In summary: Tech Advisor reports that Samsung’s Galaxy A57 appeared on China’s TENAA certification database, signaling an imminent launch expected in February. The mid-range smartphone features a 6.6-inch FHD+ display, Exynos 1680 processor, and 5,000mAh battery with 45W fast charging capabilities. Design improvements include a thinner 6.9mm profile and lighter 182g weight, plus a 50Mp main camera with additional 12Mp and 5Mp sensors. The Samsung Galaxy A57 has appeared on China’s TENAA certification database, marking a crucial step on the path to release....

At a Glance Our Verdict The Note 10 Plus 5G is arguably the best phone that Samsung has ever made. Impeccable components, gorgeous design, and about as futureproof as a smartphone can get. It’s also incredibly expensive and the tentpole feature – 5G – remains scarce outside major cities and sometimes within them. The S10 5G is another impressive device but suffers the same drawback. If you want the very best then the Note 10 Plus 5G is it, but it may be more sensible to go for the Standard Galaxy Note 10 instead....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict So, what do we think of the Galaxy Note 5? We’re very fond of just about every aspect of the Galaxy Note 5, from its curved and sleek design to its vibrant display and high-resolution camera. It can handle almost anything you can throw at it thanks to its CPU, GPU and 4GB of RAM and we experienced no lag during our testing. The only bad point is that the Note 5 would sometimes falsely detect the S Pen detaching – and to point out such a minor fault says a lot about the quality of the handset....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Pros Incredible S Pen performance Buttery-smooth, ultra-bright display All-day battery life Impressive camera performance Cons Expensive Exynos 2200 isn’t as powerful as 8 Gen 1 Slower charging than key rivals Can be hard to hold one-handed Our Verdict The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is the perfect upgrade for existing Galaxy Note users, offering the same design language, a built-in S Pen slot and more. Throw in flagship specs including a WQHD+ 120Hz display, one of the best camera setups around and Samsung’s Exynos 2200 and you’ve got a very tempting, but also very premium, smartphone....

In summary The One UI 8.5 beta is available now Available to Samsung Galaxy S25 owners in select territories Get it through the Samsung Members app Samsung has announced a new beta program that will enable Samsung Galaxy S25 owners to use One UI 8.5 early. We’re expecting to see One UI 8.5 – which is promising to be a much bigger update than its ‘X.5’ designation suggests – make its full debut alongside the Samsung Galaxy S26 in January....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge is a beautiful smartphone, one of the most attractive but the design has flaws such as sharp edges. While a non-removable battery is an inevitable outcome, we’re surprised about the lack of waterproofing and a microSD card slot. Hardware is strong with a gorgeous screen, fast processor and great all-round camera. The key point here is that while dual edge display sounds like an amazing innovation it has very limited in functionality so simply isn’t worth the extra money compared to the regular Galaxy S6....

At a Glance Our Verdict It’s virtually impossible to pick a winner here, as both are fantastic phones. Choosing between them is difficult, unless you have a specific need for a feature which is available only on one phone, or if you’re already tied into either iOS or Android because of other devices you own such as smart home gadgets which only offer apps for one system (typically iOS). Your choice will also dictate which smartwatch you can use: currently it’s Android-with-Android and Apple-with-Apple and no crossover....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict The Samsung Galaxy S6 was the best phone of 2015 and, although it’s still early days, the Galaxy S7 is a serious contender for best phone of 2016. Samsung has taken into account what its fans want, addressing the three main areas of concern: removable storage, waterproofing and battery life. It’s also upgraded the core hardware and photography gear, added an always-on display and some useful software....

At a Glance Our Verdict Comparing this year’s phone to last years is rarely going to be a balanced comparison, but with than in mind the OnePlus 5T holds up surprisingly well to the S9. It’s got very comparable hardware, meaning that both phones are going to be lightning fast to use. The camera is superior on the S9 by some distance, and has a slight edge in screen quality too....

At a Glance Our Verdict We can’t give our final verdict until we get the Galaxy Tab 2 back to PC Advisor towers, and put it through its paces. However, based on our first impressions with the Tab S2 and previous knowledge of the original Tab S, we’re impressed. With regards to design, the Tab S2 wins – it’s incredibly thin and light, and the screen is gorgeous. However, at a discounted price, the original Tab S is also a bargain and could be a winner – we’ll have to wait on the pricing of the Tab S2 to be announced first!...

