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Redmi Watch Active 3 Review: Finally A Breathe of Fresh Air

GadgetByte
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2
Redmi Watch Active 3 Review: Finally A Breathe of Fresh Air

The demand for budget smartwatches in Nepal is at an all-time high. This segment is growing really fast with new launches taking place like every other. The problem with these frequent launches is that the products are too generic with no unique experience tied to them. As such, Xiaomi recently launched the Watch 3 Active which promises a new widget-based experience. I have been using this for over 2 weeks now, and this review has everything you need to know about the Redmi Watch 3 Active.

Redmi Watch 3 Active Specifications:

  • Display: 1.83” LCD screen, 450 nits brightness, 240 x 280 pixels
  • Water Resistance: 5ATM waterproof (up to 50m)
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3
  • Bluetooth Calling: Yes (built-in microphone, speaker)
  • Sensors: Heart rate (with blood oxygen sensor), accelerometer
  • Health tracking: 24/7 heart rate, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), sleep, stress, women’s health
  • Sports Mode: 100+ (including 10 professional modes)
  • Navigation: No
  • Colors: Space Black, Twilight Gray
  • Battery: 289mAh
  • Battery life: 12 days with normal usage (8 days with heavy usage)
  • Companion App: Mi Fitness (Android | iOS)
Buy Redmi Watch 3 Active here

Redmi Watch Active 3 Review:

Design

  • Plastic Build with NCVM-coated frame, TPU strap
  • 46.94 x 38.88 x 10.94mm, 41.67 grams
  • 5ATM water resistance

Let’s start with the design first. Xiaomi has definitely gone for a curvier design compared to last-gen Watch 2 Lite this time around, which is way better, in my opinion. As expected, the watch is mostly plastic, but Xiaomi has added this shiny metal coating on the frame to give this a more premium look. Another design change comes in the form of the strap.

 

Xiaomi has finally switched to a universal strap design giving you a lot more options for after-market straps. The default strap is not bad per se — it is soft, comfortable, and has not caused any kind of irritation, but you can always go for a more flexible silicone strap when you can.

5ATM Water Resistance

Interestingly, the watch can detect when you remove the watch, locking itself with a pin for privacy. It even has a 5ATM rating, so you don’t have to worry about taking it to the pool or shower. There is even a clear mode that helps get residual out of the speaker and microphone with sound and vibrations.

Display

  • 1.83-inches LCD panel, 240 x 280 pixels
  • 200+ watch faces, 450 nits brightness

The display here feels massive, and it is not just the 1.83” diagonal length I’m talking about. The bezels on this thing are quite thick, and although I was not that bothered by them, they are there if you look for them – especially the chin on the bottom.

There is a 2.5D glass on top of the screen for protection, but as you can see, it is still prone to scratches. The more serious ones are mainly concentrated on the curves outside of the main screen, but I would still recommend getting protection just to be sure.

Redmi Watch 3 Active Review - Design

False Advertising?

Talking about the display quality, I would say it’s good but not as good as Xiaomi paints it to be. For instance, the colors are better than what we usually get on budget smartwatches, but I have a hard time believing it’s a 16-bit display — it just doesn’t have the depth.

Xiaomi also says it’s a 60Hz panel, but it’s hard to believe, given how slow the transitions are between different cards. The menu portions feel a bit smoother, though, making me wonder if the animations are really the issue. In that case, Xiaomi should roll out an update to slough off the heavy animation ASAP.

No Automatic Brightness Adjustment

But, as it stands, I’m disappointed that Redmi Watch 3 Active doesn’t have the smooth experience that I have been accustomed to on the Xiaomi Band 8. It also misses out on another of Band 8’s stand-out features – the automatic brightness adjustment.

Redmi Watch 3 Active Review - Brightness Adjustment

Redmi Watch 3 Active is bright enough for both indoors and outdoors. However, adjusting the levels becomes a hassle as you have to go through different levels of settings. You can just leave it on the higher levels for convenience, but that will drain the battery faster.

At the least, Xiaomi could have a brightness adjustment slider on the status bar replacing the music control. This is the only change I would recommend as far as software and UI is concerned, as I’quite impressed without everything else Xiaomi has managed on the Redmi Watch 3 Active.

Software and UI

  • Customizable widget screens
  • Mi Fitness companion app (Android, iOS)

Obviously, you are not getting a WearOS or even Zepp OS In this price range, but the customization options on this in-house solution are the best I have seen in this price range. To start with, it replaces traditional cards with customizable widget screens. You can stack three to four widgets on a screen at your convenience.

The type of widgets ranges from music control, weather, battery info, and individual health and fitness score to workout shortcuts. You can click on these widgets for a full-screen view with detailed charts and settings.

And the best part is you don’t even need your phone to set this all up – it’s all doable from the watch itself.

