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POCO teamed up with Marvel to create a limited-edition model of the X7 Pro, and it looks amazing.
POCO continues to make the best budget phones, and the manufacturer is doing things a little differently with its latest launch. The X7 and X7 Pro are now available globally, and the latter model is particularly interesting, as POCO teamed up with Marvel to release an exclusive variant of the device, dubbed the POCO X7 Pro Iron Man Edition.
I’m a big fan of these limited-edition models, and OnePlus used to do a terrific job rolling out unique designs in the past with the likes of theOnePlus 5T Star Wars,OnePlus 6 Avengers, OnePlus 6T and7T Pro McLarenmodels, and theNord 2 Pac-Manvariant. It’s exciting to see POCO get in on the action with the X7 Pro, and what’s notable here is that the brand is doing so on a budget phone, making the device much more accessible to a wider audience.
That said, POCO isn’t launching the X7 Pro Iron Man Edition in India, its biggest consumer market — the phone is instead debuting in select Asian countries. It is available in a single 12GB/512GB model, and costs $399. The base model of the X7 Pro, meanwhile, costs $299, with the 512GB model selling at $369, so you’re basically paying $30 additionally for the Iron Man Edition.
With that out of the way, let’s talk about the design. POCO clearly paid a lot of attention to small details, with the SIM card ejector in the box styled to look like an Arc Reactor.
The packaging itself is done really well, and it has a “mechanical lift structure” that’s meant to mimic the feel of “donning Stark’s armor,” and you get a cutout highlighting blueprints of Iron Man’s suit. There’s a case included in the box that does a good job reinforcing the device while simultaneously showing off that design at the back.
Coming to the phone itself, the X7 Pro Iron Man Edition has a distinctive back design with red and gold hues, with the Iron Man helmet prominently highlighted. The helmet is housed within a stylized Arc Reactor, and the rest of the back has a “3D relief enhanced with platinum detailing” that does a great job accentuating the design.
POCO used a tiered system to create a sense of dimension to the design at the back, and the effect is rather interesting. “Thanks to the sophisticated layout of the tiered platinum serrations inside, the shining finish has been perfected for an even brighter, more sparkling look, creating a sense of dimensionality that mirrors the detailed craftsmanship of Stark’s engineering. While using a combination of matte and gloss finishes with a sparkling sand texture, the helmet reflects a subtle brilliance under light, while the Arc Reactor’s intricate patterns appear both powerful and precise.”
While my immediate reaction after taking the device out of the box was that it looked a little tacky, I don’t feel the same after using the phone for a week. POCO did a great job with the overall aesthetic of the X7 Pro Iron Man Edition, and the red accents around the cameras at the back and the power button distinguish the design quite a bit. You also get the Avengers logo at the bottom with the POCO logo located at the top, and both of these are decked out in gold, adding a nice bit of contrast.
The sides have a boxier design, but there are subtle curves, and I didn’t see any issues with usability. That’s mostly down to the matte texture on the sides, which just makes it easier to hold and use the device. Other niceties include custom backgrounds and an icon pack that has red borders, which is preinstalled. While I like the backgrounds, the icon pack is too distracting, and thankfully, you can easily switch it out.
The rest of the hardware is identical to the X7 Pro. You get a 6.67-inch AMOLED panel with 120Hz refresh and 1920Hz DC dimming, and it is backed by Corning’s Gorilla Glass 7i.
Category
POCO X7 Pro
OnePlus Nord 4
PCMark Work 3.0 (Overall)
12575
13396
PCMark Work 3.0 (Web Browsing)
11853
12604
PCMark Work 3.0 (Video Editing)
5450
7233
PCMark Work 3.0 (Writing)
18952
13304
PCMark Work 3.0 (Photo Editing)
11180
20533
Geekbench 6 (single-core)
1573
1000
Geekbench 6 (multi-core)
5580
3849
3DMark Wild Life Extreme (score)
1868
2845
3DMark Wild Life Extreme (FPS)
11.19
17.035
The phone is powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 8400 Ultra, and you get 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage. The phone doesn’t run demanding games at the highest setting, but it is decent enough in its category, and I didn’t see many issues in this area. I’ll go into much more detail in my review, but as a teaser, I’m including synthetic testing scores above.
Coming to the cameras, there’s a 50MP Sony IMX882 that serves as the main shooter, and it’s joined by an 8MP wide-angle, with POCO sensibly choosing to limit the device to two good sensors. There’s a 6000mAh battery with 90W charging, and interestingly enough, the Indian model of the X7 Pro gets a bigger 6500mAh battery. The Iron Man Edition is based on the global variant, so it has a 6000mAh battery. Rounding out the hardware, you get IP68 ingress protection, NFC, IR blaster, and a decent vibration motor.
On the software side of things, the phone runsAndroid 15out of the box, which gives it a distinct edge over theRedmi Note 14 Pro+, a device that costs $150 more.
Overall, I really like what POCO did with the X7 Pro Iron Man Edition. The brand put a lot of thought into the design of the phone as well as the packaging, and it doesn’t have an absurd premium over the standard X7 Pro. I would have liked to see the device in India, but outside of that, I don’t really have anything to fault with the device — it is one of the best limited-edition models I used recently.
Bypass charging ensures your smartphone runs cool and smooth during extended gaming, keeping battery health in check. Here’s when and why to use it.
In the world of smartphones, where power and performance go hand in hand, a new feature is making waves — bypass charging. While this might sound like a technical term, its purpose is quite straightforward. Essentially, bypass charging is a gamer-first feature, designed to help keep your smartphone cool, prolong battery health, and ensure your device performs at its peak, especially during intense gaming sessions.
What Is Bypass Charging?
Bypass charging, also known as direct power supply on some devices, ensures that your smartphone draws power directly from the charger rather than the battery while charging. This feature is gaining traction, especially in high-end and gaming-centric phones, where charging speeds are fast and continuous gameplay can lead to overheating.
