If there’s one thing you can be sure of following a major tech launch, it’s that tinkerers will pore over every detail. iFixit recently published its teardown analysis of the iPhone Duo, and it’s one heck of a deep dive into Apple’s first foldable phone.
The good news? iFixit gave the Duo a provisional repairability rating of five out of 10. This might seem like a low score, but it’s the highest rating a foldable phone has received from the company pushing consumers’ right to repair.
iFixit praised the Duo’s battery removal process, claiming it was easier than on other foldables. Based on the teardown, the phone’s internals are spread relatively evenly, making it simple to access hardware for repairs. Apple’s outer screen also held up to scrutiny.
iFixit’s analysis speculates that the early faulty units could come from a stress point caused by a support bar in the hinge not functioning as intended. Supposedly, this support mechanism should lower when the phone folds. In the case of the broken Duos, it doesn’t lower far enough, potentially causing the damage.
Although iFixit’s theories remain speculation at this point, it’s a solid hypothesis behind what some users have encountered. Fortunately, Apple has immediately replaced Duos that have broken under general use.
It’s not known how widespread the inner screen issues are; the data would be a closely guarded secret. From Apple’s perspective, the silver lining is that the iPhone Duo has the makings of a reasonably repairable phone — once it sorts out the inner screen issue.
Depending on how into running you are, and more specifically what types of running events you enter, you may have never considered a running headlamp. For the most part, they are used for ultra marathons where runners compete through the night. That said, they’re also useful for those who regularly run in the early morning or late at night.
I compete in ultra marathons, but typically stick to the 50km distance. So a headlamp like this would mostly benefit me for my late-night runs after the kids are in bed. But I do plan to one day tackle a 100km ultra, meaning a headlamp would become vital. So I was keen to test out this highly recommended option, the Ledlenser NEO9R.
Ledlenser NEO9R specifications and pricing
Lighting modes
Low Power (20 lumens), Mid Power (200 lumens), Power (600 lumens), Boost (1,200 lumens)
Beam distance
Up to 200 metres (Boost)
Battery life
Up to 120 hours (Low Power), 12 hours (Mid Power), 5 hours (Power). Boost not stated
Battery
Replaceable 5,000mAh lithium-ion
Charging
Magnetic USB-C charging cable, approx. 5.5 hours
Weight
199 grams including battery
Head tilt
45 degrees
Water resistance
IP54
Other features
Red flashing rear light, battery indicator, backup mode, transport lock, removable overhead strap
In the box
Headlamp, magnetic charging cable, chest belt, comfort pad
Comfort is something I find rather difficult. No headlamp is comfortable for me, as it adds weight to my head and I would much prefer running without it. In saying that, sometimes there is no choice, so I am forced to make my peace with it.
As far as headlamps go, I was impressed with the comfort of the Ledlenser’s straps. It’s also highly adjustable, letting me tighten and loosen everything to find that perfect fit. Also included is a comfort pad, made from a rubber-like material, that sits behind the headlamp. It creates a barrier between my head and the plastic of the headlamp backing, which also helps the whole thing stay in place.
Images: Jay Marshall
As someone who is not the biggest fan of headlamps, I found the beauty of the NEO9R is its flexibility, as there is a chest strap included. I was able to very quickly attach the additional strap, remove the over-the-top strap, and the headlamp was instantly converted into a chest light.
I enjoyed using it in this configuration, and it’s not something many headlamps provide. A big tick in my opinion. As for wearing it in the traditional head strap configuration, I found it comfortable enough. Once I got the strap dialled in, it stayed in place and didn’t cause any rubbing or irritation.
The one big downside of this highly capable headlamp is its weight. I am, by nature, very competitive. So for me, I never want to carry any extra weight during a race. And, although there are heavier headlamps, this one is still not light. With the headlamp weighing 199 grams, I couldn’t help but prefer a lighter option.
Headlamps range from around 35 grams to 200 grams, so this one is on the heavier side. The one part I found hard to adapt to was the weight of the battery positioned at the back of my head. I guess it’s a trade-off, as none of the lighter options has anywhere near the capabilities of the NEO9R. Take this with a grain of salt, as this product is likely ideal for someone running 100km+ trail ultra marathons.
