These are the best gaming monitors you can buy in 2022

You finally managed to buy all the components for your new gaming rig including a new graphics card for which you probably paid two or 2x or 3x the MSRP. Well, now it’s time to complete your rig with one of the best gaming monitors. Luckily, there’s no shortage of gaming monitors on the market, so you have the liberty to pick up the one you want based on the GPU you just bought. After all, it’s the graphics card that tells you what kind of gaming monitor is worth buying.

There are a few things to consider while shopping for gaming monitors. The one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work here, sadly, because each user has a different preference. While some users want a high-refresh-rate panel, others may want to buy a high-resolution monitor for 4K gaming. And then there are people who give more importance to extra technologies like HDMI 2.1 bandwidth too. Keeping all that in mind, here’s our list of the best gaming monitors you can buy right now. It doesn’t include all the available options on the market but these are the ones we think are worth considering in 2022.

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• Best overall gaming monitor: Samsung Odyssey G7
• Best 1440p gaming monitor: ViewSonic Elite XG270QG
• Best 4K gaming monitor: LG UltraGear 27GN950
• Best budget gaming monitor: MSI Optix G24C4 FHD
• Best high refresh-rate Esports gaming monitor: MSI Oculux NXG253R
• Best ultra-wide gaming monitor: ASUS ROG Strix XG49VQ
• Best big-sized gaming monitor: Gigabyte Aorus FV43U
• Best gaming monitor with HDMI 2.1: Acer Nitro XV282K

Best overall gaming monitor: Samsung Odyssey G7

While 4K gaming is no longer a distant dream for gamers, it’s safe to say that the majority are still leaning towards 1440p gaming. There are a ton of great 1440p gaming monitors out there that’ll serve you well without costing too much money. That being said, there are only a few that checks all the right boxes to deliver a good gaming experience. Well, the Samsung Odyssey G7 curved gaming monitor is one of those products and it’s our pick for the best overall gaming monitor you can buy in 2022.

In terms of specifications, the Samsung Odyssey G7 sports a 27-inch curved VA panel with a maximum resolution of 2,560 x 1,440. It supports up to 240Hz refresh rate and has a 1ms response time, which is amongst the fastest we’ve seen. This particular panel peaks at 350 nits brightness and has a 2,500:1 contrast ratio. The Odyssey G7, as you can see, is quite good on paper. This monitor is a great option for those who want a high-resolution panel and also those who like a high refresh rate. It essentially offers the best of both worlds, so what’s not to like?

One thing that’s worth pointing out about this monitor, however, is the fact that it has a 1000R curved display. This essentially means the monitor has a high curvature which may take some time to get used to. If you are someone who’s coming from a flat panel then a monitor with something like 1500R or 1800R will be easier. That being said, the Odyssey G7 will allow you to get more immersed into the games that you play thanks to that curved.

The overall build quality of the Samsung Odyssey G7 is also among the best. In fact, this is one of the most stylish-looking monitors that we’ve seen in a while. It sports an LED ring light at the back along with a sturdy stand that’s capable of supporting the monitor well. As for the ports, you get an HDMI 2.0 port, two DisplayPort, a single 3.5mm headphone jack output, and three USB 2.0 ports. Some other noteworthy features of the Odyssey G7 curved gaming monitor include HDR support, adaptive sync, and compatibility for both Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync for a tear-free gaming experience.

All things considered, this is one of the best gaming monitors on the market right now. The Odyssey G7, as we mentioned earlier, offers the best of both worlds — a fast 240Hz display with 1ms response time and a high-resolution 1440p display. The overall picture quality of the monitor is also great, be it for gaming, media consumption, or just for day-to-day workloads. Samsung also sells a 32-inch version of the Odyssey G7, which is also equally good, if not better. You might want to check it out if you like having bigger displays on your setup. The 27-inch panel, however, is the one we think that most should buy. It’s a solid 1440p gaming monitor for $700.

Samsung Odyssey G7 Curved Gaming Monitor

The Samsung Odyssey G7 curved gaming monitor is an excellent choice that offers the best of both worlds - a 240Hz 1440p panel with a 1ms response time.

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Best 1440p gaming monitor: ViewSonic Elite XG270QG

While the Samsung Odyssey G7 curved gaming monitor has a great 1440p panel, we wanted to add a non-curved option for those who prefer flat panels. As such, we’ve picked the ViewSonic Elite XG270QG has the best 1440p gaming monitor you can buy on the market right now. This one has a 27-inch 1440p display with support for up to a 165Hz refresh rate. It’s a great 1440p panel that also has quite a bit of personality to it.

The ViewSonic Elite XG270QG features a 27-inch IPS display with a maximum resolution of 2,560 x 1,440. It has what Viewsonic calls a “borderless” design but it’s not technically edge-to-edge as we’ve seen on a lot of monitors. In fact, there’s a sizable bezel on the bottom with the text “Elite” to represent the series. This particular monitor has received rave reviews from a lot of enthusiasts for both its color accuracy and response time. This monitor covers 100-percent of the DCI-P3 space and up to 89-percent of the Adobe RGB space.

The ViewSonic Elite XG270QG also happens to be one of the fastest displays around with support for up to 165Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. This is a great option to consider if you’re into multiplayer FPS titles like Apex Legends, Valorant, CS:GO, and more. Sure, it’s not particularly easy to buy GPUs right now, but you won’t necessarily need a very demanding GPU to push games at 1440p at high frame rates, especially the ones we’ve mentioned above.

The overall build quality of the ELite XG270QG is great. It’s got an all-black body with quite a bit of RGB lighting. There’s lighting at the back of the display that throws a shade of light on the wall behind the monitor. You’ll also find more lights at the bottom of the panel next to the buttons. These lights can be programmed to show either static or other effects based on your mood. You also get two flexible mouse bungees. As for the port selection, the ViewSonic Elite XG270QG is equipped with one HDMI 2.0 port and one DisplayPort 1.4b port. Additionally, you also get three USB 3.0 ports and a single USB Type-B upstream port for connecting the monitor to your PC.

The panel quality is also among the best and we think it’s great for gaming as well as media consumption. It’s also a fantastic display to be used to get through your day-to-day workloads, so a great monitor overall. This particular monitor is available for $600 right now, which is a pretty good price for the kind of feature it brings to the table. We’ll soon be reviewing this monitor at XDA, so we’ll update this space with more inputs from our testing process soon. In the meantime, you can hit the link below to find the best price for this monitor in case you’re interested in buying it right now. We think it’s a great 1440p non-curved alternative to the Odyssey G7 monitor that we’ve mentioned above.

Viewsonic XG270Q

The Viewsonic Elite XG270Q is a great 1440p gaming monitor with support for up to 165Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time.

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Best 4K gaming monitor: LG UltraGear 27GN950

Powerful new graphics cards like the RTX 3080 and the Radeon RX 6800 XT have enabled 4K gaming for a lot of users. Sure, these GPUs aren’t readily available on the market right now, but there’s no denying that they’re incredibly powerful and deliver a great 4K gaming experience. If you have one of these powerful GPUs which you are looking to pair with a high-end 4K display, then we recommend picking up the LG ULtraGear 27GN950 monitor.

The LG UltraGear 27GN950 has already made it to a couple of best gaming monitors collections, so it’s hardly a surprise that we’ve added it to our collection of the best gaming monitors too. It sports a 27-inch UHD panel with support for up to 144Hz refresh rate. We’re looking at a maximum resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 for this NanoIPS panel and it’s got a 1ms response time too. It peaks at 400 nits of brightness and has a 100:1 contrast ratio.

