The Elite 5 is the latest addition to Jabra’s Elite series of TWS earbuds. The buds feature active noise cancellation and are powered by a Qualcomm SoC. So, let’s go over the Jabra Elite 5’s specifications, features, availability, and expected price in Nepal.
Jabra Elite 5 Overview:
Design
The Elite 5 has an oval-shaped case that snugly fits a pair of in-ear buds. The headsets are IP55 water and dust-resistant and come in Gold Beige and Titanium Black color options. Each earbud weighs 5 grams, and the total weight of the case is 45 grams.
Furthermore, there are three microphone setups inside each bud. This enables hybrid active noise cancellation, which, according to Jabra, is less sensitive to how the buds are positioned in your ears. That means improved noise cancellation on both calls and music. In addition, there is a HearThrough mode that allows for ambient noises.
The Elite 5 includes 6mm audio drivers that support SBC, AAC, and Qualcomm aptX codecs. All this is powered by Qualcomm QCC3050 Bluetooth SOC. There’s also support for Spotify Tap that effortlessly lets you listen to your favorite music with a single tap.
You can connect the earphone to your phone using the Jabra Sound+ app. Google Fast Pair and multipoint Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity are also supported. In addition, the Jabra Elite 5 supports voice commands with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
Battery
The wireless earbuds have a battery life of 9 hours with ANC turned off. It is reduced to 7 hours when ANC is enabled.
In contrast, when combined with the case, the Elite 5 can provide up to 36 hours and up to 28 hours of playback, respectively. It takes about 180 minutes to charge the buds. Whereas Jabra claims that 10 minutes of charging time will provide one hour of music playback. It also supports wireless charging, by the way.
Jabra Elite 5 Specifications:
Design: In-ear buds
IP rating: Ye, IP55
Audio Driver: 6mm
Audio codecs: AAC, Qualcomm aptX, SBC
Mic: 6-mic
ANC: Yes, Hybrid ANC
Bluetooth version: BT 5.2
Charging time: Up to 180 minutes
App: Jabra Sound+
Voice assistant: Amazon Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant (Android only)
Other features: Spotify Tap, Google Fast Pair, MyControls
Battery:
ANC off (earbuds): Up to 9 hours;
ANC off (w/ charging case): Up to 36 hours;
ANC (earbuds): Up to 7 hours;
ANC (w/ charging case): Up to 28 hours
Colors:Gold Beige, Titanium Black
Jabra Elite 5 Price in Nepal and Availability
The Elite 5 costs $150 USD and is already available for purchase on Amazon.com. If it is released in Nepal, we anticipate that the Jabra Elite 5 will cost NPR 25,000.
Earbuds
Price in the US (Official)
Price in Nepal (Expected)
Jabra Elite 5
USD 150
NPR 25,000
Meanwhile, check our pick for the best budget wireless earbuds of 2022.
Fantech has launched two new gaming monitors in Nepal, expanding its gaming catalog. With its target audience in mind, the brand has released a 144Hz monitor as well as its less expensive 75Hz counterpart. Here, we will go through the specs, features, official price, and availability of Fantech gaming monitors in Nepal.
Fantech Gaming Monitors Overview:
CHIMERA GM241AC Gaming Monitor
The Fantech CHIMERA GM241AC is a 24-inch gaming monitor with a 144Hz high refresh rate and FHD resolution. The monitor has relatively thin bezels and red lighting for gamer aesthetics. The built-in foldable headphone stand is a unique feature of this monitor.
Aside from that, it has a VA panel with 1500R curvature, 1ms response time, and a contrast ratio of 3000:1. However, it only gets as bright as 250 nits, which should be sufficient for gaming. Here, Fantech provides adaptive sync, but the monitor lacks G-Sync or FreeSync certification.
I/O Ports: HDMI x2, Display port x1, 3.5mm audio jack x1
Price in Nepal: Rs. 32,000
CHIMERA GM242AC Gaming Monitor
Like its beefier sibling, the CHIMERA GM242AC gaming monitor comes with a curved VA panel too. The resolution is the same at FHD and so is the contrast ratio. However, you get a 75Hz refresh rate instead of the faster 144Hz. Also, the MPRT response time has been slashed to 5ms on this one.
The overall design language is the same with red led lights and the inclusion of a headphone stand. It lacks a display port and uses VGA and HDMI for connection. Unfortunately, Fantech has not revealed the color space these monitors cover on their official site.
Fantech Gaming Monitors Price in Nepal and Availability
The CHIMERA GM241AC is priced at Rs. 31,999 whereas the CHIMERA GM242AC costs Rs. 25,999. However, for a limited period of time, you can pick up the monitors for Rs. 29,999 and Rs. 24,999 respectively as a part of Fantech’s introductory offer. These gaming monitors can be purchased from Fantech Nepal’s official store.
Fantech Gaming Monitor
Price in Nepal
Introductory Price
CHIMERA GM241AC
Rs. 31,999
Rs. 29,999
CHIMERA GM242AC
Rs. 25,999
Rs. 24,999
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Legion 5 Pro (2022).
