both series 7 smartphones offer a guided frame feature for anyone with impaired sight. The Google Assistant has also been upgraded and updated. For instance, the Quick Phrases option allows you to bypass 'Hey Google' and silence an alarm or incoming phone call with minimal fuss. The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro also offer three months of YouTube Premium, so here's a look at what that means for any noobs. We also check out the snore detection shenanigans and some of the other best new features - have a gander at my Pixel 7 Pro review for a closer look at the hardware as well as the software! Google Pixel 7 & Pro Tips & Tricks Chapters: 00:00 - The bit everyone skips 00:40 - Pixel 7 Pro display tip 01:24 - Google Assistant 'Quick Phrases' 02:36 - At A Glance 03:32 - Face Unlock 04:44 - YouTube Premium 06:23 - Snore Detection 07:03 - Gestures (& One Handed Mode) 07:38 - Game Dashboard 08:37 - Toll Free Numbers 09:09 - Macro mode 09:45 - Guided Frame 10:13 - De-blur 10:52 - More tips