Tecno has launched a new mid-range smartphone in Nepal, the Pova 3. It comes with a big 7000mAh battery and the Helio G88 SoC. So let’s go over the specs, features, official price, and availability of the Tecno Pova 3 in Nepal.
Tecno Pova 3 Overview:
Design and Display
Tecno is offering the Pova 3 in three main colorways: Electric Blue, Tech Silver, and Eco Black. Of the three, Electric Blue stands out because of the series of blue notification lights on the central stripe. The other two variants also have stripes —but without LEDs.
Over on the front, Tecno Pova 3 sports a 6.9-inch LCD screen with a center-aligned punch-hole cutout. It’s an FHD+ screen with support for 90Hz refresh rate.
Performance and Memory
Inside, Tecno Pova 3 is powered by MediaTek Helio G88. It is an octa-core chipset with two Cortex-A75 cores (@2.0GHz) and six Cortex-A55 cores (@1.8GHz). Handling the graphics is the dual-core Mali G52 GPU.
Since it is a performance-focused mid-range phone, Tecno has even included a cooling setup with graphite. Likewise, there is Panter Engine 2.0 based on MediaTek’s HyperEngine 2.0 Lite for efficient resource management during gaming.
The base variant of the Tecno Pova 3 features 4GB of RAM paired with 64GB of storage. There is also a higher-end variant with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage.
Tecno Pova 3 features a trio of cameras at the back. Here, the primary camera uses a 50MP sensor. Accompanying it is a 2MP portrait sensor and a gimmicky AI lens. Tecno even included a quad-LED flash alongside the setup. Upfront, you get an 8MP selfie camera with a dual-LED flash, accompanying it.
Rest of the Specs
Fueling the Tecno Pova 3 is a massive 7,000mAh battery— another one of its highlight features. It also supports 25W fast wired charging, and the company ships a 33W charger in the box. The phone has stereo speakers with DTS: Audio. Furthermore, Tecno has included a Z-axis linear motor for 4D vibration in games.
Tecno Pova 3 Specifications:
Body: 173.1 x 78.46 x 9.44 mm
Display: 6.9 inches IPS LCD, 1080 x 2460 pixels
Chipset: MediaTek Helio G88 (12nm)
Memory: 4/6GB RAM, 64/128GB storage (expandable)
Software: Android 12 with Tecno’s HiOS on top
Rear Camera: Triple (50MP primary, 2MP depth, AI lens)
Front Camera: 8MP (punch-hole cutout)
Battery: 7000mAh, 25W fast charging
Tecno Pova 3 Price in Nepal and Availability
In Nepal, the Tecno Pova 3 comes in only one configuration: 6/128GB for NPR 23,990. As usual, the company is offering a 100-day replacement guarantee with the phone. You can purchase it from authorized Tecno retail stores throughout Nepal.
Tecno Pova 3
Price in Nepal (Official)
6/128GB
Rs. 23,990
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Xiaomi 12X.
Samsung has long been involved in the semiconductor business. Nonetheless, the company’s Exynos chip has not been able to democratize the market in the same way that MediaTek and Qualcomm have. In fact, Samsung is most likely going all-in on Snapdragon for the Galaxy S23 series. But it appears that the company has better plans for the future, as a new report suggests it is partnering with Google and AMD to develop a new mobile chipset. More about it here.
Samsung partners with Google and AMD:
As per the tipster Connor, Samsung is already working on this new SoC with Google’s Tensor and AMD’s graphics team. As a result, AMD is likely to bring its expertise to make better GPUs, while Google will provide assistance in better utilizing artificial intelligence.
[❗️Exclusive❗️]
So, This is the end of my Dream Team Leaks.
This SoC Desgin, Will return 5 years later(2020~2025). Research with Google Tensor Department and AMD Radeon, this could be a most stablized and powerful computing process on Galaxy “Phone”. pic.twitter.com/q3VF2ZPVeb
The silicon is said to have a 2+4+4 architecture and will include two “high-performance” Cortex-X cores, four “performance” cores, and four “energy-efficient” cores. That means it will have a deca-core CPU rather than the octa-core common in today’s smartphones.