The key benefit? It reduces the strain on your phone’s battery duringgaming marathonsor long charging sessions. In a typical charging scenario, power goes first to the battery and then gets distributed to the device’s components like the screen and processor. With bypass charging, power flows directly from the charger to the components, preventing unnecessary heat generation.
If you’ve ever played a mobile game while charging, you may have noticed your phone heating up. This isn’t just uncomfortable—it can also cause your device to throttle performance. Thermal throttling occurs when your smartphone reduces its processing power to avoid overheating, often leading to laggy gameplay and slower performance.
With bypass charging, the need for your battery to handle charging and powering the device is eliminated. The result? Less heat, more stable performance, and a longer lifespan for your battery.
Who Should Use Bypass Charging?
Bypass charging is particularly useful for gamers and heavy smartphone users. If you’re someone who spends hours on end playing mobile games or using your phone for performance-intensive tasks, bypass charging will be a game-changer. Not only will it help keep your phone cool, but it also reduces the risk of damaging the battery in the long run.
However, it’s worth noting that bypass charging isn’t a universal solution for all phone users. It’s specifically for those who need to push their phones to the limit without worrying about battery heating or performance throttling.
Different smartphone brands implement bypass charging in various ways. OnGoogle Pixeldevices, for example, bypass charging can be enabled only once the battery reaches 80% charge. Meanwhile, Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra allows it to be activated during gaming, without any percentage restrictions.
To activate bypass charging on your device, make sure you’re using the recommended charger. This is crucial to ensure that your phone is getting enough power to operate at its best. When you enable bypass charging, the battery remains at a consistent level, and the phone uses the charger’s direct supply to power everything.
But keep in mind, bypass charging should be limited to high-performance tasks like gaming. If used excessively, it can lead to long-term power supply issues or wear on your charger.
The Long-Term Benefits
While bypass charging is most beneficial for gamers, it can also help your smartphone in the long run. By reducing the strain on the battery, this feature helps preserve its health, ensuring that your device remains efficient for years. The less your battery has to work under high temperatures, the longer it stays in good condition.
Bypass charging is a feature that’s making a significant impact on how smartphones manage power during intense activities. It’s an essential tool for gamers and users who demand the best from their phones. If you’re someone who wants to avoid overheating and maintain optimal performance, bypass charging might just be the solution you’ve been waiting for.
Five years on, Nikon’s given its Z series baby a boost
Left: Nikon Z50.Right: Nikon Z50 II
Five years is a long time in the world of cameras. So you might expect to find more novelty on the spec sheet of the Z50 II, an entry-level mirrorless model released in November 2024 – half a decade after the original Z50. Yet a quick comparison reveals that it has the same 20.9MP APS-C sensor, the same mechanical burst speeds and the same ISO range. And like the first-generation model, it also lacks in-body image stabilization.
On first impression, then, the headline numbers don’t do much to justify an upgrade from the Z50. But there’s a lot more to the Z50 II than meets the eye. Dig a little deeper, like we did in ourin-depth review, and you’ll discover that Nikon’s made a number of crucial improvements for the Z50 II.
Some of these changes make the shooting experience better, like the introduction of a vari-angle touchscreen and deeper grip. Others bolster its appeal for videographers, such as support for 10-bit N-log video. And the most significant turbocharges its performance: an Expeed 7 processor equips the Z50 II with flagship subject detection autofocus skills and 30fps electronic burst speeds.
Taken together, these add up to a much more powerful hybrid for beginners. We think the Z50 II is one of the best entry-level mirrorless cameras, at a price that represents fantastic value. There are certainly some compelling reasons to consider upgrading if you already own the Z50. Let’s explore them.
Chief among the upgrades for the Z50 II is its engine: under the hood now lives Nikon’s Expeed 7 processor – the same chip found in the flagshipZ9. Despite being an entry-level model in the Z series line-up, this equips the Z50 II with some serious power. That’s especially true when it comes to autofocus.
Like the Z50, the Z50 II has a 209-point hybrid autofocus system. Thanks to that top-tier chip, though, it benefits from class-leading subject detection skills. While the original Z50 did a solid job of detecting human faces with its Eye AF, the Z50 II is on another level.
It has nine separate modes for different subjects, including people, animals and vehicles. You can also use the automatic mode to recognize and track a number of subjects in a single scene. Based on our review, it delivers the kind of speed and accuracy usually reserved for much pricier full-frame models.
In short, the Z50 II is in a different league to the Z50 when it comes to autofocus performance. If you want a camera that can keep fast-moving subjects in sharp focus, the Z50 II is worth the upgrade.
Both the Z50 and the Z50 II are tidily designed mirrorless cameras, with neat proportions which make them easy to travel with. In our review of the original Z50, we praised its control layout and ergonomic grip, while noting that some buttons had been omitted in order to save space.
The Nikon Z50 II is actually marginally larger than the Z50, and heavier by 70g. We think that’s an improvement: it feels reassuringly solid in the hand, yet also more comfortable to hold, thanks to a deeper grip. The refinements are minor but meaningful, making the Z50 II a more enjoyable camera to shoot with.
The same can be said of its control layout, which is closer to those of its full-frame cousins. Several functions which had to be accessed virtually on the Z50 now have dedicated buttons on the Z50 II: you’ll find a zoom button, a display button and a drive button on the back of the camera.
There’s also a new Picture Controls button on the top plate, which gives easy access to Nikon’s customizable library of color presets. More than a fad, it’s a creative addition for beginners, which can also be reprogrammed to serve as a function button. For enthusiasts who value a tactile interface with plenty of direct-access controls, the Z50 II offers more flexibility to grow.
