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POCO M4 Pro 5G (Redmi Note 11T 5G) Review

Hey guys, today I have brought you my final verdict on the POCO M4 Pro 5G in this review, after having used it for a couple of weeks now. Like I mentioned in our early impressions of the phone, the M4 Pro is a much better phone compared to its predecessor—even though the latter launched only a few months ago.

POCO M4 Pro 5G Specifications:

  • Body: 75.78 x 163.56 x 8.75mm, 195 gm, Polycarbonate build, IP53 rated
  • Display: 6.6-inches “Dot Display” IPS LCD panel, 90Hz refresh rate, Up to 240Hz touch sampling rate, DCI-P3 gamut, Gorilla Glass 3
  • Resolution: FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels), 20:9 aspect ratio, 399 PPI
  • Chipset: MediaTek Dimensity 810 5G (6nm Mobile Platform)
  • Memory: 4/6GB LPDDR4X RAM, 64/128GB UFS 2.2 storage (expandable)
  • Software & UI: Android 11 with MIUI 12.5 for POCO on top
  • Rear Camera: Dual (with LED flash);
    – 50MP, f/1.8 primary sensor
    – 8MP, f/2.2 ultra-wide camera, 119º FOV
  • Front Camera: 16MP f/2.45 sensor (punch-hole cutout)
  • Audio: Stereo speaker setup, 3.5mm headphone jack
  • Security: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, Face unlock
  • Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient Light, Gyro, Electronic Compass, IR Blaster
  • Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (Dual-band), Bluetooth 5.1, GPS / AGPS / Glonass / Galileo, USB Type-C, 4G LTE, 5G
  • Battery: 5000mAh with 33W Pro fast charging (33W adapter provided)
  • Color Options: Cool Blue, Power Black, POCO Yellow
  • Price in Nepal: N/A (not launched yet)
    • EUR 229 (4/64GB) | EUR 249 (6/128GB)

POCO M4 Pro 5G Review:

Anyway, you might be aware that the new Redmi Note 11 5G that’s currently exclusive to the Indian market is a basic rebrand of the POCO M4 Pro. Besides the big black envelope encasing M4 Pro’s camera module, these two phones look the same as well.

Design & Build

  • 75.78 x 163.56 x 8.75mm, 195 grams
  • Glass front, polycarbonate back/frame
  • IP53 certified against dust/splash damage

Moving on, its color options are reminiscent of the POCO M3 Pro too—but the matte finish on this Cool Blue variant is a big sigh of relief. Not only does it make the phone less resistant to smudges and fingerprint marks, but it sort of looks a bit premium too.

The M4 Pro also has an official IP53 rating. As a result, it should handle minor splashes without any trouble. At 195 grams, I found it difficult to hold it one hand for a long-time though. Still, the buttons on the right are quite accessible whereas the power button also doubles as a fingerprint scanner. As you’d expect, it is both fast and accurate.

Display

  • 6.6-inches FHD+ IPS LCD panel
  • 90/240Hz refresh/touch sampling rate
  • Gorilla Glass 3, DCI-P3 color gamut

Over on the front, this 6.6-inch display is just marginally bigger than its predecessor. Yet, this is still an LCD panel with an FHD resolution and a 90Hz adaptive refresh rate. That being said, POCO has switched from sRGB to DCI-P3 color space here, resulting in richer colors.

Therefore, the difference is quite noticeable when toggling through the three display profiles. Colors look punchier on the Vivid and Saturated mode—both of which use the DCI-P3 color space, compared to the Standard mode that relies on sRGB.

This display also feels a lot smoother to use because of the increased touch-sampling rate. That being said, I wished it were a little brighter as it fails to maintain decent visibility outdoors.

POCO M4 Pro 5G - Display 1

You can even stream HD content from your favorite streaming platform here thanks to the Widevine L1 certification. I recently finished watching Netflix Original Arcane on my POCO M4 Pro and don’t have much complaint about how this display handles colors and contrast. I know an AMOLED panel would’ve been even better—but for an LCD panel—it doesn’t disappoint.

Stereo speakers

Adding to the multimedia experience is the stereo speaker setup, which was absent in its predecessor. The audio sounds quite balanced and I also like how it handles bass and highs. That being said, it doesn’t get very loud.

Performance

  • Octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 810 5G SoC (6nm)
  • 4/6GB LPDDR4X RAM, 64/128GB UFS 2.2 storage (expandable)
  • Android 11 with Xiaomi’s MIUI 12.5 for POCO on top

Under the hood, the phone packs Dimensity 810 5G chipset which is MediaTek’s first chip to be based on TSMC’s 6nm process. It’s basically an overclocked version of the Dimensity 700 that powered the M3 Pro, with a more energy-efficient design.

Here, my review unit of the POCO M4 Pro 5G has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage whereas it is also available in a 4/64GB configuration. On top of the expandable storage, you can assign an additional 2GB of RAM using the extended memory feature as well.

POCO M4 Pro 5G - Design 2

Despite this, I’m unsatisfied with M4 Pro’s RAM management. At times, apps tend to reload even when there are only a handful of other apps running in the background.

Gaming experience

Other than that, Dimensity 810 is powerful enough to handle all of your normal day-to-day tasks and also some gaming. The gameplay was smooth when playing PUBG Mobile at Smooth graphics. Similarly, COD Mobile was playable at Medium Graphics and High Frame Rate without any hiccup. But as expected, the phone struggles with graphics-demanding titles like Genshin Impact.

Moving on, while POCO has hinted at its own UI to arrive by the end of 2021, the M4 Pro still runs on custom MIUI 12.5 based on Android 11. And the phone comes with tons of pre-installed apps and games, which fortunately can be uninstalled. I don’t like how the dark mode still has an issue with apps that use system settings by default though.

POCO M4 Pro 5G - Display 2

Because of this, I need to manually turn off system-wide dark mode settings (Settings > Display > Dark Mode > More Dark Mode options) on apps like Facebook and Spotify.

Enhanced haptics

Regardless, I’m quite fond of the new X-axis linear motor, which performs way better than the old coin vibration motor. Whether you are typing or adjusting volume with the volume rocker, the M4 Pro’s superior haptics are quite apparent.