For starters, Google and Samsung have been working together to manufacture Tensor chips for Pixel smartphones. These are Exynos SoCs with custom AI features added on top.
According to reports, the third-generation Tensor chip, which is expected to debut on the Pixel 8 series, is already in the works. It is known as “Ripcurrent” and has the model number S5P9865. This apparently has nothing to do with the chip sketched on Connor’s tweet.
Availability
As of now, it is unknown when or if Samsung will announce this new SoC. However, it is expected to power future Galaxy S-series smartphones, most likely from 2025. That means it could be produced using a more advanced 3nm process, as Samsung has already begun working on 3nm chips.
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Realme announced two new smartphones today. We have already discussed the Realme 9 Pro+ in a previous article, and here we will talk about its vanilla sibling. So, let’s get into the specifications, features, expected price, and availability of Realme 10 Pro 5G in Nepal.
Realme 10 Pro 5G Overview:
Design and Display
Realme 10 Pro 5G is built around a 6.7-inch FHD+ display with a center-aligned punch-hole cutout. It retains the 120Hz refresh rate of its Pro+ sibling but misses out on the vibrant color of an AMOLED panel. The LCD panel is flat and has noticeably thicker bezels, especially at the bottom. Realme lists the touch sampling rate at 240Hz and peak brightness at 680 nits.
Realme 10 Pro 5G has flat frames, which distinguish it from the Pro+ model that has curved sides. It is available in three colorways: Starlight, Night, and Ocean. Compared to the other two, the Starlight variant is thicker and slightly heavier.
Performance and Memory
Powering the Realme 10 Pro 5G from underneath is the Snapdragon 695 chip. It is a 6nm chipset from Qualcomm chipset with an integrated 5G modem. Realme used the exact same chipset on last year’s 9 Pro 5G, so there is no significant performance gain if you are planning to upgrade.
The base variant of Realme 10 Pro 5G comes with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB of UFS 2.2. There is even a 12GB RAM option for users to choose from. As for your storage, you can expand it by using an external SD card.
The dual camera setup on the Realme 10 Pro 5G is arranged in two vertical rings. Leading the line is a 108MP ISOCELL HM6 sensor from Samsung. It has a 1/1.67” sensor size and a 1.92µm combined pixel size after 9-in-1 binning. Sadly, there is no dedicated ultrawide module here, and the only other camera is for portraits.
Over on the front, you get a 16MP sensor for selfies and video calls. Videos cap out at 1080p 30fps for both front and rear cameras.
Rest of the Specs
Fueling the phone is a 5,000mAh battery that supports 33W charging input. Realme ships the 10 Pro 5G with a compatible 33W charger. It takes the phone from 0 to 50% within the half-hour mark. The power button on the right also serves as fingerprint biometrics. It is among the first phone to ship with Realme UI 4, based on Android 13.
Realme 10 Pro 5G Specifications:
Dimensions: 163.7 x 74.2 x 8.1/8.3mm; 190/192 grams
The price of the Realme 10 Pro starts at CNY 1,599, and the first sale is scheduled for November 24 in China. It is set to arrive in India next. When it launches in Nepal, we expect the price of Realme 10 Pro 5G to start at NPR 43,999.
Realme 10 Pro 5G
Price in China (Official)
Price in Nepal (Expected)
8/256GB
CNY 1,599
NPR 40,999
12/256GB
CNY 1,899
NPR 43,999
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Realme 9 Pro+.
Vivo has already announced the V23 and V25 series, but it appears that the company is not yet done with the old V21 lineup. It recently launched the V21s in Taiwan but this isn’t an entirely new smartphone. More on the Vivo V21s along with its expected price in Nepal here.
Vivo V21s 5G Overview:
To be clear, the Vivo V21s 5G is the same phone as the Vivo V21 from 2021. The company has rebranded it to make it relevant for this year. The only difference is the updated Android 12 version, which is to be expected from a phone released in 2022.
Design, Display
To begin, the V21s sports a 6.44-inch AMOLED panel that refreshes at 90Hz and has a Full HD+ resolution. It can reach 800 nits of brightness and supports HDR content thanks to HDR10+ certification. The display also includes an in-display fingerprint scanner.
