If you were looking to get an entry-level budget laptop, luck’s certainly on your side because Lenovo’s LOQ 15 with an i5 CPU, and RTX 2050 has just landed in Nepal – and it’s super affordable. In this article, let’s take a look at the cheapest gaming laptop in Nepal right now, the Lenovo LOQ 15 alongside its full specs, availability, and price in Nepal.
Cheapest Gaming Laptop in Nepal
Lenovo LOQ 15 (i5-12450H, RTX 2050) Overview:
LOQ is Lenovo’s lineup of affordable laptops and towers that brings competitive specs at entry-level price points.
Display and Design
LOQ 15 we are talking about here brings a 15.6” FHD IPS panel. It can go up to 350 nits of brightness and features an anti-glare finish. The Refresh rate is the same as more expensive models at 144Hz and you get support for NVIDIA G-Sync. Unfortunately, color coverage and contrast aren’t the greatest on this laptop but it should fare just fine for casual applications and gaming.
The laptop is available in the sole Storm Grey colorway and measures 22-25mm in thickness. As we have come to expect of budget laptops, the build is plastic but that might be a good thing as the laptop weighs a respectable 2.4 kg.
Now, let’s talk about performance which is arguably the most important aspect of a gaming laptop. Lenovo has decided to ship this model with a 12th-generation Intel Core i5-12450H CPU. Although that might look bad on paper, the 12450H is an 8 Core CPU (4P + 4E) that is pretty much identical to the i5-13420H we’ve been seeing on other budget gaming laptops. The newer 13420H has higher base and boost clock speeds but it’s not anything major. So, in theory, you aren’t losing much when it comes to raw CPU performance relative to other competitors in the price range.
On the GPU front, you get entry-level RTX 2050 graphics. It isn’t cutting-edge but for the price, it’s a better choice than the GTX 1660 card. For not a whole not more, you can get your hands on an RTX 3050 laptop which brings higher VRAM and more raw power but if all you are looking for is casual gaming, the LOQ 15 will handle it just fine. The 2050 here has 4GB of GDDR6 VRAM, clocks at 1575MHz, and operates at up to 70W.
To cool this CPU+ GPU combo, the LOQ features two 85mm high-speed fans alongside large intake and outlet vents. Moreover, Lenovo AI Engine paired with their LA1 AI chip boosts fps in games and further optimizes the performance.
This particular model of the Lenovo LOQ 15 (2023) brings 8GB of DDR5-4800MHz RAM and 512GB of M.2 NVME Gen 4 SSD. But you can also purchase the 16GB variant for Rs. 5,000 extra. LOQ 15 (2023) supports up to 32GB of RAM and has an additional M.2 2242 SSD slot for future expansion.
Powering the LOQ is a 60Wh lithium polymer battery that supports Rapid Charge to 80% in just an hour. The LOQ lasted 5.32 hours in the MobileMark 2018 benchmark and arrives with a 135W slim tip adapter. Port Selection is decent too with 3 USB-As (1x USB 2.0, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2), one USB-C, an HDMI Port, an Ethernet jack, and an audio jack. In terms of wireless connectivity, this gaming laptop comes with WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1.
Lenovo LOQ 15 (2023) Specifications:
Design&Build: Plastic Top and Bottom, 359.6 x 264.8 x 22.1-25.2 mm, 2.4 kg
I/O Ports: 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (1x Always On), 1x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 1x HDMI, 1x 3.5mm combo audio jack, 1x RJ45 (LAN), 1x power connector
Lenovo LOQ 15 (i5, RTX 2050) Price in Nepal and Availability
The Lenovo LOQ 15 (2023) with Core i5 chipset and RTX 2050 graphics goes for NPR 89,999 for the 8/512 GB variant costs NPR 94,999. For the time being, these are probably the most affordable entry-level ‘gaming’ laptops on the market today.
Honor recently made a comeback in the Nepali market with the Honor 90 5G and Honor 30 Lite. And you might have already noticed the hot and happening phone with the strongest display; the Honor X9B. Powered by a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, 108MP camera, and 5800mah battery, is it the phone to beat in the midrange segment??? Or is it a phone to break??? I’ll let you know in my Honor X9b review.
Before heading forward, let’s have a look at the specs of the Honor X9b.
Honor X9b Specifications:
Display: 6.78-inches curved AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate, 10-bit color depth
First and foremost, the Honor X9b’s main USP is none other than its build. You might have already seen the hype going around this phone with people bashing walnuts, dropping them from heights, and so on! Well, we also did some rigorous tests on this guy, and to no one’s surprise, the Honor X9b did manage to survive, that too with no major scratches.
Design
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Why is this phone so strong? Okay, the answer lies in the 360-degree Anti-drop protection. Honor has implemented multiple layers of protection to make this guy sturdy as heck. Which also makes it the 1st smartphone display to get crowned by the five-star overall drop resistance certifications from Switzerland’s SGS. So, the build and display protection is just top-notch. Arguably the toughest for the time being!
Superb display quality
Screen: 6.78-inch AMOLED, 120Hz, 1200 nits (peak)
Resolution: 1220 x 2652 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~431 ppi density)
Protection: 360-degree Anti-drop protection
Okay, what about the actual display quality? Apart from the super tough build, this 6.78-inch AMOLED panel is definitely one of the best in the segment. Period! No, it doesn’t boast any sort of HDR 10+ or Dolby Vision certifications, but, it supports 1920Hz PWM dimming for flicker flicker-free experience. Pair that with Dynamic Dimming to reduce eye fatigue and Cicardian night tech for better sleep quality. On top of that, it also filters out the harmful blue light from the hardware level. So many goodies for a midrange phone right?
Wait there is one more! The sunlight readability is just too good, I mean really really good. I compared it to the OnePlus 12R and Honor X9b’s display is a tat bit better.
An almost perfect multimedia experience
I was awestruck with its visual quality on my day-to-day usage period too. This 1.5K res display is super sharp and crisp. Everything feels pleasing here– be it scrolling through social media, or watching reels or series. This makes iit almost a perfect companion for multimedia usage, if only the device boasted a dual stereo speaker setup. Yeah, Honor has gone for a single-speaker setup, just like it did with the Honor 90 5G.
The mono speaker here is clear and loud, but I really yearn for a dual one in this price point. Besides that, the 120Hz refresh rate is super smooth and it adjusts dynamically as per the content on the screen, dialing it down up to 60Hz.
Overall, the Honor X9b’s display deserves all the crowns with its top-notch protection and quality.
Ticking the two boxes green, let’s move to the performance side of things now! Under the hood, this phone packs a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 5G chipset. Well, this SoC is not a new one, actually, it was released back in September 2022. But as brands opted for MediaTek’s Dimensity chips for the midrange portfolio, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 had to wait until 2023 to get some limelight. To note, the recently launched Realme 12 Pro also boasts the same chip.
Okay so, talking of the core architecture, you get four Cortex-A78 cores at 2.2GHz and four power-efficient Cortex-A55 cores clocking at 1.8GHz. Even the newer Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chip is based on the same architecture with slightly boosted clock speeds.
Benchmarks and Gaming
And the real-life performance of this midrange chip is actually good. Have a look at the benchmark yourself, the SD 6 Gen 1 scores impressively for a mid-ranger on both Geekbench 6 and AnTuTu V10.
I did some gaming tests too and it performed well. Battle Royale games like PUBG or BGMI, and Call of Duty Mobile run pretty smoothly. You can even go up to HDR + Extreme settings on PUBG and I got an average 59 fps score. Likewise, 55fps on Genshin impact on low settings is also good.’
But one thing to mention, this device cannot run high 120 fps games, capping the refresh rate at 60fps max. And I guess, it’s a restriction from the company itself. Maybe a future update can fix this?