Smart Features

  • Bluetooth Calling, Wear Detection, Stacked Notification

Oh! You can also receive calls directly from here. Here, you can adjust the volume, mute, and end the call. The speaker volume and microphone quality are adequate for indoors and even peaceful outdoors. But you will have to resort to your phone when in a busy environment. You will get alerts for missed calls with the option to call back or dismiss.

Xiaomi allows up to 10 favorite contacts for quick access. For the rest, you have to dial in the numbers manually to make a call. You can also set an Emergency contact that you can call just by tapping the button on the right thrice.

Unlike calls, other notifications are not actionable. They don’t seem to support emojis, but you can read them and open them on your phone. You can access them by swiping down from the home screen, where they are grouped based on the app to reduce clutter.

Health/Fitness Tracking

  • 24-hour heart rate, SpO2 monitoring, Sleep tracking
  • 100+ sports, 10 professional modes

Now let’s talk about fitness tracking. From continuous heart rate to SpO2 monitoring, it has all the tracking you would expect from budget fitness tracking. You can even turn on SpO2 monitoring for sleep which not many smartwatches offer in this price range. This has to be turned on manually, along with the REM starting.

The watch also has 100+ sports modes, out of which 10 are professional modes. There is no built-in GPS, but it can access the one on your smartphone without much hassle. You can even set goals and turn on automatic pause before you begin.

The watch does count some extra steps, and the sedimentary reminder is pretty much broken. Except for these two, I have found the records to be close to accurate. All the daily records are available on the watch itself, but you will have to phone weekly and monthly reports.

Battery

  • 289mAh non-removable
  • Up to 12 days of battery (typical usage)

Lastly, the battery lasts up to a week with the tracking and features enabled. You can get more if you turn off some features, but you like to make the most of the watch like I do; 7 days is the maximum you can go without recharging. The process is quick, though – going from 0 to 20% in 10 minutes and the rest in over an hour.

Redmi Watch 3 Active Review - Charging

Redmi Watch 3 Active Review: Conclusions

I really love what Xiaomi has done with the Redmi Watch 3 Active. The 60Hz display is a little deceiving but bar that the watch performs in every single aspect. The design is great, the widget screen feels refreshing, and the Bluetooth calling is actually usable. You can even use it as a fitness tracker. So, if you are looking for a smartwatch with all these features, budget Redmi Watch 3 Active is the way to go.

So this was my review of the Redmi Watch 3 Active. I will be coming up with more budget smartwatch videos pretty soon, so support us by hitting the like button and subscribing to our channel.

Redmi Watch Active 3 Review: Pros and Cons

Pros:

  • Premium-looking design
  • Customizable widget screens
  • Rich health/fitness tracking
  • Week-long battery

Cons:

  • No automatic brightness adjustment
  • Broken sedentary reminder
  • Unpolished animations

Nokia announces two new bar phones with IP52 rating, FM radio

Sonika Bhandari
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1
Nokia announces two new bar phones with IP52 rating, FM radio

HMD Global, the company behind Nokia, has introduced two new feature phones – the Nokia 150 (2023) and Nokia 130 Music. The former is quite similar to the Nokia 150 (2020), which was launched 3 years ago. Now, let’s dive into what the company has to offer in these new Nokia phones.

Nokia 150 Overview:

Design and Display

The Nokia 150 (2023) boasts a colored polycarbonate body with an IP52 rating to protect against dust and splashes. The phone has a textured back panel, and the navigation and functions keys have a metallic finish. Furthermore, the device features a 2.4-inch screen and Nokia OS S30+ for usability. The color options are Charcoal, Cyan, and Red.

Nokia 150 2023 design

Storage and Battery

According to Nokia, the device can store up to 2000 contacts and 500 SMS. But you get a microSD card that can expand up to 32GB for more space. Moreover, the device is powered by a 1450mAh battery, offering up to 20 hours of talk time or up to 30 hours of music playback. For charging, it has the same micro-USB charger.

Rest of the features

The device equips an FM radio and a 3.5mm headphone jack for added entertainment options. In terms of camera, it houses a 0.3MP back camera only. It only supports 2G networks whatsoever.

Nokia 130 Music Overview:

Design and Display

As the name suggests, the Nokia 130 Music is designed for music lovers. The device replaces its camera with an improved speaker, delivering high-quality sound. The display is the same, with a 2.4-inch screen and the same software. The color options are Dark Blue, Purple, and Light Gold.

Nokia 130 Music

Rest of the features

The features are similar to Nokia 150 (2023) with the same microSD card (up to 32 GB) and FM radio. It also has a 1450mAh battery, micro-USB charger, 2G network, dual sim support, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.

