LG Nepal has expanded its offering in the TV segment. This time around, the company has brought the latest LG UN7300 4K UHD LED TV to the Nepali audience. It is part of the 2020 lineup of LG’s UHD LED TV and the successor to 2019’s popular LG UM7300. Let’s check out the specifications, features, official price, and availability of LG UN7300 UHD LED TV in Nepal.
LG UN7300 4K UHD LED TV Overview
The LG UN7300 comes with an LED-backlit display with a UHD resolution of 3840 x 2160. The screen size starts from 43-inch and goes up to 75-inch. The display supports popular HDR formats including HDR 10 and HLG 10.
The TV is powered by a quad-core 4K processor, which reduces video noise, and is capable of producing more vibrant colors and contrast. Using an upscaling algorithm, it can convert low-resolution video to 4K. The TV supports 10 different picture modes. There is a separate Filmmaker Mode that turns off motion smoothing for a more cinematic experience.
Besides this, videos under Filmmaker Mode disables other post-processing like image sharpening, preserves the original aspect ratio, color, and frame rates. There is a separate HGiG Mode that one can use to activate while playing HDR games via consoles on the TV.
LG UN7300 ships with webOS Smart TV OS. It also comes with LG Ai ThinQ that lets the TV be the center of your smart home sewing Home Dashboard and Google Home Connection. It also supports intelligent voice recognition, LG voice search, and Speech to Text recognition.
In terms of connectivity, there are 2 HDMI cables on the side and one more on the rear portion. Similarly, LG has included two USB ports, a LAN port, a Composite in (AV) port, an RF IN, and optical digital audio out. Also, the TV supports Wi-Fi ac and Bluetooth 5.0.
Specifications:
Display: 43–75” LED-backlit panel
Resolution: 4K (3840 x 2160)
Sound: 20W Down Firing speakers, Ultra Sound, LG Sound Sync
OS: webOS Smart TV
Processor: Quad-core processor 4K
Power: 125W
Wireless Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0
LG Nepal has launched the UN7300 UHD LED TV in 4 sizes: 43-inch, 49-inch, 55-inch, and 65-inch. The 43-inch variant price of LG UN7300 is Rs.91,490. Similarly, the 49-inch, 55-inch and 65-inch costs Rs. 116,190, Rs. 127,690, and Rs. 190,290 respectively.
LG UN7300 UHD LED TV Variants
Price in Nepal
43-inch
Rs. 91,490
49-inch
Rs. 116,190
55-inch
Rs. 127,690
65-inch
Rs. 190,290
Also, check out our review of the LG 55UM7300 4K LED TV:
In this review, I’ll be discussing what’s probably the best budget laptop you could buy right now, which is the Alldocube GT Book. After the pandemic, it was not just the GPU market that saw soaring prices. The laptop industry took a significant hit as well. An entry-level laptop that retailed for around USD 400 now costs upwards of USD 500, at least in markets like India and Nepal.
And at a time when everyone is either working or studying from home, it is kinda frustrating to see this price hike. However, today I have a USD 350 Windows laptop with me from a company you might not have even heard of. And to be honest with you, it is probably the best USD 350 I have spent on a gadget this year.
Alldocube GT Book Specifications:
Design& Build: All-metal build, 12.72W x 8.15D x 0.67H-inches, 1.35 kg
Display: 14.1″ IPS panel, FHD (1920×1080) resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio
Keyboard: Chiclet-style backlit keyboard (White)
Trackpad: Plastic multi-touch trackpad, Windows Precision drivers
Processor: Intel Celeron N5100 CPU (Jasper Lake), 4C/4T, 2.8GHz Max Turbo Frequency, 4MB L3 Cache, 10nm process, 6W TDP
RAM: 12GB LPDDR4x RAM (2933MHz)
Storage: 256GB SSD
Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics (Integrated)
Audio: Dual speaker setup, Dual Microphone
Battery: 7.6V/5000mAh cell
PowerSupply: DC 3.55mm, 12V/3A (or Type-C PD charging)
Webcam: 1.0MP front-facing camera
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11 6 (ax), Bluetooth 5.1
I/O Ports: 1x USB 3.0 Type-A, 1x USB Type-C, 1x 3.5mm audio jack, 1x DC 3.5mm charge jack
The company in question is Alldocube, which is based in Shenzhen, China. They make affordable tablets and laptops and sell them online through Aliexpress and Amazon. And because they sell their products exclusively online, maybe that’s why they are able to keep the prices low.
Nevertheless, the laptop that I have with me for review is the Alldocube GT Book. And for the price, its specs are amazing. You get a 14.1-inch Full HD IPS display, 12GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, WiFi 6, and Intel’s latest Celeron N5100 processor.
Design
All-metal build quality
12.72 x 8.15 x 0.67″, 1.35 kg
Specs aside, its design is something you don’t see on a budget laptop of 2021. It has quite minimal bezels on the screen, which even to this date, brands like Dell and Lenovo are not offering in their budget laptops. Plus, it comes with an all-metal body and the laptop is pretty thin and light too.
Overall, on my usage, I have liked its compact body. From the inside, it might look like an M1 MacBook Pro knock-off. Despite all this, the good stuff about the Alldocube GT Book is that it’s a well-built device. From the hinge to keyboard deck to display flex, everything is impressively sturdy.
Design
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DC power-in, USB-C, 3.5mm jack
Webcam
SD card reader, USB 3.0 Type-A
The only flaw with its design is the location of the webcam as you’ll find it on the bottom of the hinge right here.
So, since this doesn’t deliver a direct line of sight, attending video calls or Zoom meetings could be a little awkward. About the video quality, this camera performs perfectly fine for regular video calls and such, while the microphone quality is okay too.
Display
14.1″ non-touch IPS LCD panel
FHD resolution, 96% sRGB color
Now, what really surprised me was its display quality. Usually, manufacturers compromise in terms of resolution and color coverage on their budget laptops. But here, Alldocube is offering a really good panel.
It brings a sharp Full HD resolution, but more importantly, this screen has 96% of sRGB coverage, which means it is not a bad option to just edit some RAW photos or create thumbnails.
I also enjoyed watching movies and YouTube videos on this thing, but its speaker quality is pretty average—although still usable. Plus, its display isn’t bright, so using it outdoors isn’t a pleasant experience. However, it’s completely fine for indoor usage.
Keyboard, Trackpad
Backlit chiclet-style keyboard (single-color)
Plastic trackpad with integrated left/right keys
As for the keyboard, it’s a pretty basic one. It has good tactile feedback, the keys are well spaced out, and I didn’t have any issues while writing scripts and such. Plus, it offers 3 levels of backlight, which again, isn’t something you get on budget laptops.
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Keyboard
Trackpad
The trackpad is pretty basic too. It doesn’t have a smooth surface like a glass one, but it’s fully functional. Gestures and buttons work fine but if you want the best experience, you’ll want to use a mouse.
Performance
Intel Jasper Lake Celeron N5100 CPU (6W TDP)
12GB LPDDR4x RAM, 256GB onboard M.2 SSD
Anyway, let’s finally talk about its performance and this is where budget laptops typically struggle. Here, the Alldocube GT Book comes with the latest Intel Celeron N5100 processor paired with 12GB of DDR4 RAM running at a respectable 2933MHz and 256GB of M.2 SSD.
This Intel N5100 CPU isn’t a high-performing one and is slower compared to its i3 counterpart. Yet, if you look into the market, considerably more expensive Windows laptops and Chromebooks still come with the older N4010 processor.
This configuration was more than powerful enough for my daily usage, which includes opening 6 to 7 tabs in Chrome, listening to music on Spotify, and launching a few LibreOffice apps. As a result, if you are a light user, who works with the MS Office suite or attends Zoom meetings and such, you will not notice any hint of lag.
How about gaming?