What about the UI?
OS: MagicOS 7.2
Android Version: Android 13
Besides gaming, it caters to all my daily chores like texting, scrolling infinite reels, media watching and so, on with ease. What’s even better is the UI here. The phone is powered by MagicOS 7.2 built on top of Android 13. I know, I know, Honor should have booted the phone with Android 14 out of the box but after using the UI for over two weeks, there is no specific thing to complain about!
I mean, the animations here are super smooth, like really smooth! Instead of speaking into words, let me show you a quick showdown of the MagicUI’s animations.
Not only the animations, but the entire UI feels great. You get all the necessary customization options and some normal AI features such as; Magic Text which allows you to copy text from images, just like Google Lens. And then there is AI app suggestion, which recommends apps based on user habits.
But Honor has not been verbal with the software update policy for the X9b. If we look at the latest upgrade policy on Honor’s site, the X9b is expected to receive two major Android updates (up to Android 15) and up to 4 years of security patches. This is not that great, as every brand has commenced providing at least 3 years of OS updates. So, Honor needs to work on this!
A sizeable 5,800mAh battery but..
Moving on, I have to give it a thumbs-up for the battery. Cause’ Honor has managed to fit in a sizeable 5,800mAh cell inside such a slim body. Not just the bigger size, it is DXOMARK Gold Battery Lable certified as well. Making the company confident in the 3-year Anti-aging guarantee, claiming 80% battery health even after 1000 charging cycles.
On my usage period, the phone is good to go for a day with moderate usage, providing 8-9 hours of Screen on Time. Apparently, it is claimed to last for 3 days but, I would say, that would only happen if you are a light user. Honor is not shipping a charger in the retail unit box but for a limited period, you can get a 35W charger for free. And it takes more than two hours to top it off from 0-100% from the official charger.
Finally the optics
Rear Camera
108MP, f/1.8, 1/1.67″, PDAF
5MP, f/2.2 (ultrawide)
2MP, f/2.4 (macro)
Okay so, other aspects are going pretty strong in this Honor X9b review, what about the final one– the camera?
Umm.. and it’s where I have mixed feelings. Not that the setup is not fine! You get a 108MP main camera (with no OIS), an 8MP Ultrawide unit, and a 2MP macro sensor. I compared it to the Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G’s (200MP + 8MP + 2MP) camera. And here’s what I have found!
Daylight
Both phone’s main cameras capture images with good details. I found the X9b’s tone to be a bit on the cooler side with slightly reddish tints. While on the other hand, Redmi’s output is super contrasty, a bit on the saturated side. Which makes it look super nice!
Daylight
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My main concern is about the Honor X9b’s struggles in controlling highlights. It tends to brighten up the output from every angle and as a result, it doesn’t look appealing. Here, I’d lean over Redmi’s outputs. So, Honor still needs to work on the optimizations side.
In-sensor Zoom
As both are big sensors, you get in-sensor zooming capabilities– 3X on Honor and 4X on Redmi. The results are okay from both phones, but there is a bit of artificial sharpening going around on the X9b. Plus the further zooming capability of Redmi, takes an edge over Honor, once again, this time, by a slight margin.
Insensor Zoom
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Portraits
In terms of portraits, the Honor X9b lets you shoot 2X portrait images while the Note 13 Pro 5G is stuck at 1X.
Honor X9b 1X & 2X Portraits
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Comparing side by side, I found Honor’s outputs to be on the pinkish side and it’s a warmer yellowish shade on the Redmi’s.
Portraits
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But here again, Redmi’s contrast looks a bit nicer while Honor produces brightened-up results. Either way, I cannot say Honor’s portraits are bad or Redmi’s are better here. Maybe future updates can make it better.
Selfies
Front Camera
Single 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide)
Alright, talking of the selfies, the color tones get a shift. Here, you get a warmer yellow tone on Honor and a pinkish tone on Redmi. What remains consistent on the X9b’s is the skin tone brightening issue, which blows out your skin tone.
Selfies
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Ultrawide
Moving to the ultrawide camera, I cannot help myself ranting! I mean the main camera got bumped to 108MP from 64MP of the Honor X9a. While the 5MP Ultrawide camera is here to stay.
Ultrawide
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And as expected, the outputs look below average, with no details and quality. I wouldn’t say that Redmi’s 8MP UW camera is the best in the segment, but it performs a lot better than Honor’s here.
And the videos…
Lastly, speaking of the videos, both phones can do 4K 30fps. I would say the footage looks just average with slight exposure issues here and there on the X9b. The Note 13 Pro’s outputs are better on the other hand. Also, Honor doesn’t boast any sort of stabilization either on 4K or on the 1080p mode. Plus there is a time limitation on shooting 4K videos– yes, you can do it for 10 minutes only! Which is pretty weird in 2024.
Honor X9b Review: Conclusion
Okay wrapping the Honor X9b review up, I found the Honor X9b to be a solid phone with super solid display protection and build. It ticks almost every box of the 5 pillars I mentioned at the beginning, except for the camera part. Well, I would not term it the worst camera phone in the segment, but it surely needs some optimization in both the photo and video department. Apart from that, the display is super sharp with a fluid 120Hz refresh rate. The Snapdragon 6 gen 1 is a good performer for the price and the MagicUI is a refined OS, although stuck on Android 13 for now.
So, if you are looking for a phone with a really strong display, a good UI, and overall performance but can live with an average camera, the Honor X9b is a no-brainer choice! It is almost a perfect mid-ranger.
Mivi offers a variety of audio accessories in Nepal, including soundbars. These options range from budget-friendly to mid-range in terms of price. So here we will look at the specs, features, availability, and official price of all the Mivi soundbars that are available in Nepal.
The Mivi Fort S440 soundbar is a powerful audio device that delivers 5.1 channel surround sound with Bluetooth connectivity and bass enhancement. The soundbar has a premium build quality with a metallic grill that adds to its aesthetics and durability. You get 2 in-built full-range speakers and 2 in-built subwoofers that produce clear and balanced sound, while the 2 satellite speakers and 1 external subwoofer provide immersive and deep bass.
You also get a remote control that allows you to adjust the volume, switch between inputs, and choose from different EQ modes: Movies, Music, or News. The soundbar supports multiple input options, including Bluetooth 5.1, AUX, HDMI (ARC), USB, Co-axial, and Optical, so you can connect it to various devices and enjoy your favorite content.
The Fort S200 is Mivi’s most recent and high-end soundbar offering in Nepal. It’s also the only entry that includes an external subwoofer in addition to the soundbar. As a result, it operates on 2.1 channel output.
The total audio output is 200W, and the driver size for the soundbar is 2.5 inches and 6.5 inches for the subwoofer. The latter is responsible for low-frequency sound and thus has a frequency response of 70Hz to 5KHz. Similarly, the four tweeters on the soundbar have a higher frequency response ranging from 150Hz to 15KHz.
The Mivi Fort S180 is an audio powerhouse, boasting a commanding 180W power output and a sophisticated 2.1 channel sound system. Its sleek design features premium build quality, with a metallic grill adding to its durability and elegance. Delivering immersive surround sound, it includes a soundbar and wired subwoofers for rich bass and clear highs. With Bluetooth 5.1, AUX, HDMI (ARC), USB, Co-axial, and Optical inputs, it offers versatile connectivity. Customizable EQ modes cater to different preferences, whether for movies, music, or news. Complete with a 1-year warranty, this system epitomizes quality craftsmanship and exceptional performance.
