Tecno has recently launched an affordable smartphone in India. Dubbed the Tecno Spark 9, it arrives with an entry-level MediaTek Helio G37 chipset. So, let’s get into the specs, features, availability, and expected price of the Tecno Spark 9 in Nepal.
Tecno Spark 9 Overview:
Design, Display
The Spark 9 comes with a quite distinct design for the Spark 9 Series. The back of the phone has a diamond-cut design with a camera module that also houses a fingerprint scanner.
The edges are curved and on the front, it has a teardrop notch for the selfie camera. It flaunts a 6.6-inch IPS LCD panel. This is an HD+ resolution screen with a 90Hz refresh rate and 180Hz touch sampling rate.
In terms of performance, the Spark 9 is packed with a MediaTek Helio G37 processor. This chipset has a peak speed of 2.3GHz and packs eight Cortex-A53 cores. Memory-wise, you get up to 6GB of RAM and up to 128GB of storage. Tecno has impressively offered Android 12-based HiOS 8.6 out-of-the-box.
Rest of the specs
As for the cameras, you are looking at a 13MP primary lens and an auxiliary sensor whose function isn’t quite clear. An 8MP sensor on the front handles selfies and stuff. Likewise, the phone gets its juice from a 5000mAh battery and charges via a micro USB port.
The Spark 9 is launched in India for a price tag of INR 9,500 and will go on sale on July 23. We expect the price of Tecno Spark 9 to be NPR 19,000, if and when it launches in Nepal.
Smartphone
Price in India
Price in Nepal (Expected)
Tecno Spark 9
INR 9,500
INR 19,000
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Motorola Moto G82.
Alongside the latest Reno 8 series phones and the Pad Air, Oppo also launched its latest pair of wireless earbuds in India. The new Enco X2 is the latest flagship TWS earbuds built in collaboration with Dynaudio. In this article, we will discuss the key specs, features, expected price, and availability of the Oppo Enco X2 in Nepal.
Oppo Enco X2 Overview:
Design
In terms of design, the Oppo Enco X2 looks a lot like its predecessor. It has the same in-ear design with silicone tips and weighs almost the same. The only notable difference between the two, at least from the outside, is the “R” and “L” letterings which are more evident on the X2. The earbuds even retain the IP54 rating, making them suitable for workouts.
Oppo offers the Enco X2 in just two colorways: Black and White. For context, Enco X had an additional blue color variant, which is missing on the X2.
The earbuds come in a color-matching charging case, which too, is mostly unchanged. Oppo has moved the LED indicator from the front to the bottom, with the second one on the inside. The case is also a little heavier because of the bigger battery inside.
Audio Quality
Inside, Oppo Enco X2 houses a SuperDBEE co-axial dual driver system designed in collaboration with Danish speaker maker Dynaudio. It features an 11mm dynamic audio driver paired with a 6nm planar diaphragm. Oppo claims that the new quad-magnetic approach for the planar tweeter has resulted in 100% improvement in the high-frequency range with Enco X3’s frequency response ranging up to 40kHz.
Furthermore, Oppo Enco X2 supports LHDC 4.0 technology for the Hi-Res Wireless certification. The latest LHDC standard allows the TWS earbuds to have a transmission rate of up to 900 kbps/ 24 bits / 96. If these numbers don’t make sense to you, it’s thrice of what mainstream TWS earbuds offer.
To provide the best audio experience possible, Oppo has also concentrated on controlling audio leakages and integrating ear canal compensation. For this, Oppo Enco X2 comes with a re-designed DAC chip with an overall 25% sound improvement.
The triple-core chip also works together with the dual-microphone setup for the “Ultra-Wide” Active Noise Cancelation, which the company claims is 50% better than the last gen. The ANC on the Enco X3 is effective for the noise of up to 45dB.
The earbuds can even adjust the ANC level depending upon the surroundings.
Oppo Enco X2 has support for Bluetooth 5.2, and the company says it has 3 times better connection stability when in LHDC mode. You can even pair it with two devices and switch between them simultaneously.
For gamers, the dedicated low-latency mode can effectively limit the audio latency to up to 94ms. It is also the first wireless earbuds to have Dolby Audio Binaural recording.
Battery and Charging
Oppo Enco X2 features a 57mAh battery which can last up to 9.5 hours on a single charge with the ANC off. Taking the 566mAh battery of the charging case into account, the hours increase to 40. It is with the default AAC mode.
