The Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 were the highlights of the Galaxy Unpacked event this year. However, Samsung did announce other exciting products as well, including its second-only “Pro” buds. And the new Galaxy Buds 2 Pro is now available in Nepal as well. So, let’s take a look at the specifications, features, official price, and availability of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro in Nepal.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro Overview:
Design
At first glance, there is not a lot going on in the design front of the new Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. As suggested by the initial renders, Samsung is sticking to the tried and tested design of the Buds Pro. The earbuds and the charging case of the Buds 2 Pro look exactly like the ones on its predecessor.
However, Samsung says the new Buds 2 Pro is 15% smaller and more comfortable to wear. The new “ergonomic design” is said to ensure a more secure fit with reduced movement in the ear.
Furthermore, the earbuds retain the original Buds Pro’s IPX7 water resistance. Samsung is even offering the same original color options, albeit under new names: White, Grey, and Bora Purple.
Active Noise Cancelation (ANC)
Galaxy Buds Pro had the most advanced noise cancelation of any product in the lineup. Samsung has taken that and made it more advanced on the new Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. As per the company, the new “Intelligent Active Noise Cancellation” can cancel “even the loudest ambient noise”. Apparently, the buds can be effective against noise of up to 33dB.
Ambient mode lets in the ambient noise so that the user can have a conversation without having to take the buds off. Users can have it automatically activated under the special conversation mode.
Moreover, Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro boasts studio-quality sound and improved 360° audio for the digital surround sound experience. The latter is available on the latest Galaxy devices running One UI 4.1.1 or newer edition.
Then there is 24bit Hi-Fi sound that requires One UI 4.0 or newer. In addition, the buds support HD Voice which will separate the user’s voice from other noise making him/her more audible.
Battery and Charging
On a full charge, Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro can last up to eight hours with it extending up to 29 hours with the charging. This is with the ANC turned off. With the noise cancelation turned on, you can expect the endurance to be hours 5 and 18 hours, respectively.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro Specifications:
Dimension:
Earbud: 19.9 x 21.6 x 21.1mm, 5.5 gram each
Charging Case: 50.1 x 50.2 x 27.7mm, 43.4 grams
Color Options: Graphite, White, Bora Purple
Sound Driver: Dual-driver
Audio Codec: AAC, SBC, SSC HiFi
Noise Cancellation: Yes, ANC (up to 33db) with Ambient mode
Microphone: Yes, 3 + Voice Pickup Unit
Connectivity: Bluetooth v5.3
IP Rating: Yes, IPX7 (earbuds only)
Playback Time:
Earbuds: Up to 5/8 hours (ANC on/off)
With case: Up to 18/29 hours (ANC on/off)
Control: Touch-based control
Charging: Fast Wired Charging, Qi Wireless Charging
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro Price in Nepal and Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro is launched in Nepal at a price of NPR 27,999. The TWS buds are available for purchase at authorized retailers such as Hukut Store.
Earlier this year, Insta360 announced the ONE RS 1-inch 360 edition camera with 6K recording capability. This action camera is finally available in Nepal. In this article, we will be discussing the key specs, features, price, and availability of the Insta360 ONE RS 1-inch 360 Edition in Nepal.
Insta360 ONE RS 1-inch 360 Edition Overview:
Body
Insta360 ONE RS 1-inch 360 Edition is the first 360 camera with dual 1-inch CMOS sensors. The device can take 21MP 360 photos and 6K 360 videos. It has a small body with a camera lens mounted on top and a screen built into the handle.
Because the handheld 360 camera is IPX3 water resistant, you won’t have to seek shelter if it rains. A battery is housed in the lower portion of the handle. Similarly, Insta360’s quick reader can be plugged into the lower left. The reader includes an SD Card for quicker photo and video transfer to a phone.
The main feature of the Insta360 ONE RS 1-inch 360 Edition is its sensor. The company worked with Leica to make this 1-inch sensor. The modular camera acts as a 360 update to the One RS action camera with its interchangeable lens.
With its dual 1-inch 360 mod lenses placed on both sides, the camera can shoot up to 6K 30fps videos and 21MP HDR pictures. Furthermore, the mod can be used with the old ONE R or RS base by using an upgrade kit.
Moreover, the user can interact with the Insta360 One RS 1-inch Edtion by using the built-in color touchscreen. Not only controls, but the screen also provides a live view of the footage being taken.
Rest of the Specs
The camera features what Insta360 calls FlowState Stabilization. With the help of 6-axis stabilization and its proprietary algorithm, it offers smoother videos. Some other features include 360 Horizon Lock and an invisible selfie stick which offers incredible third-person shots.
All of this is powered by a 1445mAh battery rated for up to 62 minutes of usage. Insta360 claims that it can charge up fully in 90 minutes while turned off. The action camera connects with your smartphone via Insta 360 app which allows users to edit videos and photos on the go.
In addition, the app hosts an array of other features such as reframing controls and AI tools. By the way, it utilizes BLE 5.0 and 5GHz Wi-Fi for connectivity. It can connect with your smartphone via BLE 5.0 For connectivity, it utilizes BLE 5.0 and 5GHz Wi-Fi.