Mivi Fort S180 Specifications
PowerOutput: 180W | 2.1 Channel Sound
Type: Soundbar
Size: 90x11x8cm
Input: Bluetooth 5.1, AUX, HDMI (ARC) USB, Co-axial, Optical |EQ
Mode: Movies, Music, News |In the Box: Soundbar, Subwoofer, AUX
Weight: 7 KG
Warranty: 1 Year Warranty
Price: 19000
Mivi Fort S100
The Fort S100 is the most expensive soundbar from Mivi. It is capable of 100W output and it features four speakers including two built-in subwoofers. The soundbar can be controlled via a remote and the connectivity modes include Bluetooth 5, AUX, co-axial, HDMI Arc, and USB.
Mivi Fort S100 Features:
Power Output: 100W
No. of speakers: 4
Frequency Response: 50Hz-20KHz
Audio Codec: SBC, AAC
Input Channels: Bluetooth, AUX, Co-Axial, HDMI Arc, USB
Extras: 1-year warranty
Price in Nepal: Rs. 12,000
Mivi Fort S60
The next soundbar on this list is the Fort S60. It is similar to the previous one but has a reduced output of 60W. It has a total of 4 speakers and the frequency response ranges from 50Hz to 20KHz.
Mivi Fort S60 Features:
Power Output: 60W
No. of speakers: 4
Frequency Response: 50Hz-20KHz
Audio Codec: SBC, AAC
Input Channels: Bluetooth, AUX, Co-Axial, USB
Extras: 1-year warranty
Price in Nepal: Rs. 8,999
Where to buy genuine Mivi soundbars at the official price in Nepal?
You can buy soundbars and other genuine MIVI accessories from authorized stores like Hukut.
Oliz Store is celebrating the opening of 10 locations by offering enticing discounts on various gadgets, from smartphones and laptops to action cameras. These special offers are in celebration of their expansion and are available at different rates. In this article, let’s delve into discussing the latest Oliz Store 10 ko dhamaka in more detail.
Oliz Store 10 ko dhamaka: Overview
About Oliz Store
Oliz Store is one of the biggest retail stores in Nepal. They are known for providing premium products and are also authorized sellers of brands like Apple, JBL, SATECHI, and 80+ brands. The store has maintained a strong reputation among customers seeking reliability and trustability since its beginning.
Following their success, Oliz Stores has now 10 stores at different locations to their Name. To celebrate the achievement, they have just launched a special discount offer for various products ranging from budget segments to premium segments.
Here is the list of all of their store locations
Oliz Store, Babarmahal
Oliz Store, Rising Mall
Oliz Store, Bhaktapur
Oliz Store, Maharajgunj
Oliz Store, Chabahil
Oliz Store, Hetauda
Oliz Store, Manbhawan
Oliz Store, Pokhara
Oliz Store, Itahari
Oliz Store, Birtamod
More on offers
Although the offer is not applicable for everything available in the store, there are offers for products like Mobile, Laptops, Drones, and Action Cameras.
Discounts on Speakers
You can get up to 25% discount on speakers with the likes of Harman Kardon Aura Studio 4 to JBL Partbox 710 at a very enticing rate.
Discounts on Headphones
You can also get discounts of up to 50% for headphones. For instance, KEF M500 is just avialble at NPR 15,000.
What Else?
Similarly, you also get a 20W Adams Elements Adapter for free on a purchase of iPhone 11, 12,13, 14, or 15. Similarly, you also get really good deals on accessories of DJI, Saramonic, JCPal, Moshi, Keychron, and many many more.
This might be the best time for you to make your move. You can grab premium products like JBL Speakers, Action cameras, and KEF headphones at an absolute bargain price. Hurry up and stay tuned as we will bring more updates on discounts and offerings for various accessories in the future.
Meanwhile, also watch our video on Tecno Spark 20 Pro+
We often get requests for monitor recommendations under X thousand rupees, or for Y use cases. Our DM’s are filled with people asking questions like “Which is the best gaming monitor under 30k” or “Best monitor for editing”. And it’s been long overdue, that we respond to those. As such, we at GadgetByte Nepal have compiled a list of the best monitors you can buy at every price range, no matter your budget. We guarantee an optimal experience for you with our handpicked catalog of monitors at every price range. This will include monitors for regular folks, business people, and of course gamers. And just in case you want to look into more monitor options, make sure to check our list of monitors price in Nepal.
How to choose Monitor in every price segment in Nepal
These are a couple of things you should look for when buying a new monitor for your setup.
Size
Starting off with the basics: the size. I have tested a lot of monitors, and I think for most people 24 inches should be the starting point. Sure, there are smaller monitors out there, which might be cheaper, but you’re likely to have a worse overall experience with not much ‘savings’ to show for it.
Now, if you’re a creator, or work with spreadsheets, or if you want a bigger display just for the sake of immersion, 27 inches is the way to go. You can find reasonably priced 27-inch monitors that are more than worth it. I will list a couple of them in this list so be sure to look forward to it.
Resolution
So resolution basically tells you the number of pixels on your screen. The higher it is, the crisper your content will look. But monitors with higher resolutions are also more expensive so it’s a fine line to tread. On most screens, FHD is fine, but if you can find that odd deal with a QHD/2K display, it’s worth pouncing on.
Refresh Rate
Refresh Rate will dictate how smooth your display is. The higher it is, the more fluid your user experience will be. And luckily, higher refresh rate monitors are relatively inexpensive in Nepal. If you’re a normal user, you might not make the most out of that high refresh rate, but it is essential for gaming. If you want to game, a 120+ Hz monitor is a must. Otherwise, a 60 or 75Hz one should do the job just fine.
Meanwhile, check out all the prices and specs of PCs in Nepal here
Color Coverage
Color coverage is an indicator of how many colors your monitor is able to show/display. The more, the merrier. Larger color coverage means more variation of the same color, so you’ll find poppier pinks, redder reds, and yellower yellows. But for an average Joe, it might not affect your viewing experience too much. Especially since most monitors in this list have 99% sRGB (or higher) coverage which is enough for casual work and gaming. But if you do some graphics-related projects like video editing or photo manipulation, you might want to look for a display with higher color coverage.
Response Time
Now, this isn’t as important as the other ones we’ve talked about so far. But it is something to look out for. Response Time is how long it takes for a single pixel on the screen to change from one color to another. Monitors with higher response times can’t adapt quickly to fast-moving content (like FPS or racing games) which results in blurring and ghosting (a visual artifact where you see a trail behind fast-moving objects). As such, gaming monitors usually have lower response times ( <5ms(GtG) or 1ms (MPRT)).
Viewing Experience
Now this isn’t an objective spec like the rest of the above. Instead, the viewing experience is based on the overall use and feel of the monitor. It is influenced by things like brightness, having/lack of HDR support, adjustments, viewing angles, and so on.
Best Monitors Under Rs. 25,000
Mi 1C (Casual)
So starting off our list is the Redmi 1C monitor for 20K. It’s a 23.8-inch IPS monitor with FHD resolution. It ships with 60Hz out of the box but you can change it to 75Hz for a smoother experience. Colors look decent for day-to-day use. The contrast is a bit on the lower side and adjustment options are really limited. And the lower refresh rate paired with the lack of VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) makes it less than ideal for gaming. That being said, for the price it’s a great value if you are looking for a casual monitor for home or office.
Redmi 1C Monitor
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Redmi 1C Monitor Specifications:
Display Size: 23.8-inch
Display Panel: IPS panel
Resolution: FHD (1920 x 1080 pixels), 16:9 aspect ratio
But if want a larger screen, you can get Xiaomi’s Redmi 27-inch desktop monitor. For just an extra 3k, you get 100% sRGB coverage and a larger screen. It’s also an IPS panel with FHD resolution. The refresh rate is the same at 75Hz. So, if you’re looking for a large monitor at a budget, this is definitely the one to get. Note that just like the 1C, this monitor is also bad for gaming, there’s noticeable screen tearing, and the lower refresh rate makes the experience feel jittery.