Similarly, it has the same design as the vanilla V21, with flat edges and AG Matte Glass on the back. The smartphone comes in two colors: Dark Blue and Colorful.
Powering the Vivo V21s is an octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 800U processor. It comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of UFS2.2 storage. You can also expand the memory up to 4GB using the phone’s RAM expansion feature. As for the software, it enjoys FunTouchOS 12, an Android 12-based operating system.
Rest of the specs
Camera-wise, you get a 64MP primary lens with OIS support. It works in conjunction with an 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro sensor. The selfie camera has a 44MP sensor with OIS.
Furthermore, fueling the smartphone is a 4000mAh battery that supports 33W fast charging. Vivo claims the device can be charged from 0% to 63% in 30 minutes. The connectivity option includes USB-C, Dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 5.1, and NFC.
Front Camera: 44MP f/2.0 sensor, OIS, dual-LED flash
Security: Optical in-display fingerprint scanner
Connectivity: Dual Nano-SIM slot (Hybrid), dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS, USB Type-C, OTG
Battery: 4000mAh with 33W (11V/3A) Fast Charging
Color Options: Colorful, Dark Blue
Vivo V21s Price in Nepal and Availability
Given the V21’s similar specifications, we expect the Vivo V21s to be priced similarly, at NPR 49,999 for the sole 8/128GB variant in Nepal. It is priced at NT 11,490 in Taiwan.
Smartphone
Price in Taiwan
Price in Nepal (Expected)
Vivo V21s
NT 11,490
NPR 49,999
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Vivo V23 Pro.
Oppo has just announced the latest A-series smartphone in China. The new Oppo A1 Pro is the first Pro model under the series rather known for its budget offerings and brings an interesting set of specs. In this article, we will discuss the specs, features, expected price, and availability of the Oppo A1 Pro in Nepal.
Oppo A1 Pro Overview:
Design and Display
One of the key highlights of the Oppo A1 Pro is its display. Not only has Oppo used a curved OLED panel here, but it also opted for a 120Hz refresh rate. It doesn’t end here — the 6.78-inch screen boasts 10-bit color depth, 100% DCI-P3 coverage, and 950 nits of peak brightness. The bezels are also relatively thin, measuring around 2.32mm.
At the back, you can notice the double-ring design for the camera. Likewise, the rear panel uses a special streamer crystal diamond technology, making it stand against natural weathering, scratches, and fingerprints. Oppo A1 Pro has a slim profile measuring 7.7mm in thickness and weighing around 171 grams.
Performance and Memory
Powering the Oppo A1 Pro from the inside the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chipset, which we also see in other popular mid-range devices like Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G. It is paired with up to 12GB of LDRR4X RAM and 256GB of UFS 2.2 storage. If the latter still feels insufficient, you can mount an external SD card.
The aforementioned double-ring module is home to a dual-camera setup. The upper ring encloses the 100MP primary camera. It features a 1/1.67” sensor, and Oppo says it takes in 44% more than previous generations.
There is a second 2MP depth sensor on the second ring, accompanied by an LED flash. Over on the front, there is a 16MP sensor enclosed by the center-aligned punch-hole camera. You can take 1080p 30fps videos both from the front and the back of the Oppo A1 Pro.
Rest of the Specs
Fueling the phone is a 4,800mAh battery with support for 67W SuperVOOC charging. Using the included charger, you can refill the battery up to 80% in just 30 minutes. Oppo A1 Pro has an in-display fingerprint scanner for biometrics and ultra-linear surround dual speakers for audio. The phone also has NFC for contactless payment and ships with ColorOS 13, based on Android 13.
Color Options: Moon Sea Black, Dawn Gold, Morning Rain Blue
Oppo A1 Pro Price in Nepal and Availability
Currently, Oppo A1 Pro is up for pre-order in China, with the price starting at CNY 1,799. We expect the price of the Oppo A1 Pro to start at NPR 35,999, if and when it launches in Nepal.
Oppo A1 Pro
Price in China (Official)
Price in Nepal (Expected)
8/128GB
CNY 1,799
NPR 35,999
8/256GB
CNY 1,999
NPR 39,999
12/512GB
CNY 2,299
NPR 45,999
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Xiaomi 12 Lite.