Turning on the LHDC mode, Enco X2 lasts up to 6.5 hours and 27 hours without and with the charging case.
Oppo Enco X2’s fast charging support allows it to fully charge in 50 minutes. The charging case takes 30 minutes more to refill. It even supports Qi Wireless support.
Charging time: 60 min (earbuds) + 90 minutes (charging case)
IP rating: Yes, IP54 dust and water resistance
Noise-canceling: ANC
Power case charger: Type-C, Qi wireless charging
Color: Black, White
Oppo Enco X2 Price in Nepal
Enco X2 will go on sale in India from 25th July with an INR 10,999 price tag. We expect the price of the Oppo Enco X2 in Nepal to be NPR 20,000 when it launches in Nepal.
TWS earbuds
Price in India (Official)
Price in Nepal (Expected)
Oppo Enco X2
INR 10,999
NPR 20,000
Meanwhile, check out our picks for the best budget wireless earbuds (2022).
Oppo introduced the Reno 8 Series in mainland China in May 2022. The smartphones have now been released globally, with India serving as the initial market. In this article, we will go through the specs, features, availability, and expected price of the Oppo Reno 8 and 8 Pro in Nepal.
Oppo Reno 8 Pro Overview:
To be clear, the Reno 8 series in China consists of standard, Pro, and Pro+ variants. But the company has only launched the Pro and vanilla model in India. However, Oppo has renamed the Pro+ variant of China as the Reno 8 Pro in India. The vanilla model remains the same though.
Design and Display
Oppo Reno 8 Pro comes with a flat-edge design with a squarish-shaped elevating camera module on the back panel. Unlike the Reno 7 series, none of the devices in the Reno 8 series have a notification light around the camera module.
On the front, the Reno 8 Pro features a 6.7” panel. It’s an AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, 360Hz touch sampling rate, and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. You also get an in-display fingerprint scanner for biometrics.
On the performance front, the the device utilizes a custom MediaTek Dimensity 8100-Max chipset; co-developed by Oppo and MediaTek to offer optimized performance overall. The SoC is coupled with up to 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of internal storage. Handling the software is the Android 12-based ColorOS 12.1. Likewise, the handset gets its juice from a 4500mAh battery that supports 80W fast charging.
Camera
Moving on, the Reno 8 Pro comes equipped with Oppo’s in-house processor, called Marisilicon X. The biggest gain of this chipset is on the camera front. It helps to reduce noise in the image and enhancements for better low-light photography. Also, the chip along with OPPO’s unique portrait algorithm matrix form a professional dual-core portrait photography system, creating clear details and true colors.
The camera hardware includes a 50MP primary, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP macro lens on the rear, and a 32MP Sony IMX709 sensor on the front.
As for the pricing, the Reno 8 Pro comes in a single variant of 12GB RAM and 256GB storage for INR 45,999. If it launches in Nepal, we expect the price of Oppo Reno 8 Pro to start at NPR 80,000.
Oppo Reno 8 Pro
Price in India (Official)
Price in Nepal (Expected)
12/256GB
INR 45,999
NPR 85,000
Oppo Reno 8 Overview:
Talking about the vanilla Reno 8, it flaunts a 6.43-inch AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 180Hz touch sampling rate. The phone is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 1300 paired with up to 12 GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage.
While the phone doesn’t have a dedicated camera chip, it does retain a similar camera setup as its expensive sibling; except for the ultrawide angle lens which is replaced by a 2MP B&W sensor. Also, it gets the same 80W charging speed treatment and battery capacity as the 8 Pro.
The Reno 8 is official in India for INR 29,999 for the sole 8/128GB variant. We expect its price to start at NPR 55,000, if and when it launches in Nepal.
Oppo Reno 8
Price in India (Official)
Price in Nepal (Expected)
8/128GB
INR 29,999
NPR 55,000
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Oppo Reno 7 Pro.
Following the release of the Oppo Pad earlier this year, the company followed it up with a more affordable “Air” model about 2 months ago. This tablet has now landed in the Indian market, and it’s launching soon here in Nepal as well. In this article, we will go through the specs, features, availability, and expected price of the Oppo Pad Air in Nepal.
Oppo Pad Air Overview:
Design and Display
The Oppo Pad Air has a flat-edge design with squared-off edges. The back keeps the two-tone appearance of the original Pad, but now has a textured pattern with a shine to it. Oppo says, the pattern is crafted through a five layer process design and the matte surface at the back keeps the fingerprints and smudges at bay.
