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iQOO 9 and 9 Pro with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, 120W charging goes official

iQOO

GadgetByte

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January 6, 2022

iQOO 9 and 9 Pro with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, 120W charging goes official

Vivo’s sub-brand iQOO has finally announced its latest flagship phones. The newly announced iQOO 9 series consists of vanilla iQOO 9 and its Pro sibling, along with their Legend Editions. Let’s walk through the specs, features, expected price, and availability of iQOO 9 and 9 Pro in Nepal.

iQOO 9 Pro Overview:

Design and Display

Let’s start with the iQOO 9 Pro, which sports a 6.78″ E5 AMOLED display with curved edges. It’s a 2K panel with a 10-bit color depth. Thanks to the LTPO panel, it can dynamically adjust its refresh rate between 1Hz to 120Hz. Its 3D ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor takes just 0.2 seconds to unlock the phone.

At the back, it has a massive camera island that looks inspired by Vivo X70 Pro Plus’ Ceramic Camera Window. The phone has a textured finish and is available in two color options: Orange and Legend Edition. The latter features a tri-color racing stripe representing the company’s ties with BMW Motors.

Performance and Memory

Under the hood, iQOO 9 Pro packs the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset has you would expect from a 2022 flagship. It is paired with up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 512GB of UFS 3.1 storage. iQOO has used a waterfall VC (Vapor Chamber) heat conduction system to keep the temperature in check. The phone ships with Android 12 with OriginOS 2.0 on top.

Camera

Over on the optics, iQOO 9 Pro flaunts a triple camera setup. The 50MP primary camera uses Samsung’s GN5 with a 1/1.57″ sensor size. It also has Vivo’s micro-head gimbal system for stabilization.

Moving on, there is another 50MP sensor with a 150° ultrawide lens. This ties the phone with Realme GT 2 Pro in having the widest Field of View (FoV) camera in a smartphone. The setup is completed by a 16MP telephoto portrait lens with 2.5x optical zoom and Optical Image Stabilization (OIS).

Rest of the specs

Finally, the phone gets its juice from a 4700mAh dual-cell battery. With the 120W FlashCharge technology, it takes only 13 minutes for the phone to go from 0 to 100%. Similarly, there is also support for 50W wireless charging and 10W reverse wireless charging.

iQOO also ships the phone with a 120W GaN (Gallium Nitride) charger that supports PowerDelivery 3.0 and PPS (Programmable Power Supply) fast charging, while weighing just 135 grams.

Also Read:

iQOO 9 Pro Specifications:

Display: 6.78″ E5 AMOLED panel, 10-bit colors, 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, 360Hz touch sampling rate, 1000Hz instant touch sampling rate
Resolution: QHD+ (3200 x 1440 pixels)
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm Mobile Platform)
Memory: 8/12GB LPDDR5 RAM, 256/512GB UFS 3.1 storage
Software & UI: Android 12 with OriginOS 2.0 on top
Rear Camera: Triple (with LED flash);
– 50MP Samsung GN5 primary, micro-head gimbal
– 50MP ultrawide lens, 150º FOV
– 16MP telephoto portrait lens, 2.5x optical zoom
Front Camera: 16MP sensor, f/2.45 (punch-hole cutout)
Security: In-display fingerprint sensor, Face unlock
Battery: 4700mAh
Charging: 120W wired (0-100% in 13 minutes), 50W wireless, 10W reverse wireless

iQOO 9 Overview:

Moving on, the iQOO 9 is a toned-down version of the 9 Pro. It features the same 6.78″ E5 AMOLED panel but without curved edges and LTPO technology. Similarly, its resolution is also limited to 2400 x 1080 pixels.

In the camera department, it retains the 50MP primary sensor but swaps the other two for a 13MP ultrawide lens and a 13MP portrait lens. The rest of the specs, including the processor, battery, charging are similar across the two phones. That being said, iQOO 9 is available in an additional black color variant.

iQOO 9 Specifications:

Display: 6.78″ E5 AMOLED panel, 10-bit colors, 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, 360Hz touch sampling rate, 1000Hz instant touch sampling rate
Resolution: FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels)
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm Mobile Platform)
Memory: 8/12GB LPDDR5 RAM, 256/512GB UFS 3.1 storage
Software & UI: Android 12 with OriginOS 2.0 on top
Rear Camera: Triple (with LED flash);
– 50MP primary, micro-head gimbal
– 13MP ultrawide lens, 150º FOV
– 13MP portrait lens
Front Camera: 16MP sensor, f/2.45 (punch-hole cutout)
Security: In-display fingerprint sensor, Face unlock
Battery: 4700mAh
Charging: 120W wired (0-100% in 13 minutes), 50W wireless, 10W reverse wireless

iQOO 9 and 9 Pro Price in Nepal and Availability

iQOO 9 series will go on sale in China on January 12. The starting price is CNY 3,999 for the iQOO 9 and CNY 4,999 for the Pro model. We expect the price of iQOO 9 and 9 Pro in Nepal to start at NPR 86,000 and NPR 107,000, respectively if and when they launch here.

iQOO 9 Series		Price in China	Price in Nepal (Expected)
iQOO 9	8/128GB	CNY 3,999	NPR 86,000
	8/256GB	CNY 4,399	NPR 94,500
	12/256GB	CNY 4,799	NPR 103,000
iQOO 9 Pro	8/256GB	CNY 4,999	NPR 107,000
	12/256GB	CNY 5,499	NPR 118,000
	12/512GB	CNY 5,999	NPR 130,000

Meanwhile, check out our review of the iQOO 7.

LG C1 OLED 55″ 4K TV Review: Cinematic Banger

GadgetByte

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January 5, 2022

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LG C1 OLED 55″ 4K TV Review: Cinematic Banger

I’ve reviewed more than half a dozen 4K TVs this year—I mean in 2021. But apart from your regular LED rectangles, I desperately wanted to lay my eyes on an OLED TV as well. And lo and behold, I finally got myself the 55” LG C1 OLED 4K TV this holiday season whose review I will share in this article. Would’ve been so much cooler if this was a Christmas present from Santa though! (haha..)

Anyway, the C1 has been ranked among the best OLED TVs in the books of many top tech reviewers—so there was always a ripple of excitement inside me to set this thing up, turn it on, and sit back on the couch to enjoy my favorite movies and shows.

But before getting into the nitty-gritty details, let’s go through its pricing first. The LG C1 is available in screen sizes ranging from 48″ to 83″—whereas the 55” model that I have cost about $1500 in the US, some Rs. 142,000 in India and Rs. 265,000 here in Nepal.

