Apple iPhone Air - So This Is New

What I've learned from watching the world of tech pretty closely for a number of years now;

Things generally evolve steadily, bit by bit. Devices gradually improve - honing some features, adding new ones - and while the difference between one generation and the next may be slight, overall, when you compare most gadgets to their predecessors from four or five years ago, the improvements are thrown into stark relief.

But every now and again, a device launches that's more out-of-the-blue - even revolutionary.

Most of the time, that means a lot of excitement and hype - but also a lot of bugs and teething issues for early adopters to deal with.

What's rare is for something genuinely new to come along and for it to just work, straight out of the box.

The iPhone Air might just be the most significant iPhone since Steve Jobs showed off the first one back in 2007.

The way Apple has pretty much started from scratch to come up with the world's thinnest phone is so much more groundbreaking than it seems to be getting credit for.

Okay, at 5.6mm the iPhone Air is not actually thinner than a couple of folding phones out there (when they're unfolded) but for a conventional handset, this is definitely Apple's least conventional yet.

It really is quite breathtaking when you see it and hold it for the first time - in fact, I've yet to meet anybody who wasn't impressed when I showed it to them. It's not just that it's noticeably thinner than other phones, at just 165 grams, it weighs almost nothing. It exudes sci-fi movie vibes - you know; when they pull out a wafer thin piece of glass and use it as a phone.

There are four colours, Sky Blue, Light Gold, Cloud White and importantly, Space Black - making it the only black iPhone you can buy this year. (The "black" base model iPhone 17 isn't really black - looks more gunmetal to me)

The grade 5 titanium frame helps keep things light - and flexible. And this is one of the first big surprises about this remarkable handset; its durability. I've seen footage of drop, water ingress and flex tests that just about made my eyes pop out. The front of the phone is protected by the new Ceramic Shield 2, which offers multiple times more scratch resistance than ever before. There's also a Ceramic Shield coating on the back panel to prevent cracks.

This is good news because the iPhone Air is one phone I can't bring myself to hide away in a case.

Which is not to say there aren't cases available, of course. Apple also offers a bumper which protects the Air's edges without obscuring any of its unique design. This can be paired with the new Crossbody strap so you can wear the phone like a tiny handbag.

I usually just stuff it in my pocket - then have to keep checking if it's still there because it really is that slim.

Except for the "camera plateau" of course. This is a new design feature Apple has carried across to the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max as well - a raised camera bump that stretches all the way across the upper section of the rear panel. Intriguingly, I understand this new plateau houses more than just the camera; the vast majority of the iPhone Air's components are squeezed in there, with the rest of what's left of the phone mostly filled with battery.

Unfortunately, the camera is indeed one area where obvious compromises have been made to achieve the Air's final form. Although Apple claims the 48MP Fusion camera "puts the equivalent of four lenses in your pocket" in the end, there's only one physical sensor there and like the iPhone 16e camera before it, there are limitations. There's no Ultra-Wide functionality and no real macro shooting for extreme close-ups either.

However, that's not to say it's a bad camera. With the option to shoot at full 48MP, you get exceptional low-light performance and you also get respectable 2X optical zoom.

Action mode offers the stable video iPhone has become famous for and as part of the new iOS 26 upgrade, Apple now joins the Dual Capture club - so you can shoot from the selfie and primary cameras simultaneously.

Speaking of the forward facing camera, there's absolutely no compromise there. Just like the 17 Pros, the iPhone Air boasts an 18MP Centre Stage camera that has a square sensor - a bit like what you find on some dedicated action cameras. This enables you to change aspect ratio from portrait to landscape without having to awkwardly hold your phone sideways - very handy for group selfies. In fact, the new Centre Stage camera automatically senses how many people are in the shot and zooms in and out automatically to compensate.

This is a great demonstration of Apple's brand of AI (Apple Intelligence). Apple has been criticised for being slow off the mark when it comes to AI but I don't think that's the case at all. Instead, many AI features (like the auto-adjusting selfies) are so integrated, so baked-in that you won't specifically identify them as AI in itself.

When you first set up the iPhone Air (or any new iPhone) you're asked if you want to opt in to certain AI options - like prioritised notifications, for example. From that point on, that's exactly what happens; the important stuff is brought to your attention first. It works so well, you might not even realise how many pointless taps and swipes it's saving you. 

