
Can the $1,599 ECOVACS Deebot X9 Pro Omni top the best robot vacuums? I tested it to find out
ECOVACS Deebot X9 Pro Omni
There is a lot to love about the ECOVACS Deebot X9 Pro Omni, including its self-cleaning functions, heated mop dryer in the base station, and next-gen AI-powered navigation and mapping. It's expensive and isn't the very best we've seen in its price range, but it gets around safely, and does a great job cleaning both your carpets and hard floors.
ECOVACS hopes to out-power the robot vacuum competition with its new Deebot X9 Pro Omni and its innovative BLAST vacuum mode. After some extensive testing, I'm happy to report this $1,599 bot effectively vacuums, sweeps, and mops your floors thanks to features like TruEdge Adaptive Cleaning, zero-tangle brushes, and its OZMO Roller Mop system. With continuous washing of the mop pad as it cleans and AI dirt detection, this is a top-tier robot vacuum that stands among the best.
ECOVACS' best, in one package
Jonathan Feist / Android Authority
As the leader in a new line of robot vacuums, the ECOVACS Deebot X9 Pro Omni combines the brand's best floor cleaning features into one convenient package. It was announced alongside the Deebot X8 Pro Omni and the Deebot T80 Omni, but the X9 is the flagship-tier model with the most features and the highest suction pressure.
This bot is equipped with 16,600Pa of suction, which is boosted by its BLAST (Boosted Large-Airflow Suction Technology) mode, which combines high-flow air through a HEPA filter to clear dust from the air while it picks dry debris from your floor. It also has an anti-tangle side brush, a cylindrical OZMO mop roller with greater pressure for scrubbing and superior self-cleaning features than ever, and the ability to lift each of those components out of the way for optimal cleaning of any floor surface. Powered by camera systems and backed by AI processing, it can safely navigate your home, detecting obstacles and applying extra cleaning efforts to the dirtiest spots on your floors.
Jonathan Feist / Android Authority
The ECOVACS Deebot X9 Pro Omni matches the best features and specifications of the top robot vacuums. I like the bot's aesthetics and how communicative it is (mostly, more on that later). It's also neat that it constantly cleans its own mop roller within the bot itself, cleans deeper, and dries within the base station.
The ECOVACS Deebot X9 Pro Omni combines the brand's best floor cleaning features into one convenient package.
The suction power proved more than adequate for my home in my tests. Pulling pine needles out of my indoor welcome mat is always the most challenging task for all of the bots I've tested — those needles really stick — so I was impressed the Deebot X9 Pro Omni got them out.
Jonathan Feist / Android Authority
Upon setup, the X9 Pro Omni was able to quickly and safely map and navigate my home. It relies on the physical bump sensor and visual sensors, ensuring it gets as close to objects as possible without causing harm. I will admit that the bot has to use the physical bumper more than the average bot if it encounters irregular furniture, but it'll do fine otherwise.
It also accurately detects whether it's on rugs or hard floors, so it can appropriately vacuum and mop each surface. Many modern bots do this, but the X9 Pro Omni did it consistently.
Jonathan Feist / Android Authority
The companion app is easy to use, and there are many options for setup, configuration, map management, and automation. I am also a big fan of how this bot handles areas it wasn't initially mapped for. I intentionally hid a room or two during initial mapping so that I could test this, and unlike many robot vacs that will charge in, when the Deebot X9 Pro Omni found a new room, it asked before entering.
Jonathan Feist / Android Authority
I already mentioned that this bot communicates a lot, and for most of the time that's a good thing. The voice is easy to understand, and the messages are clear. The only downside is it talks a lot. For example, before the base station clears out the dry debris from the bot, it gives a verbal warning that it might get loud, which might work as a handy warning for folks sensitive to surprising loud noises, but it's a little redundant otherwise.
The real issue with voice communication, though, is that the bot is often in the other room, and I can't hear what it's saying. This is true of all bots I've tested, but it has never stood out to me more because of how chatty the Deebot X9 Pro Omni is. However, in-app notifications reflect the majority of the voice communications, so you're not missing anything.