The Z50 was a capable entry-level stills camera that could also shoot decent4K/30p footage. That changes with the Z50 II, which boasts the recording chops of a proper hybrid. It can shoot 4K/60p video, albeit with a 1.5x crop, while uncropped 4K footage is captured at 30fps, oversampled from 5.6K.
The upgrades go beyond frame rates. The Z50 II is Nikon’s first APS-C camera to support 10-bit N-log video, including the option to use RED Luts color profiles – fruit of Nikon’s acquisition of pro cinema camera maker, RED Digital Cameras, in 2024. This unlocks a huge amount of flexibility when it comes to color grading, making the Z50 II a much more versatile tool for aspiring filmmakers.
There’s also a new Product Review mode, which makes it easy for novice influencers to create content where the focus shifts smoothly from presenter to product. Together with the move to a vari-angle touchscreen, plus the addition of a headphone port for real-time audio monitoring, the Z50 II is more powerful recording tool across the board.
If you already own the Z50 and you only shoot casual video, there’s no reason to upgrade. But if you’ve found yourself exploring videography alongside your stills photography, the Z50 II offers a whole lot more.
4. Upgraded displays
Left: The Nikon Z50’s flip screen.Right: The Nikon Z50 II’s vari-angle screen.
The sensor isn’t the only thing with the same resolution across two generations of the Z50: the rear touchscreen is still a 1.04m-dot display, while theOLEDviewfinder remains a 0.39-inch, 2.36m-dot number. But those figures tell only half the story.
The EVF on the Z50 II is twice as bright, with up to 1000 nits peak brightness. In practise, that means your eyes have to do less work when adjusting from bright ambient conditions to the display inside the viewfinder. A small but noticeable improvement.
More significant are the changes to the rear display. It’s slightly bigger than the panel on the Z50 (3.2 inches plays 3 inches) and the interface helpfully rotates when you’re shooting in portrait orientation. Crucially, Nikon has also ditched the flip-down design of the Z50’s display in favor of a fully articulating setup.
Where the tilting screen of the original would be obstructed by a tripod, the vari-angle display of the Z50 II offers full flexibility for framing from the front, side and even underneath. If you regularly shoot on the move or record video with your camera mounted to a tripod, this change will make a significant difference.
5. Faster shooting
Left: Nikon Z50.Right: Nikon Z50 II
Burst speeds won’t be a dealbreaker for every photographer, but if action is one of the genres you like to cover, the Z50 II easily wins that race. Burst speeds with the mechanical shutter max out at the same rate as the Z50: 11fps. But thanks to that Expeed 7 processor, it has a secret weapon.
A new High-Speed Frame Capture+ mode allows the Z50 II to shoot stills at up to 30fps with the electronic shutter. In our tests, we did encounter some rolling shutter in this mode. Nevertheless, it leaves the Z50 in the dust when it comes to firing off continuous bursts.
The Z50 II is faster in other ways, too. Where the Z50’s performance is fettered by its UHS-I SD card slot, the Z50 II benefits from support for UHS-II cards, meaning faster read and write speeds. Its wired interface has also been upgraded from micro USB to USB-C, which means 5Gbit/s transfer rates.
Taken altogether, these enhancements make the Z50 II an altogether speedier camera to shoot and work with. The Z50 was no slouch, but if you’ll regularly push it to its limits, the Z50 II is the faster horse.
Closing thought: Do you need II?
If you’re choosing between the Z50 and the Z50 II, the answer is clear: the latter is more powerful, more enjoyable to shoot with and more versatile for recording video. It’s a fantastic entry-level mirrorless hybrid for beginners and one that represents excellent value.
The argument for upgrading is less black and white if you already own a Z50. Whether the improvements warrant a switch will depend on what and how you like to shoot. If you’re mainly into landscapes, for example, there’s not really a compelling reason to upgrade. The Z50 II handles noise slightly better, but it fundamentally captures stills with the same sensor.
On the other hand, if you’re into action or wildlife photography, the enhancements delivered by the Expeed 7 processor are significant. Subject detection autofocus is right up there with the top models in Nikon’s Z series range, making the Z50 II a genuinely capable choice for tracking and shooting fast-moving subjects.
Equally, if you feel held back by the video capabilities of the Z50, the Z50 II has the specs to satisfy a keen learner. It’s every bit a genuine hybrid, with a range of features for filmmaking. Whether you want to monitor audio in real time or try your hand at color grading, the Z50 II will let you do it.
Other refinements, such as new buttons and a vari-angle touchscreen, don’t justify an upgrade on their own. But taken as a package of improvements, the Z50 II is every bit the better camera. If you like what the Z50 offers but want something that’s faster and more versatile, there’s a strong case for switching.
Updates from the World Power Consortium seem to hint as much.
We are a few weeks shy of theGalaxy Unpacked 2025event, where the S25 lineup is scheduled to make its debut. Ahead of the launch, theWorld Power Consortium (WPC) has all but confirmedwhat we had all been suspecting for months now. Samsung is very likely going to be one of the first major Android phone brands to adopt the Qi2 spec, and I believe this will play a pivotal role in the industry.
In mid-December, several rumors and leaks hinted that theGalaxy S25will support Qi2 wireless charging, but not in the way you’d expect. Allegedly, Samsung will use a magnetic case to enable the magnetic aspect of Qi2 instead of adding magnets natively to the S25 series. Based on the WPC’s CES 2025 announcement and theOnePlus 13 release, we can assume that this is accurate.
Samsung and the WPC made a joint statement where the Korean phone maker said the following:
You can expect to see Android devices supporting Qi2 from Samsung Galaxy devices in 2025.
Google also made a similar statement under the same press release, but no promises were made of Pixel devices picking up the standard. Instead, the Alphabet-owned tech giant vowed to bring Qi2 to more Android devices this year.