Plus, this is a fanless system so noise isn’t an issue either. It does get warm when using demanding heavy apps like Photoshop for a long time though. Likewise, gaming is a no-go with this machine.
I tried to play FIFA 21 and CS: GO in their respective lowest settings and the gameplay wasn’t enjoyable. The CPU throttles by quite a bit and the performance degrades after 10 minutes or so.
But, I wouldn’t necessarily call it a limitation because this laptop isn’t geared towards gaming in the first place. Still, I wished Alldocube provided an i3 CPU and 8GB RAM, instead of this Celeron CPU and 12GB of RAM combo. Also, the 256GB SSD is not NVMe, so the read/write speed is quite low. Thankfully, you can easily replace the SSD.
Battery
5000mAh battery, 3.5mm DC power-in jack
About the battery life, the Alldocube GT Book comes with a 5000mAh battery. On my regular usage, it provided me with 3 to 4 hours of backup, which is a bit on the lower end for me.
In terms of charging, you get a 36W 3.5mm charger inside the box. But the good thing is that it supports Type-C charging with any PD charger. Most of the time, I used the 65W PD charger from OnePlus and it gets the laptop fully charged from 0 to 100% in about 2 and a half hours.
Alldocube GT Book Review: Conclusion
So, overall, I am really thrilled to see a relatively small brand like Alldocube make such a decent budget laptop. I think they have included the right set of specs and made the right compromises. The only thing I wished it had was an extra Type-A port since the only one available here is insufficient. Also, I had some issues while using a mouse and I had to insert a flash drive to solve it.
Nevertheless, if you are looking for a terrific value Windows laptop under 350 dollars, you won’t find a better option than this. And if you ask me, I would rather go for a Windows laptop over Chromebooks at this price range.
Today, I’ll be talking about the Xiaomi Mi 11 in this long-term review. Just a year ago, the company was nowhere to be seen when looking at the list of best flagship phone makers. Sure, they made some good premium phones but Xiaomi ultimately lagged behind the competition in one way or the other. But 2021 has changed that!
In today’s date, Xiaomi’s top-of-the-line phones like the Mi 11 Ultra have received good reviews from top reviewers like MKBHD and Mrwhosetheboss, which has officially marked Xiaomi as a prominent name in the flagship territory.
Xiaomi Mi 11 Specifications:
Body: 74.6 x 164.3 x 8.06mm, 196 gm, Gorilla Glass 5
Display: 6.81-inches AMOLED DotDisplay, 120Hz refresh rate, 480Hz touch sampling rate, Gorilla Glass Victus, SGS Eye Care, 10-bit color
Resolution: WQHD+ (3200 x 1440 pixels), 20:9 aspect ratio, 515 PPI
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm Mobile Platform)
As for the Mi 11, I have been using it as our primary device and comparing it side-by-side with other high-end phones for the better part of 3 months and we’ve had some interesting findings.
Sadly, Xiaomi didn’t choose to launch Mi 11 in a lot of markets, including India. If you ask me, I think it’s a killer competition to the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy S21 and the OnePlus 9. Anyway, I will be sharing our long-term experience with the Xiaomi Mi 11 in this review, so let’s get straight into it!
Design & Build
74.6 x 164.3 x 8.06mm, 196 grams
Glass back/front, Aluminum frames
No IP rating, No 3.5mm headphone jack
Okay, starting with the design, after all this time, one of the things that we’ve really come to appreciate about this device is its form factor. Contrary to other Xiaomi phones like the Mi 11X Pro, it has an even weight distribution and throughout my usage, I’ve only had good things to say about its ergonomics.
Plus, the slight curves add to the comfortable grip while the aluminum frames give it a lightweight yet premium touch. So, holding the phone for long hours won’t be a muscle exercise here.
But yes, if I had to compare, Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra feels more premium than the Mi 11—although it’s also heavier and a little less comfortable, so the phone scores good marks on this front.
Slippin’ Jimmy
Despite this, there are some flaws in its design. For instance, Mi 11 is quite slippery because of which it has fallen off my hands a couple of times when shootings photos/videos. Thankfully, it’s survived them all while we did get this visible scratch at the back.
Design
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Buttons
Ports
So, it would certainly have been a lot better if Xiaomi had included Gorilla Glass Victus or at least Gorilla Glass 6 instead of the older Gorilla Glass 5 at the back. The company has installed Gorilla Glass Victus on the front though, which, I would say has been incredibly useful throughout our usage.
Yet, the biggest design compromise here remains that Xiaomi has only included the most basic ingress protection and the Mi 11 does not have an official IP rating—making it vulnerable to water and dust damage. So, this past month, we’ve had to be extra careful to not expose it to the rain since it’s been raining like cats and dogs here in Kathmandu.
Display
6.81-inches WQHD+ AMOLED display
120/480Hz refresh/touch sampling rate
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection
While Xiaomi has cut some corners in the design aspect, the display is where this phone truly shines. Its 6.81-inch WQHD screen is a delight to look at. And because it supports HDR10 in Netflix too, the content consumption experience is further elevated.
Also, I like the fact that Xiaomi has not left out important features like SGS Eye Care and DC dimming in order to prevent eye strain due to blue light emissions and display flickering. On top of that, with the 1500 nits peak and 800 nits of normal brightness, the company has made sure to leave no room for complaints regarding visibility either.
Even the touch response on this display is great. Likewise, apart from the visual treat of Mi 11’s display, the speakers on this thing are great too.
Balanced audio from the dual speaker
Now, when you compare it side-by-side with the S21 Ultra, it does sound a little less immersive. But these Harman Kardon tuned stereo speakers are loud, sound really balanced, and are definitely better than what Xiaomi offers in its mid-range devices. Do note that the secondary speaker sounds a little weird, but together, the stereo output is respectable.
Okay, back to the display, it is also home to an in-display fingerprint sensor. In my usage, I found it to be a little slow. Over time with the updates, the sensor has gotten a bit swift, but it is still slower than the likes of the OnePlus 9 or the Galaxy S21 Ultra for that matter.
I was hoping to be able to scale down or remove the fingerprint animation altogether, but Xiaomi sadly has not included that option in the settings. About the haptic feedback, while unlocking via fingerprint and typing, it feels incredibly premium and satisfactory.
Android 11 with Xiaomi’s MIUI 12 on top (upgradeable)
Alright, let’s now get to how the performance of this phone has been. And it won’t come as a surprise when I say that the Mi 11 is one of the best performing phones of 2021. Being one of the first smartphones to feature the Snapdragon 888 chipset alongside UFS 3.1 storage and LPDDR5 RAM, it has handled multitasking and switching between the heaviest of apps with a breeze.
Also, thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate, UI transitions are smooth, and with zero lags or micro stutters—just a smooth sailing through and through.
Gaming experience
Likewise, gaming is another facet that this phone nails, almost. Extremely demanding games like Genshin Impact are well playable in their default settings. However, once you dial up the settings to higher fps modes, the Snapdragon 888 doesn’t remain cool and that’s a common issue we have been facing with almost all the phones with this chip.
Hence, after prolonged gameplay sessions, it will result in quite a few stutters, a drop in fps, stability, and excessive heating near the camera module. As for other demanding games like PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty Mobile, they run quite well with impressively stable average fps count.
But here as well, the Snapdragon 888 tends to heat up the device and you might want to cool it down after one gaming session, and then resume again.
Less GPU-hungry titles with 120fps optimizations like VainGlory and Oddmar are well playable in 120fps too. Luckily, these games aren’t privy to the heating standards of the ones I discussed earlier. But for some weird reason, Critical Ops is not optimized for 120fps gameplay even though the game supports it.
How’s MIUI on a flagship phone?