Insta360 ONE RS 1-inch 360 Edition Specifications:
Dimensions: 53.2×49.5×129.3mm
Weight: 239g
Connectivity: BLE5.0, Wi-Fi 802.11ac
IP Rating: IPX3 Water Resistant
Port: USB Type-C
Storage: exFAT microSD card up to 1TB
Battery: 1350mAh
Charging Time: 90 minutes
Run time: 62 minutes
Video: Up to 5888×2944 videos @30fps
Stabilization: 6-axis Gyroscope
Insta360 ONE RS 1-inch 360 Edition Price in Nepal
The Insta360 ONE RS 1-inch 360 Edition is available in Nepal for NPR 125,000. The 360 camera is available for purchase at the official price from Hukut Store.
The Legion 5 Pro was one of the best gaming laptops on the market last year. Combining beefy hardware with a commendable design and a 16:10 screen, it quickly gained a special place in my heart. So, what’s it like this year? Does the new Legion 5 Pro live up to the legacy of its predecessor? Well, to nobody’s surprise the answer is yes. The Legion 5 Pro Gen 7 keeps everything great about the previous generation and improves on it. Aside from the generational updates, there are a few changes here and there. So, let’s take a look at the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro (2022) in this full review.
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro (2022) Specifications:
Design&Build: Plastic/anodized aluminum hybrid build, 359.9 x 262.4 x 19.9 mm, 2.49 kg
Okay, the first thing I want to talk about here is the design, since Lenovo has further simplified the looks of the Legion 5 Pro this time. While last year’s model featured a big glowing “Y” logo on the lid, this time it’s replaced with a simple “Legion” text. The keyboard color also matches the body now, which adds to the flush minimal look of the device.
That aside, it still has that same top-notch build quality that I like: the same TrueStrike keyboard, and the same build materials. For me, its build quality leaves no room for complaints and I think it is one of the best-looking gaming laptops out there.
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 2022 - Design
1 of 5
Lid Closed
Lid Opened
Back Ports
Right Ports
Left Ports
Unfortunately, it still comes with the same comically large power brick. I don’t know if I should use it to charge my laptop or build a house with it! Jokes aside, you are looking at a package of over 3 kg which is sure to take a toll on your back if you move around with your laptop a lot.
But that bulk is not for nothing, the Legion 5 Pro packs a 16” display on a 15.6-inch chassis. And like last year, this is a fine trade-off in my books. Anyway, there is not much to talk about the design because most of it has remained the same. It is as if Lenovo found the perfect formula and stuck with it, which is not bad in itself.
Display
16″ anti-glare non-touch QHD IPS panel
165Hz refresh rate, 100% sRGB gamut
VESA HDR 400, Dolby Vision compatible
Talking about formulas that work, the display isn’t that different this time either. And once again, I can’t help but be amazed by it! I mean, just look at its specs: a 16” QHD screen with a smooth 165Hz refresh rate, 3ms response time, and 500 nits brightness; all while boasting 100% sRGB gamut? Okay Lenovo, just take my money. Furthermore, there’s also a 240Hz option this time around.
The laptop comes pre-calibrated and you can even choose between different color profiles like sRGB and Rec. 709 inside the X-Rite Color Assistant app. We measured its contrast ratio at 1070:1, which is slightly lower than what we got on last year’s model, but it leaves no room for complaints in terms of viewing angles and white balance.
Display Properties
1 of 3
Color Gamut
Gamma
Brightness
In our tests, we found that this screen covers 99% sRGB and 77% P3 gamut. So apart from gaming and media consumption, this thing is good enough for photo editing and similar workloads as well. At 530 nits brightness, Legion 5 Pro’s screen is easily visible outdoors too. And setting it at 50-75% was comfortable enough for my eyes in a well-lit room.
Like most gaming laptops, the screen has an anti-glare coating which makes it easy to use when you have a bunch of light sources directly reflecting onto the display. And whether you are gaming, coding, or reading up stuff, this 16:10 aspect ratio makes a big difference. All in all, the Legion 5 Pro’s screen surpasses most of the competition in this price bracket.
Keyboard
Backlit full-size keys (4-zone RGB)
Getting to the keyboard, our unit has 4-zone RGB lighting, whereas it is also available with a simple white backlight. On the other hand, there’s also the “Glacier White” version which looks quite elegant with its blue backlit keys.
I prefer the Legion TrueStrike keyboard over the keyboards on most other gaming laptops. It gives off a decent tactile feel when gaming and typing. The keycaps are not wobbly, and the full-sized keys are a delight to type on.
You can also switch between the lighting modes from the Lenovo Vantage app or with the Function + Spacebar shortcut. But like last year, the RGB lighting here is not the brightest, even though the letters and secondary functions are uniformly lit.
Trackpad
And I was also expecting Lenovo to implement a glass trackpad this time, but I guess that was too much to ask for. While the Legion 7 lineup gets the glass trackpad treatment, Legion 5 Pro users are still stuck with the mylar plastic trackpad. By no means is this trackpad bad, but it simply cannot compete with the smoothness of a glass one.
