Oppo did drop a hint about its Find X8 series coming to India by allowing us to review its Find X7 Ultra flagship earlier this year. The high-end camera-centric smartphone was not launched in India, but it did set everyone’s expectations about Oppo’s latest flagships in terms of camera performance. It did get me a bit excited, as Oppo’s Find X series has been missing in action for the past four years. The last Find X series devices to be announced in India were the Find X2 (and the Find X2 Pro), but neither of these went on sale for reasons best known to Oppo.

And now, Oppo has decided to relaunch both of its camera-centric flagships in the country. The Oppo Find X8 and Oppo Find X8 Pro are now set to take on similar offerings from other premium brands like Samsung and Apple. Keeping in mind Oppo’s legacy from its Find series, the brand sure has some big shoes to fill. I have used both of these smartphones for a while, and here’s what I’ve observed about their cameras so far.

Oppo Find X8 and Find X8 Pro Camera Specifications

The Oppo Find X8 has a triple rear camera setup compared to the Find X8 Pro’s four rear-facing cameras. There is a noticeable difference between the hardware used as well, and this obviously makes the former less capable than the latter.

Diving into the hardware specifications, we have a 50-megapixel primary camera on both devices, but the Find X8 has a lower aperture of f/1.8 versus the Find X8 Pro’s f/1.6 aperture, which should be able to shoot images faster in low-light conditions. The 50-megapixel ultrawide cameras on both smartphones are identical, with a bright f/2.0 aperture and a wide 120-degree field-of-view (FOV). The same goes for the 32-megapixel selfie cameras that have an f/2.0 aperture and can shoot 4K.

Both the Find X8 and Find X8 Pro share some camera hardware

The bigger difference here is the way in which both cameras handle zoom with their respective telephoto setups. The Find X8 has a single 50-megapixel periscope telephoto (OIS) camera with 3X optical zoom. The Find X8 Pro has the same 50-megapixel periscope telephoto camera but one up the telephoto shooting experience by adding a second periscope telephoto (OIS) camera with a 50-megapixel resolution and 6X optical zoom. Naturally, this will improve its reach once we zoom beyond the optical focal length, and this also makes the Oppo Find X8 Pro the first smartphone to feature two periscope telephoto cameras.

Oppo Find X8 and Find X8 Pro Shooting Experience

The Find X8 Pro also has a new trick up its sleeve—a camera button. For obvious reasons, Oppo had to brand it differently, so it called it a Quick Button. Apple aside, the button can also be compared to the one available on Sony’s Xperia flagships, as its primary function is to let you snap photos without touching the display.

Pull out the phone from your pocket, press the button twice, and the camera fires up instantly, ready to snap photos. You can also slide your finger over the button to zoom in and out, but I found it quite fidgety in terms of operation as it wasn’t as smooth as I expected it to be. Keeping the capacitive button pressed will activate what Oppo calls Lighting Snap, which is a continuous burst of images (or burst mode).

The new Quick Button can be a bit fidgety

To be very clear, the Quick Button isn’t a movable button but a static one. It has a capacitive layer, which lets the camera app detect swipes when zooming or tapping. However, do keep in mind that the tap gesture will need you to press and hold on the surface and wait for vibration feedback, which confirms that your actions have been registered. More about this in my full review.

Oppo Find X8 and Find X8 Pro Camera Samples

Let’s take a quick look at what the Find X8 and Find X8 Pro cameras are capable of.

The ultra-wide camera (both on the Find X8 and the Find X8 Pro) captures quality photos with minimal distortion

The primary camera on the Find X8 seems up for the job, managing good low-light images

The primary camera on the Find X8 Pro shows better-resolved detail in all lighting conditions

At 2X zoom, I noticed that the Find X8 does a better job of preserving detail

The Oppo Find X8 Pro has an edge when shooting at 6X zoom, thanks to its dedicated camera. Top: 1X, bottom: 6X

The 6X telephoto zoom is also good for close-ups

After my initial usage, it’s difficult for me to draw a verdict about which phone is better and which phone offers better value. From a camera perspective, the Find X8 Pro definitely has an edge in the zoom department, as not many premium smartphones offer 6X optical zoom these days. As for the Find X8, despite having fewer cameras, it also seems quite capable, but I’ll have to test out both devices in different scenarios to see and deduce each phone’s strengths and weaknesses, not just with their cameras but with their design, battery life, and displays as well. So, stay tuned for our detailed review of the Find X8 and Find X8 Pro, which will be out soon.

Disclosure: Oppo sponsored the correspondent’s flights and hotel for the event in Bali, Indonesia.