We are now just 4 days away from the biggest sporting event of the year. The 22nd FIFA World Cup will kick off on November 20, with the host Qatar taking on Ecuador. This is the most expensive World Cup ever, and sadly, we viewers will be covering a big part of the cost. For the first time ever, FIFA World Cup viewers in Nepal will need to bear an additional fee of Rs. 500 (before tax) on top of their regular TV subscription charges.
And on November 8, the Supreme Court of Nepal issued an interlocutory (an order or judgment given during the course of legal action—and not a final verdict) interim order against collecting additional fees just for the FIFA World Cup. As a result, Media Hub’s Executive Director Som Dhital informed that Nepali viewers might miss out on the Qatar World Cup entirely since their preparations had come to a halt due to this legal trouble.
But today (November 16), the Supreme Court (with Justices Prakash Kumar Dhungana and Manoj Kumar Sharma) has sided with Media Hub. And it has ruled a verdict that allows the company to continue with its pay-per-view system for broadcasting the Qatar FIFA World Cup in Nepal. According to the agreement between Media Hub and Himalaya Television Network (the broadcasting partner), the semifinal and final stage matches will be broadcast for free as well.
Why did the Supreme Court of Nepal temporarily order against taking extra fees for FIFA World Cup 2022?
It’s pretty easy to guess that some criticism of this pay-per-view system was inevitable. As soon as the news about the extra fee (on top of the standard TV package charge) for the 2022 World Cup began circulating, everyone from the general public to the consumer rights activists in Nepal called it “unfair”, “a monopolistic practice”, or something along the lines. And a writ petition was submitted to the Supreme Court by advocates Kishor Poudel and Anupam Bhattarai demanding that Nepali viewers should be able to enjoy this edition of the FIFA World Cup—like every other—without any subsidiary charges.
Image: The Kathmandu Post
Following the petition, a single bench of Justice Prakashman Singh Raut issued the said temporary order on November 8 while the final verdict in the favor of Media Hub was issued today. Complying with the court order, Siddhartha Dhital (Marketing Director, Media Hub) previously confirmed that the company had stopped all its preparations for the broadcast. And this put a giant question mark about whether Nepali audiences will get to watch the World Cup or not in the first place. But now, you don’t need to worry about any of that since Media Hub will be broadcasting the matches after all!
What if I don’t want to pay the extra fee?
Now you might be wondering, “Well, why would I pay extra when I can just enjoy the games from other international TV channels like every other World Cup before this? What’s stopping me?” The thing is though, you can’t (at least not without sailing the high seas). That’s because Media Hub has acquired exclusive digital broadcasting rights in Nepal for the Qatar World Cup. I’ll get into more detail about it in just a minute but the gist of it all is that no Indian or other foreign TV channels can televise the FIFA World Cup in Nepal this time. And only those licensed by Media Hub will be allowed to telecast all the matches.
How to watch Qatar FIFA World Cup (2022) in Nepal?
Okay, so since Media Hub’s legal issue has been resolved in time and the company is currently in the process of finalizing its preparations, Himalaya TV HD will be broadcasting the upcoming football FIFA World Cup 2022 matches in Nepal. And these matches will likely have English commentary. So far, NetTV and ViaTV have signed up to broadcast the Qatar World Cup as well. But besides the added charge itself, perhaps the most frustrating thing about this entire ordeal is that you won’t be able to watch it on a mobile app since there has been any agreement for the same.
How much fee will you have to pay to watch Qatar FIFA World Cup (2022) in Nepal?
Like the anti-consumeristic allegations, I can’t say that this need for additional charges comes as a surprise either. It was already speculated that this edition of the FIFA World Cup was going to be an expensive one for Nepalese viewers from the very beginning. However, there was no concrete information about how much and how a viewer was going to pay for it.
As I mentioned before, FIFA World Cup fans in Nepal will have to pay a fee of Rs. 500 to enjoy all the games from the comfort of their home. It’s also important to note that the Rs. 500 is a VAT-exclusive price and is valid for a single setup box (STB) only.