LG C1 OLED 55″ 4K TV Specifications:

Body (55″): 23kg (w/stand), 18.92kg (w/o stand)
Display: 55-inch OLED panel, 4K UHD, 3840 x 2160 resolution, 120Hz
HDR Formats: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG
Response Time: 1ms
Video Processor: α9 Gen 4 AI Processor 4K
HDMI Standard: VRR, FreeSync Premium, G-Sync, ALLM
OS: webOS 6.0
Voice Assistants: Google Assistant, Alexa
Remote: LG Magic Remote
Ports: 4 x HDMI 2.1 ports (4 x 4K@120Hz, 1 x eARC/ARC), 3 x USB-A 2.0 ports, 1 x RF Input, 1 x Ethernet, 1 x Digital Audio Output (Optical), 1 x Headphone jack
Audio: 2x 20W speaker, Dolby Atmos, WiSA Ready
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Bluetooth 5.0
Price in Nepal: NPR 265,000

Buy LG C1 OLED 55″ 4K TV here

LG C1 OLED 55″ 4K TV Review:

Design

Minimal bezels

As usual, let’s strike up the conversation with the design. Looking at it from the front, the C1 means business with its premium “next-to-no-bezel” design—and ticks all the boxes you’d expect from an expensive TV. On the bottom, there’s quite a hefty silver stand that holds the TV upright which looks visually distinct too.

Design

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Spinning the TV around, you’ll find a thin sheet of the OLED panel on the top half of the TV, while the bottom half is a bit thicker to accommodate the internal components. Speaking of which, you’ll also find all the I/O ports here.

Unlike most 55” TV I’ve used so far, the C1 is stuffed with four HDMI 2.1 ports that support up to 4K/120Hz output. Plus, one of the HDMI ports also supports eARC for external soundbars or other AV devices. Moreover, there are three USB Type-A, one 3.5mm headphone jack, one RF tuner, LAN, and one digital audio output port.

Display

55″ 4K UHD resolution, OLED panel
120Hz refresh rate, 1ms response
Dolby Vision compatible, ALLM
Nvidia G-Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium, VRR

OLED has been LG’s trump card for almost a decade when it comes to high-end TVs. So it’s no wonder that the company has held the title of the world’s no.1 brand in OLED TVs for the past eight years.

The LG C1 continues this legacy with practically unrivaled picture quality. Its OLED panel means—unlike a normal LED TV—it can control each pixel lighting individually to display true depth and detail in pictures. On top of that, it’s a 10-bit color display with compatibility for different HDR formats, including Dolby Vision IQ.

So, with all this tech packed inside, contents look bang-on with pixel-perfect precision and no halo effect and any of that stuff. The LG C1 delivers awesome deep blacks, perfect contrast, and the most true-to-life colors I’ve ever seen on a TV. And, you don’t need to worry about the viewing angle either, since that’s a child’s play for this thing.

Moreover, it can intelligently upscale normal HD content to 4K as well—thanks to the Alpha a9 Gen 4 processor. I watched HD shows and movies like Sherlock Holmes and Fantastic Beasts, and I’m really amazed to see how clean the upscaled content looks. In fact, they look as if they were actually shot in 4K.

Nonetheless, you’ll definitely need to get familiar with the available picture preset for the best, most immersive viewing experience. I am personally fond of the “FILMMAKER MODE” which is the perfect setting for watching any movies or shows. However, if you’re watching something with relatively more dimly-lit scenes, I’d suggest going with the “ISF Bright” mode since it’s better equipped to display better details in shadows. Likewise, Dolby Vision content runs on the pre-tuned Dolby Vision picture settings.

Another thing I’d like to highlight here is that the C1’s panel is quite glossy. It’s certainly not a dealbreaker—but yeah—I would recommend installing it someplace where you don’t have direct light coming in as much. Despite this, I found the brightness of this TV to be perfectly adequate when stationed in our moderately bright living room.

Gaming

Now, while the LG C1 is certainly a cinematic banger, it’s a treat for gamers too. You get the support for a 120Hz refresh rate here, on top of a 1ms response time, Nvidia G-Sync, AMD’s FreeSync Premium, and whatnot. There’s also a dedicated “Game Optimizer” setting that allows you to select the black/white stabilizer value, game genre, sound, and other parameters to enhance the gaming experience.

Here, I played games like Cyberpunk 2077, CS: GO, and Control via my gaming laptop. And there wasn’t even a single instance where I had to deal with screen tearing or input latency issues. While everything went smoothly, one little quibble I’d experienced is that the C1 fails to recognize Nvidia G-Sync compatibility every now and then. Luckily—with VRR turned on—my gaming experience was still smooth, although I am hoping for a fix soon.

But that’s not all. LG is among the first TV brands to offer GeForce Now cloud gaming support on its select 2021 4K OLED, QNED, Mini LED, and NanoCell TVs. The C1 also falls under the compatible category but I couldn’t test it out since GeForce Now isn’t available here in Nepal.

Pixel Burn

With all that out of the way, let’s see how LG is dealing with the dreaded “pixel burn” issue here. Since an OLED panel’s reliability is so dependent on pixels, it’s critical to make sure they’re always up to snuff.

Thus, the company employs a technique called “Pixel Refresher” into all its OLED TVs, which scans for pixel deterioration once every four hours of continual use and fix it as necessary. However, if you observe any image retention, there’s also the option to manually perform pixel refresh via the Pixel Cleaning menu in the OLED Panel Care setting.

All in all, the LG C1 has undoubtedly met my expectations from a premium TV.

I’ll say it right out—4K resolution combined with an OLED display is a match made in heaven. Add the reliability from a brand like LG into the mix, there’s nothing more one could wish for.

Software

webOS 6

On the software side of things, this TV boots on webOS 6, which introduces quite a few visual changes to the user interface compared to webOS 5. The new version replaces the handy floating app window on the bottom with something that covers the entire screen.

At the top, there are three tiles now which take up a large portion of the screen and display information such as weather forecasts, account settings, and such. Frankly, that seems like an unwanted addition to me. Below these tiles, you’ll discover popular series and movies, recommended mostly from Prime Video. Next, we have a list of installed apps and a Home Dashboard menu. Then there’s the row of Sports Alert tiles alongside the app and movie recommendation sections from LG.

Fair to say that instead of this cluttered layout, I’d go with the minimal UI of webOS 5 in a heartbeat.

Besides these odd adjustments, webOS 6 does bring one of the coolest features for sports enthusiasts—called “Sports Alert”. As a die-hard football fan, I make it a point to never miss a Premier League game. But owing to my busy schedule—every now and again—I lose track of the game timetable. Yet, thanks to webOS 6, I can now choose my favorite teams from a variety of sports, and the TV will keep me up-to-date on the match schedule, goals, and the final score. That’s bloody brilliant!