Cameras

  • Dual-camera setup at the back
  • (50MP main, 8MP ultrawide)
  • 16MP selfie camera (punch-hole)

Before getting to the cameras, there are a couple of things that I want to point out first. This time, POCO has dropped the gimmicky 2MP cameras for a more useful ultrawide camera instead. That being said, the company has misleadingly designed the camera array to fool you into believing that there’s a quad-camera setup here.

Anyway, to test the camera capability of the POCO M4 Pro, I put it up against the Realme 8i since both of them sport a 50MP primary camera.

Normal Images

As you can see in these samples, the images come of drastically different from these phones.

The pictures from the M4 Pro have a warmer hue with relatively true-to-life colors. On the other hand, Realme 8i’s photos look more saturated and vibrant.

Also, I noticed that POCO struggles with details on close-up shots. It does take better photos in some instances, but they are few and far between.

Wideangle Images

The ultrawide camera from the M4 Pro manages to deliver better colors compared to the primary camera. However, they’re lacking in terms of details.

Portrait Images

Moving on, it delivers better edge detection under portrait mode even without a dedicated depth sensor.

That being said, the portrait images are let down by their overall hazy quality, pale colors, and bad exposure.

Nighttime Images

Getting to low-light shots, the results look identical from both phones.

Yet, with night mode turned on, Realme once again beats POCO with better exposure control and detail retention.

The M4 Pro does capture light better, but much of the detail is lost trying to reduce the noise.

Selfie Images

In terms of selfies, the ones from POCO M4 Pro have higher contrast while Realme 8i’s images come off looking soft.

Overall, I believe that the M4 Pro’s cameras are let down by unoptimized software.

It can take decent photos but it’s just not consistent enough. Most of the time, I also noticed that Auto HDR doesn’t work as it should here.

Battery

  • 5000mAh battery with 33W fast charging

Despite the subpar camera, I have no complaints about the battery life on this phone. With a big 5000mAh battery onboard, I was able to get up to 9 hours of screen on time under normal usage. I mostly streamed contents off of Netflix/YouTube, scrolled through social media, and played some light games as well. Its charging speed is pretty swift too.

POCO M4 Pro 5G - Charging

The 33W charger that comes inside the box takes a little more than an hour (±5%) to fill up this battery from 0 to 100%.

POCO M4 Pro 5G Review: Conclusion

Overall, the POCO M4 Pro 5G is a much better phone than its predecessor for an additional 50 Euro. It brings a decent 90Hz screen, better performance, stereo speakers, great battery life, and a faster charging speed—which makes it a decent offering given that the phone also brings 5G at a midrange price point.

Yet, you wouldn’t want to get the M4 Pro specifically for its performance and camera. If you want all of those and can skip on 5G, the POCO X3 Pro and Redmi Note 10 Pro Max make more sense instead.

  • Watch our review video of the POCO M4 Pro 5G (Redmi Note 11T 5G).

POCO M4 Pro 5G Review: Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • IP53 dust-splash resistant
  • Smoother 240Hz touch sampling rate
  • Decent stereo speaker setup
  • Excellent performance for the price
  • Terrific battery endurance

Cons:

  • RAM management troubles in the base model
  • Most MIUI issues still remain unsolved
  • Inconsistent cameras, weak auto-HDR
  • Not the best value-for-money

iQOO Neo 5S, 5SE goes official with Snapdragon chips, triple cameras, and more

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iQOO has recently launched two new smartphones in China—the Neo 5S and Neo 5SE. They both come with the new OriginOS Ocean based on Android 12. So, let’s get into the specs, features, availability, and expected price of iQOO Neo 5S, Neo 5SE in Nepal.

iQOO Neo 5S, 5SE Overview:

Design and Display

The Neo 5S flaunts a 6.62″ AMOLED panel with FHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. On the other hand, the 5SE features a 6.67” FHD+ LCD panel with a 144Hz refresh rate and a 240Hz touch sampling rate.

Moreover, both displays have a 20:9 aspect ratio, P3 color gamut, and support HDR as well.

On to the design, these phones feature a punch-hole cutout on the front and a rectangular camera cutout on the back. The iQOO Neo 5SE is available in Rock Crystal White, Mine Shadow, and Blue Phantom color, whereas the Neo 5S comes in Orange Light, Night Space, Sunset Canyon options.

Performance

Under the hood, the Neo 5S is powered by Snapdragon 888 chipset, while the 5SE gets Snapdragon 870 treatment. Yet, both are available with up to 12GB RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage configuration.

Still and all, the Neo 5S has superior LPDDR5 RAM while the 5SE features slower LPDDR4X RAM. Over on to the software front, they boot on the new OriginOS Ocean based on Android 12.

Camera

IQOO Neo 5SE Camera

As for the optics, the Neo 5S has a 48MP primary, a 13MP ultrawide, and a 2MP macro lens at the back. The 5SE, however, has a 50MP primary lens, an 8MP ultrawide, and a 2MP macro sensor. For selfies, both handsets house a 16MP lens inside the punch-hole cutout.

Rest of the specs

Apart from that, these smartphones have a 4,500mAh battery with 65W charging on the Neo 5S, and 55W charging on the 5SE. In terms of biometrics, the 5S has an in-display fingerprint sensor—thanks to its AMOLED panel, while the 5SE settles for a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.

iQOO Neo 5S, Neo 5SE Specifications:

  • Display:
    • Neo 5S: 6.62-inch AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate, HDR, P3 color gamut
    • Neo 5SE: 6.67” LCD, 144Hz refresh rate, HDR, 240Hz touch sampling rate
  • Resolution: FHD+ (1,080 × 2,408 pixels), 20:9 aspect ratio
  • Chipset:
    • Neo 5S: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 (5nm)
    • Neo 5SE: Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 (7nm)
  • OS: OriginOS Ocean based on Android 12
  • Memory: 8/12GB RAM, 128/256GB internal storage
  • Rear Camera:
    • Neo 5S: Triple (48MP main, 13MP ultrawide, 2MP macro)
    • Neo 5SE: Triple (50MP main, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP macro)
  • Front Camera: 16MP sensor (punch-hole cutout)
  • Battery: 4500mAh, 65W (Neo 5S), 55W (Neo 5SE)
  • Security:
    • Neo 5S: In-display fingerprint
    • Neo 5SE: Side-mounted fingerprint
  • Colors:
    • Neo 5S: Rock Crystal White, Mine Shadow, Blue Phantom
    • Neo 5SE: Orange Light, Night Space, Sunset Canyon

iQOO Neo 5S, 5SE Price in Nepal and Availability

The price of iQOO Neo 5S and 5SE in China starts at CNY 2,699 and CNY 2,199, respectively for the base 8/128GB model. There’s no word on their international launch for now. We expect the price of iQOO Neo 5S and 5SE in Nepal to start at NPR 55,000 and NPR 45,000 respectively, if and when they launch here.

