MWC 2016 round-up: Best new phones, tablets, laptops & more to catch our eye at MWC 2016

We’ve got a team of reporters over at Mobile World Congress (MWC 2016) working hard to bring you news on the best new phones, tablets, laptops and more that will launch this year. Here’s our round-up of some of the best tech on show at MWC 2016. Also see: Best new phones 2016.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: Samsung Galaxy S7 & Galaxy S7 Edge

After winning our crown for best phone of 2015 with its Galaxy S6, Samsung has gone one better with the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. There aren’t many revolutionary features, but Samsung has added an always-on display, bumped up processor- and camera performance and, as fans will be glad to know, brought back the microSD slot and waterproofing, and improved battery life.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: LG G5

Usually appearing a little later in the spring, LG has opted for an early launch for its G5 flagship. If the Samsungs have skimped on revolutionary features, the LG fills that gap. In common with the S7 the G5 has a new always-on display, but what’s really intruiging about this phone is its ‘Friends’. Check out our review for more details.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: Sony Xperia X and XA

Sony has killed off its Xperia Z-series of flagship phones and replaced it with a new X range, of which the Xperia X and XA are the first models. The Xperia X and XA are notably lower in specification than the S7 and G5, but they each boast a 23Mp camera – and photography is an area in which Sony excels. With affordable price tags the X-series could continue to compete against the Samsung, LG and (soon) HTC flagships, but we’ll have to wait and see – for now, all we know is they will be here sometime in the summer.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: HTC Vive Pre

We’re really excited for the future of virtual reality, especially if the HTC Vive Pre is anything to go by. Tracking your location and replicating that in a virtual environment offers a level of immersion that cannot be matched by using a headset alone. Walking around, kneeling down, reaching out and picking up a gun on the floor felt as if it was real, and that’s amazing in itself. The HTC Vive Pre’s high-resolution display and impressive sensor array provided us with one of the most immersive VR experiences we’ve ever had, and we cannot wait for it to go on sale later on this year.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: Xiaomi Mi 5

Xiaomi has taken the wraps off its next flagship Android phone, the Mi 5. It’s a Snapdragon 820-powered beast with up to 4GB of LP-DDR4 RAM that Xiaomi reckons scored over 140,000 points in AnTuTu. The spec looks good, the price looks better; check it out.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: Haier Watch

The Haier Watch is one of the surprise wearables of MWC 2016, with its gorgeous design (although it does seem like a Huawei Watch copy to some extent) and impressive specs. It’s cheaper than rival smartwatches, but we’re keen to see how running regular Android works day-to-day in terms of installing any app you want before giving it our full approval.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: LG X Cam & LG X Screen

In addition to the G5, LG has introduced two new mid-range smartphones with a flagship feature each. The LG X Cam has a dual-camera, and the LG X Screen has a secondary display for quick access to shortcuts and tools. Find out more in our LG X Cam and LG X Screen hands-on review.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: Fairphone 2

The Fairphone 2 is a truly exciting smartphone with a modular design that means you can easily repair it yourself so it lasts longer than a regular handset. The current device doesn’t have outstanding specs so won’t appeal to power users but when you can upgrade parts things will be very different and we can’t wait.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: Meizu PRO 5 Ubuntu edition

Canonical brought the Meizu Pro 5 Ubuntu Edition to MWC to prove that Ubuntu is just as good as iOS or Android, and can work on a high-end smartphone. While we’re impressed with the spec and build of the Meizu Pro 5 Ubuntu edition, and think the operating system has potential, it may well be one for the die-hard Ubuntu fans – for now anyway.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: Huawei MateBook

The Huawei MateBook is a stylish looking tablet with some decent hardware, and it should (price TBC) be a cheaper alternative to rivals such as the Surface and Galaxy TabPro S. It may be a good choice for those looking for light and portable device which also has some reasonable productivity benefits. That means there are sacrifices, though, and the design is clumsy compared to a regular laptop with elements such as the single screen angle and sub-par keyboard.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: HP Elite X3

Although we saw a prototype, we’re impressed with the HP Elite x3. It’s a bit on the large size, but this means a huge battery to go with it. The other core specs largely match up to or beat the Galaxy S7. With the docking station, dummy laptop and Windows Continuum, the Elite x3 could be the best Windows phone we’ve ever seen.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: HTC One X9