As the fourth member of the 2025 iPhone family, the iPhone Air has replaced the absent iPhone 17 Plus by default. It's not a like-for-like comparison of course; the Plus versions were only ever the base models with bigger screens and batteries. Other than the camera, in terms of functionality, the Air works much more like a Pro - it's fast and silky smooth to use. But yes, in yet another surprise, the 6.5-inch display is larger than the 6.3-inch screen on the iPhone 17.

Better chip too - the all-new A19 Pro as opposed to the base A19 version.

For me, the biggest surprise of all is battery life. As part of its new host of accessories, Apple included a MagSafe Battery customised specifically to fit the iPhone Air. Inevitably, most of us assumed this meant the Air's battery life would be terrible and we'd need to supplement it with this magnetised external power supply. Except, I haven't had to use it. Not once.

Typically, I get up at 2:50Am and don't go to bed until around 8:30PM - that's a long day by smartphone standards but the lowest I've seen the Air's battery go is 48%. Apart from one morning when I left Apple Maps running in the background. Then it drained like bathwater down a plughole. For superusers, I guess that MagSafe Battery provides great piece of mind - especially given once its attached, the iPhone Air actually has the BEST battery life of ANY iPhone.

Oh - cool hack BTW; if you plug the Air into a USB-C charger while the MagSafe Battery's attached, you'll charge extra fast, from both sources simultaneously.

So battery just hasn't been an issue for me. Despite how slim the Air is, it still has all the cool buttons - including the Action button for programmable shortcuts and Camera Control for quick access to photo settings.

The only thing that's missing completely is a physical SIM tray - eSIM-only here and as far as I'm concerned, that's a bonus, not a drawback. The sooner we all move to eSIM the better - it's more secure and easier to transfer from handset to handset.

I love this phone. I didn't think I would. I loved the idea of it but when does a great, truly innovative idea like this ever work so well first time out of the gate? Kudos, Apple. You got me.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Apple iPhone Air.

Samsung Galaxy A17 and Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE - For Fans On a Budget

If you regularly read my reviews, you could be mistaken for thinking we all live in a high-end, premium, flagship world where we only have access to the latest developments in tech and only the most powerful, fastest and long lasting will do.

That's not real for most people, of course. As a reviewer, I get to play with the coolest of the cool toys but if I was shelling out my own hard-earned coin, I'd certainly be prepared to compromise on all sorts of features and addons that aren't what you'd call, "Strictly necessary."

So today, I'll try and go some way to answering the classic question; do you really get what you pay for?

To do that, I paired the almost entry-level Samsung Galaxy A17 handset with the new Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE. At around NZ$229.00, the Buds3 FE are less entry-level than the NZ$399.00 A17 - but both devices are significantly cheaper than their sister flagships.

Of course, in the case of the A17, you can pay THOUSANDS more for the highest of high-end Samsung devices and obviously this particular phone doesn't fold, or come with a stylus inserted into its chassis.

However, it doesn't really look particularly cheap, with its modern, square edges and light-catching back panel. It feels light in the hand and the 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display is certainly a decent size. It'd be pretty unusual to find a Samsung device with a bad screen and this one certainly isn't. It's bright, it's colourful and it's protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus - not the toughest Gorilla available but still pretty tough.

The A17 also carries an IP54 rating which means you'll get away with splashing it although perhaps not dunking it.

The camera setup is a bit hotchpotch - a respectable 13MP selfie-cam paired with a triple-sensor primary shooter on the back; 50MP Wide, 5MP Ultra Wide and 2MP Macro. I guess a 5MP Ultra Wide is better than no Ultra Wide and to be honest, I've been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the pics and vids I've been shooting. Here's a demo...

The camera also performs fairly well in low light... up to a point.

And here's the main rub with this phone; it's weak. It's run by the same Exynos1330 chip found in last year's A16 and with just 4GB of RAM, the actual operation of taking a pic in low light is hit and miss because of the lag between button press and the shutter actually firing. In fact, I found this was the case when taking most kinds of photos.

This is a frustration that followed through to anything that was even remotely resource-heavy. Apps seem to take an age to load, even native apps like Samsung Health.

So this isn't the phone for me - especially given there's no wireless charging and there's not even a built-in screen recorder.

However, for some users, they're not going to care about that stuff. They just want a durable, reliable phone with good battery life that will keep working after the 3G shutdown. The A17 probably isn't the worst option.

My experience with the Fan Edition Galaxy Buds3 was infinitely more pleasurable.

They're a very similar size and shape to the Buds3 Pro, but without the light-up LED strip along the stem. Samsung often changes up the form-factor for its earbuds but I'd suggest there was a lot of positive feedback to this hybrid sealed-fit/external stem design so they've kept it going here.