Microsoft on Monday rolled out a new update for Skype – its video conferencing and VoIP-based calling platform – that improves the overall usability of the platform. The Redmond company says Skype is now ad-free across all platforms, which should provide users with a more decluttered experience. Microsoft has also introduces a few new features, including revamped image creation using artificial intelligence (AI) and better navigation across the app.

Skype Update Removes Ads Across All Platforms

Microsoft revealed the slew of changes and design tweaks it is rolling out on Skype with version 8.125.76.201, in a blog post published on Monday. Ads have now been removed from all Skype channels across platforms. With this change, the app is said to offer a more user-friendly experience, enabling users to focus on their conversations without any ad distractions.

Furthermore, it also promises more streamlined access to the AI image creator. The Redmond-based technology firm says that users can now create AI images from within the chat window or the top navigation bar.

Alternatively, it can also be found next to the forward option in the message context menu. Clicking on images created using AI will now open up an expanded view, making it easier for users to view their creations before sending them to other users.

Revamped AI Image Creation Tool in Skype
Photo Credit: Skype

In addition to creativity tools, Microsoft is also making it easier to log in to Skype on iOS devices, courtesy of OneAuth integration. It replaces the previous sign-in system, enabling users to sign in to Skype automatically without requiring passwords, if they are already logged in on other Microsoft platforms such as Teams. Notably, this authentication method was already available on Skype for Android.

Apart from new features, the Skype update also brings bug fixes. Microsoft says it resolves an issue which prevented users from sending media when connected to a 5G network. As per the update log, several iOS users faced a problem where they could hear the ringtone but were unable to pick up calls. This issue is also said to have been fixed.

The update is being rolled out gradually and will be available to users over the coming days, as per the company.

Oppo did drop a hint about its Find X8 series coming to India by allowing us to review its Find X7 Ultra flagship earlier this year. The high-end camera-centric smartphone was not launched in India, but it did set everyone’s expectations about Oppo’s latest flagships in terms of camera performance. It did get me a bit excited, as Oppo’s Find X series has been missing in action for the past four years. The last Find X series devices to be announced in India were the Find X2 (and the Find X2 Pro), but neither of these went on sale for reasons best known to Oppo.

And now, Oppo has decided to relaunch both of its camera-centric flagships in the country. The Oppo Find X8 and Oppo Find X8 Pro are now set to take on similar offerings from other premium brands like Samsung and Apple. Keeping in mind Oppo’s legacy from its Find series, the brand sure has some big shoes to fill. I have used both of these smartphones for a while, and here’s what I’ve observed about their cameras so far.

Oppo Find X8 and Find X8 Pro Camera Specifications

The Oppo Find X8 has a triple rear camera setup compared to the Find X8 Pro’s four rear-facing cameras. There is a noticeable difference between the hardware used as well, and this obviously makes the former less capable than the latter.

Diving into the hardware specifications, we have a 50-megapixel primary camera on both devices, but the Find X8 has a lower aperture of f/1.8 versus the Find X8 Pro’s f/1.6 aperture, which should be able to shoot images faster in low-light conditions. The 50-megapixel ultrawide cameras on both smartphones are identical, with a bright f/2.0 aperture and a wide 120-degree field-of-view (FOV). The same goes for the 32-megapixel selfie cameras that have an f/2.0 aperture and can shoot 4K.

Both the Find X8 and Find X8 Pro share some camera hardware

The bigger difference here is the way in which both cameras handle zoom with their respective telephoto setups. The Find X8 has a single 50-megapixel periscope telephoto (OIS) camera with 3X optical zoom. The Find X8 Pro has the same 50-megapixel periscope telephoto camera but one up the telephoto shooting experience by adding a second periscope telephoto (OIS) camera with a 50-megapixel resolution and 6X optical zoom. Naturally, this will improve its reach once we zoom beyond the optical focal length, and this also makes the Oppo Find X8 Pro the first smartphone to feature two periscope telephoto cameras.

Oppo Find X8 and Find X8 Pro Shooting Experience

The Find X8 Pro also has a new trick up its sleeve—a camera button. For obvious reasons, Oppo had to brand it differently, so it called it a Quick Button. Apple aside, the button can also be compared to the one available on Sony’s Xperia flagships, as its primary function is to let you snap photos without touching the display.

Pull out the phone from your pocket, press the button twice, and the camera fires up instantly, ready to snap photos. You can also slide your finger over the button to zoom in and out, but I found it quite fidgety in terms of operation as it wasn’t as smooth as I expected it to be. Keeping the capacitive button pressed will activate what Oppo calls Lighting Snap, which is a continuous burst of images (or burst mode).

The new Quick Button can be a bit fidgety

To be very clear, the Quick Button isn’t a movable button but a static one. It has a capacitive layer, which lets the camera app detect swipes when zooming or tapping. However, do keep in mind that the tap gesture will need you to press and hold on the surface and wait for vibration feedback, which confirms that your actions have been registered. More about this in my full review.