Nokia 150 (2023), Nokia 130 Music Specifications:

  • Dimension: 130.95 x 50.6 x 15.15-mm (150)
  • Weight: 106.3 g (Nokia 150)
  • Display: 2.4-inch QVGA screen
  • Chipset: Unspecified MediaTek processor
  • RAM: 4MB
  • Storage: 4MB, expandable up to 32GB via SD card
  • OS: Nokia Series 30+
  • Rear Camera: 0.3MP VGA camera (Nokia 150) with LED Flash
  • Battery: 1450mAh battery (user-replaceable); micro-USB port
  • Other: Dual-sim (Mini), Micro-USB, GSM 900/1800 bands, 3.5mm jack, Wireless FM, MP3 Player

Nokia 150 (2023) and Nokia 130 Music: Price and Availability in Nepal

The Nokia 150 (2023) is INR 2,700 irrespective of the color options – charcoal, blue, or red. However, the price of the Nokia 130 Music in dark blue and purple is INR 1,850, and the one for the light gold option is INR 1,950. These phones will launch in India soon. After its launch in India, we can also expect the launch in Nepal in no time. Lastly, check out the expected price of the Nokia 150 (2023) and Nokia 130 Music in Nepal.

Nokia Phones Price in India (Official) Price in Nepal (Expected)
Nokia 150 (2023) INR 2,700 NPR 4,999
Nokia 130 Music (dark blue and purple) INR 1,850 NPR 3,499
Nokia 130 Music (light gold) INR 1,950 NPR 3,699
  • Meanwhile, check out our review of the Nokia G20.

Moto Edge 40 launching soon in Nepal with a IP68 rating, 144Hz curved OLED display

Mintu
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1
Moto Edge 40 launching soon in Nepal with a IP68 rating, 144Hz curved OLED display

Moto’s Edge 40 is one of the most hyped midrange phones of 2023, thanks to balanced specs at a competitive price. Now the device is launching soon in Nepal. This smartphone carries the legacy of the Moto’s Edge (curved) display with a fairly powerful Mediatek Dimesnity 8020 chipset and IP68 rating. More about the specs, features, and expected price of Moto Edge 40 in Nepal in this article.

Moto Edge 40 Overview:

Design and Display

Visual-wise, the Moto Edge 40 takes some cues from its Edge 40 Pro sibling. Both phones are pretty identical from the front side while the slight difference is visible on the back. What’s new for the vanilla Edge 40 is its vegan leather coating in Nebula Green and Eclipse Black color options. They are slightly heavier at 171gm than the Lunar Blue variant with an acrylic finish at 167g.

Moto Edge 40 Design and DisplayBesides that, the primary camera module is bigger than the secondary on Edge 40 as compared to the symmetrical ones on the Edge 40 Pro. To top it all, Moto has also provided an IP68 rating against dust and water drips.

On the front side, you are looking at a 6.55-inch P-OLED display. This 8-bit FHD+ display bears impressive specs such as 144Hz refresh rate, 360Hz touch sampling rate, DCI-P3 color space, HDR10+, and 1200nits peak brightness.

  • Meanwhile, read all the prices and specs of Motorola products here

Performance

Running the show under the hood is a Mediatek Dimesnity 8020 chipset. This 5G silicon is fabricated on a 6nm process and features four Cortex-A78 cores at 2.60 GHz alongside four Cortex-A55 cores at 2.0 GHz. Likewise, the chip is paired with 8GB RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage. As for the OS, it boots on MY UX skin built on top of Android 13.

Mediatek 8020 5G chipset

Camera

Coming to the optics, the Moto Edge 40 sports a dual camera setup on its back. The primary camera is a 50MP shooter with Omni-directional PDAF and OIS. It is followed by a 13MP ultrawide sensor with 120° FOV, which also doubles as a macro camera. Upfront, you get a 32MP selfie snapper.

Moto Edge 40 Camera

Battery, Charging, and Others

Fueling the smartphone is a 4400mAh battery with 68W wired fast charging and 15W wireless charging. And the connectivity options include WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS, and a USB Type-C port. Furthermore, the Edge 40 also houses an in-display fingerprint scanner, and Dolby Atmos tuned dual stereo speakers.

Moto Edge 40 Specifications:

  • Dimensions: 158.43 x 71.99 x 7.49mm, 199 gm
  • Display: 6.55-inch FHD+ pOLED, 144Hz refresh rate, HDR10+, DCI-P3, 8-bit color depth
  • Chipset: Mediatek Dimensity 8020 5G (6nm)
  • Memory: 8GB LPDDR4X, 256GB UFS 3.1 storage
  • Water resistance: IP68 dust/water resistant
  • Software & UI: Android 13 with My UX 5.0 on top
  • Rear Camera: Dual (with LED flash)
    – 50MP primary, OIS
    – 13MP ultrawide, 120° FoV
  • Front Camera: 32MP sensor (hole-punch cutout)
  • Audio: Stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos
  • Security: In-display fingerprint sensor
  • Wireless Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2
  • Battery: 4400mAh, 68W wired charging, 15W wireless charging
  • Color Options: Nebula Green, Lunar Blue, Eclipse Black

Moto Edge 40 Price in Nepal and Availability

The official price of the Moto Edge 40 smartphone in India is INR 29,999 for the sole 8/256GB variant. We can expect the Moto Edge 40 price in Nepal to be NPR 54,999 if and when it launches here.