Samsung unveiled a bunch of new flagship products at the Galaxy Unpacked event about a month ago. We got to see a couple of new Samsung foldables, smartwatches, and also a $230 pair of wireless earbuds called the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, which I’ll be going through at length in this full review. And while watching the livestream of all the new devices, the one thought that constantly hit my mind was “incremental upgrades”.
Now, some of you might already be turned off by iterative upgrades in the tech industry these days, but hear me out. In case of the Buds 2 Pro, I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing because the Galaxy Buds 2 and the Buds Pro before it were already pretty impressive. Instead, I believe Samsung has tried to achieve two big things with the Buds 2 Pro:
number 1: offer its best pair of wireless earphones (of course)
and number 2: further lock you into the ecosystem by making a bunch of cool features available only on Samsung devices
That means if you connect these earbuds with a phone other than Samsung’s, you lose so many of what makes the Buds 2 Pro special in the first place. Great news for Samsung owners, but not so much for everyone else. And after testing these out on a bunch of smartphones and laptops from different companies, here’s my full review of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro Review: Specifications
Body:
Earbud: 21.6 x 19.9 x 18.7 mm, 5.5 grams (each)
Charging case: 50.2 x 50.1 x 27.7 mm, 43.4 grams
Water Resistance: IPX7 (Up to 1 meter for 30 minutes)
Color Options: Black, White, Bora Purple
Sound Driver: 2-way (10mm woofer, 5.3mm tweeter)
Microphone: 3 High-SNR (Signal-to-Noise Ratio) mics on each earbud
Before talking about the earbuds themselves, I want to discuss its name for a bit. You might be wondering, “Hey, what’s in a name?” But trust me, there are a few things to unpack here. According to Samsung, the Buds 2 Pro is the successor to the now discontinued Galaxy Buds Pro.
If you look at their spec sheet though, the difference between these two isn’t that substantial. At least not to me. Only when comparing it to the regular, non-Pro Galaxy Buds 2, this guy really begins to shine. So yeah, I guess the Buds 2 Pro is the sequel to both of ‘em in a way.
Design & Comfort
21.6 x 19.9 x 18.7 mm
5.5 grams (each earbud)
IPX7 water-resistant
Okay, one of the biggest upgrades with these earbuds has to be the design and comfort department. If you ask me, these two are the most important factors on any audio product besides audio quality itself. And from the all-matte finish to the smaller size and more lightweight build quality, the Buds 2 Pro is a big win as far as fit and feel are concerned.
The Buds Pro wasn’t 100% comfortable in my ears, but I’m glad to say that the Buds 2 Pro feels fantastic to put on. If you want to talk numbers, it has a 15% smaller geometry while weighing about 15% less.
Thanks to that combo, I can almost wear it all day long. Almost.
The thing is, ear shapes are unique to every person—like fingerprints. And I’m told my left ear has an especially weird contour. So while most people, including most of my colleagues, have found the Buds 2 Pro perfectly cozy, the standard Galaxy Buds 2 is still the most comfortable pair of Samsung earbuds for my ears.
Comfortable fit is the name of the game
You also get a couple of extra pairs of ear tips inside the box, and I found the large ones worked best for me. Both in terms of comfort and seal. Oh, and you can confirm if you’ve got a perfect seal by going through the “earbud fit test” feature inside the Galaxy Wearable app, by the way.
Galaxy Wearable
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Dashboard
Settings
And with the right fit, the Buds 2 Pro stay pretty firm inside the ears—although I’ve had to readjust them a couple of times when walking down the stairs or something. I was also hoping Samsung would go with foam ear tips this time, just like what Sony did with the WF-1000XM4. But since these silicone ear tips feel great, I’m not complaining.
As for durability, the Buds 2 Pro is IPX7 water-sealed, so you don’t have to worry about getting it wet in the rain in this monsoon season. Or damaging it from sweat during your gym workout routines. Still, I would’ve loved to see some form of dust protection on Samsung’s most expensive set of earbuds yet.
Not to mention, the charging case has no IP rating whatsoever—but that’s really not a big deal. Its sleek design and soft matte coating are all that matter to me!
There’s wireless charging support, and the magnets securing the earbuds inside the case are also quite strong. The color-matched case is a nice touch as well, and this Bora Purple variant that I have with me looks particularly beautiful! But hey, if you’d rather prefer a little more subtlety, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro is available in Black and White colorways too.
Controls
A touch interface on each earbud
Customizable via the companion app
I also like how extensive the control options are here. From skipping tracks, answering calls, switching between noise cancellation modes, to even changing volume levels, you can do it all. And for the most part, they work perfectly fine. There’s audible feedback to let you know what gesture was registered, which seems like a small thing at first, but it ends up making a big difference in the user experience.
Galaxy Buds 2 Pro - Control
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But I’m not a big fan of how sensitive its touch panel is. Seriously—sometimes even when I’m just adjusting my hair, the Buds 2 Pro suddenly decides to interrupt my music. Or when I’m lying down on one side of the bed and it accidentally shifts through the ANC modes.