Audio
2x 2W side-firing speakers
Supports Nahimic audio
And this guy houses the same speaker setup as we’ve seen before as well, between the frame and the lower half of the laptop. Like the trackpad, these dual speakers are just okay for a gaming laptop. The bass feels recessed and the mids outshine everything else. After some tinkering in the Nahimic app, I was able to get a slightly immersive audio experience though.
Webcam
720p HD camera
E-camera shutter
Moving on, it’s 2022 but the webcam here is still a 720p unit. That’s disappointing but nonetheless, I found it to be usable for attending video conferences. And this camera-kill switch is always a welcome feature too.
Performance
AMD Ryzen 7 6800H CPU (45W TDP)
NVIDIA RTX 3060 140W (discrete GPU)
16GB DDR5 RAM, 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD
Well, let’s now talk about the most important aspect of a gaming laptop, the performance! This year, you can pick up the Legion 5 Pro configured with an AMD Ryzen 5 6600H or a Ryzen 7 6800H. Lenovo has discontinued the usage of RTX 3050 here and the GPU options you have now include RTX 3060, 3070, and 3070 Ti.
And my Legion 5 Pro is configured with the Ryzen 7 6800H CPU and NVIDIA’s RTX 3060 GPU with 140W TGP. Memory-wise, you’re looking at 16GB DDR5 RAM in dual-channel and 512GB of M.2 NVMe SSD. This particular model retails at NPR 235,000 here in Nepal and around INR 147,000 in India.
This is the first Ryzen 6000 series equipped laptop to arrive in our office and I was quite eager to find out how different it is from Intel’s 12th Gen processor. So I fired up a bunch of benchmarks right away. And it seems that the 12th Gen is still the leader as far as raw performance is concerned. The Asus TUF F15 with Core i7-12700H CPU pretty much dominated Ryzen 7 6800H on basically every test. It is ahead by 10-15% on Cinebench R23 and we can notice similar results on other benchmarks like 7 Zip, V-Ray 5, Corona, and PugetBench as well.
Benchmarks
1 of 6
Cinebench R23
7-Zip 21.07 (x64)
V-Ray 5 (CPU)
Photoshop 0.93.3
BENCHMARKS
Premiere Pro 0.95.5
Corona 1.3
Gaming
Okay, let’s now talk about its gaming performance. Playing CS: GO at Very High settings, the Legion 5 Pro managed 317.7 fps on average with a 1% low of 100.7 fps. Strangely enough, this is higher than the TUF 15. Likewise, the Legion 5 pro easily sailed through GTA V and Borderlands 3 at High preset with over 100 fps on average.
Hitman 3, on the other hand, yielded an average of 65.8 fps in Ultra settings. And similar to the TUF 15, I didn’t find any notable improvement when dropping the settings to medium.
1080p Gaming Benchmarks
Performance mode (power plugged in), VSync Off, DLSS Off
Game
Settings
Average FPS
Legion 5 Pro (2022)
Asus TUF F15 (2022)
Cyberpunk 2077
Texture quality: High
32.8fps
27.5fps
Ray Tracing: Ultra
Texture quality: Medium
46.8fps
Ray Tracing: Medium
Control
Texture resolution: Ultra
55.5fps
48.3fps
Ray Tracing: High
GTA V
1080p – DX11 – High
143.8fps
127.7fps
CS: GO
Texture Detail: High
Anti-Aliasing: 8X MSAA
317.7fps
263.5fps
Borderlands 3
1080p – DX12 – Ultra
99.4fps
103.9fps
1080p – DX12 – High
123.2fps
116.9fps
Hitman 3
Texture Quality: Ultra
66.0fps
65.8fps
Anti-Aliasing: 4X MSAA
Playing Control on Ultra with ray tracing set to High was a decent experience with fps averaging at 55.5. Or 68.5 fps on Medium settings. On the other hand, CyberPunk 2077 is basically unplayable with just 32.8 fps on average on Ultra settings without DLSS. But you can get much better gameplay at Medium settings instead. And when turning off ray tracing completely, the Legion 5 pro averages at an impressive 102 fps.
Cooling
Okay, that brings me to the cooling side of things. Compared to its predecessor, Lenovo has significantly upgraded the cooling system this time, with what it calls “Coldfront 4.0”. It also claims that the fans are now 140% more powerful while the blades are 40% thinner too. It also has a dedicated copper block to further cool the CPU.
And yes, the thermals here do live up to Lenovo’s claims. Even after multiple sessions of gaming, putting my hands on the keyboard deck did not feel uneasy at all. I recorded a temperature of 45.5°C when playing CyberPunk 2077 on medium, where the heat was mostly localized to the area between the Enter and the power button. On the other hand, the temperature jumped up to 47.1°C after about 20 minutes into Hitman 3 on Ultra preset.
Quiet fans
As for the fans, you will hear them only when the laptop goes through some CPU and GPU-intensive workload. Thus, I found myself using it in Performance mode most of the time. Oh, and a neat touch that Lenovo has added here is the color-coded notification light on the power button, so I can immediately tell if the laptop is running on performance, balance, or quiet mode.
