Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) has published a working procedure for 5G tests, thereby opening the way for 5G trials in the country. The procedure contains the terms and conditions that telecom companies have to adhere to during, before, throughout, and after the 5G trials.
NTA opens the way for 5G Trials
The procedure guidelines published on July 19 are based on the decision of the Radio Frequency Policy Determination Committee. The committee falls under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MoCIT).
Telecom companies need to submit an application to NTA detailing their plans and modality for 5G trials. Plus, they’ll need to include details regarding the trial site, frequency, and proposed timeline for operation connection and operation. NTA has made it mandatory for telcos to include both rural and town areas in their trial site.
5G infrastructure in Nepal
NTA will then decide to either approve or disapprove the request. Telcos can only start building the network infrastructure after the approval. If they fail to report any progress in infrastructure development, NTA can revoke their trial license. Once the trial is over, telcos can continue using network equipment for 4G after NTA’s approval.
The frequency required for the 5G trials will be provided to telcos for free by NTA. On the other hand, they won’t be allowed to charge any fee from the customer during the trial period. This trial period can last up to 12 months.
Progress report
Telcos will also be required to submit reports to NTA about the progress of the trial every 3 months. They need to include opportunities, problems, and suggestions regarding 5G implementation.
5G in Nepal: The roadblock
State-owned Nepal Telecom (NT) is all but ready to start 5G trials in the country. The Sher Bahadur Deuba-led government is yet to pick a Communications and Information Technology Minister. This has halted the process of spectrum allotment. We believe the process will resume once the position in MoCIT is filled.
The recent political changes can hamper Nepal’s dream of becoming the first South Asian country to have fifth-generation mobile connectivity. Next in line is India which has already given green signals to a couple of telcos for 5G trials.
Meanwhile, check out our review of the ZenBook Flip 13.
A few days after the launch of the Poco F3 GT, the company has unveiled its latest entry in the X series—the Poco X3 GT. The device is basically a rebranded version of the Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G launched in China in May. So, let’s get into the specs, features, availability, and expected price of the Poco X3 GT in Nepal.
Poco X3 GT Overview:
Currently, the Poco X3 lineup is home to standard X3 and X3 Pro, both of which follow the company’s own design language. Ergo, they’re not a reskinned Xiaomi/Redmi phone. However, that is not the case with the X3 GT.
Design and Display
Starting with the display, the Poco X3 GT flaunts a 6.6-inch LCD panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate. The screen boasts a Full HD resolution, is HDR10 certified, and has a punch-hole cutout for housing the front camera. It also hosts Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection on the front.
Moreover, the phone has a polycarbonate body and a rectangular camera cutout on the back. Poco X3 GT is available in three color options – Cloud White, Wave Blue, and Stargaze Black.
Under the hood, it packs MediaTek’s Dimensity 1100 SoC, which is a flagship chipset based on TSMC’s 6nm process. In terms of memory, the phone is available with up to 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. Furthermore, the Poco X3 GT boots on Android 11-based MIUI 12.5. Fueling the device is a 5,000mAh battery that charges via a USB-C port using a 67W Turbo adapter.
Camera
In terms of optics, it features a triple camera module at the back led by a 64MP primary sensor. The main lens is accompanied by an 8MP ultrawide and a 2MP macro sensor. Likewise, on the front, there’s a 16MP lens for selfies and video calls. The rear camera is capable of recording 4K videos at 30fps.
Rest of the specs
Aside from this, Poco X3 GT has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor for biometrics. In terms of connectivity, the phone supports 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, IR, and NFC. Lastly, you get a stereo speaker setup with Dolby Atmos audio.
Back Camera: Triple (64MP primary, 8MP ultra-wide, 2MP macro)
Front Camera: 16MP (punch-hole)
Biometrics: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, USB Type-C, NFC, IR blaster
Battery: 5000mAh with 67W Turbo Charging
Poco X3 GT Price in Nepal and Availability
Poco X3 GT has been launched at an asking price of USD 299 for the 8/128GB variant while the 8/256GB model costs USD 329. The device will be available across Southeast Asia, Middle East, Latin America, and Africa. We expect the price of the Poco X3 GT to start around NPR 40,000 if and when it launches in Nepal.
Poco X3 GT
Price in the US
Price in Nepal (Expected)
8/128GB
USD 299
NPR 40,000
8/256GB
USD 329
NPR 45,000
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Redmi Note 10 Pro (Max).
Last year, Apple announced iPhone 12 series with a magnetic MagSafe charger. Now, similar technology is making its way to Android phones. Realme has already admitted to working on its next flagship “Realme Flash”, which will be the first in the Android smartphone world to support wireless magnetic charging.
Realme Flash: Everything we know so far
The company shared a teaser poster of Realme Flash on its social media handles. There is no official information about the Realme Flash, except that it’ll the first Android phone with a magnetic charger.
