Honor announced the arrival of the X8—its latest mid-range smartphone—back in March 2022. The phone has now found its way to the Nepali market too. In this article, we will be discussing the key specs, features, official price, and availability of Honor X8 in Nepal.
Honor X8 Overview:
Design and Display
Honor X8 has a slim profile measuring just 7.45mm in thickness. Likewise, it is also lightweight weighing just 177 grams. The phone is available in three color options—Midnight Black, Ocean Blue, and Titanium Silver.
Over on the front, Honor X8 features a 6.7” LCD panel with a 90Hz refresh rate. It boasts “Super Narrow” bezels of just 1.1mm. This allows the phone to have a screen-to-body ratio of 93.6%.
Performance and Memory
Powering the Honor X8 is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 680 processor. This 4G chipset has become popular among budget and mid-range phones because of its power efficiency. It is based on a 6nm process. Honor is offering the phone in a single 6/128GB variant. Users can expand the RAM further by 2GB using the virtual RAM feature.
Honor X8 flaunts a quad-camera setup enclosed inside a square camera island at the back. Leading the lineup is a 64MP primary camera. The company has even included a 5MP sensor for ultrawide photos. Further, there are two sensors for portrait and macro photography.
Upfront, there is a 16MP selfie camera with an f/2.45 aperture. You can shoot 1080p videos with both front and rear cameras.
Rest of the specs
Honor X8 gets its fuel from a 4,000mAh Lithium Polymer battery with support for 22.5W charging. Honor even includes a compatible SuperCharge charger in the box. The phone has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner and boots on Android 11 out of the box.
U5e is the latest addition to U-series from iQOO. It is a budget-oriented 5G smartphone which is currently exclusive to the Chinese market. Let’s learn more about the specs, features, availability, and expected price of the iQOO U5e in Nepal.
iQOO U5e Overview:
U5e is not a totally out-of-the-box concept for a smartphone. This phone is the rebranded version of the Vivo Y33e which was released last month. There isn’t much difference between two phones expect for the higher RAM configuration and faster charging on the U5e.
Design and Display
iQOO U5e sports a 6.51-inch IPS LCD panel with an HD+ resolution. The screen refreshes at a standard rate of 60Hz. It features a water-drop notch on the front side and a noticeable chin at the bottom. The phone boasts a screen-to-body ratio of 82%.
The frames and back of this phone are built of plastic and the whole phone weighs around 193 grams. As for the color options, one can go with either Blue or Silver.
Performance, Software
For the performance, iQOO U5e is powered by a 7nm-based MediaTek Dimensity 700 chipset with an integrated 5G modem. It comes in two RAM variants: 4GB and 6GB and a single 128GB storage option. However, one can extend the storage with a microSD card. This phone boots on Android 12 with OriginOS Ocean.
iQOO U5e flaunts a dual-camera setup at the back led by a 13MP. Accompanying it is is a 2MP macro lens and an LED flash. Unfortunately, there is no ultrawide module here. Over on the front, you get an 8MP sensor for selfies and video calls.
A huge 5000mAh non-removable battery powers the phone. It features 18W fast charging via USB Type-C. For security, a side-mounted fingerprint is present.
U5e is currently limited to the Chinese market, where is starts at NPR CNY 1,399 for the 4/128GB variant. The phone is yet to be released in Nepal. However, when it does, we expect the the price for the base variant to be around NPR 28,500.
In its June 23 event, Poco just revealed two new smartphones. We have already covered the Poco F4 5G in one of our other posts, and here we will be summing up the specs, features, availability, and expected price of the Poco X4 GT in Nepal.
Poco X4 GT Overview:
Poco X4 GT is the second device in the latest X4 lineup with Poco X4 Pro 5G being the first one. As the rumors suggested, the Poco X4 GT is nothing but a global variant of Redmi Note 11T Pro. The latter has been a China-exclusive phone since its launch last month.
Design and Display
As with the majority of Xiaomi’s launches under the Redmi and Poco brands, Poco X4 GT follows a flat edge design language. It still has round corners and a slight curve at the back for a comfortable hold. The back features a rectangular camera bump similar to newer Realme phones.
