In this review, I’ll be discussing the latest budget phone from OnePlus, the Nord N20 SE. This is the cheapest OnePlus phone that you can buy on the market right now. And what’s happening with OnePlus lately is that they are expanding their smartphone portfolio. If you are someone who’s into tech, you probably know this already.
They have evolved from making premium to mid-range and even budget devices now. And amidst this evolution, OnePlus is becoming more like OPPO, and this phone is a prime example of how the company is changing its strategy.
OnePlus Nord N20 SE Specifications:
Body: 75.03 x 163.74 x 7.99mm, 187gm
Display: 6.56-inches IPS LCD, 60Hz refresh rate, DC dimming
Resolution: HD+ (1612 x 720 pixels), 269 PPI, 20.1:9 aspect ratio
Battery: 5000mAh with 33W fast charging (33W power adapter provided)
Color Options: Celestial Black, Blue Oasis
What’s Inside The Box: Nord N20 SE, SIM ejector, USB-A to USB-C cable, Protective case, User manual and other documents
Price in Nepal: Rs. 23,499 (4/64GB)
OnePlus Nord N20 SE Review:
We knew OnePlus to be a brand that sold only flagship devices at very competitive prices. But in 2020 they entered the mid-range segment with the Nord series.
That very Nord series has also started catering to the budget segment now. And honestly, I am not particularly thrilled about this change.
OnePlus is losing its brand identity
We already have seen a few mid-range offerings in the Nord lineup like the OnePlus Nord CE 2 and Nord CE 2 Lite this year, which, weren’t the best-in-class devices. But they were still decent devices, so I didn’t step back when recommending them.
But this phone, the OnePlus Nord N20 SE, has very uninspiring specs and is ridiculously priced too. It comes with the 3-year-old MediaTek Helio G35 chipset, an HD display, and a dual camera setup with no ultra-wide lens! All for which the company is asking $199 in the global market and some Rs. 23,500 here in Nepal. At this price, the Nord N20 SE does not make any sense.
An OPPO rebrand
75.03 x 163.74 x 7.9 9mm, 187 grams
Glass front, Plastic back/frames
Now, this is a phone that is targeted toward the offline market. And the funny thing is that it’s the exact replica of the OPPO A77 4G that was recently launched in Nepal, India, and other parts of the world. Since it’s a rebranded OPPO phone, you can its design is really good, which is exactly what OPPO is known for.
So, it looks like OnePlus’ new strategy for budget phones isn’t to sell them at competitive specs and competitive pricing, which is what they are known for. At this point, they are just selling their brand name.
Yes, we as tech reviewers have criticized OnePlus a lot lately because of the whole OnePlus-OPPO merger. But what I have found is that OnePlus still has an excellent brand image in the eyes of general consumers. And I think OnePlus is taking advantage of that with this phone.
I mean, look at the design, it looks pretty amazing. And it is really well built too with this boxy form factor.
Honestly, this does not look like a budget phone at all! The design has a very modern approach with a matte finish and these camera modules complement the overall aesthetics as well. So, when someone goes to an offline mobile store and the shopkeeper shows him this phone, he will definitely be in awe of the OnePlus Nord N20 SE. I would too.
Beyond mediocre display
6.56-inches HD+ IPS LCD panel
60Hz refresh rate
No Gorilla Glass protection
But internally, this phone has crappy specs for the price. Just look at the display, it has an HD+ resolution, which is not even AMOLED. And it refreshes at just 60Hz. If you look at the competition, they offer a smooth 90Hz refresh rate, AMOLED screen, and a Full HD resolution.
In some cases, you even get an in-display fingerprint sensor! But here, the display quality is just NOT upto the standard. Plus, there’s also the outdated waterdrop notch here! So, the Nord N20 SE feels like you are using a budget phone from 2018.
Now, I started using this phone a few days back and I have installed a few of my regular apps here. And it already feels sluggish.
So yeah, it does not even feel like you are using a OnePlus phone here. I also tried playing PUBG on this thing and guess what? It’s not playable at all! I think for the price, this is the worst value for money performing phone right now!
Sub-par cameras
Dual camera setup at the back
(50MP main, 2MP depth)
8MP selfie camera (teardrop notch)
Cameras
1 of 2
Back
Front
I have also clicked some pictures with the OnePlus Nord N20 SE and you can see that they are not very inspiring. And its dual camera setup is completed by a depth sensor, not an ultra-wide lens! You do get a 50MP primary lens, but Helio G35’s subpar image processor has surely contributed to producing average results.
Photo Samples
1 of 8
Even selfies and videography-wise, it is not very impressive. I think, at this price range, getting phones like Redmi Note 11, Galaxy F23, or Realme 9, you will get a much, much better camera, compared to the OnePlus Nord N20 SE.