The poster only provides a glimpse of the phone’s rear panel. Still, you can notice the left-aligned triple camera setup and rounded corners. It’s kinda reminiscent of the camera module on the OnePlus 9—kinda.
Leaked Specs
Detailed specs of the phone are already out, courtesy of GSMArena. According to the leak, Realme Flash will feature a curved screen with a circular cutout at the top-left.
Inside, the phone will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888. Additionally, it will be paired with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. However, we can expect other memory configurations at the time of launch. Similarly, the phone will boot Android 11 with Realme UI 2.0 on top.
The wireless magnetic charger will be called MagDart. It will attach to the back of the phone and will feature a USB-Type C port. From what we have seen so far, there will be at least be two variants of MagDart chargers. One looks quite similar to Apple’s MagSafe, while the other looks far from it.
Here, the bigger MagDart charger will have a faster charging speed than its Apple counterpart. The exact speed is not known yet, but it will be more than 15W.
Also, it will have a built-in fan and vents to keep the temperature in check. The leak also suggests that MagDart will be the fastest magnetic charger at its launch.
Realme Flash Official Launch Date
Realme Flash will be launched during the “Realme Magnetic Innovation Event” scheduled for August 3. It will start at 5:30 PM IST (5:45 PM NPT). Users will be able to watch the live stream on Facebook and YouTube.
Smartphone
Launch Date
Realme Flash
August 3, 2021
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Realme X7 Max.
Samsung has officially dropped the price of Galaxy Z Fold 2 in Nepal. With the unpacked event scheduled for August 11 where Samsung will be unveiling its latest Z flip 2 and Fold 3, the older generation Z Fold 2 has seen a massive price cut. Currently, it sees a price cut of Rs. 40,000.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Overview
The original Galaxy Fold was a sort of experiment in the field of foldable phones. The idea was an innovative one but the phone faced a lot of durability issues. Its launch was postponed multiple times because of Samsung’s inability to solve all the problems. Samsung will likely avoid those situations with its successor.
As you may have already noticed, Samsung has tweaked the naming scheme to include the Fold 2 in the Z series. The Z series will be Samsung’s lineup of foldable smartphones. There are already two devices under the Z lineup – Z Flip and Z Flip 5G. So, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 basically has had two devices to take inspiration from. And it seems to have done a very good job.
Design and Display
There is a noticeable change in the design of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 from its predecessor, the Galaxy Fold. The outer screen is now a 6.2-inch HD+ display. It supports HDR10+ although the refresh rate is 60Hz only. Still, it has a tall aspect ratio of 25:9 and comes with a punch hole for a 10MP selfie camera.
Similarly, the size of the inner display has been increased too. It is now a 7.6-inch display as compared to the 7.2-inch panel of the Galaxy Fold. The panel is a Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. It supports HDR10+ and has a refresh rate of 120Hz.
Interestingly, the Z Fold 2 also brings the variable refresh rate tech from the Note 20 Ultra where the display can dynamically adjust the refresh rate between 11Hz & 120Hz depending upon the content on the screen.
Unfortunately, the 120Hz experience is only available on the main 7.6-inch display, and not on the 6.2-inch cover display. In terms of protection, the cover display is strengthened by the latest Corning Gorilla Glass Victus while the back panel makes do with its predecessor – the Gorilla Glass 6.
UTG to the rescue
The bezels are thin and instead of a notch, there’s a punch-hole that houses the selfie camera. Furthermore, the polymer glass of the Galaxy Fold has been replaced by the Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG). Moreover, the display structure has been changed too. It now employs the Under Metal Cushion.
A gap is visible when the screen is folded and it is necessary for the UTG to fold over. Moreover, the gap also makes it easier for the phone to open. Also, the hinge on the device shares the same flex mode feature as that of the Galaxy Z Flip.
The device can stay in place between 75 to 115 degrees thanks to the new CAM technology. There’s also the “sweeper” to sweep away dust particles from getting into the hinge and damaging this pristine piece of hardware.
Samsung offers its customers an option to customize the hinge color too. However, this feature will be limited to certain regions only. People elsewhere will have to do with the offered Mystic Bronze and Mystic Black color. Oh, and not to forget, the fingerprint sensor is no longer under the display. It is side-mounted and doubles up as the power button. And there’s no Bixby button either.
Performance and Camera
The Z Fold 2 is powered by the last-gen Snapdragon 865+ along with 12GB of RAM. Making use of the larger unfolded display, Samsung is introducing a bunch of new features like “App Continuity”.
Here, users will now be able to seamlessly transition between screens while continuing with the apps they were previously running. Another exciting feature is called “App Pair” where you can easily open multiple apps spanning the main display with a single shortcut.
This is kinda similar to what Microsoft did with the Surface Duo or Asus with its ZenBook Duo series of laptop. Just like the Note 20 Ultra, the Z Fold 2 also boasts Ultra-Wideband (UWB) tech for a faster data transfer between devices.