The tablet is slim at 6.94mm and weighs just 440 grams. It is available in Fog Gray and Star Silver color options.
Meanwhile, check out all the prices and specs of tablets from Oppo here!
On the front, there is a 10.36-inches IPS LCD display with 2K resolution and 60Hz refresh rate. The screen covers 71% NTSC color gamut and has a typical brightness of 360 nits.
Inside, the tablet gets its power from a Snapdragon 680 chipset. It’s a 6nm chipset that features Kyro 265 CPU cores and Adreno 610 GPU. This mobile silicon is paired with either 4 or 6GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 64GB or 128GB of UFS 2.2 storage. The latter is expandable up to 512GB as it supports a microSD card.
It also supports 3GB of virtual memory expansion. Moreover, the Pad Air brings software based on Android 12 with ColorOS for Pad on top. Fueling the tablet is a 7100mAh battery that supports 18W fast charging.
Rest of the specs
As for the optics, there’s an 8MP camera on the rear and a 5MP lens on the front. The connectivity option includes WiFi 5 (802.11 ac), Bluetooth 5.1, and USB Type-C. For audio, the Pad Air is fitted with quad-speakers placed symmetrically and supports Dolby Atmos. It also supports accessories like a smart stylus and smart Bluetooth keyboard.
Software& UI: Android 12 with ColorOS for Pad on top
Rear Camera: Single (8MP)
Front Camera: Single (5MP)
Audio: Quad-speaker setup, Dolby Atmos
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.1, USB 2.0 Type-C
Battery: 7100mAh with 18W fast charging
Oppo Pad Air Price in Nepal and Availability
In India, Oppo Pad Air costs INR 16,999 and INR 19,999 for the 4/64GB and 4/128GB variants, respectively. It will be available for purchase from July 23. We expect the price of the Oppo Pad Air in Nepal to start at NPR 32,000 when it launches here shortly.
Oppo Pad Air
Price in India
Price in Nepal (Expected)
4/64GB
INR 16,999
NPR 32,000
4/128GB
INR 19,999
NPR 38,000
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Realme Pad Mini.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A-lineup consists of entry-level tablets. The firm is now preparing to introduce a new member in the series, speculated to be Tab A7 (2022). Here, we will walk through the rumors and leaks surrounding the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 (2022).
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 (2022) Rumors:
Design, Display
From the leaked renders, Galaxy Tab A7 (2022) looks no different than the Tab A7 from 2020. It sports thick bezels on the front as before, as well as a single camera cutout on the rear. In fact, the Tab A7 (2022) is expected to have the same 10.4-inch LCD display with a resolution of 1200x 2000 as its 2020 counterpart.
Image: Slashleaks
Performance
However, with the A7 (2022), Samsung is more likely to go with the Unisoc chipset over the Snapdragon. It will come with the Unisoc T618 chipset, which is a 12nm chip with two ARM Cortex-A75 cores and six Cortex-A55 cores that can both run at 2.0GHz. This will be accompanied by up to 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. You will be able to expand the storage since the device supports a microSD card.
Rest of the specs
The cameras stay intact as well, with an 8MP lens on the back and a 5MP sensor on the front. Similarly, a 7,040 mAh battery will run the device
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 (2022) Specifications:
Display: 10.4-inch LCD display, 1200 x 2000-pixel resolution
Processor: Unisoc T618 (12nm)
Memory: 3/32GB
Rear Camera: 8MP
Front Camera: 5MP
Battery: 7040 mAh
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 (2022) Price and Launch
The Galaxy Tab A7 (2022) is projected to cost EUR 199, which is over EUR 60 cheaper than the Tab A7. There’s no word on when the device will be released just yet.
Tablet
Price (Expected)
Galaxy Tab A7 (2022)
EUR 199
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7.
MSI is a household name when it comes to gaming. Mostly known for its wide range of gaming laptops, the company also manufactures gaming accessories and most PC components including graphics cards. Here, we’ll be discussing all the MSI graphics cards available in Nepal, along with their latest price, features, and availability.
MSI Graphics Cards in Nepal (2022)
Although MSI sells both NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards in the international market, only the ones from NVIDIA are currently available in Nepal. This consists of the GeForce lineup of consumer-grade graphics cards, ranging from the budget GT to the latest RTX 30 series. And even under the same product category, you will find different lineups with varying features and price tags.
