As Engadget celebrates its 21st birthday this weekend, we’re rounding up all of the recently published reviews from the last few weeks. It’s already a busy time for the reviews team, even though spring is still officially a few weeks away. The latest entries include a new iPhone, the latest from NVIDIA and those Beats workout earbuds the company teased months ago. Pour a couple bevvies for the weekend and make one a double, because we’re old enough to drink now.
iPhone 16e
Apple / Engadget
The iPhone 16e is the most affordable entry into Apple Intelligence and the rest of the company’s ecosystem, and is a solid option for anyone who doesn’t care very much about smartphone photography.
- Solid performance
- Long battery life
- Clean, durable design
- Bright, vibrant screen
- Only one rear camera, leading to many limitations
- Expensive compared to previous iPhone SE
- No MagSafe
$599 at Apple
Apple’s new “budget” phone has arrived, providing the most affordable gateway to Apple Intelligence. While the iPhone 16e offers solid performance, expected long battery life and a great display, there are some caveats that you might not be able to live with. “In my week or so with the iPhone 16e, I felt the drawbacks of the camera the most — I can live without MagSafe and the Dynamic Island,” Cherlynn writes. “But what the iPhone 16e does offer is fast performance, a clean design, long battery life and, most crucially, cheaper access to Apple’s ecosystem.”
NVIDIA GeForce 5070 Ti
ASUS
NVIDIA’s RTX 5070 Ti is a capable GPU for 4K gaming, mostly thanks to DLSS 4. It’s a solid upgrade for gamers looking for a bit more power and memory than the 5070.
- Solid 4K performance
- DLSS 4 multi-frame gen makes a huge difference
- Cool under load
- Prices fluctuate wildly
- Stock is a major problem
- $750 is still a lot for a mid-range GPU
$900 at Best Buy
If you’re in the market for a new 4K gaming GPU, the RTX 5070 Ti is a a nice upgrade over the regular 5070. However, finding one, and doing so for a decent price, is another thing entirely. “I knew it would be a tad faster than the 4070 Ti Super, but with the addition of multi-frame generation, it’s also a far more capable 4K card,” Devindra says. “And it’s definitely more future-proof than the 5070, since it has 16GB of VRAM like the 5080.”
Sony A1 II
Sony
Sony’s A1 II is the company’s best mirrorless camera yet, with improved handling, stabilization and autofocus compared to the original A1.
- Incredibly fast
- Sony’s best autofocus yet
- Sharp and color-accurate photos
- Outstanding in-body stabilization
- Lacks the RAW video support its rivals offer
- Expensive
- Not a huge upgrade from the A1
$6,498 at B&H Photo
With A1 II, Sony had to live up to its own high standards. And while the camera may be the company’s best mirrorless option yet, it’s not a huge leap over the A1. “The innovation that Sony is known for is lacking here, and on top of that, the A1 II is very expensive,” Steve explains. “The A1 II is only a mild upgrade over the A1 and when it comes to video, it’s lagging behind the Nikon Z8 and Z9 as well as the Sony R5 II.”
Steve also took the DJI Flip for a spin. He gives the creator-friendly drone high marks for 4K video quality, battery life and a people-safe design. The drone’s obstacle detection isn’t the best though, and it struggles in windy conditions.
Lenovo Legion Go S
Lenovo
The Legion Go S takes a lot of the good stuff from its predecessor and distills it into a slightly more compact and portable package. However, the launch model currently costs more than the original Legion Go, while offering worse performance, a smaller screen and no detachable controllers, which makes this a hard handheld to love.
- Big 120Hz 8-inch screen
- Handy little built-in touchpad
- Solid design with adjustable triggers
- Hall effect joysticks
- Dual USB ports
- No fingerprint reader
- Lackluster vibration motor
- Too pricey for the performance
- Legion Space app is still kind of finicky
$730 at Best Buy
While Lenovo has already teased a new version of the Legion Go gaming handheld for later this year, the company introduced the more streamlined Legion Go S in the meantime. There are some things to like here, including a more portable design, an 8-inch 120Hz display and handy controls. For now, the price is the main problem.
“The issue is that Lenovo hasn’t fully rolled out all of its variations,” Sam writes. “So even if you aren’t holding out for the SteamOS variant, you’d be silly not to wait for less expensive versions to come out with starting prices closer to $600 (or even $500 for the one with Valve’s platform).”
Beats Powerbeats Pro 2
Beats
Apple’s first earbuds with heart-rate tracking aren’t AirPods, but they offer a lot of the same smarts via a major design overhaul from Beats.
- Improved, comfy design
- Powerful, balanced bass performance
- H2 chip adds smarts
- Heart-rate sensors onboard
- Heart-rate support is limited at launch on iOS
- Hook design isn’t for everyone
- ANC is average at best
$249 at Amazon
After an initial tease months ago, Beats finally debuted its updated Powerbeats Pro workout earbuds. The hook design remains, but there are significant upgrades both inside and out, including Apple’s first dance with heart-rate tracking in an audio product. “On the whole, the Powerbeats Pro 2 are a substantial upgrade over the original,” I explain. “They’re more comfortable and have a host of new features that help it match today’s earbuds.”
I also reviewed the Noble Audio FoKus Rex5 earbuds in the last month. This set offers the best sound quality I’ve experienced on wireless earbuds, thanks in part to the company’s use of five drivers in each one. However, the Rex5 is expensive at $449 and it’s far from a complete package in terms of features and noise-canceling performance.
Other notable reviews and a look ahead
Managing editor Cherylnn Low spent more time living with the Kindle Scribe 2 and updated the review with some long-term observations about the tablet. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 was wrapped around the wrist of buying advice senior report Amy Skorheim as she put yet another incremental update from the company through its paces.
My review of the Technics AZ100 earbuds that one a Best of CES award from Engadget is coming soon. As I suspected during my brief hands-on in Las Vegas, the improved sound is the star of the show here, but I won’t spoil the rest of the review with more observations. MWC 2025 is happening next week, so whatever is announced during the show will certainly be on the upcoming review agenda. For now, you can check out our preview here.