The device will flaunt a triple camera setup on its back. Its three cameras are arranged vertically inside the rectangular module, along with an LED flash. The module has a significant bump compared to the rear surface.
Galaxy Z Fold 2’s rear camera setup consists of a 12MP primary, 12MP telephoto, and 12MP ultra-wide-angle sensor. In terms of selfie cameras, there are two – a 10MP sensor on the main display, and the same lens on the smaller cover display. They support 4k 30fps and 4k 60fps recording at 16:9 and 21:9 aspect ratio.
Battery and rest of the specs
Galaxy Z Fold 2 features a 4,500mAh battery (dual cell). It supports 25W wired charging, wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging. On the software side of things, the device runs on Samsung’s own One UI.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Specifications:
Outer Display: 6.2″ Super AMOLED with HD+ (2260 x 816 pixels) resolution; 60Hz refresh rate
Inner Display: 7.6″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X with FHD+ (2208 x 1768 pixels resolution); 120Hz refresh rate
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+; 7nm Mobile Platform
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Price in Nepal and Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 was launched in Nepal for a price of NPR 2,49,999. However, after the price drop, you can get it for a ballpark price of Rs. 209,999. Samsung Nepal is also offering 1-year breakage insurance. You can buy the Galaxy Z Fold 2 from different Samsung authorized stores in the country.
Model Name
Old Price in Nepal
New Price
Galaxy Z Fold 2
NPR 2,49,999
NPR 2,09,999
Check out our review of Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra!
Nothing Ear 1 may have made all the headlines, but it was not the only wireless earbuds to have launched yesterday. ZTE Buds and LiveBuds Pro were unveiled alongside the company’s Axon 30 5G. Here, we will be looking at the specs, features, and expected price of ZTE Buds and LiveBuds Pro in Nepal.
ZTE LiveBuds Pro Overview
Let’s start with the premium one. As the name suggests, it is the Pro version of ZTE LiveBuds that was launched towards the end of last year. It gives continuity to the in-ear design. The earbuds are sweat-resistant.
The Pro feature here is the Active Noise Cancellation (up to 35dB). For it to work, ZTE has included three microphones on each earbud. There is also a transparent mode when you need to be aware of the surrounding.
There is also a game mode that reduces transmission latency to just 70ms. ZTE LiveBuds Pro boasts a combined battery life (case + earbuds) of up to 24 hours.
ZTE BudsLive Pro Features:
In-ear design with silicone tips
10mm dynamic drivers
Sweat-proof
3-mic ANC (up to 35dB)
Transmission mode
Game mode (up to 70ms)
24 hours of combined playback
ZTE Buds Overview
Moving on, ZTE Buds is the more modest of the two. It has an open-fit design, which means you don’t get silicone ear tips for a customized fit.
The earbuds are lightweight at just 3.4 grams and are sweat-proof. They have noise reduction technology for better call quality. Another highlight of the ZTE Buds is the 500mAh battery in the case.
ZTE Buds Features:
Open-fit design
3.4 grams (each earbud)
Noise reduction during calls
5 hours of music playback
500mAh battery in case
ZTE Buds and LiveBuds Pro Price in Nepal and Availability
ZTE Buds and BudsLive Pro are now available in China with price tags of CNY 169 and CNY 349, respectively. You will soon be able to buy it from ZTE Mall. We expect the price of ZTE Buds and BudsLive Pro in Nepal to be around NPR 3,500 and NPR 7,000 if and when they launch here.
Wireless Earbuds
Price in China
Price in Nepal [Expected]
ZTE Buds
CNY 169
NPR 3,500
ZTE LiveBuds Pro
CNY 349
NPR 7,000
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Realme Buds Q2.
Months after the official launch of the Axon 30 series, ZTE has finally unveiled the standard Axon 30. So, let’s check out the key specs, features, expected price, and availability of ZTE Axon 30 5G in Nepal.
ZTE Axon 30 5G Overview:
Axon 30 5G is a follow-up to last year’s Axon 20 5G, which is the world’s first commercial phone with an under-display camera (UDC). Its successor builds on the first-gen tech, bringing further improvements.
Under-display selfie camera
Let’s start with the main highlight of ZTE Axon 30, the under-display selfie camera. Axon 20 5G’s UDC suffered from low resolution and transmittance, and ZTE has tried to fix that here. First, the screen above the camera now has a high pixel density of 400 PPI.
It is composed of 7 different layers of highly transparent material. In addition, the company has included an independent display chip and 3 processing technologies for display enhancement. Here, the 16MP under-display camera uses 4-in-1 pixel binning to form a 2.24μm pixel.