As I suggested when I reviewed the Pros, the stem means an extra point of contact which not only leads to a more stable, snug fit but a more balanced, comfortable wear as well.

Alas, unlike the Pro version, the Buds3 FE case only charges via USB-C - not wirelessly. That would usually be a dealbreaker for me except these guys sound rather good.

While I'm not convinced these Buds have quite the dynamic range of the Pros, and I'm certain the ANC isn't quite as effective, there's a lot to love about what I'm hearing.

I tested the Buds3 FE using the new lossless audio option on Spotify and it rocked.

"Wish You Were Gay" by Billie Eilish is already a fantastic track but the production values shine through dramatically when listening on the Buds3 FE. The mix is so stripped back, yet has a lot of elements - from acoustic guitar to crowd sound effects. Each piece of this sonic puzzle has been meticulously placed in the recording and now those pieces are precisely re-placed in my ears.

The gentle L.A.B. ballad, "Monica" also starts with a simple acoustic guitar, accompanied with a lonely cabasa to keep the beat. (Okay, it might be one of those egg-shaped shaker things, but in my mind it's a proper cabasa) Again, the baredboned-ness of this mix is transmitted so accurately by the Buds3 FE. Then, as the song builds and soaring lead guitar and crashing drums come to the party, I can still make out the original components with crystal clarity.

You even get 360 Audio for fully immersive surround sound if you're listening to the right content on the right app.

The pinch and swipe controls mimc those on the Buds3 Pro and the battery life is pretty good too. I love these and if I had to choose between the $229 FEs and the $399 Pros, I'd probably save my money.

So I guess you could say there was a winner and a loser here - the cost-saving compromises were too many on the phone but with the Buds3 FE, the features that have been missed haven't been missed nearly so much.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Samsung Galaxy A17.

Click here for more information on the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE.

Samsung Galaxy S25 FE - Yes, I'm a Fan

Sometimes I find myself thinking, "How much phone do I really need?"

Because I review phones, I'm in the privileged position of being able to use most of the latest and greatest pretty much the moment they hit the shelves - sometimes even before. (Humble brag)

But do I actually need a phone with a terabyte of storage?

Probably not.

Am I going to use that pop-out stylus on a daily basis?

Unlikely.

Am I making the most of that folding display or do I just like to casually flip it open and see if anyone notices?

I think we know the real answer. 

So once again, I'm trying out a mid-range handset and I'm thinking, "This would probably do the trick."

The Samsung Galaxy S25 FE has fit directly into my daily life, pretty much seamlessly. Like I say, when I'm not actively reviewing a phone, it's a pretty safe bet I'll be rocking on of the best of the best in my pocket as my everyday device.

What I can tell you straight off the bat is the S25 FE has slipped right into that same pocket and I've noticed zero compromises or shortfalls in my regular routine.

Without currently having an S25+ to compare the FE directly with, I think I'd be hard-pressed to spot the difference. Both devices have a 6.7-inch AMOLED display (so larger than the base-model S25). Both feature Armor Aluminium frames and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus for durability, although admittedly the S25+ does go one generation stronger with its display glass and the screen is a higher resolution.

However, the S25 FE still sports a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth on-screen response and also boasts a larger vapour chamber than last year's model to keep things running cool - especially when gaming.

Both the FE and S25+ also have the same sized batteries, a generous 4900mAh - which will cruise through even the longest day on a single charge. And yes, the FE charges fast - at up to 45W - and it charges wirelessly too. 

The FE comes in four colours; Icyblue, Jetblack, Navy and White and it's slim and light - just 190 grams.

And here's the kicker; the S25 FE starts at just NZ$1199.00 - $400 cheaper than the least expensive S25+.

To be fair, the S25+ has more RAM, a more powerful processor and the option of 512GB internal storage - but as I keep saying, those are differences I'm just not noticing.

Oh, and just to really pull the rug out, I'm not usually using an S25+, typically its an S24 Ultra I'm pulling out of my pocket - surely one of last year's finest phones.

Honestly, the S25 FE just keeps stacking up - okay, the camera module doesn't quite match that of this year's Ultra but again, it's not much different to what you get with the next model down, the S25+.

The primary shooter is a 50MP Wide sensor, teamed with an 12MP Ultra Wide and an 8MP Telephoto, capable of 3x optical zoom and digital zoom up to 30x.

The selfie cam is a very respectable 12MP lens and there are all the premium video settings you could wish for; 8K UHD recording, slow motion, great stabilisation - it's all there.

