IFA 2023: interesting concepts, innovations and cool devices

Lenovo Legion Go - a direct competitor to the ROG Ally console

The number of portable game consoles has grown unexpectedly in recent years. It seems like every manufacturer wants to try their hand at this segment. Chipmaker Qualcomm has also joined the race. Recently, Sony also surprised by announcing the PlayStation Portal console, although it can hardly be called a "portable console", since it still needs a PlayStation 5 to function.

Expectedly or perhaps not, Lenovo also threw down the gauntlet to its rivals. The Legion Go is a Windows-based portable gaming console, just like the ROG Ally. It should be available at the beginning of October, but it is not yet clear whether this means that it will also be available in Slovenia. The expected price is around 700 to 800 euros, which is not a small amount.

The console has an 8.8-inch QHD+ display, an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor and a 49.2 Wh battery (bigger than ROG Ally and Steam Deck). The controllers are detachable, probably borrowed from the Nintendo Switch console.

Lenovo Legion 9i - cold-blooded "monster"

We recently tested one of the best gaming computers ASUS ROG Strix 18. The Lenovo Legion 9i is a computer that could beat it, not only in terms of hardware, but also in terms of price. At a price of around 4,500 euros, everyone's eyes are watering.

In return, we get an Intel i9-13980HX processor, up to 64 GB of DDR5 RAM, a 99.99 Wh battery, up to 2 TB of PCIe 4.0 NVMe space and, in the highest configuration, a GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card. In short, very similar to the ROG Strix. So what makes the Legion 9i so special?

Lenovo says it's the first 16-inch gaming laptop with a stand-alone liquid cooling dock. It was made in cooperation with the well-known manufacturer Cooler Master. In addition, it has classic cooling with fans and more than 6000 small openings for heat dissipation.

Chipolo Point - the end of lost wallets and keys for Android users?

Google recently started rolling out its Find my Device service, and Chipolo diligently took advantage of the situation. They have produced two trackers, the Chipolo ONE Point for finding lost keys and the Chipolo CARD Point for finding lost wallets.

The card version is said to sell for 39 euros, and the tracker in the form of a keychain for 34 euros. Google's improved Find my Device service means it's no longer just about finding lost Android phones. From now on, it will be able to take advantage of the richest network of devices to find lost objects that are attached to or in the vicinity of a supported tracker, such as the new Chipolo Point trackers.

Both trackers are compatible with Android devices running Android 9.0 or higher. The battery in the tracker in the form of a key chain (Chipolo ONE Point) is said to be sufficient for one year of use. Exchange is possible at your own expense. The Chipolo CARD Point is supposed to last for two years, but changing the battery yourself is not feasible. Instead, Chipolo is said to be offering a renewal program.

Both trackers are waterproof and play a sound on command if you are within 60 meters. They also have a built-in anti-tracking feature. If you have an unregistered tracker on you, you will be warned.

LG StanbyME Go – a TV in a suitcase?

LG certainly presented one of the more interesting products, which surprisingly has already passed the concept stage. The LG StanbyME Go is a 27-inch TV/touch screen that literally crammed into a suitcase. It has a four-channel sound system with a power of 20 W, which is not much, but should be enough for undemanding viewing of multimedia content. The built-in battery will be enough for three hours of use, but it is not clear what kind of use it is: playing games, watching movies or mixed.

The TV can tilt and turn 90 degrees from landscape to portrait. In tablet mode, you could play board games like chess on it, or use it as a virtual record player. It is expected to go on sale in October and cost $999.99.

Philips Hue with support for the Matter smart home standard

After many postponements, however, Philips announced the start of support for the new Matter smart standard. The update is expected to be available as early as September and will include all existing Philips Hue devices, including those introduced in 2012.

They also announced Philips Hue Secure security products, which work together with the Philips Hue smart lighting system for preventive protection against burglars. When the system triggers a sensor, you can activate any compatible Hue light to flash red or white and/or trigger an alarm via the camera.

Honor V Purse and Honor Magic V2 - what is concept and what is reality?

The Honor V Purse is exactly what the name suggests. It is a phone in the form of a case. It has a folding screen that opens outwards, the same as we tested on the Huawei Xs 2. Honor added a strap to the phone and a screen that adjusts the background with different patterns that resemble a case. The big question is whether the Honor V Purse will remain just a concept or if it will ever actually hit store shelves.

The Honor Magic V2 is already on sale, which should arrive in Europe next year. It is the thinnest and lightest foldable phone on the market. It eclipsed the entire competition, including Samsung, Huawei and Xiaomi. It has a 5,000 mAh battery, a camera system very similar to that of the Magic5 Pro phone (in short, great cameras) and a dual 120 Hz LTPO OLED display. It should also have a cooling system that Honor has named the Bionic Cooling System. Basically, it is a steam chamber that is 12.5 % larger than the previous generation. In combination with graphite and thermal gel, it should successfully cool the thinnest foldable phone in the world.

