Dell Vostro is a rough and tough series of laptops mainly targeted at entry-level corporate users. And right now, one of the members of the Vostro lineup—the Vostro 15 3510—is quite popular in Nepal. Initially, it was available only in Core i3 and i5 models, but the Core i7 model has also launched in Nepal. So, let’s walk through the specs, features, latest price, and availability of Dell Vostro 15 3510 in Nepal.
Dell Vostro 15 3510 Overview:
Design and Display
To begin with, the Vostro 15 3510 flaunts a 15.6-inch anti-glare IPS display with FHD resolution. That being said, the base model has HD resolution. Irrespective of the resolution, the display features a three-sided narrow bezel, is TÜV Rheinland certified, and comes with Dell ComfortView software to minimize blue light emission.
Over on to the design, it has a lift hinge for more ergonomic wrist angles which also allows for increased airflow. You get a full-sized keyboard with a 10 key numeric pad, and it’s spill-resistant too. However, it’s not backlit.
In terms of performance, Vostro 15 packs the 11th Gen Intel Core processors. Here, you can choose between Core i3-1115G4, Core i5-1135G7, and the fresh Core i7-1165G7. The first two lack dedicated graphics and thus, rely on the integrated Iris Xe. However, the Core i7 model features entry-level GeForce MX350 from NVIDIA.
Moreover, the laptop is fueled by a 41Wh battery that charges via a 65W AC adapter. It has a TPM 2.0 chip for security, which also means it is easily upgradable to Windows 11.
Rest of the specs
Moving on, the I/O options here include two USB 3.2 Gen 1, one USB 2.0, a 3.5mm audio jack, an HDMI 1.4, and an RJ-45 port. The wireless connectivity options available are WiFi 5 (802.11ac) and Bluetooth 5. For audio, there are two 2W speakers. On the other hand, there’s a 720p camera on the top bezel with an integrated microphone.
Dell Vostro 15 3510 Specifications:
Dimension: 17.5 x 358.5 x 235.56 mm, 1.69 kg
Display: 15.6 Anti-glare IPS panel, TÜV Rheinland for blue light
Resolution: HD/FHD, 16:9 aspect ratio
Keyboard: Full-size with Numpad, spill-resistant
Processor: 11th gen Intel Core i3-1115G4 / i5-1135G7 / i7-1165G7
Memory: 4/8GB DDR4 RAM
Storage: 1TB HDD / 256GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
Audio: 2x 2W dual-speaker
Battery: 3-cell 41 Watt-hours Li-ion
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 5 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 5.0
I/O Ports: 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB 2.0 Type-A, 1x Audio jack, 1x HDMI 1.4, 1x RJ45 (LAN)
Dell Vostro 15 3510 Price in Nepal and Availability
As for the pricing, Dell Vostro 15 3510 starts at Rs. 60,000 in Nepal. It is for the Intel Core i3 variant with 4GB RAM and 1TB HDD. The price can go up to Rs. 115,000 depending upon the hardware and memory configuration.
Redmi 9C is among the cheapest offering from Redmi in the Nepali market today. In this post, we will discuss the specs, features, latest official price, and availability of Redmi 9C in Nepal.
Redmi 9C Overview:
Design and Display
From the front, Redmi 9C looks strikingly similar to Redmi 9A. Both feature a 6.53-inch display with an HD+ resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels. There is a waterdrop style on the front of the device that houses the front camera. The panel looks tall due to its 20:9 aspect ratio.
At the back, it lacks a dual-tone color scheme. You can see the square camera module at the top left corner at the back. Redmi has included a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor that blends in well with the color of the rear panel.
Performance and Memory
Redmi 9A has MediaTek’s Helio G35. It is one of the latest budget gaming-focused chipsets from MediaTek. Like the G25, it is an octa-core processor based 12nm FinFET process. It also features eight Arm Cortex-A53 cores but they are clocked higher at 2.3 GHz. Similarly, the Imagination PowerVR GE8320 GPU is clocked at 680MHz.
The device features either 2/3GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 32/64GB of eMMC 5.1 storage. Users can expand the internal storage with the help of a dedicated microSD card slot.