Devices Configuration Price in China Price in Nepal (Expected)
iQOO Neo 5S 8/128GB CNY 2,699 NPR 55,000
8/256GB CNY 2,899 NPR 60,000
12/256GB CNY 3,199 NPR 65,000
iQOO Neo 5SE 8/128GB CNY 2,199 NPR 45,000
8/256GB CNY 2,399 NPR 50,000
12/256GB CNY 2,599 NPR 55,000
  • Meanwhile, check out our review of the iQOO 7.

Realme GT 2 Pro will feature a 150° ultrawide camera and these new innovations

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Realme has been hyping up the GT 2 Pro for some months now. Today, the company held an online event, where it briefed the key innovations of the Realme GT 2 Pro. And here are the key takeaway from today’s Realme event.

Realme GT 2 Pro: Key Innovations

Word’s first bio-based design

As in the past, Realme is collaborating with renowned designer Naoto Fukasawa for GT 2 Pro’s design. Together, they have come up with the new “Master Paper Design”.

Realme is promoting its upcoming flagship smartphone as the world’s first phone with a bio-based design. The rear panel of the GT 2 Pro will be made up of fallen leaves and paper pulp. These are second-generation bio-materials that the company claims can reduce carbon emission by up to 63% compared to traditional raw materials.

Realme GT 2 Pro Paper Tech Master Design Teaser

Similarly, the company has opted for new raw material and printing inks for more eco-friendly packaging.

150° ultrawide camera

Realme has also confirmed that the GT 2 Pro will have a 150° ultrawide camera. It will have a 20% wider Field of View (FoV) than any other smartphone camera in the world since the widest ultrawide camera currently in circulation on a smartphone maxes out at 128°. Its FoV will be 278% wider than an average smartphone primary camera.

Using the new ultrawide camera, Realme is also adding a Fisheye Mode, which the company claims is a first on a smartphone.

Antenna Array Matrix System

The company will also debut the new Antenna Array Matrix System with the GT 2 Pro. It’s a cluster of new technologies that Realme believes will help boost signal reception in phones. As of now, it consists of Hyper Smart Antenna Switching, WiFi Enhancer, and 360° NFC.

Realme GT 2 Pro will support up to 48 global bands covering over 150 countries. The phone will also have 12 antennas in different parts of the phone. The new switching system will evaluate the signal strength of all these antennas and switch to one with the most powerful strength.

The phone will bring WiFi 6 connectivity with support for dual-network acceleration, network overlay, and network switching. There will be two Wi-Fi antennas arranged in a symmetrical fashion, resulting in 20% more stability.

Next, the GT 2 Pro has a 360° NFC. Here, Realme has used a three-array NFC antenna with a 500% larger sensing area and 20% more sensitivity.

Realme GT 2 Pro Launch Date (Expected)

Though Realme has not given an exact date, GT 2 Pro will most likely launch in Q1 of 2022. Its price is expected to be upwards of USD 800 given this is the company’s first proper flagship smartphone.

Smartphone Launch Date (Expected)
Realme GT 2 Pro Q1 2022
  • Meanwhile, check out our review of the Realme GT Neo 2.

NVIDIA announces GeForce MX550, MX570 entry-level GPUs for laptops

Among the three new NVIDIA mobile GPUs are the entry-level MX550 and MX570. They are successors to last year’s MX450. In this article, we’ll take a look at the new GeForce MX550 and MX570 GPUs, including their features and availability.

NVIDIA GeForce MX550, MX570 Overview:

Here, the MX550 is the immediate successor to MX450 that NVIDIA launched back in December 2020. Like its predecessor, MX550 is based on Turing architecture. The company has not disclosed the exact numbers but says that this new GPU features more CUDA cores and faster memory than MX450.

It is widely assumed that NVIDIA has made use of the same TU117 chip (like MX450)—but this time, in its full capacity. This means that MX550 could well feature 1024 CUDA cores, up from MX450’s 896.

Ampere architecture

Moving on, GeForce MX570 is based on the newer Ampere architecture which is also the foundation of the RTX 30-series mobile GPUs and the newly announced RTX 2050. The use of this architecture alone makes it unlike any other GPU in the MX lineup so far. NVIDIA says that it packs the most power-efficient CUDA cores in any MX-series GPU, though the exact figures are still secret.

On the other hand, the company has failed to mention support for Ray Tracing, DLSS, and other Ampere technologies. Thus, it’s safe to assume that MX570 doesn’t have any of those.

Faster memory

NVIDIA also mentions that both new MX500-series GPUs have faster memory. Since MX450 featured 10Gbps GDDR6 memory, we assume its successors are using 12Gbps GDDR6 VRAM. Similarly, the bus width remains unchanged at 64-bit.

Moving on, these two GPUs have NVIDIA Optimus support, which is a GPU switching technology. With this, the laptop can effectively switch between integrated GPU (iGPU) and dedicated GPU (dGPU) based on the need.

MX450 vs MX550 vs MX570 (Unconfirmed)

MX570 MX550 MX450
Architecture Ampere Turing
Process Samsung 8nm TSMC 12nm
Chip GA107 TU117
CUDA cores (Estimated) >1024 1024 896
Memory Bus 64-bit
Memory (Estimated Bandwidth) 2GB GDDR6 VRAM (12Gbps) 2GB GDDR6 VRAM (10Gbps)

NVIDIA GeForce MX550, MX570 Availability

As expected, NVIDIA GeForce MX550 and MX570 will appear on thin-and-light laptops, offering greater performance than Intel or AMD’s integrated GPUs. Laptops with MX550 and MX570 will be available from the Spring of 2022.