Battery
80 Watt-hour 4-cell battery
300W AC power adapter
In terms of battery, this year’s Legion 5 Pro has the same 80Wh cell as its predecessor. But despite this, I was getting around one or two hours of additional screen-on time here. In my general usage, it lasted me 4 to 6 hours on average, with brightness set to 75% and enabling the Balanced power profile.
And you can get much more than 6 hours of screen-on time by switching to iGPU-only mode and limiting the refresh rate to just 60Hz. However, this does come with a significant performance drop, so I’d only use it when there’s a power out or something.
But when you need to fill it up, this 300W charger is a proper tank. While it provides a stable power supply and stays relatively cool, the sheer size of the thing is rather intimidating. Anyway, it can take Legion 5 Pro from 0 to 100% in about 2 hours. There’s also Rapid Charge support in case you’re in a hurry and quickly need some juice before you head out.
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro (2022) Review: Conclusion
Okay, let’s wrap up this review of the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro (2022). And it’s no surprise that the 2022 edition of Lenovo Legion 5 Pro gets a big seal of approval from me. Granted its AMD CPU is not as powerful as Intel’s 12th Gen processors, but the gains in terms of battery life and thermals are hard to overlook. Plus, it also has an incredible display and a solid build quality, which makes it an easy recommendation.
The fact that the bulky power brick is the only setback of the Legion 5 Pro speaks volumes. So yeah, if you are looking for a reliable gaming laptop in this price range, bagging this year’s Legion 5 Pro won’t disappoint you a bit.
Watch our video review of the Asus TUF Gaming F15 (2022)
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro Review: Pros & Cons
Pros:
Value for money
Premium design
Commendable performance improvements over the last generation
In this review, I’ll go through my experience of using HP Victus 15 for about a month. Last year, HP introduced a new lineup of affordable gaming laptops called Victus. The Victus 16 was the first device in the series and having used the AMD Advantage edition of that laptop for quite some time, I found it to be just decent—nothing much.
Now, in 2022, the company has refreshed the Victus series with the newer 12th Gen Intel CPUs. You can configure it with up to i7-12700H CPU and RTX 3050Ti graphics. But since Victus is all about affordability I got myself the base variant which has an Intel Core i5-12450H CPU, GTX 1650 graphics, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, and 512GB of NVMe SSD storage. This particular unit retails at Rs. 115,000 in Nepal, some Rs. 74,000 in India, and some $800 in the US.
HP Victus 15 Specifications:
Dimensions: 35.8 x 24 x 2.3 cm, 2.37kg
Display: 15.6-inch IPS LCD, Up to 144Hz refresh rate, Anti-glare, Low Blue Light, 250 nits
Resolution: FHD (1920 x 1080 pixels)
Keyboard: Full-size keyboard with NumPad
Processor: Intel Core i5-12450H (8C/12T, 4.40GHz Max Boost, 45W base power)
I/O Ports: 1x USB Type-A (HP Sleep and Charge), 1x USB Type-A, 1x RJ45, 1x combo audio jack, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x USB Type-C (DisplayPort 1.4, HP Sleep and Charge)
Price in Nepal: Rs. 115,000
HP Victus 15 Review:
Performance
Intel Core i5-12450H CPU
NVIDIA GTX 1650 (discrete GPU)
8GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD
With this setup, the Victus 15 had no problem handling my daily workloads including opening up to 15 Chrome tabs, editing documents on LibreOffice, light editing on Photoshop, and listening to music on Spotify all at the same time. But of course, this laptop is not just meant for your typical everyday work. It’s a gaming machine with decent hardware to support it.
So, I tested its capabilities against a handful of AAA titles, and it performed comparatively better than last year’s Victus 16, especially in CPU-intensive games. This is to be expected from new Alder Lake processors because what matters most when it comes to a CPU’s gaming performance is its single-core performance, and this is where the 12th Gen CPUs shine the brightest.
For instance, just take a look at the Cinebench R23 scores of HP Victus from last year and this year’s model. While the multi-core scores are nearly similar, the Core i5-12450H wins by a significant margin in single-core performance. The Geekbench 5 scores show similar results as well.
Cinebench R23
HP Victus 15 (2022)
HP Victus 16 (2021)
CPU: Multi-Core
9207
9163
CPU: Single Core
1741
1366
MP Ratio
5.28x
6.71x
Higher is better
Geekbench 5
HP Victus 15 (2022)
HP Victus 16 (2021)
CPU: Single Core
1630
1371
CPU: Multi-Core
6773
6392
Compute (OpenCL)
38078
39597
Higher is better
Games
So with games like CS: GO, I was able to get 143fps on average at high settings. Whereas last year’s Victus was averaging at around 90fps. Plus what I appreciate this time is that HP has included a 144Hz screen even on the base variant of the laptop. So, I haven’t faced any screen tearing issues I had with the 60Hz screen on Victus 16.
1080p Gaming Benchmarks
Performance mode (power plugged in), VSync Off, DLSS Off
Game
Settings
HP Victus 15 (2022)
HP Victus 16 (2021)
CS: GO
Texture Detail: High
Anti-Aliasing: 8X MSAA
143fps
90fps
Valorant
Texture Quality: High
138.3fps
115fps
Likewise, another game that makes full use of this high refresh rate screen is Valorant. Here I got around 138.3 fps on average at the highest settings.