Display and Design
Moving on, Axon 30 5G inherits the already impressive display specs from its successor. You get the same 6.92-inch 10-bit AMOLED screen with 100% DCI-P3 coverage and a 20.5:9 aspect ratio. ZTE has integrated faster refresh and touch sampling rates of 120Hz and 360Hz, respectively.
Axon 30 also is the first phone to have eye-protection certification from TÜV, SGS, and UL. There is also a DC Dimming feature to reduce screen flickering in low brightness.
Anyway, ZTE has replaced the glass back compared to other entries in the Axon 30 series with a 3D polymer shell here. It has a nano-level glow texture overlay on top.
Running the show underneath is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 870 SoC. While it is not the most powerful chipset out there, it is still a healthy upgrade from Snapdragon 765G on the Axon 20 5G.
The phone comes with up to 12GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. In addition, the virtual RAM feature lets users use 5GB of internal storage like RAM.
Camera
At the back, you have a quad-camera setup led by the 64MP Sony IMX682 sensor. It is accompanied by an 8MP ultrawide, a 2MP depth, and a 5MP macro sensor. While there are not many changes in the camera specs, the camera module has certainly gone through a bold makeover.
Rest of the specs
Fueling the phone is a 4200mAh battery with support for 55W fast charging. It ships with ZTE’s MyOS 11 based on Android 11 out-of-the-box.
ZTE Axon 30 will go on sale in China from August 3. Its price starts at CNY 2,198 for the 6/128GB variant. The company has teased Axon 30’s global launch too. ZTE has teased its comeback in Nepal as well. We expect the price of ZTE Axon 30 5G in Nepal to start at NPR 45,000 if it launches here.
ZTE Axon 30 5G
Price in China
Price in Nepal (Expected)
6/128GB
CNY 2,198
NPR 45,000
8/128GB
CNY 2,498
NPR 50,000
8/256GB
CNY 2,798
NPR 56,000
12/256GB
CNY 3,098
NPR 62,000
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Xiaomi Mi 11X Pro.
After months of anticipation, Carl Pei’s Nothing is finally unveiled its first product —Ear (1). The Ear (1) is just the beginning of a long and exciting journey for Nothing. Here we will be discussing the key specifications, features, expected price, and availability of Nothing Ear (1) in Nepal.
Nothing Ear (1) Overview:
The deal with transparency
Ear (1) is bound to stand out among its competitors because of the unusual design choice. That looks to be the primary design inspiration for the TWS. In the interview with TechCrunch, CEO Pete Lei said, “It turns out, there’s a reason why there’s not a lot of transparent consumer tech products out there.”
On the other hand, transparent design is very hard to pull off. You are trying to make something look perfect when it would have been covered completely in traditional design. This, in part, has contributed to the delayed launch of the product.
Not so original design
Keeping the transparency aside, the Ear (1) reminds me of Oppo Enco W51, which we reviewed a while ago. You have an AirPod-like stem design with silicone tips at the end. Nothing ships Ear (1) with three pairs of the latter for optimum fit. Each earbud weighs around 4.7 grams.
Sound and Connectivity
Inside, you get an 11.6mm dynamic Graphene driver. AAC and SBC are the only codecs supported here. Thus, you won’t be able to enjoy high-fidelity using Ear (1).
As for connectivity, Ear (1) comes with the latest Bluetooth v5.2. It is compatible with Android (v5.1 and above) and the latest iPhones (11 and later). It even supports Fast Pairing with select Android smartphones.
Moving on, Nothing Ear (1) comes with hybrid Active Noise Cancellation. It is the Apple AirPods-like feature that Carl Pei was referring to earlier. You even have the option to switch to transparency Mode; when you don’t want complete isolation from the surrounding.
Nothing has included three high-definition microphones for the AI-powered environmental noise cancellation.
Customization Options
The steam of the earbud is home to touch-sensitive controls. It supports tap (double and triple), tap and hold, and sliding input. Users have the option to customize the triple tap and tap and hold as per their liking.
Talking about the companion app, it offers four sound preset to choose from – all tuned by Teenage Engineering. You can even adjust the noise cancellation level from the app.
Rest of the Specs
On a full charge, the Ear (1) can last up to 4 hours with the ANC turned on Turning off the ANC will add two hours of playback. With the case, the number increases to 24 hours and 34 hours, respectively. Ear 1 supports fast charging which provides a combined 8 hours of playback (case+earbuds) with a quick 10-minute charge.
You can fully charge the case in 52 minutes. It even supports wireless charging but it is slower as it takes around 2.5 hours.
Nothing has been very confident about the pricing of the Ear (1). While it is not going to be dirt cheap, the company says it is affordable given the features it packs.
For context, Nothing Ear (1) is priced at $99 in the US, £99 in the UK, INR 5,999 in India, and €99 in Europe. The first sale is on July 31 on Nothing’s official site.
The company will be focusing on direct sales to keep the price down. It has already announced partnerships with Samarttech and Selfridges. UK, India, Europe, and North America will be the primary market for Nothing. In total, Nothing will be available in 45 different countries.