Moto Edge 40 Price in India  Price in Nepal (Expected)
8/256GB INR 29,999 NPR 54,999
  • Meanwhile, you can check our review of Moto Edge 40 here: 

Ultima’s “Exchange Mela” sees record crowd. 10,000 units exchanged in 6 hours!

Aarohan Niraula
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Ultima’s “Exchange Mela” sees record crowd. 10,000 units exchanged in 6 hours!

Nepali accessories brand, Ultima, kicked off its “Exchange Mela” campaign today. Under this, you could bring your old earphones — from any brand, in any condition — and take home a brand new pair of Ultima Atom 820 TWS earbuds worth NPR 2,999 for just NPR 1,199. While this was supposed to be a two-day event spanning today and tomorrow, the company has announced that it will be ending this campaign today after getting overwhelming crowd participation. With 10,000 units exchanged in just 6 hours.

Ultima Exchange Mela: What is it?

As mentioned above, the Ultima Exchange Mela let you exchange any of your old wired or wireless earbuds and exchange them for a brand-new pair of Ultima Atom 820.

Old and broken earphones brought in for exchange

You could bring your old pair of working buds or completely totaled (broken) ones — from any brand — and walk out with a brand-new pair of the aforementioned Ultima earbuds. 

Ultima Atom 820

To sum it up, the Ultima Atom 820 is the company’s latest offering, and it has 13mm audio drivers, an IPX5 rating, and up to 25 hours of battery life. Additionally, they have 60ms latency, Environmental Noise Cancellation (ENC), and Bluetooth 5.3. Here are the key specifications of these earbuds that you can get for NPR 1,199.

Ultima Atom 820 Earbuds

  • Color Options: Blue, Grey, Pink
  • Sound Driver: 13mm
  • Microphone: Yes (ENC for calls)
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth v5.3
  • IP Rating: Yes, IPX5 (earbuds only)
  • Playback Time: Up to 25 hours (with case), 5 hours (w/o case)
  • Control: Touch-based control
  • Extra features: Game Mode (60ms)
  • Warranty: 6 months replacement warranty

When and where?

Ultima’s “Exchange Mela” was supposed to take place on the 11th and 12th of August (Shrawan 26/27) at two different venues. You could either visit Hukut Store at Newroad, Kathmandu (from 8 AM to 8 PM) or Civil Mall at Sundhara (from 9 AM to 6 PM).

Participants at Ultima Exchange Mela

But as mentioned above, Ultima says it has run out of stock of these earbuds and therefore won’t be continuing this campaign tomorrow.

You can still get the Ultima Atom 820 for a bargain

If you weren’t among those who could nab the Ultima Atom 820 for NPR 1,199, don’t worry. While the exchange event had to be prematurely discontinued, you can still get the Ultima Atom 820 for just NPR 1,799 for a limited time from Hukut Store once they’re back in stock. Stay tuned to our website to learn more about this offer.

Ultima Exchange Mela: Terms and Conditions

Here’s a brief summary of the terms and conditions of Ultima Exchange Mela.

  • An individual/group is eligible for a single exchange only.
  • The event will take place on a first-come-first-serve basis with a limited quantity of earbuds.
  • The exchange is non-transferable and is not redeemable for cash.
  • Participants must pay NPR 1,199 in exchange for one pair of Ultima Atom 820.
  • Ultima Atom 820 comes with 6 months of warranty.
  • Exchange Mela will be held on the 26th and 27th of Shrawan at
    • Hukut Store, Newroad (8 AM to 8 PM)
    • Civil Mall, Sundhara (9 AM to 6 PM)
  • In case of any dispute or discrepancy, Ultima Lifestyle’s decision will be considered final and binding.

Meanwhile, check our impressions on Ultima Lifestyle accessories.

Apple’s MicroLED Watch delayed by a year because of manufacturing issues

GadgetByte
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1
Apple’s MicroLED Watch delayed by a year because of manufacturing issues

Apple had initially planned to launch its first Watch featuring a microLED display in 2025. This new type of display would likely enhance the device’s performance and user experience, aligning with Apple’s commitment to using high-end tech. However, due to technological constraints affecting the production process, the microLED Apple watch launch has now been delayed to 2026. This article aims to offer more details about the technological challenge at hand and Apple’s planned strategies to overcome these difficulties.

MicroLED Apple Watch Delayed Overview:

MicroLED Production Challenges:

LG, the main supplier of microLED panels for Apple’s Watch, is working to make the production of microLED panels feasible for the upcoming device. However, the production of microLED displays is currently very expensive due to low yields. The nature of microscopic light-emitting diodes makes the manufacturing process complex and tricky.