The camera is where Redmi 9C excels, at least on paper, compared to Realme C11 with an equally powerful setup. It retains the 13MP primary camera of the Redmi 9A. The primary camera is accompanied by a 2MP macro sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. These three cameras are enclosed inside the square camera module, alongside an LED flash.
Battery and others
Redmi 9C and Realme C11 both feature a 5,000mAh battery. Unfortunately, the phone comes with a Micro USB port for data, charging. Similarly, Redmi 9C has a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor that the Realme C11 lacks.
Redmi 9C Specifications:
Display: 6.53-inch (1600 × 720 pixels) HD+ 20:9
Chipset: Mediatek Helio G35
CPU: Octa-Core (8 x 2.3 GHz Cortex A53)
GPU: Imagination PowerVR GE8320
RAM: 2GB RAM with 32GB storage, expandable with SD card
OS: Android 10 with MIUI 12 on top
Rear Camera:
– 13MP rear camera
– 2MP macro camera
– 2MP depth sensor
– LED flash
Front Camera: 5MP front-facing camera
Battery: 5000mAh, 10W charging via Micro USB
Redmi 9C Price in Nepal and Availability
After the recent price hike, Redmi 9C starts at Rs. 13,999 for the base 2/32GB variant, while the price of the 4/628GB option is Rs. 17,999. You can buy the phone from Hukut and other authorized stores in Nepal.
Back in November, Oppo announced the Reno 7 series in China. Of the three smartphones launched back then, Oppo Reno 7 and Reno 7 Pro have finally launched in India. Here, we will be discussing the new Oppo Reno 7 and 7 Pro in more detail, including their specs, features, expected price, and availability in Nepal.
Oppo Reno 7 Pro
Oppo Reno 7 Pro 5G is the most capable phone of the new lineup. It sports a boxy look because of the flat edges and rounded corners. The company has also used a new “aerospace-grade lithography technology” to add fine texture to the back of the phone.
Reno 7 Pro 5G sports a 6.55-inch OLED panel with FHD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. The left-aligned camera cutout is home to the new 32MP IMX709 selfie sensor. Oppo claims it’s the first selfie camera to support DOL-HDR.
At the back, there is a rectangular camera bump. This triple-camera array consists of the 50MP Sony IMX766 primary, an 8MP ultrawide, and a 2MP macro camera. There is also a color temperature sensor accompanying the camera setup.
Oppo has included lens rings made of up high-density ceramic to protect the lens from scratch. In addition, the camera island has a flexible LED notification light enclosing it.
As for performance, the phone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 1200-Max chip paired with 12GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage solution. Fueling the phone is a 4,500mAh battery, and there is support for 65W charging.
Moving on, the Reno 7 5G looks a lot like its Pro variant but settles for a comparatively less impressive specs sheet. Its sports a smaller 6.43-inch OLED panel but retains the 90Hz refresh and 180Hz touch sampling rate.
Under the hood, Oppo has swapped the Dimensity 1200-Max with Dimensity 900 here. The Chinese variant of the phone has Snapdragon 778G. Dimenisty 900 is paired with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB of UFS 2.2 storage.
At the back, the primary camera uses a 64MP sensor. But the rest of the setup is unchanged. Likewise, it packs the same 4,500mAh battery with 65W charging.
Oppo Reno 7, 7 Pro Price in Nepal and Availability (Expected)
Oppo Reno 7 Series will go on sale in India starting February 17 via Flipkart. The price is INR 39,999 for the Reno 7 Pro (12/256GB) and INR 28,999 for the Reno 7 (8/256GB). If Oppo launches the Reno 7 Series in Nepal, we expect the price of Reno 7 and 7 Pro to be NPR 50,000, and NPR 68,000, respectively.
Oppo Reno 7 Series
Price in India (Official)
Price in Nepal (Expected)
Reno 7 Pro (12/256GB)
INR 39,999
NPR 68,000
Reno 7 (8/256GB)
INR 28,999
NPR 50,000
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Galaxy S21 FE.