For instance, when searching for aftermarket RTX 3080 cards from MSI, you’ll come across multiple SKUs like Ventus, Gaming, and Suprim. Although all three of them meet the base specs of RTX 3080, they vary in terms of build quality, cooling solution, visual aesthetics, and such. With that out of the way, let’s take a deep dive into all MSI NVIDIA GeForce graphics cards available in Nepal including their key specs and latest price.
MSI Graphics Cards Price in Nepal 2022 (Summary)
MSI GeForce Graphics Cards
Price in Nepal
GT 710
1GD3H LPV1
Rs. 9,000
2GD3 LP
Rs. 13,000
GT 730
N30K-2GD3H LPV1
Rs. 13,000
N30K-4GD3 OCV1
Rs. 20,000
GTX 1050 Ti
4GT OC
Rs. 25,000
Gaming X
Rs. 26,000
BiaoFeng V1
Rs. 28,000
GTX 1650
Aero ITX OC V1
Rs. 28,000
Ventus XS OC V1
Rs. 30,000
Gaming X
Rs. 35,000
GTX 1650 SUPER
Aero ITX OC
Rs. 33,000
Ventus XS OC
Rs. 35,000
Gaming X
Rs. 45,000
GTX 1660
Ventus XS OC
Rs. 40,000
GTX 1660 SUPER
Aero ITX OC
Rs. 42,000
Ventus XS
Rs. 45,000
Gaming X
Rs. 50,000
GTX 1660 Ti
Armor OC
Rs. 54,000
Ventus XS
Rs. 57,000
Gaming X
Rs. 60,000
RTX 2060
Ventus GP Edition OC
Rs. 54,000
Gaming Z
Rs. 60,000
RTX 2060 SUPER
Armor OC
Rs. 63,000
Ventus GP Edition OC
Rs. 65,000
Gaming X
Rs. 70,000
RTX 3050
Ventus 2X OC
Rs. 57,000
Gaming X
Rs. 60,000
RTX 3060
Ventus 2X OC
Rs. 70,000
Ventus 3X OC
Rs. 72,500
Gaming X (Dual Fan)
Rs. 84,000
RTX 3060 Ti
Ventus 2X OC V1 (LHR)
Rs. 83,000
Ventus 3X OC (LHR)
Rs. 90,000
Gaming X Dual Fan (LHR)
Rs. 90,000
RTX 3070
Ventus 2X OC (LHR)
Rs. 94,000
Ventus 3X OC (LHR)
Rs. 100,000
Gaming Trio Plus (LHR)
Rs. 108,000
Suprim X (LHR)
Rs. 110,000
RTX 3070 Ti
Ventus 3X OC
Rs. 120,000
Gaming X Trio
Rs. 130,000
Suprim X
Rs. 135,000
RTX 3080
Ventus 3X Plus OC 12GB (LHR)
Rs. 140,000
Gaming X Trio 10GB
Rs. 147,000
Gaming Z Trio 12GB (LHR)
Rs. 150,000
Suprim X 12GB
Rs. 162,000
RTX 3080 Ti
Ventus 3X OC
Rs. 170,000
Gaming X Trio
Rs. 180,000
Suprim X
Rs. 195,000
RTX 3090
Ventus 3X OC
Rs. 225,000
Gaming X Trio OC
Rs. 255,000
Suprim X OC
Rs. 270,000
RTX 3090 Ti
Black Trio
Rs. 280,000
Gaming X Trio
Rs. 310,000
Suprim X
Rs. 325,000
MSI GeForce GT Series
The GT series of graphics cards by NVIDIA is meant for homes and offices that do not have high requirements. These are entry-level cards with limited CUDA cores, a slow memory clock, and affordable price tags. Currently, MSI sells two GeForce GT series graphics cards in Nepal.
Next on the hierarchy is the GTX 10 series. The GTX series is home to graphics cards that you can actually game on. They have a higher number of CUDA cores, faster memory and thus, offer greater performance than the GT series.
The GTX 10 series went official in 2016 with the launch of GTX 1080 and GTX 1070. These cards are based on Pascal architecture. Similarly, it also marked the shift from the older 28nm process to the 16nm process.
NVIDIA announced the GTX 16 Series back in 2019. It played a second fiddle to the contemporary RTX 20 Series cards. The latter was home to NVIDIA’s flagship GPUs, whereas the GTX 16 Series catered to the mid-range market.