This is something I’ve complained about in almost every pair of Samsung earbuds I’ve tested so far, and it’s sad to see that Samsung still hasn’t found a way to fix it.
Also, Samsung’s implementation of wear detection continues to amaze me with its stupidity. So… for my music to automatically pause, I gotta take not just one but both earbuds out? And I still gotta manually press play to resume playback after I put them back in? What?!
Anyway, one interesting thing I’ve found about its controls is just how well one of the experimental features works. Yeah, I’m talking about how Samsung lets you double-tap the edge of the earbuds to make volume adjustments.
Galaxy Buds 2 Pro - Double Tap Earbud Edge
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It seems that you don’t actually need to awkwardly hit the edge of the earbud like Samsung shows in its illustrations. You can instead double tap anywhere near the outer ear and it just… works. Just below the ear canal was the sweet spot in my experience.
Connectivity
Bluetooth 5.3
Auto Switch between Samsung devices
SmartThings Find support
Connectivity-wise, the Buds 2 Pro supports the latest Bluetooth 5.3 standard. So… steady connection, high data transfer rate, less interference, and all those stuff are baked right into these earbuds. And throughout my usage, I had zero connectivity troubles here—even when walking past some congested streets of Kathmandu.
As expected, pairing them with a Samsung phone is a lot easier than it is on a non-Samsung phone. And iPhone users are better off with the AirPods because the Buds 2 Pro isn’t exactly iOS-compatible. You can manually pair and stream music off of them just fine, sure. But the Galaxy Wearable app, which is where you customize, apply firmware updates to these earbuds, and such isn’t available on the App Store.
Easier to find
The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro is also part of Samsung’s “SmartThings Find” network now. That means you can now get an approximate location of your earbuds in case you misplace them—even without the case. It worked pretty well during my tests but it’s a bummer that this feature is exclusive to Samsung devices only.
Another Samsung-exclusive feature here is “Auto Switch”. It is similar to the “Multipoint connectivity” feature found on something like the new Pixel Buds Pro, where you can connect the earbuds on two devices at the same time. Once again, it worked fine between my Fold 3 and Watch 4 Classic, even though it’s simply no match against multipoint connection.
Noise Cancellation
Intelligent Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)
Ambient Sound Mode, Voice Detect
Moving on, Samsung says the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro boasts a whopping 40% better noise cancellation over the original Buds Pro. I have no way of actually verifying that number but yeah, its ANC is indeed quite outstanding.
Because of the relatively bulky design and a not-so-comfortable fit, my experience with ANC on the Buds Pro wasn’t that great. The improved fit and a new 3-mic system on the Buds 2 Pro, however, does an incredible job at blocking out outside noise. Like most ANC-capable earbuds out there, it is also most effective at dampening low frequencies.
Wearing it in my office room, the Buds 2 Pro could completely mute the HVAC noises coming from the AC and the fan noise from nearby desktops. But it clearly lets in sharp, high-frequency noises like my colleagues typing on their mechanical keyboard or horns from the vehicles passing by just outside. I got similar results when wearing it outdoors or during my commute to work as well.
What’s “intelligent” about its ANC?
And when mixing it up with some music playback at like 30-40% volume, the outside world would be fully inaudible to my ears. Samsung also labels the noise-canceling properties of the Buds 2 Pro as “Intelligent ANC”, although I honestly didn’t notice any difference in its effectiveness in a fairly quiet room or a rowdy marketplace.
At least the Buds Pro allowed you to manually switch between two different noise-canceling modes, which is missing here. But one thing I especially like about the ANC quality on these earbuds is just how clean everything sounds. And how effortless it feels.
This might not apply to everyone but I didn’t feel any sort of pressure build-up when using ANC for long hours on the Buds 2 Pro. There’s no white noise when turning on noise cancellation either, and all noise that ultimately manages to sneak in sounds natural too. And I’m also really impressed with just how better “Ambient Sound” is this time.
Ambient Sound mode is a great here
This feature basically lets you hear what’s happening around you without having to take the earbuds off. The only problem was that the previous generations of Galaxy Buds had an eerie—almost unsettlingly metallic—tone in human voices.
But I’m absolutely loving the near-natural ambient mode that Samsung has been able to pull off with the Buds 2 Pro. The AirPods Pro’s “Transparency Mode” is still the gold standard for me because my own voice still sounds somewhat synthesized here. That reminds me, the Buds 2 Pro also supports “Voice Detect”, which automatically triggers ambient mode when you start talking.
Galaxy Buds 2 Pro - Voice Detect
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I must say it’s pretty effective—but also sometimes a bit too effective. It is smart enough to not go off when I’m yawning, mumbling, or speaking in hush tones, sure. But on multiple occasions—both indoors and outdoors—it activated on its own, seemingly based on other people talking around me.