On paper, as you can see, it’s hard to beat the LG UltraGear 27GN950. It’s a fully kitted display that offers plenty of great features. It also supports HDR which is great for playing some of the best AAA titles. You also both Nvidia’s G-Sync and AMD’s FreeSync adaptive refresh, making it a great all-rounder. The LG UltraGear 27GN950 shines in the design and build quality department too. There are slim bezels around the panel, giving it a very modern look. You also get a good quality stand that keeps this thing nice and sturdy on the desk. LG has also added some lighting at the back but it isn’t too obnoxious. You can customize this “Sphere Lighting”, so that’s great too.

In terms of the port selection, you get two HDMI 2.0 ports along with a single DisplayPort 1.4 as part of the essentials. The overall panel quality is also great and it’s gotten some really good reviews overall in the community. The gaming experience is also going to be just as good thanks to the 144Hz refresh rate support. You’ll definitely need a powerful GPU to push games at 4K, though. Unlike 1440p resolution, not many GPUs are capable of running a lot of games at 4K. Even the less demanding titles like Valorant, for instance, will demand a lot of GPU power to push 4K at 144Hz, so keep that in mind.

If you don’t have a powerful GPU then we think you’d be better off sticking to 1440p or even a 1080p monitor, for that matter. There are plenty of great options to choose from, so be sure to go through this entire list to find your pick. It goes without saying that the LG UltraGear 27GN950 is also an expensive gaming monitor coming in at $800. You are getting a super high-resolution display with support for a 144Hz refresh rate, after all. It’s not the most expensive out there, but we think $800 is a lot for most people. That being said, it can’t better than this when it comes to 4K gaming monitors.

LG UltraGear 27GN950-B 4k monitor

The LG UltraGear 27GN950-B is one of the best 4K gaming monitors out there with a good mix of features and a super fast, high-resolution panel.

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Best budget gaming monitor: MSI Optix G24C4

1080p (FHD) is still the preferred resolution for a lot of gamers which we why we also wanted to add a good 1080p monitor to this collection. You’ll find a lot of 1080p monitors on the market but we think the MSI Optix G24C4 is a good option to consider. This particular monitor only has a 24-inch display but we think that’s the sweet spot for 1080p resolution. You can also find a lot of 27-inch or even 32-inch 1080p monitors but the resolution is a bit too low for the 27-inch form factor.

The MSI Optix G24C4 has a fairly simple design. It’s mainly made out of plastic but it has thin bezels surrounding the display. The stand also looks very sturdy and it does a great job of holding the monitor steadily on the surface. It doesn’t offer a lot of adjustment options, though. You can only tilt the monitor’s vertical angle and that’s about it.

The MSI Optix G24C4 sports a 24-inch curved VA panel with a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080. It also offers support for up to 144Hz refresh rate and has a 1ms response time. This MSI monitor peaks at 250 nits of brightness with a 3000:1 contrast ratio. This one has a curved panel but the curvature is rather subtle, which is good for those who are coming from a flat panel. We’re looking at 1500R curvature, so it’s going to be less noticeable than the Samsung Odyssey G7’s 1000R curvature panel.

The overall picture quality of this display is also pretty good. It covers up to 100-percent of the sRGB color space and up to 88-percent of the DCI-P3 space. The support for up to 144Hz refresh rate means it’s a good option for those looking to dive into some multiplayer FPS titles. There are also plenty of graphics cards out there that can easily push games at 1080p resolution, which is also why this is the preferred resolution for most gamers. Even the budget GPUs like the Nvidia RTX 3050 and the Radeon RX 6500 XT can run a lot of demanding titles at 1080p.

In terms of connectivity, the MSI Optix G24C4 has a single DisplayPort 1.2 port and two HDMI 1.4 ports. You don’t get built-in speakers on this monitor but it comes with an audio jack. All things considered, we think the MSI Optix G24C4 is a great budget gaming monitor that offers a lot of good features at this price point. You can pick up this particular monitor for just around $180 right now, making it the most affordable gaming monitor in this collection.

The MSI Optix G24C4 is not without its caveats but it’s still a lot better than many options in this price range. It would’ve been nice to have more connectivity options and more adjustment options for the monitor, but it makes for it in the picture quality and the performance department.

MSI Optix G24C4

The MSI G24C4 is a reliable budget gaming monitor that offers a good set of features for the price. It only has a 24-inch display but we think it's the sweet spot for 1080p.

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Best high refresh-rate Esports gaming monitor: MSI Oculux NXG253R

There are plenty of high refresh rate gaming monitors on the market but the MSI Oculux NXG253R holds a special spot in many collections when it comes to the best gaming monitors. That’s because this gaming monitor sports a 360Hz IPS display. It’s also a G-Sync compatible panel with rapid response times. This monitor is preferred by a lot of Esports professionals who prefer high refresh-rate monitors for playing competitively.

The MSI Oculux NXG253R has a 24.5-inch 1080p monitor which means it has a maximum resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 only. It’s not as sharp as many other monitors mentioned in this collection, but that’s not even the selling point for this piece. It manages to get attention with its 360Hz fast IPS panel. Playing multiplayer Esports games like CS:GO and Valorant will be a treat on this monitor. You won’t need a very powerful GPU to push such high frame rates in these games. Even a decent 1080p or 1440p budget GPU can easily push upwards of 300FPS in games like Valorant.

This isn’t the only monitor to have such a high refresh rate panel. But MSI has managed to deliver a good overall experience thanks to good build quality and a decent set of features. You can use the MSI Oculux NXG253R in both portrait and landscape orientations which also makes it a pretty versatile option. It also offers good tile adjustment for those who need it. There’s very little in the name of RGB lighting on this monitor as we only a small strip of light between the text G-Sync 360 and MSI, separating the two. In terms of the ports, the MSI Oculux NXG253R features two HDMI 2.0 ports and a DisplayPort 1.4b input. This is in addition to the 3.5mm audio port and the USB-A 3.2 upstream port.

This MSI monitor has also received pretty decent reviews from a lot of enthusiasts in the community. The overall panel quality of the MSI Oculux NXG253R is on-par with a lot of other high-end panels on the market. The gaming experience is also going to be great. You can obviously play all kinds of games you want on this monitor but it’s going to really shine in Esports titles in which having a faster display matters a lot.

All things considered, we think the MSI Oculux NXG253R is a great monitor overall. This is a perfect monitor for somebody who likes to play a lot of competitive FPS games online. Having a high-refresh panel is great but playing games on a super smooth 360Hz gaming monitor is going to be really great experience. Despite being a 1080p monitor, however, the MSI Oculux NXG253R costs as much as $600. That makes it one of the most expensive 1080p gaming monitors on the market right now, if not the most. You are paying a premium price here mainly for the high refresh rate panel, so keep that in mind. If that’s not something you’re after then we think you are better off buying a budget, 1080p monitor. This one is usually available at discounted prices though, so be sure to check the link below.

MSI Oculux NXG253R

The MSI Oculux NXG253R is one of the best Esports gaming monitors out there with a 1080p 360Hz display fast IPS display.

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Best ultra-wide gaming monitor: ASUS ROG Strix XG49VQ

Ultrawide monitors have a special place in the community. They’re obviously not for everyone these ultrawide displays are preferred by those who want to replace their dual monitor setup with a single, seamless display on their desk for a minimal overall look. There are plenty of ultrawide monitors on the market but we think the ASUS ROG Strix XG49VQ is a good place to start for those who are moving from a standard monitor. It’s not as expensive as many other ultrawide monitors on the market.

The ASUS ROG Strix XG49VQ sports a 49-inch panel with a maximum resolution of 3840×1080. It’s a 144Hz VA panel with a 4ms response time. As you can tell, this is a great gaming monitor that can be used with both PC as well as gaming consoles. As is the case with every other ultrawide gaming monitor, this is a curved screen so you may have to get used to it if you are coming from a normal display. We’re looking at a 32:9 aspect ratio, so you know exactly what to expect from this panel.