Redmi 27
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Redmi 27” Monitor Specifications:
Display Size: 27-inch
Display Panel: IPS panel
Resolution: FHD (1920 x 1080 pixels), 16:9 aspect ratio
Color Gamut: ~100% sRGB
Contrast Ratio: (200 to 1000):1
HDR: No
Refresh rate: 60/75Hz
Response Rate: 6ms (GtG)
VRR: No
Ports: 1x HDMI, 1xVGA, 1x DC-in, 1x Headphone Jack
Extras: TUV Rheinland Low blue light certification, 178° viewing angles
If you’re looking for a budget gaming monitor, the Redmi G24 is without a doubt, the best deal you can get. At 25k, you are getting a 23.8 inch VA monitor with 165Hz refresh rate, and 1ms MPRT response time. The FHD resolution is sufficient for gaming and content consumption, and the images aren’t pixelated or unclear. Color coverage is also excellent for the price at 120% sRGB coverage. In fact, we reviewed the Redmi G24(review) a few months back and there were very few complaints.
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Redmi G24 Gaming Monitor Specifications:
Display Size: 23.8-inch
Display Panel: VA panel
Resolution: FHD (1920 x 1080 pixels), 16:9 aspect ratio
Color Gamut: ~90% DCI-P3 (Over 100% sRGB)
Contrast Ratio: ~3200:1
HDR: Yes (HDR10)
Refresh rate: 165Hz
Response Rate: 1ms (MPRT)
VRR: AMD FreeSync, NVIDIA G-Sync
Ports: 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort, 1x DC-in
Extras: DC Dimming. Low blue light mode, Cable management hub
Since we are already on the topic of gaming monitors, let’s move on to the more dominant players in this space. MSI has a lot of gaming monitors in this price range and on the spec sheet, they actually do not look very different.
For just under 30k, you can get the MSI ARTIMYS 242C curved gaming monitor. It has standard FHD (1920×1080) resolution with up to 165Hz refresh rate. The 1ms MPRT and contrast ratio are also pretty much the same as the Redmi G24. Color coverage is also similar at over 100% sRGB. It too sports a VA panel which provides deeper blacks and contrast sacrificing viewing angles. On paper, the 1000R curve and the MSI branding are the only things separating it from the cheaper Redmi G24.
Since it’s pretty similar to the entry above I won’t spend much time here. The MAG ARTYMIS 242C had some curves but if you weren’t impressed by its convexity, the Optix MAG241C is even curvier at 1500R. But honestly speaking, on a 24-inch monitor, the curves aren’t as defined as on larger screens. Also, my model had weird lines going through the screen, which I found out was a manufacturing defect on my unit. So, that’s something to keep in mind when buying your next PC monitor. Some units might have artifacts and faults so get a monitor with a reliable warranty option.
MSI Optix MAG241C
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MSI Optix MAG241C Gaming Monitor Specifications:
Display Size: 23.6-inch
Display Panel: VA panel
Resolution: FHD (1920 x 1080 pixels), 16:9 aspect ratio
Color Gamut: ~Over 100% sRGB
Contrast Ratio: ~3000:1
HDR: No
Refresh rate: 144Hz
Response Rate: 1ms (MPRT)
VRR: AMD FreeSync Premium
Ports: 2x HDMI 1.4, 1x DisplayPort 1.2a, 1x Headphone jack,2x USB Type-A, 1x USB Type-B, 1x DC-in
If you decide to move further up the price ladder, there are some sweet deals here. I found the MSI G244F to be a good choice for the first entry above 30k. Not only does it have an IPS panel which means better viewing angles, but it also has a higher refresh rate and better color coverage than the something like the MSI MAG241C. At around 32k, the G244F is a good deal if you’re looking to buy a monitor for gaming and have a matching budget.
MSI G244F Gaming Monitor
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MSI G244F Gaming Monitor Specifications:
Display Size: 23.8-inch
Display Panel: IPS panel
Resolution: FHD (1920 x 1080 pixels), 16:9 aspect ratio
Alternatively, Gigabyte also sells a lot of monitors in the budget-midrange segment. For the same price as the MSI monitor, you can get the Gigabyte G24F 2 with competitive specs. The same 23.8 inches of screen estate, the same FHD resolution, and a similar 165Hz refresh rate (up to 180Hz in overdrive). But the Gigabyte G24F 2 has HDR support which was missing on the MSI. The adjustment options are also better here. However, I found the build quality to be a downgrade from the MSI G244F. Regardless, since they cost about the same and offer similar features, you are free to go with either.
Gigabyte G24F 2 Gaming Monitor
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Gigabyte G24F 2 Gaming Monitor Specifications:
Display Size: 23.8-inch
Display Panel: IPS panel
Resolution: FHD (1920 x 1080 pixels), 16:9 aspect ratio
Color Gamut: ~90% DCI-P3, over 100% sRGB
Contrast Ratio: ~1100:1
HDR: Yes
Refresh rate:165Hz/OC 180Hz
Response Rate: 1ms (MPRT)
VRR: AMD FreeSync Premium
Ports: 2x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.2, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-B, 1x Headphone jack, 1x DC-in
Though gaming monitors offer the most versatility, they are far from discrete. So, if you’re a business looking for a modern office monitor, or trying to match aesthetics, the MSI Modern series might interest you. With minimal design, good colors, and FHD displays, these can be the monitors of choice at an office desk. The almost full sRGB coverage is more than enough in this case. They also feature Eye Care and Low Blue Light certification which is great if you’re spending hours every day in front of the screen. One neat feature is that you can assemble the monitors tool-free and they can also be set up vertically without any external mount or stand. They do have in-built speakers but I was underwhelmed with their sound.
The smaller 23.8 inch MD241P goes for about NPR 27,000 while the larger 27” MD271P will run you down about 33k. For the right consumer, these monitors are absolutely worth it.
MSI Modern Monitor
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MSI Modern MD 241P and MD271P Specifications:
Display Size:
MD241P: 23.8-inch
MD271P: 27-inch
Display Panel: IPS panel
Resolution: FHD (1920 x 1080 pixels), 16:9 aspect ratio
If you have a bit more cash lying around, you can opt for the Koouri gaming monitor. The large 27” estate is complemented by a 2k resolution (2560×1440) for sharper and more detailed text. The 1ms MPRT coupled with the 144Hz refresh rate is ideal for gaming.
And… it’s curved too. Color coverage is great at 85% DCI-P3 color gamut (equivalent to over 100% sRGB). The curve helps a bit with the VA panel notorious for having bad viewing angles. Overall, for 40,000, this is a bang for your buck deal.
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Koorui 27-inch Gaming Monitor Specifications:
Display Size: 27inch
Display Panel: VA panel
Resolution: 2K (2560x 1440 pixels), 16:9 aspect ratio
The MSI Optix G27C7 is another 27-inch monitor that is an ideal buy at this price range. For gamers, it is equipped with a 48-165Hz panel with a 1ms response time. The resolution is FHD though which is not as compelling as the QHD found in other monitors in this price range. Other than that, the curves help reel you in during gaming and movies. And the color coverage is good enough to not worry about.
MSI Optix G27C7 Gaming Monitor Specifications:
Display Size: 27-inch
Display Panel: VA panel
Resolution: FHD (1920 x 1080 pixels), 16:9 aspect ratio
The G273QPF is a value-for-money gaming monitor from MSI. It’s a WQHD (2560×1440) panel that can go up to 165Hz. But do note that it comes with a DisplayPort (DP) cable but not an HDMI. So, if you have a laptop, you’ll most probably need an adapter. Or if you do use an HDMI cable, you’ll only be able to push WQHD at 144Hz. To achieve 165Hz, you’ll either need to use the Display Port cable or dial down the resolution to FHD. The color coverage and contrast ratio are on par with other monitors in this price range. The adjustment options are really neat and allow you to tilt, swerve, and even rotate your monitor to quite a degree. If you are looking for a 27-inch 2k gaming monitor and don’t mind paying a little extra for the brand, the MSI G273QPF is a good buy.