Moreover, the C1 has ThinQ AI-powered Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa to further ease your TV experience. Both can do all the usual stuff like adjusting the volume and brightness—whereas you can even control smart home devices using your voice here.

Remote

Magic Remote

This time around, LG’s Magic Remote gets an upgrade as well. Compared to its 2020 version, the newer one houses rounded number keys, a tad smaller scrollable wheel, and a fairly flat design—besides all the keys you’d require regularly. Similarly, the back of the remote also has a wide groove for finger rest.

Not to forget, NFC is quite a worthwhile addition to this year’s Magic Remote. It essentially assists you in pairing your smart TV with the LG ThinQ app.

Audio

2 x 20W speakers
Dolby Atmos, WiSA certified

Let’s now talk about its audio quality. Equipped with a 2.2 channel speaker system with a total 40W output, this slim TV boasts better-than-average sound. The loudness is more than enough for a medium-sized room, and it also supports Dolby Atmos surround sound.

All this doesn’t imply that LG C1’s speaker system is flawless. They’re powerful enough for booming bass, but at the higher volume levels, the bass becomes overpowering—affecting the mids and highs. Thus, to match this bang-on picture quality and for a proper home theater experience, I would recommend going with a good soundbar instead.

Moving on, you can also connect this TV with Bluetooth speakers, while it’s certified by Wireless Speaker and Audio Association (WiSA) too. As a result, the C1 is compatible with WiSA-ready sound systems for high definition and low latency surround sound.

LG C1 OLED 55″ 4K TV Review: Conclusion

Wrapping it all up, the LG C1 is one heck of a TV for the price. From its unrivaled picture quality to the top-notch gaming performance and all the other assorted features, it delivers them all. Similarly, the webOS optimization along with the upgraded Magic Remote ensures a truly smart TV experience. The C1 is a direct competitor to Sony’s A80J, although the latter is a more expensive set, costing $200 more for this exact 55-inch variant. And considering all their similarity, the C1 definitely feels like a better value-for-money.

LG C1 OLED 55″ 4K TV Review: Pros and Cons

Pros:

Unmatched picture quality
120Hz refresh rate, Nvidia G-Sync, AMD Freesync Premium
Optimized webOS 6.0
Upgraded Magic Remote
GeForce Now support (available in certain regions)
Support WiSA sound systems
Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant support
Value for money

Cons:

Reflective surface
A bit cluttered UI

CES 2022: NVIDIA teases RTX 3090 Ti, its upcoming flagship GPU

GadgetByte

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January 5, 2022

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CES 2022: NVIDIA teases RTX 3090 Ti, its upcoming flagship GPU

Towards the end of NVIDIA’s keynote on the ongoing CES 2022, the company teased the arrival of its upcoming flagship big ferocious graphics card (BFGPU). The new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti builds on the RTX 3090 to become the company’s most powerful desktop graphics card yet.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Overview:

To start with, NVIDIA has only briefly teased RTX 3090 Ti for now. Thus, not much is known about it except that it will be the most advanced card in the GeForce RTX 30-series.

Despite this, it has the same GA102 GPU chip as in RTX 3090 and 3080—but with a higher number of CUDA cores. 10,752 to be exact (compared to 10,496 on 3090). Just like the RTX 3090, the Ti has 24GB of GDDR6X VRAM. However, it’s configured to run faster at 21Gbps. It amounts to a 7.7% faster memory clock compared to RTX 3090’s 19.5Gbps.

More of our CES 2022 coverage:

In addition, NVIDIA is also claiming GPU performance of up to 40 TFLOPS, which is a little over 11% of RTX 3090 with 35.7 TFLOPS.

We can only guess, but it looks like NVIDIA has activated all of GA102’s 84 streaming multiprocessors here. In addition, it’s rumored to have a 10% higher GPU clock speed than that of RTX 3090. There are also rumors that RTX 3090 Ti will have a TGP of 450W, and it will require a Power Supply Unit (PSU) of 1000W.

Specifications (Not Confirmed):

Architecture: Ampere
Process: Samsung 8nm
GPU: GA102
CUDA Cores: 10,752
Base Clock: 1.85 GHz
Singe Precision Performance: 40TFLOPS
Memory: 24GB GDDR6X (21Gbps)
TGP: 450W
Required System Power: 1000W

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Pricing and Availability

We will learn more about the RTX 3090 Ti later this month when it will be officially launched. There is no information about the pricing for now. Given that the RTX 3090 debuted with a Retail Recommended Price (RRP) of USD 1,500, it won’t be surprising if the RTX 3090 Ti hits the USD 2,000 mark.

Desktop Graphics Card	Availability
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti	Jan 2022

Meanwhile, check out our review of the HP Omen 15 (2021).

CES 2022: Intel claims i9-12900HK mobile CPU to be more powerful than Apple’s M1 Max

GadgetByte

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January 5, 2022

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CES 2022: Intel claims i9-12900HK mobile CPU to be more powerful than Apple’s M1 Max

Intel has finally announced the 12th Gen Alder Lake CPUs for laptops. Like their desktop counterpart, they are based on Intel 7 (10nm) process and feature hybrid core architecture. In this article, we will be discussing the key specs and features of 12th Gen Intel Alder Lake mobile processors.

Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake Mobile Processors:

Intel announced an Arm-like hybrid core architecture for its 12th Gen desktops processors last year. As expected, this has made its way to the Alder Lake mobile CPUs as well.

As aforementioned, these are built on Intel 7 process node and feature two different kinds of CPU cores. The first is the Performance cores (or P-cores) which are designed to handle low-latency single-threaded performance.

Thus, it’ll mostly be active during gaming and productivity workload. On the other hand, we have Efficient cores (or E-cores) that are better suited for multi-threaded processes.

In addition, 12th gen processors bring support for both DDR4 and DDR5 RAM and their low-powered “LP” counterparts. These CPUs also have support for Wi-Fi 6E and Thunderbolt 4 (up to 40Gbps).

Moreover, the newly announced laptop processors are divided into three categories: H-series, P-series, and U-series.

12th Gen H-series

As with the previous iterations, the H-series is home to Intel’s high-performance mobile CPUs—the ones you are most likely to see in flagship gaming laptops.

Here, you get to choose between Core i5, i7, and i9 models. All the i7 and i9 chips have 9 P-core while the i5 only has 4 of them. Almost every CPU in this lineup has 8 E-cores except for the Core i7-12650H and i5-12450H that have 4 E-cores.

Core i9-12900HK

Anyway, the elephant in the room is definitely the Core i9-12900HK, which has a maximum turbo frequency of 5.0GHz. This chip brings 28% better gaming performance and a 43% boost in 3D rendering than the i9-11980HK. It is also the only CPU in the lineup to support overclocking.