Motorola has just announced its latest smartphone, called the Moto G Stylus 2022. It’s the successor of Moto G Stylus from last year and comes with a dedicated stylus for easier navigation. In this article, we will be covering the new Moto G Stylus 2022 in more detail, including its specs, features, expected price, and availability in Nepal.
Moto G Stylus 2022 Overview:
Design and Display
The Moto G Stylus 2022 features the same 6.8-inch Max Vision screen as its predecessor, but it now has support for a 90Hz refresh rate. Other than that, it’s an IPS LCD panel with a 20:9 aspect ratio—the same as last year. Yet, the main selling point of the phone is the stylus that it ships with. Motorola has provided a slot at the bottom to slide in the stylus.
Users can use the stylus for navigation and editing. Moreover, its operating system—My UX comes with additional features to leverage the stylus. Users can use it to edit screenshots and take notes. For the latter, the phone has the Moto Note app pre-installed on the device.
Furthermore, the smartphone has a plastic body, and even so, it’s not particularly lightweight as it weighs around 216 grams. Likewise, it measures 9.45mm in thickness. Moto says the phone is water repellent, however, it doesn’t have any official IP rating.
Performance
In terms of processor, Motorola has opted for MediaTek Helio G88, which seems to be a downgrade from the Snapdragon 480 5G on the G Stylus 5G. The two CPUs have the same efficiency cores (6x 1.8GHz Corex-A55), but Snapdragon 480 5G has better performance cores in the form of Cortex-A76. In addition, MediaTek G88 is based on a less efficient 12nm process and misses out on 5G connectivity.
The new Moto G Stylus comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The latter is expandable up to 512GB using a microSD card slot.
At the back, Moto has redesigned the camera island to match the recent G-series phones. It is home to a triple camera setup. Here, the primary camera uses a 50MP sensor with an f/1.9 aperture. Accompanying this is an 8MP ultrawide and a 2MP depth sensor.
However, there is no dedicated macro sensor this time around. To make up for this, the ultrawide lens doubles as a macro camera. Over on the front, there is a 16MP sensor enclosed inside the punch-hole camera cutout.
Rest of the specs
Moto G Stylus 2022 has a 5,000mAh battery, and the charging speed caps at just 10W. For biometrics, the smartphone has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. Moreover, even if Android 12 has been on the market for some time now, the Moto G Stylus 22 still boots on Android 11.
Motorola Moto G Stylus 2022 Specifications:
Display: 6.8″ IPS LCD “Max Vision” display, 1080 x 2400 px, 20:9 aspect ratio
Chipset: MediaTek Helio G88 (12nm)
Memory: 6GB RAM, 128GB storage (expandable up to 512GB)
Moto G Stylus 2022 Price in Nepal and Availability (Expected)
Moto G Stylus 2022 is available for pre-order in the US, where its price is USD 299 for the sole 6/128GB variant. If it launches here, we expect the price of Moto G Stylus 2022 to be around NPR 37,500 in Nepal.
Moto G Stylus 2022
Price in the US (Official)
Price in Nepal (Expected)
6/128GB
USD 299
NPR 37,500
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Galaxy S21 FE.
Last month OnePlus launched its latest flagship smartphone—the OnePlus 10 Pro. That being said, the China-exclusive debut failed to create the same level of excitement as prior releases. Thankfully, OnePlus could still have a trick left up its sleeve. As per rumors, OnePlus will soon release an Ultra model whose design has surfaced online recently. Here, we will be discussing every little detail there is about the rumored OnePlus 10 Ultra, including its specs and launch.
OnePlus 10 Ultra Rumors Roundup
Recently a patent surfaced online depicting the design of the upcoming OnePlus flagship phone. It was first spotted by TechInsider. The design resembles the OnePlus 10 Pro for the most part but with some changes on the rear panel.
OnePlus 10 Ultra will still have the extended camera bump, but it will house a small display in addition to the camera sensors. The drawing also reveals a periscope lens which is something new for OnePlus. While OnePlus has released phones with telescope lenses in the past, it is yet to release one with a periscope lens. Thus, OnePlus 10 Ultra could be the first phone from the company to have a periscope lens.
