Microsoft has unveiled the Surface Go 3 2-in-1 laptop at its September launch event held yesterday. It brings a significant upgrade in terms of performance with the new Intel processors. So, let’s get into the specs, features, expected price, and availability of Microsoft Surface Go 3 in Nepal.
Microsoft Surface Go 3 Overview:
Design and Display
The Surface Go 3 flaunts a 10.5-inch PixelSense touchscreen (10-point) with 1920 x 1280 resolution. This panel has a 1500:1 contrast ratio, Gorilla Glass 3 protection, and even supports Surface Pen for stylus input.
In terms of design, it retains the thin and light profile of its predecessor. Furthermore, like the Surface Pro and the previous Surface Go devices, the Go 3 features a fold-out stand.
The new iteration of Surface Go comes in two models: one with an Intel Pentium Gold 6500Y CPU and one with Core i3-10100Y. This is a big improvement over the Surface Go 2 that had Pentium Gold 4425Y or 8th gen Core m3 processor. As per Microsoft, this silicon bump will help Surface Go 3 perform 60% than its predecessor.
Memory-wise, it comes with 4 or 8GB of LPDDR3 RAM along with 128GB of SSD storage. Also, there’s a base variant with 64GB eMMC storage. The device comes pre-installed with Windows 11 and has a rated battery life of 11 hours. To note, there’s also an LTE variant of the Surface Go 3 which Microsoft says will be available in the coming months.
Camera and Audio
Moving on, it has a 5MP camera on the front and an 8MP lens at the back. Both of them can shoot 1080p HD videos. It also supports Windows Hello facial recognition for biometrics. Over on to the audio, there’s a 2W stereo speaker setup with Dolby Audio support.
Rest of the specs
Likewise, connectivity options on the Surface Go 3 include WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, a USB-C, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, one Surface Connect port, a Surface Type Cover port, and a microSDXC card slot.
Microsoft Surface Go 3 Price in Nepal and Availability
The Surface Go 3 is available for pre-order at a starting price of USD 399.99 for the Pentium variant with Wi-Fi connectivity, 4GB RAM, and 64GB storage. Although it’s unlikely to officially launch in Nepal, we expect the price of the Microsoft Surface Go 3 to start at NPR 55,000 in case it arrives here.
Microsoft Surface Go 3
Price in the US
Price in Nepal (Expected)
Intel Pentium, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC storage (Wi-Fi)
USD 399.99
NPR 55,000
Intel Pentium, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD (Wi-Fi)
USD 499.99
NPR 68,000
Intel Core i3, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD (Wi-Fi)
USD 629.99
NPR 86,000
Meanwhile, check out our review of the best budget tablets in 2021.
Nokia has just launched its latest mid-range 5G smartphone, the Nokia G50. Interestingly, it is the first 5G smartphone in the company’s G-lineup. Here, we will be looking at the specs, features, expected price, and availability of the Nokia G50 5G in Nepal.
Nokia G50 Overview:
Design and Display
Staring with the design, Nokia G50 follows the same Nordic design that newer Nokia phones have implemented. Here, you get to choose between two color options: Ocean Blue and Midnight Sun.
Nokia G50 5G sports a 6.82-inch LCD panel with a V-shaped notch for the selfie camera. As with other G-series phones, the resolution is limited to HD+. Also, the bottom bezel here is thicker than on other sides and it houses the Nokia branding.
Performance and Memory
Under the hood, Nokia G50 packs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 480 5G. It’s the same chipset that powers Nokia’s X-series phones that came before it. Memory-wise, you get the option to choose between 4/64GB and 4/128GB variants.
Over on the back, the circular camera module encloses three camera sensors along with an LED flash. The triple camera setup includes a 48MP primary, a 5MP ultra-wide, and a 2MP depth sensor. There is an 8MP selfie camera up front for selfies and video calls.
Rest of the specs
Nokia G50 gets its juice from a 5,000mAh battery that supports 18W charging over the Type-C port. In terms of connectivity, the phone is Wi-Fi 6-ready and supports Bluetooth 5.0 and NFC. It retains the 3.5mm headphone jack and Nokia even provides a headset in the box.
Moving on, the fingerprint scanner is mounted on the power button and there’s a dedicated Google Assistant button too.
Security: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, Face unlock
Battery: 5,000mAh with 18W wired charging
Color Options: Ocean Blue, Midnight Sun
Nokia G50 Price in Nepal and Availability
Nokia G50 is currently available in limited European markets like UK, Spain, and France. Its price starts at EUR 259 for the 4/64GB variant while the 4/128GB model costs between EUR 269 and EUR 299 depending upon the market. We expect the price of the Nokia G50 in Nepal to start at NPR 35,000 if and when it launches here.
Microsoft has just announced its second dual-screen phone. The new Surface Duo 2 follows the same design language as its predecessor but packs some notable upgrades all around. Here, we will be looking at the specs, features, expected price, and availability of Microsoft Surface Duo 2 in Nepal.
Microsoft Surface Duo 2 Overview:
Design
Let’s start with the design first. Here, the Surface Duo 2 comes with two separate AMOLED panels connected by a hinge. It’s a different approach from the actual folding screens on the other folding phones, including Samsung’s latest Galaxy Z devices.
Moving on, these displays now measure 5.8-inch, up from the 5.6-inch on the first-gen Surface Duo. Together, they attain a diagonal length of 8.3-inch. Similarly, each screen has 100% DCI-P3 coverage, a 90% adaptive refresh rate, and Gorilla Glass Victus protection.
Since the inner edge of both displays is curved, a small portion of the screen is visible even when the hinge is closed. It allows users to peek at things like incoming calls, messages, notifications, and charging progress from the side.
The Surface Duo 2 also supports every generation of Surface Slim Pen, including the new Slim Pen 2 with haptic feedback. However, users will have to buy one separately. Anyway, even with the size and display upgrade, this device is lighter than its predecessor, starting at just 284 grams. Microsoft is also offering it on a new Obsidian color option besides the Glacier variant.