We can expect the price of Nothing Ear 1 in Nepal to be around NPR, if and when it launches here.
Nothing Product
Price in India
Price in Nepal [Expected]
Ear (1)
INR 5,999
NPR 10,000
There will be more
In addition to TWS, Nothing is also working on two other products. While we don’t know what they are, we believe they will all follow the same “principle unique design and seamless connection”.
Nothing has also clarified that they have not yet thought of utilizing any of Essential’s intellectual properties in its products. Nothing bought Essential for trademarks, but it has no further plans for the time being.
Meanwhile, check out our review of the OnePlus 9 Pro.
Last year, Oppo entered the smartwatch market with the Oppo Watch. Today, the company has launched its successor in the form of Oppo Watch 2. Here, we will be discussing the key specifications, features, expected price in Nepal, and availability of Oppo Watch 2.
Oppo Watch 2 Overview
Design and Display
Coming from the company’s first smartwatch, Oppo hasn’t made many changes to the design. Oppo Watch 2, like its predecessor, features a square display with curved edges. You can choose between two sizes – 42mm and 46mm.
Here, the 46mm case option hosts a larger 1.91″ AMOLED panel whereas the 42mm option brings a 1.75″ screen instead. Despite this, both displays cover 100% of DCI-P3 color space and a 326 PPI. Also, like the last-gen Oppo Watch (46mm), these displays retain 3D curvature on the sides.
You can customize the watch with a wide range of watch faces. Oppo lets you create a watch face of your own as well. The watch also inherits the AI Wear dial feature that lets users make new watch faces using pictures taken from a smartphone.
Moving on, the silicone strap of the first-gen Oppo Watch now has a buckle design. There is a calfskin version if you are interested.
Performance
Inside, Oppo Watch 2 runs on Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon Wear 4100, which is a healthy upgrade from the Wear 3100 on its predecessor. Here, this chip features four Cortex-A53 CPU cores and is fabricated under the newer 7nm process node.
According to Qualcomm, Wear 4100 uses 25% less power and boasts 2.5 times greater graphics prowess. Oppo has paired it with Ambiq’s Apollo 4s co-processor. The watch will use Wear 4100 in Smart Mode, whereas it will switch to Apollo 4s under Battery Saving Mode.
The latter also limits the smart capability of the watch. However, users can still use the health/workout monitoring and notification feature. The switch is automatic when in full smart mode, thanks to Oppo’s UDDE (Ultra Dynamic Dual Engine) technology.
Moving on, its 24-hour heart rate monitoring can detect irregular beats. Similarly, the sleep-tracking feature can detect breathing problems too. You can even use it together with a blood glucose meter, weight scale, and blood pressure monitor.
Oppo Watch 2 supports over 100 different sports modes. It even supports the automatic detection of at least six of them. As a safety precaution, Oppo has added fall detection and a one-key SOS emergency call to the watch.
Smart features
This smartwatch has eSIM support in China, but it is to be seen if the company retains the feature when it eventually launches globally. Oppo has included a stress detection feature on the watch as well, and the new Relax app to go with it.
It also has a built-in GPS (triple positioning system) to accurately track your training route and movement. Oppo Watch 2 can double as a viewfinder and trigger for your smartphone’s camera app too.
Moving on, it ships with ColorOS Watch 2.0, which the company has optimized to run over 50 different popular apps, including Baidu Maps, WeChat, and NetEase Cloud Music. But we expect its global variant to run on Google’s Wear OS—or the new Wear platform co-developed by Google and Samsung.
Additionally, it features an E-Game mode. When turned on, it will redirect all your phone’s notifications to the watch. In addition, Watch 2 can record your heart rate and calories consumed during the period.
Battery and Charging
In terms of battery, the larger 46mm variant features a 510mAh battery that the company claims can last up to 4 days in Smart Mode. It can be stretched to 16 days using Power Saver mode. On the other hand, the 42mm variant packs a smaller 360mAh cell that can last for 2.5 days and 10 days, respectively.
Similarly, Oppo claims that 10 minutes of charging using VOOC 2.0 technology can provide one day of battery on the 46mm variant. This number climbs to 15 minutes for the smaller 42mm case.
Oppo Watch 2 Specifications:
Body:
41mm: 42.78 x 36.79 x 11.40mm, 31 gm, 20mm case
46mm: 46.37 x 38.51 x 11.55mm, 35 gm, 22mm case
Display:
42mm: 1.75-inches 3D AMOLED, 372 x 430 pixels
46mm: 1.91-inches 3D AMOLED, 402 x 476 pixels
Display Properties: 60Hz refresh rate, 100% DCI-P3, 326 PPI
Oppo Watch 2 will be available in China starting August 6, where its price at CNY 1,299 and CNY 1,499 for the 42mm Bluetooth, eSIM variants, respectively. Similarly, the 46mm eSIM model costs CNY 1,999. We expect the price of Oppo Watch 2 in Nepal to start at NPR 25,000 when it launches here.
