Xiaomi 15 Ultra launched: The Galaxy S25 Ultra alternative we’ve been waiting for - Related to (2025), xiaomi, music,, unveiled, ultra

Asus ROG Flow Z13 (2025) Review: The Real Surface Pro for Gamers

Asus’ past generations of the ROG Flow Z13 were appealing if you wanted a Surface Pro-style detachable tablet with a flair for gaming, but. The technology held them back between Intel’s not-so-efficient 12th- and 13th-gen Core chips as well as power-hungry dedicated graphics.

The 2025 version of the ROG Flow Z13 promises to change that. Asus is using AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ (aka Strix Halo), an all-in-one chip that combines a 16-core Zen 5 CPU, unified memory. And a brawny 40-core GPU that competes with some of the hottest discrete video. That theoretically makes it a great option for gamers who like the tablet formula, or even AI developers who want lots of muscle without a bulky conventional laptop.

In the real world. The Z13 achieves those goals with style. It’s the most powerful tablet of its kind for gamers and creators. However, it’s also $2,999 — and as you’ll soon find out, you do have to make a few compromises to get that raw speed.

Display: 2560 x 1600 IPS LCD 180Hz panel.

Dimensions: 30cm x x ~ .

Camera: 13MP front camera and 5MP IR camera for Windows Hello.

Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth .

Ports: 2x USB 4 Gen 3 Type-C, 1x USB Gen 2 Type-A. 1x HDMI , 1x microSD, 1x audio.

Note: the above specs are for the ROG Flow Z13 configuration available in Canada. Other countries’ models may vary.

Design: Built for power, not portability.

Despite the new processor. The ROG Flow Z13 design will seem very familiar if you’ve tried previous models. That is, it’s conspicuously built for gamers who want performance and a bit of flash, in contrast with the considerably lighter, subtler designs of Microsoft’s Surface Pro 11 or Apple’s iPad Pro M4.

At and up to thick. You won’t be carrying this in your hands for very long; it’s really a laptop whose keyboard you can remove when you’re curling up in bed or watching videos during a long flight. The adjustable kickstand is sturdy, however, and even the great-feeling keyboard doesn’t wobble significantly on a desk. I wouldn’t use the Z13 much on my lap, but if you do, you’ll take comfort knowing that the CPU’s position keeps it from cooking your hands or legs.

Furthermore, there are plenty of gamer PC standards, including customizable RGB lighting for the keyboard and. Rear window. That includes the display. It’s an IPS LCD with “just” a 1600p resolution, but that’s fine at this size, and I didn’t crave OLED during my review stint. The 180Hz refresh rate is also a slight improvement over the prior 165Hz, so you’ll get slightly smoother, more responsive visuals when you’re playing high frame-rate games.

You’d expect the top-of-the-range Ryzen AI Max+ 395 to do well given the sheer core count and powerful graphics, and. It certainly does here.

Synthetic tests like Geekbench 6 and Cinebench R24 tell much of the story for general computing. Single-core performance matches what you’d get with Intel’s Arrow Lake and Apple’s M3 (sorry, folks, the M4 still leads here). But those 16 CPU cores help it thrash most equivalent chips. It’s akin to an M4 Pro.

AI performance is surprisingly underwhelming. In Geekbench AI, the ROG Flow Z13 fell well behind the Zenbook A14 using a base Qualcomm Snapdragon X. Even though the 50TOPS (tera operations per second) NPU in the Ryzen AI Max+ should theoretically outperform the 45TOPS from Qualcomm’s silicon. Most large language AI models (think GPT or Gemini) still run in the cloud, though, and the unified memory will make you happy if you’re an AI developer or media editor when you can throw as much memory as you need at the GPU.

Gaming is the centrepiece, though. And that’s where the Z13 shines. The hot team shooter Marvel Rivals runs at 70-80 frames per second at the native display resolution with details set to High and. AMD’s upscaling (FideltyFX Super Resolution) enabled. Obsidian’s GPU-intensive RPG Avowed is also smooth while using details automatically set to High. And some games are clearly limited more by the CPU — Counter-Strike 2 and Destiny 2 routinely run well over 100FPS despite maxed-out visuals.

Effectively, you’re getting GeForce RTX 4060 performance (minus Nvidia’s advantage in ray tracing) without the need for a dedicated graphics chipset and some of the compromises Asus has had to make on heat. Power, and space in earlier Z13 models. That’s not just a huge technical achievement, but a practical one that makes a gaming tablet like this easier to live with.