Although there’s a lot to like about the HTC One X9, it’s not the flagship phone we were hoping for. It’s a sort of mash up of a few different previous phone from the company. A larger phone with some decent specs will appeal to some but we’re holding out for the One M10.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: Lenovo Yoga 510 & 710

Lenovo has once again updated its range of Yoga convertible laptops at MWC 2016, promising improved battery life and performance. Lenovo has opted for 6th-generation Skylake Intel Core processor for the entire range of new Yoga laptops which come with Windows 10. With various different models available, you’ll be able to get up to Core i7 on the 510 while the 710 has up to Core m5 for better value.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus

Though the Vibe K5 Plus won’t stand up to the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S7, we think that for a price of only $149, it’s fairly impressive. Featuring an octa-core Snapdragon 616 processor coupled 2GB of RAM, 13Mp camera and Dolby audio, it’s not a smartphone to be sniffed at.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: Epson Moverio BT-300 AR glasses

After using the Epson Moverio BT-300 AR headset at MWC 2016, we’re excited for the future of augmented reality. The high quality display used in the BT-300 removes any worries we had about low-quality AR overlays, although its success depends on developers creating apps for the general public to use. It’s lightweight and comfortable to wear, although the wired controller is a little disappointing.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: Lenovo Tab3

The Lenovo Tab3 tablets are cheap and cheerful, offering lots of features for families at a brilliantly low price. Where it really shines is in its software. Multiple users on a tablet is a real boon, particularly when you can make some of those users kid-safe accounts to protect kids on the internet and stop them from stumbling across websites and apps that they shouldn’t be.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: HTC Desire 530

Aside from the fun design, there’s nothing particularly outstanding going on with this entry-level smartphone, but that’s not to say it’s not worth buying. We’d say it’s a good choice for teenagers looking for a starter smartphone, but if you’re in the market for a smartphone that’s low-cost, good-looking but doesn’t have any bells and whistles then the HTC Desire 530 and HTC’s other Desire models are well-worth checking out.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: Acer Liquid Zest

Decent specs and a stylish design make Acer’s new Liquid Zest a great starter smartphone. Find out more about it in our hands-on review from the show floor.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: Alcatel Idol 4s

While the big brands are stealing the show at MWC 2016, Alcatel’s Idol 4s is a dark horse. Featuring a premium design, a QHD display and even a free VR headset, the mid-range smartphone has a lot to shout about.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: Alcatel Plus 10

The Alcatel Plus 10 is cheap and plastic and doesn’t have very impressive specs. However, that means the price is lower than rivals and could be a good choice for those wanting a Windows 10 2-in-1 without breaking the bank. There’s lots of battery capacity and the keyboard dock has the unusual ability of being an LTE Wi-Fi hotspot.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: CAT S60

The phone with the built-in thermal imaging camera. Based on our limited time with the Cat S60, we’re not too sure whether it’ll be poplar with the general public. Its bulky form factor may be off-putting for some, and the addition of a thermal camera may not be enough to persuade a consumer to buy the smartphone – sure it’s a cool addition, but we’re not completely convinced that it’s more than a gimmick. With that being said, if you’re in an industry that requires the use of a thermal camera or if you’re prone to breaking your smartphone then it’s an ideal option.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: Garmin Vivoactive HR

Garmin’s Vivoactive HR is a feature-packed smartwatch complete with GPS, a heart rate monitor and a huge variety of tracking options for any sport. Read more in our Vivoactive HR hands-on review.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: ZTE Blade V7 & V7 Lite

Both of ZTE’s Blade V7 smartphones are decent mid-range offerings with screen sizes we’ve come to favour. At first glance they both look like stunning phones with gorgeous design, and we’re pleased to see that they’re made with aluminium rather than a metallic plastic, but on closer inspection the build quality leaves a lot to be desired. There’s nothing particularly outstanding about either phone and it’s odd that ZTE has decided to include the fingerprint sensor in the Lite model and exclude it from the V7 itself, but the camera sets are good for the price and the processors shouldn’t be sluggish unless you intend to regularly multi-task or run power-hungry apps.

Best new phones, tablets & more at MWC 2016: Acer Inox Cybertool

There’s a nice idea in here somewhere but the execution has missed the mark by some way. The Acer Inox Cybertool, if we’re honest, is fat, ugly and will gobble up your nice looking watch all for the sake of some pretty basic functionality. That’s bad enough without a possible price of over $200. Acer needs to go back to the drawing board on this one.

[SOURCE:- WinBeta]