Mobile reviews

EarFun’s Free 2 are another affordable effort that offer value, especially with their feature set. Casual listeners looking for an inexpensive pair of earbuds will be satisfied. Pros Energetic sound (at the right volume) Solid fit Good feature set Cons Poor call quality Weak at lower volumes Humdrum design Availability UK RRP: £44.99 USA RRP: $49.99 Europe RRP: €79.99 Key Features Fast-charging A ten minute charge is enough for two more hours Gaming Mode Reduces latency to 60ms for slicker gaming performance Water resistance Fully resistance against water and sweat Introduction EarFun are one of many brands with eyes on the affordable side of the true wireless market, launching several options for less than £100. The Free 2 earbuds are their cheapest pair of true wireless, sitting alongside the original, and still available, Free buds. With a feature set that looks to capture mobile gamers and fitness fanatics, these are the type of all-purpose...

Lypertek’s attempt at premium true wireless buds breeds familiarity in terms of performance and feature set, but some aspects of their performance doesn’t merit the jump in price Pros Entertaining sound Good fit Long battery life Excellent connection Cons Plain design Poor transparency mode Disappointing call quality Availability UK RRP: £199 USA RRP: $199 Europe RRP: €199 Key Features cVc 8.0 Noise Cancelling Qualcomm tech for calls Bluetooth codecs Supports SBC, AAC and aptX Adaptive Drivers Dual Balanced Armature Driver and High Performance 6mm Driver set-up Introduction Lypertek has produced some of our favourite budget true wireless in the PurePlay Z3, SoundFree S20 and Pureplay Z3 2.0. Following those models is their most ambitious try yet in the Pureplay Z7. Priced at £199, these earbuds aren’t aimed at the budget set. Upgrades include an updated design, improved Bluetooth performance and hybrid driver technology. With the leap in pri...

Xiaomi unveiled the fifth version of its flagship tablet, the Xiaomi Pad 5, alongside the 11T Pro this September. The tablet, which is designed to be used both for work, entertainment and to scroll through social media packs an 11-inch display with a speedy refresh rate, an 8720mAh battery and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 860 chipset. This, plus its price put it in direct competition with Apple’s new iPad 9 .  I got the opportunity to try the Pad 5 out at Xiaomi’s launch event in London. Stay on this page to learn more about my initial impression of the tablet. Design and display  The Xiaomi Pad 5 is available in two colours: Cosmic Gray and Pearl White. I tested out the Pearl White version which is a beautiful white shade with a warm iridescent sheen to it.  The device feels slim and lightweight for a tablet, with dimensions measuring 254.69 x 166.25 x 6.85mm and a weight of 511g. Perhaps most importantly, the device seems sturdy enough that I wouldn’t be nervous slipp...