So, the final price you’ll be paying is Rs. 500 + 13% VAT which totals Rs. 565 for one STB. In the case of a bigger household with multiple TVs (and subsequently multiple STBs), you will have to pay Rs. 565 for each active TV or STB. And this price is on top of the regular subscription fee you pay for your cable TV for IPTV, thus making this year’s World Cup an expensive affair.
As for the payment options, you will be able to pay for the World Cup package via eSewa, Khalti, and the corresponding IPTV/cable operator.
But why do I need to pay a fee for this World Cup in Nepal?
That brings us to the main concern—why pay extra for this year’s World Cup while previous editions didn’t have any sort of additional charge? Let’s start with the basics then. Like any other major sporting event, FIFA licenses the regional broadcasting rights of the World Cup to different partners. The exclusive right to broadcast this year’s World Cup in Nepal is held by Media Hub.
However, if you look at the official media right overview of the Qatar World Cup 2022, you will notice that Media Hub did not get the license directly from FIFA but through Viacom18. Viacom18 is an Indian media network that secured the right to media rights to this year’s World Cup for the Indian sub-continent.
Any media that wants to broadcast FIFA World Cup matches in any country within the sub-continent, will have to get the rights from Viacom18. Avemore has done this in Bangladesh, Ary Digital in Pakistan, and its Media Hub, which holds the “exclusive” right in Nepal.
Exclusive digital broadcasting rights
I’m emphasizing the “exclusive” part here because it’s what’s new this time around. In the previous editions of the FIFA World Cup, Nepali channels did not have exclusive rights. As a result, Sony network, which owned the right for India then, could broadcast it simultaneously with Nepali channels. Nepali broadcasters are also said to have run into advertisement-related issues back then. This all influenced Media Hub to go for the exclusive broadcasting rights for this year’s FIFA World Cup. So it’s not that hard to figure out that it comes with added costs.
The most expensive World Cup ever
As I mentioned in the beginning, the Qatar World Cup is the most expensive one in history. With total expenses reported to be around USD 220 billion. For reference, the last two World Cups in Russia and Brazil cost USD 11.6 billion and USD 15 billion, respectively.
Image: Statista
This has a direct impact on the price of media rights. Sony got the digital rights to broadcast the World Cup in Brazil and Russia for a combined estimate of USD 80 million. But this year’s rights alone cost Viacom18 USD 60 million! And here, Media Hub has already paid around Rs. 25 crores ($1.8 million) to Viacom18 for the Nepal-exclusive right. Media Hub estimates an additional Rs. 15 crores to go into promotion and technical backbone.
Need for the Pay-Per-View (PPV) model
Usually, this kind of investment is recovered through sponsorships and advertisements. This is what Nepali broadcasters did before. And what Viacom18 will do in India as it plans to provide free World Cup coverage via Sports18 (channel) and Jio Cinema (OTT). Even so, the network is aiming for a revenue of INR 300 crores.
Over on the other side of the border, broadcasters are worried because of the declining ad revenue post COVID-19. As a result, Media Hub is opting for a Pay-Per-View (PPV) model for the Qatar World Cup. A first for Nepal. In this model, users pay a certain fee to unlock certain programs of their choice.
Is this paywall necessary? Can you bypass it?
Okay, let’s assume that Media Hub did not acquire the right to broadcast this World Cup. I mean, SAARC countries including Bhutan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka still don’t have local channels with broadcasting rights. Viacom18 can technically broadcast there since they have the rights, but the bigger question is, will they? These are rather smaller markets than India, with fewer revenue opportunities.
Also, it depends on Sports18’s coverage, which—unfortunately—is almost non-existent in Nepal. You can download the Jio Cinema in Nepal via VPN, but it would still require a Jio number that you can’t have in Nepal.
So, no third-party World Cup broadcasts in Nepal then? Even if Nepali channels were to bring the Sports18 channel under their package just for this World Cup, it’s hard to estimate what it would have cost them. In this context, a Nepali company getting the exclusive right to broadcast FIFA World Cup matches looks positive. Not only does it guarantee World Cup broadcasts, but it also gives them the opportunity to work on a pricing model that works the best for them.