The ASUS ROG Strix XG49VQ is also said to have a pretty good image quality. It has DisplayHDR 400 and features like Shadow Boost for enhancing details in darker areas. For gaming enthusiasts, the Strix XG49VQ offers 144Hz refresh rate support with FreeSync. The overall gaming performance of the panel is known to be pretty good and it offers a great level of immersion. An ultrawide monitor like this is perfect for those who want to experience simulations. Titles like Microsoft Flight Simulator are going to look great on an ultrawide monitor.

In terms of the ports, we’re looking at one DisplayPort and two HDMI ports along with a 3.5mm audio port. Additionally, you also get three USB ports for connecting other stuff. This particular monitor has a built-in speaker, which is a good touch. We know a lot of people don’t like using built-in monitor speakers but they’re ready to go if/when you need them. It goes without saying that you will need a pretty powerful system to push games that will fully cover the display. We’re looking at more screen real-estate which means your system will essentially be pushing more pixels.

And in case you are wondering, this monitor also supports the next-generation consoles. However, you will only be able to push them till 1080p @ 120Hz. Overall, we think the ASUS ROG Strix XG49VQ is a great ultrawide monitor that’s worth considering. You also choose more expensive options including the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 but this ROG Strix option stands as a good option for many who are coming from a regular panel. Coming in at under $800, it’s not the most affordable gaming monitor out there, but it’s definitely not as expensive as a lot of other options either. Besides that, this one also tends to be available at discounted prices so be sure to hit the link below and see if you can grab it at a discount.

ASUS ROG Strix XG49VQ

The ASUS ROG XG49VQ is a good ultrawide monitor option and it acts as a good entry point for those who are coming from a standard monitor setup.

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Best big-sized gaming monitor: Gigabyte Aorus FV43U

While most people don’t prefer buying monitors bigger than 32-inch, we know there are people who like to have a big-sized monitor in their gaming setups. If you are one of them, then we think you’d be interested in checking out the Gigabyte Aorus FV43U. This monitor is essentially a TV replacement for many as it packs a massive 43-inch panel.

A 43-inch panel may sound too big for a monitor but we think it hits the sweet spot when it comes to the big-sized gaming monitor. We think this one is large enough to sit close to it and enjoy the content or play games. It also has a good amount of height thanks to the 16:9 aspect ratio. If you are on the look for a jumbo-sized gaming monitor, then we think the Gigabyte Aorus FV43U is a solid option to consider.

The Gigabyte Aorus FV43U comes with a 43-inch VA panel with edge array lighting. It’s to a 16:9 aspect ratio, as we just mentioned, and it has a maximum resolution of 3840×2160. This particular panel also supports a 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time, which means it’s great for gaming. In addition to that, the Gigabyte Aorus FV43U also has support for FreeSync, thereby enhancing your gaming experience further.

In terms of the image quality, the Gigabyte Aorus FV43U handles things very well too. It offers 1,000 nits of brightness and a 4000:1 contrast ratio. This makes it better than a lot of options mentioned in this collection. It also comes with support for DisplayHDR 1000 and HDR10 certification. Those who are looking to use this monitor with the next-generation consoles including Xbox Series X, S, and PS5 will also have a great time as it sports HDMI 2.1 ports. We’re also adding a dedicated monitor listing that comes with HDMI 2.1 port right after, but it’s safe to say that the Gigabyte Aorus FV43U is a solid option too.

Speaking of ports, the Gigabyte Aorus FV43U monitor has a single DisplayPort 1.4 port, two HDMI 2.1 ports, a USB-C port a couple of USB 3.0 ports, and a 3.5mm jack. You also get an IR remote with this particular monitor, so it’s safe to say that it also doubles up as a TV in your gaming room. Another good thing about the Gigabyte Aorus FV43U is that it also comes with HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C cables. It isn’t unusual for monitors to come with cables but a lot of manufacturers tend to miss out on that.

There’s not much to talk about the overall design and the build quality of the Gigabyte Aorus FV43U too. It has standard bezels around the panel with AORUS branding on the front along with a basic black-colored plastic body at the back with no RGB lighting. We think it looks pretty good and the overall build quality is also quite sturdy. All things considered, the Gigabyte Aorus FV43U is a great option for those who are looking to buy a big-sized gaming monitor.

Gigabyte Aorus FV43U

The Samsung UR59C may not be the fastest monitor on this list, but it's an affordable and reliable option that's perfect for casual gamers.

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Best gaming monitor with HDMI 2.1: Acer Nitro XV282K

There aren’t too many good gaming monitors out there that come with HDMI 2.1 ports. It’s not a particularly difficult category to explore but the options are certainly very limited. Acer, however, is one of the manufacturers to have launched a gaming monitor with an HDMI 2.1 port and we think it deserves a spot in our collection of the best gaming monitor with HDMI 2.1. We’re talking about the Acer Nitro XV282K, the company’s new UHD gaming monitor.

In terms of the specs, the Acer Nitro XV282K features a 27-inch 4K UDH monitor with a maximum resolution of 3840 x 2160. It’s an IPS panel with support for up to 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. We’re also looking at a peak brightness of 400 nits and it has a contrast ratio of 1000:1. The specs of the Acer Nitro XV282K, as you can see, are pretty good overall. In fact, it’s on par with a lot of other high-end monitors in this collection, which is great.

One of the best things about this particular monitor is that it comes with two HDMI 2.1 ports along with a DisplayPort 1.4. You also get a 3.5mm audio port along with a USB hub. The fact that it has HDMI 2.1 ports, makes it a great option for those who are looking to pair with the next-gen consoles including Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5. HDMI 2.1 will allow you experience 4K @ 120Hz with those consoles, which is great. This is an important feature to have that even a lot of high-end TVs don’t offer. The overall gaming experience of the Acer Nitro XV282K is great with PC too.

We’re looking at a 4K display with support for a 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms response, so it’s very similar in specs to the LG UltraGear monitor that we’ve added as our pick for the best 4K gaming monitor. There’s not much to talk about the design of the Acer Nitro XV282K, though. It’s a fairly simple-looking monitor that lacks any kind of “gaming” aesthetics. It doesn’t have an edge-to-edge panel but the bezels around the display are quite minimal. The stand looks very basic too but at least it does a good job of holding the monitor in place. The stand also offers a good amount of adjustment options, so that’s good.

The overall gaming experience on the panel is also said to be pretty good. The same goes for the image quality too. Despite being a relatively new monitor on the market, it has already received pretty good reviews from the enthusiasts in the community, so we think it’s definitely worth checking out. It is, however, worth pointing out that it’s an expensive monitor coming in at $900. That’s not really surprising considering it’s very similar in specs to the LG UltraGear monitor that we mentioned earlier. We also recommend checking out the Gigabyte Aorus FV43U that we’ve mentioned above. That one also comes with HDMI 2.1 ports but it’s relatively bigger than this Acer monitor in size, so keep that in mind.

Acer Nitro XV282K

The Acer Nitro XV282K is a great option to consider if you are looking to buy a 4K gaming monitor with an HDMI 2.1 port.

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Best gaming monitors to buy in 2022: Final Thoughts

Well, that brings us to the end of our collection of the best gaming monitors you can buy in 2022. As you can see, there are a lot of options to consider in the gaming monitor space. That being said, we think the Samsung Odyssey G7 is the best overall gaming monitor you can buy right now. It’s got a curved screen, so you may have to look at other options like the ViewSonic Elite XG270QG. If you’re looking to buy a 4K gaming monitor then we think you should consider either the LG UltraGear 27GN950 or the Acer Nitro XV282K that comes with HDMI 2.1 ports. Additionally, we’ve also added some other options including the Gigabyte Aorus FV43U and the ASUS ROG Strix XG49VQ too, so be sure to check them out.