Laptop GPU Availability (Official)
NVIDIA MX550 Spring 2022
NVIDIA MX570
  • Meanwhile, check out our review of MSI GP66 Leopard (11UG).

Nokia Audio Accessories Price in Nepal [Updated]

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Nokia, one of the oldest companies in the mobile phone industry, also sells a variety of accessories. And there are a bunch of Nokia-branded audio accessories available in Nepal as well. Here, we will look at the specs, features, official price, and availability of Nokia audio accessories in Nepal.

Nokia: Brand Overview

The company which started as a paper mill in 1865 AD by engineer Fredrik Idestam turned into Nokia Corporation in 1967 AD. Nokia then launched its first compact phone called “Mobira Cityman 900” in 1987 AD and has been active in the mobile phone industry ever since—apart from the well-documented “brief hiatus” of course.

As aforementioned, apart from smartphones, the company also offers different mobile accessories. RichGo Technology, a Chinese company, has acquired the rights to manufacture and sell earphones and other mobile accessories under the Nokia brand. Likewise, Pioneer Global Pvt Ltd. is the authorized distributor for Nokia Accessories in Nepal.

Nokia Audio Accessories Price in Nepal:

Nokia Essential True Wireless Earphones E3100

The E3100 is a pair of budget TWS earbuds from Nokia. It packs a 6mm dynamic audio driver with Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. Each earbud weighs just 4 grams and comes with a 45mAh battery. The charging case, on the other hand, weighs 30 grams and is stuffed with a 400mAh battery.

Nokia Essential E3100 Design

Moreover, it’s IPX3 certified, which means the E3100 is resistant to water splashes. Appealing to the fashion-first crowd, these earbuds are available in five color options.

Nokia Essential E3100 Specifications:

  • Body: 4g (earbud), 30g (charging case), IPX3 splash-proof
  • Frequency Response: 20Hz to 20kHz
  • Driver: Dynamic 6mm
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0
  • Mic: Yes, 1x
  • Playback: 2.5 hours, 10 hours with charging case
  • Battery: 45mAh (earbud), 400mAh (charging case)
  • Colors: Black, Blue, Orange, Red, Light Blue
  • Price in Nepal: Rs. 3,390

Nokia Essential True Wireless Earphones E3101

Nokia Essential E3101 Design

Moving on, we have the Nokia Essential TWS E3101. It has a stem-style design and boasts a 13mm dynamic driver with a 16 Ohm impedance. Both earbuds pack a 40mAh battery each that provides up to 5 hours of playback on a single charge. With the charging case, you can extend it to 20 hours. It’s also IP44 certified for dust and water resistance.

Nokia Essential E3101 Specifications:

  • Body: 3.4g (earbud), 28.8g (charging case), IP44 rating
  • Frequency Response: 20Hz to 20kHz
  • Driver: Dynamic 13mm
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.1
  • Mic: Yes, 1x
  • Playback: 5 hours, 20 hours with charging case
  • Battery: 40mAh (earbud), 350mAh (charging case)
  • Price in Nepal: Rs. 3,990

Nokia Essential True Wireless Earphones E3102

Nokia Essential E3102 Design Audio Accessories Price in Nepal

The E3102 has the same audio driver, IP rating, and battery capacity as the E3101 above. However, the charging case here has an LED display that shows the current battery level. Likewise, it connects with your phone via Bluetooth 5.1.

Nokia Essential E3102 Specifications:

  • Body: 3.6g (earbud), 30g (charging case), IP44 rating
  • Frequency Response: 20Hz to 20kHz
  • Driver: Dynamic 13mm
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.1
  • Mic: Yes, 1x
  • Playback: 5 hours, 20 hours with charging case
  • Battery: 40mAh (earbud), 350mAh (charging case)
  • Price in Nepal: Rs. 4,490

Nokia Essential Wireless Headphones E1200

The Nokia Essential E1200 is the only headphone on this list. It’s made up of anodized aluminum and comes in a glossy finish.

Nokia E1200 - Design 1

In terms of specs, this wireless headphone comes with a 40mm driver and has an impedance of 32 Ohm. It can be paired with any device using wirelessly (Bluetooth 5.0) or via a wired connection as well. Likewise, it’s powered by a 500mAh battery that offers music playback of up to 40 hours.

Nokia Essential E1200 Specifications:

  • Body: 197 grams (over-the-ear design)
  • Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20KHz
  • Driver: 40mm dynamic
  • Connectivity: Wireless (Bluetooth 5.0), Wired (3.5mm aux)
  • Mic: Yes, 1x
  • Playback: Up to 40 hours
  • Battery: 500mAh
  • Price in Nepal: Rs. 5,990
  • Read our full review of Nokia Essential E1200

Nokia Pro True Wireless Earphones P3802A

Last but not the least, the Nokia Pro TWS Earphones P3802A is also available in Nepal. These earbuds have a quite distinct design, which seems influenced by the popular Sony WF-1000XM3. Similarly, it features 6 microphones that ensure clearer calls even in a noisy environment.

Nokia Pro P3802A Design Audio Accessories Price in Nepal

Moreover, the P3802A comes with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and offers a music playback time of up to 6.5 hours. With the charging case, you can extend it up to 32.5 hours. These earbuds are IPX5 rated against splash damage as well.

Nokia Pro P3802A Specifications:

  • Body: 7g (earbud), 57g (charging case), IPX5 rated
  • Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20KHz
  • Driver: 12.5mm
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.1
  • Mic: Yes, 6x
  • Playback:
    • Earbud: 6.5 hours (ANC off), 5.5 hours (ANC on)
    • With case: 32.5 hours (ANC off), 27.5 hours (ANC on)
  • Battery: 60mAh (earbud), 700mAh (charging case)
  • Price in Nepal: Rs. 11,990

Nokia Audio Accessories Price in Nepal [Summary]

Nokia Accessories Price in Nepal 
Nokia Essential E3100 (TWS) Rs. 3,390
Nokia Essential E3101 (TWS) Rs. 3,990
Nokia Essential E3102 (TWS) Rs. 4,490
Nokia Essential E1200 (Headphone) Rs. 5,990
Nokia Pro P3802A (TWS with ANC) Rs. 11,990

Where to buy Nokia Accessories in Nepal at the official price?