The biggest criticism
But as evident from the aforementioned legal headaches (that have since been resolved), this is where Media Hub is getting the biggest criticism. Consumer rights activists in Nepal say the decision to hide the World Cup broadcasting behind an additional paywall (fee) is an unfair trade practice. Even when considering that a paywall for the Qatar World Cup was unavoidable in Nepal, the proposed fee seems a little steep for average Nepali households. And it should have been on the more reasonable side.
For instance, it is estimated that there are more than 1,000,000 active set-top boxes in Nepal. And just for the sake of math, let’s say each one of them purchases this World Cup subscription for Rs. 565, which amounts to over Rs. 56.5 crores. Obviously, not all STB users are going to care about it. But then again, it is also not fair to expect consumers to bear most of the cost since there will definitely be Nepali ads and sponsorships too.
You can’t watch World Cup matches on a mobile app even after paying the fee
And it doesn’t help that the fee only applies to a single STB only. If you have additional TVs you will have to pay Rs. 565 for each of them. That definitely doesn’t seem reasonable. I mean, even cable and IPTV operators discount the fee of normal channel packages on the secondary STB. Not to mention, you won’t be able to watch the World Cup matches on your NetTV and ViaTV mobile app even though you paid the fee since it applies to your set-top box only.
So, if you are traveling and want to catch some of the actions on the go, too bad. You can’t. Hopefully, both NetTV and ViaTV will give in to the criticism and enable streaming the Qatar World Cup in Nepal via a mobile app on OTT platforms. And according to Siddhartha Dhital (Marketing Director, Media Hub), they are indeed in talks with NTC and Ncell to broadcast this football World Cup in Nepal via their apps. Hopefully, this STB-only restriction will be resolved by November 20; and we’ll get to enjoy the matches on IPTV apps as well.
Meanwhile, check out our review of the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
After launching the Letv Y1 Pro a couple of months ago, LeEco is back with yet another iPhone 14-looking phone, the Letv Y1 Pro+. Despite its resemblance to a flagship iPhone, this is just a budget Android phone. In this article, we will go through the specs, features, availability, and expected price in Nepal of the Letv Y1 Pro+.
Letv Y1 Pro+ Overview:
Design and Display
The biggest appeal of the Letv Y1 Pro is certainly its design. And the saying “looks can be deceiving” is a perfect fit for this phone. While it looks like an iPhone 14, it is a budget phone that has nothing special going for it in terms of specs. LeEco offers the Y1 Pro+ in blue, black, and white colors.
The display on this Letv phone measures 6.5-inches and features a bathtub notch synonymous with iPhones. While the notch on the iPhone 14 is there for a reason, the one present on the Letv Y1 Pro+ exists primarily for a passing resemblance to the iPhone only. That aside, the LCD panel used here has an HD resolution of 1560 x 720 pixels and a standard 60Hz refresh rate.
Performance and Memory
The handset is powered by a budget octa-core Unisoc Tiger T610 processor. Fabricated under a 12nm process, its CPU comprises of two Cortex-A75 cores (2.18 GHz) and six Cortex-A55 cores (1.8 GHz). As for memory, users get 4GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage. Additionally, the storage can be expanded via a microSD card.
It might look like the Letv Y1 Pro+ has a dual camera array, but one of the two sensors is only decorative. The functioning one has an 8MP sensor and on the front, you will find a 5MP selfie shooter inside that bathtub notch.
This phone has a 4000mAh battery that supports 10W charging. Fortunately, it uses a USB Type-C port instead of an outdated micro USB, and LeEco ships a charging brick inside the box itself.
Battery: 4000mAh, 10W fast charging (Type-C charger)
Security: Face unlock
Colors: Blue, White, Black
Letv Y1 Pro+ Price in Nepal and Availability
The Letv Y1 Pro+ is currently available for pre-orders in China starting at CNY 499 for the base 4/64GB variant. It won’t be launching in Nepal officially, but if unofficial sources import the LeTV Y1 Pro+ in Nepal, we expect its price to start at NPR 10,999.