Performance and Memory
Running the show underneath is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset. It’s quite an upgrade from the Snapdragon 855 on the previous generation Surface Duo. The new chipset also comes with an integrated 5G modem, while the phone supports a total of 18 5G bands.
As for memory, you get 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM, which can be paired with 128, 256, or 512GB of internal storage. Furthermore, the Duo 2 can accept a nano-SIM and an eSIM.
Besides solid build quality, another important aspect of a folding phone is its software. Without robust software backing it up, dual-screen phones are just gimmicks.
Here, the Surface Duo 2 runs on Android 11. And Microsoft’s different tweaks, optimizations let users open two apps side by side. They can even make app pairs to launch two apps with a single click.
Microsoft claims there are over 150 games optimized to make use of the dual-screen. For instance, while playing games like Asphalt 9, you can expand the map on one screen while enjoying the gameplay on the other. Apart from Microsoft’s own suite of applications, apps like Disney+, TikTok, Kindle, ESPN, etc. have been optimized to make full use of Duo 2’s dual-display as well.
Camera
Microsoft has also overhauled the camera set up this time after all the criticism it faced for the poor camera capability of the original surface duo. Here, the Duo 2 features three cameras at the back and one on the front.
The triple rear camera setup consists of a 12MP primary camera with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). Accompanying it is a 16MP ultrawide lens and a 12MP telephoto lens that boasts 2x optical zoom and OIS. Over on the front, there is a 12MP selfie camera, accompanied by a dual-LED flash.
Rest of the specs
Fueling the phone is a 4,449mAh dual-cell battery which supports 23W fast charging over the USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port. There is no wireless charging support though. Microsoft Surface Duo 2 supports dual-band Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, and NFC. A fingerprint scanner is integrated onto the power button, and you get stereo speakers for audio output.
Microsoft Surface Duo 2 Specifications:
Dimension:
Open: 145.2mm x 184.5mm x 5.50mm
Closed: 145.2mm x 92.1mm x 11.0mm
Display: Dual 5.8-inch AMOLED, 90Hz refresh rate, 1344 x 1892 pixels, 100% DCI-P3, 800 nits, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm Mobile Platform)
Microsoft Surface Duo 2 Price in Nepal and Availability
The price of Microsoft Surface Duo 2 starts at USD 1,499.99 and will be available from October 21. Surface products are yet to land officially in Nepal. Still, if Microsoft Surface Duo 2 launches in Nepal, we expect the price to start at NPR 205,000.
Microsoft Surface Duo 2
Price in the US
Price in Nepal (Expected)
128GB
USD 1,499.99
NPR 205,000
256GB
USD 1,599.99
NPR 220,000
512GB
USD 1,799.99
NPR 245,000
Meanwhile, check out our early impressions of the Samsung Galaxy Flip 3.
Over the years, even though TVs have continuously evolved in terms of picture quality, there hasn’t been that notable improvement when it comes to audio. You might have noticed the sound quality lacking the punch and missing the necessary depth in music, even in TVs that cost well over Rs. 1 lakh. But in this full review, I’ll be discussing if Xiaomi‘s Mi Soundbar can help solve that problem to any extent.
Control: Buttons (Volume up/down, Toggle, Power on/off)
Connectivity: 3.5mm stereo AUX-in, Fiber optic in, Coaxial in, R/W audio in
Wireless: Bluetooth 4.2 (A2DP)
Color Options: Black, White
Price in Nepal: Rs. 8,999
What’s inside the box: Soundbar, user manual, adapter, S/PDIF cable, 2x screws + 2x expansion screws
Mi Soundbar Review:
In all fairness, with the modern-day TVs getting slimmer in every iteration, it’s also getting harder for manufacturers to accommodate good and sizable audio drivers. And that has been one of the reasons for the compromises on the audio quality of TVs.
So despite investing a lot of money on a TV, we do not quite get the amazing viewing experience as the TV makers promise. To compensate for that tradeoff of the slim TVs, using a soundbar is a way to go.
And you can find different brands in the market with a lot of soundbar models in their lineup. Xiaomi recently launched the Mi Soundbar in Nepal, but it is actually a pretty old product that initially debuted in Q1 2019.
Design
87 x 830 x 72mm, 1.925 kg
Cotton fabric mesh exterior
In terms of design, this soundbar doesn’t look particularly appealing. It comes in either white or black color options and is wrapped with a plastic casing at the back. On the other hand, its front is treated with cotton fabric mesh that ultimately delivers a somewhat sophisticated look. All in all, Mi Soundbar’s design is perfectly acceptable for its price.
Continuing with the design, you can find all the pairing and control buttons over on the top. Similarly, all of its ports are allocated on the back. The power on/off switch resides nearby on the same side as well.
Additionally, you’ll find two screw holes at the back. And it can come in handy if you are planning to mount the soundbar onto a wall. Thankfully, Xiaomi has also included two screws and two extension screws inside the box to help you wall-mount the Mi Soundbar.
Pairing and Control
Bluetooth 4.2 wireless (A2DP)
3.5mm AUX-in, S/PDIF input
When it comes to connectivity, there are plenty of options. You can easily pair this soundbar with a television, laptop, or even a smartphone. Xiaomi has haughtily boasted that setting up Mi Soundbar won’t take more than 30 seconds. During our usage, we didn’t get to time the setup process but since it was pretty easy and quick, all’s well and good.
To connect the soundbar with a traditional CRT TV or a DVD player, you can give input to the soundbar through the Line In or the Optical port. Similarly, you can connect modern-day TVs making use of the S/PDIF port. And the good news is that you can find the S/PDIF cable inside the box itself.
Furthermore, there’s a 3.5mm audio jack to connect the Mi Soundbar with a smartphone, laptop, and any other device with a headphone connector. Besides wired connectivity, this soundbar features Bluetooth 4.2 for pairing with devices wirelessly as well.