The other thing that's all there is Galaxy AI. And Gemini AI. Well, both. I still can't really tell which is which but the important thing is all the clever tools like Circle to Search, the Now Bar, Audio Eraser and Instant Slow-mo can be found on this phone, just like any other late model Samsung flagship.

The best thing is, the latest version of Samsung's operating system, One UI 8.0, integrates all these AI features seamlessly into various apps, settings, options and even the on-screen keyboard. This means when I was discussing when we should walk the dog with the Domestic Manager online yesterday, I was able to send her a picture of him being flown like a kite. (It was very windy and he has large ears) I don't know if it was Gemini, Galaxy AI or a combination of the two. But it was easy as.

Which pretty much sums up my experience using the S25 FE; so easy. No problems. Well, one problem - but it's not my problem.

Is the FE too good? If too many people buy one, are those the same people who might have considered upgrading to an S26 or S26 Ultra when they come along in just a few months time? Is Samsung running the risk of cannibalising its own market?

Perhaps not. As much as we all love these Fan Editions and although they've been regular additions to Samsung's lineup in recent years, there's no guarantee Samsung will release a Galaxy S26 FE around this time next year - they've only been doing FE iterations since the S20 and there wasn't one at all in 2022.

That's the cool thing about it; it really does feel a bit special when an FE release comes along - almost as though there's part of the market who would definitely consider a flagship handset if it was in their budget but usually have to compromise on the latest style, camera capabilities or AI features. This one's definitely for them. And for me, as it turns out.

    

Click here for more information on the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 - A Coming of Age

If ever there was an example of the tech industry presenting us with a product nobody asked for, it's the folding phone.

A flip phone? Sure. That made sense. Having the ability to essentially bundle your phone up to make it half its size was great. Much more pocketable. And you could protect the screen inside. And it made you look a bit like Captain Kirk using his communicator.

But a phone that folded out to be twice as big?

I'm a pretty big sci-fi fan and I can't think of any portrayal of the future where our phones were bigger, not smaller.

And yet...

Because they could, they did. They told us this was the phone that doubles as a tablet and amazingly, some people actually bought them and some of those people even used them that way.

Despite the massive crease in the middle. Despite the terrible battery life. Despite the mediocre (and sometimes even plain bad) cameras. And despite the fact when you folded it up it was like having two phones in your pocket instead of one.

This was what I like to call an Emperor's New Clothes moment; the folding phone was silly but everyone was too afraid to admit it.

Well I'm here to tell you, things have changed. Now the only silly thing about it is the price.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 is available in four colours; Blue Shadow, Silver Shadow, Jetblack and Mint. It comes in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB options and has an RRP ranging from NZ$3,249.00 to NZ$4,099.00 - although whether anyone will ever end up paying over $4k for a phone is unclear as pre-orders of the 1TB variant are currently being discounted by $300 on the SamsungNZ site and there are some incredible bonus bundles out there too.

Still, a lot of money - as the Galaxy Fold always has been. However, this year, finally, you might almost be getting what you pay for.

Let's start with the size; The Z Fold7 is both bigger and considerably smaller - in all the right ways.

The main display (unfolded) is now a full 8-inches - last year's was only 7.6. Because of that, the cover display has also expanded out to 6.5-inches but more importantly, it has a more familiar aspect ratio, no longer unnaturally tall and skinny in the hand.

The even bigger headline is how slim Samsung has managed to make this thing; just 4.2mm when unfolded. It's lighter too; only 215 grams which means it amazingly now weighs slightly less than its S25 Ultra stablemate - and not much thicker, even when closed.

Despite this incredible new slimness, there's a new feel of durability about the device - not only are the displays protected by some of the latest developments from Corning Gorilla Glass, Samsung has made the Armor Aluminium frame even tougher and has completely redesigned the all-important hinge mechanism, now rebranded as the Armor FlexHinge.

This, in turn, has led to the least-visible crease on a Samsung folding display yet. In fact, the folding technology is now so good, I honestly don't even notice it. If I want a bigger screen, I just open the phone. It seems much more natural than ever before.

Another significant, tangible upgrade is the camera configuration, both inside and out. I've been highly critical of the cameras on Samsung's folding phones from the very beginning. I just couldn't understand why you'd hamstring your most expensive phone with average photo performance. Then, to add insult to injury, they made the camera on the Fold3's main (internal) screen even worse. The under-display sensor was covered up (sort of) by larger pixels, rendering it (sort of) invisible - but at the cost of terrible quality photos and videos.