Over on the front, the phone features a 6.6-inch LCD screen with DCI-P3 coverage. The screen boasts a 144Hz refresh rate and 270Hz touch sampling rate. Furthermore, it also packs advanced features like DC Dimming, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision.
Performance and Memory
MediaTek’s Dimensity 8100 chip handles all the workloads from underneath. Poco has also included a 7-layer heat dissipation structure to keep the chip from running hot. Poco X4 GT pairs the high-end 5nm chip with 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 512GB of UFS 3.1 storage.
On the photography front, Poco X4 GT comes with a triple camera setup headlined by a 64MP sensor. The primary camera churns out 12MP photos by default by combining four small pixels in one.
Accompanying it is an 8MP ultrawide sensor with a 120° Field of View. Finally, there is a 2MP sensor for macro photography.
Poco has included a 16MP selfie shooter on the front that supports 1080p videos. Likewise, the rear camera is capable of shooting 4K videos.
Rest of the Specs
Poco X4 GT gets its juice from a 5,080mAh battery that can handle 67W fast charging. Furthermore, it boots on Android 12 with MIUI for POCO on top. The power button on the side doubles as a fingerprint scanner for added security.
The Poco X4 GT launched globally at the price of EUR 379 for the base 8/128GB variant with an early bird offer of EUR 299. Likewise, the 8/256GB variant of the X4 GT costs EUR 429 which goes down to EUR 349 with the early bird offer. The price of the Poco X4 GT is expected to start at NPR 52,999 when it makes its way to Nepal.
Poco X4 GT
Official Price
Price in Nepal (Expected)
8/128GB
EUR 379
NPR 52,999
8/256GB
EUR 429
NPR 58,999
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Poco F4 GT.
Poco has finally launched the highly anticipated F4 5G smartphone. The phone was unveiled alongside the Poco X4 GT via an online live stream. In this article, we will be focusing on the specs, features, availability, and expected price of the Poco F4 in Nepal.
Poco F4 Overview:
Poco F4 5G is the second phone in the latest F series after the F4 GT Gaming Edition. As with the recent F-series phones, the Poco F4 5G is also a rebranded Redmi phone, the Redmi K40S — to be more specific.
Design, Display
The Poco F4 doesn’t look any different from the Redmi K40S. It has the same rear camera bump, flat frames, and center-aligned punch-hole cutout. The only change made by Poco is to replace Redmi’s branding with one of its own.
On the front, the F4 flaunts a 6.67-inch E4 AMOLED screen with FHD+ resolution. It’s a 100% DCI-P3 coverage panel with Truecolor professional color tuning, ΔE≈0.35, and JNCD≈0.35 color accuracy. Likewise, the phone also has HDR10+ certification and can hit peak brightness of up to 1300 nits.
Same old Snapdragon 870
As for performance, Poco is once again turning to Snapdragon 870 chipset. It is the same chipset that powered last year’s Poco F3 as well. Poco is pairing it with its own LiquidCool 2.0 technology, which will help keep the CPU temperature in check.
In a video shared by Poco India’s official Twitter handle, Poco F4 5G is shown to have cooler temperatures and better-sustained performance than iQOO 9 SE and OnePlus 10 Pro in the CPU throttling test.
The chip is paired with up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage.
Poco has not changed much in the performance department that it usually does. Instead, the company is focusing on the camera aspect of the phone.
The Poco F4 5G houses a 64MP primary camera up from F3’s 50MP sensor. Still, the biggest gain is the inclusion of Optical Image Stabilization, which you do not often see in midrange offerings from Poco and Xiaomi.
It is paired with an 8MP ultrawide sensor and a 2MP macro sensor. Upfront, we find the same 20MP sensor for selfies.
Rest of the specs
Fueling the phone is a 4,500mAh battery with support for 67W fast charging. It ships with MIUI 13 based on Android 12 out-of-the-box. Furthermore, it packs stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos, an X-axis linear vibration motor, and an IR Blaster.
