Engadget review recap: iPad, Nothing Phone 3a, Assassin's Creed Shadows and more
A roundup of the reviews published on Engadget over the last two weeks.
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The reviews train rolls on at Engadget. We've had another busy couple of weeks, and more new devices are arriving for testing every day. For now, catch up on our in-depth analysis of the new base-model iPad, Nothing Phone 3a duo, some incredible sounding headphones and more.
iPad (2025) with A16
Apple iPad (A16)
It's not a particularly exciting update, and it lacks Apple Intelligence entirely, but Apple's latest entry-level tablet still meets most iPad users where they live with little drama.
- A16 chip is plenty fast for most things people do with iPads
- Double the storage and 2GB more RAM than previous model for the same price
- Build quality and battery life remain solid
- iPadOS still has the best app library and richest feature set for tablets
- No Apple Intelligence
- Display is due for some updates
- Apple Pencil situation is still annoying
- Magic Keyboard Folio is overpriced and not ideal on a lap
- iPads with M-series chips are probably more futureproof
- No Apple Intelligence
Apple has been busy updating several devices over the past few weeks, including the "regular" iPad. The company's entry-level tablet now has an A16 chip that offers plenty of power for most people. The iPad Air is still a better option if you can afford to spend more, according to buying advice senior reporter Jeff Dunn. "But for $250 less than the latest Air, the iPad (A16) does well to meet most iPad users where they live," he writes. "It's not the most delightful iPad, but it's good enough for the masses."
Nothing Phone 3a and 3a Pro
If you're okay with Nothing's limited US warranty, the Phone 3a is a great budget device. It offers a great screen, fun design and a surprisingly great camera package for the price.
- Fun design
- Large 120Hz AMOLED screen
- Clean but customizable Android skin
- Limited US warranty
- No wireless charging
- Tinny speakers
The Nothing Phone 3a is much more than an update to the 2a when you consider the company opted to debut a new Pro model alongside it. There are concerns about a limited warranty in the US, but the 3a is a great budget device and the Pro has better-than-midrange cameras. "It's really hard to criticize Nothing for any of the component choices, and if you're willing to take a risk on the company's limited US warranty and want something unique, these are the phones to buy," senior reporter Igor Bonifacic explains.
Noble Audio FoKus Apollo
Noble Audio's unique driver setup provides incredible sound quality that surpasses most flagship wireless headphones. However, audio performance is the primary focus and everything else is average.
- Ridiculously good sound quality
- Premium design and materials
- Long battery life
- Comfy fit
- Very expensive
- Limited features
- Average ANC performance
$649 is a lot to pay for a pair of wireless headphones. But if you're searching for the absolute best available sound quality, perhaps money is no object. Noble Audio's FoKus Apollo has a unique driver setup that offers a more expansive and detailed soundstage than the competition and long battery life, but that's about it. "For me, to pay $649 I expect more in terms of features," I argue. "The first item would be better ANC performance, but I don't feel like spatial audio support and wear detection are too much to ask."
Assassin's Creed Shadows and a cheap tablet battle
Contributing reporter Kris Holt spent some time with the new Assassin's Creed title and came away with some mixed feelings on the game. "Assassin's Creed Shadows has impressive technical work, great performances and an expansive, well-drawn story but it's unfortunately weighed down by some frustrating decisions and antiquated gameplay systems," he writes. "Still, I'm eager to keep exploring."
In addition to reviewing the latest iPad, Jeff also pit the Amazon Fire HD 8 against Walmart Onn 8 in a battle of the sub-$100 tablets. After a few weeks with the matchup, his biggest takeaway is you should probably just try to spend a little more on a new tablet. "Get an iPad, buy an older refurbished one if you have to, pay even a little bit extra for a more powerful tablet from Samsung, Lenovo or another name brand — it shouldn't really matter," he says. "It'll run better, both today and into the future."
Upcoming reviews
The busy reviews season continues for the team at Engadget. Coming up next, we've got the Pixel 9a, ASUS ROG Flow Z13 and AMD Ryzen 9950X3D. I'll also be taking a look at the Weber Smoque smart grill and Audio-Technica's ATH-CKS50TW2 earbuds. Spring is also the time we typically see a lot of the devices that were announced at CES go on sale, especially home theater gear, so look for some of those items to appear soon as well.