Still, Bluetooth 4.2 doesn’t have as high bandwidth, data transfer speeds, or connectivity range as the newer Bluetooth 5.0/5.2 protocol, so there’s that. But before moving forward, there’s something important to understand.
You’ve got to select the proper input mode that matches the input port. For example, if you have connected your TV with the soundbar using the S/PDIF cable but have kept the input mode to Bluetooth, then it won’t work. So while setting up the connections, make sure you have done it right.
During the review period, what I didn’t like with the Mi Soundbar was the absence of a remote control. So, whenever you feel like changing the volume and such, you’ll have to do it so on the soundbar itself which is rather taxing. This is especially true when you have paired your audio input device via a S/PDIF cable.
Here, even changing the volume of the TV doesn’t have any effect on the volume levels of the soundbar. On the contrary, when connecting it wirelessly to a smartphone, laptop, or TV, Xiaomi lets you switch volume levels from the audio input device itself. So I hope Xiaomi will bring a dedicated remote controller in its next iteration of soundbars to save us from these kinds of hassles.
Audio Quality
2x 20mm dome tweeters
4x passive radiators
2x 2.5″ woofer drivers
50Hz – 25kHz frequency response
To deliver crisp and punchy audio, the Mi Soundbar has a promising audio driver setup. The audio module comprises 8 sound drivers in total. Among them, two are woofers dedicated to delivering audio of a wide frequency range.
Similarly, there are four passive radiators to take care of the bass (low-frequency spectrum). Lastly, there are two tweeters that complete the audio driver setup. Here, the tweeters handle trebles or the high-frequency soundwaves of audio.
With such a capable audio setup inside, we were expecting an awe-inspiring sound quality. For this review, we connected the Mi Soundbar to our office TV and watched a couple of shows, and listened to some music. And what we found was that its loudness is plenty sufficient for watching the TV programs in a small group of people.
However, when streaming content among a large group of friends and in a more spacious room, it was not the same. Therefore, I wished it were a bit louder. Anyway, I’m quite fond of the bass from this soundbar. You can really feel the oomphs, all thanks to the four passive radiators.
If Xiaomi had managed to include a sub-woofer as well, it would’ve been even better. Maybe this design decision was to keep the prices low and that’s completely understandable. However, treble and mids do not sound as polished. By that, I don’t mean the music or the dialogues of movies aren’t heard properly.
But you won’t find it as smooth as the way bass sounds. And that’s even more pronounced when playing treble-heavy songs at high volume. On a related note, I don’t particularly recommend you play music from the Mi Soundbar at high volume since the audio starts getting distorted at those settings.
And when going for the wireless route, sadly, there’s no support for a high bit-rate audio codec like aptX on this soundbar. Instead, it caves in to the basic A2DP Bluetooth profile that simply can’t deliver high-quality, uncompressed audio like aptX, for instance. As a result, if high-quality audio is what you want, then you’re gonna have to go down the wired route.
Mi Soundbar Review: Verdict
From the budget point of view, the Mi Soundbar is a decent performer and delivers louder audio than most of the slim TVs out there. It also delivers better depth in audio quality than most budget TVs in 2021. But when comparing it with high-quality soundbars and bigger sound-boxes, the Mi Soundbar is a no-match.
So if you are looking for a budget-friendly way to elevate your TV viewing experience in terms of audio, the Mi Soundbar is undeniably a great option. But if you are not ready for any sorts of compromises, you should definitely get a Surround Sound System or a good Home Theatre System.
Watch our video review of the Mi Soundbar (Nepali).
Since its launch, Daraz is continuously engaged to revolutionize the way people shop online in Nepal. Now, it has launched a new in-app feature called Daraz Gems. Simply put, it’s an easy way of earning free vouchers.
Daraz Gems Overview:
Before we proceed, let’s first learn what the “Daraz Gems” exactly is. Basically, it is a reward system for users who are consistently engaging and active in the Daraz app. What’s more, you may collect these Gems for free using the app and exchange them for free vouchers. Then, you can use those vouchers for discounts on your purchases.
Here, the Gems can be collected in three easy ways. For this, you must either check in to the app on a regular basis, complete daily missions, or make purchases via the app.
Under the first process, you can simply claim gems as rewards every day you log into the app. This option will be accessible by clicking the “Gems” menu on the homepage. If you log in daily without missing a day, you can collect up to 400 gems on Day 7. But failing to do so will reset the gems timer back to Day 1’s parameters, with just 50 gems to bag.
Daraz Gems
1 of 4
Daily Check-In
Daily Missions
Earn By Shopping
Gems History
Likewise, users can earn gems by completing daily missions as suggested in the app. It includes “add to cart”, making any product searches, following a store, and more. And finally, one can even earn them when shopping for any products via the Daraz app as well.
Furthermore, you can view your Gems history by clicking on the “Gem History” icon on the homepage. This includes the stats for the number of gems collected and spent.
Daraz Gems: Availability
This new feature is available in the latest release of the Daraz app on both the Android and iOS platforms. So, in case the Daraz app on your phone doesn’t show this feature, make sure you’ve updated it to the latest version.
Meanwhile, check out our pick for the best mid-range phones under 30,000.
In this review of the Realme Book Slim, I’ll be discussing all about this budget laptop at length. With more smartphone manufacturers venturing into the laptop industry, this market has gotten more volatile than ever. However, they’re not doing anything particularly extraordinary—especially in the budget segment.
Like every other inexpensive laptop from the established players, the budget ones from smartphone makers like Xiaomi don’t really challenge the status quo. Featuring the traditional design with big-ugly bezels for a 2021 device, color me unimpressed.
But Realme is doing things a bit differently in its first shot at the laptop industry. The Realme Book Slim brings a rather outrageous design in its price class and some handsome features to go along the way. Having used it for a couple of weeks, here’s my full review of the Realme Book Slim.