On to some GPU-heavy games, Control is playable at Medium graphics settings at around 41fps on average. Also, you can play Cyberpunk at Medium settings where I graphed 35.3 fps on average. GTA V, on the other hand, yields a slightly better result with 54.9 fps on average at Medium settings.
1080p Gaming Benchmarks
Performance mode (power plugged in), VSync Off, DLSS Off
Game
Settings
HP Victus 15 (2022)
HP Victus 16 (2021)
GTA V
1080p – DX11 – Medium
54.9fps
45fps
CyberPunk 2077
Texture Quality: Medium
35.3
25fps
Control
Texture resolution: Medium
41fps
35fps
Thermals
All in all, you can expect a good—if not great—gaming experience from the Victus 15. Another area where the laptop has made an impression on me is its thermal performance.
The fan noise gets a bit loud at its maximum speed but I think it’s well worth it given the comfortable gaming experience on the Victus 15. And the best part is that the keyboard itself stays relatively cool.
I noticed the laptop getting warm near the backspace key and above the keyboard deck. But it’s nothing alarming since the maximum surfaced temperature I recorded was around 47°C which is considerable in the summery days of August.
Faster SSD Storage
Also, I was surprised to see how good of an SSD HP has used here. It’s a PCIe Gen 4 SSD that can be easily replaced. But what’s really impressive here is the read and write performance of the pre-installed SSD card. It’s certainly among the best storage performance for a budget laptop I’ve ever seen.
CrystalDiskMark
Read (MB/s)
Write (MB/s)
SEQ1M Q8T1
6749.33
4407.59
SEQ1M Q1T1
2604.18
3528.93
RND4K Q32T1
589.88
624.53
RNK4K Q1T1
56.98
178.91
Higher is better
Battery
3-cell 52.5 Wh Li-ion battery
150W AC power adapter
Besides performance, I also find the battery life on the Victus 15 to be slightly better than its predecessor. Compared to the 3 hours backup of the Victus 16, I was able to get around 4 to 4.5 hours of run time on my normal usage. This isn’t much of an improvement, but it’s certainly worth nothing for a gaming laptop. Charging it from 20% to 100% takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes with the compatible adapter.
Design
35.8 x 24 x 2.3 cm, 2.37kg
Plastic build quality
Moving on, HP has made no significant design changes with the Victus 15. It still looks basic and feels almost the same as last year’s model. The only thing that disappoints me—as far as design goes—is that HP has not addressed the widespread criticism of the flimsy screen hinge issue in this year’s Victus lineup of laptops as well.
So like last year’s model, the screen starts to wobble even with a slight tug on the laptop. On top of this, despite having a matte finish, the lid catches dust and fingerprints way too easily. So I have to carry around a piece of fabric so that I could wipe it clean. Oh, it’s bulky as well at around 2.30 kg, so you will definitely feel the heft while carrying it in the bag.
Regardless, the whole chassis feels fairly solid, with no flex in the keyboard until you press it very hard. Just above the keyboard deck, there is a wide strip of mesh that covers the stereo speakers setup.
The air intake vent is in the rear, and the laptop exhausts hot air through the grille in the back. Similarly, all of the necessary I/O ports are located on the side of the laptop. Here on the left, you’ll find the power connector, a 3.5mm audio jack, a USB Type-A port, and a full-size SD card slot. And the right edge has HDMI, USB Type-A, USB Type-C, and Ethernet ports. Aside from these normal I/O connections, it could’ve been great if HP had included a Thunderbolt port here.
Display
15.6″ anti-glare non-touch FHD IPS panel
144Hz refresh rate
Anyways, what’s rather average on this HP Victus is its screen. Historically, affordable gaming laptops often go hand-in-hand with okay-ish or below-par screens and the Victus 15 is no exception.
The 15.6-inch IPS panel on this thing only covers 45% NTSC, 48% of the Adobe, and 47% P3 color gamuts. That means, if you’re a graphic designer and searching for an affordable gaming/content creation hybrid machine, you will have to look elsewhere. Besides colors, its brightness level is just about average as well.
Display Properties
1 of 2
Color Gamut
Brightness
Even when I’m sitting inside the office, I find myself cranking up the brightness to 60-70% quite often. So I measured its brightness with SpyderX, and it recorded the max brightness of about 243.3 nits. That was close enough number to the 250nits of brightness claimed by HP, but it’s still unlikely that you’ll be able to use this machine outside in a cafe while sipping your coffee. But being an IPS display, its viewing angle is quite decent though.
Still, to be fair, I haven’t really enjoyed watching content on this laptop, not only because of the average display but also because of the very mediocre speakers. The laptop has a dual-speaker system tuned by Bang & Olufsen. But, the bass is almost non-existent here, and the audio also gets slightly muddy in the mids as well.
Keyboard
Backlit full-size keys (with Numpad)
Anyways, let’s talk about the keyboards now. It’s a full-sized keyboard with a dedicated Numpad. And the keys here are fairly comfortable to type on with a good travel distance. Unfortunately, you won’t find any RGB lighting here, but the white backlighting is enough to light up the keys at night or in dim lighting conditions.