Intel Core i9 12900HK - Performance

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More importantly, Intel says i9-12900HK is the “world’s best mobile gaming platform” based on its comparison with AMD’s Ryzen 9 5900HX. As per the company, it even outperforms Apple’s M1 Max in select productivity benchmarks such as PugetBench and AutoDesk.

		i9-12900HK	i9-12900H	i7-12800H	i7-12700H	i7-12650H	i5-12600H	i5-12500H	i5-12450H
Processor Cores		14	14	14	14	10	12	12	8
Processor Threads		20	20	20	20	16	16	16	12
Number of P-cores		6	6	6	6	6	4	4	4
Number of E-cores		8	8	8	8	4	8	8	4
Smart Cache (L3)		24MB	24MB	24MB	24MB	24MB	18MB	18MB	12MB
Max Turbo Frequency (GHz)	P-core	5.0	5.0	4.8	4.7	4.7	4.5	4.5	4.4
Max Turbo Frequency (GHz)	E-core	3.8	3.8	3.7	3.5	3.5	3.3	3.3	3.3
Base Frequency (GHz)	P-core	2.5	2.5	2.4	2.3	2.3	2.7	2.5	2.0
Base Frequency (GHz)	E-core	1.8	1.8	1.8	1.7	1.7	2.0	1.8	1.5
Processor Graphics Execution Units (EU)		96	96	96	96	64	80	80	48
Max Graphics Frequency (GHz)		1.45	1.45	1.4	1.4	1.4	1.4	1.3	1.2
Base Power (PL1)		45W
Turbo Power (PL2)		115W	115W	115W	115W	115W	95W	95W	95W

12th Gen P-Series

Next is the P series, which is the first-ever in Intel’s mobile CPU lineup. It is the middle ground between the high-power H-series and low-power U-series. These processors have a base power of 28W and will be used in performance-focused thin & light laptops.

Intel has announced a total of 6 P-series CPUs starting with the Core i3-1220P to up to i7-1280P. A lot of them are quite identical to their H-series counterparts but have lower base and turbo frequencies because of the lower wattage.

		i7-1280P	i7-1270P	i7-1260P	i5-1250P	i5-1240P	i3-1220P
Processor Cores		14	12	12	12	12	10
Processor Threads		20	16	16	16	16	12
Number of P-cores		6	4	4	4	4	2
Number of E-cores		8
Smart Cache (L3)		24MB	18MB	18MB	12MB	12MB	12MB
Max Turbo Frequency (GHz) up to	P-core	4.8	4.8	4.7	4.4	4.4	4.4
Max Turbo Frequency (GHz) up to	E-core	3.6	3.5	3.4	3.3	3.3	3.3
Base Frequency (GHz)	P-core	1.8	2.2	2.1	1.7	1.7	1.5
Base Frequency (GHz)	E-core	1.3	1.6	1.5	1.2	1.2	1.1
Processor Graphics Execution Units (EU)		96	96	96	80	80	64
Max Graphics Frequency (GHz)		1.45	1.4	1.4	1.4	1.3	1.1
Base Power (PL1)		28W
Turbo Power (PL2)		64W

12th Gen Intel U-Series

The U-series will be used in mainstream laptops without much performance requirement. It is further home to two categories of chips: one with a 15W base power and the other with a 9W base power. You can easily differentiate between the two from their moniker. The 15W powered ones end in “5U” or “5” in their name whereas the 9W chips are suffixed with “0U” or “0”.

Alder Lake U-Series (15W)

		i7-1265U	i7-1255U	i5-1245U	i5-1235U	i3-1215U	Pentium 8505	Celeron 7305
Processor Cores		10	10	10	10	6	5	5
Processor Threads		12	12	12	12	8	6	6
Number of P-cores		2	2	2	2	2	1	1
Number of E-cores		8	8	8	8	4	4	4
Smart Cache (L3)		12MB	12MB	12MB	12MB	10MB	8MB	8MB
Max Turbo Frequency (GHz)	P-core	4.8	4.7	4.4	4.4	4.4	4.4	N/A
Max Turbo Frequency (GHz)	E-core	3.6	3.5	3.3	3.3	3.3	3.3	N/A
Base Frequency (GHz)	P-core	1.8	1.7	1.6	1.3	1.2	1.2	1.1
Base Frequency (GHz)	E-core	1.3	1.2	1.2	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9
Processor Graphics Execution Unit (EU)		96	96	80	80	64	48	48
Max Graphics Frequency (GHz)		1.25	1.25	1.2	1.2	1.1	0.9	0.9
Base Power (PL1)		15W
Turbo Power (PL2)		55W

Alder Lake U-Series (9W)

		i7-1260U	i7-1250U	i5-1240U	i5-1230U	i3-1210U	Pentium 8500	Celeron 7300
Processor Cores		10	10	10	10	6	5	5
Processor Threads		12	12	12	12	8	6	6
Number of P-cores		2	2	2	2	2	1	1
Number of E-cores		8	8	8	8	4	4	4
Smart Cache (L3)		12MB	12MB	12MB	12MB	10MB	8MB	8MB
Max Turbo Frequency (GHz)	P-core	4.7	4.7	4.4	4.4	4.4	4.4	N/A
Max Turbo Frequency (GHz)	E-core	3.5	3.5	3.3	3.3	3.3	3.3	N/A
Base Frequency (GHz)	P-core	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0
Base Frequency (GHz)	E-core	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7
Processor Graphics Execution Unit (EU)		96	96	80	80	64	48	48
Max Graphics Frequency (GHz)		0.95	0.95	0.9	0.85	0.85	0.8	0.8
Base Power (PL1)		9W
Turbo Power (PL2)		29W

Intel Evo and vPro Announcements

The third edition of Intel Evo specifications now includes a number of new “Intelligent Collaboration” technologies such as AI background noise cancellation, integrated Wi-Fi 6E, and Intel Connectivity Performance Suite. Similarly, the vPro platform has also been updated based on the new 12th Gen processors.

Intel 12th Gen Mobile Processors Availability

According to Intel, there are over 350 laptop designs using 12th Gen Alder Lake mobile processors. We will see these laptops in the market starting Q1 2022.

Mobile Processor Family	Availability
Intel 12th Gen (Alder Lake)	Q1 2022

Meanwhile, check out our review of the MSI GP66 Leopard 11UG (2021).

Vivo V23 Pro with a color-changing design, 108MP camera goes official

Vivo

Nikhil Shrestha

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January 5, 2022

0

Vivo V23 Pro with a color-changing design, 108MP camera goes official

Vivo V23e became the first phone in the V23 lineup when it went official back in November last year. The company has now added a Pro variant to the lineup, whose highlighting feature is a color-changing back. In this post, we will go through the official specs, features, expected price in Nepal, and availability of the Vivo V23 Pro.