One silver lining, the battery
5000mAh battery with 33W charging
In terms of battery, you get a standard 5000mAh battery with 33W charging which other brands also provide. And with such a low-powered processor and HD+ screen, you can expect very good battery life from this phone though!
OnePlus Nord N20 SE Review: Conclusion
So wrapping up this review, as I said in the beginning, the OnePlus Nord N20 SE is a pretty bad offering for the price. I only have been using this phone for a day or two and even so, I simply can’t recommend it.
It is similar to what my verdict for OPPO’s budget A-series phones has always been, which is “don’t ever buy the OPPO A-series”. And this is yet another OPPO A series phone in disguise. And the sad thing is that people might be deceived into buying the Nord N20 SE based on its looks and OnePlus’ brand value.
The reality, however, is that there are much better products at similar prices out there with superior specs in almost all aspects. So, do share this review with your friends and family to prevent them from making a big mistake buying this phone!
Motorola has updated its Edge lineup with the new Motorola Edge (2022). This upper midrange phone debuted in the US and is the first smartphone to pack the Dimensity 1050 chipset. So, let’s look at the specs, features, excepted price, and availability of the Motorola Edge (2022) in Nepal.
Motorola Edge (2022) Overview:
Design and Display
Motorola has not brought drastic changes when it comes to design. Moto Edge (2022) is available in a sleek Mineral Gray color and measures 7.99mm in terms of thickness. The power button and volume rockers are on the right-hand side. Additionally, the Edge is IP52 certified.
For display, Motorola uses a 6.6″ OLED panel with a 144Hz refresh rate. It has a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, HDR10+ certification, and a 20:9 aspect ratio. Motorola Edge (2022) has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner instead of an in-display one that was on its predecessor.
Performance
Performance on the Motorola Edge (2022) is handled by the Dimensity 1050. As aforementioned, it is the first phone to ship with this processor. The Dimensity 1050 is based on a 6nm process and comprises two Cortex-A78 clocked at 2.5GHz, and six Cortex-A55 cores with 2.0GHz clock speed. The Mali-G610 GPU handles graphics.
On the Motorola US site, the handset is currently listed in only a single memory configuration with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. Motorola also offers free 100GB of Google One storage for a year.
The triple rear camera system on the Motorola Edge (2022) is led by a 50MP sensor with OIS. Accompanying the sensor is a 13MP ultrawide camera with 120-degree FoV which also doubles as a macro shooter. Finally, there is also a depth sensor. For selfies and video conferences, there is a 32MP sensor up front.
Rest of the specs
A 5,000mAh cell with up to two days of battery life powers the Motorola Edge (2022). The phone supports 30W wired and 15W wireless charging. You have a stereo speaker setup with Dolby Atmos for audio. Unfortunately, it does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack.
For connectivity, the Motorola Edge (2022) has mmWave 5G, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6E, and GPS. It also has NFC capabilities. It, like its predecessor, only accepts a single SIM card.
Motorola Edge (2022) Specifications:
Body: 160.86 x 74.24 x 7.99mm, 170 gm
Display: 6.6-inch OLED, 144Hz refresh rate, HDR 10+, 10-bit, DCI-P3 color space
Battery: 5000mAh with 30W fast charging, 15W Wireless
Motorola Edge (2022) Price in Nepal and Availability
The Motorola Edge (2022) is available in the USA for USD 499. The first sale will be through T-Mobile. After the promo period, the phone is said to cost USD 599. Details about global availability are yet to be revealed. We expect the Motorola Edge (2022) to be sold for around NPR 71,999 if it launches in Nepal.
Motorola Edge (2022)
Price in USA (Official)
Price in Nepal (Expected)
8/256GB
USD 499
NPR 71,999
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Motorola G52.
Welcome to the twelfth edition of our weekly tech quiz. Take our quiz to put your tech knowledge to the test (no cheating, obviously). There are 15 questions in total, so it shouldn’t take more than 3 minutes. And the questions could be from any field—smartphones, gaming, music, and more. Let’s go!
The new gaming phone from Lenovo, the Legion Y70, ditches on the flashy gamer aesthetics but packs top-of-the-line hardware. So, let’s look at the specs, features, price, and availability of the Lenovo Legion Y70 in Nepal.
Lenovo Legion Y70 Overview:
Design and Display
As mentioned earlier, the Legion Y70 looks totally different from the current Legion lineup of gaming smartphones. There is no RGB backlighting or any other gaming aesthetics for that matter. It’s pretty much a normal-looking phone with gaming hardware underneath.
Over on the front, the Lenovo Legion Y70 sports a 6.67” FHD+ display with LG’s P-OLED panel. The screen refreshes at 144Hz and features up to 1500Hz of touch sampling rate.
Performance and Cooling
Talking about hardware, Lenovo Legion Y70 is powered by Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1. The chip is a mid-year refresh to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and offers better performance and power efficiency.