Image: Jay Marshall.
Features and lighting modes
The NEO9R is a beast when it comes to brightness and range. It can deliver up to 1,200 lumens of brightness and reach up to 200 metres. That being said, those numbers are based on its Boost mode, which won’t last very long. The good news is there are four lighting modes: Low Power, Mid Power, Power, and Boost. It may not seem like a big deal, but for trail runners looking to conserve battery to get them through the night, the option to turn the light down to Low Power is helpful.
There is something to be said for the tilting ability of the lamp head. It’s typically a matter of preference, as each runner and the environment they are in may call for a different angle of lighting. I also like the additional lights that add safety and quality of life to the product. There is the battery status indicator located on the top of the light head with four small lights. Then there is the tail light, which provides some safety by making the wearer visible from behind with a red bar light that flashes. Some great little additions.
Images: Jay Marshall
Overall, I enjoyed using the Ledlenser NEO9R. I took the headlamp on several runs, both at sunset and starting in the dark at night. During my sunset runs, I carried the headlamp with me until it was dark enough to use. This is a situation where I would suggest a smaller, lighter option would be preferable, as I only needed it for the very end of my run.
The night runs were a different story. I wore the NEO9R from the beginning, and it performed very well. I mostly used Mid Power mode, as it provided more than enough light to make me comfortable. Although I didn’t get a chance to use the NEO9R during an ultra marathon, I can clearly see how well this headlamp would shine (pun intended) on trails when running through the night.
Battery life
Ledlenser advertises the NEO9R as having an incredible battery life of up to 120 hours. However, this 120-hour battery life is only achievable in Low Power mode. Different modes will drastically alter the battery life. For example, Mid Power mode lasts around 12 hours, and Power mode is rated at five hours. Ledlenser doesn’t give a runtime for Boost, which is designed for short bursts.
The big takeaway here is that in Mid Power mode, which is likely the most popular mode, the headlamp will last around 12 hours, enough to get through the night. A big tick for the ultra runners out there. The battery pack is also interchangeable, so having a backup is a great option.
Image: Jay Marshall.
Who is the Ledlenser NEO9R headlamp for?
Although this headlamp can work for anyone running in the dark, the excellent battery life, bright light output and multiple modes, coupled with the rather bulky, heavy build, make it purpose-built for ultra runners.
For those early-morning or late-night runners, I would suggest a lighter, more compact alternative, as you won’t need all of the features the NEO9R delivers.
Ledlenser NEO9R
Ideal for late-night runners, the Ledlenser NEO9R is a versatile, albeit slightly bulky, headlamp for lighting your way.
Squeezing serious firepower into a tiny package, the Asus ROG GR70 is a mini gaming rig with serious credentials.
Gaming PCs have traditionally been big, clunky and noisy beasts, with serious players more than happy to boast about the size of their rig. Rather than settle for an office-style plain beige box, they add glass side panels and internal neon lights to show off all that grunt under the bonnet.
Part of the reason for opting for a full-sized tower or desktop case is to ensure room for a giant top-shelf graphics card. A roomy case also allows for fans and plenty of airflow to stop your components melting when the going gets tough.
Another reason for favouring a full-sized case is to ensure easy access for upgrading individual components over time, to make sure your Gaming Rig of Theseus can cope with tomorrow’s AAA titles.
Of course, not everyone needs so much grunt under the bonnet. That’s why the concept of the mini PC was born, such as Intel’s Next Unit of Computing (NUC).
Small, inexpensive, quiet and low-powered, these little PCs were originally designed to handle lightweight everyday computing tasks. Over time, it became easier to build more powerful NUCs, with Asus taking over Intel’s NUC division to produce pint-sized powerhouses including gaming rigs for its Republic of Gamers (ROG) brand.
In a surprising twist, the $6,309 ROG GR70 mini PC is Asus’ first gaming NUC to run an AMD processor rather than Intel, which is why it doesn’t actually bear the NUC name even though it looks the same.
Asus ROG GR70 first impressions
The ROG GR70 is not what you expect from a gaming PC. It might be blasphemous to say, but out of the box the 3-litre chassis stands a foot tall and looks more like an upright gaming console than a gaming PC.