Realme Book Slim Specifications:
Design&Build: Aluminum alloy build, 12.09W x 9.01D x 0.59H-inches, 1.38 kg
Trackpad: Plastic multi-touch trackpad, Windows Precision drivers
Security: TPM 2.0 chip, Windows Hello-certified fingerprint sensor
Processor: Intel Core i3-1115G4 CPU (Tiger Lake), 2C/4T, 4.1GHz Max Turbo Frequency, 6MB Intel Smart Cache, 10nm process, 28W TDP
RAM: 8GB LPDDR4X soldered (3733MHz)
Storage: 256GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD
Graphics: Integrated Intel UHD
Audio: 2x 2W speakers, Harman/Kardon tuned
Battery: 54 Watt-hours Li-Ion battery
PowerSupply: 65W PD Super-Fast Charge
Webcam: 720p HD camera, No physical shutter
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11 5 (ac), Bluetooth 5.1
I/O Ports: 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (No Thunderbolt 4/USB 4), 1x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x 3.5mm combo headphone jack
Pricein Nepal: N/A (not launched yet)
What’s inside the box: Laptop, power adapter, stickers, quick start guide
Realme Book Slim Review:
Design
12.09W x 9.01D x 0.59H-inches, 1.38 kg
Aluminum alloy build, matte finish
Starting with the design itself, it’s pretty clear where Realme got inspiration behind its first laptop. Hint, it rhymes with Smapple Smacbook. Available in either Blue or Grey finishes, the Realme Book Slim is one classy-looking device.
While I personally don’t mind the MacBook inspiration, I will say Realme could’ve made a better introduction in this venture with a more distinctive design instead. Now, in the smartphone world, the company’s signature design practice has been slapping a cartoonishly large “Dare To Leap” branding (although Realme hasn’t gone overboard with its recent launches).
Thankfully, the Realme Book Slim brings a rather minimalistic look all-around. The lid gets a subtle “realme” logo painted over in a mirror finish—even though the aforementioned “Dare To Leap” slogan is still present in the uppermost rubber feet.
An easy-going design
Anyway, its overall nonchalant flush aluminum alloy build means business, while also standing out among other budget laptops. The chamfered edges and the blunt frames aid in zero discomforts to your wrists when they’re resting atop as well.
Furthermore, it weighs just 1.38 kg and measures 15.5mm wide at its thickest point which contributes to the overall portability of this machine. Moving on, although this display is subject to minimal flex, the hinge itself is pretty wobbly. Maybe Realme could engineer a sturdier hinge on its next iteration of laptops.
Handling the laptop with care should mean no trouble—but I’d also like to stress its necessity. Our unit of the Realme Book Slim already has quite a few scuffs and scratches. Besides, this laptop also attracts smudges by a fair amount.
Ports
1 of 2
Left
Right
On the other hand, I’m not fond of its rubber feet either. They’re a bit too slippery and therefore don’t provide a firm grip to the laptop when placed on a flat surface. Regardless, this laptop brings a decent port selection for a 14” machine. The left frame houses two USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C connections alongside a USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A and a 3.5mm combo audio jack on the right.
Choose wisely you must, young padawan
If you end up getting the i5 variant instead of i3 like ours, one of the USB-C ports also supports Thunderbolt 4/USB 4. So, if you want faster data transfer speeds or wish to connect this laptop to external displays or even eGPUs, then the i5 version is where it’s at.
Similarly, even the wireless connectivity standards are different between these two models. Contrary to Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.1 on the i3 model, Realme Book Slim’s top-of-the-line configuration has Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2.
Display
14″ glossy non-touch QHD IPS panel
60Hz refresh rate, 100% sRGB gamut
Apart from the respectable design and build quality, the display is where most of the magic happens here. Contrary to most other budget laptops you’ll find in the market right now, Realme is delivering a whole lot more with this device. It has a 14” 2K IPS display with 100% sRGB color space and 400 nits of peak brightness.
We’ve been consistently coming up with the review of multiple affordable laptops from the past couple of months and compared to every other device we’ve tried so far, the Realme Book Slim easily has the best-in-class display. Further adding to the grandeur is its squarish 3:2 aspect ratio.
Unlike the traditional 16:9 displays, this screen offers a lot more vertical viewing space and is therefore ideal for students, programmers, and even business professionals. At a time when the 16:10 aspect ratio is slowly getting more mainstream on laptops, Realme has upped the ante with its very first laptop.
That too of a budget kind. For someone like me whose primary usage consists of browsing the web and using Word documents, this tall display has significantly eased up my workflow. However, you’ll be greeted with a big letterbox on both top and bottom ends when streaming videos off YouTube, Netflix, and such.
Excellent display
On top of this, the Realme Book Slim has fairly narrow bezels all around as well. The company is claiming an impressive 90% screen-to-body ratio on this thing which is about 10% more than the MacBook Air’s display. That reminds me, Realme’s desperate attempts to deliver a MacBook-like experience continues in this department too.
If you’re unaware, most of its display specs are reminiscent of Apple’s MacBook Air—including the resolution, brightness levels, and glossy finish. Even though I’ve no issue with the glossy display myself—especially considering its superior color reproduction properties—if your workspace is subject to multiple direct light sources, this is bound to be a big hassle.
Nevertheless, this laptop’s 2K resolution means content looks extra sharp on this screen. Even pixel peeping doesn’t reveal any sort of pixelation, whereas I had no issue with its viewing angles too. With 100% sRGB gamut onboard, the Realme Book Slim’s color reproduction leaves little room for complaint.
But in the default factory color calibration, I noticed that this display has a slightly off white balance with a mild greenish hue. Despite this, it has great contrast which makes the dark and bright shades look pretty decent here. Although our unit does suffer from soft screen bleeding around the bottom edge, it’s nothing to worry about. Anyway, brightness isn’t going to be a concern on this machine either.
Display Properties
1 of 3
Color Gamut
Gamma
Brightness
Boasting 400 nits of peak brightness, I’ve had no difficulty using this laptop indoors or outdoors. Certifying those claims myself, I measured that this screen has 391.5 nits of peak brightness, and covers 99% sRGB, 68% NTSC color gamut. Nice! But one thing that I’m not a fan of is that setting its screen to 0% brightness flat out turns off the display instead of maintaining visibility to a minimum.