The GTX 16 Series is based on Turing architecture and came with support for NVIDIA Studio, GeForce Experience, VR, and more. NVIDIA even unlocked Ray Tracing features for a few GTX 10 and 16 Series cards post-launch.
NVIDIA announced the RTX 20 Series based on Turing architecture on September 20, 2018. They were the first consumer cards with dedicated Ray Tracing (RT) cores. In addition, RTX 20 Series cards feature dedicated AI cores and they even support DLSS — NVIDIA’s upscaling technology.
RTX 30 series was announced in September of last year. These cards are based on the new Ampere microarchitecture and manufactured under Samsung’s 8nm custom node. Ray Tracing got even better with the RTX 30 Series, thanks to second-generation Ray Tracing cores. In addition to improving raw performance, NVIDIA even introduced a bunch of new features such as NVIDIA Reflex, Broadcast, and Omniverse Machinima.
In this review, I’ll be sharing all of my experiences with the new Xiaomi Smart Band 7 also known as the Mi Band 7. As you might know, Xiaomi is quite popular in the world of fitness trackers. You might have even seen some of your friends wearing them. And the reason why Mi Bands are so popular is: first, they are exceptionally affordable, and second, they’ve got all your basic fitness tracking needs covered. So over the years, they’ve pretty much become a no-brainer for anyone looking for the best bang for their buck.
But in the last 2-3 years, the wearable industry has become incredibly competitive, with brands like boAT, Noise, and Dizo launching some really good-looking, high-specced smartwatches in the budget segment.
On the other hand, if I handed you Mi Bands from the last two generations, you would be hard-pressed to tell their differences based on their looks. And even if you were to compare their specs side-by-side, they don’t necessarily bring any major upgrades either. So the question has to be asked, are smart bands even relevant in 2022? But before answering that question, let me first do a proper review of the Xiaomi Smart Band 7.
Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Specifications
Body: 46.5 x 20.7 x 12.25 mm, 13.5-13.8gm (without strap)
Okay, let’s start with the design first. As I mentioned earlier, the Xiaomi Band 7 doesn’t look that different from its predecessor. Or… predecessors. You are getting the same pill-shaped tracking module with the same buckle-style TPU strap. And there’s no button here either—so you’ll have to make do with the gesture controls.
Going past the looks, this is one comfortable and lightweight fitness tracker to wear! This strap is also soft and free of any discomfort. Still, this pin-hole design isn’t all that secure since there have been a couple of instances where I found the band dangling off my wrist.
Maybe this is because although this band itself is a little wider than past Mi Bands, Xiaomi has adopted the same strap design. So, I strongly recommend you try out third-party alternative straps if you’re planning to buy this. Of course, the Mi Band 7 is also 5 ATM water-resistant, which has come quite handy for me, especially during this rainy season.
Display
1.62″ AMOLED panel, 500 nits
192 x 490 pixels resolution, 326 PPI
While the design has basically stayed the same, it does bring a few changes to the display front. You’re now looking at a 1.62-inch AMOLED display which is the largest in the Mi Band lineup history. And unlike its predecessor, the Band 7’s wider form factor means this screen spans horizontally a lot better as well.
Image: Always On Display
Since this is an AMOLED panel, the core quality of this display is excellent. Everything from texts, and animations, to icons, looks crisp and with a good contrast level. Plus, with 500 nits of peak brightness, I’ve been able to glance at it in all lighting conditions. But sadly, even this iteration of the Xiaomi Band doesn’t introduce auto-brightness adjustment. So when you’re outdoors, you’ll have to manually adjust the brightness according to the Sun’s demand—and dial it back down once you’re indoors or when it gets dark.
One notable development in the Mi Band 7 is the addition of the Always-on display feature. It works quite well, but I found that not all watch faces supporting this feature. Instead, you’re gonna have to manually search and pick a watch face with AOD to make the most of it.
While everything sounds quite impressive so far, I couldn’t help but notice a couple of inconveniences here. Even though I can live with the bezels surrounding the display, I’m still not sold on Xiaomi’s capsule-like approach to its fitness trackers. Because of this form factor, overall texts and characters look squished here.
I think a rectangular design like the Honor Band 6 is a better choice since this gives enough space for UI elements to fit in the display.