The ROG GR70 is heavier than it looks at 2.75kg, but that’s still more manageable than most gaming PCs. You’ll appreciate it if you want to take your rig on the road to a convention or LAN party.
Relying on an external power supply is a common engineering trick to help keep PCs compact and cool. The hefty 970g power adapter included with the ROG GR70 will weigh you down if you’re looking to lug it around.
Keep the Asus ROG GR70’s hefty power supply in mind when weighing up portability. Image: Adam Turner.
The compact design doesn’t allow for a glass side panel at the ROG GR70’s innards, but it still has bling. There’s a multi-coloured glowing ROG logo on one side and a multi-coloured glowing power light on the front. On the other side, you’ll find ROG etched into the grill.
The grill leaves no doubt the Asus ROG GR70 belongs to the Republic of Gamers family. Image: Adam Turner.
You can create custom lighting effects using Asus’ Armoury Crate app, which also offers extensive hardware management, as does the highly configurable ROG BIOS.
As you’d expect, there’s no shortage of connectivity options front and back.
Around the front you’ll find two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 and one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports, accompanied by a 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack.
At the rear you’ll find plenty of video options thanks to one USB-C 4 Gen 3 w/ DisplayPort 1.4, two DisplayPort 2.1 ports and two HDMI 2.1 ports to support multi-display set-ups.
The lack of a dedicated audio-out on the rear is a surprising omission, considering some people might want to run it directly into a sound system that might not support HDMI in.
You’ll also find four USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports and a 2.5Gb Ethernet port on the back, plus there’s built-in Intel Killer Wi-Fi 7 BE1750x (Gig+) and Bluetooth 5.4.
You’ll find plenty of ports around the back. Image: Adam Turner.
Asus ROG GR70 specifications and price
Processor
AMD Ryzen 9 (8940HX cTDP 60W or 9955HX3D cTDP 70W)
Graphics
Discrete: RTX 5070 Laptop GPU 8GB GDDR7 RAM or RTX 5060 Laptop GPU 8GB GDDR7 RAM Integrated: AMD Radeon 610M (RTX 5070 models) (No integrated graphics in RTX 5060 models)
RAM
Included: 16GB or 32GB DDR5-5600 SO-DIMM Max Capacity: 96GB DDR5-5600 (DDR5-5200 max speed on 8940HX models)
Onboard storage
Included: 1TB or 2TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD Supported: 512B-2TB M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 4.0 x 4 SSD or 1TB-2TB M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 5.0 x 4 SSD
Under the bonnet, the ROG GR70 packs either an AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX laptop processor built on Zen 4 architecture, or a Ryzen 9 9955HX3D laptop chip built on Zen 5 architecture. The latter is a serious chunk of silicon sporting 16 cores, 32 threads, a 2.5GHz clock speed and 5.4 GHz boost.
Asus actually lists 10 variants of the ROG GR70 on its website, but it looks like two are available in Australia: the $4,479 GR70-N90055AN packing the Ryzen 9 8940HX and the $6,039 GR70-N90056AN packing the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D.
As the 3D gaming variant, compared to the standard 9955HX, the 9955HX3D doubles the L3 cache to 128MB shared (with 3D V-Cache). It’s worth noting that it sports the 9955HX3D, while Asus’ specs simply list it as the 9955HX.
It’s AMD’s top-of-the-line laptop CPU, except perhaps for the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, which features an onboard NPU.
This processor has some serious firepower, but take note that we’re talking about AMD’s mobile processors designed for high-performance laptops. To be fair, the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D can put many desktop CPUs to shame.
Even so, the elegant compact form factor has its thermal and power limits. You’re sacrificing the extra potential performance of a desktop processor, which requires a case with more room to breathe.
Accompanying that processor is 16 or 32GB of DDR5-5600 RAM, with maximum support for 96GB at 2 x 48GB. (Side note: the review unit actually came with 64GB of RAM)
When it comes to graphics grunt, you’ve got a discrete Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 GPU built on Blackwell architecture, which is a heavy hitter but not the best Nvidia has to offer.
It handles the high frame rates in demanding titles, plus it supports full ray tracing and the controversial DLSS 5, which can insert multiple AI-generated frames in an effort to improve image quality.