Like most Omen series laptops, HP has included all of the buttons in the same keyboard deck, along with the power button. So it does take some time to train your finger muscle for this power button so you don’t press it while typing. But I like the fact that you have to press this button with a bit more force to prevent the laptop from accidentally turning off.
Trackpad
Plastic trackpad with integrated left/right keys
Also, its trackpad serves you well for your daily tasks. It’s an off-center large trackpad, still, there’s enough space for your wrists to rest on either side while gliding into the screen. And even though this thing is plastic-made, it feels fairly smooth. Multi-finger gestures work perfectly fine as well.
Camera
HD webcam
Finally, its webcam performs as one would expect from a laptop’s built-in camera. It’s a 720p sensor, so videos turn out to be a bit grainy and it performs terribly in exposure maintenance too. Yet, the audio pick-up from the built-in microphones is quite decent. Overall, the camera on this laptop is just fine for video conferencing—but you’ll need to shell out for a dedicated webcam if you’re into streaming.
HP Victus 15 Review: Conclusion
So wrapping up this review, if you’re on the market looking for an entry-level gaming laptop with upgraded internals then the Victus 15 could actually offer a good value. It can easily run popular AAA titles, and the laptop also has good thermals to keep the temperature under control. Gaming aside, its mediocre display, basic design, and average battery life could be a dealbreaker to many.
We all know CG Net as the brand that started the speed wars in the Nepal ISP space. Now, the company has launched its own IPTV service called “CG Net Jodi”. Here, we will learn about CG Net “Jodi” packaged with IPTV, its price, duration, and availability in Nepal.
CG Net IPTV Overview:
CG Net has partnered with SkyCom to release its own IPTV service in Nepal. Dubbed the CG Net Jodi Plan, it is available in three tiers: Sprinter Jodi, Popular Jodi, and Rockstar Jodi.
Well, not only that, but CG has also introduced a new campaign called “CG Grand Jodi” for the festive season. Throughout the campaign, customers will be able to purchase a 43″ CG TV alongside 80Mbps internet and IPTV for Rs. 35,999. Also, a 32″ CG TV can be picked up for Rs. 25,499.
CG Net Jodi Plan
As per the CG Net Jodi Plan, IPTV is bundled with either 80Mbps, 155Mbps, or 305Mbps of internet. As for now, CG only offers quarterly and annual subscriptions. More so, only one IPTV connection is allowed per connection.
As per CG Net, its IPTV plan offers a total of 257 channels comprised of 125 HD and 132 SD channels. While the drop wire and installation charge are free, CG charges Rs. 2,600 for the set-up box. Subscribers of the 12 months plan also get the dual-band router free of cost. Furthermore, a refundable deposit of Rs. 1000 needs to be paid too.
Capitalizing on the occasion of Dashain and the upcoming FIFA World Cup, CG has also brought forward their Grand Jodi IPTV scheme. It is further divided into Grand 43 and Grand 32.
Buyers of the Grand 43 pack will get 80Mbps internet and IPTV for 6 months as well as a 43″ CG TV. Likewise, the Grand 32 offers the same 80Mbps internet and IPTV combo with a smaller 32″ TV.
CG Net Coverage
CG Net has grown its coverage since the last time we looked at it. While still not available throughout the country, CG has reached 7 districts outside of the valley. With the addition of IPTV, CG Net is likely to grow in popularity.
CG also plans on bringing 10Gbps XGS-PON technology and mesh Wi-Fi to the market. Additionally, the company is also working on dipping its toes into satellite-based internet connectivity.
Meanwhile, check out our hands-on review of CG Net.
Apple launched its new M2 silicon-based MacBook Air and Pro notebooks a few months ago. Now, the company is rumored to be working on MacBook Pro 14″ and 16″ models with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips. So, let’s get into the rumors and leaks surrounding the Apple MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max chip.
Apple MacBook Pro (M2 Pro, M2 Max) Overview:
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman revealed Apple’s intentions for new MacBooks in his “Power On” newsletter. The new model, like the previous one, will be available in 14″ and 16″ screen sizes. And no big design changes are predicted, as Apple revealed a fresh design for the MacBook Pro model in 2021.
MacBook Pro 14″
If not on the outside, the MacBook Pro will see some inside upgrades. To be precise, it will include the rumored M2 Pro and M2 Max chips.
The new silicon is expected to be based on a 3nm node. But according to a recent report, Apple will continue to use the 5nm technology for their upcoming CPUs.
Yet the company is expected to move from a standard N5 process to the newer N5P process by TSMC. It is also likely that the new silicons will have increased GPU core counts and RAM compared to their M1 equivalents.
Apple MacBook Pro (M2 Pro, M2 Max) Launch
As of now, there’s no further information on the upcoming 14″ and 16″ MacBooks. However, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, full manufacturing of the laptops will commence in the fourth quarter. So we can expect the MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max to be available as early as the end of this year.
Meanwhile, check out our review of the MacBook Air M2.