Many of the produced units do not meet the required quality standards, leading to high costs. LG has reportedly developed a solution to address the issue of defective microLED panels. Even so, this solution itself is expensive at the moment.

LG’s approach to addressing the technological constraints

LG has taken a step forward in tackling these challenges by acquiring a set of patents. This acquisition involves purchasing 14 patents from a company called Ultra Display Technology in Taiwan. These patents focus on achieving a more reliable and precise positioning of micro-sized chips during the production process. This method probably increases the yield rate to some extent.

Availability

The first Apple Watch model to feature microLED panels will be the “Ultra” version. The technology is expected to be integrated into the regular models of the Apple Watch in the future, once the production process is more refined and the costs become manageable.

Benco S1 Review: A Decent First Attempt

GadgetByte
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2
Benco S1 Review: A Decent First Attempt

Benco has always targeted Nepali consumers using their budget V series smartphones. But this year, the company thought of aiming high with the brand-new S-series. And so it launched the S1 and Pro with aggressive pricing, continuing its trend and packing as many specs as possible. This made it a subject of hype! However, can it live up to the hype? Let’s find out in this detailed review of the Benco S1.

Benco S1 Specifications:

  • Body: 168.47 x 75.34 x 8.5 mm, 203.4 grams
  • Display: 6.8′′ HD+ IPS LCD (720 x 1640 pixels)
  • Processor: Unisoc Tiger T606 (12-nm)
  • CPU: 2 × 1.6 GHz Cortex A75 + 6 × 1.6 Cortex A55
  • GPU: ARM Mali-G57 MP1 (650 MHz)
  • Memory: 4/6GB RAM, 128GB storage (expandable)
  • Rear Camera: Triple:
    • 48MP primary
    • AI camera
    • 2MP macro
  • Front Camera: 16 MP sensor (punch hole)
  • OS: Android 13
  • Security: Fingerprint (Side-mounted)
  • Battery: 5000mAh cell, 18W Fast Charging
  • Price in Nepal: Rs. 14,999 (4/128GB) | Rs. 15,999 (6/128GB)

Benco S1 Review:

Design and Build

  • 168.47 x 75.34 x 8.5 mm, 203.4 g
  • Matte plastic back with camera island
  • No IP rating

Digging into the design part, you are greeted with a pretty large phone at this price segment in terms of dimensions, which I am a fan of. I also appreciate the punch-hole camera on the front, which you wouldn’t get much of in this price range.

Benco S1 Design

However, what I am not a fan of are the similar design choices every single smartphone company has been throwing at us, except for some. Everyone, from Redmi to Realme to every brand I use, has a similar camera island at the back. And I’ve just had enough of it.

Nonetheless, the color choices are good here. Both the black and green color variations look pretty. I was using the green one, and it might be my bias, but I love the color. The plastic back with a matte finish feels not so good on the hands, but you couldn’t expect more. And the glossy finish on the frame is a fingerprint magnet, so I would recommend using the case provided in the box, or you can buy one.

Display

  • 6.8′′ HD+ IPS LCD
  • 720 x 1640 px resolution, 20.5:9 aspect ratio
  • 60Hz refresh rate

At first glance, the display specifications of the Benco S1 look nice. The huge 6.8″ screen with thin bezels the company gets within this budget is massive. In fact, the 91% screen-to-body ratio is impressive for this device. And those 60Hz displays on IPS screens are quite common in this range.

Benco S1 Display

Quality over quantity

However, the major dealbreaker here with the Benco S1 is the resolution, which caps out at 720 x 1640 pixels, but gets you to 1080p on YouTube. The thing is, there will be compromises on these budget phones. But in this case, when you are glamorized with a large screen, yet with the low-quality option, you are left with the display not being as sharp as it should be and an overall pixelated experience.

As a result, the large screen becomes a con rather than a pro, in my view. I would rather prefer a smaller screen with sharper details.

Performance

  • Unisoc Tiger T606 (12-nm)
  • ARM Mali-G57 MP1 (650 MHz)
  • 4/6GB RAM, 128GB storage (expandable)

Moving on to the performance, I am pretty happy here. If you are a normal day-to-day user, it can handle your social media and other everyday tasks without breaking a sweat. The Unisoc T606 (12nm), along with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, is enough to do most of the things with some background tasks running. Having said that, I do not know how it goes for the 4GB RAM variant.

Benco S1 Performance

Even for casual gaming, if you play some lightweight games, you are cool with the Benco S1, though the device itself gets pretty hot after some time. Also, after some moments, the game lags and stutters a little. I would still call it playable, though.

Nonetheless, for some processing- and graphics-intensive games, you are better off with higher-priced options. Having said that, though, it is pretty okay at what it can do. Still, you are better off sticking with casual games.