To keep it running at the top level for longer, Lenovo has opted for a 10-layer cooling mechanism with multiple graphite layers and the largest vapor chamber of any phone. Alternately, users can get an external active cooler with detachable triggers from Lenovo.
Furthermore, the phone has up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of UFS 3.1 storage. Here, you will find ZUI 14 running on top of Android 12 out of the box in terms of software.
At the back, Lenovo Legion Y70 flaunts a triple camera setup led by a 50MP primary sensor. Accompanying it is a 13MP ultrawide camera and a 2MP depth sensor. You can even see a tiny punch-hole on the top of the screen, which means there is no side-mounted pop-up camera as in previous Legion phones. Likewise, the punch-hole encloses a 16MP selfie shooter.
Rest of the specs
Fueling the Legion Y70 is a 5,100mAh battery, and there is support for up 68W charging. For connectivity, the phone has Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.2, and dual-band GPS.
The Lenovo Legion Y70 is priced at CNY 2,970 for the base 8/128GB model and goes up to CNY 4,270 for the 12/512GB variant. We expect the Lenovo Legion Y70 to start retail at around NPR when it launches in Nepal. For now, the handset is available for pre-order in China. It will go on sale starting August 22.
Lenovo Legion Y70
Price in China (Official)
Price in Nepal (Expected)
8/128GB
CNY 2,970
NPR 63,970
12/256GB
CNY 3,370
NPR 72,370
16/256GB
CNY 4,270
NPR 91,270
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Poco F4 GT.
Realme has just launched a new C-series smartphone in Nepal. Dubbed Realme C30, it’s a budget smartphone that brings a radical design to the table. So, let’s walk through the specs, features, availability, and official price of the Realme C30 in Nepal.
Realme C30 Overview:
Design and Display
Starting with the design, the C30 features a really distinctive look for a budget smartphone. It has flat frames with stripes that run across the whole rear panel. The camera island is unique in itself with a glossy rectangular module that houses a single camera in another circular cutout.
This is accompanied by a LED light. It will be available in Lake Blue and Bamboo Green colors.
The device’s front features a 6.5-inch HD+ display IPS LCD panel with a dewdrop notch. As expected from a budget phone, the C30 does not have a higher refresh rate. However, you do get 120Hz touch sampling rate support.
Powering the smartphone is a Unisoc T612 chipset paired with up to 3GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 32GB of UFS 2.2 storage. It boots on the Realme UI Go edition based on Android 11.
Moreover, the device gets its juice from a 5000mAh battery. It gets 10W charging support via a micro USB port.
Rest of the specs
Camera-wise, the C30 has an 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera. The connectivity option includes 4G, single-band WiFi, and Bluetooth 5.0. You also get a dedicated microSD card and 3.5mm headphone jack support.
The official price of Realme C30 in Nepal starts at Rs. 13,499 for the 2/32GB variant. Realme even offers a 3/32GB and a 4/64GB variant, priced at Rs. 14,499 and Rs. 15,999, respectively. You can buy Realme C30 from
In a time when entry-level smartphones are getting rarer, Benco has just launched one in Nepal. Benco V62 comes with modest specs and has an affordable price tag. So, let’s look at the specs, features, official price, and availability of Benco V62 in Nepal.
Benco V62 Overview:
Design and Display
Benco V62 is built around a 6.1-inch LCD screen. It’s an HD+ display with a waterdrop notch for the selfie camera. As expected, the bezels around the screen are quite noticeable, contributing to the 85% screen-to-body ratio.
The back of the Benco V62 is made of plastic with a “wave” pattern on top. It houses the camera module with a shiny plate and halo rings enclosing the sensor. The phone weighs around 170 grams and is 9.4mm thick.
Performance and Memory
Under the hood, Benco V62 packs the Unisoc SC9832e chipset, based on a 28nm process. It has a quad-core CPU with four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.4GHz. Likewise, the graphics are handled by Mali T820 GPU.
Benco has paired the chip with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. The latter can be expanded via a microSD card slot.
Benco advertises the V62 as a dual-camera phone. However, there is hardly any mention of the second sensor. The primary camera has an unspecified Sony sensor with a 1.4μm and an f/1.7 aperture. Over on the front, there is a 5MP sensor for selfies and video calls.
Rest of the Features
Fueling the Benco V62 is a 3,500mAh battery and there is no fast-charging support. There is a physical fingerprint scanner at the back for biometrics. The phone runs on Android 11 Go. For connectivity, Benco V62 comes with 4G, Wi-Fi b/g/n, and Bluetooth.
Before we get on with the review of the Apple MacBook Air M2, let’s take a step back. Apple’s transition from Intel to Arm was revolutionary in every sense of the word. And 2020’s M1 MacBook Air was easily the most remarkable laptop of the last decade. Hands down. Apple had set the bar high; so much so that reports of Windows laptop makers fearing declining sales due to the popularity of MacBooks are pretty common news these days.