Oppo Watch 2
Price in China
Price in Nepal (Expected)
42mm, Bluetooth
CNY 1,299
NPR 25,000
42mm, eSIM
CNY 1,499
NPR 30,000
46mm, eSIM
CNY 1,999
NPR 40,000
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Oppo Watch.
In this review, I’ll be discussing the new Samsung Galaxy M32. I have used this phone for around two weeks now alongside the Redmi Note 10S, which is arguably one of the best midrange phones right now. I have already talked a lot about the Samsung Galaxy M32 in my early impressions so I will try to keep this review short and share my experiences here.
Battery: 6000mAh with 25W fast charge (15W adapter inside the box)
Color options: Light Blue, Black, Laser Green
Price in Nepal: Rs. 24,999 (4/64GB) | Rs. 27,999 (6/128GB)
Samsung Galaxy M32 Review:
Allow me to start things off with what I have liked about the M32 and the aspects where it is better than the Note 10S. First, it has to be the display.
Display
6.4-inches FHD+ Super AMOLED display
90Hz refresh rate, Gorilla Glass 5 protection
Although both these phones share a similar AMOLED Full HD screen on paper, I found the one on the M32 to be superior. It has better colors, especially the skin tone in videos, and the contrast levels are also quite accurate. Plus, with the 90Hz refresh rate on board, this screen feels smooth while navigating through the UI.
This is especially noticeable if you are coming from a 60Hz panel. Its brightness is sufficient for both indoors and outdoors usage too. And I didn’t notice any touch issues on the M32 either which is usually the case with the Redmi Note series phones.
Surprisingly enough, Samsung has included Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5 protection here, while the Note 10S only features Gorilla Glass 3. So, apart from the outdated and ugly-looking notch, this phone pretty much delivers an excellent viewing experience.
Battery
6000mAh battery with 25W fast charging
Only 15W adapter provided inside the box
Likewise, the battery is another major win for the Galaxy M32. Here, Samsung has fitted in a big 6000mAh cell on a relatively small body. And during my time with it, I didn’t feel like I was holding a typical bulky phone. Regardless, I got around 9 hours of SOT (Screen-On Time) under heavy usage which translates to, like, at least a day and a half of battery back up.
On moderate usage, I managed to squeeze out up to 11 hours of SOT which makes it an easy 2-day battery phone. With all this, I can confidently say that the Galaxy M32 is almost in the same league as the Galaxy M62 and the iPhone 12 Pro Max when it comes to battery endurance.
For charging, I didn’t use the 15W power brick provided inside the box since it will definitely take a lot of time to fill up this mammoth 6000mAh battery. Instead, I got myself Samsung’s 25W PD (Power Delivery) charger which is compatible with the M32. Here, this 25W charger takes just 1 hour 45 minutes to take the phone from 0 to 100%.
It would have been better if Samsung retired its 15W charger and started providing a 25W charger on the phones that support it by default. Or maybe just don’t include one altogether since this move effectively goes against the eco-friendly practices that we saw in the company’s flagship Galaxy S series smartphones this year.
Anyway, another show-stealer for the Galaxy M32 is its camera quality. You see, at this price range, the cameras of almost all the Chinese brands are sub-par and I think this is where Samsung truly shines thanks to its excellent optimization.
Normal Images
Here, its normal images have excellent colors and look brighter and livelier in comparison to the ones from Redmi Note 10S. The highlight preservation is also spot-on in most scenarios, whereas the Note 10S messes up with exposure.
Normal
1 of 8
Galaxy M32
Redmi Note 10S
Galaxy M32
Redmi Note 10S
Galaxy M32
Redmi Note 10S
Galaxy M32
Redmi Note 10S
Similarly, M32 locks the focus perfectly in difficult situations, while Note 10S fails miserably. Hence, Galaxy M32’s primary camera is much better than the Note 10S by a long shot.
Portrait Images
Additionally, portraits also share the same story, where the M32’s photos are livelier. The ones from Note 10S aren’t bad by any means, but I prefer the skin tone and background colors of the M32.
Portrait
1 of 6
Galaxy M32
Redmi Note 10S
Galaxy M32
Redmi Note 10S
Galaxy M32
Redmi Note 10S
Also, I got more consistent results with the M32 than the Note 10S in terms of color optimization.
Selfie Images
Moving on, selfies are also superior on the M32.
Selfie
1 of 6
Galaxy M32
Redmi Note 10S
Galaxy M32
Redmi Note 10S
Galaxy M32
Redmi Note 10S
It optimizes your skin tone, making them look better whereas you will find that the images from Note 10S have this unnatural contrast.
