Vivo X90 series went official in November last year, which includes phones like Vivo X90, Vivo X90 Pro, and Vivo X90 Pro+. Now, the company has Vivo X90s to this lineup which brings slight performance improvement over the vanilla X90. Without further ado, let’s get into the specs, features, and expected price of the Vivo X90s in Nepal.
Vivo X90s Overview:
Design and Display
Starting with the design, Vivo hasn’t changed much here. It looks identical to the Vivo X90 with an aluminum alloy frame, but you get one new color option here: green. And for protection against accidental drops and water splashes, it is IP64 rated too.
Besides that, the display is the same 6.78-inch curved panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, 300Hz touch sampling rate, and a 93.53% screen-to-body ratio. Likewise, it covers 105% NTSC color gamut and has up to 1300 nits of peak brightness.
Performance
Under the hood, the X90s gets a MediaTek Dimensity 9200+ chipset. Compared to the regular Dimensity 9200 on the Vivo X90, it has slightly overclocked Cortex-X3 (3.35 GHz > 3.05 GHz) and Cortex-A715 (3.0 GHz > 2.85 GHz) cores. Whereas its Immortalis-G715 GPU also brings 10% better performance. As for memory, Vivo X90s ships with up to 12GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage.
Optics
Getting to the camera, Vivo X90s borrows the same setup as the X90 with Zeiss branding. The main camera is still the 50MP f/1.8 sensor with OIS, followed by a 12MP telephoto, and a 12MP ultrawide unit. Whereas for selfies, there’s a 32MP f/2.5 camera up front. As Dimensity 9200 and 9200+ bear the same ISP, the camera performance should be more or less the same.
Vivo X90s gets its fuel from a 4,810mAh battery with 120W wired fast charging and reverse charging support. As for the connectivity options, there’s get 5G, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, GPS, and a USB Type-C 2.0 port. Furthermore, there is an optical in-display fingerprint scanner for biometrics.
Connectivity: 5G, WiFi 6, NFC, GPS, USB Type-C port
Vivo X90s Price in Nepal and Availability
In China, the price of Vivo X90s starts at CNY 3,999 (around USD 555 or INR 45,445) for the base 8/256GB version. We expect the Vivo X90s price in Nepal to start from NPR 87,499 if and when it launches here.
Qualcomm, one of the world’s largest chipmakers, has unveiled the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chip. Fabbed under a 4nm process (Samsung), this thing brings some notable upgrades over the Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 that was announced last September. More about Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 in this article.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 Overview:
4nm process and X61 5G modem
As aforementioned, Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 is manufactured under Samsung’s 4nm node. And its octa-core CPU consists of two high-performance Cortex-A78 cores clocked at up to 2.2 GHz and six efficiency Cortex-A55 cores at up to 2GHz. Compared to its predecessor, that’s 200 MHz higher on both CPU cores. However, Qualcomm has kept the GPU info hidden as of now.
Besides that, this midrange chip is the first in the series to support the 3GPP Release 16 version of 5G via the X61 modem with 4×4 MIMO. This version expands the 5G NR frequency spectrum with bands starting from under 1 GHz and going up to 43 GHz. As a result, Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 will offer you faster upload and download speeds at 900 Mbps and 2.5 Gbps, respectively.
Dual ISP
Well, the 4 Gen 2 brings a slight downgrade on the ISP section, toning down to dual ISP support from 4 Gen 1’s triple ISP. However, it retains the 108MP camera compatibility and adds “Zero Shutter Lag” support for up to 32MP or 16MP + 16MP dual cameras. And the video recording ability is still capped at 1080p 60 fps but with EIS support this time. Plus, you get Multi-Camera Temporal Filtering (MCTF) for reducing noise in videos.
Faster UFS 3.1 storage and LDDR5 RAM
What’s even more significant upgrade is the support for UFS 3.1 storage and LPDDR5 (3200 MHz) RAM on this new chip. For reference, Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 only supported LPDDR4x RAM at 2,133 MHz and UFS 2.2 storage. What’s not changed though is the USB 3.2 Gen 1, WiFi 5, and Bluetooth 5.1 support.
Moving on, Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 carries the Quick Charge 4+ support from its predecessor. It can fill up the battery from 0-15% in 15 minutes as per Qualcomm. Besides this, the SoC supports Full HD+ displays at 120Hz and 120 fps for supported games and AI-enhanced noise cancellation.
Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 vs 4 Gen 1 Key Specs:
Snapdragon 4 Gen 2
Snapdragon 4 Gen 1
Architecture
4nm (Samsung)
6nm (TSMC)
Performance/ big cores
2x Cortex-A78 (@2.2 GHz)
2x Cortex-A78 (@2.0 GHz)
Efficiency/ little cores
6x Cortex-A55 (@2.0 GHz)
6x Cortex-A55 (@ 1.8GHz)
GPU
Adreno (Unspecified)
Adreno 619
Memory
LPDDR5
LPDDR4X
Image Signal Processing
(Dual, up to 108MP, Zero Shutter Lag on up to 32MP camera)
(Triple, up to 108MP)
Integrated Modem
Snapdragon X61 5G
Snapdragon X51 5G
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Subsystem
FastConnect 6100 (Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1)
Fast Charging
Quick Charge 4+
Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 Availability
According to Qualcomm, Snapdragon 4 Gen 2-powered phones will be available by Q2 2023. With Redmi and Vivo being the first in line to taste this chip.