Interestingly, some claim the OnePlus 10 Ultra will pack the Dimensity 9000 chipset. However, it could even pack a different version of Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 built on TSMC’s 6nm process. We will have to wait to see what’s coming up.
Moving on, it will be paired with Oppo’s proprietary MariSilicon X NPU, which is an independent image signal processing chip. Thus, we can expect better image quality with the 10 Ultra. Similarly, it will ship with Android 12 out of the box.
We expect the other features of the OnePlus 10 Ultra to be similar to that of the 10 Pro. It will have an LTPO 2.0 display with a left-aligned camera cutout. It will also retain the support for 80W wired fast charging.
OnePlus 10 Pro Launch Date (Expected)
OnePlus usually announces the global launch of its flagship in March. Thus, we may get to see the OnePlus 10 Ultra next month alongside the vanilla 10. Some leaks also suggest it will launch in the second half of the year.
Meanwhile, check out our long-term review of the OnePlus 9 Pro.
While Nvidia and AMD are the two big (and basically, the only) players, when it comes to PC graphics, companies like Asus are responsible for making the circuit boards, cooling systems, and everything else except for the actual chip that goes into the graphics card. And so, if you’re purchasing GPUs from Asus, here is the list of Asus graphics cards price in Nepal.
Asus AMD Radeon Graphics Card
NVIDIA has been reigning as the undisputed leader in the GPU market for some years now. However, in 2021 AMD came up with Radeon 6000 series. It’s the closest AMD has gone to challenging NVIDIA in the premium graphics card segment. These GPUs are based on RDNA 2 microarchitecture that introduced new features like Infinity Cache, Ray Accelerators, Fidelity FX, and Smart Memory Access.
Asus Dual Radeon RX 6700 XT
Dimensions: 295 x 139 x 55mm
Graphics Engine: AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT
Stream Processors: 2560
Bus Standard: PCI Express 4.0
Video Memory: 12GB GDDR6 (16 Gbps)
Memory Interface: 192-bit
Engine Clock:
OC Mode: 2581 MHz (Boost) / 2444 MHz (Game)
Gaming Mode: 2581 MHz (Boost) / 2424 MHz (Game)
Interface: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a
Recommended PSU: 650W
Power Connector: 1x 8-pin, 1x 6-pin
Price: Rs. 150,000
Asus TUF Gaming Radeon RX 6900 XT OC
Dimensions: 320 x 140.2 x 57.8mm
Graphics Engine: AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT
Stream Processors: 5120
Bus Standard: PCI Express 4.0
Video Memory: 16GB GDDR6 (16 Gbps)
Memory Interface: 256-bit
Engine Clock:
OC Mode: 2340 MHz (Boost) / 2105 MHz (Game)
Gaming Mode: 2310 MHz (Boost) / 2075 MHz (Game)
Interface: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a
Recommended PSU: 850W
Power Connector: 2x 8-pin
Price: Rs. 235,555
Asus ROG Strix LC RX 6900 XT OC
Dimensions:
Card: 277 x 131 x 43.6mm
Radiator: 276 x 12 x 517mm (including fan)
Graphics Engine: AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT
Stream Processors: 5120
Bus Standard: PCI Express 4.0
Video Memory: 16GB GDDR6 (16 Gbps)
Memory Interface: 256-bit
Engine Clock:
Gaming Mode: 2365 MHz (Boost) / 2135 MHz (Game)
Interface: 1x HDMI 2.1, 2x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x USB Type-C
Recommended PSU: 850W
Power Connector: 3x 8-pin
Price: Rs. 250,000
Asus NVIDIA GeForce Graphics Card
NVIDIA is the go-to company if you are looking for quality graphics cards. It has a wide range of graphics cards targeted at different groups.
For instance, the GT lineup caters to home and office users with graphics processing needs greater than that supplied by integrated graphics. In contrast, the GTX and RTX series cards are designed for gaming. RTX cards have added features such as dedicated Ray Accelerators and DLSS super-scaling.
Where to buy Asus graphics cards at the official price in Nepal?