What you give up: Battery life and noise issues.

If you were expecting the Ryzen AI Max+ to be as energy-efficient as it is quick. You won’t be happy. Asus indicates 10 hours of peak battery life for the ROG Flow Z13, but. You won’t get that unless you’re using it for very lightweight duties. In my typical work process, which includes Photoshop 2025, Slack chat, several browser tabs, and. The occasional video call or music stream, I got three to four hours of use. You can expect less with games or media editing.

That’s not necessarily a deal-breaker when many gaming laptops share this problem, and. You’re unlikely to be playing for hours on battery. But it’s something to remember if this will double as a work machine, especially if you need it to last through a long flight. I’d rather get the Surface Pro 11 if I wanted a detachable mainly for productivity, especially now that there’s an Intel-powered variant that can run more software.

And like earlier Z13 models as well as many gaming portables, the fan system engages often unless you invoke Asus’ Silent mode and. Accept a performance drop. That wouldn’t be as much of an issue if the speakers weren’t lackluster. You’ll likely be reaching for your headphones.

Is the ROG Flow Z13 worth the money versus a Surface Pro?

The $2,999 price for the ROG Flow Z13 in Canada gives you a lot of value, but. There’s no denying that it’s steep. If you want raw gaming capability from Asus, the 2025 ROG Strix 16 starts at $3,299 with a larger screen, faster RTX 5070 Ti GPU. And a 240Hz display. Other brands aren’t far off.

But that’s not why you’d consider the Z13. This really is the “Surface Pro for gamers,” with the performance of a larger gaming laptop in a device you can fit on even smaller seatback trays. The Ryzen AI Max+ also makes it a very solid AI and content workstation. Just be ready to stay plugged in most of the time.

My main concern is whether or not a tablet is the right form factor. I’d rather get AMD’s chip in a conventional laptop with room for a larger battery and a more lap-friendly design. HP’s upcoming Zbook Ultra 14-inch G1a might fit that bill, at least for professionals. For now, the Z13 is worth a look precisely because it’s so unique and. Addresses an underserved category.

The Asus ROG Flow Z13 is available from Asus’ website.

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Xiaomi 15 Ultra launched: The Galaxy S25 Ultra alternative we’ve been waiting for

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s standout feature is a 200MP periscope camera.

Expect to pay €999 and €1,499 for the standard and Ultra models. Respectively.

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra was one of our favorite camera phones of 2024, so we eagerly anticipated its successor. Fortunately, the day is here, as Xiaomi has launched the Xiaomi 15 Ultra and a global version of the Xiaomi 15.

The two phones have a few functions in common, namely a top-flight Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, 90W wired charging. And an IP68 rating. The phones both run HyperOS 2 atop Android 15, and this software brings AI-enabled functions like writing assistance, translations, transcriptions. Image expansion, reflection removal, and more. However, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is the more impressive device on paper.

Xiaomi 15 series: Hot or not? 61 votes Hot! 84 % Not! 16 %.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra: A camera attached to a phone.

The Ultra model is all about the camera experience, and. It offers arguably the best camera hardware of 2025. The phone has a 50MP one-inch main camera (LYT-900, f/, a 50MP ultrawide lens (JN5, f/, a 50MP 3x camera (IMX858, f/, 10cm macro focus), and a monster 200MP periscope camera (HP9. F/ Xiaomi says this 200MP shooter is capable of 200mm ( and 400mm ( lossless zoom, but history tells us this is likely lossless in resolution only. You can also expect a 32MP selfie camera.

There is one notable downgrade compared to last year, though. And that’s the lack of a variable aperture on the main shooter. That means you’ve got less control over depth-of-field effects, focusing, and light capture compared to last year.

Much like last year’s Ultra model. Xiaomi is also offering an optional camera grip. This grip brings a 67mm filter adapter ring, a shutter key, and a 2,000mAh battery.

Other specs worth knowing include a QHD+ 120Hz OLED screen, a 5,410mAh battery, 80W wireless charging, an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner. Bluetooth , and Wi-Fi 7. What’s particularly noteworthy is that the battery is significantly smaller than the Chinese variant, which comes with a 6,000mAh battery.

Otherwise, Xiaomi’s Ultra handset also has Xiaomi Shield Glass on the front, an aluminum frame. And a rather cool rear cover akin to a Leica camera. Don’t care for this look? Then you can choose Black or White color options as well.