While HMD Global’s HMD Skyline is technically the first Qi2 Android phone, it didn’t make any waves in the Android space. This is why I feel that the Galaxy S25 coming with Qi2 support — with or without magnets — is what’s going to really get the Qi2 ball rolling. After all, Samsung sells more smartphones than any other phone manufacturer in the world and could easily influence the rest to follow suit.
We have been waiting for Qi2 to take off for nearly two years now. The standard hasofficially been ready since early 2023, but most devices that use it are either iPhones or accessories like power banks and chargers. Both Samsung and Google were expected to take the lead with theGalaxy S24andPixel 9lineups last year, but that didn’t happen.
Now that the OnePlus 13 has adopted magnetic charging (sort of), Samsung will look very bad if it doesn’t hop on board the Qi2 train. Just like the rumored S25 magnetic case, OnePlus also chose to rely onmagnetic casesto bring Qi2-like charging to the OnePlus 13. Based on rumors, Samsung is going to do the same with the S25 series. Even then, this is an important step in the right direction.
Major changes in the phone industry have never come about overnight or transitioned smoothly. Just look at the headphone jack, for example. People ridiculed the idea at first and were angry once the 3.5mm port was eliminated from popular Android phones. But once bigwigs like Samsung started ditching the audio jack, everyone else followed suit.
Sure, many brands compensated users withUSB-Cto audio jack converters at first, but the world eventually adapted to the change.Wireless audio accessoriesare far more popular now and the headphone jack is no longer missed by most users.
This is exactly why Qi2 adoption on the Galaxy S25 will be so important. When the most prominent Android brand makes bold moves, everyone else will surely feel the need to follow the trend, either to stay relevant or to be more competitive. There are thousands of Qi2 accessories readily available, so the market is primed for the Qi2 revolution that Samsung is likely about to kickstartwhen the Galaxy S25 launches.
Rest in peace, Trackpoint. We barely needed ye. Although a pointing stick — which is apparently the brand-agnostic name for the Trackpoint — was popular on laptops in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the only company to carry the tradition forward has been Lenovo. You’ll find the iconic red Trackpoint on just about every ThinkPad laptop available, but Lenovo is doing away with the design atCES 2025with its new ThinkPad X9.
The Trackpoint is, in 2025, not very useful. Lenovo tells me that the change is to signal a modern approach to the ThinkPad range, the roots of which go way back, to when ThinkPads were branded with an IBM logo. Just a few months back, we looked at theLenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1, which still had the Trackpoint. Now, it’s gone, and seemingly gone for good.
At least the ThinkPad X9 looks like one heck of a laptop otherwise. Out of the gate, Lenovo is offering the new X9 with either a 14-inch or 15-inch display, and both are branded as being among Lenovo’s Aura Edition laptops. Both models are also meet Microsoft’s Copilot+ standards, leveraging an Intel Lunar Lake CPU for both battery life and access to AI features.
Externally, Lenovo is using an OLED display across both the 14-inch and 15-inch model, and both use a haptic touchpad along with the well-known (and loved) ThinkPad keyboard. Under the hood, Lenovo says the laptop is serviceable by removing the bottom covering, allowing you to replace the SSD and battery if you need.
And, of course, you can’t have a laptop released in 2025 without a little dose of AI. It’s called Lenovo AI Now, and the company describes the feature as an “advanced on-device AI assistant that brings powerful, real-time intelligence to users.” It’s similar to something like Nvidia’s Chat RTX, as it uses a large language model (LLM) to provide a chatbot that only knows about your local files. Lenovo built the assistant with Llama 3.0, so hopefully it will work well.
It has some interesting features outside of searching for documents. Lenovo says the AI assistant can work across devices, allowing you to search for things regardless of the device you’re on. Lenovo AI Now isn’t exclusive to the ThinkPad X9, either — it’s available to download on several supported Lenovo machines.
Although it’s disappointing to see the Trackpoint bite the dust, the ThinkPad X9 looks fantastic. Both the 14-inch and 15-inch models will be available beginning in February, starting at $1,399 and $1,549, respectively.
Nikon’s entry-level mirrorless camera gets a performance upgrade
Verdict Pitched as an entry-level mirrorless camera for new enthusiasts, the Nikon Z50 II has a secret weapon: an Expeed 7 processor gives it flagship performance, with subject recognition autofocus that’s up there with the best. Tidy dimensions and good ergonomics make it an easy camera to travel and shoot with, while improved video specs bolster its credentials as an all-rounder. There’s still no in-body image stabilization and the 20.9MP resolution is bettered by other APS-C rivals. But with its competitive price tag, the Nikon Z50 II is an excellent value camera to learn and grow with.
Pros
+Expeed 7 chip gives rapid performance
+Top-spec subject detection autofocus
+Deeper grip and vari-angle touchscreen
+Improved video specs including 4K/60p
Cons
-No in-body image stabilization
-20.9MP resolution is average
-Not a huge upgrade from the Z50
Nikon Z50 II: two-minute review
A tidily packaged APS-C camera with great handling and plenty of features at decent price, we rated the originalNikon Z50highly. Its successor takes that recipe and supercharges it, with the help of an Expeed 7 processor. The result is a versatile mirrorless camera that’s perfect to learn and grow with.
Its dimensions are neat enough to compete with thebest travel cameras, yet Nikon hasn’t sacrificed ergonomics. Slightly larger than the original, the Z50 II feels fantastic in the hand. With a deep grip and plenty of direct-access controls, as well as a useful vari-angle touchscreen and upgraded viewfinder, it’s a satisfying camera to shoot with, whether you’re capturing stills or video.
Under the hood, Nikon’s latest Expeed 7 processor runs the show – the same silicon found in theNikon Z9andZ8. It might be pitched as an entry-level option, but that chip gives the Z50 II some serious pace. The interface is quick as you like, while autofocus performance is superlative. Equipped with detection modes for nine different subject types, including people, animals and vehicles, it’s as fast and accurate as many of Nikon’s more expensive models.