Overall, we have been quite satisfied with the performance of the Mi 11. Xiaomi has optimized the 120Hz refresh rate well too, so as mentioned earlier, UI transitions and animations are really smooth here. That being said, during all our usage, the major complaint about this phone has to be the unrefined software experience.
Unlike Apple, OnePlus, and Samsung, Xiaomi’s dark mode implementation is still broken. Take the invisible play/pause button on Spotify for example or the fact that with dark mode on, messages on Messenger appear like this. Previously, I thought that this issue was only prevalent in Xiaomi’s mid-range and budget offerings.
But evidently, the company hasn’t bothered to fix these teeny-tiny bugs even for its top-of-the-line products. Likewise, for the longest time, there was this annoying problem when trying to reach for notifications while watching Netflix, where the screen would act like all jittery and something you’d see from a broken CRT TV.
Thankfully, the recent MIUI 12.5.5 update has fixed this issue. All in all, even though the performance of the Mi 11 is commendable, such petty software bugs truly make the experience bitter.
This, added with the fact that Xiaomi has literally not made any commitment as to how many years of Android and security updates this phone or any other Xiaomi phone for that matter will receive, is really frustrating. In contrast, Apple, Samsung, OnePlus, and even brands like OPPO and Vivo have committed to certain years of software updates.
Cameras
Triple camera setup at the back
(108MP main, 13MP ultrawide, 5MP telemacro)
20MP selfie camera in the punch-hole cutout
Cameras
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Back
Front
Okay, let’s now shift our gear towards the cameras. And honestly, for the most part, there’s not much to complain about. Of course, when you look at the specs, it’s nothing extravagant compared to the likes of the Mi 11 Ultra or the S21 Ultra. But these cameras hold their ground steady.
Normal Images
During our use, it has proven to be an impressive point-to-shoot camera.
Normal
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Mi 11
S21 Ultra
Mi 11
S21 Ultra
Mi 11
S21 Ultra
The color optimization part is still better on the S21 Ultra, but have a look at these samples, Mi 11’s images are not bad. We’re actually fond of the natural-ish color reproduction from its cameras.
Wideangle Images
The same thing applies for the ultra-wide images as well where the S21 Ultra has marginally better color optimization and a wider field of view.
Wideangle
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Mi 11
S21 Ultra
Mi 11
S21 Ultra
But for what it’s worth, the Mi 11 competes handsomely.
Portrait Images
The subtle and natural color reproduction continues with the portrait images too. S21 Ultra zooms in for better subject focus while the Mi 11 doesn’t.
Portrait
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Mi 11
S21 Ultra
Mi 11
S21 Ultra
Mi 11
S21 Ultra
In any case, both of them are good camera phones for portraits. Edge detection, however, is not excellent in either of them.
Selfie Images
These phones pack an impressive selfie camera as well.
Selfie
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Mi 11
S21 Ultra
Mi 11
S21 Ultra
Mi 11
S21 Ultra
It’s just that portrait selfies from the S21 Ultra have a better-looking background.
Portrait Selfie
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Mi 11
S21 Ultra
Otherwise, both phones do a similar job.
Telephoto Images
Now, since the Mi 11 does not have a telephoto lens, as expected, it falls behind the S21 Ultra when zooming to 10x, 5x, or even 3x.
Telephoto
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Mi 11 - 3x
S21 Ultra - 3x
Mi 11 - 3x
S21 Ultra - 3x
Mi 11 - 10x
S21 Ultra - 10x
Mi 11 - 10x
S21 Ultra - 10x
But what we have come to realize is that we don’t really use the telephoto lens in our everyday life that much. All this time, the only instances when we had to switch to the telephoto camera were for taking photo samples for the review.
Nighttime Images
Xiaomi has also been a little cheeky with nighttime photography on the Mi 11 as it makes you wait for a few seconds to shoot even normal nighttime pictures. And because of that, its low-light photos appear to be brighter and more detailed.
Nighttime
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Mi 11
S21 Ultra
Mi 11
S21 Ultra
Mi 11
S21 Ultra
Mi 11
S21 Ultra
Mi 11
S21 Ultra
Mi 11
S21 Ultra
Mi 11
S21 Ultra
Mi 11
S21 Ultra
This is both a good thing and a bad thing. Despite the well-detailed shots, the delay ultimately makes Mi 11 a not-so-ideal point-to-shoot camera during the night, while the S21 Ultra only takes like a second to take the shot.
Night Mode
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Mi 11
S21 Ultra
Mi 11
S21 Ultra
About the night mode images, well, S21 Ultra takes the cake right away with better exposure maintenance, details, and colors under both normal and ultra-wide modes.
Ultrawide Night Mode
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Mi 11
S21 Ultra
Videography
For video stabilization, both of them feature gyro-EIS. Even so, we found 8K videos to be more stable from the Mi 11. This is also because the phone crops the footage by a lot to maintain steadiness. On the other hand, S21 Ultra gives you a wider frame without much stabilization in videos.
If you ask me, I don’t think 8K recording in smartphones is all that useful, at least right now, so I am going to let this one slide. On to the more realistic recording options, 4k 60 fps footage looks good from both phones, but the S21 Ultra definitely has better dynamic range and color processing.
When it comes to ultra-wide videos, you will get consistent recording options across all resolutions on the S21 Ultra which is something I really appreciate. Meanwhile, the Mi 11 only lets you shoot up to 1080p 60 fps from its ultra-wide and selfie camera.
Overall, during our use, we found the primary and ultra-wide cameras on the Mi 11 to be good, if not better than the S21 Ultra. And that’s a big compliment for the Mi 11. Likewise, I also compared its photos with the OnePlus 9 and found Mi 11 to be doing a better job in most of the scenarios.
Battery
4600mAh with 55W wired/50W wireless charging
Additionally, battery endurance has never been a problem with the Mi 11 either. Even under the WQHD resolution, it will give you 5.5 hours of Screen-on Time (SoT). Scaling it down to Full HD, you will be able to achieve up to 6.5 hours of SoT on a medium kind of usage.
Plus, Xiaomi provides a 55-watt GaN charger inside the box, which if you’ve noticed, is comparatively smaller than other 65-watt chargers as it is made of Gallium Nitride instead of silicon. It is Power Delivery (PD) compliant too. As a result, we could charge our PD-compatible laptops and accessories with this charger.
Xiaomi Mi 11 Long-Term Review: Conclusion
Okay, as evident from the review, our time with the Xiaomi Mi 11 has been terrific. The company has effectively nailed the basics for a true flagship experience. The only thing that’s somewhat bugged us is the unpolished software experience. Plus, I am a little let down by the fact that the Mi 11 didn’t launch in as many markets as it should have.
Maybe it’s because of the global chipset shortage or Xiaomi’s strategy of pushing the sales of Mi 11 Ultra… I am not quite sure. Regardless, looking at the bigger picture, the future of Xiaomi flagships looks promising, and I can’t wait to see what the Mi 12 has in store for us.
Xiaomi and Realme have turned the South Asian market into a battleground for mid-range smartphones with their aggressive pricing. Motorola has also joined the fray launching some good mid-range devices in 2021, one of which is the Moto G40 Fusion. It’s also the most affordable smartphone with a Snapdragon 732G processor, at least for now. And in this review, I’ll share my thoughts on the Motorola Moto G40 Fusion and tell you all you need to know about it. So, let’s get started.
Motorola Moto G40 Fusion Specifications:
Body: 169.6 x 75.9 x 9.7 mm, 225 gm, Water repellant design
Extra: Google Assistant Button, ThinkShield for Mobile
Battery: 6000mAh with 20W TurboPower
Price in Nepal: N/A (not launched yet)
Motorola Moto G40 Fusion Review:
Design
169.6 x 75.9 x 9.7 mm, 225 gm
Plastic back/frame, Glass front
Water repellant design, No IP rating
Ok, the first thing you will notice after picking up this phone is its bulky form factor. It weighs 225 grams and measures 9.5mm, so this is definitely not the lightest and slimmest device in this price range. For this review, I put the Motorola Moto G40 Fusion up against the Realme 8 and the latter is something you can wrap your hand around without experiencing any discomfort.