If you’re not particularly looking for just gaming monitors, then you might want to check out our collection of the best monitors. That list has a lot more options to choose including the ones for productivity. And if you are building a new setup from scratch, then we have some other collection articles that you might be interested in including the best webcams and the best mechanical keyboards. Alternatively, you can also join our XDA Computing Forums to discuss your setup or get more product recommendations from the experts in our community.

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How to create a zip file for photos and videos on an iPhone

One of the many reasons a person would buy an iPhone is its cameras. There’s no denying that with each new release we’re noticing significant improvements to the outputted photos and videos. However, this comes at a cost — the disk space they consume. Sharper photos and videos have larger file sizes, and that can be an issue for those who are low on storage. While Apple provides a storage optimization option that offloads photos stored in iCloud, not all users are willing to pay for iCloud Plus to expand the 5GB limit. A zip compresses files so that they consume less space. It additionally makes it easier to share multiple files with one share action, making it rather priceless for when you need to send an entire collection of information. Unfortunately, though, the Photos app on iOS 15 still doesn’t support zipping. Here are the step you need to follow to create a zip file for photos and videos on an iPhone.

How to create a zip file for photos and videos on an iPhone

• Launch the Photos app on your iPhone.
• Select the photos and/or videos that you would like to add to a zip file.

• Click on the Share button in the bottom left corner.

• Tap on Save to Files from the Share menu.

• Select the destination folder, and click on Save in the top right corner.
• Launch the Files app on your iPhone.

• Navigate to the folder where you’ve saved the photos/videos.

• Click and hold on it (Haptic Touch) and choose Compress.

• Voila! You now have a zip file that includes all of the photos and videos you’ve chosen. You can share the zip through your favorite apps — assuming they support zip files — or even upload it to a cloud if you’d rather just share a link with others.

Do you actively zip photos and videos? If so, why? Let us know in the comments section below.

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These are the best gaming chairs you can buy in 2022

Buying the best gaming chair is crucial to building a good gaming setup and it greatly helps in improving your overall gaming experience. You can spend all the money you want on buying the best gaming monitor or gaming mice, but you’re not going to have a good experience if you don’t have your head in the game and you’re constantly shifting around to try to get comfortable. Gaming chairs are great for even those who are building a new home office setup.

Luckily, you don’t have to spend a lot of money on a top-tier gaming chair to reap the comfortable rewards. There are plenty of affordable options out there too that’ll help you improve your experience — be it while gaming or simply while taking care of day-to-day office tasks. In this article, we’re going to take a look at some of the best gaming chairs you can buy for your setup in 2022.

Navigate this article:

• Best overall gaming chair: Corsair T2 ROAD WARRIOR
  • Alternate best pick: AndaSeat Dark Demon
• Best premium gaming chair: Secretlab Titan EVO 2022
  • Alternate best premium gaming chair: Noblechairs Epic
• Best budget gaming chair: Cougar Armor One
• Best leather gaming chair: Noblechairs ICON
• Best fabric gaming chair: Corsair TC60 Fabric
• Best ergonomic gaming chair: Razer Iskur Ergonomic

Best overall gaming chair: Corsair T2 ROAD WARRIOR

The Corsair T2 ROAD WARRIOR gaming chair isn’t one of the newest options on the market. In fact, this particular gaming chair came out more than three years ago, but it’s still going strong. It offers all the essentials that we’ve come to expect from a premium gaming chair including 4D armrests, plenty of adjustment options, and more. There are a lot of things to like about the Corsair T2 ROAD WARRIOR and we think it’s one of the best gaming chairs you can buy in 2022.

First things first, the Corsair T2 ROAD WARRIOR gaming chair is available in a bunch of different color options to choose from. The black color variant, however, seems to be the most popular one but feel free to look at other ones too. Corsair doesn’t have any special edition variants but we think the available options are plenty.

The Corsair T2 ROAD WARRIOR is one of those high-quality chairs that’s designed to be used by those who sit for hours in front of a computer while gaming. It’s got a wide seat to make sure you’re seated comfortably on the chair. We think this is ideal for even those who demand slightly bigger chairs. Corsair is using perforated PU leather for the seat and it also comes with a pillow and a lumbar cushion for support. The headrest is also ventilated to make sure there’s enough room to breathe.

The base of the Corsair T2 ROAD WARRIOR is made out of cast aluminum and it comes with rollerblade style caster wheels. We think the base is strong enough to hold a lot of weight and it should be able to last for a very long time without any issues. The base of the chair is very important and it appears to be quite strong on this particular gaming chair, so that’s good. The Corsair T2 ROAD WARRIOR also offers a 170-degree recline with a 17-degree seat tilt angle. This is more in line with a lot of other premium gaming chairs out there, so no complaints here too.

One of the best things about the Corsair T2 ROAD WARRIOR gaming chair is that it’s very easy to build. You also get all the essential accessories inside the box with this chair and it makes the overall process very smooth. Overall, we think the Corsair T2 ROAD WARRIOR gaming chair offers a lot of great features and it’s one of the best gaming chairs you can buy on the market right now.

Priced at $400, the Corsair T2 ROAD WARRIOR isn’t the most expensive gaming chair either which makes it even better. You get a great-looking gaming chair with good quality and a long list of features. And unlike a lot of other gaming chairs on the market, this one is readily available to buy too. Corsair also sells another variant of the T2 ROAD WARRIOR called the T1 Racing chair. That one costs slightly less, and we think it’s a great alternative if you don’t want to spend too much money.

Corsair T2 ROAD WARRIOR gaming chair

The Corsair T2 ROAD WARRIOR may not be the newest gaming chair on the market but we think it offers all the essential features and is very comfortable to use.

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Buy from Newegg

Alternate best pick: AndaSeat Dark Demon

You may not have heard of AndaSeat but this company is no stranger to creating gaming chairs. AndaSeat has a ton of gaming chairs to its name, including some really cool collaborations with Esports teams too. For this particular list, however, we’ve picked the AndaSeat Dark Demon gaming chair. This gaming chair will set you back around $400 and it offers a lot of good features that make it worth considering.

The AndaSeat Dark Demon gaming chair measures 143 x 54 x 56.70cm and is a pretty hefty chair. In fact, this particular gaming chair is suitable for tall people who prefer having big-sized gaming chairs for their setup. A big gaming chair like this will demand a lot of space in your room, though, so keep that in mind if you are planning to pick this one up for your setup.

The Dark Demon gaming chair is made out of a single-piece steel frame and uses cushions made out of high-density foam. There’s also a thin layer of memory form for additional comfort and the whole thing is covered in PVC leather. PVC leather is the only material that’s available for this chair so you will have to check out the option if that’s not your thing.

The Dark Demon gaming chair has a reclining backrest that lets you adjust the angle up to 16-degrees. It also has an adjustable tilt with a locking system in place to secure the position. Additionally, we’re also looking at 4D armrests with large memory foam necks and lumbar pillows. While this lumbar pillow isn’t going to provide as much comfort as the adjustable lumbar system on the Razer Iskur would, we still think it’s a nice addition. It’s definitely better than having to rely on just the shape of the chair in the name of lumbar support.

The Dark Demon is capable of taking a maximum load of up to 200kgs which means it should be good enough for a lot of users. The metal base is also said to be strong enough to let you recline all the way back without worrying about falling down. This chair is only available in one single size, so keep that in mind. It may be big for you if you prefer using small and compact gaming chairs. The AndaSeat Dark Demon is also available in either black or black/red color options, so you don’t get that many color options to choose from either.