Vivo V23 Pro Overview:

To note, V23 Pro is a simple rebrand of the Vivo S12 Pro for the global market. The S12 Pro was launched a few weeks back in China, and it runs on OriginOS Ocean based on Android 11. On the contrary, the V23 Pro boots on Android 12-based Funtouch OS 12.

Design & Display

Anyway, the biggest talking point of this phone is definitely its photochromic color-changing back. For this, Vivo has employed a fluorite AG (Anti Glare) glass back with a layer of crystals on top. And the Sunshine Gold variant of the phone will change color between gold and blue/coral green gradient depending on how light strikes the surface.

Sunshine Gold

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But if all this is a little too flamboyant for you, V23 Pro’s Stardust Black finish brings a much more subtle design instead. Moving on, unlike the standard V23, this one has a curved display and side railings. The phone measures 7.36mm thick and weighs just 171 grams.

Upfront, you’re getting a 6.56″ Full HD AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and 1300 nits of peak brightness. This screen embeds an in-display fingerprint sensor underneath as well. Like last year’s V20 Pro, there’s an iPhone-inspired “bathtub” notch to house the dual-selfie cameras on top.

Moreover, this display has HDR10+ and TÜV Rheinland certified against low blue light emission. V23 Pro’s standard touch sampling rate is just 120Hz—or 240Hz when turning on the Game Mode.

Performance

Getting to the performance side of things, the V23 Pro is powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 1200. This 5G-ready chipset has been joined by either 8 or 12GB RAM LPDDR4X RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. There’s even a 17,416 mm2 ultra-thin VC (Vapor Chamber) cooling system for better heat dissipation.

The phone also enjoys Vivo’s Extended RAM 2.0, which borrows up to 4GB of internal storage as RAM whenever necessary. Like I mentioned earlier, it runs on Android 12 with Funtouch OS 12 on top that brings new widgets called “Stickers”, a cleaner UI, and a more privacy-focused UX.

Cameras

Besides design, cameras are another highlight of Vivo’s V series of smartphones. Here, the V23 Pro features a triple camera setup at the back with a 108MP f/1.88 main sensor. This has been paired alongside an 8MP ultrawide lens with a 120º Field of View (FoV) and a 2MP macro shooter. The aforementioned notch gets a 50MP f/2.0 primary and an 8MP wide-angle selfie camera (105º FoV).

V23 Pro’s 50MP main selfie camera also has Eye AF and “Sports Mode” for delivering stable selfies. Then there’s the “AI Extreme Night” mode that Vivo says churns out clear and brighter selfies even during low-light conditions. The selfie camera can shoot 4K selfie videos as well. However, there’s no OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) on any of the cameras onboard.

Rest of the specs

Other specs of the V23 Pro include a 4300mAh battery with 44W FlashCharge (wired). Thankfully, Vivo is providing a compatible charger inside the box as well—on top of a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter, an earphone, and a case. For connectivity, it supports WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, and SA/NSA 5G. While the phone skips on a 3.5mm headphone jack, it does support aptX, aptX HD, and LDAC Bluetooth audio codecs.

Vivo V23 Pro Specifications:

Body: 73.27 x 159.46 x 7.36mm, 171 gm, AG glass back
Display: 6.54-inches AMOLED panel, 90Hz refresh rate, Up to 240Hz touch sampling rate, HDR10+, Up to 1300 nits brightness
Resolution: FHD+ (2376 x 1080 pixels), 398 PPI
Chipset: MediaTek Dimensity 1200 5G (6nm)
Memory: 8/12GB LPDDR4X RAM, 128/256GB UFS 3.1 storage (fixed)
Software & UI: Android 12 with Vivo’s Funtouch OS 12 on top
Rear Camera: Triple (with LED flash);
– 108MP, f/1.88 primary sensor
– 8MP, f/2.2 ultrawide lens, 120º FOV
– 2MP, f/2.4 macro lens
Front Camera: Dual (50MP f/2.0 primary, 8MP ultrawide)
Audio: Single bottom-firing speaker, No 3.5mm headphone jack
Security: In-display fingerprint sensor (optical)
Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient Light, Gyro, Proximity, E-compass
Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax), Bluetooth 5.2, GPS / AGPS / Glonass / Galileo / QZSS / NavIC, USB Type-C, 4G LTE, 5G
Battery: 4300mAh with 44W FlashCharge (wired)
Color Options: Stardust Black, Sunshine Gold

Vivo V23 Pro Price in Nepal & Availability

Vivo V23 Pro starts at INR 38,990 in India for the 8/128GB model, while the 12/256GB configuration costs INR 43,990. Its pre-booking starts from January 5 and will be available from January 13. We expect the price of the Vivo V23 Pro in Nepal to start at NPR 71,500 if and when it launches here.

Vivo V23 Pro	Price in India	Price in Nepal (Expected)
8/128GB	INR 38,990	NPR 71,500
12/256GB	INR 43,990	NPR 81,000

Meanwhile, check out our review of the Vivo V20.

CES 2022: AMD unveils Zen 3+ based Ryzen 6000 mobile CPUs with RDNA 2 graphics

GadgetByte

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January 5, 2022

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CES 2022: AMD unveils Zen 3+ based Ryzen 6000 mobile CPUs with RDNA 2 graphics

AMD has officially unveiled the Ryzen 6000 series mobile processors based on the upgraded Zen 3+ architecture during its CES 2022 keynote yesterday. The company claims that these chips can deliver up to 1.3x faster processing power than last year’s Ryzen 5000 series and up to 24 hours of battery life.

AMD Ryzen 6000 Series Overview:

Just like its predecessor, the Ryzen 6000 lineup—codenamed “Rembrandt”—will have both the ‘H’ and ‘U’ suffixed CPUs. As you might’ve guessed, the latter is aimed at portable notebooks while the former will power gaming, creator-centric laptops of 2022.

Architecture

These new APUs (Accelerated Processing Unit) are based on TSMC’s 6nm process node with the upgraded Zen 3+ architecture and AMD’s RDNA 2 graphics. Compared to Zen 3, the new architecture improves power management between cores. AMD is claiming 15-40% less power consumption during web browsing and video streaming.

Note: An APU is a mobile chip that combines CPU and GPU on a single die. It’s often interchangeably used with CPU. So, when we’re referring to CPU or APU in this article, they’re the same thing.