Verdict: Is the ECOVACS Deebot X9 Pro Omni worth it?
Jonathan Feist / Android Authority
The ECOVACS Deebot X9 Pro Omni is a powerful and capable robot vacuum. It operates for long periods of time without requiring maintenance, has good battery life, and it iss fairly quiet while operating… if you discount how chatty it is! It also does a great job mopping hard floors. After spending some time testing it, I don't think there's a good reason not to get this bot, except perhaps the price.
The initial retail price of $1,599.99 places this bot firmly in competition with the very best robot vacuums on the market. The Deebot X9 Pro Omni competes with the best of the best, but I feel like the Narwal Freo Z Ultra ($1499.99 at Amazon) leaves my hard floors a little shinier, and the Roborock Saros 10 ($1599.99 at Amazon) and Saros 10R ($1599.99 at Amazon) both get to more places and clean just a little closer to the edge.
It's pricey, but the ECOVACS Deebot X9 Pro Omni is a powerful and capable robot vacuum.
Considering the compromises in convenience and cleaning efficiency, it would be hard not to consider the Deebot X8 Pro Omni ($1099.99 at Amazon) or Deebot T80 Omni ($1079.99 at Amazon) as well. They are both capable cleaning machines, you just have to remember things like putting detergent in the water tank, or allowing the bot a little extra time to clean edge to edge versus the Deebot X9 Pro Omni. While I do consider the X9 worth the upgrade, the other models are almost as good for several hundred dollars less.
ECOVACS Deebot X9 Pro Omni
Reliable • Low-profile • All-in-one floor cleaner
MSRP: $1,599.99
Best floor cleaner to date from ECOVACS.
Including the best floor cleaning, anti-tangle, navigation, and self-cleaning features to date, the ECOVACS Deebot X9 Pro Omni is a reliable and efficient robot vacuum and mop. See price at Amazon
Positives Efficient and reliable navigation and cleaning
Efficient and reliable navigation and cleaning Self-cleaning
Self-cleaning Anti-tangle brushes and roller
Anti-tangle brushes and roller Extending brushes and rollers
Cons A little clumsy with irregular furniture
A little clumsy with irregular furniture Very chatty
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Android Authority
2 hours ago
- Android Authority
The USB-C dream is dead and it's too late to revive it
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Android Authority
3 hours ago
- Android Authority
Let's rank all the Android phone camera apps from worst to best
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority There's more to a great camera phone than hardware. Sure, camera sensors, focal lengths, and the chipset all have a major role to play. However, a phone's camera app can make or break the experience. So with this in mind, we decided to rank every major Android phone maker's pre-installed camera app from worst to best! We took several factors into account, namely image quality, the quantity and quality of features (not including gallery features), and the camera app's design. I relied on some colleagues to rank the camera apps, but also used my own discretion in a few places. Either way, this is just for fun, but you can give us your own list in the comments! Which smartphone maker has the best camera app? 1 votes Google 0 % HONOR 0 % Motorola 0 % Nothing 0 % OPPO/OnePlus 0 % Samsung 0 % Sony 0 % TECNO 0 % vivo 100 % Xiaomi 0 % 10. TECNO Hadlee Simons / Android Authority We thought TECNO's HiOS was the worst Android skin out of all the major manufacturers, and the camera app isn't much better. The good news is that the app has a solid, if generic, UI. That's where the positives generally end. My time with 2023's Phantom V Flip and Phantom V Fold devices showed that TECNO's camera app didn't threaten rivals for image quality. Daytime snaps are handled well enough, but low-light performance is inconsistent to outright poor. You'd better enable the Super Night mode in these scenarios. The camera app also tends to suffer from poor zoom quality, even when the phone has a telephoto camera. TECNO's camera app doesn't have many standout features, although basic options like an ultra-steady video mode, night mode, and full-resolution capture are available. There are also plenty of beautification features if that's your thing, including a plump butt filter (seriously). Just don't expect features like Samsung's Single Take or Google's Add Me. At least the brand beat Google to the punch by a few years in offering better support for darker skin tones. 9. HONOR Robert Triggs / Android Authority HONOR routinely offers some fantastic camera hardware, as seen on its Magic 7 Pro and foldable phones. However, the company could do a better job with the camera app. For starters, the camera UI isn't bad, but it lags well behind big-name rivals. There's nothing here that truly screams 'HONOR.' The camera app generally delivers solid image quality. Colleague C Scott Brown praised the consistency across all three rear cameras on the Magic V3 foldable, while Rob Triggs praised the HDR performance in our Magic 7 Pro review. However, Rob sharply criticized the phone's AI-assisted zoom, which added obvious AI-generated imagery at 30x or higher, as well as the AI-enhanced portrait mode. Scott also took issue with the oversaturated colors in general. The camera app also has plenty of modes and features. These include three color profiles, LUT support, a variety of filters, a stage mode, a night video mode, and a 'Falcon Capture' option for fast-moving subjects. It clearly keeps up with other brands in this regard but doesn't pull ahead. 