LeTV Y1 Pro+
Price in China
Price in Nepal (Expected)
4/64GB
CNY 499
NPR 10,999
4/128GB
CNY 599
NPR 12,999
4/256GB
CNY 699
NPR 13,999
Meanwhile, check out our review of the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
As expected, Qualcomm announced its flagship processor at the ongoing Snapdragon Summit (2022). The new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will power the next generation of flagship smartphones, and it brings massive improvements over last year’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. So, let’s look deeper into the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, including its architecture, performance, photography, connectivity, and AI capabilities.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Overview:
New “1+4+3” CPU Architecture
As previously leaked, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is based on TSMC’s 4nm process node. Like its predecessor, it brings a total of eight CPU cores. And this is where the similarities between Snapdragon Gen 1 and Snapdragon Gen 2 end.
Not only does the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 bring a 2nd Gen Armv9-based CPU cores, but also a new core arrangement. Qualcomm has moved on from the traditional 1+3+4 setup to a newer 1+4+3. Leading the line is the new Kryo Prime core based on Cortex-X3. It is backed by 4x Performance cores (2.8GHz) and 3x Efficiency cores (@2.0GHz).
While Qualcomm has not laid out the details yet but it is widely believed that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is using two Cortex-A715 and two Cortex-A710 cores as the Performance cores. Likewise, it is the Cortex-A510 cores taking on the less resource-demanding tasks.
Overall, Qualcomm is quoting up to 35% performance boost and 40% improved power efficiency on its latest flagship chip.
Real-time hardware-based Ray Tracing
In addition to the CPU, Qualcomm is also making massive promises with the new Adreno GPU. As per the company, the new GPU is up to 25% faster than its predecessor, as well as up to 45% more power efficient.
That’s not all, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 brings a few Elite Gaming features never seen on any of Qualcomm’s chips. For starters, it is the first chip in the lineup to bring hardware-based Ray Tracing for closer-to-life lights in games.
Qualcomm even shared a demonstration on War Thunder and confirmed Xiaomi, Honor, and BBK Electronics (Oppo, iQOO, OnePlus, Vivo) as the early adopters. Likewise, game developers like NetEase and Tencent are also on board.
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is also bridging the gap between real-life human and in-game characters’ appearance with the Unreal Engine 5 MetaHuman framework. It is also the first mobile GPU to support Vulkan 1.3 API, which it does alongside the OpenGL ES 3.2 framework.
Another key highlight of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is its AI implementation. The new Qualcomm AI Engine has the new and updated Hexagon processor at its cores. It is said to be 4.35 times faster than its predecessor in select tasks like Natural Language Processing. A part of it is due to added support for Micro Tile interference. What this means is next generation of Android flagships will be capable of translating in multiple languages in real time as you speak.
There is even support for INT4, which is another first for the lineup, with a 60% better performance/watt. This allows your phone’s smart assistant to respond faster and more effectively.
In addition, the new Qualcomm Sensing Hub now has a dual-core processor for the first time. It will bring new features like direct-to-app voice assistance to smartphones.
Qualcomm’s first AI-powered Cognitive ISP
The 18-bit triple Cognitive ISP on Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is the first AI-powered camera processor on the lineup. With real-time semantic segmentation, the ISP can recognize and individually optimize each component within the frame.
Qualcomm has even added support and fine-tuned its latest flagship processor for newer image sensor technologies. This includes optimization for Sony’s first quad digital overlap HDR on the UMX800 and IMX989 and Samsung’s 200MP HP3 sensor.
In addition, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 even includes AV1 codec for video playback up to 8K HDR at 60fps.
World’s first 5G Modem with integrated AI
Qualcomm has even included an AI processor on the new Snapdragon X70 modem, making it the first and so fa,r the only modem with AI capability. Interestingly, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is the first Qualcomm chip to support dual 5G connectivity, when this feature has been part of the MediaTek Dimensity lineup for quite some time now.
The new Qualcomm FastConnect 7800 adds support for Wi-Fi 7 with up to 5.8Gbps peak speed, thanks to the high-band simultaneous multi-link.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 1: What’s different?