Nagmani International is the sole distributor of Asus components in Nepal. Alongside Asus, they are also the distributor/resellers of brands like Transcend, Cooler Master, Asustor, and Rapoo. You can contact them at 014247855, 014247888, 014247850, or visit their showroom in Triveni Tower, New Road, Kathmandu.
There is a new player in the growing smart wearable market in Nepal. IoT Incorporation—the sister concern of Vatsal Impex has launched three new smartwatches under its own brand called Purple. In this article, we will look at all the Purple smartwatches currently available in Nepal, along with the specs, features, price, and availability.
Purple: Brand Overview
Purple is a new smartwatch brand owned by IoT Incorporation Pvt Ltd. It’s a subsidiary of Sharda Group and a sister concern of Vatsal Impex Pvt. Ltd. The latter is the official distributor of Xiaomi in Nepal. IoT Incorporation has vast experience in the Nepali smart wearable market, having worked with brands like Fitbit and Mobvoi. It also has its own e-commerce platform in the form of YesCart.
Purple’s founding director, Mr. Nitesh Kumar Mundra, believes the brand will meet the needs of existing smartwatch users and attract new ones. The brand currently has three smartwatches in its catalog.
Purple Smartwatch Price in Nepal 2022 [Update]
SN
Purple Smartwatches
Price in Nepal
1.
Purple Trend
Rs. 6,499
2.
Purple Strom
Rs. 7,999
3.
Purple Alpha
Rs. 8,499
Purple Trend
The Trend features a 1.69” HD screen with a resolution of 240 x 280 pixels. The watch body is made up of Zinc alloy, while the bottom shell has plastic. Likewise, it comes with a silica gel band. The watch has a physical button at the side and is also IP67 rated against dust and water resistance.
In terms of connectivity, the Purple Trend supports Bluetooth 5.0 and is compatible with devices running iOS 10.0/Android 5.0 or newer versions. As far as health tracking is concerned, the watch can detect heart rate, blood oxygen, and body temperature. It even has multiple sports modes to choose from. Fueling the watch is a 220mAh battery that offers up to 5 days of endurance on normal usage.
Purple Trend Specifications:
Dimension: 44 x 37.5x 8.7mm
Display: 1.69″ IPS LCD, 240 x 280 pixels
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0
Battery: 220mAh (Up to 5 days of normal usage)
Charging: Magnetic charger
IP Rating: IP67 dust and water-resistance
Price: Rs. 6,499
Purple Strom
Next on this list is the Purple Strom. It features a 1.28” circular display with a resolution of 240 x 240 pixels. It’s enclosed inside a Zinc body, however, the bottom is made of plastic. Likewise, it comes with a silicone wristband.
The smartwatch is powered by a Realtek RTL86762DK processor and runs on proprietary software. Purple Storm has all the health tracking features of the Trend. It even has added features like automatic heart rate monitoring, sleep monitoring, and Bluetooth calling.
Purple Strom Specifications:
Dimension: 46.3 x 46.3x 12.2mm
Display: 1.28″ TFT LCD, 240 x 240 pixels
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0
Battery: 220mAh (Up to 9 days of normal usage)
Charging: Magnetic charger
IP Rating: IP67 dust and water-resistance
Price: Rs. 7,999
Purple Alpha
Moving on, the Purple Alpha is the company’s most premium offering at the moment. It sports a 2.5D curved 1.69” HD IPS display. The button on the side even glows in the dark. It is powered by a Realtek RTL8762 processor and has all of the health-tracking functions you’d expect from a budget smartwatch. The Purple Alpha also supports all-day heart rate monitoring and Bluetooth calling. But, the calling feature is only available on the Android platform.
Purple Alpha Specifications:
Dimension: 46.3 x 46.3x 12.2mm
Display: 1.69″ 2.5D screen, 240 x 280 pixels
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0
Battery: 190mAh
Charging: Magnetic charger
IP Rating: IP67 dust and water-resistance
Price: Rs. 8,499
Where to buy Purple smartwatches in Nepal?
IoT Incorporation owns the Purple brand, and you can buy the smartwatch at the official price from authorized stores in Nepal. Purple smartwatches are also available from online platforms such as YesCart and Daraz.