Processor aside, a lot remains unchanged from the Z50. That includes the APS-C sensor which, at 20.9MP, is bettered by many of the best beginner mirrorless cameras. That said, it’s still capable of producing detailed and realistic images when paired with a quality Z mount lens. If you already own a Z50, you won’t notice a huge difference in overall quality – although noise performance has been improved thanks to the Expeed 7 processor, meaning stills are cleaner at the same ISO settings.
Nikon has also bolstered the video capabilities of the Z50 II, boosting its status as an all-rounder.4Kframe rates now top out at 60fps, albeit with a 1.5x crop, and it becomes the first Nikon APS-C camera to support 10-bit N-log video – giving videography enthusiasts more flexibility when color grading in post. A headphone socket is a welcome addition, too.
The features above are complemented by a new Product Review mode, which allows influencers to produce content where the focus shifts seamlessly from presenter to product. There’s also a Picture Control button on the top plate, which gives easy access to color presets, with the option to add downloaded Creator Recipes alongside the built-in presets.
Taken as a whole, the Z50 II proves that one camera can work effectively for different creative styles and experience levels. Buy it as a beginner and it will quickly yield impressive results. Stick with it as you improve and the Z50 II has the controls and capabilities to continue delivering.
Dedicated Picture Controls button for style presets
At first glance, the Nikon Z50 II bears a strong resemblance to the original Z50. It’s a tidily packaged camera, very much in the established mold of entry-level mirrorless models. Its dimensions are compact enough to be travel friendly, yet it also benefits from a sturdy build and comfortable ergonomics.
That’s in part because the Z50 II is marginally bigger and heavier than the first version. In the hand, we found its grip substantial enough to wrap our fingers around, without being cumbersome. We also appreciated the extra grams: the body features plenty of plastic, but doesn’t feel flimsy in use.
Look closer at the Z50 II and you’ll find several welcome refinements. The tilting screen of the original has become a fully articulating display, a much more flexible solution for framing on the move. This is especially useful for videography and vlogging, as it can flip all the way around to face the front. So is the addition of a headphone port, which allows aspiring filmmakers to monitor audio in real time when recording footage.
The viewfinder has also received the attention of Nikon’s product developers. It has the same 2.36m-dot resolution as before, but is now twice as bright at up to 1000 nits. In practise, that makes the EVF an easier adjustment for the eyes when framing and shooting in daylight conditions.
Eagle eyes will also discover new additions to the control layout. In our review of the Z50, we complimented the layout and balance of its buttons and dials, praising its resemblance to full-frame Nikon siblings like theZ6andZ7. The Z50 II gets closer still, with the addition of five new buttons.
You still don’t get a joystick, which means selecting the AF point requires use of the touchscreen. What you do get are zoom buttons, a display button and a dedicated drive button. These aren’t game-changing additions, but we valued their presence: they bolster the Z50 II’s chops for aspiring enthusiasts, making it easier to change key settings, without cluttering the interface.
The fifth new button sits on the top plate. A first for any Nikon camera, it gives instant access to Picture Controls – a library of aesthetic presets. To seasoned users, this might sound like a fad, but we think it will appeal to learners who want to get creative while shooting JPEGs. 31 profiles come pre-installed, with the option to adjust them through NX Studio. You can also download Creator Recipes from Nikon Imaging Cloud, and select which appear in the list.
The button’s presence leans into the Z50 II’s status as a camera for all kinds of creators. So does the fact that you can re-program its function, a useful option which will appeal to users as they move into shooting RAW stills and making color edits in post.
Design score: 4.5/5
Nikon Z50 II: features and performance
Expeed 7 processor drives subject-recognition AF
Same 20.9MP APS-C sensor as the Nikon Z50
First Nikon APS-C camera with 10-bit N-log video
If you already own a Nikon Z50, you’ll find a lot of familiar numbers on the spec sheet. The Z50 II uses the same 20.9MP APS-C sensor as its predecessor. Its mechanical burst speeds max out at 11fps. And, like many of the best mirrorless cameras for beginners, it still doesn’t offer in-body image stabilization. What it does have is a new engine.
The headline upgrade for the Z50 II is its Expeed 7 processor – the same chip used by the flagship Nikon Z9 and, subsequently, the Z8. This is the first time it’s been fitted to an APS-C body. As the motor that drives everything from autofocus to burst shooting speeds to video frame rates, it has a lot to do. Based on our experience, the Expeed 7 makes the Z50 II a proper pocket rocket.
Chief among the benefits of that new chip is top-spec subject-recognition autofocus. It might be an entry-level model, but the Nikon Z50 II can detect and lock on to targets rapidly and reliably. It has dedicated detection modes for nine different subject types, including people, animals, birds and cars, as well as an auto setting which can pick up a range of subjects at the same time.
In our experience, the Z50 II’s autofocus performance feels just as snappy in action scenarios as many of Nikon’s more expensive full-frame Z series models. With a new High-Speed Frame Capture+ mode which allows you to shoot at up to 30fps using the electronic shutter, this is a camera that’s perfectly comfortable covering action. We did encounter some rolling shutter when using this mode, but it’s nevertheless an impressive feature for an entry-level camera.
It helps that the SD card slot now supports UHS-II cards for faster read and write speeds. The USB port has also been upgraded to a Type-C number, which brings a host of benefits: as well as 5Gbit/s transfer rates, it can be used to charge the camera directly, while UVC/UAC compatibility means it can be used as a webcam without the need for additional software.
Nikon has pitched the Z50 II as a hybrid, which is reflected in its video skills. Even with the same sensor as the Z50, Nikon has harnessed the power of the Expeed 7 to squeeze more recording performance out of it. That includes the ability to capture 4K/60p video, albeit with a 1.5x crop. Uncroppped 4K footage is shot at 30fps, oversampled from 5.6K.