Meanwhile, check our top picks for best phones under $500
The NFC Forum, which is responsible for overlooking Near Field Communications (NFC) technology, has just released a roadmap for the future of NFC. So let’s get into it.
What is NFC?
NFC is a short-range wireless technology that enables communication between devices nearby. It works based on electromagnetic induction and RFID technology, by sending and receiving radio waves across a short range. And it allows for stuff like making mobile payments, pairing devices just by tapping, and more.
NFC Forum
Here, the NFC Forum is a nonprofit organization founded in 2004 for promoting and developing NFC technology. It started out with just a few companies including Sony, Nokia, and NXP Semiconductors. But it has grown to include 400 members including household names like Apple, Google, Samsung, Huawei, Visa, and more. Their main function is to establish standards, facilitate collaboration, and advocate for worldwide NFC adoption. And the NFC Forum has recently released a roadmap through 2028, highlighting the new developments in this field.
The NFC roadmap
There are 5 major points in the forum’s NFC roadmap, including increased power for wireless charging, increased range, and more.
1. Increased power wireless charging
Like how your phone can wirelessly charge your smartwatch or wireless earbuds? Soon enough, you might be able to use NFC for the same, at least to an extent. The NFC Forum mentioned their aim of increasing the wireless power capabilities of NFC from 1 to 3 watts.
This might not sound very impressive since most high-end phones these days already have 5 to 10W of reverse wireless charging. But the thing is, NFC technology can fit into much smaller and more compact devices like IoT devices, making this a potentially huge deal for the near future.
2. Increased range
One of the main limiting features of NFC connections is its short 5mm range. And the NFC Forum has mentioned its goal of increasing this range by four to six times. This upgrade would greatly improve its usability as you’d no longer have to align NFC devices precisely to establish connection.
3. Multi-purpose tap
As the name suggests, this feature will allow multiple actions to take place with just a single tap. It will greatly ease point-to-point receipt delivery, loyalty identification, and total journey ticketing.
4. Modernizing device-to-device communication
NFC-enabled smartphones and devices will have Point-of-Sale (POS) functionality making it easier for businesses and individuals to send and receive payments anywhere.
5. Expanding data-sharing capabilities for sustainability
Likewise, the NFC forum also aims to integrate NFC in ways to give information on product composition and recycling options. This will contribute to a healthier economy and support sustainability goals.
NFC Roadmap: Conclusion
The NFC Roadmap was developed in collaboration with the NFC Forum’s members, stakeholders, and liaison partners. By sharing the roadmap publicly, the institution aims to garner awareness and interest in NFC technology. Not all the features may come to fruition by 2028, so it is best to remain cautiously optimistic. And we can’t wait to see how NFC’s utility will actually pan out in the future.
Infinix brand has already introduced quite a few smartphones in the Nepali market. They recently launched the Smart 7 HD, and now they just came up with the Smart 7 Plus. This article includes the specifications, features, and official price in Nepal of the Infinix Smart 7 Plus.
Infinix Smart 7 Plus Overview:
Design and Display
Infinix Smart 7 Plus is a little bulky as it measures 9.4mm in thickness and weighs around 207 grams. The phone has a glass front and a plastic frame and back. The phone features a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor for secure unlocking. Infinix has added ripple-like textures on the back and a silver ion spray that keeps away 14 kinds of bacteria.
The Infinix Smart 7 Plus boasts a 6.6-inch IPS LCD screen with a 720 x 1612 pixels resolution. It has 4096 levels of automatic adjustment ranging from 1 nits to 500 nits. The display refreshes at 60Hz and offers a screen-to-body ratio of about 84%.
Performance and Storage
Under the hood, Infinix Smart 7 Plus is powered by an unspecified octa-core chipset with a clock speed of up to 1.6GHz. Given the specs, we suspect this to be the Unisoc SC9863A, a 28nm chipset with two clusters of Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.2GHz and 1.6GHz, respectively. The phone has 4GB of RAM with an additional 3GB RAM of virtual RAM. Likewise, the default storage is 64GB, but you can expand it via a microSD card slot. Infinix Smart 7 Plus runs on Android 12 with XOS skin on top.
In terms of the camera, the Infinix Smart 7 Plus features a dual-camera setup led by a 13MP main camera. The official site lists the second camera as an AI lens but fails to mention its resolution and purpose. The phone allows video recording at 1080p with the rear camera and 720p with the 5MP front camera, both equipped with LED flash.
Rest of the features
One of the standout features of the Infinix Smart 7 Plus is its high-capacity 6000mAh non-removable Li-Po battery. With such a large battery and entry-level specs, you can expect extended usage times without frequent charging. The phone also supports 10W Type-C wired charging for quick charging.
In terms of connectivity, the Infinix Smart 7 Plus supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, and GPS. It offers reliable positioning and navigation capabilities. It supports dual nano-SIM slots for dual standby. Moreover, it retains the classic 3.5mm audio jack, allowing you to connect wired headphones without adapters.
Color Options: Azure Blue, Emerald Green, Night Black
Infinix Smart 7 Plus Price in Nepal (Official)
The official price of the Infinix Smart 7 Plus in Nepal is Rs. 12,999 for the sole variant with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. You can purchase the phone from various retailers across the country.