Conclusion:
Purple’s debut portfolio appears to be quite promising. All of the smartwatches have metal-plated bodies, IP rating, in addition to basic health/fitness tracking features. Moreover, the higher-end Purple smartwatches even support Bluetooth calling, which is unheard of in their respective price range in Nepal.
The new Galaxy Tab A8 is Samsung’s latest mid-range tablet and the successor to last year’s Tab A7. If you remember, my review of the Tab A7 ended with me calling it my go-to budget tablet. However, a lot has changed since then. More on this review of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8.
Android tablet resurgence in 2021
Just take the number of Android tablet releases, for instance. Google recently reported nearly 100 million new Android tablet activations in 2021, which is a 20% year-on-year growth. The demand for tablets—especially the affordable ones—has surged globally as educational institutions were forced to go online amidst the ongoing pandemic, thereby making Android tablets relevant once again.
This also means Samsung has a lot more competition in the budget tablet market now, compared to how things were a couple of years ago. In the past year alone, we have seen tablets from brands like Xiaomi, Realme, and Nokia—while Oppo, OnePlus, and Vivo are soon to follow suit.
For us, the stand-out release so far has been the Xiaomi Pad 5, which starts at Rs. 45,000 here in Nepal. That being said, not everyone needs the top-of-the-line specs, and many would rather prefer a more affordable device instead. This is where the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 comes in. Not only does it cost a lot less, it even has an LTE variant and expandable memory, which the Xiaomi Pad 5 lacks.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 (2021) Specifications:
Dimension: 246.8 x 161.9 x 6.9 mm
Display: 10.5-inch TFT LCD display, 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution
Cameras: 8MP (back), 5MP (front)
Processor: Unisoc T618 4G (12nm)
Memory: 3/4GB RAM, 32/64/128GB storage (expandable up to 1TB)
Audio: Quad speakers with Dolby Atmos, 3.5mm headphone jack
With that out of the way, let’s start our review of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 with a quick overview of the design. And here, things are quite typical for a tablet in this price range. Its body is metallic for the most part, except for the portion on the right, which is plastic-made. I’m guessing that’s for the Wi-Fi, carrier signals, and other radio waves to pass through.
Overall, the Tab A8 feels strong and durable—while weighing about 508 grams. My review unit has this matte black finish, and Samsung even offers this tablet in Gray and Pink color options.
Design
1 of 4
Rear Panel
Display
Sim Tray
Ports and Speakers
Over on the front, you get a big 10.5” display with a 16:10 aspect ratio. This screen real estate is plenty enough to view different types of documents including PDFs and presentations. To make things simpler, the company ships it with Microsoft Office pre-installed as well. Samsung Notes is another helpful app here, using which you can take notes, add annotations, and such.
Decent multimedia experience
You won’t face any problem watching videos on YouTube on the Galaxy Tab A8. You can even stream HD content on Netflix, thanks to the Widevine L1 certification. Adding to the multimedia experience is the quad-stereo speaker setup that supports Dolby Atmos audio.
That being said, I believe Samsung should’ve provided a better screen instead of this TFT panel. I won’t say it’s downright dismal, but given the growing competition, Samsung should be doing better in this department. Although expecting an OLED display in this price bracket is absurd, we have seen better LCD screens in much cheaper offerings like the Realme Pad.
Performance
Octa-core Unisoc Tiger T618 (12nm)
3/4GB RAM, 32/64/128GB internal storage (expandable up to 1TB)
Now let’s talk about its performance. Interestingly, Samsung doesn’t explicitly mention the exact chipset used in the Tab A8, but we can confirm that it’s powered by Unisoc Tiger T618.
Qualcomm’s decision to go all-in on 5G—even in the budget category—has created opportunities for MediaTek and Unisoc to grow in the 4G market. In fact, 2021 was Unisoc’s most successful year by far in recent times. It even marched past Samsung to become the third biggest chipmaker globally according to a report by Counterpoint.
And the T618 has been instrumental for Unisoc in this achievement. First announced in 2019, this chip is now more popular than ever—especially in the Chinese market.