Wideangle Images
The other two lenses, the ultra-wide-angle, and the 2MP macro camera are kinda hit or miss.
Wideangle
1 of 6
Galaxy M32
Redmi Note 10S
Galaxy M32
Redmi Note 10S
Galaxy M32
Redmi Note 10S
Here, although the ultra-wide-shots look better than the Note 10S on most occasions with a wider field of view, overall, it outputs soft and darker images.
Galaxy M32
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Normal
Wideangle
Plus, the dynamic range isn’t as good as the main camera either.
Macro Images
Macro
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Galaxy M32
Redmi Note 10S
Galaxy M32
Redmi Note 10S
Galaxy M32
Redmi Note 10S
The macro images, well, as you can see, lack sharpness, and are quite dull.
Nighttime Images
Similarly, as the sun does down, nighttime images don’t work as well as daytime shots.
Nighttime
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Galaxy M32
Redmi Note 10S
Galaxy M32
Redmi Note 10S
Galaxy M32
Redmi Note 10S
They are lacking in terms of details and overall, the images are not worth sharing on social media.
Night Mode
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Galaxy M32
Redmi Note 10S
Galaxy M32
Redmi Note 10S
Night mode doesn’t do any big favor either, but it does improve the exposure and details by a bit.
Videography
Nevertheless, let’s now talk about not-so-good aspects of the M32 and the key areas where you’ll find the Note 10S doing a much better job. The first thing that comes to mind has to be its video ability. While M32’s photography department is outstanding for the price, it doesn’t reciprocate this achievement when it comes to the videos.
In fact, it’s inferior to the last-gen Galaxy M31. Here, you can only shoot up to 1080P 30fps videos and there’s no 4K 30fps or 1080P 60fps mode. The stabilization is poor and neither has Samsung included the Super Steady Mode here.
In comparison, Xiaomi provides EIS on the Note 10S, and hence, its footage comes off better stabilized. If it’s any consolation, the ultra-wide-angle videos from the M32 are steadier than those from its main cameras. Likewise, the slow-mo videos do a better job on the M32 if you compare it against the Note 10S.
Android 11 with Samsung’s One UI Core 3.1 on top (upgradeable)
Another aspect where the Galaxy M32 is just about average is in the performance department. It features MediaTek’s Helio G80 chipset, which is found on much cheaper Redmi devices, and Samsung’s own Galaxy F22.
I got myself the base 4GB RAM variant of the M32. After using it for 2 weeks as my daily driver, I found that its performance isn’t as bad as I’d initially anticipated, although it still isn’t as good as the competition.
Plus, the bigger culprit for this sub-par performance is the eMMC storage. Here, the Helio G80 powering the phone doesn’t support the faster UFS 2.1 standard. Now that’s quite hysterical because Samsung is the world’s No. 1 flash memory brand and the first company to develop 3D V-NAND storage.
With the eMMC storage protocol, the random read and write speed is much slower on Galaxy M32 in comparison to UFS 2.1 storage-powered phones. As a result, anything from opening apps to installing them is a tad bit slower on the M32.
UI/UX
Still, Samsung’s One UI rendered no problem throughout my usage. Unlike with Xiaomi phones, dark mode is well-optimized, the 90Hz mode is smooth for the most part, and there is no overheating issue either.
Plus, Samsung is offering quarterly security updates for up to 4 years and at least 2 generations of Android updates with the M32. That being said, the ultimate truth remains that this is a slower phone compared to the Redmi Note 10S, and you will notice this especially when playing graphically demanding games.
Gaming experience
Even when I played Genshin Impact in the lowest of settings, the gameplay isn’t smooth as I’d hoped for. But since this game is extremely GPU-hungry, I will let it slide. Moving on to PUBG Mobile, I played the game under Smooth graphics and Ultra frame rates here and Samsung seems to have optimized it enough to run it smoothly.
I didn’t feel any choppiness or lags either and the gameplay was much better than Genshin Impact. Still, the graphics detail you’re getting isn’t as good as the one on the Note 10S. Call of Duty Mobile, which is one of the optimized games to run even in low-end chipsets, plays smoothly on the Galaxy M32 at Medium graphics and High frame rates.
Similarly, higher FPS games like Wargames, Critical Ops, and Mortal Kombat run smoothly at 90fps and fully utilize this 90Hz screen.
So, it seems like Samsung has optimized games to run fairly smoothly on this phone despite the hardware limitations. Plus, after more than an hour of gameplay, it only drained the battery by 10%, which is quite impressive. Still, let me reiterate that demanding titles like Genshin impact don’t yield a good experience and the overall UI/UX experience isn’t very smooth here.
Design & Build
74 x 159.3 x 9.3mm, 196 grams
Plastic back/frame, glass front
Adding to the list of average aspects of the M32 is its design. It has a plastic back and during my usage, my unit has already suffered some scratches on the back. Additionally, Samsung could have given some colorful options as they did with the A22 as well.