So, where can you buy these accessories? All Nokia Accessories are available in Nepal at the official price in Hukut Store or Serisha Mobile Hub.

You might also be interested in:

NVIDIA RTX 2050 announced: Here’s how it differs from RTX 3050

At a time when people are waiting for NVIDIA to drop new, more powerful GPUs at the upcoming CES 2022, the company has shocked everyone by launching three new entry/midrange mobile GPUs. The most confusing of the bunch is RTX 2050, which is an amalgamation of two generations of GPUs. In this article, we will be discussing the new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2050 in more detail, including its key features, and expected availability.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2050 Overview:

RTX 2050 is the latest entry to NVIDIA’s RT 20 series GPU. However, it is not based on the old Turing architecture that all the other RTX 20 series cards belong to. In this matter, it is closer to RTX 30 series GPUs since it is based on the Ampere architecture with dedicated Ray Tracing and Tensor cores. To be more specific, it looks like a toned-down version of the RTX 3050.

RTX 2050 vs RTX 3050: What’s different?

In fact, RTX 2050 uses the same GA107 chip used on the RTX 3050 (and other RTX 30 series GPUs) and features an equal number of CUDA cores (2048). That being said, NVIDIA has added some constraints on this chip to meet the lower price point.

For instance, the above-mentioned CUDA cores can only reach up to 1477MHz from the base clock speed of 1155MHz. Also, the memory bus on the RTX 2050 is half the width of that of RTX 3050 (64-bit < 128-bit).

NVIDIA has disabled half memory controllers of the GA107 chip for a 64-bit memory bus. It connects to 4GB of 14Gbps GDDR6 VRAM with effective bandwidth of 112GB per second, which is also half of what RTX 3050 offers.

In addition, NVIDIA has made it clear that laptops also need to have CPUs with dedicated integrated GPU (iGPU) to be able to use RTX 2050. It’s because RTX 2050 doesn’t come with any display output, and it will have to rely on the integrated GPU for display output. This also means that RTX 2050 won’t support G-Sync.

More portable gaming laptops?

NVIDIA RTX 2050 requires less power. The configurable TDP for this GPU is between 30W and 45W. Prior to this, this kind of TDP requirement was reserved for the MX-series of GPUs. Thus, we are more likely to see RTX 2050 in laptops with a relatively smaller battery and limited chassis space.

Also, having RTX-enabled graphics will help manufacturers market their laptops better. Laptop makers can even opt to use it in pair with Intel’s H35 chips for more portable gaming laptops.

Performance

With the RTX branding, one might think that the RTX 2050 performs better than GTX GPUs. However, that’s not the case. Early benchmarks have shown that 2050 is only marginally better than GTX 1650 Ti and AMD’s Radeon RX 5300M.

Instead, it sits below the GTX 1660 Ti. RTX 2050 suffers from having a narrow memory bus, slow clock speed, and less power. It’s also a big doubt if Ray Tracing on the RTX 2050 will be of any use given its weak specifications.

RTX 2050 vs RTX 3050: Specifications

RTX GPU 2050 3050
Architecture Ampere
Process Samsung 8nm
Chip GA10
CUDA cores 2048
Clock Speed 1155 – 1477MHz 1057 – 1750Mhz
Memory Bus 64-bit 128-bit
Memory 4GB GDDR6 VRAM 4GB GDDR6 VRAM
TDP 30W – 45W 35W –  80W

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2050 GPU Availability

NVIDIA has announced that laptops with RTX 2050 GPU will launch in the Spring of 2022. We expect NVIDIA to provide more information about brand partners and the availability of RTX 2050 in laptops during the upcoming CES 2022.

GPU Availability (Official)
NVIDIA RTX 2050 Spring 2022
  • Meanwhile, check out our long-term review of the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro.

Honor launches Snapdragon 695-powered X30, Play 30 Plus tags along

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Honor recently held an event in China where it announced two new mid-range 5G phones. In this post, we will briefly talk about the Honor X30 and Play 30 Plus, including their official specs, key features, and expected price in Nepal.

Honor X30 Overview:

Here, the Honor X30 is the third device in the X30 lineup—which also includes X30 Max and X30i that went official in October. Powering the phone is the new Snapdragon 695 chipset with up to 15% improvement in CPU and 30% faster GPU than last year’s Snapdragon 690.

Moving on, the Honor X30 sports a 6.8-inch FHD LCD screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. The center-aligned punch-hole is home to a 16MP selfie shooter. Over at the back, you get a triple camera setup consisting of a 48MP primary, a 2MP macro, and a 2MP depth sensor housed inside the Magic 3 Series-inspired circular camera module.

Honor X30 Specs

Fueling the phone is a 4800mAh battery with 66W fast charging support. Other notable features of Honor X30 include a side-mounted fingerprint scanner and Magic UI 5.0 (based on Android 11).

Honor X30 Specifications:

  • Display: 6.81″ TFT IPS LCD, 120Hz refresh rate
  • Resolution: FHD (1080 x 2388 pixels)
  • Chipset: Snapdragon 695 5G
  • Memory: 6/8/12GB RAM, 128/256GB internal storage
  • Software & UI: Magic UI 5.0 based on Android 11
  • Rear Camera: Dual (48MP primary + 2MP depth + 2MP macro)
  • Front Camera: 5MP (notch)
  • Security: Fingerprint scanner (side-mounted)
  • Battery: 4,800mAh, 66W wired charging

Honor Play 30 Plus Overview:

Moving on, the Honor Play 30 Plus offers relatively less impressive specs than the X30—but at a cheaper price point. It sports a 6.7-inch 90Hz TFT panel with a notch for a 5MP selfie camera. The phone packs Dimensity 700 5G SoC inside, and ships with Magic UI 5.0.