It’s also the first Nikon APS-C camera to support 10-bit N-log video, as well as the option to use RED Luts. This makes the Z50 II a camera with the flexibility for budding filmmakers to grow with, as they learn the ropes of videography and start to explore the possibilities of color grading.
These enthusiast-grade video capabilities might go beyond what most beginners need, but the Z50 II is also well-equipped for first-timers. A new Product Review mode seamlessly adjusts focus from the presenter to an object brought into the frame, similar to the Product Showcase feature found on cameras like theSony ZV-1. It won’t be relevant to everyone, but if you have ambitions of becoming an influencer, it’s an effective tool.
Like the Z50, the Z50 II features electronic vibration reduction to help steady handheld footage. As before, this applies a 1.3x crop to video. Nikon claims that the feature has been improved for the Z50 II, though our tests found that it still isn’t a replacement for full in-body image stabilization.
Features and performance score: 4.5/5
Nikon Z50 II: image and video quality
Excellent image quality in most conditions
Better noise-handling than the Z50 at the same ISO
4K/60p video with a 1.5x crop
On the whole, images from the Z50 II are as they were with the Z50: realistic, vibrant and clear. While its competitors offer higher resolutions, the 20.9MP sensor inside the Z50 II still does an admirable job of capturing detail.
With the white balance on automatic, we found stills out of the camera to be nicely saturated and just the right amount of dynamic range, without straying too far from neutral. The metering system coped well in a range of lighting scenarios, delivering well-judged exposures. We found that skin tones in particular were rendered faithfully in natural lighting, with a touch of warmth only detectable when shooting under heavy artificial lighting.
While its sensor size and ISO range are unchanged, we found that the Nikon Z50 II handles noise better than the Z50, thanks to the Expeed 7 processor. It was always going to lose out to its full-frame siblings, but you can get away with pushing the ISO number higher on the Z50 II before significant smoothing becomes an issue. ISO 12800 is still the upper limit, but you can comfortably lean on ISO 6400 if the conditions demand it.
If you’re purely a stills photographer, you will get better resolution elsewhere. What sets the Z50 II apart as a value offering is its autofocus performance, as well as its hybrid video abilities. As noted above, stabilization isn’t perfect, but the same adjectives are true of 4K footage from the Z50 II as for its stills.
We found 4K/60p video to be well-defined and nicely balanced. In our tests, the Z50 II adapted well to different light sources and levels, producing lifelike footage that’s good for grading. Used with a tripod, we can’t see content creators having any issues with the video that the Nikon Z50 II captures.
Image and video quality score: 4.5/5
Should I buy the Nikon Z50 II?
Buy it if…
You want top-spec autofocus Driven by Nikon’s Expeed 7 processor, the Z50 II offers autofocus performance to rival the flagship Z9. With subject detection modes for people, animals and more, it’s rapid and reliable.
You value ergonomics and handling A deeper grip makes the Z50 II even more comfortable to shoot with. A vari-angle touchscreen is helpful for framing, while new buttons bring its control layout in line with full-frame Z models.
You want to shoot a mix of stills and video With 4K/30p footage oversampled from 5.6K, plus support for N-log 10-bit recording and a useful Product Review mode for vloggers, the Z50 II has the video capabilities of a proper hybrid.
Don’t buy it if…
You already own the Z50 Performance improvements from the Expeed 7 processor are notable, but with few other changes to the overall package, there’s probably not enough here to justify upgrading from the original Z50.
You need in-body image stabilization Like many entry-level mirrorless cameras, the Z50 II lacks in-body image stabilization. Electronic video stabilization is available with a crop, but you’ll need a VR lens for optical shake reduction.
You want high-resolution stills At 20.9MP, the Z50 II’s APS-C sensor doesn’t have the highest pixel count. If the number of megapixels matters to you, other entry-level mirrorless cameras offer more for similar money.
This small update is the first Android patch for Pixels of the new year.
What you need to know
The January 2025 security patch for Pixels is rolling out to Pixel 6 and newer devices now.
A support page from Verizon preemptively revealed that the patch would be available today.
There are bug fixes for the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 series, but the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series only get security improvements.
The first Google Pixel security update of 2025 is rolling out to Pixel 6 and newer phones and tablets now with bug fixes and security improvements. Earlier today, asupport pagefrom Verizon preemptively revealed that the January 2025 security patch was rolling out for Pixels, Jan. 7. Now, that update is hitting Pixel phones in all regions, with separate builds for Global, Telstra, and EMEA.
The over-the-air update is available for the following Pixel phone models, listed beside their corresponding globalAndroid 15build numbers:
SincePixel phones and tablets received a feature drop last month, this suggests the current security patch is a minor update.
For the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 series, the January 2025 update includes a few bug fixes. The patch “addressed audio delay and stability issues when using certain apps” and “addressed a camera stability issue when switching to a connected camera under certain conditions.”
The update for the Google Pixel 9 series specifically fixed a few display and UX issues, like screens flashing lines in certain conditions and problems with Pixel Launcher theming.
For all other Pixel devices, including the Pixel 6 series, Pixel 7 series, Fold, and Tablet, the update simply includes the latest security patches. You can download and install the January 2025 update over-the-air by opening theSettings app, tappingSystem, and thenSoftware Update.
More Android phones are getting modern wireless charging this year.
Samsung Galaxy phones will finally support Qi2 in 2025, according to the stewards of the standard, the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC). Qi2 wireless charging was supposed to bring the convenience of the iPhone’s MagSafe to any phone that supports it, but the vast majority of Android phone makers failed to to do anything with it in 2024. That set to change in 2025.
“The exceptional Qi2 growth story will continue in 2025,” Samsung shared in the WPC’s press release. “You can expect to see Android devices supporting Qi2 from Samsung Galaxy devices in 2025.” Besides requiring the inclusion of magnets to make it easier to align smartphones with wireless chargers, Qi2 also supports up to 15W charging, which means Qi2 devices should charge faster than before, too.