Camera

  • 48MP primary camera, AI camera, and 2MP macro at the back
  • 16 MP sensor (punch hole) at the front

Starting with the rear camera, the photos are less than average. I said camera, not cameras, here because only the main camera is considered useful and the other two are just there for being there.

Benco S1 Camera

Normal photos

I must say, the photos from the rear camera are not that bad. The picture doesn’t show up quite well on the viewfinder but after processing, it gets decent. However, the picture looks a bit washed and objects do lack a bit of sharpness.

And the sky’s exposure is handled quite poorly. Sometimes, the sky is highlighted quite well, but at other times, you will only see a white, exposed sky in your masterpiece. Yet, since the image relies heavily on processing, the quality is different if you take images from other apps.

I took some close-up shots, and the images came out well. Here are two of them:

Portraits

Benco S1 gets portraits mostly right, with some hiccups here and there. The edge detection ain’t that accurate when it comes to hairs, but for the price range, it does a pretty decent job.

Selfies

On selfies and front portraits too, the outputs are decent. The only major problem is the sharpness. Other than this, the skin tone is a little reddish but still fairly common for budget phones.

Low light Images

However, I wouldn’t suggest it for nighttime images. The phone seems to struggle to manage exposure and dynamic range. And if the image contains any light source, there’s no way the light won’t scatter all over the place.

The only image that is close to good is the first one, even if that’s in the evening. As the darkness grows, the shots need to be captured with still hands and non-moving objects. Even after that, the photos turned out to be noisy.

 

Videos

And the videos are jittery. The max resolution it can go to is 1080p/30fps and even so, you can see pixels moving in the videos. So, I won’t recommend it for users who capture a lot of moments using videos.

OS

  • InOne UI on top of Android 13

It is good that the S1 starts right out with Android 13. The device provides you with an experience close to native Android. This is what they call InOne UI, Stock Android with their own little customization on top of it. The UI itself delivers you with a different home screen, which I like, and with it, no theme choices and such, which I don’t like.

The only major concern is software support, which the company hasn’t made mention of. And as a budget phone, it might not get a whole lot of updates. I might be completely wrong, though!

Connections

  • 802.11 b/g/n WiFi
  • Bluetooth 5.0
  • VoLTE support

I had to add this section because I faced a lot of problems here. The main concern here is Bluetooth, which my device seems to have difficulty with. The connection appears to be struggling and sometimes not working at all. But, as said, the price is something not to overlook.

Getting to the positives, the network coverage is also okay, and you also get VoLTE, which is a huge plus point for the device at this price. Even in the village areas of Nepal, 4G seems to work thanks to the bandwidths covered by this phone. And the GPS seems pretty accurate too.

Battery

  • 5000mAh cell
  • 18W Fast Charging

Another thing I am satisfied with is the battery. You can go a whole day with a single charge under normal usage. I do not use my phone that much, which gave me around 2 days with a juiced-up battery.

Good screen on time

On average, I got more than 9 hours of screen time. This is with those light gaming sessions every day for around half an hour or so. I even used it for games and YouTube the whole day; the Benco S1 lasted me more than 8 hours of screen time, which is pretty impressive. This is also added to the fact that my Bluetooth and Wi-Fi were enabled all the time.

Backed by an 18W charger

Additionally, the 18W fast charger that comes with the box charges your phone to full in around 2 hours. So you can use the S1 from Benco for a whole day without charging and plug it into the socket overnight to charge, and you don’t have to worry about charging ever again.

Benco S1 Charging

Benco S1 Review: Conclusion

So, this was the review of the Benco S1. All in all, it is a really solid phone in its price range. You get one of the better, if not the best, design aspects at this price range, an average camera (both front and back), standard performance, and a superb battery, all at this price range. However, if you need a recommendation on a better camera, I suggest you go with the Samsung A04, priced similarly.

On the other hand, some compromises have to be made in this price range, especially when you consider its display, video capture, and Bluetooth connection. Just by adding one or two thousand additional rupees to the budget, you can buy the better all-around device, the Redmi 12, a better option.

Benco S1 Review: Pros and Cons

Pros:

  • Appealing design
  • Mediocre cameras
  • Near Stock Android experience with few customizations
  • Good battery life and charging speed

Cons:

  • Subpar display quality
  • Jittery video quality
  • No stereo speakers
  • Connection problems

HTC Wildfire E Star official with UNISOC SC9832E, 5000mAh battery

Sonika Bhandari
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2
HTC Wildfire E Star official with UNISOC SC9832E, 5000mAh battery

The mobile industry is buzzing once again as HTC, a once renowned player in the field, has introduced its latest budget offering, the HTC Wildfire E Star, to the African market. According to the company, this new addition is designed to deliver value and performance making it an interesting choice for consumers looking to make the most of their smartphone experience. Now, let’s dive into the HTC Wildfire E Star’s exepected price in Nepal along with its specs and features.