Oppo Find X8 and Find X8 Pro Camera Samples

Let’s take a quick look at what the Find X8 and Find X8 Pro cameras are capable of.

The ultra-wide camera (both on the Find X8 and the Find X8 Pro) captures quality photos with minimal distortion

The primary camera on the Find X8 seems up for the job, managing good low-light images

The primary camera on the Find X8 Pro shows better-resolved detail in all lighting conditions

At 2X zoom, I noticed that the Find X8 does a better job of preserving detail

The Oppo Find X8 Pro has an edge when shooting at 6X zoom, thanks to its dedicated camera. Top: 1X, bottom: 6X

The 6X telephoto zoom is also good for close-ups

After my initial usage, it’s difficult for me to draw a verdict about which phone is better and which phone offers better value. From a camera perspective, the Find X8 Pro definitely has an edge in the zoom department, as not many premium smartphones offer 6X optical zoom these days. As for the Find X8, despite having fewer cameras, it also seems quite capable, but I’ll have to test out both devices in different scenarios to see and deduce each phone’s strengths and weaknesses, not just with their cameras but with their design, battery life, and displays as well. So, stay tuned for our detailed review of the Find X8 and Find X8 Pro, which will be out soon.

Disclosure: Oppo sponsored the correspondent’s flights and hotel for the event in Bali, Indonesia.

In July, HP unveiled its first Snapdragon X Elite-powered laptops in India. The EliteBook Ultra and the OmniBook X are the first Copilot+ PCs from the brand. We were sent the consumer-focused OmniBook X for review. It is claimed to deliver up to 26 hours of battery life and bundled with AI features enabled by the dedicated NPU in the Snapdragon X Elite chipset. The laptop competes with other Snapdragon X Elite-based laptops available in the country, such as the Dell XPS 13 (9345) and the Asus VivoBook S15 OLED.

The OmniBook X has a starting price of Rs. 1,39,999, but the simple design will make you wonder why it’s priced so much. However, after using the laptop for over two weeks, I think I know the answer. Should you get this instead of the alternatives from Dell or Asus? Read on to find out.

HP OmniBook X Design: Basic

• Dimensions – 312.9mm (W) x 223.5mm (D) x 14.4mm (H)
• Weight – 1.34kg
• Colours – Meteor Silver

It might seem like HP slapped an AI logo on the rear of the hinge and called it a day. However, there’s more to it than what meets the eye. Yes, the OmniBook X looks basic and will not win you any style points, but it does the job. It’s like those boring-looking BMWs or Audi’s that will never disappoint you. It even has a matching BMW/Audi metallic silver finish. The laptop is slim at just 14.4mm and weighs about 1.34kg. You get curved sides, a reflective HP logo on the lid, and the Omnibook logo on the outer cover of the hinge.

The OmniBook X has the AI logo on the back and below the keyboard

Talking about the hinge, it’s a solid piece that feels durable. However, it also makes it difficult to open the laptop with one hand. HP claims the laptop has passed 19 MIL-STD tests, which is impressive. The covers feature 50 percent recycled aluminium, and the keycaps use 50 percent recycled plastic.

There’s not too many ports on the laptop, but it’s more than some ultrabooks

As this is an ultrabook, the port selection is minimal. You get two USB Type-C ports on the left side that support Power delivery and DisplayPort 1.4. The right edge houses a 3.5mm audio jack and a USB Type-A port (USB 3.2 Gen1).

HP OmniBook X Display: Decent

• Size and type – 14-inch LCD touch, 300 nits
• Resolution – 2240 x 1400 pixels, 16:10 aspect ratio
• Protection – Corning Gorilla Glass NBT

Opening the lid, which requires two hands, reveals the 16:10 LCD display that offers touch support. It’s not a particularly bright panel; using it outdoors isn’t ideal, but it does well indoors. The display gets slim side bezels with slightly thicker bezels on the top and bottom. Another HP logo is available below the display.

The 14-inch display supports touch input

The OmniBook X has a decent display compared to its competition, which offers OLED panels and higher brightness. The panel here offers 2.2K resolution and good colour output, which is great for watching your favourite shows. There’s no HDR or high refresh rate here, though. It would’ve been nicer to have an OLED panel with higher brightness. However, there is an advantage of the IPS display: longer battery life.

HP OmniBook X Keyboard, Touchpad, speakers, and webcam

• Keyboard – Full size, backlit chiclet
• Speakers – Dual downward-facing
• Web camera – 5-megapixel with privacy shutter

I loved typing on the OmniBook X. It has a chiclet keyboard with good travel and a nice feel. The keys are broad, and there’s good spacing between them. I could type on this keyboard for hours. You also get adjustable backlighting, which I found to be adequate at night. There’s also a dedicated Copilot key, duh!