Keyboard
Backlit X-shape Smile Arc keyboard (single-color)
Moving on, Realme Book Slim’s keyboard is equally spectacular. It has full-sized keys with a Smile Arc mechanism and 2 levels of backlights. Because of its 14” form factor, Realme obviously couldn’t fit in a dedicated Numpad here. Regardless, the keys here are large, well spaced-out, and comfortable to type on.
Their 1.3mm key travel distance means it offers decent tactile feedback too and I’ve had no trouble maintaining my usual typing speed on this thing. With 2 levels of backlighting to choose from, you’ll have no trouble working with its keyboard in the dark as well. Also, even under sufficient ambient lighting, these black keys with white etching offer the perfect contrast.
Single-click login
For biometrics, Realme has gone with a single sign-in fingerprint reader that resides on the top-right corner of the keyboard deck. From its unlock speed to ease of use, this Windows Hello-login certified fingerprint reader does everything right. Having said that, I do have a few complaints about this onboard keyboard.
Even though I’m fine with the mild flex on the keyboard deck, the rather loud sound profile of these keys doesn’t sit right by me. I know this is a totally subjective matter so if you don’t mind the noise, this shouldn’t be any problem. Also, some keys sound relatively hollow and rattly than the rest. Furthermore, the up/down arrow keys share a single keyspace even though Realme could’ve easily avoided this by narrowing the right Shift key.
There’s no option to lock the Function keys here either. As a result, you’re gonna have to complement each shortcut with the Fn button every time you wish to use the default function shortcuts on Windows 10. Plus, instead of assigning no macro on the F1 and F2 keys, Realme could’ve utilized them better by providing media playback or other shortcuts.
Trackpad
Plastic trackpad with integrated left/right keys
Windows Hello login fingerprint reader integrated
Thanks to the 3:2 display, the Realme Book Slim enjoys a comparatively large keyboard deck—which means it has enough room for a sizeable trackpad. Fortunately, Realme has delivered exactly that. Its sheer size makes drag-and-drop actions so easier and I never found myself searching for a mouse when using this laptop—except for the gaming sessions.
This one’s also a bit noisier than I would’ve liked as well, but the integrated left/right keys and multi-finger gestures work perfectly fine on this wide plastic-made trackpad. However, palm rejection could use a little tune-up as I encountered a couple of instances where the mouse pointer would accidentally wander about when I’d be typing.
Audio
2x 2W down-firing speakers
Harman/Kardon tuned
In the audio department, the Realme Book Slim gets a set of bottom-firing stereo speakers tuned by Harman/Kardon. And here, I wished Realme had been inspired by the MacBook Air more and provided front-firing speakers instead. The fairly short rubber feet translate to minimal breathing space for these driver units. Still and all, I’m quite fond of its audio output.
It gets sufficiently loud to fill up an average-sized room and there’s a decent stereo separation too. Additionally, you can also enjoy a fair bit of details in terms of mids and highs although it expectedly under-delivers on bass. Nevertheless, I did notice the audio gets muffled when listening to songs with a wide dynamic range at full volume.
Webcam
720p HD camera
No privacy shutter
Realme Book’s streak of excellencies sort of fumbles when it comes to the webcam. There’s a standard 720p HD camera alongside the dual microphones on the top bezel. Here, the videos look pretty distracting in the sense that the webcam seemingly maintains exposure around the center of the frame only—where the subject would be.
Yet, I wouldn’t dismiss it entirely since this webcam will still suffice for attending online classes or zoom meetings. The audio pickup from the built-in microphones is satisfactory as well, but the background noise cancellation technology works nowhere as effectivly as promised.
Performance
Intel Core i3-1115G4 CPU (28W TDP)
Intel UHD (Integrated graphics)
8GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD
Okay, let’s now get into the performance side of things. Realme has gone with Intel’s 11th gen processor for its first laptop—and you can find it in either a dual-core i3-1115G4 or a quad-core i5-1135G7 CPU. Like I mentioned in the beginning, I have the i3 version of the Realme Book Slim.
In terms of memory, there’s an 8GB LPDDR4X RAM soldered onto the motherboard with no extra DIMM slot either. To note, its Chinese variant is also available with a 16GB RAM option. And I feel like this lack of upgradability is a big letdown to many as 8GB RAM is bound to be insufficient in the long run.
On the other hand, the i3 variant is configured with 256GB SanDisk M.2 PCIe SSD while the i5 model gets a 512GB SSD from Samsung. Thankfully, unlike RAM, the SSD module isn’t soldered and you can upgrade it as you see fit.
i3 version offers the best value-for-money
Getting to the prices, Realme Book Slim’s i3 version with 256GB SSD goes for INR 44,999 whereas the more powerful i5 variant with double the storage costs INR 56,999. And looking at the competition, I feel like the i3 model offers the best value-for-money.
The thing is, at INR 56,999, the new Mi Notebook Pro brings a more powerful 35W Intel H-series processor contrary to the 28W CPUs here—while featuring a similar spec-sheet. Plus, Xiaomi also sells a 16GB configuration of the Mi NoteBook Pro, making it a superior choice for those with multitasking for better long-term endurance in mind.
Regardless, I’m not sure how the higher TDP processor on the Mi Notebook Pro is gonna pan out in terms of real-life usage as that laptop features a single-fan setup contrary to the dual-fan cooling system on the Realme Book Slim.
Anyway, even the i3 version of this laptop has handled my day-to-day tasks rather easily. That includes about half a dozen Chrome tabs open at all times, alongside editing documents on Microsoft Word, shuffling through tunes on Spotify, messaging on Discord, and sometimes even light editing on Photoshop.
Microsoft Office comes pre-installed, pre-activated
That reminds me, this laptop also comes with an activated copy of Microsoft Office pre-installed—making it easier for students to get their work done right away. Even though this i3 CPU has respectable single-core performance, its dual-core setup is bad news for any sort of demanding workload.