Once again, keep in mind that we’re talking about the laptop variant, which doesn’t match the performance of the desktop RTX 5070. It’s a shame it’s limited to 8GB GDDR7 RAM when the RTX 5070 goes up to 12GB and other GPUs even higher.
Also keep in mind that, unlike a desktop rig, there’s no ability to upgrade the ROG GR70’s CPU or GPU down the track.
The side panel is surprisingly easy to remove, but all you can swap out is the RAM and SSD. Not that you’d be in a rush when it comes with a 2TB M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 5.0 SSD and 32GB DDR5-6400 RAM.
The Asus ROG GR70 offers surprisingly easy access to its innards, but you can’t upgrade much. Image: Adam Turner.
For this kind of money, you might hope for some more future-proofing, but once again it’s the price you pay for the compact design.
Keeping everything cool is a QuietFlow cooling system with three fans and a dedicated SSD heatsink.
If money is no object, you might look to the insane $8,999 Asus ROG 16 Edition 20, which ups the spec sheet in many ways but is absolute overkill.
Quality
As you would expect, the Asus ROG GR70 is no slouch when it comes to benchmarks. There’s some serious gaming firepower within, but it’s not a world beater.
The fan noise barely increases when running Geekbench CPU and GPU tests. Geekbench 7 returns 2,914 single-core and 24,233 multi-core, along with 124,197 OpenCL from the discrete Nvidia GPU and 6,138 OpenCL from the onboard graphics.
Geekbench 6 returns 3,219 single-core and 20,318 multi-core, along with 144,369 OpenCL from the discrete NVIDIA GPU and 5,760 OpenCL from the onboard graphics.
When it comes to gaming benchmarks, 3DMark tells a respectable story but isn’t best-in-class for what you can squeeze from this CPU/GPU combo:
Steel Nomad
Steel Nomad Light
Time Spy
Score
3,076
13,995
13,708
Frames per second
30.76
103.67
N/A
3DMark benchmarks.
Meanwhile, Shadow of the Tomb Raider’s in-game benchmarks saw the internal fans hit their stride. In return, it delivered 200 fps on the High preset and 177 fps on Highest, which cranks up texture filtering, shadow quality, ambient occlusion, depth of field and level of detail.
All up in terms of performance, the Asus ROG GR70 can hold its head high among mid-to-high-range laptops. Keep in mind, these are only respectable mid-range scores for a desktop gaming rig.
Who is the Asus ROG GR70 for?
As a compact gaming rig, the ROG GR70 is hard to beat, with an elegant design containing plenty of CPU and GPU firepower for a machine running on laptop hardware.
That said, it’s very expensive, so the big question is whether you actually value its size and portability.
If you tend to lug around your gaming rig, or simply don’t have much room to spare on/under your desk, then the ROG GR70’s compact design might be money well-spent. But if your gaming rig is house-bound and has plenty of room, then a desktop PC would likely offer more bang for your buck, with the added flexibility to upgrade any component over time.
Asus ROG GR70 Mini PC
A pint-sized powerhouse, the compact Asus ROG GR70 Mini PC is for gamers in need of big results from a small footprint.
Features
9
Value for money
8.5
Performance
9
Ease of use
9
Design
9.5
Positives
Slimline design
Stylish case lighting
Powerful
Extensive video connectors
Negatives
You pay a premium for the compact form factor
Laptop rather than desktop CPU and GPU (only 8GB of GPU RAM)
Oppo announced that the Find X10 Pro Max is coming to Australia, and I think it’s going to shake up the Android phone competition once again. Like its predecessor, the Find X9 Pro, the X10 Pro Max sports a camera array that will be the envy of other brands.
Continuing its partnership with camera company Hasselblad, the Oppo Find X10 Pro Max has three 200MP lenses on the rear. That’s pretty much unheard of for a phone. Across flagship phones, you might get one or two 200MP cameras — usually the main sensor and maybe the telephoto lens — but every rear camera on this phone benefits from 200-megapixel quality.
For most people, it’ll mean more flexibility to crop in to photos without losing image quality. It’ll come in handy with the improved ultra-wide camera, which now has a 124-degree field of view. I’m impressed by the photos and videos I’ve taken with the phone so far, and will have a full review soon.