In summary, the Infinix Smart 7 Plus is a budget-friendly smartphone with a stylish design, a large battery, and decent performance. It offers a good display, capable cameras, and ample storage space, making it a good choice for users looking for an affordable smartphone with reliable features.
Meanwhile, check out our unboxing and review of Infininix Hot 10 Play:
Zenbooks have always been a popular choice for those seeking a thin and light everyday carry but this time Asus has gone above and beyond in its pursuit of sleekness. And it might not exactly be a “good” thing. You’ll understand what I mean soon enough. Before the review, here are the brief specifications of the Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED (2023).
Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED (2023) Review: Specifications
Design & Build: Plasma Ceramic Aluminum lid, Recycled Aluminium chassis, 296.2 (W) x 216.3 (D) x 10.9 (H) mm, 1 kg
My unit powered by the Intel Core i7-1355U alongside 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD retails for around USD 1,400 in the US, around INR 130,000, and NPR 204,000 here in Nepal. There’s also the i5 Variant which is a bit lighter on the pocket but unfortunately, it is currently unavailable in Nepal.
Firstly, let me talk about the build. The new Zenbook is now 25% slimmer than its predecessor which was already pretty thin. As Such, the new Zenbook S 13 2023 is remarkably compact weighing only 1 kilogram and measuring a mere 1 centimeter in thickness. Besides that, it’s built from recycled materials and halogen-free electronics. That gives it a pretty unique look as well.
Asus has used pure water to make its plasma ceramic aluminum lid that feels paperlike to the touch. They say this has increased wear resistance, bettered corrosion protection, and improved hardness. The chassis itself is made up of recycled aluminum. As such, the build quality is superb and leaves no room for complaints.
Keyboard and TrackPad
Backlit chiclet keyboard
Glass trackpad
Moving on, the keyboard deck is made up of aluminum-magnesium alloy and feels sturdy too. The keys themselves feel nice to type on and offer backlighting for working in dimly lit environments. The glass touchpad is top-notch as well. It is accurate, responsive, and works well with multi-finger gestures. Overall, there are no compromises when it comes to the keyboard and trackpad experience on the Zenbook S 13 OLED.
Display
13.3” 2.8K Lumina OLED panel
100% DCI-P3, 550 nits HDR peak brightness
The display is one of the best I’ve seen on an ultrabook. It’s a 13.3” 2.8K OLED panel with 100% DCI-P3 coverage. Asus has dubbed this screen “Lumina OLED” which is a new name for high-quality OLED displays with Pantone Validated color rendering, DisplayHDR True Black certification, and Delta E less than 1. As such, the colors look accurate and watching media is a blast.
Display Properties
1 of 3
Color Gamut
Gamma
Brightness
Viewing angles are great and I had my colleagues complementing the richness of the display multiple times. Besides that, it emits 70% less harmful blue light for better eye care and sleep quality. Watching movies and animation is especially a treat thanks to its deep blacks and vivid colors. It also has the more favorable 16:10 aspect ratio which is always a good thing.
Speakers and Webcam
Front WebCam Sample
On the topic of content consumption, let me move on to the speakers. And simply put they are decent but not great. They sound rich and balanced but don’t get necessarily loud. High Frequencies also don’t sound the very best. This is understandable given the size constraints so I would still give them a 3.5 out of 5 rating for laptop speakers. The FHD webcam on the Asus Zenbook S 13 is decent for video conferences and online meetings but it’s nothing to write home about. But it does have IR technology with Windows Hello so you can unlock your laptop just by looking at it.
Performance
Intel Core i7-1355U CPU (10C/12T, up to 5GHz)
Integrate Intel Xe graphics (96 EU)
16GB LPDDR5 RAM, 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD
Now, here’s the catch. Ultra portability comes at a cost and that is the most apparent in performance. The Zenbook S 13 OLED is powered by a 13th Gen Intel Core i7 1355U processor which strikes a good balance between raw horsepower and minimal power consumption. Unfortunately, the chip doesn’t seem to be performing at its maximum capabilities. We ran Cinebench R23 multiple times and no matter how you look at it, the compact form factor has a negative toll on its performance.
We got an average of 1667 points for single core and 6620 for multicore. To put that into perspective, other laptops with the same chip have scores in the ballpark of 1750 to 1800 for Single Core and 8800+ for multicore performance. Even last year’s S 13 with the Ryzen 7 6800U had a better multicore performance.
Does that mean the Zenbook S 13 OLED is unusable? Of course not, you’ll breeze through light office work like answering emails, browsing media, editing documents, and such. You can even do a bit of Photoshop and coding. You might hardly notice the difference if you don’t intend to push it to its limits. But it is a thing to keep in the back of your mind.
I hardly noticed the fans kick in my day-to-day workflow so the system runs quite like a mouse when not under heavy load. If you want to run something more intensive I’d suggest switching the fan profile to performance mode (using Fn + F) for optimal airflow. There’s also the whisper mode if you want to be especially stealthy.
Gaming on an ultraportable?