Despite my performance praises above, I have to admit that this laptop is subject to minor lags when throwing in multiple demanding apps at once. Also, the 8GB of onboard RAM would be simply insufficient at times as Chrome tabs that had been idle for a while required a reload after trying to access them again.
I also tried running a couple of synthetic benchmarks to see just how capable this dual-core CPU is. As you’d imagine, the results were far underwhelming. Running all 6 Blender benchmarks takes more than 3 hours on this machine—although the single-core results under Geekbench 5 and Cinebench R23 are pretty impressive.
CrystalDiskMark
Read (MB/s)
Write (MB/s)
SEQ1M Q8T1
3078.64
1250.86
SEQ1M Q1T1
1828.09
1151.26
RND4K Q32T1
465.31
425.22
RNK4K Q1T1
56.57
146.95
Cinebench R23
CPU: Multi-Core
2480
CPU: Single Core
1330
MP Ratio
1.86x
Geekbench 5
CPU: Single Core
1293
CPU: Multi-Core
2950
Compute (OpenCL)
10239
Unigine Heaven
(FPS: 12.5, Score: 316, Min FPS: 5.1, Max FPS: 25.6)
API: OpenGL
Multi-monitor: Disabled
Quality: High
Anti-aliasing: x2
Tessellation: Extreme
Fullscreen: Yes
Stereo 3D: Disabled
Resolution: System
GFXBench
1440p Aztec Ruins OpenGL (High Tier) Offscreen
28.4658 fps
1080p Car Chase Offscreen
71.4501 fps
1080p Manhattan 3.1 Offscreen
93.4629 fps
1080p ALU 2 Offscreen
255.933 fps
1080p Driver Overhead 2 Offscreen
137.553 fps
1080p Texturing Offscreen
72.6432 fps
Blender (CPU)
bmw27
13m4s
classroom
37m47s
fishy_cat
18m28s
koro
27m1s
pavillon_barcelona
39m2s
victor
1h7m57s
What all this translates to is the fact that Realme Book Slim’s i3 variant is perfectly capable of handling light workloads, but pushing it further will result in some hiccups. Apart from the core CPU performance, these 11th gen Intel CPUs also differ in terms of their integrated graphics solution. While the i5 variant comes with the powerful Iris Xe GPU, the Intel UHD Graphics on the i3 processor is not as capable.
How’s gaming on an i3 CPU?
For this review, I also tried playing a few games on the Realme Book Slim. And I must say that I’m quite happy with the gaming results here. Valorant is well inside the playable spectrum as it manages 83-87fps at low settings. Likewise, CS: GO manages 66-71fps under low graphics settings—but that number would dip to 50 sometimes. Also, I encountered minor stutters every now and then when playing CS: GO on this machine.
Additionally, the dual-fan cooling system does a stellar job of keeping the laptop cool. Even after half an hour or so of continuous gaming, the keyboard deck barely gets warm—with the CPU temperature hovering around the 53-55ºC mark. Fan noise is no trouble either as it doesn’t get that loud even at its fastest. On the other hand, it is practically mute under non-demanding workloads.
Windows 11 Compatibility
1 of 3
TPM Chip
Windows PC Health
WhyNotWin11
To further increase your productivity, the Realme Book Slim also supports PC Connect to transfer files, make calls, send messages directly from the laptop without having to use your phone. Yet, it’s only compatible with the Realme GT Master Edition for now whereas the regular GT is scheduled to get this feature soon via an OTA update. Plus, you will be able to upgrade it to Windows 11 when Microsoft starts rolling it out from October 5.
Battery
54 Watt-hour 3-cell battery
65W PD Super Charge
On to the battery, Realme is claiming up to 11 hours of video playback from the 54Wh cell inside. Similarly, it is rated to last up to 8.5 hours under simulated office workloads. However, under my usage pattern, I managed to net out somewhere between 5 to 6 hours of screen-on time only. Here, I would keep the laptop to “Best Performance” battery settings and brightness level to 50%.
Even though 54Wh is a fairly sizable battery for a 14” laptop, I feel like the 2K display is the main culprit behind this above-average battery endurance. And maybe Realme shouldn’t have gone overboard with its battery benchmarks either. Nevertheless, juicing up the Realme Book Slim is no hassle as it supports USB-C charging.
You get a 65W PowerDelivery compatible adapter that takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes to fully charge the laptop. Its PD compatibility means you can even charge devices like smartphones, tablets, power banks—but only at 30W. On a related note, Realme’s new 30W Dart Charge 10000mAh power bank can fill up this laptop’s battery as well.
Realme Book Slim Review: Conclusion
To wrap up this review, the Realme Book Slim is an absolute steal for the price—especially the i3 variant. It has an incredible display, sleek design, decent keyboard, large trackpad, loud speaker setup, notable performance, and the battery life’s not all bad either.
For a sub-50K laptop, Realme has raised the bar for just how good a budget laptop can get. Yet, its biggest disadvantage is that the RAM isn’t upgradable—whereas the i5 variant feels a tad bit expensive and incompetent compared to the direct competition as well.
Ola Electronics has just announced the Infinix Note 10 in Nepal as a successor to the Note 8 from last year. It brings some major upgrades to the display. Anyways, lets learn more about the device along with its price here.
Infinix Note 10 Overview:
Display and Design
Infinix Note 10 features a 6.95-inch IPS LCD panel which is the same size as last year’s Note 8. However, Infinix has upped the resolution from HD to FHD. This screen supports a 90Hz refresh rate and a 180Hz touch sampling rate. The panel has a centered punch-hole cutout instead of a pill-shaped one for the selfie camera.
Infinix is also boasting a brightness of 480 nits and a color contrast ratio of 1500:1. Similarly, the screen-to-body ratio is listed at 91%. At the back, there is a left-aligned rectangular camera bump. The phone is available in four color options – Black, Emerald Green, and Purple.