All in all, the Dark Demon is a great gaming chair designed for bigger people who like tall gaming chairs. It offers a lot of room to get comfortable with and there’s also good base support compared to other chairs. The 160-degree reclining angle is also among the best but you may not like the lumbar pillow for support. This one, however, is readily available on the market so you should have no issues buying one right now by using the link below.

AndaSeat Dark Demon gaming chair

The AndaSeat Dark Demon is suitable for bigger people who are looking to buy a big-sized gaming for a comfortable gaming experience.

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Buy from Amazon

Best premium gaming chair: Secretlab Titan EVO 2022

Secretlab is one of the most popular names in this space. The company recently launched its new and updated Titan EVO 2022 series, which takes everything we love about the Titan series and makes it better. Secretlab’s Titan series, in case you don’t know, is extremely popular among gamers. The new Titan EVO 2022 series chairs are said to be better than ever. It has already received pretty good reviews from enthusiast gamers and it’s also the top pick in our collection of the best gaming chairs you can buy in 2022.

One of the best things about the Secretlab Titan EVO 2022 series is that it’s available in a bunch of different finishes and customization options. A quick look at the Secretlab website will show you all the available options. They have Esports Editions of the chair, representing different Esports teams and events including the ‘World 2021’, ‘LCS 2021’, and ‘The International DOTA 2 Championships’. Additionally, you can also buy some Special Editions including the new ‘Attack on Titan’ themed chair.

The Secretlab Titan EVO 2022 gaming chair also offers superior comfort. The chair has a steel frame and it uses Secretlab Cold Cure Foam with a bunch of different upholstery options. This particular chair is available in three different size options — small, regular, and XL. The sizes are pretty self-explanatory, but you might want to visit their website or a product page to see if those dimensions are ideal for your body type. It’s all about finding the right comfort, so feel free to explore different options.

The Secretlab Titan EVO 2022 gaming chair also has a ton of adjustment options. You’ll be able to adjust the height of the chair, the angle of the backrest, armrest height and angle, and more. There’s also a product video detailing all the different options and we highly recommend watching that to see what all it can do. The chair also has an internal lumbar support system that’s controlled by two knobs located on the backrest. It allows a flexible internal membrane to move up and down as well as in and out.

The new Titan EVO gaming chair also retains all the quality features that we’ve come to expect from Secretlab chairs including 4D armrests, quality hydraulics, tilt functionality, and more. There isn’t much to complain about the Secretlab Titan EVO 2022 gaming chair. The only thing worth pointing out is that the new version is now more expensive than the outgoing model. The Titan EVO 2022 gaming chair starts at $519, with the XL variant costing $569. You’ll also be spending more based on the upholstery finishes, so keep that in mind.

That being said, the Secretlab Titan EVO 2022 is perhaps the best gaming chair you can buy on the market right now. It’s a little on the expensive side but we think it’ll also serve you well for many years to come and offers a great, comfortable gaming experience too.

Secretlab Titan EVO 2022 gaming chair

The Secretlab Titan EVO 2022 is one of the best gaming chairs on the market right now. It comes with all the bells and whistles that we've come to expect from a premium gaming chair.

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Alternate best premium pick: Noblechairs Epic

If you are looking for an alternative to the Secretlab Titan EVO 2022, then we think the Noblechairs’ Epic series gaming chair is worth considering. The Noblechairs Epic series is made out of real leather, which makes it a very premium option on the market. It features a robust steel frame with cold foam cushioning, just like the one used on the Secretlab Titan EVO chair. As for the dimensions, the Epic Series real leather gaming chair measures 21 x 51 – 55 x 22 and has a seat width and height of 13.5-inches and up to 23-inches, respectively. We’re also looking at a maximum weight of 27Kgs and a max load capacity of 120Kgs.

Noblechair’s Epic series has a ton of other great features that are worth mentioning too. This particular chair comes with ‘4D’ armrests which can be adjusted in four different ways. 4D armrests are truly reserved for only the premium options on the market, so we think this is a good addition. You can adjust the armrest horizontally, laterally, vertically, and via a tilt angle. Being able to move the armrest and adjust them according to your posture is a great feature to have and you’ll definitely appreciate this.

The Secretlab Titan EVO 2022 gaming chair is extremely popular when it comes to comfort. Well, the Noblechair Epic series isn’t bad either. This one’s also a very comfortable gaming chair that comes with an option of real leather. Alternatively, you can pick up the one that uses vegan ‘Pu leather’, both of them feature delicate stitching and good breathability for a great overall user experience. Another interesting thing to note about the Noblechairs Epic series gaming chair is that it comes with an integrated rocking mechanism with a built-in locking function. This will allow you to set the chair at just the right angle and have a comfortable viewing experience.

The Noblechairs Epic series gaming chair costs almost the same as the Titan EVO 2022, coming in at around $500. It’s indeed on the more expensive side but we think it’s worth it considering all the features and the customization options it brings to the table. You’re also looking at a really good overall build quality, something which is very crucial to the overall life of a product like the gaming chairs. The Noblechairs Epic Series also uses real leather for the best experience which, you know, can be very expensive.

This particular chair also comes with a two-year manufacturer warranty, so you don’t have to worry about it giving up on you soon. One thing that’s worth pointing out about this particular chair is that it’s relatively big in size. So make sure you have enough space for the chair if you’re planning to buy for your setup. This is true for almost all the gaming chairs as they tend to be bigger than most office chairs, but this one’s bigger. Also, it’s not readily available on the market, so be sure to hit the link below to see if it’s in stock right now.

Noblechairs Epic Series gaming chair

The Noblechairs Epic is a premium gaming chair that sports a leather exterior and offers a lot of adjustment options for a comfortable experience.

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Buy from Amazon

Best budget option: Cougar Armor One

A lot of the gaming chairs tend to be expensive but you can still kick back in style without spending too much money. If you are on a tight budget then we recommend checking out the Cougar Armor One. This budget gaming chair offers plenty of great features that make it go head-to-head against a lot of the high-end options out there. The Cougar Armor One is available for just $185 right now, and it’s our pick for the best overall gaming chair you can buy in 2022.

The Cougar Armor One is available in a bunch of different colors but we think the Orange ones look the best. It’s also the signature color of Cougar and it looks pretty cool. This will be great if you already happen to have a matching Cougar gaming PC cabinet too. Its design is very similar to a lot of other gaming chairs on the market, so you’ll feel right at home if you’re already used to one.

The Cougar Armor One gaming chair uses breathable PVC leather that makes it very comfortable to use. Despite the affordable price tag, Cougar hasn’t skimped on quality materials, so that’s good to see. The Armor One gaming chair also comes with a head and lumbar pillow for support, which is something that’s missing even a lot of high-end gaming chairs out there. The Cougar Armor One gaming also comes with a lot of adjustable parts.

In addition to adjustable height, the Armors gaming chair also supports 180-degree reclining. This is better than a lot of other gaming chairs that only offer a limited few options when it comes to reclining. The chair also has a tilt resistance feature that can be controlled by turning a knob located under the chair. You also only get 2D armrests with this particular chair but that should be enough for most gamers.

The Cougar Armos One gaming chair is available in a bunch of different size options, so be sure to pick the one that suits your needs. You may have to pay more depending on the size you end up picking for your setup. The biggest option in the Armor series appears to be the Armor Titan gaming chair. This one has a slightly different design than the Armor One chair and it also offers a couple of other features including an advanced tilt mechanism.

All things considered, we think the Cougar Armor One is an excellent gaming chair for the price. It offers a good set of features and is available in a bunch of different options. Also, the fact that you get a decent amount of adjustment options in this price range makes it a really good gaming chair to consider if you’re looking for affordable chairs. The Cougar Armor One gaming chair, as we mentioned earlier, is priced at $185 right now, and you can hit the link below to see if you can find any discounts for it online.