Gaming is the furthest thing the Zenbook S 13 OLED is made for so it’s no surprise it doesn’t perform very well. But I was still slightly disappointed when my 1% low on CSGO(low settings) was 8fps. I would’ve preferred to end this segment by saying something like you can do some light gaming on this thing and it is perfectly playable but that’s not the case here. But hey, you can still run Asphalt 9 (on max settings) at a smooth 60 fps (46 fps 1% low) but anything more than that might be less than ideal.
Battery Life
4-cell 63Wh Li-ion
65W AC power adapter
For its size, the Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED has decent battery life. It is powered by a 63 Wh Lithium Battery which is bigger than I expected for a laptop this compact. And the larger size does greatly benefit its battery life. I was getting anywhere from 4 and a half hours to over 5 hours of battery life on standard power settings at 80% brightness.
You can get a bit more if you opt for the power efficiency mode but not by a whole lot. Acer claims up to 14 hours of local video playback which would be the upper bound for battery life. The good thing is, it charges really fast reaching 0-70% in under 50 minutes. But like any thin and light laptop, it can get uncomfortably warm while charging.
Connectivity and I/O
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
For a 13-inch device, the port selection is quite generous as well. You get 2 USB Thunderbolt 4 ports and a Full Sized HDMI 2.1 on the left while the right side houses a USB A port and a headphone & microphone jack. For wireless connectivity, you get Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.
Ports
1 of 2
Left Side
Right Side
Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED (2023) Review: Conclusion
In conclusion, the Asus Zenbook S 13 2023 Edition is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a unique ultraportable laptop for work or business. Its stunning display paired with its reliable battery life also makes it an ideal media machine. But it’s not for everyone and people looking for performance might not see the appeal at all.
Anyways, if you’re planning to get a lightweight system or a Windows alternative to the M2 Macbook Air, I can heartily recommend the Zenbook S 13. But only if you’re aware of the compromises you’ll be making and are okay with it.
Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED (2023) Review: Pros and Cons
Following multiple leaks, Amazfit officially launched its first-ever multi-sports GPS watch called the Falcon last year. It’s a premium-rugged smartwatch with a new AI-based training coach Zepp Coach. Let’s walk through the specs, features, availability, and official price of the Amazfit Falcon in Nepal.
Amazfit Falcon Overview:
Design, Display
As a rugged smartwatch, it’s obvious that Amazfit has placed a premium on durability. It has an aircraft-grade TC4 titanium unibody design that is corrosion-resistant and good enough to pass 15 military-grade tests to bag MIL-STD 810G certification.
Adding to the durability is a Sapphire Crystal Glass screen with a Mohs hardness rating of 9/10, which is just below the hardness of a diamond. The display is a 1.28-inch AMOLED touchscreen with a resolution of 416 x 416 pixels. It also has an anti-fingerprint coating to keep fingerprints at bay.
Not to forget, this is Amazfit’s first smartwatch with a 20ATM water-resistance rating. This is more than the 10ATM rating on Apple Watch Ultra, the company’s most expensive watch to date. Moreover, the wearable weighs 64 grams, has four buttons (two on each side), and is only available in Supersonic Black color.
With Falcon, Amazfit introduced its new AI-powered Zepp Coach, which provides tailored guidance to the user based on his/her physical characteristics. Furthermore, it can detect if the user is overtrained and reduce the intensity of scheduled exercise accordingly – or even recommend rest.
The wearable has over 150 indoor and outdoor sports modes, with auto-detect for 8 of them. You can sync your fitness scores and details with third-party apps, such as Google Fit, Apple Health, Relive, Strava, and Adidas’ Running app.
In addition, Amazfit lets you connect the Falcon with professional workout devices like heart belts and cycling power meters via Bluetooth. You can even have the watch screen awake so you can easily check it out during workouts.
For those who work out in gyms, the watch can auto-recognize strength training exercises and keep track of reps, sets, and rest time. Similarly, runners can get professional lap data with the Track Run mode and review their track trajectory in the Zepp App. In addition, the watch has a six satellite position system and dual-band GPS (L1 + L5) for accurate route tracking even in densely populated areas.
Rest of the specs
Keeping everything running is a 500mAh battery inside. With this, the Falcon is said to provide up to two weeks of run time under normal conditions. It takes two hours to charge this thing using the included 5-pin connector.
Furthermore, connectivity options include WLAN 2.4GHz and Bluetooth 5.0 BLE connectivity. You can pair the smartwatch with devices running Android 7.0 and iOS 12.0 and above.
The Amazfit Falcon is now available in Nepal with an asking price of Rs. 84,999. You can buy the Falcon rugged smartwatch from Hukut and other authorized stores in Nepal.
If you are looking to buy affordable yet reliable TWS earbuds, you have come to the right place. Here we have listed the best budget TWS earphones (earbuds) you can buy in Nepal for under NPR 10000.
Before we begin…
Over the past few years, truly wireless earbuds have gained momentum. The popularity of the TWS earphones can also be credited to the smartphone manufacturers ditching the 3.5mm headphone jack in their flagship smartphones. Or is it the other way around?
In recent years we have seen a lot of wireless earphones debut in Nepal, especially in the budget segment. It may confuse a lot of people about which one they should go for. Thus, we have curated the following list of the best budget TWS earphones (earbuds) in Nepal that one can buy under NPR 10000.
Oh, and I won’t be considering the fit and comfort of these earbuds in this ranking since those are super subjective things. Here, none of the earbuds on my list have an absolutely horrific fit or anything, but your mileage may vary.