HTC Wildfire E-Star Overview:

Design and Display

The phone boasts a design with a 6.5-inch display offering visuals at 720 x 1600 pixels resolutions. It has a waterdrop notch for selfies, and the back holds the HTC logo and a camera with an LED flash.

HTC Wildfire E Star Display

Performance and Storage

Under the hood, the HTC Wildfire E Star runs smoothly on a UNISOC SC9832E quad-core chip, along with 2GB of RAM for multitasking. It offers 16GB of storage, expandable up to 256GB through a microSD card slot. Moreover, it operates on Android 12 (Go edition), designed for entry-level devices.

Rest of the features

The phone captures photos with an 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera for selfies and video calls. Moreover, the device powers a 3000mAh battery with 5W of charger.

Additional features include face unlock, a side fingerprint sensor, USB-C charging, and connectivity options like dual SIM, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

HTC Wildfire E-Star Specifications

  • Display: 6.517″ HD+ Incell  (720 x 1600 pixels)
  • Processor: UNISOC SC9832E
  • GPU: Mali-T820 MP1
  • RAM: 2GB
  • Storage: 16GB (expandable up to 256 GB)
  • Software: Android 12 (Go Edition)
  • Rear Camera: Dual 8MP primary, f/2.2 + 0.08MP macro lens, f/2.8
  • Front Camera: 5MP lens with f/2.2 aperture
  • Battery: 3,000mAh with 5W fast-charging
  • Sensors: Fingerprint (rear-mounted), gravity,  proximity, ambient light
  • Connectivity: Wifi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, USB-C, 3.5mm headphone jack, dual SIM, 4G VoLTE

HTC Wildfire E-Star Pricing and Availability

The company has not disclosed the price yet, but the phone will launch in African markets soon. We will update this article if HTC with its price ever launches the Wildfire E-star in Nepal. Stay tuned for more information.

EV maker “NIO” is now into stepping into smartphone market

Mintu
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EV maker “NIO” is now into stepping into smartphone market

NIO, the famous EV maker is now entering the smartphone market. This Chinese company is preparing to launch a flagship phone, powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip as per a leaked AnTuTu benchmark screenshot. In this article, we’ll walk through all the rumors and leaks surrounding the upcoming NIO Phone.

NIO Phone Rumors:

AnTuTu benchmarks

Going by a leaked AnTuTu screenshot, the upcoming NIO Phone has an “N2301” model number and scored 1,360,974. And the screenshot clearly mentions that the phone uses an overclocked version of Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 — just like “Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy” chips found on Samsung’s latest flagship phones, foldables, and tablets. While Qualcomm hasn’t officially listed this chip, we’ve seen this overclocked version of Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 on other Chinese smartphones like Nubia’s Red Magic 8S Pro series.

NIO phone Antutu Benchmark

As seen on the snapshot, this chip brings one prime Cortex-X3 core clocked at up to 3.36GHz, two Cortex-A715 cores at 2.8GHz, two Cortex-A710 cores at 2.8GHz, and three Cortex-A510 running at 2.0GHz. While on the graphics side, there is the Adreno 740 GPU. Furthermore, we can also see that the NIO Phone has at least one variant with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM, 1TB of UFS 4.0 storage, and it runs on Android 13 OS.

Licensing 

As per CnEVPost, the company has received the license to access the internet in China from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Similarly, the NIO phone got its radio approval certificate on June 12, allowing it to use 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G networks plus Ultra-Wideband (UWB), which can work as a car key.

Others

Other than this, rumors suggest that the phone will sport a 120Hz screen. On the charging side, it will support 100W fast wired charging. Meanwhile, other info like the design, battery size, and camera is still yet to surface. NIO is supposedly working on a smartwatch to launch alongside its first smartphone as well.

NIO Phone Launch and Availability

As of now, we have no info on a specific launch date or the price of the phone. However, the company might release it in Q3 of 2023 with initial availability in China. We’ll update the article as and when new details surface online.

AQFiT Max GT Price in Nepal [Updated]

Aarohan Niraula
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AQFiT Max GT Price in Nepal [Updated]

AQFiT has just launched the “Max GT” budget smartwatch in Nepal, which brings IP68 dust and water resistance, a massive 1.91″ display, up to 30 days of standby battery life, and a plethora of health and fitness tracking features. So let’s take a look at the features, availability, and official price in Nepal of the AQFiT Max GT smartwatch.

AQFiT Max GT Overview:

Design

AQFit Max GT has a squarish design with rounded corners and metal frames. On the left, you’ll find a navigation button alongside a microphone, while the right side houses a speaker cutout. For protection against dust and water, the Max FT is IP68 rated too.

AQFiT MX GT Design

The company claims a “crisp, bright, and beautiful” display with a 1.91-inch IPS panel that has a 240 x 296 pixels resolution. It also has a 2.5D curvature for easier navigation. There are over 50 watch faces available here, ranging from minimal traditional designs to health-conscious ones brimming with all kinds of health data.