LG has finally launched its C1 series of OLED TVs in Nepal. They come with improved webOS and Magic Remote to offer better control and navigation. In this article, we will go through the specs, features, and the official price of the LG C1 OLED TVs in Nepal.
LG C1 OLED TV Overview:
Display
LG’s C1 series of OLED TVs is available in different screen sizes in Nepal: 48, 55, and 65-inch. Because of their OLED nature, they offer better contrast, higher brightness, fuller viewing angles over a normal LED TV. Likewise, the screen boasts a 120Hz native refresh rate, 4K resolution, and is TÜV Rheinland and UL certified for low-blue light emission and a flicker-free screen.
Moreover, it supports Dolby Vision IQ, HDR 10 Pro (LG’s own HDR standard), and HLG video standards. For gaming enthusiasts, it brings VRR (variable refresh rate), NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium technology right onto the TV. You also get an Auto Game Mode (ALLM) here that triggers the lowest latency setting for a smoother and lag-free gaming experience.
Moving on, the LG C1 series TVs are powered by α9 Gen4 AI Processor 4K and boots on webOS 6.0. This, paired with the new Magic Remote, makes navigation and scrolling through the TV easier than ever. On the audio front, it has a 40W output speaker with Dolby Atmos audio.
Rest of the specs
Moving on, the I/O options here include four 4K/120Hz HDMI ports (one with eARC), three USB 2.0 Type-A, one LAN, one RF, and one SPDIF port. For wireless connectivity, it utilizes WiFi 5 (802.11ac) and Bluetooth 5.0.
Connectivity: 4x HDMI ports (4K/120Hz, one with eARC), 3x USB 2.0 Type-A, 1x LAN, 1x RF, 1x SPDIF port, Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Bluetooth 5.0
Other Features: ThinQ AI, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple AirPlay 2
LG C1 Price in Nepal and Availability
The official price of the LG C1 OLED TV starts from Rs. 299,290 and goes all the way up to Rs. 547,590. However, you can get it for cheaper during festive and other seasons. You can purchase them from Hukut or other LG stores near you.
Model Number
Price in Nepal (MRP)
Best Market Price
OLED48C1
Rs. 299,290
Rs. 244,390
OLED55C1
Rs. 321,490
Rs. 262,590
OLED65C1
Rs. 547,590
Rs. 447,190
OLED65C9
Rs. 547,590
Rs. 447,190
Meanwhile, check out our review of the LG UN7300 4K TV (Nepali).
Sony officially announced WH-1000XM4 noise-canceling headphones back in August. It’s the successor to WH-1000XM3, which has been widely regarded as the best noise-canceling headphones in the world. And great news, it is now available in Nepal. Let’s check out the specs, features, official price, and availability of Sony WH-1000XM4 in Nepal.
Sony WH-1000XM4 Overview
Improved Noise Cancelling
Like its predecessor, Sony WH-1000XM4 comes with QN1 HD Noise Cancelling Processor. The dual microphones on each earcup capture noise and pass it to the processor. Then the new Bluetooth Audio System on Chip detects music and noise at over 700 times per second. The QN1 then uses all the information to implement real-time noise cancellation.
Edge AI
The DSEE Extreme on the WH-1000XM4 uses Edge AI, to reproduce the audio that is lost during the compression process. This AI is capable of recognizing instruments, music genres, and other elements of songs in real-time. It then restores the lost sounds for the full-fidelity experience. It is a result of a collaboration between the company and Sony Music Studio in Tokyo.
Speak to Chat
With the WH-1000XM4, Sony has announced a new feature called “Speak to Chat.” It allows users to have conversations without taking the headphones off. According to Sony, the headphones will recognize the user’s voice as they start speaking and will stop the music automatically.
The music will only be resumed 30 seconds after the speaker stops talking. There’s also a feature called “Quick Attention” in which users can place their hand on the right earcup to decrease the volume. These new features will be useful during small conversations and making an announcement, respectively, says Sony.
Adaptive Sound Control
The Adaptive Sound Control on the headphones adjusts ambient settings based on where the user is and what the user is doing. The best part is that it can recognize frequently visited locations and adjust the settings accordingly. Users can set preferred locations and corresponding settings on the Sony Headphones Connect App.
Rest of the features
WH-1000XM4 features five microphones, which are controlled by a technology called Precise Voice Pickup. This uses advanced audio signal processing for clearer voice quality during hands-free calls. It is also activated during Speak to Chat. It supports Google Voice Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
Sony WH-1000XM4 now also supports wear detection, 360 Reality Audio, and can be paired with two devices at the same time. The headphones promise a battery backup of up to 30 hours. Similarly, 10 minutes of quick charge can add 5 hours of playback.
Sony WH-1000XM4 Specifications:
Weight: 255 grams (approx.)
Headphone Type: Closed, dynamic
Driver Unit: 1.57″, dome type
Impedance: 47Ω (when connected via cable with the unit turned on), 16Ω (when connected via cable with the unit turned off)
Sony WH-1000XM4 headphone is now available in Nepal for the price of NPR 54,000. This includes 1-year warranty as well. During this festive season, the company is offering a flat 10% discount too. Despite these, the price of Sony WH-1000XM4 is still quite steep in Nepal considering it costs $350 in the US, and INR 29,990 in India.