In terms of raw CPU power, it is not that different than the Snapdragon 662 on last year’s Tab A7. That being said, we found the T618 performing better on GPU benchmarks such as the 3DMark Wildlife.
How’s gaming on this thing?
And that reflects on the gaming side of things as well. The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 can handle PUBG: Mobile at HD graphics, which was not possible on its predecessor, although I found Smooth Graphics and Ultra frame rate to be the optimal settings here. Similarly, I had no trouble playing Injustice 2 at its default settings.
Day-to-day usage
In terms of day-to-day usage, the 3GB RAM that variant I tested feels rather slow. Apps take some time to load and multi-tasking is not that smooth either. Likewise, with around 10GB of storage already occupied by the system out of 32GB, you won’t have much space for your apps and other files.
In this matter, I’m glad that Samsung is only offering the 4GB variant in Nepal. However, for other regions, I strongly suggest you get the 4GB variant by pushing the budget a little.
Moving on, the one aspect where this tablet has an upper hand over new Android tablet markers is the software. Given Samsung’s experience in making tablets—and now foldable—One UI for larger screen devices has gotten significantly better over the years.
I have talked enough of the Edge Panel and the Galaxy ecosystem in my previous Samsung tablet reviews. New features on the Galaxy Tab A8 include Samsung Flow and the Kids Mode.
While it doesn’t support DeX, Samsung Flow is a close substitute. With this, you can connect the tablet to your PC over both wireless and wired mediums, allowing you to share messages, clipboards, and files between the two. Similarly, you can even cast your tablet to the PC to enjoy Android apps on a bigger screen.
On the other hand, the aforementioned Kids Mode is Samsung’s answer to Google’s Kids Space that you can find on many Android tablets. It is full of fun, kid-friendly content. Moreover, users can set parental control to determine what their children can do inside this bubble —including the screen time, allowed apps, and more.
Cameras, Battery
8MP rear camera, 5MP selfie camera
7,040mAh battery
15W Adaptive Fast Charging (7.7W charger provided)
Moving on, Tab A8 is obviously not going to wow you with its cameras. Its 8MP rear camera can handle things like scanning documents—while the 5MP front-facing camera will get you through online classes just fine.
Galaxy Tab A8 Cameras
1 of 2
Back Camera
Front Camera
As for the battery, I was able to get up to 7 hours on screen-on-time on a full charge here. I mostly used it for attending online classes, streaming multimedia, and even gaming every once in a while. With a relatively less demanding workload, it’ll easily last for two days.
But charging this thing is a bit of a hassle. Although the Galaxy Tab A8 can take in up to 15W power, Samsung only ships a 7.7W charger inside the box. Using a 15W power brick, you can expect its 7040mAh battery to fill up from 0 to 100% in a little over 3 hours.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 Review: Conclusion
All in all, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is a good iterative update over the Tab A7. While the latter was the best overall tablet in its price range last year, history hasn’t repeated itself this time around.
Although Samsung still has an upper hand when it comes to software, brand recognition, and global availability, other Android tablet makers have started to catch up. So, it needs to bring some meaningful upgrades with the Tab A9 if it wants to stay relevant in the midrange tablet segment.
That being said, there are not that many options if you look for midrange tablets in Nepal. If you have the extra cash, you can always go with the Xiaomi Pad 5, which is the undisputed winner in this product category. But if you are on a tight budget and want LTE connectivity, Galaxy Tab A8 is the way to go for now.
Watch our review video of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8:
Here’s some good news for mobile users of Nepal. Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) is planning to implement Mobile Number Portability (MNP). Previously, it had asked telcos for suggestions on the matter. However, after no response from them, NTA is now moving forward with its plan.
What is Mobile Number Portability?
Mobile Number Portability or MNP is a service or facility that allows users to switch between different telecom providers without having to change their mobile number. In order words, you won’t have to give up on your existing telephone number if you wish to change network carriers. You won’t have to go through the hassle of buying a new SIM card.
This process of changing carriers by retaining the phone number is called number porting or just porting. And it can be implemented in two ways: Recipient-led and Donor-led.