Thankfully, at last Samsung has seen the error of its ways and reverted back to a decent 10MP punch-hole sensor, just like we're used to on any other handset. Now, if they could just move it to somewhere more practical, like the centre of one of the edges so we can actually look people in the eye when we're on a video chat.

To be honest, I seldom use that internal camera for anything other than unlocking via facial recognition, not when now, finally, the primary camera array outside is so good.

It's only taken seven generations but now we have a 200MP wide camera, a 12MP ultra-wide and a 10MP telephoto module that really stands out - both figuratively and literally. This is a classic illustration of the reality check Samsung has given itself; Yes, you can have one of the thinnest phones ever - but if you want great photos and videos, you'll have to put up with a big camera module. That's just physics. And I'm pretty sure Fold fans will be fine with that compromise.

The 200MP main camera doesn't just mean incredible detail, it also does some cool stuff with light - as demonstrated by this twilight shadow shot...

Meanwhile, the ultra-wide also performs like a flagship camera should...

While the ability to zoom in on these crazy cloud formations above Mauao worked a treat.

As an Android device, Gemini AI is pretty baked in. Sporting the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor, the Z Fold7 is more than capable of supporting AI functions like Google Gemini, not to mention all its native Galaxy AI tricks too.

Do I know the difference between Galaxy AI and Gemini AI? Nope. Does it matter? Nope. Do things like multi-screen translation, Circle-to-Search and Object Eraser work better than ever? Of course. So who cares what it's called? Rest assured, there's plenty of NPU power to turn my dog into a 3D cartoon and more than enough graphics ability to play the latest and greatest mobile games on either the cover screen or primary display.

A bit like how I said I no longer really notice the crease, the Galaxy Z Fold7's OneUI operating system has now evolved to a point where the transition from using an app like Outlook on the cover screen to the much more user-friendly wider version inside happens so smoothly and instantaneously, I don't even think about it.

And that's the ultimate test of great tech; when things work so well, you don't notice them.

I was shooting a video yesterday for a forthcoming review of a cooking appliance. I had an expert explaining how to use it and part of that was through the associated app. At which point, quite organically, I simply opened the Z Fold7 to see the recipe suggestions in their full, wide-screen glory. It wasn't until my guest commented on how cool that was I was reminded that yes, indeed, that really is pretty cool.

Which it would have to be - remember, this phone is more expensive than most people's computers. Hell, it's more expensive than a lot of people's cars. In saying that, with the latest and greatest mobile chip, up to 1TB of storage and up to 16GB of RAM, this device could put a lot of other computers to shame.

If you've been an early-adopting Fold fan from the start, it's probably more because you saw the potential of the device rather than being super satisfied with the reality of those first few iterations. Now all of that potential has been realised, so it might be time to upgrade and start living the dream.

    

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7.

Oppo A5 Pro - The Phone You Don't Have to Take Care Of

When it comes to choosing a phone for your kid, or maybe your staff, if they've got a bit of a reputation for drowning, scratching or breaking them, you might be reluctant to spend too much on a replacement.

That said, you still want a phone that works. It needs good battery life, decent cameras and enough storage and power to do the job - whatever the job happens to be.

So it's tricky... Features like water resistance and toughened screens don't come cheap.

Unless they become the priority, of course.

The Oppo A5 Pro 5G might just be the answer to your problems - and right now it retails for just NZ$499.00. In fact, there are several phones in the new A5 range and they start even cheaper - from as low NZ$229.00 - each one designed to be more rugged than your average phone.

Even without the multiple durability features I'll get to shortly, the A5 Pro seems to offer plenty for its sub-$500 price-tag. For example, it comes with 256GB of internal storage - that's comparable with many premium flagships and it should be plenty for most users.

The 8GB of RAM is also quite generous in this price range - especially given the A5 Pro uses RAM Expansion to reallocate unused physical storage to boost processing performance.

Unsurprisingly, the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 Mobile Platform chip is not the fastest or most powerful processor out there but it gets the job done. I certainly haven't encountered any stutters or crashes although admittedly, some websites take a little longer to load and some apps are slightly slower to launch. However, this chip is also very efficient, which helps conserve battery life.

Importantly for me, the A5 Pro is eSIM compatible, which makes this a great travel option too.