Colors: Moonlight Silver, Night Black, Nebula Green
Poco F4 Price in Nepal and Availability
The F4’s base variant (6/128GB) retails at INR 27,999. Similarly, the higher 8/128GB and 12/256GB models cost INR 29,999 and INR 33,999. We expect the base variant of the phone to retail at NPR 46,999 when it launches in Nepal.
Poco F4
Price in India
Price in Nepal (Expected)
6/128GB
INR 27,999
NPR 50,000
8/128GB
INR 29,999
NPR 52,000
12/256GB
INR 33,999
NPR 58,000
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Poco X4 Pro.
Although we have only recently begun to see PCIe 5 compatible motherboards and sockets, PCI-SIG has revealed its next-generation PCI Express 7 (PCIe 7) standard. The company has revealed early details of the new interface, and the complete specification is expected to be released in 2025. Read along to learn more about the PCI Express 7.
PCI Express 7 Overview:
Since the beginning, each PCIe version has doubled the bandwidth speed of its predecessor. And the PCIe 7 doubles the bandwidth speed even again.
Its raw bit rates reach up to 128 GT/s; with bi-directional speeds of up to 512 Gb/s in an x16 configuration. For comparison, the PCIe 6.0 has a raw bit rate of 64GT/s and a bandwidth speed of 256GB/s in an x16 connection.
Furthermore, PCIe 7 employs PAM4 signaling, a multilayer signal modulation format used to transmit signals. This was first introduced with PCIe 6. Similarly, the new standard improves power efficiency, and latency, and is also backward compatible with prior generations.
PCIe 7 is developed to meet the needs of data-intensive applications. This includes applications with the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning, as well as hyper-scale data centers.
PCI Express 7 Availability
The full specs of PCIe 7 standards are due in 2025. As a result, we can expect the first PCIe 7.0 products to enter the market in 2027 or in the years thereafter.
Interface Standard
Launch
PCI Express (PCIe 7.0)
2025
Meanwhile, check out the comparison between Intel i7-12700K and i7-11700K.
Montblanc, best renowned for its fountain pens has introduced the Montblanc Summit 3, a premium timepiece. It’s the successor to Montblanc Summit 2 from four years ago and comes with Wear OS 3.0 at its core. So, let us look at the specifications, features, availability, and expected price of the Montblanc Summit 3 in Nepal.
Montblanc Summit 3 Overview:
Design, Display
Let’s start with where the luxury of this wristwatch comes in. The Montblanc Summit 3 features a titanium case in a variety of colors that are paired with leather and rubber strap options.
Here, the gray case comes with either black calf leather or a blue rubber strap. Similarly, the black casing is outfitted with a black calf leather or black rubber strap. There’s also a ‘bi-color’ casing with either British green calf leather or a black rubber strap. For controls, the watch has a rotating crown and two additional buttons.
On the front, the Summit 3 sports a 1.2-inch AMOLED display and a circular watch face. The screen has a 416 x 416-pixel resolution.
Moving on, the Montblanc Summit 3 is the first WearOS 3 smartwatch since the Galaxy Watch 4 series. However, unlike the latter, it gets the stock WearOS 3 treatment. This is backed by a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100+ chipset. In terms of memory, it comes with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage.
The watch has a heart rate monitor, a microphone, a barometer, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and an ambient light sensor for health and fitness purposes. Meanwhile, it connects to your phone through Bluetooth 5.0 and works with both iOS and Android.
Since it supports WearOS, you can connect it to WiFi for app downloads, and NFC capability allows for hands-free payments. The Summit 3 is said to have longer battery life than its predecessor (which lasts about a day), though the firm has not said how long.
Montblanc Summit 3 Specifications:
Display: 1.2-inch AMOLED, 416 x 416-pixel resolution
Montblanc Summit 3 Price in Nepal and Availability
The Montblanc Summit 3 will be available beginning July 15 for EUR 1,250. We predict the Montblanc Summit 3 to cost NPR 170,000 if Montblanc plans to enter the Nepali market.