The former involves users contacting the new network carrier which then forwards the request to the current carrier. It is more efficient, and thus more widely used.
Donor-led implementation requires users to contact the present carrier for a porting code which is then sent to the new carrier. The new carrier then contacts the old one to complete the porting process.
The main advantage of Mobile Number Portability is the user’s convenience. If you are unsatisfied with the current service provider, you can simply switch to a new one without having to worry about losing current contacts. Moreover, if you are traveling to some new place where your carrier network coverage is poor, you can change to the best available carrier.
Mobile Number Portability will also bring healthy competition between major telecom carriers in Nepal. It will force them to improve their quality of services to retain subscribers.
In another hand, you will no longer know which telecom provider a certain number belongs to. This might create confusion about inter-operator tariffs among the general public.
Mobile Number Portability in Nepal
The news of MNP implementation in Nepal dates back to 2016. However, it was only in November of 2021 that NTA tabled a draft of Mobile Number Portability Regulation 2078. The MNP draft has a provision for users to switch to a new service provider without changing their present mobile number. NTA believes that MNP will be crucial in creating healthy competition among the telecom operators of Nepal.
Mobile Number Portability Regulation 2078
Mobile Number Portability Regulation 2078 has provision for recipient-led porting. This means users will have to contact the carrier that they wish to switch to. Operators are not allowed to take any charge from users for any porting-related SMS received from the clearing house.
Eligibility
That being said, users need to have used a particular number for at least 90 days to be eligible for porting. Similarly, the mobile number needs to be registered in the database of the donor carrier and the details of the owner should match the database of the service provider.
The user should not have any outstanding dues or any form of liability towards his/her current service provider. Also, the number should be in operation during the time of the request.
Porting Request Form
In the porting request form, users will have to self-declare that their number has not been used for any unauthorized purpose. Likewise, they will have to agree to the change in tariff that incurs due to switching to a new carrier. In addition, users won’t have access to services provided by their previous service provider, including the mobile balance.
A third-party clearing house will handle all the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) porting requests in Nepal. It’s not clear whether this MNP Clearing House will work under NTA or independently.
So, what do you think about MNP in Nepal? Will you switch your carrier after MNP is available? Share your thoughts in the comment section
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Aya Neo Pro 2021.
The fastest gaming monitors on the market today refresh at 360 times per second. However, BOE has reportedly gone past the number with its latest display prototype. BOE has unveiled a 27″ prototype monitor with a 500Hz refresh rate. In this article, we will be learning more about the world’s highest refresh rate display.
BOE 500Hz Monitor Prototype
As mentioned earlier, the display prototype from BOE has a diagonal length of 27″, and it refreshes 500 times per second. This makes it the display with the fastest refresh rate. As with other high refresh rate monitors on the market, the resolution here is limited to just FHD. Furthermore, the new monitor supports 8-lane Embedded DisplayPort (eDP), true 8-bit color, and a 1ms response rate.
The latest breakthrough comes out as a result of BOE’s research on oxide semiconductor display technology. Currently, silicone TFT is the industry-standard display technology, which BOE wants to replace with oxide semiconductor TFT. The new 500Hz BOE monitor uses this oxide semiconductor display technology.
Oxide semiconductor display technology boasts high mobility, low off-state current, simple process technology, and large-scale size. Thus, it can improve the quality of display while also reducing power consumption. That being said, traditional oxide microstructures are unstable resulting in performance degradation under stress, illumination, high current, and copper diffusion.
BOE claims it is the first to achieve mass production of copper interconnect stack structures that overcome industry problems related to oxide semiconductor technology. It has proposed a new nitrogen-oxygen balance theory and interface repair theory to overcome these shortcomings.
BOE 500Hz Monitor Availability
The 27″ 500Hz monitor is still in the prototype phase and it’s not clear whether BOE plans to take it to mass production anytime soon. Even if it makes it to the market, one will need to have a high-end gaming rig to take full advantage. Even today, 500 FPS in games seem inaccessible for most gamers.
Also Watch: Should you buy a budget gaming laptop or a gaming PC?
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