Cougar Armor One gaming chair

The Cougar Armor One is a budget gaming chair that doesn't skimp on the essential features and offers a comfortable experience.

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Buy from Newegg

Best leather gaming chair: Noblechairs ICON

We’ve already added the Noblechairs Epic series gaming chair as a premium option to this collection. It goes head-to-head with a lot of premium chairs on the market including the Secretlab Titan EVO 2022. That being said, there’s another Noblechairs gaming chair that we’d like to add to this collection — the Noblechair ICON. This is yet another premium offering that’s made out of real leather.

That’s right, the Noblechair ICON gaming chair is available in a bunch of different material options including real leather. While the real leather variant is more expensive than the other ones, we think it’s worth the asking price. The real leather version of this chair is available in three different finishes — black, cognac/black, and midnight blue, graphite — and we think all of them look great. The Cognac/black variant looks particular premium, but you’d probably want to go with some other option based on your setup.

The Noblechairs ICON also has a very unique shape. Unlike most other gaming chairs that bear racing aesthetics, the ICON gaming chair has a distinct shape to offer a comfortable sitting experience. It also uses breathable, deformation-resistant cold foam upholstery. Thanks to the use of high-density foam, the chair retains its shape over extended periods of time. It effectively distributes the load to prevent users from sinking too deeply into the chair, which is great for those who tend to sit for long gaming sessions.

The Noblechairs ICON also has 4D armrests to offer maximum adjustability across four dimensions. You can move it horizontally, laterally, vertically, and also adjust the tilt angle. Chairs with 4D armrests are much better than the ones that come with 3D armrests, so this is a good addition too. The base of the Noblechairs ICON is made out of solid aluminum and it supports a maximum weight of up to 330lbs. It’s a matte black powder-coating base that rests on five 2.4-inch casters with nylon cores. The base is strong enough to allow the users to recline the backrest up to 135-degree without having to worry about falling down.

Overall, there is a lot to like about the Noblechairs ICON gaming chair and we think it gets all the essentials right. The use of real leather is like the icing on the cake and is perfect for those who want a premium option. In addition to the real leather, this ICON gaming chair is also available in a bunch of other materials including PU leather, high-tech synthetic leather, fabric, and more. The pricing, of course, is different for each variant with the fabric one being the most affordable option out of the bunch. It comes down to personal preference but this is one of the very few gaming chairs out there that uses real leather, so be sure to check it out. It’s not as premium or feature-rich as the Noblechairs Epic gaming chair, so you might want to check that one out too.

Noblechairs ICON

The Noblechairs ICON is a great gaming chair that comes with a leather exterior. It also has a simple yet elegant design that should look great with most setups.

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Best fabric gaming chair: Corsair TC60 Fabric

If leather is not your thing or you simply don’t want to spend that much money on a gaming chair then you might be interested in checking out the Corsair TC60 Fabric gaming chair. This gaming chair, as the name suggests, comes with a breathable cloth exterior. This also happens to be one the most affordable gaming chairs in this collection, so we think it’s also a great alternative to the Cougar Armors One char that we mentioned as our pick for the best gaming chair.

The Corsair TC60 is one of the very few gaming chairs that use a fabric exterior. Most of the options, including the ones mentioned in this collection, either use real leather or a PU leather exterior. Real leather is quite expensive but it gives the chair a premium look and feels overall. PU Leather also looks good but is known to have durability issues. Also, the fabric is considered to be the best for those who tend to sit on their chairs for a very long time on a daily basis. Fabric is a breathable material and we think it’ll be very comfortable to use for those long gaming sessions.

In terms of the design, the Corsair TC60 looks similar to the Noblechairs ICON gaming chair. Both of these chairs have a very unique design that makes them different from a bunch of other racing-inspired gaming chairs. The chair is also wide enough to comfortably fit most people, but you may have to look elsewhere you really are looking for a big-sized gaming chair with good support. The Corsair TC60 also lacks any sophisticated lumbar support, so keep that in mind. This may not be the best if you struggle to maintain a good posture with chairs that only have a limited built-in lumbar support.

The Corsair TC60 has 3D armrests which means they can only move in three dimensions and lacks the ability to let you adjust the tilt. As for the other adjustments, you get 100mm of seat height adjustment and a 105-degree reclining seatback with a 10-degree seat tilt. You do get a decent amount of adjustments but it obviously lacks behind when compared with a lot of other high-end gaming chairs on the market.

The Corsair TC60 fabric gaming chair is available in black, grey, or white color options and we think they all have a pretty simple and minimal design. There isn’t much to talk about the design of the chair itself, but we think it’s pretty good for the price and doesn’t leave any room to complain about. All things considered, we think the Corsair TC60 is a great gaming chair, especially when you consider the price. It’s currently available for as low as $219, making it one of the most affordable gaming chairs in this collection. It’s also a great option for those who are specifically looking for a gaming chair with a fabric exterior for a more comfortable gaming experience.

Corsair TC60 Fabric gaming chair

The Corsair TC60 is one of the best fabric gaming chairs on the market right now. It offers plenty of good features for a relatively affordable price.

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Buy from Amazon

Best ergonomic option: Razer Iskur Ergonomic

The Razer Iskur gaming chair is hard to ignore while discussing ergonomic chairs. Iskur is a premium gaming chair from the house of Razer that’s designed for gamers who spend a lot of time in front of the computer while gaming. The Razer Iskur is a great ergonomic gaming chair that comes in two size options and an add-on head cushion. Just like other Razer products, the Iskur gaming chair is also quite premium and costs a little bit more than other products, but we think this one’s worth it if you’re spending too much time in front of a computer.

One of the best things about the Razer Iskur gaming chair is that it comes with adjustable lumbar support. It’s a fully sculpted lumbar that should be able to keep you comfortable for long hours. Also, being able to adjust the angle of the lumbar support really makes it a better option over other chairs that don’t. A lot of gaming chairs have built-in lumbar support but not many let you adjust the angle. The Razer Iskur is unique in that regard and earns brownie points for being one of the better ergonomic gaming chairs on the market.

Razer is using PVC leather for the exterior of this chair. This means it’s not going to look and feel as premium as, say, the ones that use real leather, but it’ll get the job done. If that’s not your thing, then you can get the Razer Iskur gaming chair with a fabric exterior too. In addition to making the chair more breathable, it also gives it a very unique appearance. While the leather variant of the chair is available in both black and black/green color, the fabric variant of the chair is available in dark gray color. The fabric version of the chair also has adjustable lumbar support, which means you’re not missing out on much.

In addition to the adjustable lumbar support, you also get an adjustable back and headrest to get the best experience. Razer is also using a high-density molded form for the chair and it’s said to be quite comfortable even when you sit on it for long hours while gaming. The Razer Iskur gaming chair also has 4D armrests which is another great feature that we’ve come to expect from a lot of high-end gaming chairs. The base is also a strong powder-coated metal base which, according to Razer, should be able to handle a maximum weight of up to 136Kgs.

Overall, the Razer Iskur is a solid addition to this collection and we think it’s definitely worth considering if you’re looking to buy a good quality gaming chair. The fact that it has adjustable lumbar support makes it very ergonomic and it should be more comfortable to use compared to a lot of other chairs. Coming in $399, this is also not the most expensive chair out there. If you want something more affordable then Razer also has the Iskur X. That version, however, doesn’t have the adjustable lumbar support, so keep that in mind.

Razer Iskur gaming chair

The Razer Iskur is an ergonomic gaming chair that comes with a dedicated lumbar support system. You can even adjust the angle on the lumbar support on this chair.