Another thing here is that the band does not support Unicode Nepali or Indian font. If you’re wondering, I have the global variant of Band 7 with me and not the Chinese one. So I’m hoping Xiaomi releases an update addressing this issue pretty soon.
Companion App
Mi Fitness (Android | iOS)
As for software, this guy pairs with your smartphone via the Mi Fitness app which is quite refined and feature-rich. Its dashboard presents you with all your health metrics in a fairly easy-to-read layout. You can also customize the home screen to display all your relevant health data, while the app lets you switch between watch faces, and play around with notifications, alarms, and other settings too.
Health, Fitness Tracking
But if you don’t want to bother with the app, you can check your current day’s health data directly on the band itself. In this regard, it can measure everything from your step count, and heart rate, to sleep cycles.
Blood Oxygen Monitoring
1 of 1
By the way, it also introduces continuous blood oxygen monitoring in the Mi Band lineup. Similar to other budgets fitness trackers like the Honor Band 6 or the Huawei Band 6, it takes a reading once every 30 minutes.
Next up, I found that its auto-workout detection isn’t 100% reliable. There are just 4 workout modes that support auto-detection. And since my daily routine consists of walks and runs, I kept it on for both these modes.
Auto Workout detection
1 of 1
Although the band detected my walking exercises quite well, it was not able to pause the workout whenever I stopped or took a break in between. Instead, I have to manually pause or end the session every time. One day, I forgot to end the workout and woke up to the band showing me that I’d been working out non-stop for 21 hours! It was hilarious!
On the other hand, auto workout detection works flawlessly on the Redmi Smart Band Pro, which I’ve been using alongside the Band 7. Since this is a budget fitness tracker, it lacks built-in GPS as well, but you can always use your phone’s GPS in case you want to track your outdoor workout routes.
Aside from a few flaws, this guy can track your other health parameters fairly accurately. Sleep tracking, for example, works quite well. And it can even measure your light, deep, and REM sleep stages! The band also supports all-day stress monitoring and female health management to track your menstrual cycles.
Health Tracking
1 of 3
Sleep Cycle
Stress
Heart Rate
Battery
180mAh, Up to 14 days battery life
Moving on in this review, like with most Xiaomi wearables, Mi Band 7’s battery life is ridiculously impressive! Its minimal and optimized UI goes pretty easy on the battery, and I was thus able to squeeze about 10 days of endurance here.
As for charging, it uses Xiaomi’s proprietary two-pin cradle that attaches magnetically to the back. And it takes just about two hours for a full charge!
Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Review: Conclusion
So that’s it for our review of the Xiaomi Smart Band 7. Now let me get back to the question I asked earlier: are smart bands still relevant in 2022 or are smartwatches in a similar price range a better buy?
The opinion might be divided based on the person, but here’s what I feel. While companies like boAt, Noise, Fire-Boltt, and Dizo are launching great value-for-money smartwatches, one key area where these new guys fall short is the core software experience, whether it’s in the wearable’s UI or their companion apps.
And this is where established veterans of the wearable world like Xiaomi are miles ahead of the competition. Xiaomi’s “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” formula is pretty clear with Band 7, but the company has evolved and consistently improved its software over the years. So if you’re looking to buy a reliable beginner fitness tracker with very little investment, the Xiaomi Smart Band 7 could be a great option for you.
Welcome to the ninth 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!
Vivo officially launched the Y20 in the Nepali market in 2020. The phone has now received a permanent price cut. Let’s check out the specs, features, latest official price, and availability of Vivo Y20 in Nepal.
Vivo Y20 Overview
The Vivo Y20 is the first smartphone from the company to house the new Snapdragon 460. It’s an octa-core chipset based on an 11nm node. It features eight Kryo 240 cores. Graphics are handled by Adreno 610 and it comes with support for Vulkan 1.1. Memory wise, the Y20 has 3 or 4GB of RAM with 64GB of storage.
In terms of display, it features a 6.51-inch HD+ Halo Full View display with a 20:9 aspect ratio. It has the sunrise design on the back with the rays originating from the rectangular camera bump. It is available in two color options in Nepal – Obsidian Black and Dawn White. The capacitive fingerprint sensor is placed on the side.
In the photography aspect, Vivo Y20 features a triple camera setup at the back. The 13MP primary sensor is accompanied by a macro sensor and a depth sensor. Both the auxiliary lenses make use of 2MP sensors. If we compare this setup to that on the Vivo Y19, it’s quite the downgrade. First, the megapixels of the primary sensor has been reduced to 13MP from 16MP. Similarly, the 8MP ultra-wide camera has been swapped for a macro sensor.