Alongside Samsung, Google is also throwing its hat in the ring for Qi2, specifically by contributing “its own high-power wireless charging technology to WPC” for the development of Qi v2.2. Notably missing from Google’s quote is a commitment to actually using the standard in its own Pixel devices however. The Pixel 9 was inarguably the best Android device the company has shipped to date, but it notably doesn’t support Qi2.
In the more immediate future, WPC says that Qi v2.1 will include a new design for wireless car chargers with a moving charging coil that can adjust and seek out a phone regardless of its size or how awkwardly it’s thrown on a charger.
The Inspiron Plus series has been replaced. Now, the lineup is simply called Dell Plus. This rebranded laptop series has two new entries. Both are available with Intel Lunar Lake CPUs, and the 16-inch model can be equipped with a mini-LED display.
Both Dell 14 Plus and Dell 16 Plus are available in 2-in-1 versions (Image source: Dell)
Dell has bid goodbye to its Inspiron Plus series, and the lineup is now replaced by Dell Plus. This new series has two initial entries, the 14 Plus and 16 Plus. While the naming has been simplified, the laptops in the range remain versatile, and one big highlight is that among the two additions, the 16-inch model brings very decent specs for being a mid-range offering.
Both the two Dell Plus 14 and Plus 16 are powered by the Intel Lunar Lake series of CPUs, with the top-end configuration featuring the Core Ultra 9 288V. The entry-level option, on the other hand, packs the Core Ultra 5 226V. Depending on the configuration you choose, you can get these laptops with up to anArc 140V iGPU, 32 GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and 2 TB of storage.
These two Dell Plus laptops also come with a decent selection of ports, including HDMI 2.1, Thunderbolt 4, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, and USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports. The design is geared towards beingtravel-friendly, with the 14 Plus weighing as low as 3.42 lbs.
As for the display, the Dell 16 Plus steals the spotlight because it offers the option to configure it with a QHD+mini-LED panelthat features 600 nits of advertised brightness rating and 90 Hz refresh rate. The 14 Plus, on the other hand, can be configured with up to a 2.5K display.
Other highlights of the two new laptops include a speaker setup with Dolby Atmos, a 2-in-1 option for both, and a 64 Wh battery. The 14 Plus and 16 Plus are set to launch on February 18 with a starting price of $1,099 and $1,149, respectively. As for the 2-in-1 models, they will start at $999 and are planned to launch on the same date. You can learn more about them from the spec sheets attached below.
Over the past 30 years, Dell’s XPS brand has grown into one of the most respected and well-known in the industry — often home to some of thebest laptopsyou could buy. In its latest iteration, it was a name that represented top-of-the-line Windows laptops thatcould go toe to toe with MacBooks. But now, the XPS brand is gone. Or, at least, it will be very soon.
I attended an event for journalists ahead ofCES 2025to hear Dell announce the grand plans of its rebrand. It was such a big deal, in fact, that Michael Dell himself took the stage to introduce the idea. The company is shooting for a simpler brand across its entire ecosystem of products that leans on the Dell name and unifies every product in its vast lineup under it.
But the question remains: Will the rebrand actually help potential buyers sort through Dell’s catalogue of products? Or is this change just another example chasing the latest trends in attempts to stay relevant?
Dell is the brand
I won’t bury the lede any further. Dell has announced that the XPS brand — and nearly every other sub-brand of Dell — is getting jettisoned. XPS? Out. Latitude? Nope. Inspiron? Precision? Optiplex? G-series? All gone. In name, they’re all being replaced throughout 2025.
Instead, the company’s future product lines will be split into just three buckets: Dell, Dell Pro, and Dell Pro Max. And yes, that should sound eerily familiar.
It’s hard not to see the Apple of it all, sure. Apple began adopting terms like Pro, Plus, and Max in its iPhones, as well as in its Apple Silicon naming. But it’s not just Apple using those terms, and it certainly wasn’t the first to. They seem to be everywhere these days, and to be fair, Dell is using them in a different way than other companies. “Pro” does not mean premium or extra performance, and “Plus” and “Max” don’t mean physically larger. You’ll need to throw out all those naming conventions to understand what Dell is doing here.
Consumer PCs, which were previously divided into sub-brands like XPS and Inspiron, will now all fall under just the Dell name. Commercial PCs, meanwhile, will be in the Dell Pro category. And finally, the Dell Pro Max is for workstations, with the “Max” referring to performance. In theory, that means that no, the Dell Pro should not be considered a competitor to the MacBook Pro.
That sounds fairly straightforward, but here’s the thing: The company isn’t dialing back the sheer quantity of laptops, desktops, monitors, and other products in its ecosystem. Except that as you might have guessed, fitting every Dell product into one of those three brands isn’t possible without any extra designation.
That’s why under each brand, there are three more tiers of products names: Base, Plus, and Premium. These not only represent a scale up in terms of performance but also high-end features, materials, designs, and price. To put it as simply as I can, it’ll look a bit like this once it’s all rolled out:
Dell (consumer)
Dell Pro (commercial)
Dell Pro Max (commercial)
Base
Dell
Dell Pro
Dell Pro Max
Plus
Dell Plus
Dell Pro Plus
Dell Pro Max Plus
Premium
Dell Premium
Dell Pro Premium
Dell Pro Max Premium
Dell hasn’t sketched out how all of these will work yet, nor has it indicated exactly where each brand had previously fit. And, of course, within each of those labels, whether it’s Dell Plus or Dell Pro Max Premium (sigh, I know), there will be multiple size options, configurations, and upgrade options. It’s going to get messy.
We do know, however, that what used to be XPS, will now be Dell Premium. So, theXPS 13, 14, and 16, will be renamed the Dell 13 Premium, Dell 14 Premium, and Dell 16 Premium. To show the direction it was heading, Dell had some very familiar XPS laptops to show with the new Dell logo on the lid, even though these devices won’t actually be refreshed (and renamed) until later in 2025.