Xiaomi 15: The best small phone of 2025?

Just want a smaller flagship phone? Then the Xiaomi 15 is for you, as it’s roughly on par with the Google Pixel 9 in terms of size. The phone has a 120Hz OLED screen (2,670 x 1,200, 3,200 nits peak brightness). Which is significantly smaller than most other flagship Android devices.

But Xiaomi didn’t compromise on battery capacity. The phone has a 5,240mAh silicon-carbon battery, which is slightly larger than the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s 5,000mAh cell. It’s accompanied by 90W wired charging and 50W wireless charging.

Otherwise, the Xiaomi 15 has a triple 50MP rear camera system. Expect a 50MP Light Fusion 900 main camera (1/, f/, a 50MP telephoto lens (1/, f/, macro support), and a 50MP ultrawide lens (1/, f/ The phone packs a 32MP camera on the front for selfies and video calls.

Other notable specs include Bluetooth , an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, and. Wi-Fi 7.

In addition to the aforementioned IP68 rating, the Xiaomi 15 has the organization’s Shield Glass protection on the front and an aluminum frame. However, the organization told Android Authority that it only offered standard glass on the back, which doesn’t bode well for accidental drops. In any event, the phone will be available in Black, White, Green, and Liquid Silver color schemes.

Xiaomi 15 series pricing and. Availability.

Xiaomi says the standard model starts at €999 (~$1,037) for the 12GB/256GB variant. There’s a 12GB/512GB model as well, but pricing for that variant wasn’t available as of writing.

Meanwhile. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra starts at €1,499 (~$1,556) for the 16GB/512GB model. The firm is also offering a 16GB/1TB model if you need more storage, but pricing wasn’t forthcoming for this model.

Xiaomi also unveiled several other products at the event, including the Pad 7 series, the Watch S4. And the Smart Band 9 Pro. It also unveiled the Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro Wi-Fi, the first pair of earbuds with Qualcomm’s XPAN tech.

Disclosure: Hadlee Simons is a guest of Xiaomi at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Xiaomi had no influence over editorial coverage.

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HMD 2660 Flip, 150 Music, 130 Music and Barca 3210 unveiled at MWC

HMD followed its Fusion X1 announcement at the MWC with a number of featurephones. The organization unveiled four of those - 2660 Flip, 150 Music, 130 Music and the Barca edition of the 3210.

Unsurprisingly the 2660 Flip is a clamshell phone available in a few fun colors – Twilight Violet, Raspberry Red and. The more traditional Cosy Black.

The spec sheet won't blow anybody away. The display measures inches and sports QVGA resolution. There is a small QQVGA cover display with a Mohs 4 hardness surface on top for protection. The whole phone is IP54 rated, and a glass screen protector is pre-applied on the cover panel. You get a VGA camera on the back, a removable 1,450 mAh battery, 4G connectivity and dual SIM support. There is FM radio, an MP3 player, Bluetooth , expandable storage and a jack. You get a Unisoc T107 chipset with 128GB of storage and 64MB of RAM.

The Music 150 and Music 130 focus on music playback first and foremost, with large built-in speakers on the rear panel and music control buttons on the side.

The Music 150 has a 2W rear speaker. A QVGA TN display, a 2,500 mAh removable battery and a audio jack. The highlights continue with Bluetooth , dual SIM support and a QVGA rear camera with flash. A Unisoc 6531F chipset is inside the phone with just 8MB of RAM and 8MB of storage. Thankfully, the latter is expandable via microSD. Much like the Flip, this phone runs the S30+ featurephone platform.

The HMD 130 Music has two things separating it from its 150 counterpart - design and the lack of a camera.

The 2W speaker and the QVGA TN display, 2,500 mAh removable battery. Audio jack, Bluetooth , and dual SIM support are still there. The chipset and memory are the same, and you still get a microSD slot.

Remember the Nokia 3210? No, we mean the HMD re-release from 2024. Well, it now gets a new FC Barcelona skin in either blue or red.

It capabilities a TFT LCD with QVGA resolution and. A 2MP main cam on the back with an LED flash. The device runs the S30+ featurephone system on a Unisoc T107 chipset with 64MB RAM and 128MB storage. Which is expandable to up to 32GB via the microSD card slot. You also get a headphone jack, Bluetooth , FM radio, and the fan-favorite Snake game. The handset also capabilities a removable 1,450 mAh battery, which charges over USB-C.

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