The Honor 60 Series-like camera module at the back houses a 13MP primary and a 2MP depth sensor. Fueling the phone is a 5,000mAh battery with 22.5W fast charging.

Honor Play 30 Plus

Honor Play 30 Plus Specifications:

  • Display: 6.74″ TFT LCD, 90Hz refresh rate
  • Resolution: HD+ (1600 x 720 pixels)
  • Chipset: Dimensity 700 5G
  • Memory: 4/6/8GB RAM, 128GB internal storage
  • Software & UI: Magic UI 5.0 based on Android 11
  • Rear Camera: Dual (13MP primary + 2MP depth)
  • Front Camera: 5MP (notch)
  • Security: Fingerprint scanner (side-mounted)
  • Battery: 5,300mAh, 22.5W wired charging

Honor X30, Play 30 Plus Price in Nepal and Availability

Honor X30 and Play 30 Plus are currently available for pre-order in China with prices starting at CNY 1,499 and CNY 1,099, respectively. We expect the price of Honor X30 and Honor Play 30 Plus in Nepal to start at NPR 32,000 and NPR 23,000, respectively if and when they launch here.

Smartphone Models Price in China Price in Nepal (Expected)
Honor X30 6/128GB CNY 1,499 NPR 32,000
8/128GB CNY 1,699 NPR 35,000
8/256GB CNY 1,999 NPR 41,500
12/256GB CNY 2,299 NPR 46,000
Honor Play 30 Plus 4/128GB CNY 1,099 NPR 23,000
6/128GB CNY 1,299 NPR 27,000
8/128GB CNY 1,499 NPR 32,000
  • Meanwhile, check out our long-term review of the Google Pixel 6.

Oppo’s first foldable phone, the Find N is cheaper than Galaxy Z Fold 3

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After Royole, Samsung, Huawei, and Xiaomi, Oppo has finally entered the foldable arena with the Find N. It distinguishes itself from the competition with a smaller exterior display and wicked pricing. So, let’s get into the specifications, features, availability, and expected price of Oppo Find N in Nepal.

Oppo Find N Overview:

Pete Lau (Chief Product Officer, Oppo, and co-founder, OnePlus) shared in a press release that the Find N is the culmination of 4 years of R&D and 6  generations of prototypes. According to him, they have focused on two principles in order to offer this foldable phone to the masses. First, it must be beautiful. And second, it must be easy to use.

Design and Display

Oppo Find N Hinge

The Find N uses a water drop style hinge, called the “Seiko pseudo-vertical hinge”. According to the company, it is more advanced than the traditional U-shape hinge. With this, the crease is almost unnoticeable and there is no gap when the device is folded.

Oppo Find N Display

Over on the front, it flaunts a 5.49-inch 60Hz AMOLED screen with FHD resolution and Gorilla Glass Victus protection. This makes it a much more compact handset than Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3.

It unfolds to reveal a 7.1-inch E5 AMOLED screen with 2K resolution underneath the Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG) layer. Under UTG, it has a thin metal base which aids in the screen’s durability. As per Oppo, the Find N has passed the TÜV Rheinland test of 200,000 un/folds without crease.

Likewise, the inner screen has 800 nits of peak brightness and an LTPO panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. As a result, it can intelligently switch the screen refresh rate between 1 and 120Hz based on the content. Unfortunately, unlike the Z Fold 3, the Oppo Find N doesn’t have an official IP certification—and neither does the inner display support stylus input.

Performance

Powering the handset is Qualcomm’s last-gen Snapdragon 888 chipset coupled with 8 or 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM. Likewise, you can choose between 256GB or 512GB UFS 3.1 storage. Over on the software side of things, it boots on Android 11-based ColorOS 12.

Camera

Oppo Find N Camera and Design

Moving on, the Find N features a triple camera setup at the back led by a 50MP IMX766 main sensor with OIS support. Accompanying this is a 16MP ultra-wide angle lens with a 123º field of view and a 13MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom.

The cover and main display, on the other hand, have the identical 32MP lens housed inside a punch-hole cutout.

Rest of the specs

Apart from that, the Oppo Find N has a 4500mAh battery in a dual-cell configuration. Therefore, it also supports fast charging (33W). In terms of connectivity, it supports dual-band 4G LTE, 5G, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, USB Type-C, GPS, and NFC. For biometrics, it features a side-mounted fingerprint sensor.

Oppo Find N Specifications

  • Display:
    • Outer: 5.49-inch 60Hz AMOLED, FHD (1972 × 988 pixels)
    • Inner: 7.1-inch E5 AMOLED WUSXGA (1792 × 1920 pixels), 120Hz refresh rate (LTPO backplane)
  • Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm mobile platform)
  • Main Camera: Triple:
    • 50MP f/1.8 primary sensor, OIS
    • 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide lens
    • 13MP f/2.4 telephoto lens
  • Selfie Camera (Outer/Inner): 32MP with f/2.4 aperture
  • Memory: 8/12GB LPDDR5 RAM with 256/512GB UFS 3.1 storage
  • Software: Android 11 based ColorOS 12
  • Fingerprint Sensor: Side Mounted (capacitive)
  • Battery: 4500mAh battery
  • Charging: 33W wired, 15W wireless, 10W reverse wireless
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS / Galileo / Glonass / BeiDou, NFC, 5G
  • Colors: Cloud, Starry Night, Floating Light (only 256GB variant)

Oppo Find N Price in Nepal and Availability 

Oppo Find N retails for CNY 7,699 for the 8/256GB variant while the top-end 12/512GB variant costs CNY 8,999 in China. Unfortunately, the Find N is China-exclusive and won’t be launching globally.

Oppo Find N Price in China
8/256GB CNY 7,699 (~ NPR 147,700)
12/512GB CNY 8,999 (~ NPR 172,700)
  • Meanwhile, check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. 

Android 12 Go Edition is here to give a big performance boost to budget phones

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Google unveiled Android 12 back in October this year. The company has now released its Go Edition for affordable entry-level smartphones. In this article, we will be looking at all the new features and improvements in the Android 12 Go Edition.

Android 12 Go Edition Overview:

As per Google, there are over 200 million Android Go phones in the world. These are mostly budget phones with relatively underpowerful specs.