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MSI Optix G273QPF Gaming Monitor Specifications:
Display Size: 27-inch
Display Panel: IPS panel
Resolution: WQHD (2560 x 1440 pixels), 16:9 aspect ratio
The M27Q from Gigabyte is another worthy competitor here. It’s a solid 27-inch gaming monitor with a 2k screen. The QHD (2560×1440) panel can go as high as 170Hz. But do note that the provided HDMI cable does NOT take advantage of that. By default, you’ll be stuck to 144Hz at QHD or FHD. Instead, use the Display Port cable to get QHD at 170Hz (with Overdrive set to ‘Speed’). The colors are excellent at 95% DCI-P3 coverage, the contrast is good for an IPS panel, and with HDR enabled, the screen maxes out at about 460 nits of brightness.
There are a couple of neat features with this monitor. Like other Gigabyte Monitors, the M27Q comes with “Sidekick” support which allows you to change your monitor settings through software. This eliminates the hassle of having to fiddle with the joystick-y button on the back. Another cool feature was the KVM switch which allows you to control multiple devices using one set of mouse and keyboard. So, I hooked up the M27Q with a PC and a laptop and the (KVM) switching works surprisingly well. So if you already own a PC and a laptop, and wish to use both in sync, this monitor is a no-brainer.
Gigabyte M27Q Monitor
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HDR Enabled
Gigabyte M27Q Gaming Monitor Specifications:
Display Size: 27inch
Display Panel: IPS panel
Resolution: 2K (2560x 1440 pixels), 16:9 aspect ratio
Color Gamut: ~95% DCI-P3
Contrast Ratio: ~(800-1000):1
HDR: VESA Display HDR400
Refresh rate:170Hz (Up to)
Response Rate: 0.5ms (MPRT)
VRR: AMD FreeSync Premium
Ports: 2x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.2, 1x USB-C, 2x USB 3.0 Type-A ports (for mouse & keyboard), 1x USB Type B, 1x Headphone jack, 1x DC-in
And for our final pick, we have somehow managed to include a 32-inch gaming monitor for under 50,000 rupees. The MSI G32C4X generally goes for around 55-60K, but for 50K, it might be an absolute steal if you are looking for an immersive gaming experience. The resolution is still FHD though, which might be less than ideal for such a large monitor. But in my day-to-day use and gaming, individual pixels weren’t noticeable. But if you go out looking, you’ll find them relatively easily. At a mind-bobbling 250Hz refresh rate, it is definitely the “fastest” monitor in this list. The contrast is also great and HDR content looks appealing thanks to its VA panel. Since it is curved you don’t have to worry about bad viewing angles either. At 91% DCI-P3, it is about the best color coverage you can get in a 32-inch monitor at this price point
MSI G32C4X Gaming Monitor
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MSI G32C4X Gaming Monitor Specifications:
Display Size: 32inch
Display Panel: VA panel
Resolution: FHD (1920x 1080 pixels), 16:9 aspect ratio
If you’re wondering why there aren’t any professional monitors in this list, it’s because they are generally too expensive and we wanted to include monitors under NPR 50,000 this time around. We’ll keep updating the list to higher-priced segments later down the road. That being said, if you’re just starting out or edit/design as a hobby, most of our recommendations from the list should do just fine as they have great color coverage. You might need to calibrate them once, but it should be smooth sailing after. On the other hand, if you’re a seasoned veteran, or work professionally with colors, professional designer monitors are also available in Nepal. The best professional monitors to buy in Nepal are from brands like BenQ, ViewSonic, ASUS (Pro Art Series), Samsung, and Apple. But you’ll have to splurge on your purchase as even the cheapest designer monitors start above NPR 65,000.
With all that being said, a new Asus ProArt Display is now available in Nepal, and a quick rundown of its specs wouldn’t hurt a lot.
ASUS ProArt PA278QV (Designer)
A ProArt Asus display is officially available via Asus authorized distributor Nagmani now. It has excellent colors and covers the sRGB as well as the REC 709 color space alongside having very low Delta E (less than 2). Furthermore, it is a 27-inch panel with sharp WQHD resolution and good viewing angles. Besides that, there’s not many other interesting things going on with a 75Hz refresh rate and OK-ish IO. But regardless, if you are keen on getting a professional designer monitor and can afford it, it is now available via official channel in Nepal now.
ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV Monitor Specifications:
Display Size: 27inch
Display Panel: IPS panel
Resolution: WQHD (2560x 1440 pixels), 16:9 aspect ratio
Color Gamut: 100% sRGB and 100% Rec. 709
Contrast Ratio: ~1000:1
HDR: Yes
Refresh rate: 75Hz (Max)
Response Rate: 5ms (GTG)
VRR: Unspecified
Ports: 1x HDMI 1.4, 1x DisplayPort 1.2a,1x Mini Display Port 1x Headphone jack, 1x DC-in, USB Hub includes (4x USB 3.2 Gen 1)
Price in Nepal: Rs. 86,250
Meanwhile, check out video on the best monitors in every price range here:
Bose, a leader in audio technology, has unveiled its latest innovation, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds. These earbuds offer a novel approach to personal audio, combining comfort, awareness, and immersive sound in a sleek package. In this article, let’s dive into discussing the latest Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, including its price in Nepal, and specs in detail.
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds Overview
Open-Ear Design for Comfort and Awareness
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds feature a unique open-ear design that gently hooks onto the outer edge of the user’s ear. This design ensures a secure and comfortable fit for all-day wear, while also allowing users to maintain complete awareness of their surroundings. Whether navigating busy city streets or enjoying the tranquility of nature, users can stay connected to the world around them while enjoying their favorite music or podcasts.
Audio and Battery
Equipped with Bose OpenAudio technology, these earbuds deliver a rich and immersive listening experience. The multidimensional and layered Bose Immersive Audio ensures wider, more spacious sound, bringing music to life like never before. With a 12 mm driver, users can enjoy powerful and detailed sound quality.
The Bose Ultra Open earbuds have a battery life of up to 7.5 Hours. Meanwhile, the earbuds only take an hour to fully charge, while the case takes up to 3 Hours for a full charge. But it doesn’t stop right there, as the 10 min of charging can easily last you 2 hours.
Controls and Customization
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds come with easy-to-use controls, including buttons on both earbuds for effortless control and customizable shortcut options. Users can switch between stereo and immersion modes, as well as create up to 8 custom modes to tailor their listening experience to their preferences.
With Bluetooth version 5.3 and enhanced Android features, including Snapdragon Sound Certification and Google Fast Pair, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds offer seamless connectivity and compatibility with a wide range of devices. Users can also take advantage of Bose SimpleSync to connect their earbuds to select Bose smart soundbars and speakers for private listening.
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds Specifications:
EarbudStyle: Open-ear design
BoseImmersiveAudio: Multidimensional sound
Controls: Button on each earbud
Driver Size: 12 mm
Battery Life: Up to 7.5 hours (up to 4.5 hours with Immersive Audio enabled)
MultipleListeningModes: Stereo and Immersion Modes, plus up to 8 custom modes
Bose SimpleSync: Connect to select Bose smart soundbars and speakers
Enhanced Android Features: Snapdragon Sound Certification, Google Fast Pair
Microphone: Four mics (two on each bud)
Bluetooth Range: Up to 9 meters
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds Price in Nepal and Availability
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are currently priced at USD 299 in the global market. Although it isn’t currently available here just yet. However, as it arrives, the Bose Ultra Open’s expected Price in Nepal is NPR 47,524.