On the front, there’s an 8MP camera sensor for selfies instead of the 16MP camera in the Y19. The device features a massive battery of 5,000mAh. Like its predecessor, the Vivo Y20 will also support fast charging to up to 18W. The phone will ship with Funtouch OS 10.5 based on Android 10.
Vivo Y20 Specifications:
Display: 6.51-inches “Halo FullView” HD+ panel
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 460; 11nm Mobile Platform
CPU: Octa-core (8x Kyro 240)
GPU: Adreno 610
RAM: 3/4GB
Storage: 64GB; microSD slot (dedicated)
Software & UI: Android 10 with Vivo’s Funtouch OS 10.5 on top
NVIDIA announced the GeForce RTX 30 series of graphics cards back in September 2020. The company claimed that the performance difference between the new cards and their predecessor is the biggest ever in the GeForce lineup’s history. In this post, we will look at the specs, features, availability, and price of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series graphics cards in Nepal.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series Overview:
NVIDIA’s CEO Jensen Huang announced the new RTX 30 series at a virtual event. The latest RTX graphics cards from the company are based on the new Ampere architecture and are manufactured under a custom Samsung 8nm process.
This new process allows NVIDIA to fit a significant number of transistors in the cards (28.3 billion in the case of RTX 3090/Ti). With the new architecture, team green is claiming up to 2x performance and 1.9x power efficiency compared to the Turing-based RTX 20 series.
GeForce RTX 3090, 3090 Ti
As you could guess, the 3090 Ti is the fastest GPU in the new lineup. And NVIDIA is referring to both of these as “BFGPU” (Big Ferocious GPU). Here, the 3090 Ti is quite similar to the standard 3090. They both have 384-bit 24GB GDDR6X video memory. But the Ti is slightly faster at 21.0 Gbps compared to 19.5 Gbps on the RTX 3090.
Likewise, the GA102 GPU on the 3090 Ti has 10,752 CUDA cores over 3090’s 10,496. It has a rated TDP of 450W which is 100W more compared to 3090.
Both these graphics cards target 8K HDR gaming. Overall, NVIDIA says the 3090 Ti is about 9% faster than the 3090. And RTX 3090 is almost 50% faster than the TITAN RTX (Turing). Similarly, it is up to 10 times quieter thanks to the silencer. It also helps the new GPU remain up to 30°C cooler than the TITAN RTX.
GeForce RTX 3080, 3080 Ti
The 3080 Ti is a slightly watered-down version of the 3090. It features 10,240 CUDA cores, a 1.67 GHz boost clock, and just half memory (12GB GDDR6X) of 19 Gbps speed. On the other hand, the RTX 3080 comes with either 10 or 12GB of GDDR6X memory with a speed of up to 19 Gbps.
The 10GB version has 8,704 CUDA cores and a 320-bit memory bus compared to 8,960 CUDA cores and 384-bit memory bus on the 12GB model. Additionally, the 10GB RTX 3080 has 320W TDP which is 30W lower than the 12GB RTX 3080 or the 3080 Ti. Anyway, NVIDIA claims that the RTX 3080 is 2x faster than the RTX 2080. Both of these cards can offer up to 4K 60 fps gaming.
GeForce RTX 3070, 3070 Ti
Further down the line are the RTX 3070 and 3070 Ti. These cards are targeted toward 1440p gaming, and thus feature drastically low compute units compared to the 3080 and 3090 series. The GA104 chip on these cards packs 17.4 billion transistors, with 6,144 CUDA cores on the 3070 Ti and 5,888 on the 3070.
Similarly, their memory size with a 256-bit memory bus is limited to just 8GB. But while the 3070 Ti enjoys the faster GDDR6X memory protocol, the regular RTX 3070 gets GDDR6 memory instead. Their core/boost clock speed is also marginally different: 1.58/1.77 GHz on 3070 Ti and 1.50/1.73 GHz on 3070.
GeForce RTX 3060, 3060 Ti
Next up is the RTX 3060 series. These are possibly the best-value graphics cards in the entire RTX 30 lineup. Geared towards high-end 1080p gaming, the 3060 and 3060 Ti come with 3,584 and 4,864 CUDA cores, respectively. Interestingly enough, the RTX 3060 has 12GB GDDR6 VRAM whereas the 3060 Ti has just 8GB GDDR6 VRAM.