Meanwhile, XPS laptops will still be sold over the next few months under its current name until the Dell Premium refresh happens. But soon enough, they will be the Dell 13, 14, and 16 Premium.
I have also received confirmation that the XPS design ethos and the team itself isn’t changing either. This won’t be a year where the XPS laptops get a major redesign, since that happened just last year. So for 2025, it’s really just a new name. The only change is that now, they will all fit somewhere under these three headings.
The change feels drastic, and yes, it strikes me as a bit generic. One thing I do like, however, is that it puts the “XPS” designs more in the enter of the lineup, no longer feeling relegated as a side project under the XPS banner. It’s just the Dell 14 Premium. I also appreciate moving from the Dell Plus to the Dell Premium no longer feels like entirely switching brands — and based on what we saw, some of that XPS DNA might be carrying over further down the stack.
While XPS replacement is still a ways out, Dell is starting its initiative in the consumer space with a replacement of the Inspiron Plus, now known as just Dell Plus. The Dell 14 Plus and Dell 16 2-in-1 Plus are the two new laptops in the lineup, refinements over last year’s models.
The 16-inch Plus model comes with an upgraded screen option — a glossy, 600-nit mini-LED panel with a 90Hz refresh rate and QHD resolution. It also comes in a new darker color option that looked quite sleek. The 14-inch model starts with a more basic 1920 x 1200 IPS panel, but can at least be upgraded to a 2560 x 1600 resolution.
Unfortunately, as of now there’s no longer a discrete GPU option in this line though, which is a bummer, because the previousInspiron 16 Plushad options for an RTX 4050 and 4060. The biggest change for the positive, however, is in portability. Both the 14-inch and 16-inch sizes, however, are quite a bit thinner than they were before, down to just 0.67 inches from the 0.75 inches of last year’s model. That brings it a little closer to the MacBook Pro in thickness.
Then again, these aren’t the XPS laptops we all point to high-endMacBook Pro alternatives. They exist more in the mid-tier, though they certainly aren’t bad-looking laptops.
We’ll have to wait and see until we get them in for testing when they launch on February 18. Both sizes of the 2-in-1 models start at $999, while the clamshell Dell 14 Plus starts at $1,099 and the 16-inch model starts at $1,150. Both models start with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, however. That means the Dell 14 Plus is $200 cheaper than theM3 MacBook Airwhen similarly configured.
Dell
Dell also had some Dell Pro laptops to show, but remember, Dell isn’t using the “Pro” term in the way the rest of the industry does, as set by products like the MacBook Pro. Here, the “Pro” in the name refers simply to business laptops. In this case, as replacements for the Latitude brand.
That means the base Dell Pro laptops are affordable business laptops, while the Dell Pro Premium ones look to be top-of-the-line commercial laptops for executives, sporting features like an 8-megapixel webcam and an option for a tandem OLED display — and the Dell Pro 14 Plus sits in between. So, although the Premium ones look nice, you’re likely only going to get one of these if they’re issued by your company’s IT department.
Unfortunately, we’re still not seeing any discrete GPUs being offered outside of the Dell Pro Max line. These are the chunky fellas meant to replace the Precision workstations. They push performance above all else, but use commercial parts. It’s not something the average consumer really needs to even concern themselves with. But that means for now, Dell won’t have a compelling option for creators in the business world, perhaps for those who would prefer a MacBook Pro as their work machine anyways.
Does it work?
Dell
But the big question is about whether this whole rebrand was a good idea. It might sound simpler to say the Dell 14 Premium instead of the Dell XPS 14, but things quickly get a little absurd the further you get away from these mainline products. One product being announced, for example, is the Dell Pro Max Micro, which is a small, commercial desktop, but man, that is the opposite of clarity.
The “Pro Max” in the name refers to commercial PCs with extra performance, and the “Micro” refers to the size of the tower, but yeah, having the word “Max” and “Micro” next to each other in a product name is… kind of insane. Because remember: Trying to reduce the complexity of buying Dell products is the stated goal of this redesign, and when you end up with product names like that, I think that’s a sign you may have taken things a step too far.
That one is a good example, too, because this rebrand does apply to all of Dell’s products, even to desktop PCs and monitors. Although — one of the only sub-brands that is sticking around is UltraSharp on the monitor side — outside of Alienware, of course.
I’m not saying companies like Apple or Samsung are any less egregious with these nonsensical names, and look, no one owns the words “Pro,” “Plus,” or “Max.” No one gets to define what they mean in a product. But deciding to use those terms and redefine them for Dell’s own purposes may end up confusing buyers more than helping them. I’m just glad they didn’t manage to squeeze “Ultra” into the equation somewhere.
One other thing to mention is that Dell is actually not the first PC brand to do this recently. Last year,HP announced its own rebranding, ditching Spectre, Envy, and Pavilion in favor of the new “Omni” brand. HP didn’t take it as far as Dell, though, keeping around the EliteBook line to distinguish its commercial business.
And let’s not forget Intel’s move away from Core i5 and i7 to Core Ultra. There’s no question that this is the direction the entire industry is moving. I’ll need to wait and see how this affects the actual products in the lineup.
For now, let’s pour one out for XPS — a brand that grew into a beloved commodity through its over 30 years of business. That’ll cause some sadness, no doubt. But here’s the question: Did you even know what the acronym stood for? If not, maybe Dell has a point.
Nikon has also bolstered the video capabilities of the Z50 II, boosting its status as an all-rounder.4Kframe rates now top out at 60fps, albeit with a 1.5x crop, and it becomes the first Nikon APS-C camera to support 10-bit N-log video – giving videography enthusiasts more flexibility when color grading in post. A headphone socket is a welcome addition, too.