So until Samsung fixes this, I’m keeping Voice Detect disabled on my Buds 2 Pro. And I must say that I am also a little surprised to see no ambient sound volume control on these earbuds, which is something I found truly useful on both Buds Pro and Buds 2.
Okay, let me now talk about the audio quality of this thing. As I mentioned in the very beginning, Samsung had already delivered a few great-sounding earbuds before this, so it didn’t really have to do much in the audio department with the Buds 2 Pro. Matter of fact, both the tweeter and woofer driver units are smaller here to make up for the compact design.
But let me be clear that driver size alone doesn’t make much of a difference in terms of perceived audio quality. And these earbuds sound incredible!
Its audio is full, warm, and with a soundstage wide enough for you to enjoy every beat and every note in the song. Something clearly demonstrated in “Be Sweet” by Japanese Breakfast with the clear separation between vocals and instruments. There’s also plenty in store for the bassheads as the Buds 2 Pro can produce a well-defined, tight bass. Including sub-bass with a few tweaks.
Galaxy Buds 2 Pro - Equalizer
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Normal
Dynamic
Under the default “Normal” equalizer, the Buds 2 Pro doesn’t produce that rumbly bass you might expect. There’s the “Bass Boost” profile for that, but it feels a bit overpowering for my ears. Turns out, the “Dynamic” preset has the right balance of lively audio and clean bass.
The Harman Curve
Its frequency response graph closely mimics the coveted “Harman Curve” sound signature as well—although I would’ve also liked to tinker with the EQ a little. As such, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to MF DOOM’s “Figaro” as these earbuds manage to retain that commanding demeanor in his voice alongside the warmth of the beat perfectly.
Now all that was when listening to the Buds 2 Pro with a Samsung phone—the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy A33—which supports the new Samsung Seamless Codec (SSC). But pairing it with a non-Samsung phone, it defaults to the lossy AAC codec. I don’t consider myself an audiophile in any way but it definitely sounds better on a Galaxy device.
Not by a whole lot but I could notice some subtle nuances of the pianos, strings, and harps in Florence + the Machine’s “King” clearer on the Fold 3, compared to the Nothing Phone (1), POCO X3, or the MacBook Air.
And perhaps the biggest talking point of the Buds 2 Pro is its ability to stream 24-bit/48kHz Hi-Fi audio (at up to 2,304 kbps bitrate) on Samsung phones running on One UI 4.0 or higher. Without going into too much detail, bit depth essentially determines how much and how well audio information is digitally stored. So yes—technically—24-bit has a wider dynamic range compared to 16-bit audio and it should sound better. Closer to how the track was recorded in the studio.
But as I’ve found, actually being able to stream 24-bit audio and tell the difference is not that easy. Samsung confidently promotes that Buds 2 Pro can stream 256 times more sound data than 16-bit—which is mathematically correct.
Is 24-bit streaming really that great?
And to test it out, I had to download a bunch of 24-bit files because I only have a Spotify Premium subscription and it famously lacks hi-res streaming. But there are other streaming services like Tidal, Amazon Music, and Apple Music for the true audiophiles who want nothing but the best audio fidelity. And also Qobuz, which is definitely something I knew of before getting into this review of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro.
And after listening to everything from the pop melodies in ABBA’s “Voyage”, folk rock anthems in Bob Dylan’s “Blood On The Tracks”, to the hip-hop bangers in Eminem’s “Curtain Call”, I simply couldn’t tell the difference between 24 and 16-bit files like… 99% of the time. Not to mention, not all songs are available for hi-res streaming either.
The only difference I could tell is how certain 24-bit tracks have broader soundstage and a little more transparency in the high frequencies, but that’s about it. So yeah, Buds 2 Pro’s 24-bit streaming isn’t going to be a big deal to most people, but if you’re someone who can absolutely tell the difference, this alone could be the reason to get Samsung’s latest pair of wireless earbuds.
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360 Audio
Neck Stretch Reminder
360 Audio is yet another niche, Samsung-exclusive feature that’s worth discussing. I never found it any useful when listening to tunes, but this head-tracking surround-sound experience does make binging documentaries and movies more immersive. The Buds 2 Pro can also send you neck stretch reminders if you’ve been leaning your head down for too long. If you’re someone who can’t maintain a straight posture, you’ll definitely find this feature somewhat useful.
Its call quality is decent but not the best
Its microphones are pretty decent as well. And I never received any major complaints from callers, even when I was walking through some crowded streets. It does pick up ambient noise a bit more than I was expecting, but that’s fine.
You can also use these earbuds for gaming—as long you have a Samsung phone and turned on “Game Mode” inside the Galaxy Wearable app. Not much latency there. But on a non-Samsung phone, the in-game audio delay is still quite a lot.
Battery Life
61mAh (earbud), 515mAh (charging case)
Up to 5/8 hours of music playback (with/without ANC)
USB Type-C, Qi wireless charging
As for the battery life on the Buds 2 Pro, it’s just… so-so. Samsung says you can expect 5 hours of playback with ANC on, or 8 hours with ANC off—which is the exact same as what you got with the Buds Pro. And in my typical usage with noise-cancellation enabled at all times, the Buds 2 Pro lasted about four and a half hours on average. That’s an hour more than what I’d need to stream Adele’s all four studio albums.
