OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition, Honor 8X, Lenovo laptops, and more: Reviews round-up

The OnePlus 6T is already one of the fastest and most capable Android phones available today. If the additional RAM and Warp Charge 30 improvements weren't enough to justify the $70 premium over the standard OnePlus 6T, the unboxing experience alone might be worth that price. We haven't seen anything like it and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. 

For more see: OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition hands-on: Papaya orange highlights, Warp Charge 30, and 10GB of RAM

The Honor 8X is a 6.5-inch handset with a 1,080-by-2,340 resolution, 19.5:9 aspect-ratio display. According to Huawei, the Honor 8X's screen covers 91 percent of the front of the device, although our favoured screen-to-body ratio calculator puts it at (a still impressive) 84.3 percent. The camera setup on the Honor 8X is best described as adequate, as it's somewhat lacking in the sharpness that Huawei's more expensive devices now offer. 

For more see: Honor 8X review: A notch above expectation

The Lenovo Yoga C930 is a laptop that almost manages to tick every box: tough yet reasonably lightweight; superb sound output and a good screen; a well-designed keyboard; a privacy cover for the camera; and plenty of storage and power even in the entry-level unit. On the downside, the screen doesn't quite live up to Lenovo's claims for it, and there's a shortage of ports and connectors. Overall though, this is a good laptop.

For more see: Lenovo Yoga C930 review: Flagship 2-in-1 flirts with greatness

'Extreme' is the right word to describe this laptop: it has a large 15.6-inch screen which, in 4K guise (as reviewed), is very watchable; high-end CPU and discrete GPU options allow it to handle demanding tasks; and with two SSD slots there's potential for a lot of internal storage. The let-down is that the 80Wh battery struggled to give us a day's work from the 4K-screen review sample.

For more see: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme review: A powerful business laptop with a top-quality 4K screen

The Royole RoWrite Smart Writing Pad has definite potential for some situations, but it also has limitations: the need to charge the pad and ensure the AAAA battery in the pen has juice could be irritating; the size of paper that can be used will be limiting for some people; and the kit is a little chunky to carry around. Still, all that noted, this product can fill a definite -- if specialised -- niche.

For more see: Royole RoWrite Smart Writing Pad, First Take: From pen and paper to mobile app

The Kobo Forma is a compelling product. It doesn't have the 3G option for updating its library that's on offer from the top-end Kindle Oasis, but it does support the ePUB format and public library loans, and it should be possible to arm it with enough books to see you through until wi-fi is available. The on-device controls are intuitive, and the slightly angled bar for holding the device is cleverly designed. 

For more see: Kobo Forma, First Take: Premium e-reader takes on Kindle Oasis

The Portégé X30T-E is a clever take on the 2-in-1 laptop style. The physical connection between the two sections is robust, and legacy connections on the keyboard dock will endear this device to many users. However, it could do with more USB-C ports, and battery life could be better.

For more see: Toshiba Portégé X30T-E review: A solid 2-in-1 detachable with excellent connectivity

The Asus ZenBook Pro UX580GD is big and heavy, as is its AC adapter, and battery life isn't great. All of which means that this 15.6-inch laptop will spend most of its time deskbound. On the plus side, the screen is superb, and there's plenty of CPU and GPU power on offer. The oddity here is the ScreenPad. With its screen mirroring and independent functions it could be a winner, but Asus needs to think about how it handles touchpad functions.

For more see: Asus ZenBook Pro 15 UX580GD review: A dual-screen powerhouse

The Doogee S80 is certainly more than a waterproof phone. This sub-$440 phone has a sturdy aerial, a rear pocket clip for your overalls, and can be used as a walkie-talkie when out of cellphone range. This is a real workhorse for anyone in an outdoor job who needs a walkie-talkie for their work. Get one for your outdoor workers who need to keep in touch with each other, configure the walkie-talkie channels for the team, and save on your call bills.

For more see: Doogee S80 hands-on: A waterproof, rugged walkie-talkie phone

One of the distinguishing features of the Amazfit Verge is the support for phone calls and while it sounded great our end, callers did state it sounded like we were in a tunnel. Amazfit advertises five days of standard usage and we were easily able to achieve that with daily activity tracking and sleep tracking. If you're looking for a GPS sports watch, the Amazfit Verge is a nice option.

For more see: Amazfit Verge review: $160 gets you GPS, music, call support, and five-day battery life