Under the hood, the device packs MediaTek’s Helio G85 chipset which is basically the G80 used in Note 8 but with a higher clocked GPU. The two Cortex-A75 performance cores on the G85 can reach up to 2.0GHz while the six Cortex-A55 cores have a maximum clock frequency of 1.8GHz. Similarly, the Mali-G52 MC2 GPU is clocked higher at 1000MHz on the G85 instead of 950MHz on the G80.
Inifnix has included a bunch of new features for gamers too. For instance, there is something called “Dar-link” that the company claims can improve the stability of frame rate. It is also said to help the device remain cool but Inifinix has not clarified how it achieves this. In addition, there is Game Zone and Game Booster feature as well.
Camera
Infinix has finally decided to ditch the AI lens from the Note 8. It did nothing but make up the numbers. It’s not the only change in setup though. The primary sensor has been reduced from 64MP to 48MP. The 48MP primary camera has an f/1.79 aperture and it makes use of a 6P lens. It is capable of recording 2K videos at 30fps. It is accompanied by two 2MP sensors for macro and portraits shots. There is still no dedicated ultrawide sensor. For selfies, it has a 16MP AI beautify selfie camera upfront. There is no portrait lens accompanying it either.
Rest of the specs
Infinix Note 10 comes with a big 5,000mAh battery. It’s actually smaller than the 5200mAh battery in its predecessor. The charging speed has remained the same at 18W. The phone also has a dual-speaker setup with DTS audio. It ships with Android 11 with XOS UI on top. The phone has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner for biometrics.
Security: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, Face Unlock
Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (dual-band), Bluetooth, USB Type-C,G
Battery: 5000mAh with 18W fast charging
Infinix Note 10 Price in Nepal & Availability
The price of Infinix Note 10 is set at Rs. 23,140. This price is for the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage variant. At this price, the phone competes against the likes of Galaxy F22 and Poco M3 Pro 5G.
Smartphone Model
Price in Nepal
Infinix Note 10
Rs. 23,140
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Infinix Zero 8.
Realme has recently unveiled its new fitness tracker in Malaysia, called the “Realme Band 2”. It brings a major upgrade in the display front and now includes blood oxygen (SpO2) monitoring which was absent on its predecessor. So, let’s get into the specs, features, availability, and expected price of Realme Band 2 in Nepal.
Realme Band 2 Overview:
Body
Here, the Realme Band 2 sports a 1.4-inch TFT LCD screen with 167 x 320 pixels resolution and 500 nits of peak brightness. The screen is significantly larger than the 0.96-inch one on the Realme Band. It uses a replaceable 18mm strap, meaning you can easily customize the style to suit your requirements.
Moreover, Band 2 supports over 50 personalized dial faces. Realme lets you use your favorite picture as a dial face as well. The watch measures 12.1mm thick and weighs 27.3 grams. It is available in a sole Space Grey color option.
On to the health features, Realme Band 2 comes with a 24-hour heart rate, sleep, and as mentioned earlier, SpO2 monitoring. For workouts, it offers a total of 90 sports modes, including walking, running, cycling, swimming, yoga, etc. However, some of them will be available later via an OTA update only.
Anyway, fueling this fitness tracker is a 204mAh battery that the company claims can provide up to 12 days of battery life. Realme Band 2 is water-resistant up to 50 meters as well.
Rest of the specs
Moving on, it features Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity and pairs to your smartphone using the Realme Link app. The band is compatible with devices running Android 5.1 or iOS 11 or above.
Realme Band 2 Specifications:
Dimensions: 259.8 x 24.6 x 12.1 mm, 27.3 gram
Display: 1.4″ TFT panel, 167 x 320 pixels resolution
Realme Band 2 is now official in Malaysia with a price tag of MYR 139. It will go on sale through Lazada from September 20. We expect the price of the Realme Band 2 in Nepal to be around NPR 4,500 when it launches here shortly.
Over the past few years, affordable smartwatches have been getting better. As a result, spending just a couple of thousand rupees gets you a decent feature-rich smartwatch these days. Now, while most of the affordable wearables offer only the most basic fitness tracking features, the Pebble Cosmos that I have right here even let you make phone calls. Let’s find out more about the Pebble Cosmos in this review.
Starting this review with the design, the Pebble Cosmos looks like an Apple Watch or the number of private-label wannabe Apple Watch clones found on the market. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It has a rectangular case, a glass face, a button on the right frmae, and a built-in speaker, microphone on the sides.
Design
1 of 2
Front
Back
In terms of build quality, Pebble has used metal casing here, which means the watch is on the relatively heavy side of things as it weighs 50 grams. By the way, the Cosmos comes in black, blue, and gold color options. While the black and blue variants arrive with straps of the same color, the gold model offers an elegant burgundy-colored band.
Apart from the single strap that comes inside the box, you can buy additional bands if you want to mix up the style. Also, this strap is inspired by the one on the Apple Watch. Throughout my three weeks of usage, I’ve found it to be fairly comfortable while it hasn’t invited any issues like skin irritation or allergies either. Likewise, the Pebble Cosmos is IP67 rated against dust and water damage.
Display
1.7-inches TFT panel
No Gorilla Glass protection
Although its design is pretty impressive, the biggest compromise on this smartwatch is the display. It has a 1.7-inch TFT panel with fairly minimal bezels on the sides. There’s no mention of any Gorilla Glass protection here, but that’s to be expected. The watch has adequately endured through my daily usage, while it has suffered a minor ding on the top-left. So, make sure you don’t bump the Pebble Cosmos into any concrete surface.
Moving on, this display isn’t that sharp or bright compared to other budget smartwatches that I’ve tested in the past either. The colors look washed out and severely undersaturated even when looking at it from a direct line of sight.
Despite the mediocre brightness levels, I can comfortably see my analog dial face ticking in on broad daylight. In addition, there’s no ambient light sensor to automatically adjust brightness on this smartwatch as well.