So how could Apple catch lightning in a bottle—for the second time?
Remember that simply pumping out a more powerful processor is not the way to go here. Not on a slim, lightweight chassis with a quiet, fanless system like the MacBook Air. Apple has already demonstrated that it can deliver more powerful chips in the form of M1 Pro, M1 Max, and M1 Ultra—all of which are essentially scaled-up versions of the M1 architecture with a bigger die, more transistors, and whatnot, by the way.
But for something like that to work on a MacBook Air, it would have to be actively cooled. And housed inside a beefier form factor; both of which go directly against the Air’s design philosophy. At least by 2022’s standard. So, the new MacBook Air with the M2 chip still sits below the 14″ and 16” MacBook Pros as far as raw performance goes. And also the M2 MacBook Pro with that regurgitated chassis.
Apple MacBook Air M2 (2022) Specifications:
Design & Build: All-aluminum unibody build (100% recycled aluminum), 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44-inches (W x D x H), 1.24 kg
Color Options: Silver, Starlight, Space Gray, Midnight
Display: 13.6″ Liquid Retina display (LED), 60Hz refresh rate, Wide Color (P3), 500 nits brightness, True Tone
Resolution: 2K (2560×1664) resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio, 224 PPI
Keyboard: Full-size backlit keyboard, 1mm travel
Trackpad: Force Touch trackpad
Security: Touch ID (fingerprint sensor)
Processor: Apple M2 chip (5nm+), 8-core CPU (4 performance, 4 efficiency), 8/10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine, 100GB/s memory bandwidth
RAM: 8/16/24GB Unified Memory
Storage: 256GB to 2TB SSD
Audio: Four-speaker sound system (2 tweeters, 2 woofers), Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos support
Webcam: 1080p FaceTime HD camera, No physical shutter, Three-mic array with directional beamforming
Connectivity: WiFi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth 5.0
I/O Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 3 / USB 4 (Up to 40Gb/s), 1x MagSafe 3 charging, 1x 3.5mm headphone jack (high-impedance)
Price in Nepal: Rs. 199,000 (8/256GB) | Rs. 248,000 (8/512GB)
What’s Inside The Box: Laptop, 30W USB-C / 35W Dual USB-C power adapter, USB-C to MagSafe 3 cable (braided), Apple stickers, User manual and other documents
Apple MacBook Air M2 (2022) Review:
Therefore, the M2 MacBook Air goes beyond just a performance bump to make a case for itself. Especially with that new design. It ditches the iconic wedge aesthetics in favor of the symmetrical squared-off look like the 14 and 16” Pros.
There’s now a notch for the upgraded camera, a bigger, brighter display, the speaker system has been redesigned, and MagSafe charging is back on Air as well. Sounds great! However… I’m pretty sure you were already expecting a “however” to pop up any time now. However, Apple’s latest MacBook Air costs a full $200 more compared to its predecessor.
With the same memory configuration. That’s a lot of money for the next-gen upgrade. On top of this, you can even find the M1 Air for as little as $850 every now and then.
And after using it as my daily driver for about a month alongside its precursor, here’s what I think about it. Spoiler alert for this review of the Apple MacBook Air M2: this isn’t the easy recommendation I thought it would be, unlike the M1 Air.
Okay, let me start by talking about the biggest upgrade in this year’s MacBook Air—which has to be the design. If you were a fan of the tapered look on previous iterations, too bad.
The wedge is dead, long live the uniformly thin design!
I was already a fan of this look on the 14” and 16″ MacBook Pro. So this wasn’t a big deal to me really. And although it might seem that the old Air is the slimmer of the two because of its narrowing finish, it’s actually the other way around. The M2 Air is both thinner and lighter. Not by a whole lot to make a groundbreaking difference, but still.
Slimmer and lighter laptops are always welcome but that shouldn’t compromise the integrity of the device in any way, right? Fortunately, the M2 Air feels as solid as any other MacBook Apple has put out. Its all-metal enclosure feels premium through and through, whereas the lid is immune to any sort of flex as well. Wish I could say the same about this keyboard deck.
Meanwhile, check out all the prices and specs of MacBooks here
Not that it has a horrible keyboard flex or anything—obviously not—but it budges just a little easier compared to something like the 14” MacBook Pro. Or even the M1 Air for that matter.
Midnight madness
The color options sure are nice this time around though. Besides the usual Silver and Space Gray variant, Apple is also offering it in Starlight and Midnight finishes. I was super looking forward to getting the Midnight option with its brooding dark blue/black aesthetics. But I ultimately settled with the timeless Space Gray option because of the whole fingerprint magnet and easy-to-scuff thing.
With the updated design comes improved I/O choices too. As I mentioned earlier, the M2 Air also enjoys MagSafe charging; thus freeing up the two Thunderbolt ports whenever you need to top up the battery or something.