Best TWS Earbuds in Nepal under NPR 10000 (Summary)
Okay, so let’s kick things off this list of best TWS earbuds under NPR 10000 in Nepal with the Redmi Buds 4. Compared to last year’s Redmi Buds 3, Xiaomi has made quite a few changes this time.
Instead of a tall stem-like design, these earbuds now have a sleek oval-shaped speaker unit, which feels much more comfortable to put on. And it even has active noise cancellation now that works pretty well to cut out consistent low-frequency ambient noises.
I was also not expecting to see transparency mode with the option to amplify others’ voices on such budget wireless earbuds either.
Buds 4
But while I have big praises for Redmi Buds 4’s design and noise cancellation properties, its audio quality itself is nothing groundbreaking for the price. Xiaomi has mostly tried to tune it with a balanced EQ, but there’s a definite kick when it comes to bass and trebles.
I’ll admit that it doesn’t sound too sharp or something, but that muddy bass does tend to eat up details when listening to hip-hop, rock, and similar tracks. Plus, despite its app support, there’s no way to set a custom equalizer for these earbuds, which simply suck.
Redmi Buds 4 Specifications:
Driver: 10mm Dynamic driver
Connectivity: Wireless (Bluetooth v5.2), 10 meters range, USB Type-C
So if you want more flexibility on how your earbuds sound, you should check out the new OnePlus Nord Buds 2. If you remember, the first-gen Nord Buds had this horrifying bass response, but with the second-gen Nord Buds, I’m definitely noticing some improvements in terms of tuning.
Likewise, I wouldn’t exactly call its default “Balanced” equalizer “balanced” in any way, but the Nord Buds 2 has a somewhat bright sound signature with boosted upper mids and high frequencies that sounds sooooo much better. There’s still some bass to enjoy, although it no longer comes off dark and bloaty to undermine the overall clarity of the music.
Surprisingly enough, OnePlus has also managed to include ANC on these earbuds. But don’t expect anything extraordinary in that regard.
Nevertheless, its microphone quality is pretty decent, with good background noise suppression, and its 12.4mm drivers are even more sensitive now. This means the Nord Buds 2 can get almost unbearably loud. Setting it at around 70% volume was more than enough for my ears, even when taking these things for a spin in busy Kathmandu streets.
Next up is the Redmi Buds 3 Lite. At just Rs. 3,399, it is the most affordable entry on our list of best earbuds under NPR 10000 in Nepal. I know you’re probably wondering, “Why are you including such inexpensive earbuds when our budget is more than three times as much?” And I just have two words for you: audio quality.
Of course, many other brands are competing in this sub-5,000 bracket, too—but for audio quality alone, Redmi Buds 3 Lite is still one of the best options for its price.
To be fair, if you prefer thumpy bass or strong trebles, these earbuds shouldn’t be at the top of your list. Instead, Buds 3 Lite’s audio is almost the exact opposite, with a sort of laid-back tuning that sounds great in most kinds of songs without overdoing anything. But I do wish its soundstage could’ve been wider, though. And that it got a little louder as well.
Redmi Buds 3 Lite Specifications:
Dimension:
Earbud: 24.5 x 16.7 x 24.6 mm, 4.2 grams each
Charging Case: 60 x 46 x 23.7mm, 36 grams (with earbuds)
Color Options: Black
Sound Driver: 6mm dynamic driver
Noise Cancellation: Environment Noise Cancellation (for calls) only
Microphone: Yes,
Connectivity: Bluetooth v5.2 (10m wireless range)
IP Rating: Yes, IP54 (earbuds only)
Battery:
Earbuds: 36mAh
Case: 315mAh
Playback Time:
Earbuds: 5 hours
With case: 18 hours
Control: Touch-based control (Double Tap, Triple Tap, Long Press)
So, if Redmi Buds 3 Lite’s shortcomings are a dealbreaker and you can afford to spend threefold the money, then the OnePlus Buds Z2 could be a good choice. From better call quality to active noise cancellation and app support, this thing is much more feature-rich than Xiaomi’s affordable offering.
And its “V-shaped” sound signature means these earbuds produce boomy bass and lifted trebles, while the midrange takes a backseat in terms of clarity and definition. However, I found out that, in classical, acoustic, or any other genre of songs with not much bass, its mids, and treble response can come off a little grainy. And even sibilant at high volume.
This was actually a big issue when Buds Z2 first launched since there was no way to change the EQ settings by default. But, OnePlus has already pushed an update enabling a 6-band equalizer.
Another late addition to these earbuds is the “Max Noise Cancellation” setting. But I gotta say it’s not that different from the regular noise cancellation option, which is already pretty good. However, before you go ahead and get these things, you should know that some of its features, like Dolby Atmos playback and low-latency mode, are only available on select OnePlus phones.
OnePlus Buds Z2 Specifications:
Body:
Earbud: 33 x 22.4 x 21.8 mm, 4.6 grams (each)
Charging case: 73.15 x 36.8 x 29.1 mm, 42 grams
Color options: Obsidian Black, Pearl White
Sound driver: 11mm Dynamic Driver
Driver sensitivity: 98dB ± 3dB @ 1kHz
Microphone: Triple mic on each earbud (with ENC for phone calls)
Frequency response: 20Hz – 20kHz
IP certification: IP55 (earbuds), IPX4 (charging case)
Audio codecs: AAC, SBC
Noise cancellation: Yes, ANC (Up to 40dB reduction)
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2, Google Fast Pair Service
So if you are not a big fan of such a walled ecosystem thing, let me introduce you to Sony’s WF-C500, which doesn’t discriminate with features whether you have an Android phone or an iPhone.