8. Motorola Ryan Haines / Android Authority I relied on our US writers to give me their opinions on Motorola's camera app owing to the brand's ready availability there. Meanwhile, my last experience with a Motorola phone was probably 2016's Moto Z Play. Oof. In any event, the camera app UI is a little generic at first glance, but it evokes the Pixel camera app due to that familiar camera mode carousel. At least you can't accuse Motorola of copying the iPhone camera app. Motorola's image quality hasn't historically been great. Our reviewer complaints over the years include over-sharpened and/or over-saturated images during the day and dark, blurry snaps at night. The camera situation has improved in recent times, but good low-light images aren't a guarantee on its budget phones or the Razr series. The Moto camera app doesn't have the most tricks, either. We've got expected features like portrait mode and night mode, as well as cool additions like horizon-locked stabilization and the ever-fun color pop feature. Fortunately, the latest flagships also offer nifty options like Action Shot, Group Shot, and a Signature Style feature that learns your desired image style. Pretty cool. 7. Sony Alex Walker-Todd / Android Authority Sony is arguably the king of camera software for photography enthusiasts. The company has historically offered plenty of pro-level features in its camera app, including eye-tracking autofocus, several video profiles (e.g., S-Cinetone), and a smorgasbord of manual photo/video controls. The Sony app even lets you pair your phone with a Sony Alpha camera — how cool is that? Sony's app doesn't have a lot of traditional smartphone tools, though, but you still have robust livestream support, portrait mode, a variety of color profiles, full-resolution photo capture, and bokeh video. Sony previously had several camera apps on its phones, making for a messy experience. Thankfully, the company has since integrated all these apps into one camera app. The actual UI design isn't anything to write home about, but it's not bad. We also thought that recent Sony flagship phones, like the Xperia 1 VI, took great images that didn't look over-processed. However, colleague Rob Triggs previously opined that the Xperia 1 V wasn't as consistent as rival handsets, and consistency is key for a great camera app. We haven't reviewed a mid-range Xperia phone in a couple of years, but colleague Adam Birney previously described the Xperia 10 IV's cameras as 'below average.' In other words, there's no guarantee that basic image quality holds up across various price points. 6. Nothing C. Scott Brown / Android Authority Nothing's camera app would be ranked lower on the list, but our US reviewers all ranked it in their top five. I can see why, based on the camera app UI, which offers a distinctive design. You really aren't going to mistake this for a Pixel or iPhone. The company is starting from scratch, so it can't lean on legacy features, but there are a few cool capabilities worth knowing. For one, the Nothing Phone 3a series offers custom camera filters that can be shared with other Nothing Phone owners. These phones also offer a decent variety of neat filters, along with Log video support and the ability to upload custom LUTs for images. In fact, colleague Ryan Haines praised the latter feature last month. You also have the expected portrait and night modes, but that's about it. So you'll have to look elsewhere if you want loads of camera modes and tools. We thought Nothing devices took some solid photos over the past few years using this camera app, although we lamented issues like shutter lag and poor low-light quality on previous phones. But the Nothing Phone 3a series shows the brand has a good handle on hybrid zoom. 5. Xiaomi Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority Xiaomi has delivered some excellent camera phones in recent years, such as the Xiaomi 15 Ultra and Xiaomi 14 Ultra. These phones have impressive hardware, but the Xiaomi camera app also delivers good image quality. Even the company's cheap Android phones generally offer solid to good 1x shots, although they do tend to lag behind the Pixel A series. The Xiaomi camera app is packed full of features. Options found on flagships include adjustable color profiles on Leica-branded handsets, an AI Zoom toggle for long-range zoom, Log video, a motion capture mode for fast-moving subjects, and more. Cheaper Xiaomi phones lag far behind in terms of modes, but you still have options like a long-exposure suite of modes, a motion capture feature for fast-moving subjects, and a teleprompter mode. I'd argue that Xiaomi's app still doesn't have its own visual identity after all this time. I can take a split-second glance at Samsung or Google's camera app and know what I'm looking at, but the same can't be said for the