Anyway, if you think about it, Samsung managing similar battery endurance while making the earbuds 15% smaller is actually kinda impressive! And if you run out of power, a quick 5-minute top-up gets you 1 hour of playback whereas the case adds up to 18 hours of battery life, so I can’t complain much.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro Review: Conclusion
So that was the all-new Galaxy Buds 2 Pro—Samsung’s best and most expensive pair of wireless earbuds yet. It goes without saying that if you own a relatively new Galaxy phone, these are the earbuds you’d want. All the Samsung-exclusive features like 24-bit streaming, 360 Audio, and Auto Switch—complemented with excellent sound quality, ANC, and a comfortable fit makes it an easy recommendation for Samsung owners.
If you’ve already got the first-gen Galaxy Buds Pro though, I don’t think these are necessarily worth the upgrade. But hey, if you care about hi-res streaming and a more cozy fit, why not?!
On the other hand, even if your Android phone isn’t Samsung-made, these still sound pretty great. Definitely. But the premium wireless earbuds market consists of so many amazing alternatives right now that you might want to think twice before committing to the Buds 2 Pro. Like the Pixel Buds Pro, for example, which has great sound quality and ANC—on top of multipoint connection support.
Or Sony’s excellent WF-1000XM4 with industry-leading noise-cancellation and long-lasting battery life. And if you’re an iPhone user, then AirPods are probably the way to go—although you might want to wait a while because rumors suggest Apple could introduce lossless audio playback on its next-gen AirPods Pro.
Songs referenced in the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro review:
Nokia is redefining sustainability for smartphone manufacturers in 2022. With the release of the Nokia G60 5G and X30 5G, Nokia is paving way for sustainability like never before. So, let’s look at Nokia G60 5G alongside its specs, features, expected price, and availability in Nepal.
Nokia G60 5G Overview:
Design & Display
Like the Nokia X30 5G, the G60 uses recycled materials for its body. 60% of the fame and 100% of the back are made of recycled plastic. The phone weighs 190 grams and is a proper monster at 8.61 mm. Well, there is some form of water and dust protection as the phone is IP52-rated.
Over on the front, Nokia has fitted a 6.58-inch FHD+ display. It has a high 120Hz refresh rate but utilizes LCD technology. Protecting the screen is Gorilla Glass 5. The front camera lies in a water drop notch instead of the modern hole-punch.
Performance
The Nokia G60 5G is powered by the oh-so-popular Snapdragon 695. It is an octa-core processor manufactured via a 6nm process and offers Cortex-A77 and Cortex-A55 cores at up to 2.2GHz clock speeds.
The memory options available are 4/64GB, 4/128GB, and 6/128GB. With Nokia’s new policies, the phone enjoys 3 years of OS and security updates, and 3 years of warranty.
The main camera on the Nokia G60 5G is a 50MP sensor with no OIS. It also has a 5MP ultrawide and a depth sensor on the back. The front camera has an 8MP resolution. The camera setup is a downgrade compared to the X30 that was released alongside it.
Rest of the features
Moving on, the Nokia G60 5G has a built-in 4,500mAh battery with 20W charging. The charger does not come in the box in some markets. For security, the Nokia G60 has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner and face unlock. Unfortunately, it has a single speaker but maintains the 3.5mm headphone jack.
The CPU market is wild right now. Intel impressed us with its 12th Gen “Alder Lake” processors last year, and AMD is doing the same right now with the Zen 4-based Ryzen 7000 series “Raphael” CPUs. But as usual, Intel isn’t willing to give the spotlight to AMD entirely. And new rumors suggest that Team Blue could announce at least a few SKUs (Stock Keeping Units) of its 13th Gen “Raptor Lake” CPUs during its “Intel Innovation” event on September 27; which just so happens to be exactly when the Ryzen 7000 series will be available to the public.
Intel 13th Gen Raptor Lake CPUs: Rumors
According to the Twitter user @wxnod who has leaked the GTM (Go To Market) roadmap for the Intel 13th Gen Raptor Lake CPUs, the company will announce three SKUs of the 13th Gen CPUs on September 27. Or September 28 for Taiwan.
This includes the top-of-the-line Core i9-13900K, alongside Core i7-13700K and the Core i5-13600K. All “K” suffixed processors. Interestingly, Intel will also take pre-orders for the Core i9-13900K on the same day whereas the other two models will be up for pre-orders from October 13 only. On the other hand, all three of them will be available starting October 20.
And the latter part of the leaked slide apparently reveals that the non-K, mobile processors, and other 13th Gen products will be announced by CES 2023 as well. To note, next year’s CES will be held in Las Vegas, USA from January 5 – 8.