Headphone Model
Price in Nepal (Official)
Benefit(s)
Sony WH-1000XM4
NPR 54,000
1-year warranty
Watch: Top 5 Best Wireless Earbuds [By Mobile Brands]
Days of wired earphones are certainly numbered. More and more people prefer not to get themselves tangled in the wired mess that those earphones create. Furthermore, smartphone makers are also gradually removing headphone jacks from smartphones. Thus, the wireless earphones, earbuds or whatever you call them are taking the market. And we have a new one in the market. Yup, the Sony WF-1000XM3 True Wireless Stereo Earpods is finally available in Nepal for a very attractive price.
Sony WF-1000XM3 Overview
The Sony WF-1000XM3 was certainly one of the most anticipated wireless headphones that launched in the international market some time ago. It came as a successor to the WF-1000X, which in itself was a great alternative to AirPods at that time.
However, Apple has certainly upped its game since then and Sony had to respond. And the Sony WF-1000XM3 is their answer to it. The headphone comes with a new ‘tri-hold structure‘. Basically, it focuses on three key points in the ear so that it has better support. Furthermore, it also includes a high-friction rubber on the surface that further enhances stability.
Along with the usual features that wireless headphones offer, the Sony WX-1000XM3 offers an additional standout one. Now, I know noise cancellation is not a new thing, however, the Sony Qn1e HD noise-canceling processors offer one of the best noise cancellation out there. In fact, it claims to offer 40 percent more noise canceling quality than the WF-1000X, which itself had great noise cancellation.
Specifications:
Weight: 0.3 oz x 2
Headphone Type: closed, dynamic
Driver Unit: 0.24-inch, dome type (CCAW Voice Call)
OnePlus has just introduced its first pair of wired earphones in Nepal. The new Nord Wired Earphones come in a single black colorway and are based on the Bullets Wireless Z. In this section, we’ll look at the OnePlus Nord Wired Earphones alongside their specifications, features, expected price, and availability in Nepal.
OnePlus Nord Wired Earphones Overview:
Design
The Nord Wired Earphones feature an in-ear design similar to that of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z. It has an inline microphone and a button for taking calls, controlling media, and summoning voice assistant control. Moreover, the earphones are rated IPX4 for splash and sweat resistance.
Likewise, the buds are magnetic and allow for pause and play. Simply, unclip them to play and clip them to pause. It is available in a stealthy black finish with red accents.
The OnePlus Nord Wired Earphones are driven by 9.2mm dynamic drivers. It has a frequency response range of 20Hz to 20,000Hz. The earphones connect to phone via a 3.5mm jack.
OnePlus Nord Wired Earphones Specifications:
Body: 124 x 0.226 x 0.22cm, 16 gm
Connection: 3.5mm aux
Audio: 9.2mm driver
Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
Control: Magnetic Control
Water Resistance: Yes, IPX4
Color: Black
OnePlus Nord Wired Earphones Price in Nepal and Availability
The OnePlus Nord Wired Earphones are available for purchase at INR 799 in India. They will go on sale starting September 1 and can be purchased from OnePlus’s website or Amazon. We expected the earphones to cost around NPR 1,299 if they launch in Nepal.
Earphones
Price in India (Official)
Price in Nepal (Expected)
OnePlus Nord Wired Earphones
INR 799
NPR 1,299
Meanwhile, check out our review of the OnePlus Nord N20 SE:
The laptop comes pre-calibrated and you can even choose between different color profiles like sRGB and Rec. 709 inside the X-Rite Color Assistant app. We measured its contrast ratio at 1070:1, which is slightly lower than what we got on last year’s model, but it leaves no room for complaints in terms of viewing angles and white balance.
I prefer the Legion TrueStrike keyboard over the keyboards on most other gaming laptops. It gives off a decent tactile feel when gaming and typing. The keycaps are not wobbly, and the full-sized keys are a delight to type on.
Moving on, it’s 2022 but the webcam here is still a 720p unit. That’s disappointing but nonetheless, I found it to be usable for attending video conferences. And this camera-kill switch is always a welcome feature too.
This is the first Ryzen 6000 series equipped laptop to arrive in our office and I was quite eager to find out how different it is from Intel’s 12th Gen processor. So I fired up a bunch of benchmarks right away. And it seems that the 12th Gen is still the leader as far as raw performance is concerned. The 
And you can get much more than 6 hours of screen-on time by switching to iGPU-only mode and limiting the refresh rate to just 60Hz. However, this does come with a significant performance drop, so I’d only use it when there’s a power out or something.
The fact that the bulky power brick is the only setback of the Legion 5 Pro speaks volumes. So yeah, if you are looking for a reliable gaming laptop in this price range, bagging this year’s Legion 5 Pro won’t disappoint you a bit.
Anyways, what’s rather average on this HP Victus is its screen. Historically, affordable gaming laptops often go hand-in-hand with okay-ish or below-par screens and the Victus 15 is no exception.
Moreover, it supports Dolby Vision IQ, HDR 10 Pro (LG’s own HDR standard), and HLG video standards. For gaming enthusiasts, it brings VRR (variable refresh rate), 