Xiaomi app. 4. vivo Hadlee Simons / Android Authority The vivo camera app just misses out on a podium spot, but this is still a good showing. Vivo phones generally offer good photo quality, although over-processing can be an issue in some scenarios (e.g., low light). So, those who prefer more natural-looking images might be a little disappointed at times. Easily the best thing about the vivo camera app is the number of features and modes. The company offers a variety of portrait options (e.g. plenty of bokeh styles), some color profiles, LOG video, SuperRaw photos, a cinematic video mode on recent mid-rangers and flagships, handheld astrophotography, a teleprompter mode, perspective correction for buildings, and a street photography mode. The latter mode can be activated with an upward swipe and gives you a camera-like UI and custom shooting profiles. The app isn't going to win any awards as far as looks are concerned. The black, yellow, and white color scheme reminds me of Apple, and there's also the usual overflow menu at the top of the screen. I really like how vivo handles zoom controls, though. It lets you tap the preset zoom buttons a few more times to cycle through more zoom levels (e.g. tapping 1x will give you 1.2x and 1.4x options). So while it's not the best-looking app here, it makes up for this downside in other areas. 3. Samsung Hadlee Simons / Android Authority The Samsung camera app has just undergone a major overhaul as part of the company's One UI 7 update. This redesigned camera app certainly looks and feels fresh compared to rival camera apps while being optimized for one-handed usage. Samsung's app also has a good number of features, including cool options like Single Take, Director's View, and custom filters. Samsung also offers the Expert Raw app to expand the functionality of the stock camera app, but several rival brands offer some of these features without needing an extra camera app. Samsung's app has also long had a reputation for delivering arguably the best video quality on Android, but photo quality isn't as clear-cut. Photos generally look great, but problems like shutter lag on the Ultra and A series phones have made for a frustrating experience. Samsung's cheaper phones also sometimes capture extremely over-saturated snaps, as I found out on the Galaxy A55 5G last year. 2. OnePlus/OPPO Ryan Haines / Android Authority Are you surprised to see the OnePlus/OPPO camera app in the number-two spot? OnePlus flagships, in particular, used to lag behind the competition in terms of image processing, but the company has made major improvements over the past couple of years. In fact, we said the OnePlus 13 makes our shortlist for the best Android camera phone. You can also capture good-quality 1x shots on recently released mid-tier devices. That doesn't sound like a big deal, but it's noteworthy as the firm's cheaper phones used to offer a disappointing shooting experience. The biggest downside to the OnePlus camera app is perhaps the visual design. The viewfinder itself is inoffensive and relatively clean, but the settings menu rips off the iPhone camera's settings page. Perhaps the camera app's biggest strength is the breadth of features, at least on high-end phones. Flagship devices enjoy Hasselblad color profiles, a neat XPAN shooting mode, a Master Mode, and a variety of smart scenes (e.g. stage, fireworks). Cheaper OnePlus and OPPO phones definitely get the very short end of the stick, but you still have notable features like high-resolution shooting, long-exposure functionality, portrait photo/video capture, and tilt-shift. 1. Google C. Scott Brown / Android Authority Is this the greatest Android OEM camera app ever made? It's hard to argue from a historical perspective, as the Pixel camera app was the gold standard for almost a decade. It says a lot about your camera app when enthusiasts continue to unofficially port it to other smartphones in 2025. Google's camera app certainly looks the business, offering a simple, distinctive UI. I'm still not a fan of the pro settings icon in the bottom right corner, though, as I often confuse it for the main settings menu. Nevertheless, the Pixel camera app's popularity stems from its image quality. Google's HDR+ imaging algorithms were a cut above almost every other brand's image-processing software in the 2010s, as unofficial ports of the app delivered fantastic photos on even $200 phones. A few manufacturers have caught and arguably surpassed Google in 2025, but Pixel phones still generally take fantastic, natural-looking images. Google's app continues to deliver class-leading hybrid zoom, too, thanks to its Super Res Zoom tech. That means phones like the Pixel 9 Pro can take great 10x shots while mid-range Pixels without a telephoto camera still do a decent job out to 3x or 4x. Google's camera app offers standout features like Add Me, Video Boost, a shadow slider, and an astrophotography mode. However, the app is missing features seen on rival devices like user-selectable color profiles, Log video mode, native 8K capture, 4K/120fps video, and multi-camera capture. In spite of the feature gap, the Pixel camera app is still our pick for the top camera app among Android brands.