We also expect Intel to announce a couple of new motherboards to go with the new chips. Like the enthusiast-grade Z790, H770, and B760. Anyway, we already know Raptor Lake will use the same LGA 1700 socket as Alder Lake. That means you might not need to buy a new motherboard if you’re already rocking a 12th Gen setup. Now, even though this means the new Intel processors could support DDR4 memory, nothing’s sure just yet. Intel could follow in the footsteps of AMD and make DDR5 the only RAM option for Raptor Lake.
Intel 7 process
And it will also be compatible with the CPU coolers that work with Alder Lake PCs. Likewise, the 13th Gen processors are rumored to be manufactured under an enhanced Intel 7 (10nm SuperFin) process node.
Intel also says we can expect “up to double digit performance boost” in multi-threaded workloads with Raptor Lake, compared to Alder Lake. As with most product launches, there are already a ton of leaks surrounding the Intel 13th Gen Raptor Lake CPUs. Besides all this, of course. The Core i9-13900K will reportedly feature 8 Performance (P) cores with hyper-threading and 16 Efficiency (E) cores, for a total of 32 threads.
Moreover, it will have a 3 GHz base and 5.5 GHz of all-core boost frequency. And with Intel’s Efficient Thermal Velocity Boost (ETVB) technology, it will also be able to hit 5.7 GHz of single-core boost frequency. Exactly matching the boost clock speed of AMD’s flagship Ryzen 9 7950X CPU. We’ve covered the leaks surrounding the Core i9-13900K, including some benchmark scores in more detail here.
Intel 13th Gen Raptor Lake CPUs: Price
There’s no information on how much Intel’s new processors are going to cost for now. But considering how AMD impressively managed to lower the cost on a couple of its latest processors, we expect Intel to follow suit too. Or at the very least, avoid a price hike. As such, the aforementioned Intel 13th Gen Raptor Lake CPUs might cost somewhere between USD 290 to USD 600.
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Intel Core i7-12700K CPU
Nokia’s budget smartphone portfolio continues to grow. The company has just announced the Nokia C31 alongside a new tablet and a couple of audio accessories during the ongoing IFA 2022. And we can confirm that this phone is launching soon in Nepal as well. So in this post, let’s take a look at the official specs and features, along with the expected price in Nepal and the availability of the new Nokia C31.
Nokia C31 Overview:
Design & Display
Like basically every other budget phone from Nokia, the C31 comes with a familiar polycarbonate (plastic) build quality. Besides, this is also quite a tall and bulky phone, coming in at 8.6mm wide and 200 grams. But unlike its predecessor, the Nokia C30, it is also IP52-certified against dust and water drips.
Nokia C31
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Display
Charcoal
Cyan
Mint
Up front, you’re looking at a tall 6.75″ LCD screen with fat bezels on all four sides—especially the chin. At least there isn’t an unnecessary “Nokia” branding on the bottom this time. Nokia also says it has used a 2.5D toughened glass on the display, but not which one exactly. And unfortunately, it still has an HD resolution.
So even though the company has slightly reduced the display size here, things are bound to look pixelated on Nokia C31’s massive screen. The phone is available in three colorways: Charcoal, Cyan, and Mint.
Sadly, Nokia hasn’t given any performance upgrade this time either. The phone’s product page doesn’t specify exactly which chip is used here, but we know it has an octa-core CPU architecture with four Cortex-A55 and four Cortex-A53 cores, clocked at 1.6GHz and 1.2GHz, respectively.
This is pretty similar to the 28nm Unisoc SC9863A chip that we saw on the C30. But that one has two clusters of four Cortex-A55 cores with the same clock speeds as this one. The only thing worth considering as an upgrade here is the fact that the Nokia C31 can be configured with 3 or 4GB of RAM.
Instead of just 2GB on the entry-level Nokia C30. Having said that, Nokia has also decided to go with the full-fledged Android 12 operating system on the C31. Rather than the lighter, Go Edition of Android on its precursor.
Interestingly, the Nokia C31 will receive 2 years of quarterly security updates—although there’s no word on OS upgrades yet. As for storage options, the phone is available with either 32, 64, or 128GB of internal memory. And it can accept up to 256GB of micro SD card via a dedicated space in the SIM tray.
Cameras
For the most part, the camera department doesn’t see much of an upgrade either. Though Nokia has gone with a squarish camera module instead of the circular one on its predecessor. And it consists of the same 13MP main and 2MP depth sensor—alongside an additional 2MP macro shooter.
The 5MP selfie camera inside the teardrop notch remains untouched. Nokia C31 uses Google’s Camera app, which includes features like Portrait mode, HDR, Night mode, and more. And it also comes loaded with the GoPro Quik app, which is a simple photo and video editing tool that I’m sure is going to run great on this budget phone.
Powering the Nokia C31 is a big 5050mAh battery, which the company says should last up to 3 days on a full charge. To compare, the Nokia C30 had a much bigger 6000mAh battery, and that one promised a 3-day battery life as well. Anyway, the charging situation hasn’t gotten any better here. It still maxes out at 10W (5V/2A) of power—that too via a micro USB port. Oof.