Valens Quinn attended a launch event in Mallorca, Spain, as a guest of Oppo.
Everyone remembers that kid who treated PE classes in school like it was the bloody Olympics. They went in harder than anyone else and nitpicked over rules, much to the disdain of their mostly apathetic classmates. I should know: I was that insufferable prick of a kid. Give me any form of competition, and I’ll go from zero to a hundred in an instant. Just ask my friends who recently played Nintendo Switch Sports Resort with me at PAX Aus.
Memories of high school sports came flooding back. I didn’t want to merely participate; I wanted to win. It also brought back memories of hours spent playing Wii Sports and its tropical counterpart, Wii Sports Resort. Both games represented the peak of Nintendo game design — simple enough for anyone to pick up, with enough complexity for competitive freaks (me) to pore over deeper strategies.
Nintendo Switch Sports Resort (exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2, despite the absence of ‘2’ in its name) isn’t a complete reinvention of the Wii-era games. That’s not a bad thing, mind you. Why change a winning formula?
Image: Nintendo.
Nintendo struck gold the first time around with its intuitive motion controls. Swinging a golf club or throwing a jab only required imitating the real-life act with a controller in hand. This approach returns with Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, albeit with sharper visuals and more accurate controls, courtesy of the Joy-Con 2’s modern gyroscope technology.
A few new sports join the playable roster, but the most important element remains intact: a space for competition to flourish.
Taking things way too seriously
During an hour-long hands-on session away from PAX Aus’ hectic show floor, I alternated between playing and watching a handful of Switch Sports Resort’s games with a group of mates. At least, I hope they’re still my mates after they saw my competitive side emerge, like a symbiote involuntarily taking over its host’s body.
It’s a funny juxtaposition, playing such a game with such a friendly and welcoming vibe, while wanting to mercilessly beat all competitors. Switch Sports Resort‘s idyllic Wuhu Island is vibrant and inviting, and the customisable Mii (or Mii-lite ‘Sportsmate’) characters all look so happy to be there.
Not wanting to appear too keen, I politely hesitated before faux-begrudgingly grabbing a controller to play one of my favourites from Wii Sports Resort: table tennis. Back in the day, the sport benefitted from the Wii MotionPlus accessory, which tracked subtler wrist motions than the Wii Remote’s IR sensor.
Image: Nintendo.
In the nearly two decades since, motion controls have improved substantially. In Switch Sports Resort, table tennis is more precise, responding to specific swing motions and more reliably imparting directional spin.
With a bottom-to-top swinging motion, I got some nice topspin going, moving the ball away from my opponent, Fiona (one of the nicest people on the planet, who kindly put up with my shenanigans). When she got the upper hand during a rally, I swung as if cutting underneath the ball. Lo and behold, the ball sliced, slowing the rally down and getting me back in the game.
One of Nintendo Switch Sports Resort‘s greatest strengths is its variety. Table tennis was fantastic, but intense action isn’t all the game has up its athleisure wear sleeve. Among the directly competitive sports, including a new thumb-wrestling mode that brings back some of the Wii era’s waggle-fest antics, are several more serene activities.
One is a plane flight around Wuhu Island, controlled by holding a single Joy-Con 2 like a pencil, gently tilting it to steer the aircraft. It’s a nice, slow-paced activity that lets you take in the sights and snap photos like a virtual tourist.
Another new addition is skateboarding, where you use the controller like a mouse to skate around the island. I didn’t get to try this mode, but it looks like a cool demonstration of Nintendo’s latest technology and another way to enjoy a lush digital environment in peace. These modes also have competitive elements for those (me) who want a challenge.
Image: Nintendo.
Despite Fiona getting her revenge against me in a bout of archery (please don’t put in the newspaper that I got mad), archery was another highlight from the hands-on session. Miming the actions of a bow and arrow with a Joy-Con 2 in each hand, I felt a great level of control over my character’s actions. Of course, this meant that my defeat was purely a skill issue.
Bowling, as simple as it is to play in digital form, remains one of the best sports depicted in a Nintendo game. Controversially, though, Switch Sports Resort no longer requires you to let go of a button to release the ball. Did too many people also let go of the controller, adding a controller-shaped hole in their TV, I wonder?