Samsung Nepal recently updated its A-series of midrange devices with the Galaxy A25. Now the company has officially unveiled the A15 5G, which is a slight downgrade to the A25. So, let’s learn more about the latest Samsung Galaxy A15 5G along with its features, specifications, price in Nepal, and availability.
Samsung Galaxy A15 (5G) Overview:
Design and Display:
The new Samsung Galaxy A15 gets somewhat of a design overhaul. Don’t get me wrong, the front bezels and the outdated waterdrop notch stay. And the back is identical to its predecessor — Galaxy A14 5G. But, the A15 has what Samsung calls ‘Key Island’ where all your buttons are now located on a raised surface on the right.
One of the major upgrades over the A14 5G is the inclusion of a Super AMOLED screen. The Galaxy A15 5G sports a 6.5” FHD+ display (1080×2340) that can hit 800 nits. Compared to the LCD on its predecessor, you should get much better color depth, and contrast here. The refresh rate stays the same at a respectable 90Hz.
Processor
Under the hood, the 5G variant of the A15 houses MediaTek’s Dimensity 6100+ chipset. If you were wondering, the vanilla A15 is powered by a comparable Helio G99 SOC. Both chips feature 2 primary A76 Cores at 2.2 GHz and 6 secondary A55 Cores at 2 GHz. But as you might have guessed, the former has 5G support while the latter doesn’t.
Samsung’s A15 5G comes with a sizeable upgrade in the memory department too. While the A14 5G started at 4/64 GB, its successor brings 6/128GB, 8/128GB, and 8/256 GB of memory with the option for future expansion via MicroSD up to 1TB.
Meanwhile, check all the prices and specs of Samsung devices here
Cameras
Moving on, we still get a triple camera setup but the kind of useless depth sensor is now replaced by a 5MP ultrawide on the Samsung Galaxy A15 5G. Besides that, there’s a 50MP primary shooter and a 2MP macro lens. Samsung hasn’t revealed the exact sensors they are using but it’s safe to say that these cameras carry over from last year. On the front, you get a 13MP selfie cam of f/2.0 housed in the notch.
Rest of the Specs
The device is fueled by a 5000mAh battery that now supports up to 25W fast charging. But like always, the charger is an added cost not included in the box. Galaxy A15 5G ships with OneUI 6.0 based on Android 14 and has excellent software support. The company promises 4 years of major OS updates alongside 5 years of security patches here which is a very good offering for a budget device.
The Galaxy A15 5G price in Nepal starts at Rs. 27,999 for the base 6/128GB, Rs. 29,999 for the 8/128GB and Rs. 33,999 for the 8/256GB. You can buy the phone from various mobile retail outlets all over Nepal.
Generative AI has been the talk of the town for quite a while now. And OpenAI has been a frontrunner in the field with its previous offerings in the form of ChatGPT, and DALL-E. Now they are pushing the boundaries of AI capabilities even further with their latest innovation — Sora! Let’s delve deeper into the OpenAI Sora in this article.
OpenAI Sora Overview
Introduction
Before getting into the nitty-gritty of Sora, let’s talk about its progenitor i.e. OpenAI briefly. The company was founded back in December 2015 as a non-profit organisation researching AI. Additionally, our favourite eccentric billionaire — Elon Musk served as a board member during its genesis. In 2019, OpenAI converted to a capped-profit model and started gearing up their research and expenses.
As a result, they came out with the ChatGPT in 2020 — which was revolutionary for the time. It was the best implementation of the Large Language Model and unsurprisingly caught a lot of attention. ChatGPT showed a glimpse of what AI was capable of to the general public. OpenAI then stepped up its game even further with DALL-E in 2021. While ChatGPT was a text-based system, with users getting results in text only. DALL-E could convert your text prompt into images. Even though DALL-E was impressive and all, it wasn’t the best text-to-image generator out there. However, we cannot say the same about Sora!
Given the progression of OpenAI’s AI offerings, it only made sense that they would try their hands on text-to-video generators next. Now, this is not the first time we have seen this, but just like ChatGPT, it appears to be the best implementation of it. Similar to its siblings, Sora can produce videos based on the user’s prompts.
The AI can produce videos of up to a minute in length with great details. The samples OpenAI provided on Sora’s homepage make you question if the videos are actually AI-generated. However, eagle-eyed viewers may find the renders to be a little choppy here and there. Nonetheless, it is a great testament to the capabilities of generative AI and what the future holds!
OpenAI Sora Availability and Conclusion
Given that, generative AI is still in its early years, there are a lot of blurred lines regarding them including copyright issues. Hence, Sora is only accessible to a limited group of professionals at this time. OpenAI is currently studying the risks and impacts that Sora may have while also collaborating with content creators. Anyhoo, when all that is sorted out and it is made available to the public it will definitely be one of the most celebrated tools out there!
Meanwhile, check out our Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review:
As soon as a phone is a member of the Redmi Note series, it’s almost guaranteed to land as one of the best-selling midrange smartphones. Plus, whatever the brand is today, can all be credited to this very series. Like every other year, Redmi has once again upgraded the Note Series with the Redmi Note 13, Redmi Note 13 Pro, and the Redmi Note 13 Pro+.
The former two phones are available in both the 4G as well as 5G variants, depending on the market obviously. For instance, India received the 5G version of these phones while Nepal will have to make do with 4G options.
Today I’ll be talking of the Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G in this review. Before going into the details of the phone, let’s go through the specs first:
Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G Specifications
Design: Flat design with Polycarbonate Back, IP54 rated
The 8GB + 256GB trim of this phone is available for NPR 34,999, and the 12GB + 512GB variant comes for NPR 39,999 in the Nepali market. The price for the base variant looks decent enough but does paying 40 grand for MediaTek Helio G99 Ultra give you value for your money? And what is the 200MP camera on this phone like? Let’s take a look at all that in this review of Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G!
Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G Review
Design and Build
Firstly, let’s start with the design itself. The Lavender Purple color option I have over here looks quite attractive. Redmi has trimmed the bezels on the front, because of which the display looks uniform. Meanwhile, the back panel here is not glass or anything, but you’ll have to make do with “Glastic” — which is basically plastic. However, it does not look cheap and feels pretty nice.
In the meantime, the camera modules on this phone are sizable which is understandable for the 200MP main unit. However, the 8MP ultrawide camera receives a similar size cutout as well. This isn’t bad or anything, but its 5G counterpart looks more premium in comparison to it.
Display
Moving on to the display, you get a 6.67-inch AMOLED panel with the segment’s usual 120Hz refresh rate. Additionally, you get a TÜV Rheinland’s Low Blue Light, Circadian Friendly, and Flicker-free certifications. Sadly, this time around you don’t get HDR+ and Dolby Vision support which was available on the Redmi Note Pro 5G from last year. You even get this feature on the Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G, but not here!
For display protection, you get Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on this phone. It would have been a lot better but here we are. But, how is it in real-life usage? Since it is a 10-bit AMOLED panel, rich contrast and punchy output are given. So, you get a good experience when watching movies or series.
Furthermore, you also get dual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support, which I found decent. The 120Hz refresh rate on this phone also feels optimized. The phone dynamically switches between 60Hz or 120Hz depending on the content on the screen, and the scrolling experience is fluid too.
Plus you will not find any difficulty using the Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G out on a sunny day — all thanks to its 1,000 nits High Brightness Mode. Overall, the display experience is good in my usage period.