For security, the Nokia C31 brings a fingerprint sensor at the back. It also supports face unlock, which reportedly works even when you’re wearing a mask, but I am a little skeptical about its security. There’s a single speaker at the back and a 3.5mm headphone jack for wired audio output. And it lets you stream FM radio wired or wirelessly.
Audio: Mono speaker (back), 3.5mm headphone jack, Wired/wireless FM radio
Security: Physical fingerprint sensor (rear-mounted), Face unlock
Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient Light, Proximity
Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 4 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS / AGPS / Galileo, micro USB (USB 2.0), 4G LTE
Battery: 5050mAh with 10W charging (10W power adapter provided)
Color Options: Charcoal, Cyan, Mint
Nokia C31 Price in Nepal & Availability
The Nokia C31 starts at EUR 129 for the entry-level 3/32GB variant in the European market. As such, we expect the price of the Nokia C31 in Nepal to start at NPR 17,499 when it launches here shortly.
Nokia C31
Global Price
Price in Nepal (Expected)
3/32GB
EUR 129
NPR 17,499
Meanwhile, check out our full review of the Nothing Phone (1)
Sony’s 2022 smartphone lineup is complete with the release of the Xperia 5 IV. Like most Xperia phones, it emphasizes cameras above everything else. So, without further ado, here are the specifications, features, availability, and expected price of the Sony Xperia 5 IV in Nepal.
Sony Xperia 5 IV Overview:
Design, Display
The design of the Xperia 5 IV is similar to that of other smartphones in this lineup. It weighs only 172 grams and measures 8.2mm thick. Sony has also offered its signature 21:9 aspect ratio screen here. It is 6.1-inch in size, uses OLED technology, and has a 1080p resolution screen with a refresh rate of 120Hz.
Moreover, the smartphone has an IP68-rated dust and water resistance body. Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protects the device’s front and back. The Xperia 5 IV is available in two colors: black and green.
Let’s now go with the highlight of every Sony smartphone: its cameras. On the back, there are three camera lenses, all with 12MP sensor sizes. The primary camera has a 24mm wide lens paired with a 16mm ultra-wide sensor. Then there’s a 60mm telephoto lens with 2.5x zoom.
The wide and telephoto module also has OIS stabilization. And this setup is also capable of 4K@120fps recording. Other features include Real-time Eye AF and Real-time tracking. On the front, there is a 12MP sensor with a 24mm lens.
Performance
Sony has used a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC for performance. The SoC is bundled with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The smartphone runs Android 12 out of the box.
All of this is powered by a 5000mAh cell charged by a 30W adapter. The smartphone also supports wireless charging, making it the first 5-series phone to do so.
Rest of the specs
Similarly, it has dual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos for audio. There’s also support for Hi-Res Audio, DSEE Ultimate, and 360 Reality Audio. Biometric options include a side-mounted fingerprint sensor.
Sony Xperia 5 IV Specifications:
Display: 6.1-inches OLED panel, 120Hz refresh rate, Gorilla Glass Victus
Resolution: FHD+ (2520 x 1080 pixels), 21:9 aspect ratio
Battery: 5000mAh with 30W fast charging, wireless charging
Sony Xperia 5 IV Price in Nepal and Availability
The Sony Xperia 5 IV is already up for pre-order at a price tag of USD 999 for the sole 8/128GB variant. We anticipate that the Sony Xperia 5 IV will be priced around NPR 135,000 when it is released in Nepal.
Sony Xperia 5 IV
Price (Official)
Price in Nepal (Expected)
8/128GB
USD 999
NPR 135,000
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Nothing Phone (1).
Samsung is expanding the horizon of its Odyssey lineup of gaming monitors with the new G8. Announced at the IFA 2022, it is the company’s first gaming monitor with an OLED panel. Besides, the Odyssey G8 also boasts a slim profile and a slew of gaming features. So, let’s take a look at the specs, features, expected price, and availability of the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 in Nepal.
Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 Overview:
First OLED Odessey Monitor
Let’s start with the display. Here, the Odyssey OLED G8 features a 32-inch OLED panel with a QHD resolution. According to the official press release, the monitor makes use of Quantum Dot technology. But it is not clear if Samsung is referring to the QD-OLED technology that it announced earlier this year.
That aside, Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 flaunts a screen with a 1800R curvature. It covers 99.3% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and boasts a fast response time of 0.1ms. By the way, the screen refreshes at 175Hz. It even supports AMD FreeSync for variable refresh rates. Moreover, the display even has VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification.
Ultra-Slim Profile
Samsung has designed the Odyssey OLED G8 to have an extremely thin profile. The monitor is just 3.9mm thick in its thinnest part. As per the company, it is the slimmest product in its category. Samsung has used a metal frame to reinforce the monitor. The stand is also metallic and it supports height and tilt adjustment. Unfortunately, there is no option to mount the monitor as it has a big built-in RGB light at the back.