Left – Realme 8 | Right – Moto G40 Fusion
Anyway, it took me a couple of days to get used to this design. But after then, it’s been pretty comfortable in my hands. Additionally, there are minimal curves around the edges of the rear panel which results in a strong grip while holding the handset.
Now, after flipping the phone, there’s nothing to get hyped about Moto G40’s design. If you think the glossy design is passé, then you may be disheartened with what Motorola’s offering here, as it has a two-tone glossy back. As a result, you’re certain to encounter fingerprints or smudge marks quite easily.
Similarly, there’s a rectangular camera module with a nominal bump, which means the phone wobbles on a level surface. So, to minimize the wobble and to protect it from fingerprints, Motorola ships a transparent protective case inside the box. But, the case further adds to the phone’s thickness.
Not the best in design
Furthermore, the company provides two color options to choose from – Dynamic Grey and Frosted Champagne. As aforementioned, the phone has a 2-tone layout and the Dynamic Grey variant which I have with me brings a greenish accent in the rear camera module. It appears to be a one-of-a-kind approach at first look. But in the long run, I didn’t quite find it blend in with the phone’s glossy design at the back—or maybe it’s the other way around.
For biometrics, there’s a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner just aside from the camera module, which has the batwing-esque Motorola logo. Although the sensor takes a while to read the fingerprint, its accuracy is pretty good. However, as other brands have shifted to a side-mounted sensor nowadays, I wish Motorola joined the fray as well.
Design
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Buttons
Speaker, USB-C
3.5mm Jack
Moving on, Moto G40 Fusion includes power, volume, and a dedicated Google Assistant button on the right side. One thing I’d want to point out is that if the assistant button had been positioned independently on the left, it would have made things a lot easier to deal with. That’s because I frequently pressed the assistant button mistaking it for the volume up.
However, to differentiate the assistant button from others, it has a slight curvature design, but that’s unnoticeable and doesn’t make any significant difference. Besides, there’s a 3.5mm audio jack and a microphone on the top while the bottom frame is home to a USB Type-C port, speaker grill, and the primary microphone.
Over on the left, you’ll find a Hybrid SIM tray, which means it enjoys microSD card support too. Not to forget, Moto G40 Fusion features a water-repellant design, which means it should be able to withstand minor water splashes.
Display
6.8-inches FHD+ IPS LCD screen, 396 PPI
120Hz refresh rate, HDR10
Heading to the display, the Moto G40 Fusion has a 6.8-inch FHD+ IPS LCD panel. On the contrary, similarly-priced phones like the Realme 8 boasts a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED panel. Motorola has traded off an AMOLED screen for a 120Hz refresh rate, and a relatively larger display. The latter makes it a fairly suitable device for those whose priority is content consumption.
Left- Motorola Moto G40 Fusion | Right – Realme 8
Enhancing your video-watching experience is a near-cinematic 20.5:9 aspect ratio, which is something I really appreciate at this price. The display here has good contrast and sharpness and the color-tuning under the saturated preset was perfect for me. Likewise, its outdoor visibility is respectable as well.
However, the real caveat is that this screen is unfit for playing HDR videos on Netflix despite being HDR10 certified. Interestingly, it can totally play HDR videos on YouTube. Still, I could enjoy HD or higher-res videos on Netflix thanks to the Widevine L1 certification that G40 Fusion has.
Moreover, with a 120Hz panel on board, opening up apps and multitasking between them is quite smooth. I didn’t notice any lag during constant scrolling through Google News or Facebook feeds either. Also, you can switch the refresh rate to 60Hz or set it to Auto if you don’t want your battery to be depleted quickly.
Performance
Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G 4G SoC (8nm)
4/6GB RAM, 64/128GB UFS 2.1 storage (expandable up to 1TB)
Android 11 with Motorola’s My UX on top
Like I mentioned at the beginning of this review, the Motorola Moto G40 Fusion is the cheapest phone powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 732G. Here, I have the 6/128GB memory variant. However, the main selling point or the trump card of any Motorola phone is its near-stock My UX Android interface.
Stock Android means there’s no bloatware, unwanted apps, or random ads. Plus, the company has offered some great customizations like you can twist the device to open up the camera or chop it to turn on the flashlight. In addition, Motorola has also secured the device with ThinkShield protection which protects it from phishing and network attacks. Pretty safe, right?
Yet, this UI does have some issues. Like, after opening the chat in Snap, I literally couldn’t go back easily and I have to repeat the gesture until I am finally out of it. Also, the camera app crashes automatically if it remains open for 2 minutes or so.
Gaming experience
Moving on, if pure performance is what you’re after, then this is the best option to consider in this price bracket. Plus, the phone has a game mode called Gametime which lets you block calls or notifications during your gameplay. Also, there’s this unique feature called “Acoustic Light” which puts a light glow on the four sides of the screen.
Talking about real-time gameplay, PUBG Mobile’s settings max out at HD graphics and High framerate. However, to enjoy the lag-free gameplay I switched back to Smooth graphics and Ultra frame rate, and the match went on smoothly. But, I felt a slight jitteriness after half an hour of gameplay.
A lighter game like Call of Duty renders a lag-free experience in Very High graphics and frame rates. While the smartphone doesn’t get too hot at the back because of its thickness I guess, but I could definitely feel the warmness around the camera module. And, while checking the CPU temperature, it kept fluctuating between 40-43ºC, which isn’t that much of an issue I guess.
Camera
Triple-camera setup at the back
(64MP main, 8MP ultra-wide, 2MP depth)
16MP selfie camera in the teardrop notch
Cameras
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Back
Front
Going to the camera department, Moto G40 Fusion comes with a triple camera configuration on the back. This consists of a 64MP primary, an 8MP ultrawide, and a 2MP depth sensor. To note, the major differentiating factor between the Moto G40 Fusion and G60 is in the camera department.
That is, the latter gets a 108MP primary sensor at the back and a 32MP selfie camera on the front, while other camera configurations are pretty similar.
Normal Images
I compared the camera of G40 Fusion with Realme 8 and in normal mode, Motorola processes its images to emphasize more on black levels, making them look a bit dark. On the contrary, photos from Reame 8 are brighter and have a better dynamic range. Still, Motorola takes the lead here with good exposure maintenance.
Normal
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Moto G40
Realme 8
Moto G40
Realme 8
Moto G40
Realme 8
Moto G40
Realme 8
Moto G40
Realme 8
On the surface, both devices capture photos with the same level of sharpness. But when zooming in, things tend to look softer on the Moto G40 Fusion. Likewise, as with most Realme devices, greens come off with excessive vibrance—and lose the natural color-tone.
Ultra-wide Images
While both devices get an 8MP wide-angle lens, photos from the Moto G40 Fusion are superiors in terms of details.
Wide-angle
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Moto G40
Realme 8
Moto G40
Realme 8
Moto G40
Realme 8
Moto G40
Realme 8
Realme makes its photos pop up in terms of vibrancy. Yet, like the normal mode, the dynamic range is better here.
Portraits Images
Portraits
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Moto G40
Realme 8
Moto G40
Realme 8
Moto G40
Realme 8
As for the portraits, as you can see from these samples, Realme 8 maintains white balance better while Moto outputs its image with a bit of haziness. Furthermore, the skin tone looks pinkish and oversaturated from the Realme 8, while Motorola adds smoothness to the subject. Edge detection, on the other hand, is superior in Moto G40 Fusion.