Besides everything else, I’m especially impressed by how clean and faithful it sounds. The midrange and vocals preserve good timbre, while its treble reproduction is just as brilliant. I didn’t find its bass hit as impactful as I’d like in the default settings, but switching to the “Excited” EQ mostly did the trick.
These earbuds also have a spacious soundstage, and the instrument separation here is pretty amazing. But even though this is one of the best-sounding earbuds on our list—and one with the best battery backup, too—the WF-C500 has a few rudimentary compromises. Like a lack of ANC.
And in fairly noisy or windy conditions, its onboard microphones thoroughly struggle to pick up your voice in the middle of all the background noise.
Moving on, Realme Buds Air 3 is yet another excellent pair of earbuds under 10,000 rupees in Nepal. And it sounds something like the OnePlus Buds Z2 but with a more balanced tonality without coming off as overpowering. Of course, Realme has still tuned these earbuds with a slightly punchier bass, but the Buds Air 3 sounds great across most musical genres.
But unlike the Sony WF-C500 and a couple of other upcoming earbuds on our list, I find its soundstage and definition in the treble region to be somewhat lacking. But when it comes to active noise cancellation, these earbuds are simply the best you can get in this price range. And it even competes with some of the more expensive ones—it’s just that good.
But I just wish I could say the same about its call quality. It’s good enough in quiet environments—but on a more challenging turf—the audio pickup here is just average.
And one thing that has bugged me about these earbuds is the touch control. You eventually get used to it, but I just wish there was some sort of physical marking to naturally guide where your fingers should be resting.
Realme Buds Air 3 Specifications:
Color options: Galaxy White, Starry Blue
Sound driver: 10mm LCP Dynamic Bass Boost driver
Audio codecs: AAC, SBC
Noise cancellation: Yes (ANC up to 42dB), Dual-mic
Connectivity: Bluetooth v5.2
Water resistance: Yes, IPX5 waterproof (earbuds only)
Coming in at number two is the Jabra Elite 3. Just like the Sony WF-C500, these earbuds are also all about the basics. By keeping things simple and focusing mostly on the audio side of things, Jabra has managed to deliver one heck of a budget earbuds.
And it sounds balanced, detailed, and all the other adjectives I’d typically use with a great audio product. Its mid-tone texture isn’t as well-defined as on the Sony C500, but I’m overly nitpicking at this point.
Likewise, although the Elite 3 has a small 6mm driver, its bass reproduction is impactful and warm.
Another handy feature I love about these earbuds is that I can just double-click on the left earbud, and it automatically plays my Spotify playlists. Unfortunately, this feature is only available on Android devices.
Despite all this, the Elite 3’s microphone quality is nothing to write home about, and it doesn’t bring ANC either. But the one silver lining here is that these earbuds do have a noise-isolating design—which sounds almost as good as active noise cancellation itself.
Jabra Elite 3 Specifications:
Dimension:
Earbud: 20.1mm x 27.2mm x 20.8mm, 4.6 grams each
Charging Case: 64.15mm x 28.47mm x 34.6mm, 33.4 grams
Finally, my top pick for the best budget earbuds under NPR 10000 in Nepal is the OPPO Enco Air2 Pro. From a comfortable fit to great sound quality, ANC, and battery life, these earbuds impress in many ways.
And it has some of the cleanest bass response I’ve heard from a pair of budget wireless earbuds. The bass hit is tight, punchy, and it doesn’t sound overbearing or extend to higher frequencies.
Its wide soundstage, accurate stereo imaging, and treble definition are also impressive—which makes for an excellent listening experience in all types of songs, movies, and stuff. And one thing the Enco Air2 Pro does particularly better than the Jabra Elite 3 is that it gets quite loud too.
Its ANC is also quite effective, although not as good as the Realme Buds Air 3. The call quality here is just alright, and I’m not the biggest fan of such a tall design either, but the main disappointing thing about these earbuds is that you can’t set a custom EQ.
OPPO could eventually push an update for a custom equalizer, but until then, you’re stuck with the three default presets.
Oppo Enco Air2 Pro Specifications:
Dimension:
Earbud: 4.3 grams each
Charging Case: 66.84 x 51.45 x 25.04mm, 50.4 grams (with earbuds)
Color Options: White, Gray
Sound Driver: 12.4mm Titanized Diaphragm drivers
Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz (Music Mode)
Microphone: 2x Mic (-38dBV/Pa)
Connectivity: Bluetooth v5.2 (10m wireless range)
IP Rating: Yes, IP54 (earbuds only)
Playback Time:
Earbuds: 5/7 hours (ANC on/off)
With case: 20/28 hours (ANC on/off)
Control: Touch-based control (Singe Tap, Double Tap, Triple Tap, Long Press)
Best TWS Earbuds under NPR 10000 in Nepal: Conclusion
So there you have it, guys; that was all for my top picks for the best budget earbuds under NPR 10000 in Nepal in 2023. Did I miss any? Have you been using one of these? Share your experience in the comment section down below?