Features

Thanks to the aforementioned built-in microphone and speaker, the AQFiT Max GT lets you make and receive Bluetooth phone calls directly from the watch itself. In addition to that, you can also access your phone contacts, view recent call history, and even send text messages via the watch. The Max GT can be paired with both Android and iOS devices.

Health and Fitness

In terms of health and fitness measurement, this smartwatch can log your heart rate, sleep, steps, stress, and even provide personalized fitness recommendations. It’s even got blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) and women’s health tracking.

AQFiT MX GT Features

AQFiT Max GT also has a “Multi Sports Mode” that can record everything from walking, running, and cycling to swimming exercises. Addressing privacy and security, AQFiT also mentions the use of advanced encryption technology for secure calls and data transmission.

As for battery life, the Max GT is fueled by a 400 mAh battery which boasts up to 30 days of standby time. But the company hasn’t specified an estimated battery backup under normal usage for this smartwatch.

AQFiT Max GT Specifications:

  • Display: 1.91” IPS panel, 240 x 296 resolution
  • Battery life: 400mAh, 30-day standby
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2
  • Bluetooth Calling: Yes
  • Water Resistance: IP68 rating
  • Health tracking: Heart rate, Blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), Sleep, Stress, Women’s health, etc.
  • Sports Mode: Multi Sports Mode
  • Colors:  Black, Orange, Grey

AQFiT Max GT Price in Nepal and Availability 

The official price of AQFiT Max GT in Nepal is NPR 4,999. You can buy it from Hukut and other authorized stores in Nepal.

Smartwatch Price in Nepal (Official) Availability
AQFiT Max GT NPR 4,999 Hukut

  • Meanwhile, check our review of the Ultima Nova Nepali smartwatch

This QR terminal lets you hear exactly how much you got paid

Aarohan Niraula
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This QR terminal lets you hear exactly how much you got paid

Nepali startup Yarsa Tech has launched a new type of QR terminal called “AudiQR”, which enables instant payment confirmation through voice. So let’s take a closer look at the Pokhara-based tech lab and its latest product.

AudiQR Overview:

As mentioned above, AudiQR is a QR payment terminal that confirms the transaction with live audio in Nepali language. For example, say someone makes a payment worth NPR 538 on an AudiQR terminal, then you’ll hear something like:

“पाँच सय अठतीस रुपैयाँ प्राप्त भएको छ।”

As such, it combines the ease of QR payment with the convenience of an audio confirmation. Right now, QR payments in Nepal still lack that sense of reliability and you have to check in with the vendor to make sure it went through. With AudiQR, this would be solved and you could be 100% sure every time.

Let’s briefly talk about the features of AudiQR by Yarsa Tech.

AudiQR features

Security

Being a product that was both designed and engineered in Nepal, Yarsa Tech claims AudiQR to be secure and reliable for years to come. Their device management system allows you to control and manage multiple AudiQR devices from a centralized dashboard. Additionally, you also get 5+ years of OTA firmware updates, 2 years of free repairs, and 1 year of warranty. Whereas an AudiQR terminal can even be disabled over the cloud.

Customization

AudiQR can be tailored to match your brand identity and is fully customizable. Yarsa Tech also offers the ability to add custom features to meet your company’s personalized needs. Including the ability to support any local language for transaction confirmation.

Battery

The QR terminals are available in different variants. Most of them have WiFi support while some feature GSM connectivity too. The company says an AudiQR can last over 12 hours thanks to its built-in 2,200mAh battery, although it’s also available without a battery pack that you’ll need to keep plugged in at all times.

Yarsa Tech: Company Overview

Yarsa Tech is an electronics company as well as an R&D (Research and Development) lab based in Pokhara, Nepal. They are focused on innovation and bringing the forefront of the latest technology in their products. As such, the company is dedicated to delivering high-quality products tailored to their customers’ needs. In their words,

Yarsa Tech is more than just a company. It’s a place where creativity and technology meet. We focus on turning ideas into real products that make life easier and more exciting in Nepal.

AudiQR Price in Nepal and Availability

The base variant of AudiQR — without GSM or battery backup — goes for NPR 2,200, while the one with both of them costs NPR 3,600. These prices are without VAT, by the way. And Yarsa Tech says it will sell these devices to financial institutions and digital wallet companies, which will then integrate their QR code and provide that to their customers.

Yarsa Tech AudiQR variant Price in Nepal
AudiQR W1 (WiFi only) NPR 2,200
AudiQR W1P (WiFi + battery) NPR 2,500
AudiQR W1 (GSM + battery) NPR 3,400
AudiQR W1 (GSM + WiFi + battery) NPR 3,600
  • Meanwhile, check out our top picks for best phones under NPR 40,000 in Nepal
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