I thought I'd find the LCD screen a bit lacklustre after some of the other "more high-end" handsets I've been using lately but I needn't have worried. Its peak brightness under sunlight is rated at 1000nits - anything into four digits is welcome and I can assure you, not every phone display looks this good in outdoor lighting conditions. I was also pleasantly surprised to discover the 6.67-inch display was capable of a 120Hz refresh rate. Interestingly, it's set at for a variable refresh rate as default and initially I found scrolling around some apps a little bit jerky. But once I set the refresh rate to 120Hz all the time, everything smoothed out nicely.

When you change that setting, the A5 Pro's user interface, ColorOS warns you it might impact battery life. If it did, I certainly didn't notice, the battery in this thing is a massive 5800mAh - most other phones are typically 5000mAh at best. This means I can easily burn through two whole days between charges. Another above-average feature is the A5 Pro supports 45W SuperVOOC fast charging - although there's no power brick included in the box, just a cable. No wireless charging here either - mind you, Oppo has never been massively into wireless charging, preferring to spruik the merits of fast charging instead. And I have to admit, with such a big battery, at this price that's a compromise I can definitely live with.

So that's already a lot of phone for the money. Now let's talk about how tough it is.

For starters, this is not one of those shiny, slippery, glass-backed handsets that runs the risk of you cracking it on both sides. The A5 Pro comes in Mocha Brown and Olive Green and the rear panel is a grippy, leather-feel material that I love because it's comfortable to hold and doesn't show greasy marks or fingerprints.

The display is covered by Corning Gorilla Glass 7i Xensation - a variation of Gorilla Glass I haven't heard of before and Oppo claims it makes the screen 160% more shatter-resistant than the previous model. You'll see from my video below it certainly stands up to quite a bit of careless treatment.

In fact, the entire phone is internally reinforced against drops and knocks - the motherboard is covered in "robust aluminium" and something Oppo calls "bionic cushioning" has been deployed to keep the A5 Pro's most sensitive components protected. As a result, it's earned the MIL-STD-810H badge for passing fourteen different military-grade tests.

This is also one of the most water-tight and dust-proof handsets around. I've reviewed many devices with the IP68 rating that means they'll survive half-an-hour in shallow water. The A5 Pro also carries both IP66 and IP69 ratings which means it'll shrug off high-pressure water jets and high-temperature water too - up to 80°. So not only can you spill your cup of tea on this phone, you can actually throw your teacup at it as hard as you can!

It's not invincible - again, if you watch my video below you'll see I managed to ding the bottom edge by bashing it against my metal mic boom a few too many times but try as I might, those minor blemishes seemed to be the only damage I could do.

Now, I haven't said much about the camera performance, which is unusual for an Oppo phone because they're normally all about the cameras. I have to admit, if your passion is photos, this is not the phone for you. Yes, there's a decent 50MP primary shooter, but it's teamed with a mere 2MP monochrome sensor Oppo refers to as a "bokeh lens" which basically means, the rear-facing camera takes good portraits.

This effect is shown in this picture of last weekend's cocktails...

The drinks are the main focus while the menu and the rest of the bar are progressively less distinct. Unfortunately, under-par low light performance means you can barely make out my artfully placed spectacles in the foreground.

I had better results outside in the daylight the next day...

It was an overcast but bright morning - glarey conditions and while the colours here don't exactly pop, I was happy with the level of detail. I did miss the option for Ultra-Wide or zoom shots though.

As for the selfie cam, it performs well enough, given it's only an 8MP sensor and as far as video goes, you can shoot in 1080p from either camera and there's even the option to use them together for a dual-view video - but only in 720p.

So it's clear where the compromise has been made to get this phone down under the $500 mark - and while the photos aren't gallery-ready, they're not terrible. On the other hand, this is unquestionably one of the toughest phones I've come across, so if you're a tradie, a teen or just hard on your handsets, it could be an excellent option.

     

Click here for more information and pricing on the Oppo A5 Pro 5G.

Oppo Reno13 Series - Serious Value for Money

Oppo is a big player global smart phone sales, ranking fourth or fifth in market share depending on which survey you read and which quarter you're referring to.

Here in New Zealand, Oppo ranks a clear third and yet time and again, when people ask me which phone I'm using, they claim they've never even heard of Oppo.

It's weird.

More often than not, the reason they're asking me about my phone is because they've seen the photos I've been taking. Oppo has always taken a camera-first approach to smart phones.

And this year's Reno series is no exception...

At NZ$699, NZ$999 and NZ$1399, the Reno13 F, Reno13 and Reno13 Pro are all priced to be a very competitive alternative to devices with similar specs from the likes of Samsung and Apple.

It's hard to make a like-for-like comparison though, because while one handset may have a superior camera, if it has an inferior chip running it, that doesn't count for much.