Ports
1 of 2
3.5mm headphone jack
And its color-matched braided cable is just the icing on the cake! I will say that I would’ve loved to see an additional USB-C connection on the right next to the 3.5mm high-impedance headphone jack, but oh well. And I don’t think some of you would be happy to hear that this thing can natively connect to only one external monitor either.
My workflow doesn’t require a multi-monitor setup so this hasn’t bothered me at all. But I know many people were expecting Apple to enable support for more than one external display with the new baseline MacBooks. Since MagSafe takes care of the charging front, you at least have a free Type-C port when using a docking station or a USB-C hub now. This isn’t exactly the sweeter end of the deal, but I guess it’s still something.
Display
13.6″ Liquid Retina display (glossy)
60Hz refresh rate, True Tone, Wide Color (P3)
500 nits peak brightness
Okay, enough of the external displays, what about the one on the MacBook itself? Let me tell you, it. is. gorgeous. The trimmed bezels make way for a larger, more immersive 13.6” screen, compared to the 13.3” on the M1 Air. And alongside the bigger display, there’s also a notch—just like the larger MacBook Pros.
But unlike the 14 and 16″ MacBook Pros with a smooooooth 120Hz refresh rate, this is still a 60Hz screen. Anyway, the menu bar now occupies that extra 0.3” screen space while the rest of the apps get slightly more room to breathe. But it’s sad to see that Apple still hasn’t come up with a solution elegant enough to make the notch any less invasive.
Nope, that “scale to fit below built-in camera” option which you have to individually enable on each app doesn’t count. Not to mention, it doesn’t even work on all apps, to begin with.
Left: M1 MacBook Air | Right: M2 MacBook Air
So if the app you’re running has a ton of menu items or you use a bunch of menu bar apps, chances are that macOS can’t figure out a way to make them visible or accessible all at once. But don’t worry. There are a bunch of free third-party apps like Hidden Bar or paid ones like Bartender to organize the menu bar better.
Finally a 1080p webcam
One good thing to come out of the notch though is the webcam. Apple has finally given a proper 1080p FaceTime camera on the MacBook Air, and the upgrade is quite easy to notice. And appreciate. Other than sharper videos with better image processing, I’m also impressed with the background noise suppression here.
I don’t know if Apple made any changes to the triple mic array in any way—except their placement—but this one definitely sounds better.
Let’s move on. The M2 Air’s Liquid Retina display is capable of producing over a billion colors, whereas it is 25% brighter than the M1 Air as well. And yeah, the difference between these two screens is quite palpable.
Colors look richer and with more depth on the M2 Air, which makes your viewing experience just a little more enjoyable. The contrast ratio is also noticeably deeper here, but it’s simply no match for the mini-LED displays on the larger MacBook Pros.
Display Properties
1 of 6
M2 Air - Color Gamut
M1 Air - Color Gamut
M2 Air - Brightness
M1 Air - Brightness
M2 Air - Gamma
M1 Air - Gamma
And the similar color coverage on the M1 and M2 Air’s screens was quite surprising. With 100% sRGB, 88% AdobeRGB, and 99% P3 gamut on the M2 Air, compared to 98% on its predecessor. I also measured its peak brightness at 504 nits, versus 398 nits on the M1 Air. That’s quite bright! So it can be the perfect laptop to work with in a cafe, or for someone who does lots of field visits in their line of work.
Audio
Four-speaker system
Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos audio
Also adding to the visual experience is the redesigned speaker system. Unlike the M1 Air—or any other MacBook that Apple currently sells—it doesn’t have speaker grills on the side. Instead, its four-speaker system with two tweeters and two woofers is located between the keyboard and the display.
Even though the M1 Air sounded better to my ears at first, the more I listened to this guy, the more I came to like it. Yes, the M2 Air is missing that “wraparound” effect a bit, but the audio separation, clarity, and crispness of the high frequencies here are undeniably superior. Even when cranking the volume to 100%, it doesn’t distort as much. And unlike the M1 Air, it also supports Spatial Audio on tracks with Dolby Atmos sound.
Keyboard & Trackpad
Magic Keyboard (backlit, 1mm travel)
Touch ID for biometrics
Force Touch Trackpad
As for the keyboard, the M2 Air feels fantastic to type on. The keys are well-spaced, the 1mm travel distance is extremely comfortable for my hands, and I like their fairly quiet sound profile too.
Some people have complained about the short key travel being difficult to adjust to, but I had no problem with it. Oh, and the function rows are also full-height this time. On the other hand, Apple’s spacious Force Touch Trackpad still sets the benchmark for one of the best trackpad experiences you could find on a notebook.
But one thing I noticed is that M2 Air’s trackpad feels relatively soft, almost shallow compared to the sharp, precise feedback on the M1 Air. Even so, it feels significantly better after switching the click speed from “medium” to “firm”.