And wait, Redmi is offering an in-display fingerprint scanner for the first time in the history of the Note series. Not only is it available in the Pro series, it comes in the regular Redmi Note 13 4G as well. And it works fine as well.
Performance
Now let’s put aside the talks about the display, and talk about the thing I don’t like about this phone i.e. its processor. Here you get MediaTek’s Helio G99 “Ultra”, which is already two years old at this point. Moreover, you get this chip in Poco (Xiaomi subbrand) phones that cost you around NPR 20,499, specifically in the M3 Pro. Additionally, you also get this very silicon in the Tecno Pova 5, and Camon 20 that is priced under NPR 25,000.
Well, the fact that it’ll be some time before the 5G network is fully implemented in Nepal is there, but a 5G chip is a must in 2024! This is because semiconductor manufacturers have stopped making new 4G chipsets. And for 40,000 Xiaomi should have given a better processor.
For context, even if we compare this chipset with MediaTek Dimensity 1080, which was featured in last year’s Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G — it doesn’t fare very well. And looking at the performance of the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 that comes in the Note 13’s 5G variant is miles ahead. Let’s take a look at their Antutu and Geekbench scores:
Benchmarks
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Likewise, this chipset cannot handle 60fps gaming even in popular titles like PUBG, you have to make do with 40fps. The results are consistently better with the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 all across the board with other games as well.
Gaming Tests
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So, whether gaming or normal day-to-day tasks, Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G feels faster than this 4G variant. Plus the haptics on the 4G version are a bit buzzy and feel a bit off, while the 5G variants haptic feels quite superior.
Software
Another ick of this phone is that it still boosts on MIUI 14 based on Android 13. Coming into 2024, Redmi should have offered HyperOS with Android 14. Moreover, they have not clarified how many years of updates this phone will receive either.
Now, I don’t have to tell you a lot about MIUI, you get plenty of customization and features. But, as usual, bloatware is there, which you can uninstall. Another important thing! Go to Security > Settings, and turn the “Receive recommendations” option off. BOOM! No ads!
While the constant notifications you get from the Music Player are such a bother. So, you can go to the advanced settings of the music player, and turn off the show ads option. Or you can disable the app itself because it still pushes notifications even when you’ve turned the settings off. *smh*
Camera
Anyways, let’s head towards the cameras. On paper, Redmi has upgraded the main camera with a 200MP Samsung ISOCELL HP3 sensor. Last year you only got a 50MP shooter. Meanwhile, you also get an 8MP ultrawide unit, a 2MP macro, and a 16MP selfie snapper.
Now the 5G trim of the phone also comes with the same 200MP + 8MP + 2MP camera configuration. So, is it “Same Same but “Difflent”? Let’s find out with the camera samples, alright?
Daylight
Daylight
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You can see in daylight conditions, you can see a good amount of brightening with a reddish tone in the photos taken from the Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G. Whereas the shots from the 5G have a sharpness to them with a good amount of contrast. The color tone, however, falls on the yellowish side. All in all, I find the photos on the 5G version more eye-pleasing, however, you may prefer the images from the 4G variant.
4X Zoom
4X Zoom
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Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G
Since both the variants of the Redmi Note 13 Pro packs the 200MP shooter, you get up to 4X in-sensor zoom. Once again, you get a better contrast on the 5G iteration, while the images on the 4G variant are a bit soft.
Portraits
Coming to the portraits, the story of the color tones remains the same — 4G has a red tone, and 5G has a yellow tone. Actually, the skin tone on both the photos goes through beautification.
Portrait
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The Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G’s brightness processing looks a bit bad in direct sunlight. As you can see in the photos of our team member with a cup in his hand. Once again, I find the contrast on the 5G variant better. However, I cannot quite pick a clear winner here, so guys be the judge of it.
Lowlight
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Meanwhile, the results on the lowlighting conditions do not deviate much either. The Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G produces a better output here. The images have a rich contrast and look sharp with better highlight management, just like in the daylight shots. On the other hand, the results from the Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G ko are a bit blown out.
Selfie
Selfies
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Likewise, for selfies, you get a 16MP shooter on the front. And guess what? The tale of Red and Yellow color tones continues. At a glance, you get decent selfies on both phones, but the Pro 5G preserves the details a bit better.
Videography
Lastly, in terms of videos, the Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G caps out at 1080p@60FPS due to the limitation of the Helio G99. In the meantime, you get an option for 4K@30FPS on the Pro 5G, with better details. Even when comparing the 1080p, the 5G one looks better with superior stabilization. But, it’s not like the video on the Pro 4G is bad or anything. Hopefully, it’ll receive improvements through updates.
Battery
Moving on, the 5,000mAh battery on this phone offers a day’s worth of backup on moderate usage without breaking a sweat. And the 67W fast charger, you get in the box juices up the phone from 0 to 100 in around 50 minutes, which is quite impressive.
Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G Review: Conclusion
Now, let’s conclude this review of the Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G. Overall, this phone comes out as a balanced midrange phone with a good display, average camera, and “okayish” day-to-day performance from the Helio G99 for the price of NPR 35,000. But it doesn’t bring any substantial upgrade from its predecessor, the Note 12 Pro 5G.
Plus in my opinion, Xiaomi Nepal should have introduced the Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G for NPR 40,000 instead of the 12GB + 512GB configuration of this phone. If not 40,000 then 42,000 would also have flown because you get better cameras, chipset, design, and build without compromises. Let’s hope we’ll see this phone very soon in the Nepali market!
Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 12 was a budget segment leader and earned Gadgetbyte’s recommendation for the go-to pick for under 25K. Now, meet its 2024 upgrade, the Redmi Note 13. Although there aren’t a lot of changes on paper, quality-of-life upgrades like a brighter display, stereo speakers, and better camera setup make it a worthwhile look. In this review, let me walk you through my experience using the Redmi Note 13 (4G) alongside last year’s Redmi Note 12 (4G), and why I think it continues its predecessor’s legacy as the best-balanced phone under 25k.
Redmi Note 13 4G Review: Specifications
Dimensions:162.3 x 75.6 x 8 mm (6.39 x 2.98 x 0.31 in)
Weight: 188.5 g
Display: 6.67 inches AMOLED, 1800 nits (peak)
RefreshRate: 120Hz
Resolution: 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density)
Since the Note 13 is prone to catching smudges, the case has been super yay for me to say the least. I also feel the IP54 Rated Note 13 does feel slightly bigger and bolder compared to its previous iteration.
It has the same plastic built as last year and you get a USB Port, a SIM slot, and a speaker grill on the bottom. Likewise, there are volume and power buttons on the right. But surprise surprise, alongside the IR blaster and beloved headphone jack, we see…another speaker grill. Yeah, that’s right, we are getting stereo sound baby!
One of the gripes I had with last year’s Note 12 was its single-speaker setup that would easily get muffled when I was lying in bed with the phone in my chest. And it didn’t feel very full or loud either. Relief to say the sound quality feels louder, fuller, and more immersive compared to the Note 12. This can be easily noticeable while watching movies, shows, or YouTube videos. But the music experience still feels just okay-ish with decent mids and highs but not a lot of low frequencies.
Resolution: 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density)
Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Talking about the display side, you get a big AMOLED screen with a high refresh rate. And apart from the specs side, I felt the screen did have a slight improvement over the Note 12. The bezels are relatively thinner and have a pretty modern look to it. And another addition to it is the in-display fingerprint, which runs pretty solid as well.
Quality-wise, one could definitely notice a few improvements on Note 13. As the colors do feel more vibrant than Note 12. But tbh, it’s not that super noticeable, unless place them side by side. However, the Redmi Note 13 feels brighter and will keep by your side even in intense sunlight/ outdoor conditions.