What I can do is compare the Reno13 Pro with the Reno13 F - because I've been sent both to test.

Firstly, let me just say how impressed I was with the sub-$700 device. I was expecting a lot of compromises, especially with photo quality and the performance of the chip. I didn't need to worry.

Without getting to bogged down in the nerdy stuff, let's start with the chips; the Pro sports the MediaTek Dimensity 8350 while the F runs on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 Mobile Platform. Neither of these chips are the flagship product from their respective suppliers but those suppliers are both well regarded and I can't say I experienced any performance issues at all. Admittedly the Reno 13F wasn't quite as snappy as its twice-as-expensive sibling - but it still operated very smoothly, with apps installing and opening quite speedily. This is despite the Pro having 50% more RAM and twice the internal storage.

In fact, when it came to using both handsets, if I was judging them on usability alone, I couldn't honestly justify the $700 price difference. 

Both are eSIM capable, which is a relief for me because I chucked my physical SIM card away years ago.

Likewise, both devices have large, 5,800mAh batteries, although the Pro will charge much faster with the 80W SuperVOOC power brick included in the box.

And that's how it is with most features on these two handsets; the Pro just adds that little bit extra. For example, both displays offer refresh rates at up to 120Hz but the screen on the Pro is bigger - 6.83-inches as opposed to 6.67-inches - and can run at a higher resolution, which means side by side the Pro looks clearer and a bit more colourful.

The Pro's screen is also protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 7i, which adds to its durability - although, because its flexible AMOLED display curves slightly at the edges, I did run into the old simultaneous touch problem; that's where my fat fingers register touches on the edges at the same time as what I'm trying to control in the middle of the screen. This results in nothing happening at all. It's a price I'm willing to pay though, because a curvy phone like this definitely feels more premium in the hand.

My review Reno13 Pro is Plume Purple, which reflects light in a very eye-catching way on the back panel. My Reno13 F is a much more subdued, Graphite Gray. Both phones come in both colours but again, the Pro is slimmer and feels less plasticky than the F model.

Both handsets carry an IP69 rating against dust and water. I don't think I've ever encountered an IP69-rated device before and I had to look up exactly what it means. Apparently, now you can not only drop your phone in the toilet, you can literally squirt it with a high-pressure hose. Which you might want to do if you've dropped it in the toilet, I guess?

I paired the same set of earbuds with both phones and was intrigued to discover how much better they worked with the Reno13 Pro. Turns out this is because the Pro connects using the latest Bluetooth 5.4 protocol which is much stronger and transmits at very low latency compared to the Bluetooth 5.1 on the Reno13 F. You'll need a decent pair of buds to make the most of it though - luckily, Oppo is currently offering its own Enco Air4 Pro buds for free with a Reno13 Pro purchase. I haven't tried the Enco Air4 Pros but I do know they are also Bluetooth 5.4 enabled. 

Camera performance is where the Pro really starts to pull ahead. As I said in the intro, I've never met an Oppo phone that didn't take great pics but I'd argue the Reno13 Pro can hold its own with the best of the best. On the back, both Pro and F have 50MP wide and 8MP ultra-wide sensors, although when you really dig down, the Pro's lenses are more well endowed.

The third sensor on the F is a 32MP macro lens - so yes, it'll do great close-ups but I'd rather have the 50MP telephoto sensor on the Pro. That means way better zoom shots and quality close-ups too.

It's not a level playing field around on the front side either. The F has a 32MP camera which is very respectable - especially for a phone in this price-range. You can shoot lovely bokeh (blurred background) portraits if you like and even create panorama selfies. You can shoot dual-view video (using front and rear cameras simultaneously) and the selfie-cam can film in 1080p@30fps - very good quality video for a forward-facing camera.

But not as good as what the Pro can do. 4K@60fps from a selfie-cam? Crazy. You get auto-focus too.

Don't get me wrong. The Reno13 F's camera performance is great. It's just that the Pro's is quite a bit greater.

Both phones have an underwater mode though. So that whole IP69 thing must be for real, right?

Now for my pet peeve. As usual, Oppo has left wireless charging off both devices. I wouldn't expect it from the $699 device but every iPhone charges wirelessly and has done for years. As do Samsung's Galaxy S and Z series devices. Because Oppo's SuperVOOC charging has always worked so well, effectively out-charging the opposition, it's never made wireless a priority but that needs to change. I can't be the only one who finds plugging and unplugging my phone clumsy and annoying - not to mention the fact cables, plugs and USB ports break and wear out a lot more often than wireless charging pads do.