Roborock introduced three new robots

The Roborock Q5 Pro, Q8 Max and Dyad Pro Combo wet/dry vacuum cleaners join the already impressive (robotic) fleet. They will be powered by LIDAR technology. They have doubled the suction power/cleaning efficiency, redesigned and installed a new DuoRoller brush system and added some smart features.

• The Roborock Dyad Pro Combo can be converted from a classic vacuum cleaner to a handheld vacuum cleaner. It features an exceptional power of 17,000 Pa, a multi-surface brush, various attachments and a rotating head.
• The Roborock Q5 Pro has a suction power of 5500 Pa and a dirt container with a volume of 770 ml. Alongside the new Q8 Max, this is the first robotic vacuum cleaner to use DuoRoller brushes, which rotate in opposite directions for more efficient dirt removal.
• Roborock Q8 Max is a little more elaborate. They added a system for better obstacle avoidance, a large 350 milliliter water tank for washing larger surfaces. But it doesn't have all the advanced features, such as the ability to lift the mop when it detects carpet.

Fairphone continues with modularity

Fairphone almost single-handedly carries the banner of modularity in the world of mobile telephony. IFA 2023 was the stage on which they presented the Fairphone 5, a phone that will allow us to manually replace as many as 10 different components (battery, screen, cameras, speaker, USB-C input...). They installed a special Snapdragon SoC chip, which is said to be based on the 728G processor. They should offer up to 5 Android upgrades and as many as 8 years of security patches, which is undoubtedly extremely impressive and significantly more than the competition. They replaced the LCD screen with a 90 Hz OLED screen, added two 50 MP cameras and a removable 4200 mAh battery.

Sony Xperia 5 V

Sony also took the opportunity to present the latest Xperia 5 V phone. The European price is said to be around 1,000 euros, which is less than competing phones, but in all likelihood the phone will end up in the hands of a handful of enthusiasts.

They have installed the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, up to 8 GB of RAM (we expected at least 12 GB) and only 128 GB of storage space, but luckily it can be further expanded. The screen remains the same, a 6.1-inch FHD+ OLED. It is extremely compact. If you like ASUS Zenfone phones, the Xperia 5 V will also be a good alternative. There will be a 5000 mAh battery, which should be above average considering the size and type of the screen, as well as the efficient processor. It will charge 30W wired and 18W wirelessly, which are not overly impressive numbers.

Techno Phantom Ultimate – an interesting idea of a foldable phone

Techno Phantom Ultimate is not a classic version of a folding phone. For example, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 opens like a book/wallet, so does the Honor Magic Vs, and the Galaxy Z Flip5 opens like a shell.

Techno Phantom Ultimate does not open in the classic way, but by pressing a button from the case, the screen is extended. In closed mode, it's a 6.55-inch LTPO OLED display, but it can be stretched to 7.11 inches. The whole process should take a good second. An interesting idea that we have seen in the past from manufacturers OPPO, Motorola and LG.

For now, unfortunately, it is only a concept, official sales have not yet been announced.

Samsung Auracast - the next generation of Bluetooth connectivity?

Instead of pairing with a single device, Auracast creates a kind of audio access point, meaning audio can be output to an unlimited number of receivers, such as headphones and speakers. The technology will be available on the newer Samsung NEO 8K and micro-LED TVs.

The TV could thus be connected to several pairs of headphones. According to Samsung, Auracast enables many new possibilities, from immersive listening in a theater or lecture hall to simply sharing a music playlist with friends.

Hisense presented a new display technology

Hisense presented some new products at IFA 2023: the L9H laser TV (100 or 120 inches), the Laser Cinema PX3-PRO 4K projector with an ultra-short projection distance, and the Smart C1 mini projector. Under the spotlight, however, the new screen technology shined the most, which ensures comfort by reflecting light from the screen. This should eliminate the effects of blue light and improve the image in stronger lighting conditions.

Garmin Venu 3 - Disabled Friendly

Garmin Venu 3 is the latest smart watch specially adapted for disabled people. Instead of counting steps, it can count push-ups, and instead of warnings about sitting too long, it warns the user that it's time to shift weight. Special exercises and sports apps for wheelchairs are also available, and customized algorithms work in the background to monitor the exercise. They also added the ability to detect snooze. For now, the new features will be available exclusively on the Garmin Venu 3 and 3S, with plans to roll out to other models as well.

The yield is not bad at all. We have quite a few interesting products waiting for us, which we hope to be able to test in the editorial office as well.