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict The Extreme Pro offers a dramatic improvement in the quality of Construction and excellent speeds if you’ve got the right port to plug into. It’s a desirable drive but value drops off once you get higher than 500GB compared to rivals. Best Prices Today: SanDisk Extreme Pro SSD The SanDisk brand was bought by Western Digital in 2016, and continues alongside the WD and G-Technology products....

In a few weeks, Sky is increasing the prices of its packages, following trends set by many other providers. This change affects anyone with a TV or broadband contract with Sky, including Sky Q, Sky Glass and Sky Stream customers. If you’re looking to save money this year, there’s a way to avoid this price hike. Here’s what you need to know. How much is my Sky contract going up by?...

Skyrim Remastered special edition UK release date: When is Skyrim Special Edition being released in the UK? So, the biggest question for Skyrim fans around the world is “When is Skyrim remastered coming out?” and thankfully, we have an answer. Despite Bethesda denying rumours that Skyrim was to be remastered for next-gen consoles, the company took to the stage during E3 to announce The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Special Edition....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Pros Produces high-quality coffee Enjoyable to use Beautiful machine Cons Multifunction buttons Our Verdict This manual coffee maker is beautiful, a pleasure to use and produces excellent coffee. It takes more effort than simply pressing a couple of buttons, though, so it’s recommended for people who enjoy the process of making coffee as much as drinking it. Best Prices Today: Smeg ECF01 Espresso Coffee Maker The Smeg espresso coffee maker is gorgeous....

Sony is a huge brand, and not just for smartphones. Purveyors of the Walkman and the best TVs in the world, it has in recent years fallen down the pecking order when it comes to the best smartphones. Its Xperia Z3 was debatably the pinnacle of its vision of flagship phones with full waterproofing and two-day battery – but that was in 2014. Since then, Sony has confused us (and probably you) by releasing the Z3+ , the Z5 , and then scrapping the Z altogether with the X , XA , X Compact and then the XZ (which is still an X series really)....

At a Glance Our Verdict Sony has done a great job of making a mini version of its flagship smartphone so getting the Z3 Compact only really means a smaller screen and less money. In fact, unless you want the bigger screen of the Z3, it really makes no sense to buy it over the Compact. Sony might have done too good a job. Best Prices Today: Sony Xperia Z3 At IFA 2014, Sony launched its new Z3 series of smartphones and tablets including the Xperia Z3 and a mini version of the flagship device in the form of the Xperia Z3 Compact ....

The Star Trek universe is going through a massive revival at the moment, with five shows already scheduled for 2021 and the long-awaited Michelle Yeoh spinoff Star Trek: Section 31 still waiting in the wings. We round up all the latest news on the series and when you’ll be able to enjoy it on your screens. What is the release date for Star Trek: Section 31? Although the series was first announced back in 2019, after the success of Star Trek: Discovery and Michelle Yeoh’s character Emperor Philippa Georgiou in particular, there has been little movement with the project ever since....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Pros Affordable price Simple to set up and use RGB lighting is great for streamers Cons No companion software Single recording pattern No physical mic controls Our Verdict The Streamplify Mic with Tripod is ideal for beginners, offering key features like a cardioid recording pattern, USB connectivity, a tripod (or boom arm!) and even RGB lighting at a fraction of the cost of premium alternatives....

MWC usually serves up a plethora of new smartphones but there’s plenty more to see from the biggest technology companies, from laptops to wearables, tablets to satellites (see the Motorola Defy, below). Though Samsung launched its Galaxy S23 series before the show this year there have been plenty of big launches from competing Android brands, announcements from others, and a whole load of new produtcs to get our heads around....

2026 is in full swing, and it’s set to be another landmark year for more affordable handsets. While the very best phones you can buy often dominate the conversation, it’s their cheaper siblings that are a more realistic option for most people. In particular, top mid-range phones expertly balance price and premium features to offer an impressively well-rounded experience. At Tech Advisor, we define a mid-range phone as costing between £300/$300 and £700/$700 when bought outright at launch....