Performance
Apple M2 chip (5nm+)
8-core CPU, 8/10-core GPU
Up to 24GB unified memory, 2TB SSD
With that out of the way, let’s now get to the performance side of this review of the Apple MacBook Air M2. And all the controversies surrounding it. According to Apple, the M2 chip inside this laptop offers 18% faster CPU and up to 35% faster GPU performance. That’s pretty impressive for a next-gen upgrade, right?
But more power also means more heat, which isn’t exactly news, but it’s not good news for a passively cooled system like the MacBook Air.
And yeah, it most definitely throttles under heavy load. Like… all fanless notebooks do. Looking at our 30 minutes Cinebench stress test, we can see that the M2 Air loses somewhere around 17% of its performance. To 0% on the actively cooled M2 MacBook Pro and just 4% on the M1 Air.
So if you’re someone who does a lot of 3D rendering or compiling big coding projects, this isn’t the MacBook for you. Also, because the M2 chip generates more heat for that extra pinch of power, the CPU temperature here comfortably (and quickly) climbs to 103 to even 108°C. With the center of the keyboard deck and its adjacent bottom chassis getting notably hot.
Watch out for those thermals
The M1 Air, however, never once hit the triple-digit temperature in all my testing. But the thing is, this quiet, fanless guy isn’t meant to run large rendering projects and such in the first place. There are far beefier MacBooks for those tasks.
And in our custom 4K Premiere Pro render with heavy animation layers, the M2 Air was not that far behind the fan-equipped 13” MacBook Pro. The surface temperature was a couple of degrees hotter here, but performance throttling wasn’t that noticeable. And under regular, non-rendery use cases, the M2 Air blazes past everything you throw at it.
My everyday usage consists of running at least half-a-dozen Chrome tabs, drafting a few documents, and light editing on Photoshop while I enjoy some tunes on Spotify. A few Chrome tabs would occasionally have to reload here because I’m only rocking the base 8GB variant.
But other than that, the M2 Air never gave up on me. Also, both the CPU and GPU temperature stay nice and cool at around 40-45°C under such a casual usage pattern. The “thermal throttling” debate gets even weaker when running smaller projects or benchmarks.
Like, I ran the Xcode build test—which measures the system’s ability to compile large codebases—twice in a row. And the M2 Air was able to maintain its burst performance perfectly fine. The CPU temperature once again hits above the 100°C territory, but there’s no performance dip at all.
Any word on gaming?
Apple is also pushing gaming on Mac with the upcoming macOS Ventura. From developers not launching their latest titles on macOS to the lack of proper graphics API, macOS has never been the ideal platform for gaming. At least when it comes to modern AAA titles. But Apple claims Ventura is going to be the next big thing in terms of gaming on Mac.
At this point, I doubt Apple will ever catch up to the decades of head start that Microsoft has, but this is still promising news.
And I would’ve liked to run a few games on the M2 Air as well. But since macOS Ventura is currently in beta, I didn’t want to install it on my daily driver.
GPU Benchmarks
1 of 2
Unigine Heaven
Geekbench 5
I did run some GPU benchmarks though, and Apple’s 35% faster claims turned out to be mostly true. The M2 MacBook Pro scores much higher than the M2 Air, but that’s just because its base model comes with a 10-core GPU compared to the 8-core GPU on the Air. Its active cooling has almost no bearing on these results.
What about the slow SSD?
Okay, let me now address the whole “slower SSD debacle”. Since the base 256 gigs configuration of the M2 MacBooks use a single 256GB NAND chip instead of two 128GB ones like on the M1 Air, their read/write speeds are notably slow. Absolutely.
AmorphousDiskMark 4.0
1 of 3
M1 MacBook Air (8/256GB)
M2 MacBook Air (8/256GB)
M2 MacBook Pro (8/256GB)
It’s kinda like running one stick of 16GB RAM in a single channel instead of two 8GB sticks in a dual channel on PCs. And even though I never really noticed any sort of slow-downs on my everyday usage because of the slower SSD, it certainly makes a difference under heavy load. Especially when the system uses heavy swap memory.
To put it simply, swap memory is when the operating system temporarily uses the onboard storage (in this case, SSD) when it’s short on RAM. Windows does it, macOS does it, and even Linux does it—it’s a common technique. But since the entry-level M2 Air has significantly slower read/write speeds, you will notice a performance dip when the system is using large swap memory.
Just take a look at our copy speed test. With no foreground apps, copying a 15.78GB folder took the same time on the M2 and M1 Air. But with a bunch of active foreground apps, the M1 Air takes a notable lead. And this difference only gets wider as macOS hogs more and more swap memory.
Battery
52.6 Watt-hours Li-Po battery
30W / 35W USB-C power adapter
That’s quite disappointing. But what isn’t, is its battery life. The M2 Air brings a slightly larger battery over the M1 Air, although I didn’t notice any difference in their endurance. At full charge, it comfortably lasts me an entire workday with 10-12 hours of screen on time. Just like the M1 Air did back when it was still kicking with 100% battery health.
As for juicing it up, the included 30W MagSafe 3 charger takes a little under two and a half hours to fill it to 100%. Quite slow, I know. And Apple knows it too, which is why it lets you upgrade to the faster 67W power brick for $20 more.
Apple MacBook Air M2 (2022) Review: Conclusion
I guess that’s it, right? Let’s wrap up this review of the Apple MacBook Air M2. This is one heck of a portable machine—I can’t deny that. From its overhauled design, nicer display, better speakers, and webcam, to the all-new M2 silicon, there’s a lot to love about this machine. But as we’ve discovered throughout this review, the $200 cheaper, or occasionally even $350 cheaper Apple MacBook Air M1 from 2020 isn’t that far behind the M2 Air.
In certain cases, it even pulls off a healthy performance leap. So if you don’t really do much on a computer, and if absolute value-for-money is what you’re going for, the incredible M1 MacBook Air is still the way to go.
The M1 and M1 Pro dilemma
Even if you were looking to pull some heavy lifting on the M2 Air, at the very least you would need 16GB memory and 512GB SSD. And that config costs you a cool $1,700, which is just $300 shy of the M1 Pro-powered 14” MacBook Pro. And that machine is on a whole another level. Like, in every aspect you can imagine.
Maybe not in terms of portability, but that’s not saying much. The thing is, it’s actually a proper “Pro” laptop for creators. So while the M2 Air isn’t inherently a bad laptop in any way, the problem is that it is sandwiched between two of the most influential MacBooks Apple has to offer.
But if you can justify all its upgrades with the $200 price jump over the M1 Air, and don’t want to go all-in with the M1 Pro, this is still a solid everyday notebook. That SSD issue I discussed earlier is something to worry about, so I’d recommend getting the 512GB model which will age better over time.
Motorola has launched a new midrange tablet in India. This Android tablet, known as the Moto Tab G62, has a 2K display and a Snapdragon 6-series processor. In this section, we will go over the specifications, features, expected price, and availability of the Moto Tab G62 in Nepal.
Moto Tab G62 Overview:
Design and Display
The Moto Tab G62 shares a similar design language to previous Motorola tablets such as the Moto G70. On the back, it houses a single camera unit, flash, and a Motorola logo in the middle. it is further accentuated by the dual-tone Frost Blue metal finish.
Talking about the display, the one on this model has a 2K resolution and measures 10.6-inch. The refresh rate is set at 60Hz and it has a pixel density of 220ppi. Also, the display is TUV certified, keeping your eyes protected from harmful rays.
Performance and Memory
Under the hood, the Moto Tab G62 packs a Snapdragon 680 processor with Kryo 265 CPU up to 2.4 GHz frequency. Likewise, Motorola has paired the chip with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The storage can be extended up to 1TB with a microSD card.
The rear camera on Moto Tab G62 is an 8MP sensor with 118-degree FoV. Likewise, the front-facing camera is an 8MP sensor too. The tablet is capable of capturing 1080p videos at 30fps.
Motorola has included a quad-speaker setup as well as Dolby Atmos support. The tablet includes a single microphone as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Rest of the Specs
The Moto Tab G70 is powered by a 7700mAh battery that can provide 12 hours of usage from a single charge. It supports 20W fast charging. In terms of connectivity, it has Bluetooth 5.2, GPS, and dual-band WiFi.
Moto Tab G62 Specifications:
Body: 251.2 x 158.8 x 7.45mm, 465 gm
Display: 10.6″ IPS LCD panel, 60Hz refresh rate
Resolution: 2K (2000 x 1200 pixels)
Chipset: Snapdragon 680 (6nm Mobile Platform)
Memory: 4GB RAM, 64GB storage (expandable)
Software& UI: Android 12
Rear Camera: Single (8MP, autofocus)
Front Camera: Single (8MP, fixed focus)
Audio: Quad-speaker setup, Dolby Atmos
Connectivity: LTE, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (Dual-band), Bluetooth 5.2, GPS (BDS, GLONASS, Galileo) USB Type-C
Battery: 7,700mAh with 20W fast charging
Moto Tab G62 Price in Nepal and Availability
The sole 4/64GB variant of Moto Tab G62 is on sale in India for INR 15,999 on Flipkart. Based on that, we can expect the Moto Tab G62 to be priced at around NPR 32,500 if it launches in Nepal.
Moto Tab G62
Price in India (Official)
Price in Nepal (Expected)
4/64GB
INR 15,999
NPR 32,500
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Moto Tab G70.