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See at Razer

Best gaming chairs to buy in 2022: Final Thoughts

There are plenty of gaming chairs on the market but these are the ones we think are worth considering for your setup. The Corsair T2 ROAD WARRIOR is a great option and we think it’s suitable for most people who are looking to upgrade from either an older chair or a basic office chair. If you’re looking for a big-sized gaming chair then you might want to consider the Dark Demon gaming chair. We think the Razer Iskur is also an excellent option as it features an adjustable lumbar support system, something that’s missing on even the most premium chairs out there. Besides that, we’ve also added a couple of other interesting options, so be sure to check all of them.

If you are building a new setup from scratch then you might be interested in reading some of our other collection articles too, including the best monitors, best keyboards, best webcams, and more. Alternatively, you can also join our XDA Computing Forums to discuss your build or setup or get more product recommendations from other enthusiasts in the community.

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The OPPO Find N convinced me that foldables are the future

Android phones have been getting increasingly monotonous as the years have gone on, though that’s not necessarily a bad thing. There’s a comfort to be found in the conventional glass slab, with companies aiming to perfect the form factor in order to produce the most ergonomic and beautiful smartphone in the business. Foldable phones change that paradigm somewhat, and with the increasing prevalence of devices such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3, it seems that the future of smartphones is clear. I’ve been using the OPPO Find N as my daily driver since it was sent to me by OPPO Ireland for testing. It has convinced me that not only can the foldable form factor be practical, but that it’s likely to be the future of smartphones. It’s a tablet that fits in your pocket, what’s not to like?

About this opinion piece: OPPO Ireland sent me the OPPO Find N on the 4th of February, 2022. The company did not have any input in this opinion piece.

Android isn’t exactly tablet-friendly

The OPPO Find N combines an Android tablet into an Android phone, and while this isn’t a review (my colleague Ben has an OPPO Find N review that you should check out instead), it’s already incredibly easy to see the benefits. Android tablets aren’t very good, and often their biggest issues are a lack of high-end specifications and poor quality software. Foldable phones though, so far, are packed with nearly the highest-end specifications around, solving that part of the equation.

You get a fantastic mesh of software and hardware that shows what foldable phones really can be

Secondly, because apps are seldom made for tablets (let alone devices that can turn into tablets on the fly), the software has to be built around supporting those apps on the OS level. OPPO has put a ton of work into its software to make apps comfortable, with many apps defaulting to launching in a portrait-style box when the phone is unfolded. You can easily enable an app to use the full screen from the multitasking menu, but it shows that OPPO knows that a lot of apps just aren’t optimized for large screens. Android 12L will likely go a long way in fixing this.

When you combine OPPO’s heavy-handed take on foldables with the above, you get a fantastic mesh of software and hardware that shows what foldable phones really can be. I don’t even think twice about how I use my phone anymore — I walk around, using my phone in its folded state with the 60Hz screen as normal. When I sit down on a train, a plane, or even just in a coffee shop, I can unfold it and enjoy the twice-as-big display.

Foldables are the future

Once Android solves its tablet woes, then I can’t see how foldable phones won’t be the future of Android. Most apps are perfectly responsive, and the OPPO Find N has entirely changed the way that I use my smartphone. Its smaller form factor makes it perfect to use in one hand until it’s unfolded, and if you’re unfolding it, then you’re almost certainly in a position where using two hands isn’t much of a problem.

If we've figured out how to use laptops and know to close them when we're not using them, then we can figure out how to use foldable smartphones

As for “fragility”, I haven’t had any particular cause of concern after actually using the device. It certainly doesn’t feel any more fragile than other devices, and it’s the same level of care that you would give to a laptop. If we’ve figured out how to use laptops and know to close them when we’re not using them, then we can figure out how to use foldable smartphones.

Am I worried about the incredibly complex hinge mechanism that goes into devices like these? Absolutely, but that’s why I think they’re the future and not the present. I still think that not everyone will want to use a foldable smartphone, and to be honest, if I’m spending my own money, I’ll still likely hold out on a generation or two before buying a foldable smartphone that I can use myself.

Foldable phones are here, and it's likely that they're here to stay

However, one final aspect that really has me thinking foldable phones are the future is, at least according to Mark Gurman, even Apple is interested in the space. Apple is notoriously slow to adopt new technologies, and if the company is at least looking at foldables, that means it sees value in the space.

Does that mean Apple will definitely release a foldable? No, because companies with a scale as large as Apple probably test hundreds of different types of products that never see the light of day. The difference is that foldable phones are here, and it’s likely that they’re here to stay. There’s a strong possibility that one day, a foldable iPhone (or even under a different name, in true Apple fashion) will reach the masses.

The one form-factor to rule them all

From my own experience, this is the one form factor to rule them all. It’s a phone, it’s a tablet, and it has all of the benefits that you can expect. In devices like the OPPO Find N which lack a crease, it’s so easy to see the appeal. There are genuine use-cases where it makes much more sense than a phone too, and more than I thought I would realize.

For example, the other night I went out for dinner with some friends, and we were trying to work out how to split the bill. We each sent a message in a shared group chat with the amount on the bill that amounted to what we ordered, and I added it up in a floating window calculator on the unfolded OPPO Find N. I was then able to screenshot that total value, with the numbers used to add it, superimposed over the conversation. It was incredibly seamless and convenient, and an undoubtedly better experience than trying to either fit the floating window over an app on a normal phone or worse, switching between Facebook Messenger and my calculator app constantly.

It’s the little things that make me realize why I like foldable phones, and it’s why, so far, it feels like a vastly superior experience to the normal glass slab. There’s nothing wrong with a phone that doesn’t fold, but you can do so much more with one that does. I was on the fence before, but I’m a believer now: foldable phones are the future, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

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Amazfit GTS 3 Review: Fitness-focused and fashion-forward

More often than not, flagship smartwatches from brands like Samsung and Fossil steal the spotlight when it comes to wearables. But the fact of the matter is, not everyone is looking to splurge upwards of $200 on a companion device. For budget shoppers, there is plenty of fish in the sea and that’s where Amazfit comes in.

You’ll find a healthy number of options, most of them bearing accessible price tags, under the Amazfit banner. Yes, you’re forgoing Wear OS here, but the features offered against the amount you’re paying strike just the right balance. With Amazfit smartwatches, the basics are all there.

Amazfit launched the latest iterations of its GTR and GTS series in October 2021. This is when the square-shaped Amazfit GTS 3 smartwatch made its debut next to the more premium Amazfit GTR 3 and GTR 3 Pro models. The Amazfit GTS 3 is geared towards an audience with slender wrists. It essentially serves as a “lite” version of the upper-tier GTR 3 series.

Amazfit GTS 3: Specifications

Specification	Amazfit GTS 3
Build	Aircraft-grade aluminum alloy case Silicone strap
Display	1.75-inch AMOLED(square) 72.4% screen-to-body ratio 341 PPI
Water resistance	5 ATM
Weight	24.4g
Dimensions	42.4mm x 36mm x 8.8mm
Strap width	20mm
OS	Zepp OS Alexa built-in
Storage	2.34GB
Battery	250mAh Rated for up to 12 days of use Rated for 2.5 hours charge time Magnetic charging base
NFC support	N/A
Connectivity & Location	Wi-Fi Bluetooth 5.1 BLE GPS
Built-in speaker	N/A
Compatibility	Android 7.0 and above iOS 12.0 and above
Fitness features	150+ sports modes Automatic sports recognition Continuous heart rate monitoring Blood oxygen monitoring Stress level monitoring Breathing rate detection Sleep tracking Menstrual cycle tracking

About this review: We received the Amazfit GTS 3 from Amazfit for review on January 27th, 2022. Amazfit had no input in the contents of this review.