Macro Images
Now, let’s head to the macro shots. Here, the Moto G40 Fusion captures close-up shots with its ultra-wide lens as it lacks a dedicated macro lens. So, the Realme gets an advantage, at least on paper, with its 2MP macro sensor.
Macro
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Moto G40
Realme 8
Moto G40
Realme 8
Moto G40
Realme 8
Moto G40
Realme 8
But, the pictures look more vibrant and natural on the G40 Fusion and are well detailed too.
Nighttime Images
Nighttime
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Moto G40
Realme 8
Moto G40
Realme 8
The one area where Realme 8 performs significantly better is in the nighttime shots. As evident from these photos, its normal nighttime shots retain more details and processes better HDR.
Night Mode
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Moto G40
Realme 8
Moto G40
Realme 8
Moto G40
Realme 8
Moto G40
Realme 8
With the Night mode turned on, from details to dynamic range to vibrancy, every aspect looks good on Realme 8. Additionally, the lens flare is more pronounced in the G40 Fusion, while in the Realme 8’s image, the flare isn’t that noticeable.
Selfies
Selfie
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Moto G40
Realme 8
Moto G40
Realme 8
Moto G40
Realme 8
Moving on to the selfies, the details from both the phones turn out to be similar. However, the ones from the Moto G40 Fusion look smooth, have a slight pinkish tinge, and the colors look a bit muted as well. Instead, Realme’s image looks punchy and has better dynamic range and exposure.
Selfie Portraits
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Moto G40
Realme 8
Moto G40
Realme 8
Moto G40
Realme 8
The same is true with portrait selfies. Motorola loses the inning as the pictures lack dynamic range, whereas the Realme 8 captures images with better edge detection and details.
Videos
On the videography side, both phones can record up to 4K 30fps videos. But, Motorola has a significant advantage here, as it gets the stabilization option even in the 4K/30fps mode. So, as you can guess, videos look a lot more stable from the G40 Fusion. Similarly, FHD videos at 30fps repeat the same story. Although both devices get a stabilization option in this mode, the output is steadier on the Moto G40 Fusion.
However, when shooting FHD videos at 60fps, the G40 Fusion struggles to focus on the subject after few seconds of recording, while there was no such issue with the Realme 8. Over on the selfie videos, the latter captures videos with a better skin tone, even though the stabilization is once again better on Moto G40.
Battery
6000mAh battery with 20W TurboPower charging
There’s no joke when it comes to the battery life of Moto G40 Fusion. The device packs a big 6000mAh battery, and on my normal usage, its battery life extended to well beyond a day and a half. In fact, if you don’t click that power button quite often, you could quite possibly end up with up to 2 days of battery life.
However, with my practical usages, like 1-2 hours of gaming, 3-4 hours of content consumption, and other regular tasks, the phone survived till the end of the day with 20% battery remaining.
Despite such amazing battery life, one disappointing factor is the charging speed. The phone takes nearly 2 hours and 30 minutes to fully charge with its 20W adapter. So, make sure to go to nap before putting it on charge. Jokes aside, the interesting thing here is its big brother gets the same 20W adapter. So, I guess there’s no room for complaining.
Audio
Bottom-firing mono speaker
Getting to the audio, Moto G40 Fusion comes with a single bottom-firing speaker. Although it’s a mono speaker setup, it’s quite loud, unless you’re downgrading from a stereo speaker setup. Similarly, the earpiece sound quality isn’t that great here. It works absolutely well in a fairly quiet area, such as an indoor room. But when I’m outdoors, I had to activate the speaker. So, call quality felt a little disappointing to me.
Motorola Moto G40 Fusion Review: Conclusion
Summing up this review, if you’re specifically targeting a device under the INR 15,000 price range, the Motorola Moto G40 Fusion features a shortcoming in one area or another. With this phone, you get a bulky and unattractive design. However, its clean stock software is something Android users would love unless they want some extravagant skins on top of it like MIUI or ColorOS.
Furthermore, you also get a long-lasting battery, a powerful processor, and a few other features that make it a worthy option to choose from. But, if you care about a good AMOLED panel, rather than a stock-ish Android experience, there are a bunch of other good options to spend your cash on.
In this review, I’ll be discussing the Motorola Moto G60. As we know, the company takes pride in the clean, stock Android experience in its phones. While that’s certainly a crucial advantage to have at one’s side, a great smartphone should excel at other key areas like design, display, and cameras as well.
Yet, the company is pretty behind when it comes to delivering a well-balanced smartphone—at least when considering the price and competition. Well, to find out if Motorola Moto G60 succeed in this regard, I took it for a spin alongside Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 10 Pro for a couple of weeks, and I’ll be sharing my thoughts about the former in this review.
Motorola Moto G60 Specifications:
Body: 169.6 x 75.9 x 9.8 mm, 225 gm, Water-repellent design
Extra: Google Assistant Button, ThinkShield for Mobile
Color Options: Dynamic Grey, Frosted Champagne
Battery: 6000mAh with 20W TurboPower
Price in Nepal: N/A (not launched yet)
Motorola Moto G60 Review:
Design & Build
169.6 x 75.9 x 9.8 mm, 225 gm
Plastic back/frame, Glass front
Water repellant design
Starting this review with the design, the Motorola Moto G60 is for those who’re looking for a capable content consumption device rather than something that’s compact and enjoys a universal fit. Thus, if you’re used to lightweight phones, its big and bulky form-factor is destined to be uncomfortable.
Left – Moto G60 | Right – Redmi Note 10 Pro
Keeping it side by side with the Note 10 Pro, the Moto G60 is wider and comparatively heavier. Weighing 225 grams (plus a couple of grams more with the silicone case), I must say it took me a couple of days to get used to the phone.
But after a while, I found holding it to be quite comfortable, thanks to its ergonomic design. Further aiding this cause is Moto G60’s curved back design. Still and all, because this is a big phone, using it one-handed is a definite struggle for someone with small hands like me.
Inferior all-plastic build
Anyway, Motorola lets you pick between Dynamic Grey and Frosted Champagne color options. And while Xiaomi offers a dual-glass body on the Note 10 Pro, Motorola disappoints with a typical all-plastic construction that we’re used to on budget phones. Plus, with its glossy finish, the company is axing its own feet.
Since this finish attracts fingerprints and smudges by a ton, I will strongly suggest you put on a case/wrap on the Moto G60. The back of the phone also hosts a rectangular camera module with a unique turquoise finish. You can notice a physical fingerprint reader with the classic Motorola logo embedded into it.
While my index finger naturally reached out to the sensor (only after few days of use), I still wished it was positioned a little lower. However, for a mid-range phone, I can’t complain about the unlock speed or accuracy.
Crammed button placement
Additionally, you can trigger the notification panel with a swipe gesture too, which comes in quite handy. The Moto G60 supports 2D face unlock as well, although it’s rather sluggish, taking an average of 2 seconds to work. Moving on, there’s a power, volume, and Google Assistant button on the right frame of the device.
Design
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Buttons
3.5mm Jack
Speaker, USB-C
Interestingly, the power button enjoys tiny nudges for easy recognition. Even though I don’t have a problem with the tactile feedback of either of these buttons, as you could probably tell, I am bothered by the placement of the Google Assistant button.
Non-customizable Google Assistant button
Motorola could’ve easily relocated it to the left, but for some reason, it’s chosen to render the button’s usability to a minimum. As a result, instead of going for a dedicated button, I often found myself using the voice command or the home screen shortcut to access the voice assistant.
Even more disappointingly, Motorola doesn’t let you set custom actions for this button, and a third-party app is unable to do so either. Besides this, Moto G60’s top frame includes a headphone jack and a microphone while the bottom portion brings a USB-C port, a speaker grille, and a primary microphone.
Finally, you’ll find the Hybrid SIM tray on the left which has been complemented by a rugger gasket to prevent water/moisture from getting in. That reminds me—Moto G60 boasts a water repellent design although the company hasn’t bothered for an official IP rating. So, this phone should survive under light drizzles or water splashes.
Display
6.8-inches FHD+ IPS LCD screen, 396 PPI
120Hz refresh rate, HDR10 certified
Okay, let’s now get on to the display. Bringing the Note 10 Pro to the mix once again, Motorola’s offering lags behind in this department as well. This AMOLED vs LCD battle is over before it begins.
Still, as I mentioned earlier, Moto G60 is a decent option for those with video streaming in mind—someone who’s constantly on Facebook or watching videos on YouTube, TikTok, and such. To be clear, this conclusion is solely based on the phone’s large display.
Left – Moto G60 | Right – Redmi Note 10 Pro
More specifically, the Moto G60 has a massive 6.8” IPS LCD screen. Motorola calls it “Max Vision” and has implemented a near-cinematic 20.5:9 aspect ratio here. As a result, watching movies and such results is a pretty pleasant experience since there’s not much letterbox to account for.
While we’re on the subject of content consumption, this is also an HDR10-certified screen. So, you will be able to enjoy rich blacks and brighter brights on compatible videos. I noticed that watching HDR videos on YouTube results in a mild warm tone even though there’s nothing wrong with the playback quality itself.
Still, to my dismay, I found out that the phone can’t play HDR contents on Netflix. It is Widevine L1 certified for HD playback but no dice with HDR videos. Because this is something that can be fixed with a quick OTA hotfix, I’m hoping that Motorola will provide an update that addresses this issue soon.
Not so bright outdoors
Regardless, because this is a Full HD screen, I didn’t face any problem with the screen’s sharpness. Indoor visibility is plenty sufficient, which extends to cloudy outdoors too. But of course, Moto G60 does struggle to maintain sufficient illumination when you’re under direct sunlight.
Furthermore, in the default “Natural” display profile, I found that the colors tend to look slightly warm. Switching to the “Saturated” mode, things look better with decent white balance—although having the option to play around with color temperature settings as on MIUI devices would’ve been even better.
Likewise, following the 2021 smartphone trend, Motorola has included a 120Hz refresh rate support on the Moto G60. What’s even more impressive is that I couldn’t notice micro-lags or stutters when using this phone under the 120Hz mode, unlike Xiaomi and POCO’s mid-rangers.
So, whether you’re scrolling through Facebook, Chrome, or browsing through the UI, everything feels smooth here. Under the display settings, you can also enable auto-refresh rate, which automatically adjusts between 60 and 120Hz depending on the content.
Performance
Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G 4G SoC (8nm)
6GB RAM, 128GB UFS 2.1 storage (expandable up to 1TB)
Android 11 with Motorola’s My UX on top
Despite the comparatively sub-par display, Moto G60 delivers pretty great results when it comes to performance. Like the Redmi Note 10 Pro, this is also powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 732G. However, Motorola only offers a single memory configuration of this phone—with 6GB RAM and 128GB UFS 2.1 storage.
As aforementioned, you’re getting a stock Android experience on this phone which might’ve already piqued the interest of many Android enthusiasts. From the fairly well-optimized UI/UX to the ad-less operating system, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Moto G60.
I also compared its performance with the Redmi Note 10 Pro to see how they differ. Multitasking between 10 lightweight to relatively demanding apps, the G60 took 56 seconds on average while the Note 10 Pro was slower by 6-7 seconds most of the time. To note, we have the 6GB RAM variant of both these phones.
Multi-tasking with ease
Apart from the tardiness, the Note 10 Pro lags behind in terms of effectively keeping apps in memory too. In the same multitasking test, the phone had to reload Spotify and Messenger whereas the G60 was able to keep Spotify in memory. With all this, it’s fair to conclude that Motorola’s My UX is objectively better optimized than Xiaomi’s MIUI.
Despite being a mid-range phone, I was quite content with Moto G60’s performance as it handled my everyday usage with almost zero problems. Popularized by Vivo, smartphone makers these days tend to throw big numbers with their “Extended RAM” feature.
Although My UX lacks an exact substitute, you will find something called “Adaptive Performance” on the Moto G60. According to the company, turning it on will aid in effective RAM allocation by using AI. It might also be one of the reasons for my satisfactory multitasking experience on this phone.
Benchmarks:
Motorola Moto G60
Redmi Note 10 Pro
Androbench
Sequential Read
504.94 MB/s
502.11 MB/s
Sequential Write
247.40 MB/s
257.45 MB/s
AnTuTu v8.5
Total
253755
272948
CPU
75764
86648
GPU
78327
76386
Memory
45011
51040
UX
54653
58874
Geekbench 5
CPU (Single Core)
555
493
CPU (Multi-Core)
1514
1575
Compute (OpenCL)
1284
1277
PCMark (Work 3.0 Performance)
9259
9061
3DMark (Wild Life)
1115
1117
For added security, Motorola ships Moto G60 with “ThinkShield” security found in its parent company Lenovo’s laptops. There’s no exact way to know how or when this feature is active but Motorola says it’ll keep your phone safe from security threats like malware, phishing, and network attacks.
Now, even though I enjoy a stock Android UI, having a couple of helpful customization features is always a good thing—and something that saves My UX from being monotonous. Apart from the classic “chop” and “twist” gestures, I’m fond of the features like Peek Display, Audio Effects, and Gametime too.
Gaming experience
With the latter, you can block calls/notifications, record/cast screen, and so much more. “Acoustic Light” is another interesting feature here. Under compatible games like PUBG and COD Mobile, it mimics in-game SFX to indicate where the enemy is firing from and such with a light glow on the four edges of the screen.
Talking about gaming, you can play PUBG Mobile smoothly under Balanced graphics and Ultra frame rate. But if you wish for a better visual enhancement, you can push it to Smooth graphics although I found the phone’s temperature getting comparatively higher under this.
After 30+ minutes of gaming, I clocked its CPU and battery temperature to be around 40ºC and 37ºC, respectively. Likewise, COD Mobile renders a lag-free gaming experience in High graphics/Max frame rate or Very High graphics and Very High frame rate.
With 240Hz of touch sampling rate on board, I couldn’t notice any delay in touch response either. Plus, 120Hz-optimized games like Critical Ops deliver smooth 120fps gameplay under High details.
Cameras
Triple-camera setup at the back
(108MP main, 8MP ultra-wide, 2MP depth)
32MP selfie camera in the teardrop notch
Cameras
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Back
Front
Let’s now get into the cameras. Moto G60, like the Note 10 Pro, includes Samsung’s 108MP ISOCELL HM2 sensor. Completing its triple-camera setup is an 8MP ultrawide and a 2MP depth sensor.
Normal Images
Here, in normal daytime images, I noticed that these phones primarily differed in terms of color tone. While G60 settles for a mild yellowish tint, you can notice photos from the Note 10 Pro to have a slight reddish hue.
Normal
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Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
They’re quite similar in terms of dynamic range but oftentimes, the Note 10 Pro retains low black levels and contrast. The high-detailed 108MP shots from both phones are rather indistinguishable though.
Unfortunately, Moto G60’s camera app gave up on me on multiple occasions when I tried clicking 108MP photos. To get everything working again, I had to clear the app’s storage data.
Additionally, it shows a camera error when attempting to shoot 1080p/60fps videos—with the aforementioned solution working on this instance too. So, I really hope Motorola pushes an update fixing the camera stability issue quite soon.
Ultra-wide Images
Moving on, Note 10 Pro’s low contrast streak continues on the wide-angle images as well.
Wideangle
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Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Nonetheless, it does manage to retain better exposure and highlights. Additionally, ultra-wide shots from Moto G60 are ridiculously over-sharpened.
Portrait Images
Coming to the portraits, the dynamic range and exposure control are superior on the Note 10 Pro while the G60 comes out victorious in regards to edge detection.
Portrait
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Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Plus, subjects look relatively reddish on the Note 10 Pro.
Macro Images
Now, while Moto G60 doesn’t have a dedicated macro sensor, its wide-angle camera shoots close-up shots.
Macro
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Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
To compare, macro photos from Moto G60 look comparatively more vibrant although they’re similar in terms of details.
Selfies Images
I’m also fond of selfie images from the Moto G60 with its superior dynamic range and well-maintained black levels.
Selfie
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Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Yet, the Note 10 Pro does recover when it comes to portrait shots since it manages impressive exposure control with decent dynamic range.
Selfie Portraits
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Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
But just like the regular portrait shots, subjects look reddish here whereas the G60 has better edge detection too. Having said that, there is a noticeable yellowish tint on the portrait selfies from G60.
Nighttime Images
Getting to the nighttime images, the Note 10 Pro manages better HDR and exposure control most of the time.
Nighttime
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Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
With sufficient lighting, the Moto G60 takes superior photos when turning on night mode—while it falls behind under extreme low-lighting situations.
Night Mode
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Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Moto G60
Note 10 Pro
Having said that, both these phones are prone to rabid lens flare, although it’s less so on the G60.
Videography
On to the video side of things, either of these phones can shoot up to 4K/30fps footage. Even though videos come off jittery from the G60, it is way steadier. Because of the camera crash issue I mentioned earlier, I couldn’t compare the 1080p/60fps modes between them.
Anyway, the 1080p/30fps are similar from both devices—be it in terms of details or stabilization. You can shoot under the same resolution from the wide-angle camera too. Here, the G60 retains the jitteriness while also introducing a slight greenish tint.
Upfront, selfie videos are capped to 1080p/30fps. Moto G60’s greenish hue continues in this regard while it also has a narrower field of view. On the contrary, Note 10 Pro brings the classic reddish look. Interestingly, the G60 also supports 1080p/60fps videos although the FOV is extremely narrow.
Battery
6000mAh battery with 20W TurboPower charging
Equipping a massive 6000mAh battery, I’m thoroughly impressed with Moto G60’s battery endurance. Under lightweight to medium usage, I managed to get a solid 10 hours of screen-on time. This consisted of setting the refresh rate to auto and brightness to around 50%.
Battery Endurance
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Throwing a couple of gaming sessions into the mix, the G60 still manages an immaculate 8 hours of SOT.
Motorola’s official claim reads 54 hours of endurance while my test concludes that this is easily a two-day phone. Unfortunately, the Moto G60 juices up rather slow. Using the Quick Charge 4.0 compatible 20W power adapter, it takes about 2 hours and 25 minutes on average to take this phone from 0 to 100%.
Audio
Bottom-firing mono speaker
Like the charging speed, G60’s audio quality leaves things to be desired as well. At a time when the competition like the Note 10 Pro offers a stereo speaker setup, Motorola has gone with a simple bottom-firing mono speaker here. While it is fairly loud, it does not provide the same degree of immersive music experience as the Note 10 Pro’s speakers.
Regardless, I do prefer the stronger haptic feedback on the G60. Apart from this, its call quality is perfectly fine and I had no issues with the proximity sensor either.
Motorola Moto G60 Review: Conclusion
Wrapping up this review, the Motorola Moto G60 has wowed me with its stock Android experience and top-notch battery endurance. Despite this, it falls behind when it comes to other fundamental pillars of a great smartphone, like design and display.
Even disregarding the plastic build quality, G60’s bulky form factor is an easy turn-off for many. And, as I’ve demonstrated throughout this review, the LCD screen and mono speaker on Motorola Moto G60 are no match for the Note 10 Pro’s AMOLED panel and stereo speakers.
Overall, Motorola could have done a lot better to make the G60 a competitive contender in the mid-range smartphone market. So if you don’t care much about the stock Android experience, this shouldn’t be on the top of your top choice.
Oppo was the first to showcase the under-display camera (UDC) technology in 2019. Two years on, the technology has not matured enough to be viable for commercial products on a wide scale. That could soon change with the latest under-screen camera technology from Oppo, which the company claims solves all the issues of previous-gen solutions.
Oppo unveils next-gen under-display camera technology
Oppo announced its newest under-display camera technology via a press release. This development is a result of the latest display hardware combined with a proprietary AI algorithm.
Uniform high-resolution screen
You could notice the dip in resolution and unusual texture above the under-screen camera in previous technologies. Oppo has addressed this issue by making changes in the pixel arrangement and circuitry.
To maintain uniform sharpness throughout the screen, the company has reduced the size of individual pixels. This allows the screen above the under-display camera to have a high pixel density of 400 PPI – the same as the other portion of the screen.
1-to-1 pixel circuit
Oppo has also moved from the industry-standard 1-to-2 to a new 1-to-1 pixel circuit. While a pixel circuit drove 2 pixels in the past, it will only drive one pixel under this.
Oppo’s new 1-to-1 pixel circuit
This, when combined with Oppo’s AI solution, helps in better control of color brightness of individual Red, Green, and Blue diodes within a 2% deviation.
According to the company, this combination also increases the durability of the screen by up to 50%.
Oppo may have fixed the screen issues, but enthusiasts are still skeptical of the imaging screen. Other factors kept constant, a high-res screen has lower light transmittance, which could result in blurry selfies and glares. Oppo has turned to US Research Institutes to combat these problems.
Image sample
An AI diffraction reduction modeled trained using tens of thousands of images will keep diffraction in check. Together with other HDR and Auto White Balance algorithms, Oppo says the selfies from its latest under-display camera will turn out clear and natural.
The proposed standard for under-display camera
If you didn’t already know, Oppo is not the only brand working on under-display selfie camera phones. As such, the company has proposed standards for the under-screen camera to International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). It includes 7 different key-performance metrics – transmittance, reflectance, uniformity, gamma correction, color shift, and brightness decay.
Oppo latest under-display camera: Timing of the announcement
As mentioned earlier, several brands are working on under-display camera phones. ZTE has already launched two commercial phones (Axon 20, Axon 30) with this tech so far. Additionally, Samsung will launch its first phone with a UDC on August 11. The upcoming Mi Mix 4 is also said to have an invisible under-display camera solution.
Thus, it looks like Oppo is trying to get people talking about its innovation before Mi Mix 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 3 steal the limelight.
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Oppo F19 Pro.
Vivo is a company that has a history of incorporating innovative ideas into smartphones. It was the first brand to use an in-display fingerprint scanner, gimbal-stabilized camera, pop-up camera, and more. Vivo is now working on a smartphone with a pyramid-like pop-up camera mechanism for high-multiple zooms.
Vivo patents “high-multiple zoom” pop-up camera
LetsGoDigitial was the first to report about Vivo’s latest innovation. According to the report, the company has already filed a patent at WIPO under the “Camera module, electronic device and camera module control method.” As per the patent, the new pop-up camera will allow high-multiple zooms, which the company says, is not possible in today’s phone.
Pyramid-like structure
There are also multiple concept images of the technology. They reveal four lenses stacked on top of another, forming a pyramid-like structure with a tapering top.
Unlike the pop-up cameras we have seen so far, the lenses here face the rear side of the phone. Here, multiple lenses overlap with each other to offer a wide range of optical zoom.
The patent doesn’t reveal the magnification factor of the structure but states that it will be greater than what smartphones are capable of these days.
The number of cameras in a smartphone at the back has increased over the years. As such, a pop-up mechanism can help keep the rear panel clean.
On the other hand, durability is an issue with any pop-up mechanism. Moving components like motors used in pop-up cameras wear down with time. On the other hand, they also put stress on the battery. These are some of the key reasons the industry quickly resorted back to notch and punch-hole cutouts for front-facing cameras.
The deal with these crazy smartphone ideas
As of now, Vivo’s multiple high zoom pop-up camera is limited to patent. Smartphones brand are known to file patents for every new idea they have. The majority of these patents do not even make it into the prototype phase. The ones making it into a commercial product are even less.
Let’s take the example of Vivo. Earlier, it was reported that it is working on a detachable drone smartphone camera. However, there is no progress in the story since then.
Vivo high-multiple zooms: Gimmicky at best?
Moving on, some of the “crazy ideas” that have made it to actual products have been more of a marketing gimmick than a practical implementation. So, we’re not sure how to feel about the Vivo high-multiple zooms patent just yet.
Asus unveiled the new ROG Zephyrus G14 during CES 2021. This highly portable gaming laptop has been updated with the latest Ryzen 5000 series CPU and RTX 30 series GPU. And great news, it’s finally available in Nepal. Here, we will be discussing the key specs of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 2021, along with its official price and availability in Nepal.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2021) Overview:
Equipped with AMD’s 8-core Ryzen 9 5900HS processor, the Zephyrus G14 can be configured with up to the RTX 3060 Max-Q GPU (65W). On the other hand, the lower-spec models will only get the GTX 1650 (50W) graphics although that’s not available in Nepal. And since 3060 is an RTX card, you can also enjoy NVIDIA’s high-end features such as ray-tracing and DLSS 2.0.
Display and Design
ROG Zephyrus G14 is a 14″ gaming laptop with two display variants. One is a 2K 120Hz model with 100% DCI-P3 coverage. However, those who want to save a few bucks can opt for the 1080p 144Hz option with 100% sRGB color instead. The 144Hz configuration is what’s available in Nepal for now.
Anyway, the Asus Zephyrus G14 retains the AniMe Matrix display on the lid. This time around, the company has also corporated Tamagotchi-style character animation into it. Like its predecessor, the color options available here are Eclipse Gray and Moonlight White.
Battery and Connectivity
Other specs include up to 48GB of DDR4-3200 RAM and up to 1TB NVMe storage. Similarly, there’s a 76Wh battery with 180W charging via the AC adapter. You can also juice it up via one of the two USB-C ports, although the max power supply is restricted to 100W here.
In terms of I/O, the Zephyrus G14 has one USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port (with DisplayPort 1.4 and Power Delivery). Then there are 2x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A, another USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C, and 1x HDMI 2.0b port. Furthermore, it brings Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 in terms of wireless connectivity.
Moving on, the 2021 edition of G14 also retains the Ergolift design. The main chassis lifts from the rubber feet at the bottom of the screen. This helps to improve the airflow and aids in a more comfortable typing experience as well. The laptop draws in air from the bottom while it will let out hot air from the vents under the screen and from the sides.
Furthermore, liquid metal has been applied to the AMD CPU, which should also help with the thermals. Zephyrus G14’s expensive sibling, the G15 also includes updated Arc Flow fans but that’s absent here.
The official price of Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 2021 in Nepal is NPR 258,889. This is for the RTX 3060 variant with 144HZ FHD screen, 16GB RAM, and 1TB SSD. You can buy ROG Zephyrus G14 2021 in Nepal from Nagmani International, which is the authorized distributor of Asus products in the country.
With an upgraded specs sheet and an attractive design, the Zephyrus G14 (2021) will certainly be a powerhouse of a portable laptop. Furthermore, Asus has retained the 1.6kg weight on this one, making it one of the most lightweight gaming laptops of the year.
The last-gen G14 was plagued by heating issues. So, I am looking forward to testing how this one will handle sustained loads. The G15 has also received an update and there’s the ROG Flow X13 too. So, they might take some limelight away from the Asus Zephyrus G14 (2021). Thus, we’ll be sure to review this one and give our detailed opinion about the new Asus ROG Zephyrus G14.
Check out our review of Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2020).
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to know that Nvidia is already working on its next generation of GPUs, the RTX 40 series. And speculations have begun to circulate that the upcoming Ada Lovelace architecture-based RTX 40 series will offer the same level of performance boost that we saw in the 9-series Maxwell to 10-series Pascal GPUs.
Nvidia RTX 40 Series Rumors Roundup:
Performance leap in Pascal GPUs
GTX 10 series is one of the most successful lineups of graphics cards in Nvidia’s history. Based on Pascal micro-architecture, it brought huge improvements in performance, efficiency, and overall value; in comparison to the Maxwell-based GeForce 9 series cards.
Even today, GTX 1080 Ti is regarded as one of the best “Ti” cards ever made. Team green, on the other hand, was unable to achieve such a performance leap in the Turing (RTX 20 series) and Ampere (RTX 30 series)-based cards.
History to repeat
Now, the upcoming Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 series is expected to deliver the same performance leap over the RTX 30 series. As aforementioned, they will be based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, and are expected to be fabricated using TSMC’s 5nm process node.
Furthermore, leakers are pegging the flagship card’s power consumption to be in the 400W to 500W range. In fact, this is greater than even the astoundingly powerful RTX 3090 (350W). And with the boost in power, the performance will see a significant improvement as well—almost double the performance of RTX 3090!
In terms of clock speeds, the Ada Lovelace-powered NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 series GPUs are said to offer clock speeds between 2.2 to 2.5 GHz. This is a significant jump from the 1.7-1.9GHz clock on the Ampere cards.
However, Pascal-based cards have already surpassed the 2.0GHz clock speed. Yet, AMD presently reigns supreme, having promised clock speeds exceeding 2.5Hz on its RDNA 2 GPUs.
NVIDIA RTX 40 Series Release Date
A tipster on Twitter also mentions the release date of these crazy powerful RTX cards. According to him, the release date for RTX 40 series card would be in Q4 2022 or Q1 2023. This is unsurprising given Nvidia’s goal of providing a worthy upgrade to its current-generation GPUs.
Aside from performance, the bigger concern that remains is whether Nvidia will release the RTX 40 series at a price that regains the true feel of Pascal GPUs. That’s because GTX 1080 Ti provided the best value of any Ti graphics card at USD 699.
In addition, following the official introduction of the 1080 Ti, Nvidia also reduced the price of its standard lineup to USD 499 for GTX 1080 and USD 349 for the GTX 1070. But given the current situation, if component shortages continue, expecting a card that provides real value is a pipe dream.
Meanwhile, check out our review of Asus TUF Dash F15 2021.
Lenovo’s IdeaPad lineup of laptops is best-suited for working professionals. Now, expanding its IdeaPad portfolio in Nepal, Lenovo has launched the IdeaPad Slim 5i. So, let’s get into the specs, features, availability, official price of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i in Nepal.
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i Overview:
Design and Display
IdeaPad Slim 5i sports a 15.6″ IPS display with 300 nits of brightness and 45% NTSC color coverage. This Full-HD panel has an anti-glare layer. There is a small protrusion at the top which houses the webcam.
Furthermore, you get to enjoy slim bezels on all sides of the display. Keeping portability in mind, the Slim 5i weighs just 1.6 kg.
Performance
In terms of performance, the device is powered by an 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor. It’s a quad-core CPU with 12MB cache memory and a top clock speed of 4.7 GHz.
Over on the graphics, it comes with a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce MX450 GPU with 2GB GDDR6 VRAM. Memory-wise, the IdeaPad Slim 5i brings 16GB of soldered DDR4-3200MHz RAM. There’s a 1TB HDD and 256GB of PCIe SSD storage onboard.
Besides, the IdeaPad Slim 5i gets its power from a 57Whr battery, which according to the company, can give up to 11 hours of screen on time.
On to the audio, it has a stereo speaker setup with Dolby Audio. For a better visibility, its keyboard comes with a white backlight.
Likewise, the I/O connectivity options include an SD card reader, a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (Always On), an HDMI, a 3.5mm jack, and one USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port.