Android Authority
4 hours ago
- Android Authority
I'm switching phones more than ever, here's how I stay sane
Robert Triggs / Android Authority When I started at Android Authority, the review season was pretty well contained. I knew I was in for a busy Techtember and Techtober, but the rest of the year would allow me to focus on one or maybe two devices at a time. Now, that calendar is out the window. There are major launches seemingly every month, embracing new form factors, new versions of Android, and more powerful smartphone cameras than ever before. And honestly, it can be overwhelming. Thankfully, in my years of switching from one phone to the next every week or so, I've learned a few things. I've even had to relearn a thing or two to keep up with new AI features, hoping to keep my head on straight. And, while you probably won't need to switch phones as often as I do, here are a few things that keep me jumping from one Android phone to the next with relative ease. Still startin' from scratch Ryan Haines / Android Authority Before I jump into my tips for setting up a new Android phone, I should give you a peek behind the curtain. After all, there's a slight difference between taking a phone out of the box and turning it on and actually setting it up to feel like your own. Anyone can do the former with little help, but the latter can be a process. So, let's talk about me. When I dive into a new review, I keep things pretty simple. I still only have one primary SIM, which means one primary phone number, no matter what phone is in my pocket. I also log into two Google accounts on every Android device — one for work and one personal — and then I'm ready to go. Is it still a headache to switch to an eSIM-only iPhone once or twice a year? Yes, but it's easier than having a second phone number, because how would my friends know who to text? Moreover, I typically start from scratch whenever I set up a new device. I don't bother with my existing Android backups because it might be a while between visits to a Google Pixel or Motorola Razr, so I might not need the same apps or want the same layout the next time I come around. I take my fresh start as a chance to try each flavor of Android in its cleanest form before I decide what to add and how I want to lay it out. My top tips for when you switch Ryan Haines / Android Authority Now that you have a baseline for how I approach each new Android phone, let's talk about the fun stuff — you know, the stuff that makes each phone feel unique. These aren't hard and fast rules — you might find they're the opposite of your taste — but they seem to work well for me. Let's dive in. How often do you back up your Android phone? 0 votes Every day NaN % Once per week NaN % Once per month NaN % Whenever it happens automatically NaN % Be ready to make a new login Ryan Haines / Android Authority First, it feels like our phones require more logins than ever before. With the rise of AI partnerships, like Motorola teaming up with Perplexity on its latest series of Razrs, it's just become the way things are. So, with that in mind, be ready to make one or two new ones. This time, though, make sure you read the terms of everything you're agreeing to — especially if you find yourself helping to train an AI model. For me, this has involved creating accounts for Motorola itself to access the base Moto AI features, Perplexity, and ChatGPT, just to ensure that I could access any wrinkle that my beloved Razr Ultra threw at me. In the last few months, though, I've also had to create a Lenovo account while setting up the Yoga Tab Plus, which is annoyingly separate from my Motorola account. I can't say that I love having essentially a dozen different variations on the same login, just like I kind of hate having a dozen other streaming platforms to watch a full season of soccer, but this is the world we live in now. This tip also dovetails nicely into my second one, who could have guessed… Google's Password Manager is still good enough Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority Yes, up next is a reminder that you, really, really need a password manager. I just rattled off three or four accounts I've created in the last few months, and that's not counting my temporary spin through the world of Paramount Plus or signing up for Garmin's Connect Plus. Previously, I think I've directed people towards LastPass or even 1Password, but those days are behind me. Now, I'm all about Google's