Besides this, the 3060 also has a faster memory clock compared to its Ti counterpart. But the 3060 Ti does have a wider 256-bit memory but over the 3060’s 192-bit. As for power, the Ti has 200W TDP which is 30W more than the standard RTX 3060. While NVIDIA sells a Founder’s Edition RTX 3060 Ti, you will only find aftermarket RTX 3060 cards from brands like Asus, MSI, EVGA, and such.
GeForce RTX 3050
Finally, we have the entry-level RTX 3050. Like the RTX 3060 series, this one also targets 1080p gaming. With a 128-bit of 8GB GDDR6 memory on board, this graphics card should suffice the needs of most budget gamers who want to play ray-traced games.
According to NVIDIA, 3 of the top 5 GPUs on Steam belong to the GTX 50 series. And with all the capabilities of the 3050, the company is hoping people would finally upgrade to RTX. Like RTX 3060, there is no Founder’s Edition RTX 3050 either.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series Specifications:
3090 Ti
3090
3080 Ti
3080
3070 Ti
3070
3060 Ti
3060
3050
Architecture
Ampere
Process
Samsung custom 8nm
Transistors
28.3b
17.4b
13.25b
CUDA cores
10752
10496
10240
8960 / 8704
6144
5888
4864
3584
2560
Boost clock (GHz)
1.86
1.695
1.665
1.71
1.77
1.725
1.665
1.777
Memory bus (bit)
384
384 / 320
256
192
128
Memory (GB)
24
12
12 / 10
8
12
8
Memory Type
GDDR6X
GDDR6
S. P. Boost (TFLOPS)
39.997
35.581
34.1
30.643 / 29.768
21.7
20.314
16.197
12.738
9.098
Tensors (TFLOPS)
160
142
136
122 / 119
87
81.3
64.8
51.2
36.4
TDP (W)
450
350
350 / 320
290
220
200
170
130
Launch MSRP
$1999
$1499
$1199
$799 / $699
$599
$499
$399
$329
$249
New Technologies
During the launch event, NVIDIA also announced three new technologies in the RTX 30 series that will offer a better experience to gamers, streamers, and esports professionals.
1. NVIDIA Reflex
It is a combination of tools designed to allow gamers to measure and reduce their system latency. Popular gaming titles such as Fortnite, Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Valorant will come integrated with NVIDIA Reflex’s Low-Latency Mode. It is claimed to be capable of reducing the latency by up to 50%.
Similarly, the Reflex Latency Analyzer tool will be integrated into the upcoming 360Hz NVIDIA G-Sync Esports displays. It will help users to evaluate the latency in their gaming setup. For example, the tool can measure the delay between the mouse’s input and the time taken by the pixel to change accordingly.
2. NVIDIA Broadcast
It is a tool for live streamers. This universal plugin will use RTX-accelerated AI effects like audio noise removal, virtual background effects, and webcam auto frame to improve the quality of the home setup of streamers.
3. NVIDIA Omniverse Machinima
With the Omniverse Machinima, the company wants to take story-telling to the next level. It comes with tools like the path-traced viewer, an engine for physical accuracy, simulating lights, physics, and AI. In supported games, users will be able to create characters, add high-fidelity animations, and publish film-quality cinematics using the RTX 30 series GPU.
NVIDIA RTX 30 Series Graphics Cards Price in Nepal
The price of NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series graphics cards in Nepal starts at Rs. 55,000 for the base RTX 3050 and goes all the way up to Rs. 330,000 for the top-of-the-line RTX 3090 Ti. You can buy the following NVIDIA RTX 30 series graphics cards in Nepal at the price mentioned below from Hukut Store.
![MSI Graphics Cards Price in Nepal 2022 [Updated]](https://cdn.gadgetbytenepal.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/MSI-Graphics-Price-in-Nepal.jpg "MSI Graphics Cards Price in Nepal 2022 [Updated]")
![NVIDIA RTX 30 Series Graphics Cards Price in Nepal [Updated]](https://cdn.gadgetbytenepal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/NVIDIA-GeForce-RTX-30-Series-Graphics-Cards-Price-in-Nepal-2022.jpg "NVIDIA RTX 30 Series Graphics Cards Price in Nepal [Updated]")