Design
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Buttons
SIM Tray
Ports
And finally, you only get a mono speaker here. Even though this speaker is okay when watching movies, I kinda miss the stereo effect when listening to songs on Spotify.
In Samsung’s defense, they have retained a 3.5mm headphone jack and included a good DAC too. Moreover, this side-mounted fingerprint scanner works pretty well and I faced no trouble with it.
Samsung Galaxy M32 Review: Conclusion
To wrap up this review, if not for the performance, the Samsung Galaxy M32 would have almost been the perfect midrange phone of 2021. I don’t mind its plastic body or the fact that it doesn’t have a stereo speaker. But, reliable performance is something of an absolute necessity for heavy users like me. Also, if you are a demanding user and play a lot of games, you should stray far from this phone.
That being said, if you are a moderate user like my sister, who only plays lightweight games like Ludo and Candy Crush, but wants an excellent battery life, great display, and reliable cameras that can take good photos from both front and the back, the Galaxy M32 is indeed an ideal phone for you.
Likewise, if you don’t have enough budget for the M32, you can consider getting the cheaper F22 which I am currently testing out. And from my early impressions, I can tell you that you won’t be missing out on too much with the F22.
Here, we have listed all the Gionee mobiles launched in Nepal, along with their specs, features, official price, and availability.
Gionee is a name that I assume most of us are familiar with. The Chinese smartphone brand ruled the Nepali market even before the arrival of Xiaomi and Realme. At some point, it was even the third-largest smartphone brand in Nepal. However, the company announced bankruptcy in 2018 after it failed to pay its debt of USD 2.9 billion. Gionee’s the then Chairman Li Lirong even admitted to using the company’s fund for gambling.
Almost two years after the incident, Gionee returned to the Nepali market with the launch of M100 in 2020. The company has launched quite a few phones in the market since then.
Gionee Mobiles Price in Nepal [Summary]
Smartphone Model
Price in Nepal
Gionee P15
Rs. 11,599 (4/64GB)
Gionee M100
Rs. 13,999 (4/64GB)
Gionee M12
Rs. 24,999 (6/128GB)
Gionee M15
Rs. 23,699 (6/128GB)
Rs. 27,499 (8/128GB)
Gionee P15
Here, the Gionee P15 is an entry-level phone built around a 6.52-inch LCD panel. It has an 8MP selfie camera enclosed by a waterdrop notch. Powering the phone is UNISOC SC9863a. It is paired with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. Other features include a 13MP triple camera, a 5,000mAh battery, and a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.
Gionee P15 specifications:
Display: 6.52-inches HD+ LCD panel
Chipset: Unisoc SC9863a (28nm)
Memory: 2GB RAM, 32GB storage (expandable up to 256GB)
Software & UI: Android Go Edition (unspecified version)
Rear Camera: Triple (13MP + VGA + VGA)
Front Camera: 8MP (notch)
Security: Rear-mounted fingerprint scanner
Battery: 5,000mAh
Price: Rs. 11,599 (2/32GB)
Gionee M100
Gionee M100 features a 6.2-inch HD+ panel with a waterdrop notch for the 5MP selfie camera. At the back, there is a 13MP camera accompanied by a 0.3MP sensor. The phone is powered by MediaTek Helio P23. It gets its juice from a 5,000mAh battery.
Gionee M100 Specifications:
Display: 6.2-inches HD+ In-Cell Panel
Chipset: MediaTek Helio P23 (16nm)
Memory: 4GB RAM, 64GB, expandable via a microSD card
Likewise, Gionee M12 features a 6.55-inch IPS panel with a left-aligned punch-hole cutout for the 16MP selfie camera. At the back, you have a 48MP primary, 5MP ultrawide, and two 2MP sensors.
Under the hood, Gionee M12 packs MediaTek Helio P22 chipset. Fueling the phone is a 5100mAh battery with support for 10W charging.
Gionee M12 Specifications:
Display: 6.55-inches HD+ panel, 720 x 1600 pixels
Chipset: MediaTek Helio P22 (12nm)
Memory: 6GB RAM, 128GB storage (expandable up to 256GB)
The final entry in our list of Gionee mobiles price in Nepal is the Gionee M15. It features a 6.67-inch FHD+ panel with a center-placed punch-hole cutout. The phone is powered by MediaTek Helio G90. It ships with Android 11 out-of-the-box.
At the back, its camera module encloses a 48MP primary, a 5MP ultrawide, and two additional 2MP sensors. There is a 16MP selfie camera up front. Fueling the phone is a 5,100mAh battery with 18W fast charging.
![Gionee Mobiles Price in Nepal [Updated]](https://cdn.gadgetbytenepal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Gionee-Mobile-Price-in-Nepal.jpg "Gionee Mobiles Price in Nepal [Updated]")