Moving downwards, you get a large trackpad with multitouch support and a smooth, responsive surface. The clicks could’ve been better as I sometimes found it difficult to register a two-finger right click.

Typing on the laptop is a pleasant experience

Coming to the speakers, you get two downward firing drives faced at the front. These sound alright when you have the laptop sitting on a table, but there’s not a lot of bass. They aren’t very loud either. HP could have definitely done better here.

The web camera is nice, though. You get a 5-megapixel unit that delivers good video quality in daylight conditions. The camera also performed quite well in low light. There’s also a physical privacy shutter, and the webcam does support Windows Hello and Studio Effects. HP also bundles a Poly Camera app that uses AI for auto framing and panning, background effects, and more.

Windows on ARM is still a bit of a gamble, though, especially if you use Adobe’s photo editing tools. However, it’s only a matter of time before all your favourite apps are compatible with ARM.

HP OmniBook X Software: Resourceful

• OS – Windows 11
• AI tools – Copilot+, HP AI Companion, Poly Studio

The software experience on the HP OmniBook X was similar to other Windows 11 laptops but with the addition of a few HP tools. Apart from the usual Copilot+ chatbot, the Cocreator feature in the Paint app, Live Captions, and Windows Studio Effects for video calls, you get a bunch of AI-powered tools from HP. All of these work quite well.

You get a bunch of AI tools on the OmniBook X

There’s the HP AI Companion, which gives you access to a personal assistant. However, you need to sign in with an HP account to use this feature. It’s basically like the Copilot chatbot; you can ask it questions and share PDF files to get summaries. You can also use it to optimise your laptop for what you need from it. Then there’s the Poly Camera app that works similar to Windows Studio Effects, but you also get additional features such as AI Auto framing, panning, and AI noise reduction. Again, I tried these features, and they seemed to work well most of the time.

HP OmniBook X Performance: Snappy when you need it

• CPU – Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100
• RAM – 16GB LPDDR5x 8448 MHz
• Storage – 1TB M.2 SSD
• GPU – Adreno GPU

In terms of performance, the 12-core Snapdragon X Elite processor does a good job. It’s snappy when you need it, but it doesn’t consume as much power as it used to. You can easily run most apps, and multitasking is also a breeze on the laptop. I didn’t notice any lag while running multiple instances of Chrome with a couple of other apps, such as Slack and WhatsApp.

The laptop doesn’t heat up under load

I ran a couple of benchmarks on the laptop to see how it fares against a couple of other Snapdragon X Elite-powered laptops, and here are the results.

All tests were run with the CPU profile set to Best Performance, and the laptop was plugged in. It has to be noted that the Dell XPS 13 (9345) has a higher-end Snapdragon X Elite chipset. However, the OmniBook X performed quite well in the synthetic tests.

The laptop can run most apps, provided it supports ARM. It’s a really good productivity laptop. You also get WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, and connectivity is great too. I would’ve liked it if HP had provided more RAM, as I noticed some lag when waking the laptop from sleep.

As for heating, the laptop barely heated up under regular usage, which involved browsing the web, streaming 4K videos, or running multiple apps. The only time it did slightly heat up was during the benchmark tests, and most of the heat was concentrated at the top left corner of the keyboard.

HP OmniBook X Battery: Goodbye battery anxiety

• Capacity – 59 Wh
• Charging – 65W USB Type-C

This is the third Snapdragon X Elite-powered laptop I’ve tested, and battery anxiety is truly a thing of the past. I could comfortably get an entire workday’s battery life out of the OmniBook X. You can also easily binge-watch your favourite shows, thanks to the less power-hungry LCD display. Sleep is also great on the laptop, as it would only drain about 5-10 percent of the max battery during the night. During the two weeks I had the laptop, I fully charged it about three times.

The laptop has a large intake grille at the bottom

HP provides a 65W compact, fast charger in the box, which can quickly top up the battery. A full charge took about one and a half hours.

HP OmniBook X Verdict

If you’re looking for a non-flashy work laptop with great battery life, lightweight design, good keyboard, and Windows, then the HP OmniBook X is an excellent choice. It has a few drawbacks, but it’s not enough to not recommend this. The display may not be as good as the competition, but the LCD panel does have its advantages.

Don’t let the simple design fool you, the HP OmniBook X is a well-built Windows ultrabook that’s great for productivity and some creativity. The alternative is the Dell XPS 13 (9345) (Review), which, while it costs the same, doesn’t offer the best typing experience or similar battery life. However, if you compare it with the Asus VivoBook S15 OLED (Review), then the Asus comes out on top.

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