Or is that just me?

If it is, and if pure camera performance is your priority, you won't find many phones that can out-photo the Reno13 Pro, certainly not at NZ$1399. On the other hand, if you just want a phone that'll take a licking, keep on ticking and is more feature-packed than many others in the below $700 category, the Reno13 F is definitely worth a look. And by the way, it's 5G, so could be the perfect replacement for those of you with older devices that are going to stop working at the end of the year.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Oppo Reno13 Pro.

Click here for more information and pricing on the Oppo Reno13 F.

Samsung Galaxy A-Series (2025) - The Most Confusing Time of the Year

Why bring out one phone when you can launch six?

Once again, Samsung is in the process of swamping the market with mid-range Galaxy A-Series phones. Yes, there are half a dozen to choose between this year, starting at just NZ$229.00.

If that isn't overwhelming enough, there are still four A-Series handsets from last year listed on Samsung's New Zealand website. If you're wondering how to tell the difference, the 2025 models all end in a "6." Because, of course they do. What's confusing about that?

Hopefully, if you're in the market for a sub-$1000 phone, you'll come across a well-trained sales expert who can carefully and precisely explain the differences between all these devices.

If you're shopping online, I guess it's up to me.

Unfortunately, I'm only going to be able to help you with the Galaxy A36 and Galaxy A56, the two higher-end variants of this year's crop. It's hard enough reviewing two phones simultaneously, let alone six. 

Essentially, the main differences between A-Series phones of any given year mostly comes down to build quality, camera performance and above all else, processor power.

This last thing can be somewhat wonky to get your head around if you're not the kind of phone-user who cares that much about the latest and greatest in phone tech. In fact, let's face it, this year you might only be buying a new phone out of necessity because they're turning off the 3G network and you need something capable of 4G... or perhaps even 5G?

Both the A36 and A56 options Samsung have brought to New Zealand are 5G-capable. They both have large, 5000mAh batteries that'll cruise through a full day (and probably a second) and they both have sumptuous 6.7-inch Super AMOLED displays. Those displays - and the rear panels - are protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus +. This makes them very hard-wearing indeed and I was surprised to see it on phones in this price range. The IP67 water and dust protection is another welcome durability feature.

Both phones come in three "Awesome" colourways - Lavender, Lime or Black for the A36 and Pink, Graphite or Lightgrey for the A56. Although they look almost identical, if you hold them both at the same time you'll immediately feel the first difference; the A56 has more durable metal rails around the edge which gives it a much more premium, solid and generally less plasticky feel.

The next big difference is also on the outside but you won't be able to spot it by looking at it. Although both handsets have a 50MP three-sensor primary camera module on the back, the Ultra-Wide lens is 12MP on the A56 as opposed to 8MP on the A36.

I've taken excellent photos with both devices but for some reason, the A56 seems to result in slightly clearer images and videos with truer colours.

That reason probably has a lot to do with why I'd choose the A56 over the A36 every time; processing power. The performance gap is noticeable with just about everything you do with either handset... Scrolling and navigating around the device is smoother on the A56. Opening apps is much slower on the A36 - especially opening the camera app. And changing orientation from portrait to landscape and back again is also laggy and choppy on the A36.

Interestingly, the end results are generally quite comparable and the major feature both devices bring to the table in 2026 is Galaxy AI. Or Google Gemini. Or both. Or maybe it's the same thing. 

To be honest, this whole AI racket is a real mess. You can obviously add other AI apps to these phones too and if you're subscribed to a whole suite like Microsoft 365, then you're probably introducing Copilot into the equation as well.

Even Google can't quite seem to decide if you should be summoning Gemini or Google Assistant. The point is, you don't have to shell out for a $1000+ flagship to access a lot of this stuff. If you want this stuff, that is.

One place where Samsung's version of AI really comes to the fore is editing photos. There's a lot you can do to clean up your pics after the fact - things like removing unwanted people and objects in the background for example. Again, this takes a bit longer with the cheaper phone but it can still do it.

The A36 starts at NZ$649.00 while the A56 is definitely in the next bracket up at NZ$799.00. In saying that, I can assure you the 256GB A56 is a far superior device and well worth every cent. If it had wireless charging I'd be more than happy to use it as my daily device. And if, like me, you have a relative you need to move off 3G by the end of the year, either of these phones would be a major upgrade and a great replacement.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Samsung Galaxy A-Series. (A36 and A56 devices available from March 28, 2025)