And with Android 12 Go, the company is focusing on making such phones more accessible and privacy-centered. Here are the key areas that Google has improved on in the new Android 12 Go Edition.

Faster app-opening, smoother animations

Animation of a side-by-side comparison between an Android 11 (Go edition) device opening an app and an Android 12 (Go edition) device opening the phone app. The Android 12 phone on the right side is shown to be faster.

Google claims that phones running Android 12 Go will open apps 30% faster than the older version. The animations are also smoother here. In addition, Google has created SplashScreen API through which developers can manage animations for cold start app launches.

Improved battery and storage

Android 12 Go App Hibernation

Android 12 Go Edition will also hibernate inactive apps to save battery life. This will also help phones manage storage more efficiently. Moving on, File Go will now allow users to recover files within 30 days of deletion.

App Share

Furthermore, Android Go phones won’t have to rely on the internet for app downloads. Users can simply share apps between phones through Nearby Share. You will find the sharing option when you long tap on any app.

Privacy Dashboard

Android12Go Edition Privacy Control Features

Users will now have better controls over their privacy as well—thanks to the new Privacy Dashboard. Here, you can review apps that are using sensitive data like that of a microphone and camera. You can even revoke permissions from apps.

In addition, Google has added a privacy indicator that will alert you when an app accesses your microphone and/or camera.

Guest Mode made simpler

Android12Go Guest Mode Switch

Users will now be able to switch to guest mode right from their lock screen. Just click on the owner icon on the top right corner and select the desired user profile.

Smart Translations

Google Android12Go Smart Translation

You will now be able to translate any on-screen content in your preferred language on Android 12 Go. You can get the translate option by navigating to the recent app tray.

  • Meanwhile, check out our review of the Xiaomi Pad 5.

HP Victus 16 Review: The Affordable Omen

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HP embarked on the quest for affordable gaming laptops in 2021 with an entirely new series called Victus. The new lineup replaces the budget-level Pavilion machines and sits below the company’s hardcore Omen gaming laptops. Packed with a big 16-inch screen and a bunch of different configuration options, the Victus is aimed to strike a blend between affordability and performance. So, we’ll see if HP is truly capable of accomplishing that with the new HP Victus 16 in this review.

HP Victus 16 Specifications:

  • Design & Build: All-plastic body, 14.57 x 10.24 x 0.93-inches, 2.46 kg
  • Color Options: Mica Silver, Performance Blue, White
  • Display: 16.1″ anti-glare IPS panel, 60Hz refresh rate, 250 nits brightness
  • Resolution: FHD (1920 x 1080) resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio
  • Keyboard: Full-size white backlit keyboard
  • Trackpad: Plastic multi-touch trackpad, Windows Precision drivers
  • Security: TPM 2.0 chip, No fingerprint sensor
  • Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 5600H (Zen 3), 6C/12T, 3.3GHz Max Turbo Frequency, 16MB L3 Cache, 7nm FinFET process, 45W TDP
  • RAM: 8GB DDR4
  • Storage: 256GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
  • Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 5500M
  • Audio: Dual speakers, Audio by B&O
  • Battery: 70 Watt-hours
  • Power Supply: 150W Smart AC power adapter
  • Webcam: 720p HD camera, No physical shutter, Dual-array microphones
  • Connectivity: WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2
  • I/O Ports: 1x HDMI 2.1 (4K@120Hz), 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port, 1x 3.5mm audio jack, 1x RJ-45 (LAN), 1x SD card, 2x USB 3.2 Type-A
  • Price in Nepal: Rs. 125,000

HP Victus 16 Review

Design

When I first lifted the Victus 16 out of its box, it felt a bit hefty, and the scale doesn’t lie—it weighs 2.46kg. It achieves this with an all-plastic body and will make its presence felt in your backpack. 

HP Victus 16 Design-1

Now, as Victus is a new series in HP’s portfolio, I anticipated a fresh design for the device. However, HP has played it safe here by delivering a design that is comparable to their Omen gaming machines. What’s rather intriguing is, even the Victus logo is claimed to be taken from the bottom half of the Omen’s diamond design. “It’s six of one, half a dozen of another”, huh, HP?

Anyways, the unit that I’ve for the review has an all-black finish that goes by the name Mica Silver. Frankly, this model looks pretty generic, but the blue and white color variants are more visually appealing—at least in pictures.

The limitations

Despite the plastic build, the keyboard deck feels pretty solid here—no flex or anything of that sort.

HP Victus 16 Hinge

However, what drags you down is the flimsy screen hinge. Here, even a slight tug with the laptop or typing with a heavy hand causes unusual wobbles in the lid. And, you’ll find flex if you grasp the screen corners as well. So, the durability of this machine, in the long run, is something to be wary about. 

Furthermore, the sharp edges issues that plagued HP Omen 15 are present here too. As a result, long working sessions would leave you with pain-in-the-arm and press-marks around the wrist. 

Regardless, the laptop has a decent selection of ports. On the left, there’s an HDMI 2.1 port that supports 4K@120Hz, USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port, a 3.5mm audio jack, an ethernet, and an SD card slot. Likewise, you get two more USB 3.2 Type-A ports on the right. Although not present here, a Thunderbolt 4 port has really complemented this setup.

Display

Moving on to the display, the Victus hosts a big 16.1-inch FHD IPS screen. You can get it with up to 165Hz refresh rate, however, the unit I have boasts just 60Hz. As most budget gaming laptops these days feature a higher refresh rate, I wish HP have followed the suit and included at least 120Hz smoothness in Victus’ entry-level machines. Or, if the brand accompanied this large panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio, I could…. make do with a normal refresh rate monitor. But we’re missing out on both. 

HP Victus 16 Display

Furthermore, it’s an anti-glare screen with a peak brightness of 250 nits. With that number, it’s easy to assume it’s not intended for outdoor usage. The colors on the indoors are sufficiently bright, and its FHD resolution has yielded no trouble regarding content sharpness either. Viewing angles are great too with a notable dip in brightness when looking from sides. 