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Amazfit GTS 3: Display and Design

Just like the last-gen Amazfit GTS 2, the GTS 3 sports a square-shaped display. The beautiful 1.75-inch AMOLED panel gets impressively bright even in broad daylight and the color payoff is brilliant. There’s an Always On Display feature that allows you to keep the screen on at all times so it always shows the time and a few other indicators. With the right watch face (there are hundreds to choose from), it replicates the look and feel of a regular wristwatch.

The Amazfit GTS 3 is extremely comfortable for long-term wear thanks to its lightweight and slim nature.

The Amazfit GTS 3’s vivid display comes encased in an aircraft-grade aluminum alloy frame. There are three color options for the smartwatch: Terra Rosa, Graphite Black, and Ivory White. Each color variant’s metal frame features rose gold, metallic black, and soft gold finishes respectively. Pleasingly, there is a crown button on the side that can be used to navigate the wearable. Overall, the GTS 3 is extremely comfortable for long-term wear. Its lightweight and slim nature feels wonderful and you might even forget you’re wearing it at times.

The smartwatch hasn’t changed much over its predecessor in terms of design and I love that because it doesn’t need a radical redesign. It is already very stylish and I received many compliments while I was testing it. Many commenters assumed it was an Apple Watch at first glance, so if you want an Android-friendly lookalike, then the GTS 3 is a great pick. The 5 ATM water resistance gives confidence in its dainty and sleek nature.

You get matching silicone straps with each color option. The straps measure 20mm wide and you can swap them out very easily. A small problem that I encountered with the watch straps was the fact that I could only set them to be too tight or too loose. The pinholes for the clip were not placed at ideal spots for my small wrists. This is ironic, considering that is the demographic that the GTS 3 caters to. In the end, I ended up changing to a third-party metal strap for comfort a few days into my testing. I do have really tiny wrists though, so I am not sure that the majority of people will face a similar issue.

Amazfit GTS 3: Battery and Charging

Keeping the Amazfit GTS 3 up and running is an underwhelming 250mAh battery. While this is rated for up to 12 days of use, the actual uptime is quite a different story. The GTS 3 lasts about four to five days on average, with all of its features in full use including AOD. With the brightness level turned down, this can easily extend to a week. Seeing as this smartwatch has an AMOLED display, you still get satisfactory color reproduction at lower brightness levels. However, under the bright sunlight, you may be forced to go above 50%, automatically forcing its battery to drain more.

There’s no wireless charging here, so the only charging option is through the proprietary magnetic charger that you get in the box. The top-up process takes about two hours usually. Clearly, nothing in the battery life department strives to impress. It just gets you by. How I wish Amazfit had gone the extra mile and included at least 10W wireless charging support. That would have been a huge plus point in the Amazfit GTS 3’s favor.

Amazfit GTS 3 Review: Zepp OS

One of the biggest caveats of most Chinese smartwatches is the lack of Wear OS. Amazfit’s GTS 3 can be filed away under the same category. It runs the company’s own software called Zepp OS and the companion mobile app bears the same name. Let’s consider how Zepp plays out in Amazfit’s favor.

Zepp OS is smooth, light, and efficient, and comes with an impressive number of health and fitness features.

Zepp OS is smooth, light, and efficient. It is free from lags and glitches, and it connects seamlessly with the Zepp app. Setting up the watch is easy, and you can control and customize almost everything in the Amazfit smartwatch through your phone. Apart from the amazing number of sporting modes, there are other great features too. You can control music playback, view messages and calls, check the weather, track your blood oxygen levels, monitor your heart rate, and keep tabs on your sleep & breathing quality.

The number of health and fitness features baked into the affordable Amazfit GTS 3 is impressive. To top it all off, the smartwatch comes with Alexa built-in and also supports select offline voice commands. Again, you can set this up from your smartphone. All the data recorded from the 150+ sports modes and the various health trackers syncs automatically with your phone. It is then saved to the cloud, so it retains data whenever you log into the Zepp app from another device.

For the most part, the ECG and SpO2 sensors do their job well. I used a medical-grade pulse oximeter to compare the readings in real-time. While the numbers did differ ever so slightly, there weren’t any major differences, assuring me of its safety. Of course, the Amazfit GTS 3 isn’t meant to replace your medical equipment, but it helps fitness-focused folks get some insight.

Health and fitness features on the Amazfit GTS 3 are sure to please individuals leading an active lifestyle. Movement tracking is accurate and you can install supplementary fitness apps such as Google Fit, Strava, and Relive. The GTS 3 doesn’t look as large and boisterous as full-blown sports watches or fitness bands, increasing the smartwatch’s appeal. However, I do wish that I could reply to messages within the watch. You can’t answer or reject calls either, which is rather ridiculous.

Personally, I am not a very active individual but I do enjoy taking regular walks. I took the Amazfit GTS 3 along with me on a light walk and it jotted down every single detail of my stroll. You’ll have to have mobile internet on your phone when you go out for runs or any outdoor exercises, and the Bluetooth and GPS need to be kept on. The smartwatch records your heart rate, speed, average speed, location, calories burnt, and so much more per exercise. This in-depth level of analysis is extremely helpful to those who follow strict regimens and fitness plans. I can see how useful the breakdown would be when it comes to more demanding workouts.

Being out and about on my walk, some of the features that I sorely missed were the lack of LTE on the Amazfit GTS 3 smartwatch. My phone’s battery was already running low, and I was very worried that it would run out soon. With a fitness-tracking smartwatch, it’s pretty important to have features that streamline your workout process. Can you imagine going for a run with the GTS 3 and getting a call? You’d have to pause, whip out your phone, and then answer or reject it before continuing on.

Ffeatures that I sorely missed were the lack of LTE and NFC for contactless payments.

Zepp OS offers a few additional apps, but the available apps are very limited in number. Sure, you can control Spotify with the GTS 3, but only when your watch is connected to your phone. Since you can’t access the local storage, there’s no offline way to store music in your watch either. Other key specs like NFC are missing too, so you cannot make contactless payments or leave your home without your phone in tow.

Amazfit GTS 3 Review: Conclusion

The Amazfit GTS 3 blurs the line between fitness bands and conventional smartwatches. In my opinion, you get a fair bit of goodness from both sides of the coin. You aren’t getting a full-fledged LTE smartwatch here, but that’s okay. The $160 price tag allows some room for error. Constricting your budget definitely comes with compromises, this is a universal truth.

Looking at the competition, if you want access to Wear OS, the ability to store files locally on your watch, LTE, and everything in between, your obvious choice would be the top-of-the-line players such as the Galaxy Watch 4, TicWatch Pro 3, or Fossil Gen 5. Shooting for the stars will cost you, and in this case, we’re talking about a price bump of over $100 over the Amazfit GTS 3. Set your sights lower and you’ll have to settle for older models like the Fitbit Versa 2 and Garmin Vivoactive 3. While the cheaper alternatives give you contactless payment and much longer uptimes, you won’t find Wear OS or bright displays. In this sub $160 price range, there’s nothing on par with the GTS 3 at the moment.

Amazfit can’t offer you flagship features like Google Pay and a huge selection of apps. However, the GTS 3 comes chock-full of fitness tracking features, sporting modes, health monitors, modern sensors, and so much more. The smartwatch touts a beautiful design and looks classy on small wrists — a major problem with almost all of the best smartwatches out there. That bright and colorful display is delicious eye-candy, tying it all together for this wearable.

Amazfit GTS 3

The Amazfit GTS 3 meets at the intersection between typical smartwatches and fitness bands. There’s plenty to love here, but you can expect to make a few trade-offs here and there.

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