Asus has just unveiled the Vivobook Pro 15 (K6502) powered by Nepal’s latest 13th Gen “Raptor Lake” mobile processors. It is the more affordable sibling of the recently launched Vivobook Pro 16 OLED. So, let’s get into the specs, features, official price, and availability of the Asus Vivobook Pro 15 (2023) in Nepal.
Asus Vivobook Pro 15 (2023) Overview:
Performance and Cooling
As stated earlier, the new Vivobook Pro 15 laptop is powered by the latest 13th Gen Intel processors. The base model has the Core i5-13500H, featuring 12 cores and 16 threads. However, you can also configure the laptop with Core i7-23700H and i9-13900H with 14 cores and 20 threads.
Being a Pro model, the Vivobook Pro 15 also brings the power of NVIDIA’s RTX GPUs. You can choose between the RTX 4050 and RTX 4060. In some regions, Asus offers the laptop with the last-gen RTX 3050 GPU. Since this laptop leans more towards content creation than gaming, Asus ships it with the NVIDIA Studio driver.
Asus has also added a MUX switch to the laptop — something found only in gaming laptops, to switch to discrete GPU mode. By bypassing the integrated GPUI, it can improve the graphics performance by 5 to 10% on average at the expense of battery life.
The IceCool Plus cooling technology on the Vivobook Pro 15 (2023) is designed to handle up to 90W of thermal design power, the maximum this laptop can draw. It comprises dual fans with 86 blades, two heat pipes, and 3 exhaust vents.
Design and Display
This non-OLED laptop features a 15.6-inch FHD IPS screen with a 144Hz refresh rate. It boasts 100% sRGB coverage and 250 nits of brightness. Aspiring content creators would be happy to know that the screen is Pantone validated. You can lay the screen flat thanks to the 180° hinge.
The lid is metallic, whereas the rest of the chassis is plastic. It measures 19mm in thickness and weighs around 1.8 kg. You can choose between two shades — Quiet Blue and Cool Silver. As a finishing touch, Asus has added a color-blocked Warning Orange Esc Key and a striped Enter key.
Asus Vivobook Pro 15 (2023) features a full-size keyboard layout with a dedicated number pad. The keys have a 0.2mm dish and boast a 1.44mm travel distance. Likewise, the key pitch is 19.05mm. A fingerprint scanner is integrated into the power button on the top right. Next to the keyboard and the touchpad is the Asus DialPad that lets users tweak between the Creative Adobe Suite settings and other productivity and entertainment apps.
The 1080p webcam on the top bezels sports a physical shutter. It supports in-house AiSense effects, including background blur, lighting correction, gaze correction, motion tracking, and appearance filter. It has three mics with AI noise-canceling technology. The stereo speakers on the Vivobook Pro 15 are tuned by Harman/Kardon and have Dolby Atmos support.
Rest of the Specs
All this is fueled by a 3-cell 70Wh battery. With fast charging support, the laptop can go from 0 to 50% in 30 minutes using the included 150W DC-in charger. You can even charge the laptop with a Power Delivery charger with any of the two USB-C ports (1x Thunderbolt 4). In addition, there are two USB-A ports, one HDMI port, one ethernet, an SD card reader, and an audio combo jack. As for wireless connectivity, it has Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.
Asus Vivobook Pro 15 (K6502) Specifications:
Dimensions: 35.63 x 23.53 x 1.99 ~ 2.00 cm (14.03″ x 9.26″ x 0.78″ ~ 0.79″)
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11ax 6E (Dual Band) 2×2, Bluetooth 5.3
I/O Ports: 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (DisplayPort, Power Delivery), 1x Thunderbolt 4, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x RJ-45, 1x 3.5mm headphone jack, 1 SD card reader
Extra: Asus DialPad, Asus Antimicrobial Guard, MUX Switch
Asus Vivobook Pro 15 (2023) Price in Nepal and Availability
The price of the Asus Vivobook Pro 15 (2023) in Nepal is Rs. 195,500 for the sole variant with Intel core i7-13700H, RTX 3050, 16GB RAM, and 1TB SSD. You can buy the laptop from Nagmani and other authorized stores in Nepal.
Today, a reliable internet connection is no longer a luxury but a necessity. One key aspect that often dominates conversations about internet services is the speed it delivers. Recently, WorldLink, a leading Internet Service Provider (ISP) in Nepal, introduced a money-back service called “Paisa Firta,” where they promise to refund money to subscribers if they experience slow internet speed. This article will discuss the eligibility criteria, branch locations, and other relevant details surrounding Worldlink’s “Paisa Firta” scheme.
WorldLink “Paisa Firta” Service:
WorldLink’s Paisa Firta addresses customer dissatisfaction arising from slow internet speeds. The service is available to subscribers of standard packages of 200 Mbps, 250 Mbps, and 300 Mbps. If the customer experiences a compromise in internet performance, they can request a refund. When a customer asks for a refund, WorldLink sends their technical team to troubleshoot the internet speed problem.
If the issue continues even after two visits from the technical team, customers are eligible to receive a refund for the remaining days of their subscription package. For instance, if a user has purchased a 30-day package and has used only 10 days, they will be refunded for the remaining 20 days. However, the customer will be required to pay an additional deactivation fee of Rs. 500+VAT.