Fighting muscle memory, I had a few false starts (letting go of the button means your character doesn’t let go, ironically). But it didn’t take long to start racking up strikes, flicking my wrist to impart just enough spin to knock down every pin. I won, for the record.
Revisiting Nintendo’s golden era
Depending on who you ask, Nintendo’s ‘golden era’ could refer to one of many moments during its storied history. In the context of bringing the medium of gaming to a broader audience, the mid-to-late 2000s Wii era gets my vote.
Nostalgia might tint my vision — spending a Christmas playing Wii Sports golf with family, and countless competitive bouts in the years that followed — but it was a time when anyone could pick up a controller and participate.
Image: Chris Button.
Nintendo Switch Sports Resort brings back the design philosophy of that era. Simple and approachable, it encourages the joy of movement while adding some twists for new audiences. Even if your version of ‘fun’ relies on winning, it’s a game that fosters a sense of play with every flick of the wrist.
Now that Switch Sports Resort is out, I’m keen to grab a copy and beat my brother at virtual golf all over again.
Pokémon’s 30th anniversary collaborations keep on coming, this time in the form of a cute pair of Sandisk storage devices.
Featuring designs based on two of the OG legendary Pokémon, Mew and Mewtwo, Sandisk’s range includes a 128GB USB-C drive and a portable SSD with either 500GB or 1TB of storage. Priced at $77 in Australia, the Mew-adorned USB stick supports read speeds up to 250MB/s.
Mewtwo stars on the SSD, which supports up to 1,000MB/s read speeds, connecting via USB-C. Sandisk hasn’t confirmed the exact pricing and release date for the SSD yet. Overseas, the 500GB model retails for US$119.99, while the 1TB version costs US$249.
Oppo has slowly but surely crept its way towards the top of the food chain when it comes to flagship Android phones. Last year’s Find X9 Pro was a superb phone, highlighted by its best-in-class camera array. Keen to build on this excellence, Oppo has just launched the Find X10 series, stepping up the camera quality yet another notch.
Consisting of the Find X10 and the distinctly Apple-flavoured Find X10 Pro Max, Oppo’s new phones sport a new range of 200MP camera sensors. For this X10, this comes in the form of a 200MP main camera, plus a 200MP 3x optical zoom telephoto lens, while the ultra-wide camera retains a 50MP sensor. All three cameras benefit from 200MP sensors on the Pro Max model.
Size also separates the two phones. Oppo’s Find X10 model has a 6.59-inch screen, while the Pro Max gets a 6.78-inch display. This year’s phones benefit from new OLED technology that supports BT.2020 colour, providing a much wider range of hues than the previously supported DCI-P3 gamut.
Find X10 Pro Max (left) and Find X10 (right). Images: Oppo.
On the inside, the Find X10 uses the MediaTek Dimensity 9600M chipset, while the Pro Max wields the more powerful Dimensity 9600 Pro variant. Both models ship with 12GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and a 7,150mAh silicon-carbon battery.
Oppo Find X10 series Australian price
With the improved hardware also comes a higher price. Australians are set to pay $2,299 for the base Find X10 model, the same price as last year’s Pro model. Meanwhile, the Find X10 Pro Max starts at $2,699 locally. That’s $500 and $400 more than last year’s phones, respectively. A lot of phone makers are feeling the pinch thanks to the global memory shortage, forcing exponential cost increases on components.
Pre-orders for both phones are live now, with launch scheduled for 29 October. Oppo is throwing the kitchen sink at the pre-order offers, with the Find X10 coming with a $799 Hasselblad Teleconverter Kit, a $399 Oppo Watch S, and a $69 5,000mAh magnetic power bank, all included with the cost of the phone.
Meanwhile, the Find X10 Pro Max includes the same pre-order bonuses, swapping out the power bank for the $399 Oppo Pad SE tablet. Most local retailers will stock the new phones, with Vodafone coming through with a big launch deal. Until 16 November, anyone who buys the X10 Pro Max on a long-term plan (24, 36, or 48 months) gets $800 off the device.
It’s another big launch from Oppo, and we’re keen to see how it stacks up to last year’s impressive flagship handset.
Valens Quinn attended a launch event in Mallorca, Spain, as a guest of Oppo.