Also Read:
- Intel’s 12th gen Alder Lake CPUs with hybrid chip architecture now in Nepal
- NVIDIA announces RTX 3050 GPU with ray tracing and DLSS for $249

AMD Ryzen 6000 Series Mobile CPUs:

APUs	Cores / Threads	Base Clock	Boost Clock	L3 Cache	Graphics	TDP
H-Series
Ryzen 9 6980HX	8 / 16	3.3 GHz	5.00 GHz	16 MB	12 CU (2400 MHz)	45W+
Ryzen 9 6980HS	8 / 16	3.3 GHz	5.00 GHz	16 MB	12 CU (2400 MHz)	35W
Ryzen 9 6900HX	8 / 16	3.3 GHz	4.90 GHz	16 MB	12 CU (2400 MHz)	45W+
Ryzen 9 6900HS	8 / 16	3.3 GHz	4.90 GHz	16 MB	12 CU (2400 MHz)	35W
Ryzen 7 6800H	8 / 16	3.2 GHz	4.70 GHz	16 MB	12 CU (2200 MHz)	45W
Ryzen 7 6800HS	8 / 16	3.2 GHz	4.70 GHz	16 MB	12 CU (2200 MHz)	35W
Ryzen 5 6600H	6 / 12	3.3 GHz	4.50 GHz	12 MB	6 CU (1900 MHz)	45W
Ryzen 5 6600HS	6 / 12	3.3 GHz	4.50 GHz	12 MB	6 CU (1900 MHz)	35W
U-Series
Ryzen 7 6800U	8 / 16	2.7 GHz	4.7 GHz	16 MB	12 CU (2200 MHz)	15-28W
Ryzen 5 6600U	6 / 12	2.9 GHz	4.5 GHz	12 MB	6 CU (1900 MHz)	15-28W

Here, the ‘H’, ‘HS’, and ‘HX’-series of Ryzen chips have either 35W or 45W TDP. The Ryzen 5 6600U and Ryzen 7 6800U CPUs, on the other hand, can draw 15W to 28W power—which can be tweaked by laptop manufacturers as per their design.

Graphics leap

Moving on, the Ryzen 9 and Ryzen 7 processors incorporate RDNA 2-based Radeon 680M GPU with 12 Compute Units (CU), while the Ryzen 5 models feature Radeon 660M GPU with 6 CU. It provides a significant performance boost over the aging Vega graphics found on the Ryzen 5000 series.

Thanks to RDNA 2, these APUs also support hardware-accelerated ray tracing and DirectX 12 (DX12) Ultimate API. AMD claims they perform up to 2.1 times faster than the Vega GPUs and allow the majority of games to run at 1080p. Similarly, the chip-integrated AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution supersampling provides a 20-60% boost in frame rates.

AMD’s internal benchmark results of the U-series 6000 series CPUs say you can get 73fps on Deathloop and up to 114fps on Call of Duty: Vanguard with the super-sampling technique.

Rest of the specs

Aside from that, the new Rembrandt CPUs support DDR5@5200 and LPDDR5@6400 RAM—but don’t seem to support DDR4 RAM. In addition, they also bring PCIe 4.0, USB 4, Thunderbolt 3, HDMI 2.1, VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth LE 5.2 support.

AMD Ryzen 6000 Series Mobile CPUs: Availability

AMD expects to have over 200 premium Ryzen 6000-powered laptops on the market by 2022. Laptop manufacturers will announce their devices with these new CPUs during the ongoing CES 2022.

Meanwhile, check out our review of the MacBook Pro 16 (2021).

Here’s everything you need to know about Samsung’s 2022 TV lineup

GadgetByte

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January 4, 2022

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Here’s everything you need to know about Samsung’s 2022 TV lineup

Samsung has officially announced its 2022 lineup of TV on the ongoing CES 2022. The company has updated its lineup of Neo QLED, Micro LED, and Smart Lifestyle TVs. In this article, we will be taking a look at all the key features of Samsung’s 2022 TV lineup.

Samsung TV Lineup 2022 Overview:

Samsung QD-Display TV

While Samsung did not include it in its official release, the new 65″ QD-Display TV (OLED) has won a place in CES 2022’s “Best of Innovation” under the “Video Displays” category. It is based on Samsung’s RGB self-emitting Quantum Dot (QD) OLED technology. The TV sports Samsung’s One Design, Object Tracking Sound Technology (OTS), four HDMI 2.1 ports, and a refresh rate of up to 144Hz.

Samsung Micro LED TVs

Starting last year, Micro LED TVs have been at the top of Samsung’s consumer TV hierarchy. The 2022 model will be available in three screen sizes: 110″, 101″, and 89″.

These TVs have over 1 million color and brightness levels, thanks to their 20-bit greyscale depth. In addition, they also boast 100% DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB coverage. Similarly, the 99.99% screen-to-body ratio offers an immersive experience.

However, Micro LED TVs are quite expensive and thus, not for everyone. We also don’t expect it to be available everywhere.

Samsung Neo QLED TVs

Just like last year, Samsung’s focus is still on Neo QLED TVs. These are basically LCD TVs with mini-LED backlighting. This technology was first announced last year and has gotten some updates. Samsung has announced six new Neo QLED TVs for 2022, including three 8K and three 4K offerings.

The new Neo QLED TVs come with 14-bit contrast mapping up from last year’s 12-bit. This allows the TV to have more control over the brightness of individual mini LEDs. There are now a total of 16,384 brightness levels, which is four times of 4,096 levels of the previous year.

Also Read:

In addition, there is a new Shape Adaptive Light technology that produces more realistic shapes using the AI capabilities of Neo Quantum processor. The technology analyzes lines, shapes, and surfaces and controls the shape of light accordingly.

Another new feature in 2022’s Neo QLED TVs is the Real Depth Enhancement. This creates a 3D effect of objects in the frame by processing them against their backgrounds.

Samsung has also improved the EyeComfort mode here. The new Neo QLED TVs can now adjust the panel’s brightness and tone based on the ambient light. Another feature that has undergone an improvement is the Object Tracing Sound (OTS). These TVs now have OTS Pro which incorporates new top-channel speakers and Dolby Atmos.

Smart Lifestyle TVs

The new smart lifestyle lineup consists of The Frame, The Sero, and The Serif. They are getting a new matte panel with anti-glare, anti-reflection, and anti-fingerprint properties. Similarly, these TVs have also received official certifications from Underwriter Laboratories for the same.

Features of Samsung 2022 TV lineup

Samsung has announced a bunch of new features and accessories for its latest TVs. Do note that these features may not be available in all models.