Branch Locations for WordlLink Money Back Scheme
At present, the service can be claimed from these 50 branch locations:
Amarsinghchowk
Bagar
Balaju
Baluwtar
Bansbari
Battisputali
Biratnagar
Bouddha
Birgunj
Banepa
Bhairahawa
Butwal
Birtamode
Chitwan
Damak
Dang
Dharan
Dholahiti
Dhobighat
Dhangadhi
Damauli
Dhungedhara
Gatthaghar
Hetauda
Itahari
Imadol
Janakpur
Kalimati
Kohalpur
Koteshwor
Kapan
Kirtipur
Lekhnath
Lamahi
Manbhawan
New Baneshwor
Pepsicola
Rastrabankchowk
Sallaghari
Satungal
Sitapaila
Surkhet
Kaldhara
Manigram
Mahendrapool
Nepalgunj
Puspalalchowk
Tulsipur
Tandi
Thali
In addition, you can also initiate the refund processor through Call Center and social media handles.
The new “Paisa Firta” offer is strictly for issues on the ISP (WorldLink) side that remain unresolved even after two technical visits. However, it’s unclear how long each visit will take and the time gap between them. The scheme is invalid if the issue is with the user’s device. WorldLink also doesn’t guarantee refunds for problems caused by external factors like weather, infrastructural damage, external outages, maintenance, and international link breakage.
Will every other IPS follow this initiative?
WorldLink’s “Paisa Firta” money-back initiative shows its dedication to customer satisfaction. However, there are potential challenges that they might have to address. Accurately measuring internet speeds and determining the eligibility for refunds can be complex, considering the various factors affecting internet performance, i.e., weather conditions, high internet traffic, etc. Other issues can arise from the inconvenience of technical visits to every claimed place, a potentially lengthy resolution process, the risk of false claims, and many more.
By prioritizing customer satisfaction and improving service quality, ISPs can enhance their reputation, attract more customers, and contribute to a more reliable and efficient internet experience for all users. While it is uncertain if all other ISPs will adopt the exact same money-back guarantee program in the near future; if this service receives success and a positive response in the industry, it could potentially influence the introduction of similar customer-centric programs by other ISPs.
While WorldLink’s Paisa Firta service prioritizes customer satisfaction over the competition, it comes with many challenges. It remains to be seen how WorldLink will address these challenges and successfully deliver on its customer commitment.
Anyways, The “Paisa Firta” service initiates after the second visit from the technical team. Subscribers can request troubleshooting through channels such as Worldlink’s online support platforms (website, Facebook, Viber, Twitter), their dedicated app, or by visiting the nearest branch office.
Meanwhile, check out our video, where we tested the most affordable ISP in Nepal.
Voice cloning software has existed since the ’90s, and even before that. But while you had slim chances to see one work—or even better—clone your voice back then, such tools are far more accessible to the general public these days. And there are a ton of AI tools available online that can clone your voice within minutes (or hours). So let’s take a look at one such free AI voice cloning tool.
What is AI voice cloning?
AI voice cloning or voice synthesis is a technology that uses machine learning / deep learning to recognize and replicate the unique patterns in an individual’s voice. Over the past few years, there have been a lot of advances in this space leading to today where cloned voices can be extremely realistic with rich expressions and a natural tone.
That being said, it is an unregulated space and we don’t condone using this technology for the sake of spreading misinformation, spam, fraud, or hate speech.
Enter PlayHT, a free AI voice cloning tool
There are plenty of AI tools that let you create a clone of your voice. But since most of them are paid services, we decided to test something more accessible to everyone. And the software I used to clone my voice is called “PlayHT”, which is a free AI voice cloning tool.
Select the “Voice Cloning” tab on your left and click “Create a New Clone”
Next, select the “Instant” option for free voice cloning.
There’s also “High Fidelity” cloning for better results, but that’s only available to paid users.
Then upload a high-quality audio sample of the voice you’d like to duplicate.
And that’s it! You can simply record yourself speaking for 30 – 120 seconds and upload that as the reference audio. After a few minutes, your voice is now ready to be used.
Having also used Eleven Lab’s AI voice cloning, I would say that it’s in a league of its own when it comes to speech synthesis. And if you just want great text-to-speech results, then I would recommend you go there. But their voice cloning feature is behind a paywall so I guess it’s not fair to compare it with this free AI voice cloning tool.
And I think PlayHT’s output is okay-ish and you can make it sound somewhat decent by cutting and pasting different parts. But it’s definitely not perfect out of the gate. Maybe that’s alright if you’re just looking for some harmless fun or experiment.
But for anything more than that, you have two options. Either:
a) Pay for the “High Fidelity” cloning on PlayHT or subscribe to ElevenLabs’ services
or b) Generate tons of revisions and cut/paste them together for usable audio sample
Here’s a short sample of my cloned voice using this tool:
Meanwhile, check our top picks for best premium midrange phones in 2023
![Best Wireless Earbuds Under Rs. 10,000 in Nepal [Updated]](https://cdn.gadgetbytenepal.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Best-Wireless-Earbuds-Under-10000-in-Nepal-2023-Update.jpg "Best Wireless Earbuds Under Rs. 10,000 in Nepal [Updated]")