“NEW” Adreno GPU
(Hardware-Accelerated Ray Tracing)
Adreno 730
Memory
LPDDR5 (4200MHz)
LPDDR5 (3200MHz)
AI Engine
8th Gen AI Engine
7th Gen AI Engine
ISP
Spectra Cognitive ISP
Triple 18-bit ISP
Up to 200MP
Spectra ISP
Triple 18-bit ISP
Up to 108MP
5G Modem
Snapdragon X70 (with AI)
up to 10Gbps
Dual 5G Active
Snapdragon X65
up to 10Gbps
FaceConnect System
Qualcomm FastConnect 7800
Qualcomm FastConnect 6900
Wi-Fi
WiFi 7 (up to 5.8Gbps)
WiFi 6 (up to 3.6Gbps)
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 5.3
Fast Charging
Qualcomm Quick Charge 5
Upcoming smartphones with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Qualcomm has already confirmed that we will be seeing the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2-powered smartphone before the end of this year. There are already brands in the race to launch the first smartphone with the latest Snapdragon chip inside. This includes Honor, iQOO, Motorola, Nubia, OnePlus, Oppo, Red Magic, Xiaomi, Redmi, Sharp, Sony, ZTE, Vivo, and MEIZU. Interestingly, the list does not mention Samsung, which is said to embrace the new chip for the whole of its S23 series.
Upcoming phones with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (Unofficial list)
In what is considered the company’s biggest layoff, Meta fired around 13% of its workforce. Not only that, but Meta also got rid of some of its products according to recent reports. Alongside its Portal display business, Meta is also pulling the plug on smartwatch projects.
Meta Portal Display, Smartwatch:
As per recent reports from Reuters, During a town hall meeting, Meta executives revealed plans to put their Portal devices and smartwatch projects on hold. Meta announced in June that it will make Portal smart screens solely for business purposes. However, recent developments point to the complete demise of Facebook’s Portal division.
Alongside that, Meta also killed its plan to launch a smartwatch as an alleged cost-cutting measure. Codenamed ‘Milan’, Facebook’s smartwatch had high hopes of dominating the high-end android smartwatch market, but with Meta’s recent decline, the reality it seeks appears distant.
Meta’s alleged smartwatch was unique in that it featured a two-camera system comprised of a 5MP and a 12MP sensor. Facebook was also working on two other smartwatches, according to the Verge. One was in its early stages, while the other was still in the works.
Why is Meta doing this?
The primary reason behind Meta abandoning these projects is due to the massive dip in its Q3 2022 revenue. By the end of October, the value of the company had plunged by USD 700 billion. On the contrary, the Facebook parent company is still going strong with its AR/VR products. Despite massive losses in the sector, the company is hellbent on the idea of the metaverse.
Reports also claim that nearly half of its staff layoff were from tech. Well, it is unknown how many of the fired staff were from the hardware division. Does this mean it is completely giving up on hardware? With the slow growth of Facebook and the advertising challenges Meta currently faces, things are not looking great for the company.
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro.
OnePlus launched its first TWS in the Nord lineup, called the OnePlus Nord Buds alongside the OnePlus 10R and Nord CE 2 Lite back in April. It is finally available in Nepal. In this article, we will go through the specifications, availability, and official price of the OnePlus Nord Buds in Nepal.
OnePlus Nord Buds Overview:
Design
OnePlus Nord Buds brings a new design to the OnePlus TWS lineup with a flat stem design and a box-like charging case. The earbuds have an IP55 water resistance rating. As previously teased by the company, the Nord Buds are available in two colorways—Black Slate and White Marble.
Moreover, the TWS earbuds have large drivers measuring 12.4mm. However, the audio codec support is limited to just SBC and AAC. On a positive note, it comes with support for Dolby Atmos, and they feature Several Sound Master EQ presets to tune the sound according to your taste.
Unfortunately, it does not feature ANC, they include two microphones per bud to deliver clear sound during calls. As for connectivity, it will have Bluetooth 5.2 and Pro Gamer mode with latency as low as 94ms.
Rest of the specs
Moving on, the OnePlus Nord Buds case packs a 480mAh battery, whereas each earbud house a 41mAh cell. As per the company, it can provide a 30 hours of battery life. Besides, the case has a USB Type-C port with fast charging support.
The OnePlus Nord Buds has an official price of Rs. 6,290. But the company is currently offering it at a discounted price of Rs. 5,999 at Daraz 11.1. You can get the new OnePlus Nord Buds from Hukut and other authorized stores in Nepal.