New Smart Hub: On the software side, these new TVs will still be running on Samsung’s proprietary Tizen OS. They will feature a new Smart Hub with an improved content recommendation system.
Eco Remote: There is a new Eco Remote that generates power from radio frequencies in addition to sunlight.
Gaming Hub: Samsung is bringing support for cloud gaming with the new Gaming Hub. As of now, it has already partnered with NVIDIA GeForce Now, Google Stadia, and Utomik. In addition to these cloud services, Gaming Hub also supports PC and Consoles.
- The Game Bar reveals more information. Users will be able to follow streamers, zoom mini-maps, and play games while watching a YouTube video side-by-side.
144Hz refresh rate: Some select models will support a variable refresh rate of up to 144Hz. However, you will have to use a PC to make full advantage of it as gaming consoles such as Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 are capped at 120Hz.
NFT Platform: Samsung TVs will have a dedicated NFT platform, where users can browse and buy nonfungible tokens.
Watch Together: Using this feature, you can watch shows and movies together with your friend and families via video calls.
Smart Calibration: This feature will allow you to calibrate your Samsung TV using an app on your Galaxy phone and iPhones.

Meanwhile, check out our review of the Samsung AU8000 4K TV.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is already available for pre-order in Nepal

Samsung

GadgetByte

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January 4, 2022

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Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is already available for pre-order in Nepal

After multiple setbacks, Samsung has finally launched the Fan Edition of the Galaxy S21. And the good news is that the phone is already up for pre-booking in Nepal. So, let’s take a look at the specs, features, expected price, and availability of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE in Nepal.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Overview:

Galaxy S21 FE is the latest premium mid-range offering from the South Korean company. It inherits flagship features from the flagship Galaxy S21 but is much more affordable. Currently, it stands as a bridge between the mid-range A series and the premium S series.

Design and Display

Anyway, the Galaxy S21 FE features a 6.4-inch Infinity-O screen which is marginally bigger than that of the S21. Other than that, Samsung has used the same FHD AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 240Hz touch sampling rate here.

The phone also inherits the extended camera bump design from the S21 series—although it doesn’t extend to the side frames as much. S21 FE is available in four color options: Olive, Lavender, White, and Graphite.

Performance and Memory

Moreover, this Fan Edition device is equally powerful as the vanilla S21 or even the S21 Ultra. It is powered by Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100 depending upon the region. To clarify, the global market including Nepal will get the Exynos 2100 variant. The Snapdragon 888 configuration will be limited to South Korea and the US.

As for memory, the base model of this phone packs 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. However, only the top-tier 8/256GB variant will be available in Nepal.

Also Read:

Camera

The camera setup also remains unchanged for the most part. S21 FE users will get the same 12MP primary camera as the S21. It even has Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), just like the 12MP ultrawide lens. The third camera is a telephoto lens that uses an 8MP sensor compared to S21’s 64MP. However, it still supports 3x optical and 30x Space Zoom (digital).

Over on the front, the punch-hole cutout is home to a 32MP selfie camera. This is an upgrade compared to S21’s 10MP selfie shooter.

Rest of the specs

On the other hand, the S21 FE packs a bigger 4,500mAh battery compared to a 4,000mAh unit on the S21. It also supports 25W fast charging, although Samsung won’t be including a compatible power adapter in the box.

Other notable features of the phone include IP68 dust & water resistance, in-display fingerprint scanner (optical), 15W wireless charging, reverse wireless charging, and 5G connectivity. It will ship with Android 12-based Samsung’s One UI 4.0 on top.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Specifications:

Body: 74.5 x 155.7 x 7.9 mm, 177 gm, IP68 rated
Display: 6.4″ FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O, 120Hz refresh rate, Up to 240 touch-sampling rate
Chipset:
- S.Korea, US: Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm)
- Global: Exynos 2100 5G (5nm)
Memory: 6/8GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128/256GB UFS 3.1 internal storage (fixed)
Software & UI: One UI 4.0 on top of Android 12
Rear Camera: Triple (with LED flash)
– 12MP primary lens with f/1.8 aperture, OIS, Dual Pixel AF
– 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens with f/2.2 aperture, 123º FOV
– 8MP telephoto with f/2.4 aperture, 3x optical zoom
Front Camera: 32MP, f/2.2 lens (punch-hole)
Security: In-display fingerprint sensor (Optical), Samsung Knox
Sensors: Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro, Geomagnetic, Hall, Proximity, Ambient Light
Battery: 4,500mAh with 25W fast charging, 15W wireless charging, reverse wireless charging
Color Options: Olive, Graphite, Lavender (White currently not available in Nepal)

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Price in Nepal

The price for the 8/256GB variant of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is Rs. 89,999. You can already pre-order Galaxy S21 FE in Nepal from Samsung-authorized retailer like Hukut Store and Sherisha Mobile Hub.

Model Name

Price in Nepal

Availability

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE (8/256GB)

Rs. 89,999

Hukut Store

Sherisha Mobile Hub.

Meanwhile, check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21+.

Samsung’s new TV remote uses your router’s radio waves for charging

Samsung

GadgetByte

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January 4, 2022

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Samsung’s new TV remote uses your router’s radio waves for charging

Samsung’s TV remotes have made significant eco-friendly gains in 2021. Now, the company is taking it a step further by allowing the remote to be charged via a router’s radio waves. So, let’s take a closer look at the Samsung Eco Remote 2022.

Samsung Eco Remote 2022 Overview:

Samsung first introduced the Eco Remote with its 2021 series of 4K and 8K QLED TVs. It is constructed of 28% recycled plastic, which is undoubtedly a positive step toward reducing global plastic waste.

Despite the recycled material, the remote looks identical to any other clickers from prior years. And it also features a solar panel at the back. The batteries are also sensitive enough to recharge using basic indoor lighting.

Also Read:

New technique

But Samsung is pushing it a step further this year. The 2022 version of the Eco Remote can draw power from radio waves emitted by Wi-Fi routers to keep itself charged. This technique is only applicable to low-power devices like remotes, by the way. Aside from that, it can be charged using solar energy (outdoor or indoor light) or via the USB-C connector.

Moving on, Samsung will also release a white remote this year that’ll supposedly match the “lifestyle” category of its The Frame, Serif, and Sero lineup of TVs.

Samsung Eco Remote 2022: What’s Next

Samsung’s eco-friendly approach will not only recycle plastic waste, but will also minimize the volume of AAA batteries that wind up in landfills. Similarly, the company has switched to “eco-packaging” for its TV sets as well, which minimizes the quantity of ink needed in the production process.

The cardboard, on the other hand, can transform into a single shelf or even a cat house. All these efforts are really admirable, and we hope that other TV makers will be inspired to take similar steps toward sustainability in the near future.

Meanwhile, check out our review of the Samsung AU8000 4K TV.

Here are the top upcoming smartphones in Nepal in early 2022

GadgetByte

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January 3, 2022

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Here are the top upcoming smartphones in Nepal in early 2022

Despite the restrictions placed by the ongoing pandemic, the Nepalese smartphone market grew by a significant margin last year. A lot of new phones were announced in 2021, ranging from entry-level to top-tier flagships. We even saw the launch of a couple of foldable phones and we are hopeful to see this streak continue in 2022 as well. So, here are the top upcoming smartphones that we expect to go official in Nepal in early 2022.