Smartwatch
Price in Europe
Price in Nepal (Expected)
Montblanc Summit 3
EUR 1,250
NPR 170,000
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Honor Watch GS 3.
The new MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ is here. This flagship chip brings some moderate upgrades over the Dimensity 9000 released last year. In this article, we will go through the Dimensity 9000+ alongside its features and other notable upgrades.
MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ Overview:
CPU
The biggest highlight about this chip is that it gets a 5% CPU boost compared to its predecessor. The Cortex-X2 CPU core here has been overclocked from 3.05 to 3.2 GHz. Other than this, the rest of the CPU cluster remains the same with three Cortex-A710 cores (2.85 GHz) and four Cortex-A510 cores (1.80 GHz) for efficiency tasks.
Memory
On the memory front, the Dimensity 9000+ supports LPDDR5x RAM with a maximum bandwidth of 7500Mbps. According to the company, increasing the cache size here from 8MB to 14MB results in performance improvement by 7% and reduced bandwidth consumption by 25%. Furthermore, LPDDR5x RAMs consume 20% less power than LPDDR5 as well.
MediaTek says that the Mali-G710 MC10’s GPU performance has also improved by 10% compared to the previous generation.
It supports HyperEngine 5.0 technology, which offers AI-enhanced variable-rate shading (VRS), lower latency connection, and more to ensure a smoother gaming experience. Likewise, The MediaTek APU 590 used in this chip is said to be 4 times more power-efficient than the previous generation.
ISP
The 18-bit Imagiq 790 ISP in the MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ is capable of recording HDR videos from three cameras simultaneously. It also supports a single-camera setup of up to 320MP and processing speeds of up to 9 gigapixels per second.
Connectivity
As for connectivity, the downlink speeds have been bumped up to 7Gbps but the Dimensity 9000+ still lacks mmWave 5G like its predecessor. It does have Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, dual-frequency GPS, NFC, and USB 3.1 Type-C support though.
First announced at the CES 2022, LG DualUp is now available for purchase in the US. It’s a premium monitor from the company, with the main highlight being the 28-inch screen which looks like two normal screens stacked on top of one another. So, let’s take a look at the specs, features, expected price, and availability of the LG DualUp monitor in Nepal.
LG DualUp Monitor Overview:
Display
LG DualUp Monitor features a 27.6″ Nano IPS panel with an SDQHD resolution of 2560 x 2880 pixels. The display is equivalent to two regular 21-inch screens placed on top of one another. This gives LG DualUp its tall 16:18 aspect ratio that LG claims will help enhance productivity for programmers and officers alike.
Not only that, LG DualUp can come in handy for streamers and content creators. This monitor covers up to 98% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and is color calibrated from the factory.
The peak brightness of the LG DualUp Monitor is listed at 300nits. It also has a light sensor that automatically adjusts the brightness based on the ambient luminance.
Furthermore, the screen has a Grey-to-Grey response time of 5ms and is HDR10 certified. It even has Rheinland Eyesafe Display Certification which ensures protection from blue light.
LG DualUp comes with an Ergo Stand that offers the flexibility to move the screen back and forth, as well as swivel, rotate, and tilt to configure it the way you like. The monitor ships with C-Clamp & Grommet and One Click Mount that you will need during installation.
Adding on, the monitor typically operates on a 40W power supply which can increase up to 190W based on different scenarios.
As for connectivity, LG DualUp Monitor has two HDMI ports, a display port, and a USB-C port. The latter even supports 90W PowerDelivery to charge your laptop and other accessories. In addition, a headphone jack is also available.
You can hook up the monitor to two different computers at the same time and control the contents using the KVM feature.
LG DualUp Monitor is currently available for sale in the US, where it retails for USD 699.99. It is not clear if LG will launch the DualUp Monitor in Nepal, but if it does, we expect its price to be NPR 105,500.
Monitor
Price in the US (Official)
Price in Nepal (Expected)
LG DualUp (27.6″)
USD 699.99
NPR 105,500
Meanwhile, check out our thoughts on Nothing phone (1).
Along with its first 2-in-1 Windows tablet, Xiaomi recently unveiled its newest Xiaomi TV A2 smart television. It is currently available in Europe in three different screen sizes. So, let’s have a look at the Xiaomi TV A2’s specifications, features, availability, and expected price in Nepal.
Xiaomi TV A2 Overview:
Display
As aforementioned, Xiaomi TV A2 is available in three screen sizes, namely 43-inch, 50-inch and 55-inch. These are 4K TVs with a 60Hz refresh rate, 10-bit color depth, and 90% DCI-P3 color gamut.
You also get HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and a MEMC chip that artificially adds frames to make the content look smooth. The bezels are also fairly narrow all around, and the TV A2 comes with a metal frame. This is supported by a single strand, which is made of plastic.
It has two speakers with 12W output each and supports Dolby Audio and DTS-HD.
Moreover, the TV A2 is powered by a quad-core SoC featuring four ARM Cortex-A55 CPU cores and an ARM Mali G52 MP2 GPU. This is paired with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage.
On the software front, it comes pre-installed with Android TV 10. As a result, you get to enjoy features such as Chromecast, Google Voice Assistant, Play Store, and more.
Rest of the specs
The Xiaomi TV A2 has three HDMI 2.0, two USB 2.0 Type-A, one RJ-45 ethernet jack, an AV port, one optical Digital Audio Out, and a 3.5 mm audio jack for connectivity. It uses WiFi 5 (ac) and Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless communication.
The TV A2 will go on sale on June 28th, with a starting price of EUR 449 for the 43″ model. Similarly, the 50″ and 55″ models are priced at EUR 499 and EUR 549, respectively. We expect its price to start at NPR 65,000, if and when it launches in Nepal.
Xiaomi TV A2
Price in Europe
Price in Nepal (Expected)
43”
EUR 449
NPR 65,000
50”
EUR 499
NPR 70,000
55”
EUR 549
NPR 75,000
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Samsung AU8000 (75-inch) 4K TV.
You can find free WiFi in most public places these days. Cafés, restaurants, hospitals, and even public buses let you use WiFi. Although this service is awesome for the business and us (the customers), we want you to re-think before using public WiFis from now on. Why? Because it is not safe. How? Let us explain about the safety of free public WiFi.
Why is the safety of free public WiFi a concern?
First of all, like how you love free and open WiFi, hackers do too. Because it will be easier for them to connect to public WiFi since it’s available to everyone. When you are connected to the same WiFi as the hackers, they can use various tools to sniff your data (you don’t even need to be a pro to use some hacking tools these days).
So when a hacker is on the same network as yours, he will act as a middle-man. This means your data will go through the hacker before going to the website you are visiting. So, the middle-man can see everything you are doing on the Internet: your Google searches, your comments on posts, and even security credentials (passwords). We don’t need to tell you what they can do after getting that information.
Furthermore, the hacker can also re-create your favorite websites say, Facebook. So when you visit Facebook on public WiFi, the hacker will send you a fake Facebook login page instead (it will look exactly like Facebook). This way, the hacker can easily get your credentials without you having the slightest clue. Because in this process, the attacker will send you the original Facebook login page afterward, thus making it look like you entered a wrong password. This technique is called “phishing” and it can be very dangerous. So, never disclose your bank or any other financially-sensitive info on public WiFi.
In addition, there is yet another threat to using public WiFi: malware. If file-sharing is allowed across a network, the hacker can easily plant a software (virus) on your computer. Once the malware is on your computer or mobile, some pop-up window will appear offering an upgrade for popular software. Once you click it, the malware will be installed. It can then track everything you do on your device even after you disconnect from the WiFi. After that, you will not be safe even on your home network.
So what are the safety measures for public WiFi?
Okay, okay, calm down. This doesn’t mean you should never use public free WiFi despite all the safety concerns. After all, there is a solution to everything, right? Well, the solution is easy, you just need to take a few precautions.
1. Use a VPN
A virtual private network (VPN) connection is a necessity to protect your privacy: from hackers or from your ISP. And using a reliable VPN even prevents you from WebRTC leaks. WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication) lets browsers create P2P (peer-to-peer) connections with websites so that you can have audio and video communication from the webpage itself. This protocol is supported by all major web browsers like Google Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Opera, and more.
While it sounds pretty cool, WebRTC can leak your real IP address without your knowledge. To see if your browser is doing so, you can perform a WebRTC leak test as well. Besides using a VPN, there are ways to disable WebRTC on an individual browser as well.
Likewise, if you use a VPN, your data will be strongly encrypted. Hence, the middle-man (hacker) will get nothing. Since most hackers look for an easy target, they’ll most likely move on to another prey if they find encrypted data; rather than wasting time decrypting your information. Plus, the good news is, nowadays, you can also get a free VPN service so you don’t need to worry if you can’t spend on a VPN.
2. Be aware
Look around for suspicious people before connecting to a public WiFi, whether it’s a café or a hospital. And, if you see open WiFi in other places, find out about the host first. Do you know them? Can they be trusted? And most of all, don’t do financial transactions using public WiFi.
And do not surf websites that require credentials to be inserted. For example, if you log into Facebook, hackers can intercept the credentials so that they can access your Facebook ID for information. And if you have been using the same password for different accounts, your multiple accounts will be at stake. So simply be aware!
3. Use SSL connections on public WiFi
Even if you are using a VPN, it is always better to use an extra layer of encryption by using SSL connections. If you are not using a VPN, you must always use SSL connections. For this, enable the “Always Use HTTPS” option from your browser on websites that you visit frequently.
Or that requires you to enter some kind of credentials. Most websites that require an account like Facebook and e-Banking have the “HTTPS” options already enabled. But, never enter your login info if the website doesn’t have HTTPS (instead of HTTP) on its URL.
4. Set up Two Factor Authentication for every account if possible
If Two Factor Authentication (2FA) for any online account is available, you should be doing it right now. Setting up 2FA troubles the hackers because a new temporary code is sent to a designated number whenever a new login is made. Without inserting the sent code, the account cannot be accessed. So you will always be safe.
5. Restrict device transmissions for public WiFi safety
Before connecting to a network, one should always be alert to turn off the Network Discovery and File Sharing within the network.
• Steps for Windows PC
Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change Advanced Sharing Center > Select Public Profile > Turn Off all (Network Discovery, File and Printer Sharing, and Public Folder Sharing)
6. Set up safety barriers
A well-configured firewall (personal or corporate) can filter transmissions to and from the network. So, by using up-to-date security software (anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-malware, anti-Keylogger, etc.) and with the firewall turned on, you can be safe in most cases.
Image: Spiceworks
7. Update and patch the latest updates and firmware
Developers are always keen on making a secure system and evading the vulnerabilities. So with an up-to-date OS and browsing software, you are less prone to attacks.
8. Use mobile data instead
This reason may not be the most pleasing, but it won’t be a wise choice to be on a hacker’s radar than spending a little money to be safe from them. And with the expanding faster 4G networks and different volumes of budget-friendly data packs available from NTC and Ncell, one should definitely be less inclined to the use of free public WiFi.
9. Keep your WiFi off when not in use
I know it’s a “waste of time” going to the settings and turning off the WiFi on your mobile or laptop when you are not using it. Also, it feels great when you are automatically connected to a network when you revisit some websites. But, is it a good practice? Not really.
Even when you are not actively connected to any WiFi, the WiFi adapter is still transmitting data if it finds any network within range. And, some hackers are so ingenious, that they could connect to your device using the signals your WiFi adapter is sending. So, be on the safe side and turn off WiFi when not in use! On the plus side, this will result in better battery life as well.
Finally, be cautious and take any other safety precautions necessary before using free public WiFi. Happy surfing!
The frames and back of this phone are built of plastic and the whole phone weighs around 193 grams. As for the color options, one can go with either Blue or Silver.
Furthermore, the screen has a Grey-to-Grey response time of 5ms and is 