Watch faces
When it comes to the watch faces, I had to scroll through a bunch of options before landing on one that looked somewhat compelling on this mediocre screen. In addition, the animations and scrolling gestures aren’t particularly fluid either. And you’ll even notice a hint of jelly scrolling effect when navigating its UI.
Here, the companion app allows you to customize the watch face to your taste whereas the device can store 5 watch faces in total. Getting around the Pebble Cosmos is no hassle. A simple swipe to the left opens up the app drawer, swiping to the bottom shows your messages and notifications, swiping from the top brings up the quick settings shade, whereas all the apps, health monitoring widgets are a simple right-swipe away.
Regardless, the raise-to-wake feature is a bit of a hit-or-miss too. Occasionally, it demands I lift my wrist to an uncomfortable degree to work.
App & Connectivity
Da Fit app (Android / iOS)
Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity
Over on the connectivity front, the Cosmos features Bluetooth 5.0 and pairs with your smartphone via the Da Fit app, which is available for both Android and iOS devices.
App Interface
1 of 2
Landing screen
Customizations
It offers a simple and easy-to-use interface. Here, the home page shows an array of health features presented in a block and they’re easy to navigate as well. Apart from this, it lets you switch between watch faces, and play around with notifications, alarms, and other settings. The app’s mid-menu allows you to access the watch face, notifications, alarms, and other settings.
To note, the Pebble Cosmos also supports continuous temperature and heart rate tracking but those stats are available on the app only, and not on the smartwatch. Interestingly, continuous temperature and heart rate monitoring, in this case, means half-hourly tracking only.
Health, Fitness Tracking
Heart rate, SpOs, sleep monitoring
Body temperature, blood pressure
8 different activity modes
Okay, let’s now talk about the remaining features of this smartwatch. As expected from a budget device, the Pebble Cosmos misses out on voice assistant but it makes up for this in terms of health and fitness tracking abilities.
App Readings
1 of 2
Continuous Temperature
Continuous Heart rate
To begin with, this watch can log up to 8 different activities including walking, cycling, football, swimming, etc. Its IP67 certification means the smartwatch is safe for both: pool and open water swims. While things like step tracking and heart rate monitoring are obviously present here, the Pebble Cosmos can record your body temperature, blood oxygen level, and even your blood pressure.
Compared to infrared thermometers, the body temperature numbers from these two devices are impressively close. Furthermore, it can also take your blood pressure readings but considering its budget nature, lack of validation from any medical association, and a myriad of other factors, I wouldn’t count on it.
The calling watch
The Pebble Cosmos has one more perk up its sleeve, which is the ability to make or receive a call from the watch itself. Yep. Like I mentioned earlier, this smartwatch has a built-in microphone as well as a speaker. And unless you’re in a crowded environment, the audio from the speakers is quite loud and clear. But remember, the watch needs to be within the Bluetooth range of your smartphone to be able to enjoy this feature.
Moreover, the watch can store 8 of your favorite contacts, although you’ll have to manually set it via the Da Fit app. If that’s simply not enough, there’s a built-in dial pad to type in the desired number and make a call as well. While this is an excellent feature to have on a budget smartwatch, this might not be that exciting to those who’re not fond of talking over a speakerphone in the first place.
Battery
230mAh cell, magnetic charging
Getting to the battery, the Pebble Cosmos keeps up with the competition. This smartwatch comes with a 230mAh cell with a claimed battery life of a little over 15 days. But I was disappointed to find its endurance to be almost half of the company’s claims. I was able to get around 6-7 days of battery life by triggering all the features such as the continuous heart rate and temperature monitoring.
Battery
1 of 2
Charging
Charger
Charging this watch is a breeze though. Using the 2-pin magnetic connector, the watch can fully juice up in about two and a half hours.
Pebble Cosmos Review: Conclusion
Wrapping up this review, if you’re someone who is looking for a budget smartwatch that comes with a few headlining features like phone calls, body temperature measurement, and more, then the Pebble Cosmos is for you. However, you’re gonna have to live with the sub-par display quality and the overall lack of polished software.
After the mid-range Pova 2, Tecno has launched a budget smartphone in Nepal, called the Tecno Spark 7T. In this article, we’ll walk through the specs, features, availability, and official price of Tecno Spark 7T in Nepal.
Tecno Spark 7T Overview:
Design and Display
Tecno Spark 7T sports a 6.52-inch IPS LCD screen with HD+ resolution. It has a glossy back and is built around a thickness of 9.52mm. There’s also a fingerprint sensor just on the right side of the rectangular camera module.
The back also has a big Tecno Spark branding which kind of blends with the design. It is available in Nebula Orange, Magnet Black, and Jewel Blue color options.
On the performance side of things, the Spark 7T is powered by MediaTek Helio G35 chipset. Similarly, the memory option includes 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. Fueling the phone is a massive 6000mAh battery that supports 10W wired charging. Tecno Spark 7T and boots on Android 11-based HiOS 7.6.
Rest of the specs
Moving on, the device has a 48MP primary alongside an unspecified sensor at the back with quad-LED flash. On the front, it brings an 8MP selfie camera with dual flash. Likewise, for connectivity, the phone uses Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPS, and a micro USB port.
The price of Tecno Spark 7T in Nepal is NPR 16,490 for the sole 4/64GB variant. You can buy Spark 7T in Nepal from Tecno authorized retail stores across the country.
Tecno Spark 7T
Price in Nepal
Availability
4/64GB
NPR 16,490
Authorized stores
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy A22.
In terms of design, it retains the thin and light profile of its predecessor. Furthermore, like the Surface Pro and the previous Surface Go devices, the Go 3 features a fold-out stand.
Memory-wise, it comes with 4 or 8GB of LPDDR3 RAM along with 128GB of SSD storage. Also, there’s a base variant with 64GB eMMC storage. The device comes pre-installed with Windows 11 and has a rated battery life of 11 hours. To note, there’s also an LTE variant of the Surface Go 3 which Microsoft says will be available in the coming months.