Top Upcoming Smartphones in Nepal in 2022:

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE

Let’s start with the first major launch of 2022. Samsung will be starting the year with the Galaxy S21 FE. This upcoming premium midrange phone was initially set to go official in 2021, but its launch kept being pushed due to numerous reasons—but mostly because of the ongoing chip shortage.

All the major leaks point to theGalaxy S21 FE having a 6.41″ AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. It has been spotted in numerous benchmark listings with Snapdragon 888 chipset. But like its predecessor, it’ll have an Exynos variant as well—which is the variant coming to Nepal.

Similarly, the phone will flaunt a 12MP triple camera setup at the back. It will pack a 4,500mAh battery with support for 25W fast charging.

Expected Price in Nepal: Rs. 95,000 (8/256GB)

Samsung Galaxy A03 Core

Next up is the Galaxy A03 Core, which is the latest budget offering from the company. It features a 6.5″ HD+ LCD screen with an Infinity-V notch. It is powered by an unspecified octa-core chip, which we believe is the Unisoc SC9863A.

Given its underpowered specs, it runs the Android 11 Go edition with Samsung’s One UI Core on top. It features an 8MP camera at the back and a 5MP selfie shooter on the front. The phone gets its juice from a 5,000mAh battery, which supports 7.75W charging.

Expected Price in Nepal: Rs. 13,500 (2/32GB)

Xiaomi 11T

Xiaomi 11T was alongside other “T” suffixed smartphones in September 2021. And it will be the first major launch for Xiaomi Nepal in 2022. Here, the Xiaomi 11T sports a 6.67″ AMOLED display with a 120Hz Adaptive Sync refresh rate.

The phone is powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 1200 Ultra chip, which brings some Xiaomi-specific customizations. It is configurable with up to 8GB RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage.

Moving on, the rear camera setup consists of a 108MP primary camera accompanied by an 8MP ultrawide and a 5MP telemacro lens. Xiaomi 11T gets its juice from a 5,000mAh battery with support for 67W charging.

Expected Price in Nepal: Rs. 75,000 (8/128GB) | Rs. 80,000 (8/256GB)

Moto G51 5G

Motorola made a comeback to the Nepali market in 2020, but the company has been limiting itself to the budget segment of the sub-20K price range. But that could all change in 2022. Motorola is all set to launch Moto G51 5G in Nepal. It’s a midrange 5G-ready phone powered by Snapdragon 480+.

It sports a 6.8-inch FHD+ panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. The triple camera setup at the back consists of a 50MP primary sensor, joined by an 8MP ultrawide and a 2MP macro lens. Fueling the phone is a 5,000mAh battery which only supports 10W of charging.

Expected Price in Nepal: Rs. 30,000 (4/64GB)

Moto G31

Besides, Motorola is also looking to launch the Moto G31 in Nepal. It’s quite similar to the G51 mentioned above in terms of design and camera.

However, the G31 has a 6.4″ AMOLED screen and brings MediaTek’s Helio G85 chipset. Similarly, it is powered by a 5,000mAh battery with 20W fast charging support.

Expected Price in Nepal: Rs. 27,000 (4/64GB) | Rs. 30,000 (6/128GB)

Vivo V23e

Next up is Vivo, whose first launch in Nepal this year will be the V23 series. This lineup is home to four smartphones: V23e, V23, V23 5G, and V23 Pro. However, only the V23e has been officially announced so far. It is available in both 4G and 5G variants, and we are most probably going to get the former.

Vivo V23e 4G comes powered by MediaTek G96 chipset. The main highlight of the phone is its sleek design and 50MP selfie camera with Eye AF (AutoFocus). Other key features include a 6.44″ AMOLED display, 64MP triple rear camera array, 4050mAh battery, and 44W fast charging.

Expected Price in Nepal: Rs. 45,000 (8/128GB)

Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G

Redmi’s Note series is among the most beloved smartphone lineups in the Nepali market. In fact, Redmi Note 10 Pro was the best value-for-money midrange phone last year. The company will look to repeat a similar feat with its successor.

Redmi Note 11 Pro is currently exclusive to the Chinese market. However, we expect it to go global this year. The phone has a flat edge design with an IP53 rating. It sports a 6.67-inch AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and 360Hz touch sampling rate.

Under the hood, it packs Dimensity 920 chipset, which is built on TSMC’s 6nm node. Xiaomi has even included vapor chamber cooling to cool off the phone. On the other hand, it flaunts a triple camera setup at the back led by a 108MP primary camera. Other features include 67W fast charging, Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, stereo speakers, and NFC support.

Expected Price in Nepal: Rs. 37,000 (6/128GB) | Rs. 40,000 (8/128GB)

Poco M4 Pro 5G

Poco M3 Pro 5G was the company’s first 5G phone in Nepal. But it could not win the heart of the Nepali audience as it compromised too much on specs for 5G connectivity. Thus, the company was quick to follow it up with M4 Pro 5G, which is a better device overall.

Poco will bring the M4 Pro 5G to the Nepali market in 2022. It features a 6.6″ IPS panel with a 90Hz refresh rate and up to 240Hz touch sampling rate. Powering the phone is MediaTek’s Dimensity 810 chipset.

Interestingly, the M4 Pro 5G only has two cameras at the back. But it’s important to note that Poco has included an ultrawide camera to go with the 50MP primary camera—instead of the gimmicky 2MP depth/macro sensors. Anyway, the phone features a 5000mAh battery complemented by 33W fast charging.

Expected Price in Nepal: Rs. 32,000 (4/64GB) | Rs. 35,500 (6/128GB)

Top upcoming smartphones in Nepal in 2022 (Summary)

Smartphone Model	Price in Nepal (Expected)
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE	Rs. 95,000 (8/256GB)
Samsung Galaxy A03 Core	Rs. 13,500
Xiaomi 11T	Rs. 75,000 (8/128GB) Rs. 80,000 (8/256GB)
Moto G51 5G	Rs. 30,000 (4/64GB)
Moto G31	Rs. 27,000 (4/64GB) Rs. 30,000 (6/128GB)
Vivo V23e 4G	Rs. 45,000 (8/128GB)
Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G	Rs. 37,000 (6/128GB) Rs. 40,000 (8/128GB) Rs. 45,000 (8/256GB)
Poco M4 Pro 5G	Rs. 32,000 (4/64GB) Rs. 35,500 (6/128GB)

So those were the top upcoming smartphones in Nepal in early 2022. Which one are you excited for the most? Have your say in the comments below: