Earlier this month, Xiaomi introduced the Redmi 10 in the Nepalese market. Word on the street is that it is now working on its successor. As per reports, Redmi 11 will be a 5G-ready smartphone and will launch as soon as next month. In this article, we will be discussing every detail we know about the upcoming phone from Redmi.
Redmi 11 5G Overview:
If the reports are true, Redmi 11 will be the first phone in the company’s number series to have 5G on board. To note — Redmi had previously announced Redmi 10 5G, but the phone is nowhere to be seen in the market. It could be the case where Xiaomi scrapped the Redmi 10 5G moniker and is now launching it under a new name instead.
Performance and Memory
The phone is said to be powered by MediaTek Dimensity 700 chipset. The chip is based on a 7nm process and brings two Cortex-A76 cores and six Cortex-A55 cores along with Mali G57 GPU.
Redmi will pair the chip with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. There will be a dedicated microSD card slot memory expansion as well.
Coming to the display, Redmi 11 5G will sport a 6.58-inch display with a 90Hz refresh rate. Since it will be a budget-conscious device, we expect it to be an LCD screen with sizeable bezels. It also means that the phone will rock a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.
Fueling the device will be a 5,000mAh battery, and the phone will support charging speeds of up to 18W. It will run boot on Android 11-based MIUI 13.
As for photography, you will get a dual-rear camera setup of 50MP primary and a 2MP auxiliary sensor. There will be a 5MP selfie snapper over on the front.
Redmi 11 5G Launch and Pricing (Expected)
India is among the first countries where Redmi 11 5G will be available. According to the rumors, it will launch by the end of June. Furthermore, it will cost around INR 13,499 for the 4/64GB variant.
Redmi 11 5G
Launch Date (Expected)
Price (Expected)
4/64GB
June 2022
INR 13,499
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active.
Welcome to the second 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!
Samsung announced a brand new budget phone called the Samsung Galaxy M13. It succeeds the Galaxy M12 and offers a Full HD+, 50MP tri-camera setup, and more. Let’s look at the specs, features, expected price, and availability of the Samsung Galaxy M13 in Nepal.
Samsung Galaxy M13 Overview:
Design and Display
The Samsung Galaxy M13 will be available in three color options: Deep Green, Orange Copper, and Light Blue. The handset measures 8.4mm in thickness and weighs 192 grams. It features a semi-glossy plastic back with a rectangular triple camera island.
The Galaxy M13 utilizes a 6.6-inch Full HD+ panel upfront. Like most budget Samsung phones, it retains the traditional V-shaped notch.
Performance and Memory
The Galaxy M13 is powered by Samsung’s Exynos 850. More so, it is available with either 64GB or 128GB of internal storage paired with a sole 4GB of RAM.
On the software front, the handset boots on Android 12-based One UI Core 4.1 out of the box. The ‘Core’ version of One UI does not have all the One UI 4.1 features to maintain performance on entry-level hardware.
Moving on, the primary camera on the Galaxy M13 is a 50MP sensor with an f/1.8 aperture. The two other cameras are 5MP ultrawide and 2MP depth sensors. Samsung has fitted an 8MP f/2.2 selfie snapper inside the Infinity-V notch.
Rest of the Specs
Fueling the phone is a 5,000mAh battery that supports 15W fast charging. Besides that, it is equipped with a fingerprint scanner and Samsung Knox for added security. Likewise, dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 are included for connectivity.
Being a budget phone, it does not support 5G. However, rumors suggest a 5G variant of the M13 is under work.
Samsung Galaxy M13 Price in Nepal and Availability
While Samsung has revealed all the specifications of the M13, they are yet to unveil the price of the phone. It will be available in the European market soon, and we expect a Nepal launch not long after.
Meanwhile, check out our full review of the Samsung Galaxy A33 5G.
Deerwalk Institute of Technology, DWIT, a premier IT college of Nepal affiliated to Tribhuvan University, is conducting the fourth edition of the DWIT Job Fair.
DWIT Job Fair 2022 Overview:
The event will be held on 29th May 2022 at Deerwalk Complex, Sifal. This is a day-long event starting at 11:00 AM and closing at 5:00 PM.
The event is being presented by Deerhold in association with Bajra Technologies and Merojob.com, a premier human resource consultancy firm. This is the biggest IT job fair in Nepal.
DWIT Job Fair is an annual event run by DWIT. The idea behind the fair is to bring together the IT academia and IT industry in one common place providing a platform to directly interact with each other.
In its first edition, DWIT Job Fair 2017, more than 20 different software companies participated in the event with over 1200 participants.
This is a free event for all participants which will largely consist of students pursuing their undergrad studies in computer science as well as graduates.
The companies will be conducting on-the-spot job interviews, placement tests, and workshops to fulfill their resource needs by providing placement opportunities in the form of internships as well as both full and part-time job offers.
Participants will have to register for the event by logging on to the official website of the event, jobfair.dwit.edu.np.
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Poco Watch.
Infinix has just launched the first device of its Hot 12 series in Nepal. The new Hot 12i is a budget-oriented phone with modest specs. In this article, we will be discussing the key specs, features, expected price, and availability of the Infinix Hot 12i in Nepal.
Infinix Hot 12i Overview:
Design and Display
As you would from a budget device, Infinix Hot 12i sports a plastic build. The back of a phone has a series of reflective vertical lines forming a geometric design.
Infinix offers the phone in four shades: Racing Black, Horizon Blue, Haze Green, and Champagne Gold. The phone measures 8.75mm in thickness and weighs around 190 grams.
Over on the front, there is a 6.6-inch IPS LCD screen with a waterdrop notch. It is an HD+ screen with a resolution of 720 x 1612 pixels.
Performance and Memory
Under the hood, Infinix Hot 12i packs the MediaTek Helio A22 chip. Built on a 16nm process, the chip packs four ARM Cortex-A53 cores clocked at up to 2.0GHz. It is not the best-performing chip in this price range, but it should handle day-to-day tasks.
The phone is available in a single 4/64GB variant in Nepal. Users can further extend the RAM up to 7GB using virtual memory.
Likewise, the phone is also equipped with MediaTek’s Intelligent File Cleanup technology that regularly compresses and cleans unused files to keep the performance smooth.
On paper, Infinix Hot 12i features a triple rear camera setup led by a 13MP main camera. With the primary camera, you can record 1080p videos and 120fps slow-mo clips.
Infinix has not specified the nature and resolution of the other two sensors, which makes us believe that they are there solely for marketing. Upfront, there is an 8MP selfie shooter with a fixed focus.
Rest of the specs
Fueling the phone is a 5,000mAh battery. There is no support for fast charging, but Infinix has included a dedicated battery-saving mode called Power Marathon. This will extend your battery life when you need that extra bit of juice.
The phone runs on Android 11 with Infinix’s XOS 10.6 on top. There is also a physical fingerprint scanner at the back for biometrics.
Infinix Hot 12i Specifications:
Body: 164..80 x 76.40 x 8.75-mm, 190gm
Display: 6.6-inches TFT IPS panel
Resolution: HD+ (1612 x 720 pixels)
Chipset: MediaTek Helio A22 (12nm mobile platform)
As of now, Infinix Hot 12i is a Daraz-exclusive smartphone with a price tag of Rs. 15,599. However, you can get a flat Rs. 1000 discount using the INFI1000 voucher code.
Infinix Hot 12i
Price in Nepal (Official)
Availability
4/64GB
Rs. 15,599
Daraz
Meanwhile, check out our review of Infinix Hot 10.
Redmi has added three new devices to the Note 11 Series, almost 7 months after the initial debut in December. This new bunch of phones includes Redmi Note 11T Pro, 11T Pro+, and 11SE. In this article, we will be discussing the features, expected price, and availability of the Redmi Note 11T, 11T Pro, and 11SE in Nepal.
Redmi Note 11T Pro Series (11T Pro, 11T Pro+) Overview:
Let’s start with the new Note 11T Pro lineup. It consists of two smartphones that are almost identical to each other except for the battery and charging speed.
Design and Display
Like the rest of the Note 11 Series, the 11T Pro and 11T Pro Plus sport a flat-edge design with rounded corners. What sets them apart from the rest of the lineup is their camera bump. They have a metal camera bump with sensors in a triangular arrangement. There are three colors to choose from: Atomic Silver, Time Blue, and Midnight Black.
On top of it, Xiaomi has also designed a special edition of the Note 11T Pro+ based on Astro Boy on the occasion of the 70th birthday of the original manga.
Redmi Note 11T Pro and 11T Pro+ come with a 6.6-inch LCD screen with DCI-P3 coverage. That aside, the phone boasts a 144Hz variable refresh rate and 270Hz touch sampling rate. Furthermore, it supports DC Dimming and HDR formats like HDR10+ and Dolby Vision.
Redmi has gone an extra length to get the Note 11 Pro+ certified with DisplayMate A+ certification. Xiaomi says it is the first smartphone LCD screen to get this certification.
Performance
Under the hood, Redmi Note 11T Pro and Pro+ are powered by the Dimensity 8100 chip. It is a flagship-level chipset from MediaTek built on top of TSMC’s 5nm process. Redmi has paired it with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage.
In order to keep the chip from throttling, Redmi has covered it with 7 layers of 3D-graphite heat dissipation structure. Likewise, there is even a Vapor Chamber cooling setup.
The metal camera bump at the back of the Redmi Note 11T series is home to a triple camera setup. The main camera has a 64MP sensor that utilizes 4-in-1 pixel binning. Accompanying it is an 8MP ultrawide sensor with a 120-degree Field of View. Completing the setup is a 2MP macro lens.
Upfront, there is a 16MP selfie camera with an AI beautification and a dedicated night mode. As for photography, it can shoot 1080p videos, while the rear camera is capable of shooting at 4K.
Battery and Charging
This is where the Redmi Note 11T Pro and 11T Pro+ start to divert from each other. Redmi Note 11T Pro+ features Xiaomi’s in-house Surge P1 chip, making it capable of 120W fast charging. The chip is missing from the Note 11T Pro. As a result, the phone can only charge up to 67W. On the bright side, Note 11T Pro features a bigger battery than its Plus-suffixed sibling.
Redmi Note 11T Pro series is currently available in China. The price starts at CNY 1,799 for the 11T Pro and CNY 2,099 for the Pro+ model. If Xiaomi launches them in Nepal, we expect the price of Redmi Note 11T Pro and 11T Pro+ in Nepal to start at NPR 38,500 and NPR 44,000, respectively.
Redmi Note 11T Series
Price in China (Official
Price in Nepal (Expected)
Note 11T
6/128GB
CNY 1,799
NPR 38,500
8/256GB
CNY 2,199
NPR 46,000
Note 11T Pro+
8/128GB
CNY 2,099
NPR 44,000
8/512GB
CNY 2,499
NPR 51,500
Astro Boy Edition (8/128GB)
CNY 2,499
NPR 51,500
Redmi Note 11 SE Overview:
Together with the Note 11T Pro series, Xiaomi also unveiled the Note 11 SE. It is not hard to see that it is a rebranded Poco M3 Pro 5G. The company did not put any effort into changing even the look of the phone.
The phone is powered by MediaTek 700 and is available with up to 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. It sports a 6.5-inch LCD screen with 90Hz refresh rate. At the back, the triple camera setup consists of a 48MP primary camera and two 2MP lenses. Fueling the phone is a 5,000mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging.
Security: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, Face unlock
Battery: 5000mAh with 18W fast charge (22.5W adapter inside the box)
Redmi Note 11SE Price in Nepal and Availability
The price of Redmi Note 11SE in China starts at CNY 1,099. If it launches in Nepal, we expect the price of Redmi note 11 SE in Nepal to start at NPR 24,500.
Redmi Note 11 SE
Price in China (Official)
Price in Nepal (Expected)
6/128GB
CNY 1,099
NPR 24,500
8/128GB
CNY 1,399
NPR 30,500
Meanwhile, check out our unboxing and early impression of the Redmi Note 11 Pro.
Xiaomi Band 6 was among the best budget fitness band last year. And now, the company has announced its successor. The new Xiaomi Mi Band 7 brings a couple of incremental upgrades. In this article, we will be discussing the key specs, features, expected price, and availability of the Xiaomi Mi Band 7 in Nepal.
Xiaomi Mi Band 7 Overview:
Design
The first thing you will notice about the new Xiaomi Mi Band 6 is its screen. Here, Xiaomi has expanded the screen size from 1.56” to 1.62-inch. Xiaomi claims the new screen has a 25% more viewable area and can attain brightness of up to 500 nits. However, the pixel density is unchanged at 326 pixels per inch.
Likewise, the company has also added support for Always-On Display. However, it is available in select watch faces.
Except for the larger screen, the design of the Mi Band 7 is the same as its predecessor. The main body is made of polycarbonate material, while the anti-bacterial wrist bands use TPU. It has 5ATM waterproofing.
The weight of the standard version is 13.5 grams, while it is slightly higher at 13.8 grams for the NFC version.
Health and Fitness Tracking
Xiaomi Band 7 features an optical heart rate sensor for 24 hours heart monitoring and continuous blood oxygen monitoring. It can even warn users if their SpO2 level drops below the normal range.
Unfortunately, there is no built-in GPS. However, you still get 120 different sports modes. The fitness band can even record VO2 Max during heavy workouts.
Because of the 5ATM rating, you can even take the new Xiaomi Mi Band 7 to pool. It can even automatically detect four styles of swimming styles.
Xiaomi Sports Health has been updated with a new Vitality Contest mode. This allows users to challenge and compete against their peers and contact. They will receive medals every time they win a contest. Likewise, they will also receive notification and exercise records of their competition.
Battery and Charging
Xiaomi Band 7 gets its juice from a 180mAh battery that the company claims can last up to 14 days on typical usage. However, on heavy use the endurance will drop to 9 days. It charges via a two-pin magnetic charger that takes 2 hours to fully charge the Mi Band 7.
Xiaomi Mi Band 7 Specifications:
Body: 46.5 x 20.7 x 12.25 mm, 13.5-13.8gm (without strap)
Xiaomi Mi Band 7 is currently available in China, where it starts at CNY 249 for the standard version, while the NFC variant is a little expensive at CNY 299. If Xiaomi launches it in Nepal, we can expect the price of the Mi Band 7 in Nepal to start at NPR 5,500.
Xiaomi Band 7
Price in China (Official)
Price in Nepal (Expected)
Standard
CNY 249
5,500
NFC
CNY 299
6,000
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Xiaomi Mi Band 6.
With the new Snapdragon 7 Gen 1, Qualcomm hopes to improve the gaming experience in midrange devices. The chipset, which was released alongside the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, introduces features that are firsts in the 7 series. This article will go through the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 and the improvements it brings.
Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 Overview:
CPU+GPU
Qualcomm has used Samsung’s 4nm process to manufacture the 7 Gen 1. it’s an octa-core SoC with the prime Cortex-A710 cores running at up to 2.4GHz, while other three Cortex-A710 and four Cortex-A510 can run at up to 2.36GHz and 1.8GHz, respectively.
Qualcomm has paired the CPU with an Adreno GPU but has not specified which one. However, they claim that the configuration improves graphics performance by 20% over its predecessor. Furthermore, the processor supports 3200MHz LPDDR5 and UFS 3.1 storage.
The company has also included Snapdragon Elite Gaming features such as Game Quick Touch and Adreno Frame Motion Engine to improve gaming performance.
Connectivity
The chipset incorporates an X62 5G modem with download speeds of up to 4.4Gbps and dual 5G connectivity. Likewise, the Qualcomm Fast Connect 6900 supports WiFi 6/6E at speeds of up to 3.6 Gbps.
The new SoC also brings supports Qualcomm aptX Lossless technology and 16-bit 44.1kHz lossless wireless streaming over Bluetooth 5.3.
The Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 features the Qualcomm Spectra Triple 14-bit ISP, also found in the Snapdragon 888. It can record 720p video at 480 frames per second and 4K HDR video at 30 frames per second. Furthermore, it supports a single 200MP camera, a first for the 7 series. In addition, the processor supports HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG formats.
The Qualcomm AI Engine 7th Generation improves computational photography and videography on phones equipped with the chipset.
Android SE for vault-like security
The chipset includes support for Android SE and a Trusted Management Engine, which are firsts for the 7 series. It is required to store digital keys, IDs, and mobile wallets.
It can also support 60Hz QHD+ and FHD+ displays with a 144Hz refresh rate. GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, NavIC, and GNSS are all navigation systems.
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Smartphones with Snapdragon 7 Gen 1
The Oppo Reno 8 Pro is the first phone to launch with this mobile silicon. Besides this, rumors suggests Nothing Phone (1) is also expected to arrive with Snapdragon 7 Gen 1.
Meanwhile, check out the best premium mid-range phones of 2022.
We recently came up with our review of the Xiaomi 12X, where I said that the phone felt like a deliberate attempt to upsell the more expensive Xiaomi 12 instead. While I understand the upgrades for the added cost might not matter to everyone, it’s pretty tempting, to say the least. So in this review, I’ll be sharing my overall experience with these two phones and discussing if the Xiaomi 12 is actually worth the extra money or not.
Xiaomi 12 Specifications:
Body: 69.9 x 152.7 x 8.16mm, 180 gm, Gorilla Glass 5 back, Aluminum frames
Okay, let’s first look at their spec-sheet real quick. And the biggest differentiator between these phones is definitely their chipset.
Xiaomi 12
Xiaomi 12X
Display
6.28” FHD AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate
Rear Cameras
50MP primary (OIS), 13MP ultrawide, 5MP telemacro
Front Camera
32MP (hole-punch)
Battery
4500mAh, 67W wired charging
Wireless Charging
50W (10W reverse)
N/A
Processor
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm)
Snapdragon 870 (7nm)
OS
Android 12
Android 11
Even though the Snapdragon 870 on the 12X is a dependable processor that’s more than powerful enough for most people, it’s not flagship level—at least not by 2022’s standard. Based on all the benchmarks we ran, the 8 Gen 1 on the Xiaomi 12 delivered roughly 20 – 25% faster CPU and well over 50% faster GPU performance.
Sounds terrific, right?
Well, not quite. The thing is, Xiaomi has used the exact same liquid cooling solution on both these phones—most likely due to their common design, dimensions, and everything else.
Xiaomi 12 Review: Benchmarks (vs Xiaomi 12X)
Benchmarks
1 of 14
AnTuTu 8.5.3
AnTuTu 9.2.9
Geekbench 5.4.4
Browserbench JetStream 2
PCMark Work 3.0 (Performance)
Wild Life
(Stress) Wild Life
(Extreme Stress) Wild Life
GFXBench
(Battery, Manhattan 3.1) GFXBench
(Battery, T-Rex) GFXBench
AndroBench
Cross Platform Disk Test
PCMark Storage 2.0
And as most of you guys already know, the 8 Gen 1 is a particularly hot and inefficient chip compared to the 870. So with two different classes of processors housed inside an identical, compact chassis, we can expect one of two things to happen:
Either the Xiaomi 12 will overheat ridiculously bad under a heavy load
Or, the company has significantly throttled the phone’s performance to prevent overheating
And when comparing it against other 8 Gen 1-powered phones with a beefier cooling system like the POCO F4 GT, it’s clear that Xiaomi has chosen to throttle the performance here. Especially in terms of GPU. But I can’t really complain about this decision since that’s probably what I’d do as well considering Xiaomi 12’s petite form factor.
Xiaomi 12 Review: Benchmarks (vs POCO F4 GT)
Benchmarks
1 of 14
AnTuTu 8.5.3
AnTuTu 9.2.9
Geekbench 5.4.4
Browserbench JetStream 2
PCMark Work 3.0 (Performance)
Wild Life
(Stress) Wild Life
(Extreme Stress) Wild Life
GFXBench
(Battery, Manhattan 3.1) GFXBench
(Battery, T-Rex) GFXBench
AndroBench
Cross Platform Disk Test
PCMark Storage 2.0
With this, its gaming performance isn’t on par with what the flagship phones of 2022 manage. In fact, you can expect similar gaming results from the 12 and 12X. Both of them deliver an easy 60 fps gameplay on PUBG and Call of Duty at the highest graphics.
And I’m also really impressed with the thermals on the Xiaomi 12 since its peak surface temperature stays just around 40°C even after 30 minutes into these games. But something like Genshin Impact is heavily throttled here.
Playing at max possible settings with 60 fps enabled, I was only netting 30 to 45 fps on average—mostly in the mid-30s—which is complemented by relatively frequent frame drops too. Then again, the phone stays comfortably cool enough to dismiss any notion of overheating, so… there you go.
CPU Throttling Test (20 threads, 30 minutes)
1 of 2
And unlike the 12X, high fps-ready games like Critical Ops sail at a steady 120 fps on the Xiaomi 12, even though Mech Arena shares the same fate as Genshin Impact.
All in all, this is certainly not a phone you’d want to buy for gaming.
Not just the compromised cooling solution, but its physically compact size also means gamers might have a difficult time adjusting their grip on this phone. “So what about everyday performance then?”, you might be asking. Thankfully, everything is solid as far as general usage goes.
Great everyday performance
Apps load real fast, the multitasking experience is great, and the phone just feels snappy! On multiple occasions, I did notice it getting slightly warm when shuffling between multiple apps at once, but it’s not a big deal, to be honest.
More importantly, the phone boots on the latest Android 12-based MIUI 13, and Xiaomi has also promised 3 major OS and 4 years of security patches here.
That’s a direct blow to the 12X which is loaded with an older operating system and zero software commitment. So yeah, there’s only one flagship phone between these two, no matter how obsessively Xiaomi claims it has “redefined flagship category” with the 12 series.
Battery
4500mAh battery with 67W fast charging
50W wireless, 10W reverse wireless charging
What’s next then? Yes—besides performance—the Xiaomi 12 tries to justify its higher price tag with support for 50W wireless and 10W reverse wireless charging as well. But most people will get by 67W of wired charging just fine… including me! Despite all my years of reviewing smartphones, handsfree charging is something that hasn’t really mattered much to me… I don’t know.
On the other hand, you can easily burn through its battery in a day—just like the 12X—but the overnight battery drain situation here is noticeably better. Maybe it’s because of the Android 12-based MIUI 13 optimization or something, I’m not exactly sure.
Design
69.9 x 152.7 x 8.16mm, 180 grams
Glass front/back, Aluminum frames
No IP certification against dust and water damage
Anyway, these phones look and feel identical too. From their clean design, weight distribution, and handy ergonomics, to the lack of an IP rating—these phones are indistinguishable.
One small thing—while both of them feature a glass sandwich body, the Xiaomi 12’s back panel is also protected by Gorilla Glass 5 whereas the one on the 12X isn’t.
Cameras
Triple camera setup at the back
(50MP main, 13MP ultrawide, 5MP telemacro)
32MP selfie camera (hole-punch cutout)
Cameras
1 of 2
Back
Front
So… that’s it, right? Apart from the performance and wireless charging capability, are these two phones basically one and the same? Surprisingly not, as it turns out. If you take a look at their camera specs, there’s nothing that puts one on top of the other really. Yeah, it’s pretty upsetting to learn that a phone that costs upwards of USD 700 doesn’t have a telephoto camera. Come on, Xiaomi!
Maybe HDR recording on the Xiaomi 12 is something you care about but other than that, their camera hardware and capabilities look like a carbon copy of each other. But what this comparison fails to take into consideration is the crucial role of image processing, aka computational photography.
Normal Images
And when I actually compared the cameras of these two phones for this review, I found that the Xiaomi 12 delivers better-looking images most of the time. Eh… “better-looking” might be putting it generously. “More consistent” is what it is.
Normal
1 of 16
12
12X
12
12X
12
12X
12
12X
12
12X
12
12X
12
12X
12
12X
While photos from the 12X already had punchier colors, the Xiaomi 12 takes it one step further. And it shoots distinctively contrast-heavy images as well. Although such processing certainly looks pleasing in some cases, it does come off overdone at times.
Ultrawide Images
Ultrawide
1 of 8
12
12X
12
12X
12
12X
12
12X
But the ultrawide shots are consistently better from the Xiaomi 12 in terms of colors, dynamic range, and everything else.
Portrait Images
Portrait
1 of 12
12
12X
12
12X
12
12X
12
12X
12
12X
12
12X
Likewise, portraits from the Xiaomi 12 have better HDR and exposure control compared to how the 12X manages reddish/pinkish skin tone. Then again, its contrast-heavy shots end up looking somewhat unnatural sometimes.
Selfie Images
Selfie
1 of 6
12
12X
12
12X
12
12X
Same thing with selfies.
Lowlight Images
And when it comes to lowlight photos, I found that the Xiaomi 12 captures a better essence of the night with more natural-looking skies.
Lowlight
1 of 8
12 - Nighttime
12X - Nighttime
12 - Nighttime
12X - Nighttime
12 - Night Mode
12X - Night Mode
12 - Night Mode
12X - Night Mode
However, the 12X isn’t that far behind either when turning on Night Mode.
Videography
As for videos, both phones can shoot at up to 8K 24 fps from the main camera. And across all resolutions, it’s clear that the Xiaomi 12 records slightly steadier videos. But disappointingly enough, this guy is also limited to just 1080p recording from the selfie camera.
Audio & Haptics
Dual stereo speaker, Dolby Atmos
No 3.5mm headphone jack
X-axis linear vibration motor
Aside from the cameras, their speakers are tuned differently as well. Not that the 12X has a bad audio output or anything, but the Xiaomi 12 sounds comparatively fuller and it gets a bit louder too.
On the contrary, I didn’t find any difference in terms of haptics and call quality on these phones. That means—some of Xiaomi’s most expensive phones of 2022 feature a relatively weak vibration motor and a virtual proximity sensor that’s not 100% reliable. sigh
Display
6.28-inches FHD+ AMOLED DotDisplay
120/480Hz refresh/touch sampling rate
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection
On to the display side of things, you’re looking at a 6.28” Full HD AMOLED panel that’s curved on the sides here. And for the most part, it’s as practical as it looks beautiful. From launching MIUI’s sidebar to cruising through Android’s gesture navigation, such subtle curves make using the phone a lot more… effortless.
And I know accidental touch is always a concern with curved displays, but I haven’t really faced such issues on this phone—even when using it without a protective case!
You can still notice dark edges here but that’s an inherent tradeoff with curved screens themselves. But the biggest worry about such displays is durability itself. One whack to a concrete surface and you may be well on your way to a repair center. So even though this display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus, I’d still recommend using a decent screen protector and a case.
Binge everything
everywhere, all at once
Moving on, the Xiaomi 12’s display is also great for media consumption. This HDR10+ certified 12-bit screen produces excellent colors and inky blacks for the best viewing experience. The default color calibration feels a bit cold to my eyes, but you can easily adjust it under the settings.
On top of this, there’s no trouble with HDR playback on this phone either. Unlike the 12X. So you can stream all kinds of shows/movies at high resolution and excellent color details here.
Top: Xiaomi 12X | Bottom: Xiaomi 12
Further elevating the display experience is its 120Hz refresh rate and up to 480Hz touch sampling rate. And although you won’t encounter micro stutters or lags on this flagship phone, the company has been greedy by keeping the LTPO panel exclusive to the “Pro” model. As a result, the Xiaomi 12’s display can only switch between 60 and 120Hz depending on the content.
Similarly, with 1100 nits of peak brightness, the phone stays visible even in the harshest lighting conditions. And its optical fingerprint reader is equally easy to reach and responsive. But like the 12X, I’ve had issues with its automatic brightness adjustment as well—especially when it’s dark around.
Xiaomi 12 Review: Conclusion
Okay, let’s wrap up this review now. Needless to say that the Xiaomi 12 and 12X are very, very similar phones. And judging their value proposition turned out to be a lot more difficult and confusing than I’d initially anticipated.
While the cheaper 12X is clearly meant to persuade you into buying the more expensive Xiaomi 12, now I’m not entirely sure if this phone is worth it after all.
For that, let’s consider the phone’s price and its biggest competition, the Samsung Galaxy S22. Both of them are compact flagships of 2022 with similar dimensions and weight. And while Xiaomi’s recommended retail price of USD 749 for the base variant sounds enticing at first, its actual market price is a bit higher in some regions where the phone is available.
For example, in Germany and Pakistan, the Galaxy S22 and Xiaomi 12 pretty much cost the same.
That means the S22 gives you better peace of mind with its IP68 dust/water-resistant design, significantly better cameras with a proper zoom lens, a better display, cleaner software with longer update commitment, and more at the expense of a smaller battery and slower charging. And I think the pros comfortably outweigh the cons in this instance.
Even in markets like Nepal where the Xiaomi 12 has a healthy price advantage over Samsung’s latest, I think getting the S22 makes more sense because of all the flagship features Xiaomi has skipped on in the name of cost-cutting. I mean, you are paying premium dollars on a phone so why not spend a little extra on one that has it all!
This is a complete review of the Realme Pad Mini. Google’s revelation to discontinue its high-end Pixel Slate in 2019 with no plans to continue the tablet line in the future disappointed many large-screen users, including myself. This did not look well for the Android tablet market as a whole given that Google owns Android. But, ever since the pandemic, the demand for large-screen devices has surged like never before. As a result, different smartphone manufacturers entered this market for better or worse. And one such brand is Realme.
Realme Pad Mini Specifications:
Body: 211.8 x 124.5 x 7.6mm, 372 grams
Display: 8.7-inch IPS LCD panel, 1340 x 800 pixels
Battery: 6,400mAh, 18W fast charging, reverse charging support
Connectivity: LTE, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (Dual-band), Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type-C
Price in Nepal: N/A (Starting at INR 10,999 (3/32GB, Wi-Fi) in India)
Realme Pad Mini Review:
Realme dabbled in the world of Android tablets with the Realme Pad last year, which was a low-cost rival to the popular Samsung Galaxy Tab A family. But the company recently launched an even more affordable tablet dubbed the “Realme Pad Mini”.
Currently, it’s available in Europe and a handful of South-Asian regions including India where it costs INR 10,999 for the base 3/32GB WiFi-only model or two thousand more for the LTE variant. And for what it’s worth, this thing looks like a solid tablet. So, is the Realme Pad Mini a go or no-go for this price—let’s find out in this review.
Design
211.8 x 124.5 x 7.6mm, 372 grams
Metal unibody design
Owing to its affordability, Realme has undoubtedly made compromises on the Pad Mini—but not in terms of design or build quality. It keeps the metal unibody design of Realme’s first-gen tablet, which gives it a sturdy hands-on feel. And I’m totally sold on these flat edges from the usability perspective since it helps a lot with the grip.
Complementing this is the slim form factor of the device with an equally good weight distribution across the chassis. So it doesn’t feel uncomfortable to carry during those long jam sessions when watching movies and stuff. Likewise, the matte finish at the back ensures that you won’t struggle with fingerprints or smudges either.
However, I would recommend wrapping it around a case or cover, since my unit already has dents here. This did not happen during the time of review, by the way; instead, it arrived in the package like this. Therefore I can’t guarantee that won’t suffer scratches or dents if you happen to drop it from a table or something.
Battery
6400mAh battery
18W USB Type-C charging
Anyway, under the backplate is a 6400mAh battery, large enough to last you through your favorite series or podcast sessions for hours. I’ve been using Realme Pad Mini for more than two weeks now and I’m yet to drain its battery entirely before bedtime. However, charging it from empty to full takes a whopping two hours with the 18W charger included in the box.
Display
8.7″ IPS LCD panel, HD+ resolution
Widevine L1 certification
On a different note, the quality of its screen is just… fine. Obviously, it’s not an AMOLED panel and I wasn’t expecting one either. But this 8.7-inch IPS screen is accompanied by just HD+ resolution, which means contents don’t look as sharp as they would on a Full HD display.
Even the core quality of this screen is not on-par with the IPS panel you’ll find on smartphones these days. Realme’s decision to opt for an inferior display quality is apparent on this tablet, as one can easily notice the lack of saturation when watching shows/movies—or just general web browsing. But to make matters a little less terrible, there’s a feature called “Video display enhancement” in the settings which makes the content look brighter and more vivid. Then again, it is limited to select Google apps, such as YouTube and Photos only.
Fortunately enough, Realme has secured Widevine L1 certification here, so you can enjoy HD content on OTT platforms. And if you prefer reading comics or manga, I found that its lower resolution doesn’t make the experience any less enjoyable. On the other hand, screen visibility isn’t an issue on this tablet while you’re indoors, which extends to cloudy outdoors too. But of course, it does struggle to maintain sufficient brightness levels under direct sunlight.
Performance
Octa-core Unisoc T616 (12nm)
3/4GB RAM, 32/64GB storage (expandable)
If not the display, the performance is where the Realme Pad Mini gains full points. It is powered by the Unisoc T616 chip which—if you look at its core specifications—is nearly identical to the MediaTek Helio G80 featured on the Realme Pad. While the latter didn’t really offer a buttery smooth experience, the low-res display on the Pad Mini means that’s not the case here.
You see, a screen with fewer pixels requires less processing power—especially in terms of GPU—and consequently is more energy-efficient as well. Plus, this tablet runs on Android 11-based Realme UI R edition which is a lightweight operating system in and of itself.
This ultimately relieves the processor’s stress which makes things somewhat smoother and relatively more responsive. And I don’t have any complaints about its memory management either.
Software
Having said that, the software aspect leaves things to be desired. Although I appreciate its near stock Android-like layout, Realme hasn’t really made any tablet-specific tweaks on this OS originally built for smartphones. In comparison, Samsung’s One UI on tablets brings meaningful changes to help things adapt naturally on large screens. Yet, I am hopeful that Realme will issue an Android 12L-based upgrade sometime in the near future to enhance the user experience.
Moreover, while this is not a gaming tablet by any means, you can enjoy some popular titles such as PUBG and Call of Duty Mobile at medium settings. But maybe it’s because of the underpowered processor or the HD display, graphics felt a touch off to me.
Audio
Dual-speakers with Dolby Atmos
Getting to the audio, unlike the Realme Pad, this guy gets only two speakers: one at the top and one at the bottom. Its audio output can get pretty loud—although you will notice some distortion at max volume. And bass is nearly non-existent on this thing as well. So if you’re an audiophile, then you’d be better off with wired or wireless earbuds.
Cameras
8MP rear camera
5MP front camera
Cameras
1 of 2
Front
Rear
Moving on, as with most budget and mid-range tablets, cameras are not the strongest suit of the Realme Pad Mini. It comes with an 8MP lens at the back and a 5MP sensor on the front—both of which can take average-looking photos.
Realme Pad Mini
1 of 3
Normal
Selfie
Normal
Of course, I’m not going to complain about the dynamic range or sharpness of the images here, but its quality is good enough for taking photos of notes or when chatting with friends and family on a video call.
Realme Pad Mini Review: Conclusion
Okay, so let’s wrap things up now. The Realme Pad Mini—like the first-gen Realme Pad—is aimed at those who value affordability above all else. And for a low-cost tablet, it ticks almost every box. You get a clean software experience, great performance, and its all-metal construction is just the icing on the cake. Granted that the overall display quality could’ve been better, but its price makes it easy to overlook a few flaws. All in all, if you want a small yet powerful Android tablet, the Realme Pad Mini is one of the easiest recommendations for 2022 so far.