In addition, the 120Hz AMOLED screen provides you with nice viewing angles and some inky blacks as well. From navigating UI to everyday social media experience was pretty smooth not gonna lie. The Redmi Note 13 provides a very respectable and enjoyable viewing experience.
Well, you get a Snapdragon 685, which is exactly the same as the one you get in the Note 12. And not to leave it out, the Snapdragon 685 is basically an overclocked version of the SD 680. I mean I had expected a better chipset from Xiaomi, but you know what expectations kill. But to be in the clear, it also doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a poor chipset. The performance it gives isn’t underwhelming, to say the least, but the selection did upset me.
But the good side of it is that you do get 6/128 GB in the base variant compared to the 4GB RAM in the base Note 12. So, a bit more memory for your day-to-day apps, and ample for your photos and videos.
Benchmark Scores
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There’s MIUI 14 based on Android 13 which has its own set of gripes like bloatware apps (games and 3rd party software) and system ads. But for a budget phone, I won’t complain too much as it has kinda become a norm at this point. I would like to see up-to-date software though, so Xiaomi definitely has to improve on the software front.
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Gaming
Talking about gaming, I will have to admit the fact that this is not the best phone for gaming in terms of price to performance.
What I mean is, that you cannot even play at ‘Ultra’ mode in PUBGM the way you can do the same in a cheaper Tecno Pova 5. Even for high fps games like Mech Arena, I could hardly touch the 60fps mark.
But that doesn’t imply that games are unplayable in the Redmi Note 13. Well, you can play lightweight games like Call of Duty and Mobile Legends at 60 fps with some stutters here and there.
Gaming Results
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PUGBM, CODM
Mech Arena, Mobile Legends
Cameras
Rear Camera
108 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.67″, 0.64µm, PDAF
8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, (ultrawide)
2 MP, f/2.4, (macro)
Features LED flash, HDR, panorama
Video 1080p@30fps
Selfie Camera
Single 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide)
Well, cameras are the biggest upgrade you can get in the Note 13. Xiaomi has provided a 108 MP camera, an upgrade from last year’s 50 MP main camera. Additionally, you also get an 8 MP Ultrawide and a 2 MP depth camera. The output shows us more brighter and poppy images compared to that of the Note 12.
Daytime
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Redmi Note 12 4G Daytime
Redmi Note 12 4G Daytime
Redmi Note 12 4G Daytime
Redmi Note 13 4G Daytime
Redmi Note 12 4G Daytime
Redmi Note 12 4G Daytime
Redmi Note 13 4G Daytime
Redmi Note 12 4G Daytime
Redmi Note 13 4G Daytime
Redmi Note 12 4G Daytime
Redmi Note 13 4G Daytime
Redmi Note 12 4G Daytime
Redmi Note 13 4G Daytime
During the daytime, you get nice looking vibrant pictures in general, but it did feel the images were a bit unnatural at times. Similarly, compared to Note 12, the Note 13 leans towards more warmer tone in its results.
Portraits
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Redmi Note 12 4G Portraits
Redmi Note 13 4G Portraits
Redmi Note 12 4G Portraits
Redmi Note 13 4G Portraits
Redmi Note 12 4G Portraits
Redmi Note 13 4G Portraits
Redmi Note 12 4G Portraits
Redmi Note 13 4G Portraits
Redmi Note 12 4G Portraits
Redmi Note 13 4G Portraits
Redmi Note 12 4G Portraits
Redmi Note 13 4G Portraits
Redmi Note 12 4G Portraits
Redmi Note 13 4G Portraits
I had a very hard time with portrait mode. My Note 13 refused to provide sufficient bokeh (artificial in this case) that makes portraits appealing. Note 12, on the other hand, spewed what I’d call proper portrait blur (for a smartphone at this price bracket). I tried switching from our default testing aperture of 2.8 to the phone’s default 1.4, and even then saw no promising results. I think it’s more of a bug here and this could be fixed with a future software update. Besides that, just like regular photos, I found the skin tones and highlights to be a bit brightened and warmer as well. The output results are completely dependent on lighting conditions, hence the mixed-bag results.
Ultrawide
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Redmi Note 12 4G Ultrawide
Redmi Note 13 4G Ultrawide
Redmi Note 12 4G Ultrawide
Redmi Note 13 4G Ultrawide
Redmi Note 12 4G Ultrawide
Redmi Note 13 4G Ultrawide
Redmi Note 12 4G Ultrawide
Redmi Note 12 4G Ultrawide
Redmi Note 12 4G Ultrawide
Redmi Note 13 4G Ultrawide
Redmi Note 12 4G Ultrawide
Redmi Note 13 4G Ultrawide
Similarly, as for the ultrawide camera, you get good-looking pictures of buildings and architecture, but as compared to the main camera, the output result deviates with different colors and often produces soft images. Considering its price I don’t really wanna put a finger on its ultrawide lenses.
Lowlight
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Redmi note 12 4G Normal
Redmi note 13 4G Normal
Redmi note 12 4G Nightmode
Redmi Note 13 4G Nightmode
Redmi note 12 4G Normal
Redmi note 12 4G Nightmode
Redmi Note 13 4G Nightmode
Redmi note 12 4G Normal
Redmi Note 12 4G Nightmode
Redmi Note 13 4G Nightmode
During low light and nighttime, the Note 13 clicks brighter and sharper images compared to the Redmi Note 12. Since there is no OIS, both devices will spew blurred images if not kept super still. Moreover, ‘Night Mode’ tends to over-process pictures which could look good in certain scenarios, but anything with a sky looks unnatural.
Selfies
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Redmi Note 12 4G Selfies
Redmi Note 13 4G Selfies
Redmi Note 12 4G Selfies
Redmi Note 13 4G Selfies
Redmi Note 12 4G Selfies
Redmi Note 12 4G Selfies
Redmi Note 13 4G Selfies
Redmi Note 12 4G Selfies
Redmi Note 13 4G Selfies
Redmi Note 12 4G Selfies
Redmi Note 12 4G Selfies
Redmi Note 13 4G Selfies
Redmi Note 12 4G Selfies
Redmi Note 12 4G Selfies
Redmi Note 13 4G Selfies
Finally, I noticed an improved selfie results from Note 13. The images appear to be more detailed in both outdoor and indoor conditions. I also found that the Redmi Note 12 images are often highlighted with a reddish tint while the Note 13 favors more warmer tone, the preference can be completely personal but the objective fact is the Note 13 images come with more details and a larger field of view. But the selfies were kind of inconsistent at times as well. I mean, there are times when you get decent images with good details, and punchy contrast, while, there are times when you get completely unnatural images as well.
Regarding videography, there was nothing much exciting about it. Although Note 13 can click a wider video, it cannot control the highlights just as its predecessor.
Battery
Lastly, let me touch on battery life and charging speeds – it’s identical to last year. You get the same 5000 mAh cell that goes from 0-100 % in about an hour and a half. Battery endurance and drain are also pretty much the same be it while clicking photos under the sun, or watching Netflix from the comfort of your bed. Expect 6+ hours of screen time on typical days, maybe a bit more if you’re a light user like me.
Redmi Note 13 4G Review: Conclusion
Redmi Note 13 4G is a formidable phone in the budget segment. Although nothing much changed from its predecessor, it still is one of the best phones to buy for 25k. As told earlier, the phone has an excellent AMOLED display, although, with some minor bugs in portrait mode, the camera setup is still decent.
Yeah, they could have done better with the chipset, at least an SD 695 or even the G99 Ultra (that’s not going to happen as long as there’s the Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G though). However, the dual speaker is finally back again, so that’s a bonus. So to put it simply, the Redmi Note 13 4G is a well-balanced budget phone for those who seek comfort, affordability, and a good smartphone experience at 25 thousand rupees.
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