Keyboard

On to the keyboards, the Victus brings a full-size keyboard with a dedicated Numpad. The keys here are really easy to get accustomed to—they are well-spaced and offer subtle feedback that I enjoyed using. And, thanks to the sturdy keyboard deck that further contributes to a comfortable typing experience. 

 Keyboard

I played a couple of typing games to put the keyboard through its paces and I was easily able to get about 70 words per minute on average. Here, the keyboard only has single-stage white backlighting, though. Yet, it offers adequate contrast to maintain sight in dimly lit environments. 

Moreover, you’ll find a dedicated key to launch Omen Gaming Hub software on the top row. The app lets you customize the cooling modes of the device while you may also explore other parameters like system monitor and network traffic optimizer. 

Trackpad

While its keyboard is really good, its trackpad is fine for a budget gaming laptop. It’s made of plastic and has left and right buttons. The multi-gesture function works well, however, I would have liked it if the integrated buttons provided better tactile feedback.

Audio

Moving on, the dual-speaker setup of this laptop is okay-ish as well. As expected, these are down-firing units and bags Bang & Olufsen-tuned audio systems. They offer a fair degree of clarity in vocals, but you won’t find boomy bass to satisfy your bass heads.

Performance

Let’s now talk about its performance. My unit of the HP Victus 16 is powered by a Hexa-core Ryzen 5 5600H mobile processor paired with AMD Radeon RX 5500M GPU, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, and 256GB of PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD storage.  

Design

This specific model sells for Rs. 125,000 in Nepal, Rs. 60,000 in India, and some $860 in the US. Aside from that, you can also purchase it with Intel 11th gen i5 and i7 / AMD Ryzen 5 and 7 series processors and up to Nvidia Geforce RTX 3060 graphics. These models also provide a higher refresh rate, a better response time, and, in some cases, low blue light certification as well. So as any sane person would, I suggest you pay the extra premium and get those high-specced variants—particularly if you are eyeing it for gaming. 

Benchmarks

Anyways, the laptop can handle your day-to-day chores with ease. As a writer, I always had 10-20 tabs open in the browser, and apps like photoshop, and Spotify use their chunk of memory in the background. And with all this, it still doesn’t break a sweat and I’ve had no issues multitasking either. 

CrystalDiskMark
Read (MB/s) Write (MB/s)
SEQ1M Q8T1 2878.74 1803.10
SEQ1M Q1T1 1934.74 2175.61
RND4K Q32T1 413.96 262.93
RNK4K Q1T1 47.14 107.39
Cinebench R23
CPU: Multi-Core 9163
CPU: Single Core 1366
MP Ratio 6.71x
Geekbench 5
CPU: Single Core 1371
CPU: Multi-Core 6392
Compute (OpenCL) 39597
Unigine Heaven

(FPS: 86, Score: 2380, Min FPS: 10, Max FPS: 141)

API: OpenGL Multi-monitor: Disabled
Quality: High Anti-aliasing: x2
Tessellation: Extreme Fullscreen: Yes
Stereo 3D: Disabled Resolution: System
Blender (CPU)
bmw27 4m20s
classroom 9m46s
fishy_cat 5m44s
koro 7m30s
pavillon_barcelona 10m4s
victor 18m27s
  • Time taken lower is better

Performance Modes

Under the Omen gaming hub app, you can choose from two different performance modes—Quite and Default, while deciding between Max or Auto fan profiles. For the most part, I used the laptop in Default mode with the fan profile set to Auto. However, when gaming or running benchmarks, I set the fan profile to Max for the best results.

Air Exhaust

Coming from a Nitro 5 whose fan speed blows like a whistle, I’ve to say its fan noise is tolerable even at its highest setting. For cooling, it has air intake vents on the bottom and blasts hot air from the side and rear vents.

Gaming

Getting into games, GPU-intensive titles like Cyberpunk gives around 13-16 fps on high settings, while in medium settings you get around 20-25fps. With those figures, it’s easy to anticipate that the gameplay isn’t smooth and you’ll encounter stutters now and then. Likewise, Control gives 30-35fps on the high settings, and GTA is playable at its highest settings with 46-50fps. Valorant, on the other hand, achieves 110-120fps at its highest settings. However, with the 60Hz screen onboard, I did notice multiple instances of screen tearing.

1080p Gaming Benchmarks
Performance mode, Max thermal control
Game Settings Average FPS
Cyberpunk 2077 Texture quality: High 13-16fps
Texture quality: Medium 20-25fps
Control Texture resolution: Medium 30-35fps
GTA V Texture Quality: Very High 45-50fps
Reflection Quality: Ultra
CS: GO Texture Detail: High 80-90fps
Anti-Aliasing: 8X MSAA
Valorant Texture Quality: High 110-120fps

The Victus is rather good in terms of thermals. After an hour or two of gameplay, the middle area of the keyboard deck gets slightly warm. But, it does not become finger-fryingly hot even after such extended playtime.

Battery

 Charger

Moving on, the Victus 16 gets its fuel via a 70Whr cell. As is the case with most gaming laptops, the battery life in this thing lasts about 3 hours. Thus, you must have the AC adaptor handy at all times.

HP Victus 16 Review: Conclusion

Wrapping up the review, HP Victus 16 turns out to be a decent gaming laptop. You can play demanding games even at the highest of the setting, and it stays relatively cooler after long gaming sessions. Furthermore, its minimalistic design allows its use as a dual-duty laptop and will not attract undue attention from the audience. 

However, the major letdown here is the weak screen hinge and a pretty standard 60Hz refresh rate screen. While HP needs to do extra homework to fix the lid issue, I wish the base variant of HP Victus 16 at least had a 120Hz refresh rate. As a result, if you want a greater refresh rate at a comparable price and specs, the Acer Nitro 5 is your best bet for now. Still, if you’re a professional looking for a powerful workstation with an elegant design that also handles casual gaming, the HP Victus is a good pick.

HP Victus 16 Review: Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • Minimalistic design
  • Big 16.1-inch screen
  • Fairly good keyboard
  • Great 1080p gaming performance
  • A fairly effective cooling solution

Cons:

  • Mediocre plastic build, wobbly screen hinge
  • 60Hz refresh rate
  • No Thunderbolt 4 port
  • Battery life could’ve been better