Infinix has added a new smartphone to its Hot lineup of budget smartphones in Nepal. The new Hot 12 carries some commendable specs for the price. In this article, we will be discussing the complete specs, features, price, and availability of the Infinix Hot 12 in Nepal.
Infinix Hot 12 Overview:
Design and Display
With the new Hot 12, Infinix has gone with a more modern design on the front. The phone now features a center-aligned punch-hole cutout compared to the traditional waterdrop notch on its predecessor. Likewise, the screen is also bigger at 6.82-inch. Furthermore, it now has support for 90Hz refresh rate and 180Hz touch sampling rate.
That being said, Infinix has compromised on the resolution of the screen. While last year’s Hot 11 came with an FHD+ screen, it has been reduced to HD+ in its successor.
At the back, Infinix Hot 12 has a new rectangular camera bump. Users can choose between four different color options: Origin Blue, Legend White, Lucky Green, and Racing Black. The phone will also feel different in hand as it switches to a flat-edge design. It measures 8.32mm in thickness and weighs around 195 grams.
Performance and Memory
Under the hood. Infinix has gone with the Helio G85 chipset. Compared to the Helio G70 on the Hot 11, G85 brings an overclocked Mali G52 GPU. The clock frequency of the Cortex-A55 is bumped to 1.8GHz from 1.7GHz. Other specs and features are identical across the two SoCs.
Infinix is offering the Hot 12 in a single memory configuration of 6+128GB. Users will also be able to expand the former up to 11GB with virtual RAM technology. Similarly, the storage is also expandable with an external microSD card.
The cameras on the Infinix Hot 12 are not much different than its predecessor. Infinix has added a 2MP auxiliary sensor, but it is not clear what its purpose is. Other than that, you get the same old 13MP primary and an AI lens.
With the rear camera setup, users can record 1080p videos at 30 fps and slow-mo at 240fps. There is also a dedicated night mode and autofocus. Over on the front, Infinix has included an 8MP selfie camera with AI features.
Rest of the specs
Infinix Hot 12 gets its juice from a 5,000mAh battery that supports 18W fast charging. The phone has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner for biometrics. It even boots on Android 12-based XOS 10.6 on top. You also get a dual speaker setup with DTS audio.
Realme 9,9i, and Pro+ are already available in Nepal. And now, the Realme 9 Pro has made its way in the Nepali market as well. In the article, we will be discussing the specs, features, official price, and availability of the Realme 9 Pro 5G in Nepal.
Realme 9 Pro 5G Overview:
Realme 9 Pro 5G was among the first phone of the latest number series when it launched in India back in February. It is the successor to last year’s Realme 8 Pro and brings 5G to the mix. Specs-wise, it is the middle ground between Realme 9 and Realme 9 Pro+.
Display
Realme 9 Pro has a bigger and faster display than its predecessor but at the expense of the panel quality. It features a 6.6” FHD+ panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. The display can switch between six levels of refresh rates based on the content on the screen.
Likewise, the touch sampling rate has been bumped to 240Hz as well. That being said, it uses an LCD panel which is a downgrade from 8 Pro’s AMOLED display.
Realme 9 Pro measures 8.5mm in thickness and weighs around 195 grams. It is available in three color options: Aurora Green, Midnight Black, and Sunrise Blue. The latter comes with a Light Shift Design which allows the phone to change color based on its exposure to sunlight.
Performance and Memory
For performance, Realme has turned to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 695 5G. On a quick glance, it may look like a downgrade from Snapdragon 720G on the Realme 8 Pro, but it’s not. Snapdragon 695 actually has newer Cortex-A78 and Cortex-A55 cores, compared to Cortex-A76 on the 720G. Likewise, graphics performance is also better on the 695 with the Adreno 619 GPU.
In addition, the new chipset brings a more power-efficient 6nm process and 5G connectivity as well. The chipset is paired with 6GB and 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage.
Camera
Realme 9 Pro features a triple camera at the back compared to the quad-camera setup on its predecessor. Moreover, the resolution of the primary camera has been reduced to 64MP from 108MP. Accompanying it is an 8MP ultrawide and a 2MP macro lens. Upfront, you get a 16MP selfie camera within the circular camera cutout.
Battery
Realme 9 Pro gets its juice from a 5,000mAh battery compared to a 4,500mAh cell on the 8 Pro. Unfortunately, the charging speed maxes out at 33W. Moving on, the phone ships with Android 12 with Realme UI 3.0 on top.
Color Options: Midnight Black, Aurora Green, Sunrise Blue
Realme 9 Pro 5G Price in Nepal and Availability
The price of Realme 9 Pro 5G in Nepal is Rs. 38,999 for the sole 8/128GB variant. But it is available with a flat Rs. 2,000 off if you pre-order the phone between August 18 – 21. You can buy Realme 9 Pro 5G in Nepal from authorized stores like Hukut.