Entertainment and IoT Hub
You can even use the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 to monitor other IoT devices in your house. For this, it comes with SmartThings app pre-installed. In addition, there is Samsung’s Smart Hub that lets users stream movies and shows from platforms like Prime Video, Netflix, and YouTube. Users can watch live TV with Samsung Plus.
Samsung has even integrated its game streaming platform, the Gaming Hub, into the Odyssey G8. With this, users will be able to stream games from cloud services like NVIDIA GeForce Now, Google Stadia, and Amazon Luna.
Users can even control the RGB lighting at the back with the help of CoreSync and Core Lighting+. As for connectivity, you get a Micro HDMI 2.1, Mini DP 1.4, and a USB-C port for wireless connectivity. The monitor even integrated a 5W stereo speaker for audio.
When I say “fitness tracker” or “smartwatch”, I’m pretty sure Asus isn’t the first name that would pop in your mind. Instead, Asus is mostly known for its outrageous gaming laptops and gaming phones. Or more recently, the $3500 ZenBook 17 Fold OLED laptop with a foldable touchscreen. But the new Asus VivoWatch 5 Aero deserves your attention.
Asus VivoWatch 5 Aero Overview:
Unveiled at IFA 2022, this is the world’s first fitness tracker that can take ECG readings simply by placing the fingertip on the sensor.
What is ECG?
ECG or EKG (Electrocardiogram) basically tests your heart’s rhythm and electrical signal. And it can be an important identifier of your heart health, such as detecting arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats), coronary heart disease, and more. And we’ve already seen a bunch of smartwatches that can take ECG readings before the Asus VivoWatch 5 Aero. Like the Apple Watch Series 7, Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 series, Fitbit Sense/Sense 2, and more.
Apple Watch Series 7 – ECG
Anyway, this fitness tracker has dual ECG and PPG sensors to measure your pulse transit time, heart rate levels, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), and more. And to take an ECG reading, you can simply place your fingerprint on the sensor right below the display for a while. Other than this, Asus has not clarified how the tech works or anything, so we can’t speak about its reliability to any degree yet.
Other features of the Asus VivoWatch 5 Aero includes sleep tracking and snore detection. It also has a built-in G-Sensor (Gravity) and GPS so that it can track your workouts more effectively. Talking about workouts, it supports 9 of them in total—including running, jogging, swimming, cycling, treadmill, dancing, yoga, and more. And all your health data syncs up with the Asus HealthConnect app, which is available for both Android and iOS devices.
Besides this, the VivoWatch 5 Aero has most of your typical smartwatch features too. Like app notifications, weather info, remote camera shutter, etc. As you can see from the image, it has a pretty small display (presumably OLED)—even for a fitness tracker. But I guess that was a necessary sacrifice to accommodate the ECG sensor up front.
How much will the Asus VivoWatch 5 Aero cost?
Unfortunately, that’s all we know about the Asus VivoWatch 5 Aero for now. The company is keeping many details about this fitness tracker in the hush-hush. Like the display size, weight and dimensions, battery life, and more. As such, we don’t know about its price or availability either. But rumors suggest that Asus could be eyeing a December launch for this guy.
Meanwhile, check out our pick for the best budget smartwatches of 2022
Samsung released the new Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro today. The rugged tablet is targeted at field and frontline workers. Here, we will take a look at the specifications, features, availability, and expected price of the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro in Nepal.
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro Overview:
Design, Display
The Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro features a ruggedized build with thick bezels and rubber bumpers for drop protection. It also has physical navigation buttons and a stylus for usage under unfavorable circumstances. The tablet weighs 674 grams and measures 10.2mm thick.
Coming to the display, the tablet comes with a 10.1-inch TFT display with 1920 x 1200 pixels. The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 5 and the device itself is IP68 dust and water-resistant. Similarly, it is MIL-STD-810H compliant and withstands extreme altitudes, temperatures, vibration, and humidity.
Samsung claims that the Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro can survive drops up to 1 meter without a case and up to 1.2 meters with the included case.
Performance
An unnamed 6nmn octa-core processor handles performance on the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro. According to Google Play Console, the chip is a Snapdragon 778G. The tablet is available with up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. However, it also supports storage expansion via a microSD card.
Active4 Pro is a rugged tablet, it is not focused on optics. Thus, it houses a single 13MP sensor on the back and an 8MP selfie camera up front.
The tablet packs a replaceable 7,600mAh. Additionally, one can use the tablet without a battery. Simply connect it to mains and you are good to go. For connectivity, it has GPS, 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and NFC.
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro Specifications:
Display: 10.1″ TFT Screen
Resolution: WUXGA (1920 x 1200 pixels)
CPU: Octa-core
Memory: 4/6GB RAM, 64/128GB storage
OS: OneUI, Android 12
Rear Camera: 13MP
Front Camera: 8MP
Battery: 7,600mAh
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro Price in Nepal and Availability
Unfortunately, Samsung has not revealed the price of the Tab Active4 Pro officially. According to the company, it will be available in some parts of Europe in September.
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Nothing Phone 1.