Password Manager at all times. It's already baked into almost every major Android skin, making it a breeze to set up each time you log into your Google account on a new phone. It also syncs with my Chrome browser and the Chromebooks I've used over the years, giving me one seamless password manager anytime I use a Google product. However, I'm not comfortable letting Google generate and store brand-new passwords for me because I'm still terrified that I might lose access to my password manager and, by extension, whatever accounts it has saved. Feel free to shed old apps and files Ryan Haines / Android Authority Because I set up each new phone from scratch, this next tip should be no surprise, either. You might think your new phone needs every single app your old one had, but that's probably not the case. Yes, maybe you're more efficient than I am, only keeping your must-have apps and deleting everything else once it's served its purpose, but that's easier said than done. So, since you're in the process of setting up a new phone, I recommend you skip the app section of the backup phase. After all, the Motorola phone pictured above shipped with a few games, a copy of the Chime app, and Facebook installed right out of the box — none of which I actually use. If I were to back up that phone before switching to a new one, I'd get stuck with that same level of bloatware, taking up even more storage space because my new phone might come with an extra app or two of its own. It's like doubling something or giving it to the next person… only you're doubling it and giving it right back to yourself. Instead, I'd say start from nothing (and probably skip the extra apps that your phone suggests you download). Then, head to the Play Store, go to your Apps page, and filter by Not Installed. Now you can go down the list, tapping only the apps that jump out to install. This method has freed me from all manner of useless apps — from games I don't play anymore to dating apps that feel like games half the time, too. Pick out a fresh coat of paint Ryan Haines / Android Authority If I've harped on it once, I've harped on it a dozen times, but just because your old phone worked well doesn't mean your new one needs the same layout. And no, I'm not just talking about the fact that your new display might be bigger than your old one. If you've decided to leap from Motorola to Samsung or Samsung to Nothing, you'll quickly realize that not all apps, widgets, or folders are created equal. So, I suggest that you open your phone to whatever its default layout is, spend a day with that, and then work on figuring out which widgets you want or need. I thought I would do that with the Phone 3a pictured above, but I've kept the layout as-is. It puts just the right widgets within reach, making it easy to check the weather or expand my fully loaded Google folder, but it's also easy to tap into the Essential Space, toggle Do Not Disturb, and tweak my Nothing X settings (for headphones, not ex-Twitter) without opening the app drawer. Meanwhile, my go-to Samsung layout looks totally different, too, prioritizing a few larger folders along the bottom edge with one or two widgets higher up on the screen. I guess you could also try DIY Home if One UI is your preferred version of Android, but that's a type of chaos that I'm not sure I support just yet. Don't be afraid to start over again… again Ryan Haines / Android Authority The last thing I've learned from setting up several dozen phones per year is that it's not that deep. None of it is — it's your phone. If you wake up one day and no longer like how you laid out your home screen, or you think your wallpaper feels dated, switch it. This time, though, I suggest you back up your phone since there's a better chance you've narrowed down the apps you use, at least if you followed my other suggestions. Then, if you find that your semi-fresh start felt a little too fresh, you can go back to the way your phone was before. In my experience, though, sometimes change is exactly what you need. It can be fun and exciting to try a new Android skin or swap from a traditional candybar-style phone to a flip phone or a book-style foldable, and you'll probably find yourself looking at your favorite operating system in a whole new way. And no, I know that most people won't have the same flexibility to swap phones that I do, but I think you'll find it easier than ever to pick a winning Android phone when you decide to upgrade.